Isolation May Reduce Peak COVID-19 Numbers By 89%: ICMR

Experts and scientists at the Indian Council Medical Research (ICMR) have said that the next three weeks are crucial for India to tackle the spread of COVID-19 and have asserted that social distancing is extremely vital to fight the pandemic and flatten the curve.

According to a recent study by ICMR using a mathematical model of infectious disease transmission, it was found that home quarantine of symptomatics can slash the overall expected number of cases by 62 per cent and the peak number by a whopping 89 per cent.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has time and again stressed on social distancing as the only safe option to contain the spread of the virus. He said, it is important to stay inside our homes and maintain distance from each other.

On March 24, PM Modi also announced a nation-wide lockdown for 21 days starting March 24 midnight.

As per the ICMR data, India has registered 536 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 and 11 deaths till now. The experts at the medical research body said that it is very important to break the chain of the virus to contain its spread.

"If people would follow the implementation of lockdown and maintain social distancing, then we would be able to break the chain of the virus. The existing infections would be identified and people can be treated," Dr Raman R Gangakhedkar, a scientist at ICMR said.

"Also infection would not multiply. This will help to break the COVID19 chain and flatten the curve of the disease outbreak," he said.

Most importantly, social distancing should also be followed among family members, he added.

Also Read: 80% Of People Infected With COVID-19 Will Recover Themselves: ICMR Chief