“If 9/11 was a new chapter,Coronavirus is a new book”,says Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi

Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi in a dialogue on the coronavirus crisis with renowned public healthcare expert Dr Ashish Jha of Brown University and epidemiologist, Professor Johan Geisecke of Karolinska Institute in Sweden, pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic appeared to operate at the level of the healthcare system and was simultaneously attacking existing global structures.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday that the Covid-19 crisis will change the existing structure and order in the world.

Globally, the virus is operating at two levels: First, at the healthcare level and secondly, by attacking the global structures. If you look at the places which are most affected, they all are the nerve centres of globalisation. I am convinced that we will have a new world after this. People say 9/11 was a new chapter. Well, this is a new book,” Gandhi said.

Gandhi was holding a dialogue on the Covid-19 crisis with global public healthcare expert Dr Ashish Jha and epidemiologist, professor Johan Geisecke of the Karolinska Institute, Sweden.

“I have a sense that large urban centres will be hurt badly. People will have to come together and realise that you can’t fight this disease as different communities, different religions or different genders,” said the former Congress president.

“We have to prepare ourselves for significant pain,” he added.

Speaking on the extreme temperature in India and its effect on the coronavirus, Professor Jha said, “It is not evidence I would bank on.”

He also said that the only way to stop the spread of the virus is to increase the testing capacity. The Harvard University professor also dismissed reports that Indians are immune to the virus because of the vaccinations that they get.

“I am sceptical that BCG vaccine can act as mediator. There is very less evidence about that, I would not make a policy based on that evidence,” said professor Jha.

The conversation is part of a series of dialogues that Gandhi is holding with global and Indian thought leaders to discuss the Covid-19 crisis and its consequences on the Indian economy.