With the unrelenting nature of the novel coronavirus, which has now evolved into a smorgasbord of variations, what is happening the world over is a public health crisis on a scale we have seldom seen before.
One would expect the current administration to make a decision on Covid measures based on science and logic and apply Covid measures in an efficient, clean and trustworthy manner.
But the way things are going, one certainly wonders. This is not a criticism or belittling of the government's desire to fix the problem.
Understandably, the government is working around the clock to put an end to this pandemic. But it's time to accept that this is not a problem that politicians alone can fix.
Instead of knee-jerk reactions and ill-thought out announcements, it's time to think smart.
It is also important to acknowledge that when you make an announcement, a slew of reactions will be set off.
A case in point is a comment by Anutin Charnvirakul, the public health minister. Having been criticised for making thoughtless remarks, he made another gaffe last week in responding to criticism about the lack of social distancing at the vaccination site set up at Bang Sue Grand Central.
Scenes of up to 20,000 people gathering at Bang Sue Grand Central last Saturday in a desperate plea to register for walk-in vaccinations were shocking.
Netizens and media criticised the Public Health Ministry for poor management and warned the overcrowded station might lead to new cluster infections.
Baffled by the comment, Mr Anutin blamed it on the "camera angle". Those pictures don't lie, despite the minister's comment.
But if you want to go down that road, it is certainly safe to say that "more than five" people (the limit for meetings under social distancing rules) gathered last Saturday to receive vaccines. Indeed, it was a huge tide of people, as pictures in the media showed.
Many could not have anticipated that they were in fact travelling to face a potential Covid infection cluster, ironically at a vaccine centre.
Some who went in Covid-free may have been infected as they waited at the crowded station, only to return to their home provinces and families and infect others.
If we think the numbers are high now, how about in a week's time when the ramifications of that epic Saturday gathering start to show up?
How could the government not have thought this through? If you announce there is a chance of a free walk-in vaccine at the height of a national vaccine shortage, what would be the likely response?
And how is it that thousands were allowed to travel from other provinces into a dark red-zone province at the height of a nationwide lockdown? Are checkpoints being enforced, or are they not?
Now, given the nature of the virus, we know that social distancing measures, among other things, are essential to slowing Covid transmission.
There is even a current emergency decree in place that bans gatherings of more than five people. The government should try to enforce it even at Covid vaccination facilities.
But back to the point, do the rules of this lockdown mean nothing? Enforcing a lockdown is a tough call and has many economic implications as it risks destroying businesses and lives.
But if the government has the courage to enforce one, why can't the authorities get it right?
Because of this lack of thought and proper enforcement, this so-called lockdown that hasn't really been a lockdown, with as many exemptions as there are curbs, is only going to be prolonged.
Now we are facing a huge problem that can only be fixed with science, data and a smart strategy.
To address this disease, we need to rely on experts on epidemiology. Some of the people handling the Covid response aren't experts in the field, but politicians entrusted to make the final decisions on our behalf.
You cannot send a politician to do a scientist's job, and evidence of what happens when you put the wrong man in the job are plenty.
We saw it with the former health secretary of the UK, Matt Hancock, who was ill-equipped to handle his job, not because of his ineptitude, but because the coronavirus pandemic is an issue that can only be fixed by people who make a living understanding the disease.
Likewise, it's time to admit that, through no shortcoming of his own, but because of the sheer complexity of this virus, the current health minister does not have the skill set, or the mindset, to fix this.
It's really time to call in the medical experts and help form a national strategy to nip this in the bud once and for all.
Now is not the time for incompetence. Or else what can we look forward to, another year of a fake lockdown? Forget it.