Preparedness of Siddha System of Medicine in Practitioner Perspective during a Pandemic Outbreak with Special Reference to COVID-19

COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease-2019) is an infectious respiratory disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona virus-2). This new viral disease was unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. As of June 21st 2020, it affects about 9 million populations, death troll increased to 471,000 cases in worldwide. Whereas in India 4,40,685 cases are infected with COVID-19, of which 14,015 cases were died. Till now there is no specific anti-virus drug or vaccines are available for the treatment of this disease, the supportive care and non-specific treatment to the symptoms of the patient are the only options. So, the world needs alternative treatment. Siddha medicine is one of the primordial systems of medicine practiced in the southern part of India, it dealt a lot about pandemic, and its management. This review provides an insight into Pandemic in Siddha system and its management in both ancient history and modern history, National and state level Government policies related to current pandemic, World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on usage of unproven drug during infectious disease outbreak, Preparedness of Siddha system during a pandemic outbreak- Challenges and Recommendations.