An Assessment of Forest Diversity: Challenges and Management

Forests have played a critical role in enriching human life's social, economic, and religious facets in several ways, both materialistic and psychological. India is one of the world's most diverse woodland habitats. Forests are valued at 20% (i.e., 3.28 million sq. km of the total land in India). Forests should be handled for the advantage of the highest number in the long term. The existence of canopies explains how forests accumulate nitrogen from the atmosphere and survive without much fertilization, unlike the agricultural fields. And organisms like insects, birds, mammals, etc. add to the biodiversity of trees and forests. India's woodland cover rose from 640, 319 sq. km (i.e., 11.2%) in 1987 to 712, 249 sq. km in 2019. In this paper, a detailed assessment of forest diversity is provided by dividing it into three segments: mangroves' significant role in affecting the woodland diversity considering it as one of the most important sources of biodiversity on the planet;wildfire is the oldest and most widespread threat in forests since it claims to threaten not just the forest resources but also the fauna and flora of the whole regime, severely disrupting biodiversity;and finally, how trees boost the environment and hence the effect of climate change on the overall destruction of forests. Due to this around 90% of the large stocks of predatory fish are gone. India is home to approximately 300 amphibian species, and about 60% of these species in India is endemic. Around 20-25% of global greenhouse gas emissions are liable for deforestation and 30% of topographical zone is influenced through land debasement. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Forum on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services has (IPBES) reported that 1, 000, 000 species are at present risk of elimination. Biodiversity's misfortune is attributable to a few reasons, but the methods by far the most guilty parties are natural decimation as well as over-exploitation of biodiversity, powered by our detonating numbers and undefended usage. Plastic has gotten irreplaceable during the COVID-19 pandemic, driving atmosphere champions. India creates 9.4 million tons of plastic waste each year (approx 26, 000 tons for every day). Only 5.6 million is reused, even as about 3.8 million tons are gone uncollected. Sea life biologists have cautioned that by 2050 there will be extra plastic in the Earth's oceans than fish. The four types of marine turtles that happen in India's beachfront alongside marine climate are completely jeopardized. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) states that the effects of outsider intrusive species are tremendous, unpretentious, and typically irreversible. They might be as harmful toward local species alongside biological systems on a worldwide scale of the misfortune and corruption of environments. The world is currently losing a concerning rate of ten billion trees each year. Because of these consolidated impacts of environmental change and anthropogenic activities, about 42% of the 260, 553 km2 of elephant natural surroundings is eradicated. Lately, rhino numbers have dropped drastically because of poaching for their horn which is valued inside Asian nations. And about 50% of all mammalian and bird species could go extinct in the next 200-300 years. Air defilement is one of the most distinguishably loathsome scourges to have biased India. Hence, this chapter primarily focuses on most ecosystems are under threat from several factors, and each new consequence adds to the stress already felt by ecosystems and their wildlife. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.

Functional movement disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic

Functional movement disorders (FMDs) are a heterogenous group of movement abnormalities that greatly affect the quality of life of patients. They usually manifest as a result of underlying psychological or psychiatric illnesses without any known structural or neurochemical diseases. Various neurological disorders such as encephalitis, stroke, demyelination, seizures, and neuropathy have been reported by otherwise healthy individuals during the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Here, we describe the case of a 27-year-old woman who presented to our outpatient department with episodes of deviation of angle of mouth with variability and distractibility. Following thorough clinical evaluation and appropriate investigation, the underlying etiology was identified as FMD secondary to the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic to contain the transmission of the virus. The lockdown, isolation, financial strain, and other pandemic-related issues are stressors that may contribute to psychogenic disorders in people.Copyright © 2021 Annals of Movement Disorders Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow.

Help-seeking behaviours of those experiencing technology-facilitated GBV in Asia: implications for policy and programming

Technology-facilitated gender-based violence (GBV) has become an increasing issue in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic which prompted a significant rise in online activity. In addition to amplifying traditional forms of abusive behaviours such as stalking, bullying and sexual harassment, information and communication technologies have facilitated new manifestations of violence such as image-based abuse, doxing, gendertrolling, impersonation and hacking, among others. Women, children, sexual, religious and ethnic minorities, and other vulnerable groups are particularly vulnerable to elevated risks of experiencing violence. Based on findings from a scoping review, this article discusses how certain key stakeholders - identified as technology companies, government and legal systems, and social support systems - are used in the help-seeking process by those who have experienced technology-facilitated GBV. We seek to highlight particular nuances which key actors must consider when addressing technology-facilitated GBV and summarise gaps and propose recommendations to inform policy and programming efforts in low-and middle-income countries across Asia.

Clinical profile and outcome of pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 series in Eastern India

Objective: The objective of this study is to delineate the characteristics and outcome of Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome temporally associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV2) infection (PIMS-TS) in Eastern Indian settings. Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective observational multicentric study from May 2020 to August 2020, collecting data on clinical profile, investigation findings, and outcome of the children aged 1 month-12 years admitted with the features of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related hyperinflammation satisfying criteria for PIMS-TS from three tertiary care hospitals of Kolkata. Results: A total of 38 patients fulfilling the criteria of PIMS-TS were recruited. The median age of the study population was 5 years (1.9-8 years). Gastrointestinal symptoms were present in 33 (86.6%) of patients. Nasopharyngeal swab for COVID-19 reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was positive in 19 (50%) of patients, and immunoglobulin G antibody against COVID-19 was found in 12 (66.6%) of patients, whereas 19 (50%) of patients had a positive contact history of SARS-Co-V2 exposure. The features of Kawasaki, like illness with coronary changes, were seen in 12 (32%) cases, whereas myocarditis with ejection fraction <55% was reported in 17 (45%) of patients. Intensive care admissions were needed in 27 (71%) patients, and inotropes were given in 18 (47%), whereas four patients required mechanical ventilator support. Immunotherapy was used in 32 (84%) of patients. The outcome was good, with one death. Conclusions: PIMS TS has varied clinical presentation ranging from milder cases to severe cardiac dysfunction with shock. However, timely intervention and prompt initiation of immunomodulators can improve the prognosis. © 2022 by the Author(s).

Advisories on Fish Farming in Tripura for Coping with COVID 19: An Outlook

The usage of mobile-based agro-advisories and its utilization pattern was unclear, especially in the case of fisheries and aquaculture in Tripura, coming under the North-Eastern region of India, where 1.87 lakh population was primarily identified as fish farmers. Similar to other parts of the country, the COVID-19 outbreak hampered fishery and aquaculture in Tripura, and farmers were physically barred from accessing support systems and technical facilities of different organizations. In view of that, the present study was performed to identify all such mobile-based advisories related to fish farming, which were actively circulated in the state during the COVID-19 outbreak. The accessibility, perceived level of satisfaction, and utility of those mobile-based advisories were studied. It was found that out of 120 respondents, 102 actively sought/accessed some of these advisory services. The advisory on fish farming, released by the Department of Fisheries (DoF), Tripura, was accessed by more than half of the respondents (54.17 %), followed by 'Mobile Based Agro-Advisory' system (20.83 %) under the 'Matsya Varta' project of College of Fisheries, Central Agricultural University (COF-CAU), Tripura. Other advisories from KVKs were also accessed by the respondents (9.16 %) indicating a significant rate of accessibility and utility. The findings suggest the existence of adequate advisory services in the state during COVID-19 outbreak.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders

Introduction: The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global health crisis that has directly and indirectly impacted almost all populations globally. In this study, we aimed to study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on motor and nonmotor symptoms in patients with various movement disorders who visited our outpatient department. Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective study using a structured questionnaire involving patients who visited our outpatient department during the COVID-19 pandemic from May 2020 to April 2021. The study was conducted at the Department of Neurology at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore. Results: A total of 208 patients with the following disorders were assessed: Parkinson's disease (n = 141), atypical parkinsonism (n = 31), dystonia (n = 15), Wilson's disease (n = 5), and other disorders (n = 16). Approximately, 3.5% of the patients had acquired the COVID-19 infection. Almost 80% of the patients had missed scheduled appointments with their physicians during this study period due to travel restrictions or the fear of traveling. Approximately, 50% of the patients experienced worsening of their motor and nonmotor symptoms. Approximately, 25% of patients availed teleconsultation facilities, and majority of them found it to be equivalent to or better than in-person consultation. Almost 80% of the patients were eager to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in worsening of both motor and nonmotor symptoms in patients with movement disorders. Teleconsultation is a helpful option in managing the patients' symptoms during the pandemic. © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.

Plasma first: Accelerating lung cancer diagnosis through liquid biopsy

Background: Molecular profiling of tumor tissue is the gold standard for treatment decision making in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Results may be delayed or unavailable due to insufficient tissue samples or prolonged wait times for biopsy, pathology assessment and testing. We piloted the use of plasma molecular testing as part of the initial diagnostic work-up for patients with suspected advanced lung cancer (NCT04863924). Methods: Patients with radiologic evidence of advanced lung cancer referred to the lung rapid diagnostic program underwent plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing using InVisionFirst-Lung, a next-generation sequencing (NGS) assay targeting 37 genes. Standard tissue testing was performed with comprehensive NGS (Oncomine). The primary endpoint was time to treatment in stage IV NSCLC patients compared to an historical pre-COVID-19 cohort (2018-9). Secondary endpoints included actionable targets identified in plasma, % of patients starting targeted therapy based on liquid biopsy and result turnaround time (TAT). Results: Between July 1 to December 31, 2021, 60 patients were enrolled. Median age was 70 years (range 33-91), 52% were female, 57% Caucasian, 48% never smokers. Of these, 73% had NSCLC, 12% small cell, 10% non-lung pathology and 5% declined tissue biopsy. Of 44 NSCLC patients, 5 (11%) had early-stage disease and underwent curative therapy. Most stage IV patients (79%) had systemic treatment. Median time to treatment initiation in the study cohort was 34 days (n = 31, range 10-90) versus 62 days (n = 101, range 13- 159) in the historical cohort (p<0.0001). Two thirds (N = 23) of stage IV NSCLC patients had actionable alterations identified, (30% in current/ex-smokers);18 started targeted therapy including 10 based on plasma results before tissue results were available. Median TAT was 7 days for plasma from blood draw to reporting (range 4-14) and 26 days for tissue molecular testing (range 11-42), p<0.0001. Concordance was high between plasma and tissue testing (70%). Liquid biopsy identified actionable alterations for 3 patients not identified by tissue NGS. In 4 cases, plasma testing failed to identify actionable alterations detected in tissue, due to undetectable plasma ctDNA. Conclusions: Liquid biopsy in the initial diagnostic workup of patients with suspected advanced NSCLC leads to faster molecular results and shortens time to treatment compared to tissue testing alone. Supplementing the current standard of tissue molecular testing with a plasma-first approach during the diagnostic work up of patients with suspected advanced lung cancer may increase access to precision medicine and improve patient outcomes. (Table Presented).

Stress, Anxiety and Depression Levels Associated with COVID 19 among the Oral Health Care Workers in North India: A Cross-Sectional Study

The COVID-19 outbreak has caused an impervious financial and psychological burden. Health care professionals, including oral health care workers, have been risking fighting the pandemic. The chief objective of the current study was to estimate the rates of prevalence of depression, stress, and anxiety among the oral health care professionals in Jammu and Udaipur city. The study was delineated as an online cross-sectional questionnaire-based research. It was mailed to different practitioners between May and July 2020, particularly those offered their services in COVID centers. The participants were to fill the self report questionnaires. Then, the parameters were measured using depression, anxiety, and stress scale 21(DASS 21) and Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HARS) to measure the degrees of depression, stress, and fear among the volunteers. The target population was divided into age groups between 23 to 28 years and over 28 years. Four hundred ninety responses were received and were considered for the study. The acquired data were analysed using IBM SPSSsoftware (windows version 23). The mean and standard deviations were calculated for stress, anxiety, depression using mentioned scale. The results were compared based on gender and age group. A statistically significant variance in stress level was found between male and female groups (p=0.002) and for the two age groups (p=0.001). Using the Hamilton anxiety rating scale, no statistically significant divergence could be seen among male and female participants. The current study showed stress, anxiety, and depressions were prevalent among health care workers working in COVID pandemic situations. Therefore, mental health status must be addressed, and issues must be resolved. © 2022, DESIDOC.

Pandemic and the Monetary Policy in the Global North How Far Has the Main Street Been Influenced?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, expansionary economic policies played an important role in reviving the floundering global economy. In this context, the present paper looks at the effectiveness of monetary policy in the global North in stimulating real economic activity. In an ultra-low interest rate regime, the traditional monetary policy ceases to be effective. Therefore, many developed country central banks adopted a slew of unconventional monetary policy tools to tackle the recession. This paper analyses the unconventional monetary policy tools pursued by the global North with special reference to the United States and argues that the transmission channels of unconventional monetary policy tools to increase effective demand are not always automatic and straightforward. There is strong evidence that while these expansionary measures may have helped during the initial crisis, their effectiveness in reviving sustained economic activity in the medium run is doubtful. On the other hand, there are routes through which increased liquidity created by unconventional monetary policy tools has ended up in the financial sector, thereby leading to an asset price inflation that may not have a net beneficial impact on the real economy. © 2022 Economic and Political Weekly. All rights reserved.

Graphene-metasurface-based biosensor for SARS-CoV-2 detection

The COVID-19 pandemic attributed to the SARs-Cov-2 virus has disrupted the lives of individuals in every corner of the world, causing millions of infections and numerous deaths worldwide. Identifying and isolating infected people is very crucial to slow down the spread of the disease. In this paper, we report a design of highly sensitive, graphene-metasurface based biosensor for detecting the S1 spike protein expressed on the surface of the SARSCoV-2 virus in the terahertz band. Our structure consists of a silicon dioxide substrate sandwiched between a complete gold layer at the bottom, and a graphene monolayer on top etched with a phi-shaped slot tilted at 45 degree, which performs a wideband reflective-type cross-polarization conversion of the incident electromagnetic (EM) wave. The optimized polarization conversion ratio (PCR) has been achieved at 0.75eV chemical potential value of the graphene layer. When samples of Sars-CoV-2 virus contained in a phosphate buffer saline (PBS) solvent is put on top of proposed design of the sensing surface, the spike proteins of the virus interact with the spike antibody grown on the sensing surface;and it changes the refractive index of the overall system (Biosensor + Analyte), which in turn changes the PCR and the corresponding frequency of the reflected wave. The biosensor response has been computed using the Finite Integration Technique (FIT) in the terahertz region. The sensitivity of the biosensor is found to be 354 GHz/RIU at the PCR of 0.9. © COPYRIGHT SPIE. Downloading of the is permitted for personal use only.

Impact of COVID-19 on Consumption of Fish and Other Meats in NE Region of India

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented stresses on food supply chain in the country, with bottlenecks in processing, transportation and logistics, as well as momentous shifts in consumption pattern and demand for fish and other meat. In this study, the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on consumption pattern of fish, chicken, egg, mutton, beef and pork, market availability and as well as prices in North Eastern Region of India was analysed in this study. The study based on primary data collected through online survey method for which a questionnaire framed in Google Form. The sample comprises of total 104 respondents. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test for repeated measure differences between before COVID-19 and during COVID-19 levels of consumption of fish and other non vegetarian food items and quality of fishes supplied during two periods were analysed. It was found that the reduction in consumption of fishes, chicken and beef, during COVID-19 pandemic, were statistically significant. Whereas, the Wilcoxon signed rank test statistics for mutton and pork turned out to be insignificant. During COVID-19 the consumption of local fishes increased due non availability and distortion of fish supply chain. The quality of fishes in terms of freshness, size and odour were also impacted. Due poor availability of fishes, prices of fish increased during COVID-19. The increase in fish prices and poor availability of fishes resulted to shift in purchase of processed fish products in the North Eastern Region in India. The disruption in transportation, logistics, lockdown, etc during COVID-19 impacted trade of fishes as well as its consumption in the region. Hence, efforts for increasing of local supply of fishes as well as the development of resilient supply chain with sufficient storage facilities is needed to cope up under such unprecedented situation.

A Broadband Biosensor using Graphene-Metasurface Based Cross-Polarization Converter

We present the design and analysis of a graphene metasurface-based cross polarization converter operating within the terahertz gap for detecting biomolecules over a broad spectral range, taking the SARS-CoV-2 virus as a specific example. To the best of our knowledge, our design reports the widest band of operation in the THz region of a graphene-based metasensor. Each meta-atom comprises a graphene pattern on silicon dioxide atop a continuous gold layer and exhibits near-unity cross polarization conversion ratio (PCR) and a 90% PCR bandwidth of 0.926 THz within the desired band (1.88 THz-2.81 THz). The proposed device demonstrates additional benefits which include a thin configuration (λ/7.84) and compact lattice size (λ/10.66), which are significantly better than other recently reported graphene metasurface biosensors. The device provides a sensitivity up to 490 GHz/RIU and a figure of merit (FoM) of 0.377 over a wide span of 0.926 THz within the terahertz gap. The electromagnetic response of this device has been validated via rigorous numerical analyses of simulated outputs as well as by developing a detailed circuit model representation of the same. The device demonstrates angular stability of nearly 40°under oblique incidence of the incident wave. IEEE

Electro-Homeopathy based COVID-19 Safe-home Medical Management Study

In the middle of April 2021, the infection rate due to 2nd wave of COVID-19 attained a peak alarming level. Total COVID-19 hospital accommodation became inadequate with respect to the demand of COVID-19 patients. Several unused schools, community halls and auditoriums were converted to safe-homes for COVID-19 patients and home isolated accommodations. Two local clubs at Salt Lake, Sector 4, Kolkata was collaborated to run a COVID-19 Safe-home at Basanti Devi Vidyapith, Basanti Devi colony, at the beginning of May 2021. On behalf of the coordinators, a few Electro-Homeopathy (EH) practitioners were voluntarily engaged themselves to look after the patients. A complete report on the successful management of COVID-19 patients using Electro-Homeopathy treatment has been presented here in details. The efficacy of Electro-Homeopathy for COVID-19 treatment and in-depth details of the philosophy of EH along with EH treatment methodology has been discussed. © 2022, Informatics Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.

The acute stone clinic model: Improving waiting times and patient care in a public funded health care system

Introduction & Objective: The management of patients with ureteric stones can be logistically challenging in large volume centres with long waits for outpatient clinics and definitive interventions. Many units in publicly funded health systems resort to temporising obstructed kidneys with stent insertion and a subsequent plan for elective ureteroscopy at a later date. This can result in unnecessary stent insertions, repeated attendances to the emergency department and an overall poor experience for patients. We aimed to reorganise resources to improve waiting times for definitive intervention, reduce the need for pre-stenting, reduce emergency department re-attendance and improve the overall patient experience. Methods: All patients diagnosed with ureteric stones between March-September 2017 were collected as baseline data. Time to clinic review and definitive treatment were measured. By collaborating with the emergency department, radiology and operation schedulers, our intervention for improvement where a consultant led acute stone clinic (ASC) with a pathway for primary ureteroscopy was implemented and a second cycle was performed June 2018-January 2019. Further data was collected January-October 2020 to assess performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: After implementing the ASC model, median time from diagnosis to clinic consultation reduced from 77 to 9 days. Median time to definitive procedure reduced from 56 to 25 days. Emergency ureteric stent insertion reduced from 69.1% to 27.9%. Reattendance to the emergency department reduced from 3.0 to 1.6 episodes/month. Primary definitive treatment increased from 31.0% to 72.1%. Patients receiving definitive treatment within 4 weeks improved from 26.2% to 51.2% post intervention and sustained at 54.5% during the pandemic period. Conclusions: Implementation of the ASC model has led to a reduced time from diagnosis to clinic review and from diagnosis to definitive treatment. Further improvement is limited by the lack of extra operating lists to reduce the waiting times for ureteroscopy. The ASC model can provide a blueprint for other hospitals to improve outcomes and care of patients with acute ureteric stones.

The Recent Developmental Platforms and Potential Targets of SARS CoV-2 Vaccines: A Comprehensive Review

The novel coronavirus disease is a rapidly spreading infection caused by recently discovered different variants of SARS CoV-2 viruses, causing mild to severe respiratory symptoms in the majority of people. The Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has spread almost all the nooks and corners of the world. There are significant possible approaches pharmaceutically to fight against COVID-19. Original full-text research articles were searched online in PubMed, ScienceDirect, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, Core and Wiley Online Library. Scientists throughout the world are working on different platforms and targeting certain proteins moieties against SARS CoV-2 for the development of methods of safety, efficacy and potential vaccine candidates. Many candidates showed efficacy in In-vitro studies but relatively few clinical studies proceeded through different vaccine development platforms, such as entire virus vaccines, plant-based and nucleic acid vaccines, recombinant protein subunit vaccines. This review study provides a short description of SARS-CoV-2 characteristics and deals with recent developments in the design of attempts to produce vaccines to combat COVID-19.

Covid associated mucormycosis: A study on the spectrum of clinical, biochemical and radiological findings in a series of ten patients

Background: There is more than twofold rise in prevalence of mucormycosis cases in India during the COVID-19 pandemic which needs to be evaluated. Aims: The study aimed to document the spectrum of cases of mucormycosis seen at our Institute during COVID-19 times. Methods: The study is a retrospective observational study carried out at our Institute from May 2021 to mid-June 2021. All patients with biopsy-proven mucormycosis were enrolled in the study. The patients were subjected to complete history taking, ophthalmological examination, and imaging studies. The patients were treated with a multidisciplinary approach with antifungal therapy as well as surgical intervention when needed. Results: Ten patients (n=10) were seen, with a mean age of 50.3 years. The major risk factors included recent use of steroids, uncontrolled diabetes, and CKD. The most common presentation was swelling of unilateral eye and ptosis, followed by loss of vision. Inflammatory marker (CRP) and d-dimer were raised at presentation in all cases. Imaging showed the spread of infection from paranasal sinus to orbit and brain via cavernous sinus, which was a poor prognostic factor. Intravenous Amphotericin-B was given to all patients for at least 4 weeks. Two patients were discharged after completion of treatment and mortality was seen in three patients. Conclusion: We present an array of COVID-associated-mucormycosis (CAM) cases from Eastern India. CAM is presenting with rhino-orbito-cerebral involvement. There is poor outcome with cerebral involvement and high incidence of adverse effects with deoxycholate formulation of amphotericin-B. The causal association of COVID-19 with mucormycosis needs to be unearthed but possible preventive role of anticoagulation should be evaluated. © 2021 Journal of Association of Physicians of India. All rights reserved.

Asanas in prone posture and slow pranayamic breathing promote early recovery and prevent post-recovery complications in covid-19 patients: A preliminary study

Introduction and Aim: Prone positioning has been reported to facilitate oxygenation in patients suffering from COVID-19, and improvement has been observed in cardiorespiratory functions following practice of asanas and pranayamas. We investigated the effects of prone asanas and slow pranayama on recovery from COVID-19 illness. Methods: A study was conducted on six COVID-19 patients of varied age with different pre-existing comorbidities such as asthma, diabetes and hypertension, admitted to COVID-hospital. In addition to routine medical treatment, all the patients practiced the prone asanas and slow pranayamic breathing for a period of four weeks (2 weeks of hospital stay during the illness and two weeks of home quarantine following discharge from the hospital). The intensity of illness, days to recover, level of stress assessed by Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), degree of depression assessed by Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), myocardial work stress determined by rate-pressure product, and complications if any, were recorded. They were advised to continue the asana-pranayama practice for another four weeks during the entire recovery period. Results: All the patients recovered smoothly from COVID-19 illness, their hospital stay was eventless, and the psychological stress, levels of depression and myocardial work stress due to COVID illness were reduced significantly by four-weeks practice of asana-pranayama schedule. Multiple regression demonstrated the association of decreased depression to decreased level of stress following asana-pranayama practice. There were no post-recovery complications during the one-month follow-up in the recovery period. Conclusion: Practice of prone asanas and slow pranayama for four weeks facilitated the healing from COVID-19 illness, alleviated psycho-physical stress and depression, and prevented development of post-recovery complications in all the patients. The reduction in depression could be linked to the reduced stress level following asana-pranayama practice in COVID-19 patients.