Operating the Power Grid During a Pandemic: COVID-19 Experiences

In early 2020, COVID-19 started to impact society at a global scale. The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on 11 March 2020, and the world faced the most significant health problem of the last 100 years. The pandemic and its lockdown measures caused significant disruptions to society and the economy. Electricity is essential to modern society and the power grid is considered the most critical infrastructure, with essentially all other infrastructure dependent on it. Maintaining grid reliability and resilience was paramount during the pandemic. © 2003-2012 IEEE.

Proactive Operation Strategy to enhance resiliency of Indian Power System during Super Cyclone Amphan

Power systems are designed to be operated under expected weather conditions. Unexpected weather conditions sometimes create widespread damage to the power system. The failure rate of equipment in power system along with redundancy and accuracy of forecasting decide the scope of damage. Eastern coast of Indian sub-continent experiences cyclones of varying intensity every year. These cyclones have severe impact on the infrastructure including the power infrastructure. The proactive operation strategy to counter each stage of uncertainty helps not only in managing the power system but also in early restoration. Amid the NCOVID-19 pandemic, Indian power system witnessed super cyclone named 'AMPHAN' which originated in the Bay of Bengal. The cyclone, after landfall passed through densely populated regions affecting the load centers. Cyclone of matching severity was last witnessed by India in the year 1999. The landfall of cyclone started during afternoon hours of 20th May 2020. The proactive action strategy based on past experience resulted in minimization of loss to electrical system and power supply outage. This paper presents the proactive measures taken by POSOCO and power utilities across all key sectors, viz., generation, transmission, distribution, during different phases of cyclone trajectory and the impact of cyclone on Indian power system. © 2021 IEEE.

Microbial load and proliferation associated with various face mask types and sources during the COVID-19pandemic

Due to the shortage of personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, homemade face coverings were recommended as alternatives. However, the capability of alternative face coverings to prolifer-ate microbes have not been fully documented. The current study evaluated bacterial load and proliferation associated with the use of common face masks dur -ing the COVID-19 pandemic. Mask type-specific and surface-related bacterial load and pattern were noticeable in the study. Results indicated that roadside masks are among samples that contained relatively higher initial bacterial load. The highest number of bacterial forming colonies were observed in the inner surface of mask samples. Proliferation of microbes over time was also noticeable among the non-certified face coverings included in the study. Sterilization or washing of non-certified fabric face masks before use is recommended. Application: Apart from protecting the wearer from getting exposed to the infection, face coverings also stop the spread from infected individuals. The present study examined the population of microbes distributed over the mask surface during use. The microbial load on each type of mask, the health, and potential safety risks were high-lighted. This information could guide policy and mitigating measures against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) related infections.

Indian Power System Operations during NCOVID-19 Pandemic

The NCOVID-19 pandemic has been an unforeseen calamity which affected almost all the countries in the world. On March 11, 2020, World Health Organization (WHO) declared NCOVID-19 as a pandemic. The Government of India (GOI) took several actions to control the spread of the pandemic in the country and issued several guidelines for public and organizations. The adversity caused by pandemic required continuity of electric supply to consumers. The latter was achieved through proper planning and execution. The Indian Power System Operator, POSOCO through its National and Regional Load Dispatch Centers (NLDC and RLDCs) assessed the situation early and took all planned efforts for the Indian power system operation which is essential for keeping 'lights ON' during these hours of crisis. Strategic team at the top management level and tactical teams at the individual control center level were formed to handle any unforeseen circumstances. This paper has discussed the various actions taken by POSOCO during NCOVID-19 scenario and impact of it on Indian power system. Impact of exceptional events as faced during pandemic period, like, Janata Curfew, Lights-Off event, Super Cyclonic Storms 'Amphan', 'Nisarga', and Solar eclipse is also discussed in the paper. The insights gained during these events may enhance the capability to envisage and handle such multiple high impact low probability events in the future. © 2021 IEEE.

Nosocomial COVID-19: experience from a large acute NHS Trust in South-West London.

Transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in healthcare settings has significant implications for patients and healthcare workers, may amplify local outbreaks, and may place additional burden on already stretched resources. Risk of missed or late diagnosis of COVID-19 was high during the UK's initial 'containment phase', because of strict criteria for testing. The risk remains due to asymptomatic/pre-symptomatic transmission, complicated by challenges faced with laboratory testing. We present a case study of potential nosocomial transmission associated with the first case of COVID-19 at a large acute NHS Trust in South-West London, and we describe the prevailing burden of nosocomial infections.