The rural battleground and our need for a 'long covid' database

Excellent study material for all civil services aspirants - begin learning - Kar ke dikhayenge!

The rural battleground and our need for a 'long covid' database

---

Read more on - Polity | Economy | Schemes | S&T | Environment

---

• Dip in Covid cases: India was relieved when the daily Covid case load started reducing, but rural India presents a different (and more frightening) picture. 
• The difference: While the first wave 2020 was in the urban areas, and in elderly, it was all about containment. The partial lockdowns (containments) across India in 2021 meant working-age population is getting affected, in tier-2 cities. And if rural India is seen, Covid battle is far from over.
• Two big concerns: India must restrict Covid numbers in rural areas, and must address the post-recovery symptoms in recovered population. The problem is that cases from rural aren't being reported properly.

1. Unreported rural deaths are untracked. Reporters have covered urban areas well, but not rural areas.
2. Since the families in rural areas do not share the reason for deaths (out of fear), and due to mis-diagnosis by local medical personnel, rural deaths get counted in other causes.
3. Rapid spread of the virus has led to poor medical attention in rural areas, due to vast areas. Hence, the govt. must strengthen primary health infrastructure rapidly (with testing kits in community health centres).
4. Put dediated Covid treatment staff in rural areas, just like that done for tuberculosis (under National TB Programme).
5. ASHA workers who go door-to-door for surveys must be given pulse oximeters and non-contact thermometers. Put pool cars (since ambulances aren't available) in Covid health centres.

• Break the chain: Rural patients fear forced admission to hospitals, and hence don't report in time. Many are even confusing post-vaccine fever with the illness! That leads to hesitancy in others, which must be removed. Let sarpanchs act as govt. agents, and use panchayat-level funds. All local influencers - police, patwaris, teachers, home-guards - must help end vaccine hesitancy.
• Training material: Though the Diksha portal used by MoHFW carries training material for Covid, it lacks local dialects and adequate audio-video content. If done properly, rapid training in rural and tribal areas is possible.
• Intramural spread: The intramural spread, which is the spread of the virus inside a household or a closed space, is perhaps the most difficult to control. India's second wave has exploded due to this. 

1. Now a national database of post-viral problems faced by recovered patients needs to be built
2. Get age groups and gender profiles too in it
3. All this will help track long-term complications

• Mucormycosis: The new infection that is hitting Covid patients has come as an epidemic. Also, chronic fatigue, pneumonia, fever, neurological disorders, and lung issues are arising. All these need a proper documentation in national database, so that "long Covid" disorders are treated.
• Tele-medicine: All current tele-medicine teams can be the source for future team members for long-covid treatment. Even students in medical college can be given the job of monitoring post-viral symptoms in clusters. 
• The Indian case: To crush the pandemic completely, India needs a proactive government, clear public communication, and a desire to bring behavioural changes. Before India again allows potential super-spreader events (marriages, religious events), there's some time left. Let citizens show their scientific temperament now (a fundamental duty), and let government enact the right policies fast.

Read more on - Polity | Economy | Schemes | S&T | Environment

Join UPSC Self Prep course | Online Course (PT Gurukul)  | Covid Special Course | Join PT courses

* Content sourced from free internet sources (publications, PIB site, international sites, etc.). Take your own subscriptions. Copyrights acknowledged.