by Karthik Gunda

Let me begin by Saluting to our Armed Forces for quickly establishing the quarantine facilities, Handling the evacuation of citizens from overseas and saving the Nation once again in this event of disaster.

There is a severe disruption of the day to day life currently with Covid-19 and there are more challenges that are bound our way post this Covid-19.

What Makes Covid-19 Unique:

  • Various studies have confirmed the peculiar behaviour of this virus to be able to survive in air for unusually long time
  • Transmission through surface, ability to stay on materials for longer duration
  • Ability to spread in all geographical conditions
  • Very quick in transmission as if a hot vapor particle pounces onto a cold particle

What Are Likely Logical And Possible Upcoming Threats?

  • This could be a beginning and this may transmit over to animals sooner than later as it’s a zoonotic kind, more studies may likely find this
  • Clashes among the civilians for necessities and panic driven actions

At times this just makes us logically wonder if this is really a natural virus that had got mutated in natural environment, the behaviour is eerily similar to a radioactive particle

that can keep on infecting endlessly and remain active on metallic and non-metallic surfaces, can easily penetrate through the skin and by multiple means, no wonder this disaster almost reminds one of Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters.

But there is more threat beyond health hazard, we have already witnessed the financial impact and other societal impacts this even has triggered, however there are a few usually unthought of angles we need to be prepared for

My Personal Observation of The Likely Threats That Would Emanate In Immediate Future

  • More online trade equals more cyber threats, add to it the misinformation threats
  • No country can handle anymore further pressure on their healthcare system
  • This will breed more dangerous ideas in minds of radicals, though the threat is an identified one, it may start gaining traction
  • Imbalance of trade equation with an advantage tilting towards Nations with Automated manufacturing and technology prowess, over manpower driven, for a very long time to come
  • The possible clash among US and China over the outbreak to deflect the domestic dissents
  • Geographical Neighbourhood distress actions

What Can Be The Immediate Measures That Can Be Taken By Us Upfront

1) Employ technology to prevent the spread (special note: impressed by PMO’s initiative to gather ideas from all to tackle, at least this is a good step , wishing for its success and speedy implementation)

2) Strengthen an emergency care response model, a common one that can handle bio, chemo and natural disasters, when we know disasters keep visiting us frequently and won’t leave us anytime soon, why not specialize a set of resources specifically for these events all during the peace time? There will be an immediate demand for more health workers, more quarantine facilities and Private Companies, hospital, real estate sectors should dive in to address this along with the Government.

3) A collaboration should be encouraged among the universities for joint research on areas of mutual interest with various Nations, increase the research quotient over the theoretical quotient in all sectors including Medical.

4) More curbs on Media Channels and Proper procedures in place for Media, there is more damage done by Media fear mongering than the actual virus damage, there is a difference between spreading awareness and spreading panic blurring that line should have severe consequences.

5) Faster actions than what was done in current event, screening should have been performed for passengers from all the countries instead of just the affected country, well virus doesn’t really differentiate which airport it is in.

6) A Governing body should be set up that monitors the pharmaceutical supply chain criticality, this has been lying around for more than 15years now, the Indian pharmaceuticals have been looking for cheap Chinese API’s over developing their own research and production of API’s, this needs to be stepped up on a war footing.

However at least a positive side of it is, the Indian doctors could make quick thought of trying Malarial and HIV medication for this new challenge, which is an appreciable approach, and we have a Homeopathic practice chain that is proven to be good luckily for dealing with viral allergies.

Overall there is a lot we’ve learnt so far from this Covid-19 outbreak and there is more learning coming our way.

One impressive action I want to add and remind is the one from Indian Government in proactively reaching out to all SAARC Nations in times of crisis, and standing up to meet the challenge, this is a true leadership.

This is a time we as a Nation should stand up for each other, citizens need to be more responsible, pragmatic and should give utmost care to emphatically understand the situation and think for each other selflessly.

Karthik is an amateur Defence watcher and he pursues his favourite hobby by writing for journals and blogs