With yet another new variant of the deadly pandemic ready to burst open the floodgates and the health department still hedging its bets on whether the storm would take a turn away, the eerie deja vu is far too striking to dismiss. The international community could not ring the alarm bells any louder. Downing Street has already marked the mammoth surge in recorded infections as the tidal wave. Mr Boris Johnson has, however, drawn the ire of the rest of Europe for not acting fast enough as muddled messages and an over-burdened (ready slowly poisoned) health care system might pipe in to the final dance of death any day now. If countries like France can bolt their doors on people from the United Kingdom, should our measly lands be ready to be shoved under the butcher’s knife again? Clearly, 2022 is being rightly decried as 2020-too. Now as far as the ground realities are concerned, we are still swimming in cautious waters. Only a handful of cases have yet been reported and Pakistan has already sat upright and placed travel restrictions from known hotspots. But going by our tainted record, the authorities have a notorious knack of not going by the code. The dismal manner in which the pilgrims from Iran were mishandled last year when they conveniently flouted quarantine and mingled with people far and wide upped the “viral” game. This influx from outside is what needs aggressive policing. Screening and only screening can help prevent us from teetering on the edge of disaster for the umpteenth time. Scientists have been bluntly telling anyone who would listen to prioritise their loved ones if not themselves. That the strain produces mild symptoms has not yet been rubberstamped. It can be hoped-even, prayed- to hold true but not handed out as delusive contentment to a public still struggling to follow the government’s guidelines. Every one in six Pakistani believes in some divine protection reserved for them alone against COVID-19. Worse off are those broadcasting conspiracy theories said to be churned out to sideline Islam. While we may not have the new year’s festivities to look out for, December’s wedding bonanza is just as much of a super spreader. The rest of the world is urging for a doubling down of preventive measures. Warnings are pouring in fast and furious from all over. Bring back the maks, they plead. Booster regimens remain the only iron armour against the threat of serious symptoms. The ball is, ergo, in our court. Will we kick the new strain out of the stadium or be clean-bowled for an embarrassing duck? *