THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 27 March 2020 (Test, test, test for the virus)

Test, test, test for the virus

Mains Paper 2: Health   
Prelims level: Anti-COVID-19 drugs 
Mains level:  India’s position on testing coronavirus 

Context:

• The novel coronavirus differs from other pandemics because of its exponential speed of transmission. 

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Coronavirus:

• The coronavirus is a novel virus because the genetic RNA has undergone mutation recently to infect humans from an animal source, thus converting a zoonotic disease to an anthroponotic one. 
• Coronavirus RNA is new to the human immunological system. 
• Therefore, there are a lot of unanswered questions with regard to immunity, recurrence, carrier state, treatment and vaccines. 
• The incubation period is 2-14 days. However, research has revealed that the virus can remain in circulation for much longer in affected individuals.

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Economic status:

• The economic status of a country influences implementation of its policies. 
• As India is a lower-middle-income country with a healthcare expenditure that is consistently below 1.5% of the GDP, it needs to be prudent and pragmatic in its approach to withstand it in the event of community spread. 
• Therefore, the government must focus on continued surveillance, prompt diagnosis and adopt robust treatment modalities to reduce morbidity and mortality.

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Increase in testing:

• An increase in testing will identify the actual number of cases that would require quarantine and prompt treatment. 
• The Indian Council of Medical Research has to increase random sampling and screening of the high-risk population. 
• Nationwide, the government has identified 75 government hospitals for testing and has allowed private labs with NABL accreditation to conduct real-time PCR assay of the RNA virus. 
• The National Task Force has recommended that the maximum cost for testing sample should not exceed ₹4,500. 
• The country’s per capita annual income for 2019-20 is ₹1,35,048 and the average middle-class annual income is ₹10-15 lakh. 
• Out-of-pocket expenses in healthcare is what pushes a lot of low-income Indians below the poverty line.

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Fighting information:

• Misinformation, especially on the use of facial masks, alternative medicine, and availability of a cure, should be avoided. 
• With limited resources, India requires protection gear such as three-layered facial masks for its healthcare workers and for those in service industries.

India’s position:

• There is no vaccine to fight the virus yet. Randomised controlled trials for antiviral treatment are difficult to execute during pandemics. 
• Researchers need to make tough choices during clinical trials, while ensuring the safety of the patients. 
• Medication was elusive in the past for H1N1, HIV and many other viral illnesses but the human mind proved invincible. Anti-COVID-19 drugs may be available sooner than later.
• The true incidence of the disease is still unknown. 
• Evidence from the identified cases worldwide suaggest that 80% of the infections will be mild with people having flu-like symptoms, about 15% will be severe requiring hospitalisation due to breathlessness or pneumonia, 3-5% will require ventilatory support, and about 1% will succumb to the virus.

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Conclusion:

• Every individual at risk, and not just those in power, should be tested on request. 
• There are authentic reports that several individuals have been denied diagnostic tests despite a contact history.
• The WHO categorised India as having local transmission. 
• If so, lessons can be learnt from South Korea which is taking 6,388 tests per million of the population compared to India’s 11.6. Every life is equally invaluable.

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General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials

Prelims Questions:

Q.1) With reference to the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), consider the following statements:

1. U.K. Sinha committee on MSMEs recommended a Rs 5,000-crore stressed asset fund for domestic MSMEs.
2. The MSME sector currently contributed 48% of the GDP growth and 71% of exports, with an annual turnover of ₹1 lakh crore this year.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A.   1 only
B.   2 only
C.   Both
D.   None 

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

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Mains Questions:
Q.1) How do the test for coronavirus work? Comment.