India should Take Decisive Actions on Novel CoronaVirus
Posted on 17 Mar 2020; 03:00 PM IST. Last Updated 17 Mar 2020; 05:00 PM IST.Summary: It is about time for India to take decisive actions, based on World Health Organization (WHO) advise, for containing Novel Coronavirus (covid-19). While, individual states in India are devising policies on their own to contain the virus, a well directed guidance from the central Government, would create order, and instill the much needed confidence, in people.
The World Health Organization (WHO), advised that maintaining social distance could limit the transmission of Novel Coronavirus (covid-19), and help the health care systems to cope up. While individual states in India, are devising policies on their own to contain the virus, a well directed guidance and early intervention from the central Government of India, would create order, and instill the much needed confidence in people.
India, which is one of the most populous countries in the World, should opt for an early locked down, to contain the virus. Since, the bulk of the population is dependent on daily wages, the lockdown should be applied gradually in a phased manner, to limit economical impact on the poor. Some states in the country have already adopted such a policy, wherein the lockdown grows upward from recreational services, to Mass-Transit (or a complete standstill), as detailed below.
1) Recreational Services:
Malls, Cinema-Halls, Travels, etc
2) Educational Institutes:
Schools, Colleges, Coaching centers, etc
3) Religious Gatherings:
Temples, Mosques, Churches, etc
4) Non Essential Services:
Finance, Manufacturing, Private Companies, etc
5) Mass-Transit:
Trains, Buses, etc
Essential Services like Food, Medicine, Water, Police, Fire, Tele-Communications, Electricity, HealthCare, etc are spared from locked down.
An ideal first step, would be a lockdown on the first three items listed above, which will sufficiently reduce the density of people in public places, and will automatically create the much needed social distancing, as advised by the World Health Organization (WHO), in its guidance.
Note: A recent version of the World Health Organization (WHO) guidance, on Novel Coronavirus (covid-19), is available at -
https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---16-march-2020