Government think tank Niti Aayog in association with Piramal Foundation — the philanthropic arm of the Piramal Group — has launched a campaign ‘Surakshit Dada-Dadi & Nana-Nani Abhiyan’ focussed on ensuring wellbeing of senior citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The campaign will reach over 2.9 million senior citizens in 25 #AspirationalDistricts across Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, MP, Maharashtra, Rajasthan & UP; focusing on behaviour change, access to services, early detection & tracking of #COVID19 symptoms.#ApnoKaDhyaan,” the Aayog tweeted.
‘Surakshit Dada-Dadi & Nana-Nani Abhiyan’ is aimed at creating awareness about various aspects of senior citizens’ health and lifestyle including preventive measures and requisite behavioral changes in view of COVID-19 pandemic.
Research published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases argues that the maximum death rate of Covid-19 in the under-60 population could be 1.5 per cent. The infection fatality rate for Covid-19 patients aged 60 and above, based on the same parameters, could be as high as 12 per cent.
To be sure, this research uses data from China to draw up models of what could happen in the rest of the world, but the age-based data is concerning.
The World Health Organization also said that the novel coronavirus is 10 times more deadly than swine flu, also called H1N1, which caused a global pandemic in 2009, the World Health Organization said on Monday, calling for control measures to be lifted “slowly”
The fact is that people over 60 who contract Covid-19 are likely to fall severely sick, need hospitalisation and could even die. Early data from India’s health ministry corroborates this: on April 6, 2020, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health Lav Agarwal said people aged 60 years and above comprised 19 per cent of Covid-19 confirmed cases but they accounted for a staggering 63 per cent of deaths in India up until then.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in association with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has already issued an advisory for the well-being of 16 crore senior citizens across India and help them deal with COVID-19.
Senior citizens who are aged above 60 years and especially those with medical conditions, such as chronic respiratory disease, heart, liver and kidney disease, neurologic conditions, diabetes, hypertension and cancer, are particularly susceptible to infections during these times.
Research shows that at least 20 per cent of Indians are living with chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension. (Though this article focuses mainly on the elderly, people with lifestyle/chronic disease are also at risk of severe symptoms if they get Covid-19)
Do’s and Dont’s for the Senior Citizens
The Health Ministry along with Department of Geriatric Medicine, AIIMS, Delhi has prepared a list of Do’s and Dont’s for the senior citizens.
Senior citizens are clearly advised to refrain from the following:
· Come in close contact with those displaying symptoms of coronavirus disease
· Cough or sneeze into bare hands
· Touch eyes, face and nose
· Shake hand or hug friends
· Visit crowded places such as parks, markets
· Self-medicate
· Visit hospital for routine check-up
The guidelines to be practiced and observed by senior citizens to fight the disease include staying at home, avoid visitors and gatherings, maintain hygiene, wash hands before and after meals, sneeze and cough into tissue paper and handkerchief,and keep monitoring one’s health.
