The long weekend is upon us. From Tuesday, citizens and residents of the UAE will enjoy a five-day break as the country celebrates its 49th National Day. It provides an ideal opportunity for family gatherings and get together of friends. A day out will also figure prominently in the plans of many families. No doubt, it’s a time to rejoice, but people should temper the celebrations with caution. The coronavirus continues to rampage the world, and that is reason enough to desist from lowering the guard even during such days of gaiety.
Celebrations are notorious for spreading the virus as people tend to throw caution to the wind and travel a lot. Travel during Thanksgiving is what’s giving nightmares to officials in the United States. It is the busiest week for travel in the US, and provides optimum conditions for the easy spread of the virus. That’s precisely why the country’s top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, expects a “surge upon surge” in the US, which has recorded more than 13 million cases so far.
Remember, our safety and our neighbour’s safety is in our hands. So all of us should diligently wear masks and keep a safe distance from others, not to mention the need for frequent handwashing
In the UAE too, the long weekend would persuade people to travel at a time when it’s best avoided. Curbing travel will go a long way in preventing the spread of the pathogen. Officials have called on people to take necessary precautions during celebrations and avoid crowds of more than 20. Remember, our safety and our neighbour’s safety is in our hands. So all of us should diligently wear masks and keep a safe distance from others, not to mention the need for frequent handwashing. These measures have become habits for us after 11 months of living with the contagion, and we should continue to practise them earnestly.
England has managed to tamp down the second wave of infections with the help of a lockdown, which helped record considerable improvements in some of the worst-hit areas. The findings by the Imperial College London must have come as a massive relief to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, but that’s a measure many economies of the world can ill-afford as it will drastically affect the livelihoods of people. We can’t let that happen to people who are residents of the UAE. So it’s our responsibility to save their lives and livelihoods.
We, the people of UAE, must follow the COVID-19 safety protocols. Only then can we win the fight against COVID-19.
