Is it “Epidemiological stupidity”?

Learn to live with Covid, as with Flu! - Boris Johnson

Vaccinate, … leave it in the hands of God” – Keheliya Rambukwella

Boris Johnson early last month told his people, “Learn to Live with Covid as we do with Flu.” The British Premier declared an end to lockdown restrictions, ditching them from July 19, including the work from home order, social distancing rules, and mask mandates! He argued that the UK must learn to live with Coronavirus, similar to the common flu.  Johnson’s idea was condemned as a reckless move in the midst of the highly transmissible Delta variant.  Dr. Gabriel Scally of the University of Bristol—a prominent public health expert described the move as,  “Epidemiological stupidity,” but PM’s corona virus gamble worked in his favour.

With mask no longer mandatory–pubs, shopping malls and other venues not collecting customer info; serve drinks at the bar, social mixing and nightclubs reopen, sports stadia, theatres, cinemas operated at full capacity.  Back to normal ways in a boon for the economy, all in the midst of Corona deaths recording its peak. July 19 recorded one of the highest deaths per day in the UK. Proportionately to population, which is three times Sri Lanka, it is higher than our highest so far [up to the time of writing—186]. UK then was just behind Brazil and Indonesia.  Johnson’s announcement was a shift from lawfully enforced limitations to affording people private choice: he described the idea as restoration of people’s freedoms. Some experts, such as Tim Spector, professor of genetic epidemiology, King’s College London, called foul on the data. Spector said the rapid drop as – “unheard of in pandemics.” 

Thanks to the highly successful rollout of our vaccination plan, we are progressing cautiously. The epidemic is not over and will continue to rise over the next few weeks. Responsibility is ours. We must continue to carefully manage the risks from new variants in the face of increasing cases of Delta and its mutations by exercising judgment. Certainly rise in cases with little action means further pressure on health workers who are already exhausted. Dismantling the task force and handing it over to cabinet is hilarious; who are they? The task force includes experts representing all relevant fields.  

"The epidemic is not over and will continue to rise over the next few weeks. Responsibility is ours. We must continue to carefully manage the risks from new variants in the face of increasing cases of Delta and its mutations by exercising judgment"

The pandemic is raging with death toll mounting; some health authorities are agitating for a lockdown to ease tension on the hospital staff, others maintain stoic silence. Lockdown will help curb the spread of the virus for the time being only. Once the country opens up, the virus will get back to its normal routine throughout the country. An unofficial lockdown as proposed by various groups is unlikely to be effective.
The worst hit, in the event of a lockdown would be the hundreds of thousands of daily-wage earners who will be left struggling to feed their children.

Keheliya Rambukwella who as media minister and government spokesman said that the most any government could do was to offer its citizens with both doses of the vaccine, and added that the intention of the incumbent administration was to vaccinate all Sri Lankans with both doses and leave the rest in the hands of God. A few days later he took oaths as Minister of Health, for a reader to comment; “Now he can leave the entirety of … in the hands of God”

Los Angeles, the second largest district in the US with over 600,000 students was reopened four days since the detection of multiple positive infections in various school sites. They did it with dilapidated infrastructure of the districts over 1,000 schools, and without providing a barrier necessary to ventilate and limit the spread of the airborne Delta virus. According to the LA Times, tests results of students and staff during the two weeks preceding the opening recorded 3255 positive cases among students and 399 among employees.

While the Kandy Perahera with the participation of some 5000 dancers and acrobats was in progress, the Nallur festival in North was being carried on in spite of the Covid. Have they left the lives of the participants in the hands of God?  The government revenue has dropped to lowest depths; nothing to do with the Virus, but caused mainly due to brainless trimming of taxes 20 months ago. Lockdowns would cause further drop.  The Opposition, which supported mass protests [some 450] where health regulations were deliberately violated during the month of July alone, is unashamedly demanding a lockdown: the Kandy--Colombo march by their party supporters along with some Principals and Teachers resulted in the formation of many Corona clusters.

 
When the police application seeking Court’s sanction on banning public gatherings, protests and demonstrations, was rejected though, with an added special pronouncement, an opinion, reminding the police of their powers to use their discretion under quarantine laws in preventing such violations even without a court order.  The irresponsible ‘road revellers’ backed by politicians accused the law enforcement authorities of violating the constitutional right of the people! It is easy to say close down for one, two or three weeks. But the role of leadership, is not only to protect the privileged [who has a voice], but to look after the voiceless majority, the hand-to-mouth category as well, support them who need help, and contain those that remain irresponsible.

Keith Grint--Emeritus Professor, Warwick University, says, “The corona virus has revealed that some of our contemporary myths are suspect –he continued, “The World Turned Upside Down” was written in response ….the banning of Christmas celebrations. Surely it is an appropriate title for the world we currently live in…”, 
“The World Turned Upside Down” an English song traced back to the 17th Century; written to ridicule Oliver Cromwell for banning of Christmas celebrations during the Interregnum  [the11 years in English history from the execution of Charles I -- 1649 to the restoration of Charles II -- 1660.] Over the decades, the lyrics evolved. A common performance features these words:

If buttercups buzz’d after the bee,
If boats were on land, churches on sea,
If ponies rode men and if grass ate the cows,
And cats should be chased into holes by the mouse,
If the mamas sold their babies
To the gypsies for half a crown;
If summer were spring and the other way round,
Then all the world would be upside down.[ unknown lyricist…. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwQwA_kFxoE ] [the meaning reminds Nanda Malini’s, “Sakura Mal Pipila…” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF4UBPUP1ps]
It can be hard to keep going under curfew; you need the right song to give you the push on you needs to stay at it. Listen to the pretty ancient Western and the melodious local to get over the boredom.

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