Telangana better placed to fight Covid-19: Study

HYDERABAD: A new study has placed Telangana in “medium risk” states with regard to Covid-19 based on various socio-economic indices. The state’s risk status indicates it is in a better position to deal with the situation and existing socio-economic conditions were not draining the state.
The study, published by Cambridge University Press, was done to explore the impact of socio-economic conditions like literacy, urban and ageing population and presence of slums, healthcare systems and their impact on the infection rate and state’s capacity to deal with the pandemic.

Based on various parameters, the study came up with four indices — demographic susceptibility index, socio-economic and disease exposure index, public health resilience index and composite vulnerability Index. In all these indices, Telangana was put in the medium risk group of states, indicating better conditions.
Interestingly, the study found a relationship between education and Covid-19 infection. States with high burden of Covid-19 infections have a moderate or high literacy rate. Among demographic factors, age and co-morbidity were pre-existing vulnerabilities, which increase susceptibility to the disease. Among states with a moderate level of Covid-19 positive cases, the percentage of elderly population was either moderate or high.
States with a moderate burden of infection had either moderate or high concentration of slum population. Also, states which had moderate to high level of urbanisation, the disease burden was high, it was observed.
The study said health infrastructure plays a significant role in dealing with pandemic situation. States with relatively robust healthcare systems were able to carry out a large number of tests and treat Covid-19 patients. Similarly, states with poor health systems fared badly, the study added.