Covid-19 is not going to go away anytime soon.  That’s why we are talking about the need to heed Covid 19 advice more seriously now more than ever. We are talking about the existence of a new variant – Lambda.

What do we know about Lambda? Practically nothing. But going by the available reports, the variant, which is currently the dominant strain in the UK, could be more transmissible than the Delta variant.

Publicans and restaurateurs, who have lost business and income for a long time, are eager to get back to something like normality. Many people, particularly those living along the borders, have had to face a very difficult time with prolonged lockdown and restriction measures.

Thankfully, we got enough vaccines supplies and the roll-out has been impressive so far. But we are still in an unforgiving race between vaccines and new variants. That’s what we know.

Just because we got the second jab doesn’t mean that we are fully protected from the virus. With cases running at alarming rates in the neighbouring countries and beyond, taking precautions is all the more critical. We know this too.

Nothing has changed significantly in our battle against the Covid-19; it is still largely upon us to manage the risks. 

There will be demands from certain quarters of the society to open up or to loosen the restrictions placed upon them. Some might even disregard the protocols in place because they got the second jab. The government must tackle these issues sensibly and urgently.

For the people living along the borders, lockdown has been very long. Many are going through very difficult times. But the difficulties facing individuals and families can and should be eased. That’s why we have task forces and officials on duty full-time. In such difficult time as the one we are going through, silos could inflict the biggest and hardest blow.

There is a need to ease the difficulties facing the people in the border areas, especially in Phuentsholing. That, however, doesn’t mean we should forget or omit the protocols altogether. What the people need are services at their door to keep going in these long, dark and strenuous times.

His Majesty the King said Saturday that if difficulties prolong in these areas, it would have untold impact on the people and the danger is that going about the way we have been people might no longer fear Covid-19. 

This is the real danger facing us today.

 All’s been good so far even as we have had to fight a tough enemy with limited resources but there can be no room for virus complacency—there are new variants and forces to be reckoned with.

Simply put the fight is nowhere near over; we have a long way to go. In this respect, we have many gaps to fill. New variants are coming. We have a long way to go even after the second jab.