Directive Government Policy and Process for the People Amidst COVID-19

Abstract

The present work offers reporting and investigations of the current issues about COVID-19, during the second quarter of 2020 in India concerning government responses, people, and policies. The authors have done an exhaustive content analysis of media reports, government briefings, social platforms, and presents some recommendations for more robust responses. Also, the authors have investigated critically the past learnings from the smaller scale epidemics like Ebola in West Africa to extract the lessons learned to combat the current pandemic. The present manuscript describes the impact of COVID-19 on the local, regional, national, and international communities. The authors also suggested ways to tackle misinfodemics. The paper also explains how the active COVID-19 response program affected democracy, civic liberties, and individual freedom across the globe. However, the suggestions given in the paper are concluded through the lens of previous pandemics and lessons learned in the last three months of the current pandemic. As each pandemic has its unique impact in terms of its transmission and its impact on social wellbeing, which is evolving every day, the conclusions can be considered as suggestive only as the pandemic will unfold itself in the future.

Keywords: COVID-19, government response, policies, people, India

JEL Classification: D72, D78, D83, H12, I18