A few days after the World Health Organization (WHO) praised Pakistan as one of the countries to learn from in the Covid fight, the Organization has warned the world of “alarming transmission rates” particularly in Europe. Pakistan marked the third week running for positive share of tests under 2 percent, which is easily the best run for all countries with more cases than Pakistan.
Interestingly, the number of tests has also gone up in the past week or so, with the highest ever weekly test reported on Week 27 (since first 1000 cases). There is nothing better than the infection rate staying down and the testing increasing, as it instills more confidence that the outbreak is under some semblance of control. Not that Pakistan is or will ever be testing anywhere near the likes of Europe, USA, or even India, but registering the highest tests 13 weeks after the previous high, is surely welcome.
Recall that Pakistan is testing enough (read: Pakistan’s Covid turnaround: One of the best, published September 9, 2020). More tests are seemingly a reflection of more people opting for tests as more people are stepping out, educational institutions reopen, and the international air travel is at the highest since the outbreak. Millions more are already and a few million more will shortly be back to work and study at schools. This could well be the last litmus test whether the virus has been tamed to the fullest in Pakistan, as critical period post Moharram processions has passed without any increase in the transmission rate. Pakistan’s airspace is also busier than it ever was in the last six months, without very stringent policies at arrival (asking incomers to get themselves tested within 48 hours and self-isolate), which surely means the risk of transmission from foreign travelers has remained high for over a month.
Does this also indicate most Pakistanis have had developed the fighting mechanism, having contracted the virus at some stage without showing symptoms? It is hard to believe otherwise, giving Pakistan’s relatively lax lockdown, early lifting, barely any SOPs in place, and a general disregard for social distancing. What Pakistan needs to beware of is the situation in Europe, which has started to look grim again, after nearly two months of relative calm.
What does go in Pakistan’s favour though, is that it was among the quickest to lift the movement restrictions, whereas Europeans have not been on the road for that long, which could well indicate that there may not necessarily be a second wave. That said, the fact that people are still contracting the virus, however smaller the number maybe, should be good enough a reason to keep the guard on.
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