Covid-19, the outbreak has taken the world completely unawares, exposing the vulnerability of public health systems in coping with the infectious disease pandemics in terms of preparedness, response, and recovery at local, national and international levels. As the world has fallen short on all these counts the failure has allowed Covid19 to spread like wildfire across hundreds of countries affecting lakhs and killing thousands.
Till about two weeks ago the virus was just a news story but now it has touched all our lives, right from work, play, entertainment, including our prayer, every aspect of common man’s life has been affected. Now students are on forced holiday, worried parents have themselves given up socialising going to restaurants, or cinema halls. The Government has already declared national calamity and states and Center are working in tandem to check the spread of the dreaded virus. The number of confirmed cases is increasing at an alarming speed. As the number grows daily, many businesses have closed, all working in the IT industry, are working from homes, while there is mayhem on the stock market, hospitals are overflowing. Just now our CM TS, KCR has announced complete lockdown of all districts, with no public or private transport, no cinema halls, nor malls or restaurants, in line with the Centre’s advice, except emergency services. AP and many other states also followed suit. Since there is no cure it’s wise and practical to take preventive measures to stop spreading the virus. TS Health Minister Rajendar is doing his best for which he deserves great applaud and appreciation, and KCR deserves praise for his timely action and support, extended to Health Minister.
PM’s address last Thursday seemed to have had a remarkable effect. In his appealed everyone not to hoard and to appreciate the services of those in the health sector is again a very good step. The “Janata Curfew” as suggested by him was made successful by people 100%, as this will be a kind of drill for broad lockdowns which will also be showing gratitude to the Essential Services workers who don’t get to stay at home in an emergency.
The question is how the Indian masses who eke out their living day to day, will tide through such curfews. Even the better off will reel from the economic fallout. Other countries have already announced robust fiscal responses. Some intellectuals opined there was no word by PM while addressing the nation, about the levels of preparedness and steps for ramping up testing facilities, especially at affordable cost, etc. He was also silent on steps to help the private sector produce and validate its testing kits. This is not “ease of doing business .“ There is a huge demand for protective gear which have almost disappeared. They were perhaps expecting that these issues would get covered instead of indulging in symbolism. Amid all this one columnist in an English daily made an intriguing reference of this abysmal situation terming to be a “blessing in disguise “for the Centre, As all burning issues, be it controversial CAA, or the Delhi riots, even the economic problems, have taken a back seat in the wake of the outbreak.
We are on the verge of stage 3 of Covid19, it should be states who should be telling us how well they are prepared and CM of TS did his job, by addressing press 2/3times within this span as they are the ones who should assume the authority and responsibility. Let CMs face TV cameras and address the anxiety prevailing among the common man.
