Inadequate toilet facilities at govt centres irk patients

Inadequate toilet facilities at govt centres irk patients

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:22.04.2021

Inadequate toilets seem to be the major concern for patients admitted at government-run Covid-19 care centres and hospitals in Chennai and its suburbs.

“There are only two toilets for every 20 patients,” said Ravi, a 38-year-old patient who got discharged from the Covid ward setup at Government Ophthalmic Hospital in Egmore.

Several research studies across the world have shown that toilet aerosols can spread the virus.

At present, more than 40% beds in Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) health centres are vacant now. Patients here too face similar issues and say that conditions could turn worse once these centres become crowded. A senior GCC official in response said that all toilets were cleaned and sanitised periodically to avoid spread.

As far as food is concerned, some hospitals don't provide soup or juice as it was done last year and patients fear that dehydration could delay their recovery. G Ganesh, attender of a Covid patient from Chengalpattu Government Medical College Hospital said that the hospital stopped providing eggs to patients this week and they request attenders to buy plates or buckets etc for patients’ use.

Doctors, however, say that a balanced protein-rich diet was ensured for all patients and they have received no major complaints so far.

In Chennai, hospitals like King’s Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research provide packed food prepared at private hotels. As a result, demand for admission in the institute at Guindy has shot up. Hardly three dozen beds are vacant in the 525-bedded facility.

In quarantine & too sick to cook? A hot meal is just a call away

In quarantine & too sick to cook? A hot meal is just a call away

Priya.Menon@timesgroup.com

Chennai:  22.04.2021 

When Jayalakshmi Sundaresan tested Covid-positive, she was overwhelmed by the love she received from friends and family, particularly those who made an effort to send her nutritious, vegetarian food so she could enjoy a homecooked meal. She has now decided to provide this dose of love to others quarantining at home.

“When I tested positive, I immediately sent my mother away to a relative’s as she has low immunity,” says Sundaresan. “The first week I was asymptomatic but later I had every symptom and was too sick to cook. Luckily, friends and relatives sent me meals all through my quarantine.”

With the second wave sweeping across the city, many Good Samaritans have taken to providing free, nutritious meals to those quarantining at home.

Abinaya Karthik, 34, who runs an industrial catering unit in Villivakkam, launched last week her initiative, ‘Mission Upkhar’, offering free food to underprivileged patients.

“There are many people out there who cannot afford to have healthy meals, so I wanted to provide them with food that will help boost their immunity,” says Abhinaya, who is now providing free food to 20 patients. “My kitchen is in Villivakkam so we can deliver food to people within a 5km radius. I am catering also to 50 other patients who want homely food and can pay for it.”

She usually provides idlis, idiyappams or millet dosa for breakfast, a south Indian thali, and a vegetable or fruit salad for lunch and chapattis or idiyappams for dinner. “We also give sachets of carrot, turmeric or ginger malt along with the food as it boost immunity,” she says.

Sundaresan plans to start the free service from April 23. “After I put up a post on social media, a few friends who are down with Covid-19 have reached out,” says Jayalakshmi, whose mother, aunts and friends will be helping her with the initiative. “People can contact me on Instagram and I will Dunzo the food to them.”

Anna Nagar resident Vimala Davuluri, who runs the restaurant Agraharam, is also offering to do the same.Alexander Athisayanathan, who provided meals for the homeless throughout the national lockdown, says he will be doing the same now and also extend it to patients who are quarantining at home.

“Last April, I distributed survival kits containing vegetable biriyani, curd rice, bisi bele bath, a water bottle, one soap, one mask, and any fruit, either two bananas or two oranges,” he says. “From this weekend, I am restarting the initiative as I have a team of volunteers. Any patient who wants a homely meal can reach out to me. And we will ensure it is delivered to them free of charge.”

Many have offered to deliver meals to Covid patients isolating at home. You can contact Jayalakshmi Sundaresan via Instagram, Alexander Athisayanathan on 9940026050/6382598558 and Mission Upkhar on 9940233323

Elderly still most vulnerable to Covid: Corpn data

‘EARLY DETECTION IS ONLY WAY OUT’

Elderly still most vulnerable to Covid: Corpn data

Komal.Gautham@timesgroup.com

Chennai:22.04.2021

Youngsters in the city seem to be showing more symptoms during the second wave of Covid-19, but Greater Chennai Corporation data shows there is still high incidence among elders who remain the most vulnerable.

In January, when cases were less than 100 per day about 80 of them were elderly followed by the 41-60 age group and the 21-40 group. On March 26, nearly 200 cases a day were of the elderly who account for more than 600 cases a day in April. “Among the others, nearly 450 are between 41 and 60 years and 350-400 are aged between 21 and 40,” said an official. Corporation commissioner G Prakash said people with symptoms such as fever, uneasiness, cough or cold should inform surveillance workers.

“Early detection is the only way out. We have opened 12 screening centres and have set up free testing centres in 30 locations. We also have 12,600 beds ready in Covid care centers,” he said after opening a 900-bed centre at Anna University.

This year, a Saveetha medical college and hospital doctor said, patients in category B (symptoms with comorbidities) and category C (requiring oxygen) were higher than those in category A (asymptomatic) and that most were in the 30-50 age group. “More youngsters are showing symptoms. Also, their recovery time is longer. So discharges are getting delayed.”

A corporation official said many young patients seemed asymptomatic, but CT scans showed mild to moderate infections. “Earlier, we didn’t do CT scans for the asymptomatic. This year, evaluation is mandatory for home isolation and we find complications in youngsters,” he said.

Corporation deputy commissioner (health) Alby John said incidence of cases and not prevalence should be considered. “Elderly are the most vulnerable and we have ensured deaths are fewer this year through enhanced surveillance and early treatment.”

An analysis of data between March 4, 2021 and April 21, 2021, showed that the share of men in the 13-60 age group of total positive cases dropped from 50% to 49% and for women from 32.8% to 32.6%. In 60-plus group, it increased from 8.6% to 8.8% in men and from 4.9% to 5.1% in women.

S Rly to operate spl trains, add extra coaches as guest workers flood stns

S Rly to operate spl trains, add extra coaches as guest workers flood stns

Shanmughasundaram.J@timesgroup.com

Chennai:22.04.2021

Nervous guest workersfromacrossTamilNaducontinuedtoarriveatChennai Central station, prompting Southern Railway to operate special trains and add additional coaches to trains to take them to their hometowns.

Railway officials said they would add 30 extra coaches to express trains bound for north and northeastern states in the next few days to ease the rush. “Augmentation of coaches on a need-basis and running special trains based on the waitlist build-up is a regular feature,” said an official and admitted that the number of guest workers arriving at the station was slowly rising.

Special trains will be operated based on demand to quell the panic among workers. Souther Railway assured them that trains would be operated from major stations in TN to their native state as a confidence-building measure. On Wednesday, guest workers rushed out of the Chennai Central-Mettupalayam Nilgiris Express to board a train to their home district. “We feel safe in our village instead of staying in a small room with six to seven others,” said Sujit Yadav, a native of UP’s Gorakhpur.

Guest workers usually return to their native states for festivals and harvest season this time of the year. The second wave and fear of another lockdown, however, were major factors triggering the reverse migration.

Covaxin shots show 78% interim efficacy, 100% in severe cases, say Bharat & ICMR

VAX SHOWS EFFICACY, CAN REDUCE INFECTION

Covaxin shots show 78% interim efficacy, 100% in severe cases, say Bharat & ICMR

Hyderabad:22.04.2021

Indigenous Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin has shown an overall interim clinical efficacy of 78% in fighting Covid-19. It has also shown 100% efficacy against severe Covid-19 disease, its developers Bharat Biotech and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Wednesday, reports Swati Bharadwaj.

“The second interim analysis is based on accruing more than 87 symptomatic cases of Covid-19. Due to the recent surge in cases, 127 symptomatic cases were recorded, resulting in a point estimate of vaccine efficacy of 78% against mild, moderate and severe Covid-19 disease,” they said in a joint statement. “The efficacy against severe Covid-19 disease was 100%, with an impact on reduction in hospitalisations. The efficacy against asymptomatic infection was 70%, suggesting decreased transmission in Covaxin recipients,” they added. Though the second interim analysis was planned to be conducted once 87 participants got infected, a higher number – 127 cases – was recorded among the Covaxin trial participants due to the surge in cases because of the second wave and the interim efficacy data was calculated on this basis. The final analysis of the safety and efficacy results will be available in June after which the final report will be submitted to a peer-reviewed publication, they added.

Prof Balram Bhargava, secretary of the department of health research and director general of ICMR, said the 78% efficacy in the second interim analysis as well as the findings that Covaxin works well against most variants of SARS-CoV-2 consolidates the position of the indigenous vaccine in the global vaccine landscape.

Terming Covaxin as a global innovator vaccine derived from R&D conducted in India, Bharat Biotech chairman & managing director Dr Krishna Ella said Covaxin had demonstrated an excellent safety record in human clinical trials and during emergency use.

“The efficacy data against severe Covid-19 and asymptomatic infections is highly significant as this helps reduce hospitalisation and disease transmission, respectively,” he said. The developers of the desi vaccine also said that following the achievement of the success criteria, those who received placebo shots during the trial have now become eligible to receive two doses of Covaxin.

In the first week of March, the Covaxin developers had declared an interim efficacy of nearly 81% based on the first interim analysis of Phase 3 trials data after 43 cases of Covid-19 were reported among the trial participants. Of these 43 infected volunteers, only 7 had received the two Covaxin shots while the remaining 36 had all received a placebo shot.

In the phase 3 study, 25,800 participants between the ages of 18-98 years were enrolled, including 10% participants over the age of 60.

Many turned away, centres shut, but officials say no vax shortage

Many turned away, centres shut, but officials say no vax shortage

‘Display Dose Availability On Govt Portal’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:22.04.2021 

The state on Wednesday vaccinated 55,830 people even as several vaccine centres, including ones in Chennai, turned people away citing inadequate stock. This uncertainty has led beneficiaries to ask the government to display vaccine availability on the state webpage.

After administering more than two lakh doses a day during the vaccine fest on April 15 and 16, Tamil Nadu is now recording a dip in daily vaccinations. Meanwhile, between Monday and Wednesday this week, the state has administered less than two lakh shots in total.

Some UPHCs and hospitals said they neither had Covaxin or Covishield. Many other centres did not have Covaxin. People who took the first dose more than a month ago were advised to return in a day or two. “I went for the second dose of Covaxin, but I was asked to come back tomorrow. But, they are not sure if the stock will be available even tomorrow,” said 76-year-old R Thyagarajan, who went to a PHC in Virugambakkam. “I wish we have information about where vaccines are available every day so we can go accordingly.”

Many centres in districts such as Madurai, Coimbatore and Trichy were closed on Wednesday. However, the directorate of public health said it dispatched 6 lakh doses of Covishield from the state vaccine store to all centres on Tuesday. Health minister C Vijayabaskar said there was no shortage in the state. “We have received 6 lakh doses of Covishield and have asked for another five lakh doses Covaxin, which is expected soon,” he said.

As of 8am on Wednesday, the state had 8.48 lakh doses of vaccinesAbout 7,520 doses of Covaxin and 2.29 doses of Covishield were still in transit till afternoon for most parts of the districts.

Coimbatore officials said they received 46,000 doses of Covishield vaccine, taking itsthe total stock to 67,320. On Wednesday morning, Coimbatore had nearly 21,000 doses, but hardly 3,051 people took the jab. “While there are complaints about centres being closed, many centres that are open did not see much crowd,” an official said. The number of recipients have been low since Saturday, the official added.

In the last 87 days, the state has administered 49.23 lakh doses.

ENTHUSIASM FIZZLES OUT: TN vaccinated 55k on Wednesday

Tamil Nadu polls: Strong rooms under tight vigil as counting day draws near

Tamil Nadu polls: Strong rooms under tight vigil as counting day draws near

Despite Sunday being a holiday, ACs, computers and servers in the centres were functioning, raising suspicion.

Published: 20th April 2021 04:51 AM 

By Express News Service

KARUR/THANJAVUR: “The Election Commission must ensure that no electronic equipment is brought to the counting centre,” DMK’s Karur district in-charge, Senthil Balaji, said on Monday.Addressing reporters at M Kumaraswamy Engineering College in Karur, he said, “After the election on April 6, all EVMs, VVPATs and control units were shifted to the counting centre and stored in the college.

Despite Sunday being a holiday, ACs, computers and servers in the centres were functioning, raising suspicion. On receiving information from monitoring party representatives, we (Senthil Balaji, Aravakurichi candidate Monjanur Ilango and party cadre) arrived at the counting centre and inspected the security arrangements.

Earlier, a CCTV camera at the backside of the centre was installed only after we informed authorities about it. Our party representatives complained about the functioning of the computer lab on Saturday and Sunday. No one should bring any electronic gadget or equipment to the counting centre. Even if it is the college management, electronic devices must be strictly prohibited till counting ends. The ECI must restrict district administration from operating the college WiFi and servers till counting ends,” he said.

Meanwhile, DMK candidates of Thanjavur, Tiruvaiyaru and Orathanadu visited the counting centre set up at Kunthavai Naacchiaar Government Arts College for Women on Monday and inspected the working of CCTV cameras from the room allocated for representatives of political parties. EVMs used in three constituencies are kept at separate strong rooms in the centre with a three-tier security.

Later D Chandrasekaran, Tiruvaiyaru candidate and party’s district secretary, said the camera at the entrance of the college was not functioning properly. He also demanded that there should be a revolving camera at the spot.Meanwhile, the district administration said antennas were removed and the camera in the entrance was working but the direction had been altered to cover the entire entrance following complaint from candidates.