Manipur don’t require complete shutdown

With only 1 +ve COVID-19, Manipur don’t require complete shutdown.  Normal functioning  be from 15th with complete border seal and certain norms.
PM Modi is deliberating with experts/political leaders whether to continue present shutdown or not. ON April 8 he had video conference with political leaders. On 11th, he will interact with CMs. PM seems inclined to extend the total shutdown.  To me, it looks like our PM is over-burdened with many advisors. These learned advisors - be it at PMO, Health Ministry or ICMR – seems to be very impractical and theoretical at times. Regarding the lapses in preparation, I will not elaborate here. But one can see these since 30th January i.e. appearance of 1st corona case – lack of PPIs, less no of testing kids, less effort to find cases, less testing, no proper guideline for treatment etc. etc. From the very beginning-the preparations are patchy, directionless and incomplete.
Our doctor-advisors also seem to have forgotten the basic principle of fighting an infectious disease. This is done by i) case finding ii) case treatment and iii) taking preventive measures.  i) Case finding: a) House to house surveys and resurveys of suspected   high +ve  red-spots This is done in National Leprosy Eradication Programme. Our ANMs, Male Health Workers, Supervisors, AWWs, Helpers etc. are quite accustomed to it.   No difficulty to implement it. No extra money, no extra effort for medical personnel. b) More and more lab testing of persons with cough, fever or the  2 plus respiratory trouble. Less testing  gives not only  a false scenario, but also helps in disease spread – a danger in long term.
 ii). Treatment : Though no specific treatment presently, anti-viral antibiotics like Remdesivir, anti-malaria  Cloroquine and HIV drugs like Lopinavir and Ritonavir combine are tried in   China, Indian hospitals,  USA etc. and by WHO.s
iii).  Preventive measures : a). Isolation- Present shutdown   policy is  the master stroke from India’s greatest motivator PM.  No dispute, no alternative to this, is the best preventive measure. However, present chaos in border crossing and Nizamuddin incidence is a spoiler to the whole massive exercise initiated by PM.
 However shutdown be 14 days only. The reason being - Incubation period, i.e. from infection to appearance of symptoms is 2-14 days, a world accepted norm. If found +ve, treatment will take care of him.   Another 7 day extra burden is unnecessary. PM must have his own reasons.  If so, it be shared   with us for evaluation.
b) Use of Mask everywhere and whenever available – Govt. approved mask, handkerchief or any locally made one. Basic ideas being - it is a 2-way traffic - not only prevents Corona and other Upper Respiratory tract infections from others, but also prevents self-spread to others. And, this is the 2nd most cost effective strategy next to mass shutdown. Purchage 10/20 handkerchiefs for 100/200 Rupees. Carry and use 5,6,7etc.. At home, wash with proper soap and water and re-use again and again.
c). Use of Chroroquine as preventive drugs: The reasons for this is illustrated at Treatment above. It be used by health worker in hospitals, contacts and families and in red spot  clusters/areas/cities. India is the most experienced one in use of cloroquine in National Malaria programme.
 The Prime Minister’s Mantra be - find out cases by doing house to house surveys and re-surveys  and lab testing in high risk  areas/ clusters as indicated above. Then total isolation of the areas or clusters for 14 days except essential items and essential systems. There is no need for total shutdown. It is simply not needed. The virus is going to stay long in India but in sporadic form, PM’s strategy be on this.
Basic ideas put here are already found in the writer’s various Manipuri Live-TV shows wef. 15th March and letters communicated to our Hon’ble CM/MM and Hon’ble PM.
Manipur situation : We have only 1 +ve case now. All the suspected persons who landed along with the 1st +ve case on 11th March have been isolated and followed well for at least 14 days or so. Similarly, accomplices of 2nd +ve case from Nizamuddin have been quarantined and followed well. Health deptt. has done an excellent work. All of us be thankful to health + police deptt.
Lifting of complete shutdown wef. 15th forthwith with the following does and don’ts :
i) Complete border seal as is done now ii) Air route be opened for once a wk for 2wks, then twice a wk for 2 wks and then increase gradually iii) Markets be opened twice a wK for 2wks and so as given  above  iv) School and colleges be opened  similarly v) Normal medical OPDs to start functioning twice a wk for 1 month. 24 hr services for emergency  to remain as of now. Pharmacist shops be opened day time with selected soaps  opening at night area-wise vi)   Avoidance of crowded areas as far as possible be enforced strictly with penalty vii) social isolation of  6 feet and face covering by mask/handkerchief, frequent washing of hands  etc. be enforced strictly with fine and other penalty for at least  3-4 wks vii) Gradual opening of essential services like bank, post office, treasury, electricity office, petrol pump/cooking gas etc. be started. At present it remains closed. The list is endless, one can add left out portions. But, there be no fear psychosis.
I would  request our CM to declare it at once and be a role model in India and to put it in the PM video conferencing on 11th. In fact, all N-E states should follow this as we have 1 or 2 +ve cases only. Our CM also should set up an independent advisory committee consisting of different stake-holders as done in other states, the sooner the better.
 The author is an ex-Director, Health & WHO Fellow