Impact of lockdown on learning status of undergraduate and postgraduate students during COVID-19 pandemic in West Bengal, India.

To assess the impact of lockdown amidst COVID-19 on undergraduate and postgraduate learners of various colleges and universities of West Bengal. An online survey was conducted from 1 May to 8 May 2020 to collect the information. A structural questionnaire link using 'Google form' was sent to students' through WhatsApp and E-mail. A total of 232 students provided complete information regarding the survey. The simple percentage distribution was used to assess the learning status of the study participants. During the lockdown period, around 70% of learners were involved in e-learning. Most of the learners were used android mobile for attending e-learning. Students have been facing various problems related to depression anxiety, poor internet connectivity, and unfavorable study environment at home. Students from remote areas and marginalized sections mainly face enormous challenges for the study during this pandemic. This study suggests targeted interventions to create a positive space for study among students from the vulnerable section of society. Strategies are urgently needed to build a resilient education system in the state that will ensure to develop the skill for employability and the productivity of the young minds.

Are child and youth population at lower risk of COVID-19 fatalities? Evidences from South-East Asian and European countries.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has revealed many lacunas of public health preparedness, especially in lower and middle-income countries and fatality differentials between European and South-East Asian countries. The case fatality rate (CFR) in most of the South-East Asian countries is much lower than the European countries. The percentages of child and youth population are more in South-East countries. OBJECTIVE: The study aims to show the impacts of age composition on fatality differentials in European and South-East Asian countries by age-structure, especially the percentage share of child and youth population. DATA AND METHODS: This study has been done based on data provided by UNDP, WHO and worldometers. The case fatality rate (CFR) has been calculated to find out the mortality differentials of countries, and the higher fatality risk countries have been identified by the composite Z score technique. RESULTS: It is revealed that the COVID-19 case fatality rates are substantially high in highly developed countries of the European countries compared to the South-East Asian countries. Our study shows that there is an issue of child and youth population which affects the lower CFR in SE Asian countries. In France, the CFR was 16.72% which was nearly 7 times more than India (2.31%). The COVID-19 fatality risk ratio was highest in Germany (0.77) while the lowest risk ratio was observed in Bangladesh (-0.71). CONCLUSION: Despite of having a very high level of human development and preparedness, the current pandemic COVID-19 has revealed that there exist significant differentials among fatality status of European and South-East Asian countries. The CFR is lower in the SE Asian countries where the child and youth population are more than the older population.