Corona pandemic
Since last couple of weeks entire world is facing this dangerous pandemic of corona. Started with China's Wuhan province, it has spread to almost every continent on earth. And with the influx of tourists, NRI residents, students it is rapidly spreading inside India.
We don't know the structural similarity between corona and Spanish flu virus of 1918. But the way corona is spreading across the globe with a killing spree, we don't have a choice but to compare it with Spanish flu that killed millions of people across the globe.
Only difference I see is, while Spanish flu killed youngsters with same ferocity as elderly, corona is mainly taking away seniors particularly those with pre-existing health problems.
Spanish flu came to India on ships brought by infected, ailing indian soldiers in British army stationed in Europe. From the dockyards it spread to suburbs of Mumbai and with flleeing populace it spread to interiors of India, affecting towns connected by railways to begin with.
Fortunately last months corona trend is good for India, but it was not so with Spanish flu which took lives approximately in seven digits even in India . The number was obviously high for lack of administrative apathy and compounded by poverty and illiteracy of
poor Indians.
'Desperate disease require desperate remedy ! Looking at the ferocity with which it has affected Italy, Spain, Iran and even world power US , stringent measures were surely required and I personally feel state and central government did well by locking down and stopping railways, vehicles and even flights. Unfortunately there is collateral damage and poor segments of society particularly those on daily wages are badly affected.
While total span of Spanish flu lasted for entire 1918, we are in third month of corona and except China it is not showing any sign of solace in any other country seriously impacted.
Are we safe ? Will the heat of summer save us ? Is the malaria that is our traditional enemy helping us ? Is it the BCG vaccination that has come to our risk ? Lock down for how long ? How long it will take to invent a good vaccine ? But the most sickening question that is haunting us is what will be the death toll ?
Going by traditional medical quote ' prevention is better than cure ' , we shall believe in lockdown, social distancing , proper sanitization. Healthcare workers are doing brave job of treating those infected . As of now many doctors and nurses have sacrificed their lives in the battle to save serious patients of corona.
In india unfortunately there is another fallout of lockdown. Hundreds of thousands of people from poor background are struggling by loosing jobs, particularly those on daily wages for shortage of food. And we are helplessly watching mass exodus of people from towns to their native villages. Both state and national governments have a herculean task in front of them and instead of politicising the issue they shall coordinate well with each other in the larger interest of nation. But the highest responsibility lies on the shoulders of the citizens by staying home and breaking the chain of transmission of virus. Big thanks to police force who are helping to keep the law and order.
Perhaps this is the only time we shall follow communist China's strict regime rather than the lenient democracies of western world. Let's hope the pandemic comes to end at the earliest.
We don't know the structural similarity between corona and Spanish flu virus of 1918. But the way corona is spreading across the globe with a killing spree, we don't have a choice but to compare it with Spanish flu that killed millions of people across the globe.
Only difference I see is, while Spanish flu killed youngsters with same ferocity as elderly, corona is mainly taking away seniors particularly those with pre-existing health problems.
Spanish flu came to India on ships brought by infected, ailing indian soldiers in British army stationed in Europe. From the dockyards it spread to suburbs of Mumbai and with flleeing populace it spread to interiors of India, affecting towns connected by railways to begin with.
Fortunately last months corona trend is good for India, but it was not so with Spanish flu which took lives approximately in seven digits even in India . The number was obviously high for lack of administrative apathy and compounded by poverty and illiteracy of
poor Indians.
'Desperate disease require desperate remedy ! Looking at the ferocity with which it has affected Italy, Spain, Iran and even world power US , stringent measures were surely required and I personally feel state and central government did well by locking down and stopping railways, vehicles and even flights. Unfortunately there is collateral damage and poor segments of society particularly those on daily wages are badly affected.
While total span of Spanish flu lasted for entire 1918, we are in third month of corona and except China it is not showing any sign of solace in any other country seriously impacted.
Are we safe ? Will the heat of summer save us ? Is the malaria that is our traditional enemy helping us ? Is it the BCG vaccination that has come to our risk ? Lock down for how long ? How long it will take to invent a good vaccine ? But the most sickening question that is haunting us is what will be the death toll ?
Going by traditional medical quote ' prevention is better than cure ' , we shall believe in lockdown, social distancing , proper sanitization. Healthcare workers are doing brave job of treating those infected . As of now many doctors and nurses have sacrificed their lives in the battle to save serious patients of corona.
In india unfortunately there is another fallout of lockdown. Hundreds of thousands of people from poor background are struggling by loosing jobs, particularly those on daily wages for shortage of food. And we are helplessly watching mass exodus of people from towns to their native villages. Both state and national governments have a herculean task in front of them and instead of politicising the issue they shall coordinate well with each other in the larger interest of nation. But the highest responsibility lies on the shoulders of the citizens by staying home and breaking the chain of transmission of virus. Big thanks to police force who are helping to keep the law and order.
Perhaps this is the only time we shall follow communist China's strict regime rather than the lenient democracies of western world. Let's hope the pandemic comes to end at the earliest.
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