On Your Mark, Get, Set..For Lockdown or NO Lockdown! Before Verdict is Out sometime Today, But Take No Chances, Stock Up on Essentials & all you tipplers, don’t forget your Liquor?
Mangaluru: People are waiting for the news whether there would be another lockdown in Dakshina Kannada from 14 July onwards, when the announcement will be made by the DC Sindhu Roopesh or District Minister-in-charge Kota Srinivas Poojary. But the minister last night had clarified to the public that no decision has been taken so far to have lockdown in DK. This was in response to messages going viral on social media and few TV channels broadcasting about lockdown from July 14 to July 22, just like it is announced in Bengaluru.
Even though a meeting was held on Sunday in the office of the DC with MP Nalin Kumar and Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh about the Covid-19 pandemic situation in the district, however, no decision on imposing lockdown in the district was taken in this meeting, stating that on Monday, July 13, MP Nalin, Kota Srinivas Poojary and DC will have a video conference with CM Yediyurappa at 11 am, and once the video conference is over, the decision will be taken about having a lockdown or No. But when CM has announced that he is planning on having a lockdown in dozen districts in the state, there is 99% chances that DK will also be slapped with this lockdown.
Our local Netas I bet know about the surety of the lockdown, but don’t want to spill the bean, since they want to wait for CM’s verdict, and then they can blame it on the CM, rather than themselves taking the responsibility/blame. This is just a nataka by our local leaders, trying to fool the citizens. But however, the Covid-19 cases are rising in the district, where as of Sunday, the spurt saw DK’s tally of positive cases rise to 2230, and 49 deaths. Even the MCC Commissioner was tested positive for Covid-19, and is under home quarantine. But who has to be blamed for the increase of this virus cases- Is it the people who disobey the covid-19 guidelines, by not wearing face mask, or not following social distancing etc or the District Admin and MCC officials who have not taken enough preventive measures in the spread of disease and also not enforced strict rules and punish the violators.
But following on the report published in Mangalorean.com (Ref: Is Lockdown Ever Going to End? It has not ‘KILLED’ the VIRUS & Possibly We’ll have to LIVE with COVID-19 until 2022 ), while we Mangaloreans observed a Total Lockdown on Sunday , and while our Country has moved into what is being called Lockdown 5.0. In some ways, this phase is more of a Re-opening 1.0, since certain activities are now permitted in all zones – green, orange and red – with full restrictions only applying to containment zones. However, What did five weeks of one of the world’s harshest lockdowns – announced with just four hours’ of notice – achieve? And does this mean your life goes back to normal? There has been “No decline in Covid-19 cases despite lockdown”. When he announced what was initially supposed to be a three-week lockdown back in March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the aim was to break the chain of transmission of the virus, warning Indians that if they were not vigilant over the next 21 days, it could set the country back by 21 years.
Karnataka now has over 25K coronavirus cases, and Bengaluru has over 10K COVID-19 cases, while DK has 2230 positive Covid -19 cases and 49 deaths. So, what has lockdown so far, rather than increase the Covid-19 cases and deaths. Our chart instead shows a steady rise in new cases. But what is clear is that the infection numbers – and the rate of growth of new cases – are continuing to rise. Though that number has indeed come down from the early days of the lockdown, the government never identified a stated level it wanted to reach before it would start to relax restrictions. What that means is that the easing of restrictions appears to be coming primarily because the country simply can’t afford to be shut for much longer. The effects on livelihoods and indeed lives would be too much, even if there is a clear explanation of what has changed now versus, say, five to six weeks ago
That means we can expect numbers to keep rising over the next few months. Currently, the cases are continuing to grow at a flat rate, even more at times, so it’s very difficult to predict when the peak will come. But a peak is expected this month (July). That is the reason why we need to be prepared for it and more vigilant to bring the number of cases down. Social distancing guidelines will remain in place – in public spaces, on public transport, in offices, on airplanes and beyond. Many countries have banned large gatherings until later in the year, and question marks remain about the future of businesses like gyms, bars, movie theatres, music concerts and sports leagues, all of which are difficult to operate without large crowds. Travel, especially across states and countries, will not be the same.
While MLA and Former Minister U T Khader has tweeted requesting CM Yediyurappa to impose lockdown in Dakshina Kannada district as done in Bengaluru. In his tweet, Khader urged Yediyurappa, “…the situation of coronavirus pandemic is going out of control with every passing day. Announce lockdown here also like you have announced in Bengaluru. Increase health and medical infrastructure. Only after getting the supplementary plan ready for implementation, relax the lockdown in phases. This is my sincere request.”
Dr Padmanabha Kamath, a renowned Cardiologist at KMC Mangaluru also in favour of lockdown has said that he feels that the district ought to undertake a lockdown given the current situation. On the contrary, City entrepreneur Sumit Rao has said that the lockdown will not serve the purpose as community spread is on, and only self-discipline will help. Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Sumit Rao said, “In the interest of humanity our leaders or officials should not ask for a lockdown. Lockdown is not going to stop the spread of COVID19 . It is already in the community and community spread cannot be stopped by lockdown
Infact this whole COVID19 is a farce. Do you know in India 25000 people die of various diseases every day. And the death toll of COVID victims till now in 150 days is 22500 which is less than the deaths due to accidents suicide fever Aids cancer tuberculosis malaria measles individually taken”
“So why such a fuss. In the name of humanity take some good expert advice. Let us live normally . Let us be careful . Let us encourage home quarantine. Let us save money. Otherwise all of us will die out of economic crises. I appeal to you all to fight against lockdown . Not for lockdown. Hope you have the interest of humanity more than any party politics. Hope my message will reach the authorities concerned with the work of enforcing lockdowns, including the press, ministers, district officers and others” added Sumit Rao.
In response yet another citizen of Mangaluru Jayaram Shriyan said, ” Sumit Rao surely the people at the helm, they all know it all. Like P. Sainath says ” Everybody likes a Good Draught “. Don’t they! Most governments are like this only. Now they can’t have contracts. They have Corona to spend money. There are stories of malfeasance in Corona spending. They need to be ” intelligently ” handled. So far none came out to explain the charges of wrongdoing. So what do we surmise!” Another Mangalorean, CA Sunil Gonsalves says that by lockdown we are just killing the economy. and how long will we lockdown ? Till we get a vaccine? What if the vaccine comes in 2021 and we have a new virus? lockdown again ?
People have started shopping early morning today to stock up essentials/liquor in fear of lockdown
CA Gonsalves further says, ” Small Businesses are already going Bust, Belly Up. Retail Liquor vend Licences are on Distress Sale. There are Hotels/ restaurants / Lodges which are and will go on sale very soon. Travel Agencies are Shutting down. The entire Entertainment and Wedding Industry is in Doldrums. I always consider two persons’ when I look at the economy. My Local Wine Store and the Guy who gives Snacks to go along with the wine. If they say their sales are pathetic just imagine those business houses who have invested in Crores. when it was SARS there were no Private TV channels, Whatsapp or Social Media. Today even our MLA/MP’s rely more on Social Media and TV Channels for decisions rather than being Pragmatic. What is your Opinion @919845082403″
So, in conclusion, just think whether a lockdown will serve the purpose-raise your voice and tell the leaders. No matter what, lockdown or no lockdown, we have to be prepared to live with Covid-19 – and all the safety measures it necessitates – possibly until 2022.