COVID-19: Lessons From The Kanika Kapoor Saga

Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor's test results for COVID-19 returned positive sending waves of panic through the political system. Beginning with President Ramnath Kovind who is reportedly undergoing tests for novel coronavirus, several MPs and VIP politicians have put themselves under self-isolation.

Kanika Kapoor arrived in India from London on March 9. Importantly, she did not put herself under self-isolation in Mumbai itself and instead travelled to Lucknow on March 11. Though Kanika Kapoor claimed that she attended only one small family get together, videos which have surfaced and media reports on her presence at more than one event, suggest otherwise.

Dushyant Singh, son of former Rajasthan chief minister, Vasundhara Raje and his mother, attended one of the events. Both have had to put themselves in isolation.

Dushyant also underwent a test for Coronavirus. Moreover, he attended a breakfast meeting for MPs with President Ramnath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Trinamool Congress TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien placed himself under self- isolation after learning about Dushyant Singh since he sat next to him for 1 1/2 hours at a Parliamentary meeting, as he hold a TV channel. O'Brien claimed that there were at least 60 people including several MPs in the meeting. BJP Lok Sabha MP Varun Gandhi who also interacted with Darshan Singh has had to isolate himself.

Ironically enough, the health minister of UP, Jai Pratap Singh, who was present at one of the events attended by Kanika Kapoor is also under self-isolation. Others who attended the events are being traced and tested.

Lessons from the Kanika Kapoor case

• The UP government has rightly filed an FIR against the Bollywood singer.

• The underlying sense of entitlement and privilege which marks cases such as Kanika Kapoor and that of the Kolkata teen who avoided screening and isolation after returning from the UK, is disturbing, yet very real in our society.

• The only way forward is to act strictly invoking criminal provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 if required. This alone could prove to be a deterrent to others.

• At the same time, several reports have surfaced on social media, contradicting what Union Health Minister Dr Harshvardhan has been saying with regard to screening at airports. The system appears to be far from stringent, from some of the reports one has come across.

• As Prime Minister Modi told the nation in his televised address on Thursday, there is no room for complacency. Authorities and citizens must act with a complete sense of responsibility and dedication.

• Screening and quarantining of international passengers at airports must be mandatory and non-negotiable.

• Random testing by Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) for community spread must be scaled up.

• Section 144 should be imposed wherever necessary to prevent the spread of the virus through communities.

• As the PM said there is no need to panic, but at the same time one must take all necessary precautions—be it governments or citizens.

India has so far reported to 55 cases of India has so far reported to 55 cases of COVID-19. Five deaths due to novel coronavirus have been reported from across the country.