We are now, most probably, on the last lap of more than a month-long period of quarantine curfew. During the past several weeks and months we have often focused on the rapidly-spreading COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant increase in the number of new cases and related deaths. In such a situation, Monday’s lead story in the Daily Mirror headlined, ‘Major decline in COVID cases and hospitalisation’ was an occasion for Sri Lankans to heave a sigh of relief.

Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH), Senior Consultant Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama said the recently imposed quarantine curfew with its lockdowns, travel restrictions and preventive measures had been one of the main reasons for the sharp decrease in the number of new cases and deaths. He said it was imperative to maintain the hard-gained momentum in the future as well and stressed the importance of getting vaccinated as soon as possible without falling prey to the misinformation spread by anti-vaxxers. 

The number of daily COVID-19 cases which averaged above 2,000 during the past few weeks had on Tuesday dropped to 1,321 and the number of deaths to 66, for the first time in more than a month.

Meanwhile, Prof. Neelika Malavige of the Sri Jayewardenepura University’s Department of Immunology and Molecular Sciences and the Faculty of Medical Sciences said there was no specific difference between the COVID-19 variant in Sri Lanka and in other countries. However, she said the vaccines would provide the necessary protection from any of the variants that might invade Sri Lanka.

Be that as it may, though supermarkets were opened to the public, some essential commodities such as milk powder and rice are still in short supply with queues seen outside SATHOSA outlets to buy even the limited quantities that were being sold to customers. 

A report published in the Daily Mirror on Saturday said the existing shortages of milk powder and a few other essential commodities had stressed out many consumers so much, so they were even prepared to buy whatever was available at any cost. The report said, several consumers had posted complains on social media saying that some unscrupulous retailers were forcing them to buy, additional items to be ‘eligible’ to buy milk powder or other essential commodities. Legal experts say though these types of sales promotions are not unusual and it is more likely to happen under the prevailing pandemic situation especially when essential commodities are in short supply.

According to the report, officials at two companies dealing with popular milk powder brands, when asked about such practices said they had not sanctioned any trade promotions, retail schemes or bundled offers for full cream milk powder. “We disapprove of the same. The maximum retail price as approved by authorities is printed on the pack. We have consistently communicated to the retail trade to comply with the selling prices and comply with the protocols governing the industry,” one of the companies said in a release. 

“In general, most retailers sell products to known people and there may be instances when they opt for conditional sales,” the other company said. “There are several issues due to COVID that has resulted in a shortage. Sales persons allocate stocks and if stocks run out there won’t be any to sell. Therefore retailers give products to known people and conditional sales have been happening for various other essential items such as biscuits, sugar and rice as well. So far we haven’t come across any such incidents, but if we do receive any complaints we will warn the retailers.”

Meanwhile, after discussions with Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, milk powder importers had been given the nod to increase the price of a kilogram of imported milk power by Rs.200 even though the importers had requested for a price increase of Rs.350 for a kilogram packet of milk powder based on the fact that global market prices and shipping costs had increased while the Sri Lankan rupee had depreciated against the US dollar.

In the wake of the foregoing, came the news of the sudden opening of liquor shops with visuals showing hundreds of ‘thirsty’ customers with scant regard for health guidelines, queuing up outside liquor shops and jostling with each other, intent only on buying whatever was for sale after the month-long closure.

Nevertheless, at the end of the day, we must not lose sight of the fact that each of us is responsible for each other’s safety and that none of us are safe until all of us are safe.Vaccination being the best option to beat the viral infection, please get vaccinated without delay.