As coronavirus pandemic sweeps across the globe, an edit published in The Lancet speaks positively about India’s timely decision to close its international borders and enforce an immediate lockdown.

By Health Analytics Asia

The Lancet, one of the world’s oldest and best known general medical journals, in its editorial said that India has faced a less severe pandemic than was feared. The journal has positively spoken about the nation-wide lockdown saying that it is already having the desired effect of flattening the epidemic curve.

India was quick to close its international borders and enforce an immediate lockdown, which WHO praised as “tough and timely”. The lockdown has also given the government time to prepare for a possible surge in cases when the pandemic is forecasted to peak in the coming weeks.

“From April 20, states began easing restrictions on the basis of district profiling of infection hotspots (a form of cluster containment). The immediate challenge is to keep infections at manageable levels and ensure the ability to test, trace contacts, isolate patients, implement COVID care plans, and disseminate timely information,” the editorial reads.

As of April 22, India reported 18,985 confirmed cases and 603 deaths from COVID-19 in 31 states and union territories since its first reported case on Jan 30.

Further, the edit says, “The central government should loosen its control and give states more autonomy over their funding and decision making. India must also pay greater attention to the health sector and recognise the importance of having strong public sector capacity, especially in primary care and at the district level.”

According to the edit, India’s public health-care system is chronically underfunded (at just 1•28% of GDP), leaving primary care weak. “This pandemic could be the much-needed wake-up call to the necessity of long-term changes to India’s health system,” the edit points.

Meanwhile, the edit also mentions that the government’s sudden enforcement of the lockdown seemed hastily prepared and immediately disadvantaged already vulnerable populations. “There has been a mass exodus of migrant workers and concerns are rising about starvation among people who work in the informal economy.”

Besides, it has also criticised misinformation, violence against healthcare workers and using pandemic to fan anti-Muslim sentiments in the country. “One threat to the COVID-19 response in India is the spread of misinformation driven by fear, stigma, and blame.”

“Also, there have been rising levels of violence against healthcare workers and stigmatisation of people with or suspected of having COVID-19, which could impede reporting of illness. Furthermore, the pandemic has also been used to fan anti-Muslim sentiment and violence, after a gathering connected to the group Tablighi Jamaat was identified as being responsible for many cases.”

However, to debunk false information about the virus, a group of scientists have come together. “A welcome initiative to combat fake news is being led by a group of more than 400 multidisciplinary Indian scientists. They have voluntarily formed Indian Scientists’ Response to COVID-19 to fight myths and misinformation about the disease.”