Covid19 Wave 2 has had a significant impact on the social psyche and fabric of India. Statistically, a fatality rate of 1.2% is less when benchmarked with even developed countries, but emotionally it has taken a toll on society. As we look back and attempt to learn some lessons, a few things stand out a) India's 4 tier administration system - The executive has four layers - 1) Central Govt 2) State Govt 3) District or Zilla 4) Wards or Panchayats When dealing with a pandemic, you need access to real-time time in terms of infections, available hospital beds, oxygen supply etc. All this information is available only at the Ward/Panchayat level, but the decisions get made at the State level. There is a lag between ground reality and the data on which decisions get made. b) Role of State and Central Governments - Both Health, as well as Law and Order, are state subjects per our constitution. The Centre has a limited role of play except encouraging research in t...