[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by subraiyr

the medical fraternity will always be highly risk averse. It is their job.

I had to visit FORTIS Hospital on the weekend, an appointment was setup on telecom and the hospital has mandated filling a form that asks basic things. They also note temperature. The Doctor whom I met was sitting in a temporary plastic sheet enclosure, which shielded him from the probable virus from a patient. He was not wearing any mask or gloves & didn't touch me. I went for frozen shoulder so he asked his assistant to check movement of my shoulder and fingers. With no basic checks, he happily wrote an X-Ray and MRI. When I went again yesterday, he had a look at reports but never physically checked my shoulders asked to prepare for PRP Injections followed by surgery after 2 weeks if these don't show any results!

Tell me how am I supposed to decide for the treatment when the Doctor is so afraid to even touch me?

Some relevant news -

https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/#

[GeneralJazz]

Originally Posted by m8002?

We are now starting to see riots caused by disgruntled migrant workers.

Agreed. Such incidents will occur with increasing frequency. There was a protest from Ahmedabad slum dwellers about lack of food supplies. Neither can they work to earn their food, nor are they being provided with any. Link.

Around one thousand families in the shanties are stuck with dwindling supplies and avenues for earning due to lockdown. As one enters the slum, the impact of the lockdown turns starker. Some residents have been living here for a long time but many from the other states are stuck and look forward to return home as their patience and money run out.

[INJAXN]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

6 months from now or maybe as early as 4 months from now as a nation we will be debating as to whether a national lockdown of 6 weeks was the right remedy for a super contagious but {at least in India} super mild illness whose fatality total would not even make it to the top ten fatal communicable diseases in India.

Totally respect your opinion. Here are my 2 cents on low fatality rate.
Fatality rate is low because of the lock down, I think you will agree to this.
Without the lock down, if we would have gone the US way, our numbers will definitely be higher, much higher.
Lock down has helped keep the number low, so our hospitals, medical staffs are not overwhelmed by the number of COVID patients. Every COVID patient is getting the care and medical attention they need, and so far doctors do not have to choose between an elderly and a Young boy.

[saisree]

Originally Posted by locusjag

Hey there, it was indeed Bethesda. We need to give her some anti-inflammatory medicines and apply an ice pack on her nose. She seems alright so far!
And you're right in that Bethesda hospital seems to have pared down all operations down to Emergency alone.

Just received this news of Bethesda hospital. Doctors and Nurses are under tests and quarantine

[Sebring]

We had to go to the doctor for a corn removal and the doctor literally shrieked from inside not to come in. She was so petrified. To compound things the 'patient in waiting' had "high fever and cough". I think they will need some time to get over this fear, so I decided not to go to them for things we can fix ourselves. Online medical suggestions will get a huge fillip.

[Nalin1]

Originally Posted by Sebring

We had to go to the doctor for a corn removal and the doctor literally shrieked from inside not to come in. She was so petrified. To compound things the 'patient in waiting' had "high fever and cough". I think they will need some time to get over this fear, so I decided not to go to them for things we can fix ourselves. Online medical suggestions will get a huge fillip.

Talk about fear and it is here!.

I consider walking, riding, driving or even just standing on our roads more dangerous than any virus.

[Turbanator]

Punjab Government announced a 4 hour relaxation in curfew From 30th & extending curfew for next 2 week. We had so many cases now - almost all asymptotic from returning students/ pilgrims. Had they not tested, no one would have known. Now this 4 Hour relaxation, how will it help is anybody’s guess.

It appears, everyone understands the situation but with no alternative, can’t take a risk at least politically. Going forward, we should see similar limited relaxations.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/pu...rs-daily-78054

[m8002?]

The govt. has passed an order permitting the movement of migrants, students and tourists struck in other states. This is definitely a breather for all those people who are struggling without adequate resources.

https://news.rediff.com/commentary/2...11897cb25df497

Not sure what to make of this at a high level though. Does it mean the lockdown will be extended and they are creating a passage to move people now or this is the first step in the relaxing of the lockdown?

[JithinR]

Originally Posted by m8002?

Not sure what to make of this at a high level though. Does it mean the lockdown will be extended and they are creating a passage to move people now or this is the first step in the relaxing of the lockdown?

Relaxation of lockdown doesn't mean that travel between states will resume right? At least that is my understanding from all the stuff I see online (not able to keep up anymore).

So I guess, they are putting down a framework to make sure that people who want to can get back to their home state.

I don't see it as a step towards extension of lockdown.

[fhdowntheline]

Some time soon, the governments will have to make social/physical distancing the norm and take the risk of virus infections. This fear psychosis , "stay home, stay safe" will do more harm than good. There are a lot of discussions happening on whether mortality rates are influenced basis actual coronavirus-caused mortality or a mortality due to another major illness along with Coronavirus (as result of weakened immunity).

[Dr.Naren]

MHA to release new guidelines soon, relaxations in many districts from May 4!!

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

6 months from now or maybe as early as 4 months from now as a nation we will be debating as to whether a national lockdown of 6 weeks was the right remedy for a super contagious but {at least in India} super mild illness whose fatality total would not even make it to the top ten fatal communicable diseases in India.

Respected Sir,
I'm sorry to say, but I find it hard to believe that you made this statement. While I'm no doctor, public health professional or immunologist, I feel this this the right move. Reason: Elders. The statistics show that young & middle age people (who have no preexisting conditions) aren't affected much, but the old people are at high risk. Many people above the age of 60 can have severe infections and die. And in a country like India where elders still live with families, people are high risk.

Community transmissions happen faster in densely populated areas. Example: NYC and SFO. Most urban areas in India are more densely populated. Unsanitary living conditions make things worse. A lockdown with social distancing is the only way to prevent community transmission. The number of deaths might be lesser than the top 10 diseases in India, but the hospitals wouldn't be able to deal with a sudden surge in cases. USA and Italy are struggling to deal with the crisis as they didn't lockdown earlier.

I agree that significant economic damage is done, but you need people to re-build the economy. And yes, the government didn't include a proper plan to house and feed the migrant workers so that they didn't need to travel back to their village.

Was the lockdown necessary? Yes- until a vaccine is ready or herd immunity can be proven.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

6 months from now or maybe as early as 4 months from now as a nation we will be debating as to whether a national lockdown of 6 weeks was the right remedy ... ... ...

We may debate it for ever, but also for ever, we'll never know.

[mohansrides]

Originally Posted by INJAXN

Totally respect your opinion. Here are my 2 cents on low fatality rate.
Fatality rate is low because of the lock down, I think you will agree to this.
Without the lock down, if we would have gone the US way, our numbers will definitely be higher, much higher.
Lock down has helped keep the number low, so our hospitals, medical staffs are not overwhelmed by the number of COVID patients. Every COVID patient is getting the care and medical attention they need, and so far doctors do not have to choose between an elderly and a Young boy.

This "look at America" and "look at Italy" statements have been at play from the beginning. No one argues that a lockdown has reduced the number of deaths. But, that is just temporary. Eventually, a virus with this transmission rate and stamina will get around to infecting everyone. It will just take longer. That's all.

Today, we know that out of 100 people that it infects, the virus kills maybe 5. So yes, the lockdown has reduced the number of deaths FOR NOW. But, at what cost are we delaying (NOT preventing) 5% deaths in infected patients? Here is a handy list.

• Deaths due to unemployment and hunger mass scale. Lots of deaths due to the lockdown have happened. We are only counting the direct Covid fatalities and not really paying attention to the deaths due to circumstances of the lockdown.
  
• Stigmatizaton of medical personnel.
  
• Indefinite disruption of healthcare for a lot of ailments other than Covid. These other ailments are in many cases as dangerous in the long run.
  
• Deaths of massive sections of the economy - travel, tourism, hospitality are three that come to immediately to mind.
  
• Massive damage to other sections of the economy like real estate and automotive.
  
• Huge damage to supply chains and logistics everywhere reducing availability of all goods, essentials or otherwise.
  
• Significant reduction of tax base thereby reducing our power to pay for services like police, government and healthcare, not to mention national defense.
  
• Long term disruption of education cycles for children and young adults who are in crucial stages of their lives.

At what point, do we say that the deaths and the damage to society DUE to lockdown are outweighing the deaths due to the virus?

And if we are to ban activity based on just number of deaths, what is our response to deaths due to other causes, such as road accidents, smoking and other ailments? Should we ban all those activities too?

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

Respected Sir,
I'm sorry to say, but I find it hard to believe that you made this statement. While I'm no doctor, public health professional or immunologist, I feel this this the right move. Reason: Elders. The statistics show that young & middle age people (who have no preexisting conditions) aren't affected much, but the old people are at high risk. Many people above the age of 60 can have severe infections and die. And in a country like India where elders still live with families, people are high risk.

Community transmissions happen faster in densely populated areas. Example: NYC and SFO. Most urban areas in India are more densely populated. Unsanitary living conditions make things worse. A lockdown with social distancing is the only way to prevent community transmission. The number of deaths might be lesser than the top 10 diseases in India, but the hospitals wouldn't be able to deal with a sudden surge in cases. USA and Italy are struggling to deal with the crisis as they didn't lockdown earlier.

I agree that significant economic damage is done, but you need people to re-build the economy. And yes, the government didn't include a proper plan to house and feed the migrant workers so that they didn't need to travel back to their village.

If we keep able bodied and working age people from generating income, how are we going to protect anyone, let alone elders?

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

Was the lockdown necessary? Yes- until a vaccine is ready or heard immunity can be proven.

This may be many months, or even years, away. How long will we keep a free people imprisoned and able bodied people from working to generate money to pay for society's functioning?

[kiku007]

Originally Posted by mohansrides

If we keep able bodied and working age people from generating income, how are we going to protect anyone, let alone elders?


This may be many months, or even years, away. How long will we keep a free people imprisoned and able bodied people from working to generate money to pay for society's functioning?

Do you want to know the brutal truth that some don't want to talk about?

A car will travel as far as it can, based on the fuel in the tank and its driver ability to stay active.

People will support the lockdown in its current form as long as they,
1. Have money (salary, revenue, savings, credit cards, ability to borrow, state support etc.).
2. Use that money to get their life sustenance that includes food and shelter.

Point#1 would have already vanished for a good portion of India's population. But hey why do you talk about their problems today when they haven't mattered even in the past? Just watch how opinions change when Point#1 diminishes for the remaining portion of the people.