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The emergence of the COVID-19 virus in the form of a pandemic has posed challenges to every Government and every society in the world. None can envy the task of any Government including the Sri Lankan Government in managing the pandemic.

After successfully controlling the first wave, the Government is struggling to contain the spread of the virus that has emerged in the form of a second wave in the country. From a layman’s perspective the reasons could be many. Health experts could probably provide more definite reasons for the spread.

One possible reason for the speed with which the second wave has spread in the country is the fact, articulated by health experts, that the virulence of the virus this time round is greater than in the first wave. Another is the fact that the country is not benefitting from the experience gained from managing the first wave.

The top health experts who played a big role in managing the first virus have either been sidelined or removed from the frontline. Dr. Anil Jasinghe, who as Health Director General spearheaded the Government’s efforts during the first wave, has been kicked upstairs as Environment Secretary and sidelined with the expertise gained by him in tackling the first wave lost to the country.

Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara headed the Medical Research Institute during the first wave. He played a vital role and the contingency plan prepared by him to combat the ebola virus in the event it came to Sri Lanka was also used as a model by the Health authorities to manage the first wave of COVID-19. He was unceremoniously removed from his position right in the middle of the second wave with no reasons given. Neither the Prime Minister nor the Health Minister were aware of the reasons for his removal. Today his medical skills are wasted in his role as the spokesman of the Health Ministry.

Dr. Paba Palihawadana who once headed the Epidemiology Unit is no longer in the team that heads the efforts against COVID-19.

Another area that seems to have been lost on the authorities is why people behave in the way they do. If one compares the behavior patterns of the people of Colombo North and Colombo Central with those of Colombo East and West this becomes clearer. In the Colombo North and Colombo Central areas a large number of COVID patients have been identified. In the Colombo East and West areas where people are more educated and more affluent, by and large health guidelines are followed without much prodding, and the number afflicted by COVID is less. This is not only because the Peliyagoda Fish Market is abutting the Colombo North and Colombo Central areas from where most of those who work in the Market are drawn from but also because of their living conditions.

In the Colombo North and Colombo Central areas the level of poverty is very great with the people being mostly daily wage earners who have to depend on their meager earnings to put food on the table. When a lockdown or curfew is imposed these people are hard put to find the basic necessities for their family and hence venture out stealthily in search of some form of sustenance.

When food stocks become available there is a sense of desperation to grab as much as possible and consequently crowding in violation of all health guidelines takes place.

It is imperative therefore that simultaneously with the declaring of a lockdown or curfew the Government sets in motion a scheme of distribution of essentials in such areas in order to remove the necessity for people to leave their homes. It has usually been the practice of the authorities to start thinking of making food available in these areas only after several days of the curfew or lockdown being declared.

The recent decision to provide 10,000 Rupees to every family which is subject to quarantine is a step in the right direction and should be extended to others who are subject to lockdown or curfew immediately such measures are taken.

Health experts also say that the world will have to live with COVID for a couple of years. They have also said an individual’s ability to fight the COVID-19 virus is dependent on the strength of the immune system in the individual. In this context the health authorities should implement (if it is scientifically possible) a crash programme to boost the immunity of the poorer sections of society who invariable bear the brunt of any health related situation.

The Government should also think twice before taking any action which makes the people in the poorer areas feel like lawbreakers. It is well known that in these crowded areas any identification of a person as a COVID-19 patient attaches a stigma to him or her as well as the family. It is therefore necessary that all such measures are handled sensitively.

The Government’s decision to utilise drones to monitor those who are violating curfew in the poorer areas is ill advised. On Thursday only a few (15) such curfew violators were arrested following surveillance through drones. The cost effectiveness of using drones and helicopters to track curfew violators should be reexamined when patrolling by the Police can ensure that it is done as effectively at less cost.

In another unrelated (to COVID-19) the Army established a drone regiment. This has given rise to fears whether this is a precursor to a surveillance state.

Another worrying development during the COVID-19 second wave is the number of frontline workers falling victim to the virus. A large number of policemen, doctors, nurses and others have ended up infected with the COVID-19 virus which was not the case during the first wave. The Government needs to identify the reason for this and take the necessary steps in this regard.

Another probable reason for the second wave to spread rapidly is the Government “taking its eyes off the ball.” For six months after controlling the first wave, the Government seems to have done little to prepare for the second wave which health experts all over the world predicted would be coming. Increasing the capacity of the public health system and keeping the people in a continued state of readiness would have been prudent steps to take.

Instead the Government turned its attention to political projects such as winning the General Elections and obtaining a two third majority and passing the 20th Amendment. During the run up to the Elections the people began to drop their guard and election meetings saw people violating all health guidelines.

During the month of October when the discovery of the Minuwangoda and Peliyagoda clusters saw a massive spike in the COVID-19 numbers, the Government’s attention was mainly focused on the passage of the 20th Amendment which, even from the Government’s own perspective, had no real urgency.

The Government may also have been blinded by a sense of conceit after its success at the handling of the first COVID-19 clusters. Government spokesmen often claimed that for those who defeated the LTTE, defeating COVID-19 was peanuts. This feeling of wanting to exclusively enjoy its achievements, has prevented them for reaching out to other sections of society including political parties to share the burden and make the fight against COVID-19 a truly national effort.

The Government needs to be humble enough to draw in all sections of society in order not only to control the second wave but also a potential third wave which some health experts predict can emerge in January 2021. (javidyusuf@gmail.com)