COVID-19 – Where do we stand, what we have done & what we should be doing!

Image courtesy: The New York Times article labeled 'The Coronavirus: What Scientists Have Learned So Far'

COVID-19: An Indian Perspective 

To begin with I would like to clarify, this article is not written by an medical expert. This article is more sort of a compilation of different dos’ and donts’ published across press media by our respected doctors and health experts. As we progress in time, new developments can override the existing observations. In the meantime, the best we can do is to follow the advice of these experts.

A. Where do we stand?

·        A figure of 6 lac reported cases, testing nearing to a crore, overall test positivity rate touching to 7%.

·        Reported cases does not translate to actual cases, so be assured the actual number of infected people is much above that.

·        All the metro cities (i.e. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai & Kolkata) are well over the national average in terms of positivity rate.

·        We won’t see any peak, instead there will be a high plateau (in terms of number of cases).

·        Vaccines are still in development stage; many have reached in human trial phase. But it will take well more than a year to have it within the reach of common man without making any special effort.

     B. What we have done?

·        The government imposed lockdown, economic activity dried up, but it was crucial though, we bought time to fight this virus. It also, lessened the probability of death, as today we are more aware how this virus behaves, than we were three months back. (e.g. earlier impression was that the virus only multiplies cell in the lungs, now we are aware of its clotting nature as well. These findings give doctors better control while handling severe cases).

·        People of the country, by and large strictly followed the lockdown. But instances during unlock phases haven’t been that encouraging, it appeared as if government imposed lockdown for their own interest. Just remember it was always for us.

·        People of the country has panicked & overwhelmed the already fragile health care system. And this actually brings us to the point of our next segment What we should be doing to avoid future miscarriage of our health care.

    C. What we should be doing?

·        On day to day basis we should be following the checklist of MIDAS.

M- Wear Mask;

I- Stay Indoors if it’s not essential to go outside

D- Ensure social Distancing at populous and work place

A-     Stay Aware, updated with the developments related to COVID-19

S- Sanitize everything you can (remember soap solution also acts as sanitizer)

·        Taking cue from the MIDAS, this article is going to focus on making ourselves Aware  of this diseases beahviour (as experienced till date).

·        CASE 1: Being Asymptomatic

o   On being exposed to COVID-19, if you are infected yet not showing any symptom.

o   Treatment/ hospitalisation not required.

o   Just remember one can still infect someone else while being asymptomatic, although contagiousness level might be less (again no concrete proof for the same). Hence do follow MIDAS.

·        CASE 2: Pre-symptomatics or mild cases

o   This is subset of symptomatic, more of an early phase of symptomatic but severity level being mild.

o   Symptoms like loss of smell or taste, cough, fever & body ache.

o   Hospitalisation not required. Medication just to manage the fever and body ache. Tele consultation can be done.

o   Duration of symptom will last for 2- 3days.

·        CASE 3: Symptomatic moderate

o   Extension of case 2 symptoms topped up with shortness of breath brings you here.

o   Requires medical attention- not necessarily in hospital. Intensive Care Unit (ICU) definitely not required.

o   Oxygen supply required to the patient. Portable oxygen concentrator is one of the solution to it.

o   Practice of Pronation can be beneficial and may avert the requirement of aggressive medical treatment. [Pronation is exercise of lying flat on belly, which allows to open the air chambers at back of lungs, providing more oxygen to your blood].

·        CASE 4: Symptomatic severe

o   Continued shortness of breath in symptomatic patients turning into abrupt requirement of ventilators.

o   Requires intensive treatment, as ventilator breathing requires direct connection with windpipe of human body & machine operation demands expert technician.

As we have gone through the four different cases, lets see what number speaks for them. It is expected that for every 1000 infected cases, 3 to 4 will land up to CASE 4, 15 to 20 will experience CASE 3, while the rest will be restricted to CASE 2 & CASE 1.

So its’ prudent for CASE 1 & 2 people to take care and preserve the limited resource of healthcare facilities for CASE 3 & 4 people. In fact there have been examples of Dharavi (Indias’ largest and densely populated slum) & state of Kerala where hyper-local response and context driven strategy¹ has helped in non-escalation of the situation.

Given the population of our country being so large it is quite natural that the absolute number of reported cases of infection, recovery & death will be very large compared to any other country in the world. The more prominent question should be at what rate?

Note 1: Context driven strategy is governed by the widespread check of oxygen level saturation in the blood. Based on the results, sorting and segregation being done. People with less oxygen level in the blood (general cut off 95%, severity cut off 90%), being tested and treated accordingly.

Sources: The Hindu,The Indian Express, BCG reports

99,200 sqkm on sale!

Dear Justice Markandey Katju

Your interim report to Supreme Court (an excerpt) reads:

..In Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ there was a character called Queen of Hearts. Whenever she sees anybody, she shouts “off with his head”. When someone said what about first issuing a charge-sheet, holding a trial and giving a verdict, she replied “all that can come later, first off with his head.” I regret to say that the Supreme Court bench as well as Lodha Committee have behaved like the Queen of Hearts. ..

When I read this I get the impression that you are certainly one of those professionals who has a good habit of bringing practical examples in their explanation with a touch of humour. In your illustrious career, this nature of yours might have a helped a lot- to become more of a cogent. Many would have acquiesced to the masterstrokes you have and have been playing, but then that is concerned with your profession and you have full right to do so.

Sir when I google your name, I see the box on right- a man with peppered hair and then your very unqualified sale offer of states of Union of India. Sir I would like to confirm, was that really you! Because that remark almost pushed me in the state of stupor. You appeared such a profligate that even Mr. Mallya would feel shy of himself.

You said Pakistan could get Kashmir if it was ready to take Bihar as well. If this was humour, then let me tell you, circumstances are not so to entertain this joke of yours. Sir there are various Stand Up comedians who have brought such similar instances in their act. So if this was an attempt to bring some indigenous humour it was a fail, atleast for the youth who find all this ‘just for laugh’ on YouTube on regular basis. Yes you might have impressed your 65+ cadre. Secondly, your role in society is not to act so lame and somnolent. And certainly there is not going to be any ‘Comedy Nights with Katju’ in near future.  

 Thirdly, why Bihar? So your conscience says that the state of Bihar is of almost no value. Not only that you tried to highlight that the state is in such a negation that when you attach it with another even the seeker would think of having the deal. Sir it’s not your mistake, I understand you just re-casted that sordid feeling, with which this state has been seen, ever since independence. The same repetitive recitation has led to credence in the mind of Bihari’s themselves that their state is in a bad shape. And this mentality is degrading Bihar.

Sir if the idea was to offer a bad deal so that there is no deal. Then the neighboring state of Uttar Pradesh comprising Lucknow (your birthplace) wasn’t a bad idea at all. Most of the government policies fail due to burden of population… I hope you got the hint. Less people easy management. If not that you could have given Punjab- an addicted state with almost equivalent ‘gunda raj’ by politicians. Or maybe the barren state of Rajasthan with hardly any population bordering Pakistan, ensuring easy transfer. Talking of crime Haryana and Delhi NCR would have given a good deal. Sir if I continue like this almost all Indian states will stand a fair chance to get into the deal of yours, but why only Bihar.

Sir by enumerating these problems I have no intention to ask for the substitution of state in your joke. My request is to eradicate the rancour that settles down there in your heart towards the state of Bihar and stand with solidarity.

In your following posts you rightly said of ‘cheer-haran’ with Bihar. The state resources has been leeched, there is a whole act of buccaneering going on. But we Biharis are very polite and subservient, we won’t go to UN for this. We believe in trouble shooting not trouble creating and hence stand for nation with full integrity and fraternity.

Sir through your humour you asked for something impossible. From morning till evening, in office to market you are surrounded by Bihar. Ponder over it, this joke might bring laugh on the face of few but that won’t last long either. We need you to act as one of the tutelary of this nation, not as any other vagabond college boy!

All the best for your case with BCCI against Lodha panel.

With all this I feel Mr. Nitish Kumar will say that I am trying to become the ‘mai baap’ of Bihar, sitting at home.

2014 April 6th (Diary Excerpt)

6^th April 2014

Morning full of positivity with whole night filled with all the memories. Today feeling after coming out of the bed was none less than one we have after watching a blockbuster movie full of action, drama, suspense, romance and comedy at large. My morning air is in complete sync with old melodies and I am just writing this diary for an accord…. ‘Chalte Chalte yunhi koi mil gya tha… mera yaar chalte chalte…’

Till now I have not been able to quantify by how much life has changed since last week with two back to back results, though reactions from people around me, faculty and relatives just give a feeble signal of change, I will have to wait to get amplified version of it. I won’t say I am satisfied with my performance but yes I am happy. The lily will be out of calyx in few days’ time.

Now while writing this I have realized how variegated life is, at one moment it gives you things you want but slowly seeps out something, always hiding the utter nature of hers. “You walk, you run and again walk, move ahead far and far but always punched back and way back into the time with memories and moments whirling around you.”

Today as soon as the sun turns orange on west I will be leaving this college campus for last time as student (though will remain a student always in the institution called life) and I am getting the same feeling which I got when I left Doon after my tenth grade. Though people and institution changed, the way I lived life with all of them remained same. And in return what I got was always on the better side, can’t compare actually.

Wherever you live the interaction is dual classified. One is within family and then rest of the community comprising of friends and relatives. So when it comes to the former term, a name strikes called ‘CLUB 93’.What should I say now! Well it would be complete injustice to enumerate what we did together since those introductory first semester till date (will continue to do so), in these few paragraphs. Even those photographs and videos won’t be enough I must say. It all started with unprecedented trips & celebrations, continued with jokes, night walks, pranks, dance, biking, adventure, pool parties, cricket matches, chill in train, failed attempt of getting drunk, unending discussions & madness…… all support, love, care, brotherly fights accepted from heart.

It’s getting too long for today and more than that I am choking…

Few things I will miss badly short cricket matches, after dinner walk per metering the admin and hostels, forcing people to sit on the ‘pahari’ (buffer) to admire the beauty of sunset, road behind hostel on lake side, major project and yes pranking with strangers (to mention in bus from Mawli to Dabok)…..

India will win today MSD will play a great knock, just because I am travelling and I won't witness it live.

Mumbai is waiting. 

HAD IT BEEN 20

“When you win you needn’t to explain when you lose you should not there be to explain.” 
-Hitler

Many things in life start getting importance, if not importance then at least an unforgettable story, for which you never thought much off. College cricket is the one of those for me.

13^th March 2013
Semifinals of the cricket league (spanned over two semesters, for first time it was). This prolonged spanning resulted in few changes in the format of the tournament as well as many changes in the form of players in there. Talking of my own form at first I was a bit slow on footwork maybe because of the chilling winter but as the winters faded they improved. Apart from those, a good knock in the city just before the semis lifted the confidence and it was brimming up and up. 

In the practice, was feeling comfortable against all balls except a few which drifted towards leg. We had sessions of practice not with our own team but with the players of opposition too. Well speaking of opposition, I just wanted to say that this semi was a final before final.

Everything was well set, was determined to win and had the potential too. And suddenly comes the twist, at the very beginning, that due to some unprecedented reasons the 20-20 format has been curtailed to 16-16 (big hand of cricket politics I must confess). It shook me at first, at that time only I felt the plot was lost. Braced myself up and the team and thought that okay! No problem it’s going to be the same for both the team, though it wasn’t. I mean how come we can have tournaments where league matches and knock outs have different span. To be very frank this was my 21^st tournament of life and 3^rd of this college but never saw such things.

Let’s see how it proceeded.

Now being an active member of the club, I was having the role of doing markings and linings of the ground with some other members. Just a day before our semifinal, another decider was to be played so we had to the marking a day before. Under the scorching sun with handkerchiefs around the mouth with dark spots of sweat on it, we were on our job. I was thinking of something in mind and soon it happened when it came to lining of pitch with the remark “take 19(in metres)” instead of 20.5 metres. After few instances of argument, even I thought let them be happy and how much it will affect and settled in for 19.5 metres.

The D-day arrived, as usual my team captain kept waiting the opponent for the toss. He has got some serious traits of Nadal and Ganguly in doing that. Don’t know whether it’s a trick to play with the patience of the opponent when stakes were so high or just a habit. To be honest I as a captain never did so and has been rewarded for those punctuality by winning every toss! (Well I am exaggerating here, I have lost a few but those can be counted). As I said captains are rewarded for their punctuality and hence the opponent won the toss and elected to bat first. I was happy at that time because I love to chase irrespective of the pitch conditions. And this pitch of our college has hardly favoured batting second (another one).

It was time to make team hurdle, to discuss and few words of motivation. Well for me it was simple don’t make them play those 16 because from my past experience I always believed that our opponents were an excellent bowling side but not that good at batting, if you make them struggle a bit they will struggle hard at large. I was confident that our bowlers will do it, but as I have already mentioned that things were at high stake and these situation makes you nervous, though I wasn’t so (don’t know why, usually a bit of it helps you). A sudden change of body language did happen one of the bowler remarked “we don’t have to take wickets just get the dot balls.” On hearing that in my mind I was like what the f**k, cmon!!offence is the best defence and that too against a medium ranged batting side you are bound to attack and attack hard they don’t even get time to realise what happened but it was all nervousness that was taking the game away from of us. Innings started and opponent were going at a descent pace, but as already mentioned that they were not a strong batting side as their bowling was and hence chances erupted at the early stages and later too, but it was series of blunders that left us with nothing more than regretting. After a mixed game of play largely dominated by our opposition they posted a mammoth target of 150 in 16 for us. What was interesting to know is that my analysis about our opposition proved very accurate they were 8 down and around 3 to 4 easy chances were dropped. And most of the cricketers out there can understand what dropping chances at any stage of match do to the course of match. In the given scenario I projected of 80-90 all out.

It was innings break, I was preparing my mind with some unwanted fuzz going around (there I felt that we need a dressing room very badly or atleast some segregation from spectators). I just said to the two openers “just attack” I will manage at back, giving them confidence to hit hard. This time they didn’t disappointed me and it was attack from the very first ball, with six we started. They continued the momentum and you can get the idea of how strong we were against such an excellent bowling attack- the best of our college. We hurried into 60s in just 6 overs bowled without any loss of wicket and any shot played in fuss. Everyone was excited and the worst part was even I was. 

With around the score of 90s by the end of 11^th over we were cruising and then first wicket fall. I know it slowed a bit but..what could have been done. After the fall it was my time to go out there and live up to the expectations. I always loved to play in these situation where you need to hit at least two on every ball. During my game stay in Delhi, I used to do this job more often from opening till the end. But in college team most of the time I played a role where I take time to settle and then get the run over the par rate. I was excited and this anti nature played the trick. Off the very first ball I was thinking of hitting boundaries, and the situation demanded it too. Coincidence was that I was facing the bowler which I have practiced the most in the nets during this semester (Frankly speaking this I came to know after the match, at that time I was so much concentrated on ‘hitting’ thing that I didn’t even realised who the bowler was!). Coming out of the crease I tried to cut a good length delivery, nicked it and got out. It was all blank and black. And soon we lost it. Surrounded by pain and a numb feeling. I looked up in sky, smiled and said “Once again” and left for post match proceedings.

19^th March 2013

Tomorrow morning I have my minor exams. It’s been exactly a week after. I don’t want to give explanation to anyone for what happened a week before. But people out there demand, and I rarely respond to those but a remark from the guard of our college “Mein aaya tha wahan par dekhne ke liye, lekin aap to pehle hi ball pe out ho ke chale gaye” followed by a moment of complete silence with a smiling face made me realise if not to everyone but atleast to myself I need to. It was that 20 which actually made the difference if I look into way behind the actual stage where it all happened. I won’t say result would have been different, but I have learnt, things which you consider insignificant turns out to be more significant many a times.

By looking up in the sky it was not God for me, it was life’s vastness; which made me realise that never leave the feet off the ground, every time I will do it, I will be pulled back to struggle and achieve once again from a new beginning.

AOE III: A Phenomena

It all started in midst of third semester. Hostel corridor full of Counter strike players. I was a kind of person who mainly rely on outdoor sports and games for recreation. As far as this virtual world gaming is concerned I liked Real Time Strategy more than First Person Shoot, and this marks the beginning.

After a series of play, back in early childhood; tasted it with a easy wins against friends in college. In contrast with AOE II, III was all new experience for me but still proved more in respect with others. The victories were quite imposing, few conquered in just two minutes of the game play. Well all this was a beginning of new challenges for me ( I was knowing it very well). Let’s see how!

Soon the fever made a ‘T’ sector on the first floor of our hostel. We played multiplayer games, but more than all that, two of my close friends, one residing in the extreme right hand part of ‘T’ and another in downtown ‘T’ (room number 69), became more active.( I hope you can locate my place: the inactive one). They actually suffered from AOE fever. And this fever was good, at least  for advancement in AOE gameplay is concerned. Their fever paid off, by the end of a week or two they were up with few good strategies (they were better than mine) and revealed some excellent secrets. I was delighted (but never showed them), as they were taking the game up to such a level where a mismanagement of even a single pie offered from game will end up into defeat. I was keeping a constant check over all these updates, so that my strategies don’t get a rust over them.

New semester started and it all happened what I feared off, I had rusty layer( degree of rust was upto such an extent that my opponents had to search me to kill me), first it resulted in change of empire from Russian to German and then severe defeats from downtown friend. An interesting fact what restricted me from choosing my empires freely was that I used to create an image of that particular empire and its emperors history. Whenever I got time I played and soon the situation was so worst, it looked as if I was playing to get defeat in my bag. Both of my mates had reached a pro level either by playing against computer or by taking challenges from others in there. Interestingly both of my friends had French empire over which they had excelled. The more interesting part was that their gameplay was quite different one was defensive while the other one was so attacking that he used to end up the game within 8 to 10 minutes (quite unfavourable) like a butcher. And I was still experimenting with my German army. I had a game play where I was comfortable for any attack done after that 15 minute bar. Needed a change very badly to compete with both- one dormant to take matches while other one always ready to take matches irrespective of the scenario (i.e. mainly exams).

A change came, not significant at start but yes it was there to make some difference. Took suggestions for enhancing the gameplay and there came a situation I was happy to call off for the night around 3:00am with my victory, with a very general scoreline of 1-4 or maybe 2-5. But as I said I was happy.

Majors ended (though we played during exam breaks too) and decided to play a tri-series of AOE III ( you can imagine the fever). I was ready with my right combination was not that confident to win it through. But to everyone’s surprise my Doppelsoldner did angriff! And it all ended with “You are Victorious.”

I very well  know this is not going to be the end.....  

 

RESPONSIBILITY OF A YOUTH

Going by an orthodox manner, there are only two difficult things in the world - to handle the responsibility and to gain someone's trust. Though the latter one is quite onerous but the former can surely be handled. Taking the India's frame of reference both are almost in opposite way.

Here the trust is like any vegetable which gets sold at a very cheap rate in any sought of market while responsibility is that scrap bundle, even the ragpicker doesn't want to pick.

Concentrating on the responsibility part and that too among the youth, it seems like flavouring a sweet dish with saffron. Basically the point is even if country's 70% population of youth starts to handle their responsibilities, then, only GOD knows about the fruitfull future as well as present of that nation. Another intersting observation will be, when 70 does the rest will surely follow.

Now when we talk of youth responsibilities, it's not that we are talking to do something really extraordinary or something which is alien to everyone. It basically comprises of daily life activities. The very first responsibility of a youth is to be aware and make others too. It is a common necessity for youth like us to be aware about what all is happening in the society or in the nation. Not only social awareness but also about their rights and freedoms which they can access. The idea is that as they are large in number, the rest will get through them.

A big flaw is seen nowdays that the youth among us are becoming quite arrogant and 'they are the only one' mentality is getting developed. Under which they have forgotten the word respect. It is very important for every youth that he/she should respect their elders and love their younger. They mustn't hurt their integrity and self respect in a way or two.

Seeing a thread stretch and as the tensions is removed it slacks. Similarly, for a nation it is very important that the thread of progress should always be in the stretched mode; for that the tension thing is required among all especially we the youth as they dominate in the working hand. Now that tension part basically comes with the discipline. Many youth take discipline as an added responsibility but to them, they must know it's something which should be inbuilt. While respecting the basic human rights, they must maintain the discipline too, irrespective of the institution or field they are in. Mind it! discipline is not for army only.

Finally the most important duty of a youth or you can say everyone's life is - strive to lead an upright virtuous life with peace and fraternity. Instead of sayinf it as responsibility one should treat it as  the need ( in most of the cases). This is the summation of all the other duties which we discussed. If you have all those you surely going to possess this one too. Though it demands a lot of hard work and dedication but it's on you how you spread it. The momentum theory will do it for you, just carry it from the grassroot level.

So far we enumerated the responsibilities of a youth but let us see what actually happens (in INDIA). For this we can broadly classify our youth into three categories:- 

(a) a youth from poor background

(b) from a middle class

(c) from an elite class.

Considering the youths from elite first as they are elite and talking of the general case, these youth hardly know anything about their responsibilities and they don't even bother about it.

Explaining in brief they are busy in world of their own.

Then comes our middle class, here we can see a certain level of seriousness and concern towards their duties as they know they have to achieve and excel more and more. At the same time they carry a fear of falling down from where they have risen.

While youth from poor economic background show a very mixed graph. Many of them are not familiar as an elite one does (what an irony!) and those who are aware they always stand on the brink of next level.

The idea behind this classification was not to divide but to make us all aware of the fact where the loop hole is, to fill it up and then unite.

As a youth I did it, now it's your turn.

"The price of greatness is responsibility".