After an almost two-year long battle with COVID-19, the positivity rate has significantly been mitigated in Pakistan. The curve has seen a drop in recent days, and on the day of the writing of this piece of editorial, five people lost their life to the virus countrywide. This drop has come about after a rigorous process of vaccinations that was initiated by the government. Although many people were hesitant to get the jab at first, the process remains a successful one. Moreover, the strict compliance to SOPs has also reduced the spread of the virus and in turn reduced the positivity ratio, which stands at 0.89 percent currently.
The World Health Organisation has issued updated guidelines on the management of multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children associated with COVID-19 (MIS-C). This condition is one in which multiple parts of the body such as lungs, heart and kidneys etc. can become inflamed. It has been linked with COVID-19 and has to be looked out for in children. Pakistan has started administering COVID-19 vaccines to young adults under 18, however, children are still waiting in line. The country will have to take precautions so that they can easily treat children who come in with this condition without any delay or burden on the health system.
The Coronavirus pandemic turned the world upside down. Now, as people around the world bid farewell to it, a new normal has been created. Masks that came into the lives of people in 2019 have now become a permanent accessory and so have hand sanitizers. The new normal has begun now and might be better in the sense that if people continue using sanitizers, they will be safe from many diseases, such as diarrhea. The use of masks will also reduce the spread of airborne diseases, such as flu. However, single use masks pose an environmental cost which must be reduced.
Pakistan still needs to administer the vaccine jabs to many. A lot of hesitancy still exists in Pakistan as people either have not accepted that the virus exists or they have become a victim of the conspiracies created around the vaccine. A successful vaccination drive will be the only way to completely eradicate the threat of deaths due to the virus. Moreover, it is necessary for the whole world to fight the disease together as the virus has the ability to transmit from one part to the other part of the world. So, the virus provides a common ground to the international community to stand united.
