The outbreak of the new coronavirus – COVID-19 – that affected almost 23,518,343 people worldwide, out of which 810,492 died, and was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), was hardly taken seriously by the people of Pakistan.
Even as the virus peaked in June-July, people flouted social distancing guidelines as well as government-introduced standard operating procedures (SOPs), believing that the virus did not even exist.
And now that both the number of coronavirus cases and fatalities have drastically decreased, many across the country, including those who did take precautionary measures earlier, are under the impression that virus has gone extinct.
GALLUP SURVEY:
According to a Gallup Pakistan survey based on the responses of more than 1,300 respondents from all across the country, as many as 70% Pakistanis agree that the risk of the coronavirus is being exaggerated, which shot up from 55% in a previous survey.
MISINFORMATION:
But what led to people doubting the gravity of the situation and suspecting exaggeration as the world suffered in the battle against coronavirus?
The answer is misinformation. From WhatsApp forwards to Facebook posts and tweets… viral conspiracy theories besides fake news by unauthentic sources contributed to the formation of ill-informed opinions of a major chunk of the population being told by the government to not panic because the virus was “no more serious than seasonal flu”.
Four critical months being followed by the introduction of ‘smart lockdowns’ and the permission to re-open businesses for the sake of the economy and the poor, despite experts’ warnings of a second and even third wave of the virus, also contributed to people the virus less seriously than they should have.
CONSPIRACY THEORIES:
Many believed the government was exaggerating the situation on the ground to seek foreign aid and doctors were “secretly killing patients” for the number of virus casualties to soar on the government’s directions. But it wasn’t where the absurdity ended.
Posts on social media added to the list of conspiracy theories regarding the origin of the coronavirus, leading to chaos as some even took to streets to protest against the government and COVID-19.
According to the Gallup survey, the number of Pakistanis who consider coronavirus to be a foreign conspiracy has doubled from 23% in March to 55% in July-August while 54% believe that COVID-19 is a lab-made virus to which the world was exposed on purpose.
Some also believe that coronavirus is a conspiracy against Islam and wearing a mask and following SOPs is nothing but a “Jewish agenda”.
Another popular theory is that the virus was released as part of an Israeli plan to implant chips in the minds of the people, especially Muslims, while vaccinating them to control their minds.
‘COVID-19 NOW UNDER CONTROL’
The survey also revealed that a sweeping majority — nearly 80% people — believe that COVID-19 is now under control and any there is no need to continue taking precautionary measures. This figure has rose from 32% in a previous survey to 79% within a few months.
Large gatherings, including religious congregations and family feasts over the Eid weekend, and a large number of people taking to roads on August 14 to express their love for Pakistan, also go on to prove how seriously has the pandemic been taken by a majority that risked their own lives as well as that of others, mistaking the decline for coronavirus eradication.
But while the number of coronavirus cases in the country has dropped and so has the rate of infections as well as fatalities despite negligence but owing to a number of suspected reasons, Pakistan, like the rest of the world, is still at risk.
Winters can also add to the probability of an outbreak from the top, experts say, yet again stressing the need for people to keep on taking precautionary measures.
