TN sees highest single day spike with 7,819 fresh cases

TN sees highest single day spike with 7,819 fresh cases

Doubling Period Down From 1,323 In Feb To 98

Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:15.04.2021

Tamil Nadu crossed a grave milestone on Wednesday, reporting 7,819 new cases – the highest one-day tally, exceeding the 6,993 cases reported on July 27, 2020.

After the discharge of 3,464 people and 25 deaths, TN now has 54,315 active cases. The case tally is 9,54,948 and the toll 12,970. Hotspot Chennai reported 2,564 cases in the 24 hours till Wednesday afternoon. Tuesday’s 2,482 cases crossed the highest number (2,393), reported on June 30, 2020.

The doubling time for cases, 1,323 days on February 23, dropped to 98 days on Wednesday. The average test positivity rate (TPR) – positive cases out of every 100 people tested – was a little more than 6%.

“Epidemiological indicators show cases are likely to increase further,” said health secretary J Radhakrishnan on a day the state tested 96,513 – the highest ever.

The spread in tier 2 cities and rural areas is worrying. On Wednesday, Nagapattinam, with 157 positive cases, had a TPR of nearly 10%, followed by Tuticorin (244 cases) with 9%. In Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Tirupur, Tiruvallur and Chengalpet, TPR was between 7% and 8%. There are 262 labs, including 69 in the government sector where tests are free. Though TN, on an average, tests 2,35,740 people per million compared to 1,87,831per million in India, testing in 17 TN districts is below the national average. Nagapattinam is at the rock bottom with 1,14,039 tests per million followed by 1,19,518 in Krishnagiri.

On Wednesday, all districts were asked to send samples drawn from at least 20 contacts of all positive cases and anyone reporting symptoms to the nearest government or private labs. The private labs will be refunded up to ₹800 per test.

Directorate of public health data shows that until Tuesday, 8,473 of 1.2 lakh habitations had active cases. Of these, 282 were under micro-containment as they had more than three cases each. In urban areas, 12,650 of the 1.2 lakh streets had active cases – 1,461 had more than three cases each. Director of public health Dr T S Selvavinayagam said people should step out of homes only when necessary. “When you must go out for work or otherwise, wear a mask and maintain social distancing. Those eligible for the vaccine should take it.”

On Wednesday, Chennai and neighbouring Chengalpet reported 772 cases. Together with Tiruvallur (383) and Kancheepuram (124), the Chennai region had nearly 50% of TN’s new cases. It had 28,843 active cases including 20,144 in Chennai. Of the 25 deaths reported in the state, 13 were from the region. Coimbatore reported 540 cases topping the west. Tirupur  (225), Trichy (216), Madurai   (199), Tirunelveli (193), Cuddalore (175), Salem (175), Thanjavur (158), Krishnagiri (156), Erode (153), Vellore (113), Dindigul (112) and Tiruvarur (108) reported three digit increase.

CBSE directive on Class X, XII board exams get mixed reactions from students, teachers

CBSE directive on Class X, XII board exams get mixed reactions from students, teachers

Aditi.R@timesgroup.com

Chennai:16.03.2021

The latest directive from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), cancelling Class X board exams and postponing Class XII board exams due to a spike in Covid-19 cases, has received mixed reactions from both students and teachers.

Exams for Class XII were to be held from May 4 to June 14, and for Class X from May 4 to June 7. While Class X students are worried about how they will be marked in the finals, those in XII are confused about college admissions. “I have an entrance test on April 29, and the college usually starts the admission process by June. But the CBSE will be reviewing the situation only on June 1. We have no clarity on how everything will work out,” said KR Pratik, a Class XII student who has applied for BBA. Similar are the concerns raised by others as well.

T Hema, another Class XII student said they also wanted to be done with the boards.

Sreeram Ramakrishnan, a Class X student raised concerns on how he will be evaluated in his finals. “Our teachers haven’t told us if they will review our internals or preboards or will be taking in other tests as well.”

Bhavani Shankar, principal of Lalaji Memorial Omega International School said that they are waiting for instructions on evaluating Class X results. The principal said many of the school’s teachers are disappointed with the directive. “They feel that further postponement of exams will only disrupt continuity in preparations. And over a period of time, it might become difficult to engage students’ productivity and capability,” he said.

Mita Venkatesh, principal of Sankara Senior Secondary School, said that despite the uncertainty parents seem largely happy with the decision, “They were apprehensive about sending children to exam centres, given the spike in Covid cases,” she said.

Kuldeep Thadani, parent of a Class X student said the authorities should have made this decision long ago since the chances of exam centres turning into clusters are high. “Even if they follow all safety protocols, the chances of children contracting the virus are not nil. Their health and safety is most important,” he said.

PMK welcomes decision

Chennai: PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss has welcomed the decision to cancel CBSE Class X exams and postponing Class XII exams. “This is a right decision keeping in mind the welfare of students’ at a time the country is in the midst of a second wave.” In a series of tweets, the leader said the decision by the central government is welcome. The PMK leader has also called for cancellation of Class XII exams in the state. TNN

CBSE cancels Class X exam, postpones Class XII boards

CBSE cancels Class X exam, postpones Class XII boards

Decision On New Dates After June 1 Review

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:15.04.2021

Keeping in view the rising Covid cases and apprehensions expressed by students and school administrators, the Centre on Wednesday decided to cancel the Class X Board exams and reschedule Class XII Boards with a decision to be taken on fresh dates on June 1.

The decisions were taken at a review meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Initial discussions considered rescheduling both Class X and XII exams but the Prime Minister is understood to have remarked that students had already suffered considerable uncertainty and should be spared further travails to the extent possible. The meeting decided that the Class X Board exam be scrapped with students unhappy with their results permitted to take the tests whenever they are held next.

The Centre’s decision pertains to India’s largest board CBSE and the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations, a private Board with a much less number of affiliated schools, will announce its plans in the next two days. It was felt that Class XII Board exams have a significant bearing on higher education choices and so should not be scrapped right now. An official said the assessment formulae could impact students unevenly, and the effort would be to try and hold the exam at a later date.

According to CBSE officials, this is the first instance when the Board has to scrap the Class X Board exams altogether. Last year, due to the riots in North East Delhi and Coronavirus infections, the exams were partially cancelled. A formula based on marks scored in the exams a student did take was used to calculate a final result.

This year, 21,50,761 candidates were scheduled to appear in Class X exams, which is nearly 2.5 lakh more than 2020. A total of 14,30,243 candidates registered for the Class XII exams, which is again 2.15 lakh more than last year.

T R Baalu tests +ve; doing fine, says son

Lok Sabha MP, T R Baalu, has tested positive for coronavirus and was doing fine, his son said on Wednesday. Baalu, who had taken the first dose of covid vaccine, is also the DMK parliamentary party leader. “My father Thiru T R Baalu has been admitted to a hospital and is stable,” Balu’s son T R B Rajaa, a DMK MLA, said in a tweet on Wednesday.

Ch’garh health officer dies even after 2 jabs

Chhattisgarh health services joint director Subhash Pandey died of Covid-19 at AIIMS Raipur on Wednesday. The 64-year-old had taken his second Covid vaccine dose in the last week of March. A hypertension and diabetes patient, Pandey was hospitalised on Monday with fever and mild cough. But, his health deteriorated. P 10

Sputnik vax may be available for use in April-June

Sputnik V vaccine will be available for use in the April-June quarter with doses expected to be shipped from Russia as early as mid-May. Local manufacturing will kick in from the July-September quarter, top officials of Dr Reddy’s Laboratories said, reports Swati Bharadwaj. Discussions on pricing are under way. Globally, RDIF has been selling Sputnik V at $10 per dose, while the Centre has capped the prices of vaccines at ₹150 ($2) per dose. P 10

2-fold increase in production of Remdesivir

To ensure Remdesivir availability for Covid-19 patients, the Centre has given fast-track approval to companies to ramp up production to 78 lakh vials per month, double the current capacity of 38.8 lakh vials. Manufacturers have also agreed to reduce the price to less than ₹3,500 by the end of this week. At present, seven Indian companies are producing the drug under a voluntary licensing agreement with the US company Gilead Sciences, which holds the patent for the product. P10

Students will be notified 15 days ahead of exams: Govt

The meeting to review the examinations was attended by education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, the principal secretary to the PM, the cabinet secretary, school and higher education secretaries and other top officials.

With active Covid-19 cases crossing the 13-lakh mark, TOI had on Tuesday reported that the government was reviewing the Board exam schedule. In the meeting on Wednesday, it was decided that the Board exams for Class XII, scheduled to be held from May 4 to June 14, will be rescheduled and a further review of the situation will be held on June 1 by CBSE. A notice of at least 15 days will be given before the start of the examinations.

CBSE will prepare objective criteria for results of Class X. Any candidate who is not satisfied with his or her marks on this basis will be given an opportunity to sit in an exam as and when the conditions are conducive to hold it.

Many school principals and educationists welcomed the decision, while others demanded that the criteria be decided in consultation with stakeholders. Parents also expressed concerns about the delay in schedule for Class XII, saying either board exams be cancelled or a schedule announced soon to ease the students’ anxiety.

“It’s a judicious decision taken by the government keeping in mind the well-being and safety of our children which is paramount,” said Sunita Tanwar, Principal of DPS, Dwarka.

But for many students, the decision to postpone Class XII exams has raised fresh worries. Class XII student Ashna Mehta, from R N Podar, Santa Cruz, Mumbai, said: “Only 15-day prior notice will be given. As per earlier notified schedule, the exam was supposed to start in the month of May and we were preparing accordingly. So either the Board immediately cancels the exam or gives us at least a month’s time before announcing the dates.”

Full report on www.toi.in

கரோனா பரவலைத் தடுக்க ரயில் பயணிகள் பின்பற்ற வேண்டிய நெறிமுறை என்ன?- தெற்கு ரயில்வே விளக்கம்

கரோனா பரவலைத் தடுக்க ரயில் பயணிகள் பின்பற்ற வேண்டிய நெறிமுறை என்ன?- தெற்கு ரயில்வே விளக்கம்

சென்னை  13.04.2021 

கரோனா பரவலைத் தடுக்க, ரயில் பயணிகள் பின்பற்ற வேண்டிய நெறிமுறைகள் என்னென்ன என்பது குறித்து தெற்கு ரயில்வே விளக்கம் அளித்துள்ளது.

இது தொடர்பாக தெற்கு ரயில்வே நேற்று வெளியிட்டுள்ள செய்திக்குறிப்பில் கூறியிருப்பதாவது: தெற்கு ரயில்வே நாடு முழுதும் உள்ள முக்கிய இடங்களுக்கு சிறப்பு ரயில்களை இயக்கி வருகிறது. அத்துடன் சென்னை புறநகர்மின்சார ரயில்களும் இயக்கப்பட்டு வருகின்றன. தற்போது கரோனாவின் 2வது அலை கடந்த மாதம் முதல் நாடு முழுவதும் சவால்களை ஏற்படுத்தி வருகிறது. இந்நிலையில் கரோனா பரவலைத் தடுக்கவும், பாதுகாப்பான பயணத்தை மேற்கொள்ளவும் பின்வரும் நெறிமுறைகளை பயணிகள் பின்பற்ற வேண்டுமென அறிவுறுத்துகிறோம்:

பயணிகள் முகக்கவசம் அணிவது, சமூக விலகல் மற்றும் கை சுகாதாரம் போன்ற அடிப்படை கரோனாமுன்னெச்சரிக்கை நடவடிக்கைகள் ரயில் நிலையங்கள் மற்றும்ரயில்களில் தொடர்ந்து பின்பற்றப்பட வேண்டும், தேவையற்ற பயணம் மற்றும் குழுக்களாக பயணம்செய்வது தவிர்க்க வேண்டும்.

கவுன்ட்டர்கள் மற்றும் பிளாட்பாரங்களில், சமூக இடைவெளியை கடைபிடிக்க வேண்டும், காய்ச்சல், இருமல், சளி போன்ற அறிகுறிகள் இருந்தால்பயணத்தைத் தவிர்க்கவும். கரோனா சோதனை முடிவுகளுக்காக காத்திருப்பவராகவோ, தனிமைப்படுத்தலில் இருக்குமாறு அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டவாரகவோ இருந்தால் பயணத்தைத் தவிர்க்கவும். கிருமிநாசினி திரவம், சோப்புபோன்ற பாதுகாப்பு உபகரணங்களையும், உணவு, நீர் போன்றவற்றையும் பயணத்தின்போது எடுத்துச் செல்லவும்.

ரயில் நிலையங்கள் மற்றும்ரயில்களில் பொது சுகாதாரம் மற்றும் பாதுகாப்பை பாதிக்கும் அசுத்தமான அல்லது சுகாதாரமற்ற எந்த செயலிலும் ஈடுபட வேண்டாம். உள்துறை அமைச்சகத்தின் வழிகாட்டுதல்களைத் தவிர, ஒவ்வொரு மாநில அரசும் இ-பதிவு, இ-பாஸ், சோதனை மற்றும் தனிமைப்படுத்தல் போன்ற பிற மாநிலங்களிலிருந்து வரும் நபர்களுக்கு கரோனா பாதுகாப்புநெறிமுறைகளை கட்டாயப்படுத்தியுள்ளது. அவை பயணத்தின்போது கண்டிப்பாக கடைபிடிக்கப்பட வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு அதில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

கரோனா அடுத்த அலை விடுக்கும் எச்சரிக்கைகள்

கரோனா அடுத்த அலை விடுக்கும் எச்சரிக்கைகள்

13.04.2021 The Hindu Tamil 

இந்தியாவில் தினசரி ஒரு லட்சம் பேருக்கும் மேல் புதிதாக கரோனா தொற்று ஏற்படுவதும், தினசரி தொற்று விகிதத்தில் உலகிலேயே முதல் இடத்தில் நாம் இருப்பதும் பெரும் கவலை அளிக்கிறது. 2020 ஜனவரி முதலாக 1.34 கோடிப் பேருக்குத் தொற்று ஏற்பட்டிருக்கிறது. இவர்களில் 1.21 கோடிப் பேர் குணமடைந்திருக்கின்றனர்; சுமார் 1.70 லட்சம் பேர் உயிரிழந்திருக்கின்றனர். இதே நிலை தொடர்ந்தால், மே 1 வாக்கில் மேலும் 40 லட்சம் பேருக்குத் தொற்று ஏற்பட்டிருக்கும் என்று வல்லுநர்கள் எச்சரிப்பதை அரசும் மக்களும் கவனத்தில் கொள்ள வேண்டும். தடுப்பூசியின் வரவு பெரிய ஆறுதல் என்றாலும், அது மட்டுமே கரோனாவை எதிர்கொள்ளும் ஒரே ஆயுதம் ஆகிவிடாது என்ற எண்ணம் எல்லோருக்கும் வேண்டும்.

தடுப்பூசி போடும் பணி தொடங்கிய 85 நாட்களில் 10 கோடிப் பேருக்கும் மேல் தடுப்பூசி போடப்பட்டுள்ளது ஒரு சாதனை. ஆயினும், நம்முடைய மக்கள்தொகையின் காரணமாக, தொற்று பரவும் வேகத்துக்கு முன் உற்பத்தியாகும் தடுப்பூசிகளின் எண்ணிக்கை பற்றாக்குறையில் விழுந்துவிடுகிறது. தடுப்பு மருந்து தயாரிக்கும் நிறுவனங்கள் இந்தியாவுக்கு முன்னுரிமை கொடுத்து, மருந்துகளை வழங்குவதற்கும் தடுப்பூசி இயக்கத்தின் வேகத்தை மேலும் அதிகரிக்கவும் அரசு நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும். அதோடு சேர்த்து, ‘முழு ஊரடங்கு’ எனும் மோசமான நிலைக்கு நாடு மீண்டும் சென்றுவிடுவதைத் தவிர்க்கும் வகையில் முன்கூட்டிய கட்டுப்பாட்டுச் செயல்திட்டத்தையும் வகுக்க வேண்டும். கரோனா தடுப்பு என்பது அரசின் கைகளில் மட்டும் இல்லை, சமூகத்தின் கூட்டுப்பொறுப்பு அது என்கிற உணர்வு மக்களிடையே உருவாக வேண்டும்.

கரோனா தொற்றிலிருந்து குணமானவர்களுக்கு உடலில் கரோனாவுக்கு எதிரான எதிர்ப்புச் சக்தி சில மாதங்களுக்குத்தான் நீடிக்கும் என்பதைச் சமீபத்திய ஆய்வு ஒன்று தெரிவிக்கிறது. ஆக, கரோனா தொற்றிலிருந்து குணமானவர்கள் தமக்கு மீண்டும் தொற்று ஏற்படாது என்று அலட்சியமாக இருந்துவிடக் கூடாது. அதேபோல, கரோனா தடுப்பூசியும் ஆயுட்காலப் பலன் அளிக்கக் கூடியது அல்ல. குறிப்பிட்ட ஒரு காலத்துக்கு உடலில் எதிர்ப்புச் சக்தியை அது கூட்டுகிறது; ஒருவேளை தொற்று ஏற்பட்டாலும் பாதிப்பு குறைவாக இருக்கும் என்ற அளவிலேயே அது செயலாற்றுகிறது. ஆக, தடுப்பூசி போட்டுக்கொள்வதாலேயே முற்றிலுமாகத் தொற்றுக்கு விடை கொடுத்துவிட்டதாகவும் கருதிட முடியாது.

ஒரு நாட்டில் முதலாமவருக்குப் போடப்பட்ட தடுப்பூசி செயல்பாட்டில் இருக்கும் காலகட்டத்துக்குள்ளேயே கடையானவருக்கும் தடுப்பூசியைப் போட்டு முடித்து, அதற்குள் தொற்றை நாட்டை விட்டே விரட்டிட வேண்டும் என்ற செயல்திட்டத்திலேயே எல்லா நாடுகளும் உழைக்கின்றன. இந்த இலக்கை சுகாதாரத் துறை நிறைவேற்ற தொற்றாளர்களின் எண்ணிக்கை கட்டுப்பாட்டில் இருப்பது அவசியம். அதற்கு ஒரு சமூகமாக நாம் முழு விழிப்புணர்வோடு செயல்பட வேண்டும். கூடுமானவரை விழாக்கள், கூட்டங்கள், அத்தியாவசியமற்ற பயணங்கள் போன்றவற்றைத் தவிர்ப்பதில் தொடங்கி முகக் கவசம் அணிவது, அடிக்கடி கைகளைக் கழுவுவது, தனிமனித இடைவெளியைப் பின்பற்றுவது எனும் ஒழுங்குகளைக் கடைப்பிடிப்பது வரை இந்த விழிப்புணர்வு செயல்களின் வழி வெளிப்பட வேண்டும்.

சேலத்தில் ரூ.10 லட்சத்துக்கு சிறுமி விற்பனை?

சேலத்தில் ரூ.10 லட்சத்துக்கு சிறுமி விற்பனை?

Added : ஏப் 13, 2021 03:47

சேலம் : சேலத்தில், 10 லட்சம் ரூபாய்க்கு பேத்தியை விற்றதாக, பாட்டியின் ஆடியோ உரையாடல் குறித்து, போலீசார் விசாரணை நடத்துகின்றனர்.

சேலம், அன்னதானப்பட்டியைச் சேர்ந்தவர் சின்னபொன்ணு, 65; சேலம் டவுன் அனைத்து மகளிர் போலீஸ் ஸ்டேஷனில் அளித்த புகார்:என், ௧௦ வயது பேத்தி, அன்னதானப்பட்டியைச் சேர்ந்த ஒரு தொழிலதிபரிடம், வேலை பார்த்து வருகிறாள். ஏற்காடு, சென்னை, கோவா ஆகிய இடங்களுக்கு, பேத்தியை அழைத்து செல்கிறார். விசாரணை நடத்தி, பேத்தியை என்னிடம் சேர்க்க வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு அதில் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

இதுகுறித்து, 'சைல்டு லைன்' அமைப்புக்கு, போலீசார் தகவல் தரவே, அவர்கள் சிறுமியை மீட்டு, காப்பகத்தில் சேர்த்தனர். இந்நிலையில், சின்ன பொன்ணு, தன் உறவுக்கார பெண்ணிடம் மொபைல் போனில் பேசிய ஆடியோ வெளியாகி உள்ளது. 'அதில், 10 லட்சம் ரூபாய்க்கு, பேத்தியை விற்பனை செய்து விட்டேன்' என, தெரிவித்துள்ளார். சமூக வலைதளங்களில், இந்த ஆடியோ பரவி வருகிறது. இதுகுறித்து, டவுன் அனைத்து மகளிர் போலீசார் விசாரிக்கின்றனர்.

கொரோனா பணியில் நர்ஸ் மரணம் நிவாரணம் குறித்து பரிசீலிக்க உத்தரவு

கொரோனா பணியில் நர்ஸ் மரணம் நிவாரணம் குறித்து பரிசீலிக்க உத்தரவு

Added : ஏப் 13, 2021 00:59

மதுரை : கொரோனா தடுப்புப் பணியில் இறந்த, அரசு மருத்துவமனை நர்ஸ் குடும்பத்திற்கு இழப்பீடு கோரிய மனுவை அரசு பரிசீலிக்க, உயர் நீதிமன்ற மதுரைக் கிளை உத்தரவிட்டது.

ராமநாதபுரம் மாவட்டம், பரமக்குடி பாண்டியூரைச் சேர்ந்த, இளையராஜா தாக்கல் செய்த மனு:என் மனைவி கலைச்செல்வி. இரண்டு மைனர் குழந்தைகள். என் மனைவி, ராமநாதபுரம் அரசு மருத்துவமனையில், நர்சாக, 2013ல் நியமிக்கப்பட்டார். ஒப்பந்த அடிப்படையில், தொகுப்பூதியம் வழங்கப்பட்டது.சிறப்பு வார்டுகடந்த, 2020ல் கொரோனா சிறப்பு வார்டில் பணிபுரிந்தார். அவருக்கு கொரோனா தொற்று ஏற்பட்டது. அதே மருத்துவமனையில் சிகிச்சை பெற்றார். ஆக., 13ல் இறந்தார்.

'கொரோனா தடுப்பில் முன்னின்று பணிபுரியும் அலுவலர்கள், டாக்டர்கள், நர்ஸ்கள், மருத்துவ பணியாளர்கள் இறந்தால், அவர்களின் குடும்பத்திற்கு, 50 லட்சம் ரூபாய் நிவாரணம் வழங்கப்படும். 'குடும்ப உறுப்பினர் ஒருவருக்கு, தகுதி அடிப்படையில் அரசுப் பணி வழங்கப்படும்' என தமிழக அரசு அறிவித்தது.இதனடிப்படையில், முதல்வரின் பொது நிவாரண நிதியில் இருந்து இழப்பீடு கோரி, சுகாதாரத் துறைக்கு விண்ணப்பித்தேன்.

'கலைச்செல்வியின் பணி, வரன்முறை செய்யப்படவில்லை; இதனால் இழப்பீடு, கருணைப் பணி கோர முடியாது' என நிராகரித்தனர். சரியாக பரிசீலிக்காமல், பாகுபாட்டுடன் உத்தரவிடப்பட்டுள்ளது. வருவாய் இழப்புமனைவி இறந்ததால் குடும்பத்திற்கு வருவாய் இழப்பு ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. நிராகரித்த உத்தரவை ரத்து செய்து, இழப்பீடு வழங்க உத்தரவிட வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு, மனுவில் கோரியிருந்தார்.நீதிபதி எம்.எஸ்.ரமேஷ், ''மருத்துவம் மற்றும் ஊரக நலப் பணிகள் இயக்குனர், மனுவை, 12 வாரங்களில் தகுதி அடிப்படையில், சட்டத்திற்கு உட்பட்டு பரிசீலித்து, தகுந்த உத்தரவு பிறப்பிக்க வேண்டும்,'' என்றார்.

அண்ணா பல்கலையில் கொரோனா கட்டுப்பாடு

அண்ணா பல்கலையில் கொரோனா கட்டுப்பாடு

Added : ஏப் 13, 2021 00:28

சென்னை : அண்ணா பல்கலையில் பணியாற்றும் பலருக்கு, கொரோனா தொற்று உறுதி செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. அதனால், பல்கலை வளாகத்தில், கொரோனா கட்டுப்பாடு தீவிரப்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது.

சென்னையில் உள்ள அண்ணா பல்கலையின் இணைப்பு அங்கீகாரத்தில், மாநிலம் முழுதும், 550க்கும் மேற்பட்ட இன்ஜினியரிங் கல்லுாரிகள் செயல்படுகின்றன. தமிழகத்தில், கொரோனா தொற்று பரவல் அதிகரித்ததால், கல்லுாரி மாணவர்களுக்கு, மார்ச், 31 உடன் நேரடி வகுப்புகள் நிறுத்தப்பட்டன. ஆன்லைன் வழியில் மட்டுமே வகுப்புகள் நடத்தப்படுகின்றன.அதேநேரம், பல்கலையில் பணியாற்றும் பேராசிரியர்கள், பணியாளர்கள் மற்றும் அலுவலர்கள், தினமும் பல்கலைக்கு வந்து, பணிகளை கவனிக்கின்றனர்.

அவர்களில் சிலருக்கு உடல் நலக்குறைவு ஏற்பட்டு, மருத்துவமனையில் சேர்க்கப்பட்டனர். அதில், கொரோனா சோதனையில், தொற்று உறுதி செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதையடுத்து, பல்கலை வளாகத்தில் பணியாளர்கள், பேராசிரியர்கள் கூடி நிற்க வேண்டாம். அலுவலகங்களில் அருகருகே இருக்கைகளை அமைத்து கொள்ள வேண்டாம். முக கவசம் கட்டாயம் அணிய வேண்டும் என, பல்கலை நிர்வாகம் அறிவுறுத்தி உள்ளது.

கொரோனா கட்டுப்பாடுகளால் தள்ளாடும் அரசு பஸ்கள்

கொரோனா கட்டுப்பாடுகளால் தள்ளாடும் அரசு பஸ்கள்

Added : ஏப் 13, 2021 00:04

கொரோனா தடுப்பு நடவடிக்கையாக, பஸ்களில், இருக்கைகளில் மட்டுமே பயணியரை ஏற்றிச் செல்ல வேண்டும் என்ற கட்டுப்பாட்டால், அரசு பஸ்கள் ஒவ்வொரு நாளும் அதிக நஷ்டத்தை சந்தித்து வருகின்றன.

தமிழகத்தில், 22 ஆயிரம் அரசு பஸ்கள் இயக்கப்பட்டு, 2.25 கோடி பேர் பயணித்த நிலையில், பஸ் கட்டண உயர்வுக்குப் பின், 1.75 கோடி பேர் மட்டுமே பயணித்தனர். நஷ்டம்கடந்த ஆண்டு கொரோனா ஊரடங்கிற்குப் பின், பயணியரின் எண்ணிக்கை மேலும் குறைந்தது. இந்நிலையில், தற்போது இருக்கைகளில் மட்டுமே பயணியரை ஏற்றிச் செல்ல வேண்டும் என, அரசு உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளதால், பஸ்களின் எண்ணிக்கை அதிகரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ள நிலையில், பயணியரின் எண்ணிக்கை குறைந்துள்ளது.

இதனால், நஷ்டம் அதிகரித்துள்ளது.இதுகுறித்து, போக்குவரத்து அதிகாரிகள் கூறியதாவது: தமிழக அரசு போக்குவரத்து கழக பஸ்களின் வாயிலாக, ஏற்கனவே மாதம், 900 கோடி ரூபாய் வருவாய் கிடைத்தது. அதில், 330 கோடி ரூபாய் சம்பளமாக வழங்கப்பட்டது. 650 கோடி ரூபாய், டீசல் மற்றும் பராமரிப்புக்கு, ஒவ்வொரு மாதமும் செலவானது. அந்த வகையில், ஒவ்வொரு மாதமும், 80 கோடி ரூபாய் வரை நஷ்டம் ஏற்பட்டது.கொரோனா ஊரடங்குக்குப் பின், எந்த வருவாயும் இல்லாமல், செலவு மட்டும் அதிகரித்தது. இந்நிலையில், தற்போது, தினமும், 10 கோடி ரூபாய்க்கு மேல் வசூல் குறைகிறது. அத்துடன், ஒவ்வொரு பஸ்சுக்கும் ஆண்டுக்கு, ௧ லட்சம் ரூபாய் வரியாக செலுத்தப்படுகிறது.

சுங்கக் கட்டணம் உள்ளிட்ட வகையில் செலவு ஏற்படுகிறது.சென்னை மாநகர போக்குவரத்து கழகங்களில், கொரோனா ஊரடங்குக்குப் பின், 2,200 பஸ்கள் இயக்கப்பட்டு, தினமும், 30 லட்சம் ரூபாய் வருவாய் ஈட்டப்பட்டது. 'இ- - பாஸ்'தற்போது, 2,700 பஸ்கள் இயக்கப்பட்டு, 15 லட்சம் ரூபாய் மட்டுமே வருவாயாக கிடைக்கிறது. இதனால், டீசல், பராமரிப்பு, சம்பளம் உள்ளிட்ட வகையில், கூடுதல் செலவாகிறது. அதேபோல, விரைவு போக்குவரத்து கழகத்திலும், 2.15 கோடி ரூபாய் தினமும் வசூலான நிலையில், 1.60 கோடி ரூபாய் மட்டுமே, தற்போது வருவாய் கிடைக்கிறது.

தற்போது, கர்நாடகாவில் இருந்து தமிழகத்திற்கு வர, 'இ- - பாஸ்' நடைமுறை உள்ளதால், பெங்களூரு உள்ளிட்ட நகரங்களில் இருந்து, வருவோரின் எண்ணிக்கையும் குறைந்துள்ளது. அதேபோல், திருப்பதி ஏழுமலையான் கோவிலில், இலவச தரிசன வசதி நிறுத்தப்பட்டு உள்ளதால், ஆந்திரா செல்வோரின் எண்ணிக்கையும் கணிசமாக குறைந்துள்ளது. எனவே, அரசு பஸ்கள் செலவுகளை சமாளிக்க முடியாமல், தள்ளாடும் நிலைக்கு சென்றுள்ளன. எனவே, அரசு பஸ்களுக்கு, சுங்கக் கட்டணம், சாலை வரி மற்றும் டீசல் வரி உள்ளிட்டவற்றை செலுத்த வேண்டாம் என, சலுகை அளித்தால், மக்கள் சேவையை தொய்வின்றி தொடர முடியும்.இவ்வாறு, அவர்கள் கூறினர்.

மன்னார்குடியில் இருந்து பகத் கி கோதிக்கு ரயில்

மன்னார்குடியில் இருந்து பகத் கி கோதிக்கு ரயில்

Added : ஏப் 13, 2021 00:04

சென்னை : மன்னார்குடியில் இருந்து, ராஜஸ்தான் மாநிலம், பகத் கி கோதிக்கு, வாராந்திர சூப்பர் பாஸ்ட் ரயில் இயக்கப்படுகிறது.

இந்த ரயில், மன்னார்குடியில் இருந்து, மே, 3 முதல், திங்கள்கிழமைகளில், மதியம், 1:10க்கு புறப்பட்டு, புதன்கிழமை மாலை, 3:15 மணிக்கு, ராஜஸ்தான் மாநிலம், பகத் கி கோதி நிலையம் சென்றடையும்l பகத் கி கோதி நிலையத்தில் இருந்து, வியாழக்கிழமைகளில், மாலை, 4:10க்கு புறப்பட்டு, சனிக்கிழமை மாலை, 4:40 மணிக்கு மன்னார்குடி சென்றடையும் l இந்த ரயில், திருவாரூர், மயிலாடுதுறை, விழுப்புரம், தாம்பரம், சென்னை எழும்பூர் மற்றும் ஆந்திரா மாநிலம், சூலுார்பேட்டை வழியாக இயக்கப்படும். இதற்கான முன்பதிவு இன்று துவங்குகிறது.

Baby born mid-air gets a birth certificate

Baby born mid-air gets a birth certificate

Yeshika.Budhwar@timesgroup.com

Jaipur:13.04.2021

The baby boy born mid-air on the Bengaluru-Jaipur Indigo flight on March 17 was finally issued a birth certificate on Monday.

After TOI highlighted that the parents had been running from pillar to post to get the document, government officials got in touch with the airline which then sent a confirmation email about the child being born on board. The Jaipur municipal corporation was then contacted and it issued a birth certificate. Speaking exclusively to TOI, 27-day-old Lakshit’s father, Bhairu Singh, said, “After our son’s birth, I was being passed from one government office to another and all the officials seemed confused as he was born on a flight. I am really happy that finally the birth certificate has been issued and it is a weight off my shoulders. If the media had not highlighted the issue, I would probably have still been struggling.” Bhairu and his wife Lalita had boarded the flight at around 5.45 am at Bengaluru and landed at Jaipur airport at about 8 am on March 17 with their newborn baby.

“First I went to the sarpanch who asked me to go to the government hospital. But the staff there claimed that they could not issue the birth certificate because the baby was not born there and my wife only went to the government hospital for post-natal treatment. After the normal delivery mid-air, we were taken to a private hospital in Jaipur but the expenses were too high due to which we came home to our village in Beawar,” the father said.

After reading about the couple’s plight in TOI, Mahendra Pratap Singh, deputy secretary, Rajasthan state commission for protection of child rights, wrote to Indigo airlines and got a reply confirming the birth within a day. “I wanted to help the couple. Once the airline replied, I shared the details with the municipal corporation in Jaipur and fortunately they issued the birth certificate at the earliest,” said the deputy secretary.

After TOI highlighted that the parents had been running from pillar to post to get the document, govt officials got in touch with the airline

OCIs move Supreme Court, seek dual citizenship rights

OCIs move Supreme Court, seek dual citizenship rights

SC Seeks Response From Centre

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:13.04.2021

As many as 80 Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), most of them residing in their homeland, on Monday requested the Supreme Court to direct the government to end treating them as second class citizens, allow them to freely express their views and dissent against government and confer on them all the rights enjoyed by an Indian citizen.

Appearing for the OCIs, 57 of whom are residents of Bengaluru, senior advocate R Venkataramani told a bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian that though they contribute a lot to India through payment of taxes and through their profession, they live in the fear of losing their OCI status because of arbitrary power conferred on government to cancel their status. The bench sought the Centre's response.

The petitioners said the statutes and policy decisions of the Indian government severely curtailed "the basic rights of OCIs and gave the government unbridled and uncanalized discretionary powers to terminate their citizenship. This subjects OCIs to a constant state of hardship, fear and uncertainty. Further, this wholly defeats the very purpose of the OCI scheme which was unequivocally to grant dual citizenship. "

The petitioners led by Bengaluru-based medicine expert Radhika Thappeta said section 7D of the Citizenship Act allows the Union Government to cancel the registration of OCIs and prohibit them from residing in India over the violation of any law or for showing disaffection to the Constitution of India. "Section 7D(b) of the Act allows the government to cancel a person’s OCI registration if they show disaffection to the Constitution of India and Section 7D(da) allows cancellation of OCI registration for the violation of any law. Both these provisions under Section 7D are arbitrary and have a chilling effect on the freedom of expression of OCIs," they said.

While the MHA notification of November 15, 2019 allowed OCIs to practice the professions of doctors, architects, advocates and chartered accountants as per the relevant laws, there are a whole list of other provisions that are arbitrarily left out of such a list without sufficient reasons, they complained.

"By limiting the number of professions that OCIs can have parity with NRIs in pursuing, several OCIs practicing other non-enumerated professions are hindered from meaningfully participating in and contributing to their professional streams in India. Although several OCIs reside and pay taxes in India, such persons are unable to meaningfully voice their grievance with local government authorities over civic infrastructure out of fear that their overseas citizenship may be cancelled for expressing their right to peacefully raise public grievances," they said.

Even while OCIs work and reside permanently in India, they are often disentitled to seek information from state authorities under the Right to Information Act, the petitioners said.

They said, the November 2019 MHA notification granted adoption rights to OCIs on par with NRIs. "However, where an OCI or NRI living abroad adopts a child from India following the inter-country adoption regulations, then the host foreign country often automatically grants foreign citizenship to the adopted child who has at least one parent as a citizen of that host country. As per Section 9(1) of the Citizenship Act, this results in the child automatically losing his or her Indian citizenship without granting any opportunity to the child to retain his or her Indian citizenship on attaining majority," the petitioners said.

Petitioners told SC that though they contribute a lot to India through payment of taxes and through their profession, they live in the fear of losing their OCI status because of arbitrary power conferred on government to cancel their status

In-laws post video of woman’s suicide online as proof of innocence

In-laws post video of woman’s suicide online as proof of innocence

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Muzaffarnagar: 13.04.2021 

As a woman, 25, hanged herself to death, her in-laws lined up outside to shoot a video through the window and then shared it on social media to “absolve” themselves of murder. Her parents have alleged they had been hounding her for dowry, which led to her death. The woman’s father-in-law and mother-in-law have been arrested while her husband and her brother-in-law, also booked, are on the run.

The woman, Komal, lived in Muzaffarnagar's Datiyana village with her husband, Ashish, and in-laws. On Sunday, as she prepared to hang herself, her in-laws waited outside. In the video, she can be seen tying a noose around a beam lining the asbestos roof. She gasps once as she ties the blue stole around her neck, tightens it and tests the grip so it doesn’t give way. After one last check, she lets go and hangs herself as a man’s voice says, “Apne aap latak rahi hai (she hanged herself on her own).” The man’s voice is presumably that of her father-in-law. On Monday, they shared the video on social media, hoping it would go viral. It did.

While confirming the video had been shot from outside the room where she hanged herself, SP (city) Arpit Vijayvargiya said, “They had tried to stop her from killing herself.” Her parents, however, had a different story to tell. Komal and Ashish got married in September 2019. “I had given Rs 5 lakh and a bike to his family at the time. But his father Devendra, mother Savita and brother Sachin were not happy. About six months ago, they beat up Komal and drove her out of the house. The elders of the village sent her back,” her father Anil Kumar wrote in the complaint to the police. “Two months ago, they started demanding Rs 1.2 lakh. They said they would get Ashish married to someone else if she could not come up with the dowry. All four of them got together and killed my daughter.”

An FIR was lodged on Sunday, a day before the video went viral, against Ashish, his brother and his parents under sections 304B (dowry death), 498A (cruelty to married woman) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and under sections 3 (giving or taking dowry) and 4 (demanding dowry) of The Dowry Prohibition Act.

“His parents have been arrested and will be produced before the magistrate.” Ashish and his brother Sachin are on the run, SHO Yashpal Singh said.

The woman’s father-in-law and mother-in-law have been arrested while her husband & her brother-in-law, also booked, are on the run. The woman's parents have alleged they had been hounding her for dowry, which led to her death

Now, virus settling deep down in lungs

Now, virus settling deep down in lungs

Condition Making Diagnosis Tough: Delhi Docs

DurgeshNandan.Jha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: 13.04.2021 

The novel coronavirus variant that is causing the current wave of Covid-19 is not just highly infectious but also stealthy.

City hospitals say there are getting cases where a patient has typical symptoms of the disease but tests negative for the viral infection, sometimes twice or thrice even through RT-PCR, considered the gold standard for Covid testing. “We have received many such patients in the past few days. They had fever, cough, shortness of breath and the CT scan of the lungs showed lighter-coloured or gray patches. It is referred to as patchy ground glass opacity in medical terms. The condition is one of the defining characteristics of Covid-19,” Dr Aashish Chaudhry, managing director of Aakash Healthcare, said.

He added that some of the patients underwent bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), a diagnostic method in which a flexible scope is passed through the mouth or nose into the lungs with a measured amount of fluid introduced and then collected for examination, which confirmed the diagnosis.

“All such persons who tested negative through conventional Covid-19 testing methods but had disease symptoms came positive in the lavage test,” Dr Chaudhry said.

What could be causing this? Dr Pratibha Kale, associate professor of clinical microbiology at Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, said, “It is possible that in these patients the virus didn’t colonise the nasal or throat cavity because of which swab samples taken from these areas didn’t yield a positive result.” The virus, she added, attached itself to the ACE receptors — a protein found on the surface of many cell types — in the lungs and “that’s why when the fluid samples from the organ were analysed, it confirmed Covid-19 diagnosis”.

Dr Vivek Nangia, the chief of pulmonology division at Max Healthcare, said nearly 15-20% of the Covid-19 patients suffered from this problem. “They are highly symptomatic of the disease, but test negative. This is a serious problem because such patients can continue to spread the infection if they are admitted in non-Covid areas. Also, it can delay the treatment,” he added.

The pulmonologist said the symptoms in Covid patients also varied significantly in the current wave compared to previous outbreaks caused by SARS-CoV-2. “A significant mutation in the virus cannot be ruled out. It is the most plausible explanation for the changes being witnessed,” he said.

Dr Arup Basu, senior consultant in the chest medicine department of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said nose running, cold and conjunctivitis like symptoms were also being seen in Covid-19 patients this time, which were not present earlier. “Many patients do not have cough or breathlessness and the result of the CT scan of their lungs is also normal. However, they have persistently high fever for eight to nine days that necessitates hospitalisation,” he said.

SCARY FINDINGS

Docs protesting VIP culture write to Modi

Docs protesting VIP culture write to Modi

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

13.04.2021

The doctors’ association Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has written to the Prime minister complaining against “the VIP culture in government hospitals” whereby government doctors were called to the homes of politicians to provide testing and treatment.

The letter pointed out that there were no facilities for doctors working on the frontline when they tested positive, while “priority is being given to all the so-called politicians and their party workers who have actually held rallies and increased the spread of the virus”.

“Central government hospitals have VIP counters for testing, allowing all party workers of politicians and ministries to get themselves tested but doctors have no separate counters for testing,” stated the letter. It added that even when the VIP counter was available for testing, a majority of politicians called doctors to their residence though there was no legal order from the medical superintendent to do so. This “informal” arrangement of using doctors working in government institutions in this manner was reducing and wasting the limited manpower available, said the FAIMS letter.

It concluded stating that as doctors they strongly opposed “this VIP culture being awarded (sic) to politicians, bureaucrats, party workers etc.” and sought the PM’s intervention in the matter.

Airlines can’t serve meals if flight time is less than 2 hrs

Airlines can’t serve meals if flight time is less than 2 hrs

Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:13.04.2021

The gover nment has directed airlines to serve or sell inflight meals only on those domestic flights that have a duration of over two hours, in wake of the sharp surge in Covid cases in India. The new guildelines will come to effect on April 15.

There are so far no restrictions on inflight meals on international flights. There have been fears that passengers taking off masks to eat can lead to Covid spread. While this can’t be avoided on medium or long hauls, the restriction has been imposed on domestic flights of up to two-hour duration.

A senior aviation ministry official said: “We had (last year) issued guidelines for inflight meals and they have worked well. However, as an abundant precaution, additional provisions are being made. For domestic flights, an order is issued to consider inflight meal when flight duration is two hours or more.” The inflight meal SOP also calls for staggering them “among adjacent seats, as far as possible”.

The number of domestic passengers has been falling during the current spike in cases. The restriction on inflight meals will be yet another hit for low-cost carriers. “In the past few days with numbers rising, people on short flights preferred to stay firmly masked up. Fear is again in the air with aircraft occupancy falling to an average of less than 100 passengers,” said a worried airline official.

Negative report delayed, techie misses flight

Negative report delayed, techie misses flight

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:13.04.2021

A 27-year-old data scientist claimed he could not fly to Lisbon, Portugal, because a government facility in Marathahalli did not issue a Covid negative certificate in time. As a result, airline staff refused to allow him to board the flight.

Abhishek Gupta said he has now obtained a test report from a private laboratory and is scheduled to fly out on Tuesday.

Gupta said he was stopped from boarding an Air France flight to Paris from KIA on Sunday because he did not possess a negative certificate. The airline was only complying with guidelines issued by the state health and family welfare department.

Gupta, from West Bengal, had come to Bengaluru from Lisbon last October after his parents were admitted to Manipal Hospitals for treatment. When his parents were discharged and returned home healthy, Gupta decided to fly to Portugal via Paris early on Sunday.

“I took an RT-PCR test on Thursday at a government facility in Marathahalli and was promised the result online by Saturday morning,” Gupta said. “I trusted them and reached the place by Saturday noon, but nothing was ready and the response from staff was far from welcoming. I was forced to go to a hospital in Bellandur to get my results but there I was directed to the Marathahalli clinic.”

Gupta claimed that he contacted Air France’s customer care number only to be told that he doesn’t require a Covid negative certificate for the Bengaluruto-Paris leg of the journey. “But when I reached KIA on Saturday night, airline representatives refused to let me board even though I said my test results will come anytime on my email. The Air France website said I would be fined in Portugal if I did not have the certificate and I was ready to pay.”

He had to leave the airport and return home as the Covid report didn’t arrive even 48 hours after the test was taken. “Thorough inefficiency of government health staff cost me my trip,” Gupta said. “I received the test result, which was negative, on my mail on Sunday afternoon, but it was too late then.”

Govt, CBSE do a rethink on boards dates

Govt, CBSE do a rethink on boards dates

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:13.04.2021

The fresh surge in the Covid pandemic has resulted in the possible rescheduling of Board exams being discussed, with the current plans for the Class X and XII exams to get under way from May 4.

The ministry of education and CBSE officials are considering whether the exams need to be deferred as students and schools are wondering over the feasibility of conducting the exams just 20 days away. Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad has postponed the Board exams, which was scheduled to start from April 24, due to panchayat elections and surge in Covid-19 cases.

“Cases are rising exponentially. Teachers are contracting corona, students and families are down with Covid-19. There is a sense of paranoia. Is CBSE holding the exams just for sake of a formality? It is advisable to review the dates as it is impossible to conduct the exams safely across the country for over 30 lakh students,” said the principal of a private school in Delhi.

Students and parents are also writing to MoE and CBSE as well as taking to the social media requesting for deferring or cancelling the exams. According to a senior MoE official, rescheduling the exams has come up though no decision has been taken so far. “This has been discussed with CBSE officials. The ministry is monitoring the situation,” said the official.

The official, however, said there are no plans to cancel the Boards altogether or make the exams online at present. “The only point of discussion are the dates. There are still around three weeks left and developments, including increase in the number of Covid infections and containment zones, are being discussed,” the official added.

Maha defers boards to May-end & June

The HSC (Std XII) and SSC (Std X) board examinations in Maharashtra have been postponed to May-end and June, respectively, due to rising Covid cases, the state’s school education minister Varsha Gaikwad said on Monday. Also, the state will write to other boards to reconsider their exam dates.The decision has not gone down well with students preparing for engineering and medical entrance exams. Gaikwad made the announcement after meeting CM Uddhav Thackeray. TNN

‘Covaxin, Covishield both work against UK strain’

‘Covaxin, Covishield both work against UK strain’

Officials: No Indian Variant Of Virus Yet

Sushmi.Dey@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:13.04.2021

Both Covaxin and Covishield — the two vaccines against Covid in use in India — are effective against the UK variant, which is one the two prevailing mutations found in the country, senior officials said. Officials said so far there has been no Indian variant as only a double mutation has been found in Maharashtra. It requires multiple mutations for a new variant to be recognised as such and to make a discernible impact.

So far, three “imported variants” — UK, South Africa and Brazilian — have been detected in India. During genome sequencing of samples, the total number of cases with these variants of the Covid-19 virus adds up to 948 till Monday evening.

The presence of UK and South African variants is more in samples sequences in India, whereas very few samples have tested positive for the Brazilian variant.

“Covaxin is effective against both UK and Brazilian variant, Covishield is effective against the UK variant but we are awaiting its efficacy data against Brazilian strain. The South African variant could not be cultured so far,” an official told TOI. Even as there have been concerns about double mutations being the cause of spread in Maharashtra and whether it can be an Indian strain, officials said data so far does not support such a conclusion.

ICMR researchers continue to study if the double mutations are causing faster transmission of the infection, an official said.

“The virus may continue to mutate and generate new variants. It is normal process but it takes multiple mutations to bring forth a new variant. While variants have a role in being more infectious, the remedy or measures to combat it remain same,” the official said.

When many go maskless, some are doubling down on staying safe

When many go maskless, some are doubling down on staying safe

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

13.04.2021

Did you look twice at the man with two masks on at the neighbourhood market? And later found a few more like him? As the second Covid-19 wave lashes the country, many are going for the double-mask approach to keep the virus away, with experts saying it’s “advisable” and an “established way to stop transmission”.

“One can wear a surgical mask and a cloth mask or two cloth masks. However, with N95 masks, doubling is not needed,” says Dr Rommel Tickoo, director, internal medicine department at Delhi’s Max Saket. “A double mask is advisable when a person is going to crowded places where social distancing is not possible,” he says.

Many masks don’t fit perfectly on the face. Wearing double masks reduces the risk of droplets from an infected person escaping through the sides while breathing in and out, say experts. The double-masking recommendation is based on a study conducted by the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC conducted studies to assess two ways of improving the fit of medical procedure masks — fitting a cloth mask over a medical procedure mask, and knotting the ear loops of a medical procedure mask and then tucking in and flattening the extra material close to the face.

‘Double mask gives more fool-proof protection’

Each modification substantially improved source control and reduced wearer exposure, it found.

“Double masking and knotting are some of the established ways to stop transmission as it ensures a tight fit. While people may feel it impedes breathing, its regular use could ease the discomforts,” said Maharashtra Covid taskforce member Dr Shashank Joshi.

Joshi recommends using a medical three-ply mask covered by a cloth mask or viseversa for maximum protection. “Double masking can prove to be effective in crowded places, rooms where there is lack of proper ventilation or places where social distancing can be a challenge such as a local train compartment,” added Joshi added.

Wearing a double mask provides a more fool-proof protection, according to Rahul Jain, internal medicine consultant at Belle Vue Clinic in Kolkata. Often, the mask gets displaced or is not properly fitted around the nose and mouth. This may happen if the string gets loose. A second mask ensures that the cover remains firmly in place,” said Jain.

However, some experts feel double-masking cannot be standard strategy. “The theory of double mask has been discussed, propagated by some as a better filter to prevent the leaks. However, this cannot be recommended as a standard strategy. One good mask wellworn is good enough to offer protection,” Dr Ravindra Mehta, chief of pulmonary, critical care and interventional pulmonology, Apollo Speciality Hospitals, Bengaluru.

(With inputs from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Chennai)

Suggest Giving Priority, Leave, Med Aid To Those Who Took Vax

Offer perks for taking jab, experts tell govt

Suggest Giving Priority, Leave, Med Aid To Those Who Took Vax

Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:13.04.2021

The new goal is administering at least 2 lakh doses of the vaccine daily, nearly doubling the number administered so far on the best days, health secretary J Radhakrishnan announced last week, but hesitancy about the vaccine remains a hurdle.

Aware that getting as many people as possible vaccinated will be critical to containing the pandemic and allowing a return to a more normal way of life, public health analysts, virologists and infectious diseases experts offer three ways to beat hesitancy.

Create awareness, improve accessibility

Right messages about vaccines should stare out of billboards and blare out through public address systems, says former director of public health Dr K Kolandaisamy. Since many people want to avoid hospitals and crowded places, vaccination camps should be held in schools, anganwadi centres, meeting halls or open grounds of residential complexes, parks and workplaces. The government should update its web pages on where the vaccine will be available every day. VHNs too will be able to effectively do door-to-door canvassing in parts of the state. If people avoid vaccines because they want to wait for one brand, they should be told that the efficacy levels of both the vaccines are good.

Offer privileges to those vaccinated

Those who have taken at least one dose of the vaccine, and others who have taken the second dose at the right interval, says infectious diseases expert Dr Subramanian Swaminathan, should get privileges in entry to places of worship, tourist spots, or while booking movie tickets. They should, however, follow pandemic protocols. It should be announced that vaccine certificates will be required for all international travel. Though people can be infected even after two doses of the vaccine, they will not have severe disease. While natural immunity comes with the infection, vaccines can trigger antibodies – which can fight the virus – without risk of morbidity or mortality.

No vaccine, no compensation for severe disease/death

While vaccination is voluntary, public health experts say the government must tell healthcare providers and frontline staff that there will be no paid medical leave, reimbursement for severe treatment at private hospitals in case of severe Covid symptoms if they skip taking the vaccine. They should also not be compensated with cash in case they die of the viral infection. There is adequate scientific evidence that the vaccines offer up to 80% protection against the infection and prevent severe disease. The most informed people cannot have hesitancy.

Tamil Nadu has adequate vax doses, says EPS

Tamil Nadu has adequate vax doses, says EPS

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13.04.2021

Asserting that adequate doses of Covid vaccine are available in Tamil Nadu, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday called upon government staff to get vaccinated within two weeks. The management of industries, government offices, workplaces, markets and residential complexes should contact Greater Chennai Corporation/district administration to arrange for Covid vaccination that can be administered at their premises, the chief minister said.

During a review meeting with the heads of departments at the Secretariat, the chief minister said the public should get vaccinated at nearby hospitals.

Employers need to ensure staff get vaccinated: CM

Palaniswami said, “The management of industries, restaurants and markets should arrange for vaccination for their employees. If the management requests government hospitals, the government is ready to vaccinate the workers at their premises. We have adequate doses of vaccines.” He urged people to avoid crowding in public places, wear masks, maintain social distance and follow the government’s standard operating procedures.

In a slew of directions to department heads, Palaniswami said all eligible people should get vaccinated and the administrative machinery should reassure people about the necessity to take the vaccination. “The vaccination is done at primary health centres, government hospitals, mini clinics and private hospitals. The state administered 37.8 lakh vaccine doses until Sunday to health staff, frontline workers, election staff and people above 45 years,” an official release said, quoting the chief minister. The state has received 54.85 lakh doses of vaccine from the Centre until Sunday.

The chief minister said the administration should conduct 90,000 RT-PCR tests a day, besides increased and aggressive testing in affected areas, and the results should come out in 24 hours. Tracing of a minimum 25-30 contacts of infected persons should be expedited and they should undergo RT-PCR tests. “Fever camps should be set up across the state and those with symptoms of cold and fever should be diagnosed and treated,” the release said. The state government has set up 8.92 lakh fever camps so far and treated 14.47 lakh people with symptoms of fever. As many as 1,309 containment zones were identified as on April 10 and intensive monitoring measures were taken.

The areas where there are three or more affected people must be declared a micro-containment zone and preventive measures taken against the spread of infection. The infected persons should be either taken to Covid care centres or exclusive Covid hospitals as per protocol, the release said.

Don’t pick between helmet & mask: Cops

Don’t pick between helmet & mask: Cops

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13.04.2021

Just a day after the state government put in place new restrictions to contain Covid-19, several road-users across Chennai were seen arguing with the traffic police about the need to wear a mask while wearing helmets.

From April 8 to 11, as per city police statistics, 2,351 cases were registered against people not wearing masks and a fine of ₹4.44 lakh collected. On Sunday alone, 892 cases were registered against violators who were fined ₹1.62 lakh. During the April 8-11 period, police registered 1,500 cases and collected a fine of ₹59,500 for failing to maintain social distancing norms, with 196 special teams headed by an inspector enforcing norms.

Ahead of an awareness campaign in T Nagar on Tuesday, commissioner Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal asked all inspectors to enforce the norms strictly. “Many people know about the importance of wearing face masks, but ignore it. We are conducting a series of campaigns, especially in residential areas and market places, roping in the traffic police, Amma patrol, law and order and other wings,” he said.

Across the state from April 8 to 11, police registered 1,30,531 cases and collected ₹2.52 crore in fines including registering 46,062 cases and collecting ₹89.61 in fines on Sunday alone. In the north zone, comprising 12 districts, 27,910 cases were registered and ₹48.53 lakh collected in fines, while in the central zone, 22,524 cases were registered and ₹44.11 lakh in fines collected. In the west zone, 21,739 cases were registered and ₹43.40 lakh in fines collected, while in the south zone, 43,019 cases were registered and ₹85.74 lakh in fines collected.

MASK UP OR PAY UP: Greater Chennai police collected fine of ₹1.62 lakh from people not wearing mask in public places

3-member panel to run Anna univ till new VC found

3-member panel to run Anna univ till new VC found

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13.04.2021 

A three-member convener committee headed by higher education secretary Apoorva will run Anna University in the absence of the vice-chancellor.

IT secretary Hans Raj Verma and Ranjani Parthasarathy from College of Engineering, Guindy, will be the other members of the committee. After professor M K Surappa completed his three-year tenure as VC on Sunday, there was a lack of clarity on who will head the university until his replacement is found.

Apoorva convened a special syndicate meeting on Monday. The syndicate resolved to form a convener committee headed by Apoorva for exercising the powers and performing the duties of vice-chancellor till a new V-C is appointed.

Professors from the university said the outgoing vicechancellor was asked to vacate the university in two days. "The head of the convener committee has given the direction to the university authorities. It is not fair giving him the shortest time to vacate when the new VC is yet to be appointed. They should give him at least a few weeks' time to vacate in view of the raging pandemic in both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka," they said.

Meanwhile, a three-member vice-chancellor search committee headed by Jawaharlal Nehru University vicechancellor M Jagadish Kumar has been formed. "The search committee meeting is yet to take place. The committee will need at least five weeks' time to shortlist a panel of names for the vice-chancellor post," a source said.

Surprise for city residents, light rain in the morning

Surprise for city residents, light rain in the morning

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13/04/2021

Residents in soime parts of the city woke up on Monday morning to surprise light spells of rain.

While IMD has not forecast rainfall over the city for the next few days, weather bloggers said wind convergence closer to coastal areas may continue to bring isolated light showers over a few areas in the morning. For southe TN, IMD said a cyclonic circulation could bring heavy rain and thunderstorms over the next four days.

For the next 48 hours, Chennai and its suburbs will have partly cloudy skies with maximum and minimum temperatures around 35 degrees C and 26 degrees C.

While the last few days had seen near normal day and night temperatures in the city, localities in west Chennai such as Koyambedu, Anna Nagar, Valasaravakkam, Virugambakkam and Porur recorded light spells on Monday. Both Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam stations, however, recorded zero rainfall.

While a persistent strong easterly is keeping a check on day temperatures in the day, meteorologists said an early morning convergence of opposing winds closer to coastal areas brought drizzles over a few localities.

The IMD has forecast light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning over a few places in Western Ghat districts along with south and central parts of the state till April 16. Heavy rainfall is also likely over Coimbatore, Theni and Nilgiris. This is due to a cyclonic circulation over south Tamil Nadu and neighbourhood.

“Chennai may receive spells in the morning for the next two weeks due to convergence close to the coast. But it is more like drizzles or very light rainfall that may not last more than a few minutes,” said blogger Pradeep John.

Localities in west Chennai such as Koyambedu, Anna Nagar, Valasaravakkam, Virugambakkam and Porur recorded light spells on Monday