Predictions, role of interventions and effects of a historic national lockdown in India's response to the COVID-19 pandemic: data science call to arms

Debashree Ray; Maxwell Salvatore; Rupam Bhattacharyya; Lili Wang; Shariq Mohammed; Soumik Purkayastha; Aritra Halder; Alexander Rix; Daniel Barker; Michael Kleinsasser; Yiwang Zhou; Peter Song; Debraj Bose; Mousumi Banerjee; Veerabhadran Baladandayuthapani; Parikshit Ghosh; Bhramar Mukherjee

(a) Aggressively increase the number of tests administered daily as there are often asymptomatic cases who are spreading the infection without knowing. It is of utmost importance that India adopt widespread testing to identify and isolate the infected. RT-PCR diagnostic test can provide reliable and faster diagnosis of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. 30 Large scale antibody testing should be launched to assess the true scale of this pandemic. 31 The instrument of isolating nearly everyone with a near universal lockdown not only leads to livelihood losses for millions of families but also starvation for others. As we reopen the country, testing high contact, high density areas and setting up a clever surveillance system is critical.