Sir — This year, World Book Day — it is celebrated today — is especially significant, given the long stretches of social isolation forced upon people across the world by the pandemic. It was found that 35 per cent of the global population has been reading more during this period. This is not surprising. In these difficult times, reading can prove to be the only means of respite. However, visiting bookstores or libraries at this hour is hardly an option for most. Readers should thus come together to create an online community where free e-books and audiobooks are made accessible to at least those with access to digital media.

Rupa Das,

Calcutta

Hollow words

Sir — The prime minister, Narendra Modi, has appealed to the states to focus on micro-containment zones and to resort to lockdowns as the very last measure so as to minimize loss of lives and livelihoods (“PM’s goal: Rescue country from lockdown”, April 21). He has also requested the states to assure migrant workers that they will be vaccinated and not lose their jobs. But he has omitted in his address what his government intends to do to ease their situation.

Lowering the eligibility for vaccination to the age of 18 from May 1 is a welcome move. However, much hinges on the availability of vaccines and the willingness of people to get vaccinated. The decision to allow manufacturers to set the price of the vaccines for the states and making them available in the open market will introduce the element of profit-making into the production and supply of vaccines.

Even as vaccination is ongoing, other measures need to be taken to bring the pandemic under control. Wearing masks and physical distancing would help contain the disease. Existing healthcare facilities are proving to be inadequate at coping with the surge in the number of hospitalized patients. During the trough of infections, the government was busy being triumphalist and did not show the foresight to scale up healthcare facilities in anticipation of a possible resurgence of the disease, even though this was the trend across the world. Hospitals are now stretched thin; the loss of life for want of hospital beds, oxygen and drugs is tragic. Visuals of cremations and burials abound. In Nashik, 22 patients on ventilator support recently lost their lives on account of interruptions in oxygen supply.

The coronavirus is not leaving anytime soon. It is spreading faster in India than anywhere else in the world. We are left to combat it by following Covid-19-appropriate behaviour, ramping up testing and tracing, quickening the pace of vaccination and improving health facilities. Meanwhile, the government must provide succour to all the impoverished households.

G. David Milton,

Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Sir — On Tuesday evening, in his address to the nation, the prime minister appealed to state governments to use lockdowns only as a last resort so that economic activities can continue unabated. This is in sharp contrast to his own decision to impose a sudden and strict nationwide lockdown last year, with a notice of just four hours. This brought immense hardship upon the people of the country.

Tuesday’s appeal by Narendra Modi is a tacit admission of the grave mistake he made a year back. This year, massive election rallies were allowed to be held, many of which were addressed by the prime minister himself. Moreover, an avoidable event like the Kumbh Mela was also permitted.

The Union government continues to make mistakes that help the pandemic spread rapidly. The country and its people deserve much better.

D. Bhutia,

Guwahati

Sir — Narendra Modi is right in saying that a lockdown should be the last resort and the focus should be on micro-containment. Last year’s unexpected lockdown had ruined the nation’s economy and caused inexplicable misery to lakhs of migrant labourers across the country. This time, the prime minister has appealed to the states to safeguard the health of the labourers. He has also urged them to assure workers to remain where they are and get vaccinated. This will go a long way in controlling mass migration and help reduce the rapid transmission of the disease. It would also enable the workers to remain employed and earn a living.

M. Pradyu,

Kannur

Play fair

Heath Streak Library

Sir — The recent episode surrounding the cricketer, Heath Streak, is a stark reminder that the scourge of illegal betting and match-fixing continues to poison and taint the gentleman’s game. Now that the International Cricket Council has banned the former Zimbabwe captain for eight years for his misdemeanours in several games in 2017 and 2018 — he was the bowling coach for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League in 2018 — one must wait for the move by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

It also remains to be seen if the incident will have any impact on the KKR in the current edition of the tournament. Both the Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were banned from the IPL for two years for alleged betting and fixing activities. Such activities take away the game’s true competitive spirit. Streak has smeared the reputation of the game.

Ranganathan Sivakumar,

Chennai