Strange but true, the US President Donald Trump in his latest tweet on Saturday, 28 March, said quarantine for New York area will not be necessary. Despite official figures of 2000 deaths in US, over 1000 in United Kingdom and 7503 in Italy, the leaders of these countries and many other do not believe in quarantine. In his latest tweet, President Trump said on Saturday night that he has asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) to issue a strong Travel Advisory but quarantine on the New York region will not be necessary. It is interesting to note that President Trump took this decision knowing well that New York City alone has seen 200 plus deaths in a single day on 28 March.

US Health Department confirmed that Coronavirus related deaths in US have doubled in two days, hitting 2000 on Saturday. The department also confirmed 20,000 officially announced new cases in one single day on Saturday for the first time. It would be interesting to note that an official of Department of Health and Human Services’ Civil Rights office disclosed that COVID-19 are usually contracted by very old people who rarely survive due to chronic history of many diseases including bronchitis and asthma. Accordingly, as per WP, the Civil Rights office of Department of Health and Human Services urged health care providers “to not ration care for covid-19 patients based on disability or age”.

It is interesting to note that the Prime Minister of United Kingdom, Boris Johnson in his address to the nation on 23 March, rather than asking masses to quarantine said, “From this evening I must give the British people a very simple instruction - you must stay at home. Because the critical thing we must do is stop the disease spreading between households.” In his address, he said that people will only be allowed to leave their home for very limited purposes including shopping, one form of exercise a day e.g. a run, walk, or cycle alone or with members of your household, medical need and travelling to and from work.  It would be interesting to note that with the exception of few odd, all Churches in United Kingdom remained open on Sunday 29 March.

Italy, which has officially reported 7503 deaths and 74386 infections due to Coronaviris also announced restricted suspension of some activities. The Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on 11 March 2020, executed a decree imposing the temporary lockdown of any retailing activities, with the exceptions of those relating to the sale of essential goods. On 22 March 2020, another decree was issued which is to remain in force from 25 March to 3 April 2020. The government imposed the shutdown and restriction on non-strategic activities including non-strategic production activities and additional restrictions on the individuals’ movement from one municipality to another with the exception of well-grounded work, absolute urgency or health-related reasons. The shutdown was also not to apply on professional activities, strategic activities and other essential public services including defense and aerospace industries.

It is a media war, who knows how many died or infected but Pakistan and some other countries have done a great blunder by taking anti-human rights and anti-individual’s freedom measures including closing all the Mosques for congregational prayers. This could have been enforced on voluntarily basis, in case some specific area is epicenter of epidemic. It is the time to reopen the country and rethink about the cause of Coronavirus, which includes spread of virus from pigs or swine? As proved from the case studies of US, UK and Italy, civil protection is important but closing and imposing restrictions on strategic production houses and services has no precedent anywhere. It is strange that even the hospitals are closed for prescriptions and medicines for the sick as only COVID-19 cases are dealt, which in Pakistan has so far rarely reported, other that precautionary quarantine of those returning from abroad.  Where there is imposed restriction on movement for even essential work, some countries have been forced to come to a standstill that would be counterproductive. One sees people begging for food in the middle-class and poor-class communities. Where we must ensure restrict our activities it is the responsibility of Government and masses to ensure the survival of all.