With the COVID-19 pandemic having wreaked havoc on the global community, and the virus getting worse in its mutations, experts have sounded caution as we do business or take part in the Christmas and New Year festivities.
The note to be careful was highlighted in the President’s last address on the COVID-19 situation, when he gave us a breakdown on the figures, and urged restraint in our markets, in our offices and banking halls as well as pubs and commercial buses.
As we prepare to enter the New Year 2022, still beset with the pandemic in mutating forms, the good news is that we have the global development and business communities in our corner for support, as we seek to rebuild our economy.
That is an obvious sign that we are not only on course, but also in good company, in attaining our multilateral and SDG goals.
But there are sacrifices that we must collectively make to enable us get to our collective destination as the beacon of development on the continent of Africa.
The Director-General of the World Health Organisation(WHO)has recommended the suspension of all events associated with the Christmas and New Year festivities in view of the fact that cases involving the Omicron and Delta variants are currently on the increase.
Caution
Since we fight fire with fire, it is therefore imperative that we aggressively respond to the situation.
There is no better effective mechanism to fight the pandemic than being cautious and observing the protocols put in place to avoid the spread of the virus.
Certainly, the spread may be attributed largely to lax in the enforcement of the safety protocols.
At this point, however, there may be no need blaming anybody for lack of strict enforcement of the protocols.
We believe what is of utmost importance is that we all flee the threat as wise and responsible citizens.
As normal human beings, we may sometimes be carried away by the excitement the Christmas and New Year festivities come along with.
However, as we decide to join others in the celebration, we should remember this important advice from the Director-General of the World Health Organisation: “It’s better to cancel now and celebrate later, than to celebrate now and grieve later.”
We believe this is a very important advice that should not be ignored by any responsible individual.
It is true that occasions like Christmas and New Year have always brought us together as friends, families and communities, but we need to keep it in mind that we are not yet out of the woods.
In view of this, we have no other choice than to act in accordance with the dictates of the new normal. That is the only way we will be left with no regrets after the festivities.
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