Necessity to prioritize research activities for a better public health response to Coronavirus Disease-2019 pandemic

The Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exposed the weaknesses in the public health care delivery system, and is extremely disheartening that thousands of people are losing their lives to a single disease. A single infectious disease is able to produce so much fear, uncertainty and disastrous impact predominantly because of its novelty and the fact that the many aspects of the disease are still not known. Even though, it has been proposed to strengthen multiple aspects of the disease control, but it is equally important to give immense priority to the research and development domain, as the findings of these results will reorganize the entire approach towards the disease. In conclusion, research and development is an important and integral component of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. It is high time that resources are pooled in and research activities are encouraged and accelerated to get answers for the unanswered aspects of this novel viral infection, which will aid all of us to mount an improved public health response against the first pandemic of the 21^st century.