Health

In the one week between June 28 and July 5, Bengaluru's COVID-19 count more than tripled, with 7240 new cases. The surge in cases has overburdened the city's healthcare capacity, and as a result, there have been many reports of patients not finding hospital beds or treatment on time. This has led to panic and confusion about what one should do on testing COVID-positive. “The panic and fear of COVID is actually worse than COVID itself. That’s what we have to address before anything else,” says Dr Giridhara R Babu, Professor, Head-Lifecourse Epidemiology, Indian Institute of Public Health. Dr Giridhar…

Since the last few weeks, Bengalureans have been in a state of panic and confusion. COVID-positive patients are unsure where to go, those who are symptomatic are frantically trying to find a bed in case they get serious, while attenders of seriously-ill patients are desperately trying to find hospitals which will admit and treat emergencies. We, at the social welfare organisation Naavu Bharatheeyaru, demand an urgent meeting to see how best the government and civil society can work together to minimise the distress that people are currently facing.  In a letter to Chief Minsiter B S Yediyurappa, we have identified…

With the Delhi government ramping up testing, the number of COVID-19 positive cases in the city is creating new records almost on a daily basis. There is also a group, including some medical professionals, who feel that the virus will eventually get to each of us, or at least most of us, and we should just stay prepared and reasonably cautious, without getting into panic mode. So how shall we manage and what can we expect, if we test positive for the virus? According to the new rules announced by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on June 22nd, home quarantine…

More than 830 police personnel have tested positive for COVID-19 in Chennai. An Inspector with Mambalam Police Station succumbed to the virus recently, the first cop to have died with COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu.  From protecting individuals to taking care of guest workers in shelters, ensuring compliance with mandated norms in hospitals and public places and inspecting checkpoints, the police has had to deal with a variety of tasks on a daily basis. Well aware of their vulnerability to the infection, a total of 18,000 cops belonging to Traffic, Law and Order and crime departments have been toiling on the…

Translated by Sandhya Raju கொரோனா தொற்று பரிசோதனை மற்றும் சிகிச்சை செலவை உங்களின் மருத்துவ காப்பீடு உள்ளடக்கியுள்ளதா? தனியார் மருத்தவமனைகளின் கட்டணம் குறித்து கவலைப்பட வேண்டுமா? 100% கட்டண செலவையும் உங்கள் காப்பீடு நிறுவனம் திரும்ப அளிக்குமா? கோவிட்-19 மருத்தவக் காப்பீடு குறித்த நீங்கள் அறிந்து கொள்ள வேண்டியவற்றை இங்கே தொகுத்துள்ளோம். கோவிட் சிகிச்சைக்கு புதிதாக மருத்துவ காப்பீடு எடுக்க வேண்டுமா? அவசியமில்லை. எல் ஐ சி, ஓரியன்டல் இன்சுரன்ஸ், நியூ இந்தியா அஷுரன்ஸ், ஆதித்யா பிர்லா, எச் டி எஃப் சி எர்கோ போன்ற பெரும்பாலான காப்பீடு நிறுவனங்கள் தற்போதைய காப்பீட்டிலேயே, கூடுதல் பிரிமீயம் கட்டணமின்றி, கோவிட் தொற்று சிகிச்சையை சேர்த்துள்ளது. கோவிட் காரணமாக ஏற்படும் மரணத்திற்கும் இழப்பீட்டு தொகையை எல் ஐ சி உள்ளடக்கியுள்ளது மற்றும் இவை மரணத்திற்கான பிற காரணங்களுடன் இணையாக பரிசீலிக்கப்படுகின்றன. ஐசிஐசிஐ லம்பார்ட் கோவிட்-19 காப்பீடு அம்சங்கள்- கோவிட்-19 தொற்றின் முதல் அறிகுறி…

As the number of COVID-19 cases are sharply rising in Bengaluru, there's much debate on whether the city should go into another lockdown. When the city entered the first phase of unlock earlier this month, SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) had been issued to commercial establishments and offices, on preventive measures they need to take. Have establishments in Bengaluru been complying with these norms? Is it safe for you to visit them? Restaurants are among the businesses most impacted by lockdown, with low footfall even weeks into the unlocking. Most restaurants have some preventive measures in place, but the extent varies.…

Does your health insurance cover testing and treatment for the novel coronavirus disease? Should you be worried about the heavy charges billed by private hospitals? Will you be reimbursed 100% by your insurer? Here is what you need to know about the health insurance policies that cover COVID-19.  Should you take a new insurance policy for covering COVID? It may not be necessary. In view of the pandemic situation, most insurance companies have modified their existing policy to include COVID treatment without charging an additional premium. Some of the companies who have done this are LIC, Oriental Insurance, New India…

“My friend’s son failed in his 12th standard exams. He took his life that evening” - Shikha* “I myself had attempted suicide once. I was 23/24 then and straddled with a baby and a mom-in-law with the most acidic tongue, who kept telling me how ugly, dark and unsuitable I was for her dashing, talented son. Little did I know then that she wasn't able to handle clear thinking, razor sharp minds and smart women. She felt that she could control me better if she put me down every time.” - Prerana* The above are just two examples of the…

The mathematical projections of MGR University indicate that there could be 1.5 lakh COVID-19 patients in Chennai by mid-July and the incidence of infection could peak in October. Going by the fact that the varsity’s projections on Chennai have been proven right so far, it is best to brace ourselves to deal with the crisis as it is quite likely to knock upon every one of our homes.  How does one stay prepared, though? Well, this is my own account, an observation of the crisis from close quarters, which might help in  understanding how the system works as it is…

The earlier articles in this series looked at the urban poor running out of cash and the stark reality of hunger during lockdown. In this part, we see the psychological effects of the lockdown on the poor. Parimala (name changed) can barely contain her tears. Between the sobbing, her words become less coherent. Clearly anxious, she checks the front door every now and then, lest her husband finds her speaking to someone. “It’s almost time for him to return from the liquor shop. Hopefully, if he is in a happy or a relaxed mood, my children and I don’t have…