If you look into the present scenario of India in terms of dealing with COVID-19, you have many reasons to feel hopeful. Although the country has not yet been successful in eradicating the virus, the authorities are trying hard to give the best service possible to the country people.
A few areas need to be mentioned here where India has done a good job. Starting from setting up quarantining facilities, airport screening, contact tracing and creating a strong public awareness - the respective authorities have worked for keeping things as much in order as possible.
Not to forget, the corona testing centers in the country that are trying rigorously to trace the cases as rapidly as possible despite dealing with the lack of proper testing kits. However, one small mistake is enough to ruin the curve and take it deep down.
A few days back, a comment from WHO has shocked the world and that is SARS-CoV-2 is more likely to spread like wildfire through asymptomatic patients.
However, later on, another statement came from WHO claiming it was nothing but a misunderstanding. Rather, there is a 'rare' chance of the virus getting spread via asymptomatic patients.
However, the matter of concern here is the fact that a person can be affected by COVID-19 without showing the basic symptoms everyone was worrying about.
And, the transmission may be rare but not impossible. And, what the Indian government may more likely to do is to stop the testing of these patients. Clearly, one can imagine how the situation can go out of the hands through this one step.
Most People Do Not Know That They Are Affected by the Virus
Well, a few days back, if a person around you coughed or sneezed a little, you became cautious. You were completely aware of the fact that at that stage, these two symptoms can actually ruin an entire community.
But what if you don’t even know that the person next to you silently spreading the virus, completely unaware of the fact that he/she is an active carrier! Nothing can be more dangerous than that.
According to the leading COVID 19 testing centers, around 80% of COVID-19 patients are unaware of the fact that they are transmitting the disease as they do not have any symptoms at all.
And, this percentage is enough to destroy the community at large. That is the reason why face masks and the use of sanitizers have become more important than ever if you go out to public places.
A piece of confirmed news has arrived saying that at least 25% of the affected people are asymptomatic and they are enough to make the situation worse in India if the tests are not taken seriously.
What is Happening to the Asymptomatic Patients?
The common question arises here is if the asymptomatic patients are not showing any sign then how their body is getting is damaged with this virus? The common theory suggests that the respiratory droplets coming out from a person through coughing or sneezing are responsible for affecting the other.
However, asymptomatic patients are showing mild symptoms. And, as the situation is not getting worse, they are not getting their testing done in COVID 19 virus test centres. In the meantime, their lungs are getting affected severely.
They are showing signs of vital lung abnormalities which may not match with that of asymptomatic coronavirus patients. In short, the lung damage they are facing is mild and gradual.
However, once affected, they are very much capable of affecting others. When you know that you are ill, you will take the necessary precautions, isolate yourself from others, and stay in rest.
But the person having mild cough and cold symptoms may not take such precaution and possibly not go through coronavirus tests. The result of this is quite evident.
The close circle of these asymptomatic patients is going to get affected the most at first and then they can take it to the next level.
Why India is Not Testing the Asymptomatic People?
Well, from the bird’s view, it seems this is just the lack of infrastructure. It is out of the capacity. However, the reality is something else. According to the centres conducting corona testing, the medical infrastructure of India allows 8000 samples to be tested in a day.
But, initially, not more than 90 tests have taken place. This was the first alarming sign. Probably, the government has failed to scale up the community spread.
Now, ICMR has started to expand testing after test kits have started to arrive. Some medical experts have placed their view on this statement the lack of data was one of the reasons. Asymptomatic people are not listed in any data at all.
They have not come forward for any tests. And, when the country is dealing rigorously with COVID 19 test for positive symptomatic patients, it seems pointless for them to walk that extra mile to track down the asymptomatic lot. And, that is one of the reasons why tests are not happening at all.
Conclusion
Italy has already proven the importance of mass testing. There were 3300 residents in a small town named Vo. And, they have not left a single person to be tested there. Affected people among them were being isolated and the rest were left to lead a normal life.
With this measure, they have successfully stopped any further spread within that village. This was just an instance of what could be done. If Italy could do it, India can do it as well. It is a matter of time and more awareness.
People who are having even the mildest symptoms of cough and cold should come forward, search the internet for "coronavirus test near me in India”, find out the most reliable clinic and get tested.
When it is the matter of the health and wellbeing of the people around you, you should be the one taking responsibility, play their part and make their country get higher ranks in the recovery sector as soon as possible.
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