ABSTRACT
School and college education is moving from a teacher-centric traditional approach to online education, which is more learner-centric. It has many advantages compared to traditional face-to-face learning. Humanity has survived COVID-19 due to IT, which is using computers, the internet, multimedia, graphics, videoconferencing tools, etc. A SWOC analysis of online education is performed. The analysis of the environmental impact of online education is predicated. © 2023 selection and editorial matter, Zdzislaw Polkowski, Samarjeet Borah, Sambit Kumar Mishra, and Darshana Desai;individual chapters, the contributors.
ABSTRACT
Purpose - Older women in India continually experience disparities in health. The legally enforced lockdown in India has impacted both physical and psychosocial well-being of the populace. Amid the restrictions on mobility during the lockdown, older adults are presented with challenges such as impaired access to healthcare services, nonavailability of attendants and prolonged social isolation. Due to these challenges, disparities related to gender and age may considerably widen. The potential health threats may particularly afflict older women, who bear a disproportionate threat to illnesses, compared to their male counterparts. Design/methodology/approach - This commentary explores how health threats among older Indian women may have worsened during the lockdown. The authors also propose recommendations for expanding health and social care to older women in India. Findings - Approaches aimed at strengthening gerontological social work must be duly adopted, especially during the ongoing pandemic. Public institutions and development partners should utilize and if needed, overhaul existing resources and policies to adequately serve this marginalized group. Older women, especially those residing in unbearable circumstances, should be identified and brought under comprehensive care coverage within the social landscape. Originality/value - This article proposes recommendations to foster gerontological social work among older Indian women.
ABSTRACT
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has created global devastation in the past three years. The Corona Virus Disease-19 (COVID-19) vaccine is the only available resource to fight SARSCoV- 2 infection and its associated complications. As world is trying to recover with the help of vaccines, the change in vaccine development strategy and allowing the usage of vaccines at an emergency level with small size clinical data has created a storm of confusion among many individuals concerning efficiency and efficacy of the vaccine. Though multiple pieces of literature are available regarding the different types and strategies of vaccine development, no paper gives an idea about which vaccine should be used in this emergency. More than 90 vaccine candidates are in the race showing 70-95% efficiency at clinical trials, and still, people are afraid to take vaccines due to lack of awareness. This review compares the available vaccines and evaluates their efficiency based on the available clinical trial results to answer the most frequently asked question of which vaccine is best to be taken at this time?
ABSTRACT
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges for all and particularly for healthcare workers. Psychiatrists, affiliates and trainees stepped up to support their patients as well as their colleagues. Objectives: During the difficult phase of COVID-19 with far and wide, known and unknown impacts on mental health and well-being, especially on healthcare workers, the Victorian Branch, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, decided to prioritise supporting the membership of psychiatrists, trainees and affiliates. Methods: Direct initiatives at the Branch level included regular newsletters, COVID-19 well-being survey, member-support webinar series as an effort to engage with and support the wider membership. The Branch also worked with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to consider practical measures to support the psychiatry workforce during these unprecedented, challenging times of COVID-19. The Branch negotiated a funding approval worth more than A$50,000 from DHHS, which was then offered as COVID-19 Member Support Grants to fund projects that aimed at supporting the well-being of the psychiatry workforce in Victoria. A total of 10 projects were successfully funded to support members' well-being. These projects were creative with clear goals of well-being during COVID-19 and had wide uptake from trainees, affiliates and psychiatrists. Findings: To be discussed, including snapshot details on various initiatives and projects, attendance and uptake, findings and feedback.
ABSTRACT
Background: Medical professionals have been using social media apps increasingly as communication tools. This trend was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors created WhatsApp/Telegram groups in NSW and Victoria in March 2020 for information sharing, which had rapid take-up and other subgroups sprang up. Objectives: To describe the use of social media apps by psychiatrists for communication and to explore their future for peer communication. Methods: A brief literature review on the use of social media apps. A review of the existing chats identified some major themes including logistics of remote private practice, personal protective equipment use and availability, professional isolation, telehealth issues and rapid advocacy. Fluctuation in membership numbers, variation in use depending on jurisdictions and lockdown characteristics, and the role of moderators will be discussed. A survey (in train) of the major groups will explore themes including use for member engagement, effectiveness, what works, what doesn't, why people leave and what people want. Findings: To our knowledge, this may be the first time such survey data have been collected and reported on. Survey findings will be presented, with discussion of the use of apps alongside traditional channels of communications and to identify future trends. Conclusion: The role and place of WhatsApp and similar platforms for professional communication is here to stay and likely to expand. The survey findings will influence further development of apps, the most appropriate and effective platforms, and may guide the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists to review their own website, social media policies and member engagement.
ABSTRACT
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has created global devastation in the past three years. The Corona Virus Disease-19 (COVID-19) vaccine is the only available resource to fight SARS-CoV-2 infection and its associated complications. As world is trying to recover with the help of vaccines, the change in vaccine development strategy and allowing the usage of vaccines at an emergency level with small size clinical data has created a storm of confusion among many individuals concerning efficiency and efficacy of the vaccine. Though multiple pieces of literature are available regarding the different types and strategies of vaccine development, no paper gives an idea about which vaccine should be used in this emergency. More than 90 vaccine candidates are in the race showing 70-95% efficiency at clinical trials, and still, people are afraid to take vaccines due to lack of awareness. This review compares the available vaccines and evaluates their efficiency based on the available clinical trial results to answer the most frequently asked question of which vaccine is best to be taken at this time?
ABSTRACT
This study aims to analyse the effect of COVID-19 pandemic over the revenue collection through GST through out the year. It even aims the efforts put by State government to over come the losses as the only major source of revenue is SGST. The mission of making India a sustainable developed country is badly pretentious by the hard hit of economic downfall due to lockdown. The distress over the income the income of the government as well as the general public is so much affected that even after a year it is still unstable. This study will help us to understand how Indian Government coped up with the sudden downfall of economy.
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 is a huge tragedy for the world community. Everything in the world is affected due to this pandemic right from economy to resources where the economy of major countries of the world are facing recession and resources are surplus with no takers at all. The measures to contain COVID-19 pandemic include lockdown, social distancing, isolation, and home quarantine. Lockdown adopted by the different governments which involve non-functioning of all the industry and manufacturing units. However, as a blessing in disguise, these measures have a positive effect on the environment in terms of reduction in toxic gasses like nitrogen dioxide, aerosols, atmosphere ozone, particulate matter, and improvement in air quality. In this paper, the effect on various environmental parameters like aerosol, ozone, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and temperature on India by lockdown due to COVID-19 as a preventive measure has been analyzed. The work involves the refining and preprocessing of raw data of this year and last year of various harmful pollutants present in the environment along with satellite images from National Aeronautics and Space Administration for comparison of different parameters. It has been observed that with the above adopted measures temperature has been reduced to near about 15 degree Celsius, there is also reduction in humidity i.e. it is reduced to 40%, particulate matter (PM2.5) reaches near about normal i.e. 40 g/m3 and carbon monoxide levels has also been reduced to 10 ppm. The main idea is to emphasize the fact that how the environment is self-healing during the lockdown. And this study will be beneficial to environmentalists and industry professionals to make the future strategy for improving the environment.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: About 20% of the Indian population has been vaccinated till September, since its first roll out on 16 January 2021.Majority of Indian population was vaccinated through ChAdOx1nCoV-19 Corona Virus Vaccine (Recombinant), commonly known asCovishield. Although the vaccine is proven safe but occasional reports of Vaccine-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis raisedfew eyebrows regarding the safety. Apheresis-derived platelet concentrates are frequently required in all sorts of clinical illnesses andpost-vaccination decrement of platelet counts might lead to increaseddeferral of the plateletpheresis donors.Aims &Objectives: The study aims to find out the effect of Covishield vaccination on deferral rates of plateletpheresis donors. Theprimary objective is to compare deferral rates of vaccinated plateletdonors (cases) from non-vaccinated ones (control) and the secondaryobjective is to correlate vaccination with pre-donation platelet countsof the donors.Materials &Methods: A blood sample was collected from thepotential platelet donors after the standard questionnaire for a complete blood count. Data collected were tabulated in an MS Excelspreadsheet and was analyzed with SPSS v23, p-value ≥ 0.05 wastaken as significant. We compared this data with an equal number ofage and sex-matched platelet donors (controls) from the year 2019.Result: The mean age of cases and controls was 29.69 ± 8.57 and30.15 ± 7.11 respectively. There is a marked difference betweenplatelet counts of cases (188,496.35 ± 72,065.66/mm3) and controls(269,524.50 ± 53,981.60/mm3) with p-value of <0 > 3 than thosewho received 2 doses 179,970.83 ± 66,773.73/mm3. The differencein deferral rates was remarkable between the two groups 34.7% vs0.9% with p-value <0.001. Weak positive correlation is establishedbetween days after 2nd dose and platelet count (rho = 0.2, p = 0.002).Conclusions: Vaccination undoubtedly increased the deferral rates ofplateletpheresis donors due to low platelet counts. Average plateletcounts were low in fully vaccinated individuals, however, plateletreturned to normal counts as the days progress post-vaccination.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: Older women in India continually experience disparities in health. The legally enforced lockdown in India has impacted both physical and psychosocial well-being of the populace. Amid the restrictions on mobility during the lockdown, older adults are presented with challenges such as impaired access to healthcare services, nonavailability of attendants and prolonged social isolation. Due to these challenges, disparities related to gender and age may considerably widen. The potential health threats may particularly afflict older women, who bear a disproportionate threat to illnesses, compared to their male counterparts. Design/methodology/approach: This commentary explores how health threats among older Indian women may have worsened during the lockdown. The authors also propose recommendations for expanding health and social care to older women in India. Findings: Approaches aimed at strengthening gerontological social work must be duly adopted, especially during the ongoing pandemic. Public institutions and development partners should utilize and if needed, overhaul existing resources and policies to adequately serve this marginalized group. Older women, especially those residing in unbearable circumstances, should be identified and brought under comprehensive care coverage within the social landscape. Originality/value: This article proposes recommendations to foster gerontological social work among older Indian women. © 2021, Aditi Tomar and Md Mahbub Hossain.