India’S Dire Need for a New Comprehensive Pandemic Law

Abstract

India, just like the remainder of the globe is affected due to COVID-19. On March 11th 2020, the eruption was declared by the World Health Organization as a public health exigency and defined as a pandemic. Legislation plays a critical role in the containment of the disease. Despite there being various legislations to control public health, a significant question arises as to whether colonial-era laws such as ‘The Epidemic Disease Act 1897’, ‘The Indian Penal Code 1860’, and ‘The Disaster Management Act 2005’ are sufficient enough to encounter the challenges posed by a twenty first century pandemic?”2 COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 as stated3, started at Wuhan within the Hubei province of China and has unfolded swiftly around the world. A year has passed, and the virus still remains wreaking mayhem in several nations including India. Throughout such pandemic times, legislation plays a key role in the containment of the disease and legal acts have to be implemented to manage and overcome the pandemic.4 Pandemic and Epidemic are the two terms people exchange frequently to refer to the stages of the spreading of any infectious disease. An Epidemic is a disease that affects a large number of people within a community, population, or region. Whereas a Pandemic is an epidemic that spreads over multiple countries or continents. Pandemics have occurred throughout human history. Pandemics seem to be increasing in frequency over the last century on account of zoonotic transmission of diseases, urban development, alterations in the way lands are used, rise in international travel, and exploitation of natural resources. The consequences of the Pandemic are devastating to humanity. Future Pandemics are inevitable and unpredictable.