COVID-19 Response of India -LOCKDOWN

Good Wishes to All,

We all are worried about CORONA VIRUS Known as COVID-19. On 31st December 2019 it was informed by China to WHO that they had found a Virus with unknown etiology. Thus its known as COVID-19.

All of us are under Lockdown due to CORONA VIRUS, COVID-19.
As this time we find lot of Changes on Personal, Social, State, National and International level which are difficult to accept.
We find different versions on COVID-19 by different people and Political Parties.
We believe that we think or understand better than Government who is having factual information from different countries time to time about COVID-19. How few coutries saved themselves and few became victim of this PANDEMIC.
Our Knowledge is based on Videos of News channels what they broadcast.

Few things that I want to share as a Health Consultant based on Video Conferencing with Dr. Harshwardhan ji Minister for Health and famil Welfare, GoI  with 100+ Medical Doctors from Telangana on 25th April.

He had given details which are mind boggling for me as a Health Consultant. I am Sharing few of them which I noted.

Few Global Facts about COVID-19

• 31st December 2019  -China alerted WHO on cases of pneumonia of unknown etiology in Wuhan.
• 7th January 2020      -China identifies a new type of CORONA VIRUS.
• 8th January 2020     -India initiated steps to monitor the situation and 1st joint monitoring Group meeting was held involving Ministries like Health, Home, Aviation, Foreign,Defense, AYUSH and other ministries along with secretaries.
• 30th January 2020   –WHO declared this as Public Health Emergency of International concern.
• 1th March 2020         –WHO declared PANDEMIC.
• 24th April 2020        – Total Case-26,26,321, Total deaths 1,81,938 till 24th April
•  24th April 2020      – Top 4 countries inworld
  • • • • USA                             -8,30,053
        • Spain                          -2,13,024
        • Italy                              -1,89,973
        • Germany                   -1,50,383

• • • • • European region   – 12,84,216 

Now lets look what Indian Government did in this period to safe guard India.

• 8th January 2020     -India initiated steps to monitor the situation and 1st joint monitoring Group meeting headed by Prime Minister of India was held involving Ministries like Health,Home,Aviation, Foreign, Defense, AYUSH and other ministries along with secretaries.
• 17th January 2020    -Advisory issued to States for initiating health sector preparedness.
• 17th January 2020    -Detailed Travel advisory issued for point of Entry surveillance initiated
• 17th January 2020   – 3 Importers China & Korea Closed
• 29th January 2020  – Health and Textile Ministry meet manufacturers
• 30th January 2020  –N95 and PPE exports Banned
• 1st February 2020    – 1st COVID-19 case in India, A medical student from Wuhan came back.
• 2nd Feb to 27th feb 2020 – Samples Tested for N95 and PPE all failed.
• 27th Feb 2020            -WHO gave interim guidelines for PPEs
• 2nd March 2020        – Technical specifications revised
• 7th March 2020         -Order placed for PPE on 4 Domestic manufacrurer
• 12th March-2nd April – 70+ samples tested 20 Manufacturers qualified (25,000 PPE/DAY)
• 4th April DRDO         – Develops indigenous N95 masks and PPE.

Now all these informations are based on what Dr. Harshwardhan ji Spoke and shared in his presentations few dates of words may be missed due to my writing speed and his Flow.

But I am here to talk about why Lockdown was planned? What was meaning of breaking chain and surveillance by Govenment of india.

As we had seen on Global chart of PANDAMIC few countries who were among 1st 3 Countries suddenly dropped in their ranking by reducing numbers like Japan, Korea and so on.

Few countries suddenly started growing in numbers who was not in list like Italy, Germany and USA who were very much below. Then suddenly came out from Number one to today in May much lower or precisely out of COVID-19.

That means it had an indication that there is a systematic approach to come out of it or there is a way to increase numbers of Patients irrespective of your medical Health System as USA is no. one but most affected today. So to safe guard against Virus is basic civic Sense. Social Distancing is Best tool observed in many countries.

Government of India had 2 challenges

1. To safe guard Indian Citizens who are not affected.
2. To bring back Indians staying abroad or has gone as tourists from January to 10th March allow them to come back.

To safe guard Indian population from getting affected Government had certain initiatives

• Travel advisory was issued on 17th january only.
• 5th February   – Visa and Travel restrictions on Chinese foreign Nationals
• 26th February– Travel advisory for refraining from non-essential travel to 5 affected countries
• 2nd March        – Visa suspended for South Korea, Italy, Iran and Japan
• 10th March      – Entry of Cruise Ships prohibited, Visa suspended for France, Germany and Spain
• 11th March       – After WHO declared Pandemic Existing Visas suspended till 15th April.
• 14th March      – SDRF allowed for setting up Quarantine facilities, Testing laboratories and Equipment.
• 15th March       – PM holds meeting with heads of SAARC countries, South Asian COVID-19.
• 16th March       – Prohibition of flights from EU, Turkey and UK.
• 17th March       – Prohibition of Flights from Afghanistan, Philippines, Malaysia
• 19th March      – All incoming flights prohibited.
• 21st March       – 24*7 MHA Control Room Operationalised
• 22nd March    – Janta Curfew across the country to promote voluntary social distancing.
• 24th March     – Pradhan Mantri Announced imposition of Lockdown for 21 days.
• 25th march     – Telemedicine guidelines approved by Union Health Minister in case during Lockdown you                                      need medical help then on phone you can consult Doctor. You can pay and get medicines                                          online. (Previously it was offence if Doctor writes Medicines Over Phone)
• 26th March    –FM announces Garib kalyan Yojana for the poor (more than 1 Lakh Crore)

To bring back Indians staying abroad / gone as tourists before 10th March bringing them back.

• NDMA organised 147 training Programs – CISF, Customs, Immigration, Ground handling staff
• 25th January 2020 onward All Airports inspected – Total of 14,154 flights screened covering 15,25,000  Passengers
• 49,500+ Passengers screened at 12 Major Ports and 65 non Major Ports.
• Around 2500 Passengers who were Indian Origin was brought back from other affected countries.

Now these are all facts which I received from Honorable Union Health Minister Dr. Harshwardhan ji.

But I have to talk something about Lockdown.

This is my personal understanding and not spoken by Union Minister.

When I think Why 21 Days Lockdown was important? and What was Main Strategy to handle COVID-19?

So here is my understanding.

• Government knew who has come back from abroad. They asked everyone to be in quarantine irrespective of their country of return.
• Though COVID-19 spreads very fast from one Human to another but
• As in COVID-19 incubation period of manifestation of Symptoms are from 5 Days to 14 Days.
• That means all foreign Traveled passengers were under constant surveillance set by Central and State Government bodies.
• The idea was in 14 Days of Quarantine if symptoms appears Doctors team was ready to treat him.
• If after 14 Days of quarantine test is negative then he/she is safe.
• Another probability that this traveler may do not keep social distancing then 2500*5 (Per Family) will get affected means total of 12,500 people in 21 days.
• These 12500 Patients would had been taken out and job was done in next 15-21 days.
• This was Central Government Plan A to arrest spread of COVID-19 in Stage 1 and Stage 2.
• As Government was to keep watch on only those homes in which foreign traveled passenger is there.
• In all this calculation political and non healthy practices were not expected from State Governments like Delhi and Maharashtra.
• Delhi in the form of Tabliqi jamat and sending 50,000 labors in night by arranging buses by Delhi transport.
• Maharashtra by calling labor without luggage to Andheri.

Thus Central Government decided to hand over the safety of people in state government hands as State Government is Elected body by same State Population.

This is how 2nd Lockdown under Chief Ministers of States started from 14th April 2020 till 3rd May 2020.

Here all decisions related to relaxation from 20th April 2020 in any activities or sales of goods came in power of state Government and not under Central Government.

Though Central Government gave a mechanism of Red, Orange and Green District. (I will inform about Medical and General initiatives this in my next Blog)

Central Government asked state Government to manage Lockdown according to guidelines and instructions under 1st LOCK DOWN from 24th March to 14th April 2020.

Thanks to all State Governments to open wine shops which informed people who believe in Charity that people have money for Self Enjoyment or Self Health Destruction but no money to help others.

I suggest all State Government to sell wine at 1000% charges and

Give 800% extra charged from wines for farmers as June is approaching.

By SJ T. Jignesh Gokani

Health Consultant +91 94 90 120084