03-29-2024     3 رجب 1440

Tackling the Pandemic- COVID -19” A Ticking Time Bomb

March 26, 2020 | Dr Umar Nazir

 

It is said, that it is very difficult to WIN A WAR against an unknown enemy and if that unknown enemy is a disease whose cure is yet to be found, posing a threat to wipe out a major chunk of the world’s population, it becomes imperative on every individual to stand up and do its bit to tackle and prevent it from further spread within community, till the cure is found and the number of cases and mortality is brought to the minimum.
The novel disease started in Wuhan China and so far has infected 353710 people till I was writing this article and has killed 15417 people across the globe till date. The disease has changed it epicenter from China to Europe now and there is good chance that it could shift its epicenter to India, considering the population of the country, number of cases that has come forth and more importantly limited available health care infrastructure and manpower to patient doctor ratio at grass root level.
Now almost all countries (186) are affected globally and at national level in just 7 days from 130 cases on 16 March, it shoot to 433 on 23rd march. Now the local transmission is becoming widespread with almost half (upto 50%) having local spread
The disease has made its footprints in the UT of J& K as we have 4 positive case reported, one among them as all we know is from Srinagar, and there is big threat of community transfer which can be only avoided by following the guidelines issued by WHO and Government Health Body advisories.
There has been adequate awareness about the nature of the disease, ways of spreading it, steps to be taken to control it by means of print, electronic media and social sites has ensured information bombardment about the novel virus which has made average citizen of the UT to self-quarantine, which is a welcome step and can be a breakthrough step as far as prevention of the disease is concerned.
Optimism is good but sometimes realistic even pessimistic approach is important, God forbid if we reach a stage like China, Italy or Iran, are we capable to tackle the situation? If we reach a war like situation where a doctor has to decide who to treat and who not, based on survival chances? What if our medics, paramedics others get exhausted?
These are some valid questions that need proper diligence and solution needs to found now. Now is the time where we can prepare for the worst as we are in 2nd stage of the epidemic or it can be like “NAARE WISCZE KRUER KHANUN”and we be left unguarded before the enemy.
As there has been lot of awareness about the disease I suggest we take following measures now so that we can fight this unknown enemy and not only fight but defeat it as well:
1) All General OPD/ Elective Surgeries to be shut down in all hospitals whether Govt. or Private.
2) Only Genuine Emergencies to be functional 24*7 which should not put unnecessary burden on Causality Medical Officers.
3) Separate Acute respiratory illness (ARI)/ Influenza like illness (ILI) clinics must be made functional in every hospital and Specific COVD-19 hospitals should be made functional as early as possible with all gadgets in place.
4) Restrictions on attendants in all hospitals must be made mandatory so that we can minimise chances of a virus transmission in the community..
5) All social, religious, political gathering must be stoppedtill further advisories by the Health & Medical Education department.
6) Private hospitals must be directed to increase the vigil and report the suspected Covid-19 cases till this coming epidemic is over.
7) Testing facilities to be enhanced in all government hospitals and private sector should be allowed to conduct Covid -19 tests on cost to cost basis with giving proper attention to SOPs while dealing with such suspects.
8) Municipal Corporations should ensure three tier cleanliness i.e morning, noon and evening in entire J&K. Hospitals to be fumigated twice a week atleast.
9) Private transportation to be allowed only for health sector workers, medics, employees belonging to essential services.
10) Hefty fines should be imposed on private vehicular /business establishments who run their business in this juncture except essential/emergency services.
11) ICU and Ventilator facility to be installed/enhanced in all district hospitals so that pressure cooker situation should be averted in Tertiary Care Hospitals.
12) Final Year MBBS, BUMS students, Nursing final year students. All interns to be sent to hospitals to increase the manpower which is already in dearth.
13) NGO’s, Civil Societies /Religious Preachers to be taken on board in promoting preventive health measures in every nook and corner.
14) No outsiders/ foreigners should be allowed to enter into UT till suspected epidemic is over or to ensure foolproof screening of every entry including beggars, laborers, businessmen, tourists etc
15) People with recent travel history whether national or international should be quarantined in separate facilities till their Quarantine period. is over as it has been observed that they don't pay any heed to health advisory as far as home quarantine is concerned.
16) PPE’s, N95/ TRIPLE LAYER MASKS and SANITIZERS to be made available to doctors and paramedics in adequate quantities. (As life of one mask is 6-8 hours, and PPE is use and throw after each Surveillance/OPD for a day).
17) Social Distancing should be adhered to “DOOER CHU BEHTAR DAEDE KHOTEH”.
18) Even most of population is self-quarantined by virtue of lockdowns we are still susceptible to the deadly virus, yes you read it right, FOMITES is another way we can catch the virus at home which enter our homes by virtue of milk packets, biscuits, newspapers, groceries etc . People must ensure that such items should be washed by detergentsbefore opening it. Now for heaven’s sake don’t wash newspapers. Vendors must be encouraged to wear GLOVES before selling them in the market or we must read our newspapers through digital media.
19) SHIELDING Elderly and Vulnerable people from others is very much important for our society which can be done by ensuring that they do not interact with outsiders atleast for 12 weeks till further advisory by Health and Medical Education DEPTT.
Lastly I suggest there should be a comprehensive PLAN OF ACTION which I believe should be the priority of Govt. for the next 2 to 3 months, expecting a worst case scenario wherein the virus is going to peak before July as per Dr.RamananLaxminarayanan , Director - Centre for Disease Dynamics, India (an epidemiologist).As per their model pertaining to India there are going to be 300 to 500 million Covid-19 cases by July in India and around 1 to 2 million deaths till then.
The fight is tough but victory is not impossible, as they say the will to survive is highest in humans and we have proved it time and again if we see human history. Just follow the health guidelines we can beat the COVID-19.
Stay safe.Rest in home is better than rest in peace.

Author is working as Demonstrator in Department of Community Medicine, GMC Srinagar
Email:drumarnazir111@gmail.com

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Tackling the Pandemic- COVID -19” A Ticking Time Bomb

March 26, 2020 | Dr Umar Nazir

 

It is said, that it is very difficult to WIN A WAR against an unknown enemy and if that unknown enemy is a disease whose cure is yet to be found, posing a threat to wipe out a major chunk of the world’s population, it becomes imperative on every individual to stand up and do its bit to tackle and prevent it from further spread within community, till the cure is found and the number of cases and mortality is brought to the minimum.
The novel disease started in Wuhan China and so far has infected 353710 people till I was writing this article and has killed 15417 people across the globe till date. The disease has changed it epicenter from China to Europe now and there is good chance that it could shift its epicenter to India, considering the population of the country, number of cases that has come forth and more importantly limited available health care infrastructure and manpower to patient doctor ratio at grass root level.
Now almost all countries (186) are affected globally and at national level in just 7 days from 130 cases on 16 March, it shoot to 433 on 23rd march. Now the local transmission is becoming widespread with almost half (upto 50%) having local spread
The disease has made its footprints in the UT of J& K as we have 4 positive case reported, one among them as all we know is from Srinagar, and there is big threat of community transfer which can be only avoided by following the guidelines issued by WHO and Government Health Body advisories.
There has been adequate awareness about the nature of the disease, ways of spreading it, steps to be taken to control it by means of print, electronic media and social sites has ensured information bombardment about the novel virus which has made average citizen of the UT to self-quarantine, which is a welcome step and can be a breakthrough step as far as prevention of the disease is concerned.
Optimism is good but sometimes realistic even pessimistic approach is important, God forbid if we reach a stage like China, Italy or Iran, are we capable to tackle the situation? If we reach a war like situation where a doctor has to decide who to treat and who not, based on survival chances? What if our medics, paramedics others get exhausted?
These are some valid questions that need proper diligence and solution needs to found now. Now is the time where we can prepare for the worst as we are in 2nd stage of the epidemic or it can be like “NAARE WISCZE KRUER KHANUN”and we be left unguarded before the enemy.
As there has been lot of awareness about the disease I suggest we take following measures now so that we can fight this unknown enemy and not only fight but defeat it as well:
1) All General OPD/ Elective Surgeries to be shut down in all hospitals whether Govt. or Private.
2) Only Genuine Emergencies to be functional 24*7 which should not put unnecessary burden on Causality Medical Officers.
3) Separate Acute respiratory illness (ARI)/ Influenza like illness (ILI) clinics must be made functional in every hospital and Specific COVD-19 hospitals should be made functional as early as possible with all gadgets in place.
4) Restrictions on attendants in all hospitals must be made mandatory so that we can minimise chances of a virus transmission in the community..
5) All social, religious, political gathering must be stoppedtill further advisories by the Health & Medical Education department.
6) Private hospitals must be directed to increase the vigil and report the suspected Covid-19 cases till this coming epidemic is over.
7) Testing facilities to be enhanced in all government hospitals and private sector should be allowed to conduct Covid -19 tests on cost to cost basis with giving proper attention to SOPs while dealing with such suspects.
8) Municipal Corporations should ensure three tier cleanliness i.e morning, noon and evening in entire J&K. Hospitals to be fumigated twice a week atleast.
9) Private transportation to be allowed only for health sector workers, medics, employees belonging to essential services.
10) Hefty fines should be imposed on private vehicular /business establishments who run their business in this juncture except essential/emergency services.
11) ICU and Ventilator facility to be installed/enhanced in all district hospitals so that pressure cooker situation should be averted in Tertiary Care Hospitals.
12) Final Year MBBS, BUMS students, Nursing final year students. All interns to be sent to hospitals to increase the manpower which is already in dearth.
13) NGO’s, Civil Societies /Religious Preachers to be taken on board in promoting preventive health measures in every nook and corner.
14) No outsiders/ foreigners should be allowed to enter into UT till suspected epidemic is over or to ensure foolproof screening of every entry including beggars, laborers, businessmen, tourists etc
15) People with recent travel history whether national or international should be quarantined in separate facilities till their Quarantine period. is over as it has been observed that they don't pay any heed to health advisory as far as home quarantine is concerned.
16) PPE’s, N95/ TRIPLE LAYER MASKS and SANITIZERS to be made available to doctors and paramedics in adequate quantities. (As life of one mask is 6-8 hours, and PPE is use and throw after each Surveillance/OPD for a day).
17) Social Distancing should be adhered to “DOOER CHU BEHTAR DAEDE KHOTEH”.
18) Even most of population is self-quarantined by virtue of lockdowns we are still susceptible to the deadly virus, yes you read it right, FOMITES is another way we can catch the virus at home which enter our homes by virtue of milk packets, biscuits, newspapers, groceries etc . People must ensure that such items should be washed by detergentsbefore opening it. Now for heaven’s sake don’t wash newspapers. Vendors must be encouraged to wear GLOVES before selling them in the market or we must read our newspapers through digital media.
19) SHIELDING Elderly and Vulnerable people from others is very much important for our society which can be done by ensuring that they do not interact with outsiders atleast for 12 weeks till further advisory by Health and Medical Education DEPTT.
Lastly I suggest there should be a comprehensive PLAN OF ACTION which I believe should be the priority of Govt. for the next 2 to 3 months, expecting a worst case scenario wherein the virus is going to peak before July as per Dr.RamananLaxminarayanan , Director - Centre for Disease Dynamics, India (an epidemiologist).As per their model pertaining to India there are going to be 300 to 500 million Covid-19 cases by July in India and around 1 to 2 million deaths till then.
The fight is tough but victory is not impossible, as they say the will to survive is highest in humans and we have proved it time and again if we see human history. Just follow the health guidelines we can beat the COVID-19.
Stay safe.Rest in home is better than rest in peace.

Author is working as Demonstrator in Department of Community Medicine, GMC Srinagar
Email:drumarnazir111@gmail.com


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