My March 2020 FB posts on novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)
Minor update on 1st May 2019
Given below are contents of most of my posts in March 2020 on the novel (new) coronavirus 2019 nCoV2019 with associated disease labelled as COVID-19 by WHO. Some posts have been put up as as separate posts by itself. Their contents are not included in this post.
To save time, I am usually not providing my FB post links but only contents. I am also not hyperlinking links. So readers will have to copy-paste links from this post onto a browser link box and then browse to that link.
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Jagan government takes over all private hospitals in Andhra Pradesh, https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/310320/jagan-government-takes-over-all-private-hospitals-in-andhra-pradesh.html, 31st March 2020.
Hmm. In India, governments have enormous power, especially when it comes to tackling emergencies like this Coronavirus related public health emergency.
"Andhra Medical College principal Dr P.V. Sudhakar said that in the first phase only network hospitals would be taken over; the remaining would be added depending on the situation."
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Good to see Karnataka CM reach out to public via his article in The Hindu: Karnataka CM writes on how the State is fighting the pandemic, https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/stopping-the-spread-caring-for-lives/article31211608.ece, 31st March 2020.
I was very happy to see the following sentences in the article: "As a part of the humane approach, the State-run Indira Canteens will provide food packets free of cost to the poor and needy in the wake of the lockdown. The canteens will operate in three schedules: from 7.30 a.m. to 10 a.m., 12.30 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Streetside vendors, labourers and poor will get food free of cost."
I think Indian union and state governments should ensure food for the poor & needy through such canteens, besides free grains and pulses through ration shop (public distribution system of India) to BPL (Below Poverty Line) ration card holders.
Another issue is rent being paid by migrant workers who are stuck in cities without any earning. I think governments should ensure that these migrant workers do not have to pay rent during period of lockdown.
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Coronavirus | 1,000 evacuated from Nizamuddin centre (in Delhi); sent to hospitals, quarantine facilities, https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/coronavirus-1000-evacuated-from-nizamuddin-centre-sent-to-hospitals-quarantine-facilities/article31215063.ece, 31st March 2020.
"A total of 24 people from the centre have tested positive for COVID-19 so far in Delhi, though not all of them are from the capital." .. "Around 8,000 people from across the country as well as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia had attended a gathering at the centre earlier this month over a number of days, according to officials."
Hmm. Religious gatherings can be a serious Coronavirus outbreak source problem. We saw that in South Korea. Now it seems to be, at least partially, playing out in India!
Unfortunately, as per The Hindu, 12 of those who attended the above religious gathering (before lockdown started) and came back to Andhra Pradesh, have tested positive for Covid-19 along with 2 contacts of theirs (so totally 14 connected to above Nizamuddin gathering), helping to spike up Andhra Pradesh infected numbers to 40 now! Seventeen more test positive for COVID-19 in Andhra Pradesh, https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/17-more-test-covid-19-positive-in-ap/article31215065.ece, 31st March 2020.
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Coronavirus: 10 deaths, 300 hospitalisations linked to Tablighi Jamaat meet in Nizamuddin, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/coronavirus-10-deaths-300-hospitalisations-linked-to-tablighi-jamaat-meet/articleshow/74902930.cms, 31st March 2020
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Very positive news for India on fight against Coronavirus & Covid-19. The article below states that the new test kit made by a Pune, India based company costs about Rs.1200 whereas the imported kit costs about Rs.4500. Further, this Indian test kit tests within 2.5 hours whereas the imported kit takes a minimum of 7-8 hours.
The natural question is whether the Indian test kit has good accuracy. The report says that it does have good accuracy. Time will tell whether that is borne out.
The company is planning to manufacture 15,000 kits a day which means over a lakh testing kits can be produced in a week!
The report states, "The logistics would make it easier to use and raise awareness about testing, which is the need of the hour, especially in India, which records one of the lowest testing rates in the world (6.8 tests per million)."
Pune virologist develops India's first COVID-19 testing kit, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/pune-virologist-develops-indias-first-covid-19-testing-kit/articleshow/74887380.cms, 30th March 2020.
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(India) No need to panic, COVID-19 is something we can easily conquer: Padma Bhushan Dr. D Nageshwar Reddy, (Audio mainly) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCGNaK4qxyA&feature=youtu.be, 15 min. 41 secs, 29th March 2020.
I came to know of this through a tweet of brother Swagat S: https://twitter.com/SwagatS43890072/status/1244477112259510272. Note that the tweet also has a pic of a text article on the interview. I tweeted a Thanks reply to brother Swagat.
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Awesome! May God bless them and give them more courage and strength to do their wonderful work of helping to save lives in NY, USA!
"This is a plane load of Drs and Nurses flying to NY to help out❤❤❤. Send them some love and if you pray, pray for these peopleFolded hands they are putting their lives on the line for us and I love them for it❤❤❤❤❤" - https://twitter.com/AudreyStJames1/status/1244292566922584064, 29th March 2020
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Governance dilemmas in the large country that the USA is ... How long does one keep a country's economy closed? ... Can one open up some areas (counties in USA states, which I think corresponds roughly to district in states in India) that have few, or even no, confirmed cases? ... Is the shutdown/lockdown 'cure' causing so much economic pain that it is worse that the Coronavirus pandemic danger (including danger of overwhelming health systems)? ... How do neighbouring states protect themselves from possible outbreaks through visits from persons from a state, or county/city of a state, that is an outbreak epicentre?
All playing out in the country with the most powerful economy and most powerful military in the world - USA which now leads the world in Covid-19 confirmed cases - above a hundred thousand with over 2000 deaths. Hmm. What a crisis!
May God give us strength and courage and help the world combat and defeat this pandemic, the likes of which have not been seen in the world in the lifetimes of most people alive in the world now.
Are US efforts to flatten the curve working? CNN's John King examines, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKQ0AasW8yI, 7 min. 5 secs, published by CNN on 29th March 2020.
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Puttaparthi roads being disinfected for protection against Coronavirus [Pics can be seen on (shared) post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2800893226793903]
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PM Narendra Modi's 'Mann ki Baat' address: 'Social distance does not mean emotional distance', http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/74870841.cms, 29th March 2020.
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Really tragic! It is no joke to walk 200 km even for a healthy young man. The human body can take only so much, unless one is a trained athlete I guess.
I think it is just way too risky for migrant workers to attempt to walk hundreds of kilometres to go home.
I think this may have happened before U.P. state govt. organized buses to help migrant workers reach their homes.
[Article is linked on post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2800775183472374 ]
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[As per my limited understanding of the written Telugu in the post:] A person named Suresh is providing food (Biryani) to police officers/policemen who are working hard to protect Puttaparthi from Coronavirus by enforcing lockdown (orders of Andhra Pradesh government).
Ravi: Good to see this. Thanks to the Puttaparthi police force for this great service they are doing for residents of Puttaparthi (including me). And thanks to Suresh for providing them food.
[Pics and original shared post can be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2800755826807643 ]
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Readers who don't like reading distressing news may please skip reading rest of this post
N.Y.C.’s 911 System Is Overwhelmed. ‘I’m Terrified,’ a Paramedic Says. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/28/nyregion/nyc-coronavirus-ems.html, 28th March 2020
What's happening in New York City is very tragic but I think it should get publicized so that other cities and towns across the world know how infectious Novel Coronavirus is, and how it can easily overwhelm their hospital systems if they (cities & towns) become epicentres of Novel Coronavirus infection.
If I recall the period correctly, in end Jan and February, I had seen reports and even videos of Wuhan, China as it went through the horrendous crisis of its hospital systems getting overwhelmed.
Now it is New York City, though it does not seem to be as bad as Wuhan. I did not even know about the existence of Wuhan (maybe I had read about it somewhere but it had not registered strongly in my mind) prior to this Coronavirus epidemic now pandemic. In contrast, New York City is a place I have visited quite a few times (in the second half of 1980s), and even today, over three decades later, I have a few clear memories of those visits.
So this article is something I can relate to, and has made a bigger and sadder impact on me. It is not that I did not feel very sad at Wuhan's suffering - I did. It is just that I could not easily relate to it like I am able to easily relate to New York City as I have visited the latter a few times. A few small extracts from the article are given below.
"Even as hospitals across New York become inundated with coronavirus cases, some patients are being left behind in their homes because the health care system cannot handle them all, according to dozens of interviews with paramedics, New York Fire Department officials and union representatives, as well as city data."
...
"Another paramedic in Brooklyn said she had been using the same N95 mask for days. Last week, as she and her partner exited an apartment building after tending to a patient, the building’s supervisor — noticing the pair’s worn equipment — met them downstairs and shoved new N95 masks and a can of Lysol into their arms."
The article states that New York City has more than 30,000 cases of Covid-19 as of 28th March 2020 with 672 (Covid-19) deaths.
My prayers to Almighty God to give strength, courage and help to patients (of Covid-19 and other diseases or injuries as health care for other diseases or injuries has also got impacted), health care workers and others in places like New York City where health care systems are being overwhelmed due to Coronavirus pandemic.
[I thank New York Times and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above small extract(s) from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
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Dr. Anthony Fauci explains why Trump opted to not quarantine New York, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTTN0v2cdC0, 10 min. 52 secs, published by CNN on 29th March 2020.
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Abbott gets approval to launch 5-minute COVID-19 test for use almost anywhere; Abbott's testing kit will be major game changer, as currently even in advanced countries like US and Europe, it is taking 24-48 hours to get laboratory test result.
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/companies/abbott-gets-usfda-nod-for-covid-19-diagnostic-test-that-can-deliver-results-in-5-mins-5082421.html, 28th March 2020.
"At the moment Abbott's testing will be confined to the US, but given the urgency of the situation, it could be a matter of weeks before it is available in other countries including India."
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A tech icon who is doing a lot in the fight against Coronavirus & Covid-19 is Bill Gates. If you have not watched this discussion dated 25th March 2020, under auspices of TED, you may want to see it. It is a longish one. I have watched the whole around 50 min discussion video and feel it will be worthwhile to watch for those who want to know more about the fight against Coronavirus & Covid-19. Here's the youtube video link: How we must respond to the coronavirus pandemic | Bill Gates, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe8fIjxicoo.
Visit http://TED.com to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. Philanthropist and Micros...
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This WHO tweet was retweeted by Hon'ble union minister Prakash Javadekar.
https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1243972193169616898, 29th March 2020
"FACT: #COVID19 is NOT airborne.
The #coronavirus is mainly transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks.
To protect yourself:
-keep 1m distance from others
-disinfect surfaces frequently
-wash/rub your Open hands
-avoid touching your EyesNoseMouth"
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The @ArogyaAndhra Twitter account gives Andhra Pradesh government official report in English on Novel Coronavirus
Here's today's evening bulletin 10 to 15 minutes back:
https://twitter.com/ArogyaAndhra/status/1243942706549686272
It has images in the tweet which can be opened in another window and magnified to see the details. The state has 19 Covid-19 positive cases so far. Counts are given district wise in the fourth pic in tweet. Ananthapur district so far has 0 positive cases (40 cases were tested negative, one result is awaited).
Excellent detailed info. being shared by A.P. government. Great job! I convey my thanks to A.P. government for this superb level of information sharing which enables interested residents of Andhra Pradesh to know the ground realities in the fight against Covid-19.
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https://twitter.com/ArogyaAndhra/status/1243892856546144260
The pic in the tweet has been added separately to the post. It explains the stand of Andhra Pradesh govt. very clearly on who should get tested for Covid-19.
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Good to see this responsible behaviour in Dombivli (near Mumbai, India) in the light of the other report (which I shared earlier on Facebook) of irresponsible behaviour of marriage with at least 1000 guests in Dombivli around the same date (which was attended by a person who had recently come from Turkey and was later found to be Covid-19 infected).
[Shared post here: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2799695533580339 ]
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Difficult situation. But rather than migrant workers walking hundreds of kilometres to go home, it may be best to transport them home via buses. Good to know that 1000 buses have been arranged by U.P. govt. to help migrant workers reach their home towns & villages. ... Will that make Coronavirus spread worse? .... But these migrant workers were walking towards their home villages and towns. So that too would have the danger of Coronavirus spread. Perhaps buses organized by govt. in such cases may be the best compassionate solution.
COVID-19: UP Govt Arranges 1000 Buses to Take Migrant Workers Home, https://www.thequint.com/news/india/covid-19-uttar-pradesh-government-arranges-buses-to-take-workers-to-their-hometowns
[Shared video: https://www.facebook.com/quintillion/videos/208989547044864/?t=0 ]
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[An update is that one of the state govts involved has organized 1000 buses to help the migrant workers reach their homes. For more, please see https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2799580500258509 ]
What an extraordinary and difficult exodus ****mainly on foot**** of migrant poor from Delhi and nearby areas (e.g. Noida) to U.P., Bihar etc.! The lockdown seems to have created massive financial pressure on them as on the one hand they have no earning and on the other, they say that daily need stuff has become more expensive and landlords demand rent! That is leaving them no option but to go to their home villages and towns hundreds of kilometres away ****mainly on foot****! I say mainly on foot as sometimes they may get a lift from vehicles on the road, for part of the way. Some persons say they don't have much money either!
Hmm. I don't think I have seen such an *****on foot**** exodus like this in India, in my lifetime (I was born in 1962). Perhaps the union (federal) government did not anticipate such an exodus when they decided to impose a three week lockdown across the country.
May God give these people strength and courage in their ****mainly on foot**** exodus involving distances of hundreds of kilometres.
Of course, it would be wonderful it the union and state governments involved, come to the rescue of these persons.
Video is around 5 min. 40 secs.
[Shared video: https://www.facebook.com/quintillion/videos/888888198217413/?t=0 ]
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Puttaparthi ... [Shared videos: https://www.facebook.com/krishnappa.mummaneni/videos/876855742786173/?t=0
https://www.facebook.com/krishnappa.mummaneni/videos/876856599452754/?t=0 ]
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This happened in the town/city (Dombivli near Mumbai) that I lived in, for most of the period from 1980 till 2002, commuting to Mumbai by local train for study, and later work. That makes it very real and very sad for me.
Was he not told to quarantine himself for 2 weeks when he flew back to Mumbai from Turkey, entering Mumbai on 15th March? Or was it mentioned very casually?
Wedding with at least thousand guests on 19th March in Dombivli which he attended (his brother's wedding)! People took it easy and were careless ... Hmm.
He developed coughing and fever after the wedding and the hospital he went to, referred him to Kasturba hospital in Mumbai, where he was tested for Covid-19, and was reported positive on Wednesday, 25th March!
I can well imagine the despair of the municipal corporation (Kalyan Dombivli municipal corporation covering the two cities of Dombivli and Kalyan) staff in trying to track his contacts, after they were informed of his Coronavirus positive report.
Let's hope he has not infected many other people.
I am not singling out the person for blame. The intent of putting up this post is to spread awareness of the reality of how contagious this virus/disease is, and how it is vital for people who come from abroad to follow 14-day quarantine strictly.
Had this person followed it, the contact tracing would have been easy and limited to a few persons. So many people may not have been put at risk of infection!
It is not just about oneself falling sick. It is about the bad possibility of making others sick if one does not follow quarantine norms where applicable, and one turns out to be a Coronavirus infected person who may even be asymptomatic and not suffer from the Covid-19 disease.
[Article link can be seen in post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2799105423639350 ]
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My intent of sharing this article is just to share what seems to be the truth. Many countries around the world are under lockdown now, including India. Therefore it is important to know the truth about what led to such a crisis being created that entire countries have to be "locked down".
'On January 14, the World Health Organization in its report stated: "Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in Wuhan, China."'
Could the WHO have done better? What led it to accept the Chinese authorities ***wrong*** view, and repeat it, thereby creating a relaxed atmosphere around the world, which made it super-easy for the very infectious Coronavirus to spread from ****human-to-human**** contact in some other countries of the world like Italy?
Italy seems to have imported the infections from China (through people who travelled from China to Italy), as per Dr. Anthony Fauci of the USA. If WHO had sounded the alarm on Jan. 14th then Italy may have raised its guard, the world may have raised its guard then itself, against importations of Coronavirus infections. I think that is just the plain and simple truth, and I think it needs to be told, given the crisis that the world is facing now. Many people living in India, my country, are facing a lot of trouble due to the danger posed by Coronavirus in India.
[Article link on post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2799023450314214 ]
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Good to see UK PM Boris Johnson take his Covid-19 positive test (and mild symptoms of fever and persistent cough) in his stride and give out a strong positive message about using tech. to manage his top team while in isolation, and about beating Covid-19 together with the British public.
I think he is the first major world leader to get infected by the Coronavirus (Canadian PM's wife got it but not the Canadian PM Justin Trudeau who is (or was) in self-quarantine).
https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1243496858095411200
The tweet has an around 2 min. video message from PM Johnson.
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[Joke on blank area in resume for 2020 ... washing hands ... post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2798713283678564 ]
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Bill Gates seems to make sense to me, on how to fight the Coronavirus pandemic. It is awesome for me, a former Indian software techie who started his career in the mid 1980s, saw the meteoric rise of Microsoft, the company led by Bill Gates, used Microsoft software tools in my professional software development career (till 2002 when I retired from commercial work to pursue a simple spiritual aspirant life in rural India), besides using its Operating Systems (Windows, and even a little bit of DOS way back in the past), to see Bill Gates emerge as a leader in the fight against Covid-19 worldwide! Hats off to Bill Gates! He is an inspiration to me.
Yes, he made tons & tons of money - but look at how he is giving back to the world, including to people of developing (read poor) countries who badly need such help.
Bill Gates: Returning to normal life in April is not realistic, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A71lfXrQlxU, 10 min. 51 secs, published by CNN on 26th March 2020.
Bill Gates says that his team (foundation) proved to appropriate US authorities that self-swab test where a person applies a swab himself/herself (to one's nose and/or throat following appropriate instructions, I think) is as effective as a medical technician using the swab deep in the nose. That may open up easier collection of swab input for the Covid-19 tests. Note that the swabs will still have to be sent to "backend" PCR testing facilities where the swab will be tested for Novel Coronavirus infection.
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It was on the cards, given the data of the past few days. But still it is very hard to come to terms with it.
"In the United States, at least 81,321 people are known to have been infected with the coronavirus, including more than 1,000 deaths — more cases than China, Italy or any other country has seen, according to data gathered by The New York Times." - From the article: The U.S. Now Leads the World in Confirmed Coronavirus Cases, https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-us-now-leads-the-world-in-confirmed-coronavirus-cases/ar-BB11LlDh.
I would not have believed this if somebody told me of this possibility a couple of months ago or even in early February. My God!
We have to come to terms with the reality and battle on against Covid-19 pandemic and defeat it. Jai Sai Ram!
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Wild bison in USA and social distancing :-).
[Shared post link: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2798259007057325 ]
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As a former Mumbaikar and Dombivlikar (Dombivli is on the outskirts of Mumbai, and part of Mumbai Metropolitan Region), I am very happy to know of these Covid-19 patients having recovered and having been discharged from Kasturba hospital, Mumbai. Great to know that their neighbours have treated them nicely on their return.
BTW the pic shown in article preview (and in article) is NOT of these recovered patients.
[Article link is in post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2798230483726844 ]
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Finance Minister announces Rs 1.70 Lakh Crore relief package under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana for the poor to help them fight the battle against Corona Virus, https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1608345, 26th March 2020
An extract from the article introduction:
The Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Smt. Niramla Sitharaman today announced Rs 1.70 Lakh Crore relief package under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana for the poor to help them fight the battle against Corona Virus. While addressing the press conference here today, Smt. Sitharaman said “Today’s measures are intended at reaching out to the poorest of the poor, with food and money in hands, so that they do not face difficulties in buying essential supplies and meeting essential needs.”
--- end extract ---
[Rs. 1.70 lakh crore is Rs. 1.70 trillion. At 74.86 Rs. to 1 USD (current exchange rate), that is 1700/74.86 = 22.7 billion US Dollars.]
[Salient points from the article with some comments from me in square brackets:]
1) Insurance cover of Rs 50 Lakh [Rs. 5 million] per health worker fighting COVID-19 to be provided under Insurance Scheme
2) 80 crore [800 million] poor people will get 5 kg wheat or rice and 1 kg of preferred pulses for free every month for the next three months
3) 20 crore [200 million] women Jan Dhan account holders to get Rs 500 per month for next three months
4) Increase in MNREGA wage [India's employment guarantee scheme which I think ***is supposed to*** offer 100 days guaranteed employment to adult(s) in families; Don't know how much of it is effective] to Rs 202 a day from Rs 182 to benefit 13.62 crore [136.2 million] families
5) An ex-gratia of Rs 1,000 to 3 crore [30 million] poor senior citizen, poor widows and poor disabled
6) Government to front-load Rs 2,000 paid to farmers in first week of April under existing PM Kisan Yojana to benefit 8.7 crore [87 million] farmers
7) Central Government has given orders to State Governments to use Building and Construction Workers Welfare Fund to provide relief to Construction Workers
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Very good to see this. ... Challenges may be in ensuring that the needy & poor get the benefits. .... But it is a much needed and good initiative from the govt. to help the needy & poor tide over the economic pain that is being caused by the Coronovirus related crisis.
A lakh is one hundred thousand and a crore is 10 million. So I think lakh crore would be one million million, that is one trillion! So this is a Rs. 1.70 trillion package!
I can't wrap my head around this trillion rupees figure like I cannot wrap my head around the trillion US dollars figure in the case of US stimulus package.
[Article link in post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2797946677088558 ]
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Hon'ble Andhra Pradesh (A.P.) Chief Minister (CM) Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's address in Telugu, today around 6 PM
I have noted some quick points from the CM's address, which are given below. The translation may not be fully accurate as my Telugu is not very good (but I usually get the overall message), and I jotted down these points very hurriedly, but I think I have got the general message of the points below quite correctly. Note that I have put down only some points from the address.
--- start of my points from AP CM address ---
The Coronavirus pandemic is a once in a hundred years, once in a generation epidemic/pandemic.
Request to stay in the place one is, rather than travel to other places.
[State has closed borders] ... difficult situation to refuse our own people entry into state. ... But we are in difficult position due to coronavirus ... 14 day quarantine for any person taken into A.P. from across the border.
Contact tracing challenges are very big for people who avoid quarantine and get into A.P. from neighbouring states.
Telangana CM gave assurance to Andhra Pradesh CM that food and other necessities will be provided to A.P. persons now in Telangana.
By God's grace, A.P. has only 10 positive cases now. But we need to be careful to avoid numbers increasing.
Self-discipline is very important. If we don't follow self-discipline, social distancing then we will be in trouble.
He gave details of medical facilities and quarantine facilities in A.P. which have been made ready for the epidemic.
He said he is requesting (prarthisthunaanu is the Telugu word he used which literally means praying) all to follow lockdown instructions till 14th April (lockdown period). He requested A.P. persons now in Telangana to please continue to be in Telangana. He mentioned the helpline number 1902 for any issue related to lack of essential commodities which (helpline number) is being managed by senior officials. Health related helpline is 104. Any person facing any health issue can call up that number.
Grama volunteers (village volunteers) have done, and are doing, intensive survey throughout the state, about coronavirus related issues.
He said main message from him today is that people (in A.P. as well as A.P. persons currently outside A.P.) should stay where they are.
From 6 in the morning till 1 AM, for basic necessities only, people can go (to shops near the place they are living) and make purchases. Govt. has made all arrangements for supply of such necessities.
---- end of points I made from A.P. CM address ---
Please note that I have a PUBLICLY POLITICALLY NEUTRAL role in my social media posts about Andhra Pradesh. I am not a member or even a supporter of any particular political party in Andhra Pradesh, though I am respectful of these political parties for the vital role they play in democracy. Please note that I have been living in Andhra Pradesh since Oct. 2002, and so am a voter in Andhra Pradesh. I should also say that I am a beneficiary, a lover and an open supporter of democracy in Andhra Pradesh and in India.
[FB video: https://www.facebook.com/ysjagan/videos/258038038545495/?t=0 ]
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Great to see Tirupathi (in Andhra Pradesh, India) vegetable market with social distancing helped by rectangles drawn on the road! Of course, even such purchase visits must be the absolute minimum, during this 3 week lockdown period.
https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1243076204573249538 - visit the tweet to see the other 2 pics.
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Very informative interview of a person who is emerging as a hero in the fight against Covid-19 in the USA - Dr. Anthony Fauci. The host, Chris Cuomo, asks him the tough questions and Dr. Fauci responds in what seems to be a straightforward and truthful way. I think by now, Dr. Fauci must have earned the trust of many people in the USA (I tend to trust him as he seems to speak sense and comes across as an honest guy). I think Dr. Fauci carries a huge burden on his shoulders but is not letting that faze him. May God bless him and give him/continue to give him strength and courage in this vital leadership role he is playing in the USA!
Chris Cuomo also asks him about Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Hydroxy... etc. in the context of Covid-19, and Dr. Fauci answers them in what came across to me as a straightforward and professional way.
Dr. Fauci: You don't make the timeline, the virus does, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkyO1DTqoWQ, around 11 mins, published by CNN on 25th March 2020.
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Informative interview in Telugu about ground situation in Andhra Pradesh wrt Coronavirus lockdown including about students of Andhra Pradesh who are in Telangana but want to return to their homes in Andhra Pradesh for this 3 week lockdown period (apparently the hostel situation is not-so-good during this lockdown period).
ETV Special Discussion With Eenadu Senior Journalist Bharath Kumar, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IRyxcQpTyk, 10 min. 19 secs, published by ETV Andhra Pradesh today (26th March 2020).
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Very good initiative from Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust. Much appreciated! I am sure many Puttaparthi Sathya Sai devotees (based in Puttaparthi or visiting it), Indian and foreign, will appreciate this quarantine facility in Puttaparthi region, just opposite to Super Hospital. Thanks to Saibliss for good work of sharing such positive information in these challenging times. Such work of SaiBliss (Brother Satish Naik) is also much appreciated! Jai Sai Ram!
[Shared post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2797684710448088 ]
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Unorganized labour in India faces the brunt of the economic hardship due to lockdown. May God give them strength and courage to face these difficult times!
[Shared post has pics: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2797658123784080 ]
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The article has a very telling (informative) graph showing rise of Covid-19 cases in various countries, against number of days (after 50th confirmed case). I think the graph explains why federal/union and state governments in some countries are locking down epicentres of outbreak in their countries, or sometimes the whole country. I think it is quite clear that steeply rising curves are the big danger and so those curves have to be flattened out, and that, in turn, at the current time when no vaccine or cure is available for general use, requires lockdown of parts or whole of countries.
The data of the graph is sourced from John Hopkins Covid Tracker and ICMR (I think that is Indian Council of Medical Research).
Mint Covid Tracker: India’s coronavirus curve flattens slightly as country goes into lockdown,https://www.livemint.com/news/india/mint-covid-tracker-india-s-covid19-curve-flattens-slightly-as-country-goes-into-lockdown-11585120660572.html, 25th March 2020.
I have attached a cropped screenshot pic of the graph. Note that visiting the article allows one to hover the mouse over the lines/curves in the graph and get additional data shown as small pop-ups.
[I thank livemint.com and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the graph screenshot from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever. Further note that this post is about the serious Covid-19 pandemic crisis affecting people worldwide, and is intended to help in a small way in sharing livemint.com provided info., to better understand the Covid-pandemic crisis so that it can be effectively combated and defeated.]
[Post link: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2797584160458143&set=a.1616532491896655 ]
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An update: Mint Covid Tracker: India’s coronavirus curve picks up again, worryingly close to US trajectory, https://www.livemint.com/news/india/mint-covid-tracker-india-s-coronavirus-curve-picks-up-again-worryingly-close-to-us-trajectory-11585206650411.html, 26th March 2020.
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[USA] Senate approves historic $2 trillion stimulus deal amid growing coronavirus fears, https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/25/politics/stimulus-senate-action-coronavirus/index.html
"The Senate on Wednesday approved a historic, $2 trillion stimulus package to provide a jolt to an economy reeling from the coronavirus pandemic, capping days of intense negotiations that produced one of the most expensive and far-reaching measures Congress has ever considered.
In a remarkable sign of overwhelming bipartisan support for the legislation, the vote was unanimous at 96-0."
The bill has to now pass the USA House of Representatives. A voice vote is scheduled there. Presuming it passes there, it will then go to USA President Trump for approval/signing. President Trump has indicated that he will sign the bill (at which time the bill would become law, and so come into play in USA life in general).
As of now, I can't get my mind wrapped around the figure of this stimulus - 2 trillion (starts with t not b) US Dollars. I mean, I have got used to the trillion US Dollars figure when reading, and sometimes posting, about GDP of countries. But stimulus wise, my mind was still at hundred billion ($700 billion TARP bailout in 2008, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troubled_Asset_Relief_Program). Even that figure was something that I don't think I ever have been able to really internalize and understand.
Hmm.
Just mind-blowing to see the money level at which the USA federal government operates.
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Interesting video capturing life in Beijing during Coronavirus quarantine: Coronavirus in China | DW Documentary, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K3fy5eKeuM, slightly less than 30 mins, published by DW Documentary on 17th March 2020.
For weeks now China has been in lockdown because of the new coronavirus. Journalist Sebastien Le Belzic who works in Beijing has been living in quarantine at...
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This announcement was on 23rd March but while I read reports about it on that day itself if I recall correctly, I got around to seeing the UK PM's video message on UK lockdown only today. I think it is quite clear and unambiguous. The reasons are spelt out quite well - danger of UK health system (NHS) getting swamped being the main one. The lockdown restrictions and exceptions are explained clearly - effective communication, IMHO.
Coronavirus lockdown: Boris Johnson limits gatherings to two people in the UK, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml-1hUISPj8, 6 min. 15 secs., published by The Guardian on 23rd March 2020.
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Watch: 10 Italian tourists who were being treated for Covid-19 discharged, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GDvaXj8AmQ, 2 min. 12 secs. published by Hindustan Times on 23rd March 2020.
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COVID-19 testing laboratory starts functioning in Anantapur, https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/covid-19-testing-centre-up-and-running-in-anantapur/article31151923.ece, 24th March 2020.
"Now, waiting time for the results of throat swabs of COVID-19 suspects will drastically come down in Andhra Pradesh. Thanks to the testing centre - one of the four in the State - set up by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) which began functioning in Anantapur Government Medical College (AGMC) from Tuesday. It had received the first batch of 10 samples from Kurnool, and one taken locally by doctors."
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Don't know how accurate the info. is, but the announcement by Dr. Deborah Birx, US Coronavirus Task Force coordinator, has been shared by many news sites including Times of India. This Washington Examiner article is giving more details on it: 'Breakthrough' self-swab test kits coming soon, coronavirus task force coordinator says, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/breakthrough-self-swab-test-kits-coming-soon-coronavirus-task-force-coordinator-says, 23rd March 2020.
The article says, "Self-swab tests would allow people to use a nasal swab while in their homes self-isolating. They would then bring the sample to a clinic or drive-through test site and receive their results that same day."
I think such ease and increased access to Coronavirus testing (hopefully not too expensive), can be a big step forward in the fight against Coronavirus.
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Very moving .. video is around a minute [FB video: https://www.facebook.com/scmp/videos/262489634777061/?t=0 ]
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If you want to know what doctors and other health workers in Italy's Covid-19 (Novel Coronavirus) epicentres went through, it will be worthwhile to listen to this senior Italian doctor. "Dr Sylvia Bignamini is the Health Director of San Francesco Clinic in Bergamo, Italy, the city at the epicentre of the country's outbreak." She communicates very clearly and seems to take care to express herself accurately in English (which, in all probability, is not her primary language). I found it to be a powerful and emotionally moving account from a senior health worker (who herself contracted the virus eventually and is now under isolation) who was right at the forefront fighting this horrendous epidemic outbreak in Italy. May God bless her and other Italian health workers for the work they have done, continue to do, and how they are trying to help others in the world to better prepare for this epidemic. Great service to society!
Italian doctor on how virus 'exploded', having coronavirus & how to fight it, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkozG3IcXUU, 13 min. 26 secs, published by (UK) Channel 4 News on 21st March 2020.
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A critical view of chloroquine being used ***now*** for treating Covid-19 (before sufficient clinical trials have validated it), which is worth looking at to get a balanced view of the matter: Gupta: The truth about using chloroquine to fight coronavirus pandemic, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AzIgAa0Cm8, 5 min. 21 secs, published by CNN today.
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‘India has tremendous capacity to combat COVID-19’: WHO Executive Director (Dr Michael J Ryan), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bydILYTQUsA, 1 min. 48 secs, published by Hindustan Times today.
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Delhi goes under lockdown till 31st March ... CM Kejriwal speaks in Hindi.
[FB video: https://www.facebook.com/TimesofIndia/videos/1151190748551153/?t=0 ]
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President of India FB video clapping for medical staff fighting Coronavirus: https://www.facebook.com/PresidentOfIndia/videos/379248452958636/?t=0
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Very informative and seemingly up-to-date coverage from USA on Covid-19, Nightly News Full Broadcast (March 21st), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNP30CyV7qo, 18 min. 42 secs, published by NBC News on 21st March 2020.
It covers USA situation, Italy situation, testing, race for vaccine and cure, Hydroxychloroquine + .. treatment being under clinical trial in USA, and ends with a very interesting Skype interview by the host of his brother who is a USA Congressman who tested positive for Covid-19, is recovering from it now, and, of course, is under isolation.
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Seems like positive news: (USA) FDA grants ‘emergency use’ coronavirus test that can deliver results in 45 minutes, https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/21/fda-grants-emergency-use-coronavirus-test-that-can-deliver-results-in-45-minutes.html
Don't know how much it costs and how reliable it is. But even if it is mostly reliable with some failures, and it becomes inexpensive over time, this could be a big positive in the fight against Novel Coronavirus-19. People could get tested at point-of-care and know within an hour a preliminary positive or negative status, and then await confirmation of more reliable test at some central lab. somewhere which may take a few days to get done and reported back to the person being tested.
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President Trump's tweet about "HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE & AZITHROMYCIN" as treatment for Covid-19, and a preprint paper on that treatment (not yet passed peer review)
The tweet: "HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE & AZITHROMYCIN, taken together, have a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine. The FDA has moved mountains - Thank You! Hopefully they will BOTH (H works better with A, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents)....." + "....be put in use IMMEDIATELY. PEOPLE ARE DYING, MOVE FAST, and GOD BLESS EVERYONE! @US_FDA @SteveFDA @CDCgov @DHSgov", https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1241367239900778501 + https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1241367245143642113 both dated 21st March 2020.
On browsing the net for it, I got this link for a medrxiv preprint paper: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.16.20037135v1.
Prior to the abstract, it states, "This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review" ..."It reports new medical research that has yet to be evaluated and so should not be used to guide clinical practice."
The authors listed are: "Philippe GAUTRET, Jean Christophe LAGIER, Philippe PAROLA, Van Thuan HOANG, Line MEDDED, Morgan MAILHE, Barbara DOUDIER, Johan COURJON, Valerie GIORDANENGO, Vera ESTEVES VIEIRA, Herve TISSOT DUPONT, Stephane HONORE, Philippe COLSON, Eric CHABRIERE, Bernard LA SCOLA, Jean Marc ROLAIN, Philippe BROUQUI, Didier RAOULT Sr." They all seem to be from medical organizations in France.
Its abstract: "Background Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine have been found to be efficient on COV-19, and reported to be efficient in Chinese patients infected by this virus. We evaluate the role of Hydroxychloroquine on respiratory viral loads. Patients and methods Patients were included in a single arm protocol to receive 600mg of hydroxychloroquine daily and their viral load in nasal swabs was tested daily. Depending on their clinical presentation azithromycin was added to the treatment. Untreated patients from another center and cases refusing the protocol were included as negative control. Presence and absence of virus at Day-6 was considered the end point. Results Twenty cases were treated in this study and showed a significant reduction of the viral carriage at D-6 compared to controls, and much lower than reported average carrying duration of untreated patients in the literature. Azithromycin added to Hydroxychloroquine was significantly more efficient for virus elimination. Conclusion : Hydroxychloroquine is significantly associated with viral load reduction/disappearance in patients with COVID-19 and its effect is reinforced by Azithromycin."
Now there is a lot of controversy about this after President Trump mentioned it in public with some leading USA news network(s) focusing on the treatment being viewed as not yet safe to use as it has not been through a controlled clinical trial in the USA (or elsewhere, I believe). Note that it is only a preprint paper which could well be rejected for publication by the medical publication(s) it has been/will be submitted to for publication (publication happens only after going through successful peer review).
My view is that it is fair to share info. about this treatment and the associated preprint paper by what seem to be a team of French doctors and/or medical researchers. It should be up to patients and doctors (across the world, including in India where I live) whether to try out this treatment in urgent and serious cases even before the treatment has been approved by authorized medical bodies. The patients should be informed that this treatment is yet under review and so not declared to be safe and effective by authorized medical bodies. Then it should be the patient & treating doctor's choice.
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Tough! I think some of the elderly who are somewhat dependent on caregivers, but now are facing social isolation due to coronavirus epidemic/pandemic, must be going through mental trauma. Note that the social isolation should protect them at least at physical body level but they may be finding it tough to handle mentally.
[Article in FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2792088851007674 ]
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Terrific article by Indian President Ram Nath Kovind!
He writes: "Respect for nature may be the next lesson intended for us. Homo Sapiens is the only organism that has overpowered all other animals, taken control of the whole planet, and even set foot on the moon. Now it stands humbled by a microorganism. We would do well to keep in mind the fact that at the end of the day we are merely biological organisms, dependent on other organisms for survival."
So well said (from a material perspective)! [From a spiritual perspective, of course, as taught by Sanathana Dharma and reinforced by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, we (our real identity) are deathless (eternal), unchanging and ever peaceful spirit (Atma) and NOT the biological body or mind (which are temporary dresses taken up by the Atma).]
He further writes about the virus not differentiating between people on the basis of religion, race and region, and that it has made us realize our common identity as human beings.
[Article link in FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2791559611060598 ]
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I think what they can do is collect the sample in 7 minutes. The testing and reporting will take longer.
South Korea seems to have "flattened the curve" of Covid-19 illness with extensive testing being one of the contributors to that success. I think the govt. must have been providing the testing free or at low cost.
Low cost and quick testing seems to be a useful technique to combat this epidemic.
Good to see South Korea achieve this success, and that too without extensive lockdowns. Seems like an impressive accomplishment ***so far*** - no reason to let down the guard.
[FB video: https://www.facebook.com/scmp/videos/572396386701192/?t=0 ]
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Good to see China offering the most Covid-19 hard-hit European countries help to overcome their crisis. Besides medical supplies, China seems to have done an extraordinary job of drastically slowing down Covid-19 new cases in China. So they have achieved success in that regard and can help other countries overcome similar crises.
[Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2789862247897001 ]
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(India) Private labs to be allowed to test for Covid-19 but it won’t be a free for all, https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/private-labs-to-be-allowed-to-test-covid-19-but-not-without-a-prescription/story-8x9Gcq31t2aOGEkmY71CmO.html, 17th March 2020.
A small extract from the article: "The first step screening test costs about Rs 1,500 while the additional confirmatory tests costs about Rs 3,000. The government doesn’t charge patients for the tests and wants the private laboratories also to test people for the highly contagious infection without a charge."
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India is currently in stage 2 of coronavirus outbreak: ICMR DG, https://www.livemint.com/news/india/india-is-currently-in-stage-2-of-coronavirus-outbreak-icmr-dg-11584445478871.html, 17th Mar. 2020.
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Be cautious but don't panic. Have the right info. to decide level of caution. ... It is in this spirit that I am sharing this video (and a screenshot from it).
How the Coronavirus Infected 80% of Countries in One Month (2.16-3.16), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPLU9doiojY, 2 min. 49 secs.
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Good to see such philanthropy from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma (founder of Alibaba, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alibaba_Group ).
[Article link in FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2788663518016874 ]
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https://www.facebook.com/scmp/videos/213573943094099/?t=0
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Like medical staff, police and government workers who are screening people and/or gathering info. related to Novel Coronavirus epidemic by interacting with strangers/visitors to a city, are also at risk.
My prayers to Almighty God to give such police and government staff worldwide strength, courage and protection while doing their vital work in combating this epidemic.
[Article link in FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2788608481355711 ]
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I was hesitating whether I should share this as I was concerned it would be viewed negatively. I decided to share it as I think it is only fair that people who are not medical staff (like me) realize what great risks and sometimes even family challenges, besides great work pressure, this current Novel Coronavirus epidemic is causing to medical staff (doctors, nurses, paramedics etc.) in USA, the most militarily and economy-wise powerful nation in the world.
My prayers to Almighty God to give strength, courage and protection to medical staff all over the world who are caring for patients (including patients who may be Coronavirus infected but do not show its main symptoms and have not yet been tested), and so are at higher risk of contracting the disease than most other people.
[Article link in FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2788594338023792?__tn__=-R ]
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Video is around 4 min. 30 secs.
Good to see this video report (text report link is also provided in the post) about an overall good experience of being admitted for a day to government funded & run Kasturba hospital in Mumbai, and tested for Coronavirus. The lady had travelled to New York, USA and had returned to Mumbai on 9th March.
In the early 1980s (or perhaps it was also in late 1970s), I have visited Kasturba hospital, https://portal.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous/qlkasturbhahosp?guest_user=english, quite a few times and so even now I can recall some of my visits there. My elder sister was doing her internship in Kasturba hospital after having finished her medicine degree (M.B.B.S.) in T.N. Medical College and BYL Nair Charitable hospital, Mumbai, http://www.tnmcnair.com/.
Kasturba hospital seems to be the main hospital in Mumbai for screening and treatment of suspected cases of Novel Coronavirus infection & associated Covid-19 disease.
BTW Kasturba is the name of Mahatma Gandhi's wife, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasturba_Gandhi. In all probability, the hospital is named in her honour.
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Good response from T-Mobile. I came to know of this from a post of a former software industry colleague of mine who is now with T-Mobile in USA.
[FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2786518388231387 ]
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Delhi's first coronvirus patient recovers fully, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2786423454907547
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Some straight talking (or should I say firing) from one of the fastest (cricket) bowlers produced by Pakistan, Shoaib Akhtar, on (Novel) Coronavirus, its suspected original outbreak cause and its impact today on Indian sub-continent in particular and on the world in general. He speaks mainly in Urdu/Hindi but at times, in English. This video put up by The Print, an Indian news outlet, seems to be the originally released video which seems to have been later edited to cut out some stuff on the video put up on Shoaib Akhtar's youtube channel. In other words, this (The Print) video has the real firing stuff from Shoaib Akhtar.
How can you eat bats and dogs?: Shoaib Akhtar on coronavirus, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaQPvgzumjw, 9 min. 31 secs. [Now made private.]
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Well, I have seen Puttaparthi monkey groups getting aggressive at times while they are foraging for food, usually against unarmed human beings who challenge them, but this is just way out! I know of a case where a Puttaparthi monkey grabbed a wrapped chocolate bar from the hand of a woman. ... But the scene shown in the linked twitter video below in Thailand is just unbelievable (but seems to be true as I don't think the video is a fake one)!
Hundreds of hungry monkeys swarm across Thai street as 'rival gangs' fight over food after tourists who normally feed them stay away because of coronavirus, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8100045/Hungry-monkeys-Thailand-fight-banana-tourists-stay-way-coronavirus.html, 11th March 2020.
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Very interesting article. Don't know how accurate its claims are but the article is backed with what appears to be good references about how medical staff in Boston, USA used sunlight and open air treatment successfully to improve their treatment of 1918 influenza patients.
FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2785490305000862
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Don't know how accurate the info. is ... but worth a look. [Scientists say regions worst-hit by coronavirus have similar climates ...] FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2785021195047773?__tn__=-R
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I just saw a very good video message from Dr. Narendranath Reddy, Chairman of SSIO (Sathya Sai International Organization) and a physician specialized in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology about the current situation regarding Novel Coronavirus & COVID-19, in general context and in Sai organization and Sai teachings context. The video can be seen here and is 9 min. 19 secs long: https://www.sathyasai.org/announcements/corona-virus-update.
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Very useful info. from SSIO (Sathya Sai International Org.) on Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), https://sathyasai.org/healthy-living/coronavirus
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I think this matter is already known to the world at large. But the linked article below gives us some details.
The truth about such matters that impact many people across the world ***eventually*** gets known, even if it happened in authoritarian & communist China.
For less important matters, perhaps the truth can get buried and never be known as there is not so much interest to know the truth.
Update: Wuhan Doctors Say Colleagues Died in Vain Amid Official Cover-Up, https://www.caixinglobal.com/2020-03-11/wuhan-doctors-say-colleagues-died-in-vain-amid-official-coverup-101526650.html
An important learning related short extract from above article:
A Central Hospital department head blamed authorities for endangering lives by spreading false information. “The false information released by the relevant departments — claiming the disease was controllable and would not spread from human-to-human — left hundreds of doctors and nurses in the dark, doing all they could to treat patients without knowing about the epidemic,” the department head told Caixin. “And even when they fell ill, they could not report it. They could not alert their colleagues and the public in time despite their sacrifice. This is the most painful loss and lesson.”
--- end extract ---
Ravi: They (bosses) released false info. that the disease does NOT spread from human to human. That led to medical staff in hospitals not knowing the risks they were facing as they dealt with the patients with the new disease. And so some of them got infected and died!!! What a terrible and horrible price the brave and selfless medical staff of this Chinese hospital had to pay for such ***false information*** being spread by bosses (who probably thought they were doing the right thing by saying what they may have viewed as white lies meant to calm the populace).
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Is it allergies, the flu or the coronavirus? How to tell the difference, https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/11/health/coronavirus-cold-allergies-flu-difference-symptoms-wellness-trnd/index.html
...
In response to question "How flu symptoms are differentiated from Coronavirus?", I wrote: Not clear from above chart and neither do I know for sure from other sources .... What I have read says that, in seriously affected patients, Coronavirus impacts the lungs badly .. pneumonia ... So the shortness of breath part seems to be a key indicator though it may be a pre-existing condition in some and so it may make it difficult to figure out whether it is just an old pre-existing condition or something new that is causing the shortness of breath.
...
In response to comment, "Thanks for posting this. It puts it in a nutshell, easy to understand.", I wrote (slightly edited): Welcome --name-snipped--. Thanks to USA based CDC and Mayo Clinic which are the sources of the info. and thanks to CNN which made the pic.
FB post: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2782802375269655&set=a.1616532491896655&type=3
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Oil price (Brent crude) falling to 35.61$ a barrel today 9th March 2020, from 68.91$ on 6th Jan. 2020, I think is a key indicator of damage to world economy by novel Coronavirus. Demand for oil has slumped, and talks between key oil producer countries to limit production and supply seem to have failed.
What an impact one virus is having on our world! I don't think I have seen anything like this (damage done by a virus) before (since 1980 when I turned an adult and would read/view mainstream media on quite regular basis).
FB post: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2780970832119476&set=a.1616532491896655&type=3
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The Hindu newspaper front page advert. today from govt. of Andhra Pradesh (state) about precautions to be taken wrt Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19 disease) and support facilities of the government.
Update: Replaced pic with better clarity pic. Also added a zoomed-in pic of one part which was not so readable in earlier pic.
FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2779030315646861
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Very useful info. about Novel Coronavirus spread from a Singapore minister's speech in Singapore's Parliament which comes across as simple, accurate and evidence based. I recommend readers/viewers to see it. I think later I will look for the text of this speech and share it if I find it (I might even transcribe it myself if I don't find it on the net - I think it is that useful a speech).
FB video: https://www.facebook.com/himanshu.mehta.96592/videos/10157925784510675/?t=0
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Coronavirus: Space images reveal drastic fall in pollution over China as factories closed, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-coronavirus-nasa-space-satellite-pollution-photo-image-a9366751.html
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Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/narendramodi/posts/10163171403555165, 4th March: "Experts across the world have advised to reduce mass gatherings to avoid the spread of COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. Hence, this year I have decided not to participate in any Holi Milan programme."
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Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/narendramodi/photos/a.10156627257580165/10163168077280165/?type=3&theater
Today, had an extensive review regarding preparedness on the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus.
There is no need to panic. We need to work together, take small yet important measures to ensure self-protection.
[Post also has pic]
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Terrific article by Indian President Ram Nath Kovind!
He writes: "Respect for nature may be the next lesson intended for us. Homo Sapiens is the only organism that has overpowered all other animals, taken control of the whole planet, and even set foot on the moon. Now it stands humbled by a microorganism. We would do well to keep in mind the fact that at the end of the day we are merely biological organisms, dependent on other organisms for survival."
So well said (from a material perspective)! [From a spiritual perspective, of course, as taught by Sanathana Dharma and reinforced by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, we (our real identity) are deathless (eternal), unchanging and ever peaceful spirit (Atma) and NOT the biological body or mind (which are temporary dresses taken up by the Atma).]
He further writes about the virus not differentiating between people on the basis of religion, race and region, and that it has made us realize our common identity as human beings.
[Article link in FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2791559611060598 ]
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I think what they can do is collect the sample in 7 minutes. The testing and reporting will take longer.
South Korea seems to have "flattened the curve" of Covid-19 illness with extensive testing being one of the contributors to that success. I think the govt. must have been providing the testing free or at low cost.
Low cost and quick testing seems to be a useful technique to combat this epidemic.
Good to see South Korea achieve this success, and that too without extensive lockdowns. Seems like an impressive accomplishment ***so far*** - no reason to let down the guard.
[FB video: https://www.facebook.com/scmp/videos/572396386701192/?t=0 ]
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Good to see China offering the most Covid-19 hard-hit European countries help to overcome their crisis. Besides medical supplies, China seems to have done an extraordinary job of drastically slowing down Covid-19 new cases in China. So they have achieved success in that regard and can help other countries overcome similar crises.
[Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2789862247897001 ]
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(India) Private labs to be allowed to test for Covid-19 but it won’t be a free for all, https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/private-labs-to-be-allowed-to-test-covid-19-but-not-without-a-prescription/story-8x9Gcq31t2aOGEkmY71CmO.html, 17th March 2020.
A small extract from the article: "The first step screening test costs about Rs 1,500 while the additional confirmatory tests costs about Rs 3,000. The government doesn’t charge patients for the tests and wants the private laboratories also to test people for the highly contagious infection without a charge."
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India is currently in stage 2 of coronavirus outbreak: ICMR DG, https://www.livemint.com/news/india/india-is-currently-in-stage-2-of-coronavirus-outbreak-icmr-dg-11584445478871.html, 17th Mar. 2020.
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Be cautious but don't panic. Have the right info. to decide level of caution. ... It is in this spirit that I am sharing this video (and a screenshot from it).
How the Coronavirus Infected 80% of Countries in One Month (2.16-3.16), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPLU9doiojY, 2 min. 49 secs.
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Good to see such philanthropy from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma (founder of Alibaba, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alibaba_Group ).
[Article link in FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2788663518016874 ]
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https://www.facebook.com/scmp/videos/213573943094099/?t=0
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Like medical staff, police and government workers who are screening people and/or gathering info. related to Novel Coronavirus epidemic by interacting with strangers/visitors to a city, are also at risk.
My prayers to Almighty God to give such police and government staff worldwide strength, courage and protection while doing their vital work in combating this epidemic.
[Article link in FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2788608481355711 ]
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I was hesitating whether I should share this as I was concerned it would be viewed negatively. I decided to share it as I think it is only fair that people who are not medical staff (like me) realize what great risks and sometimes even family challenges, besides great work pressure, this current Novel Coronavirus epidemic is causing to medical staff (doctors, nurses, paramedics etc.) in USA, the most militarily and economy-wise powerful nation in the world.
My prayers to Almighty God to give strength, courage and protection to medical staff all over the world who are caring for patients (including patients who may be Coronavirus infected but do not show its main symptoms and have not yet been tested), and so are at higher risk of contracting the disease than most other people.
[Article link in FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2788594338023792?__tn__=-R ]
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Video is around 4 min. 30 secs.
Good to see this video report (text report link is also provided in the post) about an overall good experience of being admitted for a day to government funded & run Kasturba hospital in Mumbai, and tested for Coronavirus. The lady had travelled to New York, USA and had returned to Mumbai on 9th March.
In the early 1980s (or perhaps it was also in late 1970s), I have visited Kasturba hospital, https://portal.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous/qlkasturbhahosp?guest_user=english, quite a few times and so even now I can recall some of my visits there. My elder sister was doing her internship in Kasturba hospital after having finished her medicine degree (M.B.B.S.) in T.N. Medical College and BYL Nair Charitable hospital, Mumbai, http://www.tnmcnair.com/.
Kasturba hospital seems to be the main hospital in Mumbai for screening and treatment of suspected cases of Novel Coronavirus infection & associated Covid-19 disease.
BTW Kasturba is the name of Mahatma Gandhi's wife, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasturba_Gandhi. In all probability, the hospital is named in her honour.
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Good response from T-Mobile. I came to know of this from a post of a former software industry colleague of mine who is now with T-Mobile in USA.
[FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2786518388231387 ]
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Delhi's first coronvirus patient recovers fully, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2786423454907547
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Some straight talking (or should I say firing) from one of the fastest (cricket) bowlers produced by Pakistan, Shoaib Akhtar, on (Novel) Coronavirus, its suspected original outbreak cause and its impact today on Indian sub-continent in particular and on the world in general. He speaks mainly in Urdu/Hindi but at times, in English. This video put up by The Print, an Indian news outlet, seems to be the originally released video which seems to have been later edited to cut out some stuff on the video put up on Shoaib Akhtar's youtube channel. In other words, this (The Print) video has the real firing stuff from Shoaib Akhtar.
How can you eat bats and dogs?: Shoaib Akhtar on coronavirus, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaQPvgzumjw, 9 min. 31 secs. [Now made private.]
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Well, I have seen Puttaparthi monkey groups getting aggressive at times while they are foraging for food, usually against unarmed human beings who challenge them, but this is just way out! I know of a case where a Puttaparthi monkey grabbed a wrapped chocolate bar from the hand of a woman. ... But the scene shown in the linked twitter video below in Thailand is just unbelievable (but seems to be true as I don't think the video is a fake one)!
Hundreds of hungry monkeys swarm across Thai street as 'rival gangs' fight over food after tourists who normally feed them stay away because of coronavirus, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8100045/Hungry-monkeys-Thailand-fight-banana-tourists-stay-way-coronavirus.html, 11th March 2020.
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Very interesting article. Don't know how accurate its claims are but the article is backed with what appears to be good references about how medical staff in Boston, USA used sunlight and open air treatment successfully to improve their treatment of 1918 influenza patients.
FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2785490305000862
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Don't know how accurate the info. is ... but worth a look. [Scientists say regions worst-hit by coronavirus have similar climates ...] FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2785021195047773?__tn__=-R
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I just saw a very good video message from Dr. Narendranath Reddy, Chairman of SSIO (Sathya Sai International Organization) and a physician specialized in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology about the current situation regarding Novel Coronavirus & COVID-19, in general context and in Sai organization and Sai teachings context. The video can be seen here and is 9 min. 19 secs long: https://www.sathyasai.org/announcements/corona-virus-update.
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Very useful info. from SSIO (Sathya Sai International Org.) on Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), https://sathyasai.org/healthy-living/coronavirus
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I think this matter is already known to the world at large. But the linked article below gives us some details.
The truth about such matters that impact many people across the world ***eventually*** gets known, even if it happened in authoritarian & communist China.
For less important matters, perhaps the truth can get buried and never be known as there is not so much interest to know the truth.
Update: Wuhan Doctors Say Colleagues Died in Vain Amid Official Cover-Up, https://www.caixinglobal.com/2020-03-11/wuhan-doctors-say-colleagues-died-in-vain-amid-official-coverup-101526650.html
An important learning related short extract from above article:
A Central Hospital department head blamed authorities for endangering lives by spreading false information. “The false information released by the relevant departments — claiming the disease was controllable and would not spread from human-to-human — left hundreds of doctors and nurses in the dark, doing all they could to treat patients without knowing about the epidemic,” the department head told Caixin. “And even when they fell ill, they could not report it. They could not alert their colleagues and the public in time despite their sacrifice. This is the most painful loss and lesson.”
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Ravi: They (bosses) released false info. that the disease does NOT spread from human to human. That led to medical staff in hospitals not knowing the risks they were facing as they dealt with the patients with the new disease. And so some of them got infected and died!!! What a terrible and horrible price the brave and selfless medical staff of this Chinese hospital had to pay for such ***false information*** being spread by bosses (who probably thought they were doing the right thing by saying what they may have viewed as white lies meant to calm the populace).
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Is it allergies, the flu or the coronavirus? How to tell the difference, https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/11/health/coronavirus-cold-allergies-flu-difference-symptoms-wellness-trnd/index.html
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In response to question "How flu symptoms are differentiated from Coronavirus?", I wrote: Not clear from above chart and neither do I know for sure from other sources .... What I have read says that, in seriously affected patients, Coronavirus impacts the lungs badly .. pneumonia ... So the shortness of breath part seems to be a key indicator though it may be a pre-existing condition in some and so it may make it difficult to figure out whether it is just an old pre-existing condition or something new that is causing the shortness of breath.
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In response to comment, "Thanks for posting this. It puts it in a nutshell, easy to understand.", I wrote (slightly edited): Welcome --name-snipped--. Thanks to USA based CDC and Mayo Clinic which are the sources of the info. and thanks to CNN which made the pic.
FB post: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2782802375269655&set=a.1616532491896655&type=3
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Oil price (Brent crude) falling to 35.61$ a barrel today 9th March 2020, from 68.91$ on 6th Jan. 2020, I think is a key indicator of damage to world economy by novel Coronavirus. Demand for oil has slumped, and talks between key oil producer countries to limit production and supply seem to have failed.
What an impact one virus is having on our world! I don't think I have seen anything like this (damage done by a virus) before (since 1980 when I turned an adult and would read/view mainstream media on quite regular basis).
FB post: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2780970832119476&set=a.1616532491896655&type=3
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The Hindu newspaper front page advert. today from govt. of Andhra Pradesh (state) about precautions to be taken wrt Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19 disease) and support facilities of the government.
Update: Replaced pic with better clarity pic. Also added a zoomed-in pic of one part which was not so readable in earlier pic.
FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2779030315646861
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Beware of fake message claiming to be from UNICEF on Coronavirus
See Unicef Malaysia rings alarm bell on fake Covid-19 message, https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/03/571957/unicef-malaysia-rings-alarm-bell-fake-covid-19-message.
Providing ***proper*** UNICEF website reference is important for sharing messages from UNICEF.
Here is one UNICEF website article as an example of ***verified*** article (as it is on UNICEF website): https://www.unicef.org/serbia/en/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-what-parents-should-know .
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The WHO sent 25 international experts to China and here are their main findings after 9 days, https://www.reddit.com/r/China_Flu/comments/fbt49e/the_who_sent_25_international_experts_to_china/
Very useful info. about Novel Coronavirus spread from a Singapore minister's speech in Singapore's Parliament which comes across as simple, accurate and evidence based. I recommend readers/viewers to see it. I think later I will look for the text of this speech and share it if I find it (I might even transcribe it myself if I don't find it on the net - I think it is that useful a speech).
FB video: https://www.facebook.com/himanshu.mehta.96592/videos/10157925784510675/?t=0
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Coronavirus: Space images reveal drastic fall in pollution over China as factories closed, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-coronavirus-nasa-space-satellite-pollution-photo-image-a9366751.html
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Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/narendramodi/posts/10163171403555165, 4th March: "Experts across the world have advised to reduce mass gatherings to avoid the spread of COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. Hence, this year I have decided not to participate in any Holi Milan programme."
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Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/narendramodi/photos/a.10156627257580165/10163168077280165/?type=3&theater
Today, had an extensive review regarding preparedness on the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus.
There is no need to panic. We need to work together, take small yet important measures to ensure self-protection.
[Post also has pic]
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