New Year 2078 has just started. From COVID-19 situation, it’s no different than 2077 except for now the nation-wide locked down is not enforced. However, government has been constantly issuing awareness notices to the public regarding the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country. Additionally, health professionals also have urged people to adopt safety measures proactively as the rapid spread of a coronavirus new variant around the world has created havoc.

When we look at the recent numbers, Nepal’s COVID-19 death toll has reached 3112. The total cases till date are 289787 where 276093 have already recovered and 10582 cases are active). If we look at the data from April 16 to April 22, 8223 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Nepal which is undoubtedly an alarming situation (worldometer). Given the current information of the COVID-19 variants, cases indicate at an increase in transmissibility from one host to next. Discovered in UK around September, this new variant had spread across the country by November and gradually to other countries like Denmark, Australia, and Netherlands even after imposing restrictions at soonest.
 

I observed countless people who were not wearing a mask at all. I felt a great deal of dismay when I could see people roaming carelessly around without masks in public.

 

Despite restricting the flights from UK immediately after realizing the situation, the new variant of COVID-19 already landed in India. And in a matter of no time, Nepal has also reported the cases of new variant. Following the cases, government started to aware people to take safety precautions and avoid social gatherings. Nevertheless, on the occasion of New Year, there were crowds dancing to the beats at popular dance clubs, lounges and restaurants in Kathmandu. And moreover, religious places, parks, recreation centers and restaurants were congested too despite the warning and increasing number of cases.

As I was walking down the street on my way to office today, I observed countless people who were not wearing a mask at all. I felt a great deal of dismay when I could see people roaming carelessly around without masks in public.  Hitherto mobility of people remained restricted by lockdown imposed by the government. However, after the restrictions were lifted people were gradually returning back to their life before pandemic which was then popularly termed as the “new normal”. Well, it still is.

Few months back I was truly traumatized to step outside my home in the fear of contacting the corona virus.  Nevertheless, I had to eventually step out and continue my job. At first, I was exceedingly cautious. I didn’t open mask in front of anyone, maintained minimum social distance, always had sanitizer in my pocket and frequently sanitized my hands. As the time passed by, I started going to restaurants and hangout with my friends. By then, I couldn’t care less of contacting the virus as everyone around me was not affected by it.
 

The new normal doesn’t mandate to walk mask-free, does it? Whenever I ask people don’t you fear Corona? The simple reply comes “it’s just a little flu.”

 

 I even stopped checking the update of Corona virus new cases and death. Nevertheless every now and then, I got to know from different news portal that the cases were declining slowly and so did the death rate due to the corona virus. Today, I came across a news article that said, “Corona cases has alarmingly surged up in India lately”, that caught my attention straightaway because if precautions are not taken timely, in matter of no time Nepal will face the similar consequences, too.

For the time being, people were quick to disregard the threat of coronavirus supposing it has gone down the drain as the number of cases was shrinking. As a matter of fact public were persuaded to take corona virus casually since its outbreak as our PM Oli averred it as a regular “flu” which shall be taken care of by drinking hot “turmeric water”. Soon public too started to talk down the threat of corona virus while deriding PM Oli for his dubious remedies. 

Why do people tend to overlook the consequences of COVID-19 pandemic?  The new normal doesn’t mandate to walk mask-free, does it? Whenever I ask people don’t you fear Corona? The simple reply comes “it’s just a little flu.” And there are significant number of people who I believe has pretty much the same answer. At least, those who chose to go clubs and restaurants amidst the growing COVID-19 cases. But yes, conversely, I also do believe that considerable publics are also aware of the situation and are taking precautions sincerely.

However, when news of rising death toll and increase in spread of new variant of corona virus are reported on daily basis becoming severe! Can we really afford to ignore our safety and precautionary concerns of masking ourselves?