Health

BBMP has set up a 'war room' to stop the spread of coronavirus and create awareness. The war room is situated in the six floor of the Palike's annexe building. Following are the priorities of the war room, as per a press release from BBMP: Keeping vigil on those infected and ensuring that it does not spread. Collecting information on all arriving from abroad and keeping track of them. Calling every day and keeping track of those who are on home quarantine for 15 days. War room staff to work 24/7 in three shifts. Using the format provided by WHO,…

Finding that measures taken to control the spread of coronavirus in Bengaluru had hit the informal workforce the hardest, a group of workers’ unions has recommended a slew of urgent measures to be taken by the state government, beginning with a Rs 21,000 crore plan to provide relief to such workers. The recommendation follows a survey they undertook among garment workers, street vendors, pourakarmikas, hospital workers, construction workers and gig economy workers. The report recommends universal delivery of rations, serving cooked food on a daily basis, releasing Rs 14,000 for each household, prohibiting termination/retrenchment of employment, holding health camps and…

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.…

Bengaluru is home to many educational institutions, which means it is also home to a large student population and a young professional crowd. In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, BBMP has issued the following advisory for paying guest accommodations and hostels: Students residing in Paying Guest (PG) houses or hostels may be advised to return to their own homes, in case their educational institutions have declared holidays in view of COV1D-19. In case occupants opt to stay back in the Hostel /PG House, they should be made aware of personal hygiene measures as per the advice of the Government…

With Bengaluru in lockdown, even procuring food from your neighbourhood supermarket may seem like a difficult task. There's a threat that coronavirus can spread rapidly when people come in close contact in public places. To address the safety of staff as well as customers in markets and shopping centres, BBMP has issued the following advisory: Time-bound sales promotion offers, that have the potential to draw large crowds within a limited time frame, are strictly prohibited. It is advised to introduce 'time-bound token system' for shopping. Reduce overcrowding inside the shopping outlet. It needs to be appreciated that despite the lockdown,…

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…

The number of Coronavirus cases in Punjab shot up to 14 on March 21st. More than half of these individuals were infected after coming in contact with a single international traveler, 70-year-old Baldev Singh, who refused to remain in self-isolation upon his return to the state. Singh died from heart failure on March 18th and was found to be Coronavirus positive only after his death. Baldev was a priest in a Gurudwara at Pathlawa village in Nawanshahr (renamed Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar) district and had gone to Germany and Italy in February. He returned to Delhi on March 6th. Along…

These are difficult times, and the world around us seems headed towards a dystopia of sorts. As discussed in our earlier interview with Dr Kalyanasundaram, Bengaluru-based Consultant Psychiatrist and an Honorary Adviser to the Bengaluru Branch of Richmond Fellowship Society, the risk of mental health issues has increased sharply. Indeed, we are already beginning to see signs among people caught in the situations created by the outbreak of coronavirus – corporate professionals struggling to get all work done from home, parents trying to keep their kids occupied and entertained all day, caregivers trying to explain the situation to the most…

Coronavirus or COVID-19 needs no introduction. Anyone with access to any form of media today is aware of the current spread of the virus as also the various steps different governments and countries are taking to prevent further outspread. At the time of publishing this interview, the total number of confirmed cases in India stood at 298, with 4 people having died due to the virus. The concern in India currently is that the virus has reached a stage where it will start spreading exponentially if proper care is not taken at both personal and governmental levels. In the midst…