Four more persons, all from Bandipora, have tested positive for coronavirus and the preliminary findings suggest they were close contacts of a Srinagar based patient who tested positive on Tuesday. This is enough to convoy to the masses that how important it is to cooperate with the authorities and voluntarily approach them and intimate them about travel history. Those who don’t take these directives seriously and hide their travel history, try to escape from scrutiny are not only risking their own lives but also their families and all those with whom they get in touch with. This kind of attitude is criminal and at a time when the entire world, Kashmir being no exception, is desperately fighting a full-fledged war against deadly COVID-19, such persons should understand that they threaten the entire populace by voluntarily becoming the carrier of the deadly virus. It is duty of every citizen with travel history in recent past to come forward, without wasting any time, and intimate about it the concerned authorities. It is also responsibility of all the citizens that if he found someone in their relation, within their friend circle or in their neighbourhood who has not declared his/her travel history and has escaped mandatory scrutiny, he or she is reported to the authorities forthwith.
The Prime Minister has announced 21 day long nationwide lockdown. It goes without saying that commoners may have to suffer on many counts because of the lockdown. But this lockdown is must for every citizen’s safety. Whatever inconveniences people may face during these 21 one days is nothing in comparison to sure death by coronavirus. By staying at home the people would definitely deny the virus the luxury of making them its mode of transmission. This chain is to be broken and this can’t be done unless people heed to the official and health advisories. At the moment there is no cure for coronavirus except social distancing. 21 day lockdown is a challenge but nothing in comparison to the bigger change that the deadly virus is posing. Let us stay at home and fight it together.
