Although during whole of the week after steady addition of Covid-19  positive cases and deaths, cumulative figures of the country as on late Saturday evening marched towards 15000 and 500 marks respectively, a faint ray of hope, perhaps for the first time since the battle commenced has arrived at last. Union Health Ministry on Friday informed that the doubling rate of positive cases is now 6.2 days, compared to 3 days, the trend that was before commencement of the nationwide lockdown. It’s no doubt an encouraging news and reading the reactions of medical experts, it seems the hardships of the lockdown are finally paying off. But a caveat has arrived, which is not to get swayed away by this success with the paramount task now to keep the tempo undiluted for the whole of the current second phase which will continue till May 3 and further ahead also.

‘Doubling rate’ is one of the principal assessment tool used by virologists, epidemiologists and modelling experts to arrive at the speed of spread of any pandemic over a chosen period of time. In India’s case, the period in consideration has been segregated into four phases taking into account the number of days when cases doubled from 750 to 1,500, followed by 1,500 to 3,000, 3,000 to 6,000 and 6,000 to 12,000. The study has shown when the first phase of doubling took 5 days, in second it came down to 3 which obviously caused of concern. However, for the third i.e from 3,000 to 6,000 it was an improvement since it took 5 days and finally in the last, it was a further improvement when it took 6 days. Expectedly, epidemiologists and medical experts now engaged in waging the Covid-19 battle have got the much needed dose of encouragement. But they have also been issued  a caution that if it leads to mass complacency such as taking lightly the social distancing norms and hygiene etiquettes, it will take very little time for erosion of the hard-earned gain. It further needs to be understood by all that the lockdown can’t be a permanent solution and continued over an indefinite period. People will have to get back to their economic, social and all respective engagements and it will be well-nigh impossible for the government to play the role of a constant watchdog for enforcement of these advisories. 

The onus  is now needed to be shouldered collectively by the citizenry and interpreting the above success as a total freedom from the lethal virus will mean falling into the trap once more. Vulnerability is thus not yet over and not only up to May 3, responsibilities are warranted at least for next three months.