GENRE: Explainers

On Friday, Day 3 of the nationwide lockdown to contain COVID-19, Bengalureans - who were on Day 14 of their own lockdown - received news of the state’s third reported fatality from the virus. A 65-year-old man, with recent travel history to only Delhi, had died at 10.45 am in the isolation ward of Tumakuru’s district hospital. The state’s tally of positive cases now stands at 81, with Bengaluru accounting for 41 of those cases. Three weeks into this crisis, all we know for certain is that the disease is spreading fast; we don’t exactly know where it’s spreading and…

The pandemic has forced most of us to stay put at homes and adapt to new ways of getting things done. While many of us have adjusted to this new life, several people across the country have been hit hard. With no food, water, shelter, access to public health and awareness, this vulnerable population, which includes daily wage workers, homeless, migrants, and senior citizens, is at risk of contracting the coronavirus. In most cases, this is after they have lost their jobs or have no way of earning. However, there are several individuals and groups who have come out to…

Translated by Sandhya Raju கோவிட் வைரஸ் தொற்று குறித்து மத்திய அரசு பல முன்னெச்செரிக்கை நடவடிக்கைகளை அறிவித்துள்ளது. எனினும் தொற்று பராவமல் தடுக்க அடுக்குமாடி குடியிருப்புகள் கட்டாயமாக சில நடவடிக்கைகளை மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டும். இது குறித்த சில பொது கேள்விகளும் பதில்களும்: பாதுகாவலர்களும், வேலையாட்களும் கடைபிடிக்கவேண்டியவை? குடியிருப்பு பகுதிகளுக்கு வரும் வெளியாட்களை இவர்கள் அதிகம் சந்திக்க நேரிடுவதால், இவர்களுக்கு முக கவசம், சோப், போதிய தண்ணீர் வசதி, கிருமி நாசினி ஆகியவற்றை வழங்க வேண்டும். லிஃப்ட் பட்டன்களை கிருமி நாசினியால் துடைப்பது கடினம் என்பதால் ஒரே ஒரு பாதுகாவலர் மட்டுமே இதை இயக்க வேண்டும். அவர் இல்லாத சமயத்தில், மக்கள் படிகளில் செல்வது நல்லது என சுகாதாரத் துறை அதிகாரிகள் அறிவுறுத்துகிறார்கள். வெளியாட்களிடம் சுவாச சுகாதாரம் (இருமும் போதும், தும்மும் போதும் வாயையும் மூக்கையும் சட்டையாலும், கைக்குட்டையாலும் மூட அறிவுறுத்துதல்),  சோப்பால் கை கழுவுதல் குறித்து விழிப்புணர்வை இவர்கள் ஏற்படுத்தலாம். விழிப்புணர்வு…

The spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic across the world has brought entire nations to a standstill. As a measure to prevent extensive transmission of the virus, the Government of India announced an extensive lockdown for a period of 21 days starting March 25. During this time, all no-essential shops, establishments and non-essential activities have been ordered to be stopped. All citizens have been advised to remain indoors and only step out in case of emergencies.  While the strict lockdown measures are essential to curb the virus, the move has left people from various walks of life vulnerable, with many…

Volunteers are most often people who lead from the front, blaze the trail on ground zero and set the path for others to follow. And the others inevitably do follow, because goodness and giving have a ripple effect like none other. Chennai is no stranger to such phenomena and our citizens are not new to volunteering in times of normalcy and disaster, alike. As a volunteer, I have been part of citizenship efforts in times normal and severely abnormal. In terms of the latter, we have volunteered through floods, water scarcity, cyclones and earthquakes. We have rallied thousands of volunteers…

Sudha Rao is at her wits' end. Her six-year-old daughter Sharanya is staying home longer than normal and the mother has run out of ideas on how to keep her occupied. Painting, dancing, singing classes, summer camps - there is absolutely nowhere to go in these dangerous times created by the coronavirus outbreak. Sudha's story isn't unique, though. So we have put a list of things available for you kids to keep them engaged: COMMUNITIES / ORGANISATIONS 1) Bookaroolitfest An initiative on the International Mother Language Day 2020 YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch 2) Kathalaya's International Academy of Storytelling YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch 3) Delhi Storytellers' Tribe A…

It is unfortunate that we find ourselves in such trying times, when the COVID-19 crisis has impacted our work, business and community. On the one hand, there are essential service providers who toil hard risking their well-being to serve us; on the other, there is a majority of us, who are blessed to have the option to work from home (WFH). #WFH as a concept may not be new, but for many, the current circumstances present a new experience altogether. WFH requires a lot of discipline and planning. As someone who has worked from home for many years, here is…

In a bid to test more people who may have possibly come in contact with COVID-19 patients, latest testing strategy laid out by the Indian Council of Medical Research is as follows:  1. All asymptomatic individuals who have undertaken international travel in the last 14 days:  - They should stay in home quarantine for 14 days.  - They should be tested only if they become symptomatic (fever, cough, difficulty in breathing)  - All family members living with a confirmed case should be home quarantined All symptomatic contacts of laboratory confirmed cases. 2. All symptomatic contacts of laboratory confirmed cases 3.…

The death toll in India from coronavirus infection stands at five, as of now. The severity of the virus prompted state governments across the country to order closure of educational institutions and encourage parents to work from home, apart from home quarantine for those who returned from abroad or had come in contact with infected persons. But as families spend more time together at home, especially those under quarantine, parents are having a tough time keeping children engaged. And more importantly, safe. Questions with regard to the safety of children are many: Are they more vulnerable to the infection? What…

With Covid-19 claiming its third victim and the number of reported cases across the country almost touching 150, the Indian Council for Medical Research is ramping up the country's testing capacity to contain the pandemic, which is in its second phase in India. Besides the 62 testing centres in the country (see map), the ICMR plans to tap into government-run Virus Research and Diagnostic Labs (VRDLs) as well as 51 private laboratories accredited to the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABLs). According to the ICMR, there are presently 62 testing centres in India, with the National Centre…