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Much to the relief of students, parents as well as educational institutions and teachers, most Indian states recently started allowing schools to reopen after months of closure, but their happiness has been cut short as surge in Covid-19 cases has compelled some state governments to suspend classroom teaching once again. More states are likely to follow suit if the number of cases continues to show an upward trend. While the government and public health authorities are worried about the second wave, describing the current situation as “going from bad to worse”, laxity is on full display at political events in poll-bound states, public places and markets. Only a few states like Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh account for most of the active cases currently but it’s just a matter of time before it spreads to other states. The only way for citizens to mitigate the impact of the pandemic is by following basic safety measures like wearing of mask, washing of hands, sanitisation and avoiding crowded places, which every individual should be aware of by now. But despite knowing the dangers and just days after 107 fresh cases were detected in the city, citizens of Kohima were caught flouting even the basic standard operating procedures during the surprise inspections carried out by the Kohima District Task Force at eight locations on Monday, wherein 293 persons were penalised for not wearing a mask. The officials had expressed disappointment that they still have to remind the people about the need to wear face mask in public places even after more than one year of sensitisation and the second wave of the disease looming large. Sadly, this laxity is not limited to Kohima; it is no different in Dimapur and other towns in the state.
People should remember that complacency will give room for disruption of normal life again, including closure of educational institutions. The recent declaration of a training institute in Kohima as a containment zone following a superspreader event has sent out a clear message that schools and colleges could be closed down any time in the event of a Covid outbreak. If parents, school administration and students don’t want history to repeat itself, Covid-appropriate behaviours should be strictly followed at all times. Students who are currently writing High School Leaving Certificate and Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate examinations should take utmost care to ensure that their exams are not disrupted midway and extended for weeks. They should have good diet besides maintaining social distancing and following other safety measures. Parents and school administration too should play their roles here as it requires co-ordinated effort. Above all, citizens should follow the SOPs without being told or compelled to, for their own good, their families and people around them. There is no better way currently available to fight the pandemic than to go back to basics (basic safety measures), remain vigilant and get vaccination.