The Covid Situation in India: What Next?

With the current Covid situation in India, we are facing two battles on the same front. The first battle is a social one - to ensure that everyone stays home and follows the lockdown protocols. The second battle is a demographic one - how to ensure that each one is vaccinated and protected.

The danger in a crisis is that the truth gets lost somewhere between what people are seeing happen and how they conceive of it happening, leading to a lurking danger, in this case a third COVID-19 phase, which by now is confirmed by many.

Right now, on average, there are more than 3 lakh active cases diagnosed almost daily in this country. In this scenario when most of the states have declared a complete lockdown, we need to find the root cause of this crisis and understand what is making it spread so rapidly.

To me the situation is clear, you cannot control a country with a high density of population unless you have an efficient and operational strategy in place.

It is imperative to understand the scale and magnitude of this problem, which many people are still not aware of or have underestimated it as a small issue. The fact that people sleep in crowded rooms with poor ventilation makes them vulnerable to airborne diseases such as Covid. Probably a reason why there is a spike in Covid cases in rural India.

Though I appreciate all the work being done currently by our hospitals, front liners, and to some extent the Government, but feel there are other ways too.

The Possible Solution:

·        Penalize Social Gatherers

There are times when actions speak louder than voice. The Government must start penalizing social gatherings.

This will force people to stay at home and not come out in large numbers, thereby reducing the chances of getting infected with Covid virus.

The most important thing is that we cannot afford to be complacent about this situation. The general public must act responsibly and stay alert for any signs or symptoms which could lead them on a path towards contracting the virus.

Complete ban on marriage functions, political and religious rallies as those have still been happening, is the need of the hour. A shutdown of all cinemas, sports events, and markets.

In addition to that and as suggested by my mentor here is an effective two-fold approach that I am certain will yield results.

1.     Complete Lockdown Except Hospitals

This has happened in the past and we have seen that when the country is are shut down, there is a significant reduction in cases.

However, this can be implemented only if we have an obedient populace, and the second factor is the economy. We need to be vigilant about the Wholesale Price Index hitting an all-time high.

So how far will succeed in continuing with a complete country lockdown is a question.

Which is where the second approach comes into picture.

2.     Grouping of States

It is being done in the case of military operations by grouping certain states on ground to enable quick response. The same will be possible for use in a medical crisis too, with each group comprising about three to four States and two Union Territories.

This will allow easier management when one or more States are affected due to Covid or any other epidemic.

Like we can have the southern states mingle and form a group to handle the medical and other emergencies. But if someone from a western state, let us say Maharashtra wishes to enter, that person must be stopped.

We can then identify the groups which are most vulnerable and work on stabilizing the situation with the help of public and private authorities coming together.

Another thing we will need to ensure is that these are not just groups formed around geographical boundaries but ones that correspond to the strategic needs of managing Covid outbreaks and emergencies.

Alas! In the end, we can only put these suggestions across, but how much will be implemented and can be implemented is also up to the government and other authorities.