Daily Times

The country’s economic managers should tighten their belts and prepare for yet another stiff test as the dreaded second wave of the coronavirus is all but confirmed and so-called smart lockdowns have already begun in a number of important cities. Karachi and Islamabad seem to be leading the race for the highest number of new cases, most likely also deaths, but the rest of the country is not far behind. The responsibility rests with the people, of course, since they quite literally helped throw away a truly priceless opportunity. They played a part in the earlier effort to control the spread of the virus of course, since without their willing participation the country would never have been able to achieve such a remarkable feat, but what good is all that now?

The most frustrating problems will come when healthcare facilities are overwhelmed and the economy retreats because of another lockdown, which now looks sure to come. Anybody falling prey to the virus is a great national tragedy no doubt but doctors falling sick adds substantially to the problem because it reduces the number of people that can provide treatment to those in need. And shutting down the country will choke the economy and kill jobs at a time when the government will struggle very badly to come up with another relief package. The state bank too, which aided the government admirably in the first round, does not have too many options left after reducing rates numerous times recently.

To make things worse, people are still not getting serious for some reason. There’s really nothing more the government can do than remind everybody repeatedly of all the pitfalls that lie ahead if this attitude is not abandoned. Even if people become serious about safety protocols at this point they will help limit the unnecessary damage that is being caused. The way they are behaving they are just staring a gift horse in the mouth. *