Global health experts on Wednesday said novel coronavirus is here to stay for more than a year and called for aggressive testing to prevent its spread.
In an interaction with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, health experts Professor Ashish Jha and Professor Johan Giesecke talked about the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the series being aired on Congress social media channels.
While Jha exuded confidence that a vaccine will be available in a year's time, Prof Giesecke said India should practice a lockdown that is as 'soft' as possible, as a severe lockdown will ruin its economy very quickly.
"When the economy is opened up after lockdown, you have to create confidence among people," Harvard health expert Ashish Jha told Gandhi.
Jha is a professor of Global Health at TH Chan School of Public Health and Director, Harvard Global Health institute.
He said coronavirus is a '12-18 months' problem and the world is not going to be free of this till 2021.
The expert also called for the need for aggressive testing strategy for high-risk areas.
Gandhi, while interacting with the experts, said life is going to change post COVID-19.
"If 9/11 was a new chapter, this will be a new book," he remarked.
Professor Johan Giesecke, former chief scientist, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said India should have a 'soft lockdown'.
"The situation that India is in, I think, you should have a soft lockdown, as soft as possible," he said.
"I think for India, you will ruin your economy very quickly if you have a severe lockdown. It is better, skip the lockdown, take care of the old and the frail...," he noted.
Comments
dear HINDU Brothers And Dear Muslim Brothers kindly Aware of Amit shah dont listen his anit religious speech , his main intention is to divide hindus and muslims in mangalore like gujrath please tiz is my request with mangalorean public
Attention Mangaloreans: Plz hoard essential foods items, Mr.Amit shah on his way to Mangalore to create fasaad.
shah need beef chilly so visitng mangalore
Phir se aaraha hai mangalore me aag lagana, bechare hindu bhaiyion ku bhadka kar hindu muslim ke naam par jhagda karane aaraha hai...... bachke rehna bhayiyon mama aaraha hai
Amit shah suffering from poll fever
BJP will win in karnataka this time.. We will work for that..
Shah always comes with a hidden agenda
Great... we are waiting for the arrival. We are so honoured to welcome you
Shah's previous visit was not so effective. may be the same aim this time also
Communal shah visiting Mangalore to divide mangaloreans.. protest
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