The time is not yet ripe for the full withdrawal of the lockdown on April 14 and the withdrawal strategy should be gradual, phased, and calibrated to ensure that the case load is kept below the capacity of the health-care system to deal with it, an expert committee headed by K.M. Abraham has opined.
“Continuing to restrict large-scale movement of people across international and State boundaries is critical and should not be considered unless and until the situation is under control in every State,” the committee of 17 eminent persons, asked to look into the strategy to ease the lockdown restrictions, says in its report to the government.
However, it says it is cognizant that a prolonged and stringent lockdown will lead to economic hardships, famine, and law and order issues, which may undermine both the lockdown and health management objectives. Recommending a phased approach for withdrawing the lockdown, the committee says such a phased approach should be operationlised at the revenue district level.
Protocol suggested
The State should continue to ramp up preparatory work for the predicted and rapid rise of COVID-19 cases. As the cases will exceed the local capacity in some cities, a protocol for assistance should be prepared to avoid unnecessary divisions at the height of the crisis.
The committee says the effort to ramp up production and procurement of test kits, ventilators, PPEs for health-care personnel, and masks should not be relaxed. There should be a national effort and the Centre should release funds and create a mechanism to distribute them on a need basis.
As States are expected to pass through the peak infection at different timings, a national coordination mechanism is suggested so that the States could support one another with experience, expertise, equipment, and finances. The Centre should ensure effective coordination between the States and logistics operators. Supporting the agricultural sector, in production, marketing, storage, and transport is essential for the country to tide over the crisis.
Innovations and practices which would have needed years to achieve are being introduced in weeks in education, judiciary, local business, telemedicine, among others. “It should be ensured that such modern technological leaps are not lost after the lockdown as there are huge economic and efficiency gains attached to it.”
