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Fauci advises India to marshal all resources, including Army, to fight Covid-19

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Fauci advises India to marshal all resources, including Army, to fight Covid-19

In an exclusive interview to PTI, Fauci, who is the Chief Medical Adviser to US President Joe Biden, also called for a nationwide lockdown, not necessarily for six months but “for a few weeks” to break the “continuity and transmission of infection.”

PTI | , Washington
PUBLISHED ON MAY 04, 2021 12:29 PM IST

AFP_98A3ZF_1619371957429_1620111450049.jpg

Dr. Fauci’s suggestions and dire assessment of India came as the number of new Covid infections in India officially passed 2 crore, almost double the number three months ago.(AFP Photo)

Terming the situation in India “very desperate”, America's top public health expert Dr Anthony Fauci has suggested the government marshal all its resources, including the armed forces, to immediately build makeshift field hospitals, and urged other countries to help with not only materials but also personnel.

In an exclusive interview to PTI, Fauci, who is the Chief Medical Adviser to US President Joe Biden, also called for a nationwide lockdown, not necessarily for six months but “for a few weeks” to break the “continuity and transmission of infection.”

Dr. Fauci’s suggestions and dire assessment of India came as the number of new Covid infections in India officially passed 2 crore, almost double the number three months ago. Of these more than 2,20,000 people have died, according to official figures.

In contrast, the United States has recorded 3.2 crore cases and 5,77,000 deaths in a population that’s one-fourth of India’s 120 crore since the pandemic began. Still, because of India’s inadequate healthcare infrastructure, weaker economy and lower standard of living, the suffering has been magnified, especially in the second wave that has led to a huge shortage of oxygen and hospital ICU beds.

The government says the infection rates have consistently dropped since April 30, when it recorded more than 400,000 cases. It reported over 355,000 cases on Tuesday.

“Given the fact that India is under such terrible stress right now with the extent of the outbreak, the rest of the world should pitch in to help, similar to what the United States is doing,” he said.

“The world can help by supplying India with materials, and perhaps even personnel, but certainly materials that they need to adequately address it (the pandemic),” he said.

The 80-year-old physician and immunologist, who serves as the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, on Monday also recommend mass vaccination to arrest the current spread of the deadly disease across India.

“Right now, they should start getting as many people vaccinated as they possibly can, with both the vaccines that they developed themselves in India as well as supplies of vaccines that they may be able to procure from other suppliers, be that the United States, be that Russia… whatever country is willing whenever companies are willing to supply vaccine,” Fauci said.

However, getting someone "vaccinated now" does not solve today's problem, he noted, adding that it helps prevent a problem several weeks from now.

The more immediate problem is how to care for and treat the thousands who are thronging overflowing hospitals across the country every day, in desperate need of oxygen and basic treatment.

“It is quite obvious to everyone that the situation in India is extremely serious," said Fauci, who is considered one of the world’s top infectious disease specialists.

“When you have so many people getting infected…the lack of the capability to take adequate care of everyone; when you have shortages of hospital beds and oxygen and shortages of supplies, that really becomes a very desperate situation. Which is the reason why we feel it's important for the rest of the world to help out, to the extent they can,” he said.

Fauci, who has been keeping a close tab on the worst health crisis in India, said there are certain things that India can do immediately, mid-term and long-term basis. He recommended taking the help of the country's armed forces to immediately build makeshift field hospitals. "You will recall, last year when China had a very serious problem, they marshalled their resources to very, very rapidly build new hospitals, to be able to handle all the people who required hospitalisation," he said.

Referring to media reports, he said there is a drastic shortage of hospital beds in India and people are being taken care of in makeshift arrangements.

"So, it would be possible, perhaps, with the help of your own military, to put up field hospitals as you would do as if in a wartime setting, so that people who are sick and require a hospital bed, will have a hospital bed," he said. He also underlined the need for a countrywide lockdown for a few weeks to arrest the spread of the virus.

“A few days ago, I recommended and I believe at least parts of India are doing it, that you shut down the country in lockdown,” he said.

"Because other countries, including for example what China did last year, what Australia did when they had an outbreak, what New Zealand did, what other countries did is to completely lock down for a relatively limited period of time. You don't have to lock down for six months. You can lock down for a few weeks,” Fauci suggested.

He explained that when a lockdown in imposed, it definitely interferes with the dynamics of the viral outbreak and you could interfere with the continuity and the transmission of infection, the top immunologist noted, citing the experience gained by other countries.

Responding to a question whether the current surge in infections in India posed a threat to other countries, Fauci said, “Well, I mean, obviously, when you have a massive amount of infection in one country there's always a risk of infections.

“You want to be careful that that doesn't spread widely elsewhere,” Fauci added.

"We are very sorry that India is going through this very, very difficult time. And that's the reason why we know we are in great solidarity with them and trying to do whatever we can to help them," Fauci said, referring to the Biden administration rushing medical equipment and life-saving drugs to India to help it fight the pandemic..


- PRTP GWD
 
Poverty and population is the main reason why corona in India can't be controlled. Pakistan is a little better condition, medical facilities are better and the Chinese vaccine is pouring in. Plus, Pakistani are born voluteer in any calamity.
 
So reminiscent of @jamahir.

- PRTP GWD

Well, thank you. And I agree with Dr. Fauci, not only in the immediate sense of getting the armed forces to pitch in to help like they were able to work out the logistics in Ladakh last year against China but also in the long-term sense that the Indian armed forces should have decades ago intervened in the political functioning of the Indian system by enabling the progressives to achieve governance like has happened in Russia, Egypt, Libya, Venezuela etc.

Poverty and population is the main reason why corona in India can't be controlled.

Material development in India is very uneven. There are billionaires like Mukesh Ambani with his 27-storey "house" and 600 staff members just for that building, to Indians who live on the street and die of diseases not because there is no cure but that they don't have money to get cured.

India needs a revolution. And the armed forces can help in that.
 
Modi will grant the Indian army another Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) to kill and torture covid-19 and its whole family of viruses just like they do in Kashmir and northeast seven sisters.
 
Well, thank you. And I agree with Dr. Fauci, not only in the immediate sense of getting the armed forces to pitch in to help like they were able to work out the logistics in Ladakh last year against China but also in the long-term sense that the Indian armed forces should have decades ago intervened in the political functioning of the Indian system by enabling the progressives to achieve governance like has happened in Russia, Egypt, Libya, Venezuela etc.



Material development in India is very uneven. There are billionaires like Mukesh Ambani with his 27-storey "house" and 600 staff members just for that building, to Indians who live on the street and die of diseases not because there is no cure but that they don't have money to get cured.

India needs a revolution. And the armed forces can help in that.
Sure it will be done once the border problems are resolved. Till then give your advice to Pakistan and China. No double standards.

- PRTP GWD
 
Sure it will be done once the border problems are resolved. Till then give your advice to Pakistan and China. No double standards.

- PRTP GWD

Agreed. But for practicality about China there can be the armed forces contingents continued to be deployed in Ladakh and other parts of the India-China border. About Pakistan the Indian Establishment can pursue a political, diplomatic solution to peace like I have humbly presented in this thread.

I am logging-off now. Any reply from you I will reply tomorrow.
 
Agreed. But for practicality about China there can be the armed forces contingents continued to be deployed in Ladakh and other parts of the India-China border. About Pakistan the Indian Establishment can pursue a political, diplomatic solution to peace like I have humbly presented in this thread.

I am logging-off now. Any reply from you I will reply tomorrow.
Prima facie USA and Saudis have restarted their support to Pakistan. The line that comes to mind is:

sarfaroshī kī tamannā ab hamāre dil meñ hai

dekhnā hai zor kitnā bāzū-e-qātil meñ hai

- PRTP GWD
 
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