So far so good – navigating in COVID-19

India has so far reported over 3,500 cases of coronavirus. Every day, startups, corporates, and individuals are joining the fight against the COVID-19.

Monday April 06, 2020 , 4 min Read

Last night, as per plan, across India, lights went out in millions of houses as people responded to PM Narendra Modi's appeal, flashing mobile lights, and lighting candles and diyas to show the nation's "collective resolve and solidarity" in its fight against coronavirus.

India has so far reported over 3,500 cases of coronavirus, and we're now on Day 13 of a nationwide lockdown. Every day, startups, corporates, and individuals are joining the fight against coronavirus.

Apollo Hospital announced the launch of Project Stay I, partnering with Zomato, OYO, Biocon, Lemon Tree, Ginger Hotels, and other companies, to add 5,000 rooms for coronavirus patients to stay in isolation. The project is CSR funded by Hindustan Unilever Limited, SBI, and Deutsche Bank. Then, Mahindra & Mahindra is working on manufacturing face shields for healthcare workers.

The business implications of the coronavirus have been huge. MSME entrepreneurs in India are fearing difficult times during and after the pandemic, appealing to the government for statutory regulations that can help their businesses survive during this crisis. Startups like Ola and Swiggy have launched relief programmes and funds for their partners. Then, MakeMyTrip launched a 'Stays for Saviours' initiative to provide temporary accommodations at special rates for the medical frontline force fighting COVID-19.

Ever since the coronavirus pandemic struck across the globe, people are reporting bluer skies, cleaner air, and the return of many species to their natural habitats. In fact, in Kerala’s Kozhikode, a Malabar civet, which is a critically endangered animal, was spotted walking on the road.

On the other hand, quarantine-favourite remote working and video conferencing company saw unprecedented growth ever since widespread lockdown measures have been announced in multiple countries. However, the company is now facing security, privacy backlashes due to overload.

Last but not least, the Indian government launched a multi-language coronavirus tracking app Aarogya Setu, developed by the National Informatics Centre under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

We know how difficult it is to navigate through these uncertain and extraordinary circumstances. If you need information or are seeking help related to coronavirus, visit the YourStory COVID-19 Resource Centre for Startups and SMBs. You can also write to us here if you have any queries.

Stay home, stay safe.

Quote of the day:

"Fintech and financial services is different from all other sectors that we're investing in and that is why overreacting is the only reaction acceptable for all fintech startups.”