After prohibitory orders imposed in the Kathmandu Valley and other parts of the county to contain the COVID-19 pandemic were removed, people are gradually returning to a new normal. Months of lockdown and weeks of restrictive measures hit the economy up to the hilt. The lockdown led to the loss of jobs on a massive scale while the threat of starvation and scarcity loomed large among the vulnerable population. So the government adopted a strategy of saving the lives of people and reviving the economy simultaneously. This approach is rational but it can work effectively only when the citizens strictly follow the health guidelines prescribed by the concerned agencies.
Allowing the full-fledged operation of local markets, offices, banks, business enterprises, public transportation and airline services, among others, do not suggest that the virus has become weak. Undermining the virus spread is quite dangerous and can subsequently become a fatal. Fake and misleading information fueled by electronic and social media has also made gullible people to take the virus lightly. Some speakers in television shows claim that COVID-19 is a plot hatched by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and pharmaceutical companies but this is grossly mistaken argument, indicating their sheer ignorance and naivety to be carried away concocted news. Scientists across the world have concurred that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the name of the virus that causes the disease COVID-19. According to the WHO, the virus was identified by Chinese authorities on January 7, 2020. A Reuters Fact Check team has proved all conspiracy theories pertaining to virus wrong.
A host of coronavirus patients, who shared their traumatic experiences with this daily the other day, said that the virus is excruciating and must not be taken lightly. “It is not just a normal viral infection. It makes the patients vulnerable, both physically and emotionally,” said senior pilot Vijay Lama, who is now undergoing treatment of COVID-19 at a local hospital in Kathmandu. His experience is very valuable for the people, defying the threat of the pandemic. He shared that being a symptomatic patient makes it even harder to cope with the infection. “The turmoil of emotions that you have to go through is agonising," he added. Billionaire businessman Binod Chaudhary, who has recently recovered from the virus, has warned that no one should be in delusion that the novel coronavirus is nothing.
Increasing number of virus cases and fatalities caused by it testifies the fact that COVID-19 is a serious medical threat to the global population. On Monday alone, Nepal recorded 16 deaths, the highest single-day casualties from the pandemic and 1.154 new infections. The people can spread rumours and misinterpret others’ statements but the facts and figures never tell a lie. Those who are fanning fabricated information about the virus should listen to what medical scientists are saying about it. Moreover, the painful experiences of coronavirus patients can hardly be dismissed. Those who dare to reject science and willfully circulate heresies are not only jeopardising their own health but also endangering their family members, friends, relatives and the public as a whole. Therefore, this time for people to be more responsible and follow basic health rules to avoid the virus infection.