ABSTRACT
In this research, we assessed how young adults determine the accuracy of news articles and sources through a seven-day diary study. We performed a qualitative analysis on the participants' responses and found that the participants mainly used nine different strategies to evaluate the accuracy of COVID news. The majority of respondents relied on their inherent trust and the reputation of a given news outlet instead of actively determining if the information was accurate. Young adults also used their perception of the quality of the article, personal logical reasoning, cross referencing the information, availability of data, among others. We discuss the implications of the results and propose practical suggestions © 2023, First Monday.All Rights Reserved.
ABSTRACT
The unprecedented situation of COVID-19 caused the government of India to instruct educational institutions to switch to an online mode to mitigate the losses for students due to the pandemic. The present study attempts to explore the impact of online learning introduced as a stop-gap arrangement during the pandemic in India. A survey was conducted (N=289), via Facebook and WhatsApp, June 1-15, 2020 to understand the accessibility and effectiveness of online learning and constraints that students of higher education across the country faced during the peak times of the pandemic. The analysis and interpretation of the data revealed that the students acclimatized in a short span of time to online learning, with only 33.21% saying they were not satisfied with the online learning mode. However, the sudden shift to online education has presented more challenges for the socially and economically marginalized groups, including Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Class (OBC), females, and students in rural areas, due to factors like the price of high-speed Internet (78.20% identified it as a barrier to online learning), insufficient infrastructure (23.52% needed to share their device frequently or very frequently), poor Internet connectivity, etc. According to 76.47% of respondents, the future of learning will be in “blended mode.” A total of 88.92% of the respondents suggested that the government should provide high-quality video conferencing facilities free to students to mitigate the division created by online education in an already divided society. © 2021, Center for Asian Public Opinion Research and Collaboration Initiative. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Presentation: A 47-year old male patient presented with COVID pneumonia along with right facial swelling, right proptosis and chemosis, right sided facial sensation loss and left hemiparesis on day 8 of hospital admission. He was treated with Inj. Remdesivir 100mg given for 5 days along with Inj. Methylpred 30mg IV bd. He was recently diagnosed with diabetes with evidence of uncontrolled sugar levels. Insulin was started on sliding scale. Diagnosis: The chest X-ray revealed bilateral infiltrates in both lower lung lobes. Nasal suction debris on examination suggestive of fungal hyphae, CECT brain suggestive of peripheral hypodense lesion in bilateral frontal lobe and right gangliocapsular area, orbital cellulitis, frontal and ethmoidal sinusitis and was diagnosed as rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis. Treatment: The patient was treated with Inj phenytoin, 3% Nacl and amphotericin B and planned for emergency surgery. Plan proposed was external approach maxillectomy with orbital exenteration with bifrontal lobectomy. Pre-operative: Patient was kept nil per oral and hydrated, blood sugar was marginally controlled with a fasting level of 173mg/dl and planned for general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. Intraoperative: Before induction a right IJV central venous cannula and a radial arterial cannula was placed. Patient was induced using modified rapid sequence with Inj Propofol and succinylcholine and intubated with 8mm cuffed endotracheal tube with direct laryngoscopy and connected to mechanical ventilation under volume control mode with high PEEP. Concerns: Intraoperative concerns were blood loss of 1.5 litres and hypotension due to acute sinus bleed which was controlled by inotropes and blood transfusion as well as a surge in blood sugar levels which was modulated by titrated insulin infusion. Hourly ABG and RBS was checked. Conclusion: Patient was shifted to ICU on mechanical ventilation with stable vitals. Early diagnosis and debridement remains the mainstay of treatment.
ABSTRACT
Background: This study aimed to highlight the primary endpoint of death and to understand the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 infection in the rural community of Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, India. Method: This was a retrospective, observational study of COVID-19 patients from March to June 2020 that collected and analysed epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and radiological data. Results: In 353 patients, COVID-19 affected all age groups, mainly those aged 16–49 years, followed by those aged 50–64 years;82.43% were male;68% of infected patients were asymptomatic at presentation and were incidentally positive on contact tracing. Among symptomatic cases, fever (88%) was the most common symptom;of 14 severe COVID-19 patients with pneumonia, 8 died. Leukopenia, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, and abnormal liver function tests were common lab findings. Thirty patients had radiographic evidence of pneumonia. The most common complications were acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and kidney injury. The case fatality rate was 0.02%, and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score>6 was a surrogate marker for admittance to the intensive care unit. Conclusion: Low case fatality rate and SOFA score surrogate for ICU admittance.
ABSTRACT
This paper's basic objective is to design a framework for the efficient accommodation of repatriated migrant workers in Odisha's rural sector (India). For this purpose, secondary data derived through content analysis have been analyzed and interpreted. Besides recognizing migrant workers' wishes and ascertaining their inbuilt skill sets, the framework will focus on skill mapping with the existing and would-be economic activities in the rural sector. Since the inflow of returnee migrant workers to the rural sector has been a crucial point of concern for respective state governments owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, all state governments are alert to addressing the issues of returnee migrants. The State of Odisha is not an exception to this concern. It has been putting all its efforts into accommodating all repatriated migrant workers in the rural sector's economic activities, but with no significant achievement. A framework embedded within the skills matrix will help accommodate returnee migrants to promote rural development against this backdrop. This study's findings will help policymakers shift focus from transfer payments to the creation of capital overheads. © 2020 Asian Economic and Social Society. All rights reserved.