I've been following all press briefings by India’s health ministry and reading every press note on #COVID2019.
The government is stonewalling questions, not giving basic information.
Can all journalists – not just health reporters – amplify this #thread so we get clear answers?
The government is stonewalling questions, not giving basic information.
Can all journalists – not just health reporters – amplify this #thread so we get clear answers?
For starters, can we get daily statewise data on the number of people tested for Covid-19 and the number of positive cases?
States are sending regular updates to the Centre. But all we get is aggregate information like this twice a day.
States are sending regular updates to the Centre. But all we get is aggregate information like this twice a day.
Here is an example of how one state is reporting the data on testing.
Can all state governments be asked to put out such clear press releases?
Can all state governments be asked to put out such clear press releases?
Why does @MoHFW website have such a severe time lag in reporting cases confirmed by the states?
Even the ICMR statement at 10 am says 206 positive cases but ministry site shows only 195 as of noon.
Took 24 hours for the site to reflect Telangana cases!
Even the ICMR statement at 10 am says 206 positive cases but ministry site shows only 195 as of noon.
Took 24 hours for the site to reflect Telangana cases!
If we are just at the start of the curve of an epidemic, the government should create a clear dashboard showing daily data on the number of Covid-19 cases
*tested
*diagnosed
*admitted
*with details on recovery, discharge and deaths, if any
For EVERY state and EVERY district.
*tested
*diagnosed
*admitted
*with details on recovery, discharge and deaths, if any
For EVERY state and EVERY district.
The government continues to insist India is not seeing community transmission.
But for several cases it has not released information on how the patients got infected – no travel or contact history made clear.
We should demand that it gives clear information on EVERY case.
But for several cases it has not released information on how the patients got infected – no travel or contact history made clear.
We should demand that it gives clear information on EVERY case.
Health reporters have done everything possible to ask for information on the travel and contact history of the Covid-19 cases.
But the government has dodged and how.
Read this thread.
But the government has dodged and how.
Read this thread.
All this is BASIC information.
No complex questions.
The @MoHFW_INDIA was releasing such information initially but as the number of cases has risen, it has gone into an evasive mode.
What is it trying to hide?
No complex questions.
The @MoHFW_INDIA was releasing such information initially but as the number of cases has risen, it has gone into an evasive mode.
What is it trying to hide?
When even basic information is so hard to get, what hope do we have the government will tell us a couple of more facts:
*How many beds, ventilators, doctors, nurses ready to be deployed to fight #COVID2019 in every state
*How many beds, ventilators, doctors, nurses ready to be deployed to fight #COVID2019 in every state
Health reporters have put together a list of 10 questions on what has the government done in the two months it had to prepare for an outbreak.
scroll.in/article/956691…
Note to editors: This is published under Creative Commons. Please feel free to republish.
scroll.in/article/956691…
Note to editors: This is published under Creative Commons. Please feel free to republish.
Here are 10 questions published two days ago on how India is testing and tracking coronavirus cases.
The questions are still relevant – because sadly the government has still not expanded testing.
scroll.in/pulse/956559/c…
The questions are still relevant – because sadly the government has still not expanded testing.
scroll.in/pulse/956559/c…
Not all these questions are for @MoHFW alone.
Many can – and should – also be addressed to state and district authorities.
In fact, so far, we have got more information at the state level.
So hope these questions are a resource that journalists across the country can use.
Many can – and should – also be addressed to state and district authorities.
In fact, so far, we have got more information at the state level.
So hope these questions are a resource that journalists across the country can use.
I am not a health reporter. But all I have done over the last week is follow #Covid19 news.
This is what we could all end up doing for days, weeks, months.
Let's work together to build pressure on governments at all levels in India to tell us what exactly is going on.
This is what we could all end up doing for days, weeks, months.
Let's work together to build pressure on governments at all levels in India to tell us what exactly is going on.
