Focus On Prevention

State government should make preventive mechanisms stronger to defeat the virus

As coronavirus cases continue to rise alarmingly in the state, it is apparent that the preventive measures put in place by the state government so far to contain the spread of coronavirus have failed to yield the desired results. The number of active COVID-19 cases in Goa rose to over 500 on Monday. Fortunately for the state, there have been no casualties so far. Goa till early May boasted of 100 percent recovery of coronavirus cases. Since the first case in the state was detected on March 25, 85 persons who were afflicted by the disease have recovered. The alleged lapses on the part of the health authorities to prevent the spread of disease in the Mangor Hill area of the port town of Vasco have led to a flare-up in the number of coronavirus cases, which have now spread to several towns and villages. Mangor Hill alone, which was declared the first hotspot of COVID-19 in the state and also the first containment zone, has recorded 271 coronavirus positive cases so far.

The state government’s way of handling the situation arising out of the big increase in COVID-19 positive cases has not been fully effective. It is surprising to note that while the state authorities decided to declare Mangor Hill as a containment zone, they failed to extend the zone to the adjoining areas of Vaddem, Baina and Headland Sada which have 12, 24 and 17 coronavirus positive cases respectively, despite demand from the people of the areas, the local leaders and others. Surprisingly, Ghodemol, a part of the Morlem village in Sattari taluka with just 17 cases, was declared as the second containment zone. It is apparent that the government is applying different yardsticks in different localities for putting preventive mechanisms such as containment zoning in place. Double standards and partisan decisions based on political grounds would not go unseen by the people at large. They will lose faith in the soundness of the government decision making, which should be a matter of concern. The state government must adopt a uniform policy to contain the spread of the virus.

With the number of COVID-19 cases increasing day by day, the fear of contracting the virus is growing among the people, many of whom have been demanding that the authorities declare a lockdown at the local level to prevent the spread, if not at the state level. However, the decision of several panchayats to shut down shops and establishments and bar movement of people in their areas has been shot down by the state government on the ground that the government alone has the power to declare a lockdown. Panchayats were told by the block development officers to withdraw their lockdown decisions. The panchayats have done it, but this has left people far from convinced that the government has taken effective measures to prevent the spread of the virus. As the virus is spreading to newer areas almost on a daily basis, the government cannot expect people to sit and wait for the virus to spread in their villages or towns. The government has to win their confidence by taking strong preventive measures without further delay. The situation demands stricter police enforcement of preventive measures like wearing of masks and maintaining social distance, which though mandatory are not being followed by a good number of Goans.

The focus of the government should be on prevention. If prevention happens, the government will have a lesser burden on the curative side. Limiting the number of cases would help provide better treatment to those afflicted by COVID-19 and quicker recovery. Mass testing should be done for early detection, followed by isolation, in order to prevent another Mangor Hill-like situation. The state records substantial numbers of influenza cases during the rains and there is possibility of people ignoring COVID-19, presuming it to be common flu. The health authorities need to maintain vigilance throughout the state to ensure that every person with influenza is tested for COVID-19 to rule out the possibility of a big spike in coronavirus infection. The state government cannot hope to win the trust and cooperation of the people in fighting the virus without setting up a robust prevention regime.