DailyOh! WHO says nothing called Indian variant, Cyclone Tauktae on way
It is not the “Indian variant” but “the B.1.617 variant of Covid-19, first found in India” says World Health Organization. Get the name right.
It is not the “Indian Covid strain” that the World Health Organization (WHO) termed as a 'variant of concern at global level', it said today. Don’t get us (or the WHO) wrong. The variant is indeed concerning as it transmits more easily and perhaps more resistant to vaccine protections.
What matters is the name. Not to be called “Indian variant” but to be termed as “the B.1.617 variant of Covid-19, first found in India” in October 2020.
In a tweet, the UN health body has clarified that it does not identify viruses or variants with names of countries they are first reported from. What is in a name, you can ask like Shakespeare. Everything, says WHO.
From names to now numbers. The country recorded 3,48,421 fresh cases and 4,205 deaths since Tuesday, making it the highest single-day toll so far. From Karnataka, Maharashtra has taken back the top spot of the highest caseload in a day with 40,956 cases. Karnataka has no reason to be relieved, as it is close with 39,510 cases. The other states in the top five spot are Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
More woes for Maharashtra that has reported more deaths caused by the black fungus or mucormycosis. The state government has said there could be 2,000 mucormycosis cases in the state. Catching up fast are Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. The maximum load of mucormycosis have been reported from Gujarat, which has so far reported over 100 cases.
Stay extra safe if you are in western India, for it is not just the fungus and virus that you will be battling in the coming days. Met Department has predicted that the western coast is likely to witness a cyclonic storm by May 16.
The east-central Arabian Sea is likely to see the formation of a cyclonic storm in the coming days, named ‘Tauktae’ as given by Myanmar. Met Department says that the low-lying areas of Lakshadweep could be inundated by May 15-16.
Back to Covid now. As we battle Covid-19, healthcare workers have been on the frontline, risking their lives every day and every minute they are on duty. While reams have been written about the doctors (and very rightly so!) the nurses are the backbone in providing critical care to patients. From heavily pregnant nurses in India taking care of Covid patients (some while observing Roza), singing to patients in the ICU in the USA, nurses across the world have won our hearts.
This is Amy-Lynn. An endoscopy nurse at The Ottawa Hospital, who has recently been redeployed to the ICU. Here she is with a beautiful song for our patients... “You are not alone”. Thank you for lifting our spirits, Amy-Lynn! #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/Xn11mNr44D
— The Ottawa Hospital (@OttawaHospital) April 24, 2021
Today (May 12) is a day marked to salute their unparalleled service in saving lives. It is International Nurses Day, commemorating Florence Nightingale’s birthday — her 201st birth anniversary this year.
Nightingale, as you know, was the founder of modern nursing, and was the manager and trainer of nurses during the Crimean War. She was known as the “The Lady with the Lamp” as she would visit wounded soldiers at night with a small lantern. She has inspired millions over generations to opt for nursing as a profession.
What you might not know, however, is that Nightingale herself struggled with illness for much of her life. True, she lived to a ripe old age of 90, but she was bedridden for the most part. While serving at Scutari (now known as Üsküdar, near Istanbul in Turkey) during the Crimean War, she contracted the Crimean Fever, or what is now commonly known as brucellosis. It is a bacterial infection and she probably contracted it from contaminated goat's milk or cheese during the War. She suffered from it for the rest of her life.
However, not to be shaken by her physical infirmities, Nightingale went on to change the course of the nursing profession. And it is her example that inspires the nurses of our day and age who continue to battle the virus on the frontline. We owe them our heartfelt gratitude. You can express your gratitude by wearing the mask and staying safe. Healthcare workers have enough and more on their plates already.
Vaccination is another approach to protect yourself better. However, being jabbed does not mean that you are safe for others. You basically become an asymptomatic carrier after being vaccinated, say doctors. Inoculated or not, unmasking is not an option.
Stay at home — for your own sake and that of others. We keep recommending you options to read, watch, cook and brew to keep you occupied at home. Today, we bring you the American superhero comedy Thunder Force, available on Netflix.
But what if you are not vaccinated? You are most probably not, if you are in the 18 to 45 age bracket in some states like Delhi. And that is because there are no vaccines available, according to the state government. In the latest bout of bickering over vaccines, Delhi's Deputy CM Manish Sisodia has accused Bharat Biotech of refusing Delhi the required doses of Covaxin, on the order of 'central government officials', according to Sisodia.
Not enough doses for the 18 to 45 bracket, which according to ICMR is the most vulnerable during the second wave, but Covaxin has been recommended for trials on children.
The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on Covid-19 has recommended that Bharat Biotech be granted permission to conduct the Phase 2/3 clinical trials of Covaxin on children aged between two and 18 years. The trial will take place on 525 subjects at various sites, including AIIMS-Delhi, AIIMS-Patna and Meditrina Institute of Medical Sciences in Nagpur.
But what exactly do you mean by trial? Our Word of the Day, trial has two meanings. One is the ‘a formal examination of evidence by a judge to decide guilt in a case of criminal or civil proceedings’, and the other is the ‘test for the performance, qualities, or suitability of something’ — as in the example of clinical trials to determine the safety and effectiveness of a new treatment, like a vaccine.
Trial comes the Old French word trier that means ‘to choose or separate from others’. The word sense originates from granum terere literally meaning ‘sifting the corn from the chaff’.
From the health science of clinical trials to the crumbling healthcare system in rural India. After ravaging the cities, the virus is now wreaking havoc in the villages. In Rajasthan’s Bhopur village, for instance, there is no primary healthcare facility and the nearest Covid testing centre is 10 km away. Covid has reached every household in Bhopur and nearby villages. Villagers of Gaunria in the Maharajganj district of Uttar Pradesh have begun a nine-day prayer ritual to protect themselves from the virus. All well as long as you are socially distanced and wearing masks as you pray. The district has seen nearly 10,000 Covid cases.
While some find solace in prayers, others are taking to art to combat Covid’s mental toll. Take for instance 84-year-old Lata Chaudhry from Bandra, Mumbai. The octogenarian who suffers from advanced-stage Alzheimer’s decided she has had enough of Covid-related news and now spends her hours with the canvas and paints. Her family claims that “there has been no looking back” ever since she picked up her paintbrushes.
To each one his or her own. Do whatever you must to keep yourself safe — physically and mentally.
We will be back tomorrow. Take care.
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