With the pandemic still raging, it’s no time to throw caution to the winds

Over the weeks since the pandemic took the world over, the narratives around the disease, including the availability of a vaccine, the mortality rate of the disease, the virus being air-borne versus otherwise, etc. have tweaked as per newer revelations.

Adding to the list of narratives is also an analysis that was recently published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, stating that people with COVID-19 are as infectious before they develop symptoms as they are when infected with the disease.

The article also reiterates that people who are 60 years and above are most susceptible to infection.

One thing that has, however, remained a constant in all this is the possibility of slowing the virus by maintaining social distancing and the proper use of masks and hygiene in public places.

Initially, when the COVID-19 pandemic had just set in, the WHO had framed certain guidelines to tackle the spread of the disease.

Defining social distancing, it recommended three to six meters as an adequate distance between two people.

However, as India gradually emerges from a three-month lockdown with the COVID-19 numbers continuing to skyrocket, the alarming trend among India’s richest—gathering private parties at homes etc.—threatens to catalyse the further spread of the contagion.

Don’t stand so close

While experts understand that practising social distancing could get tricky in large groups, experts share concerns and warnings about the risky in inviting even close friends and relations home especially in the current situation.

“Especially because 40 per cent of those infected with COVID-19 do not display any signs or symptoms of infection, there is a silent spread of the disease, which is becoming most dangerous,” Dr Guru N Reddy, founder promoter and director of Continental Hospitals.

“Health experts across the world have been recommending group sizes of not more than ten to twenty individuals, depending on the circumstances. In India, too, a group of 10 might seem rather reasonable and implementable. Unfortunately, however, it appears that even this is becoming a huge challenge for many. Intuitively, it is difficult to measure the right distance between two people or a group of people. So while signs, cartoons and directions can visually help for people to understand and follow, unless every citizen nurtures social distancing as a concept from their heart, mind and soul, we cannot prevent the further spread of COVID-19. On the other hand, if we strictly follow social distancing, this silent spread can be enormously curtailed and reduce the spread of infection.”

Self-regulatory

Dr A.V. Gurava Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director, Sunshine Hospitals, is unapologetic while sharing his concerns on the trend. “If the rich behave like spoilt kids, my prayers are with them,” says Dr Gurava Reddy.

“If you choose to get even 50-100 of your close friends for pubbing at home and they mingle and dance with each other there, it can be dangerous. But the question is who will regulate these mini gatherings. And this is not about the rich or the poor — it is the individual sense of social responsibility among citizens, which deters our country’s battle against the pandemic. In most so-called advanced countries, it is not the so-called riches but the social responsibility that every citizen feels that has deterred the pandemic, something that seems to be missing in India.”

Be a hero; wear a mask

A greater part of the risk of acquiring the COVID-19 infection seems to be from socially interacting with even known family members or friends who could be asymptomatic. However, Dr Guru N Reddy thinks one can mitigate this risk significantly by wearing a mask.

“Most family members interact with the external world and sundry delivery services and domestic workers etc. every day, and can certainly become a cause for the virus to spread,” he explains.

“Hence, in this situation, if someone shows symptoms, he/she should get tested and do a quick contact tracing and implement standard isolation practices. Also, the virus is airborne and viral particles remain suspended in air as droplets for a certain number of hours particularly after a strong cough or sneeze. And even prolonged periods of particularly loud talking can entail risk of transmitting the virus in spite of wearing a mask. So also, it is important to remember that the risk of COVID-19 transmission is not mitigated even among a small group of friends or family, although by wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing, you can certainly reduce it significantly.”

Cleaning & disinfecting

While agreeing that there is nothing like a ‘hundred per cent’ in this world particularly when dealing with a pandemic, Dr Guru N Reddy reminds us the various standard disinfectant procedures recommended for cleaning one’s areas of living, working — including your desks, computers, etc. do help.
“The universal importance of hygiene cannot be undermined for anyone either at home or their workplace. For the most part, standard sanitizing and disinfectant procedures with simple chemicals are sufficiently adequate,” the doctor adds. “The major game changer for an individual is proper hand washing and use of recommended antiseptic solutions for hand hygiene. One should also not become paranoid and obsessed with constant cleaning and using unnecessary chemicals—this will not only be a futile exercise but also can cause damage to objects and be injurious to one’s health.”

Risk of COVID-19 from surface tops

According to a study published in the City and Environment Interaction journal, the lack of adequate ventilation in homes and offices increases the risk of airborne spread of the novel coronavirus. The study also states that preventing such transmissions should be the next front of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adding to the perspective, Dr AV Gurava Reddy states that infection from virus on surfaces is rare and one doesn’t have to be much concerned about it.

“There are much fewer chances of catching the viruses present on door handles, laptops and surfaces than it is to contract them via airborne transmission,” he explains. “Touching contaminated objects with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. If all those in a room wear masks and stay at least six feet apart from each other, the chance of transmission is less than three percent even if one of them is a corona positive. That is how important masks and social distancing are.”