Governments give reckless advice
THERE is a lot of reckless advice with even Joe Biden, the US president, advocating throwing your mask away if you have received your first vaccine. What is the harm in continuing to wear a mask as a legal requirement until further notice? Even previously, the anti-flu shot was known to fail more often than not.
India’s government had ample time to extend its hospitals, stockpile medical equipment like ventilators and beds, and employ more health-care workers.
Instead, it opted to strengthen only its own existence in Delhi by promulgating crowded election rallies and allowing selected communities to hold prayers and festivities where social distancing would be practically impossible.
India exported vaccines to make the Narendra Modi government look charitable and noble.
Money that could have been used to fortify the already ailing health system was instead utilised and is still being used to deploy soldiers to suppress selected states like Kashmir, Nagaland, Assam, even Punjab, which are demanding independence.
Even in the midst of the pandemic, election rallies continue.
It seems politicians, whose single aim is to either gain or retain power, have vice-gripped the earth’s populace. The saddest thing is that we are allowing that to happen.
EBRAHIM ESSA
Durban