"Seeing the ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases, nobody can predict when India will be free from this fatal virus. If you follow China, as an example, it took two and a half months. So, if we started in March, it should be decreased by the middle of May. I don’t know how much the weather is going to fully play because there is something called flu season and sometimes it has to come to an end. The main point whether this would come to an end, we don’t know.

The lockdown is a significant step taken by the Government, but they should have done this two week earlier. It is late but better late than never.

Data plays an important role, and we need to monitor the number of cases closely. Once the cases are stabilised, that will be the turning point.

The economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak will be severe. The government should come up with bailout packages for the severely hit sectors and incorporate a strategy for national economic recovery.

The health ministry should come out with a medical bulletin addressing the nation so that there is no spreading of the fake news among people. They should have proper messaging channels to spread awareness about COVID-19 to the rural population as there is high internal migration.

The government should ensure the availability of equipment required by the doctors and paramedical staff as ventilators and testing kits are needed in massive numbers to treat the infected patients. And this is high time they should strengthen the public health system."

- Dr BS Ajaikumar, Chairman & CEO, HealthCare Global Enterprises Limited