The recent uptick in the number of covid-19 infections and deaths has raised fears that the country is on the verge of a third wave of infections even as the second wave has yet to recede. This also combines with two other developments, one natural and beyond human control, the other because of governmental inaction, to make it possible that there will be much more human suffering than was perhaps necessary. The most worrisome natural development was one which had been predicted, that the coronavirus would evolve. Almost every day, it seems, there are fresh reports coming in of new, more deadly, more infectious variants. Some of these variants are said to be resistant to the vaccines. However, Pakistan seems so far to have avoided the disaster that has overtaken other countries, of finding that a new variant spreading in the country has rendered the entire vaccination programme useless.
Instead of being shafted by a coronavirus variant, the country is being shafted by its own government, which has developed a sudden reluctance to acquire any doses for which it has to pay money. To say the least, this would be a penny-wise pound-foolish approach to securing the population. This approach is all the more surprising because the government has already allocated a sizeable sum for the acquisition of vaccines. However, it seems that the prospect of actually shelling out cash proved too much for some, and a policy of going for herd immunity was opted for. That approach has been rejected by governments all over the world, precisely for the reason the government should not entertain it: it would cause an unacceptable number of deaths.
It might seem that the government is trusting to something which has not yet been explained, which is the surprisingly low number of cases, and thus of deaths, in Pakistan. The week-old reopening of everything, and the consequent throwing of all caution to the winds by the public, may also be behind the rise. The attempt to achieve herd immunity should be left to those animals which herd. Human beings deserve more consideration.
