The State of Kerala was once lauded for the incredible way in which it handled the spread of COVID-19, when the virus first hit the State. But the sudden spike in cases in Kerala makes us wonder if we are on the right path to recovery. It has forced the Government to impose Section 144 that prevents the public gathering of more than 5 people at a time. Unfortunately, Kerala ranks number one in the country with the highest number of COVID-19 cases per million, followed by Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Delhi. Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kozhikode have registered the most number of cases.
Are we not taking COVID-19 seriously? Stepping out of our homes is a risk – we all know it. Yet we do it. And when we do, many of us forget to take the basic precautionary measures to keep ourselves safe. As the cases in Kerala spread, we should understand that the onus of the spread is upon our actions too. Did you know that Kerala also had the maximum new cases per million in the whole country? That’s worth a thought!
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The expected rise in COVID-19 cases has put a lot of pressure on the medical infrastructure of the State where adequate manpower is lacking. More than that, facilities that are currently treating COVID-19 patients are under pressure because the existing infrastructure will not be able to support more patients.
Dr Joseph Chacko, President of Kerala Government Medical Officer’s Association, is of the opinion that budget cuts, leading to cutting of salaries of the medical staff and doctors have demotivated them. On top of that, they have to work tirelessly every single day, leading to burn-outs. Local medical infrastructure needs to be improved and strengthened so that people have access to immediate care in case an emergency arises.
Here’s a request to all of you from all of us at PinkLungi. Please do not step out of your house unless absolutely necessary. Abide by COVID-19 rules – wear a mask at all times, however uncomfortable it may be, use sanitisers and wash your hands for 20 seconds frequently. Stay safe. Many people’s lives are in our hands.
Head over to this website to get access to all the information you need to know about Kerala’s COVID-19 cases.
