Ayurveda: A Boon in Pandemics

Population around the world is dealing with an unrivalled pandemic of viral disease severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 leading to severe acute respiratory syndrome. The novel coronavirus has affected people worldwide with more than 1.43 million confirmed cases and 82,100 deaths as per data recorded on April 8, 2020. The pandemic has elevated the distress in common people including the psychological conditions with symptoms such as depression and anxiety. The psychological distress is linked with variation in the functioning of immunological responses including high level risk for viral infections of the upper respiratory tract. The extent of pandemic requires exploration of traditional as well as modern knowledge systems obtainable worldwide. Use of traditional Chinese Medicinal system in Wuhan for the treatment of patients suffering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has set an example illustrating the efficiency of traditional ways of healthcare as an addition in treatment of patients of COVID-19. In India, Ayurveda is medicine system with historical roots encouraged by Government of India as “immune booster regime.” Implementation of Ayurvedic knowledge and administration of Ayurvedic dosages with the present scientific studies on related clinical settings is an efficient plan for intervention in India for the treatment of patients suffering from COVID-19. In accordance to severity of symptoms and stage of infection among the patients, Ayurvedic dose regime can be administered in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Implementation of Ayurvedic medicinal system will ease learning and develop evidence as we cannot combat the reality that there is no evidence-based treatment for COVID-19. Therefore, Ayurvedic system of medicine should be implemented immediately to abate the impact of pandemic in terms of diminishing both psychological distress and risk of infection. Development of such elucidatory models will shed the light on the effectiveness of traditional medicines and medical practices during disease surges and could aid the symbiosis between traditional and modern medicinal system