A group of public health experts has said that if migrant laborers were allowed to go home before the lockdown was imposed, the cases of corona virus could be prevented from rising in the country, because then this infectious disease was spread at low levels.
'Returning migrant is virus spreading'
A report by the Corona Virus Task Force of public health experts from AIIMS, JNU, BHU and other institutions said, "The returning migrants are now carrying the infection to every part of the country. Mostly in rural and urban suburban areas of those districts going where the cases were less and the public health system is relatively weak. "
Report sent to PM Modi
The report, prepared by experts from the Indian Public Health Association (IPHA), the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine (IAPSM) and the Indian Association of Epidemologists (IAE), has been sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They said that the nationwide lockdown in India from March 25 to May 30 was the most severe and during this time the cases of corona virus increased rapidly.
Experts said that due to limited information available about the disease to the public, it seems that physicians and epidemiologists initially advised the government with limited field training and skills.
'Country is paying a heavy price'
They said in the report, "Policy makers clearly relied on general administrative bureaucrats. There was limited interaction with science experts in the fields of epidemiology, public health, preventive medicine and social scientists." It says that India is paying a heavy price for the spread of humanitarian crisis and disease.
Experts have recommended setting up of a committee of inter-disciplinary public health and preventive health experts and social scientists at the central, state and district levels to deal with public health and humanitarian crises.
'All figures are public'
They suggested that all data, including the results of the investigation, should be made public to the research community so that a solution to control this global epidemic can be found. Emphasizing the need to follow the rules of social distance to reduce the rate of spread of infection, the experts said that there is also a need to promote social mobilization measures to deal with mental health concerns related to restlessness and lockdown.
