COVID19: A Virologists’ Reflection

Scientist, Research, Emergency Situation

One cannot help but think that the current pandemic is not just a standalone disaster but a harbinger of what the coming decades have in store for the planet. A key question to ponder on is, to what extent are social and economic difficulties in coping with the lockdown a product of economic and material excesses? Would a more austere society have handled these social and economic difficulties better? Are we meant to adopt a long-term view on resource management majorly? Studies on highly evolved societies (ants, bees) serve to suggest that the answer to the above questions maybe yes. A second lockdown lesson is going forward, and our adaptability must be a key-value that ensures our survival across changes in sustenance conditions.

As a virologist, I find some personal lessons for my community as well. Scientists have been long accustomed to a rigorous and time-consuming validation process for data before use in applications. A drug discovery pipeline, for example, could take anywhere between 6 and 15 years before release, depending on the object of study (if it is released at all). Scientists are incredibly uncomfortable with making decisions with limited or ambiguous data. This is not wrong; a mistake or wrong decision could be dangerous and threaten public scientific credibility.

However, considering the emergencies that a situation like the current pandemic presents, scientists are forced to get out of this comfort zone and fast track research and decision making. A post-COVID-19 scientist will now need to be comfortable with depending on experience-based science as much as evidence-based science. Scientists should get accustomed to dealing with scarcity of time and resources and evolve practices that align with this altered pace of functioning.

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  Balasubramanian (Bala) Venkatakrishnan

  Bala has a PhD in Biochemistry and a history of working on viruses and anti-viral therapies. He is passionate about research and training and enjoys regular opportunities to do both. He is currently a PGPEM 2020-22 batch student.