Industrialist and Chairman of Mahindra Group, Anand Mahindra, took to Twitter to share a series of tweets suggesting a four pronged strategy to beat COVID-19 in India.
The strategy focused on one major goal that should be to continue preventing avoidable deaths. It included:
Rapidly build field hospitals equipped with oxygen lines Deploy widespread testing and tracingFocus on containment not through zones but at sub pin code levelsProtect the elderly and medically vulnerable
Our goal should be to continue preventing avoidable deaths. We need to 1) Rapidly build field hospitals equipped with oxygen lines (ventilators aren’t critical now) 2) Deploy widespread testing and tracing. 3)Focus on containment not through zones but at sub pin code levels.(4/5)
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) May 11, 2020
…and finally 4) Protect the elderly & the medically vulnerable. To quote a colleague: ‘We have to live with the virus. It’s not here on a tourist visa with an expiry date.’ (5/5)
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) May 11, 2020
Focusing on the current trend of cases across different states, Anand tweeted, ‘The number of new cases has risen, despite flattening the previous few days. With higher testing, a continuing rise is inevitable given the low absolute number of cases relative to our population & the rest of the world. We shouldn’t expect a swift flattening of the curve.’
The number of new cases has risen, despite flattening the previous few days. With higher testing, a continuing rise is inevitable given the low absolute number of cases relative to our population & the rest of the world. We shouldn’t expect a swift flattening of the curve.(1/5) pic.twitter.com/tg4i2N4IeZ
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) May 11, 2020
The industrialist pointed at how the lockdown in India has not been effective and that the low death rate has only been a result of joint efforts of the people of the country.
‘India’s death rate per million is currently 1.4 compared to the global average at 35 & the US at 228,’ he tweeted.
This doesn’t mean the lockdown hasn’t helped. India’s avoided lakhs of potential deaths in its collective fight. India’s death rate per million is currently 1.4 compared to the global average at 35 & the US at 228. We’ve also bought time to enhance medical infrastucture (2/5) pic.twitter.com/tAxyn2ahn0
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) May 11, 2020
Talking about the extension of the lockdown which is expected to end on May 17, Anand wrote, ‘If the lockdown is extended for a longer period of time, we will be risking economic hara-kiri.’
But if the lockdown is extended for much longer, we will be risking economic hara-kiri. A functioning & growing economy is like an immune system for livelihoods. A lockdown weakens that immune system and most hurts the impoverished in our society. https://t.co/O97MNFukIv (3/5)
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) May 11, 2020
Referring to the importance of a functioning and growing economy, Anand Mahindra said it to be ‘the immune system for livelihoods’ and ‘a lockdown weakens that immune system and affects the impoverished in our society the most’.
Recently, Anand Mahindra also suggested a ‘comprehensive’ lifting of lockdown after 49 days, saying the industrial recovery will be painfully slow if the government opts for ‘sequential opening’ of different parts of the country.
Also Read: India Managed COVID-19 Effectively Early On: WHO Envoy
