The way things have been working out around the world and the way the various Governments have been working on various strategies against SARS-COV-2, the things have had a mixed results. Few countries went out with rapid testing processes and few went in with targeted testing and segregating the cases. Most of the South Asian and South-East Asian countries worked on segregation and targeted testing. Let’s take a leaf out from India’s strategy where the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been actively working with scientists, doctors and the other healthcare as well as law enforcement teams to shield the nation against the bigger scare of community spread of the dreaded disease.
The first of the moves that India adopted was to test and isolate specific set of people who travelled from outside the countries including some of the then hotspots. They started as early as January 17, 2020 and slowly started building the momentum with regular advisories being sent to the District (County) administration levels. Then came the 14 days self isolation and stamping process to build more awareness around Social Distancing. Two very primitive steps, but in late February, the Government put their feet on the acceleration by Sending the visitors from outside the country for compulsory isolation managed by Army, Navy and Air Force of India. Some of them ended up in Government Hospitals and we did hear some whining and cribbing that helped create awareness.
With the first two steps helping, India went on to block itself from foreign flights and visitor visa suspension steps. Another set of steps that should have sent a message to the masses that tough times are coming ahead, but well, seems the message was not received in right spirit. the government moved with next step to strictly implement Social Distancing and an advisory was sent out banking gathering larger than 200, which within two days was enhanced to ban gathering of more than 50. Some states at this time went on to implement IPC Section 144 and we heard some whining and cribbing once again and that hurt the way message was to be received.
But, Government of India under leadership of Modi, went ahead with the next steps, where on March 19, 2020 PM Modi called for the fellow citizens to observe Janta Curfew or Self imposed curfew from Morning 7 to night 9 On Sunday, March 22, 2020. Effectively if we see, there was enough evidences that this Janta Curfew would in actual be of 36 hrs starting Saturday Night to Monday Morning. The results were overwhelming and in many districts administration itself imposed curfew from Sunday Night 9 to Monday morning 9. Message was again clear, Lockdown is coming, but seems many didn’t get that message loud and clear. So, there on Monday after relaxation provided for the day, say around 10 hrs, PM Modi again spoke to the nation at 8PM declaring a compulsorily “Stay at Home” order or the “Lockdown” from March 24, 2020 00 hrs for 21 days. Wish the message would have been received well by the fellow citizens, but few political and religious moves sort of dented this step.
Here came the next move from the PM Modi, a well thought of move that was backed by a very well researched situation. On the front it looked like the perfect alignment of the Navgrah, while it was in actuality alignment of at least 12 satellites including – 2 of India’s own RISAT Satellites, International Space Station and few more. Yes, indeed, most of these were on or around India. That means, a dark 9 minutes time from 9 pm to 9:09 pm would only include clear pictures of areas that didn’t follow the request form the PM Modi. These could be those areas where either the message has not reached well or the areas that were rebel or anti-Government. These could be the probable hotspots too. A serious masterstroke that was totally based on what a few with knowledge / understanding of AI and Space Science would agree. Pots and Pan for solidarity were the trial step for this more precise and scientific approach to identify and singal our the probable hotspots.
This would also help the PMO as well as State Government and the local administration to decide on the Phase-wise approach to end the lockdown across the district in Country. Certainly, there would still be a strict vigil at the district boundaries to ensure that no new hotspots around the country are identified.
And well, the Phase-wise lockdown ending means – Lockdown is not ending by April 15, 2020
