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The COVID-19 Paradox in South Asia - IASToppers
The COVID-19 Paradox in South Asia - IASToppers
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Editorial Notes
[Editorial Notes] The COVID-19 paradox in South Asia
It is surprising that South Asia has far fewer infections and deaths compared with North America and Western
Europe.
By IASToppers
April 24, 2020
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Contents
Introduction
Why South Asia has less infection and death than Western countries?
A possible hypothesis
Impact of lockdowns on Lives and livelihoods
Conclusion
Introduction
Income per capita in South Asia is just 16% that of the world, and a
mere 4% of that in industrialised countries.
One-third of the world’s poor live in South Asia, so absolute poverty is
high and nutrition levels are low.
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Why South Asia has less infection and death than Western
countries?
Past experience of the Spanish influenza in 1918, when India accounted for 18-20 million of the estimated 50 million
deaths in the world would have led to the opposite conclusion.
Lockdowns
The lockdown in India is perhaps among the most stringent in the world.
The common purpose was to break the chain of transmission through
physical distancing, which has two dimensions.
For one, it confined people to their homes. But this created physical
distancing only for the privileged living in homes that have spaces and
doors. It was impossible for migrant workers where they lived in
cramped spaces.
For another, it meant that people could not move within cities or across
States. It did strangle potential chains of community transmission,
reducing the geographical spread of the virus through contagion, and
flattening the curve.
A possible hypothesis
However, other countries which have imposed lockdowns, say in Western Europe, with public health systems that are
far superior, have not managed to slow down the spread in the number of infections as much.
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Obviously, lockdowns have also mitigated the spread. In doing so, they
have saved lives, but at the same time, they have also taken away
livelihoods.
In South Asian countries, almost 90% of the workforce is made up of
the self-employed, casual labour on daily wages, and informal workers
without any social protection.
The lockdowns have meant that hundreds of millions of people who
have lost their jobs, hence incomes, have been deprived of their
livelihoods.
This impose a disproportionate burden on the poor and those who
survive just above the poverty line. For them, the trade-off between
getting sick and going hungry is no choice.
Conclusion
On April 20, the total number of infections in US is 21.7% of the world total while it is 0.33% for India. As of now, South
Asia, with a share of 23.4% in world population, accounted for 1.25% of infections and 0.5% of COVID-19 deaths in the
world.
This shows effective steps taken by south Asian countries to slow down the spread of COVID-19.
However, it is plausible to argue that, South Asian countries are in the early stages where community transmission has
not gathered momentum. An explosive growth in infection numbers could yet surface later.
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Hence, it is time for South Asia to start investing in strengthening the public health system. Any aspirations for an
increase in GDP allocation should be prioritised for the public health system, towards preventing diseases and promoting
health.
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