Publication:

Late reply to no reply for COVID-19 in India: a tale of India's journey in fighting the pandemic and way forward

More than one and a half years has elapsed since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), and characterized it as a pandemic. A systematic, monthly analysis of weekly situation reports of COVID-19 released by WHO and relevant news articles/events available in the digital version, since January 2020 to till date was done and the critical review of the pandemic management in the country is provided. The consequences of late reply to the pandemic in the 1st wave include failure of preventing the crowds of migrants in the cities queuing up to get a square meal and returning to homes by harsh journeys for long distances coupled with poverty led deaths rather than deaths due to COVID-19. In the 2nd wave, the system not only failed to face the war waged by the disease but rather, in few instances appeared to be encouraging super spread of COVID-19 through activities such as allowing the pilgrims to take dips in Ganges as a part of Maha Kumbh which lead to overwhelmed cases. The most important and the only valid way forward to win the battle of this pandemic along with sticking to Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) is to invest more for vaccinations in union budget to get 95% of the citizens vaccinated at the earliest as the further waves are definitely going to target the unvaccinated individuals.