COVID-19

@Lamborghini
Can you suggest what could have been a better response especially in a country as densely populated like India where most people are indisciplined?
We entered lockdown and delayed the inevitable and are failing as you mentioned. If we went the Sweden way for heard immunity head-on it would have still been failure


We cannot be like China and have their style of lockdown because indiscipline. Plus no one trusts any news (and data) coming out of China.

Even New Zealand is not getting spared. I am ignoring the mother of cock-ups.. The great US of A.
So what is it?

Here in Mumbai, we wear masks, have sanitizer stands and have got back to somewhat changed life. I am seeing huge amount of people on streets for shopping or whatever. Business is picking up. Most hospitals like Nair, KEM have re-converted their Covid-19 wards back to general wards.
I would suggest you to just get back to life instead of cribbing.

If the government can manage to ensure that the active cases and death rate are accurately reported, that would be an achievement in itself.

@sanke3 First of all, please get your facts right. I have never said Lockdown or handling this pandemic is failing or is a failure. Else we won't be having this conversation.

Since you have asked about my opinion on lockdown,
Was lockdown the only means to deal with this pandemic.. maybe given our unpreparedness and the novelty of the virus.
Could it have been implemented in a better manner- DEFINITELY!!
We had our 1st case on January 30. We imposed lockdown on 25th March 2020. So yes, I believe we could have utilised this gap of ~60 days(and more since it reached pandemic proportions in China, hence more time to prepare) to up our health care.
Instead we relied on banging thalis and lighting diyas. I do not know how these events were celebrated in your area but in mine, people gathered in large numbers defeating the whole purpose of distancing.

Coming to question of being indisciplined, During the war of 1971 the govt had issued a farman imposing blackouts to avoid being a target of the enemy's airforce. I do not recall people protesting or being indisciplined. It was a question of survival.
This pandemic, I feel, is akin to a war. People will have to understand or be made to understand the implications of this disease(serious damage to lungs, kidneys, brain). This is where leader comes in to ensure that lockdown is imposed in entirity and penalty imposed on violaters.
Yes, there will be short term pain but its for our own benefit.There should have been increase in police recruitment earlier and deployment but what I saw was a steady decline of patrolling to virtually none. Strict measures were necessary but the machinery was absent.

But what we had was resorting to mythological beliefs stating Mahabharat was won in 18 days, we will win it in 21. This is not expected of a leader. A regular communication should have been in place making people understand the impact. And people will understand if you explain it properly. You may have a fatalistic approach but not me.
Blaming entirely on the indiscipline of the people to impose lockdown is not the argument you would give. Casualties would have less than what it is if health infrastructure was in palace(spend more than 3% of GDP on health instead of 1.28%), provisions to ensure migrants workers we either allowed to go back or make appropriate arrangements wrt food, clothing, shelter, income among others, ensuring MSME's got the credit they need.

Coming closer to home, Pune Sero Survey shows more than 50% population already have antibodies, meaning herd immunity already has began despite lockdown. I am more in favour of using plasma banks instead of herd immunity as there is a large collateral damage in the form of human lives with the latter.

If we are wearing masks and following protocols, then cases should be stagnant or declining. Data doesn't seem to suggest that. So people will continue to get infected and infect others when they move in crowds in the absence of vaccine. I still believe going out of the house only when necessary, shopping and other things can wait!!
Again, communication is the need of the hour.

We are still in phase-1. If, God forbid, phase-2 comes with a vengence even the existing health care would collapse. So I hope the government is ramping up the medical infrastructure. Even KEM's, Nair's, Jaslok, Cooper,Bombay hospital would not be sufficient to deal with the large wave if and when it comes.

Criticism where it is due. They help to factor in more dimensions to make policies more effective. Or you can just suck up to what is thrown at you.

Edit: Some correction after going through news reports. Cases is Mumbai seems to be flattening which is a good sign. However, I would still be on guard. We didn't have a second chance to strengthen our healthcare system and now we cannot take second chance.
Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best..

Loot lo Dilli walo ka khoon.

Loot lo Dilli walo ka khoon.

Click to expand...

Having antibody is good sign! It means you are becoming resistant to Corona. And probably wont have to hospitalize and lose lakhs of money.

Oh! Is that what it means? I thought Delhiites were naturally resistant to the virus, and the rest 71% are migrants. 😛

Side effects of contracting Corona..


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Seems like this game with Corona virus is going to be a long one....