ABSTRACT
Proper management of Biomedical Waste (BMW) is an essential component of any sustainable healthcare sector. With the burst of COVID-19 pandemic when every hospital and treatment facility was overburdened patients, efficient handling of the huge amount of generated BMW became a task for the entire world. This review compares the BMW generated before and during the second wave of COVID-19, highlights the challenges in managing the exuberated amount of COVID-19 waste and sites recommendations to promote sustainable design thinking, in order to address this grave concern in the current setting of the Indian system. The study indicated that inappropriate management of waste and the lacunae in the entire chain from segregation to collection until its disposal has posed a serious threat to the wellbeing of healthcare workers, sanitation staff as well as the operators and housekeeping staff at the hospitals, isolation centers and Municipal Corporation. Many states had inadequate number of common BMW treatment facilities (CBMWTFs) leading to inefficient treatment of the excess waste. The behavioural and attitudinal barriers of neglect and ignorance of different stakeholders further aggravated the problem of BMW management to manifolds. To achieve better management we recommend spreading awareness regarding the kind and infectious nature of waste generated by COVID-19 patients and their caregivers, segregation and decontamination of such waste at source and increasing the capacity as well as number of CBMWTFs. Creative ways to recycle the waste must be devised so as to reduce the burden on disposal sites.
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral pandemic which has taken away more than over 4 million lives all over the world as of July 9, 2021, with the USA, India, and Brazil being the most affected countries. Apart from the respiratory tract, the cardiovascular (CV) system is one of the important organ systems affected by this complex multisystem disease. Various studies have confirmed that COVID-19 predisposes an individual to increased risk of CV complications. In fact, hospitalized patients have been consistently reported to have modulated levels of biomarkers demonstrating coagulation and acute cardiac injury. Understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying CV involvement is strongly believed to be the foundation for developing strategies for early diagnosis and management of COVID-19-affected individuals. We review here various molecular mechanisms underlying CV involvement in COVID-19 and discuss several biochemical prognostic markers, as they have evidently revealed their importance in predicting severe prognosis such as mortality, mechanical ventilation, and ICU admission among severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-infected patients with or without previous history of myocardial injury. The therapeutic strategies that could be employed to treat and manage CV manifestations in COVID-19-positive individuals are also discussed.
ABSTRACT
Since 2019 the entire world is facing a crisis named as Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Within a short amount of time this disease which started from a small place in China has transformed into a pandemic and claimed millions of lives worldwide. India has witnessed the first and second wave of this infection with numerous variants of COVID-19, and an upsurge in infectivity rates and mortality rates. COVID-19 is a pernicious infection caused by a recent variant of Coronavirus. There are several research studies that have been carried out to understand it's aetiology, pathophysiology, prevention and treatment strategies. As per the ancient Indian wisdom - "Prevention is better than Cure." Any kind of infection can be prevented by taking necessary precautions and preventive measures against exposure to suspected environment and pathogen. A strengthened immune system further is able to fight and curb the disease even if there is exposure to the virus or any other pathogen. Significant data is available to support the need and importance of lifestyle modifications, particularly as mentioned in Ayurvedic and Yogic scriptures for immunity boosting in all age groups. The present review aims to provide a comprehensive, holistic and easy understanding of practical lifestyle modifications that can boost an individual's immunity and help mitigate infectious diseases like COVID-19.