The move by the Jammu & Kashmir Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) to step up monitoring of respiratory illnesses amid reports of a few potential COVID-19 cases in May 2025 is timely and essential. While there are no confirmed cases in J&K and nationwide numbers remain low, the response must not be casual or delayed. The early days of 2020 have taught us the brutal cost of ignoring warning signs. This time, we cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes. The country has come a long way since the devastating first and second waves of COVID-19. Our healthcare infrastructure is stronger, testing capabilities have expanded, vaccines are widely available, and public health awareness is significantly higher. But the virus has shown time and again that it evolves rapidly and exploits even the smallest gaps in preparedness. Complacency, therefore, is our greatest enemy. The Union Health Ministry’s alert to state and UT surveillance units must be treated with the seriousness it deserves. Surveillance is the first line of defense in disease control. Respiratory illnesses that present even mild COVID-like symptoms should be tested and tracked. Real-time data sharing between central and local health agencies must be seamless. Every delay in detection or response could mean the difference between containment and community spread. Public cooperation is equally critical. Citizens must be encouraged to remain cautious in crowded places, maintain respiratory hygiene, and seek medical attention early if symptoms appear. Masking in vulnerable settings, such as hospitals, public transport, and closed spaces, should not be discarded entirely. It is a small act with massive preventive value. Governments at all levels must ensure that hospitals are equipped to handle a surge, even if one seems unlikely today. Stockpiles of essential supplies—oxygen, medicines, PPE kits—should be maintained. Health workers must receive refresher training on outbreak management. Emergency drills and scenario planning should be regular practices, not reactive measures. Private institutions and community organizations can also play a major role by promoting awareness, supporting vaccination drives, and enabling flexible work or study arrangements if needed. The response to any future outbreak must be decentralised, proactive, and community-driven. The objective is not to incite panic but to instill preparedness. A 2020-like crisis is preventable if we act decisively now. The signs, however faint, are already visible. Let us not wait for them to grow stronger before we act. The cost of delay will be far too high.