COVID-19 pandemic Interventions, perceptions, reflections

Today, the world is passing through one of the most unprecedented and testing times in the history of mankind,
COVID-19 pandemic Interventions, perceptions, reflections

Dr. Kalpana Bora

(The writer is an Associate Professor, Department of Physics,

Gauhati University, Assam. She can be reached at kalpana.bora@gmail.com)

Today, the world is passing through one of the most unprecedented and testing times in the history of mankind, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, since January 2020, which began from Wuhan city of China. Did we ever imagine that over 223 lakh of people all over the world would be infected, and that over 7.84 lakh people would die from the same disease, over a span of just 7-8 months (source – worldmeters.com)? The corresponding figures for India are – more than 27 lakhs of total infected cases and 53,026 of deaths from this infection. The silver lining for India is that the death rate in India is about 2.05% as compared to world average of 3.8%, about half of the world average. Probably it is due the early national lockdown, and better immunity of we Indians, that the death rate is low in our country. Words fall short to express the painful sufferings and agonies of the people.

Earlier pandemics (Source – pnas.org/content/104/18/7582)

Pandemics and epidemics have inflicted the world and India earlier also. Just to give a glimpse - the Spanish flu was a deadly influenza pandemic, caused by the H1N1 A virus, is believed to last from February/March 1918 to the summer of 1920 – for about two years! It infected about 500 million people – about a third of the world's population at that time, in 3-4 successive waves. Their studies showed that rapid implementation of multiple NPIs (Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions), social distancing, masks, and hygiene can contain the transmission, but upon relaxation of such measures, the infection spread will be renewed. These analyses of the Spanish flu can definitely help as a guide to tackle the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Lessons to be learnt from COVID-19

1. The most important thing in this world is – human life, the very existence of mankind. Life is so beautiful, precious, and yet so uncertain! It is high time we redefined the so-called work culture – and we started paying more time for our family and health.

The human civilization should no more be ONLY money centered and

economy-centered –rather, it should be humanity centered!

2. All kinds of pollutions have been reduced during the pandemic. Maybe – this is nature's own way of healing itself. Nature is breathing fresh, smiling at us and is punishing us to recharge herself. Maybe Mother Nature will bounce back, if we give an opportunity to it for doing so! Nature has shown that she is still stronger than mankind.

3. We need to be more generous, loving and caring, sensitive and kind towards each other, respect humanity, shed-off our egos, live our today to the fullest, be content, celebrate our today and mankind.

4. Governments should launch new schemes to make farming a more lucrative career among the youth so that more of them take farming as profession.

5. Our public healthcare infrastructure should be made ready to face any future pandemic.

6. We need to be self-reliant. Consumers will also have to be little patient and supportive, and give some time so that our own manufacturing companies may become competent enough to produce quality products at reasonable/competent price.

Lifestyle post-COVID-19

People all over the world are talking that this fight against coronavirus is going to be long, at least up to maybe 1-2 years, or up to when the reliable, safe vaccine comes out in the market. Until then, our lifestyle might be something like this:

1. Always use face mask, maintain social distancing, wash hands frequently.

2. Avoid eating junk food – eat fresh, homemade, simple food – this will add to our immunity in a natural way. Do yoga and exercise daily.

3. Let's not make any hurry to reopen schools – Children cannot follow these norms of social distancing and washing/sanitizing hands frequently. We can't put lives of our children at risk.

4. Work from home (WFH), up to some extent, to maintain social distancing in offices. In fact, WFH, to the extent possible, may be a regular feature of our lives for some time to come – it will save time, energy and money of people, will save fuel– will also help reduce pollution.

5. Don't move out of house until essential.

6. Don't travel unless it is absolutely essential.

7. Learn to live with, and be complacent with little less resources. Affluent people may have to continue to contribute to support the needy people.

8. Our lives are going to be more dependent on online resources – they need to be made accessible to all, with better, affordable and reliable services.

9. Smart phones should be made available to economically weak students, free from Government, with Internet services – so that they are not deprived of online education resources and facilities.

10. Avoid attending social gatherings and functions, going to shopping malls, gyms, clubs etc up to next 1-2 years.

11. We all need to boost our immunity in a natural way. Our motto should be "Not to fall sick, rather than taking medicines after falling sick" In fact, each part of India has so rich heritage of tradition, food habbits, values – for example is Assam, we have so many healthy herbs - we should not forget them in our modern kitchens!

12. We may have to face intermittent lockdowns, as and when necessary – second/third waves of the infection may come.

13. We must try to keep happy in these tough times, at any cost. Many of us might be going through stress. Let's focus on constructive activities. Let us not lose hope, patience, faith, courage, fight and win this battle.

After darkness light is bound to come!

"We need to attain a just perfect synergy between family and success, health and work, tradition & modernity, culture & development."

As we celebrated the 74th Independence Day of our country, PM Modi in his speech from the Red Fort has declared the new NDHM (National Digital Health Mission) – under which, all citizens would have a unique Health ID - which can be tracked from any place in India for a citizen, and it will tell the whole medical history of that person. It's a commendable initiative indeed.

And, it is the collective responsibility of all us, to contribute our bit, as sensitive human beings, towards this fight – and to win over it. Governments alone can't achieve any goal for the nations.  

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