Thursday, September 17, 2020
ICMR: Some adverse reactions to plasma - The Times Of India
ICMR: Some adverse reactions to plasma - The Times Of India
Sushmi.Dey@timesgroup.com
New Delhi:
16.09.2020
The Indian Council of Medical Research on Tuesday said early evidence from one of its randomised controlled trials on the efficacy of convalescent plasma for Covid-19 patients has shown the possibility of adverse reactions in some cases, even as the therapy did not reduce mortality nor did it prevent progression from moderate to severe disease.
The study conducted on 464 patients across 39 hospitals in 25 districts spread over 14 states and UTs was still under peer review and full publication of the results was awaited, ICMR director general Balram Bhargava said. “Once peer review happens and we get full publication out, this data will be considered again by the national task force and joint monitoring group of the health ministry and then a decision will be taken if we should continue with this or not,” he said.
States now have plasma banks too
There are a few cases where some reactions can occur and, therefore, we will take a considered view once we get the full publication of this study,” Bhargava said, indicating that the government may review its earlier guidelines on the use of plasma therapy. The comments assume significance as many states have now set up plasma banks even as results of the trials to establish its efficacy are yet to be published.
HC notice to health dept on exempting govt docs with comorbidities from Covid duty
HC notice to health dept on exempting govt docs with comorbidities from Covid duty
- The Times Of India
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai:
16.09.2020
A government doctors’ forum has moved the Madras high court to restrain Tamil Nadu from posting government doctors having comorbidities such as diabetics in Covid-19 duty.
A division bench of Justices MM Sundresh and R Hemalatha issued notices on the public interest writ petition filed by Doctors Association for Social Equality and directed the health department to file its response. According to the forum, represented by GR Ravindranath, government doctors, nurses and health personnel, who are above 50 years and suffering from chronic diseases, health conditions including diabetes, hypertension and any other comorbid conditions, pregnant and lactating mothers with infants are being asked to report for Covid and related duties.
“Exposing the professionals who come under such health conditions will suffer a severe life risk if they are compelled to take part in Covid-19 and related duties,” he claimed. The director of public health and preventive medicines has issued circulars dated April 8 and 20 restricting hospital authorities from deploying health professionals having comorbid for Covid-19 related duties. But medical authorities are constantly deploying doctors and other health care professionals despite their medical condition, he added.
Sasi can walk free in Jan 2021 if she pays ₹10crore fine: K’Taka -
Call to conduct supplementary exams by October-end
Call to conduct supplementary exams by October-end
16/09/2020
Special Correspondent CHENNAI
The Tamil Nadu Medical Students’ Association has urged the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University to conduct the supplementary examinations for second- and third-year MBBS students by the end of October.
In a statement, the association said the results of the university examinations for second- and third-year medical students conducted in February 2020 were released recently. Some students did not pass the examinations.
Fear among students
Usually, the results of the examinations are released in April/May and supplementary examinations are held in August. However, the regular supplementary examinations schedule was disrupted due to the COVID-19 situation. This has led to fears among second- and third-year medical students regarding the supplementary exams and course extension.
In view of these issues, the association requested the university to conduct the supplementary exams for second- and third-year students by the last week of October.
The association noted that the university had held the supplementary examinations for fourth-year medical students who did not pass the February 2020 university examinations in
Online booking must for ‘Purattasi’ Saturday darshan at Srirangam temple
Online booking must for ‘Purattasi’ Saturday darshan at Srirangam temple
Move intended to ensure physical distancing, says official
16/09/2020
A file photograph of the Srirangam temple.A. MURALITHARAN
Special Correspondent TIRUCHI
Devotees who wish to visit the Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy temple on Saturdays during the Tamil month of ‘Purattasi’ have to make advance bookings online.
Temple authorities on Tuesday said that only devotees with online bookings would be allowed inside the temple complex for darshan on the four Saturdays during Purattasi, falling on September 19, 26 and October 3, 10.
Online bookings have to be made for both free and paid darshan. Bookings can be made on the temple website www.srirangam.org
An official release from the temple Joint Commissioner /Executive Officer P. Jayaraman said the move was intended to ensure physical distancing among devotees in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and to reduce wait times for darshan.
The temple witnesses a huge turn-out of devotees on Saturdays in Purattasi. Mr. Jayaraman appealed to the devotees to make use of the booking facility and offer worship at the specified timings on the four Saturdays.
Mahalaya Amavasya rituals banned
16/09/2020
Staff ReporterCoimbatore
As part of COVID-19 precautionary measures, the district administration has banned congregation of devotees at temples or water bodies close to temples to conduct Mahalaya Amavasya rituals on September 17.
District Collector K. Rajamani said in a release that owners of private halls near temples must get permission from the authorities before renting the premises for these occasions.
HR&CE Department officials said that the crowds are expected at Perur Patteeswarar Temple, Karamadai Aranganatha Swamy Temple and Thekkampatti Vanabadrakaliamman Temple in Coimbatore district. While the rituals are not allowed, the temples will be open for devotees with the usual COVID-19 precautionary measures.
Erode Staff Reporter adds
The Erode district administration has also banned congregation of devotees at temples and river beds on September 17. Collector C. Kathiravan, however, said that devotees can offer prayers at temples.
New Anna varsity for affiliating engg. colleges
New Anna varsity for affiliating engg. colleges
Bill passed in Tamil Nadu Assembly
17/09/2020
R. SujathaCHENNAI
A new Anna University will be established, and all engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu will be affiliated to the Chennai-headquartered institution, according to a Bill passed in the State Assembly on Wednesday.
The existing Anna University at Guindy in the city will become a unitary institution under the name of Anna Technological and Research University (ATRU), with a focus on research and higher learning.
The reputed College of Engineering, Guindy, the Madras Institute of Technology, A.C. College of Technology and the School of Planning and Architecture will come under ATRU.
Tabling the Bills, Higher Education Minister K.P. Anbalagan said the decision was being taken “only for administrative reasons”.
He later told The Hindu that the decision had nothing to do with the Centre’s offer to upgrade Anna University into an ‘Institution of Eminence’ with a matching grant of ₹500 crore to focus on cutting-edge research.
“Managing the affairs of the engineering colleges across the State that are affiliated to Anna University is consuming much of the time and energy of eminent professors of the university. In order to concentrate on higher studies and research in engineering and technology, the government has decided to reconstitute the existing university as a unitary-type institution by the name of Anna Technological and Research University,” he said.
The new Anna University and ATRU will have separate administrative structures and governing bodies, like the syndicate and the academic council.
Assistant professors write to CM
17/09/2020
Special Correspondent CHENNAI
Ayurveda doyen dies of COVID-19
Ayurveda doyen dies of COVID-19
17/09/2020
P.R. Krishnakumar, Chancellor of the Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women and the managing director of Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (Coimbatore) Limited, died of COVID-19 in Coimbatore late on Wednesday. He was 69. A recipient of Padma Shri, who played a major role in the preparation of the Ayush protocol, Mr. Krishnakumar was undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at a private hospital in Coimbatore for over a week. His death took place around 8.30 p.m. on Wednesday
Consider raising age limit for retirement’
17/09/2020
Staff Reporter Madurai
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) to consider increasing the upper age limit for contract or temporary employees from 58 to 59 years, for engaging them on the basis of requirement.
Justice R. Suresh Kumar observed that if Tasmac does take such a decision, it would not mean that all contractual or temporary employees would be entitled to seek job extension up to 59 years of age.
The court said that Tasmac could consider each individual or deserving employee and on a need basis extend the contracts of those who have completed 58 years.
The court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by Tasmac employees, who cited a G.O. which said the age of superannuation of government servants who were in regular service as on May 31, 2020, would be increased from 58 years to 59 years.
The Tasmac clarified that the G.O. was applicable to those employees who were in regular service and not on contractual basis.
Online exams, a mockery’
Colleges not paying salaries despite reserves, says dy CM
Foreign students doing PG at AIIMS Delhi not paid stipend
In Tiruvarur, the dead too apply for PMAY benefits
In Tiruvarur, the dead too apply for PMAY benefits
Vincent.Arockiaraj@timesgroup.com
Tiruvarur: 17.09.2020
Scam in Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) implementation is not new to Thalayamangalam village in Mannargudi taluk in Tiruvarur district where many who are dead have the rare distinction of resurrecting themselves from the grave to apply for PMAY benefits to construct houses.
The villagers themselves had exposed the officials who indulged in large-scale irregularities in construction of 275 houses under PMAY a few months ago. They took it to court too. The MDMK and CPM functionaries, who spearheaded the movement, said the scam was reported in most of the 430 villages in Tiruvarur district.
Of 275 ‘applicants’ in the village, money sanctioned to 103 beneficiaries was swindled without carrying out any work. Many among the remaining 172 ‘applicants’ had not applied. Except a few real beneficiaries, all others were cheated one way or the other by a syndicate of officials and local politicians, said P Masilamani, former president of the village and MDMK union secretary who exposed the fraud. “Swindling happened between 2016 and 2019, when there was no elected local body in place. But it came to light only in July 2020. Irregularities happened in construction of free toilets too. We lodged a complaint with police this July,” he said.
G Sundaramoorthi, district president of the CPM, said though action had been taken against some officials, the entire money should be recovered and all those involved in the fraud arrested. K Ambikapathi, a resident of Thalayamangalam, told TOI that money had been swindled in the name of his elder brother K Jayachandran, a retired sub- inspector of police, who died in 2018. “Being a government servant, my brother was not eligible to get any benefit under the scheme. However, forging his documents, officials swindled the money,” Ambikapathi said.
He maintained an account in IOB while he was alive. Money was credited to that account and subsequently transferred to some other accounts without anyone’s knowledge, he added.
G Chinnadurai, a farmer in the village, said two years ago, panchayat clerk Pugazhenthi approached him and got signatures on some documents by promising him a house under the PM-housing scheme. When the scam got exposed, he came to know that money was swindled in his and his father K Givindan’s name, who died in 2016.
Ponniyin Selvan, assistant project officer of District Rural Development Agency in Tiruvarur, who conducted an inquiry into the scam said four officials were suspended. Further inquiries were on, he said.
K Govindan, died in 2016, but money had been withdrawn in his name, said his family
98-year-old govt BEd college asked not to admit students
98-year-old govt BEd college asked not to admit students
NCTE Sends Last Reminder Over Faculty ShortageRagu.Raman@timesgroup.com
Chennai:17.09.2020
Ninety-eight-year-old Lady Willingdon Institute of Advanced Study in Education in Chennai which conducts admissions to all seven government colleges of education in the state every year has been told to stop admission for 2020-21due to vacant posts.
The prestigious government autonomous college admits 200 BEd students every year and has 17 faculty members against the required 39.
The southern regional committee of National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), which met through video conference on September 14 and 15, decided to send a last reminder before withdrawal of the recognition.
The committee gave 90 days to fill the vacant posts in the institute and submit the relevant documents. “Till then, admissions for the academic session 2020-21 shall be deferred,” said the minutes of the meeting uploaded on the NCTE’s website.
“The NCTE increased the duration of the BEd course from one year to two in 2016. Following this, the staff strength must be doubled. Due to no recruitment in the past four years, the college has only half the required strength,” a faculty member said.
The council has also deferred admissions for 2020-21 in two other government colleges of education in Pudukottai and Komarapalayam due to shortage of faculty members. The faculty members of government colleges of education said the lacunae of Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University has resulted in stopping the admission for most sought-after colleges in the state. “The university should have inspected these colleges and warned the state government about the faculty shortage,” they said.
Wednesday, September 16, 2020
கொடைக்கானல் செல்ல'இ - பாஸ்' கட்டாயம்
தமிழக பாடத்திட்டத்தில் இருந்து 'நீட்' தேர்வில் 96 சதவீத வினாக்கள்
தனியார் பஸ்கள் ஓடத் துவங்கின
சசிகலா விடுதலை ; இபிஎஸ் என்ன செய்வார்? - டிரண்டிங்கில் விவாதம்
'நீட்' தேர்வு 'கட்-ஆப்' மதிப்பெண் இந்தாண்டு எப்படி இருக்கும்?
Added : செப் 16, 2020 08:46
Tuesday, September 15, 2020
Experts urge parents not to burden their children with unrealistic expectations
Experts urge parents not to burden their children with unrealistic expectations
Sukshma.R@timesgroup.com
Madurai:
With four NEET aspirants committing suicide in the last one week in the state, counsellors and experts urge parents to understand the need for psychological support towards their wards, especially as the students will be even more anxious before the declaration of the results.
“There is no single factor when it comes to a student taking the extreme step. However, unrealistic expectations always play a role, be it from the parents or the students themselves. In such cases, it means the person is not ready to accept who he/she is,” said Arthi Sujai, a psychologist from Madurai. She also added that often suicides are the result of ideation over a long time, which can be suddenly triggered.
Aravindan Ganesan, psychiatric counsellor, Athma Hospital in Trichy, said parents should not impose their expectations on their children. They should not say anything that may emotionally hurt them. He said parents should not avoid small warning signs that the children tend to show. Children may often isolate themselves and stop conversing with family members, which can be a red flag, he said.
“Parents need to be with their children during such times and avoid comparing them with their relative’s children. Teachers can guide them with alterative career opportunities. For instance, chemists are as significant as doctors in western countries,” said Aravindan.
“Career counselling helps both students and parents take a step back and figure out what they really want. Since we are able to quantify the abilities of the child and give suggestions for careers, both parents and children are more likely to accept the choices,” said Arthi, who is also a career counsellor.
Mental health experts said that the Covid-19 pandemic can also add to the stress for students and parents this year. “The Covid-19 pandemic definitely has had an impact on students preparing for NEET. They could only prepare by online means, which is more stressful than in a classroom environment,” said Dr N Suresh Kumar, clinical psychologist and secretary, Tamil Nadu Association of Clinical Psychologists (TNACP), which has a dedicated helpline for the Covid-19 pandemic.
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