India fights back Covid-19 resolutely

Resilient India fights back! Call it the first silver lining emerging in India’s fight against coronavirus pandemic, the sharp rise in recovery cases (over 4,250 and counting) is the first feel-good positive news for us. Else, our eyes were always glued to the TV sets counting the Covid-19 positive tally and the death toll. Today, the rising recovery rate gives a new confidence to all those involved in defeating the deadly virus. From the healthcare workers, doctors and security officials, who sacrificed personal safety to save lives, to every individual at home waiting for the pandemic to peter out, the country has shown a remarkable unity, perseverance and courage.

What’s even more heartening is the fact that the recovery rate, in days to come, will only improve. Kudos to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government for immediately going for “prevention through an information blitz”, followed by a national lockdown, an unprecedented public exercise which helped delay the virus from entering the “danger zone”. It’s the decisiveness of the current dispensation, both at the Centre and the states, that has ensured this nation of 1.3 billion people doesn’t enter the “community transmission stage’’. India may avoid entering the danger zone if we remain disciplined and maintain social distancing.

The authorities need to take lessons from some of the mistakes that inadvertently happened during the lockdown. The nation simply cannot afford to have another Tablighi-like blunder, and we need to be better prepared to deal with the plight of migrant labourers in several states. Had a complete discipline been practised by keeping politics and religion on the backburner, India’s tally would have been much less. It’s high time we look back at those mistakes and make a renewed vow not to repeat them. It’s time to fight coronavirus resolutely and as one nation.