However, when one sees the nonchalance of our population with which they continue to defy common sense preventive measures towards the ongoing Covid pandemic, one wonders what is the origin of this " wall of ignorance " and hence the captive digital audience has to bear the unsolicited brunt of my ongoing 2020-21 musings.
Somehow our school systems, madrassahs, colleges, universities and vocational training as well as apprenticeship models, have failed to instill civic sense, knowledge translation and capability to deal with outside the box challenges. Therefore, we may come up with world record scores in various systems but are unable to apply common sense solutions to simple or complex problems alike.
As examples, I have my observations from neighbourhood masjids, markets and the gatherings in weddings, cricket matches and offcourse the Senate proceedings. Each set of observations are conspicuous by the failure to mask, wash hands and maintenance of physical distancing. Now this intransigence is, lamentably, fortified behind a " wall of ignorance " regarding a disease which has killed 2.6 million people already including 13,600 in Pakistan. I am sorry to state that some health professionals have also been irresponsible in this regard and have regrettably also proverbially thrown down the gauntlet to the irrepressible Coronavirus and may have also contributed to the mess we keep descending to.
So it is no surprise that when it comes to vaccines, we have a list of possible side effects and conspiracy theories but are in denial of the devastating potential effects of serious covid 19 infections
So when they ask, wonder, think, think again, doubt, worry, fear, conjecture, procrastinate and vacillate , I tell them " beggars can't be choosers and just go ahead and vaccinate "!
The PCB went ahead in their bravado with their " bubble of ignorance" and the NCOC had to backtrack after allowing the opening of all educational institutions and indoor weddings. As if any real SOPs were being followed hitherto!
With the third covid wave "officially" here, we must break this wall of ignorance around us first, if we are to preempt the umpteenth wave!