E-Paper
People’s movement needed against Covid-19, just like Swachh Bharat mission, says Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchhan posted a video as India is observing a 21-day lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus disease Covid-19, which has infected more than 4,00,000 people across the world.
The deadly Sars-CoV-2 virus can stay in the human excreta much longer than in respiratory samples, a Lancet study has said on spread of Covid-19.
“Evidence has shown that the SARS-CoV-2 can be found in faeces, and that stool samples can remain positive for the virus even when it is no longer detectable in the respiratory tract, suggesting the possibility of a faecal–oral route of transmission,” the study, published on March 16, said.
“This concept is supported by the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms in some patients affected by Covid-19,” it further said.
More on Covid-19:
• What to keep in mind for your money
• How difficult it is to maintain 1-metre distance
• How coronavirus is different from seasonal flu and common cold
This study was quoted by actor Amitabh Bachchan who posted a video on Wednesday and said that house flies, who sit on the excreta, can further transmit this disease. The video was retweeted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“If the house fly sits on this excreta and then on some food articles and spread the disease. So, it is very important that we start a people’s movement against this, just like we did under the leadership of the Prime Minister to make the country open defecation free,” Bachchan said in the video.
The government has imposed a lockdown on the entire country to check the spread of the virus. The 21-day lockdown was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address to the nation.
Long queues, crowded markets, and harassment of e-commerce and food delivery people by police departments seemingly unaware of what was allowed and what wasn’t, marked the first day of the three-week lockdown to cease the spread of the coronavirus disease Covid-19.
There were people thronging markets across the country on Wednesday as they stocked up for supplies before sheltering at home for three weeks to guard against the pandemic. In various cities, including in Delhi, people faced trouble reaching stores as policemen refused to let them pass, even beating up some despite the government’s assurances of no curbs on the purchase of essential items.
Several other who faced harassment said the police did not appear to be aware of the government’s advisory. People who did manage to reach local stores said they feared a worsening of the situation as stocks appeared to be depleted.
