India is capable of fighting the COVID-19 Menace : Dr. Srinath Reddy
Dr. Srinath Reddy, President, Public Health Foundation of India shares an important message in this interview with Aarthi Kannan: As Indian citizens, fulfilling our responsibility is crucial in curbing the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
COVID-19 is rapidly traveling across the globe, abruptly reorganizing our reality to the fact that no country is immune from this pandemic. Today, we realize how powerful we truly are in comparison with a virus that is only nanometers wide, whose genetic material doesn’t compare in size to our DNA – yet the novel coronavirus turns the world upside down as it respects one thing even lesser than human lives – boundaries. Dr. Srinath Reddy stresses that a hundred percent fulfillment of essential responsibilities by the public and governmental role are key to controlling the spread of COVID-19 in India.
What has India done so far in its fight against COVID-19, as it braces for a total lockdown?
“India has taken some important steps so far including closing down schools and colleges, promoting work from home, discouraging domestic travel, emphasizing on social distancing and personal hygiene, hand washing all of which are being promoted through mass media, including social media. Measures like hospital-quarantine and self-quarantine seal the spread of the virus. A platform for regional cooperation in the SAARC region was also established through our Prime Minister’s initiative. Progressive entry restriction of incoming travellers from COVID affected countries to include all foreign traveller entry, prevent fresh entry of the virus even as attempts are being made to trace the virus that has already come in. Clinical assessment and virus testing protocols have been developed and implemented in designated hospitals and laboratories and are being expanded through accredited private hospitals and laboratories. The National Technical Taskforce has been established under the aegis of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Community surveillance is being stepped up, as part of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP).”
What are the responsibilities of the public and the government in containing the spread of COVID-19?
“Indian citizens need to become alert to the serious nature of this public health threat and not go on with life as usual.
Social distancing should become the new norm - not to be violated with impunity by celebrities and the social elite.
Personal protection, especially appropriate hand hygiene, must become second nature to our children and us. Public spitting should become an abhorrent practice of the past.
Special protection and care should be provided to the elderly, as they are vulnerable.
Diabetes and high blood pressure should be well controlled and medicines, adequately stocked. Smokers should give up smoking to protect their lungs against the virus.
False claims and misinformation should not be propagated on social media.
Prejudice against people from other nations and cultures must be avoided.
The government’s responsibility includes:
Continued strong enforcement of restriction on non-essential travel and local commuting.
Continued bans on mass gatherings and large group social events.
Ensuring self-quarantine of persons with suspected contact with an active case, closure of schools and colleges and work-from-home for non-essential services.
Tracing and confinement of contacts is a priority.
Step up of community surveillance”
The population at risk: Anyone can get infected, even the young.
“The elderly are more vulnerable, but it is important to remember that the young and middle aged are not armor plated against the virus and its effects. Smokers, obese, diabetics, patients with high blood pressure, heart or respiratory diseases, conditions that lower immunity, are at likelihood of complications and adverse health outcomes. Young persons must recognize their responsibility to protect more vulnerable family members and public as well as follow disciplined observance of social restrictions in this time.”
We cannot base our strategic response on that premise that weather would mitigate the impact of COVID-19
“Other coronaviruses have been known to have seasonal variations, subsiding in hot summers. However, we do not know whether the same is true of this new virus. We have to hope that the advent of summer will change the transmission dynamics in our favor but we cannot base our strategic response on that premise. We have to wait for more global data to come in from an evolving pandemic.”
What is next and how does India compare with more affluent countries?
“We have capable institutions like the ICMR and the National Centre for Disease Control, which are leading the effort to counter the epidemic. Unlike western countries who have relegated infectious diseases (other than HIV-AIDS) to a low rung priority, our health system is better primed to respond to infectious disease outbreaks than European or North American countries. Our strong, cohesive community networks help disseminate public health messages and adherence to measures like social distancing. India is less urbanized than more affluent countries and with a demographically younger population; we are less likely to see many with severe forms of the disease.
We have acted faster than USA, UK and many European nations - our international borders lockdown was faster. Social distancing efforts began earlier, though it needs to become more rigorous. Schools were shut down early. Hospitals are being geared up for serious case management; with the private sector drawn in. We must persist in the challenging but crucial element of community tracing and isolating asymptomatic transmitters of infection. Strengthening our hospital capacity, designating isolation and intensive care beds, procuring and domestically producing ventilators for intensive respiratory care, training more doctors, nurses and technicians to efficiently operate and maintain them, promoting home-based care for milder cases through primary healthcare providers are essential.
Sadly, we have neglected our public health preparedness, from creating technical and implementation capacity to funding of programs, although some states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala are better prepared. There is not much awareness of the high infectivity rate of this virus even in urban areas, while rural awareness of its grave nature is much lower. People have become used to dengue or chikungunya outbreaks across India and are not alarmed by a relatively new outbreak, which reportedly has mild health effects in most individuals. Deaths reported to be from COVID-19 have been low so far and most families have not yet personalized the threat as a witnessed tragedy.
While existing disaster preparedness plans do exist, they are configured to deal with relatively localized disasters. We have some experience from prior outbreaks like H1N1, H5N1 and Nipah, but a pandemic with the rapidity and spread of COVID-19 has not been encountered before – COVID-19 calls for a swift, well-coordinated, countrywide response in India.”