Govt’s decision to reopen shops, malls baffling

he government's decision to reopen shops and malls from Sunday, just as the recent "strict" lockdown was beginning to curb the rate of new Covid-19 cases and deaths, is bewildering. This decision also gave way to transport owners seeking permission to resume their operations after April 28.

While it is true that the recent restrictions on movement likely contributed to bringing down the number of new daily infections and deaths (the positivity rate consistently falling from 23 percent on April 16 to 14 percent on Friday), we do not believe there has been a significant enough drop to allow for such opening. Given that it is the month of Ramadan, people will certainly be thronging the shops and malls in huge numbers ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, and many will flout the health guidelines. One can only wonder how the government expects to contain the virus' spread when such large number of people gather in one place.