Time to bring masks back?

Tuesday 26th December, 2023

It never rains but it pours. As if the multiple crises, armed conflicts and the ill-effects of climate change troubling the world were not enough, there are disturbing reports of Covid-19 raising its head again in some countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of an increase in the cases of respiratory diseases including COVID-19 and its new sub-variant JN.1, and influenza, especially in southeast Asia. WHO has classified JN.1 as a variant of interest owing to its rapid global spread.

Worryingly, the new Covid variant has spread to some states of India. Mutation has reportedly enhanced the immune evasion capability of the virus, and this has caused serious concern to public health experts, who however have said there is no need to panic because evidence suggests that current vaccines are capable of preventing severe disease and death. The Indian health officials have observed that the virus is not causing severe infections and hospitalisation.

Singapore is reported to have brought masks back due to a surge in Covid-19 cases. Prudence demands that other countries follow suit and help curb the spread of the elusive virus. Sri Lanka had better intensify its focus on the emerging health emergency and adopt preventive measures without dilly-dallying, which it is notorious for.

Besides causing fatalities, another Covid pandemic will have a crippling impact on the world economy, which is already experiencing trouble. Fitch Ratings has said in its latest Global Economic Outlook Report that due to the impact of the monetary tightening, China’s property slump and the stagnation of the eurozone economy, world growth is likely to fall sharply to 2.1% in 2024.

Needless to say, the developing countries will be the worst affected by a contraction of the global economy. This is a disconcerting proposition for Sri Lanka, which is struggling to come out of a mega economic crisis. The situation is likely to go from bad to worse here in case of another pandemic.

It is said that no Covid infections have so far been detected in Sri Lanka of late, but since they are prevalent in some parts of India, the new variant finding its way here could be only a matter of time.

Covid-19 infections come in dribs and drabs initially, then increase exponentially, and spread in waves, warranting extreme control measures such as lockdowns, which Sri Lanka needs like a hole in the head at this particular juncture, given its economic crisis. Some health experts have asked the public to wear masks. This is something sensible. But requests and exhortations will not do.

The Sri Lankan health authorities must assess the situation expeditiously and take decisive action. If there is a need to make it mandatory for the public to wear masks to prevent the spread of the new Covid variant, again, so be it. Covid testing will have to resume if needs be, but without opportunities being created for the ruling party politicians and their cronies to line their pockets. The Health Ministry has become a metaphor for corruption, and racketeers must be smacking their lips at the prospect of another explosive spread of Covid-19.

Politicians see opportunities in crises. One can only hope that the SLPP-UNP combine will not try to capitalise on the Covid threat to compass its sinister political ends such as postponing elections indefinitely. Let it be warned that whatever gains so far made by way of economic recovery at an enormous social cost will be gone in a jiffy in the event of a national health emergency, which will be a severe strain not only the state coffers but also the hospital system, which is experiencing shortages of drugs and doctors. One of the main reasons why the economy nosedived, causing the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government to be dislodged was Covid-19 pandemic.