EXPLAINED: HOW COVID-19 CAN HELP DEAL WITH THE SILENT TUBERCULOSIS CRISIS
What exactly has WHO said for TB patients during COVID-19? There is a need to maintain TB services during effective response to COVID-19. It is important that the progress made in TB prevention and care is not reversed by the COVID19 pandemic. TB patients who have lung damage or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may suffer […]
MASKS, FINES FOR SPITTING: WINDOW TO NEW NORMAL
What are the changes that we see following COVID-19 guidelines? Among the guidelines for COVID-19 management issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on 15th April 2020 are: Face covers are to be worn at all times at work or public spaces Those found spitting in public spaces will be fined All workplaces will have […]
EXPLAINED: AIR POLLUTION’S LINK TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Introduction to Connection between COVID-19 and Air Pollution Coronavirus (COVID-19): Even before the pandemic struck, outdoor air pollution was linked to the deaths of as many as nine million people each year. Now two new studies show that Covid-19 patients are more likely to die if they live in regions with high levels of air […]
EXPLAINED: WHY CHILDREN ARE LESS AFFECTED, MORE SUSCEPTIBLE BY COVID-19
Why in news? Research suggests that while everyone is susceptible to COVID-19, people over the age of 60 and children are particularly vulnerable. Why children are less affected? In the early stages of the outbreak, it was found that COVID-19 was predominantly prevalent in adults over the age of 15 years, while the proportion of […]
EXPLAINED: CYTOKINE STORMS — OR WHEN THE BODY’S OWN IMMUNE SYSTEM LEADS TO COVID-19 DEATHS
Why in news? Evidence is emerging that a subset of the infected patients develop severe COVID-19 because of an overreaction of their immune systems, which triggers what is known as a “cytokine storm syndrome” (CSS). Who are vulnerable? Various studies have shown that the disease has more severe consequences for those above the age of […]
EXPLAINED: WHAT IS BEING SPRAYED ON MIGRANTS, AND IS IT SAFE?
In several places including Barreili of UP and Delhi, migrant workers travelling to their home states, or their belongings, were sprayed with a disinfectant, apparently to sanitise them. The chemical in the spray was a sodium hypochlorite solution. Sodium hypochlorite is commonly used as a bleaching agent, and also to sanitise swimming pools. Is the […]
DISINFECTANT TUNNELS CAN CAUSE HARM
Why in news? The use of a “disinfectant tunnel”, in which sodium hypochlorite is sprayed to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), may give a false sense of security and cause harmful side effects, the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, has said. The Punjab Health Department had, on April 13, issued […]
VIRUS INFECTIONS HAVE ‘CERTAINLY’ NOT PEAKED YET, WARNS WHO
Why in news? WHO told, 90% of cases of the overall outbreak, are from Europe and the U.S.A. So, we are certainly not seeing the peak yet. World Health Organization (WHO) The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. […]
ICMR SUGGESTS TESTING OF POOLED SAMPLES
Why in news? Stating that the number of COVID-19 cases in India is registering a rise, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is now advising the feasibility of using pooled samples for molecular testing of COVID-19. ICMR has said that, for India, it is critical to increase the numbers of tests conducted by laboratories. […]
INTEGRATED GEOSPATIAL PLATFORM
Why in news? The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, has created an Integrated Geospatial Platform out of available geospatial datasets, standards-based services, and analytic tools to help decision making during the current COVID-19 outbreak and aid devising area-specific strategies to handle the socio-economic impact in the recovery phase. The platform is […]