Category: Health

Psychiatrists fear increase in mental illness after lockdown

Staff ReporterHealth 0
During the lockdown, the question on everyone’s mind is what will happen next? When will the world  open up again? There are debates about the economic cost of keeping a country of 1.2 billion locked down. But what about the mental cost?
Psychiatrists are warning of a “tsunami” of mental illness from problems stored up during lockdown.
They are particularly concerned that children and older adults are not getting the support they need because of school closures, self-isolation and fear of hospitals.
From the toll that the lockdown has taken on people suffering from alcohol addiction and severe mental illness like schizophrenia to the problems being faced by the elderly and the stigma associated with the disease.
In a survey, psychiatrists reported rises in emergency cases and a drop in routine appointments.
They emphasized that mental-health services were still open for business.

‘Patients have evaporated’

“We are already seeing the devastating impact of Covid-19 on mental health, with more people in crisis,” said Prof Wendy Burn, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
“But we are just as worried about the people who need help now but aren’t getting it. Our fear is that the lockdown is storing up problems which could then lead to a tsunami of referrals.”
A survey of 1,300 mental-health doctors from across the UK found that 43% had seen a rise in urgent cases while 45% reported a reduction in routine appointments.
One psychiatrist said: “In old-age psychiatry our patients appear to have evaporated, I think people are too fearful to seek help.”
Another wrote: “Many of our patients have developed mental disorders as a direct result of the coronavirus disruption – eg social isolation, increased stress, running out of meds.”
Dr Bernadka Dubicka, who chairs the faculty of child and adolescent psychiatry at the RCP, said: “We are worried that children and young people with mental illness who may be struggling are not getting the support that they need.
“We need to get the message out that services are still open for business.”
Dr Amanda Thompsell, an expert in old-age psychiatry, said using technology to call a doctor during lockdown was difficult for some older people.
They were often “reluctant” to seek help, and their need for mental-health support was likely to be greater than ever, she added.

‘Clear priority’

Mental-health charity Rethink Mental Illness said the concerns raised were supported by evidence from people living with mental illness.
In a survey of 1,000 people, many said their mental health had got worse since the pandemic had started, due to the disruption to routines that keep them safe and well.
“The NHS is doing an incredible job in the most difficult of circumstances, but mental health must be a clear priority, with investment to ensure services can cope with this anticipated surge in demand,” said the charity’s Danielle Hamm.
She said it could take years for some people to recover from the setbacks.

Is sugar really bad for you?

Staff ReporterHealth 0

People who eat more sweets are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer… but that may not actually be sugar’s fault. BBC Future investigates the latest findings.

Given the current situation, many of us are more interested than ever in how food can (and can’t) support our health. To help you sort out fact from fiction, BBC Future is bringing back some of our most popular nutrition stories.

Our colleagues at BBC Good Food are also focusing on practical solutions for ingredient swaps, nutritious storecupboard recipes and all aspects of cooking and eating during lockdown.

It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when humans only had access to sugar for a few months a year when fruit was in season. Some 80,000 years ago, hunter-gatherers ate fruit sporadically and infrequently, since they were competing with birds.

Now, our sugar hits come all year round, often with less nutritional value and far more easily – by simply opening a soft drink or cereal box. It doesn’t take an expert to see that our modern sugar intake is less healthy than it was in our foraging days. Today, sugar has become public health enemy number one: governments are taxing it, schools and hospitals are removing it from vending machines and experts are advising that we remove it completely from our diets. It has even been blamed for possibly increasing the risk of contracting infections because it allegedly suppresses the immune system, although in reality the impact it has on our ability to fight off diseases is a great deal more complicated than that.

And so far, scientists have had a difficult time proving how it affects our health, independent of a diet too high in calories. A review of research conducted over the last five years summarised that a diet of more than 150g of fructose per day reduces insulin sensitivity – and therefore increases the risk of developing health problems like high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. But the researchers also concluded that this occurs most often when high sugar intake is combined with excess calories, and that the effects on health are “more likely” due to sugar intake increasing the chance of excess calories, not the impact of sugar alone.

Meanwhile, there is also a growing argument that demonising a single food is dangerous – and causes confusion that risks us cutting out vital foods.

Sugar, otherwise known as “added sugar”, includes table sugar, sweeteners, honey and fruit juices, and is extracted, refined and added to food and drink to improve taste.

But both complex and simple carbohydrates are made up of sugar molecules, which are broken down by digestion into glucose and used by every cell in the body to generate energy and fuel the brain. Complex carbohydrates include wholegrains and vegetables. Simple carbohydrates are more easily digested and quickly release sugar into the bloodstream. They include sugars found naturally in the foods we eat, such as fructose, lactose, sucrose and glucose and others, like high fructose corn syrup, which are manmade.

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Before the 16th Century only the rich could afford sugar. But it became more available with colonial trade.

Then, in the 1960s, the development of large-scale conversion of glucose into fructose led to the creation of high fructose corn syrup, a concentrate of glucose and fructose.

This potent combination, above any other single type of sugar, is the one many public health advocates consider the most lethal – and it is the one that many people think of when they think of “sugar”.

Sugar rush

Consumption of high fructose corn syrup in the US increased tenfold between 1970 and 1990, more than any other food group. Researchers have pointed out that this mirrors the increase in obesity across the country.

Meanwhile, sugary drinks, which usually use high fructose corn syrup, have been central to research examining the effects of sugar on our health. One meta-analysis of 88 studies found a link between sugary drinks consumption and body weight. In other words, people don’t fully compensate for getting energy from soft drinks by consuming less of other foods – possibly because these drinks increase hunger or decrease satiety.

But the researchers concluded that while the intake of soft drinks and added sugars has increased alongside obesity in the US, the data only represents broad correlations.

And not everyone agrees that high fructose corn syrup is the driving factor in the obesity crisis. Some experts point out that consumption of the sugar has been declining for the past 10 years in countries including the US, even while obesity levels have been rising. There also are epidemics of obesity and diabetes in areas where there is little or no high fructose corn syrup available, such as Australia and Europe.

High fructose corn syrup isn’t the only kind of sugar seen as problematic. Added sugar, particularly fructose, is blamed for a variety of problems.

For one, it’s said to cause heart disease. When liver cells break down fructose, one of the end products is triglyceride – a form of fat – which can build up in liver cells over time. When it is released into the bloodstream, it can contribute to the growth of fat-filled plaque inside artery walls.

One 15-year study seemed to back this up: it found that people who consumed 25% or more of their daily calories as added sugar were more than twice as likely to die from heart disease than those who consumed less than 10%. Type 2 diabetes also is attributed to added sugar intake. Two large studies in the 1990s found that women who consumed more than one soft drink or fruit juice per day were twice as likely to develop diabetes as those who rarely did so.

Sweet nothings?

But again, it’s unclear if that means sugar actually causes heart disease or diabetes. Luc Tappy, professor of physiology at the University of Lausanne, is one of many scientists who argue that the main cause of diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure is excess calorie intake, and that sugar is simply one component of this.

“More energy intake than energy expenditure will, in the long term, lead to fat deposition, insulin resistance and a fatty liver, whatever the diet composition,” he says. “In people with a high energy output and a matched energy intake, even a high fructose/sugar diet will be well tolerated.”

Overall, evidence that added sugar directly causes type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity or cancer is thin

Tappy points out that athletes, for example, often have higher sugar consumption but lower rates of cardiovascular disease: high fructose intake can be metabolised during exercise to increase performance.

Overall, evidence that added sugar directly causes type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity or cancer is thin. Yes, higher intakes are associated with these conditions. But clinical trials have yet to establish that it causes them.

Sugar also has been associated with addiction… but this finding, too, may not be what it seems. A review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2017 cited findings that mice can experience sugar withdrawal and argued that sugar produces similar effects to cocaine, such as craving. But the paper was widely accused of misinterpreting the evidence. One key criticism was that the animals were restricted to having sugar for two hours a day: if you allow them to have it whenever they want it, which reflects how we consume it, they don’t show addiction-like behaviours.

Still, studies have demonstrated other ways in which sugar affects our brains. Matthew Pase, research fellow at Swinburne’s Centre for Human Psychopharmacology in Australia, examined the association between self-reported sugary beverage consumption and markers of brain health determined by MRI scans. Those who drank soft drinks and fruit juices more frequently displayed smaller average brain volumes and poorer memory function. Consuming two sugary drinks per day aged the brain two years compared to those who didn’t drink any at all. But Pase explains that since he only measured fruit juice intake, he can’t be sure that sugar alone is what affects brain health.

“People who drink more fruit juice or soft drinks may share other dietary or lifestyle habits that relate to brain health. For example, they may also exercise less,” Pase says.

One recent study found that consuming sugar can make older people more motivated to perform difficult tasks

One recent study found that sugar may even help improve memory and performance in older adults. Researchers gave participants a drink containing a small amount of glucose and asked them to perform various memory tasks. Other participants were given a drink containing artificial sweetener as a control. They measured the participants’ levels of engagement, their memory score, and their own perception of how much effort they’d applied.

The results suggested that consuming sugar can make older people more motivated to perform difficult tasks at full capacity – without them feeling as if they tried harder. Increased blood sugar levels also made them feel happier during the task.

Younger adults showed increased energy after consuming the glucose drink, but it didn’t affect their mood or memory.

Teaspoon of sugar

While current guidelines advise that added sugars shouldn’t make up more than 5% of our daily calorie intake, dietitian Renee McGregor says it’s important to understand that a healthy, balanced diet is different for everyone.

“I work with athletes who need to take on more sugar when doing a hard session because it’s easily digestible. But they worry they’re going over the guidelines,” she says.

For most of us non-athletes, it’s true that added sugar isn’t crucial for a healthy diet. But some experts warn we shouldn’t single it out as toxic.

McGregor, whose clients include those with orthorexia, a fixation with eating healthily, says that it isn’t healthy to label foods as “good” or “bad”. And turning sugar into a taboo may only make it more tempting. “As soon as you say you can’t have something, you want it,” she says. “That’s why I never say anything is off-limits. I’ll say a food has no nutritional value. But sometimes foods have other values.”

Associate professor at James Madison University Alan Levinovitz studies the relationship between religion and science. He says there’s a simple reason we look at sugar as evil: throughout history, we’ve demonised the things we find hardest to resist (think of sexual pleasure in the Victorian times).

Today, we do this with sugar to gain control over cravings.

Sugar is intensely pleasurable, so we have to see it as a cardinal sin – Alan Levinovitz

“Sugar is intensely pleasurable, so we have to see it as a cardinal sin. When we see things in simple good and evil binaries, it becomes unthinkable that this evil thing can exist in moderation. This is happening with sugar,” he says.

He argues that that seeing food in such extremes can make us anxious about what we’re eating – and add a moral judgment onto something as necessary, and as everyday, as deciding what to eat.

Taking sugar out of our diets can even be counterproductive: it can mean replacing it with something potentially more calorific, such as if you substitute a fat for a sugar in a recipe.

And amid the rising debate around sugar, we risk confusing those foods and drinks with added sugar that lack other essential nutrients, like soft drinks, with healthy foods that have sugars, like fruit.

One person who struggled with this distinction is 28-year-old Tina Grundin of Sweden, who says she used to think all sugars were unhealthy. She pursued a high-protein, high-fat vegan diet, which she says led to an undiagnosed eating disorder.

“When I started throwing up after eating, I knew I couldn’t go on much longer. I’d grown up fearing sugar in all forms,” she says. “Then I realised there was a difference between added sugar and sugar as a carbohydrate and I adopted a high-fructose, high-starch diet with natural sugars found in fruit, vegetables, starches and legumes.

“From the first day, it was like the fog lifted and I could see clearly. I finally gave my cells fuel, found in glucose, from carbohydrates, from sugars.”

While there’s disagreement around how different types of sugars affect our health, the irony is we might be better off thinking about it less.

“We’ve really overcomplicated nutrition because, fundamentally, what everyone is searching for is a need to feel complete, to feel perfect and successful,” says McGregor. “But that doesn’t exist.”

Akshaya Patra Foundation USA Hosts First Virtual Gala and Raises $1 Million to Provide COVID-19 Relief to Migrant Workers and Children in India

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0
The Akshaya Patra Foundation held its Boston Virtual Gala   on Sunday, May 3, to raise funds for feeding migrant families in India. The organization has served 40 million meals to migrant workers since India’s lockdown began and feeds 1.8 million Indian children every day during the school year. Over 1,000 businesses, non-profits, government officials, and philanthropic leaders from around the world attended and supported the organization’s dual mission of addressing childhood hunger and promoting education for underserved children in India.
The gala keynote speaker Prof. Ashish Jha from the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, a much sought-after global expert on COVID-19, spoke about the short- and long-term implications of COVID-19 and how the world can mitigate some of those devastating effects. Prof. Jha pointed to the underestimation of people infected and deaths globally, noting that the pandemic will continue until the world has a vaccine, estimated to be in about 12-18 months, or develops herd immunity. Prof. Jha spoke eloquently about the power everyone has in creating a future that will help children and families in India and urged attendees to support Akshaya Patra as it continues to meet two essential needs for children: food and education.
Prof. Kash Rangan, who teaches social enterprise and business at Harvard Business School and is a long-time supporter of Akshaya Patra, shared his views on the current COVID-19 pandemic as well as the invisible pandemics that afflict humans globally. These pandemics have a ripple effect and cause devastation to basic needs. Organizations like Akshaya Patra are working hard to meet those basic needs, particularly food needs. Prof. Rangan stressed the necessity for humanity to collaborate in uncertain times and empower Akshaya Patra to scale up to serving five million meals every day.
The gala also showcased Paresh Rawal, a celebrated Indian actor who is a proud supporter of Akshaya Patra, with a surprise visit from his wife Swaroop Sampat. Rawal presented a beautiful poem by prominent Indian Hindi and Urdu poet Nida Fazli that portrayed the simple joys of a child going to school each morning.
The Bollywood-themed evening celebrated the beneficiaries, chapter teams, and volunteers who continue to work to alleviate classroom hunger. The evening was made possible by sponsors and supporters who donated their time and funds to help the cause and can be found  online. Additionally, donors are graciously matching donations up to $150,000 for COVID-19 relief and alleviating classroom hunger. Further information can be found on the  website.
Established in 2000, Akshaya Patra is the largest NGO-run school meal program in the world, according to Time Magazine, and serves 1.8 million children daily in over 19,257 schools through 55 kitchens in 12 states and two Union Territories in India. It costs only $20 to feed a child for an entire school year.
Contact: Ankita Narula, ankita@apusa.org
Press Release Service by Newswire.com

Middle Age May Be Much More Stressful Now Than in the ’90s

Staff ReporterHealth 0

Newswise — UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — If life feels more stressful now than it did a few decades ago, you’re not alone. Even before the novel coronavirus started sweeping the globe, a new study found that life may be more stressful now than it was in the 1990s.

A team of researchers led by Penn State found that across all ages, there was a slight increase in daily stress in the 2010s compared to the 1990s. But when researchers restricted the sample to people between the ages of 45 and 64, there was a sharp increase in daily stress.

“On average, people reported about 2 percent more stressors in the 2010s compared to people in the past,” said David M. Almeida, professor of human development and family studies at Penn State. “That’s around an additional week of stress a year. But what really surprised us is that people at mid-life reported a lot more stressors, about 19 percent more stress in 2010 than in 1990. And that translates to 64 more days of stress a year.”

Almeida said the findings were part of a larger project aiming to discover whether health during the middle of Americans’ lives has been changing over time.

“Certainly, when you talk to people, they seem to think that daily life is more hectic and less certain these days,” Almeida said. “And so we wanted to actually collect that data and run the analyses to test some of those ideas.”

For the study, the researchers used data collected from 1,499 adults in 1995 and 782 different adults in 2012. Almeida said the goal was to study two cohorts of people who were the same age at the time the data was collected but born in different decades. All study participants were interviewed daily for eight consecutive days.

During each daily interview, the researchers asked the participants about their stressful experiences throughout the previous 24 hours. For example, arguments with family or friends or feeling overwhelmed at home or work. The participants were also asked how severe their stress was and whether those stressors were likely to impact other areas of their lives.

“We were able to estimate not only how frequently people experienced stress, but also what those stressors mean to them,” Almeida said. “For example, did this stress affect their finances or their plans for the future. And by having these two cohorts of people, we were able to compare daily stress processes in 1990 with daily stress processes in 2010.”

After analyzing the data, the researchers found that participants reported significantly more daily stress and lower well-being in the 2010s compared to the 1990s. Additionally, participants reported a 27 percent increase in the belief that stress would affect their finances and a 17 percent increase in the belief that stress would affect their future plans.

Almeida said he was surprised not that people were more stressed now than in the 90s, but at the age group that was mainly affected.

“We thought that with the economic uncertainty, life might be more stressful for younger adults,” Almeida said. “But we didn’t see that. We saw more stress for people at mid-life. And maybe that’s because they have children who are facing an uncertain job market while also responsible for their own parents. So it’s this generational squeeze that’s making stress more prevalent for people at mid-life.”

Almeida said that while there used to be a stereotype about people experiencing a midlife crisis because of a fear of death and getting older, he suspects the study findings — recently published in the journal American Psychologist — suggest midlife distress may be due to different reasons.

“It may have to do with people at mid-life being responsible for a lot of people,” Almeida said. “They’re responsible for their children, oftentimes they’re responsible for their parents, and they may also be responsible for employees at work. And with that responsibility comes more daily stress, and maybe that’s happening more so now than in the past.”

Additionally, Almeida said the added stress could partially be due to life “speeding up” due to technological advances. This could be particularly true during stressful times like the coronavirus pandemic, when tuning out the news can seem impossible.

“With people always on their smartphones, they have access to constant news and information that could be overwhelming,” Almeida said.

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Susan T. Charles, University of California, Irvine; Jacqueline Mogle, Penn State; Johanna Drewelies, Humboldt University Berlin; Carolyn M. Aldwin, Oregon State University; Avron Spiro III, Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine and Department of Veteran’s Affairs; and Denis Gerstorf, Humboldt University Berlin and Penn State, also participated in this work.

This research is part of the Midlife in the United State Study and supported by the National Institute on Aging and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Technological Solutions That Help with Common Sleeping Disorders

Staff ReporterHealth, Science & Technology 0

For most adults, getting seven to nine hours of sleep is enough to wake up rested and keep us functioning throughout the day. Granted, some people can manage to sleep a lot less, while others don’t want to leave the warmth of their bed. However, the problem occurs when we want to sleep only to find ourselves being restless in bed or continuously waking up unable to get a good night’s sleep.

However, there’s no reason to worry. We’ve comprised a list of the most common sleeping disorders and technological solutions for them, which you can make use of and get some shuteye.

Insomnia

According to stats, 30% of the grown-up Americans experience insomnia. It causes people to have difficulty falling asleep or staying awake, which can then result in daytime sleepiness, depressed mood, irritability, and low energy.

Insomnia may occur either independently or as a result of another problem, such as chronic pain, heart failure, restless leg syndrome, and stress. The first steps in treating insomnia are lifestyle changes and better sleep hygiene.

When it comes to technological solutions, you can use bulbs that stop the blue light, such as the Good Night Biological LED Bulb. Also, you can try blackout shades or devices like Ebb Insomnia Therapy.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that affects up to 20% of the world’s population, and it causes a person’s breathing to be interrupted during sleep. There are two main types of sleep apnea—obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA). Common reasons that
cause sleep apnea are enlarged tonsils or adenoids, smoking, frequent alcohol use, and weight.

Between the two, OSA is the more common one, and it occurs when the soft tissue in our throat collapses while we’re asleep. Its symptoms are daytime sleepiness, restlessness, gasping for air while sleeping, snoring, and fatigue.

When it comes to CSA, the issue starts in our central nervous system. Our breathing isn’t interrupted, but our brain fails to relay the information to our body to breathe.

Many inventions can help with sleep apnea, such as slumberBUMP that nudges you into sleeping on your side. As a result, it prevents the blocking of your airways. Another solution is EPAP by Theravent that regulates your airflow and creates a gentle pressure in your airway,
keeping it open and reducing vibration.

Snoring

If you snore, you’re not alone. Approximately 40% of men and 20% of women snore, which is more than two billion people. It may be caused by sleep deprivation, sleep position, nasal problems, alcohol consumption, or simply due to our mouth’s anatomy.

For example, when muscles surrounding our throat relax during sleep, they cause the airway to get narrower, which then causes the tissue in our throat to vibrate as air passes through.

Luckily, since it’s one of the most common sleeping disorders around the globe, there are many technological solutions that can help with snoring, such as Hupnos’ Snoring Mask, as well as many sleeping solutions, by Phillips.

(Maja Talevska is a content curator and contributor for several different publications, including DealsOnCannabis. As one of her biggest passions, writing is more than just a profession, which is why she always delivers top-notch content.)

More Berries, Apples and Tea May Have Protective Benefits Against Alzheimer’s

Staff ReporterHealth 0

Study shows low intake of flavonoid-rich foods linked with higher Alzheimer’s risk over 20 years
Older adults who consumed small amounts of flavonoid-rich foods, such as berries, apples and tea, were two to four times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias over 20 years compared with people whose intake was higher, according to a new study led by scientists at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University.

The epidemiological study of 2,800 people aged 50 and older examined the long-term relationship between eating foods containing flavonoids and risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). While many studies have looked at associations between nutrition and dementias over short periods of time, the study published today in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at exposure over 20 years.

Flavonoids are natural substances found in plants, including fruits and vegetables such as pears, apples, berries, onions, and plant-based beverages like tea and wine. Flavonoids are associated with various health benefits, including reduced inflammation. Dark chocolate is another source of flavonoids.

The research team determined that low intake of three flavonoid types was linked to higher risk of dementia when compared to the highest intake. Specifically:

Low intake of flavonols (apples, pears and tea) was associated with twice the risk of developing ADRD.
Low intake of anthocyanins (blueberries, strawberries, and red wine) was associated with a four-fold risk of developing ADRD.
Low intake of flavonoid polymers (apples, pears, and tea) was associated with twice the risk of developing ADRD.
The results were similar for AD.

“Our study gives us a picture of how diet over time might be related to a person’s cognitive decline, as we were able to look at flavonoid intake over many years prior to participants’ dementia diagnoses,” said Paul Jacques, senior author and nutritional epidemiologist at the USDA HNRCA. “With no effective drugs currently available for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, preventing disease through a healthy diet is an important consideration.”

The researchers analyzed six types of flavonoids and compared long-term intake levels with the number of AD and ADRD diagnoses later in life. They found that low intake (15th percentile or lower) of three flavonoid types was linked to higher risk of dementia when compared to the highest intake (greater than 60th percentile). Examples of the levels studied included:
Low intake (15th percentile or lower) was equal to no berries (anthocyanins) per month, roughly one-and-a-half apples per month (flavonols), and no tea (flavonoid polymers).

High intake (60th percentile or higher) was equal to roughly 7.5 cups of blueberries or strawberries (anthocyanins) per month, 8 apples and pears per month (flavonols), and 19 cups of tea per month (flavonoid polymers).

“Tea, specifically green tea, and berries are good sources of flavonoids,” said first author Esra Shishtar, who at the time of the study was a doctoral student at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in the Nutritional Epidemiology Program at the USDA HNRCA. “When we look at the study results, we see that the people who may benefit the most from consuming more flavonoids are people at the lowest levels of intake, and it doesn’t take much to improve levels. A cup of tea a day or some berries two or three times a week would be adequate,” she said.

Jacques also said 50, the approximate age at which data was first analyzed for participants, is not too late to make positive dietary changes. “The risk of dementia really starts to increase over age 70, and the take home message is, when you are approaching 50 or just beyond, you should start thinking about a healthier diet if you haven’t already,” he said.

Methodology

To measure long-term flavonoid intake, the research team used dietary questionnaires, filled out at medical exams approximately every four years by participants in the Framingham Heart Study, a largely Caucasian group of people who have been studied over several generations for risk factors of heart disease.

To increase the likelihood that dietary information was accurate, the researchers excluded questionnaires from the years leading up to the dementia diagnosis, based on the assumption that, as cognitive status declined, dietary behavior may have changed, and food questionnaires were more likely to be inaccurate.

The participants were from the Offspring Cohort (children of the original participants), and the data came from exams 5 through 9. At the start of the study, the participants were free of AD and ADRD, with a valid food frequency questionnaire at baseline. Flavonoid intakes were updated at each exam to represent cumulative average intake across the five exam cycles. Researchers categorized flavonoids into six types and created four intake levels based on percentiles: less than or equal to the 15th percentile, 15th-30th percentile, 30th-60th percentile, and greater than 60th percentile. They then compared flavonoid intake types and levels with new diagnoses of AD and ADRD.

There are some limitations to the study, including the use of self-reported food data from food frequency questionnaires, which are subject to errors in recall. The findings are generalizable to middle-aged or older adults of European descent. Factors such as education level, smoking status, physical activity, body mass index and overall quality of the participants’ diets may have influenced the results, but researchers accounted for those factors in the statistical analysis. Due to its observational design, the study does not reflect a causal relationship between flavonoid intake and the development of AD and ADRD.

Authors and funding

Additional authors on the study are Gail T. Rogers at the USDA HNRCA, Jeffrey B. Blumberg at the Friedman School at Tufts, and Rhoda Au at The Framingham Heart Study, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston University School of Public Health.
This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, awards from National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging (R01AG008122, R56AG062109, R01AG016495), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01NS017940), and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (Framingham Heart Study) as well as the Embassy of the State of Kuwait.

Citation

Shishtar, E., Rogers, G.T., Blumberg, J.B., Au R., and Jacques, P.F. (2020). Long-term dietary flavonoid intake and risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in the Framingham Offspring Cohort. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqaa079
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About the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University

For four decades, the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University has studied the relationship between good nutrition and good health in aging populations. Tufts research scientists work with federal agencies to establish the Dietary Guidelines, the Dietary Reference Intakes, and other significant public policies.

AAPI Supports Bipartisan Legislation, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act

Staff ReporterHealth, Politics, U.S. 0

“AAPI supports the Bill, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, announced by Senators Durbin, Perdue, Young, Coons To Introduce Bipartisan Bill Addressing Shortage Of Doctors, Nurses, and urges the Congress to approve the Bill and allow the thousands of Indian American Docors on the backlog list for Green Card List to be abel to serve their patients whole-heartedly without disruption,” said Dr. Sure Reddy, President of AAPI.

Dr. Reddy was responding to a Bill announced by U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, along with Senators David Perdue (R-GA), Todd Young (R-IN), and Chris Coons (D-DE) stating that they will introduce bipartisan legislation, the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, to provide a temporary stopgap to quickly address our nation’s shortage of doctors and nurses, which poses a significant risk to our ability to effectively respond to the COVID-19 crisis.

Healthcare continues to be at the center of the national debate, especially in the context of the global Corona Virus pandemic affecting millions of people in the United States and having taken the lives of several healthcare professionals who have been the forefront caring for the hundreds of thousands of patients diagnosed with the deadly virus.

An estimated 800,000 immigrants who are working legally in the United States are waiting for a green card, an unprecedented backlog in employment-based immigration that has fueled a bitter policy debate but has been largely ignored by the Congress. Most of those waiting for employment-based green cards that would allow them to stay in the United States permanently are Indian nationals. And the backlog among this group is so acute that an Indian national who applies for a green card now can expect to wait up to 50 years to get one. The wait is largely the result of an annual quota unchanged since 1990, and per-country limits enacted decades before the tech boom made India the top source of employment-based green card-seekers.

According to AAPI, there is an ongoing physician shortage, which affects the quality of care provided to American patients. There are patients who face lengthy delays in various specialties, a situation which will worsen over time.

In a detailed Report on Green Card delays affecting Indian American physicians, the Green Card Backlog Task Force by AAPI had pointed out that there are over 10,000 Physicians waiting for Green Card for decades. AAPI members would like to see the Green Card backlog addressed, which it says has adversely impacted the Indian American community. During their annual Legislative Day on Capitol Hill, they have stressed the need for bipartisan efforts that will provide Green Cards to those serving in America’s under-served and rural communities.

Thousands of Indian-American Physicians have been affected by the backlog for Green Card, impacting their ability to work and provided the much needed services for the people affected by the pandemic across the nation. They constitute less than one percent of the country’s population, but account for nine percent of the American physicians. One out of every seven doctors serving in the US is of Indian heritage, providing medical care to over 40 million of US population.

The Senators’ proposal, to be introduced when the Senate reconvenes, would recapture 25,000 unused immigrant visas for nurses and 15,000 unused immigrant visas for doctors that Congress has previously authorized and allocate those visas to doctors and nurses who can help in the fight against COVID-19.

“Consider this: one-sixth of our health care workforce is foreign-born. Immigrant nurses and doctors play a vital role in our health care system, and their contributions are now more crucial than ever. Where would we be in this pandemic without them? It is unacceptable that thousands of doctors currently working in the U.S. on temporary visas are stuck in the green card backlog, putting their futures in jeopardy and limiting their ability to contribute to the fight against COVID-19,” said Durbin.

“This bipartisan, targeted, and timely legislation will strengthen our health care workforce and improve health care access for Americans in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support these vital health care workers.”

“The growing shortage of doctors and nurses over the past decade has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis,” said Sen. Perdue. “Fortunately, there are thousands of trained health professionals who want to practice in the United States. This proposal would simply reallocate a limited number of unused visas from prior years for doctors and nurses who are qualified to help in our fight against COVID-19. This shortage is critical and needs immediate attention so that our healthcare facilities are not overwhelmed in this crisis.”
Specifically, the Senators’ proposal:
Recaptures unused visas from previous fiscal years for doctors, nurses, and their families
Exempts these visas from country caps
Requires employers to attest that immigrants from overseas who receive these visas will not displace an American worker
Requires the Department of Homeland Security and State Department to expedite the processing of recaptured visas
Limits the filing period for recaptured visas to 90 days following the termination of the President’s COVID-19 emergency declaration
“AAPI joins other similar organizations including Illinois Health and Hospital Association, American Hospital Association, American Organization for Nursing Leadership, Physicians for American Healthcare Access, American Immigration Lawyers Association, FWD.us, and National Immigration Forum, that have come in support of The Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act,” said Dr. Sampat Shivangi, Chair of AAPI’s Legislative Committee. .

Dr. Seema Arora, Chair of the Board of Trustees of AAPI, urged the members of Congress to include physicians graduating from U.S. residency programs for Green Cards in the comprehensive immigration reform bill. “Physicians graduating from accredited U.S. residency programs should also receive similar treatment. Such a proposal would enable more physicians to be eligible for Green Cards and address the ongoing physician shortage,” she said.

Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalgadda, President-elect of AAPI, said, “AAPI has once again succeeded in bringing to the forefront the many important health care issues facing the physician community and raising our voice unitedly before the US Congress members.”

“AAPI welcomes this bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Perdue, Durbin, Young and Coons; the bill would help address the critical healthcare shortage in the United States, a weakness that has been evident during the COVID-19 national emergency,” said Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Vice President of AAPI.

“The Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act recognizes the importance and the need of immigrant doctors and nurses and their families. At this critical time, addressing shortages in the health care workforce is imperative. By ensuring unused visas do not go to waste, the bill will help doctors and nurses and their families, who have been waiting in line, immigrate sooner,” said Dr. Ravi Kolli, Secretary of AAPI.

Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI, said, “AAPI has been consistent in bringing to the forefront the many important health care issues facing the physician community and raising our voice unitedly before the US Congress members. And we have been able to discover our own potential to be a player in shaping the health of each patient with a focus on health maintenance than disease intervention and to be a player in crafting the delivery of health care in the most efficient manner as well as to strive for equality in health globally.”

Full text of the bill is available here. A summary of the legislation is available here. A section-by-section of the legislation is available here. For more details on AAPI and its legislative agenda, please visit: www.aapiusa.org

During National Nurses Week, Honoring Indian American Nurses Who Are At The Fore-Front of Corona Fight

Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0

This is Nurses Week. National Nurses Day is observed annually on May 6. On this day, we raise awareness of all nurse contributions and commitments and acknowledge the vital role nurses play in society. This day is also the first day of National Nurses Week and is sometimes known as National RN Recognition Day.

National Nurses Week begins May 6 and ends on May 12, which is the birthday of Florence Nightingale (May 12, 1820 – August 13, 1910).  Florence Nightingale was a celebrated English, social reformer, statistician, and the founder of modern nursing. She became well-known while taking care of the wounded soldiers during the Crimean War. Nightingale was dubbed “The Lady with the Lamp” because of her habit of making rounds at night.

In special week, we honor all Nurses who work in the forefront day in day out saving lives. They dedicate their skills, passion and commitment to saving lives. During this period of COVOI-19 pandemic, the role of Nurses has become more challenging and they risk their own livs at the service of serving humanity.

I want to dedicate this feature honoring some of the wonderful friends of mine, who are Nurses and have put their service to their patients, and risking their own lives.

“On a rainy Sunday morning last weekend, we had just finished breakfast. I was happy that I was able to make Appam and egg curry (a traditional south Indian delicacy) for breakfast after many months. I sat on the couch and was checking the messages on my phone,” Mary (name changed for the report), who is an RN at a large Hospital in the state of Connecticut recalls. “I was shocked to learn that a 41 year old male patient I had admitted and had taken care of for over a week has come positive for Covid-19, the deadly virus that has affected over a million people in the United States alone.”

During National Nurses Week, Honoring Indian American Nurses Who Are At The Fore-Front of Corona FightThis is not the first patient Mary had worked with for weeks/days, not knowing that the patient had hidden symptoms of Covid-19 since the pandemic broke out over two months ago. The fear of being exposed to the symptoms while serving patients who are not diagnosed with but carry the virus, has been devastating.

Mary does not work on a Unit assigned to work with Covid positive patients, but has been unknowingly caring for many such patients, risking her own life and that of her family. Mini was called to work on the Corona Units, which have now come to be occupying entire five Floors in addition to the ICU/EDs in her hospital because of an overwhelming flow of people diagnosed with the deadly virus.

The lack of adequate Tests for corona virus leads to the healthcare professionals, who are the heart and soul of healthcare delivery system, being exposed to and being infected themselves and endangering the safety of their loved ones at home. “It’s a nightmare going to work,” Mary says. “Seeing my colleagues one by one falling victim to this virus has made me nervous about going to hospital every morning.”

 “A vast majority of the nearly two dozen clinical staff on my Unit have become positive for the virus,” Mary reports with anxiety and fear. “One of my colleagues, with whom I have worked for over a decade has been in the ICU for over two weeks now, struggling for her life. Another colleague, and everyone in her family have been positive for the virus. Many others from my Unit are still recovering or struggling recover from the deadly virus that has taken away nearly 60,000 lives in the country.”

Mary herself had shown symptoms that go with people diagnosed with Corona virus, and has been self-quarantining for the past six weeks, mostly isolating in her room after work and with minimum contact with her husband and their three daughters.

The experiences of Nurses who are in the front line caring for patients have been traumatic to say the least. Sumana Gaddam, President of IANA-North Carolina, says, “Nurses are the life and soul of the healthcare profession, providing comfort, kindness, and care to patient’s every day. It’s indeed a challenging job that requires hard work, dedication, and a very thick skin. Nurses are the ultimate healthcare monitors – vigilant observers and problem solvers, poised to take action whatever the challenge. Our mindset is one of preserving the unique attributes of our roles while embracing the progress that helps us excel.”

During this pandemic affecting the entire world, the role of Nurses has become even more challenging in every possible way. Ciji, an ER Nurse at a local hospital in the state of Connecticut says, “When I first heard about Covid-19, I never in my wildest dreams thought it would be this bad.”

Challenges of working with the Covid patients is not limited to work alone. “Since the first day of caring for Covid patients, I had isolated myself at home. I am very concerned about the safety of my family as I could bring this virus home any day with me. I have my kids, husband and more importantly my elderly parents who are vulnerable to this virus. I want to keep them safe.”

Describing her work and the challenges at work, Ciji says, “The stress level at work is unprecedented. We work hard to keep people alive. It’s painful and traumatic to watch my patients die without being allowed to see their loved ones even at death bed. Working in ICU wearing N95 mask for 13 hours gives me terrible headaches. I get home and cry in the shower because I don’t want my family to see it.”

Experiencing this self isolation for weeks takes a toll on Ciji and the entire family. “I wish to hug my kids but I can’t. My 3 year old daughter knocks at my bedroom door but I can’t open the door to let her in. You will only be able to understand this pain when you go through it,” Liji says with tears rolling down her eyes.

During National Nurses Week, Honoring Indian American Nurses Who Are At The Fore-Front of Corona Fight

Ciji’s experience is shared by numerous colleagues around the nation and world. Shyla who works in the Medical ICU at a leading healthcare facility in Connecticut says, “In the past few weeks, the entire unit is filled with only COVID patients now. The large ICU has been turned into exclusively for treating COVID patients, calling it now Covid-ICU.”

Describing that all the patients with are “extremely sick, and most of them are on the Ventilator for weeks now, it is very depressing to work with patients during this pandemic,” Shyla says,  “We are working hard all day and night, don’t see the progress in several patients.”

“It’s even more stressful when I return home after serving the patients in the hospital. My kids, particularly, my 2 year old Jace is always waiting at the door and wants to come to me, but I am running away from him to my room for fear of infecting my precisions children and husband with the virus. It’s heart breaking, when my little Jace knocks on my door and asks, “Where are you?” My life has turned upside down. After working in ICU at the hospital, I am isolating myself in my room in the house.”

Kavya from Long Island, New York who works in a Rehabilitation Unit at a local hospital says, “Now we are treating only post Covid patients on my Unit. Among all the patients and negative news about the losses, I was glad to discharge a 68yrs old patient home last week. He had come to the hospital for kidney transplant, and had subsequently developed Covid and was faced with several complications.

There are several Nurses who have sacrificed their lives while caring for the patients with Covid 19. Aleyamma John, 65, a registered nurse at a New York City Queens Hospital Center, passed away on Tuesday, April 7. She began her career at Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation, before moving on to the NYC Health + Hospitals system in 2003.

“We honor Aleyamma’s record of service to the patients of New York, and her career spanning record of National Association of Indian Nurses of America (NAINA) membership and participation,” Agnes Therady, RN, and currently serving as the President of NAINA, the foremost organization for all professional nurses of Asian Indian heritage in the US since 2006, said.

These Nurses are among the thousands of Registered Nurses of Indian Origin in the New York Tri-state area and around the nation who have been in the forefront providing professional nursing care to thousands and thousands of COVID-19 patients.

Nursing has an incredible journey, from where nurses used the second hand of a wristwatch to calculate IV drip rates, universal precautions didn’t exist and nurse lived by the kardex, a roadmap to all things for the patient care to present time where it is highly specialized in every aspect of health care delivery, education, research, and policy formation.

Nursing is a much broader career now and plays a key role at all levels of health care. Today, we are more likely to find an RN teaching at a university, conducting research or occupying hospital administrative positions than we were a decade ago. At the same time, preserving and practicing the time-honored skills of listening, therapeutic conversation, and personal touch in caring for patients and families.

Sumana Gaddam rightly points out, “Nurses aspire to create a kind of culture that “Everyone Matters”, a culture that puts people first and where true success is measured by the way we touch the lives of people in which all members can realize their professional and personal gifts matters and share those gifts with others. Everyone matters is about everybody’s value, that we all count, that we all should stand tall for who we are, as we are. At the end, it is about truly caring for every precious human being whose life we touch. It’s all about bringing our deepest sense of right authentic caring and high ideas to this association.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Projections 2016-2026, Registered Nursing (RN) is listed among the top occupations in terms of job growth through 2026. The RN workforce is expected to grow from 2.9 million in 2016 to 3.4 million in 2026, an increase of 438,100 or 15%. The Bureau also projects the need for an additional 203,700 new RNs each year through 2026 to fill newly created positions and to replace retiring nurses.

During National Nurses Week, Honoring Indian American Nurses Who Are At The Fore-Front of Corona FightIn the July 2017 Journal of Nursing Regulation, Dr. Peter Buerhaus and colleagues project an accelerating rate of RN retirements with one million RNs expected to retire by 2030 and that “the departure of such a large cohort of experienced RNs means that patient care settings and other organizations that depend on RNs will face a significant loss of nursing knowledge and expertise that will be felt for years to come.”

As U.S. health care facilities struggle to fill current registered nurse staffing vacancies, a more critical nurse undersupply has been foreseen over the next few decades. In response, many institutions are doubling their efforts to attract and retain nurses, and many more Nursing Schools are opening up and the existing schools are expanding their programs accommodating more students. In the interim, foreign nurses are increasingly being sought, creating a lucrative business for new recruiting agencies both at home and abroad.

Nurses who migrate from India to the US undergo both socio-cultural and workplace adjustments. They deal with loss, change and sacrifice. Workplace adjustments include communication issues, dealing with a new healthcare system and adapting to an expanded role of nurses. However, in a very short time, they adapt and master the skills and shine as the best among the Nursing community.

The United States, while not the world’s largest recruiter of foreign nurses, is recruiting greater numbers than it ever did in the past and is poised to greatly increase those efforts. During the past fifty years the United States has regularly imported nurses to ease its nurse shortages. Although the proportion of foreign nurses has never exceeded 5 percent of the U.S. nurse workforce, that figure is now slowly rising.

After slowing in the second half of the 1990s, nurse migration to the United States increased, with the Philippines still leading the way for an even larger group of countries. After 1998 the foreign nurse proportion steadily grew, topping 14 percent in 2003. The growth since 2001 is particularly noteworthy because it occurred as the number of U.S.-trained RNs rose, reversing declines since 1995.

Although foreign-trained nurses now account for around 5 percent of the total U.S. nursing workforce, they represent a growing percentage of newly licensed nurses.  However, as jobs have become harder to find in the US market, the immigration process has been put on hold. With this, the Nursing professionals from India and many other nations around the world have begun to face an uncertain future but by driving toward the changes in future in a proactive strategy, they can be better prepared to meet the challenges.

Nurses from India and those of Indian origin have made an impact on the patients they care for.  In recent decades, the US has been looking to India to alleviate its shortage for nurses as Indian schools are churning out professionals matching American standards. “India is now being recognized as an area which offers bachelor-degree nurses and a good health care system with an abundance of nurses,” Mary Prascher, HRD manager at Texas- based Triad Hospitals was quoted as saying by the Dallas Morning News. . ”It is the next revolution,” said Sujana Chakravarty, secretary general of the Trained Nurses Association of India, a trade group in New Delhi. ”And nurses are already outwitting software programmers by getting paid a lot better.”

Indian American Nurses like the physicians serving millions of patients in the US, have come to be known for their compassion, dedication and clinical skills, touching thousands of lives daily. Nurses educated in India make up one of the largest groups of internationally educated nurses in the United States. Internationally educated nurses from India is the third largest group of internationally educated RNs serving patients in the country.

Johns Hopkins University nursing ethics expert Cynda Rushton, interviewed on the hub.jhu.edu website, correctly said, “It’s a time of great stress and uncertainty, and nurses are rising to the challenge.” A few weeks ago, she helped create the Frontline Nurses Wikiwisdom Forum, a virtual safe space where nurses can share their challenges and experiences during COVID-19, the news report said.

Rushton sums up the role of today’s nurses in these words in her interview -“Nurses are often the last thread of compassion for patients. They’re the ones doing the screenings, taking care of the critically ill, implementing triage protocols, communicating to families, and attending to the dying.   Nurses in every role are impacted. They’re being asked to work in areas of the hospital that aren’t their normal specialty.”

While expressing deep sorrow for the loss of Asian American Nurses and several others, who have been diagnosed with Covid positive, Agnes Therady says, “As we look to the future, I am confident that we can work together to improve our lives and that of others, innovate our practice, and rise to the top as authentic leaders and exceptional nurses. The success of NAINA is largely driven by the dedication and commitment of its members, their countless hours of selfless service and hard work.”

Nurses such as Mary, Shyla, Ciji and Kavaya continue to play a critical role in alleviating patients of their illnesses, especially during this time of pandemic. They are showing the way for many others from Indian and other nations to come and continue to provide critical care to the patients in this country. While they are in the forefront treating patients and impacted by the struggles of the patients, and being isolated in their own homes, away from their loved ones, for fear of bringing home the virus from the hospitals they are committed to serve, they are hopeful and are satisfied that they touch so many lives daily, giving them health and hope.

Paul, a Nursing Administrator from Long Island says, “Nervousness, anxiety and fear initially overwhelmed those who were called upon to respond to those fighting for life. As they provided care and comfort, many of them themselves became ill and recovered.  They became more resilient, proud and altruistic.”

Shyla says, “It was very stressful in the beginning, and now we have come around to accept the reality.” A devout believer in God and in her Faith, Shyla believes, “When I help and do the services for these most vulnerable people during this pandemic, God will protect Me and My Family.”

During these testing times, it’s a challenge to stay positive at work and at home. Kavaya and her husband who also works in the healthcare field were both positive for Covid. They have now recovered from the deadly virus and have returned to work. Kavya says, “I hope we have some antibodies at home. My two daughters are doing their on-line classes, which they are not excited about. But this is the new reality we have to live with day in day out.”

Ciji is proud that she has been able to help patients, especially in this critical time. “Nursing is my calling. When my duty calls I can’t fail. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I wish and pray for this situation to get better so that the people can be safe and I can be with my family.”

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare in the United States: Where will Healthcare be Post-Pandemic?

Ajay GhoshHealth 0

Medicare will pay for telehealth services at the same rates as in-person services, Seema Verma, Keynote Speaker announces during Webinar organized by AAPI

Physicians across the globe are faced with several challenges during the COVOD pandemic that has affected the lives of billions of people around the world. The way they provide care to the patients, the risks associated with changes in patient care practices, liability issues and shortage of physicians to provide much needed care to patients are only some of them. Physicians are called upon to care for patients across the state boundaries and Medical students are graduating early to meet the ever growing needs of providing care for patients with multiple needs. There are several unanswered questions as to the need, the scope, protection and payment issues physicians are faced with in this new era of providing quality care.
In this context, a very timely and relevant panel discussion covering a wide range of topics of importance to the Doctors and the larger community was organized by American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI). A panel of esteemed speakers, including Seema Verma from the CMS and White House Coronavirus Task Force; Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, AMA Board of Trustees; Dr. Sheila Rege, AMA Council on CMS, and, Dr. Humayun J Chaudhry from the Federation of State Medical Board and Mike Stinson from the Medical Physician Liability Association addressed the nearly 300 Physicians on Saturday night, May 2nd.
“Thank you for your tireless work battling the Corona virus,” Seema Verma, the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, who oversees a $1 trillion dollar federal budget, representing 26% of the total federal budget, and administers health coverage programs for more than 140 million Americans,  told the Physicians who had joined the weekend Webinar via Zoom.
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare in the United States: Where will Healthcare be Post-Pandemic?Administrator Seema Verma addressed the AAPI members on “the emergence of Telehealth, which we have come to embrace, and has brought joy in our face. Federal Health has made it easier with equal pay for in person and tele-health services. “ Cautioning that “the war is far from over. There is a decline in the number of cases, Verma said, “CMS has acted swiftly to help 340 million people.” Administrator Seema Verma praised the “Sacrifices of the healthcare professionals across the nation who have helped to reduce the trend.”
Telehealth is a critical response to the need and the Administration has taken it to unprecedented levels, Administrator Seema Verma told the Doctors. “Accelerated telehealth services have pushed us to new heights. Medicare recently expanded its coverage of telehealth services. Telehealth enables beneficiaries to receive a wider range of healthcare services from doctors without having to travel to a healthcare facility. It also helps frontline clinicians stay safe themselves while treating people, she said.
“I have fond memories of AAPI growing up,” Dr. Humayun J. Chaudhry, President and CEO, Federation of State Medical Boards said. “AMA is very active during this pandemic. AMA is very engaged in how to integrate scientific data into practice and enable them to get the payment for services.”  He shared about FSMB Pandemic Preparedness Task Force, established on February 25, 2020 and the several initiatives. “The states and territories have shown extraordinary flexibility by temporarily waiving or modifying licensure requirements,” he said. “All the states and territories declared a public health emergency,” responding to the needs of the larger community, and have implemented Temporary Licensure Changes for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) allowing them to serve the people affected by the pandemic.
Dr. Michael C. Stinson, the Vice President of Government Relations and Public Policy for the Medical Professional Liability Association addressed the AAPI members on Medical Professional Liability issue. He said, the state of New York is ahead on this issue, offering healthcare protection on Good Samaritan Provision, allowing all Physicians practicing within the state to have protection against liability. State allows everyone gets protection. We hope it expands to the whole nation. While these emergency proclamations could expire after the pandemic is over, we are hoping to have it expanded beyond Covid.
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare in the United States: Where will Healthcare be Post-Pandemic?Dr. Sheila Rege in her address said, “We have truly witnessed a modern-day transformation – both patients and doctors embraced telehealth so we were able to maintain access to medical care while keeping ourselves and our patients safe. A big shout out to Seema Verma and her agency for being so nimble. For me, Telehealth may have restored that intangible personal element. I see outpatients in their homes, surrounded by their families. So maybe telehealth is the secret sauce to restoring the joy of medicine! Four key events helped make this rapid change possible.”
AMA worked with CMS to instantaneously create new COVID 19 payment codes. This was truly a herculean team effort. DURING COVID, Medicare patients can have office visits, mental health counseling and preventive healthcare screenings and 85 additional services through telehealth. This was and IS a great idea, as health care is rarely about a single health issue especially in older patients, Sheila Rege pointed out. “This needs to be made permanent AFTER COVID. It will reduce unnecessary emergency room visits.”
Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, President of the Michigan State Medical society and in 2017 was elected to the AMA Board of Trustees which is responsible for implementing AMA policy. He said, Medicare will pay for telehealth services at the same rates as in-person services, giving doctors and other medical professionals the opportunity to reserve their offices to treat those who truly require in-person care, she said. “We know many Medicare beneficiaries are concerned about the spread of coronavirus and the threat it poses to their well-being. That’s why we’ve taken these rapid steps to ensure that the Medicare program continues to protect our beneficiaries while maintaining trusted access to care in these uncertain times.”
Dr. Jayesh Shah, Past President of AAPI, moderator of the Q&A session, said, “COVID has changed our lives and the medical profession for ever.” Dr. Jayesh Shah introduced each of the panelist to the audience and facilitated the Q7A. Dr. Deepak Kumar pointed out that one out of every four physicians is IMG. They are the fabric of US Health Care and provides quality and necessary care in eve ry corner of this great country. In 2018 AMA wrote a letter to UCICS asking for a legal status green card for IMG’s it is very important that AMA follows through on that letter as at present we feel that it is very important that we do not lose any of the physicians who are servicing underserved rural area or critical access hospital.
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare in the United States: Where will Healthcare be Post-Pandemic?Dr. Harbhajan Ajrawat asked of Mike Stinson to describe some of the drastic protection NYS has offered to facilitate doctors who have stepped forward to possibly sacrifice their life to treat the pandemic. He wanted to know of the liability protections should doctors anticipate these will stay after the pandemic.  Dr. Bhushan Pandya inquired about how have different states accommodated volunteer physicians? Has this Pandemic changed the outlook towards Interstate Medical Licensure Compact? What role has FSMB played during this pandemic? Dr. Roshan Shah wanted to know the short term and long term plans to monitor how NP and other level providers have received parity during pandemic in several states, while physicians have lost battles with Scope of practice issues in several states.
Dr. Vidya Kora wanted help to understand what AMA is doing to help physicians in incorporating Augmented Intelligence in their practices. Dr. Sampat Shivangi wanted to know about impact of sweeping scope of practice changes allowing physician extenders to practice on their one to help with the dire need of healthcare workers in some areas hard hit and what we can expect in the future to repeal this and also if the NP and PA will have higher malpractice cost given the responsibility of practicing not under a physicians license.
“It is going to be a robust and dynamic collaboration amongst our AAPI community and leaders from various organization including HHS, the AMA, Federation of state medical licensing board and Medical Professional Liability Association,” said Dr. Ami Shah, who was instrumental in organizing the webinar. Setting the theme for the nearly two hours long webinar, Dr. Ami Shah said, “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to assemble our distinguished panel of speakers and welcome them here tonight.”
Dr. Ami Shah, who has served on the AMA Women Physicians Section Governing Council-representing nearly 90,000 female in the USA and as the current American College of Radiology AMA Delegate, representing 40,000 radiologists, and has served taking on various roles as a leader in the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, as Chair of the Women’s Committee and now Academic Affairs Committee, said, “Our Focus this evening is the Impact of the COVID 19 Pandemic on Health Care in the United States: Where we think health care will be post-pandemic?”
Earlier, Dr. Seema Arora, Chair, AAPI BOT, welcomed the panelists and speakers and the audience to the webinar. In his vote of thanks,  Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI, while expressing gratitude to the panelists and speakers and those who had put together the webinar on behalf of AAPI, said, “As a result of COVID-19, Telehealth was rapidly implemented and has been utilized now more than ever before. There have been sweeping effects and much needed changes to HIPAA guidelines and relaxing interstate medical licensing requirements, broader legal liability coverage in some states, CMS has addressed Telehealth reimbursement, and much more. Health care in the USA was transformed almost overnight as we faced this existential threat to our health.” For more details on AAPI and its many initiatives, please visit: www.aapisa.org

200,000 Indians register to be repatriated from UAE

Staff ReporterHealth, Travel 0

Indian Embassy in US calls for registration of Indian Citizens to be transported back to India

Almost 200,000 Indians have registered with the country’s missions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for repatriation flights that will begin operating from May 7, with officials saying priority would be given to workers who have lost jobs and people with medical emergencies.

The Indian government had on Monday announced it would begin repatriating Indians stranded around the world because of the Covid-19 crisis from May 7 and authorities said naval ships and chartered flights would bring back hundreds of thousands of people in phases.

“Given that the Embassy/Consulate have received almost 200,000 registrations for travelling back, it will take time for all people to be accommodated on these flights,” said a statement issued by the Indian consulate in Dubai late on Monday.

The first two special flights from the UAE to India will operate from Abu Dhabi to Kochi and from Dubai to Kozhikode on Thursday, the statement said. “The passenger lists for both these flights will be finalised by the Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and the Consulate General of India, Dubai, on the basis of registrations in the…database for this purpose launched a few days back,” it added.

The statement said priority would be given to “workers in distress, elderly people, urgent medical cases, pregnant women as well as to other people who are stranded in difficult situations”.

The cost of tickets and other facilities, such as quarantine after reaching India, would be “conveyed in due course and will have to be accepted by each passenger”, the statement said.

However, experts from the UAE’s aviation and travel industries indicated to Gulf News that the cost of a ticket on the special flights would be almost double the price of a normal ticket for this time of the year.

 “A one-way repatriation ticket to Delhi will cost approximately Dh 1,400-Dh 1,650 – this would earlier have cost between Dh 600-Dh 700 [during these months],” said Jamal Abdulnazar, CEO of Cozmo Travel.

“A one-way repatriation flight ticket to Kerala would cost approximately Dh 1,900-Dh 2,300,” he said.

Gulf News reported that price could be a burden for a majority of people taking these flights because they had “either lost their jobs or are sending back their families because of uncertainty on the work front”. The aviation and travel industry experts said the higher rates couldn’t be avoided because social distancing norms would limit the number of passengers on each flight.

Indian ambassador Pavan Kapoor told the daily that the missions in the UAE had “prioritised the list of passengers and given it to Air India”. He added, “We would call and email each passenger to contact Air India to get their tickets issued. The first two flights on Thursday would be to Kerala, considering the high number of applicants from the state.”

One of the three Indian Navy ships that set off on Monday night to evacuate stranded Indians – INS Shardul – will go to Dubai to bring back expatriates, the defence ministry said. The other two warships – INS Jalashwa and INS Magar – were sent to the Maldives. All three warships will return to Kochi.

Kapoor also said there would be flights almost on a daily basis to various destinations in India. Other officials said Indians stranded in the UAE with visit and tourist visas and those with cancelled visas would also be given preference for returning home.

The Indian missions in the UAE will convey details of further flights to different destinations in India in the coming days. “We seek patience and cooperation from everyone as the Government of India undertakes this massive task of repatriation of Indian nationals,” the statement said.

The UAE is home to more than two million Indian expatriates. Their welfare figured in a telephone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed on March 26.

Transport from USA

As per the press release issued by Ministry of Home Affairs on 4 May 2020, Government of India will be facilitating the return of Indian nationals stranded abroad on compelling grounds in phased a manner. Details may be seen at Click Here

The purpose of this form is only to collect relevant information for planning purposes by the Government of India. The Embassy/Consulate will inform you about the commencement of flights from US to India. Incomplete forms will not be considered.

In case of any flights arranged from the U.S. to India, one must agree to:

  • Undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine, either in a hospital or in an institutional quarantine on payment-basis, on my arrival in India as per the protocols framed by the Government of India;
  • Bear the expenditure of travel and mandatory quarantine for self and family members;
  • Abide by the instructions and requirements as detailed by the crew of the flight/Embassy or Consulate/Government of India/ medical personnel before, during and after boarding of the flight, and also after disembarkation at the designated airport in India; and
  • Submit the undertaking as provided at (Download Undertaking Form), to authorized Embassy/ Consulate staff before boarding the flight.
  • Register on the Aarogya Setu App on reaching destination

In order to register online, please apply online at: https://indianembassyusa.gov.in/reg_indian_nationals

Indian American Nurses At The Fore-Front of Corona Fight – Challenges At Work And Impact On Family Life

Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0

“On a rainy Sunday morning last weekend, we had just finished breakfast. I was happy that I was able to make Appam and egg curry (a traditional south Indian delicacy) for breakfast after many months. I sat on the couch and was checking the messages on my phone,” Mary (name changed for the report), who is an RN at a large Hospital in the state of Connecticut recalls. “I was shocked to learn that a 41 year old male patient I had admitted and had taken care of for over a week has come positive for Covid-19, the deadly virus that has affected over a million people in the United States alone.”

This is not the first patient Mary had worked with for weeks/days, not knowing that the patient had hidden symptoms of Covid-19 since the pandemic broke out over two months ago. The fear of being exposed to the symptoms while serving patients who are not diagnosed with but carry the virus, has been devastating.

Mary does not work on a Unit assigned to work with Covid positive patients, but has been unknowingly caring for many such patients, risking her own life and that of her family. Mini was called to work on the Corona Units, which have now come to be occupying entire five Floors in addition to the ICU/EDs in her hospital because of an overwhelming flow of people diagnosed with the deadly virus.

The lack of adequate Tests for corona virus leads to the healthcare professionals, who are the heart and soul of healthcare delivery system, being exposed to and being infected themselves and endangering the safety of their loved ones at home. “It’s a nightmare going to work,” Mini says. “Seeing my colleagues one by one falling victim to this virus has made me nervous about going to hospital every morning.”

Indian American Nurses At The Fore-Front of Corona Fight - Challenges At Work And Impact On Family Life“A vast majority of the nearly two dozen clinical staff on my Unit have become positive for the virus,” Mary reports with anxiety and fear. “One of my colleagues, with whom I have worked for over a decade has been in the ICU for over two weeks now, struggling for her life. Another colleague, and everyone in her family have been positive for the virus. Many others from my Unit are still recovering or struggling recover from the deadly virus that has taken away nearly 60,000 lives in the country.”

Mary herself had shown symptoms that go with people diagnosed with Corona virus, and has been self-quarantining for the past six weeks, mostly isolating in her room after work and with minimum contact with her husband and their three daughters.

The experiences of Nurses who are in the front line caring for patients have been traumatic to say the least. Sumana Gaddam, President of IANA-North Carolina, says, “Nurses are the life and soul of the healthcare profession, providing comfort, kindness, and care to patient’s every day. It’s indeed a challenging job that requires hard work, dedication, and a very thick skin. Nurses are the ultimate healthcare monitors – vigilant observers and problem solvers, poised to take action whatever the challenge. Our mindset is one of preserving the unique attributes of our roles while embracing the progress that helps us excel.”

During this pandemic affecting the entire world, the role of Nurses has become even more challenging in every possible way. Ciji, an ER Nurse at a local hospital in the state of Connecticut says, “When I first heard about Covid-19, I never in my wildest dreams thought it would be this bad.”

Challenges of working with the Covid patients is not limited to work alone. “Since the first day of caring for Covid patients, I had isolated myself at home. I am very concerned about the safety of my family as I could bring this virus home any day with me. I have my kids, husband and more importantly my elderly parents who are vulnerable to this virus. I want to keep them safe.”

Describing her work and the challenges at work, Ciji says, “The stress level at work is unprecedented. We work hard to keep people alive. It’s painful and traumatic to watch my patients die without being allowed to see their loved ones even at death bed. Working in ICU wearing N95 mask for 13 hours gives me terrible headaches. I get home and cry in the shower because I don’t want my family to see it.”

Experiencing this self isolation for weeks takes a toll on Ciji and the entire family. “I wish to hug my kids but I can’t. My 3 year old daughter knocks at my bedroom door but I can’t open the door to let her in. You will only be able to understand this pain when you go through it,” Liji says with tears rolling down her eyes.

Ciji’s experience is shared by numerous colleagues around the nation and world. Shyla who works in the Medical ICU at a leading healthcare facility in Connecticut says, “In the past few weeks, the entire unit is filled with only COVID patients now. The large ICU has been turned into exclusively for treating COVID patients, calling it now Covid-ICU.”

Describing that all the patients with are “extremely sick, and most of them are on the Ventilator for weeks now, it is very depressing to work with patients during this pandemic,” Shyla says,  “We are working hard all day and night, don’t see the progress in several patients.”

Indian American Nurses At The Fore-Front of Corona Fight - Challenges At Work And Impact On Family Life“It’s even more stressful when I return home after serving the patients in the hospital. My kids, particularly, my 2 year old Jace is always waiting at the door and wants to come to me, but I am running away from him to my room for fear of infecting my precisions children and husband with the virus. It’s heart breaking, when my little Jace knocks on my door and asks, “Where are you?” My life has turned upside down. After working in ICU at the hospital, I am isolating myself in my room in the house.”

Kavya from Long Island, New York who works in a Rehabilitation Unit at a local hospital says, “Now we are treating only post Covid patients on my Unit. Among all the patients and negative news about the losses, I was glad to discharge a 68yrs old patient home last week. He had come to the hospital for kidney transplant, and had subsequently developed Covid and was faced with several complications.

There are several Nurses who have sacrificed their lives while caring for the patients with Covid 19. Aleyamma John, 65, a registered nurse at a New York City Queens Hospital Center, passed away on Tuesday, April 7. She began her career at Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation, before moving on to the NYC Health + Hospitals system in 2003.

“We honor Aleyamma’s record of service to the patients of New York, and her career spanning record of National Association of Indian Nurses of America (NAINA) membership and participation,” Agnes Therady, RN, and currently serving as the President of NAINA, the foremost organization for all professional nurses of Asian Indian heritage in the US since 2006, said.

These Nurses are among the thousands of Registered Nurses of Indian Origin in the New York Tri-state area and around the nation who have been in the forefront providing professional nursing care to thousands and thousands of COVID-19 patients.

Nursing has an incredible journey, from where nurses used the second hand of a wristwatch to calculate IV drip rates, universal precautions didn’t exist and nurse lived by the kardex, a roadmap to all things for the patient care to present time where it is highly specialized in every aspect of health care delivery, education, research, and policy formation.

Nursing is a much broader career now and plays a key role at all levels of health care. Today, we are more likely to find an RN teaching at a university, conducting research or occupying hospital administrative positions than we were a decade ago. At the same time, preserving and practicing the time-honored skills of listening, therapeutic conversation, and personal touch in caring for patients and families.

Indian American Nurses At The Fore-Front of Corona Fight - Challenges At Work And Impact On Family LifeSumana Gaddam rightly points out, “Nurses aspire to create a kind of culture that “Everyone Matters”, a culture that puts people first and where true success is measured by the way we touch the lives of people in which all members can realize their professional and personal gifts matters and share those gifts with others. Everyone matters is about everybody’s value, that we all count, that we all should stand tall for who we are, as we are. At the end, it is about truly caring for every precious human being whose life we touch. It’s all about bringing our deepest sense of right authentic caring and high ideas to this association.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Projections 2016-2026, Registered Nursing (RN) is listed among the top occupations in terms of job growth through 2026. The RN workforce is expected to grow from 2.9 million in 2016 to 3.4 million in 2026, an increase of 438,100 or 15%. The Bureau also projects the need for an additional 203,700 new RNs each year through 2026 to fill newly created positions and to replace retiring nurses.

In the July 2017 Journal of Nursing Regulation, Dr. Peter Buerhaus and colleagues project an accelerating rate of RN retirements with one million RNs expected to retire by 2030 and that “the departure of such a large cohort of experienced RNs means that patient care settings and other organizations that depend on RNs will face a significant loss of nursing knowledge and expertise that will be felt for years to come.”

As U.S. health care facilities struggle to fill current registered nurse staffing vacancies, a more critical nurse undersupply has been foreseen over the next few decades. In response, many institutions are doubling their efforts to attract and retain nurses, and many more Nursing Schools are opening up and the existing schools are expanding their programs accommodating more students. In the interim, foreign nurses are increasingly being sought, creating a lucrative business for new recruiting agencies both at home and abroad.

Nurses who migrate from India to the US undergo both socio-cultural and workplace adjustments. They deal with loss, change and sacrifice. Workplace adjustments include communication issues, dealing with a new healthcare system and adapting to an expanded role of nurses. However, in a very short time, they adapt and master the skills and shine as the best among the Nursing community.

The United States, while not the world’s largest recruiter of foreign nurses, is recruiting greater numbers than it ever did in the past and is poised to greatly increase those efforts. During the past fifty years the United States has regularly imported nurses to ease its nurse shortages. Although the proportion of foreign nurses has never exceeded 5 percent of the U.S. nurse workforce, that figure is now slowly rising.

After slowing in the second half of the 1990s, nurse migration to the United States increased, with the Philippines still leading the way for an even larger group of countries. After 1998 the foreign nurse proportion steadily grew, topping 14 percent in 2003. The growth since 2001 is particularly noteworthy because it occurred as the number of U.S.-trained RNs rose, reversing declines since 1995.

Although foreign-trained nurses now account for around 5 percent of the total U.S. nursing workforce, they represent a growing percentage of newly licensed nurses.  However, as jobs have become harder to find in the US market, the immigration process has been put on hold. With this, the Nursing professionals from India and many other nations around the world have begun to face an uncertain future but by driving toward the changes in future in a proactive strategy, they can be better prepared to meet the challenges.

Nurses from India and those of Indian origin have made an impact on the patients they care for.  In recent decades, the US has been looking to India to alleviate its shortage for nurses as Indian schools are churning out professionals matching American standards. “India is now being recognized as an area which offers bachelor-degree nurses and a good health care system with an abundance of nurses,” Mary Prascher, HRD manager at Texas- based Triad Hospitals was quoted as saying by the Dallas Morning News. . ”It is the next revolution,” said Sujana Chakravarty, secretary general of the Trained Nurses Association of India, a trade group in New Delhi. ”And nurses are already outwitting software programmers by getting paid a lot better.”

Indian American Nurses like the physicians serving millions of patients in the US, have come to be known for their compassion, dedication and clinical skills, touching thousands of lives daily. Nurses educated in India make up one of the largest groups of internationally educated nurses in the United States. Internationally educated nurses from India is the third largest group of internationally educated RNs serving patients in the country.

Johns Hopkins University nursing ethics expert Cynda Rushton, interviewed on the hub.jhu.edu website, correctly said, “It’s a time of great stress and uncertainty, and nurses are rising to the challenge.” A few weeks ago, she helped create the Frontline Nurses Wikiwisdom Forum, a virtual safe space where nurses can share their challenges and experiences during COVID-19, the news report said.

Rushton sums up the role of today’s nurses in these words in her interview -“Nurses are often the last thread of compassion for patients. They’re the ones doing the screenings, taking care of the critically ill, implementing triage protocols, communicating to families, and attending to the dying.   Nurses in every role are impacted. They’re being asked to work in areas of the hospital that aren’t their normal specialty.”

While expressing deep sorrow for the loss of Asian American Nurses and several others, who have been diagnosed with Covid positive, Agnes Therady says, “As we look to the future, I am confident that we can work together to improve our lives and that of others, innovate our practice, and rise to the top as authentic leaders and exceptional nurses. The success of NAINA is largely driven by the dedication and commitment of its members, their countless hours of selfless service and hard work.”

Nurses such as Mary, Shyla, Ciji and Kavaya continue to play a critical role in alleviating patients of their illnesses, especially during this time of pandemic. They are showing the way for many others from Indian and other nations to come and continue to provide critical care to the patients in this country. While they are in the forefront treating patients and impacted by the struggles of the patients, and being isolated in their own homes, away from their loved ones, for fear of bringing home the virus from the hospitals they are committed to serve, they are hopeful and are satisfied that they touch so many lives daily, giving them health and hope.

Paul, a Nursing Administrator from Long Island says, “Nervousness, anxiety and fear initially overwhelmed those who were called upon to respond to those fighting for life. As they provided care and comfort, many of them themselves became ill and recovered.  They became more resilient, proud and altruistic.”

Shyla says, “It was very stressful in the beginning, and now we have come around to accept the reality.” A devout believer in God and in her Faith, Shyla believes, “When I help and do the services for these most vulnerable people during this pandemic, God will protect Me and My Family.”

During these testing times, it’s a challenge to stay positive at work and at home. Kavaya and her husband who also works in the healthcare field were both positive for Covid. They have now recovered from the deadly virus and have returned to work. Kavya says, “I hope we have some antibodies at home. My two daughters are doing their on-line classes, which they are not excited about. But this is the new reality we have to live with day in day out.”

Ciji is proud that she has been able to help patients, especially in this critical time. “Nursing is my calling. When my duty calls I can’t fail. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I wish and pray for this situation to get better so that the people can be safe and I can be with my family.”

Study finds Gilead drug remdesivir works against coronavirus

Staff ReporterHealth 0

For the first time, a major study suggests that an experimental drug works against the new coronavirus, and U.S. government officials said Wednesday that they would work to make it available to appropriate patients as quickly as possible.

In a study of 1,063 patients sick enough to be hospitalized, Gilead Sciences’s remdesivir shortened the time to recovery by 31% – 11 days on average versus 15 days for those just given usual care, officials said. The drug also might be reducing deaths, although that’s not certain from the partial results revealed so far.

“What it has proven is that a drug can block this virus,” the National Institutes of Health’s Dr. Anthony Fauci said.

“This will be the standard of care,” and any other potential treatments will now have to be tested against or in combination with remdesivir, he said.

A possible treatment for the coronavirus that set off a rally on Wall Street powerful enough to override data showing the U.S. economy had logged its worst quarterly performance since 2009.

No drugs are approved now for treating the coronavirus, which has killed about 226,000 people worldwide since it emerged late last year in China. An effective treatment for COVID-19 could have a profound effect on the pandemic’s impact, especially because a vaccine is likely to be a year or more away.

Fauci revealed the results while speaking from the White House. Remdesivir was being evaluated in at least seven major studies, but this one, led by the NIH, was the strictest test. Independent monitors notified study leaders just days ago that the drug was working, so it was no longer ethical to continue with a placebo group.

Dr. Elizabeth Hohmann, who enrolled 49 patients in the experiment at Massachusetts General Hospital, said study leaders were told Tuesday night that the results are based on “the first cut of 460 patients.”

“There’s over 1,000 in the study so there’s a lot more information to come” and full results need to be seen, she said. “I’m cautiously optimistic.”

Dr. Babafemi Taiwo, chief of infectious diseases at Northwestern Medicine, which also participated in the study, called the results “really exciting.”

“For the first time we have a large, well-conducted trial” showing a treatment helps, he said. “This is not a miracle drug … but it’s definitely better than anything we have.”

AAPI-QLI Joins Community Groups to Deliver 5,000 Lunches tor Healthcare Workers across New York State Hospitals, Nursing Homes

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

Health workers are being celebrated all over the world for fighting on the frontline of the battle against coronavirus. Throughout the global crisis, health workers have been bearing the brunt of the effort to save the lives of victims, often at great personal risk of catching the virus themselves.

Health workers are being celebrated all over the world for fighting on the frontline of the battle against coronavirus. Throughout the global crisis, health workers have been bearing the brunt of the effort to save the lives of victims, often at great personal risk of catching the virus themselves. In order to express their appreciation and gratitude of good will towards the thousands of healthcare workers in the state of New York, in a “Leap of Faith and Goodwill of Heart, One Good Team launched a Massive Operation” on April 27th delivering 5,000 lunches to 15 hospitals and 6 Nursing Homes across the state, said Dr. Raj Bhayani, President of AAPI-QLI. AAPIQLI was joined by BAPS, World Sikh council, Rajbhog Sweets, local Restaurants, Caterers and dozens of Volunteers, in their efforts to deliver food to healthcare workers to Interfaith hospital, Brookdale Hospital, Kingsbrook Hospital, Flushing Hospital, Woodhall Hospital, Nassau University Hospital, North shore LIJ Hospital, North Shore Forest Hill Hospital, St Francis Hospital, Franklin Hospital Flushing Hospital, Beth Israel Medical Center, Maimonides Hospital, WYCKOFF Hospital, Hopkins Nursing Home, Dry Harbor Nursing Home, Hillside Manor Nursing Home, Windsor Park Nursing Home, Rego Park Nursing Home, and, Hollis Park Nursing Home. “Let us all help whatever way we can and appreciate frontline workers,” said Anu Jain, who was part of the group organized and delivered the food. “Thank you to the efforts of our president AAPIQLI Raj Bhayani. Outstanding coordination by the entire machinery you have created. I was there to gladly receive for St. Francis Emergency Room staff,” said a member of the medical staff at the hospital. AAPIQLI represents more than 2,000 Physicians residing in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk serving the community of New York and its Counties. These practicing physicians are dedicated to provide highest quality of care to their patients and are also serving in most prominent positons at their medical institutions, including Administrative, Program Directors, Heads of Department, and Teaching. These leaders are making decisions about medical and Pharmaceutical Products, devices and equipment and practice related services at multiple levels in hospitals, medical school, outpatient centers, and health care facilities. For information, please visit: http://aapiqli.org/about-aapiqli/In order to express their appreciation and gratitude of good will towards the thousands of healthcare workers in the state of New York, in a “Leap of Faith and Goodwill of Heart, One Good Team launched a Massive Operation” on April 27th delivering 5,000 lunches to 15 hospitals and 6 Nursing Homes across the state, said Dr. Raj Bhayani, President of AAPI-QLI.

AAPIQLI was joined by BAPS, World Sikh council, Rajbhog Sweets, local Restaurants, Caterers and dozens of Volunteers, in their efforts to deliver food to healthcare workers to Interfaith hospital, Brookdale Hospital, Kingsbrook Hospital, Flushing Hospital, Woodhall Hospital, Nassau University Hospital, North shore LIJ Hospital, North Shore Forest Hill Hospital, St Francis Hospital, Franklin Hospital
Health workers are being celebrated all over the world for fighting on the frontline of the battle against coronavirus. Throughout the global crisis, health workers have been bearing the brunt of the effort to save the lives of victims, often at great personal risk of catching the virus themselves. In order to express their appreciation and gratitude of good will towards the thousands of healthcare workers in the state of New York, in a “Leap of Faith and Goodwill of Heart, One Good Team launched a Massive Operation” on April 27th delivering 5,000 lunches to 15 hospitals and 6 Nursing Homes across the state, said Dr. Raj Bhayani, President of AAPI-QLI. AAPIQLI was joined by BAPS, World Sikh council, Rajbhog Sweets, local Restaurants, Caterers and dozens of Volunteers, in their efforts to deliver food to healthcare workers to Interfaith hospital, Brookdale Hospital, Kingsbrook Hospital, Flushing Hospital, Woodhall Hospital, Nassau University Hospital, North shore LIJ Hospital, North Shore Forest Hill Hospital, St Francis Hospital, Franklin Hospital Flushing Hospital, Beth Israel Medical Center, Maimonides Hospital, WYCKOFF Hospital, Hopkins Nursing Home, Dry Harbor Nursing Home, Hillside Manor Nursing Home, Windsor Park Nursing Home, Rego Park Nursing Home, and, Hollis Park Nursing Home. “Let us all help whatever way we can and appreciate frontline workers,” said Anu Jain, who was part of the group organized and delivered the food. “Thank you to the efforts of our president AAPIQLI Raj Bhayani. Outstanding coordination by the entire machinery you have created. I was there to gladly receive for St. Francis Emergency Room staff,” said a member of the medical staff at the hospital. AAPIQLI represents more than 2,000 Physicians residing in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk serving the community of New York and its Counties. These practicing physicians are dedicated to provide highest quality of care to their patients and are also serving in most prominent positons at their medical institutions, including Administrative, Program Directors, Heads of Department, and Teaching. These leaders are making decisions about medical and Pharmaceutical Products, devices and equipment and practice related services at multiple levels in hospitals, medical school, outpatient centers, and health care facilities. For information, please visit: http://aapiqli.org/about-aapiqli/Flushing Hospital, Beth Israel Medical Center, Maimonides Hospital, WYCKOFF Hospital, Hopkins Nursing Home, Dry Harbor Nursing Home, Hillside Manor Nursing Home, Windsor Park Nursing Home, Rego Park Nursing Home, and, Hollis Park Nursing Home.

Health workers are being celebrated all over the world for fighting on the frontline of the battle against coronavirus. Throughout the global crisis, health workers have been bearing the brunt of the effort to save the lives of victims, often at great personal risk of catching the virus themselves. In order to express their appreciation and gratitude of good will towards the thousands of healthcare workers in the state of New York, in a “Leap of Faith and Goodwill of Heart, One Good Team launched a Massive Operation” on April 27th delivering 5,000 lunches to 15 hospitals and 6 Nursing Homes across the state, said Dr. Raj Bhayani, President of AAPI-QLI. AAPIQLI was joined by BAPS, World Sikh council, Rajbhog Sweets, local Restaurants, Caterers and dozens of Volunteers, in their efforts to deliver food to healthcare workers to Interfaith hospital, Brookdale Hospital, Kingsbrook Hospital, Flushing Hospital, Woodhall Hospital, Nassau University Hospital, North shore LIJ Hospital, North Shore Forest Hill Hospital, St Francis Hospital, Franklin Hospital Flushing Hospital, Beth Israel Medical Center, Maimonides Hospital, WYCKOFF Hospital, Hopkins Nursing Home, Dry Harbor Nursing Home, Hillside Manor Nursing Home, Windsor Park Nursing Home, Rego Park Nursing Home, and, Hollis Park Nursing Home. “Let us all help whatever way we can and appreciate frontline workers,” said Anu Jain, who was part of the group organized and delivered the food. “Thank you to the efforts of our president AAPIQLI Raj Bhayani. Outstanding coordination by the entire machinery you have created. I was there to gladly receive for St. Francis Emergency Room staff,” said a member of the medical staff at the hospital. AAPIQLI represents more than 2,000 Physicians residing in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk serving the community of New York and its Counties. These practicing physicians are dedicated to provide highest quality of care to their patients and are also serving in most prominent positons at their medical institutions, including Administrative, Program Directors, Heads of Department, and Teaching. These leaders are making decisions about medical and Pharmaceutical Products, devices and equipment and practice related services at multiple levels in hospitals, medical school, outpatient centers, and health care facilities. For information, please visit: http://aapiqli.org/about-aapiqli/“Let us all help whatever way we can and appreciate frontline workers,” said Anu Jain, who was part of the group organized and delivered the food. “Thank you to the efforts of our president AAPIQLI Raj Bhayani. Outstanding coordination by the entire machinery you have created. I was there to gladly receive for St. Francis Emergency Room staff,” said a member of the medical staff at the hospital.

AAPIQLI represents more than 2,000 Physicians residing in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk serving the community of New York and its Counties. These practicing physicians are dedicated to provide highest quality of care to their patients and are also serving in most prominent positons at their medical institutions, including Administrative, Program Directors, Heads of Department, and Teaching. These leaders are making decisions about medical and Pharmaceutical Products, devices and equipment and practice related services at multiple levels in hospitals, medical school, outpatient centers, and health care facilities. For information, please visit: http://aapiqli.org/about-aapiqli/

India’s global stature has gone up; Modi has shown the world in successfully fighting coronavirus

Staff ReporterHealth, India, Politics 0

Thanks to the legendary administrative acumen of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his visionary leadership, at their best display during the current coronavirus pandemic crisis, India’s global stature has gone up.

The deadly coronavirus pandemic, which was first spotted in Wuhan city of China in November, has so far killed more than 183,000 people globally and infected another 2.6 million, has emerged as the deadliest public health challenge in more than a century.

In the past few months, economies of countries, which have the world’s best health care facilities, have per capita income much more than India are falling apart like a pack of cards. The number of people to have died due to coronavirus in these countries is shocking, to say the least, and not been seen since the Spanish flu of 1918-1920.

The United States which is the global leader in health care facilities, medical research and availability of resources, has emerged as the global hotspot of COVID-19. The number of Americans to have died because of coronavirus is fast approaching 50,000; an unbelievable figure for us till a few months ago. More than 8.5 lakh people have been tested positive with coronavirus.

 And notably, New York, which is global financial capital and is the best in America’s health care facilities is its epicenter. More than 17,000 people have lost their lives and 2.5 lakhs have been tested positive. Let’s look at numbers of some of the other top five countries hit by coronavirus.

In Italy, more than 25,000 people have died and 187,000 infected; in Spain over 21,000 have died and more than two lakhs infected; and France over 21,000 have died and 119,000 have been infected. In United Kingdom, where its Prime Minister Borris Johnson had to be taken to ICU, more than 18,000 have died and 1.3 lakhs have been infected.

Well, it’s for these countries to ponder upon their fight against coronavirus, and review post-COVID 19 as to what went wrong and how this shocking loss of lives could have been prevented.

No doubt, we are in the middle of this pandemic and we still have a long way to go, before this could be brought under control, India by any standard, so far, has performed much better than others. A country of 130 billion people living in one of the highest densely populated areas of the world, with a poor basic health care infrastructure and facilities including a low number of per capita availability of beds and doctors, the thus far low infection rate (a little over 20,000 by April 23) and 652 deaths, is nothing but remarkable.

Sitting thousands of miles away in New York, under stay-at-home order for the past several weeks, I feel proud of my country and the leadership that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his “Team India” has shown in this fight against invisible coronavirus. One of the key reasons for this, I believe is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team acted early and decisively.

Team India, under Prime Minister Modi has been acting at a lightning speed. It was on January 7 that China identified coronavirus as the causative agent. A day later on January 8, the Union Ministry of Health held its first joint monitoring mission meeting and within 10 days on January 17, India started screening of all passengers coming from China.

By the end of the month, the government had identified and activated to test for coronavirus and established quarantine centers. Remember, at this point the rest of the world was very unfamiliar with the dangers that COVID 19 poses to humanity. In the first week of February, India started evacuation of its citizens from other countries and on February 3, Prime Minister constituted and chaired a meeting of empowered group of Ministers on COVID-19, which issued the travel advisory against China. States were taken into confidence and a strong monitoring mechanism was established. The list goes on.

India’s relatively low figure is basically attributable to the very basic principle that the Prime Minister acted on: prevention is better than cure. Being part of New York, where I have been witness to deaths of more than 17,000 people, I wish the authorities here would have thought on those lines. I wish, both the State Government and the City Mayor would have enforced a strong locked-down, as India has enforced nationwide. If India a country of 130 million people can do it, why cannot New York. The difference here is leadership and preventive action.

In the crucial first few weeks in New York, the leaders here were busy in war of words because of their political differences.

In India, Prime Minister Modi brought the entire country together. For the first time probably in decades, or seen normally under war like situations, Chief Ministers from opposition parties joined his call of action. He successfully formed “Team India.” As the first phase of three-week nationwide lockdown was about to end, it was the opposition ruled State Government which started talking about its extension.

And at the regional and global level too, Prime Minister Modi took the initiative and leadership role in this fight against humanity. He convened a video conference of SAARC leaders and took the initiative of setting op a regional fund with an initial contribution of USD 10 million to help South Asian countries. He encouraged the same within the G-20 group. Soon Saudi Arabia, which holds the current presidency of the group, organized the video conferencing.

And as word spread that hydroxychloroquine is effective in treatment in early COVID-19 patients, India under Modi started flying plane loads of this malaria drug to countries across the world. So far more than 80 countries, including the United States have received this key India made drug. India is in the forefront of this wart against humanity.

Today, India is seen as a country, which not only takes cares of its citizens, its neighbors but also the rest of the humanity to the best of its ability. This is what “Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam” is all about, which is the guiding philosophy for Prime Minister’s foreign policy.

(Jagdish Sewhani is President of The American India Public Affairs Committee. He is a resident of New York for past several decades)

AAPI writes to President of US, Governors and Lawmakers urging for Plasma Drive

Ajay GhoshHealth, Politics, U.S. 0
The Corona virus COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time and the greatest challenge we have faced since World War II. Since its emergence in Asia late last year, the virus has spread to every continent except Antarctica. Cases are rising daily around the globe with no effective remedy or vaccination found to deal with this deadly virus.
“There is enormous anxiety and numerous questions among general public about the pandemic and the havoc it’s creating.  In the past few week, AAPI has taken several initiatives to educate its members and the public, and to provide much needed help and support through helping obtain much needed PPEs and distributing them to medical institutions around the country,” said Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI.
As Convalescent Plasma appears to be the promising treatment for Covid patients, AAPI has launched the Plasma Drive from patients who have been cured of COVID-19 and are now without Corona-virus related symptoms for at least the past two weeks. AAPI has created three separate committees on Convalescent Plasma treatment.
 “An official letter of recommendation on Convalescent Plasma Therapy from AAPI has been sent the President of the United states, state Governors and to all members of US Congress and Senators. Thank you all your efforts to reach our goal,” said Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI.
Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI in PPE
Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI in PPE

AAPI’s Covid Plasma Government Policies Committee is being headed by Dr.  Dalsukh Madia with the task of “Writing Letters to the President, Governors and Senators and other Government officials urging them to encourage individuals and medical facilities to harness this much needed resource.


AAPI’s Covid Plasma Local Hospital Administrators committee is being chaired by Dr. Binod Sinha, who will contact the hospital administrators for the policy implementation in all the hospitals in the country.

AAPI’s Covid Plasma Collection committee is led by Dr. Madhavi Gorusu, who is responsible for coordinating with the Red Cross and other agencies to work with Plasma Donations and donors.

“Following the recommendations for disbursements of AAPI Covid 19 funds. approved by the  fund committee, comprising of Dr. Jayesh Shah (chair), Dr. Suresh Reddy, Dr. Seema Arora, Dr. Sajani Shah, Dr. Sudhakar Johnlaggada, Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Dr. Chander Kapasi, Dr. Surendra Purohit, AAPI has distributed funds to the locations based on local needs,” Dr. Seema Arora, Chair of AAPI’s BOT, announced here.
Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI
Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI

All applications have to come through Regional Directors or Chapter Presidents who would be responsible for fair disbursement of funds to each chapter and will provide proof of disbursement with all receipts. There is no matching contribution needed by chapters. Individual member can fill out the form too but it is recommended that they work with regional director. This very transparent process will be closely monitored by the fund committee, Dr. Arora stated.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank our physicians for responding to late-night phone calls, working long hours and providing unswerving care. Today, more than ever, we know the sacrifices they make to put the health of their communities first,” said Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Vice President of AAPI.
“We do acknowledge that these are challenging times, more than ever for us, physicians, who are on the frontline to assess, diagnose and treat people who are affected by this deadly pandemic, COVID-19. Many of our colleagues have sacrificed their lives in order to save those impacted by this pandemic around the world,” Dr. Ravi Kolli, Secretary of AAPi, added.
“At AAPI, the largest ethnic medical association in the nation, we are proud, we have been able to serve every 7th patient in the country. We serve in large cities, smaller towns and rural areas, sharing our skills, knowledges, compassion and expertise with the millions of people are called to serve,” Dr. Raj Bhayani, Treasurer of AAPI said.
Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Vice President of AAPI
Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Vice President of AAPI

Responding to the national/world-wide shortage of masks and other personal protective equipment, American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, has raised funds, donated money, purchased and donated masks to several Medical Institutions across the United States.

AAPI is requesting physicians to participate and run COVID helpline. We are asking physicians including primary care physicians, ER, critical care and ID physicians, who see these patients on a constant basis, to help during this crisis. Questions will be sent by email and please answer them at your earliest convenience. We are trying to post as many FAQs as possible on our website. Those who are Interested, please contact Dr. Jayesh Shah, Chair of COVID online helpline. Email: covidhelpline@aapiusa.org
“We urge the authorities to provide the much needed Equipment, Testing and Facilities enabling patients with COVID 19 to be isolated and treated, which will reduce our healthcare workforce at precisely the time we need them to be healthy and treating patients,” Dr. Reddy added.
For more information on AAPI and its several initiatives to combat Corona Virus and help Fellow Physicians and the larger community, please visit: www.aapiusa.org,  or email to: aapicovidplasmadonor@gmail.com

Indian American Physicians are bearing the brunt of this pandemic in the US

Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0
Known around the world for their compassion, expertise, brilliance and intellect, Indian American physicians are reputed for the quality healthcare they provide to millions of their patients in the United States. In patient care, administration, leadership or academics, they have excelled in their respective fields, holding important positions across the United States and the world.
Indian-Americans constitute less than one percent of the country’s population, but they account for nine percent of the American doctors and physicians. One out of every seven doctors serving in the US is of Indian heritage, providing medical care to over 40 million of US population.
Dr. Seema Arora, Chairwoman of AAPI’s Board of Trustees pointed to the fact that “The deadly Corona Covid-19 virus has claimed more than 171.000 deaths around the world with the US leading the chart with nearly 43,000 deaths. The pandemic has placed the entire healthcare sector, and in particular the Indian American medical fraternity at the frontlines of the fight against the pandemic. “
AAPI leaders at the virtual prayer vigil held on April 12th, praying for those in the front line serviving patients with COVID-19 pandemic
AAPI leaders at the virtual prayer vigil held on April 12th, praying for those in the front line serviving patients with COVID-19 pandemic

There are about 80,000 practicing Indian American physicians who are at the forefront of fighting COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. In addition, there are around 40,000 medical students, residents, and fellows of Indian origin in this country who are supporting many of the hospitals affected by the pandemic.

“We have a proud moment, it is (also) a scary moment; it is a mixed feeling, but this virus is a deadly virus” Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), describing the situation under which the physicians of Indian Origin serving people infected with the virus. “They tend to work disproportionately in areas that are medically underserved like rural and inner city areas taking on a heavier workload with patients who are more ill. We are definitely in the frontline fighting this deadly battle,” against the coronavirus, Reddy said.

Dr. Priya Khanna, 43, an Indian American nephrologist died in a New Jersey Hospital. Her father Satyendra Khanna (78), a general surgeon, has tested positive and is said to be in a critical condition in the intensive care unit in the same hospital.

During a recent candle light vigil and inter-faith prayer organized by AAPI, with one minute of silence with folded hands and heads bowed, the AAPI members and spiritual leaders prayed for the speedy recovery of Drs. Ajay Lodha, Anjana Samaddar, Dr. Sunil Mehra and thousands of other healthcare professionals who are in the front line and are admitted to hospital and receiving treatment.

 “Even in the midst of scare and fear, healthcare workers including physicians report to work with or without adequate protective equipment to save the lives of others knowing that they could be the next victim,” Dr. Narendra R. Kumar, Past President of AAPI & AKMG, from Michigan, pointed out. “Hundreds of healthcare workers are under quarantine or under active treatment at home and in hospitals. Many of them are on ventilators including few of our senior AAPI leaders struggling for their lives. One thing is clear, this is a deadly disease and doesn’t discriminate anyone, anywhere.”

Indian American Physicians are bearing the brunt of this pandemic in the US
AAPI leaders at the virtual prayer vigil held on April 12th, praying for those in the front line serviving patients with COVID-19 pandemic

“While it’s more common among elderly and with multiple comorbidities, COVID 19 infection is also common in health care workers as they get exposed during their line of duty. We have reports of several thousands of health care workers who have got COVID 19 infection and many of them are critically ill in intensive care unit. Several Indian American Healthcare professionals  have been admitted in hospitals and we have already lost one young physician to this pandemic. We want to make sure that all health care workers have proper PPE while taking care of these patients,” said Dr. Jayesh Shah, President, South Texas Wound Associates, PA and President, American College of Hyperbaric Medicine.

Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI, said,  “The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (APPI) the largest ethnic medical organization in the country has taken several proactive steps in educating their members and the general public about the disease, the preventive steps that needs to be taken at this time and most importantly, they are using all their contacts and resources at the hospital administrative and government level to facilitate treatment protocols to be in place at the various hospitals around the country.”
Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI with PPE serving patients
Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI with PPE serving patients

Describing Indian American physicians as “the real heroes” Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Vice President of AAPI said, “Several immigrant physicians work in the New York and New Jersey regions, the epic center of the pandemic. They are struggling  with Green Card Backlog and on temporary Visa plans. Due to their vulnerability, they are forced to work and often they have no choice. Not having adequate PPEs while caring for the Covid patients, many have become positive in the process, some have died, some are in ICU now and some are recuperating at home. These are the true saviors and unsung heroes saving the lives of so many Americans. We are proud of the services of Indian American physicians in this country.”

Ravi Kolli, Secretary of AAPI and a Psychiatrist by profession, said, “AAPI members as a group are over represented in all the hot spot areas as well as caring for underserved populations. They are bravely leading the enormous challenge of fighting COVID 19 pandemic at their own personal risk without a second thought which speaks volumes for their compassion, commitment and sense of duty.
“Our Indian American Physicians are down in the trenches in the frontline bravely taking care of the sick,” Dr. Amit Chakrabarty, Regional Director of AAPI pointed out.  “Unfortunately, we have had multiple heart-bearing incidents about our physicians that have contracted the disease while performing their duties, several who are on ventilator and in critical condition and some who have succumbed to the disease.   However, undaunted, they continue to perform their duties in this time of national crisis.”
Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPi, serving patients during COVID crisis
Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPi, serving patients during COVID crisis

“Indian American Physicians are bearing the brunt of this pandemic in the US,” said Dr. Joseph M. Chalil, a cardiologist and professor at several Universities in the United States. “Not a day goes by without hearing about many of them getting infected with Coronavirus, and several of them fighting for their life, because of their disproportionate share of the population in the Healthcare field. This pandemic is hitting close to home for me and my colleagues,” Dr. Chalil said.

Expressing his anguish that “There is no standardized treatment protocols available at this time but multiple trial therapies are being conducted at several institutions around the world,” Dr. Kumar is “Very optimistic that Convalescent plasma therapy, anti-viral drug Remdesivir and other medications will be made available with significant promising results in the coming days and weeks. We are also working on a national level to make new treatment protocols easily available to the needy patients by eliminating the unnecessary policy and procedural delays which is costing many valuable lives.”
Dr. Uma Madhusudana, receiving the salute from patients and family in front of her house
Dr. Uma Madhusudana, receiving the salute from patients and family in front of her house

There have been proud moments for the Indian American Doctors. Last week,  Dr. Uma Madhusudana, who graduated from Mysore Medical College, and currently working in a New York Hospital treating Covid19 patients, saving several lives was honored. More than 200 cars with recovered patients, relatives and police passed through in front of her house to express their gratitude for her services. It was indeed a great experience.

Expressing hope, Dr. Amit Chakrabarty says, “AAPI members continue to donate money for AAPI to provide essential personal protective equipment to areas that are in short supply. Finally, AAPI has provided through various channels, spiritual and motivational guidance to our members and their families.  We are in this together and we will emerge victorious.  That is our belief and are working hard towards it.”

In the frontline against an invisible enemy

Staff ReporterHealth 0

The sizeable Malayalee healthcare community is visible in all healthcare facilities in the New York metro area as professional or ancillary staff. Here is an insider’s account of how they have contributed valiantly in the war against the deadly coronavirus.

As a Registered Nurse, Johnson went to bed last Saturday with mixed feelings of fear, anxiety and uncertainty. He was aware that returning from work the previous evening, after seeing the sights in the hospital, was traumatic for him. Johnson (name changed to protect identity) does not work with the critically ill patients in the ICU or patients arriving in the Emergency Room. But he did witness his colleagues desperately trying to help men and women of all ages to breathe or to get some oxygen in their body system as the highly contagious coronavirus invades and disables the lungs. Some patients were conscious, some unconscious and some in conscious sedation. Their lives were in the hands of doctors and nurses, who, however, know they are not tooled or equipped to contain the killer virus. Johnson saw his colleagues helplessly calling the doctors to see if they could still instill some beats in the patients’ still hearts. As many body bags were moved to the refrigerated trucks, the healthcare workers had no time for a sigh of grief, frustration, or sadness as more and more critically ill patients were being wheeled in.
Working with moderately or severely ill COVID-19 patients, Johnson feared that he might have contracted the virus himself despite using personal protective equipment (PPE). So, returning from work, he went directly to the basement, put all clothes in the washer and took a shower. He still maintained a physical distance from his wife and children and used the basement as his bedroom. He lay tossing and turning for several hours in bed, thinking about his colleagues, the patients and their families.

As he woke up from a brief nightmarish sleep, Johnson opened his social media pages on his mobile and learnt that four people he personally knew from the Malayalee community had died from the complications of COVID. They died in the hospital after being put on ventilators; none of their loved ones was with them in their last moments.

Next morning, Johnson was back to work on a 24-bed medical floor with three other RNs. Their nurse manager told him that the situation in the hospital had changed rapidly. Due to the influx of patients, additional hospital beds were laid out in the parking lot and even in the cafeteria. The same team will have to tend to the added capacity also. Johnson told the nurse manager, “I understand. It is that time. We are made for this. We will do it to the best of our ability. We will comfort our patients as best as we can”. The nurse manager nodded with a painful smile.
Most of the patients on the unit were receiving oxygen treatment, I V antibiotics and some were on medications under study to test their efficacy. Most of the patients were elderly and needed assistance in getting out of their beds and to use bathrooms. Call bells sounded constantly. In some rooms IV fluid or IV medication ran out. The three nurses moved from room to room, to electronic medical records to electronic medication bins or to the utility rooms or attending phone calls. They prioritized the severity of the needs and met critical needs while being vigilant of every patient and their medical conditions. The patient care associate relentlessly moved around, assisted patients, took vital signs, communicated with the nurse manager and Johnson. The unit clerk was on the phone dealing with anxious and desperate families, being careful not to violate privacy laws and transferring the lines to the RN or the MD for further assistance.

Johnson later learned that the surge of COVID patients at his hospital was three times its capacity. (The condition in other hospitals was no different.) Even while emergently augmenting its resources including ventilators and PPE, his hospital was doing everything possible to save the lives of patients brought in. During the day, doctors, nurses, patient care associates, respiratory therapists, unit clerk, and housekeepers lived amid pain and despair, grief and death, comfort and pleasant discharge.

Johnson is one of the hundreds of Kerala origin Registered Nurses in New York who have been proudly, painstakingly, and resiliently providing professional nursing care to thousands and thousands of COVID-19 patients. Queens, the hardest hit epicenter in New York City, which in turn is the epicenter of COVID spread in the world, is also home to a large Indian community, a major group of which is Malayalees with a considerable number being healthcare professionals. Thanks to the cultural, social and religious activities and initiatives, most of them share extensive social relationships among the community.

Sadly,Within a period of two weeks, the Malayalee community has lost 17 people to the complications of COVID-19. They included an RN who was working in a city hospital.
Anni John, an ICU RN from Queens General Hospital, shared her experience: “It is still a challenge providing support to save lives while protecting myself from getting infected and from transmitting the virus to my family.” She insisted that all healthcare professionals do everything humanly possible to save people’s lives. But, Anni sighed, “With COVID we do not know what would work to help patients suffering from its complications”.

CP, a physician working in ER was leading the team to intubate a patient at a time when the coronavirus was not yet a pandemic. When she learned later that the patient had COVID, “I immediately went in quarantine”. On getting fever and flu symptoms, she asked for a test, but was told that she did not meet the criteria. She was relieved that her symptoms were not serious, so she is back in the Emergency Room doing her job.

Nisha John, another ICU RN from Lenox Hill Hospital, was also emphatic on her mission as a nurse. She has been self-quarantining and even after testing negative for the deadly virus, she avoids close contact with her children. Annie George, a nurse educator and administrator at HHC, was appreciative and impressed as to how quickly our strong healthcare system mobilized the resources to fight the invisible enemy. She was proud to praise “the attributes of readiness and determination of the doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and the dietitians that came from the army reserve were like the frontline forces in a real war!”

Among those the community lost was the 21-year-old son of a community leader. The saddest part is families’ inability to cope with the shock and grief caused by the unanticipated, lonely death of a loved one. The families found it difficult to even get the bodies released to funeral homes, which were stretched beyond their capacity just like the hospitals.
“We can’t point fingers or find fault with what has been happening,” says Tara Shajan, a nurse administrator and President of Indian Nurses Association of New York. She is appreciative of how New York has managed the attack of the virus that came like wildfire. “We lost a lot of precious lives but considering the number of COVID positive cases, the death rate has been low. Most of the people who lost their life had had serious comorbidities. Our doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers have been helping to save thousands of precious lives”.
Gisha Jose, a nurse manager who recovered from COVID, recalls that she was having the symptoms of seasonal allergy that she gets at this time of the year. “But when I lost my sense of smell, I decided to get tested. The result was positive, and it caused lot of anxiety. Having to quarantine myself away from my loved ones only made that worse. I had to remind myself that it was the best thing to do for everyone”.

The sizeable Malayalee healthcare community is visible in all healthcare facilities as professional or ancillary staff throughout the New York metro area. As reports emerged of the COVID outbreak, no one imagined that it would hit as rapidly as this crisis and overwhelm the emergency and critical resources including protective equipment, causing panic. While a majority of the COVID positive individuals remained home with symptoms that were not life threatening, cases that came to hospital emergency rooms were critical. Nervousness, anxiety and fear initially overwhelmed those who were called upon to respond to those fighting for life. As they provided care and comfort, many of them themselves became ill and recovered. They became more resilient, proud and altruistic.

Life in the era of COVID-19

Asian Media USAHealth, India, Politics 0

Chicago IL: It has been a topsy-turvy start to the third decade of this century. COVID-19 has brought with it many disruptions. Coronavirus has significantly changed the contours of professional life. These days, home is the new office. The Internet is the new meeting room.

For the time being, office breaks with colleagues are history. I have also been adapting to these changes. Most meetings, be it with minister colleagues, officials and world leaders, are now via video conferencing.

In order to get ground level feedback from various stakeholders, there have been videoconference meetings with several sections of society. There were extensive interactions with NGOs, civil society groups and community organisations. There was an interaction with Radio Jockeys too. Besides that, I have been making numerous phone calls daily, taking feedback from different sections of society.

One is seeing the ways through which people are continuing their work in these times. There are a few creative videos by our film stars conveying a relevant message of staying home. Our singers did an online concert. Chess players played chess digitally and through that contributed to the fight against COVID-19. Quite innovative!

The work place is getting Digital First. And, why not?
After all, the most transformational impact of Technology often happens in the lives of the poor. It is technology that demolishes bureaucratic hierarchies, eliminates middlemen and accelerates welfare measures.

Let me give you an example.

Life in the era of COVID-19When we got the opportunity to serve in 2014, we started connecting Indians, especially the poor with their Jan Dhan Account, Aadhar & Mobile number. This seemingly simple connection has not only stopped corruption and rent seeking that was going on for decades, but has also enabled the Government to transfer money at the click of a button. This click of a button has replaced multiple levels of hierarchies on the file and also weeks of delay.

India has perhaps the largest such infrastructure in the world. This infrastructure has helped us tremendously in transferring money directly and immediately to the poor and needy, benefiting crores of families, during the COVID-19 situation.

Another case in point is the education sector. There are many outstanding professionals already innovating in this sector. Invigorating technology in this sector has its benefits. The Government of India has also undertaken efforts such as the DIKSHA Portal, to help teachers and boost e-learning. There is SWAYAM, aimed at improving access, equity and quality of education. E-Pathshala, which is available in many languages, enables access to various e-books and such learning material.

Today, the world is in pursuit of new business models. India, a youthful nation known for its innovative zeal can take the lead in providing a new work culture. I envision this new business and work culture being redefined on the following vowels. I call them- vowels of the new normal- because like vowels in the English language, these would become essential ingredients of any business model in the post-COVID world.

Adaptability:

The need of the hour is to think of business and lifestyle models that are easily adaptable.
Doing so would mean that even in a time of crisis, our offices, businesses and commerce could get moving faster, ensuring loss of life does not occur.

Embracing digital payments is a prime example of adaptability. Shop owners big and small should invest in digital tools that keep commerce connected, especially in times of crisis. India is already witnessing an encouraging surge in digital transactions.
Another example is telemedicine. We are already seeing several consultations without actually going to the clinic or hospital. Again, this is a positive sign. Can we think of business models to help further telemedicine across the world?

Efficiency:

Perhaps, this is the time to think of reimagining what we refer to as being efficient.
Efficiency cannot only be about- how much time was spent in the office.
We should perhaps think of models where productivity and efficiency matter more than appearance of effort.
The emphasis should be on completing a task in the specified time frame.

Inclusivity:

Life in the era of COVID-19Let us develop business models that attach primacy to care for the poor, the most vulnerable as well as our planet.
We have made major progress in combating climate change. Mother Nature has demonstrated to us her magnificence, showing us how quickly it can flourish when human activity is slower. There is a significant future in developing technologies and practices that reduce our impact on the planet. Do more with less.
COVID-19 has made us realise the need to work on health solutions at low cost and large scale. We can become a guiding light for global efforts to ensure the health and well being of humanity.
We should invest in innovations to make sure our farmers have access to information, machinery, and markets no matter what the situation, that our citizens have access to essential goods.

Opportunity:

Every crisis brings with it an opportunity. COVID-19 is no different.
Let us evaluate what might be the new opportunities/growth areas that would emerge now.
Rather than playing catch up, India must be ahead of the curve in the post-COVID world. Let us think about how our people, our skills sets, our core capabilities can be used in doing so.

Universalism:

COVID-19 does not see race, religion, colour, caste, creed, language or border before striking.
Our response and conduct thereafter should attach primacy to unity and brotherhood.
We are in this together.

Unlike previous moments in history, when countries or societies faced off against each other, today we are together facing a common challenge. The future will be about togetherness and resilience.

The next big ideas from India should find global relevance and application. They should have the ability to drive a positive change not merely for India but for the entire humankind.
Logistics was previously only seen through the prism of physical infrastructure – roads, warehouses, ports. But logistical experts these days can control global supply chains through the comfort of their own homes.

India, with the right blend of the physical and the virtual can emerge as the global nerve centre of complex modern multinational supply chains in the post COVID-19 world. Let us rise to that occasion and seize this opportunity.

I urge you all to think about this and contribute to the discourse.
he shift from BYOD to WFH brings new challenges to balance the official and personal. Whatever be the case, devote time to fitness and exercising.

Try Yoga as a means to improve physical and mental wellbeing.
Traditional medicine systems of India are known to help keep the body fit. The Ayush Ministry has come out with a protocol that would help in staying healthy. Have a look at these as well.

Lastly, and importantly, please download Aarogya Setu Mobile App. This is a futuristic App that leverages technology to help contain the possible spread of COVID-19.

Photographs and Press release by: Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi

Children Ages 5 to 18 Create Hundreds of 3D Printed PPE and Donate Them to Local Hospitals

Staff ReporterEducation, Health 0

Newswise — Florida Atlantic University’s Cane Institute for Advanced Technologies at A.D. Henderson University School (ADHUS) and FAU High School is doing its part to help stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) by creating 3D printed personal protective equipment (PPE).

Over the last month, students ranging from ages 5 to 18, along with two faculty members, have worked tirelessly to create 3D printed face shields, intubation chambers and ear savers for several local hospitals in Palm Beach County. So far, they have produced more than 650 face shields, more than 500 ear savers and 36 intubation chambers and expect to collect another 350 face shields by the end of the week.

The intubation chambers are a unique form of PPE for hospitals. They provide an extra layer of protection for doctors and nurses when they are intubating patients who need to be put on respirators.

Allan Phipps, district science coordinator at ADHUS and FAU High School, was contacted by Giovana Jaen, a former FAU High student/current third year FAU Schmidt College of Medicine student, about doing this for a local hospital and he agreed without hesitation. He relocated the school’s 3D printing equipment to his personal garage and has been coordinating the Institute’s efforts, as well as manufacturing face shields and intubation chambers with his own children who attend ADHUS.

Phipps along with James Nance, middle school science teacher at ADHUS, host social distancing drive-throughs in front of the school where students can drop off 3D printed face shields and ear savers they created at home. Students are also able to check out 3D printers from the school and get their own personal 3D printers serviced. Local hospital representatives are able to pick up the PPE and ear savers at this location.

“I am so proud of our students for helping our community during this global pandemic,” said Phipps. “This has been a team effort from the start, and we are doing everything we can to support the medical professionals and our local hospitals during this crisis.”

The Cane Institute for Advanced Technologies serves as the school’s epicenter for research, education and technology transfer. It was established in 2018 after a $1 million gift from Daniel and Debra Cane. The Institute’s integrated approach allows students and faculty at all grade levels to explore today’s most complex challenges in areas such as cybersecurity, autonomous vehicles, robotics, virtual reality, augmented reality, automation and artificial intelligence.

FAU has been able to donate this lifesaving PPE as a result of public, private and industry support. For more information or to make a contribution, contact Mickey Zitzmann at mzitzmann@fau.edu.

B-Roll and photos link: http://pubweb.fau.edu/media/CaneInstitute3DPrintedPPE/

Mount Sinai Researchers Collaborate with GenScript to Develop a COVID-19 Antibody to Treat Sick Patients

Staff ReporterHealth 0

Newswise — (New York, NY – April 23, 2020) – A team of researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in collaboration with GenScript, is developing a synthetic antibody to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This antibody is intended to block the virus from entering human lung cells, and would be another potential treatment option for COVID-19.

The efforts are being led by Mone Zaidi, MD, PhD, MACP, Director of the Mount Sinai Bone Program and Professor of Medicine (Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Tony Yuen, PhD, Associate Director for Research for the Mount Sinai Bone Program and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, have many protein “spikes” protruding from their outer surface. A specific region of the “spike” called the S1 protein binds to a molecule called angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 or ACE2, which is found on the surface of many human cells, including those in the lungs. This is the entry point by which the virus infects a person.

In hopes of developing a treatment that could block the viral entry into cells, Dr. Zaidi and his team, including Sakshi Gera, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, are creating an antibody targeted to a peptide sequence of the S1 spike protein that should interfere with, and thereby block, the virus and prevent its initial attachment and entry into human cells.

The artificial blocking antibody then could be given to people with COVID-19 to stop the virus from infecting additional cells, much as doctors are already doing with natural antibodies harvested from people who have survived COVID-19, in what is known as convalescent plasma therapy.

“Given that convalescent plasma is showing promise and potential in treating this novel virus, the same strategy should be adopted for treatment in sick patients by creating a targeted antibody, which we hope will have the ability to disengage and block COVID-19 from entering our cells. Having experience with antibody development, my lab has embarked on this task together with the generous support of GenScript,” said Dr. Zaidi.

The first step, now underway, is to create a custom version of the S1 spike’s peptide sequence, which will be used to generate the antibody. Once the peptide sequence is available, Dr. Zaidi’s team will collaborate with GenScript to generate a human antibody which will be tested for efficacy in human cells in culture and animal models. Dr. Zaidi and his team hope to then collaborate with Mount Sinai’s Department of Microbiology for further antibody testing. “It’s hard to project how long it will take to have something we can test in patients, but my aim is to have a targeted antibody for first human trials within the next 12 months if all goes as planned, but it could be earlier,” said Dr. Zaidi.

“GenScript’s collaboration with Dr. Zaidi’s lab to co-develop a COVID-19 antibody program signifies GenScript’s ongoing commitment to work with scientific communities to annihilate and prevent COVID-19 beyond its business model. We expect that GenScript’s antibody discovery and development expertise, especially in the field of COVID-19, will fuel Mount Sinai’s first-rate research and development capabilities to bring this important medication to patients,” said Kenneth Lee, Head of US Commercial Division at GenScript ProBio.

For more information about Mount Sinai’s COVID-19 research and response effort, visit https://www.mountsinai.org/covid19.

About GenScript

GenScript is the world leader in biotechnology reagent services and biologics. Established in 2002 in New Jersey, United States, the company was the first to commercialize gene synthesis and successfully establish fully integrated capabilities for custom peptide synthesis, protein expression and engineering, custom antibody development and engineering, in vitro/in vivo pharmacology as well as a variety of catalogue products. GenScript has now expanded its business into immunotherapy, CDMO, laboratory equipment, and microbial industry to further fulfill its mission in making people and nature healthier through biotechnology. GenScript has also established open and innovative technology-driven platforms and GMP facilities for pre-clinical drug discovery and pharmaceutical products development.

About the Mount Sinai Health System

The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City’s largest academic medical system, encompassing eight hospitals, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai is a national and international source of unrivaled education, translational research and discovery, and collaborative clinical leadership ensuring that we deliver the highest quality care—from prevention to treatment of the most serious and complex human diseases. The Health System includes more than 7,200 physicians and features a robust and continually expanding network of multispecialty services, including more than 400 ambulatory practice locations throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 14 on U.S. News & World Report‘s “Honor Roll” of the Top 20 Best Hospitals in the country and the Icahn School of Medicine as one of the Top 20 Best Medical Schools in the country. Mount Sinai Health System hospitals are consistently ranked regionally by specialty by U.S. News & World Report.

The Dalai Lama on Why We Need to Fight Coronavirus With Compassion

Staff ReporterCulture/Religion, Health 0

Revered by the Tibetans as a ‘living god’ and idolised in the Orient and the West, the Dalai Lama said prayer is not enough to fight coronavirus. Also it is high time to extend a helping hand to those who have been affected.

“This pandemic serves as a warning that only by coming together with a coordinated, global response will we meet the unprecedented magnitude of the challenges we face,” the Nobel Peace Prize winner said in a post on his official website on Wednesday.

“Sometimes friends ask me to help with some problem in the world, using some ‘magical powers’. I always tell them that the Dalai Lama has no magical powers. If I did, I would not feel pain in my legs or a sore throat. We are all the same as human beings, and we experience the same fears, the same hopes, the same uncertainties,” said the elderly monk known for wearing his trademark maroon robes.

“From the Buddhist perspective, every sentient being is acquainted with suffering and the truths of sickness, old age and death. But as human beings, we have the capacity to use our minds to conquer anger and panic and greed.

“In recent years I have been stressing ’emotional disarmament’: to try to see things realistically and clearly, without the confusion of fear or rage. If a problem has a solution, we must work to find it; if it does not, we need not waste time thinking about it,” the Dalai Lama wrote in an article published in Time Magazine on Tuesday.

“We Buddhists believe that the entire world is interdependent. That is why I often speak about universal responsibility. The outbreak of this terrible coronavirus has shown that what happens to one person can soon affect every other being. But it also reminds us that a compassionate or constructive act — whether working in hospitals or just observing social distancing — has the potential to help many.

“Ever since news emerged about the coronavirus in Wuhan, I have been praying for my brothers and sisters in China and everywhere else. Now we can see that nobody is immune to this virus. We are all worried about loved ones and the future, of both the global economy and our own individual homes. But prayer is not enough,” the Dalai Lama said.

“This crisis shows that we must all take responsibility where we can. We must combine the courage doctors and nurses are showing with empirical science to begin to turn this situation around and protect our future from more such threats.

“In this time of great fear, it is important that we think of the long-term challenges — and possibilities — of the entire globe. Photographs of our world from space clearly show that there are no real boundaries on our blue planet.

“Therefore, all of us must take care of it and work to prevent climate change and other destructive forces. This pandemic serves as a warning that only by coming together with a coordinated, global response will we meet the unprecedented magnitude of the challenges we face.

“We must also remember that nobody is free of suffering, and extend our hands to others who lack homes, resources or family to protect them. This crisis shows us that we are not separate from one another — even when we are living apart. Therefore, we all have a responsibility to exercise compassion and help.

“As a Buddhist, I believe in the principle of impermanence. Eventually, this virus will pass, as I have seen wars and other terrible threats pass in my lifetime, and we will have the opportunity to rebuild our global community as we have done many times before.

“I sincerely hope that everyone can stay safe and stay calm. At this time of uncertainty, it is important that we do not lose hope and confidence in the constructive efforts so many are making,” an optimistic Dalai Lama added. (IANS)

More than 70 vaccines are being developed globally for Covid-19 – Oxford University to begin human trials of Covid-19 vaccine next week

Staff ReporterHealth 0

There are now more than 70 vaccines currently being developed globally, including here in North America, as research teams race to find a successful vaccine against the novel coronavirus and help countries escape lockdowns.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that more than 70 vaccines are being developed globally for Covid-19, which has infected more than two million people and killed 128,886 across the world.

However, experts say there is still a long road ahead to find out if they work. Timelines for when a vaccine becomes widely available remain at 12 to 18 months.

Meanwhile, Oxford University scientists are to begin human trials of a potential coronavirus vaccine next week. Researchers said the jab could be ready to be rolled out for emergency use by the autumn following significant progress in the early stages of development.

The Oxford team has tested the vaccine successfully on several animal species.

Researchers at the University of Oxford are aiming to get efficacy results of a clinical trial and be able to produce a million doses by September. The researchers have recruited 500 volunteers from the age group of 18 to 55 for early and mid-stage randomised controlled trials, reports Bloomberg. It will then be extended to older adults and to a final stage trial of 5,000 people, Sarah Gilbert, the lead researcher developing the vaccine, said.

The team at the University of Oxford had been preparing for an event like the Covid-19 pandemic before the current global outbreak, reports BBC. They had already created a genetically engineered chimpanzee virus that would form the basis for the new vaccine. They then combined it with parts of the new coronavirus, it reports.

The Oxford team join three other groups of researchers – two in the United States and one in China – in beginning trials on humans.

At the University of Western Ontario, Chil-Yong Kang, a professor of virology, and his team have been working 12 hours a day, seven days a week to find a vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Their work is being built on research done for a vaccine candidate Kang previously produced for Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), caused by a coronavirus similar to the one that causes COVID-19.

Coronaviruses invade human cells through so-called “spike proteins” — the crowns or corona on the virus — which bind to cell receptors and then begin infection. “If you make an antibody against that spike protein, it will cover up the spike and it will not be able to attach to the cell,” Kang said. “There you have a prevention of infection.”

Kang said his team is working to make six different versions of the vaccine candidate and hopes to have human trials underway by July or August. “We come in every day, and lab workers are here sometimes 12 or 13 hours a day,” he said. “We have both a responsibility and a deep sense of duty to end this COVID-19 pandemic.”

The Oxford University project has recruited 510 people, ranging from 18 to 55 years old, to take part in the trials, said lead researcher Professor Adrian Hill.

“We are going into human trials next week. We have tested the vaccine in several different animal species,” he added. “We have taken a fairly cautious approach, but a rapid one to assess the vaccine that we are developing.”

Professor Sarah Gilbert, a vaccinologist at Oxford, has said she is “80 per cent” confident it will be a success. There is now hope that the jab, developed by the clinical teams at the Jenner Institute and Oxford Vaccine Group, could be ready from as early as September.

“We’re a university, we have a very small in house manufacturing facility that can do dozens of doses. That’s not good enough to supply the world, obviously,” he told the BBC World Service.

“We are working with manufacturing organizations and paying them to start the process now.

 “So by the time July, August, September comes – whenever this is looking good – we should have the vaccine to start deploying under emergency use recommendations.

“That’s a different approval process to commercial supply, which often takes many more years.

“There is no point in making a vaccine that you can’t scale up and may only get 100,000 doses for after a huge amount of investment. “You need a technology that allows you to make not millions but ideally billions of doses over a year.”

The UK’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance has said it would be “very lucky” if a coronavirus vaccine was widely available within a year. Sir Patrick told ITV: ”A vaccine that can be used generally – we’d be very lucky to get one within a year.”

Coronavirus: Could Donald Trump delay the presidential election?

Staff ReporterHealth, Politics, U.S. 0

As the coronavirus pandemic grinds much of the US economy to a halt, it is also playing havoc with the American democratic process during a national election year.

Primary contests have been delayed or disrupted, with in-person polling places closed and absentee balloting processes thrown into doubt. Politicians have engaged in contentious fights over the electoral process in legislatures and the courts.

In November voters are scheduled to head to the polls to select the next president, much of Congress and thousands of state-government candidates. But what could Election Day look like – or if it will even be held on schedule – is very much the subject of debate.

Here are answers to some key questions.

Could President Trump postpone the election?

A total of 15 states have delayed their presidential primaries at this point, with most pushing them back until at least June. That presents the pressing question of whether the presidential election in November itself could be delayed.

Under a law dating back to 1845, the US presidential election is slated for the Tuesday after the first Monday of November every four years – 3 November in 2020. It would take an act of Congress – approved by majorities in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives and the Republican-controlled Senate – to change that.

The prospect of a bipartisan legislative consensus signing off on any delay is unlikely in the extreme.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The pandemic did not stop South Korea holding parliamentary elections

What’s more, even if the voting day were changed, the US Constitution mandates that a presidential administration only last four years. In other words, Donald Trump’s first term will expire at noon on 20 January, 2021, one way or another.

He might get another four years if he’s re-elected. He could be replaced by Democrat Joe Biden if he’s defeated. But the clock is ticking down, and a postponed vote won’t stop it.

South Koreans vote in masks and at virus clinics

What happens if the election is delayed?

If there hasn’t been an election before the scheduled inauguration day, the presidential line of succession kicks in. Second up is Vice-President Mike Pence, and given that his term in office also ends on that day, he’s in the same boat as the president.

Next in line is the Speaker of the House – currently Democrat Nancy Pelosi – but her two-year term is up at the end of December. The senior-most official eligible for the presidency in such a doomsday scenario would be 86-year-old Republican Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the president pro tem of the Senate. That’s assuming Republicans still control the Senate after a third of its 100 seats are vacated because of their own term expirations.

All in all, this is much more in the realm of political suspense novels than political reality.

But could the virus disrupt the election?

While an outright change of the presidential election date is unlikely, that doesn’t mean the process isn’t at risk of significant disruption.

According to University of California Irvine Professor Richard L Hasen, an election-law expert, Trump or state governments could use their emergency powers to drastically curtail in-person voting locations.

In the recently concluded Wisconsin primary, for instance, concerns about exposure to the virus, along with a shortage of volunteer poll-workers and election supplies, led to the closure of 175 of the 180 polling places in Milwaukee, the state’s largest city.

If such a move were done with political interests in mind – perhaps by targeting an opponent’s electoral strongholds – it could have an impact on the results of an election.

All you need to know about US election

Could states contest the results?

Hasen also suggests another more extraordinary, albeit unlikely, scenario. Legislatures, citing concerns about the virus, could take back the power to determine which candidate wins their state in the general election. There is no constitutional obligation that a state support the presidential candidate who wins a plurality of its vote – or that the state hold a vote for president at all.

It’s all about the Electoral College, that archaic US institution in which each state has “electors” who cast their ballots for president. In normal times, those electors (almost always) support whoever wins the popular vote in their respective states.

It doesn’t necessarily have to work that way, however. In the 1800 election, for example, several state legislatures told their electors how to vote, popular will be damned.

If a state made such a “hardball” move today, Hasen admits, it would probably lead to mass demonstrations in the streets. That is, if mass demonstrations are permitted given quarantines and social-distancing edicts.

Will there be legal challenges?

The recent experience in the Wisconsin primary could serve as an ominous warning for electoral disruption to come – and not just because of the long lines for in-person voting at limited polling places, staffed by volunteers and national guard soldiers in protective clothing.

Prior to primary day, Democratic governor Tony Evers and Republicans who control the state legislature engaged in high-stakes legal battles, one of which was ultimately decided by the US Supreme Court, over whether the governor had the legal power to postpone the vote until June or extend the absentee balloting deadline.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Hand sanitiser before voting in Wisconsin

In March Republican Ohio Governor Mike DeWine had a similar court battle before his successful move to delay his state’s primary.

A federal judge in Texas on Wednesday issued an order that made fear of contracting the coronavirus a valid reason to request an absentee ballot in November. The state’s requirements for mail-in voting had been some of the most stringent in the nation.

What changes could reduce the risk?

In a recent opinion survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 66% of Americans said they wouldn’t be comfortable going to a polling place to cast their ballot during the current public-health crisis.

Such concerns have increased pressure on states to expand the availability of mail-in ballots for all voters in order to minimise the risk of viral exposure from in-person voting.

While every state provides for some form of remote voting, the requirements to qualify vary greatly.

“We have a very decentralised system,” Hasen says. “The states have a lot of leeway in terms of how they do these things.”

Five states in the western US, including Washington, Oregon and Colorado, conduct their elections entirely via mail-in ballot. Others, like California, provide a postal ballot to anyone who requests it.

Why don’t some states like postal-voting?

On the other end of the spectrum, 17 states require voters to provide a valid reason why they are unable to vote in-person in order to qualify for an absentee ballot. These states have faced calls to relax their requirements to make absentee ballots easier to obtain – although some leaders are resisting.

Mike Parson, the Republican governor of Missouri, said on Tuesday that expanding absentee ballot access was a “political issue” and suggested that fear of contracting the virus is not, by itself, a reason to qualify for an absentee ballot.

Why are US election campaigns never-ending? Republicans in other states, including North Carolina and Georgia, have expressed similar sentiments.

Congress could step in and mandate that states provide some minimum level of absentee balloting or mail-voting system in national elections, but given the existing partisan gridlock at the US Capitol, chances of that are slim.

Do the parties agree on how to protect the election?

No. Given the intense polarisation of modern politics, it shouldn’t be surprising that whether – and how – to alter the way elections are conducted during a pandemic have become an increasingly contentious debate.

Donald Trump himself has weighed in against expanded mail-in voting, saying that it is more susceptible to fraud. He also has suggested that increased turnout from easing balloting restrictions could harm Republican candidates,

“They had levels of voting, that if you ever agreed to it, you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again,” he said in a recent Fox News interview.

But the evidence that conservatives are hurt more by mail-in voting is mixed, as Republicans frequently cast absentee ballots in greater numbers than Democrats.

Is US democracy at risk?

The coronavirus outbreak is affecting every aspect of American life. While Trump and other politicians are pushing for life to return to some semblance of normalcy, there’s no guarantee all will be well by June, when many states have rescheduled their primary votes, the August party conventions, the October scheduled presidential debates or even November’s election day.

In normal times, the months ahead would mark a drumbeat of national political interest and activity that grows to an election day crescendo. At this point, everything is in doubt – including, for some, the foundations of American democracy itself.

“Even before the virus hit, I was quite worried about people accepting the results of the 2020 election because we are very hyperpolarized and clogged with disinformation,” says Hasen, who wrote a recent book titled Election Meltdown: Dirty Tricks, Distrust, and the Threat to American Democracy.  “The virus adds much more to this concern.”

AAPI’s Donate a Mask Program Provides Masks to Several Hospitals Across the Nation

Ajay GhoshHealth 0

(Chicago, IL: April 19th, 2020) Responding to the national/world-wide shortage of masks and other personal protective equipment, American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, has raised funds, donated money, purchased and donated Masks to several Medical Institutions across the United States.

Recognizing the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE), and that millions of healthcare professionals, including physicians and nurses, who are in the forefront diagnosing and treating patients diagnosed with COVID-19, are experiencing shortages of much needed Masks and PPEs. AAPI under the leadership of Dr. Suresh Reddy launched a Fund Raising to support their fellow professionals, providing them with Masks that are so vital to prevent them from getting transmitted with this deadly virus.

Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI, said, “As we are not prepared well, our frontline soldiers (physicians) are working under suboptimal conditions with severe shortage of masks and other protective gear. As a result, some of the foot soldiers have succumbed to this deadly virus. To protect our fraternity, we have established a donation box on AAPI website under the banner “DONATE A MASK.”

A Task Force consisting of Dr. Jayesh Shah, Chair; Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda. Co-Chair; Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI; Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Vice President; Dr. Seema Arora, Chair, BOT; Dr. Sajani Shah, Chair, BOT-Elect; Dr. Chander Kapasi,  Chair, AAPI Charitable Foundation; and Dr. Surendra Purohit, Vice Chair of AAPi Charitable Foundation, has been constituted to identify the hospitals and sending the supply of Masks/PPE directly.

AAPI’s Donate a Mask Program Provides Masks to Several Hospitals Across the NationIn our efforts to contain and prevent this pandemic, we are recommending that the Authorities across the nation “Implement and enforce a total lockdown of the nation, social distancing, and enforce self-quarantine of the total population, as has been practiced in other countries in order to flatten the infection curve,” Dr. Jayesh Shah, Past President of AAPI, said.

While thinking generous donors who provided cash and, masks to AAPI Task Force, Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI and Chairman of the AAPI’s Task Force on Donate a Mask initiative, announced: “Last week, Dr. Suresh Reddy, Dr. Sreenivas Reddy and Member of Illinois Medical Board donated Masks on behalf of AAPI to Deb Carey, CEO of Cook County Health Care Systems. ISCOPI donated masks to 3 local hospitals last week. And Flushing Hospital in Queens was another beneficiary from AAPI’s Mask Drive. In addition, funds raised locally by several AAPI Chapters and masks were bought by AAPI, and were donated to dozens of smaller health care institutes and private practices as per the local needs.”

Dr. Seema Arora, Chairwoman of AAPI BOT, said, “We are experiencing an extraordinary and unprecedented time. Never before in the modern history have we experienced this kind of health-related calamity. Covid-19 is playing havoc on our streets and isolating family members at home. The results are catastrophic. As the disease is new, we are not able to treat it properly. We don’t have vaccines or anti-viral agents to effectively treat the patients with this strange disease. As of now, we are only providing supportive treatment.”

Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Vice President, AAPI, said, “AAPI is urging the Government to expand testing on a wholesale level and make freely available across the United States; Quarantine and Isolation: Enact quarantine and isolation rules like we have seen in other countries to prevent the spread of the virus; and, Off Site Treatment Areas- Create treatment areas outside of hospitals and healthcare facilities to test and treat patients who are potentially exhibiting symptoms and need additional guidance.”

“While applauding our fellow healthcare workers, including physicians, nurses, EMS, paramedics, medical assistants, and healthcare professionals, we are saddened that many of these heroes are being infected with COVID-19 while treating patients and often without Personal protection Equipment, endangering their safety and that of their families,” Dr. Ravi Kolli, Secretary of AAPI, said.

Dr. Kolli also cautioned of significant mental health impact of the pandemic due to disruption of social and  economic life from isolation and job loss. He encouraged everyone to stay socially connected with their loved ones via smart technology, and avoiding over consumption negative media and alternative news sources.

Dr. Raj Bhayani, Treasurer of AAPI, while acknowledging the significant impact and the cost of these policies on our fellow citizens and our society as a whole, said,  “We have witnessed rapid growth in the spread of the virus that have led us to believe that further action is needed.”

“To protect our medical fraternity, AAPI has established a donation box on AAPI website under the banner “DONATE a MASK”. We request all the members to donate generously to fight this ferocious virus, which has put the basic existence of entire human race at stake,” Dr. Chander Kapasi, announced here.

“Our special thanks to all the AAPI members who are already working at “ground zero” risking their own lives. We are extremely grateful for these “foot soldiers” working under suboptimal conditions. Let’s kill this “rakshas” virus together and let’s our next Diwali be a really special one,” Dr. Reddy said.

As concerned physicians witnessing the growing COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on our society, healthcare system and economy, we are writing to you, our local, state, and federal policy leaders to advocate more immediate and severe action to prevent the crisis from becoming unmanageable.

In view of the rising number of positive cases of COVID-19 in USA, Dr. Lokesh Edara, Chair of AAPI International Medical Education, AAPI has urged the President of USA and all State Governors to mandate people that:

  • EVERYONE SHOULD WEAR A MASK when going outside in public and interacting with any person similar to the mandatory rule made by Czech Republic
  • Along with hand washing and 6 feet social distance, the sick should be ISOLATED
  • Every patient must wear a mask when seen by a Physician and a Healthcare worker

Quoting evidence from Japan and Czech Republic that this could be an effective measure to flatten the COVID-19 spread curve, AAPI has pointed out that Japan has very low COVID-19 spread: 13 cases per million vs USA 374 per million; Japanese have a cultural habit of wearing a mask for several reasons, and the mask is mutually beneficial for the person wearing it and to the people adjacent to them.

Dr. Lokesh Edara, Chair of AAPI International Medical Education, said, “The recommendations that we have put forth above are based on the increasingly worsening data and trends that we are witnessing get reported on a daily basis. We hope that you seriously consider them as our goals of defeating the virus and minimizing loss of life, pain and suffering are one and the same.”

 “We urge the Authorities to provide the much needed equipment, testing and facilities enabling them to be isolated and treated, which will reduce the sickness of our healthcare workforce at precisely the time we need them to be healthy and treating patients,” Dr. Reddy added.

For more information about AAPI and its several initiatives, including to address the global pandemic, please visit: www.appiusa.org

Anuradha Palakurthi Dedicates a Song for Doctors Combating Coronavirus

Staff ReporterEntertainment, Health 0

Indian American Singer Anuradha Palakurthi released a video song to pay tribute to doctors who are combating Coronavirus and putting their lives on the line to save lives of people during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Titled “Rukta Hi Naheen Tu Kahin Haar Ke”, the song was produced by Boston-based Juju Productions within a week—from idea to its final release. Sung by Ms. Palakurthi, the lyric was composed by Boston poet and script writer Sunayana Kachroo.  Music was composed by Kamlesh Bhadkamkar, Mixed and Mastered by Vijay Dayal in Mumbai. Nikhil Joshi made the Video.

“I don’t think they have worked so fast on any project so far. The urgency and gravity was significant enough for the entire team,” Ms. Palakurthi told INDIA New England News.

Given the urgency of the Covid-19 pandemic and so many doctors of Indian-origin on the frontline, Palakurthi got inspired by their dedication and service.

 “So many Indian families in United states have at least one doctor in them. I had to bring their contribution to the forefront in USA. They are the ones who are in close quarters with real danger. They are the first responders who are putting their lives on the line to save lives,” said Ms. Palakurthi.  “Some have sadly lost their lives too in this battle. Only true heroes in war do that.  Coming from a gold star family, I feel strongly about soldiers and their sacrifices.”

As of April 9, more than 200 doctors and nurses have died battling Coronavirus worldwide, according to news reports.

Ms. Palakurthi said that the idea about the music video formed in her head on April 3rd.

“I contacted Sunayana to brainstorm a bit about lyrics etc. We wanted to write and make something new, but I decided to pick an existing song and change the lyrics,” said Ms. Palakurthi. “Sunayana did an exceptional job. Next step was to contact my trusted musicians Kamlesh Bhadkamkar and Vijay Dayal in Mumbai and we were good to go from then on.”

Ms. Palakurthi said that Nikhil Joshi in Mumbai compiled all the photos that were sent him from Boston and worked non-stop 12 straight hours on it.

“It was quite a task to explain my vision to him in 36 hours. But the real help came from some friends who are doctors.  They did their best under the circumstances. I wish I had more faces, but I guess asking them to send photos of themselves in these pressing times was a bit much,” said Ms. Palakurthi.

Ms. Palakurthi said that she is very humbled to dedicate this song to doctors, nurses and healthcare workers in the United States and around the world.

“I think it’s a humble tribute compared to what they are doing every day. There should have been at least a hundred more faces in the music video. We personally know 100 such families and could not get their pictures.”

Ms. Kachroo said that Ms. Palakurthi had given her a brief on the purpose of the song and the reference song as well.

“While the purpose of the original song is to inspire people to reach to a goal,” Ms. Kachroo said. “This song is to honor the resilience and the unwavering commitment of the medics and researchers to go beyond their job profiles and stand-up to this disease with their relentless service.”

Earlier this year, Ms.  Palakurthi’s “Jaan Meri” song from her Jaan Meri album won the prestigious Independent Music Category’s best Song of the Year Award at the Radio Mirchi Music Awards, the Indian equivalent of the Grammys. Two of the top five nominees for the best song of the year for the Radio Mirchi Music Awards in the Non-Film/ Independent category were from Jaan Meri Album.

Ms. Palakurthi has been recognized as the top-rated singer of Indian origin by industry legends. She has performed live with Bollywood singers like Kumar Sanu, Suresh Wadkar, Deepak Pandit and Bappi Lahiri across the United States. Anuradha has recorded a duet with Hariharan for Ekal Vidyalaya – composed by guitarist Prasanna with drummer Sivamani and a group of 14 multiple-Grammy winning musicians from across the globe. She sings in six Indian languages and has recorded playback for South Indian films.

Roivant Doses First Patient in Pivotal BREATHE Clinical Trial

Staff ReporterHealth 0

Evaluating Gimsilumab in COVID-19 Patients for the Prevention and Treatment of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

  • BREATHE is an adaptive, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial expected to enroll up to 270 patients, with a planned interim analysis
  • FDA has agreed that this study could support registration if successful
  • This is the first pivotal study for an anti-GM-CSF therapy known to initiate dosing in COVID-19 patients
  • GM-CSF is a pro-inflammatory cytokine up-regulated in COVID-19 patients at risk of developing Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

NEW YORK and BASEL, Switzerland, April 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Roivant Sciences announced today that the first patient was dosed at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia in an adaptive, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center pivotal trial evaluating the impact of intravenous (IV) treatment with gimsilumab on mortality in COVID-19 patients with lung injury or ARDS. Dosing will commence at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City and other trial sites imminently.

COVID-19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Many hospitalized COVID-19 patients experience an overactive immune response consisting of cytokine dysregulation and increased inflammatory myeloid cells that infiltrate the lung, leading to lung injury, ARDS, and ultimately death.1 Granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), a myelopoietic growth factor and pro-inflammatory cytokine, is believed to be a key driver of lung hyper-inflammation and to operate upstream of other pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Previous evidence from SARS-CoV-1 animal models and emerging data from COVID-19 patients suggest that GM-CSF contributes to the immunopathology caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with or at risk of developing ARDS.2-5

Gimsilumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting GM-CSF. Gimsilumab has been tested in numerous non-clinical studies and two prior clinical studies, including a 4-week Phase 1 study in healthy volunteers conducted by Roivant which completed dosing in February. Gimsilumab has demonstrated a favorable safety and tolerability profile based on data collected to date.

“GM-CSF-targeted immunomodulation to address the aberrant host immune response in COVID-19 appears promising for reducing lung injury and death in this aggressive illness,” said Dr. Mandeep Mehra, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and William Harvey Distinguished Chair in Advanced Cardiovascular Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “The rapid initiation of this pivotal trial with gimsilumab is impressive given the pressing need for effective therapies that reduce the morbidity encountered with COVID-19.”

“Emerging evidence suggests that GM-CSF may contribute to clinical worsening in COVID-19,” said Dr. Gerard Criner, Professor and Chair of the Department of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University and Principal Investigator for the BREATHE Study at Temple University Hospital. “We are proud to participate in this clinical trial testing gimsilumab in this vulnerable patient population.”

About the BREATHE Study
Roivant’s clinical trial is expected to enroll up to 270 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 and clinical evidence of acute lung injury or ARDS. Subjects will be randomized 1:1 to receive either gimsilumab or placebo. The primary endpoint of the study is incidence of mortality by Day 43. Key secondary endpoints include the incidence and duration of mechanical ventilation use during the study, number of days in the ICU, and number of days of inpatient hospitalization. The study is being conducted with an adaptive design and includes a planned interim analysis.

About GM-CSF and COVID-19
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19 has become a global pandemic, with over 2 million confirmed cases and over 125,000 deaths reported to date. Patients with severe cases of COVID-19 experience severe viral pneumonia that often persists despite a decrease in viral load and can progress to lung injury, ARDS, and death.

GM-CSF is a cytokine implicated in many autoimmune disorders that acts as a pro-inflammatory signal, prompting macrophages to launch an immune cascade that ultimately results in tissue damage. GM-CSF has been found to be up-regulated in the serum of COVID-19 patients according to recent data from patients in China.2 The percentages of GM-CSF-expressing CD4+ T cells (Th1), CD8+ T cells, NK cells, and B cells have been observed to be significantly higher in the blood of ICU-admitted COVID-19 patients when compared with healthy controls.3 These reported immunological changes also appear to be more pronounced in ICU-admitted COVID-19 patients versus non-ICU patients.3

GM-CSF boosts the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF, IL-6, and IL-23 in addition to promoting the differentiation of Th1/17 cells and the polarization of macrophages to a M1-like phenotype.4 Increased levels of GM-CSF result in positive feedback which further elevates these inflammatory mediators. In severe COVID-19 patients, it has been suggested that GM-CSF could be the key link between the ‘pulmonary syndrome-initiating capacity’ of pathogenic Th1 cells and the feedback loop of inflammatory monocytes – which in turn secrete additional GM-CSF and IL-6.3 Taken together with the differentially elevated levels of GM-CSF observed in seriously ill COVID-19 patients, GM-CSF’s breadth of activity and its potential role as a central driver of pathology make it a promising target for clinical research.

About ARDS
ARDS is an acute, life-threatening inflammatory lung injury characterized by hypoxia – a lack of oxygen to the tissue – and stiff lungs due to increased pulmonary vascular permeability. ARDS necessitates hospitalization and mechanical ventilation. A rapid increase in patients with ARDS presents a major challenge for the global public health system given limited hospital beds and ventilators. When implementing standard of care, including mechanical ventilation, ARDS has an overall mortality rate of 41%.6

About Roivant Sciences
Roivant Sciences aims to improve health by rapidly delivering innovative medicines and technologies to patients. Roivant does this by building Vants – nimble, entrepreneurial biotech and healthcare technology companies with a unique approach to sourcing talent, aligning incentives, and deploying technology to drive greater efficiency in R&D and commercialization. For more information, please visit www.roivant.com.

Estimating COVID-19 Prevalence in Symptomatic Americans

Staff ReporterHealth 0

Efforts to accurately track the outbreak of COVID-19 in the U.S. have been hampered by a lack of access to testing. While the number of tests performed in the U.S. has scaled up rapidly in the past two weeks, so has the underlying number of infected individuals in need of testing. New data from Gallup suggest that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases measured March 31 would more than double (or more precisely increase by a factor of 2.5) if people who requested a test, were symptomatic, and visited with a healthcare provider were actually tested.

As of the three-day polling period ending March 31, I estimate that at least 266,000 Americans would test positive for COVID-19 if all symptomatic people who wanted a test got one. That compares to an estimated 106,000 Americans who have tested positive, according to survey data from the Gallup Panel, and 165,000 reported cases through March 31, according to data published from official sources.

Estimated Disease Prevalence of COVID-19 for Symptomatic Cases If Everyone Who Requested a Test Through a Health Provider Received One

Share of U.S. population Estimate for U.S.
% #
Has had fever in past 30 days 6.40 20,532,662
Has had fever in past 30 days, saw health professional 2.23 7,166,809
Has had fever in past 30 days, saw health professional, received COVID test 0.11 344,053
Has had fever in past 30 days, saw health professional, received COVID test, tested positive 0.03 106,092
Has had fever in past 30 days, saw health professional, denied COVID test 0.28 886,903
Has had fever in past 30 days, saw health professional, denied COVID test, likely positive 0.05 159,643
Estimated symptomatic COVID-19 cases 0.08 265,735
Ratio of estimated COVID-19 symptomatic cases to confirmed cases 2.50 2.50
Sample size equals 3,234 U.S. adults. The population estimates above assume that symptomatic cases are just as likely in children. Assumes that 18% of people who request a test will test positive, which is the current positive test rate reported from cumulative data tracked on The COVID Tracking Project, https://covidtracking.com, and is very close to the positive testing rate (17%) in the Gallup Panel. Standard error for positive COVID test results is 0.06%. Standard error for share denied COVID test is 0.09%.

The implication of this research is that the number of cases reported at any given time (239,279, as of April 3) should be multiplied by 2.5 to account for lack of access to testing for symptomatic people who seek treatment. That suggests a current caseload of roughly 600,000 through April 3. This is a conservative estimate for several reasons. First, it ignores nonresponse error, which may be an issue for people too sick to respond to the survey or already hospitalized. In fact, we estimate that an additional 198,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases could be present within the households of surveyed respondents. Second, this analysis assumes that only people who are symptomatic and seek treatment are COVID-19 positive, which we know is not the case. One recent study found that 18% of people with COVID-19 are asymptomatic, which, if applied to the most recent estimate, would bring the April 3 case total estimate to 730,000 Americans with COVID-19. We cannot know with current information how many people with symptoms who do not seek treatment are COVID-19 positive, but that is another reason to believe these are conservative estimates.

The 2.5 factor is likely to respond to the rate of testing. As testing capacity expands, it will likely fall. Our data show the ratio would have been 13.7 for the three-day period ending on March 23. Gallup will monitor dynamics in this rate.

The survey includes two screening questions before people are asked if they have been tested for COVID-19. First, people are asked whether they have been ill with a fever within the past 30 days. If they answer yes, which 6.4% of people did, they are then asked whether they saw a health professional for the illness, which applies to 2.2%. Among those who said they have had a fever in the past 30 days, two-thirds (65%) said they did not seek treatment.

Those who report having had a fever and visiting a health professional are then asked whether they received a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) test: 95% did not receive one. Among those who did not receive a COVID-19 test, a test was requested in 13% of cases — either by the individual or their attending healthcare professional.

The COVID Tracking Project, which collects data from state health departments, shows that 18% of all U.S. tests for COVID-19 are positive, which nearly matches the rate found in Gallup survey data over most of March (17%, from March 13 to March 31). Applying the 18% positive testing rate number to the symptomatic population who sought treatment but were denied a test upon request suggests that 0.05% of the U.S. population would test positive if given full access. That compares to 0.03% of Americans who have been tested. This translates into an additional 159,643 cases that are currently going undetected despite the patient seeking treatment and having symptoms.

These results are sensitive to the dates used in the analysis, but recent dates consistently show that the number of undetected symptomatic cases is at least equal to the detected symptomatic cases. The figure above plots the results for both of these estimates and the total number of cases by day using a three-day moving average to smooth out daily variation. This longer analysis was conducted from a representative survey of 22,709 U.S. adults conducted by Gallup March 13-March 31 through the Gallup Panel, a group of people who were previously randomly selected for Gallup surveys and agreed to be recontacted.

These results shed light on one aspect of this pandemic that has been difficult to measure, as testing access remains a problem. When asked if they were confident they could get a coronavirus test if they thought they had the disease, 27% of the population said no. Data on the percentage of tests yielding positive results has been increasing, according to data from state sources compiled by The COVID Tracking Project. This suggests that testing capacity may be under strain as the disease spreads.

Beyond obtaining more accurate estimates for symptomatic cases, expanded testing capacity would also shed light on the large number of people thought to be asymptomatic carriers and potential transmitters of the disease. In a recent interview, Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stated that “a significant number of individuals that are infected actually remain asymptomatic.” Whether asymptomatic or not, failing to identify people with the disease will make quarantine and suppression much more difficult.

Most Americans Say Trump Was Too Slow in Initial Response to Coronavirus Threat – Wide concern that states will lift COVID-19 restrictions too quickly

Staff ReporterHealth, Politics, U.S. 0

As the death toll from the novel coronavirus pandemic continues to spiral, most Americans do not foresee a quick end to the crisis. In fact, 73% of U.S. adults say that in thinking about the problems the country is facing from the coronavirus outbreak, the worst is still to come.

With the Trump administration and many state governors actively considering ways to revive the stalled U.S. economy, the public strikes a decidedly cautious note on easing strict limits on public activity. About twice as many Americans say their greater concern is that state governments will lift restrictions on public activity too quickly (66%) as say it will not happen quickly enough (32%).

President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak – especially his response to initial reports of coronavirus cases overseas – is widely criticized. Nearly two-thirds of Americans (65%) say Trump was too slow to take major steps to address the threat to the United States when cases of the disease were first reported in other countries.

Opinions about Trump’s initial response to the coronavirus – as well as concerns about whether state governments will act too quickly or slowly in easing restrictions – are deeply divided along partisan lines. These attitudes stand in stark contrast to the assessments of how officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and at the state and local level are addressing the outbreak, which are largely positive among members of both parties.

Democrats are largely united in their concerns over state governments easing bans on public activity; 81% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say their greater concern is that governments will lift these restrictions too quickly. Yet Republicans and Republican leaners are evenly divided. About half (51%) say their bigger concern is that state governments will act too quickly while slightly fewer (46%) worry more that restrictions on public movement will not be lifted quickly enough.

The new national survey by Pew Research Center, conducted April 7 to 12 among 4,917 U.S. adults on the American Trends Panel, finds that Republicans also are divided in opinions about whether it is acceptable for elected officials to criticize the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Nearly half of Republicans (47%) say it is acceptable for officials to fault the administration’s response, while slightly more (52%) find this unacceptable. Democrats overwhelmingly think it is acceptable for elected officials to criticize how the administration has addressed the outbreak (85% say this).

The survey finds that while Trump is widely viewed as having acted too slowly in the initial phase of the crisis, Americans have more positive views of how he is currently handling some aspects of the coronavirus outbreak. About half (51%) say he is doing an excellent or good job in addressing the economic needs of businesses facing financial difficulties.

However, fewer Americans say Trump has done well in addressing the financial needs of ordinary people who have lost jobs or income (46%), working with governors and meeting the needs of hospitals, doctors and nurses (45%). And 42% say Trump has done well providing the public with accurate information about the coronavirus. Public opinion about the coronavirus outbreak can be explored further by using the Election News Pathways data tool.

Trump’s overall job rating has changed little since late March (March 19-24); it remains among the highest ratings of his presidency. Currently, 44% approve of the way Trump is handling his job as president, while 53% disapprove.

The survey – most of which took place after Bernie Sanders announced April 8 that he was suspending his presidential campaign, but before he endorsed Biden on April 13 – finds that early preferences for the general election are closely divided: 47% of registered voters say if the presidential election were held today, they would vote for Biden or lean toward supporting Biden, while 45% support or lean toward Trump; 8% favor neither Biden nor Trump or prefer another candidate.

With Biden now the party’s presumptive nominee, Democrats generally think that the party will unite around the former vice president. About six-in-ten Democratic and Democratic-leaning registered voters (63%) say the party will unite around Biden as the nominee, while 36% say differences and disagreements will keep many Democrats from supporting Biden.

Notably, Democrats who supported Sanders for the party’s nomination in January are the most skeptical that the party will unite around Biden. Nearly half of Democratic voters who supported Sanders for the nomination (47%) say that differences will keep many in the party from backing Biden.

Here are the other major findings from the new survey:

Fewer than half of Americans say Trump portrays coronavirus situation “about as it really is.” Just 39% say in his public comments on the coronavirus outbreak, Trump is presenting the situation about as it really is. About half (52%) say he is making the situation seem better than it really is, while 8% say he is making things seem worse than they really are.

Negative job ratings for Pelosi and McConnell. Just 36% of Americans approve of the way Nancy Pelosi is handling her job as speaker of the House, while an identical percentage approves of Mitch McConnell’s performance as Senate majority leader. Majorities disapprove of the job performance of Pelosi (61%) and McConnell (59%). Job ratings for both congressional leaders are deeply partisan.

Majority sees increased partisan divisions, but fewer do so than last fall. The public has long believed that the nation’s partisan divisions have widened. But the share saying divisions between Republicans and Democrats, while large, has declined since last September. Currently, 65% say divisions between Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. are growing, compared with 78% who said this last fall.

India Center Foundation Launches Arts Resiliency Fund for South Asian Artists Affected by COVID-19

Staff ReporterEntertainment, Health 0

The non-profit arts organization India Center Foundation (ICF), in partnership with MELA Arts Connect (MAC), has announced the formation of The South Asian Arts Resiliency Fund, a grant program for South Asian artists and arts workers in the U.S. in the fields of performing arts, film, visual arts or literature who have been impacted by the economic fallout of COVID-19 due to postponed or canceled performances, events or exhibitions.

ICF will provide launch funding of $20,000 towards this important initiative. The fund will be co-managed by MAC and supported by a crowdfunding campaign and multiple live streaming experiences and more. With the community’s support to reach the targeted goal of $500,000, the fund will be able to provide grants to hundreds of arts workers around the country. The expectation is that this milestone will be outmatched because of generous support from arts patrons and philanthropic communities, who can donate funds through this Go Fund Me Page.

In an ongoing survey about the economic impact of the coronavirus on the arts sector, Americans for the Arts has captured a crippling loss of more than $114 million as of April 4, 2020. “And the situation is only going to get worse, before it gets better,” said Raoul Bhavnani, ICF Co-Founder. “Communities count on the arts to rally around, to gather and to find connection, especially in times of crisis, and the South Asian community is no different. With necessary physical distancing in place for the foreseeable future, the arts community — artists, producers, agents, managers, administrators, technicians — are unable to perform or produce their work for audiences and are losing their livelihoods.  Losses will only continue to mount unless we choose to support artists NOW, and we hope individuals, corporations and other arts organizations will join us in this critical endeavor.”

“We want to encourage South Asian voices in the arts at all levels and make sure that our growing representation in all sectors of creative fields does not diminish because of this pandemic,” said ICF Co-Founder Priya Giri Desai. “The Resiliency Fund can ensure that our South Asian voices continue to be heard and that South Asian artists can feel secure in their choice to pursue a life in the arts.”

WHAT THE FUND WILL SUPPORT:

The development, creation and presentation of work requires the time and expertise of a multitude of people, not just the artist. As such, the fund will provide support for artists and arts personnel in the U.S. through project grants on a rolling basis for the development of work, particularly during the ongoing pandemic.
Examples of Projects:

Creation of music, dance, theater, film, visual arts or literature projects (ongoing or new)

Research for development of music, dance, theater, film or visual arts projects (ongoing or new)

Strategic planning by a manager or agent for an artist

Content creation for project deployment

Creation of resources for artists to support careers in the arts

WHO IS ELIGIBLE:

Eligible applicants are United States-based, South Asian arts workers in the performing arts, film, visual arts or literature who can demonstrate loss of income because of canceled or postponed engagements due to COVID-19.
Arts Workers are defined as:

Artists such as: dancers, choreographers, musicians, poets, actors, comedians, playwrights, directors, filmmakers, writers, composers, visual artists, etc.

Arts personnel such as: technicians (lighting, sound, costume, stage management, production, editor), independent curators / presenters, producers, agents, managers, etc.

*Grants will be targeted to at least $1,000, depending on eligibility and financial need. The arts community can apply starting April 13th at the organization’s website, www.theindiacenter.us

Time to encourage people to wear face masks as a precaution, say experts

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

Despite limited evidence, they could have a substantial impact on transmission with a relatively small impact on social and economic life

Newswise — It’s time to encourage people to wear face masks as a precautionary measure on the grounds that we have little to lose and potentially something to gain, say experts in The BMJ today.

Professor Trisha Greenhalgh at the University of Oxford and colleagues say despite limited evidence, masks “could have a substantial impact on transmission with a relatively small impact on social and economic life.”

The question of whether masks will reduce transmission of covid-19 in the general public is contested.

Although clinical trial evidence on the widespread use of facemasks as a protective measure against covid-19 is lacking, at the time of writing increasing numbers of agencies and governments, including the US Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, are now advocating that the general population wears masks, but others, such as the World Health Organization and Public Health England are not.

Some researchers argue that people are unlikely to wear masks properly or consistently, and may ignore wider infection control measures like handwashing. Others say the public should not wear them since healthcare workers need them more.

But Greenhalgh and colleagues challenge these arguments and suggest that in the context of covid-19, many people could be taught to use masks properly and may well do this consistently without abandoning other important anti-contagion measures.

What’s more, they say if political will is there, mask shortages can be quickly overcome by repurposing manufacturing capacity – something that is already happening informally.

They conclude that it is time to act without waiting for randomised controlled trial evidence.

“Masks are simple, cheap, and potentially effective,” they write. “We believe that, worn both in the home (particularly by the person showing symptoms) and also outside the home in situations where meeting others is likely (for example, shopping, public transport), they could have a substantial impact on transmission with a relatively small impact on social and economic life.”

In a linked editorial, Babak Javid at Tsinghua University in Beijing and colleagues agree that the public should wear face masks because the benefits are plausible and harms unlikely. And they say cloth masks are likely to be better than wearing no mask at all.

As we prepare to enter a “new normal,” wearing a mask in public may become the face of our unified action in the fight against this common threat and reinforce the importance of social distancing measures, they conclude.

In an opinion piece, researchers recommend that health care workers should not be caring for covid-19 patients without proper respiratory protection, and that cloth masks are not a suitable alternative for health care workers.

18 musical icons unite for virtual concerts

Staff ReporterEntertainment, Health 0

Musical icons including Asha Bhosle, SP Balasubramaniam, Udit Narayan, Pankaj Udhas, Talat Aziz, Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam, Shaan and Kailash Kher, will get together for virtual concerts to show solidarity to the people who are at the frontline in the battle against COVID 19.

A series of virtual concerts “Sangeet Setu” have been announced by the Indian Singers Rights Association (ISRA). The concerts will be held between 8pm and 9pm on April 10, 11 and 12.

The concerts, which will also be attended by Lata Mangeshkar, will also include performances by KJ Yesudas, Anoop Jalota, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Sudesh Bhosale, Suresh Wadkar, Kumar Shanu, Hariharan, Shankar Mahadevan, and Salim Merchant.

Talking about the initiative, Manish Baradia, Creative Director of Moving Pixels Company, said: “This is not just a concert series, it’s a national movement. We want to take this concert to 1 billion screens.”

Sonu Nigam said: “Every Indian be it an official, a health worker, an essential services provider or citizen at home – is contributing in this battle. Especially mothers, home makers and sisters at home who are bearing the burden. As artists salute you through our music.”

To this, Kher added: “From the birth to the infinity, from the darkness to the light, music fills all emptiness of life. Medication is limited to heal the body but music heals the soul. On behalf of ISRA, we come together as a family to sing for you all to spread positivity amongst all of us in this dark phase bringing entertainment for enlightenment and cheer.”

Shaan urged “everyone to stay at home”.

“With this initiative, we will be able to come to your homes and sing for the country. I urge everyone to donate generously to the PM Cares fund, as every single rupee counts,” Shaan said

On behalf of ISRA, Sanjay Tandon, CEO, said: “ISRA decided that leading singers of the country will entertain the masses and try to lighten their stress, strain and depression in these tough times. I thank all the artists who have made themselves available for this national service.”

The concert will be available on MX Player, Hotstar, Vodafone Play, Flipkart, Jio Tv and Sony Liv. (IANS)

Record 16.8 Million People Have Sought U.S. Jobless Aid Since Coronavirus Outbreak Began

Staff ReporterBusiness, Finance/Economy, Health 0

With a startling 6.6 million people seeking unemployment benefits last week, the United States has reached a grim landmark: More than one in 10 workers have lost their jobs in just the past three weeks to the coronavirus outbreak.

The figures collectively constitute the largest and fastest string of job losses in records dating to 1948. By contrast, during the Great Recession it took 44 weeks — roughly 10 months — for unemployment claims to go as high as they now have in less than a month.

The damage to job markets is extending across the world. The equivalent of 195 million full-time jobs could be lost in the second quarter to business shutdowns caused by the viral outbreak, according to the United Nations’ labor organization. It estimates that global unemployment will rise by 25 million this year. And that doesn’t even count workers on reduced hours and pay. Lockdown measures are affecting nearly 2.7 billion workers — about 81 percent of the global workforce — the agency said.

Around half a billion people could sink into poverty as a result of the economic fallout from the coronavirus unless richer countries act to help developing nations, Oxfam, a leading aid organization, warned Thursday.

In the United States, the job market is quickly unraveling as businesses have shut down across the country. All told, in the past three weeks, 16.8 million Americans have filed for unemployment aid. The surge of jobless claims has overwhelmed state unemployment offices around the country. And still more job cuts are expected.

More than 20 million people may lose jobs this month. The unemployment rate could hit 15% when the April employment report is released in early May.

 “The carnage in the American labor market continued unabated,” said Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist for RSM, a tax advisory firm.

The viral outbreak is believed to have erased nearly one-third of the U.S. economy’s output in the current quarter. Forty-eight states have closed non-essential businesses.

A nation of normally free-spending shoppers and travelers is mainly hunkered down at home, bringing entire gears of the economy to a near-halt. Non-grocery retail business plunged 97% in the last week of March compared with a year earlier, according to Morgan Stanley. The number of airline passengers screened by the Transportation Security Administration has plunged 95% from a year ago. U.S. hotel revenue has tumbled 80%.

Applications for unemployment benefits are a rough proxy for layoffs because only people who have lost a job through no fault of their own are eligible.

The wave of layoffs may be cresting in some states even while still surging in others. Last week, applications for jobless aid declined in 19 states. In California, they dropped nearly 13% to 925,000 — still a shockingly high figure. In Pennsylvania, they dropped by nearly one-third to 284,000. That’s still more than the entire nation experienced just four weeks ago.

By contrast, in Georgia, which issued shutdown orders later than most other states, filings for unemployment claims nearly tripled last week to 388,000. In Arkansas, they more than doubled. In Arizona, they jumped by nearly 50%.

On Thursday, the Federal Reserve intensified its efforts to bolster the economy with a series of lending programs that could inject up to $2.3 trillion into the economy. Chairman Jerome Powell said that the economy’s strength before the viral outbreak means it could rebound quickly in the second half of the year.

“There is every reason to believe that the economic rebound, when it comes, will be robust,” Powell said.

In many European countries, government programs are keeping people on payrolls, though typically with fewer hours and lower pay. In France, 5.8 million people — about a quarter of the private sector workforce — are now on a “partial unemployment” plan: With government help, they receive part of their wages while temporarily laid off or while working shorter hours.

AAPI Urges President Trump to enhance the existing national registry of COVID-19 recovered patients to collect their convalescent plasma

Staff ReporterHealth 0

In its efforts to help patients and medical professionals across the nation to receive the required support, training and supplies to protect and heal those infected with the deadly COVID-19 virus that continues to impact the entire nation, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, is urging President Donald Trump and his Administration “to enhance the existing national registry of COVID-19 recovered patients to collect their convalescent plasma, support the creation of supply chain and implementation process in the EARLY treatment of patients infected with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presenting with hypoxia.”

The U.S. has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic after reported cases surpassed those officially reported by China. Since the novel coronavirus called SARSCoV-2 was first detected in the U.S. on Jan. 20, it has spread to at least half a million people in the U.S., across all 50 states, and taking the lives of over 16,000 people.

In a letter dated April 9th and signed by Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI and Dr. Lokesh Edara, Chairman on AAPI’s Adhoc Committee, representing the nearly 100,000 Physicians of Indian Origin in the United States. AAPI leaders while thanking President Trump “for guiding the FDA in launching a national effort to bring blood-related therapies for COVID-19 patients in the most expedited manner,” they reiterated the studies done on COVID-19 cases that have shown benefits of using convalescent plasma from recovered patients in combating viral infections.

In addition to the entire AAPI Executive  Team, others who are signatory to the Letter included, Dr. Anith Guduri, Sub Editor; Dr. Madhavi Gorusu, Chair on AAPI Covid Plasma Donation Task Force; Dr. Rupak Parikh, CO-Chair of AAPI Covid Plasma Drive; Dr. Purvi Parikh, CO-Chair of AAPI Covid Plasma Drive; Dr. Amit Charkrabarty, CO-Chair of AAPI Covid Plasma Drive; and,  Dr. Deeptha Nedunchezian, Chair, AAPI’s Education Committee.

“While COVID-19 continues to disrupt life around the globe, AAPI is committed to helping its tens of thousands of members across the US and others across the globe, as concerned physicians witnessing the growing COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on our society, healthcare system and economy, AAPI has launched the Plasma Drive from patients who have been cured of COVID-19 and are now with no Corona-virus related symptoms for at least the past two weeks,” Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI, announced here.

“AAPI, would like to join your efforts in helping patients recover from this deadly illness. We would like to emphasize the benefit of giving convalescent plasma to COVID-19 patients at an EARLY stage before the onset of hypoxia and potentially before intubation at the approval of doctor and the patient being treated,” Dr. Reddy said.

“This could be a lifesaving measure as well as prevent many patients in going to need ventilator support. In Ohio on April 8, 2020 we have to take permission of the Governor to get Convalescent plasma therapy for a physician suffering from COVID -19,” Dr. Edara pointed added.

Currently in USA Comprehensive Care Partnership (CCP) requires an FDA approved Investigational New Drug Application (IND) for administration to a patient but does not require an IND for collection, manufacturing and distribution of plasma as per FDA’s April 3rd press release.

However, obtaining approval takes time and time is of essence here for saving lives in this national emergency. Blood donation centers across the U.S. are ramping up efforts to collect plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 in the hope it could be used to save the lives of others infected with the pandemic disease.

Some of the other effective initiatives by AAPI that include: Offering regular tele-conference calls which have been attended by over 4,000 physicians from across the United States. AAPI has also collaborated with other national international and government organizations such as, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Indian Embassy in Washington, DC, National Council of Asian Indian Americans (NCAIA), GAPIO, BAPIO and Australian Indian Medical Graduates Association, in its efforts to educate and inform physicians and the public about the virus, to prevent and treat people with the affected by corona virus.

Another major initiative of AAPI has been the “Donate a Mask” program, under the leadership of Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI, Dr. Sajani Shah, Chairwoman-Elect of AAPI’s BOD, and Dr. Ami Baxi. AAPI is planning a Virtual Candle Vigil on April 12th honoring  all the Physicians and others who have lost their lives to the deadly virus.

“We would like to request you to endorse the wide implementation of plasma donation from recovering patients, enhance support to the Blood donation centers and facilitate the shortening of the time required for patient to receive the required supportive treatment,” AAPI wrote in the Letter to President Trump.

AAPI expressed confidence that the Administration will take required steps to facilitate this therapy to be widely available as a viable option in saving American lives. “Under your leadership, we can all fight this invisible enemy, COVID-19, and beat this pandemic. Thank you for your continued leadership and service to the United States of America,” Dr. Reddy said.

For more information on AAPI and its several initiatives to combat Corona Virus and help Fellow Physicians and the larger community, please visit: www.aapiusa.org,  or email to: aapicovidplasmadonor@gmail.com

Coronavirus: ‘Deadly resurgence’ if curbs lifted too early, WHO warns

Staff ReporterHealth 0

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said countries should be cautious about easing restrictions, even as some struggle with the economic impact. Europe’s worst hit countries, Spain and Italy, are both relaxing some measures, while their lockdowns continue.

Globally there are 1.6 million cases of coronavirus and 101,000 deaths. Speaking at a virtual news conference in Geneva, Dr Tedros said there had been a “welcome slowing” of the epidemics in some European countries.

He said the WHO was working with governments to form strategies for easing restrictions, but that this should not be done too soon.

“Lifting restrictions too quickly could lead to a deadly resurgence,” he said.

“The way down can be as dangerous as the way up if not managed properly.”

How are Spain and Italy easing curbs?

The government in Spain is preparing to allow some non-essential workers in sectors including construction and factory production to return to their jobs on Monday.

Spain recorded its lowest daily death toll in 17 days on Friday, with 605 people dying. According to the latest figures, Spain has now registered 15,843 deaths related to the virus.

However, the government has urged people to continue to uphold social distancing rules over the Easter long weekend.

In Italy, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte extended the national lockdown until 3 May, warning that the gains made so far should not be lost. However, a small proportion of businesses that have been shut since 12 March will be permitted to reopen on Tuesday.

Conte specifically mentioned bookshops and children’s clothing shops, but media reports suggest laundrettes and other services may also be included

Only grocery stores and pharmacies have been allowed to operate since the lockdown started.

The number of deaths in Italy rose by 570 on Friday, down from a daily figure of 610 the day before, and the number of new cases also slowed slightly to 3,951 from 4,204.

Elsewhere:

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has announced his country’s lockdown measures will be extended until 5 May

Turkey has ordered a 48-hour curfew in 31 cities – including Istanbul and Ankara – to start at midnight. The announcement, made just two hours before the curfew was due to start, sparked panic buying and crowds of shoppers

Portugal’s state of emergency is set to stay in place until 1 May, according to President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa

The UK government is under pressure to explain how curbs could eventually be lifted but says lockdown restrictions will remain until evidence shows the peak has passed

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa said late on Thursday that the country’s 21-day lockdown would be extended for a further 2 weeks – a move the main opposition party said would cause economic disaster

The number of people who have died with Covid-19 in France went up by nearly 1,000 to 13,197 on Friday. However, the number of people in intensive care units fell slightly for the second day in a row.  “We seem to be reaching a plateau, albeit a high level,” Director of Health Jérôme Salomon said.

Is the spread of the virus slowing?

Staff ReporterHealth 0

WHO head Dr Tedros welcomed the apparent slowdown in infections in some European countries on Friday.  US officials also say the coronavirus outbreak may be starting to level off there. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, said on Friday that while there were encouraging signs, the epidemic had not yet reached its peak.

Media captionThe Surgeon General showed his inhaler while discussing the impact of coronavirus on people of colour

Meanwhile, Dr Tedros has warned that the virus is now spreading rapidly in other countries. He highlighted Africa, where he said the virus had reached rural areas.

“We are now seeing clusters of cases and community spread in more than 16 countries” on the continent, he said.

“We anticipate severe hardship for already overstretched health systems, particularly in rural areas, which normally lack the resources of those in cities.”

Speaking on Wednesday, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus defended the WHO’s work and called for an end to the politicisation of Covid-19.

The Ethiopian also said that he had received deaths threats and has been subjected to racist abuse.

Trump said he would consider ending US funding for the UN agency. He accused the WHO of being “very China-centric” and said they “really blew” their pandemic response.

Dr Tedros has now dismissed the comments, insisting: “We are close to every nation, we are colour-blind.”

After first attacking the WHO the previous day, President Trump renewed his criticism at his news briefing on Wednesday, saying the organisation must “get its priorities right”. He said the US would conduct a study to decide whether it would continue paying contributions,

Also answering questions at the briefing on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration was “re-evaluating our funding” of the WHO, adding; “Organisations have to work. They have to deliver the outcomes for which they were intended”.

Covid-19 first emerged last December in the Chinese city of Wuhan, which has just ended an 11-week lockdown. An advisor to the WHO chief earlier said their close work with China had been “absolutely essential” in understanding the disease in its early stages.

Trump’s attacks on the WHO come in the context of criticism of his own administration’s handling of the pandemic, especially early problems with testing.

The WHO approved a coronavirus test in January – but the US decided against using it, developing its own test instead. However, in February, when the testing kits were despatched, some of them didn’t work properly and led to inconclusive results.  Public health experts say the delay enabled the virus to spread further within the US.

32 Million Livelihoods at Risk, Indian Economy Will Shrink 20 Percent if Lockdown Continues to Mid-May

Staff ReporterBusiness, Finance/Economy, Health 0

If the India lockdown continues till mid-May along with moderate relaxation after the end of 21-day lockdown on April 14, it could put 32 million livelihoods at risk and swell non-performing loans by seven percentage points, resulting in the economy contracting sharply by around 20 per cent in the first quarter of fiscal year 2021, with –2 to –3 percent growth for fiscal year 2021, a new report warned April 10.

According to the report by leading management consulting firm McKinsey and Company, the cost of stabilizing and protecting households, companies and lenders could exceed Rs 10 lakh crore, or more than 5 per cent of GDP in such a scenario.

The report, titled ‘Getting ahead of coronavirus: Saving lives and livelihoods in India,’ said that restarting supply chains and normalizing production and consumption can take three–four months if the lockdown goes till mid-May as the virus lingers on.

If the lockdown continues for additional two–three weeks in Q2 and Q4 FY 2021 because of virus resurgence, it could mean an even deeper economic contraction of around 8 to 10 per cent for fiscal year 2021.

“This could occur if the virus flares up a few times over the rest of the year, necessitating more lock-downs, causing even greater reluctance among migrants to resume work, and ensuring a much slower rate of recovery,” the report suggested.

To understand probable economic outcomes and possible interventions related to COVID-19, McKinsey spoke with some 600 business leaders, economists, financial-market analysts and policy makers.

According to the findings, in case the lockdown period is extended till mid-May, the potential economic loss in India would vary by sector, with current-quarter output drops that are large in sectors such as aviation and lower in sectors such as IT-enabled services and pharmaceuticals.

“Current-quarter consumption could drop by more than 30 percent in discretionary categories, such as clothing and furnishings, and by up to 10 per cent in areas such as food and utilities,” said the report.

Strained debt- service-coverage ratios would be anticipated in the travel, transport, and logistics, textiles, power and hotel and entertainment sectors.

There could be solvency risk within the Indian financial system, as almost 25 percent of MSME and small- and medium-size-enterprise loans could slip into default, compared with 6 percent in the corporate sector (although the rate could be much higher in aviation, textiles, power and construction) and 3 percent in the retail segment (mainly in personal loans for self-employed workers and small businesses).

“Liquidity risk would also need urgent attention as payments begin freezing in the corporate and SME supply chains. Attention will need to be given to the liquidity needs of banks and non-banks with stretched liquidity-coverage ratios to ensure depositor confidence,’ the report mentioned.

Given the magnitude of potential unemployment, business failure and financial-system risk, a comprehensive package of fiscal and monetary interventions may need to be planned.

“Consideration could be given to an income-support program in which the government both pays for a share of the payroll for the 60 million informal contractual and permanent workers linked to companies and provides direct income support for the 135 million informal workers who are not on any form of company payroll,’ the report further suggested.

Since last week, the Health Ministry has observed a staggering rise daily in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases across the country — nearly 500-plus cases daily with a few exceptions where the number has gone below 400 cases — a pattern which indicates a worrying trend after solid implementation of the nationwide lockdown and sealing of hotspots.

On April 10, the number of confirmed cases has risen to 6,412, an addition of 669 cases in a day.

Punjab and Odisha have already extended lockdown till May 1 and April 30, respectively.

According to the report, countries that are experiencing COVID-19 have adopted different approaches to slow the spread of the virus.

Some have tested extensively, carried out contact tracing, limited travel and large gatherings, encouraged physical distancing, and quarantined citizens.

Others have implemented full lock-downs in cities with high infection rates and partial lock-downs in other regions, with strict protocols in place to prevent infections.

“The pace and scale of opening up from lockdown for India may depend on the availability of the crucial testing capabilities that will be required to get a better handle on the spread of the virus, granular data and technology to track and trace infections, and the build-up of health care facilities to treat patients (such as hospital beds by district),” said the report.

Since there is a very real possibility of the virus lingering on through the year, a micro-targeting approach could help decelerate its spread while keeping livelihoods going.

“It is imperative that society preserve both lives and livelihoods. To do so, India can consider a concerted set of fiscal, monetary, and structural measures and explore ways to return from the lockdown that reflect its situation and respect that most important of tenets: the sanctity of human life,” the report noted.

Apple and Google Team Up to ‘Contact Trace’ the Coronavirus

Staff ReporterHealth, Science & Technology 0

The technology giants said they would embed a feature in iPhones and Android devices to enable users to track infected people they’d come close to.

In one of the most far-ranging attempts to halt the spread of the coronavirus, Apple and Google said they were building software into smartphones that would tell people if they were recently in contact with someone who was infected with it.

The technology giants said they were teaming up to release the tool within several months, building it into the operating systems of the billions of iPhones and Android devices around the world. That would enable the smartphones to constantly log other devices they come near, enabling what is known as “contact tracing” of the disease. People would opt in to use the tool and voluntarily report if they became infected.

The unlikely partnership between Google and Apple, fierce rivals who rarely pass up an opportunity to criticize each other, underscores the seriousness of the health crisis and the power of the two companies whose software runs almost every smartphone in the world. Apple and Google said their joint effort came together in just the last two weeks.

Their work could prove to be significant in slowing the spread of the coronavirus. Public-health authorities have said that improved tracking of infected people and their contacts could slow the pandemic, especially at the start of an outbreak, and such measures have been effective in places like South Korea that also conducted mass virus testing.

Yet two of the world’s largest tech companies harnessing virtually all of the smartphones on the planet to trace people’s connections raises questions about the reach these behemoths have into individuals’ lives and society.

“It could be a useful tool but it raises privacy issues,” said Dr. Mike Reid, an assistant professor of medicine and infectious diseases at the University of California, San Francisco, who is helping San Francisco officials with contact tracing. “It’s not going to be the sole solution, but as part of a robust sophisticated response, it has a role to play.”

Timothy D. Cook, Apple’s chief executive, said on Twitter that the tool would help curb the virus’s spread “in a way that also respects transparency & consent.” Sundar Pichai, Google’s chief, also posted on Twitter that the tool has “strong controls and protections for user privacy.”

With the tool, people infected with the coronavirus would notify a public health app that they have it, which would then alert phones that had recently come into proximity with that person’s device. The companies would need to get public-health authorities to agree to link their app to the tool.

Privacy is a concern given that Google, in particular, has a checkered history of collecting people’s data for its online advertising business. The internet search company came under fire in 2018 after it said that disabling people’s location history on Android phones would not stop it from collecting location data.

Apple, which has been one of the biggest critics of Google’s collection of user data, has not built a significant business around using data to sell online advertising. Still, the company has access to a wealth of information about its users, from their location to their health.

There are already third-party tools for contact tracing, including from public health authorities and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In March, the government of Singapore introduced a similar coronavirus contact-tracing app, called TraceTogether, that detects mobile phones that are nearby.

But given the number of iPhones and Android devices in use worldwide, Apple and Google said they were hoping to make tracing efforts by public health authorities more effective by reaching more people. They also said they would provide their underlying technology to the third-party apps to make them more reliable.

Daniel Weitzner, a principal research scientist at M.I.T.’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and who was one of those behind the school’s contract tracing app, said Google and Apple’s partnership will help health officials save time and resources in developing their own applications to track the virus’ spread.

One challenge for third-party apps is that they must run constantly — 24 hours a day, seven days a week — to be effective. Google said some Android smartphone manufacturers shut down those applications to save battery life.

Apple and Google said their tool would also constantly run in the background if people opt to use it, logging nearby devices through the short-range wireless technology Bluetooth. But it would eat up less battery life and be more reliable than third-party apps, they said.

Indiaspora launches a ChaloGive for COVID-19 online giving campaign

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

The non-profit organization, Indiaspora, announced the launch of an online initiative to raise funds for helping fight hunger among vulneratble populations in the United States and India.

The ChaloGive for COVID-19 online giving campaign has already raised $500,000  from leaders in the organization, according to a press release April 10, 2020, from the organization.

Organizers described it as a “grassroots” initiative through Indiaspora’s online giving platform ChaloGive.org. Contributions to ChaloGive.org will meet demand on the ground through beneficiary nonprofits Feeding America and Goonj in the United States and India, respectively, the organization announced.

Former Pepsi Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi, and former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, who serve on Feeding America’s Food Security Council and Board of Directors, respectively, have endorsed the fund drive, the press release said.

“We are facing an unprecedented situation due to Covid-19,” Indiaspora founder member Anand Rajaraman, a Silicon Valley-based serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist, is quoted saying in the press release. He and his wife Kaushie Adiseshan are the lead donors for the campaign.

“The drastic measures necessary to control this pandemic have created special challenges for vulnerable sections of society across the world, particularly in India and the US,” Rajaraman said.

Noting the “outpouring of support” from the Indian diaspora during this pandemic, Indiaspora said one of the most pressing and urgent challenges facing both the U.S. and India right now is hunger. It estimates some 37 million in the U.S. face food insecurity and in India some 140 million migrant workers have been displaced.

“While all eyes are on frontline hospitals, millions in America and across the globe suffer silently from a growing and equally alarming epidemic of food insecurity as the COVID-19 crisis threatens to push already struggling families deeper into poverty,” said Sejal Hathi, an Indiaspora Board member and physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. “Now more than ever is the time for communities like Indiaspora’s to come together and rise to this call to feed people in need. I’m so proud to witness exactly this commitment to seva.”

“Given the increasingly global world we are living in, India and its diaspora are in a unique and powerful position to help each other,” said Kris Gopalakrishnan, chairman of Axilor Ventures and a founder of IT services company Infosys, and also a founder member of Indiaspora.

“This crisis has made it even harder for those who were already struggling to survive,” said Kris Gopalakrishnan, Chairman of Axilor Ventures and a founder of IT services company Infosys, who is also an Indiaspora Founders Circle member. “Given the increasingly global world we are living in, India and its diaspora are in a unique and powerful position to help each other.”

Contributions to ChaloGive.org will meet demand on the ground through beneficiary nonprofits Feeding America and Goonj in the United States and India, respectively.

Feeding America, which has been providing emergency food assistance to people facing hunger through its nationwide network of 200 food banks in America for more than 40 years, is responding to the new hunger crisis in the U.S.  Every dollar to Feeding America secures 10 meals through the food bank network.

“The nation and our food bank network are facing challenges unlike anything we’ve seen in our organization’s history,” said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America. “We are truly grateful to Indiaspora for its support of Feeding America through the ChaloGive for COVID-19 campaign. During this time of uncertainty, the generous donations derived from this effort will help bring much-needed food and hope to countless families facing hunger across the U.S.”

In India, Goonj provides disaster relief, rehabilitation and community development with dignity. Through their Rahat Covid-19 initiative, given their already pan-India network and presence, Goonj has already initiated relief work of reaching food, dry ration and hygiene kits to displaced migrants in parts of fourteen states of India.

“Despite our extensive experience of working in disasters, the scale and still unfolding nature of this long-tailed disaster calls for massive resource mobilization for short-, mid- and long-term work,” said Anshu Gupta, Founder of Goonj and a Magsaysay Awardee.  We are delighted to partner with Indiaspora on this campaign as an opportunity to engage the Indian-American community and our well wishers from across the world in supporting their fellow citizens in this difficult hour.”

Contributions given at ChaloGive.org will go directly toward these charities’ relief funds, and are fully tax-deductible for U.S. taxpayers.

An additional USD $100,000 donated online by April 15 will be matched by Indiaspora’s members; thus, donors who give through the platform will have the opportunity to have their impact doubled.

Aggressive testing, contact tracing, cooked meals: How the Indian state of Kerala flattened its coronavirus curve

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

(From Washington Post)

For hours, the health worker ticked through a list of questions: How is your health? What is your state of mind? Are you running out of any food supplies? By the end of the afternoon, she had reached more than 50 people under coronavirus quarantine. Weeks earlier, that number was 200.

Sheeba K.M. was just one of more than 30,000 health workers in the Indian state of Kerala, part of the Communist state government’s robust response to the coronavirus pandemic. Other efforts include aggressive testing, intense contact tracing, instituting a longer quarantine, building thousands of shelters for migrant workers stranded by the sudden nationwide shutdown and distributing millions of cooked meals to those in need.

The measures appear to be paying off. Even though Kerala was the first state to report a coronavirus case in late January, the number of new cases in the first week of April dropped 30% from the previous week. With just two deaths, 34% of positive patients have recovered in the state, higher than elsewhere in India.

The success in Kerala could prove instructive for the Indian government, which has largely shut down the country to stop the spread of the contagion but continues to see the curve trend upward, with more than 6,700 confirmed cases and more than 200 deaths. Its challenges are plenty – from high population density to poor health care facilities – but experts say Kerala’s proactive measures like early detection and broad social support measures could serve as a model for the rest of the country.

“We hoped for the best but planned for the worst,” said K.K. Shailaja, the state’s health minister, while cautioning that the pandemic is not yet over in Kerala. “Now, the curve has flattened, but we cannot predict what will happen next week.”

Kerala’s approach was effective because it was “both strict and humane,” said Shahid Jameel, a virologist and infectious disease expert.

“Aggressive testing, isolating, tracing and treating – those are ways of containing an outbreak,” said Jameel, who is also the CEO of Wellcome Trust, a health research foundation.

Henk Bekedam, the World Health Organization’s representative in India, attributed Kerala’s “prompt response” to its past “experience and investment” in emergency preparedness and pointed to measures such as district monitoring, risk communication and community engagement.

The state faced a potentially disastrous challenge: a disproportionately high number of foreign arrivals. Popular for its tranquil backwaters and health retreats, the coastal state receives more than 1 million foreign tourists a year. One-sixth of its 33 million citizens are expatriates, and hundreds of its students study in China.

Screening at airports was tightened, and travelers from nine countries – including coronavirus hotspots such as Iran and South Korea – were required to quarantine at home starting on Feb. 10, two weeks before India put similar restrictions into place. In one instance, more than a dozen foreign nationals were removed from a flight before takeoff because they had not completed their isolation period. Temporary quarantine shelters were established to accommodate tourists and other nonresidents.

Still, some slipped through. The arrival of a local couple from Italy in the last week of February who did not report to health officials caused an alarm. By the time they were detected, the couple had attended several social gatherings and traveled widely. Nearly 900 primary and secondary contacts were traced and isolated.

Robin Thomas, 34, the son-in-law of the couple who returned from Italy, tested positive for coronavirus, as did his wife and his wife’s grandparents. He said apart from the “excellent treatment” he received, the medical staff also helped them overcome stigma.

“People were blaming us on Facebook and WhatsApp,” he said. “The counselors called us over the phone regularly and gave us confidence.

Shailaja, the health minister, said six states had reached out to Kerala for advice. But it may not be easy to replicate Kerala’s lessons elsewhere in India.

In more than 30 years of Communist rule, the state has invested heavily in public education and universal health care. Kerala has the highest literacy rate and benefits from the best-performing public health system in the country. It tops India’s rankings on neonatal mortality, birth immunizations and the availability of specialists at primary care facilities.

The strength of its health care system allowed it to follow the World Health Organization’s recommendation on aggressive testing, even as central agencies maintained that mass testing was not feasible in a country like India. Through the first week of April, Kerala had conducted more than 13,000 tests, accounting for 10% of all tests done across India. By comparison, Andhra Pradesh, a larger state with a similar number of cases, had carried out nearly 6,000 tests while Tamil Nadu, with more than double the number of cases, had done more than 8,000 tests.

The state took the lead in deploying rapid testing kits, which officials say they continue to use in hotspots to check community spread. This week, Kerala began walk-in testing facilities, which reduce the need for protective gears for health workers.

Kerala also announced an economic package worth $2.6 billion to fight the pandemic days before the central government instituted a harsh lockdown that left many states scrambling. It delivered uncooked lunches to schoolchildren, liaised with service providers to increase network capacity for Internet at homes and promised two months of advance pension.

But there have also been some blips. The state was criticized for going ahead with a local festival in early March that drew thousands of people. Amar Fettle, the state officer responsible for health emergencies, said there was still room for improvement on aspects like social distancing in markets, cough hygiene and lockdown implementation.

Thomas and his wife have recovered, as have his wife’s elderly grandparents – 88 and 93 – who were discharged this week.

“We were very worried about them and thought they may not survive,” Thomas said. “Even when grandfather had a heart attack, the doctors told us they will keep trying.”

Fascinating story of the connection between Hydroxychloroquine, British India, Srirangapatna and Gin & Tonic

Staff ReporterHealth, India, Politics 0

As most of us are already aware, Hydroxychloroquine has taken the world by storm. Every newspaper is talking about it, and all countries are requesting India to supply it.

Now, a curious person might wonder why and how this chemical composition is so deeply entrenched in India, and is there any history behind it.

Well, there is an interesting history behind it which goes all the way to Tipu Sultan’s defeat. In 1799, when Tipu was defeated by the British, the whole of Mysore Kingdom with Srirangapatnam as Tipu’s capital, came under British control. For the next few days, the British soldiers had a great time celebrating their victory, but within weeks, many started feeling sick due to Malaria, because Srirangapatnam was a highly marshy area with severe mosquito trouble.

The local Indian population had over the centuries, developed self immunity, and also all the spicy food habits helped to an extent. Whereas the British soldiers and officers who were suddenly exposed to harsh Indian conditions, started bearing the brunt.

To quickly overcome the mosquito menace, the British Army immediately shifted their station from Srirangapatnam to Bangalore (by establishing the Bangalore Cantonment region), which was a welcome change, especially due to cool weather, which the Brits were gavely missing ever since they had left their shores. But the malaria problem still persisted because Bangalore was also no exception to mosquitoes.

Around the same time, European scientists had discovered a chemical composition called “Quinine” which could be used to treat malaria, and was slowly gaining prominence, but it was yet to be extensively tested at large scale. This malaria crisis among British Army came at an opportune time, and thus Quinine was imported in bulk by the Army and distributed to all their soldiers, who were instructed to take regular dosages (even to healthy soldiers) so that they could build immunity. This was followed up in all other British stations throughout India, because every region in India had malaria problem to some extent.

But there was a small problem. Although sick soldiers quickly recovered, many more soldiers who were exposed to harsh conditions of tropical India continued to become sick, because it was later found that they were not taking dosages of Quinine. Why? Because it was very bitter!! So, by avoiding the bitter Quinine, British soldiers stationed in India were lagging behind on their immunity, thereby making themselves vulnerable to Malaria in the tropical regions of India.

That’s when all the top British officers and scientists started experimenting ways to persuade their soldiers to strictly take these dosages, and during their experiments,  they found that the bitter Quinine mixed with Juniper based liquor, actually turned somewhat into a sweet flavor. That’s because the molecular structure of the final solution was such that it would almost completely curtail the bitterness of Quinine.

That juniper based liquor was Gin. And the Gin mixed with Quinine was called “Gin & Tonic”, which immediately became an instant hit among British soldiers.

The same British soldiers who were ready to even risk their lives but couldn’t stand the bitterness of Quinine,  started swearing by it daily when they mixed it with Gin. In fact, the Army even started issuing few bottles of Gin along with “tonic water” (Quinine) as part of their monthly ration, so that soldiers could themselves prepare Gin & Tonic and consume them everyday to build immunity.

To cater to the growing demand of gin & other forms of liquor among British soldiers, the British East India company built several local breweries in and around Bengaluru, which could then be transported to all other parts of India. And that’s how, due to innumerable breweries and liquor distillation factories, Bengaluru had already become the pub capital of India way back during British times itself.  Eventually, most of these breweries were purchased from British organizations after Indian independence, by none other than Vittal Mallya (Vijay Mallya’s father), who then led the consortium under the group named United Breweries headquartered in Bengaluru.

Coming back to the topic, that’s how Gin & Tonic became a popular cocktail and is still a popular drink even today. The Quinine, which was called Tonic (without gin), was widely prescribed by Doctors as well, for patients who needed cure for fever or any infection. Whenever someone in a typical Indian village fell sick, the most common advice given by his neighbors was “Visit the doctor and get some tonic”. Over time, the tonic word was so overused that  became a reference to any medicine in general. So, that’s how the word “Tonic”, became a colloquial word  for “Western medicine” in India.

Over the years, Quinine was developed further into many of its variants and derivatives and widely prescribed by Indian doctors. One such descendent of Quinine, called Hydroxychloroquine, eventually became the standardized cure for malaria because it has relatively lesser side effects compared to its predecessors, and is now suddenly the most sought after drug in the world today.

And that’s how, a simple peek into the history of Hydroxychloroquine takes us all the way back to Tipu’s defeat, mosquito menace, liquor rationing, colorful cocktails, tonics and medicinal cures.]

If HCQ Is Really A ‘Gamechanger’, India Musn’t Export It

Staff ReporterFinance/Economy, Health 0

Winston Churchill once said that “gin and tonic has saved more Englishmen’s lives, and minds, than all the doctors in the Empire.” Now, Churchill himself mostly drank whisky – 3-4 ounces at 11 am, teatime and bedtime. This strict health regimen was accompanied by some champagne, wine and brandy to wash down lunch and dinner. So, what made Churchill speak so glowingly about G&T?

The answer lies in what tonic used to contain in those days – it was a powder extracted from the bark of the cinchona tree called quinine. The powder not only treated malaria – that great scourge of the Indian colony – but also helped prevent it. But it was so bitter that the British officials began mixing it with soda and sugar, giving birth to ‘tonic’. Embellished with an ounce or two of gin, it prevented malaria and saved thousands of lives.

Now, an advanced synthetic version of the same malaria drug, called hydroxychloroquine or HCQ, could end up saving thousands of lives in the time of COVID-19. A few small studies done in France and China where coronavirus patients were given HCQ showed a significant improvement in a large number of them. Although two recent studies have challenged these claims, HCQ is being used widely by doctors across the world to fight the coronavirus. France allowed it for very sick patients, while the US FDA has allowed doctors to give it to hospitalised patients if they think it is needed.

The hydroxychloroquine drug is being tested on at least 1,500 coronavirus patients in New York

Since the world and their uncle has been googling furiously ever since COVID-19 became a global pandemic, HCQ has disappeared from most markets. The drug is used not just for malaria but also as regular treatment for auto-immune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. India usually consumes 20 lakh pills every month to treat these three diseases. Ever since people got to know that HCQ might help fight the novel coronavirus, they began hoarding the drug, leading to shortages for people who need it right now.

That is one reason why India banned the export of HCQ on March 25. This came as a big blow to US President Donald Trump, who has been championing the drug as a ‘gamechanger’. India produces 70 percent of the world’s HCQ and accounts for 47 percent of what is sold in the USA. So when Trump learned that India had stopped all HCQ exports, he threatened to ‘retaliate’. The very next day, India lifted the ban, allowing the drug to be sold to our neighbours and to a few badly affected countries. The US, with the highest number of COVID-positive cases in the world, clearly makes it to that list.

The US has already stockpiled 31 million doses of HCQ of 200 mg each. But how many people will that cover? The early trials in France used three pills a day for 10 days for each patient, or a total of 30 pills per person. A randomized control trial in Wuhan involved giving 2 pills a day for 5 days, or 10 pills per patient. China’s multicentre collaboration group recommends a higher dose of a total of a 100 pill-equivalents to COVID-19 patients with pneumonia. Other trials recommend 14 pills to be give over two weeks.

Although there is no clear consensus on what the dosage should be, if one takes as the average required dose the relatively conservative 14 pills per patient regimen, the US can cover about 2.2 million people with the HCQ it currently has in its stockpile. That is just 0.7 percent of its population, which is hardly anything considering that various models suggest that over 150 million Americans, or nearly half of the country’s population, could catch the virus this year. So the US needs to import a whole lot more of HCQ from India.

How much can we export? Indian companies – IPCA labs, Zydus Cadila, Wallace Pharma among others – have the capacity to produce 20 crore pills every month. Although these companies say they can ramp up their capacities to 35 crore pills by end of May, it is easier said than done in the time of such supply-chain disruptions.

News reports suggest that the Modi government intends to keep a stock of 10-crore pills, and allow the rest to be exported. If we take a 14-pill regimen per person, India will be able to cover 71 lakh people with the pills in its stock. That is just about 0.5 percent of our population. If the US were to import 40 percent of the remaining 10 crore pills, it would end up with 71 million doses in its stock. That will help it cover 1.5 percent of its population. That means Americans could end up with three times the coverage with a drug that is mostly manufactured in our country.

One could argue that India doesn’t have that many coronavirus patients and therefore, we don’t need to keep so much HCQ with us. One could also argue that the idea that HCQ could prevent and cure COVID-19 is more about hope than real scientific evidence. So if Indian companies can make good money from Trump’s idiosyncratic optimism about HCQ and a few test studies, then why stop it?

The point is that the entire game of fighting the coronavirus is about anticipating the future and being prepared for it. HCQ could well turn out to be the gamechanger Trump believes it to be. For a country like India, which is short of hospital beds, ICU facilities and ventilators, there is no conscionable ground to export HCQ till we have built a stockpile that can cover a significant part of our population. The US wouldn’t have thought twice before banning HCQ exports if it were the world’s largest producer of the drug. After all, one’s own citizens must come first before we start talking about cooperation between nations.

India asks US to extend H-1B, other visas of citizens stranded over Covid-19

Staff ReporterHealth, Travel 0

Following the sharp economic downturn and suspension of business operations triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic, a lot of US firms employing H-1B visa holders have laid off numerous employees.

If an employer terminates the contract of H-1B visa holders, the employees need to find new employment within 60 days to retain the H-1B status or face the prospect of being deported to their home countries. This existing rule has exacerbated the problems of H-1B visa holders who have been laid off.

Several reports in the US media have cited Indian H-1B visa holders as expressing concerns that it will be virtually impossible for them to find new jobs if they are laid off, given the rapidly slowing economy.

The Indian government has asked the US to extend the validity of visas, including H-1B and other types of visas, held by Indian nationals who have been hit by the Covid-19-related economic slump, people familiar with developments said on Friday.

A petition on the White House website is requesting the US administration to extend the 60-day period to 180 days to protect H-1B workers in these difficult times. The petition further states: “Most H-1B workers are from India and cannot travel home with children who are US citizens as many nations [have] announced an entry ban, including India.”

It adds: “The Covid-19 situation is getting worse with massive lay-offs expected. The economic conditions may have a significant impact on H-1B workers.”

The petition has nearly 49,000 signatures but will get a response from the White House only if it reaches 100,000 signatures by April 18.

The Indian side is hopeful the US administration will step in to help H-1B visa holders.

The H-1B programme is a non-immigrant work visa that allows American employers to hire foreign workers for specialist jobs, and Indians are the largest beneficiary of the programme.

Foreign secretary Harsh Shringla took up the matter during his telephone conversation with US deputy secretary of state Stephen Biegun on Wednesday, when the two sides also discussed ways to enhance cooperation to counter the pandemic and ensure the availability of essential medicines and equipment.

“We have been in touch with the US government, requesting them to extend the validity of visas of Indian nationals – H-1B and other types of visas – who are stranded in the US due to the pandemic,” said one of the people cited above, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“We are closely monitoring related developments,” the person added, without giving details.

India Center Foundation Launches Arts Resiliency Fund for South Asian Artists Affected by COVID-19

Staff ReporterFinance/Economy, Health 0

The Indian American non-profit arts organization India Center Foundation, in partnership with MELA Arts Connect, April 6 announced the formation of The South Asian Arts Resiliency Fund, a grant program for South Asian artists and arts workers in the U.S. in the fields of the performing arts, film, visual arts or literature who have been impacted by the economic fallout of COVID-19 due to postponed or canceled performances, events or exhibitions.

ICF will provide launch funding of $20,000 towards this initiative, according to a press release. The fund will be co-managed by MAC and supported by a crowdfunding campaign, via a GoFundMe page, as well as multiple live streaming experiences. With the community’s support to reach the targeted goal of $500,000, the fund will be able to provide grants to hundreds of arts workers around the country.

In an ongoing survey about the economic impact of the coronavirus on the arts sector, Americans for the Arts has captured a crippling loss of more than $114 million as of April 4, 2020. “And the situation is only going to get worse, before it gets better,” said Raoul Bhavnani, Indian American co-founder of ICF. “Communities count on the arts to rally around, to gather and to find connection, especially in times of crisis, and the South Asian community is no different,” he said. “With necessary physical distancing in place for the foreseeable future, the arts community — artists, producers, agents, managers, administrators, technicians — are unable to perform or produce their work for audiences and are losing their livelihoods. Losses will only continue to mount unless we choose to support artists NOW, and we hope individuals, corporations and other arts organizations will join us in this critical endeavor.”

The fund will provide support for artists and arts personnel in the U.S. through project grants on a rolling basis for the development of work, particularly during the ongoing pandemic, the release said.

Examples of such projects are:

  • Creation of music, dance, theater, film, visual arts or literature projects (ongoing or new)
  • Research for development of music, dance, theater, film or visual arts projects (ongoing or new)
  • Strategic planning by a manager or agent for an artist
  • Content creation for project deployment
  • Creation of resources for artists to support careers in the arts.

Eligible applicants are United States-based South Asian arts workers in the performing arts, film, visual arts or literature who can demonstrate loss of income because of canceled or postponed engagements due to COVID-19.

AAPI Urges President Trump to enhance the existing national registry of COVID-19 recovered patients to collect their convalescent plasma

Staff ReporterHealth, Politics, U.S. 0
In its efforts to help patients and medical professionals across the nation to receive the required support, training and supplies to protect and heal those infected with the deadly COVID-19 virus that continues to impact the entire nation, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, is urging President Donald Trump and his Administration “to enhance the existing national registry of COVID-19 recovered patients to collect their convalescent plasma, support the creation of supply chain and implementation process in the EARLY treatment of patients infected with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presenting with hypoxia.”
The U.S. has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic after reported cases surpassed those officially reported by China. Since the novel coronavirus called SARSCoV-2 was first detected in the U.S. on Jan. 20, it has spread to at least half a million people in the U.S., across all 50 states, and taking the lives of over 16,000 people.
In a letter dated April 9th and signed by Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI and Dr. Lokesh Edara, Chairman on AAPI’s Adhoc Committee, representing the nearly 100,000 Physicians of Indian Origin in the United States. AAPI leaders while thanking President Trump “for guiding the FDA in launching a national effort to bring blood-related therapies for COVID-19 patients in the most expedited manner,” they reiterated the studies done on COVID-19 cases that have shown benefits of using convalescent plasma from recovered patients in combating viral infections.
In addition to the entire AAPI Executive  Team, others who are signatory to the Letter included, Dr. Anith Guduri, Sub Editor; Dr. Madhavi Gorusu, Chair on AAPI Covid Plasma Donation Task Force; Dr. Rupak Parikh, CO-Chair of AAPI Covid Plasma Drive; Dr. Purvi Parikh, CO-Chair of AAPI Covid Plasma Drive; Dr. Amit Charkrabarty, CO-Chair of AAPI Covid Plasma Drive; and,  Dr. Deeptha Nedunchezian, Chair, AAPI’s Education Committee.

Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI, who led AAPI's Expedition to Antarctica“While COVID-19 continues to disrupt life around the globe, AAPI is committed to helping its tens of thousands of members across the US and others across the globe, as concerned physicians witnessing the growing COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on our society, healthcare system and economy, AAPI has launched the Plasma Drive from patients who have been cured of COVID-19 and are now with no Corona-virus related symptoms for at least the past two weeks,” Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI, announced here.
“AAPI, would like to join your efforts in helping patients recover from this deadly illness. We would like to emphasize the benefit of giving convalescent plasma to COVID-19 patients at an EARLY stage before the onset of hypoxia and potentially before intubation at the approval of doctor and the patient being treated,” Dr. Reddy said.
“This could be a lifesaving measure as well as prevent many patients in going to need ventilator support. In Ohio on April 8, 2020 we have to take permission of the Governor to get Convalescent plasma therapy for a physician suffering from COVID -19,” Dr. Edara pointed added.
Currently in USA Comprehensive Care Partnership (CCP) requires an FDA approved Investigational New Drug Application (IND) for administration to a patient but does not require an IND for collection, manufacturing and distribution of plasma as per FDA’s April 3rd press release.
However, obtaining approval takes time and time is of essence here for saving lives in this national emergency. Blood donation centers across the U.S. are ramping up efforts to collect plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 in the hope it could be used to save the lives of others infected with the pandemic disease.
Some of the other effective initiatives by AAPI that include: Offering regular tele-conference calls which have been attended by over 4,000 physicians from across the United States. AAPI has also collaborated with other national international and government organizations such as, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Indian Embassy in Washington, DC, National Council of Asian Indian Americans (NCAIA), GAPIO, BAPIO and Australian Indian Medical Graduates Association, in its efforts to educate and inform physicians and the public about the virus, to prevent and treat people with the affected by corona virus.
Another major initiative of AAPI has been the “Donate a Mask” program, under the leadership of Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI, Dr. Sajani Shah, Chairwoman-Elect of AAPI’s BOD, and Dr. Ami Baxi. AAPI is planning a Virtual Candle Vigil on April 12th honoring  all the Physicians and others who have lost their lives to the deadly virus.
“We would like to request you to endorse the wide implementation of plasma donation from recovering patients, enhance support to the Blood donation centers and facilitate the shortening of the time required for patient to receive the required supportive treatment,” AAPI wrote in the Letter to President Trump.
AAPI expressed confidence that the Administration will take required steps to facilitate this therapy to be widely available as a viable option in saving American lives. “Under your leadership, we can all fight this invisible enemy, COVID-19, and beat this pandemic. Thank you for your continued leadership and service to the United States of America,” Dr. Reddy said.
For more information on AAPI and its several initiatives to combat Corona Virus and help Fellow Physicians and the larger community, please visit: www.aapiusa.org,  or email to: aapicovidplasmadonor@gmail.com

Coronavirus, Tax Relief, and Recovery Rebates: What You Need to Know

Staff ReporterFinance/Economy, Health 0

By University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)

Like Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day, and the Fourth of July, Tax Day in America is associated with the same calendar date each year.

But as everything around us has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, so, too, has the deadline for filing federal income tax returns.

The deadline has been extended for three months to July 15, and Americans don’t have to do anything to qualify for the postponement. While that might seem like a relief, UNLV tax law expert Francine Lipman says taxpayers who are expecting a refund shouldn’t wait that long.

“People are strapped for money right now, and if there’s a tax refund waiting for you, file!” Lipman said.

A majority of Americans are also now waiting for the 2020 Recovery Rebate, which is being made available through the federal coronavirus relief bill, to ease some financial burdens due to loss of income and employment.

We caught up with Lipman — a lawyer and a certified public accountant — who provided several tips for how to navigate these uncertain financial times.

With the new federal tax deadline, why shouldn’t I wait to file my taxes?

If you are expecting a refund, file as soon as possible because you likely need the money now and you will not receive even one penny increase for delaying receiving your refund until July 15. Procrastination does not pay! Moreover, you can use it to help your community. The empirical data is compelling that income tax refunds are spent locally, and as a result, there is a significant multiplier effect for communities, businesses and federal, state, and local governments through consumption, and taxes paid including job creation — or maybe given the current shutdown we can mitigate job losses.

What about state income taxes?

Not all states have extended their tax filing deadlines through July 15. Some states, like Nevada, do not have an individual income tax. Most Nevada residents with only Nevada-source income, for example, have no state income tax filing obligation.

For taxpayers with out-of-state source income, here is a helpful link regarding state tax filing deadlines and other issues.

Where should I go to file my taxes?

Unfortunately, most Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites are temporarily shuttered in Nevada and elsewhere (for updates visit https://www.nvfreetaxes.org).

FreeFile, however, which is available online only through the IRS website, is up and running for taxpayers with a household income of $69,000 or less, or FreeFileFillableForms for households with any amount of income. Both of these sites provide free preparation and electronic filing.

What if I’ve already filed my taxes and I owe the IRS money?

Federal income tax payments and self-employment tax payments for 2019 that were due on April 15 have been postponed until July 15. This includes first-quarter estimated tax payments and IRA contributions for 2019, but does not include refund claims for tax year 2016 that are due on April 15, 2020. The postponement does not apply to second-quarter estimated tax payments (due June 15). Any applicable interest and penalties on payments due on April 15 will begin to accrue on July 16 if not paid by July 15.

Where can I go for assistance if I have questions about my taxes, including my refund?

The IRS has temporarily shut down number of taxpayer assistance resources including its Taxpayer Assistance Centers nationwide. As a result, phone call on-hold wait times are even longer than usual during this tax season, which are usually very long in a normal year.

The IRS website has great, accessible information available at irs.gov, including a quick and easy way to determine when you will receive your refund. You can also access your tax transcripts on the IRS website. Another website that might be helpful is for the Taxpayer Advocate Service if you are suffering a financial hardship and need immediate tax relief.

Who qualifies for the 2020 Recovery Rebate Tax Credit?

All adults who have a valid Social Security number authorizing work and who are not claimed as a dependent on another’s tax return (for 2020). One exception to this general rule is for married couple filing jointly where one of the spouses is a member of the Armed Forces, then only one of the spouses has to have a valid Social Security number that authorizes work.

How much will I receive?

Adults will receive $1,200 per qualifying individual ($2,400 for married filing jointly). Adults who have “qualifying children” will receive an additional $500 each, without limitation on the number of “qualifying children.”

A “qualifying child” for this purpose includes children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, stepbrothers, stepsisters, nieces, and nephews who live with the adult as a member of their household in the U.S. for more than one-half of the year and who are under age 17 with a valid Social Security number authorizing work.

Adults (anyone 17 or older) who are claimed as a dependent on another’s tax return will not receive a Recovery Rebate.

Even if you owe the IRS back tax liabilities, your recovery rebate will not be reduced by any outstanding debts other than past due child support. The Recovery Rebate is a refundable tax credit against 2020 federal income taxes, so it is not gross income/taxable income for 2020.

However, the 2020 recovery rebate amount is reduced by $5 for every $100 above the following adjusted gross income thresholds: $75,000 for single (or married filing separately) taxpayers, $150,000 for married filing jointly taxpayers, and $112,500 for head of household taxpayers. Therefore, households with filing statuses and adjusted gross income levels as follows will be phased out of their $1,200 (or $2,400) Recovery Rebate as follows:

$99,000 single (or married filing separately),

$198,000 married filing jointly, and

$136,500 head of household

But households at these income levels may receive the additional “qualifying child” $500 (also subject to phase-out at $5 per $100 above these thresholds, or an additional $10,000 of income above these amounts for each “qualifying child” ($500/5 = $100 x $100 = $10,000 additional adjusted gross income).

As I tell my law students, math matters!

When will I receive my Recovery Rebate?

The federal government wants to push out these payments as soon as possible. Therefore, they plan to deposit monies into bank accounts per 2019 (or 2018) automatic refund deposit authorizations. The Secretary of the Treasury has indicated that these payments would start sometime around April 13. If they do not have this information from your tax filings, they will mail you a paper check to your last known address.

Paper checks are scheduled to be mailed out on or about early May and will take 20 weeks to distribute given the federal government’s check writing limitations and the significant underfunding of the IRS. It is also the middle of tax season and many, if not all, of the IRS’ face-to-face services have been suspended due to COVID-19. The law does not permit the U.S. Treasury to send out any advance Recovery Rebates after December 31, 2020.

What amount will I receive since my 2020 income and other information is not yet complete?

The US Treasury is going to estimate your Recovery Rebate amount based upon your last tax return on record (e.g., 2019 or if not then, 2018). Accordingly, your advance Recovery Rebate payment will be based upon the information from your 2019 (or 2018) tax return on file including how much your adjusted gross income was and how many “qualifying children” (as defined above) you claimed.

When you file your 2020 federal income tax return in 2021, you will reconcile the estimated Recovery Rebate received with your actual Recovery Rebate based upon your 2020 tax return information. If you should have received a higher Recovery Rebate because for example you had a child in 2020, or your 2020 adjusted gross income is lower than it was in 2019 (or 2018) (e.g., due to unemployment, but remember unemployment compensation is included in adjusted gross income), you will get any amount not previously received. If you received a greater Recovery Rebate based upon your 2019 (or 2018) information as compared to your 2020 actual information you do not have to pay any excess amount received back.

Adults who have not filed tax returns for 2018 or 2019, but who receive Social Security benefits will receive their Recovery Rebate based upon the information the Social Security Administration has on file.

What should I do now?

If your address has changed since you last filed a tax return you should submit an address change online with the US Postal Service and as soon as possible mail a change of address using Form 8822 to the IRS. Unfortunately, the IRS is not presently sorting mail so this address update is likely going to be significantly delayed. Alternatively, if you have not filed a 2019 income tax return and your address or bank account information has changed from your 2018 tax return, you might consider filing your 2019 federal income tax return electronically as soon as possible to update this information as well as any additional “qualifying children.”

If your 2019 adjusted gross income is higher compared to your 2018 adjusted gross income amount, you should consider how the phase-out will impact your estimated Recovery Rebate based upon your 2019 information as compared to your 2018 information.

What other individual tax provisions might be relevant to me as I try to navigate economic challenges now?

Congress has abated the 10% early withdrawal penalties on up to $100,000 withdrawn from certain retirement accounts for COVID-19 financial hardships. However, you will have to include any pre-tax amount withdrawn as income, but Congress will allow you to do this over three years instead of the year of withdrawal.

Seniors who are subject to “mandatory required minimum distributions” from certain retirement accounts because they are over 70.5 (or 72 under the recently passed Tax Cut and Jobs Act) will not be subject to penalties for not withdrawing those amounts for 2020. Therefore, seniors may consider not withdrawing monies from these retirement account.

Unemployment compensation is taxable income so consider electing to withhold federal income taxes on any unemployment payments.

Where do I go for updates on any and all things taxes?

Everything is dynamic and subject to change. Watch the IRS’ website at IRS.gov/coronavirus.

For hourly updates on Twitter follow @irsnews, @yourvoiceatIRS, @taxnotes, Kelly Phillips Erb of Forbes @taxgirl, and of course, Professor Francine J. Lipman @narfnampil.

How religions around the world are keeping the faith during COVID-19

Staff ReporterCulture/Religion, Health 0

From Michigan State University

COVID-19 has rocked everyday life for people around the world, requiring religious communities to shift worship at a time that many consider the most holiest of the year.

Daily and weekly services at churches, synagogues, mosques and temples have transitioned to take place in the home with family members as many places of prayer are closed for the first time in their history.

Experts from Michigan State University’s Department of Religious Studies discuss how different religions have adapted centuries-long traditions to adhere to social distancing, and how they’ve adopted technology to allow people to continue worshipping.

Mohammad Khalil, professor of religious studies and director of MSU’s Muslim Studies program:

“Friday prayers have been canceled at mosques throughout the United States and the world; and this is the first time that many mosques have canceled Friday prayer services.

“Mosques are typically open for five daily prayers and now that many are closed, people who are used to praying daily congregational prayers are now praying individually or with their families.

“As an alternative, some mosques are streaming devotional lectures/lessons during the time of Friday prayer, but most are careful not to call it Friday, or Jum’ah, prayer since the assumption is that people will come together physically to perform this particular weekly prayer.

“Beyond virtual lectures, Muslim communities are utilizing online technology in other ways. Some, for instance, are using social media to raise funds and provide services for those in need.”

Laura Yares, assistant professor of religious studies:

“American Jews have been adapting to the current health crisis by taking different kinds of religious practice and community gathering online, from song sessions for young children to Talmud learning for adults.

“Traditional Jewish law requires 10 adult males to be physically present in a room for daily prayer services. This health crisis has compelled a unique reframing of Jewish law to think about technology as a new modality of physical presence. This has enabled prayer services to be conducted by counting 10 people in a ‘Zoom room’ as a reinterpretation of Jewish laws about physical presence.

“Passover begins on April 8, which typically is marked by gathering together with friends and family for the Passover Seder. Traditional Jews maintain strict prohibitions around technology on Jewish holidays, but this current crisis has led rabbis to reconsider the Jewish law in this area too. The highest value in Judaism is the value of preserving human life, and recognizing that being alone for this holiday could pose a threat to both physical and mental health, many Jews are choosing to adapt their typical practice and conduct virtual Seders using technology like Zoom and Google hangouts.”

Arthur Versluis, professor and chair, Department of Religious Studies:

“American Buddhism tended to already be highly technologically savvy before the novel coronavirus, so many groups or organizations transitioned swiftly to online meditation workshops and seminars.

“Group or organizational events that in the past would have been hosted in a particular Buddhist center sometimes were both in-person and streamed online before the current health crisis, hence the swift transition was not that surprising. There is a Tibetan Buddhist center in Ann Arbor, for instance, whose events were shifted to online almost immediately after the virus became an issue. While early to be certain, this shift may well have longer-term implications for American Buddhist practitioners.”

Amy DeRogatis, professor of religion and American culture:
In partnership with The Ohio State University, Derogatis is leading the American Religious Sounds Project. The ARSP educates the public on American religious diversity by listening to its sounds. It includes hundreds of recordings of formal and informal sounds of religious institutions, including prayer, chanting and hymns sourced from places of all kinds – from churches to mosques, interfaith chapels to college football games.

“We are currently crowd-sourcing religious sounds of COVID-19 and expect to hear innovative ways that religious communities are responding to the health crisis – especially with major holidays coming up soon. We would love to have contributions from anyone who is participating in a religious community virtually or would like to share reflections on how the pandemic has impacted their religious or spiritual practices.”

Coronavirus model revises its estimates downward

Staff ReporterHealth 0

(Courtesy: The Washington Post)

A leading forecasting model used by the White House to chart the coronavirus pandemic predicted Monday that the United States may need fewer hospital beds, ventilators and other equipment than previously projected and that some states may reach their peak of covid-19 deaths sooner than expected.

That glimmer of potential good news came on the same day New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) said his state may already be experiencing a “flattening of the curve.” New York reported 599 new deaths Monday, on par with Sunday’s count of 594 and down from 630 on Saturday.

Experts and state leaders, however, continued to steel themselves for grim weeks ahead, noting that the revised model created by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington conflicts with many other models showing higher equipment shortages, deaths and projected peaks.

Some state leaders have also grown increasingly concerned about how the federal government is using IHME’s lower estimates to deny states’ increasingly desperate requests for equipment and help in preparations. The stark differences between the IHME model and dozens of others being created by states exposes the glaring lack of national models provided publicly by the White House or agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for local leaders to use in planning or preparation.

“It’s unclear exactly what the White House is doing on this front,” said Dylan George, who helped the Obama White House develop models to guide its Ebola response in 2014. “As a result, you have every state trying to create their own models to anticipate their needs. And you have one model like IHME being adopted as the national guide.”

The danger of relying so heavily on one model is that model could be wrong or overly optimistic.

“When you plan, you want to plan for the worst-case, not for the average or best-case,” said Natalie Dean, an assistant professor of biostatistics at University of Florida. “Because the risk is not proportional.”

Big differences

This is how starkly models can differ.

Local leaders in the District said on Friday that their model estimates the outbreak in the nation’s capital will peak June 28. The IHME model predicts the peak is coming in just days, on April 16. The District’s model predicts hospitals will need 1,453 ventilators at the peak. IHME predicts a need for only 107. The District is using the IHME model as a best-case scenario and the more dire model to prepare for a likely surge.

D.C. mayor says peak in possible coronavirus hospitalizations will be in mid-summer

D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said on April 2 that data projections reveal the peak in possible covid-19 infections will come in late-June or early July. (D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser)

“While we hope that our experience will follow a curve closer to the IHME model, we cannot use a single model for our preparation and risk being underprepared. We continue to refine our models and assumptions and are tailoring them to the DC population and context,” spokeswoman Alison Reeves said in an email.

In states more populous than the District, that vast gap in planning and modeling could mean a life-or-death difference for tens of thousands of people.

LaQuandra S. Nesbitt, director of the District’s Department of Health, explained how the city’s leaders chose their model. It’s called CHIME and was created by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania.

“We felt that a model that determined the District would have essentially no medical surge needs was not indicative of what we anticipated would be our reality in the District and thought that a model that did not overestimate the impact of social distancing in the United States” was the right one, Nesbitt said.

In the two weeks since IHME’s model was originally released — the researchers announced revisions Monday — it has been criticized by some experts as overly optimistic. But even critics are quick to note that in the absence of any tool offered by the federal government and with no other model offering nationwide state-by-state estimates, IHME could be a lifesaver.

To coordinate their response, some states with few modeling resources or home-state experts have used the IHME forecast that projects peak deaths and the resources needed. The White House relied on it in part to generate its estimate last week that the epidemic would kill 100,000 to 240,000 people nationwide.

Most epidemiological models look at different populations that interact in an outbreak — people susceptible to infection, those who are infectious and those already infected who go on to die or recover.

Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the IHME model embraces an entirely different statistical approach, taking the trending curve of deaths from China, and “fitting” that curve to emerging death data from U.S. cities and counties to predict what might come next.

For that reason, many experts saw IHME as overly optimistic when it was launched March 26. Few U.S. states or cities are taking action as drastic as what was adopted in Wuhan, China — the birthplace of the coronavirus pandemic — or even Northern Italy in locking down residents.

Another big difference between IHME and other models is a fundamental assumption about how effective social distancing can be. The creator of IHME’s model, Christopher Murray, said many state models assume that social distancing will only slow or reduce transmission to some degree. The IHME model, drawing from the example of Wuhan, assumes policies such as social distancing and stay-at-home orders, can effectively reduce transmission to the point where an epidemic — at least in its first wave — is actually brought under control by authorities.

At the White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing Monday, health officials said they thought it was possible to have fewer deaths than have been projected by models, because of the extreme social distancing efforts being undertaken by Americans.

“Models are good, they help us to make projections. But as you get data in, you modify your model,” said Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “I don’t accept everyday we’re going to have to have 100,000 to 200,000 deaths. I think we can really bring that down.”

More models, better prediction

When it comes to predictions, statisticians have a favorite maxim: “All models are wrong, but some are useful.”

By drawing on the multiple models, experts are often able to better triangulate their predictions and assumptions. This is why weather experts often draw on several models rather than one in forecasting storms, using an “ensemble” or “suite” of models. Such ensembles are also what generate the cone of uncertainty for hurricanes.

In Illinois, state leaders are using four models — a version of the CHIME model and models from the University of Chicago, Northwestern University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. New York state officials have said they are drawing on at least four different models, including IHME’s.

In North Carolina, state leaders are using a “weather forecasting” approach that combines several models — and instead of focusing on specific dates or numbers of beds or ventilators, they have decided to predict the likelihood that the medical system is overwhelmed.

 “What we’ve been focusing on is less about ‘what is the exact timing of the peak?’ and ‘what is the exact height of the peak?’ and more about how likely is it that the demand for health care is going to outstrip the supply,” said Kimberly Powers, an epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “Are we going to need more than we have?”

Their composite models predicts a peak in mid- to late-May. As long as social distancing continues, they predict only a 1 in 4 chance of exceeding the capacity of acute care hospital beds. But if those orders were lifted after April, the chances of overwhelming hospital capacity doubled.

One concern from some experts is that the IHME model is being used too much like a crystal ball with undue weight given to its predicted needs for ventilators and hospital beds and staffing.

Leaders in one state said Trump administration officials have used IHME’s numbers to push back and in some cases deny their requests for equipment and help. Officials in that state cited emails and documents in which federal officials highlight IHME projections as evidence the state needs thousands fewer ventilators and beds than the state’s models project. The state officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they said they fear retaliation by the Trump administration that could result in even fewer ventilators and less federal assistance.

“If the federal government is really making these kinds of life-or-death decisions on a single model and on only on the lower end of that model, that’s scary,” said one state official.

Murray said he is well aware of the criticism of his model

But in the absence of any other state-by-state planning tool, he noted in a Monday briefing with reporters, his model is providing a much-needed public service — a point even critics of the IHME model are often quick to point out.

Murray and his team have worked around the clock since they first released their model to feed newly emerging data and sharpen it its projections.

On Monday, they announced their biggest revisions to date — driven by a large amount of new domestic and international data.

While their original model relied only on Wuhan’s curve, the updated model now incorporates curves from seven regions from Italy and Spain where epidemics have also peaked.

The newer version also found that deaths in some states — such as Florida, Virginia, Louisiana and West Virginia — could peak earlier than previous projections. But the deaths nationally were still projected to peak April 16. The newer model suggests the number of acute care hospital beds needed at the peak could be cut almost in half and the number of ICU beds needed at the peak of the surge could drop from 40,000 to 29,000. The model also suggested the total number of deaths would be lower, with an estimated 82,000 deaths from the first wave of infection, although the number could range from 49,000 to 136,000.

Murray agreed with the critique of others that multiple models should be used.

“I could not agree more,” Murray said. “What we’ve learned from 30 years of weather forecasting, even Netflix predictions for movies … you make better predictions when using multiple models.”

Coronavirus: What you need to read

The Washington Post is providing some coronavirus coverage free, including:

Updated April 7, 2020

Live updates: The latest in the U.S. and abroad | The latest from the D.C. region

More news today: America’s most influential coronavirus model just revised its estimates downward. But not every model agrees. | What you need to know about hydroxychloroquine

Mapping the spread: Cases and deaths in the U.S. | Map of cases worldwide

What you need to know: How to make your own fabric mask | What to do if you get laid off or furloughed | Stay-at-home orders by state | Calculate how much money you might receive from the stimulus bill | Follow all of our coronavirus coverage and sign up for our daily newsletter (all stories in the newsletter are free).

Social connection is key to mental health during coronavirus pandemic

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health, Social Media 0

By Binghamton University, State University of New York

It’s important to stay socially connected during the coronavirus pandemic and avoid isolation for the sake of our mental health, says Jennifer Wegmann, PhD, a lecturer in health and wellness studies at Binghamton University, State University of New York.

“I think one of the most important things that all of us can start applying to our lives is the concept of social connection,” said Wegmann. “If you look at research as it relates to stress and coping, one of the most important and effective coping strategies that we all have is utilizing our social network. That looks very different for us now, because we’re used to connecting when we’re face-to-face. Allowing people to connect socially, even though it looks different, is going to remain really important.”

Adversity creates an opportunity for us to get innovative, said Wegmann. For example, some people have used the Zoom video conferencing platform to create a virtual “bar,” where they could socialize with people they knew, as well as strangers, like they would if they were in person.

“This is actually a really creative idea,” said Wegmann. “If we give ourselves a little time and space and opportunity, we will see that we can come up with really creative ways to stay connected.”

Binghamton University offers live or pre-taped interviews powered by a state-of-the-art ReadyCam television studio system, available at a moment’s notice. Our system can broadcast live HD audio and video to networks, news agencies, and affiliates interviewing Binghamton faculty, students, and staff. Video is transmitted by VideoLink and fees may apply.

A potential vaccine that could cheer India

Staff ReporterHealth, India 0

With scientists across the world burning the midnight oil to develop a vaccine against Covid-19, every week a potential life-saver emerges. The latest in this long list of possible vaccines to the coronavirus is an age-old combination: Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, better known as BCG. BCG, used as a vaccine against tuberculosis (TB), is being trialled for Covid-19 in Australia. Thousands of physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists and other health care workers are taking part in the randomised controlled trial, reports the New York Times. A clinical trial has also begun in the Netherlands. The Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston is seeking permission to do so, saying there is strong data that BCG is effective against viral and parasitic infections.

While it is still early days to bet on one single vaccine, BCG’s emergence is particularly important for India. India is among the many developing countries that have had BCG vaccination drive for many years — a policy to combat TB, which according to the World TB Report, 2019, kills 1,200 a day in India. A correlation study of 178 countries by an Irish medical consultant working with epidemiologists at the University of Texas in Houston shows countries with vaccination programmes — including Ireland — have far fewer coronavirus cases by a factor 10, compared to where BCG programmes are no longer deployed.

How Long Does Corona Virus Survive on Surfaces?

Staff ReporterHealth 0

While several studies have examined the novel coronavirus, a new study — conducted by researchers from the University of Hong Kong and published in medical journal The Lancet — adds to the rapidly growing research about its stability. (Last month, American researchers had pointed out the virus was stable on plastic and steel for up to 72 hours, but did not last more than four hours on copper or 24 hours on cardboard.)

In the new analysis, researchers tested how long the coronavirus survives on various surfaces at room temperature. Subsequently, they found that on cloth(like a standard cotton lab jacket) and treated wood, it disappears by the second day. On bank notes and glass, it survived for two to four days, while on stainless steel and plastic, it remained for four to seven days. However, as for the outer layer of a surgical face mask, the researchers “strikingly” found detectable levels of infectious coronavirus even after seven days!

The study also observed that the concentration of the virus on all the studied surfaces reduced quite rapidly over time. Moreover, the virus died instantly when touched by common household disinfectants, including bleach.

Note: The presence of the virus on these objects and surfaces was detected by laboratory tools, and not fingers and hands — as the case would normally be. Therefore, the results do not necessarily reflect the potential to pick up the virus from casual contact.

A top White House official warned in January that a pandemic could imperil millions of Americans

Staff ReporterFinance/Economy, Health 0
A top White House adviser starkly warned Trump administration officials in late January that the crisis could cost the United States trillions of dollars and put millions of Americans at risk of illness or death.
The warning, in a memo by Peter Navarro, Mr. Trump’s trade adviser, is the highest-level alert known to have circulated inside the West Wing as the administration was taking its first substantive steps to confront a crisis that had already consumed China’s leaders and would go on to upend life in Europe and the United States.
“The lack of immune protection or an existing cure or vaccine would leave Americans defenseless in the case of a full-blown coronavirus outbreak on U.S. soil,” Mr. Navarro’s memo said. “This lack of protection elevates the risk of the coronavirus evolving into a full-blown pandemic, imperiling the lives of millions of Americans.”
Dated Jan. 29, it came during a period when Mr. Trump was playing down the risks to the United States. He later went on to say that no one could have predicted such a devastating outcome.
Mr. Navarro said in the memo that the administration faced a choice about how aggressive to be in containing an outbreak, saying the human and economic costs would be relatively low if it turned out to be a problem along the lines of a seasonal flu.
But he went on to emphasize that the “risk of a worst-case pandemic scenario should not be overlooked” given the information coming from China.,In one worst-case scenario cited in the memo, more than a half-million Americans could die.

“Ekal Vidyalaya” Launches Ambitious Initiative Against ‘Coronavirus’

Staff ReporterEducation, Health 0

When everywhere ‘Coronavirus’ outbreak is being associated only with the urban area populous, “Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation” has quietly launched an ambitious initiative against it in rural & tribal areas across India. As for networking and connectivity in such areas, “Ekal” (as it is popularly known) is in very unique position with its presence in over 103,000 such remote hamlets. As the shortage of Masks and Sanitizers became apparent in early March, Ekal tailoring training Ctrs banded together and started stitching face-masks and producing hand sanitizers for Ekal Volunteers, district health authorities and law enforcement personnel. It had been producing 10,000 masks and 1,000 liters of Hand-sanitizers or disinfecting solutions per day as of March-end and supplying them ‘free-of-cost’ to their authorities. Masks and Sanitizers are also being distributed free-of-cost to the poor families. It costs Ekal Rs. 20 each to make it and to distribute it.

According to Bajrang Lal Bagra, CEO of “Ekal Abhiyan” (umbrella organization of all Ekal satellite endeavors), beginning this month – April – Ekal is launching most ambitious plan to triple its ‘tailoring’ capacity in 28 centers to produce 1 Million cotton Masks by the end of April (2020). These 2-ply masks are being made to WHO’s stringent specifications and Ekal plans to keep on producing them as long as there is need. As part of empowerment and to reduce the dependency on ‘outside food’, Ekal-Villages, have actively started harvesting ‘Poshan Vatikas’ (Nutritional sustaining food items) for the people in their own vicinity on cooperative basis. Keeping up with the governmental directive, although all Ekal field activities were suspended on March 14, according to ‘Lalan Kumar Sharma’, Central co-coordinator of “Ekal Abhiyan”, the awareness campaign against deadly Virus is in motion with full throttle speed with the blessings of the local concerned authorities. Currently, ‘Arogya Sahayikas’ (Health Assistant) and Ekal teachers are, not only, emphasizing critical need for personal hygiene and clean environment in villages, but also, keeping a written tab on cases related to fever, cough and shortness of breath. Social-distancing and repeatedly washing hands with soap is being promoted as part of daily routine. Supporting the efforts of ‘Gram-Panchayats’ (village administrative admin), identifying and quantifying urban visitors or returning villagers from such areas is being diligently carried out. Harish Karat of ‘Ekal-Global’ says, “as a reminder for the precautionary habits that one must adopt to arrest the spread of ‘Coronavirus’, the walls in lot of village-dwellings are being painted with healthcare slogans”. What is interesting is that villagers have enthusiastically endorsed this campaign as one of the safeguards in the current crisis. Ekal volunteers residing in Indian urban areas are helping older, poor people during these clampdown days are providing food or sustenance items wherever possible. For example, in ‘Guwahati’ area in two days, ‘Vanbandhu Parishad’ (an allied Ekal organization) delivered food items to 650 families.  Ekal-USA providing assistance to the needy in variety of ways – such as food, mask-making, grocery-items and medical help etc. Ekal volunteers in USA are assisting food-banks, soup-kitchen and delivery of groceries to the elderly. According to Suresh Iyer, President of Ekal-USA, “In the U.S., Ekal has partnered with other non-profit organizations, including ‘Sewa International’, in providing community service at this hour of immense need. It’s times such as these we are seeing the best of humanity and I am confident that we will get through this difficult time soon and come out feeling even stronger”. Though, all the annual fund-raising concerts have been cancelled currently for foreseeable future, ‘Ekal Vidyalaya’ is appealing its loyal Donors and well-wishers who have been consistently helping it to keep supporting its multiple endeavors (projects) in rural areas, including its ambitious initiative to fight ‘Coronavirus’. Kindly Donate at https://www.ekal.org/us/donate and be an active member of defense against the virus in the current crisis. Ekal serves the humanity irrespective of caste, creed, and religion

Indian-American journalist dies of COVID-19 in New York

Staff ReporterHealth 0

Indian-American journalist Brahm Kanchibotla has died of COVID-19 that is ravaging New York, the epicentre of the pandemic in the US. The journalist died on Monday April 5th after nine days in a hospital, his son Sudama Kanchibotla said.

Brahm Kanchibotla, 66, was a correspondent for United News of India.

During his 28-year career in the US, he had worked for 11 years as a content editor for Merger Markets, a financial publication, and also did a stint with News India-Times weekly newspaper.

He had emigrated to the US in 1992 after having worked for several publications in India. Sudama Kanchibotla said that the family was not sure of the last rites for him because of the restrictions in New York.

“We have not set a date and it will have to be a very small gathering because only ten people are allowed at funerals,” he said.

Brahm Kanchibotla showed COVID-19 symptoms on March 23. When his conditions worsened, he was admitted to a hospital on Long Island on March 28 and given an oxygen mask, Sudama Kanchibotla said. On March 31, he was put on ventilator and on Monday he had a cardiac arrest.

Besides Sudama, Brahm Kanchibotla is survived by his wife Anjana and daughter Siujana. As of Monday night, 4,758 people have died of COVID-19 in New York City. The US has recorded a total of 368,196 confirmed cases, while the death toll stood at 10,986.

AAPI Launches Plasma Drive From Patients Cured of COVID-19, And NonSymptomatic For 14 Days

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0
The U.S. has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic after reported cases surpassed those officially reported by China. Since the novel coronavirus called SARSCoV-2 was first detected in the U.S. on Jan. 20, it has spread to at least 312,249 people in the U.S., across all 50 states.
Of the reported cases in the U.S., 8,503 people have died from the virus, with more than 3,500 of those deaths in New York, 846 in New Jersey, 479 in Michigan, 409 in Louisiana and 318 related deaths reported in Washington state. Worldwide, about 1.23 million cases have been reported and 66,542 related deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins virus dashboard.
Responding to this deadly virus, among the man other initiatives, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic Medical Association in the United States, has embarked on yet another noble mission. “While COVID-19 continues to disrupt life around the globe, AAPI is committed to helping its tens of thousands of members across the US and others across the globe, as concerned physicians witnessing the growing COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on our society, healthcare system and economy, AAPI has launched the Plasma Drive from patients who have been cured of COVID-19 and are now with no Corona-virus related symptoms for at least the past two weeks,” Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI, announced here.
Dr. Seema Arora, Chairwoman of AAPI’s BOT, pointed to some of the other effective initiatives by AAPI that include: Offering regular tele-conference calls which have been attended by over 3,000 physicians from across the United States. AAPI has also collaborated with other national international and government organizations such as, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Indian Embassy in Washington, DC, National Council of Asian Indian Americans (NCAIA), GAPIO, BAPIO and Australian Indian Medical Graduates Association, in its efforts to educate and inform physicians and the public about the virus, to prevent and treat people with the affected by corona virus.
Another major initiative of AAPI has been the “Donate a Mask” program, under the leadership of Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI, Dr. Sajani Shah, Chairwoman-Elect of AAPI’s BOD, and Dr. Ami Baxi. The Task Force on Masks has been busy securing resources and identifying the hospitals and sending the supply of Masks/PPE directly to those in needed. Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda expressed great concern that “the current rate of infections will have a materially adverse effect on both our senior populations and our fellow physicians and healthcare workers who are on the front lines fighting the infection. “It’s essential to create a wholesale expansion of free COVID-19 testing available in order for identifying asymptomatic carries and then isolating them.”
Dr. Madhavi Gorusu M.D., M.B.A, President of Connecticut, Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (CAPI), who is leading the initiative on behalf of AAPI, said, “We must all stay united and support each other in every way we can to get through the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are eligible to donate or if you know of anyone who had made a full recovery from COVID-19 and could act as a potential donor, please contact AAPI by going to its website and providing your personal details.
Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Vice president of AAPI, said, The Red Cross is seeking people who are fully recovered from COVID-19 and may be able to donate plasma to help current patients with serious or immediately life threatening COVID-19 infections, or those judged by a healthcare provider to be at high risk of progression to severe or life-threatening disease. People who have fully recovered from COVID-19 have antibodies in their plasma that can attack the virus. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) plays a critical role in protecting the United States from public health threats including the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
FDA is committed to doing everything we can to provide timely response efforts to this pandemic and facilitate access to investigational drugs for use in patients with serious or immediately life-threatening COVID-19 infections. (https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/investigational-new-drug-ind-or-deviceexemption-ide-process-cber/investigational-covid-19-convalescent-plasma-emergencyinds ) One investigational treatment being explored for COVID-19 is the use of convalescent plasma collected from individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.
It is possible that convalescent plasma that contains antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) might be effective against the infection. Use of convalescent plasma has been studied in outbreaks of other respiratory infections, including the 2009-2010 H1N1 influenza virus pandemic, 2003 SARS-CoV-1 epidemic, and the 2012 MERS-CoV epidemic. This convalescent plasma is being evaluated as treatment for patients seriously ill with COVID-19.
The Red Cross has been asked by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help identify prospective donors and manage the distribution of these products to hospitals treating patients in need. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) plays a critical role in protecting the United States from public health threats including the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Although promising, convalescent plasma has not yet been shown to be effective in COVID-19.
It is therefore important to determine through clinical trials, before routinely administering convalescent plasma to patients with COVID-19, that it is safe and effective to do so. The following pathways are available for administering or studying the use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma: Considerations for healthcare providers interested in obtaining COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma for Use under IND: COVID-19 convalescent plasma must only be collected from recovered individuals if they are eligible to donate blood (21 CFR 630.10, 21 CFR 2 630.15).
Required testing must be performed (21 CFR 610.40) and the donation must be found suitable (21 CFR 630.30). If you’re fully recovered from a verified coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnosis, please refer to the website below for more information regarding: Potential Donor who has had COVID-19 and are fully recovered. Clinician who is interested in receiving convalescent plasma, or want to refer potential donors. https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/dlp/plasma-donations-from-recovered-covid-19-patients.html
For more information on AAPI and its several initiatives to combat Corona Virus and help Fellow Physicians and the larger community, please visit: www.aapiusa.org,  or email to: aapicovidplasmadonor@gmail.com

When, and How, Does the Coronavirus Pandemic End?

Staff ReporterHealth 0

With confirmed cases of Covid-19 globally exceeding 1 million and more countries going into lockdown to slow the pandemic, the emerging question is: “When will this all end?” The answer depends in large part on uncertainties about the novel coronavirus that causes the disease, including whether you can get it more than once and how quickly the world’s scientists might produce a vaccine. The cost and benefits of a prolonged shutdown and what different countries can afford, from both an economic and political standpoint, are factors, too.

1. So how does this end?

There’s a consensus that the pandemic will only end with the establishment of so-called herd immunity. That occurs when enough people in a community are protected from a pathogen that it can’t take hold and dies out. There are two paths to that outcome. One is immunization. Researchers would have to develop a vaccine that proves safe and effective against the coronavirus, and health authorities would have to get it to a sufficient number of people. The second path to herd immunity is grimmer: It can also come about after a large portion of a community has been infected with a pathogen and develops resistance to it that way.

2. How do we manage until then?

For many countries, the strategy is to lock down movement to dramatically slow the spread, closing businesses and schools, banning gatherings and keeping people at home. The idea is to prevent a huge burst of infections that overwhelms the medical system, causing excessive deaths as care is rationed. “Flattening the curve” staggers cases over a longer period of time and buys authorities and health-care providers time to mobilize — to build capacity for testing, for tracking down contacts of those who are infected, and for treating the sick, by expanding hospital facilities, including ventilators and intensive-care units.

3. When can restrictions loosen?

The public shouldn’t expect life to return to normal quickly. Lifting restrictions too early risks inviting a new spike. Authorities in China began to re-open the city of Wuhan, where the pandemic began, two months after it was sealed off from the world, when transmission had virtually halted. But China’s measures were stricter than anywhere else so far, and at least one county has gone back to a lockdown. England’s deputy chief medical officer, Jenny Harries, said lockdown measures there need to last two, three or, ideally, up to six months. Annelies Wilder-Smith, a professor of emerging infectious diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, recommends restrictions stay in place until daily cases drop consistently over at least two weeks.

4. Then what?

A road map authored by a group of U.S. health specialists including former Food and Drug Administration commissioner Scott Gottlieb calls for an intermediate stage in which schools and businesses would reopen but gatherings would still be limited. People would continue to be encouraged to keep at a distance from one another, and those at high risk would be advised to limit their time in public. If cases begin to rise again, restrictions would be tightened. Their report, published by the pro-business American Enterprise Institute, is arguably more optimistic than the future envisioned by researchers at Imperial College London. Their models suggest that for at least two-thirds of the time until herd immunity is established, all households would need to reduce contact with schools, workplaces or the public by 75%. In any case, the widespread availability of testing is important in this stage. At the heart of the U.S. plan: at least 750,000 tests per week.

5. Why is testing so important?

This virus is wreaking so much havoc, not because it’s especially lethal, but because it’s insidious; many who are infected are well enough to go about their daily business, unwittingly spreading it to others. That makes it vital to test for infection widely in the population, and to test everyone with symptoms. That way, those who are infectious can be put in isolation and everyone they’ve had close contact with while contagious can be tracked down, tested and if necessary isolated as well, limiting the spread in the community. Another kind of test looks for antibodies to see who has already beaten the virus and is thus unlikely to be re-infected, at least for a time. Once widely available, such tests might enable people who test positive for antibodies to move about more freely.

6. Why does where you are matter?

Authoritarian countries such as China can impose stricter controls on movement and more intrusive means of surveillance, such as house-to-house fever checks, tracing and enforcement of quarantines, and are less vulnerable to pressure from businesses and popular opinion. That gives them powerful tools to keep the virus in check, so long as they are vigilant against imported cases. That’s a more difficult proposition for other nations. The poorest countries can less easily afford the economic losses caused by prolonged restrictions, and often don’t have the health infrastructure for extensive surveillance.

7. How long will a vaccine take?

Dozens of companies and universities around the world are working on it, but there’s no guarantee they will prevail. Vaccine development normally is a long and complex process that includes years of testing to ensure shots are safe and effective. In the coronavirus fight, some of the players aim to deliver a vaccine in 12 to 18 months, an extraordinarily ambitious goal. As well as using tried-and-true approaches, scientists are relying on new technologies, like those that add viral genetic material to human cells, inducing them to make proteins that spur an immune response. Some vaccine specialists believe governments, citizens and investors should temper their optimism. It’s not clear if the methods will work, that the timelines will be met or that companies will be able to manufacture enough shots.

8. What about the second path to herd immunity?

First, it would occur only if recovering from an infection leaves people with lasting immunity. It’s not yet known if that’s the case with the novel coronavirus. The portion of a population that would have to be exposed to the virus to establish herd immunity is also unknown. Generally, it’s high, for example 75% for diphtheria and 91% for measles. Patrick Vallance, the U.K. government’s chief scientific adviser, estimated the figure at 60% in February. How long it would take to reach the necessary threshold would depend on measures governments impose in response to the pandemic. Without tight restrictions, it would be faster yet come at a steep cost in illness and deaths as health systems would be overburdened. Some research assumes the actual number of infections is much higher than the confirmed cases. If that’s true, countries are closer to herd immunity than we know.

9. Are there other variables?

We could get lucky, and the virus could fade with the onset of summer in the northern hemisphere, where most cases are, just like outbreaks of influenza subside with seasonal changes. But it remains unknown whether warmer weather will play a role. Even if the outbreak wanes, it could return in the fall. Some are pinning their hopes on an ultra-effective therapy or a cure.

The Reference Shelf

  • Related QuickTakes on what you need to know about Covid-19, how it transmits, the quest for treatments and a vaccine, and the seasonality question.
  • Bloomberg News looks at the hurdles to development of a coronavirus vaccine.
  • The roadmap published by the American Enterprise Institute and the modeling done by Imperial College London.
  • An article in MIT Technology Review argues that the pandemic will change our lives, in some ways forever.
  • A commentary in the New York Times suggests the near future will be like a roller coaster ride.

Death Toll Continues to Rise in US – 1,500 die of coronavirus in 24 hours

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

The United States recorded nearly 1,500 deaths from COVID-19 between Thursday and Friday, last week according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, the worst 24-hour death toll globally since the pandemic began.

With 1,480 deaths counted between 8:30 pm (0030 GMT) Thursday and the same time Friday, according to the university’s continuously updated figures, the total number of people who have died since the start of the pandemic in the United States is now 7,406.

More than 1.13 million people worldwide — including more than 278,400 people in the United States – have been infected with the new coronavirus, and the number of deaths from the outbreak continues to rise. Officials are attempting to contain the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. as hospitals brace for unprecedented patient surges.

The worldwide death toll for the coronavirus moved past 60,000 Saturday morning and has infected more than 1.13 million people according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 270,400 cases and more than 7,100 deaths.

President Donald Trump on Friday recommended that Americans cover their faces with masks when outdoors, a policy U-turn following growing scientific research suggesting their widespread use can stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Trump told a White House briefing that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was urging people to wear face coverings like scarves or homemade cloth masks, but to keep medical-grade masks available for health workers. “It’s going to be really a voluntary thing,” he underlined. “You don’t have to do it and I’m choosing not to do it, but some people may want to do it and that’s okay.”

The about-face was widely expected after senior health officials told reporters the scientific evidence had evolved. Speaking to Fox News on Friday, Anthony Fauci, head of infectious diseases at the National Institutes of Health, cited “recent information that the virus can actually be spread even when people just speak as opposed to coughing and sneezing.”

Days earlier, the CDC’s Robert Redfield said up to a quarter of people who are infected may be asymptomatic. Taken together, the developments represent powerful arguments in favor of the widespread use of facial coverings.

The global death toll attributed to the novel coronavirus hit 59,884 early Saturday, and the latest surge in cases in France pushed the European nation’s total past that of China, where the illness was first detected in December.

In the four months since the virus was first identified in Wuhan, China, it has infected at least 1,131,713 people worldwide, according to a tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University. Five countries – the United States, Spain, Italy, Germany and France – have now confirmed total infection counts well above China’s 82,526 cases.

  • The United States has reported 278,458 cases, resulting in 7,159 deaths.
  • Spain has confirmed 124,736 cases, resulting in 11,744 deaths.
  • Italy has reported 119,827 infections, resulting in 14,681 deaths.
  • Germany has reported 91,159 cases, resulting in 1,275 deaths.
  • France has confirmed 83,029 infections, resulting in 6,520 deaths.
  • China has recorded 82,543 cases, resulting in 3,330 deaths.
  • Iran has recorded 55,743 cases, resulting in 3,452 deaths.
  • The United Kingdom has reported 38,697 cases, resulting in 3,611 deaths.
  • Turkey has recorded 20,921 cases, resulting in 425 deaths.
  • Switzerland has confirmed 19,702 cases, resulting in 60 deaths.

How to get your US stimulus check from the US Government?

Staff ReporterBusiness, Finance/Economy, Health 0

The IRS and the Treasury Department say Americans will start receiving their economic impact checks in the next three weeks. The payments are part of the $2.2 trillion rescue package signed into law last week by President Donald Trump aimed at combating the economic ravages of the coronavirus outbreak.

As part of the economic stimulus bill, hundreds of billions of dollars are being earmarked for one-time economic impact payments, or “stimulus checks” to most American households. While the size of the stimulus payments has been widely reported, there are some key details that are still unclear — such as how you’ll actually get your payment, what happens if you haven’t filed a tax return recently, and what if your information has changed.

While this is still a fluid situation and there are some important details the IRS and Treasury haven’t quite figured out yet (to be fair, the bill passed just a few days ago), the IRS recently issued their most up-to-date guidance yet. With that in mind, here are five things about the stimulus check that you need to know.

Most people don’t need to do anything to get the money. But some — including senior citizens and low-income people who might not traditionally file tax returns — do need to take action. People behind on filing their taxes might also want to get caught up.

The IRS and Treasury have provided more details on how to ensure you get paid. Here are the basics:

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE PAYMENTS?

Anyone earning up to $75,000 in adjusted gross income and who has a Social Security number will receive a $1,200 payment. That means married couples filing joint returns will receive the full payment — $2,400 — if their adjusted gross income, which what you report on your taxes, is under $150,000.

The payment steadily declines for those who make more. Those earning more than $99,000, or $198,000 for joint filers, are not eligible. The thresholds are slightly different for those who file as a head of household.

Parents will also receive $500 for each qualifying child. So, a family of four could get as much as $3,400.

WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET THE CHECK?

For most people, nothing. If you’ve already filed your 2019 tax return, which is now due on July 15, the IRS will use it to determine your eligibility. If you have not filed a 2019 tax return yet, your eligibility will be based on your 2018 return.

The money will be directly deposited in your bank account if the government has that information from your tax return. If you haven’t filed your 2019 taxes, the government will use information from your 2018 taxes to calculate your payment and determine where to send it. It can use your Social Security benefit statement as well.

I DON’T USUALLY HAVE TO FILE TAXES. DO I STILL GET A PAYMENT?

Yes. People who are not required to file a tax return — such as low-income tax payers, some senior citizens, Social Security recipients, some veterans and people with disabilities — will need to file a very simplified tax return to receive the economic impact payment. It provides the government basic details including a person’s filing status, number of dependents and direct-deposit bank information.

I HAVEN’T FILED MY 2018 OR 2019 TAXES. WILL I STILL GET A PAYMENT?

Yes, but the IRS urges anyone required to file a tax return and has not yet done so for those years to file as soon as possible in order to receive an economic impact payment. Taxpayers should include their direct-deposit banking information on the return if they want it deposited in their account.

I DIDN’T USE DIRECT DEPOSIT ON MY TAXES, WHAT CAN I DO?

The government will default to sending you the check by mail if you did not use direct deposit.

However, IRS and Treasury say that they will develop an online portal in the coming weeks for individuals to provide their banking information so that they can receive the payments immediately instead of in the mail. It has not yet set a deadline for updating that information.

WHERE DO I DO THIS?

The IRS says the Treasury is planning to develop a web-based portal for taxpayers to provide their bank account information for stimulus payments. The goal is to get the money in your hands as soon as reasonably possible, and the quickest way to do that is to allow everyone to use direct deposit if they so choose. We don’t know yet if there will be an option to choose a paper check.The IRS and Treasury say the website irs.gov/coronavirus will soon provide information about the check, including how people can file a simple 2019 tax return.

I NEED MORE TIME TO FILE MY TAX RETURNS. HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO GET THE PAYMENT?

The IRS says people concerned about visiting a tax professional or local community organization in person to get help with a tax return should not worry. The economic impact payments will be available throughout the rest of 2020.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced Thursday that many Americans reeling from the financial impacts caused by the coronavirus outbreak can expect to see their one-time stimulus checks of up to $1,200 show up in their bank accounts in about two weeks. For those without direct deposit, Mnuchin promised checks would go out quickly in a matter of “weeks.”

The announcement followed a memo sent out by House Democrats that warned some Americans could have to wait up to 20 weeks – or five months – before they receive their checks.

 The first payments are expected go out within three weeks to those for whom the Internal Revenue Service already has direct deposit information on file. Mnuchin said at a White House coronavirus briefing that payments would go out within two weeks to people whose direct deposit details are on file with the government, echoing comments he made after passage of the $2.2 trillion stimulus bill that payments would not go out until mid-April.  He added that a web portal would be established for people to supply their details and that checks would be sent to anyone else, but did not specify a timeline.  “I am assuring the American public, they need the money now.”

Three-quarters of U.S. Catholics view Pope Francis favorably, though partisan differences persist

Staff ReporterCommunity, Culture/Religion, Health 0

Americans’ opinions of Pope Francis have rebounded slightly after hitting an all-time low almost two years ago in the wake of Catholic Church sex abuse scandals, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.

Six-in-ten U.S. adults say they have a “very” or “mostly” favorable view of Pope Francis, up from roughly half who said this in September of 2018, when the question was last asked. At that time, a Pennsylvania grand jury had just published a report revealing decades of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests, and former cardinal Theodore McCarrick had recently resigned because of separate sex abuse allegations.

Overall, public opinion of Pope Francis is now roughly at the same level as when he assumed the papacy in 2013, but still below higher points in 2015 and 2017, when 70% of U.S. adults said they had a “very” or “mostly” favorable view of the pontiff.

How we did this

U.S. Catholics are more likely than the general public to have a positive assessment of Francis. About three-quarters of Catholics (77%) now view the pope favorably, which is 10 percentage points lower than the share who did so in January 2017 (87%) but not statistically different from the ratings recorded in January or September 2018. (Even though the 2018 and 2020 surveys produced different estimates of the share of Catholics who view Pope Francis favorably, the differences between the current survey and each of the surveys conducted in 2018 do not pass a test of statistical significance.)

Catholics who attend Mass weekly and those who attend less often have roughly similar views of Pope Francis, with about three-quarters in each group expressing a very or mostly favorable opinion of Francis (79% and 76%, respectively).

Partisan differences

A January 2018 survey found growing partisan polarization in views of Pope Francis, with Catholic Republicans holding less favorable views of the pontiff than Catholic Democrats. That polarization persists today, with roughly nine-in-ten (87%) Catholic Democrats and Democratic leaners viewing Francis favorably compared with 71% among Catholic Republicans and Republican leaners.

A majority (59%) of religious “nones” – those who describe their religious affiliation as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” – rate Francis as either very or mostly favorable. This is much higher than the share (39%) who rated him favorably when he first became pope in 2013, though at that time roughly a third of “nones” were not familiar enough with Francis to rate him.

Among white Protestants there are varying levels of support for Francis. About six-in-ten white Protestants who do not identify as born-again or evangelical view Pope Francis favorably (62%). White evangelical Protestants, however, are less likely to share this positive view; 43% express a favorable view of Francis. Among white Protestants – both those who identify as evangelical and those who do not – favorable opinions of Pope Francis have increased since the decline seen in September 2018.

New York, New Jersey Relax Rules for Physicians with Work Visas to Join the Fight Against COVID-19

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As New York state climbs the steep face of its COVID-19 curve, Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order vastly widening the scope of practice for some healthcare providers and absolving physicians of certain risks and responsibilities.

Along with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, both the states’ governors signed executive orders this week waiving licensing requirements or granting temporary licenses to foreign-born and foreign-licensed physicians in training in the U.S., in order to lessen the pressure on the work force currently stretched thin, according to a Times of India report.

The new relaxation of the rules could mean that nearly 1,000 Indian physicians currently on J-1 and H-1B visas could join coronavirus fight.

Med Page Today reports that, the order’s provisions include eliminating physician supervision of physician assistants, nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and others; enabling foreign medical graduates, such as those of Indian origin, with at least a year of graduate medical education to care for patients; allowing emergency medical services personnel to operate under the orders of NPs, PAs and paramedics; allowing medical students to practice without a clinical affiliation agreement, and lifting 80-hour weekly work limits for residents; granting providers immunity from civil liability for injury or death

Suspending usual record-keeping requirements; allowing several types of healthcare professionals with licenses in other states to practice in New York; and suspending or revoking hospitals’ operating certificates if they don’t halt elective surgeries.

The order, which remains in place through at least April 22, was met mostly with applause, though with some hesitation around work-hour limits, the report said.

Meanwhile, the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin is doing its part to help as well. AAPI announced it has organized national tele-conferences on COVID-19, in collaboration with the Indian Embassy and National Council of Asian Indian Americans.

“While COVID-19 continues to disrupt life around the globe, AAPI is committed to helping its tens of thousands of members across the U.S. and others across the globe,” said AAPI president Dr. Suresh Reddy.

Reddy notes that, as concerned physicians witnessing the growing COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on our society, healthcare system and economy, AAPI has embarked on several initiatives.

The most effective so far, he said, has been offering twice a week conference calls having been attended by over 2,000 physicians from across the United States.

The teleconference on March 27 was unique as it was jointly organized by AAPI, Indian Embassy in Washington, DC, and National Council of Asian Indian Americans, the release said.

Anurag Kumar, Minister of Community Affairs, while praising the numerous efforts of AAPI, especially in this season of pandemic affecting the world, enumerated the many efforts of the Embassy to help Indians, and with particular focus on the nearly 200,000 Indian students in the U.S., the release said.

The teleconference was moderated by Dr. Lokesh Edara, who lauded AAPI’s efforts in providing such a forum to join in and share their expertise with their fellow physicians and thus provide the best care practice to their patients, especially in this season of fastspreading Covid-19 global pandemic, the AAPI release said.

Dr. Prasad Garimella was a main speaker at the conference. The Indian American physician is a critical care medicine specialist in Lawrenceville, Georgia, and has been practicing for 20 years.

He specializes in critical care medicine, pulmonary disease. Garimella gave an overview of the situation in the state of Georgia, and the many challenges his state faces as the pandemic is fast spreading.

“Everyone needs to act like a health care professional and needs to have the best attitude in order to defeat this deadly virus,” he said, according to the news release. “Social distancing is not isolating. Keep in touch with loved ones. Stay busy and stay connected. Filter and assess the news, look for credible sources to rely upon.”

Dr. Arunachalam Einstein was another speaker, who is an emergency medicine specialist in Everett, Washington. He specializes in emergency medicine and internal medicine. Einstein gave an update of case status in his state.

Another main speaker for the day was Dr. Usha Rani Karumudii, an infectious disease specialist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Easton Hospital and UPMC Passavant.

Kanumudi, in her address, said coronavirus has been there for long. The new virus is called novel because it’s highly infectious and we have high number of people with symptoms.

Another major initiative of AAPI has been the “Donate a Mask” program.

March 30 was National Doctors Day, an annual celebration aimed at appreciating and honoring physicians who help save lives everywhere.

“I want to take this special opportunity to thank our physicians for responding to late-night phone calls, working long hours and providing unswerving care. Today, more than ever, we know the sacrifices they make to put the health of their communities first,” Reddy said in a statement.

“We do acknowledge that these are challenging times, more than ever for us, physicians, who are on the frontline to assess, diagnose and treat people who are affected by this deadly pandemic, COVID-19. Many of our colleagues have sacrificed their lives in order to save those impacted by this pandemic around the world,” he said.

New York Indian Consulate Organizes An Online Interactive Session With GOPIO Members From The New York Area

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India’s Consul General in New York Mr. Sandeep Chakravorty hosted an online interactive session for GOPIO Life Members and GOPIO chapter officials from the New York area on April 3rd. Other officials from the Indian Consulate present at the interactive session included Deputy Consul General Shatrugna Sinha,  Consul for Political and POC Mr. Vipul Mesariya and Community Affairs Consul A.K. Vijayakrishnan.

GOPIO International officials included its Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham, Vice President Ram Gadhavi, Secretary Dr. Rajeev Mehta, International Coordinator Dr. Asha Samant, Media Council Chair Jasbir Kaur, GOPIO-New York President Beena Kothari, GOPIO-CT President Ashok Nichani, GOPIO-Central Jersey official President Kunal Mehta, GOPIO Manhattan officials and several other chapter officials.

Consul General Chakravorty gave a brief of the Indian Consulate functioning and how it has been helping the Indian American community as well as Indian students and visitors who are stuck in the US because of lockdown due to Coronavirus. GOPIO chapters highlighted their activities during the lockdown period especially arranging online webinars and helping the community including senior citizens. There were several questions to the consulate officials on when the Indian visitors can return back to India and lifting of travel ban of OCI card holders. Consul General Chakravorty said that it would take several weeks to get back to the normalcy on these issues.

The Indian Consulate plans several other online  interactive sessions covering talks by eminent persons, webinar on important community issues, musical programs and children’s programs.

How to get into ‘working mode’ while at home

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If you are struggling to get into the working mode as you stay at home due to the lockdown, some simple tips like maintaining a routine and dressing up in a way as if you were in office may help you increase productivity, suggests a new report.

“Maintain daily routines as when working regularly — get up at the same time, take a shower, dress-up, get breakfast and than start working at the same time you normally do at the office,” according to the “Work From Home Best Practices” shared by Bain & Company, one of the world’s leading strategy and management consultancies.

Another key point to keep in mind is that you should leave private life outside the room where you work. If you want to check private messages, take a break and do it in your private space.

Taking break, in fact, is quite important to make your work from home effective, according to Bain & Company.

“Reward yourself and give yourself breaks “breaks are critical to recharge batteries, they can be small (e.g., 5 minutes of checking social media) or longer (e.g., full 45 min lunch break),” it said.

At the same time, it is important not to engage in any household tasks/ chores while on worktime.

To get the maximum out of you time, structure your day along key tasks/ objectives to achieve and keep track of what has to be done during the day (and week and month) and clearly decide when to do.

Instead of using the whole apartment for work, use one particular room and avoid having meals in front of the workstation.

“If you have a partner also working from home find clear rules for who can use the workplace at which time and where calls can be made from without ‘distracting’ each other,” the company said, adding that getting the right infrastructure and having good connectivity are key to having fruitful working hours at home. (IANS)

Wuhan Study Describes How Body Positioning Can Improve Breathing in Severe COVID-19 Patients Requiring Ventilation

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In a new study of patients with severe COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) hospitalized on ventilators, researchers found that lying face down was better for the lungs. The research letter was published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

In “Lung Recruitability in SARS—CoV-2 Associated Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Single-Center, Observational Study,” Haibo Qiu, MD, Chun Pan, MD, and co-authors report on a retrospective study of the treatment of 12 patients in Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, China, with severe COVID-19 infection-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) who were assisted by mechanical ventilation.  Drs. Qiu and Pan were in charge of the treatment of these patients, who were transferred from other treatment centers to Jinyintan Hospital.

A majority of patients admitted to the ICU with confirmed COVID-19 developed ARDS.

The observational study took place during a six-day period the week of Feb. 18, 2020. “This study is the first description of the behavior of the lungs in patients with severe COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation and receiving positive pressure,” said Dr. Qiu, professor, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhangda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China. “It indicates that some patients do not respond well to high positive pressure and respond better to prone positioning in bed (facing downward).”

The clinicians in Wuhan used an index, the Recruitment-to-Inflation ratio, that measures the response of lungs to pressure (lung recruitability). Members of the research team, Lu Chen, PhD, and Laurent Brochard, PhD, HDR, from the University of Toronto, developed this index prior to this study.

The researchers assessed the effect of body positioning. Prone positioning was performed for 24-hour periods in which patients had persistently low levels of blood oxygenation.  Oxygen flow, lung volume and airway pressure were measured by devices on patients’ ventilators.  Other measurements were taken, including the aeration of their airway passages and calculations were done to measure recruitability.

Seven patients received at least one session of prone positioning. Three patients received both prone positioning and ECMO (life support, replacing the function of heart and lungs). Three patients died.

Patients who did not receive prone positioning had poor lung recruitability, while alternating supine (face upward) and prone positioning was associated with increased lung recruitability.

“It is only a small number of patients, but our study shows that many patients did not re-open their lungs under high positive pressure and may be exposed to more harm than benefit in trying to increase the pressure,” said Chun Pan, MD, also a professor with Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University.  “By contrast, the lung improves when the patient is in the prone position.  Considering this can be done, it is important for the management of patients with severe COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation.”

The team consisted of scientists and clinicians affiliated with four Chinese and two Canadian hospitals, medical schools and universities.

This study was funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China.

Most Americans Say Coronavirus Outbreak Has Impacted Their Lives – More than half have prayed for an end to the virus’s spread

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As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continues to rise and schools, workplaces and public gathering spaces across the United States remain closed, a new Pew Research Center survey finds that the coronavirus outbreak is having profound impacts on the personal lives of Americans in a variety of ways. Nearly nine-in-ten U.S. adults say their life has changed at least a little as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, including 44% who say their life has changed in a major way.

Amid widespread calls from experts for Americans to socially distance from one another to avoid spreading the virus, what recently seemed like mundane daily activities now elicit concerns from large swaths of the population. About nine-in-ten U.S. adults (91%) say that, given the current situation, they would feel uncomfortable attending a crowded party. Roughly three-quarters (77%) would not want to eat out at a restaurant. In the midst of a presidential election year, about two-thirds (66%) say they wouldn’t feel comfortable going to a polling place to vote. And smaller but still substantial shares express discomfort even with going to the grocery store (42%) or visiting with a close friend or family member in their home (38%).

How are people adapting their behavior in light of the outbreak? Four-in-ten working-age adults ages 18 to 64 report having worked from home because of coronavirus concerns – a figure that rises to a majority among working-age adults with college degrees and upper-income earners. Still, despite current circumstances, about two-thirds of adults with children under 12 at home say it’s been at least somewhat easy for them to handle child care responsibilities.

The virus also has impacted Americans’ religious behaviors. More than half of all U.S. adults (55%) say they have prayed for an end to the spread of coronavirus. Large majorities of Americans who pray daily (86%) and of U.S. Christians (73%) have taken to prayer during the outbreak – but so have some who say they seldom or never pray and people who say they do not belong to any religion (15% and 24%, respectively).

Among U.S. adults who said in an earlier survey they attend religious services at least once or twice a month, most (59%) now say they have scaled back their attendance because of the coronavirus – in many cases, presumably because churches and other houses of worship have canceled services. But this does not mean they have disengaged from collective worship entirely: A similar share (57%) reports having watched religious services online or on TV instead of attending in person. Together, four-in-ten regular worshippers appear to have replaced in-person attendance with virtual worship (saying that they have been attending less often but watching online instead).

These are among the findings of a Pew Research Center survey of 11,537 U.S. adults conducted March 19-24, 2020, using the Center’s American Trends Panel.1 Other key findings from the survey include:

Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say they feel comfortable proceeding with a variety of activities despite the coronavirus outbreak. For example, 68% of Republicans and people who lean toward the GOP say they would be comfortable visiting with a close friend or family member at their home, compared with 55% of Democrats and Democratic leaners. Along these same lines, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say their lives have changed in a major way as a result of the virus, and that they have been feeling psychological distress.

Compared with older Americans, young adults are more likely to say they are comfortable going to a crowded party, a restaurant or a small gathering with close family or friends. Still, most adults under 30 say they are uncomfortable eating out at a restaurant (73%) or going to a crowded party (87%). Young adults are more likely than their elders to say they have used a food delivery service due to the outbreak.

Concerns about public activities and changes to personal lives have been felt more acutely in states with higher numbers of COVID-19 cases. For instance, 51% of those living in highly impacted states say their lives have changed in a major way, compared with 40% of those in states with the lowest numbers of cases.

Most Americans say their personal life has been affected by the coronavirus outbreak

Nearly nine-in-ten U.S. adults say their personal life has changed at least a little bit as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, with 44% saying their life has changed in a major way. Just 12% say their life has stayed about the same as it was before the outbreak.

Women (47%) are more likely than men (41%) to say their personal life has changed in a major way as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. And while more than four-in-ten white (45%) and Hispanic (47%) adults say this has changed their lives significantly, about a third of black adults (34%) say the same.

Income and education are also linked to assessments of the personal impact of the coronavirus outbreak. More than half of those with higher incomes (54%) say this has changed their life in a major way, compared with 44% of those with middle incomes and 39% of those with lower incomes.2

Similarly, 61% of those with postgraduate degrees, and a narrower majority of those with bachelor’s degrees (54%), say the coronavirus outbreak has changed their life in a major way. By comparison, 43% of those with some college and about a third of those with a high school diploma or less education (35%) say this has happened to them. Across income groups, those with at least a bachelor’s degree are more likely than those with less education to say the coronavirus outbreak has changed their life in a major way.

Across age groups, similar shares say the coronavirus outbreak has had a major impact on their personal life. For example, 43% of adults younger than 30 say the outbreak has changed their life in a major way, as do 45% of those ages 65 and older.

Not surprisingly, those in states with a high number of coronavirus cases are more likely than those in states that haven’t been as affected to say their personal life has changed in a major way because of the outbreak. About half of those who live in states with a high number of cases (51%) say their life has changed in a major way, compared with 43% of those in states with a medium number of cases and 40% of those in states with a low number of cases.3

Among the 33% of Americans who say they or someone in their household has either lost a job or took a pay cut because of the coronavirus outbreak, 54% say their personal life has changed in a major way as a result of the outbreak. This compares with 39% of those who say they have not experienced either of these situations.

Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say their personal life has changed in a major way as a result of the coronavirus outbreak: About half of Democrats and Democratic leaners (51%) say this, compared with 38% of Republicans and those who lean to the GOP.

These partisan differences remain even after accounting for the fact that Democrats are more likely than Republicans to live in states with a high number of confirmed cases of COVID-19. About a third of Democrats (34%) live in these states, compared with 22% of Republicans. More than half of Democrats in states with a high number of cases (57%) say their life has changed in a major way, compared with 42% of Republicans in states with a high number of cases. Similarly, in states with a medium or low number of cases, Democrats are more likely than their Republican counterparts to say the coronavirus outbreak has impacted their life in a major way.

More than three-quarters of Americans say they are not comfortable eating out in a restaurant given the current situation with coronavirus

About six-in-ten Americans say they would feel comfortable visiting with close friends and family members at their home (62%) and going to the grocery store (57%), given the current coronavirus outbreak. Roughly four-in-ten say they would not be comfortable doing these things (38% and 42%, respectively). Far fewer express comfort in going to a polling place to vote (33%) or eating out in a restaurant (22%), and only about one-in-ten (9%) say they would feel comfortable attending a crowded party.

There are some notable demographic differences in what Americans are comfortable doing during the current outbreak. In particular, younger adults are more likely than older Americans to express comfort with leaving their homes for various reasons. Across all age groups, majorities of Americans say they are uncomfortable eating out in a restaurant; still, about one-quarter of young adults ages 18 to 29 (27%) say they would be comfortable doing this, compared with just 16% of Americans 65 and older. Younger Americans are also more likely to feel comfortable visiting with family and friends: 68% of adults younger than 30 say they’d be comfortable doing this, compared with 60% of Americans ages 30 to 49, 64% of adults ages 50 to 64 and 56% of those 65 and older.

Across a variety of measures, Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say they are comfortable continuing with regular activities. Republicans are significantly more likely than Democrats to say they are comfortable going to a grocery store and visiting friends and are far more likely than Democrats to say they are comfortable eating in a restaurant.

Roughly seven-in-ten Republicans (68%) say they are comfortable visiting with a close friend or family member at their home, while 32% say they would be uncomfortable. Democrats are more divided: 55% say they would be comfortable doing this while 45% say they would not be comfortable.

When it comes to Americans’ comfort with visiting with those close to them, partisan differences remain even after accounting for the fact that Democrats are more likely than Republicans to live in states with a high number of confirmed cases of COVID-19. About two-thirds of Republicans in states with a high number of cases (65%) say they would be comfortable visiting with close family and friends, compared with 50% of Democrats in these states. Similarly, in states with a medium or low number of cases, Republicans are more likely than their Democratic counterparts to say they are comfortable visiting with family and friends.

Overall, Americans living in suburban and rural areas are more likely than those living in urban communities to feel comfortable visiting with close friends and relatives. However, Americans living in urban areas are divided depending on how many confirmed cases of COVID-19 are in their state. Those living in urban areas in states with a high number of cases are the least likely to feel comfortable visiting with others (47%) while urban dwellers in states with a medium (56%) or low (67%) number of cases are more likely to feel comfortable going out to visit friends. These differences are not as stark in suburban areas, and there is no difference in comfort with visiting others among Americans in rural communities, regardless of the number of cases in the state.

About one-in-five adults say they have used a food delivery service because of the coronavirus outbreak. Amid recommendations for social distancing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, about one-in-five adults (21%) say they have used a food delivery service instead of going to a restaurant or grocery store as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

Adults younger than 30 are particularly likely to say they have used a food delivery service because of the coronavirus outbreak: Three-in-ten in this group say they have done this. A quarter of adults ages 30 to 49 also say they have used a food delivery service because of the coronavirus outbreak, while smaller shares of those ages 50 to 64 (15%) and those 65 and older (14%) say the same.

Hispanic adults (26%) are more likely than white (19%) and black (20%) adults to have used a food delivery service instead of going to a restaurant or grocery store as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. And while about a quarter of women (23%) say they have done this, about one-in-five men (19%) say the same. There are no notable differences by educational attainment, income, or whether people live in states with a high, medium or low number of coronavirus cases.

Most working-age adults with at least a bachelor’s degree have worked from home as a result of the coronavirus outbreak

Four-in-ten working-age adults – those ages 18 to 64 – say they have worked from home as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.4 Men and women in this age group are about equally likely to say they have worked from home.

About three-quarters of working-age adults with a postgraduate degree (73%) say they have worked from home as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, as do 62% of those with a bachelor’s degree. Far smaller shares of working-age adults with some college (35%) or with a high school diploma or less education (22%) say they have worked from home.

Similarly, working-age adults with higher incomes are more likely than those with lower incomes to say they have worked from home because of the coronavirus outbreak: 61% of those in the upper-income tier say they have done this, compared with 41% in the middle-income tier and an even smaller share (27%) of those with lower incomes.

In states with a high number of coronavirus cases, 45% of working-age adults say they have worked from home because of the outbreak; smaller shares in states with a medium or low number of cases say the same (38% each).

Most adults with young children at home say it has been easy for them to handle child care responsibilities

Even as many schools have closed because of the coronavirus outbreak, 65% of adults with children younger than 12 at home say it has been at least somewhat easy for them to handle child care responsibilities during this time, with 32% saying it has been very easy. About a third (35%) say this has been very or somewhat difficult for them.

Gauri and Shah Rukh Khan offer their 4-storey office to BMC for quarantine facilities

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Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan has revealed a series of initiatives to help citizens during India’s fight against coronavirus.

In a seven point plan, Khan revealed contributions via his various businesses to multiple funds, an effort to help supply 50,000 items of PPE equipment for health workers, and a pledge to provide daily meals to more than 5,500 families in the city of Mumbai, as well as a kitchen that will make 2,000 daily meals to serve homes and hospitals.

The contribution that B-towners are making to ease the coronavirus crisis reiterates the belief that in trying times, everyone stands together. From contributing financially to the PM and CM’s relief funds to now offering infrastructure, Gauri and Shah Rukh Khan are leading the pack from the front. Their magnanimity has set a precedence of how one can stand united in the times of COVID 19.

Announcing their contribution, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation tweeted, “We thank @iamsrk & @gaurikhan for offering their 4-storey personal office space to help expand our Quarantine capacity equipped with essentials for quarantined children, women & elderly. Indeed a thoughtful & timely gesture!#AnythingForMumbai#NaToCorona“

In the past, SRK and Gauri’s companies, KKR, Red Chillies and Meer Foundation provided monetary help as well as food for anyone who needed it.

The actor said on Twitter, “Given the enormity of the task, my team and I discussed ways to contribute in our own modest way. We have come up with a series of initiatives, which we hope will make a small difference.”

The actor praised the efforts of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the fight against COVID-19. The country is currently under an unprecedented lockdown. Cases rose to 1,965 in India on Thursday while the death toll stands at 50.

This crisis is not going to pass in a hurry, it will take its time and its toll on all of us. It will also show us that there isn’t really a choice between looking out for ourselves and looking out for one another. There’s nothing more obvious in the spread of this pandemic, than the fact that each one of us is inextricably connected to each other, without any distinction,” the actor added.

He concluded, “As a nation and as a people, it is our duty to give it all we’ve got. I am going to try my best and I know each one of you will do so too. Only together we will be able to fight through these difficult and unimaginable days.”

Embassy of India Student Hub Advisory [Updated 27 March 2020]

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Following the growing cases of COVID-19, US universities have taken measures to shut down on-campus operations and/or move classes online. The Embassy of India/India Student Hub has the following advisory for Indian students who may be impacted by these decisions. Please note that this advisory is based on information available as of 27 March 2020. The WHO, CDC, Government of India Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (for India-specific updates), and your universities are the best sources for the latest information in this rapidly evolving situation. Further India Student Hub updates will be issued as needed.
Please read this advisory carefully. For emergencies, continue to contact the 24×7 Consular Emergency helplines at Embassy or Consulates as per your present location. In addition, to help support Indian students during the COVID-19 crisis, the Embassy of India Student Hub has established a non-emergency Peer Support Line. Details for these are given below:
  1. If you are staying on-campus and are asked to vacate, check with your university about retaining on-campus housing. If your petition is not accepted, consult with your university and/or with your network on how to find alternate accommodations;
  2. If your university or program is shutting down on-campus services, check with your university or program on how to avail your university’s health services, student health insurance, international student services, and any other essential service(s) that may be impacted;
  3. The Embassy of India/India Student Hub can provide information on temporary emergency resources. The Embassy has partnered with and is grateful to members of the Indian community who have made these resources available for Indian students in an emergency. During this extraordinary situation created by the pandemic, our commitment remains steadfast to ensure welfare of our students in the best possible manner within available resources and with the support of the US government;
  4. The Embassy of India is in touch with the US government, which is monitoring the implications that this evolving situation may have for international students. Please note:
  • The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (‘SEVP’) has confirmed that international students can temporarily engage in distance-learning, either from within the U.S. or outside the country, in light of COVID-19, without any penalty to their visa status;
  • In addition, for most cases, SEVP noted that the five-month temporary absence rule will not apply for students who remain in Active status. Read the full SEVP guidance here: (https://www.ice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Document/2020/COVID-19FAQ.pdf);
  • The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provides updated information on visa status and CPT/OPT applications/extensions at https://www.ice.gov/covid19.
  • If you, a relative, or a friend were admitted on a visa that may be expiring (and were not admitted as an F-1 student for Duration of Status), you may need to take action to extend the authorized stay. We are given to understand that DHS is currently not in a position to offer a blanket extension of visa cases. However, they are working hard to quickly process urgent requests from individuals. We have been asked to advise Indian nationals whose visa status may be expiring (for any reason) to apply online as early as possible through USCIS. You may direct yourselves/family members to https://www.uscis.gov/visit-united-states/extend-your-stay for specific information regarding extensions of status for individuals who are unable to depart as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Official campus advisories and your Designated Student Official (DSO) and/or program coordinator can also provide more information or clarification on questions relating to F-1/J-1 students or their dependents.

    5. Please avoid all non-essential domestic or international travel, as recommended by the WHO and CDC:

  • For official advisories on domestic travel within the US or internationally, consult the US Department of State , US Transportation and Security Administration, and the relevant local and state government websites;
  • Kindly note that India has suspended all scheduled international commercial passenger flights until 1830 hrs GMT on 14 April 2020. In addition, all domestic passenger flights within India are also suspended until 14 April 2020. This action has been taken in the interest of public health and safety of all Indian citizens. The latest Government of India travel advisories can be found at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website: https://www.mohfw.gov.in/;
  • Remain in contact with your DSO for information on any possible impact international travel may have on your F-1 or J-1 status.
We again request you to avoid travel for two reasons:
a. to protect you from exposure to COVID-19, and
b. to prevent you from being a source of transmission to other people/communities.
We will update the information as soon as commercial flights to India resume. Meanwhile, if you need any support, please do reach out to us using the information below.

6. Please practice social distancing (staying at home as much as possible, except to access essential services) and maintain a distance of at least 2 metres (6 feet) away from other people to minimise the transmission of COVID-19. If you have flu-like symptoms, please self-isolate for a minimum of 14 days. Consult the WHO and CDC websites for further information about the disease, preventative measures, and what to do if you experience any symptoms.

This is an unprecedented situation, but we can successfully manage it by making decisions with a calm mind. Please take prudent health precautions and carefully review information and travel advisories.
To receive the latest Embassy of India Student Hub advisory(s), register here:
Contact Information
For peer support and advice, contact the India Student Hub’s COVID-19 Peer Support Line at (414)-404-6342 or (414)-40-INDIA (11 AM – 5 PM EDT daily), or by email at: covid19@ishubus.com
For emergency consular services by jurisdiction, please visit:
Residents of Bermuda, Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia
cons4.washington@mea.gov.in
Tel: 202-213-1364 and 202-262-0375
Residents of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virgin Islands
cons.atlanta@mea.gov.in
Tel: 404-910-7919 and 404-924-9876
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visa.chicago@mea.gov.in
Tel: 312-687-3642 and 312-468- 3276
Residents of Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Nebraska
enquiriescgi@swbell.net
Tel: 713-626-2149
Residents of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont
Reach out through PRAMIT available on our website: https://pramit.indiainnewyork.gov.in/
Tel: 212-774-0607/347-721-9243
Residents of Alaska, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming
oci2.sf@mea.gov.in
Tel: 415 483 6629
Best Regards,

शम्भु हक्की
Shambhu Hakki
प्रथम सचिव (प्रैस, सूचना तथा संस्कृति)
First Secretary (Press, Information & Culture) & Political
भारतीय राजदूतावास, वॉशिंग्टन डीसी
Embassy of India, Washington D.C.
फ़ोन/Phone: 202 939 7041
ईमेल/Email : fspic.washington@mea.gov.in

$2 Trillion Relief Bill as U.S. Becomes Coronavirus Epicenter

Staff ReporterHealth, U.S. 0

President Trump on Friday signed into law the largest economic stimulus package in modern American history, backing a $2 trillion measure designed to respond to the coronavirus, COVID 19 pandemic while the number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. surpassed 100,000.

Under the law, the government will deliver direct payments and jobless benefits for individuals, money for states and a huge bailout fund for businesses battered by the crisis. The legislation will send direct payments of $1,200 to millions of Americans, including those earning up to $75,000, and an additional $500 per child. It will substantially expand jobless aid, providing an additional 13 weeks and a four-month enhancement of benefits, and for the first time will extend the payments to freelancers and gig workers.The deadly disease broke the longest bull-market in history and caused 3.3 million Americans to lose their jobs last week.

$2 Trillion Relief Bill as U.S. Becomes Coronavirus EpicenterTrump signed the measure in the Oval Office hours after the House approved it by voice vote and less than two days after the Senate unanimously passed it.  “We’re so pleased to be able to have passed on the floor—practically unanimously—this important bill, CARES. And we want to demonstrate that we do care for the American people in every way,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Ca.) said after the bill was passed by voice vote.

While majority support for the measure didn’t appear threatened, House members are currently scattered across the country and with domestic air travel schedules slashed due to plummeting demand. This was the logistical and procedural obstacle that Pelosi had hoped to avoid.

The U.S. is now the global center of the coronavirus outbreak, with the more than 100,000 American diagnoses passing the number of cases in China. The disease’s devastating spread in the U.S. and the economic toll that countermeasures to contain it have wrought led Pelosi to begin on Thursday to talk about the contents of another aid bill that would come after the one the House is currently working to pass.

The measure will also offer $377 billion in federally guaranteed loans to small businesses and establish a $500 billion government lending program for distressed companies reeling from the crisis, including allowing the administration the ability to take equity stakes in airlines that received aid to help compensate taxpayers. It will also send $100 billion to hospitals on the front lines of the pandemic.

The law was the product of days of talks between members of Mr. Trump’s administration and Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress. And even before Mr. Trump held a bill signing on Friday afternoon, congressional leaders said they expected to negotiate more legislative responses to the pandemic in the coming months.

Pelosi said in an interview Thursday that in the next recovery package, she wants to go above and beyond the current bill’s level of direct cash payments to Americans. The bill passed by the Senate provides for $1,200 per taxpayer and $500 per child.

“We do want to see more direct payments” to Americans, Pelosi said on Bloomberg TV Thursday afternoon. “We had much higher direct payments in our House bill, and we would hope to see that we could do that again.” Family and medical leave and workplace safety would also be a focus for the House in the next aid bill, she said.

For an update on the fast growing pandemic, please visit: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports

U.S. Public Sees Multiple Threats From the Coronavirus – and Concerns Are Growing

Staff ReporterHealth 0
Majorities express confidence in CDC and state and local officials – From Pew Research Center

As coronavirus cases increase across the United States and federal and state governments scramble to address the crisis, 70% of Americans say the COVID-19 outbreak poses a major threat to the nation’s economy and 47% say it is a major threat to the overall health of the U.S. population.

So far, Americans are less concerned about how the new coronavirus is affecting their health, finances and local communities. Still, 27% say the coronavirus is a major threat to their personal health, while 51% say it is a minor threat. Only 22% says it does not threaten their personal health.

Underscoring the rapidly changing nature of this crisis, the shares of Americans who say the COVID-19 outbreak is a major threat to the economy and other aspects of life increased substantially over the past week. For example, in interviews conducted March 10-11, 42% of the public said the coronavirus was a major threat to the health of the U.S. population; in interviews conducted March 14-16, 55% say it is a major threat to the nation’s overall health.

The national survey by Pew Research Center – conducted March 10-16 among 8,914 adults using the Center’s American Trends Panel, in conjunction with the Center’s Election News Pathways project – finds widespread public confidence that public health officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local government officials are doing a good job in responding to the coronavirus outbreak.

More than eight-in-ten (83%) say they are very or somewhat confident that CDC officials are doing a good job, including 40% who are very confident. Most (73%) also say they are confident in state and local government officials.

The public is less confident in how President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are responding to the crisis: Fewer than half are very or somewhat confident that Trump (45%) and Pence (48%) are doing a good job responding to the crisis.

Here are the other major findings from the new survey:

News media’s response to coronavirus outbreak. An Election News Pathways report out today finds that Americans are closely following news about the coronavirus outbreak, and they give the news media fairly high marks for their coverage: 70% say the news media are doing very or somewhat well covering the story. And misinformation is also part of the story: 48% of Americans report having seen at least some news they thought was made up about the virus.

Strongly partisan reactions to the government’s response to COVID-19 outbreak. Partisanship is evident in the public’s views of most national problems, and so far, the coronavirus outbreak is no exception. Perhaps the most striking example of this: 59% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say the outbreak is a major threat to the health of the U.S. population as a whole; only 33% of Republicans and Republican leaners say the same.

Trump viewed as minimizing coronavirus risks; news media seen as exaggerating them. Reflecting the public’s modest level of confidence in Trump’s response to the outbreak, 52% say he has not taken the risks from the coronavirus outbreak seriously enough, while 37% say he has gotten the risks about right; 10% say he has exaggerated the risks. By contrast, a majority of adults (62%) say the news media have exaggerated risks from the outbreak.

Financial toll from coronavirus. Among those who are currently employed, only 36% say they would continue to get paid if they were unable to work for two weeks or more because of the coronavirus. Another 21% say they could still meet basic expenses, even if they did not get paid during the crisis. A third of Americans say they would not get paid and that it would be difficult to keep up with expenses. Among adults with family incomes of less than $50,000, about half (49%) say they would struggle with day-to-day expenses.

Has the coronavirus been exaggerated – or not taken seriously enough?

Americans generally say that the public health officials at the CDC have gotten the risks of the coronavirus about right. But far fewer say that about the news media, Donald Trump and congressional Democrats.

A majority (63%) says public health officials at the CDC have gotten the risks for the coronavirus about right. Relatively few say they have exaggerated the risks (21%) or not taken them seriously enough (15%).

By contrast, a majority (62%) says the news media have exaggerated the risks from the coronavirus outbreak. Just 30% say they have handled the risks appropriately, and 8% say they have not taken the risks seriously enough.

Critiques of Trump’s response run in the opposite direction. About half (52%) say either that Trump has not taken the risks seriously enough (23%) or that he hasn’t taken them seriously at all (29%); 37% say he’s gotten the risks about right.

When it comes to Democratic leaders in Congress, about as many say they have exaggerated the risks (40%) as say they have gotten them about right (38%); 19% say they haven’t taken the risks seriously enough.

Views of how Trump, Democratic leaders and the news media have responded to the risks of the coronavirus are highly partisan. However, there is bipartisan agreement that officials at the CDC have responded appropriately: 64% of Democrats and Democratic leaners and 63% of Republicans and Republican leaners say CDC officials have gotten the risks of the coronavirus about right.

Roughly three-quarters of Republicans (76%) say the news media have exaggerated the risks of the coronavirus, including 53% who say they have greatly exaggerated them. While Democrats are less likely than Republicans to say this, many do criticize the news media in this regard: 49% of Democrats believe the media have exaggerated the coronavirus risks, compared with 41% who think they’ve gotten them about right.

Partisans are far apart in how they assess Trump’s response to the coronavirus. Nearly eight-in-ten Democrats and Democratic leaners (79%) think the president has not taken the risks seriously enough, including 50% who say he hasn’t taken the risks seriously at all. Among Republicans and Republican leaners, 68% think he’s gotten the risks about right, compared with far fewer (22%) who say he hasn’t taken them seriously enough.

A narrow majority of Democrats (56%) say their party’s leaders in Congress have gotten the risks of the virus about right; the remainder of Democrats are about evenly split between saying their leaders have exaggerated the risks (23%) and saying they haven’t taken them seriously enough (20%). Most Republicans (60%) criticize Democratic leaders in Congress for exaggerating the risks of the coronavirus, while 20% say they’ve gotten the risks about right and 18% say they haven’t taken them seriously enough.

Coronavirus threat perceptions rose over survey field period

Information about the coronavirus outbreak and guidance from federal, state and local officials evolved over the survey’s seven-day field period, and public concern about the threat posed by the virus was higher at the end of the survey than at the beginning.

For instance, in the first two days of the survey field period (March 10-11), 42% said the new coronavirus outbreak was a major threat to the health of the U.S. population. In the final three days of the survey field period, this share had risen to 55%.

This increase in the perceived threat posed by the coronavirus over time was seen across the four other areas of concern measured in the survey.

Bipartisan confidence in CDC, state and local officials

Republicans have much more confidence than Democrats in Trump and Pence to respond to the coronavirus, but majorities of both partisan groups say they are confident in CDC health officials and their state and local officials to respond to the coronavirus outbreak.

A large share of Republicans and Republican leaners (87%) say they either are very (48%) or somewhat (39%) confident in public health officials at the CDC to do a good job responding to the coronavirus. Most Democrats and Democratic leaners (80%) also say they are confident in CDC officials, though fewer (33%) are very confident.

Similarly, 75% of Republicans and 72% of Democrats say they are at least somewhat confident that their state and local officials are doing a good job responding to the coronavirus outbreak.

Republicans are broadly confident that Trump and Pence are doing a good job responding to the coronavirus, while large shares of Democrats lack confidence in them to do this.

About eight-in-ten Republicans (82%) say they are very or somewhat confident in Trump to do a good job responding to the coronavirus; nearly as many (77%) say the same about Pence. By contrast, 87% of Democrats say they are not too (20%) or not at all (67%) confident in Trump to do a good job responding to the coronavirus; a slightly smaller majority (77%) say they are not too (30%) or not at all (47%) confident in Pence.

Fewer Republicans than Democrats see ‘major’ threats from coronavirus

Democrats are more likely than Republicans to describe the coronavirus as a major threat across all five areas of concern tested in the survey.

Most notably, Democrats and Democratic leaners are 26 percentage points more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to say that the virus presents a major threat to the U.S. population as a whole (59% vs. 33%).

And while majorities in both parties say the coronavirus outbreak is a major threat to the U.S. economy, Democrats (77%) are more likely than Republicans (62%) to say this.

Democrats are also somewhat more likely than Republicans to say the coronavirus is a major threat to day-to-day life in their community, their personal financial situation and their personal health.

How an extended job absence would impact workers

Missing work for an extended period because of the coronavirus would hurt lower-income, less highly educated, younger and nonwhite workers more than others in the labor force.

Overall, just over half of employed people (54%) say they would not get paid if the coronavirus caused them to miss work for at least two weeks. The larger share of this group (33% of all employed people) say it would be difficult for them to keep up with their basic expenses while out of work and not being paid; 21% of workers say they would not get paid but would still be able to keep up with expenses.

Just more than a third of employed people (36%) say they would still get paid if they could not work for at least two weeks because of the coronavirus; 10% say they aren’t sure what would happen.

Nearly seven-in-ten employed people with family incomes of less than $30,000 a year (68%) say they would not get paid if they had to miss work for two weeks because of the coronavirus, including 52% who say they’d have trouble keeping up with expenses during this time. Smaller shares of employed people with higher annual incomes say this. For instance, just 11% of those earning $100,000 a year or more say they would not get paid and would have trouble meeting expenses if they were out of work for at least two weeks because of the virus; most of this group (61%) say they’d continue to get paid if they could not work.

Black and Hispanic workers are less likely than white workers to say they’d still get paid if they had to miss work for two weeks because of the coronavirus. A majority of Hispanic workers (66%) say they would not get paid if the coronavirus caused them to miss work for two weeks, including 47% who say it would be difficult to meet expenses during this time. Half of black workers say they would not get paid, while another 23% say they aren’t sure what would happen.

The youngest workers surveyed – those ages 18 to 29 – are the age group most likely to say they would not get paid if forced to miss two weeks due to the coronavirus. They also are more likely than other age groups to say they would have trouble meeting basic expenses without income.

Racial, ethnic differences in personal health concerns from coronavirus

Most Americans view the coronavirus as a threat to their own personal health, though far more view it as a minor (51%) than major (27%) threat; 22% say it is not a threat.

The level of personal concern about the virus varies significantly across demographic groups. In particular, older adults, black and Hispanic people, and those with no college experience are especially likely to view the coronavirus as a major threat to their own health.

Majorities of those of all races and ethnicities see the new coronavirus as at least a minor threat to their health. However, 46% of black people and 39% of Hispanics view the coronavirus as a major threat to their own health, compared with 21% of white adults.

Among adults ages 65 and older, 86% say the coronavirus is a threat to their personal health, including 33% who say it’s a major threat. Among adults ages 18 to 29, a smaller majority sees the virus as a personal health threat (72%) and 23% view it as a major threat.

Those who live in urban areas (33%) are somewhat more likely to see the coronavirus as a major threat to their personal health than those living in suburban (25%) or rural (25%) areas.

Across levels of educational attainment, 35% of those with no college experience say the coronavirus is a major threat to their personal health, compared with 26% of those with some college experience, 19% of college graduates and 21% of postgraduates.

There are not major differences in concern over personal health between those who say they are covered by health insurance and those who say they are not.

Close followers of coronavirus news more likely to see major threats

About half of U.S. adults (51%) say they are following news about the coronavirus very closely, while 38% say they are following it fairly closely and just 11% say they are following it not too or not at all closely.

Those most closely following news about the coronavirus are significantly more likely than other groups to say the virus poses a major threat in all five areas of concern tested in the survey.

For instance, 78% of those following news very closely say the coronavirus outbreak is a major threat to the U.S. economy, compared with 65% of those following news fairly closely and just 46% of the relatively small share of the public that’s following the news not too or not at all closely. This pattern is consistent across the other areas of concern measured in the survey.

These measures and more can be explored further in the Election News Pathways data tool, where all of the data associated with this project is available for public use.

AAPI Launches Fund Raising For “DONATE A MASK” – Regular Teleconferences by AAPI to Educate and Share Information on COVID 19

Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0

Responding to the national/world-wide shortage of masks and other personal protective equipment, even as several healthcare professionals, including physicians and nurses, who are in the forefront diagnosing and treating patients, have been diagnosed with COVID-19,  American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, has launched a Fund Raising to support their fellow professionals, providing them with Masks that are so vital to prevent them from getting transmitted with this deadly virus.

Due to production and distribution delays in China, where most personal protective equipment, or PPE, is manufactured, healthcare facilities are experiencing shortages of much needed Masks and PPEs.

During a Teleconference organized by AAPI, and attended by hundreds of physicians on Saturday, March 21st, Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI, said, “As we are not prepared well, our frontline soldiers (physicians) are working under suboptimal conditions with severe shortage of GS masks and other protective gear. As a result, some of the foot soldiers (front line physicians) have succumbed to this deadly virus. To protect our fraternity, we have established a donation box on AAPI website under the banner “DONATE  a MASK.”

A Task Force consisting of Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI, Dr. Sajani Shah, Chairwoman-Elect of AAPI’s BOD, and Dr. Ami Baxi, has been constituted to identify the hospitals and sending the supply of Masks/PPE directly.

During the COVID-19 national emergency, which also constitutes a nationwide public health emergency, covered health care providers subject to the HIPAA Rules may seek to communicate with patients, and provide telehealth services, through remote communications technologies.  Some of these technologies, and the manner in which they are used by HIPAA covered health care providers, may not fully comply with the requirements of the HIPAA Rules.

Dr. Stella Gandhi, President of YPS, updated the members on the conference call on Telemedicine, which has become more prevalent in the past five years in the US.

Quoting the Notification from the Federal Government on Enforcement Discretion for telehealth remote communications during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency, Dr. Gandhi said, “A covered health care provider that wants to use audio or video communication technology to provide telehealth to patients during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency can use any non-public facing remote communication product that is available to communicate with patients.  OCR is exercising its enforcement discretion to not impose penalties for noncompliance with the HIPAA Rules in connection with the good faith provision of telehealth using such non-public facing audio or video communication products during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency.  This exercise of discretion applies to telehealth provided for any reason, regardless of whether the telehealth service is related to the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions related to COVID-19.”

Dr. Soumya Reddy Neravetla, Cardiovascular/Thoracic Surgery, through a chart for providers that has a diagnostic code for each type of services one could provide to patients via telehealth, offered an overview of the set up options for physicians who are new to telemedicine.  “You can use your tablet or smartphone for the telemedicine software/video call with the patient next to a computer that you are logged on to for regular EMR. Thus allowing documentation/chart review simultaneous. We are working with Cure Companion to provide discounted easy to use options for our members,” she said.

Dr. Hetal Gor, specialized in OBGYN, educated the participants on how the data on people with symptoms keeps changing everyday. She said, Pregnant women are more at risk for Covid infection and it could possibly impact the newborn and breast feeding by these mothers could adversely impact the newborn.

Dr. Arunachalam Einstein provided an update on identifying Covid Infection, various symptoms, including diarrhea to respiratory. He advocated for adequate precaution while caring for patients with such symptoms as a way of staying off this virus. He stressed the need for close monitoring of such patients after discharging these patients by Tele Nurses for any symptoms and follow up after discharge.

Dr. Kusum Punjabi, who is specialized in Emergency Medicine and works in New Jersey, gave an overview of the fast changing data on prevalence of people diagnosed with COVID 19. She said, corona-virus and Influence can co-exist in each patient. With rapid increases of people diagnosed with symptoms, an alarming phase doubling every day, hospital in her state have set up tents outside of the hospital for triaging patients prior to admitting them depending on the need.

Describing the current times and circumstances and as “an extra ordinary and unprecedented time and that never before in the modern history have we have experienced this kind of health-related calamity,” Dr. Reddy said, “Covid -19 also called Corona Virus disease is playing havoc on our streets and isolating family members at home. The results are catastrophic. We don’t have vaccines or anti-viral agents to effectively treat the patients with this strange disease. In the next four weeks, we will have a lot more Americans helplessly dying due to this “rakshas” virus. Now even young people in their 20s are dying from this viral disease. This is a global war on this “rakshas” virus.  We request all the members to donate generously to fight this ferocious virus, which has put basic existence of entire human race at stake.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Suresh Reddy has announced that AAPI has launched a Help Desk Button on AAPI’s website, and AAPI has started a Covid Advisory Committee for the community under the leadership of Dr. Jayesh Shah, past President of AAPI.

·         AAPI has also decided to have Teleconference regularly to discus, educate and share information on Corona Viryus related topics, Dr. Anumama, Gotimukula, Vice President of AAPI anounced. The next conference will be on Wednesday, March 25th with the following speakers:

1. Pulmonary/ Critical care- Dr. Kalpalatha Guntupalli, Chief of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Section

2. Cardiology: Dr. Brahma Sharma, Cardiologist, Faculty, UPMC ,Pittsburg

3. Anesthesiology : Dr. Kumar Belani ,
Professor, Chief of Pediatric Anesthesiology, Univ of MInnesota

4. Dr. Krishan Kumar, Pediatric Emergency Medicine , New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital
5. Dr. Deeptha Nedunchezian, Infectios Disease, New York

Moderator- Dr. Lokesh Edara; Followed by Q& A session.

For more information, please visit: www.aapiusa.org

 

Want to Know More About COVID-19?

 

·         The pandemic that’s spread to nearly every country in the world is picking up pace, with global cases edging close to 400,000 and deaths soared past 16,000. And here’s how. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), while it took 67 days from the first reported case to reach the first 100,000 cases of the disease caused by the coronavirus, it took only 11 days for the second 100,000 cases, and just 4 days for the third 100,000 cases.

·         And while asking people to stay at home and other physical-distancing measures were an important way of slowing down the spread of the virus, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described them as “defensive measures that will not help us to win”. On the contrary, testing every suspected case, isolating and caring for every confirmed case, and chasing and quarantining every close contact, is the way to go.

·         However, the outbreak could overwhelm health systems around the world in just a few weeks. Think intensive care units, doctors and nurses utterly exhausted. World health officials estimate more than 26 million healthcare workers may end up treating Covid-19 patients.

·         The need of the hour is ramping up production of personal protective equipment for doctors and nurses and to avoid placing export bans on the life-saving gear. Note: If we don’t prioritise protecting health workers, many people will die because the health worker who could have saved their lives is sick.

·         The WHO said the success in controlling the pandemic will depend on “densely populated countries” like India. Michael J Ryan, executive director of the WHO, however, expressed confidence in India’s ability to step up. “India led the world in eradicating two pandemics, small-pox and polio so India has a tremendous capacity,” he said.
  • A revelation: Nearly 1 out of every three people who have tested positive for Covid-19 in China was an asymptomatic carrier of the virus — “silent carriers” who show no symptom of the disease such as fever or cough — classified Chinese government documents show, reports South China Morning Post. More than 43,000 people in China had tested positive for Covid-19 by the end of February but had no immediate symptoms, SCMP reports. China, against WHO’s norm, did not count these positive cases in the official tally at the time — around 80,000. They were, however, quarantined. China’s doesn’t appear to be a lone case. Research by a group of Japanese scientists led by Hiroshi Nishiura, an epidemiologist at Hokkaido University, has found that nearly 30.8% who tested positive after evacuation from Wuhan were asymptomatic. In South Korea, where wide-scale testing (nearly 300,000) was conducted, 20% of positive cases were asymptomatic.
  • Why it matters? Most other nations, including India, do not test asymptomatic carriers unless they have been in contact with a confirmed case. After all, that they do not exhibit “sickness” means they slip under the radar. The WHO had said transmission of virus through asymptomatic carriers was “extremely rare”. But data from China and South Korea suggest, by ignoring asymptomatic carriers, the world may only have a tunnel vision of the pandemic. Note: Since carriers themselves wouldn’t know they are infected, only extensive testing of the population would bring such cases under the light.
  • But they could transmit the virus. That these “silent carriers” do not show symptoms such as coughing does reduce the chances of transmission. But it is not fool-proof, Ho Pak-leung, a professor with the microbiology department of the University of Hong Kong, tells SCMP. “Of course it is hard to say if they may be less infectious if they don’t cough. But there are also droplets when you speak,” he said. Another joint study by specialists from Columbia University, the University of Hong Kong, Imperial College London, Tsinghua University, and the University of California had earlier reported that an estimated 86% of infections in China before January 23 — when Beijing finally locked down Wuhan — were not documented.

‘God’s own country’ or not? NRIs and Tourists in the throes of Coronavirus crisis

Staff ReporterHealth, Tourism 0

The world has indeed taken notice of how well Kerala has handled the Coronavirus threat so far and widely applauded for steps the state has undertaken to mitigate the crisis. However, as the virus fear sweeps through Kerala, some of the stories coming out of my home state are very disconcerting. It doesn’t bring out the best of humanity, especially from those who have lived and prospered on the largesse of the NRI remittances and significant revenue from the tourism boom.

I am referring here about the treatment some of the Keralites meted out to NRIs and foreign nationals who are either returning from foreign countries or trapped in the state due to state-imposed travel restrictions. Most of the NRIs are Indian citizens, and they have the right to return to their home country. Some of the tourists who might have caught off guard and stranded by these fast-moving developments around the Coronavirus or made the trip regardless due to their long-term planning for a dream vacation or fearing potential losses in terms of  prepaid bookings.

Kerala’s prosperity in the last five decades can be primarily attributed to the ‘money-order economy’ where the foreign currency remittances fast-tracked the socio-economic development in the state. According to World Bank reports, India retained its position as the world’s top recipient of remittances with its diaspora sending a whopping 79 Billion dollars back home in 2018.  Kerala tops in that category, with almost 20% of that remittances directly going to the state. The money the NRIs send home helps not only the families but also the balance of payments of the country.

‘God’s own country’ or not? NRIs and Tourists in the throes of Coronavirus crisisThe flow of that amount of money into the Kerala economy by way of remittances has a very significant impact on the living conditions of its citizens. It is important to note that 80% of emigrants from Kerala went to the Gulf, and they contribute a large chunk of the remittances that flow into Kerala. According to a previous study done by the Middle East Institute, remittances were 1.74 times the revenue receipts of the state. Remittances in Kerala were 5.5 times the finance received from the central government and 36 times the exporting earnings from cashews and 30 times that from marine products.

The study also pointed out the impact of remittances to Kerala and how it has manifested in household consumption, saving and investment, the quality of houses, and the possession of modern consumer durables. Remittances also played a role in enhancing the quality of life and contributing to a high human development index for Kerala in terms of education and health, along with the reduction of poverty and unemployment.

The overall result for the state has been quite impressive. Kerala’s rating for the Human Development Index (HDI) 0.790, is the highest in India, resulting from the vast improvements state has made in the fields of sanitation, health, education, and poverty reduction. In 2016, the state was also declared ‘open defecation free’ with toilets in every household. The female literacy rate in Kerala stands at 94%, and it is the only state in the union where the female population exceeds the male population.

Nevertheless, the stories being aired about some of the experiences of returning NRIs and stranded tourists at these difficult times are heart-wrenching. It is critical that the returning NRIs ought to be truthful to the authorities and mindful of their vulnerability in terms of spreading this virus. They need to behave responsibly as per the rules and be accountable for their actions. However, they shouldn’t be blamed for the failures of the state from properly screening all arrivals. It is the responsibility of the authorities to ascertain origins of travel and routings and to decide whether anyone should be quarantined. The infrastructure should have been already in place at all airports for health screenings, and the medical personnel should have been fitted with protective gear.

Instead, what we are witnessing is an act of demonization of some of those who happened to carry the Coronavirus, probably of no fault of their own. Some of them might have  contracted the virus during the travel and possibly even asymptomatic upon their arrival. Therefore, there is very little justification for the harassment and name-calling they were subjected to and the contempt with which they have been treated.

The experiences of some of the foreign tourists at the hands of my fellow Malayalees are even more appalling. An alien couple was found to be traumatized and crying incessantly in the middle of a road as they haven’t had food for three days. According to the reports, they were denied food or lodging by panicky guest houses and hotels across the state and finally had to be rescued by the Police department. There were stories of tourists sleeping in cemeteries because their reservations to the hotels were not being honored.

It is not only a phenomenon in Kerala but also across the country where foreign tourists are being evicted from their apartments, made to feel unwelcome in Taxis, asked to leave restaurants, and have been subjected to hostile looks in public spaces. Social media also bears some responsibility in spreading this panic-driven disinformation that all foreign tourists are carries of the Coronavirus. Even students from Northeast are not spared this time around as many have experienced harassment at the hands of other students, and their interactions were marked by suspicion and rudeness often bordering racism.

Finally, Keralites are one of the largest groups of economic refugees on this planet, constantly exploring opportunities and daring to break barriers to travel to the ends of the earth to better themselves. We do expect those foreign countries and their nationals to treat us fairly, provide us with opportunities, respect our cultures, and honor our religious traditions. Besides, we also request them to transfer part of their wealth to our state so that folks who are left behind may do better with their own lives as well.

Therefore, it is obligatory to keep our end of the bargain in treating foreign tourists as well as returning NRIs fairly in good times as well as bad. We simply cannot have it both ways! I am encouraged to see that the government of Kerala, which saw more than a million tourists set foot in the state in 2018, came out to denounce such attacks on foreign tourists asking locals not to see them as carriers of virus. A national crisis often reveals the character of a people. Kerala is often dubbed as ‘God’s own country’ and not let the world call us ‘Devil’s own people’!

(the writer is a former Chief Technology Officer of the United Nations and Vice-Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, USA)

Popular Indian-born chef Floyd Cardoz passes away due to Covid-19

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0
Floyd Cardoz, an influential India-born chef and restaurateur widely credited for introducing the flavors of his homeland to New York’s fine-dining scene in the 1990s, died Wednesday from an infection related to covid-19, according to the company that oversees his restaurants. He was 59.
The company, Hunger Inc. Hospitality, issued a statement confirming his death. The statement said he died in New Jersey.
A multiple James Beard Award nominee, Cardoz went to culinary school in Mumbai before studying at the respected Global Hospitality Management School at Les Roches in Switzerland. He moved to New York in 1988 and, several years later, started working at Lespinasse, where the late Gray Kunz blended Asian ingredients with French techniques.
Cardoz left Lespinasse to join forces with restaurateur Danny Meyer to open Tabla, a pioneering Indian-American fine-dining destination in Manhattan. It received three stars from Ruth Reichl when she was restaurant critic for the New York Times.
“Mr. Cardoz is working with a palette similar to that employed by Mr. Kunz, but here it is not tempered by the cream and butter of the French kitchen,” Reichl wrote in her review. “This is American food, viewed through a kaleidoscope of Indian spices. The flavors are so powerful, original and unexpected that they evoke intense emotions. Those who do not like Tabla tend to dislike it with a passion.”
Cardoz would earn four Beard nominations for his work at Tabla, which closed in 2010 after a 12-year run. It was the first restaurant that Meyer closed. Cardoz also won Season 3 of Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters.”
“Few people have done more than Floyd to impact an entire industry, the career trajectories of more cooks, or the palates of more restaurant goers,” Meyer wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
“He was beyond talented as a cook. He was a super-taster, big-hearted, stubborn as the day is long, and the most loyal friend, husband, and dad you could imagine,” Meyer continued. “My heart is just broken. His life and career was full of triumph and adversity. We opened and closed two restaurants together and in that time he never once lost his sense of love for those he’d worked with, mentored, and mattered to. He made monumental contributions to our industry and to my organization, and his passing leaves us with a gaping hole.”
Meyer and Cardoz would team up again to open the North End Grill in the Battery Park City neighborhood of New York. The restaurant was something of a free-association concept, wrote critic Pete Wells in his two-star review in the Times, offering grilled seafood, egg dishes and pours from a large single-malt Scotch collection.
Cardoz would go on to open several of his own restaurants, both in New York and Mumbai. In New York, he opened Paowalla in the SoHo neighborhood in 2016 before transforming it, two years later, into the more casual Bombay Bread Bar, which closed last year. In Mumbai, Cardoz operated a pair of restaurants, O Pedro, his ode to Goan food and culture, and Bombay Canteen, his take on Indian regional cooking.
The chef had recently returned from India, where, among other things, he filmed an episode (“Don’t Call It Curry”) for Season 2 of David Chang’s Netflix series, “Ugly Delicious.” Cardoz checked himself into a New York hospital in March, which set off a panic among his friends and fans. He would later, in an Instagram post, apologize for alarming everyone.
“Sincere apologies everyone,” he wrote. “I am sorry for causing undue panic around my earlier post. I was feeling feverish and hence as a precautionary measure, admitted myself into hospital in New York. I was hugely anxious about my state of health and my post was highly irresponsible causing panic in several quarters.”
Cardoz had tested positive for covid-19 on March 18, Hunger Inc. Hospitality said in the statement. His death has led to an outpouring of tributes online. Chang wrote that he was heartbroken in an Instagram post and added, “we will carry on your beautiful legacy.” In a tweet, Khushbu Shah, the restaurant editor at Food & Wine magazine, wrote: “Deeply upset to hear this news. It was an honor to know Floyd. He was a kind, ground breaking chef who paved the way for so many South Asians.”
The chef wrote two cookbooks: “One Spice, Two Spice” in 2006 and “Flavorwalla” in 2016.
Survivors include Cardoz’s mother, Beryl, his wife, Barkha, and their two sons, Justin and Peter.

AAPI Urges Govt. to Enforce Total Lockdown and Self Quarantine of Entire Nation

Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0
(Chicago, IL: March 19th, 2020) “As concerned physicians witnessing the growing COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on our society, healthcare system and economy, we, members of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic Medical Association in the United States, urge the Federal, State and Local Governments and policy makers to advocate for more immediate and severe action to prevent the crisis from becoming unmanageable,” Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI stated here today.
Since the outbreak of this deadly pandemic, AAPI under the leadership of Dr. Reddy has had several meetings with leaders of AAPI, representing nearly 100,000 Physicians of Indian Origin in the United States, serving every seventh patient across the United States.
In our efforts to contain and prevent this pandemic, we are recommending that the Authorities across the nation “Implement and enforce a total lockdown of the nation, social distancing, and enforce self-0quarantine of the total population, as has been practiced in other countries in order to flatten the infection curve,” Dr. Deeptha Nedunchezian, Chair of AAPI’s COVID-19 Response Task Force, said.
AAPI's 38th Annual Convention Will Be Held In Chicago - Over 2,500 delegates expected to attend Convention from June 24th to 28th, 2020Dr. Seema Arora, Chair of BOT, AAPI,  while acknowledging the significant impact and the cost of these policies on our fellow citizens and our society as a whole, said,  “We have witnessed rapid growth in the spread of the virus that have led us to believe that further action is needed.”
Quoting Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU), Dr. Lokesh Edara, Co-Chair of AAPI’s COVID-19 Response Task Force, pointed out, “As of today, 9,115 have died around the world due to corona virus, and in the United States alone, 155 have succumbed to this deadly virus. The mortality rate ranges between 3-15% depending on the age group in question.”
 Dr. Arunachellum Einstein, member of the AAPI’s COVID-19 Response Task Force, said, with as many as 222,642 confirmed corona-virus cases across the world, nearing 10,000 confirmed cases in the United States alone with nearly 10% of those tested for the Corona-virus are confirmed to be positive for the virus, AAPI is alarmed with the current response from the Authorities.
We are seeing that the rate of infection for COVID-19 in the United States is doubling every 48-72 hours. For each diagnosed case, recent data shows that there are likely 10 undiagnosed carriers who can further infect the population.
Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI, expressed great concern that “the current rate of infections will have a materially adverse effect on both our senior populations and our fellow physicians and healthcare workers who are on the front lines fighting the infection.  “It’s essential to create a wholesale expansion of free COVID-19 testing available in order for identifying asymptomatic carries and then isolating them.”
Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Vice President, AAPI, pointed out: “With grave concern, we have witnessed in the recent weeks and months the level of action being enforced by local, state, and federal governments has not had the necessary impact on infection rates. If the current trend continues without effective action, we would likely only see an effect on infection rates in 5-6 days, which means we could expect a tripling of infections and deaths in the interim.”
During the COVID-19 national emergency, which also constitutes a nationwide public health emergency, covered health care providers subject to the HIPAA Rules may seek to communicate with patients, and provide telehealth services, through remote communications technologies.  Some of these technologies, and the manner in which they are used by HIPAA covered health care providers, may not fully comply with the requirements of the HIPAA Rules. “We appreciate regulations that remove HIPAA requirements for telemedicine to allow easier adaption and implementation,” Dr. Ravi Kolli, Secretary of AAPI said.
AAPI is urging to make Telemedicine to be allowed for services and enforce that all insurance companies and government systems reimburse for services provided by Medical professionals in these critical times of emergencies. “AAPI appreciates CMS expansion of Telemedicine coverage and urges the government to require all insurance companies to reimburse for services provided by Medical professionals in these critical times,” Soumya Reddy Neravetla said.

AAPI is concerned with the health and well-being of our fellow healthcare workers, and has recommended “Social Distancing by enacting and enforcing social distancing, handwashing, and disinfectant guidelines according to the CDC and WHO across the United States in public and private places such as airports, offices, grocery stores, etc,” Dr. Raj Bhayani, Treasurer of AAPI, said.
AAPI is urging the Government to expand testing on a wholesale level and make freely available across the United States; Quarantine and Isolation: Enact quarantine and isolation rules like we have seen in other countries to prevent the spread of the virus; and, Off Site Treatment Areas- Create treatment areas outside of hospitals and healthcare facilities to test and treat patients who are potentially exhibiting symptoms and need additional guidance.
“While applauding our fellow healthcare workers, including physicians, nurses, EMS, paramedics, medical assistants, and healthcare professionals, we are saddened that many of these heroes are being infected with COVID-19 while treating patients and often without Personal protection Equipment, endangering their safety and that of their families,” Dr. Suresh Reddy said.
“We urge the Authorities to provide the much needed Equipment, Testing and Facilities enabling them to be isolated and treated, which will reduce our healthcare workforce at precisely the time we need them to be healthy and treating patients,” Dr. Reddy added.
For more information about AAPI and its several initiatives, including to address the global pandemic, please visit: www.aapiusa.org

The Worst-Case Estimate for U.S. Coronavirus Deaths

Staff ReporterHealth, U.S. 0

Officials at the C.D.C. and epidemic experts conferred last month about what could happen in the U.S.

The C.D.C. scenarios have not been publicly disclosed. Without an understanding of how experts view the threat, it remains unclear how far Americans will go in adopting socially disruptive steps that could help avert deaths.

Officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and epidemic experts from universities around the world conferred last month about what might happen if the new coronavirus gained a foothold in the United States. How many people might die? How many would be infected and need hospitalization?

One of the agency’s top disease modelers, Matthew Biggerstaff, presented the group on the phone call with four possible scenarios — A, B, C and D — based on characteristics of the virus, including estimates of how transmissible it is and the severity of the illness it can cause. The assumptions, reviewed by The New York Times, were shared with about 50 expert teams to model how the virus could tear through the population — and what might stop it.

The C.D.C.’s scenarios were depicted in terms of percentages of the population. Translated into absolute numbers by independent experts using simple models of how viruses spread, the worst-case figures would be staggering if no actions were taken to slow transmission.

Between 160 million and 214 million people in the U.S. could be infected over the course of the epidemic, according to one projection. That could last months or even over a year, with infections concentrated in shorter periods, staggered across time in different communities, experts said. As many as 200,000 to 1.7 million people could die.

And, the calculations based on the C.D.C.’s scenarios suggested, 2.4 million to 21 million people in the U.S. could require hospitalization, potentially crushing the nation’s medical system, which has only about 925,000 staffed hospital beds. Fewer than a tenth of those are for people who are critically ill.

The assumptions fueling those scenarios are mitigated by the fact that cities, states, businesses and individuals are beginning to take steps to slow transmission, even if some are acting less aggressively than others. The C.D.C.-led effort is developing more sophisticated models showing how interventions might decrease the worst-case numbers, though their projections have not been made public.

 “When people change their behavior,” said Lauren Gardner, an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering who models epidemics, “those model parameters are no longer applicable,” so short-term forecasts are likely to be more accurate. “There is a lot of room for improvement if we act appropriately.”

Those actions include testing for the virus, tracing contacts, and reducing human interactions by stopping mass gatherings, working from home and curbing travel. In just the last two days, multiple schools and colleges closed, sports events were halted or delayed, Broadway theaters went dark, companies barred employees from going to the office and more people said they were following hygiene recommendations.

The Times obtained screenshots of the C.D.C. presentation, which has not been released publicly, from someone not involved in the meetings. The Times then verified the data with several scientists who did participate. The scenarios were marked valid until Feb. 28, but remain “roughly the same,” according to Ira Longini, co-director of the Center for Statistics and Quantitative Infectious Diseases at the University of Florida. He has joined in meetings of the group.

The coronavirus has touched a diverse collection of countries and cultures, but a number of shared experiences have emerged — from grieving the dead to writing songs.

The C.D.C. declined interview requests about the modeling effort and referred a request for comment to the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Devin O’Malley, a spokesman for the task force, said that senior health officials had not presented the findings to the group.

The assumptions in the C.D.C.’s four scenarios, and the new numerical projections, fall in the range of others developed by independent experts.

Dr. Longini said the scenarios he helped the C.D.C. refine had not been publicly disclosed because there remained uncertainty about certain key aspects, including how much transmission could occur from people who showed no symptoms or had only mild ones.

“We’re being very, very careful to make sure we have scientifically valid modeling that’s drawing properly on the epidemic and what’s known about the virus,” he said, warning that simple calculations could be misleading or even dangerous. “You can’t win. If you overdo it, you panic everybody. If you underdo it, they get complacent. You have to be careful.”

But without an understanding of how the nation’s top experts believe the virus could ravage the country, and what measures could slow it, it remains unclear how far Americans will go in adopting — or accepting — socially disruptive steps that could also avert deaths. And how quickly they will act.

Studies of previous epidemics have shown that the longer officials waited to encourage people to distance and protect themselves, the less useful those measures were in saving lives and preventing infections.

What’s at stake in this coronavirus pandemic? How many Americans can become infected? How many might die? The answers depend on the actions we take — and, crucially, on when we take them. Working with infectious disease epidemiologists, we developed this interactive tool that lets you see what may lie ahead in the United States and how much of a difference it could make if officials act quickly. (The figures are for America, but the lessons are broadly applicable to any country.)

Impact of Coronavirus on Economy

Staff ReporterBusiness, Finance/Economy, Health 0

The long-anticipated – and feared – moment when Covid-19 would infect the markets arrived with a bang. Despite efforts by central banks and a less-than soothing address from President Trump, markets the world over went into free-fall as the coronavirus extended into more than 80 countries, sending infections and deaths surging.

With comparisons to Black Monday of 1987 and the great crash of 2008 circled on policymakers’ jotters, the New York Fed said it would inject a record $1 trillion into American money markets by purchasing Treasury securities across a range of maturities.

That is quantitative easing on a scale and with a speed never seen before, wrote David Goldman. The Fed is trying to stop a financial avalanche that threatens to bury risk assets and throw the world into a deep recession.

It was enough for US stock prices, which had fallen by almost 10% at their lowest, to recover a good deal of their lost ground by the end of the week.

For a gauge of the impact on the broader economy, look no further than US Treasuries.

Prices of the benchmark debt climbed to their highest levels since 2009, as investors continued to flee risk assets, writes by David Goldman. The market, though, highlights how the dollar can no longer be considered the haven asset it has been for decades.

Even as the world tries to grapple with COVID-19 — and is miserably falling short — it may not be the last such pandemic to engulf the planet, going by the recent outbreaks of viral infections.

The United Nations has warned that the global economy faces “a US$2 trillion hit” in a “doomsday scenario” after the WHO declared a worldwide pandemic. As the Covid-19 disease spreads across the planet and the battle switches from China to Europe and the US, concerns are growing that global growth will be wiped out as consumer demand evaporates, Gordon Watts reports.

Rate cuts: Such restrictions are bound to cause a drop in economic activity. The world economy was already strained by the Chinese lockdown. To cope, countries are proposing various forms of stimulus. In the US, the Trump administration could introduce a payroll tax cut to put more cash in people’s hands. The US Federal Reserve, which last week cut benchmark interest rate to boost lending activities, said it will inject $1.5 trillion into bond markets. The UK has slashed the interest rates and revived a programme to support lending to small and medium-scale businesses. Tax breaks and cheaper loans were also introduced in Germany. Australia said it will spend $11.42 billion to avoid a recession.

Fund for healthcare: Then there are the funds to support the overburdened healthcare system. Italy has launched a $28 billion package, while the European Commission has earmarked a similar figure. Iran, which is reeling under the US sanctions, took a rare step of seeking financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF has not lent Iran money since 1962 — that is, never since the Islamic Revolution.

The Growing/Spreading Pandemic

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

The worldwide outbreak has sickened more than 156,000 people and left more than 5,800 dead, with thousands of new cases confirmed each day. The death toll in the United States climbed to 57, while infections neared 3,000.

Hospitals across the U.S. are working to expand bed capacity and staffing to keep from becoming overwhelmed as the caseload continues to mount.

“We have not reached our peak,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health. “We will see more cases, and we will see more suffering and death.”

Millions of Americans braced for the week ahead with no school for their children for many days to come, no clue how to effectively do their jobs without child care, and a growing sense of dread about how to stay safe and sane amid the relentless spread of the coronavirus.

Tens of millions of students nationwide have been sent home from school amid a wave of closings that include all of Ohio, Maryland, Oregon, Washington state, Florida and Illinois along with big-city districts like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Some schools announced they will close for three weeks, others for up to six.

While the number of known cases in the U.S. appears to be comparatively low as of now, the figures are almost certain to spike very soon, as both testing and exposure increase. While COVID-19 has unquestionably spread further than officially known, it is poised to round the curve and spread widely across the U.S. by the end of April.

To better understand outbreaks like this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) consults a network of academics and industry experts who specialize in modeling the spread of contagious diseases. One of those outside groups, the Laboratory for the Modeling of Biological and Socio-technical Systems at Northeastern University, provided TIME with exclusive access to 100 of the different coronavirus scenarios it has generated in its efforts to support the CDC.

“What we’re seeing now is really just the tip of the iceberg,” says Alessandro Vespignani, the director of the Northeastern lab, who worked alongside colleagues Matteo Chinazzi and Ana Pastore y Piontti on this research. “That’s the problem of not doing extensive testing. Because testing has been limited here, I would be inclined toward the worst case scenarios.”

Away from the headlines: While the main virus outbreaks in recent years included Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), H1N1 influenza pandemic, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Ebola, Zika, Nipah virus, cholera, yellow fever and Lassa fever, they are by no means the only contagions. According to a report by the World Economic Forum (WEF), between 1980 and 2013, there were 12,012 outbreaks of viral infections that affected 44 million people globally.

Hidden tremors: Just like there are an average of 55 earthquakes a day — though most of them too small to be noticed — similarly, “7,000 new signals of potential outbreaks occur each month, generating 300 follow-ups, 30 investigations and 10 risk assessments,” says the WHO. While most of them die out naturally, some, like the COVID-19, can become a deadly global phenomenon. The problem is compounded by the fact that today, an outbreak can travel from a remote village to any major global city in less than 36 hours, or less than one and half days. With the proportion of people living in urban areas expected to rise from 55% currently to 68% by 2050 — coupled with increasing deforestation — pandemics may be the new normal. In the last 17 years, 31% viral outbreaks, such as the Nipah virus, Zika and Ebola, were linked to deforestation.

Cost of pandemics: According to a World Bank study, only 39% of the economic losses from outbreaks of viral infections are due to the infected individuals — 61% of the economic losses are due to the change in behaviour by healthy people as they seek to avoid the infection. Case in point: The 2015 MERS-coronavirus outbreak in South Korea that cost $8.5 billion while the number of casualties was 38 and the number of quarantined was 17,000. In the 2014 Ebola outbreak, the World Bank estimates that the three countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia collectively lost $2.2 billion in gross GDP. Add the cost of healthcare, employment and food security and the cost rises to $53 billion. Globally, while the direct cost of a flu pandemic is around $80 billion, the indirect cost, which includes the mortality component, can cost $570 billion annually — and this was before COVID-19 struck.

Border controls: The United States has suspended all travel from Europe, excluding Britain and Ireland, for 30 days. India had on Wednesday suspended all travel visas till April 15, except for diplomats, members of UN bodies, or those with employment and project visas. Other nations, too, have introduced restrictions that bar travellers from new clusters of Covid-19 like Italy, Spain and France. Qatar’s temporary ban also applies to travellers from India. China, where the contagion appears to be receding, is introducing entry restrictions to stop re-introduction of infection from abroad.

How bad is it in India? Though India is placed better off than, say, Italy, where over 12,000 have been infected and 800 killed, the number of confirmed cases continues to climb. As of Thursday, 74 were confirmed infected, including 16 Italians and 1 Canadian. Also, the samples of the 76-year-old who died on Wednesday in Karnataka were confirmed positive, marking India’s first fatality from Covid-19.

Now a piece of grave news: Observers have doubted if Iran’s official figure of 10,000 infections and 846 deaths were true, since a holy city visited by thousands — Qom — is the country’s epicentre. Now, satellite images reveal authorities have been digging up large trenches in a cemetery in Qom.

Study details first known person-to-person transmission of new coronavirus in the USA

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

Person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 occurred between two people with prolonged, unprotected exposure while the first patient was symptomatic. Person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 occurred between two people with prolonged, unprotected exposure while the first patient was symptomatic. Despite active monitoring and testing of 372 contacts of both cases, no further transmission was detected.

New research published in The Lancet, describes in detail the first locally-transmitted case of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19, in the USA, from a woman who had recently travelled to China and transmitted the infection to her husband. No further transmission was detected, despite monitoring contacts for symptoms and testing all those who developed fever, cough, or shortness of breath, as well as a sample of asymptomatic healthcare professionals who had come into contact with the patients.

On January 23, 2020, Illinois reported the state’s first laboratory-confirmed case (index case) of COVID-19 in a woman in her 60s who returned from Wuhan, China in mid-January, 2020. Subsequently, the first evidence of secondary transmission in the USA was reported on January 30, when her husband, who had not travelled outside the USA but had frequent, close contact with his wife since her return, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Public health authorities conducted an intensive epidemiologic investigation of the two confirmed cases. This study describes the clinical and laboratory features of both patients and the assessment and monitoring of several hundred individuals with potential exposure to SARS-CoV-2.

In total, 372 individuals were identified as potential contacts–347 of these people were actively monitored after confirmation of exposure to the woman or her husband on or after the day of symptom onset (including 152 community contacts and 195 healthcare professionals). There were 25 people that had insufficient contact information to complete active monitoring. A convenience sample of 32 asymptomatic healthcare personnel contacts were also tested.

These 347 contacts underwent active symptom monitoring for 14 days following their last exposure. Of these, 43 contacts who developed fever, cough, or shortness of breath were isolated and tested for SARS-CoV-2, as well as asymptomatic healthcare professionals. All 75 individuals tested negative for SARS-CoV-2.

On December 25, 2019, the female patient travelled to Wuhan where she visited a hospitalised relative and other family members with undiagnosed respiratory illness. On her return to the USA on January 13, 2020, she experienced six days of mild fever, fatigue, and cough before being hospitalised with pneumonia and testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 (figure 1). Prior to hospitalisation she was living with her husband who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic cough. These conditions made it difficult to determine the timing of his symptom onset related to COVID-19. Eight days after his wife was admitted to hospital, the husband was also hospitalised with worsening shortness of breath and coughing up blood, and also tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Both patients recovered and were discharged to home isolation, which was lifted 33 days after the woman returned from Wuhan, following two negative tests for SARS-CoV-2 taken 24 hours apart.

“This report suggests that person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 might be most likely to occur through unprotected, prolonged exposure to an individual with symptomatic COVID-19”, says Dr Jennifer Layden, Chief Medical Officer of the Chicago Department of Public Health, USA, who co-led the research. “Our experience of limited transmission of SARS-CoV-2 differs from Wuhan where transmission has been reported to occur across the wider community and among healthcare professionals, and from experiences of other similar coronaviruses. Nevertheless, healthcare facilities should rapidly triage and isolate individuals suspected of having COVID-19, and notify infection prevention services and local health departments for support in testing, management, and containment efforts.” [1]

The authors emphasise that individuals who think they might have been exposed to COVID-19 and experiencing a fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should call their healthcare provider before seeking help so that appropriate preventive actions can be taken.

“Although further detailed reports of contact investigations of COVID-19 cases could improve our understanding of the transmissibility of this novel virus, the absence of COVID-19 among healthcare professionals supports US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations around appropriate infection control”, explains co-lead author Dr Isaac Ghinai from the Illinois Department of Public Health, USA. [1]

Co-lead author, Dr Tristan McPherson from the Chicago Department of Public Health, USA adds: “Without using appropriate facemasks or other personal protective equipment, individuals living in the same household as, or providing care in a non-healthcare setting for, a person with symptomatic COVID-19 are likely to be at high risk of infection. Current CDC recommendations for individuals with high-risk exposures to remain quarantined with no public activities might be effective in reducing onward person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2.” [1]

The researchers acknowledge that these data are preliminary and note several limitations, including that the report describes only one known transmission event, therefore the findings may not be generalisable or representative of broader transmission patterns. They also point out that this investigation might not have identified all individuals with potential exposure to COVID-19 as it was dependent on the couples’ recall of the places they visited, the people they met, and the time of symptom onset. Finally, the investigation into these cases took place prior to updated CDC guidance on classifying exposure risk among contacts of patients with COVID-19. For example, updated guidance suggests that a sore throat should be included as a possible symptom of COVID-19 when evaluating healthcare workers, and indicates that a single PCR test, as used in all the contact tracing in this study, might not be sufficient to definitively rule out infection over a 14-day incubation period, and as a result some cases of COVID-19 might not have been detected.

This study was conducted by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA; Illinois Department of Public Health, Chicago, USA; Chicago Department of Public Health, Chicago, USA; Cook County Department of Public Health, Oak Forest, USA; DuPage County Health Department, Wheaton, USA; Metro Infectious Disease Consultants, Burr Ridge, USA; Premier Primary Care Physicians, Carol Stream, USA; Cook County Health, Chicago, USA; Northwestern University, Chicago, USA; Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, USA; and Wright State University, Dayton, USA.

Coronavirus: A Major Threat To Donald Trump’s Re-Election

Staff ReporterHealth, Politics, U.S. 0

The biggest threat to Donald Trump’s re-election in 2020 may be COVID-19. The spread of the novel coronavirus is shaping up as a test of Trump’s core pitch to voters: that they are better off than they were when he took office. Sharp drops in the stock market, school and office closures, crashing oil prices and widespread disruptions to other major industries have some Trump supporters concerned that the virus is triggering a new financial crisis that could hurt Trump’s bid for a second term more than any political test he’s faced so far.

“The economic ramifications of the coronavirus are increasingly likely to weigh heavily on Trump’s re-election chances and quite possibly could cost him re-election,” says Republican donor Dan Eberhart.

One recent historical precedent in particular troubles Trump’s close allies. After the housing bubble precipitated an economic meltdown in 2008, voters turned from incumbent Republicans to opposition Democrats in that fall’s election, voting Barack Obama into the White House and sending Democratic majorities to both the House and the Senate. The parallels to 2008 “are especially frightening from my vantage point right now,” Eberhart says.

Some Republicans privately concede that the Administration’s response has not inspired confidence. Trump has repeatedly downplayed the threat from the virus in press briefings, saying on Feb. 26, for example, that the risk to Americans “remains very low” and “may not get bigger.” He contradicted his own experts in saying that the the virus can be contained and its spread in the U.S. is not inevitable. U.S. public health officials were late to pivot from a strategy of containing to virus to one of mitigating its impact, and Trump Administration officials fell behind understanding how pervasive the virus is inside the U.S. because the initial set of tests designed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) didn’t work well enough.

“If he can’t and his government doesn’t get a handle on this thing and start to show some competence, yeah, there could absolutely be electoral fallout in November,” says Reed Galen, an independent political strategist who was deputy campaign manager for John McCain’s unsuccessful 2008 presidential campaign, which was hampered by McCain’s mishandling of the economic swoon that fall.

Trump’s re-election campaign is emphasizing the actions the President has taken to contain the virus so far, from tapping Vice President Mike Pence to lead the government response to the virus to restricting travel to the U.S. from China, South Korea, Italy and Iran. Public health officials, including Anne Schuchat, the principal deputy director at the CDC, believe the travel restrictions bought valuable time for the U.S. to prepare for the rise in COVID-19 cases. But some of that time was squandered by a flawed roll out of test kits, which has limited the U.S. ability to detect the domestic spread of the virus. State and local labs are still facing shortages of tests.

if there was any doubt that the virus will be a key campaign issue, polling shows that COVID-19 has already become one of the top news events of the last 10 years in Americans’ minds, according to a Public Opinion Strategies poll published Monday. So far, public opinion is mixed on whether the country is prepared for a broader outbreak, with 49% of Americans believing the country is ready and 46% saying they don’t believe the nation is prepared.

Trump has been keenly focused on the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. On Friday, while touring the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Trump said he would rather the passengers aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship remained aboard offshore, even as public health officials planned for the ship to dock and passengers to disembark. “I like the numbers being where they are. I don’t need to have the numbers double because of one ship,” Trump said.

Trump has pushed White House aides to develop a package of aggressive measures to stimulate the economy, including a payroll tax cut, relief for hourly wage workers, loans for small businesses, and bailouts for the cruise-ship industry and airlines, he told reporters in the White House briefing room Monday night. Those steps, which weren’t ready to release Monday, will be presented to lawmakers on Tuesday, Trump said, and will be “very dramatic.”

“We are going to take care of and have been taking care of the American public and the American economy,” Trump said, adding: “It’s not our country’s fault. This is something we were thrown into and we’re going to handle it.”

Trump has been resistant to scaling back his activities as a precaution even as several Republican officials have announced plans to self-quarantine — including Trump’s newly named chief of staff, former North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows — following interactions at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference with an infected individual. Trump himself had contact with two Republican congressman, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia and Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, before both lawmakers announced on Monday they were isolating themselves for 14 days. Collins shook hands with Trump at the CDC on Friday and Gaetz rode on Air Force One with Trump on Monday. White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said Monday evening that Trump hasn’t been tested for COVID-19 because “he has neither had prolonged close contact with any known confirmed COVID-19 patients, nor does he have any symptoms.”

Nor has Trump slowed down his campaign activities at a moment when many big public events are being canceled to stem the spread of the virus. On Monday, Trump attended a $4 million fundraiser with 300 people at a private home in Longwood, Fla. He’s held six rallies in the past month. When he toured the CDC on Friday, his red campaign hat was perched on his head, Trump said he’d continue to hold rallies and it doesn’t bother him to have thousands of supporters standing close together in an arena. “The campaign is proceeding as normal,” said Tim Murtaugh, director of communications for Trump’s re-election campaign. “We announce events when they are ready to be announced. The President held a rally last week, then a town hall, and fundraisers this week and over the weekend.”

Trump’s campaign strategy involves boosting turnout among Republicans, but if the public health crisis extends to Election Day on Nov. 3, it could potentially suppress the number of voters willing to go to the polls. In the meantime, the campaign has sought to blame Democrats for criticizing the Trump Administration’s handling of the virus response. “What is not helpful is the politicization of the coronavirus, which is exactly what Democrats are doing on Capitol Hill and on the campaign trail. Once again, we see politicians trying to scare people to score political points. It’s reckless and irresponsible,” said Kayleigh McEnany, the Trump campaign’s national press secretary, in an email.

What’s clear is that a President who has been in permanent campaign mode since the first day of his term is keenly aware of the stakes. “What we know is from natural disasters is the way a political leader handles a disaster can make or break a campaign,” says Whit Ayers, a Republican pollster at North Star Opinion Research. “Focus on the performance and the poll numbers will take care of themselves.” Trump’s performance is still unfolding, but one thing he knows for certain is that voters are watching.

Feeling Recognized at Work May Reduce the Risk of Burnout

Staff ReporterBusiness, Health 0

Differing ‘Forms and Sources’ of Recognition Relate to Burnout Symptoms

Newswise — PHILADELPHIA, PA — Professional recognition at work from both supervisors and coworkers may be associated with a lower risk of burnout in employees, suggests a study in the March Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Dr. Daniela Renger of Kiel University, Germany, and colleagues performed a pair of studies to investigate the role of recognition at work as a protective factor against burnout. Characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and decreased personal accomplishment, burnout is a common problem with a major impact on employees as well as organizations.

In the first study, 328 employees received a questionnaire addressing professional recognition and burnout. Employees reporting higher levels of recognition from both supervisors and coworkers had lower symptoms of burnout, including exhaustion and depersonalization.

The second study included 220 employees evaluated on a more detailed questionnaire, addressing three specific forms of recognition: esteem, respect, and care. The results confirmed the importance of recognition by supervisors and coworkers.

In addition, certain forms of support were related to specific burnout symptoms. Symptoms of exhaustion were lessened for employees reporting higher levels of “equality-based respect” by both coworkers and supervisors, while higher levels of respect by coworkers and care from supervisors were associated with lower symptoms of depersonalization. Esteem from coworkers and supervisors was exclusively related to feelings of personal accomplishment, after adjustment for other factors.

Previous studies have reported that support, especially from supervisors, protects against burnout. The new study is the first to focus on different forms and sources of social recognition on employees’ symptoms of burnout.

“[O]ur findings suggest that organizational policies should systematically address the different forms that recognition at work can take (esteem, respect, and care) and the sources from which it can originate (coworkers and supervisors) as a key factor in protecting against burnout,” Dr. Renger and colleagues conclude. They discuss implications for companies interested in designing general and targeted interventions against burnout.

Healthier and Happier Without Facebook

Staff ReporterHealth, Social Media 0

By Ruhr-Universität Bochum

People who reduce the time they spend on Facebook smoke less, are more active and feel better all round. Two weeks of 20 minutes less time per day on Facebook: a team of psychologists from Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) invited 140 test persons to participate in this experiment. Lucky those who took part: afterward they were more physically active, smoked less and were more satisfied. Symptoms of addiction regarding Facebook usage decreased. These effects continued also three months after the end of the experiment. The group headed by Dr. Julia Brailovskaia published their results in the journal “Computers in Human Behavior” on March 6, 2020.

The research team recruited 286 people for the study who were on Facebook for an average of at least 25 minutes a day. The average usage time per day was a good hour. The researchers subdivided the test persons into two groups: the control group comprised of 146 people used Facebook as usual. The other 140 people reduced their Facebook usage by 20 minutes a day for two weeks, which is about one third of the average usage time.

All participants were tested prior to the study, one week into it, at the end of the two-week experiment, and finally one month and three months later. Using online questionnaires, the research team surveyed the way they used Facebook, their well-being and their lifestyle.

Not necessary to give it up altogether

The results showed: participants in the group that had reduced their Facebook usage time used the platform less, both actively and passively. “This is significant, because passive use in particular leads to people comparing themselves with others and thus experiencing envy and a reduction in psychological well-being,” says Julia Brailovskaia. Participants who reduced their Facebook usage time, moreover, smoked fewer cigarettes than before, were more active physically and showed fewer depressive symptoms than the control group. Their life satisfaction increased. “After the two-week period of Facebook detox, these effects, i.e. the improvement of well-being and a healthier lifestyle, lasted until the final checks three months after the experiment,” points out Julia Brailovskaia.

According to the researchers this is an indication that simply reducing the amount of time spent on Facebook every day could be enough to prevent addictive behavior, increase well-being and support a healthier lifestyle. “It’s not necessary to give up the platform altogether,” concludes Julia Brailovskaia.

ccording to the researchers this is an indication that simply reducing the amount of time spent on Facebook every day could be enough to prevent addictive behavior, increase well-being and support a healthier lifestyle. “It’s not necessary to give up the platform altogether,” concludes Julia Brailovskaia.

Reference: “Less Facebook use – More well-being and a healthier lifestyle? An experimental intervention study” by Julia Brailovskaia, Fabienne Ströse, Holger Schillack and Jürgen Margraf, 6 March 2020, Computers in Human Behavior.

AAPI Launches Global Obesity Awareness Campaign 2020 (AAPI GOAC) – Obesity Revolution – Targeting 100 Cities in USA; 100 Cities in India; and, 100 Cities Around the World

Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0

“As a professional organization that represents the interests of over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, who are practicing Medicine in the United States, one of our primary goals is to educate the public on diseases and their impact on health,” Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), said here. “With obesity proving to be a major epidemic affecting nearly one third of the nation’s population, we have a responsibility to save future generations by decreasing childhood obesity. And therefore, we at AAPI are proud to undertake this national educational tour around the United States, impacting thousands of children and their families.”

“American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) has embarked on an ambitious plan, launching Global Obesity Awareness Campaign 2020, making this a global event by 10-10-2020 with goal to cover 100 cities in USA, 100 cities in India and 100 countries around the World,” Dr. Uma Koduri, AAPI’s Childhood Obesity Awareness Campaign (COAC) Committee Chair, who has been in the forefront of the obesity awareness campaign for years now, explained.

AAPI Launches Global Obesity Awareness Campaign 2020 (AAPI GOAC) - Obesity Revolution - Targeting 100 Cities in USA; 100 Cities in India; and, 100 Cities Around the WorldObesity causes early death as it leads to hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, heart attacks, strokes, some kinds of cancer and adversely affects almost all organs in the body. World Health Organization states that prevention is the most feasible option for curbing this obesity epidemic. Hence AAPI is trying “To Educate to Empower” as “An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure”.

Major contributors for the success of AAPI’s obesity awareness campaign over the years was Dr. Uma Koduri, who had organized the pilot programs for childhood obesity in USA in 2013, childhood obesity in India in 2015 and Veteran obesity in USA in 2017 with the help of Drs. Sanku Rao, Jayesh Shah, Aruna Venkatesh for childhood obesity, Vikas Khurana, Satheesh Kathula for Veteran obesity, and Janaki Srinath, Uma Chitra, Avanti Rao for childhood obesity in India.

Presently, AAPI Obesity Committee’s Chair is Dr. Uma Koduri and co-chairs are Drs. Padmaja Adusumili (Veteran obesity), Pooja Kinkabwala (Childhood obesity) and Uma Jonnalagadda (Adult obesity) with chief advisors Dr. Kishore Bellamkonda and Dr. Lokesh Edara.

“People of Indian origin are recognized for their great innovation and professional skills. We at AAPI want to create awareness on health issues that are of importance to India, and the entire humanity, particularly on Obesity, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases, Trauma & Head Injury, and Mental Health issues, including Depression.  Bridging the gap between clinical research  and medical practice is central to AAPI’s mission, while working towards sustaining & securing financial growth. We, the physicians of Indian origin in the United States, have a duty to nurture the present for a prosperous future,” Dr. Reddy added.

AAPI Launches Global Obesity Awareness Campaign 2020 (AAPI GOAC) - Obesity Revolution - Targeting 100 Cities in USA; 100 Cities in India; and, 100 Cities Around the WorldDr. Seema Arora, current Chair of AAPI’s BOT, stated, “Obesity is a major public health problem in the United States. Changing one’s diet is not something that happens overnight. An important first step is helping a children, youth and adults recognize the problem. What had started off in 2011 at 11-11-11-11-11-11 seconds as AAPI Health Walkathons were held in 5 Continents – Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe and North America was successfully completed in 2020 by Obesity Walkathons by Dr. Suresh Reddy in the remaining 2 Continents – South America and Antarctica.”

Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI, who wants to carry on the mission to newer heights under his presidency starting in July 2020, said, “The impact and role of AAPI in influencing policy makers and the public is ever more urgent today. AAPI being the largest ethnic medical organization in USA and the second largest organized medical association after AMA, we have the power and responsibility to influence the state and the public through education for health promotion and disease prevention,” he added.

AAPI’s fight against obesity was inaugurated with Yellow theme on 12-12-12. Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Vice President of AAPI, said, “Since the launch of the Obesity Awareness Campaign in 2012, AAPI has come a long way in this wear yellow for obesity awareness campaign educating thousands of people, by more than 100 school events across 15 major States in USA, 12 major school events in India, 12 major events for our Veterans and countless number in USA and in India at conventions, meetings, festivals and other gatherings.”

AAPI Launches Global Obesity Awareness Campaign 2020 (AAPI GOAC) - Obesity Revolution - Targeting 100 Cities in USA; 100 Cities in India; and, 100 Cities Around the WorldMay 25, 2020 is being observed as the Global Wear Yellow Day for Obesity Awareness & Health, showcasing Yellow for Energy, Motivation, Hope, Optimism, Joy and Happiness. AAPI’s theme and campaign around the world is to: “Be Healthy, Be Happy.” And, the  “Secret to Living Longer is to Eat half, Walk double, Laugh triple and Love without measure.”

According to Dr. Ravi Kolli, Secretary of AAPI, “AAPI has physicians in almost every city and town of USA. With this extensive network we should be able to spread message on childhood obesity by following the template plan. We are also exploring the use of social media and phone ‘apps’ as healthy lifestyle tools.” Dr. Raj Bhayani, Treasurer of AAPI, called obesity a form of “terror” from within us. “If we do not run, obesity will run behind us,” he said.

AAPI members and their family and friends all over the world will organize obesity walkathons with yellow theme on May 25, 2020 (If not feasible, do any time until 10-10-2020). Choose major monument or highlight of the city as location of the event and take group pictures there with AAPI banner/logo.

They will provide educational handouts on obesity including the 5210 concept: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 hours or less of recreational screen time, one hour or more of physical activity and zero sugary beverages.

AAPI Launches Global Obesity Awareness Campaign 2020 (AAPI GOAC) - Obesity Revolution - Targeting 100 Cities in USA; 100 Cities in India; and, 100 Cities Around the WorldChildhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. According to Center for Disease Control Prevention, the percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012, while among adolescents aged 12–19 years, the obesity rate increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period. In 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese, having excess body weight and fat, which are the result of caloric imbalance and are affected by various genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors.

Moving forward, AAPI plans to organize such Obesity Walkathon events in at least in 100 schools in India and eventually the world making it an Obesity Revolution to educate and empower everyone to prevent obesity and lead healthy lives and make positive contributions to their communities.

Today, more than one-third of the entire adult population in USA is classified to be obese. What’s even worse is that almost one in every three children is obese or overweight before reaching 5thbirthday. Consequences of childhood obesity include: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes, which can shorten the lifespan of our children. American society has become characterized by environments that promote increased consumption of less healthy food and physical inactivity leading to this childhood obesity epidemic.

The enormous cost, $200 Billion a year, is being spent spent in addressing the obesity problem in the country. This new initiative by AAPI and its partners is a way to educate AAPI members of the problems and create awareness among them and enable them to work towards preventing obesity among veterans and the larger population.

AAPI Launches Global Obesity Awareness Campaign 2020 (AAPI GOAC) - Obesity Revolution - Targeting 100 Cities in USA; 100 Cities in India; and, 100 Cities Around the WorldAccording to Dr. Koduri, in the years to come, “As Yellow stands for energy, motivation, hope, optimism, joy and happiness, AAPI has chosen this color to promote obesity awareness similar to how American Heart Association chose Red for heart disease. We believe that tackling the Childhood Obesity problem is like “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Dr. Suresh Reddy says, “In partnership with local governments, non-governmental agencies and schools around the nation, AAPI plans to embark on this campaign that will identify high prevalence, with the objective of promoting awareness of Childhood Obesity and offering educational resources to promote healthy lifestyle. In addition, it will also work towards advocating policy changes to help build a healthier community.”

AAPI is a forum to facilitate and enable Indian American Physicians to excel in patient care, teaching and research and to pursue their aspirations in professional and community affairs. For more details on AAPI’s Global Obesity Awareness Campaign,   please visit: www.aapiusa.org

Certina Romel Shares Best Ever Middle Eastern Fattoush Salad (vegan)

Staff ReporterAmmu's Hearty Treats, Health 0

Are you one of those people out there, who believes in having a raw leafy salad atleast once a day in order to keep your health conscious mind sane?

Then, this refreshing salad is for you. It’s not only loaded with all the leafy goodness but also has added crunchiness from its Arabic seasoned pita crisps. It’s a very easy to make salad with readily available ingredients in your pantry.

What makes this recipe special?

. Use of a mix of greens (unlike in traditional fattoush salad) both Romaine & iceberg lettuce along with baby arugula leaves & parsley – more greens, more iron!

. An awesome vinaigrette dressing that’s pretty easy to make at the last moment- sure is a saver!

. Use of homemade whole wheat pita bread for making crisps (given after the salad recipe)

– Does it get more better guys?!

How I developed this recipe?

Certina Jose Shares Best Ever Middle Eastern Fattoush Salad (vegan)After moving to Dubai I got to try many dishes from their vast & vibrant cuisine. Fattoush salad is a very popular side & appetiser here in the Middle East and it’s accompanied with regular Arabic lamb/meat grills to their popular rice dishes.

You guys would be surprised to know that fattoush salad and tabbouleh (Arabic chopped parsley salad) are as famous as hummus here!

Me, being a person who always loves to recreate new dishes and being a food critic (I know that these 2 traits together can be tragic at times! #jk), always wanted to make the best ever version of this amazing salad.

And yeah, one of the best fattoush salad I had was from Restaurant Leila, which serves traditional Lebanese food here in Dubai. What made their fattoush salad distinct was their perfectly tangy & subtly sweet dressing, which I’ve almost perfectly recreated in my recipe after many trials.

The most important element that I had contributed to the traditional recipe is definitely the whole wheat pita crisps. I have come up with the easiest ever pitas, which are brown unlike traditional white flour pitas arabs use in their authentic recipe-I’m not being a racist here!

You know what’s the best part? This pita crisps can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks and used in your salad whenever you get hold of fresh greens. And this bonus recipes can be used on its own for hot ,perfectly pocketed brown wholesome pitas that can be stuffed & sandwiched with your favourite fillings (try falafels, tahini & greens -for vegans & grilled lamb/chicken, garlicky mayo or yogurt & greens-for meat lovers).

Ok guys, so now, before being over-excited about my amazing stovetop pita recipe & spilling out my to-go recipes with you (coz these can be made a whole new topic later),let’s get started.

What you’ll need-

For pita crisps-

2 whole wheat pita breads (recipe below)- cut into you can use store bought if you are lazy/didn’t get time to make your own

All-spice powder- 1/2 tsp

Paprika/ red chilli powder- 1/2 to 1 tsp (depends on how spicy you want your crisps to be)

Salt to taste

Sunflower/canola oil (basically, any flavourless frying oil)

Salad veggies-

leaf mix- 1 cup baby arugula leaves, 2 cups roughly chopped iceberg lettuce, 2 cups roughly chopped romaine lettuce, 2 tbsps finely chopped parsley

Baby tomatoes- 1 cup, cut cross-sectionally into 2

Baby radish (outer pink-inner white)- 1/2 cup, thinly sliced cross-sectionally to lovely circles

Small English cucumbers- 1 cup, cut length wise into to 2 & then cross-sectional into a number of bite sized pieces (semi-circular)

White onions-1/2 a big or 1 whole medium sized, cut sliced into thick juliennes

For dressing-

Certina Jose Shares Best Ever Middle Eastern Fattoush Salad (vegan)Garlic- 2 cloves, very finely minced (don’t used store bought minced garlic)—optional

Balsamic vinegar- 1 tbsp

Pomegranate molasses – 1/2 to 1 tbsp

Sumac powder (an Arabic condiment made from dried red-colored berries )- 1 tsp

All spice powder- 1/4 tsp

Cinnamon powder- 1/4 tsp

Juices from 1/2 a lemom

Salt to taste

Extra virgin olive oil -1 tbsp

How to prepare?

Cut you pita breads diagonally into 6 triangular pieces and fry them in hot oil (make sure your oil taken in a deep vessel is hot enough to ensure crispness) till wonderfully brown & crisp .

Drain your chips into a plate lined with kitchen towel to get rid of excess oil dripping .

Season you chips with all-spice powder, paprika powder & salt

Ps: Try a bit of pita crisps but be careful not to finish them before you make your salad( they are that yum)!

Next, in a big salad bowl (preferably glass) layer up the veggies: (bottom)onions-cucumbers-tomatoes-radishes-leafy greens(top)

Prepare the vinaigrette by combining all its components in a small bowl & mix well.

Pour the dressing over the layered up veggies into the the salad bowl & give a rough stir

Lightly crush the triangular pita crisps into smaller parts and lay them over the dressed greens .

Dig in & enjoy!

Serving suggestions-

Certina Jose Shares Best Ever Middle Eastern Fattoush Salad (vegan)Lighlty smear a tablespoon of pure extra virgin olive oil & sprinkle with sumac powder after preparing the salad.

Garnish with 2-3 moon-sliced lemon pieces & a few pomegranate seeds.

Whole wheat pita bread-

(8 Pitas)

. 2 cups whole wheat flour

. 1 cup lukewarm water

. 1/2 tbsp (not heaped)Active dried yeast

. 1/2 tbsp sugar

. Salt to taste

Sieve atta with salt.

Dissolve sugar in water. Sprinkle and mix in yeast to it. Cling wrap it let the yeast bloom for about 10 mins in MW oven.

Mix in oil with whole wheat flour very well.

Make the dough by mixing in yeast mixture with atta mix.

Knead till the dough is not sticky. Sprinkle little flour on counter if necessary. Roll into a big single ball and coat with less than 1/2 tsp olive oil.

Clinwrap the dough and keep for proofing in the MW for 1 hour to 1.5 hrs.

Punch down the dough after it doubles in size. Fold upto texturise and cut into 8 equal parts. Roll into lemon sized balls & dust each of these balls will flour before flattening using a rolling pin.

Flatten into circles (ps: make sure these aren’t as thin as tortillas or rotis, as they need to be thick enough to puff up properly).

Flip on to a uniformly heated tawa (better use a flat & thick cast iron cookware) placed over stovetop flame & flip every 10-20 seconds till they puff up in bubbles and starts lightly browning.

Soon flip onto direct flame (stovetop flame with circumference of that of the pita) and see the pitas beautiful ballooning.

Your pitas with steaming pockets are ready!

Notes & tips-

Always use freshly cut greens for raw salads.

Whole wheat pita crisps can be substituted with store bought gluten free pita chips, for people allergic to gluten.

About Certina Romel:

“A food enthusiast is what I would love to describe myself as,” says this young chef of Indian origin, who has joined a professional diploma program in cookery & patisserie recently. “The above recipe is a simple but a lovely one. I had prepared this a few days ago.”

Recalling taste for cooking, Certina says, “I still remember  5-year-old me faking an obedient kid around my mom in the kitchen wanting her to let me roll out gol-gol chapatis (Indian whole-wheat flatbread/roti that’s perfectly round & soft). Later as a teen I always used to wait to reach home from school as I had a daily cooking session every evening when I was allowed to own the kitchen for 1 solid hour -after a lot of nagging-which was worth it!- when I could cook a dish on my own . That’s the point of my life I realised i was fond of coming up with new dishes, the food I love and I always wanted my dad to be my food critic of whatever I made.”

After many years of several beautiful events in her life-completing high school, junior college, going to Georgia for medical studies, getting married-  Certina never let go of her passion for cooking.

Little did she know that she would find her utopia in an epicurean world through her ongoing journey to become a professional chef from a humble home cook. “So yeah, I’m currently doing a professional diploma program in Cookery & Patisserie at International Centre for Culinary Arts(ICCA) , Dubai & I’m proud to be at one of 10 best culinary schools of the whole world.”

Sharing her own experiences in cooking, Certina says, “It has always made my day when smiles lit up on the faces of people who indulge in food I cook. Believe me peeps, if a spoonful of your food could make a person’s worst day in life to a happy one, that’s the best thing you could ever do!”

Over 100,000 infected with Coronavirus – Coronavirus: slower than flu but more dangerous, says World Health Organization

Staff ReporterHealth 0

As of today’s reports, the global number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 has surpassed 100 000. As we mark this sombre moment, the World Health Organization (WHO) reminds all countries and communities that the spread of this virus can be significantly slowed or even reversed through the implementation of robust containment and control activities.

China and other countries are demonstrating that spread of the virus can be slowed and impact reduced through the use of universally applicable actions, such as working across society to identify people who are sick, bringing them to care, following up on contacts, preparing hospitals and clinics to manage a surge in patients, and training health workers.

  • More than 4,000 people have been placed in quarantine across New York state, where 33 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19, according to governor Andrew Cuomo
  • Italy’s death toll rose by nearly 50 on Friday to 197, while the number of confirmed cases surpassed 4,000
  • Boris Johnson announced £46m extra funding for research into developing a coronavirus vaccine, saying he hopes one would be ready to use in around a year
  • Facebook shut its London offices over coronavirus after an employee tested positive
  • Two teenagers were arrested over an attack on a Singaporean man in London, during which they allegedly shouted “I don’t want your coronavirus in my country”

At least 3,400 people have died across the world after being infected with Covid-19, figures showed on Friday.

At least 3,400 people have died across the world after being infected with Covid-19, figures showed on Friday.

The US saw its death toll rise to 15, after another person who had tested positive for the virus died in Washington – bringing the total number of fatalities in the state up to 12. Donald Trump has signed an $8.3bn (£6.4bn) emergency funding bill to combat the disease – but also claimed erroneously that its spread had been “stopped” and that cases were “very few because we have been very strong at the borders”.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has observed that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads less efficiently than the influenza or flu virus. However, the WHO also noted that the illness caused by COVID-19 is more severe than that of the flu.

In a media release issued, WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted, “COVID-19 spreads less efficiently than flu, and transmission does not appear to be driven by people who are not sick, while in the case of influenza, people who are infected but not yet sick are major drivers of transmission.”

The WHO is relying on data compiled on the virus to obtain a clearer picture of the situation as it unfolds. The WHO chief observed, “as we get more data, we are understanding this virus, and the disease it causes, more and more.”

He added, “this virus is not SARS, it’s not MERS, and it’s not influenza. It is a unique virus with unique characteristics. Both COVID-19 and influenza cause respiratory disease and spread the same way, via small droplets of fluid from the nose and mouth of someone who is sick. However, there are some important differences between COVID-19 and influenza. Some countries are looking for cases of COVID-19 using surveillance systems for influenza and other respiratory diseases.”

According to evidence collected from China, which WHO observed, 1 per cent of the reported COVID-19 cases do not display symptoms, and the majority of such cases tend to develop symptoms within two days.

“There are not yet any vaccines or therapeutics to cure the disease. It can be contained – which is why we must do everything we can to contain it. That’s why WHO recommends a comprehensive approach,” said Ghebreyesus.

WHO calls on all countries to continue efforts that have been effective in limiting the number of cases and slowing the spread of the virus.

Every effort to contain the virus and slow the spread saves lives. These efforts give health systems and all of society much needed time to prepare, and researchers more time to identify effective treatments and develop vaccines.

Allowing uncontrolled spread should not be a choice of any government, as it will harm not only the citizens of that country but affect other countries as well.

Sri Preston Kulkarni wins Democratic primary in Texas to run for Congress

Sri Preston Kulkarni, an Indian American has won the Democratic Party primary for Congress in Texas and will run in the November election for a seat held by the Republican Party.

He defeated two rivals with over half the votes polled in the party election on Tuesday for the constituency that covers suburbs of Houston. Kulkarni lost the 2018 election by five per cent to Pete Olson, who is retiring.

Pierce Bush, a grandson of former President George H.W. Bush, was one of those who contested the Republican primary for nomination to contest the seat.

But he lost and since none of the Republican candidates got more than 50 per cent of the votes, a runoff is to be held later this month with the two top vote-getters to select the nominee to challenge Kulkarni.

Kulkarni is a former US Foreign Service officer, who served in Iraq, Russia, Israel and Taiwan. Currently, there are four Indian Americans in the House of Representatives and one in the Senate.

Kulkarni thanked his volunteers for their unflinching support. “None of this would have been possible without our hundreds of volunteers, from middle-schoolers to senior citizens, and, of course, the thousands of voters who participated in this election,” he said.

“I am beyond thankful to be in this fight with you. I look forward to working with you all to make sure our communities and our families get the representation they deserve in Congress,” he said.

7th Annual Winter Medical Conference by YPS/MSRF Held in Las Vegas

Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0

The young physicians sections of Indian Americans, YPS and MSRF, under the umbrella of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) jointly organized the popular 7th annual Winder Medical Conference at the MGM GRAND, Las Vegas, NV from Feb 14th to 17th, 2020.

The entire AAPI leadership, led by Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI, was present at the conference. Prominent among those who had attended the conference included Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI; Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Vice President;  Dr.  Ravi Kolli, Secretary; Dr. Raj Bhayani, Treasurer of AAPI; and Dr. Amit Chakrabarty, Vice Chair of AAPI’s BOT, and Dr. Uma Jonnalagadda, who had graciously donated the T-shirts for the Obesity Walk.

7th Annual Winter Medical Conference by YPS/MSRF Held in Las VegasPut together by Dr. Stella Gandhi, President of YPS; Dr. Ami Baxi, President-Elect of YPS; Dr. Soumya Neravetla, Vice President of YPS; Dr. Smila Kodali, Secretary of YPS; Dr. Jorawar Singh, Treasurer of YPS, Dr. Chethan Patel, Convention Chair of YPS, Dr. Pooja Kinkhabwala, President of MSRF; Dr. Kinjal Solanki, President-Elect of MSRF; and Ayesha Singh, MSRF VP, the conference was attended by hundreds of young Physicians of Indian Origin from across the nation.

The Medical Conference, an effective platform for networking, was packed with Continuing Medical Education (CMEs), Research Poster Symposium, Seminars/Workshops on Social Media, Healthcare Laws, Physician Wellness and Leadership Issues.

Arathi Shahani and Dr. Poonam Alaigh, Former Undersecretary of HHS, VA were the keynote speakers at the conference. Shahani, a former NPR correspondent, enthralled the audience with a reading from her book “Here We Are,” which is about her upbringing as the daughter of undocumented immigrants who became legal, but then got mired in the convoluted justice system when her father mistakenly sold goods to a Cartel.

7th Annual Winter Medical Conference by YPS/MSRF Held in Las VegasDr. Poonam Alaigh spoke about the importance of being authentic. In her brief remarks, she encouraged young physicians of Indian Origin to “follow one’s passion, even if it takes you on an unconventional track.” Her message to the delegates at the conference was: “Never doubt that a group of Thoughtful, Committed Citizens Can Change the World: Indeed, It’s the Only Thing That Ever Has.”  The young physicians had an enriching experience on “Effectively Using Social Media to Enhance Your Career” by Aman Segal. “Aman Segal is a social media guru/producer who talked/walked us through the do’s and don’ts of a good social media post and the impact of effective social media for physicians,” said Dr. Soumya Reddy Neravetla.

Dr. Amit Sachdev, a White House Fellow enlightened the delegates on Leadership Issues.  The Academic Performance Panel was led by Dr. Aditi Singh, Dr. Oriaku Kas-Osaka, Dr. Jennifer Baynosa, and Alan Cheng. Health Care Q&A was led by Attorney Ashwin J. Ram.

7th Annual Winter Medical Conference by YPS/MSRF Held in Las VegasModerated by Dr. Stella Gandhi and Bruno Van Tuykom, Dr. Saya Nagori educated the delegates in the “Creating a Healthcare Startup” Panel. For the first time, delegates were able to get CME for the popular leadership panel run by Dr. Jay Bhatt and Dr. Atul Nakhasi. The newly elected BOT Chair of AAPI, Dr. Sajani Shah Kapasi addressed the delegates on the “Business of Medicine.”  A CME seminar on Physician Wellness was led by Dr. Jay Bhatt, Dr. Vipan Nikore, and Dr. Pooja Kinkhabwhalla.

Continuing with the tradition of creating awareness on Obesity, Dr. Pooja Kinkhabwalla addressed participants on the importance of proper diet as AAPI leadership led the delegates on the AAPI Obesity Awareness Walk, wearing Yellow shirts and hats, spreading the message of HOPE.

7th Annual Winter Medical Conference by YPS/MSRF Held in Las VegasYPS was formed with the objective of promoting, upholding and maintaining the highest standards of ethics in the practice of medicine and in medical education;  AAPI – YPS provides a channel of networking, support and open communication among its members. MSRF is a national organization which promotes the professional, political and social goals of Indian American medical students and resident physicians today and in the future.

7th Annual Winter Medical Conference by YPS/MSRF Held in Las VegasDr. Suresh Reddy, while congratulating the young physicians for organizing a fabulous medical conference, invited all delegates to come and attend “the historic 38th Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) to be held from June 24th to 28th, 2020 at the famous Donald E Stephens Convention Center in Chicago.” For more information about AAPI and the upcoming convention, please visit www.aapiusa.org or www.aapiconvention.org

7th Annual Winter Medical Conference by YPS/MSRF Held in Las Vegas

7th Annual Winter Medical Conference by YPS/MSRF Held in Las Vegas

Houston is priming up to welcome the most prominent face of Yoga

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

Patanjali Yogpeeth USA President Shekhar Agrawal recently announced that none other than Yogrishi Swami Ramdev himself will be in Houston on the 18th, 19th and 20th June to personally conduct a 3-day Yoga Chikitsa (Therapy) and Meditation Camp at the  George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston.

The last time Swami Ramdev held a camp in Houston was in 2008 where more than 3,000 people attended the 5-day yoga session. A recent survey revealed that there are 40 million “yogis” in the US and the number is growing exponentially. The resounding interest in the practice of yoga since June 21 was declared the International Day of Yoga in 2015 is expected to attract substantially more crowds this time.

Organizers say the camp will include pranayama (breathing techniques) asanas (physical poses) for fitness and meditation to declutter the mind.  This will be done through demonstrations, guided practice and commentary by Swami Ramdev. Trained yoga teachers and interpreters on the floor will assist the attendees in following the exercises.

For over three decades, Swami Ramdev, with his supple body and gravity defying poses, has been guiding legions of people to take charge of their health with the practice of yoga. Millions of people flock to his yoga camps or tune in to his YouTube videos or daily telecasts to follow his simplified instructions in their own living rooms. Steeped in ancient yoga wisdom, he has helped millions cure themselves of various ailments and if not cure, at least, control their blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, obesity and medication by practicing yoga, natural healing and herbal remedies.

Patanjali Yogpeeth USA will be working in unison with other organizations in the city to reach out to a wider section of yoga seekers and enthusiasts so they can obtain the benefit of Swami Ramdev’s presence in Houston.

The 5000 year old practice, according to Swami Ramdev, can play a critical part in shaping a healthy body and mind and calls for no expensive equipment other than the willingness of an individual to practice it consistently. Incidentally, this Brand Ambassador of yoga hasn’t missed a single day of practice since he was 9 years old. His Divya Yog Mandir Trust and Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar, India, established in 1995 and 2006 respectively, along the banks of the holy river Ganga, are world renowned institutions for scientific research and treatment with Yoga, spiritualism and Ayurveda, and cater to about 10,000 patients every day.

Since 2008, under the guidance of Swami Ramdev, Patanjali Yogpeeth (USA) Trust has conducted 12 Yoga Teacher training workshops in cities across the US and trained more than 700 teachers. Many Patanjali Yoga teachers conduct free yoga classes in temples and community centers.

Scientific research is now backing what Swami Ramdev has been saying all along. “Good health, he is fond of quoting, is the birthright of every human being and yoga and meditation can make the world disease-free.”  With this goal in mind, the organizers are encouraging yoga aspirants to take full advantage of the three day camp that is “scientific, secular and universal” and use this tool to transform one’s own health.

For more details, visit www.pyptusa.com or contact Shekhar Agrawal at pyptusa@gmail.com

C.D.C. Officials Warn of Coronavirus Outbreaks in the U.S.

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Clusters of infection are likely in American communities, health officials said. Some lawmakers questioned whether the nation is prepared.
The coronavirus almost certainly will begin spreading in communities in the United States, and Americans should begin preparations now, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday.
“It’s not so much of a question of if this will happen anymore but rather more of a question of exactly when this will happen,” Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said in a news briefing.
In the event of an outbreak, communities should plan for “social distancing measures,” like dividing school classes into smaller groups of students, closing schools, canceling meetings and conferences, and arranging for employees to work from home.
“We are asking the American public to prepare for the expectation that this might be bad,” Dr. Messonnier said.
China’s battle to contain the epidemic has shown signs of success, with a plunge in the rate of new infections. But this positive trend was overshadowed by the sudden appearance of clusters of infections in Iran, South Korea and Italy, underlining the threat of a global pandemic racing out of control.
The emergence of these new hubs underscored the lack of a coordinated global strategy to combat the coronavirus, which has infected nearly 80,000 people in 37 countries, causing at least 2,600 deaths.
“We cannot hermetically seal off the United States to a virus,” Alex M. Azar II, the secretary of health and humans services, told a Senate panel on Tuesday. “And we need to be realistic about that.”
Stocks plunged for the second day in a row, down nearly 3 percent by Tuesday afternoon, a decline that put the S&P in the red for the year.
As recently as last Wednesday, the index was at a record high. But since then, growing outbreaks in Europe and elsewhere in Asia have raised fears that the virus will continue to be a drag on drag on the global economy.

Why most young women are stressed about their sex lives

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More than half of young women in Australia experience some form of sexually-related personal distress — feeling guilty, embarrassed, stressed or unhappy about their sex lives.
A study conducted Monash University reported, for the first time, an overall picture of the sexual wellbeing of Australian women between the ages of 18 and 39.
Results showed 50.2 per cent of young Australian women experienced some form of sexually-related personal distress, with one in five women having at least one female sexual dysfunction (FSD).
A concerning 29.6 per cent of women experienced sexually-related personal distress without dysfunction, and 20.6 per cent had at least one FSD.
The most common problem was low sexual self-image, which caused distress for 11 per cent of study participants.
Arousal, desire, orgasm and responsiveness dysfunction affected 9 per cent, 8 per cent, 7.9 per cent and 3.4 per cent of the study cohort, respectively, revealed the findings published in the international journal, Fertility and Sterility.
“It is of great concern that one in five young women have an apparent sexual dysfunction and half of all women within this age group experience sexually-related personal distress,” said Susan Davis, senior author and Professor of Women’s Health at Monash University.
“This is a wake-up call to the community and signals the importance of health professionals being open and adequately prepared to discuss young women’s sexual health concerns.”
The study, funded by Grollo Ruzzene Foundation, recruited 6,986 women aged 18-39 years, living in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
All women completed a questionnaire that assessed their sexual wellbeing in terms of desire, arousal, responsiveness, orgasm, and self-image.
Participants also evaluated whether they had sexually-associated personal distress and provided extensive demographic information.
Sexual self-image dysfunction was associated with being overweight, obese, living together with partner, not married, married and breastfeeding.
Professor Davis said if untreated, sexually-related personal distress and FSD could impact relationships and overall quality of life as women aged.
Women who habitually monitored their appearance, and for whom appearance determined their level of physical self-worth, reported being less sexually assertive and more self-conscious during intimacy, and experienced lower sexual satisfaction.

Green Tea Plus Exercise May Reduce Fatty Liver Disease

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People suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease may benefit from regular exercise and replacing high-calorie beverages with decaffeinated, diet green tea, suggests new research.
The researchers found that a combination of green tea extract and exercise reduced the severity of obesity-related fatty liver disease by 75 per cent in mice fed a high-fat diet Although untested in human trials, the results suggest a potential health strategy.
“Combining the two might have health benefits for people, but we don’t have the clinical data yet,” said Joshua Lambert, Associate Professor of Food Science at The Pennsylvania State University in the US.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a significant global health problem that is expected to worsen, Lambert said.
Because of the high prevalence of risk factors such as obesity and Type-2 diabetes, fatty liver disease is forecast to afflict more than 100 million people by 2030. And there are currently no validated therapies for the disease.
In the study, mice fed a high-fat diet for 16 weeks that consumed green tea extract and exercised regularly by running on a wheel were found to have just a quarter of the lipid deposits in their livers compared to those seen in the livers of a control group of mice.
Mice that were treated with green tea extract alone or exercise alone had roughly half as much fat in their livers as the control group.
In addition to analyzing the liver tissues of mice in the study, which was published recently in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, the researchers also measured the protein and fat content in their feces.
They found that the mice that consumed green tea extract and exercised had higher fecal lipid and protein levels.
“By examining the livers of these mice after the study concluded and by screening their feces during the research, we saw that the mice that consumed green tea extract and exercised actually were processing nutrients differently — their bodies were handling food differently,” Lambert said.
“We think the polyphenols in green tea interact with digestive enzymes secreted in the small intestine and partially inhibit the breakdown of carbohydrates, fat and protein in food,” he added.
“So, if a mouse doesn’t digest the fat in its diet, that fat and the calories associated with it pass through the mouse’s digestive system, and a certain amount of it ends up coming out in its feces,” he said. (IANS)

Dr. Amit Chakrabarty – A Multi-Talented, Visionary and Generous Physician

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It’s been a very long journey with American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) for Dr. Amit Chakrabarty, from being an ordinary member of the largest ethnic medical society in the United States to a Regional Leader, currently serving as the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of national AAPI, and now looking forward to lead the organization that he calls as his second family and has come to adore.  “Since my membership to AAPI In 1997, for more than two decades I have been a dedicated foot soldier for the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin,” Dr. Amit Chakrabarty a Consultant Urologist, Poplar Bluff Urology, Past Chairman of Urologic Clinics of North Alabama P.C., and the Director of Center for Continence and Female Pelvic Health.

Dr. Amit Chakrabarty - A Multi-Talented, Visionary and Generous PhysicianIn his endeavor to play a more active role and commit his services for the growth and expansion of AAPI that represents the interests of over 100,000 Indian American physicians, Dr. Amit Chakrabarty, the Alabama-based Indian American Physician wants this noble organization to be “more vibrant, united, transparent, politically engaged, ensuring active participation of young physicians, increasing membership, and enabling that AAPI’s voice is heard in the corridors of power.”

Dr. Amit Chakrabarty, who was honored with the National AAPI Distinguished Service Award 2018 and the President’s Award for Services in 2019 by the Indian American Urological Society, says, “I consider myself to be a leader and shine in the fact that I can get people motivated.  I lead by example that motivates people.  I am fun loving and have always striven to brush off any obstacles that come in the way.”

Dr. Amit Chakrabarty is a Board certified urologist who received his medical degree as a best medical graduate with honors in Anatomy and Surgery from MKCG Medical College in Berhampur, India in 1980, and had his Master of Surgery Degree from Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India in 1984. He did his Fellowship in Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) at Edinburgh in 1987.

Dr. Amit Chakrabarty - A Multi-Talented, Visionary and Generous PhysicianHe completed his residency in Urology and fellowship in Uro-Oncology (Research) at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan in 1995. He practices adult and pediatric urology since 1995 in Huntsville Metro area. Dr. Chakrabarty is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Scotland and the International College of Surgeons. He is an active member of the American Urological Association (www.auanet.org), in addition to various memberships of societies related to his specialty.

After being in Solo Utology Practice in Huntsville, Alabama he moved to Missouri, where he continues to be a busy practicing Uroligist and with his research and teaching activities. He was an ANU by Faculty for the University of Birmingham, Huntsville Campus when he lived there. In addition, he is being invited to being a surgical proctor to several premier institutes in India and elsewhere he is also an Adjunct Faculty at the University of Medical Science,Kansas City.

A Patron Member of AAPI for 25 years, Dr. Chakrabarty has been an active AAPI Governing Body Member for over a decade. He has served AAPI in several capacities.  He has served with distinction as an AAPI Regional Director from 2004 to 2006. There is hardly any Committee of AAPI that he was not part of in the past two decades. He was the Chair of AAPI Ethics and Grievances Committee in 2011-2012, and had served as the Chair of AAPI Journal Resource Committee in 2012-2013. He has served as a Member of AAPI IT committee, Journal Committee, Website Committee, Bylaws Committee, Alumni Committee, Ethics and Grievances Committee, and AAPI Charitable Foundation. “I have attended more than 100 AAPI events including Annual conventions, Governing Body meetings, Global Summits and Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in the past 20 years,” he recalls.

Dr. Amit Chakrabarty - A Multi-Talented, Visionary and Generous PhysicianHaving graduated as the Best Medical Graduate of his medical college, Dr. Chakrabarty thanks God for the blessings all his life, including for the opportunity to do Post Graduation in surgery from one of the e premier institutions in India. He was a Leader of Indian Delegation to Japan on a Socio-Cultural tour along with representatives of 12 other countries, and had the opportunity to meet PM Nakasone and Crown Prince of Japan. “I have a successful practice in urology where I can combine my passion for clinical diversity, teaching and research. I am a speaker and international surgical proctor and researcher in several milestones medications and devices.”

Dr. Chakrabarty is a surgical proctor for American Medical Systems, BARD urological, Medtronics (Interstim) and Urologix (Cooled thermotherapy) and regularly conducts cadaver and live workshops both nationally and abroad. He has been a primary investigator for various pharmaceutical agents and, as a primary investigator for Longwood Research and Accelovance research, still continues his research interests.

He is a pioneer in the state for newer modalities of treatment for urinary incontinence being the first in North Alabama to offer interstim therapy (Medtronic) and in-office Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation (Urgent PC) for intractable Overactive bladder symptoms, Advance Male Sling for male urinary incontinence and minimally invasive therapies for BPH with Cooled Thermotherapy (Urologix), Transurethral Needle Ablation of the prostate (Medtronic) and Greenlight XPS laser vaporization of the prostate (American Medical Systems).

Dr. Amit Chakrabarty - A Multi-Talented, Visionary and Generous PhysicianA multi-talented physician, Dr. Chakrabarty has not only showcased his musical talents at almost every major AAPI event, he was the Founder and Creator of AAPI’s Got Talent, at AAPI Annual Convention 2010 in Washington DC. He was the Founder and Conductor of “Mehfil” @ AAPI Annual Convention in Atlanta 2008, and has been conducting the ever popular AAPI’s Got Talent and Mehfil every year at Annual Conventions.

Dr. Chakrabarty attributes his talents and skills to “My father, who was an accomplished surgeon and teacher in India and my mother, who was a great singer.  I get my talent for both of them, my surgical prowess and teaching skills that I inherited from my father leads me to be a surgical proctor all around the globe and be a CME speaker on various topics for AAPI and other professional organizations.  I have been a topper in school and college and always wanted to be a surgeon like my father and a singer like my mother. My parents have always encouraged me to pursue extra-curricular activities.”

Dr. Chakrabarty has been a dreamer and devoted his talents for charity and noble deeds from childhood onwards. “Since my childhood I have been motivated for philanthropic activities that includes several school fund raising activities, organizing inter college meets in college forming a musical group in India and here primarily for fund raising.” And, as an ardent and active member of AAPI, Dr. Chakrabarty has continued these noble deeds as an adult.

Dr. Amit Chakrabarty - A Multi-Talented, Visionary and Generous PhysicianOne of the major goals for AAPI in recent years has been the financial stability of AAPI. Describing fund raising as his strength, he points out to his special talents and skills in raising money for AAPI in the past two decades. He says with pride that “I have been a leader in Fund Raising for AAPI and the several causes we have committed to support.”

He organized and raised funds during AAPI-Mahadevan show in Atlanta, raising almost $300,000 for AAPI in 2013. Other concerts/events he has helped organize and raise funds include: The 10 city Sukhwinder Singh Tour, 9 City Talat Aziz Fund, Pankaj Udhas Show, Hema Malini Concert, , as well as towards AAPI Hurricane Harvey Fund by conceiving and organizing “musical performance by my group Geetanjali Music.”

In addition, “I had spearheaded a fund rising in 2013 at Huntsville, Alabama collecting almost $80,000 for AAPI scholarship fund and National AAPI childhood obesity awareness program. Many of these events/concerts I had organized myself, spending my own money for travel and logistics.”

Contributing his personal money as seed money for AAPI, he had single-handedly spearheaded planning a fund-raising tour called “DADA vs DADA” for AAPI Charitable Foundation in 2005. The show did not take place due to Hurricane Katrina devastating the region.

Dr. Amit Chakrabarty – A Multi-Talented, Visionary and Generous PhysicianHe led the Indian American Urological Association (IAUA) 2008-2010 as its President and was the President of Alabama Association of Physicians of Indian Origin 2012-2014. During his Presidency, Dr. Chakrabarty brought the Alabama Chapter of AAPI to a sound financial footing with more than $60,000 in working capital and had spearheaded the Alabama API fund raising for the tornado victims in Alabama in 2011. He helped raise more than $ 200,000 for the Indian American Urological Society during his presidency of this organization.

Realizing how hard it is for the physicians in India to come to the US for training, Dr. Chakrabarty “raised almost $100,000 for the Society of Indian American Clinical Urology for a scholarship fund for Clinical Indian Urologists to come for a month training in US.”

He participated in two back to back fund raising shows 2015 and 2016 for the Hindu Temple of St. Louis raising more than $ 300,000 each year, featuring Geetanjali musical group’s performance.

A physician with compassion, brilliance, and dedication, Dr. Chakrabarty has excelled in every role he has undertaken. As an educator at AAPI’s CMEs and Workshops, he has authored several articles/publications in Medical Journals, Chair of Entertainment Committee, and as a Founder member of  Geetanjali Music Group (www.geetanjalimusic.com) that performs fund raising shows in several AAPI governing body and state chapter meetings, this AAPI leader has given his best for AAPI.

Amit has been the President of two legitimate AAPI subchapters namely Alabama Association of Physicians of Indian Origin 2012-2014 and Indian Medical Council of St Louis 2018-2020 reviving them from obscurity and inactivity to make them one the most vibrant chapters of AAPI.  Under his leadership Alabama API produced 13 out of the last 15 Regional directors and the St Louis Chapter hosted the most productive and successful AAPI governing body within 3 years of its revival from 10 years of inactivity!!

He also serves as the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Huntsville India Association and was the President, Indian Cultural Association of Birmingham, and led an Indian Delegation to Japan at the International Youth Year in 1985.

A Gandhian at heart, Dr. Chkarabarty says, “I have always believed in Gandhiji’s principles “Satyameva Jayate” (Truth always wins). I am a Bengali from Odisha and have lived in small AAPI subchapters like Alabama and Missouri, I have no special state or chapter affiliation, I take pride in reaching across the aisle and have friends from all states and backgrounds not only in AAPI but also in my personal life participating in all ethnic festivities as my friends from Huntsville can testify.”

Acknowledging the many challenges he would face in leading AAPI, Dr. Chakrabarty says, “AAPI leadership has lost the vision of service. When yozu place your goal ahead of AAPI’s, there is always conflict and infighting that undermines the real purpose of being a leader. I intend changing all that.

Thankfully we have seen over the last few years that this is changing for the better. Being in AAPI all these years, I have worked for the organization irrespective who the president has been or if I was given any role/portfolio.”

Recognizing the role of Young Physicians in AAPI, Dr. Chakrabarty wants to invest heavily in Medical Student/Residents and Young Physician (MSR/YPS) section of AAPI and in giving them leadership roles in mainstream AAPI, which will create more enthusiasm in our young members towards their parent organization.  Without them there will be no AAPI in 20 years. “Give some prime time slots in the main convention to AAPI YPS, at least one night main stage should be devoted to and managed by them,” he suggests.

Another goal he wants to pursue is to “Continue partnership in health care education and provide economic and material aid across the globe, working towards making AAPI, along with Indian physicians in other countries, a global health leader. I want AAPI to be a part of the decision-making process of World Health Organization and United Nations health policies especially those affecting south Asians.”

Dr. Chakrabarty understands that infighting has deterred any progress that AAPI leaders could have made.  “Most of our leaders have good intentions for AAPI but have a tunnel vision and do not get a democratic opinion.  Every president seems to be intent in changing the by-laws. I will work hard and coordinate with all to have a cordial and affable relationship among the executive members amongst ourselves and with the Board of Trustees to be able to move forward with constructive policies for AAPI’s future.  This is important that the membership understands who can do this better before casting their votes.

Dr. Chakrabarty says, he wants to have AAPI Charitable Foundation to be the main frame of AAPI make it more accountable. Making our noble efforts known to the society is important, he says, “We need to make their services more prominently advertised. Anytime we do press conference we use primarily them as example of what we are doing but we do not give them the support that they need.”

Acknowledging the many challenges in unifying AAPI, the veteran AAPI leader says, with an open mind, he will strive to bring AAPI together to work for a common goal: solving issues that the members face, providing them with a platform that AAPI was built upon.  Sure we do not have rampant discrimination issues that AAPI was formed for, but there are different issues facing us now, most importantly Green Card and Residency issues many of our Indian IMGs face, he points out.

As a leader of AAPI, Dr. Chakrabarty wants to “form a separate political action committee (PAC) and make it financially sound so that AAPI can hire lobbyists on Capitol Hill who will help to move forward policies that are important to AAPI. VISA issues for our colleagues should top the list.”

“I love people and having good times,” he describes self. “I rarely get depressed or feel down with  any failures and bounce right back.  I believe in seeing the silver lining in each cloud.  If life gives me lemons, I make lemonade!”

“I have the diverse experience to achieve each of these goals,” Dr. Chakrabarty says with confidence. “Having been a member and leader of AAPI for over two decades, I have perfected the skills necessary to move AAPI forward through the office of AAPI’s national Secretary. My mission/goal in life is to leave back a legacy of work that people will remember me fondly and proudly after I am gone.”

The Coronavirus: Life at the Epicenter

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0
The dominant story in Asia this week continues to be the spread of the coronavirus. As of Tuesday morning, the number of confirmed infections in China has risen to 42,638, while the death toll now exceeds 1,000 — greater than the total number of fatalities caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003.

The epicenter of the coronavirus is Wuhan, an industrial city in central China’s Hubei Province. Since January 23, Wuhan’s population of some 11 million has been under quarantine and life in the city has largely come to a standstill: schools and businesses closed, streets empty, residents stuck indoors.

In the latest episode of Asia In-Depth, listeners can hear what life is like at the epicenter. ChinaFile editor Susan Jakes interviewed Muyi Xiao, a Wuhan native and ChinaFile’s visuals editor, whose Twitter account has become a platform for insight into the situation. Xiao and Jakes — who covered SARS as a Beijing-based reporter for Time magazine in 2003 — discussed how the crisis is playing out in Wuhan and assessed whether it will impact popular support for the Chinese government.

Meanwhile, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that “with 99% of cases in China, this remains very much an emergency for that country, but one that holds a very grave threat for the rest of the world.” And President Xi Jinping, who has been criticized for being aloof during the crisis, made a public appearance in Beijing.

China’s coronavirus outbreak poses a “very grave threat for the rest of the world”, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday in an appeal for sharing virus samples and speeding up research into drugs and vaccines. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was addressing the start of a two-day meeting aimed at accelerating research into drugs, diagnostics and vaccines into the flu-like virus amid growing concerns about its ability to spread.

Do children in two-parent families do better?

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Family life is more richly varied than ever before. A growing proportion of parents in the UK choose to live together, rather than getting married. And during the past 20 years about one in five children has been growing up in a lone-parent family.

This reflects big social shifts in attitudes and opportunities, some of which started in the 1960s, when women began to gain more control over when to have children.

Two large studies in the UK and the US have been following children growing up since about the year 2000.

They are beginning to provide some evidence suggesting there is a measurable difference in how well children fare on average in single-parent families.

It’s a deeply sensitive area and the academics involved insist this is not about judging or blaming but rather capturing the challenges some families face when there is one parent.

Sara McLanahan was a single parent herself for 10 years, after her first marriage ended in divorce. Now, she is professor of sociology at Princeton University, in the US, where she has overseen the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study.

Five thousand children and their parents were recruited into the study in large American cities, mostly in families where the parents were not married. Looking at types of family structure was explicitly part of the research from the outset.

“The big finding from the first year was high hopes and low capabilities,” Prof Mclanahan said.

The mothers wanted the fathers to be involved and the fathers contributed a lot during pregnancy.

Because the study had recruited in big cities, many of the parents had lower incomes or levels of education and a high proportion were black or Hispanic American.

This was important because of the challenges these fathers face with the police and justice systems, with about 40% of the unmarried fathers spending some time in prison.

In this research, even allowing for economic disadvantage, Prof McLanahan said, data began to show the impact of instability on a child’s life.

Those whose parents had divorced were more likely to fail to progress at school.

Children who were in what the researchers characterised as a “fragile family”, where parents were cohabiting or there was a lone parent, were twice as likely not to graduate from high school.

Prof McLanahan said the data showed that even a child in a stable single-parent household was likely to do worse on some measures than a child of a married couple.

“Having two adults who co-operate to raise the child, who give time and money, means there are just more resources than one doing it,” she said.

She accepts the study isn’t perfect – after all, it isn’t an experiment but instead is following real lives. Even so, she said, the findings from this and other research were consistent enough to raise questions about whether lone-parent families needed more support.

There are big differences between the fragile families study and similar work done in the UK.

In the year 2000, 19,000 children were recruited with their parents into the Millennium Cohort Study.

The idea was to track their lives through to adulthood, looking at many different aspects of how they were doing. Unlike the US study, the data here shows little difference between married and cohabiting parents, perhaps because this large study is more representative of the population as a whole.

The children in the Millennium Cohort Study are assessed every year for basic skills such as numeracy and literacy. On both the basic education skills and the outcomes, children in single parents appear to be worse.

“We measure their wellbeing levels, of depressive symptoms, of how they’re feeling, their levels of anxiety and so on. And we tend to see they’re also doing worse – also on that dimension,” said lead researcher Prof Emla Fitzsimons, from the Institute of Education.

The difference appears to be the greatest among teenage girls:

  • Of girls in a family with two parents in a stable relationship, 22% had high levels of depressive symptoms
  • For girls living with a single parent, this rose to 27%

But how sure can researchers be, given the many financial challenges a single parent household faces? Prof Fitzsimons said: “There is still a difference between the outcomes of children born to single-parent households, versus married or cohabiting, even when you taken into account they tend to be from poorer homes.”

The academics say these are average findings across large populations, not a judgement on any individual parents. Neither Prof McLanahan nor Prof Fitzsimons think their research should change the complex decisions individuals make about how to raise their children. But they are asking questions of wider society about what could be done to provide more support to parents taking on the difficult job of bringing up children on their own.

The most recent findings looked at how children’s age altered the effect of parents separating. For the very youngest children, the impact was significantly less than if the split happened later in childhood, from about the age of seven upwards.

AAPI Promotes Awareness of Obesity in Argentina

Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0
The epidemic of Obesity is a major public health problem in the United States, just as it is in any other part of the world. Consequences of obesity include: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes, which can shorten the lifespan of children. American society has become influenced by environments that promote increased consumption of less healthy food and physical inactivity leading to this childhood obesity epidemic.
 
 
AAPI Promotes Awareness of Obesity in ArgentinaChanging one’s diet is not something that happens overnight. An important first step is helping a child or an adult to recognize the problem. The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI, the largest ethnic medical Association in the United States has made it an important mission to create awareness on Obesity.
 
Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI, who has made Obesity Awareness Campaign a signature mission of his Presidency, has organized Obesity Awareness Campaigns around the world.
 

On their way to the White Continent, Dr. Reddy accompanied by Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI: Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Vice President of AAPI: Dr. Ravi Kolli; Secretary of AAPI; Dr. Seema Arora, Chair, BOT: Amit Chakrabarty, Vice Chair of BOT; and several others, met with Dinesh Bhatia, India’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Argentina. Wearing Yellow Hats, the AAPI leaders shared with the Indian Envoy about AAPI’s mission to create awareness about Obesity around the world.

AAPI Promotes Awareness of Obesity in ArgentinaDuring a walkathon in the southernmost city on earth, Ushuaia in Argentina, during the current Voyage to Antarctica by a select group of nearly 200 Physicians of Indian Origin, AAPI members wearing Yellow Shirts and Yellow Hats, promoted Awareness of Obesity, spreading the message for the need to Healthy Living.

 
Dr. Reddy believes that AAPI’s Obesity Awareness Campaign Walkathons will go a long way in educating the public and in contributing to the prevention of obesity now, and thus translating into lower health care costs in the future.

Scientists Think We’re Closer to the End of the World Than Ever

Staff ReporterEnvironment, Health, Science & Technology 0

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the Doomsday Clock 100 seconds to midnight, the closest it’s ever been. Scientists think we’re closer to the end of the world than ever before.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists—a nonprofit group of scientists and security experts who monitor the possibility of Armageddon caused by humans—has moved the Doomsday Clock 100 seconds to midnight, the closest to midnight the clock has been in its 75-year history.

“Humanity continues to face two simultaneous existential dangers—nuclear war and climate change—that are compounded by a threat multiplier, cyber-enabled information warfare, that undercuts society’s ability to respond,” the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists said in a statement. “The international security situation is dire, not just because these threats exist, but because world leaders have allowed the international political infrastructure for managing them to erode.”

According to the Bulletin, the Doomsday Clock is a visual representation of how close humanity is to ending itself. Every year since the clocks inception in 1947, a group of scientists and experts gather to discuss the possibility of the end of the world and adjust the clock accordingly. It’s meant as a warning.

At 100 seconds to midnight, the Bulletin is saying it believes Earth is closer to global disaster than at any other time in its history. Both Russia and the U.S. pulled out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019, a Cold-War era pact that prohibited cruise missiles and land-based ballistic missiles with ranges between 311 and 3,420 miles. In the weeks after leaving the treaty, both Russia and the U.S. started testing new nuclear weapons.

New START, an Obama-era treaty limiting the number of missiles the U.S. and Russia can deploy, will expire in February unless it’s renewed. Russia has said it wants to renew the treaty, but America is dragging its heels and indicating it may let the treaty lapse. As these treaties fail, both sides are developing new types of nuclear weapons aimed at circumventing existing defense systems.

“I have to admit, at first we set the clock in November,” Sharon Squassoni—a member of the Bulletin and a professor at the Institute for International Science and Technology Policy at George Washington University—said during the press conference announcing the Doomsday Clock’s time. “This was before the recent military actions by the U.S. and Iran, Iran’s threat that it might leave the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, and North Korea’s abandonment of talks with the United States … we’re rapidly losing our bearings in the nuclear weapons landscape.”

According to the Bulletin, it’s not just nuclear weapons threatening to end the world. Climate change and technological innovations—particularly in the realm of disinformation and cyberwarfare—also threaten global stability. “The recent emergence of so-called ‘deepfakes’—audio and video recordings that are essentially undetectable as false—threatens to further undermine the ability of citizens and decision makers to separate truth from fiction,” Robert Latiff, a retired U.S. Air Force major general and member of the Bulletin said during the press conference.

The Bulletin believes this mix of nuclear weapons, climate change, and disinformation have moved humanity closer to Armageddon than ever before. And so we sit at 100 seconds to midnight.

After its formation In 1947, the Bulletin set the Clock to 7 minutes to midnight. After the Soviet Union and the United States tested the first thermonuclear bomb in 1953, the clocked ticked to 2 midnight. At the end of the Cold War, the Clock ticked back to 17 minutes to midnight. In 2018, amid rising tensions with North Korea and Trump’s fire and fury rhetoric, the Buletin moved the Clock to 2 minutes to midnight where it sat through 2019. The move to 100 seconds is unprecedented.

The Doomsday Clock is a metaphor and a warning, not a promise. “It is a completely made up rating system, but like almost every other made up rating system, it is useful in drawing attention to key issues through a succinct frame,” Peter W. Singer, Senior Fellow at New America, future war strategist, and the author of the forthcoming book Burn-In: A Novel of the Real Robotic Revolution—told Motherboard in an email. “Indeed, the longevity of the ‘Doomsday Clock,’ that we’re still talking about it almost 75 years after its creation, back when not just the Internet didn’t exist yet, but the USSR didn’t even have an atomic bomb, shows the very success of the concept.”

Jeffrey Lewis—a nuclear policy expert and professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterrey, California—agrees.“I think it’s a mixed bag. On the one hand, we do need metrics to understand how nuclear dangers have shifted over time and as a piece of art representing those dangers it is incredible,” Lewis told Motherboard in an email. “On the other hand, the methodology has been so inconsistent over time that the clock ultimately tells us more about liberal anxiety than anything else. Still, at the end of the day, it’s one of the most potent symbols our community has and I would regret it if the Bulletin ever stopped.”

Awareness is only one part of the process though, for the Doomsday Clock to be a true success we must heed its warning and pull back from the brink.

‘Normal’ Human Body Temperature Has Changed in the Last Century

Staff ReporterEnvironment, Health 0

Whether you have a stomachache, a wrist sprain or a chronic disease, one of the first things doctors and nurses will do at an appointment is take your temperature. A normal temperature means your body is humming along the way it should. A higher temperature means you have a fever, and shows your body could be fighting an infection.

And since 1871, “normal” has meant 98.6°F (37°C). That number was determined by a German physician, based on millions of readings from 25,000 German patients, taken by sticking thermometers under their arms. When doctors in the U.S. and Europe repeated the experiment in local populations, they came up with the same number, so it stuck.

But in a paper published last week in eLife, researchers at Stanford University reported that the normal human body temperature has dropped since that time. And that means the standards that doctors have been using to define normal temperature and fever might need to be reworked.

Julie Parsonnet, a professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, and her team analyzed data from three large databases involving more than 677,000 temperature readings from nearly 190,000 people, collected between 1862 and 2017. The first dataset is drawn from health information collected on Union Army soldiers from 1862 to 1930. The second, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, comes from U.S. population-wide data from 1971 to 1975. The third is the most recent, and includes measurements taken by the Stanford Translational Research Integrated Database Environment study from 2007 to 2017.

The team found that average body temperatures in the earliest database, from the Union Army veterans, were higher than the temperatures recorded in each of the latter two periods. On average, the temperatures dropped by 0.03°C and 0.29°C per decade for men and women, respectively, over the 150-year span. To address the issue of whether thermometers were less accurate in earlier times, or whether previous generations of doctors measured temperature differently, the scientists also compared body temperatures within a single population, to minimize any potential measurement bias. Within the Union Army population, for example, the trend remained strong; temperatures were higher among those born earlier than among those born later, by about 0.02°C per decade.

“In previous studies people who found lower temperatures [in more recent times] thought the temperatures taken in the 19th century were just wrong,” Parsonnet says. “I don’t think they were wrong; I think the temperature has gone down.”

It makes sense that body temperatures would change over time, says Parsonnet. “We have grown in height on average, which changes our temperature, and we have gotten heavier, which also changes our body temperature,” she says. “[Today,] we have better nutrition, better medical care, and better public health. We have air conditioning and heating, so we live more comfortable lives at a consistent 68°F to 72°F in our homes, so it’s not a struggle to keep the body warm. It’s not beyond the imagination that our body temperatures would change as a result.”

Perhaps the most important factor, however, is the development of treatments for infectious diseases over the last century. “We have gotten rid of many of the inflammatory conditions that people had—tuberculosis, syphilis, periodontal disease, wounds that didn’t heal, dysentery, diarrhea—with antibiotics and vaccines,” says Parsonnet. “Plus, we conquered general inflammation with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and statins, all of which enable us to live almost inflammation-free.” That, in turn, might have contributed to a creeping decline in average body temperature as the body is freed from heating up to fight off disease.

Link between emotion and addictive substance use

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

From the Harvard Gazette

What drives a person to smoke cigarettes—and keeps one out of six U.S. adults addicted to tobacco use, at a cost of 480,000 premature deaths each year despite decades of anti-smoking campaigns? What role do emotions play in this addictive behavior? Why do some smokers puff more often and more deeply or even relapse many years after they’ve quit? If policymakers had those answers, how could they strengthen the fight against the global smoking epidemic?

A team of researchers based at Harvard University now has fresh insights into these questions, thanks to a set of four interwoven studies described in a new report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: The studies show that sadness plays an especially strong role in triggering addictive behavior relative to other negative emotions like disgust.

The studies range from analysis of data from a national survey of more than 10,000 people over 20 years to laboratory tests examining the responses of current smokers to negative emotions. One study tested the volume and frequency of actual puffs on cigarettes by smokers who volunteered to be monitored as they smoked. While drawing from methodologies from different fields, the four studies all reinforce the central finding that sadness, more than other negative emotions, increases people’s craving to smoke.

“The conventional wisdom in the field was that any type of negative feeling, whether it’s anger, disgust, stress, sadness, fear, or shame, would make individuals more likely to use an addictive drug,” said lead researcher Charles A. Dorison, a Harvard Kennedy School doctoral candidate. “Our work suggests that the reality is much more nuanced than the idea of ‘feel bad, smoke more.’ Specifically, we find that sadness appears to be an especially potent trigger of addictive substance use.”

Senior co-author Dr. Jennifer Lerner, the co-founder of the Harvard Decision Science Laboratory and Thornton F. Bradshaw Professor of Public Policy, Decision Science, and Management at Harvard Kennedy School, said the research could have useful public policy implications. For example, current anti-smoking ad campaigns could be redesigned to avoid images that trigger sadness and thus unintentionally increase cigarette cravings among smokers.

Lerner is the first tenured psychologist on the faculty of the Kennedy School. She was the chief decision scientist for the U.S. Navy in 2018–19. Lerner has studied the impact of emotions on decision making since the 1990s, examining issues including whether generalized negative emotions trigger substance abuse or whether a subset of specific emotions such as sadness are more important factors in addiction.

The other co-authors include Ke Wang, a doctoral student at the Kennedy School; Vaughan W. Rees, director of the Center for Global Tobacco Control at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Ichiro Kawachi, the John L. Loeb and Frances Lehman Loeb Professor of Social Epidemiology at the Chan School; and Associate Professor Keith M.M. Ericson at the Questrom School of Business at Boston University. The work was funded by grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.

Here are further details on the techniques and key findings of the four studies: Examining data from a national survey that tracked 10,685 people over 20 years, the researchers found that self-reported sadness among participants was associated with being a smoker and with quitters relapsing into smoking one and two decades later. The sadder individuals were, the more likely they were to be smokers. Notably, other negative emotions did not show the same relationship with smoking.

Then the team designed an experiment to test causality: Did sadness cause people to smoke, or were negative life events causing both sadness and smoking? To test this, 425 smokers were recruited for an online study. One-third were shown a sad video clip about the loss of a life partner. Another third of the smokers were shown a neutral video clip, about woodworking; the final third were shown a disgusting video involving an unsanitary toilet. All participants were asked to write about a related personal experience. The study found that individuals in the sadness condition—who watched the sad video and wrote about a personal loss—had higher cravings to smoke than both the neutral group and the disgust group.

A similar approach in the third study measured actual impatience for cigarette puffs rather than mere self-reported craving. Similar to the second study, nearly 700 participants watched videos and wrote about life experiences that were either sad or neutral, and then were given hypothetical choices between having fewer puffs sooner or more puffs after a delay. Those in the sadness group proved to be more impatient to smoke sooner than those in the neutral group. That result built upon previous research findings that sadness increases financial impatience, measured with behavioral economics techniques.

The fourth study recruited 158 smokers from the Boston area to test how sadness influenced actual smoking behavior. Participants had to abstain from smoking for at least eight hours (verified by carbon monoxide breath test). They were randomly assigned to sadness or neutral control groups; smokers sat in a private room at the Harvard Tobacco Research Laboratory, watched a sad video and wrote about great loss, or watched a neutral video and wrote about their work environment. Then they smoked their own brand of cigarette through a device that tested the total volume of puffs and their speed and duration. The results: Smokers in the sadness condition made more impatient choices and smoked greater volumes per puff.

Lerner said the research team was motivated in part by the deadly realities of smoking: Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States despite five decades of anti-smoking campaigns. The global consequences are also dire, with 1 billion premature deaths predicted across the world by the end of this century.

“We believe that theory-driven research could help shed light on how to address this epidemic,” Dorison said. “We need insights across disciplines, including psychology, behavioral economics and public health, to confront this threat effectively.”

AAAPI Will Host Global Healthcare Summit in Visakhapatnam in January 2021

Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0

“The focus of the GHS 2021 will be India-centric with emphasis on India’s contributions for a cost-effective healthcare delivery:” Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI, Announces During Kick Off Event in India

(Visakhapatnam, India. January 7th, 2020) “The 14th edition of the annual Global Healthcare Summit will be held in Visakhapatnam from January 1st to 3rd, 2021,” Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), announced here during a Kick Off event in Visakhapatnam.

Dr. Jonnalagadda, while highlighting the numerous achievements of the past 13 GHS held across India, said, “The focus of the 14th edition of the annual Global Healthcare Summit 2021 in the state of Andhra Pradesh will be an India-centric approach with emphasis on Hepatitis Eradication, and India’s contributions for a cost-effective healthcare delivery, serving the many healthcare needs of our motherland, India.”

AAAPI Will Host Global Healthcare Summit in Visakhapatnam in January 2021Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI, commended Dr. Jonnalagadda for organizing a very successful kickoff event with great publicity in the local media about the upcoming GHS 2021.

While lauding the AAPI members for their willingness, passion, and generosity to give back to their motherland, Dr. Reddy said, “In the past dozen years, by organizing GHS in India, AAPI has made significant contributions, seeking to address several issues affecting the healthcare system in India. We have been working with the Government of India and several local organizations, helping with the issue of Traumatic Brain Injury and raising the importance and awareness on smoking cessation. Providing CPR-AED Training to First Responders,  rural development through Sewak Program, Adopt a Village program and taking the initiatives to make quality healthcare accessible universally to village and taluka and district levels, and most recently a strong collaborative effort on making India TB Free with the signing of a MOU with USAID, are some of the other initiatives AAPI has undertaken through GHS.”

AAAPI Will Host Global Healthcare Summit in Visakhapatnam in January 2021“With the changing trends and statistics in healthcare, both in India and US, we are refocusing our mission and vision, AAPI would like to make a positive meaningful impact on the healthcare delivery system both in the US and in India,” said Dr. Seema Arora, Chair of the AAPI BOT.

Dr. Jonnalagadda, who will assume charge as the President of AAPI in July this year at the convention in Chicago, USA, said, the GHS 2021 is planned to be organized by AAPI , the largest ethnic medical association in the United States in collaboration with several professional medical associations, academic institutions, and  the Government of India.

During the visit to India, an AAPI delegation led by Dr. Jonnalagadda met with Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy, the Honorable Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, and invited him to be the Chief Guest at the Global Healthcare Summit. Mr. Reddy, while expressing his appreciation to AAPI for bringing the global event to Andhra Pradesh, assured all support to AAPI in its efforts for organizing a highly successful GHS in Visakhapatnam.

He thanked Dr. Prasad Chalasani, President of Andhra Medical College Alumni of North America, Chair of GHS, Dr. Sashidhar Kuppala, the Incoming President of Rangaraya Medical College Alumni of North America, Co-chair of GHS, and, Dr. Ravi Raju, Chair of GHS in Visakhapatnam.

AAAPI Will Host Global Healthcare Summit in Visakhapatnam in January 2021Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Vice President of AAPI, enumerated several contributions/outcome from the past 13 GHS organized by AAPI across several cities in India. “AAPI has capped the voluminous achievements of the past 38 years with a clear vision to move forward taking this noble organization and its vision for better healthcare to newer heights,” she said.

Dr. Ravi Kolli, Secretary of API said, “One in seven Americans is touched by a physician of Indian origin. There is an equally large percentage of medical residents, fellows and students in the USA serving millions of Americans. AAPI’s GHS has provided a venue for medical education programs and symposia with world-renowned physicians on the cutting edge medical technology of medicine.”

According to Dr. Raj Bhayani, Treasurer of AAPI, “Senior leaders from leading healthcare organizations, hospitals and from the Ministries – Health, External/Overseas Affairs and regulatory bodies are collaborating with AAPI with the ultimate goal to provide access to high quality and affordable healthcare to all the people of India.”

AAAPI Will Host Global Healthcare Summit in Visakhapatnam in January 2021Packed with strategic planning sessions such as the much anticipated CEO Forum, Women’s Forum, Launching of Free Health Clinic, First Responders Training, CMEs, promoting Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine Education,  Research Contest, Medical Quiz, Cultural Events, pre and post visits for delegates, the GHS 2021 is expected to be one with the greatest impact and significant contributions towards harnessing the power of international Indian diaspora to bring the most innovative, efficient, cost effective healthcare solutions to India,

“To be held for the first time in Visakhapatnam, this year AAPI Global Healthcare Summit will have many new initiatives and also will be carrying the torch of ongoing projects undertaken by AAPI’s past leaders. In addition, several prominent leaders both from India and abroad are expected to be addressing the Summit, including the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh,” Dr. Jonnalagadda said.

AAAPI Will Host Global Healthcare Summit in Visakhapatnam in January 2021Dr. Suresh Reddy has called upon AAPI members to join in this historic journey. “AAPI’s mission is clear, our programs will continue to strive and our impact is multifold on benefiting the society. We, as physicians make significant contributions for the betterment of people’s lives.” He appealed to “all AAPI members, well-wishers, sponsors, friends and colleagues to join this effort and help ensure that we are putting in solid efforts towards making quality healthcare affordable and accessible to all people of India,” Dr. Reddy said.

AAPI is the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, and has been in existence for nearly four decades. The Association has almost 130 local chapters, specialty societies and alumni organizations under its purview, and represents the interests of over 70,000 physicians and 15,000 medical students and residents of Indian heritage in the United States. For more details, please visit:  https://aapisummit.org/www.aapiusa.org

Driving Around the World for Organ Donation Awareness

Staff ReporterHealth, Travel 0

Anil Srivatsa, All Geared Up To Set Records With Drive The World: The Worlds Longst On-Road Expedition To Spread Awareness About Organ Donation

North Brunswick, NJ. January 04, 2020: the Million Donor Project will hit the road in the fifth series of the Gift of Life Adventure (GOLA). This time, the road to organ donation awareness will take Anil Srivatsa to every nook and corner of North and South America (over 55,000 kilometres over the span of three months).

The route covers not only major cities, but also takes team GOLA through back roads into the heart of 15 nations in the two continents.

The Journey of a Kidney Donor, Anil Srivatsa who went through emotional upheavals and the subsequent making of a champion for the cause of Organ Donation. He donated his kidney 5 years ago and is now driving around the world in his own car to tell his story on how he became an accomplished athlete after donating his kidney as a world record holder in the World Transplant Games 2019 held in Newcastle, UK

He will address the following points during the course of telling his story:

–          How he dealt with all the fears associated with organ donation

–          His journey through the legal and procedural  issues that plagues Organ Donation around the world

–          Speaking about concerns that only first-hand interactions with a live donor can help address.

–          what it takes to truly become an organ donor by throwing light on what happens after you sign up.

–          He deals with religious and superstitious myths that surround Organ Donation and busting them would help save lives.

–          Life saving and life giving Information that no one has told you about.

Drive India: The Long Road To Organ Donation AwarenessHe has a wealth of stories as he accumulates and shares his experiences having driven through 43 countries.  Driven over 100K kms taking over 400 days of being on the road and sharing his story with over 74000 people through over 250 plus talks in schools, colleges, Rotary Clubs, Community centres and companies.

He is currently driving from New Jersey to Alaska across Canada to Argentina and back to New York adding another 55000 kms over the next 150 days. He is passing by our community and we would love for you to interact with Anil. He is a great story teller and you don’t want to miss it.

A fully crowd funded effort the Gift of Life Adventure Foundation’s drive around the world is literally fuelled and fed by tax deductable contributions made via facebook, GoFund me and other means of charitable contributions including venmo, paypal and more.

TeamGOLA consists of Anil Srivatsa and his wife Deepali Srivatsa, both American’s living in North Brunswick NJ where they are now working to grow their 501 (c) (3) Non Profit Organization Gift of Life Adventure Foundation Inc.

About Anil: http://about.me/anilsrivatsa

Www.giftoflifeadventure.com

FaceBook/instagram/YouTube:  @giftoflifeadventure

VIDEOs

https://youtu.be/hE8Gx8k9JFw

https://youtu.be/9jRsf9p95ts

GOLA Adventure before this included

GOLA 1: A week long cycling expedition in Spain 6 months post surgery to show that an organ donor and recipient can lead an active and healthy lifestyle

GOLA 2: A cross continental on-road expedition from India to Scotland to spread awareness about organ donation

GOLA 3: Drive from Italy to Oman to help the kick start the Million Donor Project

GOLA 4: Drive around India for 5 months spanning 27000 kms

The Gift of Life Foundation

Drive India: The Long Road To Organ Donation AwarenessThe Gift of Life Foundation is a registered NGO/NPO in USA and India that was founded in June 2017 by Anil Srivatsa. The GOLA Foundation serves in the field of medical, health, education and allied activities; identifying life changing events in the lives of qualified individuals (predominantly women and children) or communities and fund the various interventions to ensure long term and short term positive outcomes for them. The events that fall in the realm of the said Trust include Organ transplants, Lifesaving Medical procedures, Education, Mental health, Civic health and housing, Disaster and refugee relief, Domestic violence rehab, Women and Child sexual abuse intervention and rehab, Long term medical care, Govt. Policy advocacy, public education and awareness

THE BACK STORY

Sept 5  2014 changed my life when I donated my kidney to my brother. I realized the value of this donation and how this changed his life where he now in turn saves lives every day as a doctor. I found that people were afraid to donate. This fear came from ignorance. As a member of the journalist/media fraternity, I made it my mission to tackle this ignorance so more people would come out and give the valuable gift of an organ after their life time if not during it.

I had to become an example to other donors and inspire them to explore the idea of gifting a life. I had to pick an activity that attracted the attention of the people I pass and the media, who would give me the exposure and platform to spread my message.  I picked overland driving as this was the most effective way of touching peoples lives and them mine. Thus the gift of life adventure was born.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v7njBGgowc

I undertook my first adventure when I took my brother on a 7 day cycling adventure in the hills of Spain just 6 months after the transplant to show that life can be back to ordinary if not extraordinary. The press showed up and helped. The awareness was beginning. I was becoming a part of the voice that was growing louder together.

I got drawn into my mission even deeper when I decided to drive with my family (Organ donation is a family decision and mine played an inspiring part in my decision) on a road trip from Bangalore India, to Scotland UK. A 74 day journey where along the way we met and spoke to may organizations and people about the mission. I used my personal funds by selling off the one apartment I had so I can earn the trust of all and their support. This journey gave me a sense that awareness has to translate to action and after a pivotal meeting with an organization we met in Norway the Million Donor Project was born.

The million donor project is all about the family. Traditionally in India and many parts of the world, organ donors would register with an organization and did not speak to their families about it and when time came, the families did not make good the donation from lack of knowing. I decided to address this part of the process and designed an app that captures the intent and communicates it to the family via an SMS thereby starting a conversation at home. It is considered bad luck to speak about death in most homes. If the family knows, there is no need for signing up with ANY organization and the donation rate would be higher with the family behind it. The app is found at http://www.giftoflifeadventure.com/signup

To promote the Million Donor project, I drove again from Italy to Dubai which took 2 months across 20 nations, with speaking engagements at various rotary clubs for their support within their communities.

How the Foundation was Born

3 months ago I was approached by an acquaintance I met during the road trip to Scotland and sought my help to help his 17 year of Brother-in-Law navigate the Organ transplant process in India so he can have his kidney transplant. Malik and his brothers flew in from a small impoverished town in Afghanistan and in the watchful care of the Gift of Life Adventure Foundation (an NGO, non -profit) that I set up post the ordeal I went through for them only . I realized the laws in India need to be more user friendly and I could not do so as an individual. If the Afghan Brothers went through this, every India goes through this. Something had to change. I have rallied the support of the media, the hospitals and the now appointed lawyer to help me move the needle on the law and for this I need more funding than I can personally afford. This is a major project that is being built bit by bit until the bigger funding agencies can kick in. I want your help in getting me there for this module. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVl5zxhuukI&amp…

How Alzheimer’s disease could be cured by shining light directly into the brain

Staff ReporterHealth, Science & Technology 0

Alzheimer’s disease could be reversed by shining light directly into the brain through the nose and skull, scientists believe. The first major trial to see if light therapy could be beneficial for dementia has just begun following astonishing early results which have seen people regain their memory, reading and writing skills, and orientation.

If successful it would be the first treatment to actually reverse the disease. So far, even the most hopeful drugs, such as Biogen’s aducanumab, have only managed to slow the onset of dementia, and many scientists had given up hope of reversing brain damage once it had already happened.

A 12-week trial into its effectiveness has just begun after early results saw patients regain their memory, as well as reading and writing skills, in three months.

With no known Alzheimer’s cure in sight, the headset offers a ray of hope for around 850,000 sufferers in Britain and nearly six million in the US.

Patients currently have to rely on drugs that lessen its symptoms. The new Neuro RX Gamma headset being tested was developed by the Canadian biotech firm Vielight.

Treatment involves wearing the device, as well as a separate nasal clip that channels light through the nostrils, for 20 minutes a day. The light is said to boost the mitochondria which give cells their energy, in a process called photobiomodulation.  This then stimulates the brain to activate immune cells known as microglia, which fight the disease.

In Alzheimer’s patients these cells can become inactive and plaques can build up, stopping the brain’s normal function.

Amyloid plaque is one of the hallmarks of the currently incurable disease, which is the most common form of dementia.

A sticky build-up of plaque is thought to lead to the progressive destruction of brain cells. Neuro RX’s inventor Dr Lew Lim told The Telegraph: ‘Photobiomodulation introduces the therapeutic effect of light into our brain.

‘It triggers the body to restore its natural balance or homeostasis. When we do that, we call upon the body’s innate ability to heal.

‘Based on early data, we are confident of seeing some measure of recovery in the symptoms not just a slowdown in the rate of decline, even in moderate to severe cases.’

The new trial is being led by the University of Toronto and involves 228 people across eight sites in the US and Canada.

Half of the volunteers will receive the light therapy six days a week for 20 minutes for a total of 12 weeks. The rest will receive a placebo.

A safety trial last year involving five people with mild to moderately severe dementia saw all of their conditions improve.

They reported improved cognitive function, better sleep, fewer angry outbursts, less anxiety and wandering – all common side effects of the treatment. They also reported better memory.

Brain scans also revealed visible improvements in connectivity between brain regions and better blood flow, according to The Telegraph.

Once the therapy was stopped, the patients began to once again decline. Light therapy is already used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) – a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern – and traumatic brain injuries.

It is thought to trigger the release of serotonin – the happy hormone, promote better sleep, and stimulate areas of the brain that have shut down after damage.

New Study Reveals Prevalence of Diabetes is 23% Among South Asians in U.S.

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0
AAPI and AACIO to collaborate on diabetes and cardiovascular disease education
 
(Chicago, IL: December 23rd, 2019)  Important research regarding South Asian cardiometabolic disease was published in JAMA on December 20, 2019 by Cheng YJ, Kanaya AM, Araneta MRG, et al entitled “Prevalence of Diabetes by Race and Ethnicity in the United States, 2011-2016.”(1) The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) together with the American Association of Cardiologists of Indian Origin (AACIO) jointly acknowledge that the data generated by these authors has far-reaching implications for the South Asian community with respect to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
In the above study, diabetes prevalence (diagnosed and undiagnosed) was found to be 12.1% for non-Hispanic whites and 23.3% for South Asians. “The 23% reflects a critical need for aggressive action towards better prevention and management of diabetes along with the accompanying cardiovascular risk” stated Dr. Kamini Trivedi, a family physician, lipidologist, and honorary Board Member of AACIO. 
In addition, Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, Executive Director of Interventional Cardiovascular Services at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School stated, “These valuable data demonstrate the incredibly high, vastly underappreciated burden of diabetes among South Asians. Particularly distressing is how many South Asians have diabetes without even knowing it. This phenomenon is surely fueling the cardiovascular epidemic among South Asians.”  Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., spending over $500 billion on cardiovascular disease each year.(2, 3)
AAPI and AACIO are medical societies together comprised of several tens of thousands of physicians of Indian origin in the U.S. who provide care to patients of all ethnicities and diverse backgrounds.  Physicians who are engaged with these two medical societies are particularly passionate about diabetes given that diabetes and premature cardiovascular disease so often impact their extended family and friends.
AAPI and AACIO immediately held a joint meeting the same day that the study results were unveiled, reflecting the urgency.  Dr. Brahma Sharma, a prominent cardiologist affiliated with VA University of Pittsburgh and serving as the Chair of the AAPI Ad Hoc Committee on South Asian Cardiovascular Disease, led the meeting in which Dr. Trivedi and Dr. Bhatt participated alongside the current President of AAPI, Dr. Suresh Reddy, a neuroradiologist.  Dr. Navin Nanda, MD, DSc (Hon), Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and an internationally renowned cardiologist, Dr. Hanumant K. Reddy, current President of AACIO, and Dr. Vishal Gupta, President-Elect of AACIO, have offered their leadership on behalf of AACIO in conjunction with AAPI’s leadership towards addressing these challenges. Dr Nanda, who is past President and incorporator of AAPI as well as the Founding President of AACIO pointed out that the results of the study are similar to those conducted by Dr. Naresh Parikh and him in the Atlanta area in 2004 which also showed, for the first time, a high prevalence of diabetes mellitus in South Asians living in the USA, 18.3% overall with 22.5% in men and 13.6% in women.(4)
The JAMA paper along with CDC’s press release (5) on this paper were discussed at the joint AACIO-AAPI leadership meeting. AAPI and AACIO conducted preliminary brainstorming on strategy and will now work with increased collaboration to educate both physicians and the U.S. South Asian community.  Education about lifestyle modification, including culturally appropriate nutrition and physical activity, along with guideline recommended medical therapy will be the foundation of educational efforts. 
Dr. Suresh Reddy on behalf of AAPI stated, “We have the talent, skills, strength, and the commitment.  Let’s put them to work and help our community.”  Dr. Sharma expressed that the authors of this JAMA study deserve high praise.  The joint efforts of AAPI and AACIO will require a coming together of various stakeholders who are leading valuable efforts on South Asian diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  AAPI and AACIO would like to amplify their various efforts and welcome collaboration.  Physicians as well as other interested stakeholders who are interested in joining and shaping the collaborations with AAPI and AACIO should contact Vijaya Kodali at Vkodali@aapiusa.org.
References
  1. Cheng YJ, Kanaya AM, Araneta MRG, et al. Prevalence of Diabetes by Race and Ethnicity in the United States, 2011-2016. JAMA. 2019;322(24):2389–2398. doi:https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2019.19365.
  2. American Heart Association. 2018. Disease and Stroke Statistics-2018 Update.
  3. American Heart Association. 2017. Cardiovascular Disease: A Costly Burden for America Projections Through 2035.
  4. Venkataraman R, Nanda NC, Baweja G , et al. Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus and Related Conditions in Asian Indians Living in the United States. Am J Cardiol 2004;94:977–980.
  5. CDC press release:  CDC Releases First National Estimates on Diabetes within Hispanic and Asian Populations in the US – Demographic breakdown identifies specific groups at higher risk of diabetes.  https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/p1220-diabetes-estimate.html.

INANY CONDUCTS COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR IN NEW YORK

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

By Paul D Panakal

As part of its commitment to provide service to the community and the society in general, Indian Nursing Association conducted a Community Health Fair in Floral Park, NY.  The event was collaborated by FOKANA and KCNA community organizations and supported by Northwell Health, one of the largest healthcare network in the United States.  The event was made possible by expert cardiologists, specialty Nurse Practitioners, Physical Therapists, experienced nurses and other experts in their relevant fields.

INANY CONDUCTS COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR IN NEW YORKThe South Asian population are found to be at higher risk for heart diseases and suffer premature heart attacks than any ethnic groups.  More South Asians die at younger age with heart attack than others.  They are also at greatest risk for insulin resistant type 2 diabetes despite their body weight among all ethnic groups.

INANY CONDUCTS COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR IN NEW YORKIn this context there is heightened feelings of responsibility among healthcare organizations and professionals to take steps to increase awareness to mitigate the risk in the South Asian community.   Indian Nurses Association of New York (INANY) initiated this Health Fair with the goal of reaching out to the community to provide a comprehensive health screening and education which included screening, assessment and education to increase awareness for leading a mindful life.

INANY CONDUCTS COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR IN NEW YORKThe four-hour long event at Tyson Center in Floral Park, NY was attended by roughly hundred people.  Professional staff from Northshore Health, the largest healthcare network in New York state administered flu shot to those that did not get it this year.   At the physical therapy booth, people enjoyed the fun-filled hands on learning activities with the therapists from Marathon Physical Therapy which included technics for balancing, muscle strengthening, neuro-motor coordination and so on.  Dr. Srihari Naidu, a well-known cardiologist and his physician wife conducted cardiac screening, electrocardiogram and provided heart-health education.  Several people were able to undergo diabetes diagnostic screening known as Hemoglobin A1c and educated on metabolic problems, complications of diabetes, and health maintenance through diet management.  The soothing aromatic air in and around the wellness promotion booth invited the attendees to get learn about coping mechanisms and relaxation technics to reduce every day stress.  People learned that stress is part of daily life.  Still, the impact of not managing stress would take a toll on our body and mind. Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation training to the public was another highlight of the event with the goal of preparing the public to save lives in emergencies.

INANY CONDUCTS COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR IN NEW YORKThe Education Committee of INANY under the chair of Dr. Anna George led the organization of this Community Health Fair.  INANY represents and voices for the Indian nurses and nursing students in New York State.  It has been providing support to the nurses through Continuing Education Conferences, job placements, tuition discounts for higher studies through relationship with universities and nursing scholarships in the United States and in India.  Tara Shajan, its current president acknowledges the contributions of the strong and resourceful leadership team for its services.

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