ISSN: 2642-6250
Authors: Suresh K*
A pandemic, by definition, represents worldwide, simultaneous epidemics caused by a novel pathogen. The multinational nature of such an event inevitably leads to cross-national comparisons of epidemic growth, impact, and public health response. The intercountry comparisons are vulnerable to attribution of individual-level outcomes to aggregate exposures. Age is one such confounder known to be associated with COVID-19 severity and case fatality. As the countries like Japan, Italy, France, UK, USA have disadvantage of skewed population of elderly, India on the other hand has comparatively younger adults more. On 3 August 2020, the 73rd World Health Assembly endorsed 2020-2030 as ‘The Decade of Healthy Ageing’-a process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables wellbeing in older age. The 2020 observance is expected to promote a Global Strategy and Action plan and monitor the progress and challenges in their realization by countries. The SARS COV 2 virus that causes COVID-19 infects people of all ages. However, evidence to date suggests that two groups of people are at a higher risk of getting severe COVID-19 disease. These are older people over 60 years and those with underlying medical conditions. As per UN estimates the current (2019) share of population over the age of 60 in India is 8 % and is projected to increase to nearly 20 percent by 2050. The reported share of Covid 19 cases as of first week August 2020 was 12% and proportion of fatalities was 50% in that age group largest among all age cohorts. Those older than 75 form 2% of India’s population but account for 14% of the total Covid deaths. Covid 19 Pandemic worldwide is prolonging for more than 6 months, second peaks are being witnessed already in some countries and expected in India by December 2020 due winter and stubble burning in North India,. With no definitive treatment protocol, over-stretched health system and uncertainties of vaccine availability to common population. I suspect it will be a big challenge to the objective of Decade (2020-2030) of Health Ageing. This article presents an early overview of the observed and potential impacts of the COVID-19 on the Global Healthy Ageing Decade commitments. I argue that the effects of COVID-19 are determined mainly by anthropogenic factors. Most Public Health Professionals opine that the impact of higher case fatality among senior citizens will continue to have on the quality of the elderly at least for this decade. Most elderly with comorbidities will succumb and those who survive through the pandemic will continue to be healthier and be well equipped to face future pandemics if any. Materials & Methodology: For this paper, the National, Covid-19 cumulative unreleased data of infection, cases, and death by August 2020 from the MOH&FW, GOI has been used. I also accessed print media especially Times of India, Hindustan Times, and Live Mint, all state capital editions. Data of aged population was taken from UN estimation, age composition and Covid 19 data by countries from https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/ and CIA Factbook, 2020 has been used.
Keywords: Covid19 Pandemic; Elderly Population; Comorbidities; Attack Rates; Case Fatality Rates; Mental Illnesses; Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome; Strokes and Cardio-Vascular Injuries
