Amid the still-powerful 2^nd Covid wave, June 4 had a special significance since it marks the completion of two tumultuous months that battered India in a magnitude almost double that of 2020. The virus has its own ‘philosophy’ and going by it, it seems that the post-peak period has just commenced. However, Arunachal Pradesh can’t be included in this assessment right now, since the essential features of a post-peak phase of the Covid-19 pandemic is not visible, rather, the situation is still critical. An extensive explanation is not needed for decoding the reason(s) why the state’s Covid graph is taking more time to flatten this time. Most of the rural belts, unlike the 1^st phase, have come under the sway, a phenomenon also noticeable across the country. All combat measures remain the same, however, the tipping point is definitely vaccination and the faster it’s done, the easier it will be for the state to tide over the ongoing difficult phase.  

April 4 last actually marked the beginning of India's Covid 2.0 consternation with cases, after a long pause, crossed the 1 lakh mark. It increased with uncomfortable additions with each day and on May 6 all records were broken when daily caseload reached 4.14 lakh. Huge surge in casualties has been a  distinguishing factor of the 2^nd wave and although there are deep reservations regarding the official figures with allegations flowing thick and fast that there are attempts of underreporting, 1.76+ lakh deaths (official data) during these 2 months alone will always haunt citizens. The same devastating trend is much visible in Arunachal too and when there were just 56 casualties during the entire length of the 1^st phase, as on June 3, the state had already lost 63 of its citizens and it’s still counting. Coming back to the national picture, experts are cautioning that although daily new cases are hovering around 1.21+ lakh currently, it will be too early to jump to a conclusion that the curve’s flattening has began, since it’s still nearly 24,000 more than the September 16 peak when it was almost 98,000 cases. A real respite will mean only if daily cases fall to somewhere around 20000 which is the pre-2^nd phase January-end figure. The state has to reach out to the interior parts with campaigns pertaining to Covid vaccination and it’s a healthy sign that panchayat members are being roped in. There are still misconceptions and a sense of reluctance among the rural people to get vaccinated which might delay the state’s Covid ‘flattening’ efforts.

However, overcoming it should not be a major problem if there are sustained convincing efforts. Panchayat representatives having direct interactions with people should do it.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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