On Monday, the district administration sealed over thirty business establishments in Srinagar for violating the Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) notified for keeping the infections at bay. The step was taken following the surge in Covid positive cases in Srinagar district. The concerned district authorities have repeatedly been asking people to follow the SOPs in letter and spirit to contain the spread of the deadly virus. However, unfortunately some people, of late, have been ignoring the precautions result being the fresh surge in positive cases. Despite the constant counseling of health experts and directives and guidelines by the administration, people who violate SOPs are not only violating the rules, they are putting their lives, the lives of their dear ones and that of general public to risk and therefore the action taken by the district administration is apt and necessary. It may be recalled here that the Deputy Commissioner Srinagar has repeatedly been appealing to the traders, transporters and the public to exhibit strict compliance to the government directions for larger public safety and health.
People need to understand that the virus is very much here and despite the massive vaccination drive, it is going to stay and therefore following the SOPs is the only way to defeat it. At the moment, as per official records, out of daily positive cases, 50 per cent are reported in Srinagar district alone. It is therefore necessary that people in Srinagar remain extra cautious to ensure that the place, God forbid, is not hit by the third wave. Medical experts describe the trend of violating SOPs as worrisome saying the masses need to adopt Covid-19 SOPs as a new normal because nothing will change immediately. They are of the opinion that despite the vaccination drive, the virus is not going to vanish overnight and therefore taking extreme precautions is the only way to ensure safety from this invisible enemy. It is every individual’s responsibility to ensure that he/she helps in breaking the chain of infection and that is possible only if everyone adheres to ongoing SOPs. People have to behave as responsible citizens and understand that one who doesn’t follow the guidelines is doing utmost disservice to his/her own self, family and the society at large. While the authorities have launched a full-fledged vaccination campaign and more and more people are getting vaccinated, the SOPs still remain the only measure to defeat the virus. People should not become complacent as the medical experts are continuously suggesting that even after getting vaccinated, following of SOPs is a must. Wearing masks, maintaining social distance and washing hands frequently are the new norms and people should prepare themselves to follow these for a longer period.
