Samikhsya Bureau
Alleged hyperboles post the outbreak of the COVID-19 sometime back has really brought the situation to a state when the panic spread through several arms of the media and well contributed by a section of the pharmacy lobby is something needs serious attention.
Coronavirus is dangerous and it requires to be checked, there is no doubt. But, if certain preventive measures are enough to arrest its further spread, that can be an understatement. There has to be a solution and that is the vaccine.
No platform left where there is no some overdrive and some of our known people in the field of medicine appearing in television, besides asking for caution, mainly speak about two things; washing of hands (with soap and sanitizer) as many times possible and social distancing. Some say to wear the masks also.
It is difficult to guess as how many of Indian can afford to buy few bottles of sanitizers and hand-wash liquids. Now, a mask has been already priced @ Rs.100 plus in the market and sanitizers are just missing.
Celebs have been hired by companies to advertise the products and make the entire issue sound alarmist in nature and the solutions miles away.
Which has had a proliferating impact and many of the above items have either in shortage or their prices have shot up sky-high.
The exaggerations at certain levels have led to stockpiling of items and marketers do the scaremongering through some doctors, as if, there are just days to go before the outbreak escalates beyond control.
What is left, that is taken care by the media hypes.
But, what remains absent is the mention of an effort towards discovering the right vaccine to cure COVID-19.
WhatsAap bazar is agog with myriad confusions, made more confounded by suggestions on dos and donts.
COVID has become pandemic, no doubt, and no news bulletin goes without an expert or two speaking on the virality of Coronavirus but, what still is not said that, if, after such a prolonged outbreak, is there any headway for a vaccine or if there is any breakthrough in knowing the cause of the disease.
Sometimes, it appears a dog-eat-dog like situation where the common man is left wondering about his health.
It is not that, the world has witnessed a virus for the first time. But, some experts were quoted as saying that, the newness of the COVID has made the difference and not that the world is going to be finished by it.
A similar fear mongering was there over the Ebola which was no less dangerous with a very high fatality rate, perhaps, much more than Corona.
A recent study shows that, out of common flu there are over 32 million affected and more than 18,000 deaths reported.
