Eid is a delightful event for Muslims around the world. They slaughter an animal to commemorate Ibrahim’s sacrifice and to remind themselves of abnegation. To celebrate this event many preparations are done beforehand (shopping, purchasing animals, visiting relatives/friends etc.) but this year it will all be different due to the worldwide spread of COVID-19.
People are well aware of the situation currently in the world and in Pakistan. We lack in many facilities. In other countries, such as Australia, China and Britain, vaccines are already made and China and Britain have started clinical testing as well. According to Britain, they are trying to make and sell the vaccine by October 2020. But Pakistan is quite behind other countries, as we do not have any vaccine in the making in our research centres or have made deals with any country to purchase the vaccine.
We know that everyone is trying their best at their own level from the government to health departments (food authorities and others) to fight against the disease and other matters in Pakistan’s development. Punjab is the most affective of all, and we have a majority of people living here. We do have the Punjab Food Authority to look after our food and health departments and the government is making serious changes in the system but we still aren’t a developed country and after many years of polio we do have its vaccine but it is not completely cured in Pakistan which is an alarming situation for COVID-19 as well.
This Eid would be better off if we stay at home rather than putting everyone’s lives in danger including yourself. We should celebrate at home for a better Eid next year as we do not want the decreased COVID-19 cases in Pakistan to increase again or become uncontrollable.
MARINA PERVAIZ,
Lahore.