China’s healthcare system has once again found itself under the radar as a spike in pneumonia and bacterial lung infections since mid-October causes concern. Beijing, however, has reported “no unusual or novel pathogen”. The WHO claims it is closely monitoring the situation and is in close contact with national authorities in China. Meanwhile, citizens are being asked to practise caution, including masks, vaccinations and social isolation. Any mention of infection in China is bound to cause panic as it is still reeling from the devastating impacts of the COVID pandemic. Harrowing echoes of Covid-19 outbreak in central Wuhan in 2019 are still etched fresh in the collective memories where a fast-developing critical situation took the entire world by storm. Since Chinese authorities have learned lessons from the coronavirus days, it is hoped that any new wave will be effectively dealt with. That Pakistan, too, needs to cross the t’s and dot the i’s on its public healthcare plan cannot be stressed enough. Even though the dark, crippling crossroads have long been passed, we still suffer from negligible resources available to public hospitals and the unprecedented strains on the healthcare infrastructure. It would do well to realise that a stitch in time saves nine. Inoculations, inoculations and more inoculations should be the highlight of a national comprehensive plan so that the public school system can be protected from the onslaught of a worrisome outbreak. There may not have been many deaths reported so far but it only takes a single mutation for any disease to get several shades deadlier. *