The health apparatus seems to be feverishly trying to slow down the possible community-level spread of COVID-19 infection in the State in the coming weeks. This has, however, reportedly slackened routine immunisation campaigns as well as preventive steps to counter seasonal infections such as dengue fever.
According to experts, the COVID-19 infection could spread at three levels. At the first level, it will affect only those who had visited infected countries. Those who had been in touch with them, termed as primary contacts, stand a chance of getting the infection at the second level. At the third level, it may spread among those who interacted with the second group. This phase is called local spread. If the infection spreads beyond this level, it is called community spread.
A senior official in the Health Department, who wished not to be quoted, told The Hindu on Tuesday that local spread and community spread cannot be stopped in the State, though efforts were on to reduce its pace to buy time. It might happen in the coming weeks.
Slow pace
“A lot of routine works that used to happen during these months are now moving at a slow pace. It is not deliberate. For the past two years, prevention measures against dengue fever used to begin in January. It had been showing results in 2018 and 2019 when the number of cases and deaths dropped drastically. However, the attention of health workers is diverted now,” K.K. Purushothaman, Professor of Paediatrics, Government Medical College, Thrissur, pointed out.
Management of non-communicable diseases, their monitoring and surveillance, have also been affected. “Senior citizens, who constitute about 15% of the population in Kerala, especially those who have other health conditions, are susceptible to COVID-19. Unless these other conditions are controlled, they are likely to get infected. There should be a thrust on the geriatric population in the coming weeks, along with a stress on non-communicable diseases to maintain their health condition,” Dr. Purushothaman said.
Another area of concern is children’s health. Dr. Purushothaman pointed out that special attention should be paid to the nutritional demands of children from the marginalised sections. “Efforts to improve the nutritional levels of children as also their immunity are sluggish now. People are hesitant to take kids to hospitals to avoid possible infection. The strategy of immunisation in this epidemic period should be modified. If another episode of diphtheria or measles comes, that would have dire consequences,” he added.
