Health

We are nearing the end of a year that none of us ever imagined we’d have to live through. So much of what we practiced, what we believed to be ‘normal’, has proved to be as vulnerable as a reed in a storm. Our lives have changed radically and so have our festivals, with restrictions galore on traditional customs, rituals and celebrations. But surely, we do not need COVID to tell us that we ought to move away from celebrations with firecrackers?  Yes, the coronavirus has indeed made that move much more pressing, creating as it does a lethal mix…

We are so lucky to be Indians and have so many festivals to celebrate and choose from. But there is also a need to draw some boundaries to ensure these festivals are equally joyful for all. The debate about firecrackers is often seen from a religious lens, and hence the arguments on it get drowned in ridiculous polarities, distracting us from the core problem.  The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act covers animal slaughter during Muslim and Hindu festivals (by allowing slaughter only in registered licensed abattoirs). Extremely loud music or prayers from religious establishments are covered by pollution…

What do COVID-19 figures in October and November tell us about the city's preparedness to fight the virus. Since June, the Maharashtra government has allowed a gradual unlocking of services in Mumbai. Non-essential shops, salons, and spas were permitted to open towards the end of June; and by August, malls had re-opened. On October 5, the government allowed restaurants and food courts to open and the Railways were instructed to increase the capacity on local trains. Many experts forewarned that these unlocking measures, while essential for the economy, would lead to another spike of cases in the city. But a…

Chennai has seen a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in October with the number of active cases on November 1st at 7005. The city has till date seen over two lakh cases since the reporting of the first ever case in March. The response to the pandemic has been dynamic, and there has been an evolving strategy in place with regard to testing, treatment and preventive measures. Here is a round-up of the latest protocols in place. Testing protocols Testing protocols as devised by the Indian Council for Medical Research have been adhered to since the start of…

Ever since lockdown norms were eased, Chennai’s COVID tally has seen significant variations. Over the past few weeks, however, Chennai has been witnessing less than 1,000 cases in a consistent manner. What can we infer from the numbers? Is Chennai on course to see a continuous fall in the numbers?  Here are some of the key takeaways based on an analysis of data from August to October: Fluctuating number of positive cases per day  There has been a rise and fall pattern observed in the number of cases in Chennai over the last three months; if we take 1000 as…

As Rajarajeshwari Nagar assembly constituency goes into bypolls today, how well is the administration prepared to control the spread of COVID? The Election Commission of India (ECI) had released its guidelines for elections in all states including Karnataka, on August 21. Inputs from political parties were considered while preparing these. Further, the ECI had allowed States to come up with their own guidelines. And as per this, Karnataka government released its guidelines on October 16. As per these documents, following are the measures that would be taken on polling day: The polling booth should be completely sanitised, preferably a day…

The Technical Advisory Committee of the Government of Karnataka gave clarifications on the use of masks, on October 27. Following is a press release from the BBMP based on this. Use of masks in public places Whether a person driving alone in a four-wheeler with the window glasses closed should wear a mask?Answer: Wearing a mask is mandatory. (a) Whether an individual driving alone in a four-wheeler without any fellow traveller in the car should wear a mask If the window glasses are open and the car is parked near the traffic signal? (b) If he opens the window glasses…

In the last few months, Bengaluru has seen rapid changes in its COVID tally. What's the current situation in the city? Are cases likely to reduce? Are death rates really reducing? Following are some key takeaways based on an analysis of data from the last few months. Number of positive cases per day has been decreasing Bengaluru seems to have hit the highest per-day cases on October 8, with 5121 cases. Since then, per-day case count has been on a decreasing trend. Considering previous seven days' average data, we reached the peak on October 12 and cases have been reducing…

Bengaluru has been growing rapidly and eating into its rural peripheries. Between 2001 and 2011, the city's population grew by 42%, with an alarming increase in built-up area. Such drastic changes in land use, along with the intensive use of pesticides in agriculture, have destroyed much of the original habitats of many plants and animals.  A majority of the foods we eat depend on animal pollinators such as bees, flies, butterflies and birds. These pollinators can enhance yield and improve the quality of produce by the cross-transfer of pollen. Foods that are dependent on pollinators include fruits, vegetables, nuts and…

The COVID-19 pandemic currently devastating the globe has infected almost 7 million people in India, resulting in over 100,000 deaths. The figure is comparable to the official reported deaths caused by Tuberculosis (TB) in 2019. Despite TB being a preventable disease, this is a yearly phenomenon. Big cities have seen the highest concentration of COVID-19 cases. A district-wise analysis conducted in July showed that a mere 10 cities (including Mumbai) accounted for 52.7% of all active cases in the country. The infection is more widespread now, but Mumbai continues to be among the worst hit cities. Its sprawling slum population,…