• How India Controlled Covid, survey by wall Street Journal
  • From September cases dropped from one lakh to 20,000
  • Expected to cross US number, but surprised to see fall in number
  • Detailed survey by Wall Street Journal how it happened in India

New Delhi: When world is suffering with Covid pandemic with increase in number of cases, only country with population of more than1.35 crore showed reduction, that is India. How was it possible? Here is the study and conclusion of Wall Street Journal as to how it happened.

The reason for virus number to be brought down irrespective of crowded people and effective tracing of contact and of lock down, it is UNIVERSAL ACCEPTANCE OF MASKS, which did the magic.

As per health officials of India, wearing of masks in India is done without much debate and reasons are many. The first and foremost is the word by Indian PM Modi who united politicians and health experts on the importance of masks.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan came on in his speeches addressing the nation repeatedly that only MANTRA for Covid is social vaccine and that is mask. Automatic phone messages, voice messages by celebrities, and vigorous campaign on masks have made Indians move forward by wearing masks, the study says. Violation tickets to those who did not wear masks with hundreds and thousands of rupees also helped, experts say. Study quoted a Police Sub Inspector in New Delhi who has been giving tickets to people without masks and after some days it became difficult to find violators. Even they forgot helmets but came up with masks which are good enough said Inspector. Phone messages before ringtone also helped a lot and brought awareness of mask in public. The recorded message of importance of wearing mask made an impact in the country, experts said.

Modi in his ‘Man ki baath’ while addressing nation in June talked about the importance of wearing mask and how it is useful in saving family. Though public feel uncomfortable to wear mask all the time, they said they remove while talking which is when it is needed most.

Indians used to wear masks which ever are available. It may be of hospital grade or simple cloth version or registered surgical mask, or of homemade or small textile shops, but they made it compulsory in their social life, which is very important and it was the main reason for reduction of number of cases, experts said with a conclusion that along with mask, social distancing and hand sanitizing added to it.

In Delhi, you will see three people on a bike without helmets, trucks going the wrong way and car parked on sidewalks, but good to see everyone wearing mask. Consensus from chaos, isn’t it?

 

Courtesy : https://www.primepost.in/mask-did-the-trick-in-india-to-contain-covid/

(This Article has been reposted with permission from Primepost)