Money9 Edit | Amid Covid mayhem, no lockdown is good news

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Days after Covid second wave caused mayhem, Prime Minister addressed the nation on Tuesday. He aimed to strike a balance between saving life and livelihood. No lockdown decision indeed, offers relief and should possibly stem migration.

A lot more obviously needs to be done to allay the widespread fear on account of ever-rising cases across India. Ironically, grimness of numbers has given way to familiarity of names no longer there. India needs to declare a Covid emergency and do whatever it takes to build overnight critical medical infrastructure. Hope needs oxygen to endure.

Prime Minister’s address, seventh on Covid management during the last about 13 months, came against the backdrop of severe shortage of Covid medicine, oxygen and beds, more so ICU beds in Delhi and Mumbai.

Worse, the address was preceded by unfortunate politicking over the issue of Covid second wave rearing its ugly head and taking many innocent lives. Images of bodies piling up at crematoria in mega metros have shaken the confidence of the nation.

Needless to say that the medical infrastructure is heavily fatigued and the sudden unprecedented rush runs the risk of crippling it further. PM said the government was working overtime to build urgent capacity. India demonstrated last year its resolve to rise to the challenge but the latest case numbers pose an unprecedented crisis.

The Union government’s decision to vaccinate all above 18 from May 1 should ideally redeem the situation. But execution is the key. While states have been given the freedom they demanded, a collaborative approach is yet critical to achieve the desired results.

The Uttar Pradesh government has announced free vaccines for all above 18. This should mitigate any vaccine hesitancy on account of cost. Other state governments should follow suit. And, there should be an open market price that can be absorbed by upwardly mobile affluent India.

The political establishment – at Centre and in states not ruled by BJP – have to first and foremost inspire confidence that for a moment politics will be subservient to the mission of saving life and livelihood.