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It is time once again to show maximum restraint as several pathogens including COVID-19, pneumonia, flu, etc. have risen their ugly heads, taking advantage of the winter season in the northern hemisphere. The pathogens are making the lives of elderly, those with seasonal respiratory illnesses, and pregnant women vulnerable. So to prevent the nightmarish experiences of 2020 from visiting us again, all must start strictly following safety norms. Any leniency in wearing masks or washing hands frequently may prove to be fatal as was experienced during the pandemic outbreak that caused much misery. Learning from experience, we should be careful not to commit the same mistakes. Waking up only when the death toll touches alarming numbers or having limited beds and oxygen supply for those affected is sheer negligence. The situation went out of hand due to the complacency shown during the initial stages when the disease began its spread. If authorities and citizens had acted sooner, there is no gainsaying that we could have prevented many deaths. Moreover, it’s a pity that even against such a threat, the world failed to put up a united fight. In their own wisdom, some countries took the decision to serve their own interests, rather than thinking about the greater good. Due to such selfish thinking, there are still willing people yet to be vaccinated. This has left a big gap in our preparedness against fresh viruses because the security net is not complete till every person is vaccinated.
We must remember all the frightening experiences to prevent pathogens from revisiting us. Many may feel that it is too early to press the panic button as seasonal respiratory diseases are common with the onset of the winter. However, it is important to note that similar mistakes were made in the wake of COVID-19 virus attack. The development of the vaccine also took a significant time and thus the virus managed to spread for a longer time period. In the present situation, it would perhaps be wise to administer the booster dose without any further delay as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has already issued an advisory. Simultaneously, WHO should ask all countries to expedite the immunisation process by vaccinating those still left out. In this regard, the developed nations should work in tandem with WHO and make vaccines available for the poor and marginalised people living in other nations, unlike the previous time when they refused to offer vaccines on the pretext of saving their own citizens. Following the advisory issued by WHO, the Government of India has also issued nine-point directives to all states and Union Territories (UTs) urging them to remain alert and not provide a chance for the pathogens to make a comeback. It is hoped that this time the world will be more vigilant and stop the situation from getting out of control.