Utility of lockdowns
We have been made to face yet another lockdown as the Covid-19 cases witnessed a steep hike during the past more than a week now. The deaths too have been recorded at an increased rate with around nine to ten deaths taking place every 24 hours.
This is the baseline and based on this very data the administration plans and decides its future course of action. We do not disagree with the administration, but we have some fears that need answers.
Lockdowns have been in fashion across India since March this year. These measures were considered to contain the virus spread. So the necessity of lockdowns was pounded onto us without even thinking the repercussions this severe measure could have in near future as well as for times to come.
The lockdown periods were meant for flattening the curve and simultaneously improving the healthcare infrastructure across the board. The lockdown also meant that people need to be made aware about the deadly virus and how to help contain it.
But given the way the lockdown has failed to reduce the number of cases and also failed to improve the healthcare infrastructure shows that lockdowns, though a good measure were ill planned. That being the reason that they have failed to cut the ice and rather now it is being debated that lockdowns have in fact backfired.
The latest lockdown has been imposed in Jammu and Kashmir that too at a time when India’s COVID-19 recovery rate rose to 63.13 per with a record 28,472 patients recuperating from the disease in 24 hours.
While the case fatality rate further dropped to 2.41 per cent, the Union Health Ministry has been upbeat over the number of recoveries that are happening. But in such a scenario a fresh and a severe lockdown here has meant more trouble for the people.
Covid-19 cases and the deaths that are being reported here need a better and effective clinical management. This alone will lead us to an improvement in recovery figures and fall in fatality cases.
The consistently increasing number of recovered people and growing difference between active and recovered patients has shown us that there is a way out. That means the spike in cases should have been tackled differently rather than announcing another lockdown.
The thrust should have been on trying to implement the special guidelines and the SOPs announced by the government so that the curve could have been flattened. Covid-19 needs a scientific approach rather than tackling it as any other law and order issue.
Our thrust should have been to bolster clinical treatment and providing critical care of ICU patients, thereby managing to reduce the case fatality rate. But things have been ignored on that front.
Kashmir valley has been in the grip of lockdowns since Aug 5, 2019 and this has played havoc with our economy. Relying on lockdowns to curb Covid-19 can be an easy option, but not the only one available.
KV Network
