WE MAY BE TIRED BUT VIRUS ISN’T, GOVT WARNS

Amid a record surge in coronavirus cases, the Union health ministry warned against “misplaced bravery” and stressed on following Covid-appropriate behaviour and treatment guidelines while saying “we may be tired but the virus isn’t”.

Seeking everyone’s support to manage the situation, joint secretary in the health ministry Lav Agarwal said that “misplaced fear” was also being observed among people and urged them not to stock oxygen cylinders at home.

“We are observing misplaced bravery that corona is nothing, its a scam, we have had enough of coronavirus, I don’t need a mask, let’s party, there’s life beyond worrying over coronavirus. Laxity at any level will

impact everyone in the society,” he said at a press conference.

“Then we see misplaced fear that ‘I came in contact with a case, I am infected and will surely die’, ‘I need Remdesivir just in case I get the infection’, ‘Let’s get an oxygen cylinder in advance at home’,” Agarwal said.

He underlined that fear and panic only aggravates and complicates the agony.

“Let’s not get an oxygen cylinder in advance at home,” the joint secretary said.

However, there are some alert and aware citizens also who know that chances of contracting the infection can be minimized by wearing a mask and washing hands, and believe in following the guidelines and in consulting doctors, he said.

AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria said that in the second wave of the pandemic, the rate of the rise in infection has been rapid which has put immense strain on health infrastructure for some time.

“Also, doubling of Covid-19 cases has been rapid. That should ease if turnover time reduces,” he said,

RAPID RISE IN INFECTION HAS PUT IMMENSE STRAIN ON HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE, SAID AIIMS CHIEF