After Twenty Months, do we Remember Painful, Perturbing & UNPRECEDENTED human tragedy of Coronavirus in Wuhan ?
Within a month of its occurrence, genesis of Corona virus began in India when a medical student landed at Kerala.Next month,another Indian entered the fray in Delhi.Perhaps both survived,presumably with “normal”allopathic treatment. As time passed by, not only Homeopathic & Ayurvedic but Naturopathy were also tried.
GRACE OF GOD
2) It has been generally felt that there is nothing special about this ailment .However, it is an open secret that mostly those thronging the hospitals suffered and lost lives,while during the fag end of two waves, not only normal fever,headache ,common cold,weakness,lack of appetite etc
controlling medicines BEGAN working ,but also several lives were SAVED due to “home hospitalisation “.
No doubt , a person confined to bed like me, knew the effect of disease and how normal or lethal it could have been.Many suffered or died not merely because of wait in compound or corridor or delay in actual treatment but ALSO due to Unusual & Acute ANXIETY in family or neighbourhood.
CLOSE TO REALITY
3) I donot wish to sound like a novice but may admit that in view of tough experience of self that standard prescription/ combination of medicines
WORKED , AS Suggested by Experienced Friends and Sufferers and IN lesser measure by Qualified Doctors. They were either fully occupied(or even pretended so) during PEAK period but also Hardly had Inclination to get close to patients at home for fear of getting infected themselves.
VIRGIN TERRITORY
4) Since it was a ‘virgin territory,’ doctors of more than one discipline,say,Physicians,
Pulmonologists, Kidney & Liver Specialists, Intestine Experts, ENT Doctors,Opthalmologists etc got engaged.
Not only they began treating(their primary duty) but :Commenting also on mutations and variants. A few May have ADDED to their Knowledge.
Every now and then, new variants are discovered, each being more harmful and injurious than its predecessor.
Currently, four groups,namely Alpha,Beta,Gamma and Delta have been identified.
Latest one, C.1.2, detected in South Africa,is supposed to be more transmissible.
SYMTOMS
5) In view of shocking news of death of over 130 persons and hospitalisation of 200 plus in Firozabad,Agra and Ghaziabad, reportedly due to Dengue fever, a doubt arises in respect of SYMPTOMS.
Thus following extremely significant issues MAY be Flagged at this juncture in Public Interest:
××× One has to be told after routine tests, whether a particular ailment is actually a viral fever,
××× OR is it a Flu unrelated to Covid-19 ?,
×× × Is it a fever with running nose & cough?,
×× OR is it H1N1(Swine Flu),
××Whether patient needs sufficient hydration and nutrition,
××Expected Duration of the ailment And
××Patient should know whether treatment will have a standard Norm.
Lucrative Industry ?
6) Peeping into past, one gathers that within no time ,foundation stone for lucrative Corona “factories” was “laid”. Not only a deadly disease was here to stay but a new “Sun Shine Industry” was also destined to thrive and sustain.Thanks to swift means of communication, not only disease spread faster, but dissemination of both positive & negative information, too became an easy proposition.
MANY EXPERTS IGNORED
7) But our country’s experience of 18 months shows that many good,competent and experienced doctors, specialising in Epidemics & Sister Science were neither consulted at treatment stage nor were they involved in further research in between two lethal waves(a few, Pune based & elsewhere were Interviewed). ICMR and NITI Aayog, however, were pushed beyond imagination.
Further, one is compelled to say that some Cardiologists, Pediatricians,Neuro surgeons etc too began speaking and giving advice and expert opinion in virtual seminars and never ending debates on mass media,possibly by ignoring their main vocations.
Needless to mention,
they began guiding, if not influencing policy formulation and may be, later execution also.
6TH DECEMBER, A TURNING POINT
8) No wonder,medicines ranging from Crocin,Paracitamol, HCQ, to Remsidivir…….etc. were prescribed till a specific vaccine CAME from
Pfizer & AstraZeneca.
One hopes that the process of development of vaccine during SARS -I has been taken into account before hitting the target NOW.
PRECURSERS
9) It may be pertinent to cite the example of Spanish Flu in1918-20.As far as its spread is concerned, one may not get authentic documentation OR details of treatment .
As per grapevine,the vaccine for SARS-II pandemic was also expected not before October ’20 or February ’21.
How Come,It Was Preponed?
NEW INDUSTRY
.It may not be inappropriate to say that with the swift passage of time in 2020 ,number of testing centres multiplied and new,rather ultra modern kits and instruments too were developed.No sooner than later, disease control became secondary while capital investment in this new “industry” became a primary factor,or a matter of cardinal interest.
China,France,Japan,U.S. etc. began taking lead even when sub standard materials were discovered soon in supplies to various countries.
INDIA DID NOT LAG BEHIND
10) India too, seeing this golden opportnity in a ACUTE CRISIS , took rapid strides and very soon imported medical items,such as, kits for medics and para medics, beds, ventilators,oxygen cylinders and many other hospital accessories entered & qualified for” Export” category.
But despite being away from worldwide Recession twice, India could not do much to take adequate advantage and revive its sagging or dragging economy to the “aimed” extent.
CONSTRAINTS
11)There may have been more than one factor responsible.
Over population is one, Unemployment & Exodus of migrant workers and daily wagers was another(6 % unemployment in July has gone upto 8.32 % in August, as per CMIE). Inclement weather or variance of weather depending on “strange vagaries” of Monsoon could have also contributed.Efficacy and content of the raw materials and weak demand & supply chain/ linkages could have been also responsible.
12) On the other hand,vast technically qualified manpower,together with prevalence, if not complete dominance of I.T..using or savvy manpower even in smaller places, MAY HAVE ACTED as a catalyst or facilitator .
By our Actions Have We Served The Humanity As Per Expectations ?
WE NEED TO PRICK OUR MIND TO INTROSPECT,
FAILING WHICH PEOPLE OF NEXT GENERATION MAY NOT PARDON US.
BURNING QUESTIONS
13) Prior To Lifting The Cursor,
Following Pertinent & Burning Questions & Possible/ Attempted Comments May Be Perused, Seriously In National Interest:
**Is Attending Mass Events even After Two doses Desirable ?
No,Even if some Opine so.
***Second Wave Is Not Yet Over BUT Fears are in Air For Third Wave in Oct.2021.
Who To Believe, school students,common workers, daily wagers or shop keepers may Ask.Disease likely to surge further.
***If cases Spike after Festive Season,why not to put them on Hold ?
Only marches/ processions of a particular collectivity shouldn’t face a kind of unequal treatment,when everyone is supposed to be EQUAL before Law.
***Social Media generally acts contrary to social interest and gets,undue publicity even in the event of fake news.
Looks like,only Top Courts can Do Needful & prevent further hatred & division of Social Framework.
***39 Dists(down from 56)Still Have an Alarming P.R.of 10%,And 38 have 5 to10 %.
On the contrary,Kerala’s P.R. has risen from 68 to 70 %, when State is recording more than 31,000 Daily cases for 8 days with the exception of a day or two.
If one sees the 24 hour figures of 2nd Sept.,of 47,092 cases nationally,32803 were from Kerala .If Kerala cases are deducted,seven day average of national cases would be JUST 13,218,which is alright for a vast & densely populated country,such as, India.
REMEDY
As an Immediate solution,Complete L.D.needs to be declared in the State,rather, on War Footing,measures,such as, Deputation of ACS level officers in every problematic District should be ordered.
TO SUM UP,
As major countries of E.U.,Who have vaccinated eligible adults and Israel which was starting Booster doses after finishing vaccination, had a 24 hour figure of over ten thousand on Wednesday, and now well contained Japan and Vietnam are also facing music Again,
One Can Think About Overall Gravity of Situation in India When Elusive or Imminent 3rd Wave Actually HITS.
We Must Not Take A Chance.
About the Author : Dr. Aaloc Srivastav, Ex CS , Sikkim is a Senior Retd Bureaucrat and passionate about writing on his favourite subjects . The views shared by the author are his personal.
