The finding that almost one-third of Delhi has been exposed to Covid-19 and developed antibodies is helpful information about the extent of infection spread. More cities and coronavirus hotspots need to conduct similar sero surveys so that a clearer picture emerges and resumption of economic activities can be efficiently planned.
Almost 30% in Delhi and Punjab, 40% in Bombay, 50% in Poona. The figures are too high and the geographical dispersal is too wide to claim either that there is no community spread or that the lockdown has been successful. Without semantics and hairsplitting, what Dr Ramanan Laxminarayan had told Ms Barkha Dutt on 21st March seems to have come true. It is God’s grace, with so many Indians affected, the number of fatalities is still about 53,000. It is for the scientists advising the government to analyse these numbers, plot the future strategy, including testing and more serological surveys. However, what the government now really needs to do is to discard stringent lockdowns as the core strategy to block further community spread. Open up the economy with confidence and due precautions.