Countering corona with 'smart' living (Column: Spy's Eye)

per cent, lead to fatality on account of virus complications as shown by the data. Many of these fatalities were attributable to the added vulnerability created by other illnesses in parallel. Gradually population might move towards 'herd immunity' that would help but the real 'cure' has to wait for invention of a vaccine against this virus. The learning from India's experience of corona pandemic is that public messaging should not only be about the rigour of clampdown but should also emphasise the assurance of the state that no body would be left in the lurch. This did not happen the result is that the pandemic might be remembered more for the man made tragedy of the migrants than any thing else.

(The writer is a former Director Intelligence Bureau)

( With inputs from IANS )