PREPARATION, NOT PANIC, INFORMATION, NOT RUMOUR AND WE CAN OVERCOME COVID-19

The W.H.O’s Corona virus report today morning reads:

• 162,687 cases confirmed
• 75,620 recoveries
• 6065 deaths
• China, South Korea, Iran and Italy remain in the forefront of the pandemic where it is in Stage IV.

In Italy, which is second only to mainland China for cases, victims could be left to die if they are aged 80 or more, or in poor health, under draft plans drawn up for the next phase of the crisis. There are reports Italy's death toll has spiked overnight. It has had a higher death rate than mainland China due to its elderly population.

Spain has locked down its 46 million citizens and France has ordered the closure of just about everything the rest of the world loves about it - the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the cafes, restaurants and cinema - as governments take increasingly desperate measures to put more space between people and contain the corona virus.

People from overseas coming into Australia will have to self-isolate themselves for 14 days after their federal government, states and territories moved to lock down the country. Those who refuse to comply face fines in Victoria of up to $20,000 or even imprisonment. Cruise ships are also banned from docking at any Australian port for 30 days. The country has effectively shut itself off from the rest of the world in a bid to slow the spread of the corona virus. A ban on all non-essential "static" events of 500 or more people has been imposed.

The NGV, State Library of Victoria, the Melbourne Museum, Royal Exhibition Building, Arts Centre and Scienceworks are all temporarily closed from today as events are cancelled and Melbourne's most popular venues shut down to prevent the spread of the corona virus. The start of the Austrlian Rules Football season (AFL) remains in doubt as it is a contact sport and attracts huge crowds in packed stadiums. The Cricket season has been interrupted and the Kiwis have returned home. Worshippers are going online as churches and mosques have banned gatherings of more than 500 people with many planning video-stream services. There are now 296 confirmed cases in Australia with 5 deaths.

4 Stages of Pandemic

All the South East Asian countries and Australia and New Zealand are in Stage II of the pandemic and desperately trying to avoid marching to Stage III. India too is in this same stage. Let us understand what that means by the following chart:

So we are in the stage of local transmission from positive cases and by a 5 prong approach of:

1. Quarantine
2. Contact tracing
3. Stopping mass gathering
4. Public Awareness
5. Preparation and infrastructure scale up

will help us to contain the disease in this stage II and not march on to stage III and IV when the disease assumes epidemic proportions in our country with disastrous consequences. We have a large border with China but fortunately because of the Himalayas and our strained relations it is not porous and people to people contact is not frequent. We however have open borders with Nepal and Bangladesh and to some extent with Pakistan and in order to remain in Stage II we have not only sealed these borders but extended regional cooperation to all our neighbours by a timely teleconferencing and setting up of an emergency fund to which India has contributed US$10 million.  So far, our region has listed fewer than 150 cases. But we need to remain vigilant – “prepare but don’t panic” was the buzzword! India also responded to the call of its citizens abroad and evacuated nearly 1,400 Indians from different countries along with citizens of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives. The SAARC conference came even ahead of a similar conference requested by France for the G-7 countries -- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States and this was truly creditable! 

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) -- the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research -- along with the Department of Health Research is supervising testing of samples and is ensuring quality of testing across the 52 labs. Also, 57 other laboratories are helping in sample collection for the testing of Covid-19.

A total of 56 DHR/ICMR Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) and a laboratory at Leh have been designated to facilitate sample collection through government health authorities. Their role is to provide collection material (swabs and viral transport media) and facilitate the transport of samples to the nearest testing laboratory.

What is our testing strategy?

As there is no community transmission of the disease so all individuals need not be tested for COVID 19. Only direct contacts of laboratory confirmed positive cases and those with history of travel in the last 14 days to high risk COVID 19 affected countries are being tested and being subjected ho home quarantine for 14 days. This is where our social responsibility and integrity is being tested. If people jump quarantine and come out in the society, travel, go shopping then they will spread the infection in the community and we will slip into stage III and IV with alarming consequences. Like the government is doing in Australia these careless and selfish individuals should be punished.

So, why do you think we are not testing asymptomatic people? This is because without symptoms the viral load may be too low and escape detection and give them a false sense of security. Moreover ICMR laboratories can process 90 samples a day and we have only 51 laboratories doing this all over the country. No private laboratory is authorized to do this testing.

When do you need to get tested?

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has come up with a very informative chart which will not only tell you whether you need to be tested but also provide you with a 24X7 helpline number 011-2397 8046

Social media misuse

The social media should have been a media to spread the correct information about COVID 19 but it is doing just the opposite on most occasions. Unsubstantiated and unscientific information claiming to be posted by WHO, UNICEF and host of other “authentic sources” gave gone viral and many are seen believing them and vouching for them. As if that was not enough, Cybersecurity firm Check Point has found 4000 new websites relating to Corona, 120 of which are clearly malicious and 200 more appear suspicious digital traps to steal personal data.

The rumours floating online range from ridiculous to dangerous.

• One message, claiming to be an advisory from UNICEF, debunked last week, asks people to avoid ice creams and other cold foods and recommends frequent washing of clothes because "corona virus when it falls on the fabric remains nine hours (sic)".
• Another recommends heavy Vitamin C intake, yet another message lists a do-it-yourself (DIY) detection test for the virus.
• A similar message warns people to "not hold your thirst because once your membrane in your throat is dried, the virus will invade into your body within 10 minutes."
• Another more sinister type of viral message lists large Hindu congregations and takes pride that they have never been sources of epidemics, alleging that "weirdest eating habits of some of the countries should be banned," and ending with extolling the virtues of Hinduism.
• Another one is if you can hold your breath for 1 minute you are safe.
• Drinking water every 15 minutes or better still a 'miracle mineral solution' of salt, lemon juice and citric acid will keep you safe.

These are simply viral lies and you should neither believe nor pass them on.

This is not the time for such amateur adventurism. Too much is at risk. Let the scientific community handle it for us. Abide by the rules and regulations and not by religious dogmas. The economy has already taken a beating and if we, God forbid, march on to Stage III and IV like China, Iran, South Korea and Italy, you will have to dig out what will be left of the economy from a deep hole! Help the government to help you and everybody.