Still unexplained
The hunt for the origins of Covid-19 has for the past four years been a tangled web of politics, power struggles, and international finger-pointing.
With Karnataka clocking over 10, 000 cases a day , a worried chief minister, B S Yeddyurappa, today warned of a possible lockdown unless people take the basic precautions necessary for keeping the Covid-19 virus away.
The chief minister told newsmen this afternoon that it was imperative for the people to respond appropriately for their own good otherwise the government would have no choice but to impose a lockdown .
In fact, his warning does not come as a surprise ,particularly as the government’s Technical Advisory Committee on the subject has already recommended the imposition of a lockdown in the state, albeit for a short period. If only to contain its spread.
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The officials , meanwhile ,warn that the state may well see a peak in Covid-19 cases by May first week before slowing down by month end.
Yeddyurappa, meanwhile, also spoke about his interaction with the Prime Minister while talking about the steps taken by the state government to check the spread of the virus.
These included the imposition of night curfew in a few districts.
The Prime Minister, on his part, had also emphasised the importance of focussing on micro containment zones.
Having said that the fact remains that both the chief minister and his colleagues remain averse to any thought of an economic lockdown. The crippling impact of last year’s lockdown during the first phase of Covid-19 ,is still fresh in the government’s mind.
Witness, therefore, the government’s reiteration that” if people are aware and cooperate ,there is no need for a lockdown or measures to curb economic activities.
According to the health minister, K Sudhakar, it is imperative to be vigilant till end May end especially as “our health infrastructure will be overburdened if there is a surge in cases.”
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