The world is going through a major crisis and it has become a very vulnerable place at this moment. The novel coronavirus has affected the lives of everyone, and it has become a concern for the entire globe. With people losing their lives, there has been a drastic fall in the economy as well. India’s Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi imposed a 21-day lockdown in the country and has advised people to stay indoors to eradicate the deadly virus from the country. Wildlife photographer Bhasmang Mehta who spent most of his time outdoors capturing beautiful moments in the forest is also currently enjoying self-quarantine time.     

An industrialist turned photographer, Bhasmang is currently spending most of his time at home. Hailing from Ahmedabad, the photographer hopes that the lockdown will help in reducing COVID-19. He said, “India is at a very crucial stage right now. All we should do now is follow what our Prime Minister has to say. It’s a different feeling for me to be at home as I spent most of my time in jungles capturing pictures. But this was the much-needed break and I am happy to be with my family and spend time with them. I feel the lockdown is also helping the mother nature to purify as there is no pollution outside. Let’s fight together against the deadly virus and emerge as the winners.”

Bhasmang is into wildlife photography since 2011. After being an industrialist for almost 11 years, he switched his profession to follow his passion. The photographer along with his wife Zankhana owns a photography company named ‘Wildlife Sojourns’. Over the years, Mehta has clicked several spectacular pictures of nature and wildlife. His works are also highly appreciated by top media houses. When asked how he spends his time in quarantine, Bhasmang Mehta replied, “Give a camera to a photographer and see how he brings out creativity from anything and everything. Well, jokes apart, I am currently planning as to how I can expand my company in terms of business and revenue.”

Risers Accelerator, Delhi-based conglomerate of 35 entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds, has invested INR 50 lacs in NuNu TV, is a YouTube channel gaining immense popularity among kids by Sprout Studios. 

Risers Accelerator has been aggressively promoting start-ups with good business potential and positive social impact since its inception. NuNu TV, which is a free-to-subscribe YouTube channel helps kids to learn and watch quality educational and moral content perfectly met the funding parameters of Risers. 

Founders and promoters of NuNu TV believe that the funding from Risers will help them to focus on quantity as well as the quality of their video content which they develop to improve the learning of their young viewers with a wholesome blend of knowledge and entertainment. 

On raising funds from Risers Accelerator, Rahul Rohilla, CEO of Sprout Studios said, “We educate kids in a highly entertaining manner to enhance their digital learning. Watching our animations, they enjoy, have fun, sing, and dance along with peers and siblings. But, generating creative content in large volumes requires larger infrastructure and team. Now, we can think about extending our reach by making animations not only in Hindi or English but also in the other regional languages of India.

While choosing Sprout Studios as a promising investment option, Pravin Khandelwal of Risers Accelerator said, “The investment in this company is a reflection of our policy to provide support to all sectors. We want to accelerate start-ups that have good business potential. The underlying philosophy is to give a helping hand to people who have bright ideas and can transform the business industry. If these start-ups are promoted they will generate employment that will help the economy grow.”  

vHealth by Aetna (www.vHealth.io)  has announced a special initiative of providing free access to its virtual doctor consultation service, until 15^th April, to help ensure people have access to health care during the COVID-19 outbreak. vHealth provides professional and confidential medical consultations by telephone and video for people across the country.Without having to travel to a clinic or hospital, people can speak to a doctor about any aspect of their health, such as the management of chronic conditions, treatment of minor illnesses, advice on alternate treatment options, interpretation of diagnostic reports and guidance on staying healthy, a statement issued here said.

The service will not only help people who are concerned about visiting a hospital or a clinic at the moment, but it will also help the elderly and patients with ongoing health conditions to manage their health needs from home, thereby potentially reducing the risk  of catching infections.

The free vHealth virtual doctor consultation service will be available for 30 days from the date of registration. People who register for the service can also utilise the benefit for up to four family members. To register for a virtual health consultation call the toll-free number 1800 103 7093 or give a missed call at 9029096186 to register online.The medical consultation service is available from Monday to Saturday from 8 AM to 8 PM, except national holidays.

Talking about the initiative, Dr Sneh Khemka, President of Population Health, Aetna International commented, “As the nation’s top leaders are urging people to stay at home and even avoid going to the hospitals unless in an extreme emergency, virtual consultation can be a single, trusted point of contact, for all their medical concerns for many in the country. As a primary health care service provider, we feel there is a need for us to step up and support the community at large.”

vHealth by Aetna, India offers a broad suite of health services and solutions that is focused on preventative and primary care to behavioural health and wellness counselling. Its ecosystem includes a sizable team of in-house physicians and dieticians in addition to a physical provider network for hospitals, diagnostics, pathology, dental and pharmacies. Currently, vHealth is serving over 3 million members in India and has a Net Promoter score of +65.

vHealth by Aetna is one of India’s most innovative preventative and primary care services providers. With a focus on clinical excellence, digital technology and a nationwide network of healthcare partners, vHealth by Aetna provides telephone/video consultations and coordinates the delivery of care to people’s homes (tests, medicines, home health care etc.) in addition to providing privileged and discounted access through its vast health partner network spread across 500+ cities.

Delhi Hockey Vice President Gursimran Singh on Tuesday posted a picture urging people to stay at their homes in the wake of Coronavirus Outbreak in the Country.Gursimran Singh also welcomed the decision of postponement of Olympics 2020 on account of the mental, physical and economical stress due to the Covid19.  He also felt sorry as an athlete because one wait for such a big event and give all their possible efforts for the event but all in all it is the safety of our athlete which is most important.
Meanwhile, his appeal to stay indoors comes as India has reported nearly 519 confirmed Cases of Covid-19.A total lockdown has been declared in the whole country for 21 days by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Parle Biscuits, will donate one crore Parle G biscuit packest every week during the current lockdown. Parle, in this unprecedented time of national crisis, is ready to join hands with the Government of India and play a part in easing the difficulty of those who have lost their daily income, a statement issued by the biscuit and confectionary manufacturer said.

The Parle G biscuits will be released through state depots for free over a period of three weeks and company officials are working closely with the government on the most effective distribution channels, the statement said.

This initiative is a continuation of the rich legacy of Parle G in service of the nation, as an essential source of energy during wartime and natural calamities, earning it the moniker of Bharat Ka Apna Biscuit. Parle G biscuits were made widely available during floods in Kerala, Chennai and Maharashtra. Parle G biscuits for many decades have also been the go-to energy snack for the Indian armed forces be it while manning our borders or when engaged in combat situations such as Kargil War.

Mayank Shah, Sr. Category Head at Parle Biscuits, said, “‘In service of the nation” has been a part of our DNA and Parle G is a very special product that has provided comfort to generations of Indians at various times of national distress. In light of COVID-19 and its devastating economic impact on daily wagers, we have taken a call to provide Parle G packs pan-India through various state distribution channels. We see this as a natural response to the prevailing situation and in line with what Parle-G stands for in the hearts and minds of Indians all over the world.”

Since 1929, Parle has grown to become India’s leading manufacturer of biscuits and confectionery. As the makers of the world’s largest selling biscuit, Parle-G, and a host of other very popular brands, the Parle name symbolizes quality, nutrition, and superior taste.

To combat the Covid-19 pandemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO) insists that widescale “testing, testing, and testing” is the key as early diagnosis may help save lives. Aligning with the call of WHO, the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) is working overtime on the development of cost-effective and accurate diagnostic kits for wide distribution.

“We are helping our incubating companies; they have come out with ideas and we are supporting them. We are testing and validating the diagnostic kits proposed by them. We may come up with some good kits and it may take at least 2-3 weeks if everything goes well. The quality and accuracy of the kits are the most important things. If the kits give 100 percent results, then only they will be approved,” said Dr R K Mishra, Director, CCMB. 

The organization is also keeping in mind the cost. “Our estimate is that the test should be less than 1000 rupees. We are also thinking of kits which are as cheap as 400-500 rupees, but at present, we cannot assure that, as it is a different route and all this needs more standardisation” told Dr Mishra. 

Further, CCMB is also planning to culture the covid-19 virus. Dr Mishra said that the institution has facilities for this and they have got the approvals from the government too, they are yet to receive samples and kits to initiate the culture. “In the meantime, our facilities are set and we are actually training people who are going for the testing in other recognised places in the city” he said.  There are 5 government-designated testing centres in Telangana state. CCMB has trained 25 people so that they can go and do the testing in these centres.

Some of the labs where the COVID-19 testing will be done include Nizam’s Institute Of Medical Sciences (NIMS) Hyderabad, Gandhi Hospital, Osmania General Hospital, Sir Ronald Ross Institute of Tropical and Communicable Diseases or the Fever Hospital and the Warangal Hospital. The Centre for DNA Finger Printing and Diagnostics (CDFD) is also likely to be added to this group.

Vaccine and drug development are other aspects of fighting the virus. But as of now, CCMB is neither working on the vaccine nor on the drug development. “We have no expertise for working on this. However, when the virus is being cultured, we will try to set up a system as it can be used for screening” said Dr Mishra. He told that may be CCMB’s sister organization Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) is working for the repurposing of drugs as making a new drug is a long-term process. (India Science Wire)

A new modeling study conducted in a simulated Singapore setting has estimated that a combined approach of physical distancing interventions, comprising quarantine (for infected individuals and their families), school closure, and workplace distancing, is most effective at reducing the number of SARS-CoV-2 cases compared with other intervention scenarios included in the study.

While less effective than the combined approach, quarantine plus workplace measures presented the next best option for reducing SARS-CoV-2 cases, followed by quarantine plus school closure, and then quarantine only. All intervention scenarios were more effective at reducing cases than no intervention.

The study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, is the first of its kind to investigate using these options for early intervention in Singapore using simulation. Despite heightened surveillance and isolation of individuals suspected to have COVID-19 and confirmed cases, the risk is ongoing, with the number of cases continuing to increase in Singapore. Schools have not been closed, and workplace distancing is recommended, but it is not national policy [correct as of 23.03.2020].

The study found that the combined approach could prevent a national outbreak at relatively low levels of infectivity (basic reproductivity value (R0) = 1.5), but at higher infectivity scenarios (R0 = 2.0 (considered moderate and likely) and R0 = 2.5 (considered high)), outbreak prevention becomes considerably more challenging because although effective at reducing infections, transmission events still occur.

Dr. Alex R Cook, National University of Singapore, said: “Should local containment measures, such as preventing disease spread through contact tracing efforts and, more recently, not permitting short-term visitors, be unsuccessful, the results of this study provide policymakers in Singapore and other countries with evidence to begin the implementation of enhanced outbreak control measures that could mitigate or reduce local transmission rates if deployed effectively and in a timely manner.” [3]

To assess the potential impact of interventions on outbreak size, should local containment fail, authors developed an individual-based influenza epidemic simulation model, which accounted for demography, individual movement, and social contact rates in workplaces, schools, and homes, to estimate the likelihood of human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Model parameters included how infectious an individual is over time, the proportion of the population assumed to be asymptomatic (7.5%), the cumulative distribution function for the mean incubation period (with the virus that causes SARS and the virus that causes COVID-19having the same mean incubation period of 5.3 days), and the duration of hospital stay after symptom onset (3.5 days).

Using this model, authors estimated the cumulative number of SARS-CoV-2 infections at 80 days, after detection of 100 cases of community transmission. Three values for the basic reproduction number (R0) were chosen for the infectiousness parameter, including relatively low (R0=1.5), moderate and likely (R0=2.0), and high transmissibility (R0=2.5). The basic reproduction numbers were selected based on analyses of data from people with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China [1].

In addition to a baseline scenario, which included no interventions, four intervention scenarios were proposed for implementation after failure of local containment: 1) isolation of infected individuals and quarantine of their family members (quarantine); 2) quarantine plus immediate school closure for 2 weeks; 3) quarantine plus immediate workplace distancing, in which 50% of the workforce is encouraged to work from home for 2 weeks; 4) a combination of quarantine, immediate school closure, and workplace distancing. These interventions follow some policy options currently being undertaken (quarantine and some workforce distancing) by the Singaporean Ministry of Health, as standard interventions for respiratory virus control.

For the baseline scenario, when R0 was 1.5, the median cumulative number of infections at day 80 [4] was 279,000, corresponding to 7.4% of the resident population of Singapore. The median number of infections increased with higher infectivity: 727,000 cases when R0 was 2.0, corresponding to 19.3% of the Singaporean population, and 1,207,000 cases when R0 was 2.5, corresponding to 32% of the Singaporean population.

Compared with the baseline scenario, the combined intervention was the most effective, reducing the estimated median number of infections by 99.3% when R0 was 1.5 (resulting in an estimated 1,800 cases). However, at higher infectivity scenarios, outbreak prevention becomes considerably more challenging. For the combined approach scenario, a median of 50,000 cases were estimated at R0 of 2.0 (a reduction of 93.0% compared to baseline) and 258,000 cases at R0 of 2.5 (a reduction of 78.2% compared to baseline).

Authors also explored the potential impact if the proportion of asymptomatic cases in the population was greater than 7.5% (the proportion of people who are able to transmit despite having no or mild symptoms). Even at a low infectivity (when the R0 was 1.5 or lower), a high asymptomatic proportion presents challenges. Assuming increasing asymptomatic proportions up to 50·0%, up to 277,000 infections were estimated to occur at day 80 with the combined intervention, relative to 1,800 for the baseline at R0 = 1.5.

Dr Alex R Cook added: “If the preventive effect of these interventions reduces considerably due to
higher asymptomatic proportions, more pressure will be placed on the quarantining and treatment of infected individuals, which could become unfeasible when the number of infected individuals exceeds the capacity of health-care facilities. At higher asymptomatic rates, public education and case management become increasingly important, with a need to develop vaccines and existing drug therapies.” [3]

The authors note several limitations in their study, including dated census population data, impact of migrant movement, the impact of seeding of imported cases (transmissions originating from outside of Singapore) the dynamics of contact patterns between individuals, and other unforeseen factors. Of note, epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 remain uncertain in terms of the transmission and infectivity profile of the virus; therefore, estimates of the time between symptom onset and admission to hospital, how infectious an individual is over time, and the asymptomatic rate were based on SARS-CoV.

Writing in a linked Comment, Joseph A Lewnard, University of California, Berkeley, USA, and Nathan C Lo, University of California, San Francisco, USA, say: “Although the scientific basis for these interventions  might be robust, ethical considerations are multifaceted. Importantly, political leaders must enact quarantine and social-distancing policies that do not bias against any population group. The legacies of social and economic injustices perpetrated in the name of public health have lasting repercussions. Interventions might pose risks of reduced income and even job loss, disproportionately affecting the most disadvantaged populations: policies to lessen such risks are urgently needed. Special attention should be given to protections for vulnerable populations, such as homeless, incarcerated, older, or disabled individuals, and undocumented migrants. Similarly, exceptions might be necessary for certain groups, including people who are reliant on ongoing medical treatment.”

COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in areas with hot and humid climates

From the evidence so far, the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in ALL AREAS, including areas with hot and humid weather. Regardless of climate, adopt protective measures if you live in, or travel to an area reporting COVID-19. The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is by frequently cleaning your hands. By doing this you eliminate viruses that may be on your hands and avoid infection that could occur by then touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.

Cold weather and snow CANNOT kill the new coronavirus.

There is no reason to believe that cold weather can kill new coronavirus or other diseases. The normal human body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the external temperature or weather. The most effective way to protect yourself against the new coronavirus is by frequently cleaning your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or washing them with soap and water.

Taking a hot bath does not prevent the new coronavirus disease

Taking a hot bath will not prevent you from catching COVID-19. Your normal body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the temperature of your bath or shower. Actually, taking a hot bath with extremely hot water can be harmful, as it can burn you. The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is by frequently cleaning your hands. By doing this you eliminate viruses that may be on your hands and avoid infection that could occur by then touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.

The new coronavirus CANNOT be transmitted through mosquito bites.

To date there has been no information nor evidence to suggest that the new coronavirus could be transmitted by mosquitoes. The new coronavirus is a respiratory virus which spreads primarily through droplets generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose. To protect yourself, clean your hands frequently with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Also, avoid close contact with anyone who is coughing and sneezing.

Are hand dryers effective in killing the new coronavirus?

No. Hand dryers are not effective in killing the 2019-nCoV. To protect yourself against the new coronavirus, you should frequently clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Once your hands are cleaned, you should dry them thoroughly by using paper towels or a warm air dryer.

Can an ultraviolet disinfection lamp kill the new coronavirus?

UV lamps should not be used to sterilize hands or other areas of skin as UV radiation can cause skin irritation.

How effective are thermal scanners in detecting people infected with the new coronavirus?

Thermal scanners are effective in detecting people who have developed a fever (i.e. have a higher than normal body temperature) because of infection with the new coronavirus.

However, they cannot detect people who are infected but are not yet sick with fever. This is because it takes between 2 and 10 days before people who are infected become sick and develop a fever.

Can spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body kill the new coronavirus?

No. Spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body will not kill viruses that have already entered your body. Spraying such substances can be harmful to clothes or mucous membranes (i.e. eyes, mouth). Be aware that both alcohol and chlorine can be useful to disinfect surfaces, but they need to be used under appropriate recommendations.

Do vaccines against pneumonia protect you against the new coronavirus?

No. Vaccines against pneumonia, such as pneumococcal vaccine and Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) vaccine, do not provide protection against the new coronavirus.

The virus is so new and different that it needs its own vaccine. Researchers are trying to develop a vaccine against 2019-nCoV, and WHO is supporting their efforts.

Although these vaccines are not effective against 2019-nCoV, vaccination against respiratory illnesses is highly recommended to protect your health.

Can regularly rinsing your nose with saline help prevent infection with the new coronavirus?

No. There is no evidence that regularly rinsing the nose with saline has protected people from infection with the new coronavirus. 

There is some limited evidence that regularly rinsing nose with saline can help people recover more quickly from the common cold. However, regularly rinsing the nose has not been shown to prevent respiratory infections.

Can eating garlic help prevent infection with the new coronavirus?

Garlic is a healthy food that may have some antimicrobial properties. However, there is no evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people from the new coronavirus.

Does the new coronavirus affect older people, or are younger people also susceptible?

People of all ages can be infected by the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus. 

WHO advises people of all ages to take steps to protect themselves from the virus, for example by following good hand hygiene and good respiratory hygiene.

Are antibiotics effective in preventing and treating the new coronavirus?

No, antibiotics do not work against viruses, only bacteria.

The new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a virus and, therefore, antibiotics should not be used as a means of prevention or treatment.

However, if you are hospitalized for the 2019-nCoV, you may receive antibiotics because bacterial co-infection is possible.

Are there any specific medicines to prevent or treat the new coronavirus?

To date, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

However, those infected with the virus should receive appropriate care to relieve and treat symptoms, and those with severe illness should receive optimized supportive care. Some specific treatments are under investigation and will be tested through clinical trials. WHO is helping to accelerate research and development efforts with a range or partners.

Reference – https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters

Coronavirus occurrence is proving to be harmful to the globe with international cases reaching 171,112 with price crossing six,526.

Continuous funds square measure being raised by the United Nations and United Nations agency to facilitate the analysis for vaccines against this novel virus.

The scientific communities across the globe have galvanized to search out an answer for this pandemic.

The unfolding of this virus is ever-changing by the day and even by the hour.

It’s a worldwide emergency and threatening lives moreover as a business all across the globe.

Following are the parts where technology is helping to fight this deadly disease:

“AI-powered systems square measure being developed for the detection of those diseases with a lot of accuracies. Alibaba has recently claimed to develop a replacement AI system that may find coronavirus in CT scans of patients with a ninety-six accuracy rate as compared to virus infection cases. It guarantees a lot of accuracy and cuts down the time needed for detection to solely twenty seconds. this is often a revolutionary improvement since different ways take around 15–20mins for analysis of CT scans.” – Oliver Smith, Editor, The Capital Mag.

Other than this regarding the state of Work-From-Home over the globe, this is the things were people in the SAAS industry can leverage:

“It’s great to see the growth graph of a startup used for remote work. That’s a nice curve, I thought. Then I realized the scale on the x-axis was days. People getting into a startup has a huge chance where they are been imposed on the beta phase of ultimate validation, If you can think of something new you can do that person need now, it may not only help you scrape by, but will also help all those people.” – Mahesh Jadhav, CEO, Brackets Infinity

“Social distancing isn’t too hard for me to do personally as I don’t mind being in the comfort of my own home but as a parent of a social five-year-old, I know the difficult time will arrive depending on how long we need to stay indoors. This got me thinking about how people interact socially. Before this pandemic, I would notice people constantly using their technology devices and not interact with people right in front of them. Now here we are in a state of emergency and people are craving the need to interact in person. Irony at its finest if you ask me.” – Melanie Braga, Editor, The Baby Spot

It may seem like an inconvenience and yes this will impact the economy but it will save lives. So let us stay calm, show compassion, be kind and we will get through this together.

To protect yourself from the Corvid-19 virus, there are steps that you can do and if we all do them we will be on the right path.

If clothing makes a statement, then Eli Zied’s line is all about encouraging people to be their role models. The founder and CEO of Habits 365, is busy these days, growing his business and speaking at engagements about how he turned his brand from a hobby to a full-time job. The whole idea, he said, is to show how exciting it is to start something new. “To give an idea. 

Habits 365 was created in August 2017 by Eli and Spencer Zied. Eli, now a 17-year old senior in high school, and Spencer, a 20-year old junior in college, wanted to create a brand that spoke to people on a personal level about how to achieve success. The name Habits 365 springs from the brand’s mission to encourage positive habits. The founders aim to encourage wearers to stick with the daily activities that will help them reach their goals.

While designing his clothing, Eli and his brother Spencer Zied focused on producing something with a positive message to help people realize their full potential. And Habits 365 was born. The brothers went into business by putting up a simple Wix website connected to Shopify to sell the shirts, posted flyers to advertise the business, and texted friends to let them know about it. Recently, they starting to use paid Facebook and Instagram ads to spread the word.

Habits mean an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed, you have to have positive thoughts and intentions. I wanted to create something that would help people be more positive and realize their full potential, go for what they want in life and dream big,” Eli said.

The product line has grown to include a wide line of clothing, from hoodies to shirts, sweaters, and jackets, as well as accessories like hats, the brand is geared towards encouraging people to do their best.

The inspiration, he said, comes from his own life experiences “No matter what your limitations, you can achieve anything you want if you believe in yourself.” Despite his success, he never expected to become an entrepreneur, even when Eli started selling his clothing line while studying.