FRIDAY, MAY 03, 2024
Molly Fernandes
I still remember reading this: ‘This virus could still return and devastate – hopefully if we get a positive COVID tomorrow, we don’t kneejerk and shut all of Goa down but isolate and quarantine just the contacts and localised vaddo from where the patient comes from’.
Well, but what do we do today? Not just one vaddo to isolate and quarantine. It’s the whole State with spike in cases. Yes, it’s alarming and dangerous. Transmission has begun while the government is busy looking at age and the root of those who tested positive. Someone testing positive for the virus is bound to happen because there is transmission, yet, there’s difficulty in accepting this with yes and no.
Since the unlocking and the green signal for the restaurants and hotels to reopen, does it make sense to look out from where it spreads? And the untimely deaths? Isn’t it nonsense and shameful to say. Above all insulting the creator God, whatever and whichever religion we belong, to say she was 70, he was 80, she was 75. And what about those in the 40s and below it? There’s no need to say as the CM says: “co-morbid conditions of the patients and old age were the major reasons for the deaths, they were above 75 to 80”. So, is it that all above seventy will die and there is no regret because they are old?
An industrial unit has 54, plus 26 who have tested positive, Panjim 71 police personnel go into self quarantine or isolated themselves due to a sweeper who tested positive. The woman hails from Vasco. Till today Vasco port town has reported 11 deaths, and from Baina a 31-year-old youth.
Secondly, today the headlines: threatening private hospitals to reserve 20 per cent of the ICU beds is absurd. The Chief Minister, since May, has been saying, ‘kaim biyepachi garaz na’ zalear atam kitem zalem? Hi kosli bhirant? Domkavnni – threatening the private sector of dire consequences. By dictating to the private hospitals to reserve 20 per cent beds, you are putting the lives of the people at risk – of those taking medication for other ailments and those accompanying the patients.
No doubt we have a long, arduous, and extremely difficult road ahead. It is as if we are walking on a land mine field. It is very alarming.
In the bargain of saying ‘biyepachi garaz na’, the government forgot to do remote preparation to face the worst. And it seems like gearing up for the forth coming elections. As it was shocking to hearing the President of US say: “you got to get out there, on 8th November. I say kiddingly, but I mean it: I don’t care how sick you are. I don’t care if you just came back from the doctor and gave you the worst prognosis, meaning it’s over. You won’t be around in two weeks. Doesn’t matter, hang out till November 8th. Get out and vote. And then all we are gonna to say is “we love you and we will remember you always.”
Yes, indeed, the virus has been wrecking lives. Yet, we are asked to calm down, not to fear. So let us try to forgo some things and reschedule our eating habits, outings and so on – not taking our colleagues, friends and relations for granted while talking without masks. Let’s wear our mask properly and save our lives, save yourself and society.
