The Corona calamity

The Corona virus ie COVID-19 has engaged the attention of the entire world. It has created havoc on human lives. The most advanced countries have lost human lives in thousands. Their medical infrastructure is much more sophisticated and well equipped to handle the crisis than ours. When such is the case they could not contain the virus the way they wanted. And it took the lives in thousands. Italy has just given up conceding defeat in the war against Covid. The super power ie America is struggling in its fight against the virus. China is one country which is able to contain Corona in quick time of course after taking a heavy toll of human lives. The dangerous dimension to this pandemic is that there is no vaccine that can contain or cure the infection. We are way behind as far as our medical preparedness is concerned. On top of it we are the populous country with poor governmental health infrastructure. 

When such is the case, our response should be quick and decisive. The State should act with great alacrity and on a war footing. The government has clamped 21 day lockdown effective from midnight of 24th on entire country followed by a single day janata curfew on Sunday. This is the first and most important step in the war against the pandemic. This assumes importance against the fact that there is no vaccine available to fight the menace and prevention is the only tool available for us till now. We have an advantage too. Corona is a late entrant to India. We have the advantage of hindsight. We have the experience of other countries before us. We should therefore not fritter away the lead time we have. Urgent, effective and tough decisions have to be taken without resorting to wait and watch mode. We don't have that luxury. 

Therefore the compliance of the citizens to the advisories of the state in this regard is of utmost importance and an absolute and paramount necessity. When such is the case, the  sporadic incidents of citizens rebelling against the police while enforcing lockdown is most unpardonable and unthinkable. This resistance to law should be dealt with a heavy hand. It should be curbed immediately. It should be nipped in the bud. Zero tolerance to such anti social attitude should be the aim of the government.

Government should not hesitate to declare a state of emergency if the situation doesn't come under control in quick time. People should understand that the fight against the Corona pandemic is not only a national challenge and a national emergency but a global emergency too. It is not only a health emergency but has a serious global economic implications. It has crippled many a strong economies including America. It has set the global economy into recession India not excluding. India already reeling under low GDP growth, job losses, and serious crises in financial sector is in for another big jolt in the form of Corona. It is a double whammy for India. 

What is required urgently is Education followed by Action. Government has to explain to the public in a very clear and lucid manner in a layman's language step by step - of how it spreads, how it can be controlled, what precautions one has to take in the direction etc. For this, government has to appoint a single window governmental agency to disseminate the information. Government has to stop the TV channels from broadcasting anything of their own. Because umpteen no of channels each giving its own account of the story will confuse the public and the public tend to ignore an otherwise important message. These channels, of late have lost credibility. They make noise instead of news. Therefore, governmental agency should periodically air the information along with the latest updates in all the channels. This will be taken seriously by the public. 

Regarding action, government has already announced some measures in the form of package. This will be an ongoing process. Government should rope in corporates, industrial houses, NGOs and tap all possible sources of assistance and help. Especially the corporate hospitals should come forward to join hands with the government by providing their services, infrastructure etc. Opposition parties should also come on board in this hour of national crisis. One redeeming news is that Sonia gandhi has extended her support to the government in all its endeavours in the fight against Corona. Rahul gandhi has donated 5 crores to PM relief fund. Others should follow suit. I only hope and wish that Corona provide an opportunity for the government and the opposition to work in tandem as their relationship is strained and bruised by vendetta politics persued the Modi government. (Of course, where is the opposition? It has been decimated. That is an altogether different subject.) 

Let us all join together in this national task setting aside our affiliations, caste, colour creed religion etc., in the fight against this deadly menace. It is a threat to humanity itself transcending all barriers. 

Let us all give a big salute to all those warriors the Police, the Doctors, the paramedics, the bankers, the municipality workers, the delivery boys, the drivers and all those who are out there to keep the supply of essentials unhindered to make our lives comfortable when we are indoors. 

K. N. Krishnan           26.03.2020