Anand Mahindra happy with negative community transmission reports, wants Govt to rope in India Inc for testing

NEW DELHI: India's initiatives to curtail the number of coronavirus cases in the country has impressed Anand Mahindra.

Quoting a Times of India report on stage-3 community transmission of coronavirus, the Mahindra Group Chairman expressed relief that battle for containment has shown results. Calling it a 'shot in the arm', he said the struggle has to continue and the battle has to be 'fought even more forcefully'.

The news report suggested that 820 randomly collected samples of people suffering from severely acute respiratory problem (who never travelled abroad or came in contact with an infected individual) tested negative. And Mahindra was eager waiting for these test results.



In another post on Wednesday, as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country crossed 150, the 64-year-old businessman also shared his insight on the best way to make testing effective.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, India currently has 52 coronavirus testing centres. He pointed out that India's testing rate could be 'our Achilles heel', and help from private sectors will help the authorities manage the situation better. "We need to allow the private sector to begin testing and scale up our capacity, dramatically," he added.

The chart, he shared on the microblogging site tagging Union Health Minsiter Dr Harsh Vardhan, shows a report of 'Tests Done Vs Cases Recorded' in India, the US, China, Italy, France, the UK, South Korea, Hong Kong, Bahrain, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Turkey.

The business tycoon also appreciated the Government for doing 'a fine job of managing the crisis'. "Preemptive measures for containment have been lauded the world over," he stressed.

Earlier on Monday, Mahindra said while the coronavirus pandemic presents business with challenges it also provides an opportunity to reflect, review strategies, as well as recalibrate all costs and overheads. Stating that it is not known how long the "containment might drag on" but businesses must be ready in case of rapid recovery while utilising the current situation to deeper personal relationships with customers.


He further said associates will have more time and their ideas must be solicited for business improvement.


"Use the lull to build deeper personal relationships with customers. We don't know how long the containment might drag on, but prepare the business for a U or even V shaped recovery," Mahindra said.

The number of novel coronavirus cases in Maharashtra are the highest so far followed by Kerala, while over 450 stranded Indians were flown back from Italy and Iran, the two worst-affected countries after China, and quarantined.

The global economy is plunging into a deep crisis due to coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic that has killed over 6,000 and sickened lakhs of people around the globe.