We are in the midst of a viral pandemic. In India, Kerala is the first state where Corona case surfaced As things stand now, the scale of spread and infection in Kerala has put us on the top of the chart.

Even though our state government proactively closed schools, shopping malls to curb the chances of infection, we still have positive cases popping up every day.

In one case, a foreigner staying in Varkala tested positive. He had mixed many locals and all of them are now potential carriers and thus under isolation.

Another positive test result was closer home – from a doctor who works with Sree Chitra Medical Sciences. He presumably contracted the virus when he went to Spain. After his return, he resumed his work, interacting with other doctors and staff.
The bulletin published by the Covid-19 tracking team’s showed that he visited Bismi Hotel in Kumarapuram, a small restaurant which makes good chicken fry and barotta. As per the latest updates, Corona test conducted on the doctors in the hospital has come out as negative. Whew!

Disha Helpline for Corona Support in Kerala – Corona Helpline Phone 1056 or 0471- 2552056

One thing Kerala has an advantage over other states is our testing facilities, hospitals, and systems. Most facilities were set-up after Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala. Another plus factor to our advantage is the Kerala’s heath care team, lead by the Heath Minister. Also, the CM of the state has shown exemplary leadership during this crisis period.

Every evening, CM comes live on TV with the briefing on the day’s status. Most listeners wants to know one thing – how many cases today. Numbers is what each one of us are concerned. How many more infected today, how many discharged and how’s the distribution of food and provisions.

All the updates on Corona Virus is available on Health Services Site. Also a flow chart of places visited by each infected people is tracked and published on the site.

Where We Missed our Footing!
When Corona cases started to surge in Wuhan, we all were busy sharing Corona jokes on Whatsapp. It was like tsunami hiring Indonesia, but we didn’t take any precaution or the chances of it reaching our shores. Same way, we didn’t screen or isolate passengers landing in our country.

We let go the opportunity to filter the virus at the entry point. If we had a screening or tracked them, we could have cut the spread to a half or less.

This was lapse in our part – a state known for a large influx of people coming from all corners of the world. Now that window of opportunity is gone, all we can do is take this lessons and keep this in our training manual.

Tip of the Iceberg – Stage 1 ( Cases imported from affected Countries)

Wikipedia page on Corona in Kerala shows a detailed count of COVID-19 cases in Kerala. Another site to see the spread of pandemic is https://bing.com/covid?ref=producthunt.

Support for Healthcare Staff Fighting Covid-19 and Funds for the Government
Now as we move towards more stricter control and checks, we have to remember that our limited pool of healthcare team is getting worked out. I hope more volunteers join hands to support their activities.

We owe a lot to doctors, administrators, nurses, and many front line staff in Government Hospitals like Ambulance drivers, cleaners, attenders, etc.

How can we thank the hard working staff in our primary health centres and government hospitals?

Here’s my wish – after the pandemic dies down, each person who worked in this effort should be compensated with a monetary reward and a thank you letter. This should be distributed later in a public function in each locality. Imagine if every one who worked and helped us sail through this phase is given 50K! Wish I was a millionaire!

Handing out money for the hard work is not the only thing. It could also be a letter of appreciation to each one. Btw, 50k is just a suggestion. It can go high, or as said earlier, it could be a gesture from the public or government.

While writing this, I was thinking of the bank staff who worked a lot during the demonetization time. While public was agitated, they worked extra hours to put things back on track. I wonder if they got any cash compensation for the extra hours for their hard work.

Time for Support – Voluntary Donation to Support Corona Virus Team

Luckily, we have a proactive government which is a lead by Kerala health minister KK Shailaja who is working from the front to stall it’s spread.

Today as I write, I saw the tweet by our Chief Minister saying that the jail inmates have made thousands of face mask to fill in the shortage of these in the market. There was another news that hand sanitizers too are made in jails.

Support Kerala Government – Donation, Volunteering, Funding

1. Donate to CM’s Fund
We need more money to run the team, buy test kits, equipment and many other medical supplies, masks, sanitizer, food etc.

Contribution to Chief Minister’s Fund is always welcome. One more reason for funding is that in this novel times, tax flow supply is cut off.

Film stars, business people, philanthropists, can set an example with a generous donation for supporting activities to contain the spread.
As on today, ( 28th March, there are news about donation by Dhoni, Akshay Kumar, Yusuf Ali ( Lulu Mall) and many others. And the biggest bounty today is from Tatas which has set aside a largess of 500 crores towards material and equipment.

2. Hand Wash Facilities ( At bus stops, junctions, hospitals)

From the time the news of outbreak came, I was thinking of this – install temporary wash area with liquid hand soap for public to wash and clean their hands. ( If I had enough cash, I would have been the first one to set one at MCH Tvm)

The unit will look like a typical portable washbasin, but the water tap and hand soap should work either by using feet pedal or by some automatic hand gesture mode.

Who can take it up? Companies which manufacture soaps, liquid soaps, hand sanitizers like Dettol or Lifebuoy, Lux, 3M or any company can sponsor each at every hospital or in a public park.

Apart from liquid soap companies, tissue making companies can spend a part of the current surge earning to give something back to the society. What do you say?

3. Hand Washing Best Practices by Celebrities, Politicians

Every crisis opens doors to new leaning, and habits. Having said, habits are not easy to break in a day or in few days.

For example, spitting on the road comes naturally for us, washing of hands is a one-second operation, we sneeze out loudly in the open without any qualms. Another common trait of Indians is that we are blind towards the waste which lies outside our house compound.

All such habits stand against the break-the-chain drive. Do you think we can surmount the sticky habits, unlearn and bring a change?

Also, we mallus ( Shameless me) have the habit of picking nose or nor we regularly wash hands after going to pee.

The point is, this could be the TIME to start a new habit or hygiene culture among mallus. And, better if we have someone who can lead or champion this cause. Probably a celebrity or you!

It could be a cine star, a Politician like Sashi Tharoor, or the current Health Minister who’s spearheading the fight against Covid or a College Principal or much loved teacher or a cricketer, a scientist, or a YouTuber with lakhs of followers like Lakshmi Nair or Veena’s Curry World, or Mallu Traveler or Fishing Freaks.

My suggestion is this – make use of your fans on social sites and show us on how to adopt a new habit. A simple video on how to hand-wash or how to keep a safe distance or how to cover face while sneezing or a diy tutorial to make hand sanitizer, etc.

What if this million subscriber YouTuber M4 Tech uploads a video on how to make hand sanitizer at home? Definitely, it will attract scores of eyeballs, or a fellow like me can share a tips or so to my blog visitors.

4. Provide Vehicle and Petrol for Health Care

How about supporting the state’s operation by providing manpower and vehicles.

During the food operation, many people volunteered to run their cars and jeep for the voluntary relief work. However, this time, I haven’t seen any such volunteering. Probably, government hasn’t appealed to the public for this.

It’s like this – Will we wait for a close friend or relative to ask for financial help when we know that there’s a need or do we just volunteer? Well, if we don’t want to help, we usually pretend that there’s no need for us to ask or pitch in.

I guess this is the scenario now. Those who can afford to spare vehicles, or provide their time, skill or expertize can do so without being asked for.

Anyone can pitch in! Who can contribute

1. Clubs and Voluntary organization ( Rotary, Lions, Round Table, etc)
2. Religious Sects
3. College Unions
4. NRI Units in US etc
5. Business, IT companies
6. Friends

Imagine, if private cars with drivers pick and drop hospital staff and doctors to their home! Won’t that make their lives easier. It will be a big help for them, much more than just clanging the steel plates to show our support.

Apart from letting a car for this cause, anyone can donate few hundreds to thousands rupees worth of petrol for department vehicles or full tank petrol for a two wheeler owned by hospital staff.

I may sound a bit desperate while writing this, but I feel anything towards this mission will be a blessing to the people on the front lines and to our state.

5. Free Food for Hospital Staff and Health Care Officials

Imagine if a group of home-chefs decides to give free lunch and dinner for people who are working in the Medical College or General Hospital in Trivandrum! It would be such a relief for them to have a tasty meal, without worrying about packing food from home or getting food from canteen.

Facebook Groups in Trivandrum with large following can pool in resources or cash to help people in need.

6. Monetary Support to Daily Workers

Who’s going to take care of daily wage earners who have lost jobs due to this crisis. And these are people who have to depend on daily earning to run their household. Another fact is many of maids working in houses have been told to stop their services till everything settles down.

Today in Her Trivandrum ( a Facebook Group ), one member posted a query about this topic “How will a maid who is told asked to stop her service, manage her house”? How about daily food – after a week, or a day after? Will the employer compensate a part or full salary for the days she’s at home.

In fact, we asked our cook not to come for few days till we see some light in this problem. How will she manage her things at home? We too thought about it today? Should we give her cash or buy her provisions.

There are many like her, those who are directly employee and those whose money source will be cut with this crisis. Know one will know about these people. Will any NGO or a club like Lions or Rotary or a group of friends come together to provide daily food to these people?

There was news that Kudambasree has started community kitchen to make food packets for the needy. However, there will be many who will be missed in the list. I guess, there should a site wherein anyone can recommend a person ( with address details) and write why that family requires food and financial assistance.

7. Social Media Propaganda of Celebrities

This post is for all our stars ( from Mohan Lal, Mamooty to the new generation stars like Nivin pauly, Tovino thomas ( Flood time champion) or Parvathy and many other stars who have big following on Facebook, Instagram.

Now is the time for them to post Corona virus prevention methods like social distancing or breaking the chain. I guess, many of them must have posted on this walls. However, we need more talk, more shares of this topic. And when celebrities talk, fans will listen.

Corona Viral Invasion Update – Thursday ( 19/3/2020)

Prime Minister addressed the nation about the collective measures we should take together to fight this viral spread. He proposed that Sunday for Janatha curfew.

Latest News on Friday ( 20/3/2020)
Reports are coming in that Italy had one of the worst death rates after the outbreak of this viral flu. About 500 people passed way on this day

Saturday ( 21/3/2020) – Spike in Positive Cases in Kerala

Today the number of new positive cases in Kerala leaped the cont from 27 to 40. Also, after the discovered of few more cases, now the total number of infected people in the state is 50. Most of the cases were from Kasargod.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra continues to top the charts with over 60 positive cases. Source: Wikipedia

22/3/20 Update ( Janata Curfew )

Today is Janata curfew in India. Road looks almost deserted, except for occasional vehicle. No people walking by. It’s a good sign and a good measure. However, we need such a curfew for a week or more. It’s not a time for a small sacrifice. It’s just a matter for two weeks and we can bounce back to normalcy.

There’s no let down in Italy. Today more number of death reported from Italy crossing the 500 mark. “reports 5,560 new cases of coronavirus and 651 new deaths”. We are all hopping that the curve flattens in Italy and that would be the real hope.

23/3/20 Positive cases hops to new levels in Maharashtra

It was an unusually hot day morning. After the morning walk, I felt too drained, tired and tee shirt drenched in sweat. Even at 9 in the morning there was hardly any direct sunlight as the clouds had covered it all.
A friend just called me to say that Maharashtra had more numbers reporting. And he hung up. I scramble to see the dashboard on Wiki Page and the worst fears are becoming true. As Kerala numbers reached closed to Maharashtra yesterday, it was the their turn to leap forward to top the chart with 91 cases.

26/3/20
We are in day 2 of the 21 day lock-down phase. In every junction cops are stopping scooters and cars and asking them whereabouts of their travel. Each of these days are crucial in stopping the spread of this viral flu.

28/3/20
Today’s update from CM is not good for Trivandrum. We have new cases which has tested positive. Also, a new case which is from Kollam.

As I was listening to CM’s address, I was thinking of the non-Keralities who are staying in our state and watching his update. So, for the sake all those people, it would be good if there’s are English transcript of the speech for everyone to know the preparedness of the state and the latest count.

29/3/20
Today another problem broke out. This time it was the spill off effect of the Coronoa Virus and some rumor which was spread among migrant workers. I just heard bits and pies from whatsapp messages. Not sure about the entire story. However, I thought of another way to address this issue and bring out a communication channel with the migrant workers in Kerala. More details on this blog.

CM’s evening TV telecast has become the go-to news for all of us. Each day, we anxiously wait to hear some good news of numbers going down. But, today too it was the similar story. New cases are now popping up in Trivandrum.

30/3/20
Few days back I read a news about a instant test kit made by a Pune based firm. The news was on BBC’s site and I was thrilled. And, I guess it made all us feel proud and relieved. Now, it’s been more than 2-3 days, and now further news is forthcoming. Is it not approved or is it still under the approval stage?

This is the time we require a quick test kit and it will be the only hope to screen our masses and quarantine the infected people.

3/4/20

Still there are new cases reported everyday in Kerala. Today, there was dip in the number of new Corona positive cases across the state. Also, Kerala has slipped to fourth place in the list of states with Corona patients.

Today, I had an epiphany moment ( rush of bad ideas) on how services can be improved with regard to distribution of Milk by Milma and Mobile Apps for KSRTC. I’ll post it separately on a blog.

13/3/20
In today’s update from CM of Kerala, we had three fresh cases. After his update, a reporter was asking about the state’s preparedness to quarantine people reaching from Gulf region. He stated that arrangements are made. Also, one hotel called Ramada has given their hotel as a quarantine location. First hotel to do so in Kerala.