On Tuesday, author Chetan Bhagat shared an interesting tweet where he drew parallels between the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 and tuberculosis, a disease that has plagued India for many years.
“Cases: 2.79 million/year Deaths: 435k /year That's not Corona. That's TB in India, how it is usually, 1100 deaths a day. Except, you don't get daily case scores, world doesn't panic about it. And even though it transmits thru air, we don't do lockdowns for it,” Bhagat tweeted.
Bhagat’s tweet makes partial sense. In 2018, government data showed that nearly 27 lakh people in the country suffered from tuberculosis. Of these, nearly 4.5 lakh deaths were reported. In comparison, coronavirus has 4,858 reported cases with 132 deaths, as per data provided by Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus tracker.
However, the truth is completely different
However, if you’re not aware of what’s happening in the world, it’s highly likely that you may agree with Bhagat’s analysis.
To understand where Bhagat has gone wrong, let’s understand the fundamentals: What is the difference between pulmonary tuberculosis and coronavirus?
For starters, tuberculosis is caused by a bacteria, while coronavirus is caused by a virus. Both affect the respiratory cells in different ways.
As we know, pulmonary tuberculosis is airborne, which basically means that you can catch the infection if you inhale air. Studies have even shown that the bacilli can stay airborne for up to six hours in still air. Movement of the air such as open widows and well-ventilated spaces and exposure to direct sunlight can destroy the bacilli. Furthermore, your age (infant or over 60), the strength of your immune system (whether you are malnourished or have HIV), and your habits (heavy smoking and drinking) are some of the factors that increase the chance of an individual contracting tuberculosis.
On the other hand, the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 is spread by droplets and not through the air. In essence, if someone with the infection sneezes or coughs, the droplets become airborne immediately and spread in multiple directions. Evidence also shows that unlike the TB bacilli that has a six-hour shelf live, COVID-19 can survive for many hours, which is why everyone has stressed on the importance of washing hands, not touching the face, and adhering to social distancing. Furthermore, your habits, food type and gender do not have any role to play when you contract coronavirus, even though more men have contracted the disease in India than women.
Medication
Someone infected with tuberculosis is immediately treated with a combination of rifampicin and isoniazid for a specific period that can last between six months and a year. There are also medicines that have been administered to individuals who have developed resistance to the combination drugs.
In the case of coronavirus, there are only suggestions at the moment. While some nations have prescribed ibuprofen, countries like India, the United States and France have recommended the use of hydroxychloroquine, a drug that is usually used to treat malaria, as a method to treat the disease. There is, however, no scientific proof for any of the medicines recommended by governments across the world.
Vaccination
Tuberculosis has the BCG vaccine, which is administered to ensure individuals do not contract the disease. The vaccine is 70 to 80 per cent effective against the most severe forms of tuberculosis, but is less effective in preventing respiratory disease – the more common form of tuberculosis in adults.
On the other hand, coronavirus does not have a fully developed vaccine yet. The United States has announced that it has started human trials, while CCMBH in Hyderabad has said that it has a potential vaccine. However, nobody has confirmed a date or time that the vaccine will be introduced into the market.
So, Mr Bhagat, while your concern is genuine, it doesn’t mean that it’s legit. True, India will continue to battle tuberculosis even when this coronavirus pandemic ends, but the government is aware of what it needs to do to tackle it. On the other hand, the lack of knowledge about this virus is what has created the panic. And yes, the panic will be real until we find a solution.
