Week 28 begins with Tassy learning new skills as friends and family take vacations

 Edited BY


G P Kennedy

Tassy - Karachi, Pakistan

The week that went by was a very busy one and flew by for me. It was a mixture of my regular yoga therapy classes along with a very intensive first module of the Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) course that I began.  NLP is an empowering psychological and behavioral approach that involves analyzing strategies used by successful individuals and applying them to reach personal goals. It relates thoughts, language, and patterns of behavior learned through experience to achieve success and achievement in whatever you choose to do.   I did it for my own personal development but have an open mind as to what direction it will shape my own work, relationship with others, and my life. I still have two more modules to do in the coming weeks and am excited about it.


  The intensity of the course and all that it entailed certainly took my mind away from the situation slowly developing in the city. As I’m seeing all around the world, there was an abrupt increase in cases of Covid-19 in Pakistan too. From 6000 cases a month we now have over 9500. Mini or ‘microsmart’ lockdowns began in different parts of Karachi and other cities within the country where cases were high. All business activities in those areas such as shops and offices were closed other than essential grocery stores and pharmacies. A few days after the reopening of schools, children in some schools tested positive for Covid-19. Some schools were closed down for not following SOPs.


 With the onset of cooler weather in a couple of months, the Prime Minister has already warned us to expect a second wave. Masks are practically non-existent in the city and the attitude by most people is one of complete apathy. The public’s complacent attitude after the lifting of lockdowns is largely to blame.   


When I’m driving past markets and crowded areas it is shocking to see a complete lack of social distancing. I was surprised to note that even in the five-day course that I attended, the wearing of masks in a closed air-conditioned room with 20 participants, the wearing of masks was optional.




 My parents left for a trip with friends to the mountainous area in Northern Pakistan. My husband left for a business trip to Dubai. This month I have had several friends going on holiday to Turkey (being one of the few countries not requiring quarantine for tourists) and others flying to the Maldives as it is relatively close to Pakistan, and also requires no quarantine for visitors. It seems that many people are keen to get out of the city for a break from their regular lives.


 The situation at present is still not too bad. But in the past two weeks alone the ratio of coronavirus-positive patients has risen from 1 % to 2.6%. Some Government officials believe that the increase in cases is a reflection of ramped-up testing. This also means that earlier figures were hugely undercounted as a result of under testing.

 Personally, I feel that the stopping of precautions is largely to blame. I continue to remain careful. I don’t step out at all without a mask and continue to wash my hands all the time. Wishing everyone else a safe week ahead.

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