According to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday, India has logged in 403 fresh Covid cases. The recrudescence of Covid is concomitant of the vaccination drive put on halt. Complacency has set in probably all over the world on this dreadful disease which claimed heavy tolls in the second wave. Enthusiasm to administer vaccine has come down to zero level as if this dreaded disease has been totally wiped out. Children below 5 years have not been administered vaccine. Children are most susceptible for diseases because they come in close contact with each other in class rooms and they eat junk foods. Authorities all over the world seem to have forgotten that the children are the budding citizens who are the torch-bearers of the nations. It is poor consolation that the active cases have decreased to 4972 which is 0.1 per cent of the total infections whereas the recovery rate has been recorded at 98.80 per cent. Death toll has been put at 5,31,864 with addition of five deaths. The covid cases tally has been recorded at 4,49,89,744. As per ministry’s website 220.66 crore doses of covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwise vaccination drive. What has been done so far is undoubtedly a significant achievement. But giving jabs to the needy should be the continuing process. Covid has not been confined to a few pockets of a country. The whole world is the victim of the disease. It is the collective responsibility of all the nations to work for the total eradication of the disease. World Health Organiszation must take initiative in educating the nations to take the matter seriously. It must be a fight to finish. Deaths and disabilities on account of Covid are not only personal losses of the families concerned but they have already adversely affected the economy of the countries as a whole. Functions and programmes come to standstill. Free movement is obstructed. People violating the Covid protocol are faced with the problem of courting troubles from the police department. Vaccination drive must be resumed from where it has been left. Children have been neglected. Their safety is more important to the elderly family members. New crop of citizens including children must be given the jabs to prevent the spread of disease further.
K.V. Seetharamaiah
