Corona times 2020 -18. A futile wait.
My last blog on May, 8 was Corona times 2020 -17. Times are getting confusing. How do we go from here? This was about an RWA asking doctors and health care workers to vacate the premises forthwith.
I begin with a comment to the above blog.
D. Raghunath* said...
Where is the need for this drastic protection? Kids, of the middle class residents, are already well protected. And from what I observe, they should be allowed to play in small groups. But as Dr. Raghunath said we all have become too nervous.
My fear is that if this continues, and as it may, we seniors will become a health liability, maybe not of Covid, but of depression, other ailments due to lack of exercise and normal activity. Because of this the hospitals may get busy again with their normal activities and No Covid as far as the government is concerned! Do we call this a win-win situation?
It is already known that EVERY OLD PERSON IS DIFFERENT! We cannot and should not lump them together!
(https://www.who.int/ageing/events/world-report-2015-launch/healthy-ageing-infographic.jpg?ua=1)
I saw that 125 MP's are seniors in the present parliament. I guess they would be treated as essential irrespective of their responsibility! I don't see anyone has reported sick so far!
With all due respect to the decision makers, I urge them to reconsider this 'Protection of the vulnerable" which I feel is too drastic.
If we have stayed home and behaved well the past three lock downs, you can be sure we will be as responsible as before. Let's lead a normal, responsible life. (with our own sense of responsibility!). Some of us have relatives, who are also seniors, living alone and need occasional assistance, senior to senior.
It seems once the Lock down button is pressed there is no way of going back. India is 11th in the number of cases, in spite of being alert much earlier than other countries. One can guess it will be in the top 10 next week! Wonder how this situation will be faced? Total Panic?
The answer is simple. The virus cannot be destroyed at the moment. No vaccine and no medicines. Please don't propagate unproven medicines and cures.
Don't scare people (may be too late!). Promise them help and keep teaching them personal health care. There is no immediate possibility of herd immunity as far I can understand.
Yes it is confusing still, learn from our success and avoid further knee jerk reactions. Consult the right people. Some of us have done better! Learn from them!
There are sacrifices to be made. Don't forget we as a species are the weirdest. We are ready to sacrifice our children in a war between humans. But are totally clueless on how to deal with a natural or even un-natural threat! We don't trust each other. We play games, politics and practice all the things we have been doing since the time of Mahabharata!
https://www.prsindia.org/parliamenttrack/vital-stats/profile-newly-elected-17th-lok-sabha
There are two aspects to this issue:-
1.The epidemiological fact that the virus can be spread by infected asymptomatic individuals who had come into contact with symptomatics. Health care workers fall into this category.
2.This response of the RWA was caused by a ill-drafted note by the CMO of the area.The Outlook article clarifies.
The entire episode demonstrates the heightened nervousness in the various segments of the society.
1.The epidemiological fact that the virus can be spread by infected asymptomatic individuals who had come into contact with symptomatics. Health care workers fall into this category.
2.This response of the RWA was caused by a ill-drafted note by the CMO of the area.The Outlook article clarifies.
The entire episode demonstrates the heightened nervousness in the various segments of the society.
May 11, 2020
(*Lt Gen (Dr) D. Raghunath PVSM, AVSM, PHS (Retd),MD, FRCPath, FAMS}
We seniors had hoped that post lock down 3.0 things will be good for us. Situation continues to be as confusing as ever. The Migrant worker episode, which exposed our caliber as a country, is still simmering. It was a disaster! I am sure many tomes will be written about this, especially about the shameful acts of selfishness by certain segments of our people. Not that all was bad, there were examples of humane behavior as well. It will be surely a while before, the hurt the emigrant workers felt, is healed. I think the fabric of togetherness needs a lot of repair.
The center and the states need to be very sincere and come up with the right remedy if this has to happen! I wish that certain words like 'poorest of the poor' are given up. Poverty did not happen overnight! Wonder whether NDMA which gave us a jolt can ban this word from being used by politicians and tv anchors?
The center and the states need to be very sincere and come up with the right remedy if this has to happen! I wish that certain words like 'poorest of the poor' are given up. Poverty did not happen overnight! Wonder whether NDMA which gave us a jolt can ban this word from being used by politicians and tv anchors?
The unexpected jolt and a shock!
 |
| Wonder if this is what the doctors ordered. |
NDMA has banned us seniors from getting out from our homes! I wonder who were the doctors that were consulted? We and the small kids are the easiest to mess with. Together we are a majority!
I am neither a historian nor a political analyst. I am more like a lizard on the wall watching as events unravel. I hear that most private hospitals in a city like Bangalore are not at all busy. And the beds reserved for Covid patients also have a low occupancy ( Which is a great news!)
My fear is that if this continues, and as it may, we seniors will become a health liability, maybe not of Covid, but of depression, other ailments due to lack of exercise and normal activity. Because of this the hospitals may get busy again with their normal activities and No Covid as far as the government is concerned! Do we call this a win-win situation?
It is already known that EVERY OLD PERSON IS DIFFERENT! We cannot and should not lump them together!
(https://www.who.int/ageing/events/world-report-2015-launch/healthy-ageing-infographic.jpg?ua=1)
I saw that 125 MP's are seniors in the present parliament. I guess they would be treated as essential irrespective of their responsibility! I don't see anyone has reported sick so far!
With all due respect to the decision makers, I urge them to reconsider this 'Protection of the vulnerable" which I feel is too drastic.
If we have stayed home and behaved well the past three lock downs, you can be sure we will be as responsible as before. Let's lead a normal, responsible life. (with our own sense of responsibility!). Some of us have relatives, who are also seniors, living alone and need occasional assistance, senior to senior.
It seems once the Lock down button is pressed there is no way of going back. India is 11th in the number of cases, in spite of being alert much earlier than other countries. One can guess it will be in the top 10 next week! Wonder how this situation will be faced? Total Panic?
The answer is simple. The virus cannot be destroyed at the moment. No vaccine and no medicines. Please don't propagate unproven medicines and cures.
Don't scare people (may be too late!). Promise them help and keep teaching them personal health care. There is no immediate possibility of herd immunity as far I can understand.
Yes it is confusing still, learn from our success and avoid further knee jerk reactions. Consult the right people. Some of us have done better! Learn from them!
There are sacrifices to be made. Don't forget we as a species are the weirdest. We are ready to sacrifice our children in a war between humans. But are totally clueless on how to deal with a natural or even un-natural threat! We don't trust each other. We play games, politics and practice all the things we have been doing since the time of Mahabharata!
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| This does not add Covid deaths which is normally less than 150 per day.. |
Comments
There are two aspects to the strictures for 65ers:
1. Statistics that show the infectability of various age groups. I am not sure elderlies are more susceptible but they certainly progress to clinical disease much more often. Their mortality rates are very much higher due to the higher levels of co-morbidities.
2. The elderly can be 'bullied' more effectively! If they are living with their next generation they can be restricted. However, the hope as regards the stay by themselves types is that they will try to confine themselves as much as possible. Reliance on kind neighbours is a nebulous factor.
This is why the shrill injunctions for the >65ers.