https://epaper.hindustantimes.com/home/articleview
February 26, 2021
Vaccination booster
https://epaper.tribuneindia.com/3007493/Haryana-Edition/HR-26-February-2021#clip/58697588/0530b742-f6b0-4235-86b9-f24d0f3a49de/544:661.0649350649351
Covid isolation linked to increased domestic violence
While Covid-19 related lockdowns may have decreased the spread of a deadly virus, they
appear to have created an environment for increased domestic violence, a new study suggests.
The study, published in the journal American
Behavioral Scientist, indicates that 39 per cent respondents reported having
experienced violence in their relationship and 74 per cent of those people were
women.
"The pandemic, like other kinds of disasters,
exacerbates the social and livelihood stresses and circumstances that we know
lead to intimate partner violence," said lead researcher Clare Cannon from
the University of California - Davis.
According to the researcher, the extra stress can
also cause mental health issues, increasing individuals' perceived stress and
reactions to stress through violence and other means.
For the study, the team involved 374 participants
who completed an online survey about previous disaster experience, perceived
stress, their current situation as it relates to Covid-19, if they experienced
intimate partner violence, and what their personal and household demographics
were.
Respondents, whose average age was 47, were asked
about how Covid-19 had affected them financially and otherwise.
The researchers also found that 10 per cent of the
sample reported experiencing intimate partner violence, the people that had
experienced that violence reported more stress than the segment of the sample
that had not experienced it.
Furthermore, the results show that as perceived
stress increased, participants were more likely to end up as victims of
violence.
Intimate partner violence is defined as physical,
emotional, psychological or economic abuse and stalking or sexual harm by a
current or former partner or spouse, according to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Pioneer/400x60/0
February 23, 2021
Covid far from over, keep wearing masks: Health experts
As people in different parts of the country have started taking Covid precautions lightly with many seen not wearing masks or forgetting them at home while venturing out, health experts have warned that the pandemic is far from over, especially in view of the emerging new strains and chances of reinfection.
After a significant decline, Covid-19 cases surged again in India in the past week, recording a rise for the first time in 15 weeks amid the vaccination drive which is in its first phase.
"It is quite clear that the pandemic hasn't ended and that we need to continue following the safety measures," Manoj Goel, Director, pulmonology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, told IANS.
"Social distancing, wearing of masks and using sanitisers are being ignored on the pretext that the pandemic has ended. This is not the case and vigilance needs to be practiced," Goel stressed.
On Sunday, the number of Covid-19 cases in India crossed 11 million. The rise in cases has especially become a cause for concern in states like Kerala and Maharashtra, which have imposed fresh restrictions.
There are around 58,000 active Covid cases in Kerala. Karnataka is also taking new measures as active Covid cases in the state crossed the 6,000-mark again, with 413 persons testing positive in a day, according to the state health bulletin on Sunday.
"There are two possibilities of rise in cases right now -- the cases can be that of the new strain and the cases of reinfection. Reinfection cases can be a prominent cause as the immunity from previous infection stays just for three months," said Parinita Kaur, Consultant, internal medicine, Aakash Healthcare, New Delhi.
"As far as Maharashtra and Kerala are concerned, cases have been rising there... Delhi has not seen such rise as of now, but we should be prepared for the various strains that have come up," Kaur added.
However, the doctors have said that it is not clear if the recent surge has anything to do with the change in weather.
"The change of season is always favourable for any kind of virus and this is a new virus that has been mutating constantly," Kaur said.
"We haven't seen any effect of winter season or summer season either on its virulence or mutation. When we talk about last year, the cases surged irrespective of the seasonal conditions," she added.
"The resurgence is probably happening due to either a mutant strain of the virus or perhaps due to the fact that precautions have decreased and people have started taking them lightly," said Archana Dhawan Bajaj, gynecologists, obstetrician and IVF expert, Nurture IVF Centre, New Delhi.
http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Pioneer/400x60/0
Prevention & diagnosis are key
Sedentary lifestyle is a cause for weight gain, blood pressure changes, high sugar levels and pulmonary embolism, says Dr Amit Malik
The pandemic had left everyone cooped up in their homes. With work from home becoming the new normal, the long sitting hours without any physical activity has given rise to multiple health issues.
While not all must have been bad during the pandemic and work from home scenario, but the worst is the ill effects of a sedentary lifestyle.
Dr Amit Malik, Associate Director and Coordinator, Interventional Cardiology, Electrophysiology tells you that a sedentary lifestyle, especially during a pandemic can lead to pulmonary embolism and other serious diseases.
Sedentary lifestyle, he says, is a type of lifestyle that doesn’t involve physical activity. A person involved in this is either always sitting around or lying down. Because of the pandemic, the shift of all day-to-day activities online and work from home, this has been the lifestyle of most people. This has reduced the day-to-day mobility. Before the pandemic, even if people did not designate time to physical exercise, they still moved around. “Sedentary lifestyle is a cause for weight gain, blood pressure changes, high sugar, deep vein thrombosis and various other things which are risk factors for several diseases,” Malik says.
The worst of all is Pulmonary embolism. It is a condition in which blood vessels in lungs are blocked by a blood clot. “Pulmonary embolism is a very fatal and catastrophic condition which can be difficult to diagnose. Some of its symptoms are sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling and low oxygen saturation. If someone notices these symptoms, they should get themselves checked immediately,” Malik says.
The clots form in the legs of the person and then travel through blood to reach the right chamber of the heart and then into the pulmonary artery. Depending on the size of the clot, the smaller branches of pulmonary arteries or major artery can be blocked. Apart from pulmonary embolism, embolism can also occur in other important organs like brain and heart and cause fatal problems or death of the person.
“To prevent this people should avoid sitting in the same position for long hours, take a gap after every 45 to 60 minutes and stretch, jump, or walk around the house. Keep oneself hydrated and have a healthy diet. Prevention and prompt diagnosis are important. For treatment, blood thinner or clot dissolving agents are used depending on the clot burden to remove the clot and unblock the blood vessels,” he tells you.
February 22, 2021
Surge in Covid cases
https://epaper.tribuneindia.com/3003069/The-Tribune/TT-22-February-2021#clip/58615129/337b8baa-2b73-4f74-9083-a4015d300fb2/501.71428571428567:680.0394431554523
You need to change your post-menopausal skincare routine; find out why
Start incorporating these changes so you can delay the onset of aging
menopause, skincare routine for 50s woman, menopause skincare routine, what
is menopause,
menopause news, menopause skincare Change is inevitable, but you can still
keep taking care
of your skin.
While menopause is the most natural process a woman goes through, no one
prepares her for
it. But just like any other change, it brings about significant
transitions. Dr Mikki Singh, a
dermatologist, cosmetologist, trichologist and head of Centre of
Excellence, Bodycraft Clinic
in Bengaluru says: “During menopause, women might experience dryness, adult
acne,
melasma, and thinning of the skin.”
She explains one of the main causes of all these changes is that the body
faces a reduction in
the stimulation of estrogen and collagen. In order to keep dullness and
sagging away, one needs
to modify their skincare routine according to the needs of the body. She
mentions some of the
steps that can be followed.
As we age, our body produces less collagen and that is why our skin gets
drier. “Hydrate your
skin by cleansing it, but not too much that the natural oils are stripped
off.
“Use a moisturiser that suits you and helps you keep your skin hydrated at
all times,” suggests
Dr Singh. She adds that drinking water can help flush out toxins. “Water is
your best friend.”
Never forget your sunscreen
It is no secret that UVA/UVB rays can cause age spots and accelerates signs
of aging. You
must wear sunscreen indoors, too. “During the period of menopause—because
of the decrease
in the production of collagen in the body — the skin starts to age faster.
You must carry your
sunscreen with you all the time and apply a minimum of 30 SPF,” suggests
the dermatologist.
Visit a dermatologist regularly
Dr Singh shares how women who have never experienced acne in their life
complain about
adult acne and melasma during menopause. “Although it is not similar for
every woman, it is
better to visit your dermatologist to understand the changes that your skin
is going through
which can help you do just the right thing.”
Skin boosters are enriched with a rich component known as ‘hyaluronic
acid’, which can help
keep your skin hydrated from the inside and reduce the fine lines. “It
should be incorporated
into your yearly skincare plan as these skin boosters last somewhere
between six to nine months
and can help keep the skin supple.”
https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/life-style/change-skincare-routine-menopause-
7195543/
Coronavirus | Variants with two specific mutations may evade antibodies, says virologist
Shahid Jameel, Virologist, and Director, Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University
The spike protein of the coronavirus enables it to bind to the ACE2
receptor on host cells —a
process which studies have show to be crucial for the virus to enter the
cells and cause infection.
Variants of the novel coronavirus carrying two specific mutations in their
spike protein may
evade antibodies and make vaccines less effective, according to eminent
virologist Shahid
Jameel, who says the need of the hour is to improve surveillance for
"homegrown" lineages of
the virus.
Dr. Jameel, Director of the Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka
University in Haryana,
said these two mutations would lead to a "drastic change" in the
structure of the part of the
spike protein that binds with antibodies, making vaccines less effective
against such variants.
The spike protein of the coronavirus enables it to bind to the ACE2
receptor on host cells —a
process which studies have show to be crucial for the virus to enter the
cells and cause infection.
According to the noted virologist, currently, the data is consistent with
poor activity of
neutralising antibodies against the South African lineage of the
coronavirus, which carries both
these mutations on the spike protein.
At GYANTEEKA, an online presentation-discussion series hosted by the Indian
National
Young Academy of Science (INYAS), New Delhi to spread awareness and bust
myths on
vaccines, Dr. Jameel said these mutations are in the 501st and 484th amino
acid building blocks
that make up the virus spike protein.
In his presentation on Saturday, the noted virologist said both these
mutations happen at the
interface where antibodies bind to the virus spike protein.
"At the interface, there are a couple of key amino acid residues. One
is the N501Y mutation.
Another emerging mutation is the E484K mutation, and if you notice, the 484
changes
negatively charged amino acid into positively charged amino acid," he
explained in his
presentation, citing studies.
"If you have both 501 and 484 mutations happening at the same time in
the same virus, that
virus is likely to either evade antibody response, or it is going to make
the antibodies less
effective. That's the take-home," he added.
On Tuesday, the Health ministry said four people in the country tested
positive for infection
with the South African variant, and one for the Brazil variant — a first
for India.
While in India, there have not been reports of community transmission of
these virus, Dr.
Jameel believes the need of the hour is also to look out for homegrown variants.
"Remember
India already has about 11 million infections now, so there could easily be
homegrown variants
and I think for that it is very important to have genomic surveillance,
which is done at scale,"
the virologist said.
"And for that government of India has set up an inter-ministerial
Group which is called INSA
COG which brings together 10 different National Laboratories to start
sequencing at a density
of about 5%," he added.
Currently, the virologist said India is sequencing at a density of about
0.05%.
"So essentially, the plan is to upscale sequencing about a hundredfold
in the country," Dr.
Jameel added.
A recent study by the scientists of CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular
Biology (CCMB)
in Hyderabad analysed over 5,000 coronavirus variants, describing how the
virus has evolved
over the course of the pandemic.
It found that a variant carrying the N440K mutation is spreading a lot more
in the southern
States of India.
"We now have emerging evidence that the N440K variant is spreading a
lot more in southern
states. Closer surveillance is needed to understand its spread
properly," CCMBDirector Rakesh
Mishra said in a statement.
While variants with immune-escape such as the South African variant have
been identified
with only a low prevalence in India, Dr. Mishra believes this could be
because not enough
sequencing has been done.
"More coronavirus genomes need to be sequenced across the country to accurately identify the
emergence
of these and other new variants," he added.
x
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/coronavirus-variants-with-two-specific-mutationsmay-
evade-antibodies-says-virologist-shahid-jameel/article33894768.ece
February 19, 2021
India stands on threshold of vaccinating each and every Indian against COVID-19: Vardhan
India stands on the threshold of vaccinating each and every Indian against COVID-19, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday, underlining that the country is looking towards a speedy and prudent return to normalcy while undertaking strategies to balance both health and economic stability of the nation.
Addressing
a workshop on 'COVID-19 Management: Experience, Good Practices and Way
Forward', Vardhan said despite many constraints, India managed to keep its case
per million figure as well as the number of deaths at the lowest level across
the world.
"The
strength of India was that it adopted a 'whole of government' and 'whole of
society' approach. A nation of 1.35 billion people exhibited the strength and
determination to diligently follow the stringent containment guidelines imposed
by the government," Vardhan said.
"Today,
India stands at another threshold of vaccinating each and every Indian against
this dreaded disease. We have commenced the world's largest vaccination drive
and I'm proud to say that to date, India has managed to vaccinate more than 8.8
million people," he said.
"We
are now looking towards a speedy and prudent return to normalcy, whilst
undertaking strategies to balance both the health and economic stability of the
country," the minister said.
Vardhan
said India as a nation is already providing thought leadership to the entire
world in the sphere of public health, engaging in partnerships where joint
action is needed, shaping the research agenda, and stimulating the dissemination
of valuable knowledge.
"We
believe in the principle that the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard
of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without
distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition,"
he said.
"Our
unique initiative of 'Vaccine Maitri', which means Vaccine Friendship, was
launched because India's foreign policy is governed by its age-old maxim of
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam-The World is One Family," Vardhan added.
Health
Secretaries and Technical Heads of COVID-19 management programme of India and
nine neighbouring countries -- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives,
Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, Seychelles and Sri Lanka -- took part in the
workshop.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the inaugural address to the participants at the workshop.
Delay Pfizer 2nd dose as 1st highly effective: Experts
https://epaper.tribuneindia.com/2999630/The-Tribune/TT-19-February-2021#clip/58534173/8babf781-e019-47a3-a32e-68ca8f6daa13/406.00000000000006:414.9999999999999
February 18, 2021
COVID-19: India records 12,881 new cases, 101 fresh fatalities
India's tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 1,09,50,201 with 12,881 new infections, while the recoveries surged to 1,06,56,845, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.
The death
toll increased to 1,56,014 with 101 fresh fatalities, the data updated at
8 am showed.
The COVID-19 case fatality
rate has dropped to 1.42 per cent, while the number of people who
have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,06,56,845 which translates
to a national COVID-19 recovery rate of 97.32 per cent.
The
COVID-19 active caseload remained below 1.5 lakh.
There
are 1,37,342 active cases of coronavirus infections in the country
which comprises 1.25 per cent of the total cases, the data stated.
India's
COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh
on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September
16.It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh
on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh
on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.
According
to the ICMR, 20,87,03,791 samples have been tested up to February 17
with 7,26,562 samples being tested on Wednesday.
The
101 new fatalities include 40 from Maharashtra, 16 from Kerala and 10 from
Punjab.
A total
of 1,56,014 deaths have been reported so far in the
country including 51,631 from Maharashtra followed by 12,438
from Tamil Nadu, 12,276 from Karnataka, 10,894 from Delhi,
10,237 from West Bengal, 8,707 from Uttar Pradesh and 7,165
from Andhra Pradesh.
The
health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due
to comorbidities.
"Our
figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical
Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that
state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and
reconciliation.
Covid infection rates high in pregnant women: US study
Pregnant women apeeared to be at a higher risk of catching Covid-19 infection, as per a new study conducted in the US.
The study, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
showed that the Covid-19 infection rate among pregnant women was estimated to
be 70 per cent higher than in similarly aged adults in Washington state.
"Our data indicates that pregnant people did not avoid the pandemic as we
hoped that they would," said researcher Kristina Adams Waldorf from the
University of Washington in the US.
"The higher infection rates in pregnant patients, coupled with an elevated
risk for severe illness and maternal mortality due to Covid-19, suggests that
pregnancy should be considered a high-risk health condition for Covid-19
vaccine allocation in Phase 1B all across the US," she added.
For the study, the team included 35 hospitals and clinics for the study. The
group identified 240 pregnant women who acquired Covid-19 from March through
June 2020.
This number represents all such known cases at the collaborating sites,
which account for 61 per cent of births in the state each year.
Adams Waldorf urges pregnant women to discuss the risks and benefits of
Covid-19 vaccination with their prenatal
care provider.
"We want to use information from this study to be more prepared for the
next pandemic and to not brush pregnant women to the side. They need to have a
seat at the table when it comes to vaccine trials and vaccine allocation,"
Adams Waldorf said.
http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Pioneer/400x60/0
Can COVID-19 impact your thyroid? Find out
Also known as post viral thyroiditis, it involves inflammation of the thyroid gland, a condition seen after suffering an upper respiratory infection.
The most prominent
characteristic of subacute thyroiditis is gradual or a sudden onset of pain in
the gland. Painful enlargement of the thyroid gland may exist for weeks or
months.
It
is true that as newer strains and different after-effects of the virus continue
to emerge, doctors and scientists stay wary. According to an article published
in The
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, patients — who
did not previously live with thyroid disease — were found to have developed
subacute thyroiditis, a thyroid disease of viral or post-viral origin, after
having been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Dr
Sweta Budyal, consultant endocrinologist and diabetologist, Fortis Hospital,
Mulund tells indianexpress.com that
during and post-COVID recovery, patients and providers are recommended to keep
tab of symptoms. “Wavering thyroid levels can act as a marker to detect COVID,
and hence, physicians should be alerted about the possibility of this
additional clinical manifestation,” she says.
What
is subacute thyroiditis?
Also
known as post viral thyroiditis, it involves inflammation of the thyroid gland,
a condition seen after suffering an upper respiratory infection. It is an
uncommon condition caused by viral infection of the gland. Mumps virus,
influenza virus, and other respiratory viruses have been found to cause
subacute thyroiditis, the doctor explains.
What
are the causes and risk factors?
“The
most prominent characteristic of subacute thyroiditis is gradual or a sudden
onset of pain in the gland. Painful enlargement of the thyroid gland may exist
for weeks or months. Symptoms of excessive secretion of thyroid hormone
(hyperthyroidism) such as nervousness, rapid heart rate, and heat intolerance
may be present early in the disease. Later, symptoms of too little thyroid
hormone (hypothyroidism) such as fatigue, constipation, or cold intolerance may
occur. Eventually, thyroid gland function returns to normal. But this must not
be taken lightly,” warns Dr Budyal.
She goes on to say that there are “multiple potential
peripheral and central mechanisms, by which, COVID-19 infection may lead to
subacute thyroiditis”.
“It
occurs mostly in middle-aged women with recent symptoms of viral respiratory
tract infection. It is a self-limiting illness with three distinct phases — an
initial thyrotoxic phase, followed by hypothyroidism, and then recovery of
thyroid function over weeks to months.”
The
symptoms
*
Pain in the front of the neck
* Tenderness when gentle pressure is applied to the thyroid gland (palpation)
* Fever
* Weakness and fatigue
* Nervousness
* Heat intolerance
* Weight loss
* Sweating
* Diarrhoea
* Tremors
* Palpitations
If caught on time, subacute thyroiditis due to COVID-19 shows a good response to anti-inflammatory and corticosteroid therapy. It is, however, important to note that the doctor treating COVID patients, or those who come in contact with such cases must report it at the earliest, says the doctor.
Coronavirus India Highlights: India’s vaccination coverage crosses 9.06 million doses, ranked third after US, UK
Every day of the last week, for the first time since mid-January, Maharashtra has reported more than 3,000 new cases of coronavirus infections. The new cases in the second week of February were at least 14 per cent more than the first.
Students undergo thermal
scanning and get their hands sanitized as they arrive at a school that was
reopened with certain COVID-19 safety guidelines, in Thane, Tuesday, Feb 16,
2021.
The Government on Wednesday informed that the
vaccination coverage in the country has crossed 9.06 million doses ranking
India at the third position after USA (55.2 million doses) and the UK (16.12
million doses).
The US and the UK have completed more than 60 days
of vaccination while India has completed 31 days since the inoculation drive
began on January 16.
The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister today
chaired a high-level meeting to review in detail the progress of Covid-19 vaccination
drive across the country and steps to accelerate the pace of vaccination.
Plans to involve private sector healthcare
facilities in a significant way in the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination drive were
discussed, the government said, adding that this will enable registration of
the population in the 50 years plus category for vaccination.
The Union Health Ministry said vaccinations for the
frontline workers carried out till 6 pm, today is 26,64,972, forming 28.9 per
cent of the eligible frontline workers.
It added that nine States/UTs have recorded a
coverage of more than 75% of first dose of HCW. These include Bihar(84.7%),
Tripura(82.3%), Odisha(81.5%), Lakshwadeep(81%), Gujarat(80.2%),
Chhattisgarh(78.8%), Madhya Pradesh(76.7%), Uttarakhand(76.6%) and Himachal
Pradesh(75.1%).
Meanwhile, with the coronavirus numbers
in Maharashtra showing a spike over the last two weeks, the state has
reintroduced some restrictions on the assembly and movement of people. The state government has warned that it could
even bring back the lockdown if it was felt necessary.
Every day of the last week, for the first time since
mid-January, Maharashtra has reported more than 3,000 new cases of coronavirus
infections. The new cases in the second week of February were at least 14 per
cent more than the first.
In the week ending this Sunday (February 14), 20,207
new cases were detected across the state, compared to 17,672 in the previous
week (February 1-7). In the week prior to that (January 25-31), the state had
reported 17,293 cases.
India on Wednesday recorded 11,610 new Covid-19
cases, taking the total tally of cases to 1,09,37,320, according to data from
the Union Health Ministry. With 10 more fatalities in the last 24 hours, the
death toll has reached 1,55,913.
As many as 1,06,44,858 people have recovered from the disease so far. The national recovery rate stands at 97.33 per cent. There are 1,36,549 active cases in the country at present, accounting for 1.25 per cent of its total caseload
February 17, 2021
Single dose of Pfizer provokes strong immune response: Study
https://epaper.hindustantimes.com/Home/ArticleView
February 15, 2021
Coronavirus vaccine: Over 7k get second dose, 80 lakh-plus vaccinated so far
According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 15 states and Union territories began administering the second dose on Saturday.
A police personnel being administered Covid vaccine at Thane Civil Hospital, in Thane.
More than 7,000 frontline healthcare workers completed their two-dose immunisation schedule as the country began administering the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Saturday.
In India, both Serum Institute’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin have the same course and schedule: two doses scheduled to be administered four weeks apart.
The vaccine rollout started 28 days ago, and the two lakh beneficiaries who were given the first shot on Day 1 will be administered the second dose. According to official data, 7,668 healthcare workers received the second dose on Saturday. The country touched the 80-lakh mark on Day 28 — 59,35,275 healthcare workers (HCWs) and 21,17,179 frontline workers (FLWs) have been inoculated.
The Indian regulator has said that the second dose vaccine can be administered within a period of four to six weeks. According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 15 states and Union territories began administering the second dose on Saturday.
The top five states and UTs in terms of beneficiaries given the second dose are Andhra Pradesh (3,434), Jharkhand (920), West Bengal (896), Jammu and Kashmir (807), and Tripura (366).
On Saturday, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan chaired a detailed review of the status and progress of the vaccination drive with all states and UTs.
As of Saturday, 12 states and UTs have administered the first dose to more than 70 per cent of the registered HCWs. These include Bihar, Lakshadweep, Tripura, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Sikkim.
Also, seven states and UTs have reported less than 40 percent coverage of registered HCWs, including Meghalaya, Punjab, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Nagaland and Puducherry.
The country has so far reported 27 deaths, however, the Centre has said that they are not attributable to the vaccination. “In the last 24 hours, three new deaths have been reported. Out of which, a 38-year-old person, a resident of Harda, Madhya Pradesh, died due to myocardial infarction after 9 days of vaccination. Another is a 35-year-old resident of Panipat, Haryana, suffering from pneumonia with acute respiratory distress syndrome, who died after eight days of vaccination. Post-mortem details are awaited. A 58-year-old resident of Dausa, Rajasthan, collapsed on duty and was brought dead to the hospital after taking the vaccine. His post-mortem details are also awaited,” the health ministry said.
According to the official data, the country has reported 34 cases where the beneficiaries were hospitalised after vaccination. “Of the 34 cases of hospitalisation, 21 were discharged after treatment, while 11 died and 2 are under treatment. In the last 24 hours, no person has been hospitalised,” the health ministry said.
The Indian Express
Anti-viral coating on face masks may kill coronavirus, UK study finds
Anti-viral coating on face masks may kill coronavirus, UK study finds
People queue outside a bus modified into a mobile vaccination centre for
the coronavirus
disease (COVID-19), in Thamesmead, London, Britain, February 14, 2021. Reuters file photo
Scientists at the University of Cambridge working with an anti-viral coating technology called
DioX believe that it could protect facemask users by killing the deadly coronavirus in as little
as an hour.
According to ‘The Daily Telegraph’, the invisible coating on facemasks
attacks the virus by
rapturing its outer layer, effectively eliminating all new mutant variants, including the UK’s
so-called Kent variant and the South African variant.
“The antiviral agent within the coating of the mask kills the virus by
breaching its protective
outer membrane, which is known as its envelope. Unlike other parts of the virus, the membrane
remains the same regardless of any type of mutation. Hence this way of attacking the pathogen
will work on any new variant of coronavirus,” Dr Graham Christie, senior lecturer at the
Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Cambridge, told
the newspaper.
“In fact, you could mutate the entire genome of the virus and it would have
no effect on the
envelope. We expect to see the same response regardless of the strain of coronavirus because
structurally they are all very similar,” he said.
The technology called DiOX is based on quaternary ammonium salts – organic
compounds
widely used in the textile industry for their antimicrobial properties. Laboratory tests showed
that the mask coated with it killed 95 per cent of pathogens on its surface within one hour and
they were undetectable after four hours.
Experts say the action of the antiviral agent continues to work because it
is unaffected by
changes in the spike protein of the virus, which is the method by which coronavirus mutates.
“The variants that we are seeing occur in the spike proteins that stud the surface of the virus
rather than the membrane of the envelope,” said Dr Christie.
“It is the genetic information that encodes this protein that is mutating,
and this is leading to
very slight structural changes in the shape of the spike. However, the envelope is derived from
part of a human cell that the virus grabs from its host in order to protect its genetic material. It
is made from lipids, which unlike the proteins do not change,” he said.
According to the newspaper report, the mask is reusable and can be washed
up to 20 times,
albeit subject to a reduction in efficacy after multiple washes. During the study, the mask was
tested on a coronavirus called MHV-A59, which is genetically and structurally very similar to
SARS-CoV-2.
“The Cambridge work followed industry standards for the testing of viruses
on material,” said
Andy Middleton, co-founder of LiquidNano, the UK company which commissioned the study.
“It also made some critical adaptations to give it a more ‘real-world’ relevance. This included
conducting splash tests to mimic sneezing, helping to ensure the tests were as rigorous as
possible. We have taken a proven antiviral agent and developed it for fabric in order to create
a user-friendly mask,” he said.
DioX D4 claims to offer a patented technology for inhibiting the growth of
a wide array of
bacteria, mould, mildew, algae, fungi, and yeast on textile materials.
The novel antimicrobial agent provides an invisible microbiostatic coating
to inhibit the growth
of odour causing bacteria. Given the coronavirus pandemic, DiOX D4 said it has also been
independently tested to rapidly reduce bacterial and viral pathogens, “greatly limiting the risk
of contact contamination and infection”.
If proved effective in further analyses, the technology could offer an
additional layer of
protection against deadly viruses over time.
disease (COVID-19), in Thamesmead, London, Britain, February 14, 2021. Reuters file photo
Scientists at the University of Cambridge working with an anti-viral coating technology called
DioX believe that it could protect facemask users by killing the deadly coronavirus in as little
as an hour.
rapturing its outer layer, effectively eliminating all new mutant variants, including the UK’s
so-called Kent variant and the South African variant.
outer membrane, which is known as its envelope. Unlike other parts of the virus, the membrane
remains the same regardless of any type of mutation. Hence this way of attacking the pathogen
will work on any new variant of coronavirus,” Dr Graham Christie, senior lecturer at the
Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Cambridge, told
the newspaper.
envelope. We expect to see the same response regardless of the strain of coronavirus because
structurally they are all very similar,” he said.
widely used in the textile industry for their antimicrobial properties. Laboratory tests showed
that the mask coated with it killed 95 per cent of pathogens on its surface within one hour and
they were undetectable after four hours.
changes in the spike protein of the virus, which is the method by which coronavirus mutates.
“The variants that we are seeing occur in the spike proteins that stud the surface of the virus
rather than the membrane of the envelope,” said Dr Christie.
very slight structural changes in the shape of the spike. However, the envelope is derived from
part of a human cell that the virus grabs from its host in order to protect its genetic material. It
is made from lipids, which unlike the proteins do not change,” he said.
albeit subject to a reduction in efficacy after multiple washes. During the study, the mask was
tested on a coronavirus called MHV-A59, which is genetically and structurally very similar to
SARS-CoV-2.
Andy Middleton, co-founder of LiquidNano, the UK company which commissioned the study.
“It also made some critical adaptations to give it a more ‘real-world’ relevance. This included
conducting splash tests to mimic sneezing, helping to ensure the tests were as rigorous as
possible. We have taken a proven antiviral agent and developed it for fabric in order to create
a user-friendly mask,” he said.
bacteria, mould, mildew, algae, fungi, and yeast on textile materials.
of odour causing bacteria. Given the coronavirus pandemic, DiOX D4 said it has also been
independently tested to rapidly reduce bacterial and viral pathogens, “greatly limiting the risk
of contact contamination and infection”.
protection against deadly viruses over time.
Coronavirus may never go away but could change into mild annoyance
'Adults tend not to get very bad symptoms on reinfection if they’ve already
been exposed'
Coronavirus may never go away but could change into mild annoyance.
A member of the GP COVID-19 Expert Advisory Group, prepares a dose of
AstraZeneca
coronavirus disease vaccine at Health Service Executive vaccination centre outside St. Mary's
Hospital, in Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland, on February 14, 2021.
What if COVID-19 never goes away? Experts say it’s likely that some version
of the disease
will linger for years. But what it will look like in the future is less clear.
Will the coronavirus, which has already killed more than 2 million people
worldwide,
eventually be eliminated by a global vaccination campaign, like smallpox?Will dangerous new
variants evade vaccines? Or will the virus stick around for a long time, transforming into a mild
annoyance, like the common cold?
Eventually, the virus known as SARS-CoV-2 will become yet “another animal
in the zoo,”
joining the many other infectious diseases that humanity has learned to live with, predicted Dr
T Jacob John, who studies viruses and was at the helm of India’s efforts to tackle polio and
HIV/AIDS.
But no one knows for sure. The virus is evolving rapidly, and new variants
are popping up in
different countries.
The risk of these new variants was underscored when Novavax Inc. found that
the company’s
vaccine did not work as well against mutated versions circulating in Britain and South Africa.
The more the virus spreads, experts say, the more likely it is that a new variant will become
capable of eluding current tests, treatments and vaccines.
For now, scientists agree on the immediate priority: Vaccinate as many
people as quickly as
possible. The next step is less certain and depends largely on the strength of the immunity
offered by vaccines and natural infections and how long it lasts.
“Are people going to be frequently subject to repeat infections? We don’t
have enough data
yet to know,” said Jeffrey Shaman, who studies viruses at Columbia University. Like many
researchers, he believes chances are slim that vaccines will confer lifelong immunity.
If humans must learn to live with COVID-19, the nature of that coexistence
depends not just
on how long immunity lasts, but also how the virus evolves. Will it mutate significantly each
year, requiring annual shots, like the flu? Or will it pop up every few years?
This question of what happens next attracted Jennie Lavine, a virologist at
Emory University,
who is co-author of a recent paper in Science that projected a relatively optimistic scenario:
After most people have been exposed to the virus — either through vaccination or surviving
infections—the pathogen “will continue to circulate, but will mostly cause only mild illness,”
like a routine cold.
While immunity acquired from other coronaviruses — like those that cause
the common cold
or SARS or MERS— wanes over time, symptoms upon reinfection tend to be milder than the
first illness, said Ottar Bjornstad, a co-author of the Science paper who studies viruses at
Pennsylvania State University.
“Adults tend not to get very bad symptoms if they’ve already been exposed,”
he said.
The prediction in the Science paper is based on an analysis of how other coronaviruses have
behaved over time and assumes that SAR-CoV-2 continues to evolve, but not quickly or
radically.
The 1918 flu pandemic could offer clues about the course of COVID-19. That
pathogen was
an H1N1 virus with genes that originated in birds, not a coronavirus. At the time, no vaccines
were available.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that a third of
the world’s
population became infected. Eventually, after infected people either died or developed
immunity, the virus stopped spreading quickly. It later mutated into a less virulent form, which
experts say continues to circulate seasonally.
“Very commonly the descendants of flu pandemics become the milder seasonal
flu viruses we
experience for many years,” said Stephen Morse, who studies viruses at Columbia University.
It’s not clear yet how future mutations in SARS-CoV-2 will shape the trajectory of the current
disease.
As new variants emerge—some more contagious, some more virulent and some
possibly less
responsive to vaccines — scientists are reminded how much they don’t yet know about the
future of the virus, said Mark Jit, who studies viruses at the London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine.
“We’ve only known about this virus for about a year, so we don’t yet have
data to show its
behavior over five years or 10 years,” he said.
Of the more than 12 billion coronavirus vaccine shots being made in 2021,
rich countries have
bought about 9 billion, and many have options to buy more. This inequity is a threat since it
will result in poorer countries having to wait longer for the vaccine, during which time the
disease will continue to spread and kill people, said Ian MacKay, who studies viruses at the
University of Queensland.
That some vaccines seem less effective against the new strains is
worrisome, but since the shots
provide some protection, vaccines could still be used to slow or stop the virus from spreading,
said Ashley St. John, who studies immune systems at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore.
Dr Gagandeep Kang, an infectious diseases expert at Christian Medical College at Vellore in
southern India, said the evolution of the virus raises new questions: At what stage does the
virus become a new strain? Will countries need to re-vaccinate from scratch? Or could a booster
dose be given? “These are questions that you will have to address in the future,” Kang said.
The future of the coronavirus may contrast with other highly contagious
diseases that have
been largely beaten by vaccines that provide lifelong immunity—such as measles. The spread
of measles drops off after many people have been vaccinated.
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/coronavirus/coronavirus-may-never-go-away-but-couldchange-into-mild-annoyance-212382
Coronavirus may never go away but could change into mild annoyance.
coronavirus disease vaccine at Health Service Executive vaccination centre outside St. Mary's
Hospital, in Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland, on February 14, 2021.
will linger for years. But what it will look like in the future is less clear.
eventually be eliminated by a global vaccination campaign, like smallpox?Will dangerous new
variants evade vaccines? Or will the virus stick around for a long time, transforming into a mild
annoyance, like the common cold?
joining the many other infectious diseases that humanity has learned to live with, predicted Dr
T Jacob John, who studies viruses and was at the helm of India’s efforts to tackle polio and
HIV/AIDS.
different countries.
vaccine did not work as well against mutated versions circulating in Britain and South Africa.
The more the virus spreads, experts say, the more likely it is that a new variant will become
capable of eluding current tests, treatments and vaccines.
possible. The next step is less certain and depends largely on the strength of the immunity
offered by vaccines and natural infections and how long it lasts.
yet to know,” said Jeffrey Shaman, who studies viruses at Columbia University. Like many
researchers, he believes chances are slim that vaccines will confer lifelong immunity.
on how long immunity lasts, but also how the virus evolves. Will it mutate significantly each
year, requiring annual shots, like the flu? Or will it pop up every few years?
who is co-author of a recent paper in Science that projected a relatively optimistic scenario:
After most people have been exposed to the virus — either through vaccination or surviving
infections—the pathogen “will continue to circulate, but will mostly cause only mild illness,”
like a routine cold.
or SARS or MERS— wanes over time, symptoms upon reinfection tend to be milder than the
first illness, said Ottar Bjornstad, a co-author of the Science paper who studies viruses at
Pennsylvania State University.
The prediction in the Science paper is based on an analysis of how other coronaviruses have
behaved over time and assumes that SAR-CoV-2 continues to evolve, but not quickly or
radically.
an H1N1 virus with genes that originated in birds, not a coronavirus. At the time, no vaccines
were available.
population became infected. Eventually, after infected people either died or developed
immunity, the virus stopped spreading quickly. It later mutated into a less virulent form, which
experts say continues to circulate seasonally.
experience for many years,” said Stephen Morse, who studies viruses at Columbia University.
It’s not clear yet how future mutations in SARS-CoV-2 will shape the trajectory of the current
disease.
responsive to vaccines — scientists are reminded how much they don’t yet know about the
future of the virus, said Mark Jit, who studies viruses at the London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine.
behavior over five years or 10 years,” he said.
bought about 9 billion, and many have options to buy more. This inequity is a threat since it
will result in poorer countries having to wait longer for the vaccine, during which time the
disease will continue to spread and kill people, said Ian MacKay, who studies viruses at the
University of Queensland.
provide some protection, vaccines could still be used to slow or stop the virus from spreading,
said Ashley St. John, who studies immune systems at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore.
Dr Gagandeep Kang, an infectious diseases expert at Christian Medical College at Vellore in
southern India, said the evolution of the virus raises new questions: At what stage does the
virus become a new strain? Will countries need to re-vaccinate from scratch? Or could a booster
dose be given? “These are questions that you will have to address in the future,” Kang said.
been largely beaten by vaccines that provide lifelong immunity—such as measles. The spread
of measles drops off after many people have been vaccinated.
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/coronavirus/coronavirus-may-never-go-away-but-couldchange-into-mild-annoyance-212382
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