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What has the Government of India (GOI) done to contain the Corona Pandemic so far?

Like most of the nations, India has also suffered from corona pandemic. In India, SARS-COVID19 virus has infected more than 37,456 people and has taken more than 1230 lives till 2 May 2020.

Government has taken several steps to minimize the impact and spread of CoronaVirus among its citizens. The Government agencies and its officials have come forward to spread awareness about Corona Pandemic, its symptoms, precautions, home remedies. In addition, how to use health care accessories whether it is homemade masks, sanitizers etc. to citizens of our nation. Some major steps have been taken by government are mentioned below :

Arogya Setu,an innovative app to detect coronavirus patients from a distance has been launched. The real objective of the App is to mitigate the Corona cases as fast as possible with the participation of the public. It is voluntary for the individual, and it has been made mandatory for the organisations. This application guides you for diet plans, physical and mental exercises to keep you safe and healthy.

The Government of India (GOI) has taken precautionary steps even before the Corona pandemic has entered India. The Government has started screening passengers from China at three airports on 17 January 2020. When WHO (World Health Organisation) reported 278 cases from China out of 282 total cases on January 21st, 2020. India responded faster by making screening for travellers from China coming to India at 7 airports compulsory and later on , it was extended to 21 Airports. Later on, by 7 February 2020, India has made thermal screening compulsory for all passengers at airports, seaports and minor ports and has canceled all visas issued to foreign citizens coming from China.

As the cases increased, the Lockdown or Self-Quarantine was imposed by the Indian government on 22 April 2020. It has mitigated the spreading of virus cases in India as compared to the western world. So far 171 districts have been delivered as the red zone area and the government is focusing on these places to save many lives.

Government has launched a PM cares fund, where people can donate to help daily wage earners, poor and needy people while fighting the pandemic. Besides all these free ration, transportation of the stranded labours, travellers and students have been arranged. The shops are permitted to open for the food and medicines to help citizens to get access to basic necessities.

In the middle of fighting Corona, the Government of India also has supplied antimalarial drugs to the countries as these drugs are found very effective to fight the pandemic in Indian hospitals.

Indian estate had sent Hydroxychloroquine to 55 coronavirus-hit countries as a humanitarian gesture to the neighbour and friendly nation when the world is suffering from a pandemic.

Economic Loss of India because of Corona Pandemic

Corona Pandemic and Lockdown has led to more economic losses in India than expected. Barclay’s (British multinational investment bank and financial services company) had said that India will suffer actual economic loss of $234 billion or Rs.17.78 lakh crores (8.1 % of GDP) as compared to expected loss of $120 billion or Rs. 9.1 lakh Crores till 3 May 2020, completion of second lockdown. The banking firm has reduced the Calendar Year 2020 GDP forecast to Zero percent from 2.5 percent and financial year 2020-2021 forecast to 0.8 percent from 3.5 percent.

The cases are still increasing, and Maharashtra and Delhi being the worst affected. The timely response of both the Central and the State governments actively coordinated giving a positive impact in fighting the pandemic. Now, the number of cases in Indian hospitals are moderately lesser than any other countries in the west. Clamp down and the financial aid by the government as well as the NGOs added some degrees of relief to the situation reducing the day to day life of the public at large. It is one of the most successful epidemic drives conducted by the government in the world. The Indian government has given priority to the life of its citizens above the economy.

At present the doctors are treating or administering only to suppress the symptoms while the world is waiting for an effective medicine which will cure the illness forever. The prolonged administration of medicine for symptoms can reduce the immunity of the patients.

In the meantime the WHO has helped to conduct 4 mega trials of pandemic drugs but the small trials are also going on in the laboratories of different countries. One should say that the Health workers, Doctors and scientists are investing their time and best efforts to deliver an effective medicine to eliminate the virus.

There are many trials to be done to find a permanent solution for containing COVID.

The COVID has already added enough loss in our life both in the form of medical bills, economic slowdown and clamp down related economic paralysis. The health workers are fighting the epidemic from spreading into new locations and people; while doctors are trying to test new drugs on the patients. There are active trials going on both in the laboratory and on the human body to create an effective drug that would suppress the virus and save the victims. The final result may be very close. All of us have to wait for the happy news for some more time.