Why an increase in coronavirus cases shouldn't cause alarm

Our readers have their say on testing for Covid-19, the realities of air travel and parents dealing with their children learning at home

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, May 6, 2020. the new Ambulatory Healthcare Services, a SEHA Health System Facility, National Screening Project in Mussafah Industrial Area in Abu Dhabi. -- A testing center staffer gives the thumbs up sign. Victor Besa / The National Section: NA Reporter: Nick WebsterShow less

With regard to the report Coronavirus: UAE records 781 new cases and 13 deaths (May 10): proportion of recoveries is increasing to the number of new cases. So this is going in the right direction.

Cheryl Murray, Abu Dhabi 

As a healthcare worker with some common sense, I can say, stay home. Stop mingling in the malls. Keep the kids at home. These steps will go a long way to prevent the spread. This is not going to magically disappear in a puff of sanitiser. It's going to get worse before it starts getting better.

Anne Poulton Van Binsbergen-Hope, Cape Town, Western Cape

When I search for the total number of tests, it puts me at ease. I read the authorities are currently testing 300,000 labour workers in a specific area in Abu Dhabi in a matter of days, so this is positive to find the cases. There is bound to be a rise as they test more people, isolate and treat. The government is doing a great job in testing. The recoveries are increasing, too. I also read the total number of tests as of 25 April hit over one million. And each day since they have carried out many more tests. This is amazing.

Helen Ranson, Abu Dhabi 

Safety checks notwithstanding, the dilemma of airlines

With reference to your editorial 'Air travel must be informed by ground reality' (May 11): with Covid-19 cases still rising all over the world, it is not plausible to lift air travel restrictions, even with proper safety measures in place. However, airlines cannot remain inactive for so long. Neither can they afford to fly if they were to respect social distancing norms. It is important that passengers continue to be tested for Covid-19 before boarding and face masks be made mandatory during flights. We may not like it but airlines will have no choice but to increase the price of tickets on account of the expense of taking precautions against Covid-19. Health and safety remains critical during this time. 

Ramachandran Nair, Muscat, Oman

Parents' negotiating the task of monitoring kids learning at home

Regarding the article by Patrick Ryan and Anam Rizvi Coronavirus: How would UAE parents and employers manage e-learning until 2021? (May 10): it will be good to take into consideration the younger kids, for whom e-learning is impossible without the involvement of parents, who will need to balance office work. So who will follow up on the kids for e-learning?

Nathalie Ravier, Dubai 

There are no easy solutions for this. There are pros and cons for all scenarios and the government, rightly so, is preparing for all scenarios. It is the right thing to do. September is still months away. Let's all do the best we can today for a safer tomorrow. Stay positive.

Nisha Subramanian, Dubai 

Follow The National's Opinion section on Twitter