4 | DISCUSSION
Our results indicate that lockdown lifting has adversely affected the
health of Pakistani population at large scale. The population of
Pakistan has been paying great price for lockdown lifting. The outcome
reveals a significant increase in total confirmed cases, daily new
cases, total deaths, and daily new deaths after easing lockdown
restrictions. COVID-19 is spreading fast in comparison with other
respiratory diseases like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). It
will take long term planning and effective measures to curb the growth
of pandemic of COVID-19. There is no known vaccine of COVID-19 at
present (Anderson et al. 2020). The only way to tackle this pandemic is
to follow the preventive measures. The government should use all means
of communication to launch a vigorous awareness campaign to educate the
people about the detrimental health effects of COVID-19. A recent study
suggested that Pakistani masses are not well aware of the COVID‐19 and
strategies for the prevention and control of infection (Khan et al.
2020). Social media can play a vital role in this regard. WHO also
recommends that societies ought to be educated, involved and enabled to
adapt to a “new norm” (WHO 2020). Pakistan´s decision to implement
lockdown was greatly admired by international bodies like WHO but
lockdown ease made the situation worse as the number of infections and
deaths have increased drastically.
Little number of COVID-19 tests are being performed on the population.
Further, majority of Pakistani population cannot afford to pay high fee
of COVID-19 test. The government of Pakistan should take steps to
increase the COVID-19 testing by making COVID-19 test free of cost. WHO
issued some guidelines regarding lockdown lifting like countries should
improve its health system on war footing to spot, test, sequester, and
treat new cases before lifting lockdowns. Unfortunately, the health
system in Pakistan is not fully developed yet and hospitals in Pakistan
have become the breeding ground of COVID-19 virus. Exponential growth of
COVID-19 can also be tackled through massive testing. The patients can
be isolated timely after massive screening that would deter the growth
of COVID-19 in Pakistan. The government can establish the COVID-19 camps
to raise awareness and carry out tests at national level.
WHO recommended another criterion for lockdown lifting: that is social
distancing. Unluckily, Pakistani population avoid following the social
distancing norms in their routine business that bring about phenomenal
increase in COVID-19 cases. Transmission rate can be minimized by
following social distancing and wearing face mask. Pakistan must adopt
the Chinese model of lockdown lifting: China lifted the lockdown but
ensured the strict social distancing in addition to massive testing and
screening in Wuhan in order to avoid the resurgence of COVID-19 (Gilbert
et al. 2020). However, Pakistan is not as developed as compared to
China. Lack of resources makes it difficult for Pakistan to carry out
massive testing.
The pandemic has adversely affected the world economic system and
Pakistan is not an exception to this. Majority of Pakistani population
is not that rich and face risk of starvation instead of the COVID-19.
Almost all wage earners are deprived of employment due to lockdown. It
is very hard for a common man to make ends meet in this time of crisis.
To provide relief to its citizens, the government of Pakistan unveiled
the first economic relief package worth 900 billion rupees. It was a
good initiative but more needs to be done. The pandemic has generated so
much apprehension and stress. People need psychological support to
handle the apprehension and stress caused by this pandemic.
We suggest that government should follow WHO recommendations and impose
periodical lockdowns while monitoring the conduct and activities of the
people. Only one person from each family should be allowed to go out
once a day to purchase necessities such as food and medicine. Local
spread of pandemic can be minimized by screening the essential services
like health care, transport, and food industry. Business organizations
must devise new infection control policies regarding the COVID-19 if
they need to reopen their business after the lockdown. Business owners
and managers must arrange disinfection materials, like sanitizing
walk-through-gate, hand sanitizer, masks and temperature screening at
single entrance. Organizations must constitute departmental committees
for reporting the suspected cases of COVID-19 among their colleagues.
Unnecessary travel should be restricted by government to prevent the
spread of pandemic. Further, imported cases can be avoided by enforcing
strict rule of fourteen days quarantine for international travelers.
The present study has some limitations. First, we only check the impact
of lockdown lifting in Pakistan. Researchers are encouraged to conduct
more studies on this topic in other countries with similar
socio-economic settings because this pandemic is affecting different
countries in different ways. Second, the focus of the present study is
limited to COVID-19-related health outcomes. Our understanding on the
impact of lockdown events and policies on non-pandemic-related health
outcomes is still incomplete. It will be interesting to know how
lockdown restrictions contributed to the other health risks.