Not a license to be irresponsible

The lockdown has eased and many are back out shopping. As has been feared earlier, it has been observed that social distancing measures are not being properly followed, and this does not bode well for containing the spread of Covid-19.

In fact, such irresponsible shopping sprees could prove to be the undoing of all the effort put into the lockdown and various other measures that were put in place since coronavirus first made itself known in Bangladesh. Sadly, it seems that the desire for festivities is now trumping basic precaution to save lives.

Many traders are claiming that in spite of their repeated requests, customers are not listening to their requests for maintaining health guidelines. On Friday, throngs of customers were seen at the shops in Dhanmondi Hawkers Market, Noor Mansion Shopping Centre, New Super Market, Elephant Road, and other locations.

For the sight of these crowds, it may almost appear as though the coronavirus threat has passed, but to think this would be a grave error. Another wave of contagion could hit us as a result of these shopping sprees, overwhelming our health care system much more than before.

Some countries in Europe are now at the stage of gradually opening back up, but for them, new distancing guidelines are crucial for returning to a new normality. In a country as densely populated as Bangladesh, similar measures may not work, only strict enforcement will.

As such, it would do well for the government to determine what the priorities really are this point: A return to normal economic activity and everyday life, or averting an unmanageable health catastrophe.