The rapid rise of India to the number one position in the world with over 3.3 lacs new  Covid cases per day is a clear indication of our failure to take heed from wave one of Covid-19 that was managed reasonably well with the prolonged nationwide lockdown.

Strict enforcement of lockdown though resulted in untold misery to millions of migrant workers and a serious blow to the nation’s economy, however, resulted in arresting the speed of the Corona Virus that was appreciated by one and all.

It was expected that the sufferings of millions of migrant workers would not be forgotten and their sacrifice, even their walking hundreds of miles barefoot would compel us the people, and the government to manage the post lockdown period with great care and caution.

But then the post lockdown management had required that both the government as well as the people take heed from the Covid-19 and exercise enough caution and observe safety measures till the nation becomes completely safe from this deadly virus. This was not done.

 The way lockdown was unlocked by first opening the liquor and gutka shops and the way society also took casually the measures like social distancing and wearing of face masks invited Corona to become more furious with its new variants.

What more the sustained focus on sanitizing the public places and large-scale Fumigation for wiping out corona traces were more or less abandoned. We are paying a heavy price for this lapse on part of civic authorities.

It must not be forgotten that prevention is much cheaper than the cure and it applies aptly in the case of a deadly pandemic which is now known to have a cyclic behavior. Nothing prevented the government and the civic authorities to take RWAs on board in mounting a massive exercise of Sanitization and Fumigation at regular intervals as also to educate people that it makes good sense to protect themselves rather than to risk their lives.

Not too late still. While the government is doing its best to tackle the health emergency by augmenting the Healthcare Services to fight out the monumental problem arising out of the increasing number of cases, it would be highly prudent to besides enforcing night curfews and lockdowns,  to carryout frequently a massive drive of Sanitization and Fumigation of all public places, residential colonies with the active involvement of RWAs so that people at large become part of the movement to defeat Coronavirus and succeed in wiping it out of India in the shortest possible time.

Even now if we take heed in right earnest, we shall win and assure a healthy and bright future of our people and surely bounce back to a roaring economy by riding the Corona wave 2 successfully.

The time to act is now before it becomes too late.

About the author- Prof PB Sharma is a former Professor of IIT Delhi, the founder Vice-Chancellor of DTU and RGPV, and also past President of AIU.