Daily Times

When will this pandemic finally end? Reports of hospitalisations rising around the US, all thanks to the latest variant of the Omicron form of the coronavirus, are, within themselves, a glaring sign that the fight against the deadly infection is not over.

We may have made our way past through the dark and dreary social distancing tunnel where human contact had become a priceless luxury but the Damoclean sword continues to hang over our heads. Not long ago, heart-wrenching accounts of the world reeling from the shocks of a novel virus that left millions of bodies in its wake had become yet another flashpoint to fracture, not unite, humanity. May it be the resources dictating what sort of defence mechanism a country and its vulnerable masses could get their hands on or naked aggression intensifying the tragic journey, capitalistic (often, misinformed)agendas appeared determined to call the shots.

That pandemic would never be over completely danced on the horizon as scientists and medical practitioners cautioned to always keep an eye out on surging cases. With the COVID-19 pandemic constantly evolving and new variants of the virus emerging, significant challenges to public health were posed demanding concerted efforts from the states. Variants like Delta demonstrated increased transmissibility, leading to crippling straining of the healthcare systems. Therefore, it is imperative for countries all around, especially those like Pakistan, to recognize the potential consequences of these variants, including a higher risk of severe illness, increased hospitalizations, and potential setbacks in the progress made against the pandemic.

Pakistan, for instance, had a close brush every time cases and hospitalisations rose. Our economy is in no shape to stomach yet another series of shutdowns and similarly fragile is our public healthcare system. Although human immunity was expected to grow manifold against the once-dreaded coronavirus, it is always better to be cautious than sorry. There’s increasing talk of annual shots, which should be targeted at the elderly and other high-risk people, who are most likely to have dire outcomes if they catch COVID-19. Emphasis on innoculations and screening of passengers entering Pakistan can ensure our people stand a much better chance. *