Curfew now

This refers to the letter 'Curfew time' (April 7) by Ali Faraz. The writer has rightly asserted that the soft lockdown was neither curtailing the spread of the pandemic nor helping the economy. We have to proactively be prepared before the pandemic overwhelms the capacity of hospitals. Most of the daily wage earners are seen sitting idle on footpaths, as there is no work. By now, the policymakers could learn from the experiences of Sweden, Singapore, the Czech Republic, Germany, China, and Taiwan on how to balance economic activities with the reduction of infections.

Social distancing in our culture is easier said than done. I endorse the proposal of the writer: A curfew for fifteen days should be imposed with limited relaxation for critical activities. Gathering of people for collection of ration should be avoided by distributing the food to the deserving families at their doorstep.

Dr Najeeb A Khan

Islamabad