A Perspective on India’s Fight against COVID - 19

Abstract

The COVID -19 pandemic which has affected 209 countries/ territories, infected more than a million persons and claimed more than 50 thousands human lives worldwide (till 4 th April, 2020). It is caused by SARS-CoV-2 a novel virus genetically similar to SARS virus and reported first in Wuhan, China. In India, the first case was reported in January and until 5 th April, 2020 it has spread to 29 States/UTs, affected more than 3 thousand. The fate of this disease in India is to be determined by three elements of epidemiology, i.e. agent, host and environment. The agent is novel, but it has been reported that there are two strains of SARS-CoV-2 under circulation out of which one is more aggressive and spread quickly. As the susceptibility to the virus is there in Indian population, like other countries but its presentation in hosts which range from asymptomatic to severe pneumonia would be affected by the innate immunity of hosts and small proportion of population belonging to high risk group. In addition, the weather of India may also act as an impediment to the fatalities this disease may cause. The measures taken by India first to restrict the entry of this agent in community and further to interrupt its transmission are exemplary. However, still there is need to be future ready and plan strategically, learning from success and failure of other countries. In order to tackle this pandemic, there is need to strengthen the existing medical infrastructure to take care of advance stage of COVID-19 patients and quality epidemiological investigation of COVID -19 cases at the community level.

How India is dealing with COVID-19 pandemic

“…To control this spread, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) issued travel advisory restrictions which were similar to the previous pandemics such as SARS, Ebola, and bubonic plague, including the imposition of self-quarantine rules for 14 days to all international travellers entering the country. Additionally, travel visas were restricted until 15th April for other countries [ 10 ] and on 16 th March 2020, MoHFW proposed various interventions such as social distancing of ≤ 1 m [ 11 ] to avoid/decrease the rate and extent of disease transmission in a community which eventually leads to decreasing in a spread, morbidity, and mortality due to the disease.…”

Examining burnout and stress among healthcare professionals during and post COVID-19 lockdown: A comparative analysis

“…These measures have ultimately resulted in a decrease in the spread, morbidity, and mortality caused the disease. (12)…”

COVID-19 Lockdown Concerned with Economy, Mental, and Environmental Health: Indian Scenario

“…Moreover, tour visas have been confined till fifteenth April for all foreign countries and on sixteenth March 2020, MoHFW proposed various policies for personal care which include social distancing of 1m, frequent hand wash and compulsory mask waring to avoid and decrease the rate and number of disease transmission in a public. These results in reducing in a spread, morbidity, and help to control the mortality due to the disease (4,5). The current status of COVID19 in India was derived from the mygov.in/covid-19 as of July 14, 2021.…”