Coronavirus is no longer an unfamiliar word. As the virus is taking over the world rapidly, the number of patients being affected by it is multiplying. India had 1 case of COVID-19 on 30 January, and the number crossed 200 over the next couple of weeks. The second most populated country of the world is presently at Stage 2, and if not controlled at this moment, Coronavirus can wreak havoc. Let’s look at the four stages of Coronavirus and what measures are being taken to safeguard people from coronavirus in India.
Four Stages of Coronavirus
Stage 1 – Imported Cases
At this stage, the virus is being transmitted by people who are traveling from abroad. This is the initial stage when the disease is just introduced to the population. In India, the carriers of the disease were mostly the group of people who had a travel history to countries that were tested positive for the infection.
Stage 2 – Local Transmission
This is where India is today. Stage 2 comes when people come in contact with those who had a travel history to coronavirus infected country. In India, some of the family members and relatives of those with travel history tested positive for Coronavirus.
Stage 3 – Community Transmission
Stage 3 is when those who never came in contact with those who had a travel history or never traveled to countries affected by Coronavirus come out positive for the disease. This is the stage where large scale spread of the virus takes place. India hasn’t come to Stage 3, but if it does, it will be difficult to break the chain of transmission and containing the disease.
Stage 4 – Epidemic
It is the stage where there’s a widespread outbreak and this is what happened in China. Large masses get infected and there’s an exponential rise in the number of coronavirus positive cases. The disease becomes an epidemic within the population.
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Measures to control Coronavirus in India
Amidst all the chaos and panic created by Coronavirus, the Indian government is taking all sorts of preventive measures so that the country doesn’t enter Stage 3. Let’s look at some of the steps taken so far to prevent the spread of coronavirus in India:
- The entry of passengers from the Philippines, Malaysia, European Union countries, UK, Turkey, and Afghanistan has been banned till March 31, 2020
- Visas for all categories except a few such as diplomatic and employment have been suspended till April 15, 2020
- Government is emphasizing its population to follow social distancing, a preventive measure to prevent the spread of the disease
- All educational institutions, gyms, cultural & social centers, museums, theatres, and swimming pools have been closed
- Sunday has been declared as the curfew day. The government has asked the population to stay inside their house from 7 am till 9 pm on Sunday.
The entire world is going through a tough time. Controlling Coronavirus seems like a mammoth task. While health organizations and researchers around the globe are working hard to create a vaccine and find out ways to stop the spread, there has been no significant achievement so far. In this difficult situation, it is important for every individual to act responsibly and take all preventive measures to ensure they don’t become carriers of the disease.
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