Households at Higher Risk of Losing at Least One Individual in India: if COVID-19 is a new normal

Abstract

After the outbreak of COVID-19 and the passing of a few months with this pandemic; the world has started to adopt strategies to live with the virus. The WHO has also accepted that the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus is going to last longer, and suggested that one needs to learn to live with this virus. Accepting this bitter truth that this pandemic is going to be a new normal and people of all ages can be infected by the new coronavirus; however, older people and those with chronic diseases are more vulnerable to the virus. The study tries to access the household with at least one patient with few selected chronic diseases in India, which are presumed to be at a higher risk of losing at least one individual if this pandemic scenario is going to last long and spread is wider. The study used nationally representative data (NSSO) for information on morbidity and other health-related issues. Data from the official website of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare dedicated to COVID-19 reports have been used to look into the recent happenings caused by COVID-19 pandemic in India. Bivariate analysis has been used to calculate household at risk, and binary logistic regression has been used for the likelihood of household at risk. The case-fatality ratio is calculated using the number of confirmed cases and the number deceased due to the same. The study found that about 9.4% of Indian households are at a higher risk of losing at least one individual. Older people (60+), males and households with better economic status are at a higher risk. The chronic condition varies by states and social-economic and demographic status. The share of households at higher risk was highest in Kerala (33.19%), followed by Andhra Pradesh (19.85%) and Chandigarh (19.05%).