The country has gone into a nationwide lockdown since March 24 and this will be in effect till June 14. This means the citizens should strictly abide by it until the government takes a new decision on it. No doubt, the prolonged lockdown has caused immense hardships to the people. But one must not forget that this tough measure has been adopted to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. In light of the sharp spike in the cases of virus of late, one may question the rationale behind the lockdown and other guidelines such as social- and physical distancing. However, such scepticism does not bear scrutiny. Experts believe that the lockdown has been effective to slow down the virus’s spread significantly. Amidst the call to ease the lockdown, the High Level Coordination Committee (HLCC), formed to prevent and control COVID-19, is working on a new lockdown modality to resume businesses and other activities.

But before the government announces a new notice concerning the public interest, there is a tendency to ignore the basic health precautions. It is not prudent to venture on the road and in the empty markets in vain. Ironically, the capital and other cities have witnessed sudden rushes of people and vehicles on the roads, giving an impression that there is no lockdown at all. Sometime back the government had allowed the opening of government offices like land registration offices, banks and financial institutions, construction material suppliers and contractors in the valley, which has prompted many vehicle owners to come out of their garages. Nonetheless, this selective relaxation must not serve as pretext for others to violate the lockdown. The public should support the law enforcement agencies active to control unnecessary human movements and implement the vehicle prohibition order that includes checking necessary documents (vehicle passes).

Instead of pointing the finger at the lockdown, focus should be on its effective management. In line with the World Health Organisation’s prescriptions, the government has expedited the works to expand the scope of testing to contain the virus. Minister for Health and Population Bhanubhakta Dhakal Monday told the parliament that everyday 10,000 individuals would be tested through PCR method from June 29. Currently, an average of 4,000 tests has been conducted daily for COVID-19 in the laboratories across the country since the beginning of June. The expansion of testing is the most effective means to trace the infected persons and check the coronavirus. For this, the federal government will provide one large machine each for all seven states.
To boost the morale of the frontline doctors, nurses and health workers, the government would provide 100 per cent allowance and insurance of Rs. 2.5 million to them. The COVID-19 pandemic also offers an opportunity to revamp the country’s poor health infrastructure. It is now imperative for the government to make sufficient investment in public health which is essential for protecting lives from the pandemic and to ensure better social and economic health of the nation. The coronavirus has not only triggered health crisis but also caused economic and social disruptions. Minister Dhakal deserves kudos for his commitment to building a robust health system essential to fighting pandemic now and in the future.