Pressure on health care system-a solution...

 

The covid-19 situation in the country is far from being comfortable as more and more people are testing positive. As on date around 60 lakh people have tested positive while over 41 lakh have recovered. A little over 94 thousand have succumbed to the virus.

 While it may be argued that percentage wise a merely 0.005 percent of populace have been afflicted by the disease one cannot bask in false comfort as only 5 crore tests have been carried out so far which is 0.038 percent of populace. The only inspiring takeaway is the recovery rate which is robust and encouraging.

 There are many theories staking claim for India’s stupendous recovery rate. These range from a wide array of fact files like superior immunity shown by the Indians compared to people living in West; the people living in a habitat circumscribed with microbes and pathogens; the multiple time people getting sick while they are still small; India’s own immunization schedule that is followed since decades and a change in administration of treatments including drugs which are new .While it may be a combination of above that has contributed to a much superior recovery rate which is manifest and enlightening the overall scenario is grim.

 Research work done in past in the fields of immunology has proved that a virus gets weakened as it infects more and more people. Conceptually, this leads to herd immunity where a time arrives when the virus has already affected people en-masse. It’s common knowledge that each time a virus attacks a human body it gets a bashing by that person’s immunity even though it may not be entirely suitable to eliminate the virus. This way the virus gets weakened and a time comes when it is not strong enough to infect a human further. This exactly had happened to the dangerous H1N1 which had an animal origin and caused the dreaded pandemic a century ago. In that pandemic over 5 crore people in the country died. The virus then left as suddenly as it had arrived. However, a herd immunity is far from being achieved in the case of present Corona virus. There are many cases of reported re-infection which is a concern for worry. While certain drugs have arrived in the scenario the effectiveness of those are still being gauged. It is reported that the Corona virus mutates quite often and it is making life of those in the process of creation of a vaccine even more difficult.

 The reality check is scary. Whether one admits or not the country is on the verge of community transmission even though the peak is yet to arrive. In such a scenario the government health infrastructure may not completely take care of the afflicted. Opening of all business places and other occupational subways have made people throw caution to the wind. The public places like markets are crowded with no or little social distancing in place. From day one it has been made clear that social distancing and personal hygiene besides wearing masks are few most important pre-requisites to keep the virus away. But nothing of avail so far.

 In such scenario, before the health care system shows sign of a crack, home isolation of asymptomatic positive cases appears to be the only panacea. It has been professed at some quarters that asymptomatic people have much lesser chance to pass on the infection on account of poor viral load. A hugely encouraging recovery rate shows that most of those who tested positive were either asymptomatic or had mild symptoms. Home isolation of such cases under strict supervision of local administration will definitely take burden off the health care warriors especially the doctors who have been working round the clock and hence are now tired. Of course, the option of getting to hospitals or dedicated covid centres is always open should one show symptoms causing difficulties in breathing etc.  Another aspect that is adding fuel to fire is the treatment of non-covid patients.  Most of the hospitals, either Government or privately run, are sensitized into Covid or Non-Covid Sections.These apart there are many Covid Hospitals which deal specifically with the treatment of Covid patients.  At times even non-Covid health centres are engaged for treatment of Covid patients. This has led to a scenario in most cities that non-Covid patients running from pillar to post in order to secure a bed in a Non-Covid hospital.  Thus, there has occurred a drastic imbalance in the health sector leading to   uncertainties as regards availability of beds.  In order to tide over these situations, before the system collapses in the country, a home isolation of Positive but asymptomatic cases appears to be the only solution for the time being so that the health care system gets back to its original shape. It needs to be highlighted that a patient whether suffering from Covid-19 or not is entitled for access to un-inhibited health care benefits.  This will suddenly get a fillip if the home isolation of asymptomatic Covid patients is really considered by the administration with all seriousness. 

Above view may not be considered a viable one by some esteemed readers but they are always welcome to come up with other ideas or solutions to counter the serious problem the health care system is facing right now.