In tackling COVID-19, world should follow Kerala model: Expert

Dr Sreejith N Kumar, a health expert and National Working Committee Member of the IMA, said that the Kerala model should be replicated not just by other Indian states, but the entire world in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala, a south Indian state which reported the first COVID-19 case in the country, has set an example in tackling the pandemic for the world to follow, a member of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Dr Sreejith N Kumar, a health expert and National Working Committee Member of the IMA, said that the 'Kerala Model' can be followed as example not only in India , but world over, as the state effectively managed to bring the spiralling situation under control.

In an astonishing fact, the doubling rate in Kerala, which was once number one in the list of COVID-19 cases, is just 72.2 days. In comparison, cases double every 7.5 days in India on an average, data available with the Central Ministry said.

Kumar said that Kerala's exceptional performance in tackling the pandemic can be attributed to the proper implementation of guidelines.

"It is not as if Kerala found a new method, the state only properly implemented the guidelines laid out by the WHO and the Health Ministry," he said.

"With the administration and public coming together to fight the pandemic, the Kerala model should be replicated not just in India, but the world," he added.

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Kumar listed out five phases through which society can revert to normalcy.

Citing the example of Kerala, he said that under the first stage, the state quickly identified students who were coming in from Wuhan, and isolated them right at the airport. There was no spillover whatsoever, he said.

Under the second stage, with many more non resident Keralites returning home from various countries, it was clear that the threat remained.

The state carried out tests, traced the contacts of positive cases and isolated them. With around 300 positive cases, as many as 1.5 lakh people were placed under quarantine.

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The entire process was meticulously carried out, Kumar said, adding that despite the huge influx of cases, there was still no indication of community spread.

The third stage was when the lockdown was enforced owing to the steep rise in the number of cases across the country. With proper implementation of the lockdown, the rapid spread of the infection could be arrested.

The rate of increase in the number of cases came down, and the number of people in quarantine also steadily kept reducing, Kumar said.

The next stage would be to come out of the lockdown in a phased manner. In the process of rebuilding, Kumar said it will be extremely important to ensure that social distancing and hand hygiene is followed to ensure that there are no new cases.

Finally, even when the society reverts to complete functioning, all norms should be followed, Kumar said.

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