THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 02 May 2020 (Recovering early: On India’s COVID-19 patients (The Hindu))

Recovering early: On India’s COVID-19 patients (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2:Health 
Prelims level: COVID 19
Mains level: Process of the recovering COVID 19 patients 

Context:

• Data for COVID-19 is still a long way from giving a complete picture, but it is encouraging that the basic metric of the number of those recovering as a share of confirmed infections is showing improvement in India. 

Cautions over data: 

• The Health Ministry has said that the percentage of recoveries currently stands at just over 25.
• It is almost double of what it was two weeks ago. 
• National data on other parameters appear similar to disease trends witnessed globally, with the worst outcomes encountered among elderly patients — translating into a case fatality rate of 51.2% for Indians older than 60. 

CLICK HERE FOR FULL EDITORIAL (Only for Course Members)

Required early testing: 

• It is therefore imperative to find positive cases early and assess the pace of recovery accurately. 
• Among the countries moving to a mass-testing strategy after a measured lockdown and successful control over viral transmission is New Zealand. 
• In terms of deaths, there could be unknown fatalities caused by COVID-19 outside hospitals. 
• Doctors in the United States have made a contrasting determination: of people who had the virus, but died of unrelated causes. 

Key highlights about research findings in India: 

• These findings and trends underscore the importance of research on the progression of the pandemic in India.
• Indiaofficially estimated at 3.2%, which seems low; it remains a topic for systematic study. 
• There are many hypotheses for the less dismal outcome in India based on the impact of climate, benefits of immunisation, and other possible factors, but they remain untested. 
• India’s fatalities may be low, and an improved recovery rate will help revive the economy, there is genuine worry that patients with non-COVID-19 conditions are at greater risk for poor health outcomes due to lack of access to care during the pandemic. 
• The public health strategy for COVID-19 has to sharply focus on helping people determine their infection status through widely available testing. 

Way forward: 

• This will enable selective quarantining, planning of welfare measures and participation of people who have recovered in trials for potential therapies such as convalescent plasma transfusion. 
• With a relaxation of the lockdown, India’s strategy will need precise and intensive measures to drive down the reproduction number for the virus.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL EDITORIAL (Only for Course Members)

Online Coaching for UPSC PRE Exam

General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials

Prelims Questions:

Q.1)With reference to the Market Intervention Scheme, consider the following statements:
1. The Market Intervention Scheme is meant to protect the growers of perishable commodities from making distress sales, especially at times when prices fall below the cost of production. 
2. The scheme can be invoked only by the central government. 

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer....................

CLICK HERE FOR FULL EDITORIAL (Only for Course Members)

Mains Questions:
Q.1)Highlights the research findings on coronavirus pandemic in India. What are the measures need to be taken to reduce the new infections patients?  

Q.2) An improved recovery rate to COVID 19 is required for India and also to reducing new infections is equally important. Critically comment.