The Govt has adopted a reasoned approach of random sampling to not waste test kits but we need more centres
Four months into the spread of the deadly Coronavirus, given the humongous toll it has taken globally, most nations will agree that fighting it requires not just preventive but containment measures, too. Ever since the spread of COVID-19, Governments have taken difficult yet complex decisions but the operational protocol followed by each one of them has been varied and tailored to local contexts. In China and Italy, mass quarantines and lockdowns have been resorted to. On the other hand, South Korea and Taiwan, which were badly hit, too, adopted a focussed contagion action plan, which involved a combination of aggressive testing and high levels of information dissemination besides disinfection protocols. The most vital for the containment of any viral outbreak is to follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as confusion can worsen the consequences. The South Korean model is now being touted as the most consistent. As a result, when the country saw a 200 per cent jump in numbers, it had a system at hand that could assess 10,000 people a day. The Korean Government was also quick to scale its testing services, reaching the last mile. Their safety procedures extended all the way to the air-conditioning systems in cars. They even set up drive-through test stations. So the big question now is should India go for the aggressive testing method as assessment right now is based on solely travel-history related cases? And although the Government is considering random tests to find out the extent of community-level percolation and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is still hopeful that we have not entered Stage III, fact is we have tested the lowest samples globally, about 6,000 to 7,000. Compare this with South Korea, which has a lesser population than Tamil Nadu but has tested 250,000. There is a huge difference, leading to questions about the accuracy of the number as a result of inadequate testing. Some more accredited testing centres will be added by the end of the week to the 72 ICMR has but it is time to involve the private sector. And now. The Government has set up rapid testing laboratories that can scan 1,400 samples per day. But this is not enough. The ICMR is also reaching out to engage private labs.
Admittedly, so far, the sole focus has been on containment than mitigation. In the absence of testing, COVID-19 can manifest itself as an aggressive form of any flu with respiratory distress and avoid detection altogether. At the same time, a panic economy has meant that our limited test kits could go futile with unsorted suspects and stretch our existing medical infrastructure. Wasting test kits could mean equally eliminating the chances of identifying more transmission-based cases. This is why the ICMR has decided to monitor community transmission by random sampling. The Government currently has 1.5 lakh testing kits, with a capacity of roughly 6,000 tests per day, and has ordered one million more. But given the density of our population and even a tendency of the affected to hide their condition than adopt strict self-quarantine measures, the private sector, should be roped in to widen the sampling process. Yes, affordability could still be an issue but perhaps this can be a matter of choice for those opting to go for these tests. And if CSR means anything, then big chain hospitals should offer concessional rates. Already a Chennai-based firm is awaiting the Government’s nod to roll out standardised kits. We need to have at least one testing centre in every district hospital. And we can suitably channelise manpower at the health centre level to conduct routine processes. The daily capacity and the turnaround time of testing kits need to be scaled drastically. Also, perhaps, the testing gambit could be increased to include patients with distinct pneumonic symptoms. We have contained but now need to test more to break the cycle of infection. But the truth of the matter is that the success of every aggressive measure is heavily dependent on public cooperation and voluntary submissions. Also, social distancing doesn’t mean being elitist about your circle and cracking down on the service class. Right now, chances are the well-heeled with their travel histories and ecosystem pass this on to the lower classes. This is why a cooperative culture is a sine qua non for any contagion plan.