Dr. Sheikh Arshid
The first case of coronavirus in Kashmir at Khanyar Srinagar has been detected, with the confirmed message that it has set all people full of wondering and unrest, authorities here at have imposed restrictions on the movement of people, to avoid travel in private congested vehicles and also advised Govt employees to follow preventive measures to curb the spread of corona virus. People are in state of frighten and disturbed and followed quick suspension of their usual official or private works. They shift from workplaces to home, no public gatherings are permitted at public places to avoid exposure of virus, remain unconnected with other people even from close relatives. The imminent sign of lockdown is observed in and around the Srinagar city and even most parts of Kashmir. People are seen in the lineups at the hospitals for the checkout of coronavirus attack and police are looking mobilised and vigilant to disrupt the usual gathering of people at market and public places. In COVID 19 threat, it has propagated so rapidly to whole Kashmir that police has ordered the public to offer Nimaz in their houses, even refrain from attending congregational prayers and urged to priortize the steps which are safe for them. With the spread of wild corona virus throughout the world, here in Kashmir it has enter savagely that has mixed-up with huge kind of misinformation, rumours and false claims that totally disseminated the common people from daily activities and every one’s hair stood on end to hear the bad news on the onset of coronavirus but nobody knows the actual truth at the ground level.
Virus has brought a wide confusion and uncertainty among people but there is a consensus among public and health officials that don’t be panicked and to protect yourself wash hands frequently, refrain from prevalent face touching and nose poking, use of masks a mandatory precautionary, avoid public gatherings, use sanitizers at home and offices and follow other preventive measures that will help you to combat this outbreak of pandemic disease.
Social media are also uploaded the same kind of misinformation and everybody is readily accepting it as threat but none is able to dismiss the rumour after proving what is fact instead they are fuelling it more and more in sharing. Of the specific rumour about the Khanyar woman that adds more anxiety and threat to the local people they feel panicked and psychologically disturbed. The director of SKIMS and officials of other Govt and private hospitals has simultaneously given a briefing about the sudden outbreak of first case of COVID -19 in Kashmir. They assured people need not worry and advised people to stay at home without making usual movement out of houses. A worrying kind of information regarding Covid-19 here in Kashmir has aware everybody and insists Govt to plan the precautionary steps so that furthermore virus could not be spread widely otherwise this can cause enhancement of anxiety of the common. There is a lot of ridiculous stuff that is circulating on text messages and internets about lockdowns, and sadly even cases of willful fraud and fraudulent preparations are made those are completely rubbish and Govt should advise people to avoid nonsense move that throw people in to a complete mayhem and also direct social site users to refrain from spreading rumours .As there is no doubt about the first case came out in the list of quarantines so far , instead of taking harsh and unplanned precautionary measures like complete lockdown seeing it a proper remedial measure to stay safe from corona virus but evidences of previous lockdowns by continuous tumult and commotion in the valley are widespread and result is known to everybody so it could be very risky attempt to observe lockdown in Kashmir further more as it can lash out the economy of Kashmir badly. The crises are apparent in Kashmir and our economy has lingered from past few years, stakeholders are at hard hit and with this insensitive step it could slow down our economy further more. Curfew like restrictions could have bad impact on the manufacturing companies, daily wage workers in particular , retail shops are with shutters down and other economic sectors are at recession work rate display a completely dissuade look. The rumour is becoming obviously trite as we all know a lot more about past pandemics in the Kashmir especially the outbreak in the year 1820 in which 11000 people died but more hurt is like this that we don’t apply preventive measures in our daily life. So virus has brought a wide confusion and uncertainty among people but there is a consensus among public and health officials that don’t be panicked and to protect yourself wash hands frequently, refrain from prevalent face touching and nose poking, use of masks a mandatory precautionary, avoid public gatherings, use sanitizers at home and offices and follow other preventive measures that will help you to combat this outbreak of pandemic disease.
(The author a resident of Kuchmula Tral is a research scholar. Views are his own [email protected])
