Enough of lockdowns

THERE should not be any more alarms raised this time against Covid-19.
An economically struggling nation such as PNG should not dare to allow any lockdowns as it was damning for every person who lived through vending as a means to survive and others who lost their job.
During the first lockdown, the Government failed to provide relief aid and other assistance to help people who were restrained from earning their living through vending.
Both the government and private entities hold only a portion of the total population. The rest are self-employed.
A huge number of the total population were affected.
They were left to fend for themselves without any means of relief supplies from the government. Markets were closed, public transport banned and movements restricted.
While we managed to receive some oversees funding, the expectations were that it should be used to build isolation camps, purchase adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and most importantly relief supplies for those who were directly affected as a result of the pandemic.
However, today shamefully lacking is the isolation camp, which should have been built through the first flow of funding.
When the second lockdown was announced, all the hospital facilities were prioritised for Covid-19 patients and patients with other diseases were turned away.
The government should be ashamed.
There were critical areas the government failed to address and the consequences were massive.
It failed to address humanitarian issues, lack of proper Covid-19 facilities and assistance for employees who were directly affected.

Tony Guan