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<ul><li>Rajeev Venkayya, Special Assistant to the President for Biodefense at the White House during the Bush administration who oversaw US preparedness for bioterrorism and biological threats, told it was difficult to say how much more time India would require to thwart the COVID-19 challenge.</li></ul><ul><li>On March 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide <keyword id="8942847" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="lockdown-in-india">lockdown in India</keyword> to stem the spread of coronavirus in the country.</li><li>A three-week lockdown is a reasonable starting point to contain the coronavirus pandemic in a country like India, he said.</li></ul> A three-week lockdown is a reasonable starting point to contain the coronavirus pandemic in a country like India, an eminent Indian-American epidemiologist has said, cautioning that a successful fight against the deadly virus might require some more time. Rajeev Venkayya, Special Assistant to the President for Biodefense at the White House during the Bush administration who oversaw US preparedness for bioterrorism and biological threats, told it was difficult to say how much more time India would require to thwart the COVID-19 challenge. On March 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown in India to stem the spread of coronavirus in the country. "From an epidemiologic standpoint, I don't know if three weeks will be enough. It may require more time," said Venkayya, who was responsible for the development and implementation of the National Strategy for Influenza pandemic during the second term of the Bush administration. He currently serves as president of the Global Vaccine Business Unit of pharmaceutical company Takeda. "We will have to look at what is happening in other countries," he said. "But if you were to ask me whether that will be enough given the size of the population, the healthcare capacity, the uniformity or lack of uniformity that is inevitable in a federated country like India where there's a lot of State autonomy on what to do and how to do it, and varying levels of compliance, I think this could easily go much longer," Venkayya said. A three-week lockdown is a reasonable starting point to contain the coronavirus pandemic in a country like India, he said. Since joining Takeda in 2012, he has established a high-impact vaccine pipeline that includes promising late-stage candidates for dengue and norovirus, gained through the acquisitions of LigoCyte and Inviragen Inc. As head of Special Assistant to the President for Biodefense at the White House, he was responsible for the America's first development and implementation of the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza in 2007. The White House published this federal guidance in 2007. "It's now called the flattening the curve strategy. At that time, we called it a targeted layered containment and then it became called community mitigation. But the first flattening the curve graph was published in our federal guidance in 2007," he said. "When I was in the white house, we were preparing for an influenza pandemic we realized that vaccines would not be available for many months after a pandemic started. And based on the 1918 experience, we expected there would be multiple waves of the pandemic and that for at least the first wave we would not have vaccines," he said. As such, the White House team led by him had to find other ways to protect communities from this pandemic virus. Based on some early modelling and additional modelling commissioned in 2006, they found the relevance of non-pharmaceutical interventions, community measures like closing schools and cancelling public gatherings, social distancing as well as isolation and quarantine for people that have been confirmed or suspected to have the virus. "If you put all of these things together, and importantly if you did them early in a coordinated fashion, you couldn't have a very big impact on the transmission of the virus in a community," he said, adding that this guidance was published in 2007. Emphasising the importance of doing these things early in the outbreak, he cautioned that else it would be much harder to prevent a large number of people from getting infected and accomplishing the goals of flattening the curve and delaying the peak of the curve. "So here I think it's very important that India took (lockdown) action now, ….. like many countries, there isn't widespread availability of diagnostic testing. And so it's hard to know how much virus is in any given community in India," he said. "We also know that the threat is greater in India than it may be in other places because of the population density. Also, there are significant portions of the population that don't have access to the healthcare services that would be necessary to take care of large numbers of sick people. So, it (social mitigation measures) becomes even more important in India than it's important everywhere," Venkayya said. Observing that none of the community interventions are perfect, he said if one puts a number of imperfect interventions together, then one can have a very significant positive impact on reducing virus transmission. Prior to Takeda, Venkayya served as director of Vaccine Delivery in the Global Health Program at the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation, where he was responsible for the Foundation's efforts in polio eradication and new vaccine introduction. While at the foundation, he served on the Board of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). The death toll due to COVID-19 has gone up to 273 and the number of cases has climbed to 8,356 in India, according to the Health Ministry. Globally, the novel coronavirus has killed 108,862 people and infected over 1.7 million people globally. The US has the highest number of infections at 529,887, according to Johns Hopkins University data. LKJ MRJ MRJ

Three-week lockdown reasonable starting point to fight coronavirus in India: former White House official

<ul><li>Cinema halls in India might remain shut for at least two more months until June end, predicts a report by Prabhdas Lilladher. </li><li>Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani starrer Lakshmi Bomb might release directly on Disney+ Hotstar amid coronavirus pandemic. </li><li>Industry experts estimated that film exhibitors in India will lose at least ₹3,500 crores. Moreover, according to Shailesh Kapoor, CEO Ormax Media, these halls are losing ₹150 crore a week. </li></ul>There is bad news for all those who are wishing to rush to their nearest movie theatres soon after the lockdown ends. Cinema halls in India might remain shut for at least a month more until June end, according to a report by Prabhdas Lilladher. The coronavirus pandemic forced several states including Maharashtra and Kerala to close theatres a week before India announced a complete lockdown on March 24. It means they are already shut for 40 days which might extend to 60 days more. “The process of reopening will be gradual in nature. For instance, in some states where the COVID-19 risk is low theatres may open. However, till the time this rise resides completely, big-ticket releases may be postponed as producers may not want to lose out on business in other regions,” said the report. Every week that theatres remain closed, they’re accumulating losses to the tune of ₹150 crore, according to Shailesh Kapoor, CEO Ormax Media. Film distributors are staring at losses of ₹3,500 crore as of now, a<a href="https://www.firstpost.com/health/video-of-agra-quarantine-facility-inmates-reaching-for-water-food-goes-viral-distribution-delay-made-them-restless-says-official-8303381.html?utm_source=izooto&amp;utm_medium=push_notifications&amp;utm_campaign=Video%20of%20Agra%20quarantine%20facility%20inmates%20reaching%20for%20water%20food%20goes%20viral%20distribution%20delay%20made%20them%20restless%20says%20offic&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=">ccording to CARE Ratings</a>. Even after they open, they might not see many footfalls due to malls and will also be subject to strict social distancing norms. Due to this bleak outlook, the stocks of PVR Cinemas and INOX are on a free fall. The stock of PVT saw a 55% decline in its share between February 19 and April 27. Whereas INOX share price has declined 58% between February 24 and April 27. There is more panic in the air Since Covid-19 is an unknown devil, a lot of new research is hitting the internet every day. Even as many people discuss if the virus is airborne, a research says that a common air conditioner can spread the virus. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/cisco-accenture-genpact-and-others-hiring-for-technology-profiles/articleshow/75399629.cms">Scientists in China have earlier claimed</a> hat air conditioners can infect 10 people who are sitting near an infected person. They studied a restaurant in Guangzhou, China where an asymptomatic case has infected nine people. They recommended an increase in distance between tables and improved ventilation to contain the spread. Uncertainty on the survival of Single screens Cinema halls in India have had a bad start in 2020. First of all, it had few hits to boast of like Tanhaji and Baaghi 3. Then the coronavirus outbreak forced it to close doors as per government orders. The worst-hit among these theatres were single screens. “Single screens have been facing an existential crisis for a long time. Already fraught with hygiene and maintenance challenges which were hurting footfalls, COVID-19 induced lockdown has posed a direct threat on their survival,” said the report. Single screens exhibitors are hoping to seek a relief package from the government Is online release the future of movies? From the other side, the closure of theatres has delayed the release of several big movies like Rohit Shetty’s Sooryavanshi starring Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif. A few producers are also considering releasing them directly onto streaming platforms. Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani starrer Lakshmi Bomb is one such film that might release on Disney+ Hotstar amid coronavirus pandemic. The film, remake of Muni 2: Kanchana, is expected to be completed by June, <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/akshay-kumars-laxmmi-bomb-might-release-on-disney-hotstar-instead-of-theatres-report-2218162">said a media report. </a> Previously, Irfan Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan starrer Angrezi Medium was released on Disney+ Hotstar immediately after its theatrical release in March after Covid-19 concerns hit footfalls. OTT platforms in India too are upping their game, by launching shows and movies to engage people during lockdown. Amazon Prime, recently, added Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan a gay comic love story which was released in February this year. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/lockdown-watchlist-want-to-binge-watch-a-show-that-lasts-a-week-try-these-long-running-shows-on-netflix-amazon-prime-disney-hotstar-and-others/articleshow/75173116.cms">Lockdown Watchlist: Want to binge-watch a show that lasts a week? Try these long-running shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar and others. </a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/cinema-halls-await-for-behind-the-screens-as-they-lose-150-crore-a-week/articleshow/74689696.cms">Cinema halls lose ₹150 crore a week with lockdowns and delayed releases</a>

Cinema halls may not open in India until June end

New Delhi, Apr 15 () Food services firm Elior India on Wednesday said the food service sector is expecting up to 70 per cent drop in revenue which will have a cascading effect on various other things amid lockdown extension. "The food service sector essentially faces the same challenges as the hospitality sector and even somewhat like the aviation sector. Being a USD 7 billion industry in India, it is going to see the most severe impact imaginable," Elior India CEO and MD Sanjay Kumar told . The sector expects a revenue drop of not less than 60 to 70 per cent, which is going to leave a cascading impact on a host of different things, he added."Currently, we employ 5,200 workers and don't believe that going forward, even 25 or 30 per cent of them will be possibly remain employed because the industry is reeling from a huge hit. In the West, the government has reimbursed wages for employees, we don't see that happening here," Kumar said. Businesses will not be able to afford such large wage bills, he added."Shortage of working capital in the food industry is something we have all been mindful of. The removal of GST and the input tax credit has added to the woes of this industry," Kumar said. Going forward, this industry is going to be reeling for a very long time from the impact of COVID-19. Whether the player is small or big, they will have to take a hit and it will not be a surprise if a third of the companies in this sector close down, he added. AKT MKJ

Food service sector to be severely impacted by lockdown extension: Elior India

New Delhi, Apr 14 () Hero MotoCorp Chairman Pawan Munjal on Tuesday supported extension of lockdown saying the topmost priority is safety and well-being of the citizens while seeking a suitable stimulus package from the government for India Inc.He also called for scaling up efforts and contributions manifold to also ensure the well-being of the most affected section of society."I support the honorable Prime Minister's move to extend the lockdown till 3rd May, with the topmost priority being the safety and well-being of the citizens of our country," Munjal said in a statement.The decision to allow graded relaxation and partial opening of certain areas from April 21 that show improvement is also welcome, he added."While continuing to play its role in supporting the government through various means and measures, Corporate India looks forward to a suitable stimulus package from the government that will give a boost to our economy," Munjal said. At Hero MotoCorp, he said,"we remain committed to extending our resources to support the government and also safeguarding everyone in our larger ecosystem, including our employees and their families. Munjal further said,"at a time such as this, we all have to scale up our efforts and contributions manifold to also ensure the well-being of the most affected section of society." RKL RUJRUJ

Hero MotoCorp supports lockdown extension, seeks stimulus package for India Inc

Extension of the nationwide <keyword id="91743" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="lockdown">lockdown</keyword> till May 3 will inflict an economic loss of USD 234.4 billion, and result in stagnant GDP for calendar year 2020, a British <keyword id="54273" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Brokerage">brokerage</keyword> said on Tuesday.The economic growth will be zero for calendar year 2020 and when seen from a fiscal year perspective, will rise 0.8 per cent in 2021, brokerage <keyword id="6386585" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Barclays">Barclays</keyword> said in a note. Hours earlier, Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> extended the three-week lockdown ending Tuesday till May 3, citing the need to arrest the growth in coronavirus infections. He did hint at relaxations in unaffected areas starting from April 20, but added that this will be based on strict monitoring. The brokerage had said earlier that the three-week lockdown would likely to have an economic cost of USD 120 billion which is now estimated to balloon up to USD 234.4 billion. It was earlier expecting India to clock a 2.5 per cent growth in calendar 2020, which has now been projected to be zero, while the FY21 growth has been revised down to 0.8 per cent from the 3.5 per cent earlier. "As India heads into a longer complete shutdown until May 3 to combat the rising number of COVID-19 cases, the economic impact looks set to be worse than we had expected earlier," the brokerage said. Noting that while India is still not officially calling the infections to be in the community transmission stage, the existing restrictions on movement are causing much more economic damage than anticipated. In particular, the negative impact on the "essential sectors" of mining, agriculture, manufacturing and utility sectors appears higher than expected, it said. The brokerage said while arriving at the numbers, it has assumed that the lockdowns end by early June, followed by a modest rebound in activity, reflecting inventory rebuilding across certain sectors. If the COVID-19 outbreaks in a localized area continue leading to frequent shutdowns, the scope for the economy to recover will continue to decline, it warned. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/economy/news/india-unemployment-job-losses-at-many-companies/articleshow/75130701.cms">India’s looming jobs crisis is starting to unravel within the first 21 days of coronavirus lockdown</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/topic/coronavirus">Coronavirus News and Updates</a>

India's lockdown extension to cause $234.4 billion economic loss, says Barclays

New Delhi, Apr 14 () India Inc on Tuesday said the nationwide lockdown extension was necessary to avert a humanitarian crisis, but insisted on the need for a stimulus package to rebuild the economy hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the current lockdown will be extended till May 3, saying it is necessary to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country. He said detailed guidelines on implementation of the new lockdown will be announced on Wednesday, and some relaxations may be allowed after April 20 in places where there are no hotspots. The catastrophic effect of the lockdown on the overall economy and livelihoods of lakhs of migrant workers triggered severe concerns following which a number of state chief ministers in their video conference with Modi on Saturday sought some sort of relaxation for a number of sectors. Late last month, the government announced a Rs 1.7 lakh crore package aimed at providing relief to those hit hard by the lockdown as well as an insurance cover for healthcare professionals handling virus infected people. "Estimates show that India may be losing close to Rs 40,000 crore daily due to the national lockdown with an estimated loss amounting to Rs 7-8 lakh crore during the past 21 days," said Ficci President Sangita Reddy. Further, it is also expected that close to 40 million jobs are at risk during the period April-Sept 2020. Hence, an urgent relief package is also critical, she said. She observed that the Prime Minister's directions on graded opening will help start some production activity to ensure that as soon as lockdown opens, there are no shortages faced. CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said the Covid-19 curve trajectory as of now required a fitting containment response and Prime Minister's decision for continuation of the lockdown is necessary to avert a larger humanitarian crisis. "Prime Minister has also provided a guidance on exit from the lockdown after 20 April which helps industry plan better. "The extension gives the government adequate preparation time to organise an orderly and safe restart of the economy as and when health conditions permit. Industry too can devise its strategies for commencing operations accordingly duringthis extension period," Banerjee said. IT industry body Nasscom said the extension announcement by the government will help India to build on the containment strategy of the last three weeks and strengthen our readiness to support the post lockdown phase. "We are also happy to note the relaxation of restrictions in green zones and hope the government will also announce the economic stimulus packages soon so that we can start focusing on rebuilding the economy. Saving lives and livelihood has to go hand in hand, " it added. Ratul Puri, Chairman Hindustan Power, said while lockdown and social distancing are the only two remedies for fighting the pandemic, there is a widespread impact on the businesses and the overall economy. "Extension of lockdown is a well thought out and much-needed plan in wake of the threats posed by Covid-19. Prime Minister's decision to monitor the effectiveness of implementation and then gradually offer relaxations post 20 April must be welcomed," said Naveen Jindal, Chairman, Jindal Steel &amp; Power Limited. The lockdown that came into effect on March 25 was to expire on midnight of April 14. RSN ANSANS

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Three-week lockdown reasonable starting point to fight coronavirus in India: former White House official

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Cinema halls may not open in India until June end

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Food service sector to be severely impacted by lockdown extension: Elior India

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Hero MotoCorp supports lockdown extension, seeks stimulus package for India Inc

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India's lockdown extension to cause $234.4 billion economic loss, says Barclays

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India Inc stands by lockdown extension call; seeks stimulus package to rebuild economy

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