- Avoid believing official COVID-19 case numbers blindly, as only moderate to severe cases are currently being tested.
- Understand that actual infection rates in India could be 100 to 200 times higher than the media reports.
- Overcome social stigma and get tested, because untested individuals with mild symptoms can easily spread the virus.
- Utilize private laboratories for convenient home testing, which costs around 4500 rupees and provides rapid results.
- Maintain strict social distancing and stay home during the lockdown to flatten the curve and reduce transmission.
Hey guys, India is fighting COVID-19 and in this battle against COVID-19 mistakes could be very costly. So what are the three mistakes that India needs to avoid in order to win this battle? That’s coming up in this video, I am doctor prasoon and this is Dofody. So let’s get started.
We are following news, we are following social media, and we are getting updated about the number of confirmed cases and the number of persons who have lost their lives due to COVID-19.
#1 The first mistake that Indians are making is that we are believing in those numbers blindly. We should understand that India is testing only those persons who have moderate to severe symptoms of COVID-19 and the other persons they are being sent home for home isolation or quarantine, and the sad thing is that these persons are not getting tested. We are actually seeing only the tip of the iceberg. So, the actual number of persons who would be infected in India right now would be anywhere between 100 to 200 times of the number that we are getting on media right now.
#2 We are hesitant to get tested for COVID-19. There is a huge social stigma related to COVID-19, and we Indians are thinking that if the government is not willing to test us we don’t want to get tested. We should understand that we will not be able to win this battle blindfolded, and in order to identify those persons who are actually infected, you should be getting tested. Each and every one of us should be getting tested.
The government is not testing enough persons. Our government does not have the resources to test all the persons who have mild symptoms or those persons who are primary or secondary contacts of the persons who have come from abroad. If you have mild symptoms of fever cough and cold and if you are not getting tested the newer thing that you don’t have the virus, and in that situation the chances of you spreading the virus to other family members or to other persons surrounding you is very high.
So you should be taking a step forward to get yourself tested even if you have a symptom or even if you have slightest of doubts. Many reputed laboratories are providing online services where you can pay just 4500 and the lab technician will come to your home, take the sample, and deliver you the results within one or two hours. India is also awaiting the approval of a new test which is based on the CRISPR-cas9 gene-editing technology. If this test gets approved, each test can be done within one hour. It does not require any specialized skill and the cost is also below rupees 500. So, if you have any doubts, try to get yourself tested.
#3 As we are not getting tested we will not become serious enough. In spite of the knockdown, many persons are roaming around and wandering, gathering about and are not following social distancing. This could prove costly in the coming days. We don’t know for sure when the lockdown is going to end and even if the lockdown is extended, our new restrictions are cutting into place. We should follow all the precautions, we should be staying in our home. This is the only way that we can flatten the curve and reduce the transmission of the disease in India.
So these were the three mistakes that we need to avoid and we need to do it from today from right now onwards. So that’s it for this video, I will talk to you guys in the next one. Subscribe to our youtube channel for more videos
This is me doctor Prasoon signing off, take care, stay healthy, stay in your homes and thank you so much for watching.
Frequently asked questions
The government is only testing individuals with moderate to severe symptoms due to limited resources. Mild cases are sent into isolation without testing, meaning actual infections could be 100 to 200 times higher.
If you have mild symptoms and avoid testing, you might falsely assume you do not have the virus. This significantly increases the chances of unknowingly spreading the infection to your family members.
You can utilize reputed private laboratories that offer home sample collection. This service costs around 4500 rupees, and lab technicians can deliver your results within one or two hours.
Yes, India is awaiting approval for a new CRISPR-cas9 gene-editing technology test. If approved, this test will cost under 500 rupees and deliver results in just one hour.
Wandering around and ignoring lockdown restrictions can rapidly increase viral transmission. Staying strictly in your home is the only way to successfully flatten the curve and stop the disease.