MyVoice: Views of our readers 17th May 2021

It's no time to spread calumny

The article "Not pandemic,it's the infedomics that is hurting" analysed the facts in a pragmatic manner. The anti-Modi narrative generated by political frustration ultimately led to a pandemic of information. During the time of frustration, anxiety, fear due to the health emergency caused by the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, it is the responsibility of everybody including politicians, media and also people at large to mitigate the problems faced during the critical period. Instead, the way the lies are being spread is a matter of great concern for the country. It is high time for those who spread calumny to realise that they are doing more harm to the country than to an individual.

Prof M.V. Jagannadham Hyderabad

Let us stay united, fight Covid

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat during a lecture series has rightly said that rather than pointing fingers at each for the miseries caused by the second wave of Covid-19, the country and its citizens along with State governments and the Centre should stay united and work as a team in these challenging times. He also said that complacency and come-what-may attitude after the first wave was one of the factor that pushed the country into the present grim state which could have been otherwise avoided.

The Indian mindset is not one that can be made to bow or kneel before such catastrophes and now it is time to stay positive and proactive to fight the pandemic rather than getting stupefied at the current situation.

As there is a possibility of a third wave, as medical experts and scientists have cautioned, let us not commit yet another mistake like we did during the first one but be prepared and face the problems with positive solutions and determination. Let us not lower the guard and take the third wave, if at all one such arises, head on. Let us listen to our medical experts and move ahead according to their advice. Leaders must understand it is high time they utilised all the resources at their command for serving the common man.

M Pradyu , Kannur

US, UK failed to learn from India's mistakes

Recently, US President Joe Biden asserted that all such persons who have been vaccinated need not wear masks and the rule of social distancing won't to them. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also made it clear that his government is going to relax the rules of social distancing in the entire country from May 17.

A few months ago, India's attitude towards Covid-19 also changed. Be it the central and state governments or the people of India, all began to think that India has conquered the pandemic when we witnessed a continuous decline in the new cases of Covid-19. Some people even said that Indians are special.

People started enjoying holidays, the Election Commision of India held elections, we started to celebrate festivals on a large scale, we threw basic precautions to the winds. Our carelessness cost us dear as the second wave shook the entire India.

There was a shortage of beds, oxygen, hospitals, vaccines etc. Parents lost their children, children lost their parents, a brother lost his sister, a sister lost her brother etc. Had we been alert, such tragedy could have been prevented.

Now, the US and the UK are commiting the same mistakes. In fact, they are committing bigger mistake than India. At least, Indian government advises the people who have been fully vaccinated to continue to wear masks and maintain social distance. And USA, which has seen double the number of deaths from Covid-19 as compared to India, is not learning anything from India's mistakes. Even the World Health Organisation advises countries to follow Covid appropriate behaviour, even if they are witnessing a continuous decline in new cases.

Kartikey Upadhyay, Vadodara

Live telecast of SC proceedings a welcome move

Chief Justice of India said he was "actively considering" the proposal to telecast live the proceedings of the Supreme Court. And concrete steps would be taken only after seeking a general consensus among his colleagues. Transparency is a time-honoured principle when it comes to the judicial process in our country. The role of the media assumes importance in the process of disseminating information as he himself was a journalist for a brief time.

Yash Pal Ralhan, Jalandar

Dispassionate scientific discourse needed

Dispassionate scientific discourse is the need of the hour as 18 scientists from universities of US, Canada, UK and Swiss have called for it in their letter published in journal, Science (THI Edit page,15 May). They well quoted the comment of WHO Director General, Tedlor that SARC-COV-2 emergence as laboratory accident is insufficient and Chinese scientists' reveal to the world facts of this disease at their personal loss is literally a grave risk given the Chinese psyche. Now, the whole world is reeling under the aura of the venomous corona and it's apt that the vibrant leap by the said 18 scientists and backed by their vibrant universities/enterprising countries should move coherently like all of the universe moved forward like in HIV/AIDS and CDC like pioneering scientific bodies and fund givers like Gates' since simian SIV for centuries not causing AIDS due to protective factors unique to simian, here also cross species' study is a must.

Dr T. Ramadas, Visakhapatnam.

Good news on Covid front

The second wave of Covid-19 showing signs of weakening must bring cheer. Recoveries surpassed the fresh cases, and the overall test positivity rate headed south to 19.8 per cent from 21.9 per cent last week. On Saturday, the active Covid cases dropped by 31,091 compared to Friday. This is the fifth day in succession that active infections have plateaued. The government also said that the current decline rate is faster than was the case in the first wave, which augurs well.

N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru