Looking into the continuing costs of India's COVID-19 policy, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• In March 2020, India implemented a strict 21-day nationwide lockdown with only four hours' notice to combat COVID-19.
• Logistical failures, particularly the disruption of transport, led to stranded passengers and oxygen supply chain issues.
• In 2021, India recorded 1.02 crore registered deaths, a 25.9% increase from the previous year, according to the Office of the Registrar General.
• A significant number of deaths went uncounted, including those of frontline workers and journalists.

Detailed Insights:

• The abrupt lockdown in 2020 caused immense disruption, especially for migrant workers due to the sudden suspension of transport services.
• Despite recommendations, only 38 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants were installed against a target of 500 when the second wave peaked, exacerbating the oxygen crisis.
• The books highlight the Indian state's tendency to overlook or undercount data it prefers not to acknowledge, including deaths and the struggles of frontline workers.
• Many people in villages perceived the pandemic as divine intervention rather than a failure of the state, which prevented it from becoming a significant poll issue.
• The core question raised by these accounts is whether the individuals bearing the brunt of policy failures have been adequately acknowledged and supported.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Lockdown: A restrictive measure involving the confinement of individuals to their homes or designated locations, typically enforced by authorities to control the spread of a disease.
• Universal Health Coverage: A healthcare system where all individuals and communities have access to quality health services without financial hardship.
• Excess Mortality: The difference between the number of deaths observed during a specific time period and the number of deaths expected under normal conditions.