Hyderabad: Continuing its havoc across the globe, the deadly coronavirus has infected more than 63 lakh people, and has claimed over 3.8 lakh lives so far. In the meantime, many countries have resorted to lockdown to protect their citizens from the pandemic.
As a result of the elongated lockdowns, the global economy has derailed and is sinking into a major depression. Conditions have become so critical that saving the lives and the livelihood of the people has become the most important priority.
Initially, when the number of COVID positive cases had exceeded 600, India imposed a nationwide lockdown on March 25. During the ten-week lockdown period, the number of cases has risen to more than 8,000 per day. In order to restore normalcy in a phased manner, the Centre recently issued guidelines on lifting the lockdown outside containment zones.
From the eighth of this month, places of worship, hotels, hospitality services and shopping malls will be opened in the first phase. The centre has announced that a decision will be taken next month on reopening of educational institutions; and cinema halls, metro trains and international travel will be considered in the final phase.
India tops Asia with 1.9 lakh COVID cases. Since 70 per cent of the cases reported are confined to 13 areas in cities such as Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Thane, Pune, Hyderabad, etc., the Centre has given green signal for lifting lockdown in other places.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's remark that people should take good care of health as it is not possible to impede the country’s trade activities all the time, places the onus of health protection on the citizens themselves. This enhances Corona's threat to the country even more.
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The Centre claims that with a low death rate of 2.8 per cent and recovery rate of 47 per cent, the lockdown has disproved the fears and projections that Coronavirus will play havoc in a country like India with low quality medical and health services sector.
Out of every 10 lakh cases, 5,197 were reported in the US, 3,825 in Italy while only 117 in India. However, the analysis that the reason for high numbers is due to a higher rate of tests done in these countries than India -- America 19 times more and Italy 25 times -- is also valid.
A few weeks back, the World Health Organization suggested that since the virus is not manifesting in many cases through symptoms and asymptomatic in healthy bodies, it is always better to conduct extensive tests to control Covid-19. South Korea, which has been conducting screening tests seven times more than India, was able to contain COVID-19 cases to thousand and death rate to two per cent.
Despite its ability to conduct one and a half lakh tests per day, India has been ranked 71st out of 84 countries with respect to tests. States are apprehensive that if tests are undertaken extensively, the number of cases could reach into lakhs and become an unbearable burden.
The statement of the Advocate General in the Gujarat High Court that if tests are conducted extensively and it is found that 70 per cent of the population is infected, it will lead to unrest and chaos in the public, confirms the apprehension of the governments.
Governments should recognise that the pandemic can be eradicated only by regularly expanding health services and by strictly undertaking COVID-19 tests. The people also must realise the importance of wearing masks, maintaining physical distancing and following government instructions to help themselves save their own lives.
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