NEGATIVE IMPACT OF COVID -19 IN INDIA

Indian economy, a developing market has already been in a crisis phase when its economy reduced
to 4.9% (in 2019) due to demonetisation. The day Prime Minister Narendra Modi first declared the
21 days of lockdown he also warned that this lockdown will have a negative economic impact. The
All-India Association of Industries (AIAI) estimated loss for Indian economy slated to be $640 million
with growth slated to be between 5 and 5.6% till 2022.

 ON INDIAN ECONOMY: The All-India Association of Industries (AIAI) estimated loss for
Indian economy slated to be $640 million with growth slated to be between 5 and 5.6% till
2022. Electricity demand reduced to 30%, traffic in port became 5% less, oil demand
lessened by 70%, and Indian rail activity was below 36%.
 MEDICAL FACILITIES: Number of beds & facilities available for 10,000 population has to be
increased both in rural and urban set up to accommodate COVID patients. To compensate
some of the railway coaches and stadiums were converted into quarantine facilities. Some
disruptions are found to treat other conditions like dialysis, chemotherapy for adults &
vaccinations for children.
 UNEMPLOYEMENT:  unemployment rate increased to 19% after a month of lockdown and
overall unemployment was 26% across India by 24th April. Hence, the lockdown has a havoc
impact on small, medium, and large enterprises of the country, which led to no job and
economic downturn condition.
 TOURISM: The tourism sector also expected to have 70% job losses. For 2020, the tourism
industry and air travel are expected to suffer greatly, and India's GDP growth is expected to
decline ∼2.5% from 5.3%.
 LIFESTYLE: Staying at home during the lockdown, caused poor physical activity and
unhealthy food habits which in turn generates weight gain, diabetes and increases the risk of
developing cardiovascular disease Social distancing was difficult to follow in urban poor
especially in slums and small places. Mumbai renowned for its large number of slums
recorded the highest number of cases.
 HUMAN LIFE: Large number of migrant workers were forced to move out of their cities and
return to their homes in the countryside in the absence of transport facilities due to sudden
lockdown.
 ON IT INDUSTRY: Some of the employees are laid off and rest are directed to work
from home (WFH) which is suitable only for urban upper- and middle-class people and is
challenging for the rural agriculture-based population.
 EDUCATION SYSTEM:  The educational institutions were closed which hampered the
overall teaching-learning process & education system due to unavailability of online and
computer systems among all the students resulting in running of schools and colleges online
and rural students were deprived of education.
 MENTAL HEALTH: Isolation, fear, uncertainty, economic turmoil are namely a few issues
that can greatly cause psychological distress among humans due to COVID-19. Suicidal
tendencies has also been increased.
POSITIVE IMPACT OF COVID-19 IN
INDIA
Apart from the negative impact of covid there are few positive aspects that are
happened due to covid like:

ENVIRONMENT: One of the reasons for bad impact on health apart from COVID
India is facing is Air pollution. Due to lockdown air flight, railways, road and every
possible mode of transportation, along with industries (usage of coal) which are the
primary sources of air pollution were ceased resulting in an improved air quality.
Condition of various rivers like Dwarka, Yamuna & Ganges were improved .
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES: Complete lockdown in China can open a new place for
the Indian economy as senior industrialists from India are hoping that India can be
the new manufacturing hub for the world (India needs to improve on the raw
material sector which is otherwise difficult to achieve).
A 60% hike of Wi-Fi network equipment, e.g., routers and mobile hotspot dongles
demand were observed in India during the COVID-19 lockdown and WFH scenario
causing a little boost up to the telecom industry.
India should take the advantages to buy oil as its cost is reduced and store for future
use as currently, the demand is low.
Another probably positive side of the lockdown is people are now staying home and
have time for family, which is only legitimate with economically stable families.
There is also a steep decline in the crime rates in major cities like Delhi, Chennai,
Mumbai.
People are seen boosting localism rather than globalisation & internationalisation
and are leaving home only to buy locally.
Wildlife is also been rejuvenating like sightings of various endangered species of
animals and several kinds of migratory birds are seen at lakes and water bodies .

http://www.businessworld.in/article/6-Ways-The-Covid-19-Is-Making-A-Positive-Impact/12-
05-2020-191781/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7376361/
 5 LESSONS INDIA CAN LEARN FROM TAMIL NADU’S
HANDLING OF COVID -19
The state has recorded the second highest number of coronavirus cases in the
country, next to Maharashtra, but is also testing more than 50,000 persons every
day.
Despite the high numbers, Tamil Nadu, with a population of over 8 crore, has been
commended for the way it has handled the pandemic.

The Five lessons rest of India could learn from Tamil nadu are:

1.EARLY DETECTION: Every person traveling to Tamil Nadu by road, rail, air and
sea is checked for their temperature and only if they doesn’t exhibit any symptoms,
is sent home and advised strict home isolation for 14 days. Anyone showing
symptoms of COVID-19 is transferred to a COVID care centre, and if these
symptoms get severe, they are admitted in a hospital immediately. The Chennai
Corporation has deputed workers in every area who come door-to-door every 3-7
days to check on all family members for their temperature, blood pressure and
thyroid levels.

2.AGGRESIVE TESTING: The number of tests done are more than 50,000 every
day by July. As on 23 July, Tamil Nadu is number 1 is testing having tested nearly
21 lakh persons, ahead of Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh .

3.HOW THE SUDDEN SPIKE IN OTHER DISTRICTS IS BEING MANAGED : They

have increased testing in these districts and all measures that were imposed in
Chennai have been applied here as well. They have mapped all streets by allocating
one officer to monitor 300 persons, movement has been strictly curbed in and out of
containment zones and daily check of the residents living in these areas are done.
Novel methods were used to inform and spread awareness among people in these
districts.

4.RULES FOR MASKS AND PHYSICAL DISTANCING: Those found not wearing
mask and violating social distancing are penalised. Women dressed as goddesses, men
dressed like the God of death, even an ambulance with a fake COVID patient to
scare those who are not wearing masks -the state is trying many innovative methods
to impose the rule.

5. APPROACH: Some of the cities in the state like Chennai has comprehensive
scientific team consisting of a public health person, a clinician, a member from WHO
where meetings are held every week to discuss the course of action, getting up to
date regarding latest trends and developments in medical field and communication
with various departments like police, corporation and the public health department.

https://www.thequint.com/coronavirus/lessons-to-learn-tamil-nadu-chennai-handling-
coronavirus-covid-19-india-highest-testing
HANDLING OF TERTIARY CARE
HOSPITALS DURING PANDEMIC
DR N Subramanian, Director — Medical Services, Indraprastha Apollo
Hospitals, New Delhi, shares his insights on managing tertiary hospitals
and ensuring safety of staff in hospital during pandemic .
As it is important to take care of patients that during the pandemic both
of COVID and non-COVID medical conditions certain key changes have
been made in the hospitals during lockdown like changes in the
infrastructure to provide complete segregation between COVID-positive
and suspected patients, Creating areas of isolation entailed interventions
to the air-handling units and creating rooms with negative air pressure to
achieve maximal protection of all concerned, Setting up separate
screening areas and separate ICU facilities for COVID-positive and
COVID-suspect patients required meticulous planning to ensure suitable
segregation between these areas.
Also, modifications have to be made without disrupting the patient cohort
areas dealing with cancer, organ transplantation, trauma care and
neonatology.
Even well-equipped hospitals required additional equipment, like video
laryngoscopes and ultrasonic nebulisers, in addition to an adequate
number of quality Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
There is a Continuous updating of protocols and processes based on
guidelines given by the World Health Organisation ( WHO ), Centre for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Indian Council of Medical Research
(ICMR) to minimise the impact of the disease and control of transmission
among the staff & patients, to report compliance to government bodies and
analyse the data for research purpose.

Frequent communication was also made at all levels to keep the staff
motivated and ensure the protocols are adhered and laid down processes
and reduced the varied fears and apprehensions of a heterogeneous group
of people, who feared contraction of the viral disease more with families in
mind rather than the self.
https://www.expresshealthcare.in/blogs/manag
ing-a-tertiary-care-hospital-during-covid-19-
pandemic/420792/
COVID – 19 IN RURAL INDIA

Compared to urban areas there is a restricted influx of international travellers and

low population density in rural India, the cases of COVID-19 infections have so far
remained low. However, the exodus of migrant workers from urban India returning to
their native villages has changed the dynamics.

The impact of the pandemic on rural India emerged in multiple phases. The first
phase was that of an extended lockdown, the second phase was of migrants being
allowed to travel back to their homes in rural India. The third phase starts when
travel increases as the restrictions are gradually removed . The lockdown posed a
significant challenge to accessing healthcare in rural areas that includes care for
maternal and child services, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases
(diabetes & hypertension) as well as emergency and elective surgical care.

The response to COVID-19 in rural set up is needed at two levels: preventive care
and medical treatment. The preventive care will require working closely with village
leadership, tracking those who are at higher risk, testing these individuals, tracing
contacts and quarantining. The Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) under the
Ayushman Bharat Yojna take healthcare closer to villages and these centres are
gradually being set up.

In the first phase was reasonably managed at some places, many smaller villages
didn’t have such provisions and the farmers returning from other villages had to be
quarantined for 14 days outside the villages in open farms with the barest minimum
facilities.

Awareness was created among the people using culturally appropriate material,
jingles, educational videos in local language. The local committees worked together
with their respective gram panchayats to set up check posts and distribute masks
and hand sanitisers and promote behavioural modifications through social distancing
and frequent hand washing.

The Government of India has several schemes to provide for livelihoods in rural
areas, MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee) being
an important one among them. Central and state governments will have to pay
special attention to rural areas so that employment opportunities are increased, and
so the need for migration will be less at least in the short term
Committees have a surveillance system in place to know the course of action, based
on referral systems that are in line with the guidelines issued by district collectors of
the region.

https://covid-gyan.in/article/covid-19-rural-india-%E2%80%92-public-health-perspective

INDIA-MEASURES IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19

Food related measures like the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana where
2/3 rd of population is covered under it.Everyone under this scheme under this
scheme will get 5 kg of wheat and rice, 1kg of preferred pulse for free in addition to
the current 5 kg allocation for the next 3 months. This distribution will be done
through Public Distribution Scheme (PDS) and can be availed in two instalments
Farmers receive INR 6,000/- every year through the PM-KISAN scheme in three
equal instalments will now be given the first instalment upfront for fiscal year starting
April 2020. About 86.9 million farmers are expected to benefit from this immediately.
MNREGA workers Wage increase from INR 182/- to INR 202/- that will benefit 50
million families. The wage increase will amount into an additional income of INR
2,000/- per worker.
The Finance Minister has announced medical insurance cover of Rs 5 million per
healthcare worker. About 2 million health services and ancillary workers will benefit
from such insurance scheme. Senior citizens, widows, disabled, woman jan-dhan
holders to get one-time ex-gratia amount.
The Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) has announced - employees
who contribute to EPF can withdraw up to 75 percent of the account balance or 3
months’ basic salary and dearness allowance, whichever is lower and will enjoy
benefits, including subsidy support.
Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders and PIO cardholders holding passport of
any country are permitted to enter India by water routes or by flights including those
under the Vande Bharat Mission or ‘Air Bubble’ (Bilateral Air Travel Arrangements)
Scheme or by any non-scheduled commercial flights as allowed by the Ministry of
Civil Aviation.
To produce a self-sufficient economy -Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme
worth up to Rs 1.46 lakh crore for 10 key sectors in a bid to boost India’s
manufacturing capabilities and enhancing exports .
Employment will also be created through the infrastructure and housing incentives
and spending, including 7.8 million through the PM Awas Yojana for the rural
economy. Rs10,000 crore under the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Yojana will boost
rural employment in the informal sector and encourage the growth of the rural
economy.
https://home.kpmg/xx/en/home/insights/2020/04/india-government-and-institution-
measures-in-response-to-covid.html

NEGATIVE IMPACT OF COVID -19 IN INDIA

Indian economy, a developing market has already been in a crisis phase when its economy reduced
to 4.9% (in 2019) due to demonetisation. The day Prime Minister Narendra Modi first declared the
21 days of lockdown he also warned that this lockdown will have a negative economic impact. The
All-India Association of Industries (AIAI) estimated loss for Indian economy slated to be $640 million
with growth slated to be between 5 and 5.6% till 2022.

 ON INDIAN ECONOMY: The All-India Association of Industries (AIAI) estimated loss for
Indian economy slated to be $640 million with growth slated to be between 5 and 5.6% till
2022. Electricity demand reduced to 30%, traffic in port became 5% less, oil demand
lessened by 70%, and Indian rail activity was below 36%.
 MEDICAL FACILITIES: Number of beds & facilities available for 10,000 population has to be
increased both in rural and urban set up to accommodate COVID patients. To compensate
some of the railway coaches and stadiums were converted into quarantine facilities. Some
disruptions are found to treat other conditions like dialysis, chemotherapy for adults &
vaccinations for children.
 UNEMPLOYEMENT:  unemployment rate increased to 19% after a month of lockdown and
overall unemployment was 26% across India by 24th April. Hence, the lockdown has a havoc
impact on small, medium, and large enterprises of the country, which led to no job and
economic downturn condition.
 TOURISM: The tourism sector also expected to have 70% job losses. For 2020, the tourism
industry and air travel are expected to suffer greatly, and India's GDP growth is expected to
decline ∼2.5% from 5.3%.
 LIFESTYLE: Staying at home during the lockdown, caused poor physical activity and
unhealthy food habits which in turn generates weight gain, diabetes and increases the risk of
developing cardiovascular disease Social distancing was difficult to follow in urban poor
especially in slums and small places. Mumbai renowned for its large number of slums
recorded the highest number of cases.
 HUMAN LIFE: Large number of migrant workers were forced to move out of their cities and
return to their homes in the countryside in the absence of transport facilities due to sudden
lockdown.
 ON IT INDUSTRY: Some of the employees are laid off and rest are directed to work
from home (WFH) which is suitable only for urban upper- and middle-class people and is
challenging for the rural agriculture-based population.
 EDUCATION SYSTEM:  The educational institutions were closed which hampered the
overall teaching-learning process & education system due to unavailability of online and
computer systems among all the students resulting in running of schools and colleges online
and rural students were deprived of education.
 MENTAL HEALTH: Isolation, fear, uncertainty, economic turmoil are namely a few issues
that can greatly cause psychological distress among humans due to COVID-19. Suicidal
tendencies has also been increased.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7376361/

POSITIVE IMPACT OF COVID-19 IN

INDIA
Apart from the negative impact of covid there are few positive aspects that are
happened due to covid like:

ENVIRONMENT: One of the reasons for bad impact on health apart from COVID
India is facing is Air pollution. Due to lockdown air flight, railways, road and every
possible mode of transportation, along with industries (usage of coal) which are the
primary sources of air pollution were ceased resulting in an improved air quality.
Condition of various rivers like Dwarka, Yamuna & Ganges were improved .
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES: Complete lockdown in China can open a new place for
the Indian economy as senior industrialists from India are hoping that India can be
the new manufacturing hub for the world (India needs to improve on the raw
material sector which is otherwise difficult to achieve).
A 60% hike of Wi-Fi network equipment, e.g., routers and mobile hotspot dongles
demand were observed in India during the COVID-19 lockdown and WFH scenario
causing a little boost up to the telecom industry.
India should take the advantages to buy oil as its cost is reduced and store for future
use as currently, the demand is low.
Another probably positive side of the lockdown is people are now staying home and
have time for family, which is only legitimate with economically stable families.
There is also a steep decline in the crime rates in major cities like Delhi, Chennai,
Mumbai.
People are seen boosting localism rather than globalisation & internationalisation
and are leaving home only to buy locally.
Wildlife is also been rejuvenating like sightings of various endangered species of
animals and several kinds of migratory birds are seen at lakes and water bodies.

http://www.businessworld.in/article/6-Ways-The-Covid-19-Is-Making-A-Positive-Impact/12-
05-2020-191781/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7376361/