Essay on "Covid-19 and its Effects in Nepal"

Covid-19 and its Effects in Nepal

Corona Virus commonly known as COVID-19, which was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan city of China, and WHO declared the Corona Virus a pandemic. According to WHO, it is an infectious disease that causes infirmity in the respiratory system in humans. The term Covid-19 is the short form of Novel Corona Virus Disease 2019. In the present world, Corona Virus has affected humans’ daily lives all across the world. This pandemic has affected millions of people physically, mentally, psychologically, financially and socially.

Covid-19 is a new virus that has been devastating the whole world badly because it has been spreading through a person to another among those who are in close contact within six feet. The symptoms of this viral infection are fever, cold, cough, bone pain and respiratory problems. Besides these symptoms, fatigue, sore throat, muscle pain, loss of smell or taste can also be seen in Corona infected patients. For the prevention of Covid-19, WHO has suggested people to take precautions such as cleanliness, regular hand washing with sanitizer or soap, avoidance of face to face interaction, maintaining social distancing and wearing a mask.

In the context of Nepal, the first case was confirmed on 23 January 2020 in a 31-year-old student, who had returned to Kathmandu from Wuhan. It was also the first recorded case of Covid-19 in South Asia. Nepal's first case of local transmission was confirmed on 4 April in Kailali District, and the first death occurred on 14 May. On 24 March 2O2O, Nepal government implemented a country-wide lockdown, and the lockdown ended on 21 July 2020. As of 17 August 2021, the Ministry of Health and Population has confirmed a total of 737,294 cases, 687,069 recoveries and 10,354 deaths in the country.

Unfortunately, the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed in Nepal with an exponential rise in the number of cases in April 2021. So, from April 29, 2021, Nepal government again announced lockdown throughout the country with several restrictions, and the lockdown is still in effect with some changes in the modality of previous lockdown. Due to the pandemic and lockdown, people have been forced to stay at their homes, and their lives has become challenging. Except emergencies, schools, colleges, public parks, film halls, swimming pools, etc. are closed. Similarly, public meetings and different kinds of various social gatherings are also banned. Most of the people are terrified with the pandemic while some people are adjusting themselves with the situation. On the other hand, even in this pandemic some people have changed this situation into a golden time by performing their household activities, enhancing their skills, spending quality time with their family members, engaging themselves in physical fitness, etc.

Though this pandemic has affected almost all sectors badly, with the change of time people are trying to normalise their lives as in the past. More, Nepal government has started Vaccination Program for fighting against the pandemic. According to the record of July 18, 2021, 3.46 million people have received their first vaccination dose while 1.46 has received both doses. With the implementation of the Vaccination Program, decreasing number of Covid infected people and partial ending of lockdown, people’s regular lives and almost all the activities are becoming adjustable and usual.