Cautiously optimistic on corona

Dashain this year comes with a spark of hope for all hospitals, health workers, and the people at large, especially with the availability of vaccines against Covid-19. We are going through a major health crisis, but more and more people are getting vaccinated as well. People finally feel like celebrating and meeting their friends and family this Dashain.

However, the pandemic is still active, and although the number of cases is decreasing, we still need to take precautions and try not to spread the virus. Until now, nearly 70-75 percent of people living in city areas have been vaccinated. But most of them in rural and remote areas are still unvaccinated.

We need to be mindful that no vaccine is cent-percent effective and there are still breakthrough cases where fully vaccinated people get infected. It prevents them from getting a severe disease in most cases, but they can still spread the virus. During Dashain, with people returning to their hometowns and villages, there is a chance that they might take along the virus and the number of infections will pick up again among the unvaccinated.

As we step into the new normal, we can work together to take control of the situation while also celebrating festivals. We still have to take precautions to keep ourselves and those around us safe.

Also read: Music and Dashain are synonymous

More institutions, from schools and colleges to cinema halls, are reopening, and the scenario now will be different to the past couple of months. This Dashain is not just about celebration, it’s about transitioning to a new normal and adapting to the virus, and finding more ways to remain safe while going about our daily lives.

The pandemic has changed our lives in the past one and a half years, and I have faith that the festivals shall make us realize how important it is to control the virus from spreading by acting responsibly. We still have much left to do, and I am hopeful that in the next couple of months we will make rapid progress in corona-control, one step at a time.

The government is discussing vaccinating children above the age of 12, and if things go as planned, those school-going children would be at less risk. The schools as well need to make sure that all the teachers and staff are vaccinated.

I believe even if a new variant starts spreading, we can respond better to control its spread. It will be less life-threatening compared to the one that started the second wave, as more and more people get vaccinated.

Yet, again, the pandemic is not over and safety measures should still be in place and every individual should be conscious about protecting themselves and the people around them while celebrating the festivals.