Covid-19 positive cases are rising in the country. New cases are shooting up from the communities. In the region, the situation is deteriorating by the day.

We are talking about the new variants of the Covid-19 virus. Also, we are talking about the air-borne nature of the virus now.  What this means is that we need to up-scale or improve our surveillance and management systems because the new variants of the virus are reportedly more dangerous and fast-spreading.

We have done well so far, but we must and can do more. The general feeling is that we are becoming more complacent by the day.

What the new variants of the Covid-19 virus are doing to the people in the region is there for us to see. Thanks to better television and communication networks!

“Lockdown” is the word. It is a sensible measure but it comes with many difficulties to many people. As border towns extend lockdown, there is an increasing threat of the capital city coming under lockdown.

The obvious reaction would be panic. People are already rushing into the shops to stock up essential items.

What has not changed and will perhaps never change is our way of dealing with the threat of the Covid-19 virus. Face masks in critically important to protect others and ourselves; maintaining physical distance is equally important. Avoiding crowds will minimise the danger of contact and spread of disease by that much more.

What do we have? Nothing more than these measures. That’s why we need to remind ourselves that we can ill afford complacency.

Look at the people thronging in the shops in our many towns. Hand-washing stands have disappeared; no one cares who scans the DrukTrack QR or not—all these in the knowledge that the danger of community transmission of the virus is immanent! 

Can we afford to go this way for long? No.

We have special groups of experts manning the situations all across the country. It is incumbent on them to reinforce the existing measures because we are now facing a new challenge.

Personal and social discipline is important but these are things that must be instilled among the people effectively. This is not happening.

So, are the lapses coming from outside the communities? So it seems.

The real question is: Why is this let to ride?