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India coronavirus: The 'mystery' of low Covid-19 death rates

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Re: India coronavirus: The 'mystery' of low Covid-19 death rates

#261

Post by danans »

oxymoran wrote: post #81

Maybe it’s because Americans are fat. Especially poor Americans who subsist on fast food and other junk. My guess would be that Indians in poverty are more likely starving than diabetic. Starving has its own health risks obviously, but being fat enough to impede your breathing isn’t one of them.

Obesity affects fatality rates, not infection rates, due to greater chance of respiratory obstruction in advanced cases of the disease.

It appears that infection rates in India are low at the moment. It's not entirely clear why, but it could be a combination of hot weather, their nationally imposed lockdown, and lack of testing.

Re: India coronavirus: The 'mystery' of low Covid-19 death rates

#263

Post by enraged_camel »

whoisjuan wrote: post #174
arihant wrote: post #150

This should not be a mystery at all. India locked down entire country (no state rights in Epidemics laws), despite federal structure. Very few things can be bought, even Amazon is only delivering "essentials." But more importantly, India has been contact tracing like a greedy algorithm on steroids since case #1. There was a positive case in a condo nearby mine. The entire condominium building and adjacent locality is…

I'm in Austin. There was a confirmed case in my building and the best we got was a vague email from the management saying that someone had it and that the person had used the mailroom the Saturday before (we got the email on a Wednesday).

Management is being vague on purpose, due to HIPAA.

Re: India coronavirus: The 'mystery' of low Covid-19 death rates

#264

Post by ignoramous »

vbezhenar wrote: post #102
i_have_to_speak wrote: post #2

Ah yet another cant-be-true-they're-hiding-something article? Surely they can't be doing better than developed countries? FWIW, India did implement a stronger lockdown much earlier on in the curve than other countries. State and federal authorities went lock-step in their actions, and with consistent messaging. Police enforced the lockdown at times even brutally, getting the point across to the general public. Indian…

I live in Kazakhstan and so far out country seems to be doing a right thing. We're heavily quarantined and I don't think that states are hiding anything. Economy implications of such a lockdown probably will be harsh, but that's a different thing. There was ill person in the building I'm living in and now entire building section just closed, nobody can go out and regular desinfections are performed (I don't think tha…

> Some western people just think that they are strictly superior everywhere to the developing countries.

The so-called western people, I'd argue, have the right mindset. I agree governments capable of draconian measures tend to do well when such behaviour control is desirable at a nationwide scale. That doesn't mean it is the only solution or even the best one.

I personally would pretty much prefer prevention, absent which, a measured, well thought-out, least disruptive policy around epidemics (I am looking at you South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam). Curtailing liberties, harsher restrictions, oppressive policing, regressive policies don't really fill me up with any sort of confidence. In fact, I worry that the citizens that are not just in acceptance of such a response, but in appraisal of it, are in for a grim reality-check when another unrest, epidemic or otherwise, rears its ugly head.

Re: India coronavirus: The 'mystery' of low Covid-19 death rates

#265

Post by Abishek_Muthian »

arihant wrote: post #150

This should not be a mystery at all. India locked down entire country (no state rights in Epidemics laws), despite federal structure. Very few things can be bought, even Amazon is only delivering "essentials." But more importantly, India has been contact tracing like a greedy algorithm on steroids since case #1. There was a positive case in a condo nearby mine. The entire condominium building and adjacent locality is…

And then there are city level containment zones for tiny colonies (say 3-4 km^2 Radius) when even a single case is detected, where nothing is allowed, groceries are delivered by authorities.

Then there are sub - total city wide lockdowns in certain states where absolutely no travel is allowed.

Lockdown limits can be increased by the states, but limits imposed by the center can't be diluted.

Overall, the reason is very clear as the parent says - Most extreme lockdown of any country (or) at-least compared to other countries where death rates are high; subsequently the cost being paid is extraordinarily high[1].

[1]https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22676312

Re: India coronavirus: The 'mystery' of low Covid-19 death rates

#266

Post by ramraj07 »

exhilaration wrote: post #183
ramraj07 wrote: post #18

I can give some ground level information. I live in a very densely populated street (total length is just two hundred meters, my guess is at least a thousand people live here). No one is dying here without others noticing. Further, there's a great amount of scrutiny into whether anyone's sick (see the reports of doctors getting beaten up even by the cops). As far as I know, no one has died in this street in a month.…

when people normally die, the first ritual is the blowing of a very loud horn in front of their house for an entire day. Haven't heard that in weeks. Could people be hiding deaths due to the stigma around COVID? Quietly taking their loved ones' bodies out of the neighborhood for funerals?

Never say never, but when I say crowded small street, I definitely mean it, nothing larger than a tote bag moves without gossip spreading, unless maybe at 3 am. So, perhaps? But I wouldn't bet much money on it personally! We will know in a few weeks though, if people are dying in our street, given the absolute lack of any distancing measures inside the streets (lockdown is only at a block level), more people should get very sick very soon.. hope not.

Re: India coronavirus: The 'mystery' of low Covid-19 death rates

#267

Post by webbrahmin »

arihant wrote: post #150

This should not be a mystery at all. India locked down entire country (no state rights in Epidemics laws), despite federal structure. Very few things can be bought, even Amazon is only delivering "essentials." But more importantly, India has been contact tracing like a greedy algorithm on steroids since case #1. There was a positive case in a condo nearby mine. The entire condominium building and adjacent locality is…

Do you live in Noida?

Re: India coronavirus: The 'mystery' of low Covid-19 death rates

#268

Post by edmundsauto »

enraged_camel wrote: post #263
whoisjuan wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm in Austin. There was a confirmed case in my building and the best we got was a vague email from the management saying that someone had it and that the person had used the mailroom the Saturday before (we got the email on a Wednesday).

Management is being vague on purpose, due to HIPAA.

HIPAA only covers health care providers, so does not apply to employers.

Re: India coronavirus: The 'mystery' of low Covid-19 death rates

#270

Post by ignoramous »

Bhilai wrote: post #206
i_have_to_speak wrote: post #2

Ah yet another cant-be-true-they're-hiding-something article? Surely they can't be doing better than developed countries? FWIW, India did implement a stronger lockdown much earlier on in the curve than other countries. State and federal authorities went lock-step in their actions, and with consistent messaging. Police enforced the lockdown at times even brutally, getting the point across to the general public. Indian…

Came here to say this. When compared to the Western world, India did fare well and its not a mystery. Though the lock-downs were brutal for many Indians, they were strictly implemented and most people had the sense to follow the procedures. No denying that economic repercussions will be brutal as well but not many lives were lost. In my hometown, there isn't a single active case of COVID19 and its essentially a "gree…

The Police, despite their shortcomings and inspite of their over-zealousness, must be commended. They really did show up for their country at the time of utmost need.
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