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Expert Panel Against Full Repeal of lockdown

  • 08 Apr 2020
  • 4 min read

Why in News

An expert committee’s report to the government has suggested that 14th April, 2020 is not the right time to fully withdraw the 21-days nationwide lockdown.

  • The committee was asked to look into the strategy to ease the lockdown restrictions.

21 Days Lockdown

  • The period of 21 days was chosen due to public health/epidemiological significance and it is supported by scientific data.
    • The calculations are based on the estimated incubation period of the virus in a human host.
    • The 21-day quarantine value is derived from interpretations of outbreak data from past and present epidemics and pandemics. For example, the cases of Spanish Flu and Ebola.
  • Explanation:
    • In epidemiological terms, 14 days are of the initial incubation period and adding another week, i.e. 21 days is to ensure that residual infection dies out.
    • It is estimated that being a new strain of coronavirus, its median incubation period (the time between the entry of virus to the onset of symptoms/ disease) falls within the period of 14 days.
    • According to a recent study the median incubation period for COVID-19 is just over five days and 97.5% of people who develop symptoms will do so within 11.5 days of infection.
    • So, the current period of active monitoring (14 days) recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is well supported by the evidence.

Key Points

  • Restrictions on large-scale movement of people across International and State boundaries is critical and should be kept there unless and until the situation gets under control in every State.
  • The major concern is that a prolonged and stringent lockdown will lead to economic hardships, famine and law and order issues, which may undermine the objectives of both the lockdown and health management.
  • The committee suggested a withdrawal strategy which should be gradual, phased and calibrated so that it is ensured that the caseload is kept below the capacity of the health-care systems.
  • Such a phased approach should be operationalized at the revenue district level.

Suggestions

  • All states should fasten up preparatory work for the predicted and rapid rise of Covid-19 cases as they are expected to exceed the local capacity in some cities.
  • No relaxation in speedy production and procurement of test kits, ventilators, PPEs for health-care personnel and masks.
  • Centre should release funds and create a national coordination mechanism to distribute them on a need basis.
  • Centre should ensure effective coordination between the States and logistics operators.
  • Supporting the agricultural sector in production, marketing, storage, and transport.
  • Ensuring continuation of modern technological leaps, like rapid innovations and practices which are being introduced in education, judiciary, local business, telemedicine, among others, even after the lockdown ends.

Source: TH

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