May 2, 2020 | Adamas University

The Rise of the Cooks:Cooking during Covid-19 Lockdown

Food is one item which can be categorised as a necessity as well as luxury depending on which food item is being referred to. On one hand there is the basic ‘roti’ ‘daal’ rice, which satiates hunger and on the other there is ‘biryani’ which satiates desire. The restaurants being closed and people being restricted to their home, has affected the field of food making to a great extent.The art of making food is the domain of the cook. They can be categorised into amateurs and experienced. The lockdown has led to the rise of cooks, from the ones surviving on Maggi and packaged food to the experimental cooks and down to the charity cooks. Why talk about cooks? The images of Dalgona coffee and restricted access to street food and junk food got me thinking how the very idea of being a cook is increasingly being perceived differently.
The Celebrity cooks:
The prevalent idea about celebrities is they lead a life very different to that of the common people. With the busy work schedule and by virtue of belonging to the rich class, celebrities such as the actors, do not venture into the kitchen to cook their food. Covid-19 is an equaliser, does not discriminate between the rich and the poor. Therefore now, the audience suddenly find themselves inside the private space of the actors, cooking, struggling to roll out round roti. This is the newest form of entertainment.

The Trendsetters:
One fine day, Dalgona coffee arrived on Facebook and then suddenly the timeline was flooded with versions of the coffee, well decorated and looking professional in glasses made to look exquisite in white and coffee coloured enigma. For foodies forced to stay away from junk food, it finds its way into their kitchens. Social Media is plastered with home made Pizza, Mughlai paratha, Biryani, baked items and the list continues. Cooking has become the upcoming trend. Selfies have found its competitor in the photographs of home made food items.

The other end of the spectrum
While for a class of the society, being unable to walk into the restaurants, is extremely disheartening, for the pavement dwellers, beggars, migrant workers and truck drivers, existence of food itself has become a matter of grave struggle. To them , being able to get a single meal is clouded with uncertainty. This is where the charity cooks come into play. Some people have taken the initiative to cook food and distribute it among the people who are being forced to sleep on empty stomachs. A simple meal of khichadi or rice and daal is lovingly prepared for these unfortunate people. This act of charity is not restricted to humans alone. There are others who reach out to the street dogs, cooking for them, feeding them. What do these people get? A huge sense of gratitude and a personal sense of happiness.

In Conclusion:
Cooking has become a therapeutic tool, a hobby, an indulgence. Never has so many different types of cooks existed before this. Neither is it a gendered any longer. The hired cooks being absent from the household, almost every member of the family comes together as a cooking unit. As for the foodies, cooking becomes an alternate passion which probably intensifies the love for food. For the thousands depending on the act of kindness, the cooks appear to be angelic form, driving out darkness and sorrow. It is indeed surprising that cooking has become an integral part of our day to day existence due to the lockdown.

COVID-19 LOCKDOWN AND MIGRANT WORKERS IN INDIA

Introduction:
Inter-State Migrant workers are “those people who belong to Lower Income Group and move from their state of origin to another state, within the boundaries of India, in search of jobs which give them high wages, better quality of life, better facilities & other push & pull factors that contribute to the reasons of their migration”. However, these migrant workers mainly form an unorganized sector of the country. The unorganised sector of workers includes several categories of workers
working in contractual or daily pay basis. These workers receive a day-based salary or a periodic non-permanent salary of minimal value thus not having much to be called as a saved amount, furthermore they lack a proper secured saving scheme to the section of informal labour.

Plight of Migrant Workers
The lockdown declared at 24th March, 2020 at the widespread national scenario is a boon of prevention from pandemic spread but the question of tackling situation of the informal workers yet remains unanswered. The loopholes in several policies and difference in policies in between states also keeps the situation and condition of the migrant worker to unassurance. The lack of earning and proper facilities in the migrant working places had created panic and anxiety among several migrant workers who are demanding to return back to their home states as they are being
much neglected and their basic necessity are not been looked after. An adverse picture of the same was seen at two hi-tech cities, Delhi and Mumbai in the area of Anand Vihar and Bandra where millions of migrant workers crowded in panic and anxiety with the demand to return back to their own home states.

Relevant law in this respect
It is pertinent to mention here that there exists certain international convention which provides certain rights of migrant workers. For instance, Article 8 of International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families provides that migrant workers and members of their families shall have the right at any time to enter and remain in their State of origin.1 Moreover Article 7 lays down the standards regarding non-discrimination of migrant workers by stating that “States Parties undertake, in accordance with the international instruments concerning human rights, to respect and to ensure to all migrant workers and members of their families within their territory or subject to their jurisdiction the rights provided for in the present Convention without distinction of any kind such as to sex, race, colour, language, religion
or conviction, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, nationality, age, economic position, property, marital status, birth or other status.”2 The Constitution of India in fact under Article 23(2) lays down the same right against exploitation.3 Section 17 of the Inter State Migrant
Workmen Act 1979 mandates the liability of the contractors in payment of wages.4

However, all these provisions have become stagnant due to the present outbreak. There has been very less attention paid to the condition of this labour workforce regarding their basic needs. Furthermore, the condition got worse by the lesser transport facilities and sealing of interstate
border areas. There has been no proper livelihood any longer due to lockdown. If there were any facilities available for savings, it would have been easier for the workers to utilize this in this difficult situation. The reason for which they migrated i.e. better earnings and security has become
a bane for their present existence.

Conclusion
1 Article 8 of International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/ProfessionalInterest/cmw.pdf
2 Article 7 ibid.
3 Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from imposing compulsory service for public purpose, and in imposing such service the State shall not make any discrimination on grounds only of religion, race, caste or class or any of them
4 Section 17. Responsibility for payment of wages. – (1) A contractor shall be responsible for payment of wages to each inter-State migrant workman employed by him and such wages shall be paid before the expiry of such period as may be prescribed.
(2) Every principal employer shall nominate a representative duly authorised by him to be present at the time of disbursement of wages by the contractor and it shall be the duty of such representative to certify the amounts paid as wages in such manner as may be prescribed.
(3) It shall be the duty of the contractor to ensure the disbursement of wages in the presence of the authorised representative of the principal employer.
(4) In case the contractor fails to make payment of wages within the prescribed period or makes short payment, then the principal employer shall be liable to make payment of the wages in full or the unpaid balance due, as the case may be, to the inter-State migrant workman employed by the contractor and recover the amount so paid from the contractor
either by deduction from any amount payable to the contractor under any contract or as a debt payable by the contractor.

In the present scenario, it is the responsibility of the Government of India to issue directions in this respect. The Government has in fact issued guidelines that stranded people can return to their home towns after undergoing strict medical screening both at the source and destination cities. States must also organize thermal testing units and quarantine facilities for all those who are stranded, in order to clear asymptomatic cases, before sending them back. However, the movement of migrants,
tourists and students will be restricted to non-containment zones. Consequent to the guidelines, there has been reports of trucks being packed by migrant workers and being pushed to state limits.

There has also been reports of migrant workers moving to their own hometown by riding cycles all day and night as they felt they are more secure in their villages with their friends and relatives rather than being stranded in an unknown environment with ruthless neighbours.

The Government of India thus is expected to take immediate appropriate measures to provide this migrant labourers wages for the period during which they are deprived of their work and consequent wages from the employers. It is not only a temporary measure but the Central Government should enact a law so that they along with their families are protected from the loss of wages for at least coming six months till the emergency period in India is withdrawn. In fact, the ultimate concern exists in the fact that migrant workers should be given a secure employment conditions and wages so that they no longer be pushed to this extreme in days to come.

Social Distancing- A Necessary Evil

At the beginning of March, “Social Distancing” was not so familiar among the Society. Human beings are social by nature. But staying away from friends, relatives seem to be very awkward and pathetic. But staying away from other people termed as “Social distancing” is the only way to slow down the spread of the outbreak COVID-19. The term “Corona virus disease of 2019” has become pandemic. It is creating panic in many countries because of its contagious spread due to which the maximum country shut down itself for, who-knows-how-long.

Social Distancing means no handshakes, no hugs, no gatherings as well as no close in-person interaction with others. Worldwide it has been seen as an essential weapon to prevent the most apocalyptic scenario. The Social Distancing is an indubitable or we can say the uttermost effective measure to minimize the spread of this killer.

There is no doubt about the instructions given by public health officials who have come up with an idea that Social Distancing is the only necessary solution to prevent the pandemic but this practice has now become a “necessary evil”. This practice is definitely restricting us from watching movies at multiplex, shopping malls, partying with friends, clubbing, visiting places, and more. It is well known truth that social connectedness is central to well-being and good mental health.

According to the studies of Professor Paul Zak, economics Science, psychology and Management at Claremont graduate university in California, a highly pleasurable neurotransmitter hormone “Oxytocin” is produced in response to physical touch which lowers stress, raises happiness, and increases kindness and charity towards others. Contrary to, when we are isolate from others life can feel cold and empty due to the lack of oxytocin. Lower levels of oxytocin have resulted in releasing more stress and anxiety. As a result of anxiety amongst the people there is difficulty in focusing and feeling of demotivation is arising.

Need of social distancing:

“The amidst Coronavirus spreading around the world is calling on us to suppress our profoundly human and evolutionarily hard-wired impulses for connection: seeing our friends, getting together in groups, or touching each other,” says Nicholas Christakis, a social scientist and physician at Yale University. Whenever we are at any gathering we are in close contact with people surrounding us. Since coronavirus is a respiratory virus that spreads through the droplets from nose and saliva. Mainly in gathering chances of being effected is more. That is why maintaining a social distance will helps in breaking the chain of transmission and slows down the effect of transmission.

According to various reports this social distancing, a non-pharmaceutical measuring step is proven to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of infection during an outbreak. With patience and cooperation, we can all do our part. Social distancing helps in breaking down the chain of transmission and slows down the effect of transmission of virus. By practicing this only measure we are able to limit the effects on individuals. Major areas like schools, workplaces, gym, markets, shopping malls, restaurants, tourist places are easily prone to transmit. Social distancing and self-isolation are becoming crucial part of the plan to reduce the spread of coronavirus. By maintaining social distancing, we assume that in coming days we will be able to see reduce number of deaths around the countries.

Stumbling block of social distancing:

In majority it has been seen these days’ people are getting exasperated due to tremendous pressure of Social Distancing which results in mental illness. Many experts claim that loosing connection among the people leads to a high psychological disorder like stress, anxiety and depression and panic.

According to World Health Organization stress and anxiety are the most prevalent mental effects during these pandemic. Stresses for the losing jobs are haunting very badly. As the day of self isolation is passing by lifestyle of people are changing very rapidly. The Medical Director of National Alliance on mental illness, Dr. Ken Duckworth stated that avoiding social interaction will harm mental health and less connection will cause additional stress for people.

Dr. Maria Oquendo, a past president of American Psychiatric Association along with a chair of psychiatry from the University of Pennysywania, Philadelphia claims that people suffering from any kind of psychiatric condition will have high anxiety response.

Social Distancing is also increasing the risk of loneliness and some researchers also claim that this loneliness will urge the mentally effected people towards harmful drugs and consumption of alcohol. Experts also warn risk of suicide rated due to social distancing. A there is rapid increase in cases of loneliness, stress disorder, anxiety disorder amongst the people. All these symptoms together can lead the risk of suicidal. The question arises what we need to do when we are suffering from mental illness due to this loneliness. We may practice some measures to get rid off.

Limit the time or lesson the time spending on watching the news which are upsetting.
Spend more time in online learning app to improve knowledge.
Maintains a healthy lifestyle by having proper diet, spend few moments in yoga for relaxation and peace of mind
Having proper sleep
Contacts with love ones by phone call, video chat and email etc.
Avoid using harmful drugs, alcohol to deal with emotions.

Global Effect of Social Distancing on Employment and Resources:

Social distancing has highly effected some major sectors like garment industries, travel and tourism, restaurants, etc. Certain work field has incorporated “work from home” facility which has resulted in some relaxation for fewer employees but on a bigger scenario self distancing is coming up with a burden of evil impact among the people. As many industries and sectors cannot incorporate the practice of work from home facilities. Other sectors like

Sports industry totally shutdown .The event organizers and workers in stadium have become jobless and there is no means for getting salary. One of the major hit in the sports industry due to the social distancing is cancellation of The Olympics in Japan.
Travel industries and Aviation has been shutdown. Norwegian and Scandinavian airlines have laid off 90% their employees creating a buzz of unemployment.
Marriot, world largest company slashed the salaries of senior executives by 50% and laying off almost 10,000 workers from jobs.
Restaurants and Malls have also been closed because of social distancing.
The International labour organization has predicted that 38% of employees in the world are either at risk of layoff or salary cut. It has been predicted that more than 1 billion workers in the total with either face salary cut or jobless.

All these factors may lead to a negative impact on world economy and Global Recession which can eventually become the root cause for mental depression among the people.

Conclusion:

The solution for curing the pandemic has now become the reason for mental illness. According to researchers Social Distancing will help in breaking the chain of the virus but it will play an adverse effect and sooner it will become a necessary evil. The term social distancing is definitely acting like an evil nowadays. But by adopting this one and only evil practice we will be safe and survive to see our future. At last we can conclude words of our honourable prime minister “Jaan hain to jahan hain”. Hope in coming days we can definitely fight against this giant pandemic situation and see a beautiful and blissful morning ahead.

Therapeutics of COVID-19: Can nanotechnology be the game changer?

The outbreak of COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a newly emerging human infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, previously called 2019-nCoV). As on May 1^st, COVID-19 has caused 2,33,388 deaths out of 32,56,846 confirmed cases in 210 countries and territories. The ripple effect of COVID-19 presents an unprecedented challenge to identify effective drugs for prevention and treatment. Although, the current scenario represents no such potential therapeutic outcomes in patients with either suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19, clinicians and researchers in all over the world have been racing to get a better understanding about SARS-CoV-2 to develop new-age therapeutic strategies.

COVID-19 and Nanoparticles: The plausible interaction

As the need of the hour is to develop a smart therapeutic agent for SARS-CoV-2, the complete understanding on the structure of the virus and their action after entering in human systems is extremely important. The COVID-19 causative agent is severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus (SARS-CoV-2) which is more contagious than the previously reported SARS-COV which was observed in 2002. SARS-COV-2, a single stranded RNA-enveloped virus, targets host cells through the binding of the glycosylated spike (S) protein to a receptor protein named as angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor located on the surface of host cells. It is already reported that a host type 2 transmembrane serine protease, TMPRSS2, facilitates its cell entry via the S protein. The interaction between viral S protein and ACE2 on the host cell surface is of significant interest since it initiates the infection process and it is found that the affinity of SARS-CoV-2 to ACE2 is 10-20 times higher than the SARS-CoV protein. So far, no evident treatment or vaccine has been developed for the treatment of COVID-19 except for some conventionally used drugs which are previously used to improve the immune system against malaria or rheumatoid arthritis called hydroxychloroquine or tocilizumab. Nanotechnology holds great promise serving as potential game changers in the field of various diseases, especially cancer. We may hope that engineered nanoparticles with its smart architecture may find a better solution towards this pandemic. Here, I would like to mention the quote of Professor Kostas Kostarelos, chair professor of nanomedicine at the university of Manchester that “viruses are the most beautiful, smart and capable nanoparticles”! Another professor Thomas Webster from Northeastern university mentioned that they are trying to develop iron based nanoformulations which may exhibit plausible interactions with spike (S) proteins due to similar size and architecture of SARS-CoV-2 with an average diameter 125 nm. They also added that these nanoformulations can be disrupted through applying infrared light treatment like in the treatment of in cancer. Unfortunately, there is still no active solution regarding the treatment of COVID-19.

Therapeutics of COVID-19: Does nanotechnology help in therapeutic development?

Various repurposed therapeutic agents are already studied in clinical trials for COVID-19 and they are in various formulations of Chloroquine, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir-Ritonavir, Arbidol or Ribavirin, Tocilizumab. These drugs have shown potential results in other chronic inflammatory diseases including HIV, malaria and rheumatoid arthritis. They may appear to block viral entry into cells by inhibiting glycosylation of host receptors, endosomal acidification and inhibition of 3-chymotrypsin protease. These agents also have immunomodulatory effects through attenuation of cytokine production and inhibition of autophagy and lysosomal activity in host cells. The use of nanoparticles in the treatment of HIV has shown promising results where Poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles were used as a delivery system to Lopinavir/Ritonavir therapy. Ribavirin, the antiviral agent, has delivered with polymeric nanoparticles to treat Hepatitis C with satisfactory results. Ribavirin in combination with gold (Au) nanoparticles showed antiviral activity against measles virus. Various formulations of nanoparticles along with these drugs have been successfully tested in animal models mimicking infectious diseases. Recently, a group of researchers from Germany has shown that using their functionalized carbon nanoparticles; they inhibited the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into the host cells by interfering the function of S protein. Thus, nanoparticles could help us to win over the COVID-19 outbreak.

Figure 1: Schematic represents virus-induced host immune system response and viral processing within target cells. Proposed targets of select repurposed and investigational products are noted. ACE2, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2; S protein, spike protein; and TMPRSS2, type 2 transmembrane serine protease. (Picture taken from Reference 1)

‘Cytokine Storm’ of COVID-19: Can nanotechnology be the game changer?

Immunomodulatory therapy is very popular in various chronic inflammatory diseases and is related to the innate immunity of our body which is the first line of defence. The patients of COVID-19 also had the same aberrant inflammatory cytokine storm as observed in SARS referring to an excessive inflammatory response flaring out of control and the immune system
awry. Interleukin 6 or IL-6 is an important cytokine in the storm which links innate to acquired immune response to any pathogenic organisms. It sends out warning signal to entire body in the form of pathogen recognition receptor (PRR) to other immune cells like monocytes and macrophages. Aberrant inflammatory response can be detected with large amount of IL-6 release from inflammatory cytokines. Targeted IL-6 which has been used in different other benign disease like Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may potentially be effective and safe way to modulate immune response and cytokine storm in COVID-19. Thus, monoclonal antibodies directed against key inflammatory cytokines represent a potential class of immunomodulatory therapies for COVID-19. Tocilizumab is the first marketed IL-6 blocking monoclonal antibody through targeting IL-6 receptors and has proved its safety and effectiveness in therapy for rheumatoid arthritis by reducing the inflammatory response. Surface engineered nanoparticles with their stealthy nature have shown promising response as delivery agents of anti-inflammatory agents to supress cytokine storm in various infectious disease models. Regarding this one report from PostTech Pohang showed that gold nanoparticles in form of hyaluronate-gold nanoparticle-Tocilizumab (anti-IL-6 antibody) complex had promising results in treatment of RA with significantly decreased cytokine (IL-6) expression and had prolonged immunosuppressive effects though studied in mice model. Thus, these gold nanoparticles in combination with Tocilizumab can be targeted to COVID-19 patients and may be an effective therapeutic strategy to fight the deadly virus. However, regarding the treatment of inflammatory responses in COVID-19 patients, it is an awful truth that there is still no available therapy that can be able to fight this cytokine storm in COVID-19. To overcome these problems, research group of Dr Patrick Couvreur from University of Paris-Sud designed a “multi-drug nano particles” by the intelligent combination of adenosine and the antioxidant alpha-tocopherol and their results in mice showed that typical “cytokine storm” of COVID-19 was reduced by the subsequent increase in anti-inflammatory responses. Thus, combination of smart nanoparticles with monoclonal antibodies like tocilizumab or nanoformulations of antioxidants can be the potential game changers towards killing the virions of COVID-19, because they can battle against the “cytokine storm” of the patients with minimum side effects.

A ray of hope

COVID-19 pandemic represents the greatest global public health crisis of this generation. With its outbreak, we all have realized that the development in research sectors and healthcare industries will be of utmost importance to get a corona free world. In this deadly hour, we, the chemists, the material scientists, the biologists should contribute in a collective way to win over such avengers and together we are hopeful to overcome this dusky phase of our life.

References:

Treatments for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) A Review. J. M. Sanders, M.L. Monogue, T.Z. Jodlowski, J. B. Cutrell, JAMA. Published online April 13. 2020.
Lopinavir loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) for intestinal lymphatic targeting. European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2011, 42, 11.
The effect of lopinavir/ritonavir and lopinavir/ritonavir loaded PLGA nanoparticles on experimental toxoplasmosis. F. Abou-El-Naga, E.D. El Kerdany, R.F. Mady, T.I. Shalaby E.M. Zaytoun. Parasitol Int. 2017, 66, 735.
Hyaluronate-Gold Nanoparticle/Tocilizumab Complex for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Lee, M.Y.Lee, S. H. Bhang, B.S. Kim, Y. S. Kim, J.H. Ju, K.S. Kim, S.K. Hahn. ACS Nano. 2014, 8, 4790.

Environmental protection Vis-a-Vis Development

“One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between man and nature shall not be broken.” –Leo Tolstoy

INTRODUCTION:

Every human being has a natural impulse to develop, nurture, or step forward. “Development” is an expression belonging to the area of economics and has at the present time acquired a central and unique importance. In 21^st century terms like development, modernization, growth, progress have become paramount concepts whose usefulness is outside the purview of any challenge and therefore anything that questions these miraculous concepts are not accepted rather it is shunned. With the passage of time the question of development and its impact on the environment became more dominant. It was realized that our environment is being effected adversely and causing damage to life and property on the earth.

DEVELOPMENT v. DEGRADATION

A debate regarding protecting and preserving our environment has been prevalent since a long time, along with a high level of legislative activity in India in the sphere of environmental development. In 1984, because of Bhopal gas disaster Environment Protection Act 1986, came into force. Though there are lot many agreements like conventions or treaties which are the results of various reforms and regulations but that have been disappointing. Moreover, mechanism with regard to the implementation of rules and regulations have also been futile which

reflects the degrading treatment of our environment only.

Keeping in mind the ecological balance and progress, the recent developmental works must not be put under a scanner, so that the whole idea of environmental up-gradation get threatened. There are concrete schemes and strategies with regard to afforestation, there are many legislation’s related to the control of water and air pollution and for preservation of forests. India has taken many attempts to preserve tigers and because of that India has been praised worldwide for its attempt but there is a huge problem with the entire range of activities which does not seem to reflect a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between development and environment. In this regard much less has been done and little efforts towards it has taken place so as to harmonize human want with that of the process of development and maintenance of environmental balance.

The political debate in India, concentrates on two issues which are growth and maintaining sustainability. In today’s world there is a challenge to find out the process of development that will lead to equity, growth and sustainability. The nature or environment is not just about the trees, forests or wildlife. It is such an important entity upon which the entire world subsist and on which development of agriculture and industry depends.

At the cost of environment, development can take place but up to a certain limit otherwise it will be like a foolish person who was trying to cut the very branch of a tree on which he was sitting. Development in today’s word is very crucial but at the same time there has to be a concern for the protection of environment at large otherwise in the long run there can be only anti development and can go only at the cost of enormous human sufferings.

Many actions have taken place in the name of protection of environment like, Mitti Bachao Abhiyan, Chipko Movement, etc; but in true sense environmental protection perse is of least concern because those movements were only about how to use the environment and who will get the benefit. Therefore, we can find out the growing understanding of the relationship between the people and their environment, born out of a concern for a more equitable and sustainable use of the environment and probably that would be a most fascinating development in India.

If India fails to recreate nature on a massive scale in a manner that generates employment, not only to its rural areas, but also its cities will become uninhabited. Many people prefer to call the urban migrants economic refugees from the countryside. But in my opinion many of them are really ecological refugees, displaced by dams, by mines, by deforestation, by destruction of grazing lands, by floods, by droughts, by urban expansion and so on and so forth. India has today the world’s fourth largest urban population, but before the end of

the century it will be the largest. Managing this huge urban population will call for extraordinary political and managerial sagacity and altogether new approaches, something we cannot learn from the rest of the world. But one thing is definite — if the process of urbanization continues to create the same demands on our rural environment, it will only accelerate the destruction of that environment and in turn make the urban environment impossible to manage and a whole mankind would be at stake. India could not survive without efficient energy, adequate resources and equally balanced urbanization.

CONCLUSION:

Thus, in conclusion we can aptly remark that despite various legislation’s passed by our parliament as well as several international obligations, a more holistic approach should be implemented for its enforcement on the part of the government, common mass and scientists as a whole. Now the time has come where the scientists also shall have to play a very important and dynamic role through their inventions for environmental protection with an environment friendly approach which is need of the hour, so that various stakeholder associated with the mammoth task of preserving and protecting our environment would be able to adopt more proactive measures to make our society a better place to live in .

Homoeopathy: A distinctive approach to combat COVID-19

Contributor : Dr. Nupur Bhattacharya, Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery from West Bengal University of Health Sciences

According to the World Health Organization Coronavirus illness (COVID-19) is a communicable disease caused by a coronavirus or SARS-CoV. More than 3.1 million confirmed cases have been reported so far, whole world is fighting against the Corona Virus, the terror against the human civilization.

Effects of conventional medicines

All the antiviral drugs we have to fight against flu will have no result, also no vaccines are invented till date according to WHO. However, there are numerous progressing clinical preliminaries assessing potential medications; but these are merely a stone in a blind hole. So, strengthening our immune system is the only hope for endurance. Now, when there is no so called antiviral and antibacterial drugs available, what is the solution?

There is an alternative

The Homoeopathy is the system that can be anticipated to reinforce our immune system. Homoeopathic treatment is a symptomatologic treatment of the patient not a symptomatic treatment of disease. It has been proven that the Homoeopathic medicines enhances our immune system which helps our body to fight against the disease and to cure the same from the root.

History of success

The preventive approach of Homoeopathic Medicine is well appreciated, and historically, Homoeopathy has reportedly been used for prevention during the epidemics of Cholera, Scarlet fever, Diphtheria, Spanish Influenza, Yellow fever, Typhoid etc. There is anecdotal evidence that homoeopathic medicine was fruitful during the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918 to 1919, in which at least 20 million people died worldwide, when in United States only the count is more than 500,000^[1]. According to the historian Julian Winston, the rate of death for patients treated with homoeopathy (genus epidemicus) were 1 to 2% compared with a 30 to 60% mortality for those treated by modern medicine^[2].

Recent scenario

Regarding this COVID-19 UK National health service have published some symptomatology of corona virus infection. The common symptoms of the novel coronavirus include respiratory symptoms such as fever, dry cough, sore throat, aching pain in the body and shortness of breath and severe breathing difficulties like sensation of drowning in water. Almost all the authorities accepted these symptoms and there may be the running nose along with diarrhoea.

Recommended measure for prevention

Now evaluating the symptoms in Homoeopathic Medicine system there are ample number of drugs. Arsenic oxide, known as Arsenicum Album in homoeopathy, was what the AYUSH Ministry prescribed for coronavirus prevention. For conditions such as respiratory problems, allergies and even anxiety and insomnia this remedy usually applied by homoeopaths.

Individualization

But there are total six numbers arsenic group of medicine which can be used for same complaint. When selection of medicine is based on symptoms and patient as well. When Antimonium Tart, Rhus Tox, Drosera, Spongia Tosta and also Arsenic Album etc. In homoeopathy, can be used for same complaint. Specifically for dry cough with fever Drosera which have been proved to act very beneficially for mankind, considering individualization of the patient if that pain throat is relieved by application of hot water then Rhus Tox or Arsenic Group of drugs will have greater impact, if the patient becomes restless with the fever then Rhus Tox may be the drug. So, it can be concised that not a specific medicine can be prescribed for same complaint. This concept was first put forth by Sir Samuel Hahnemann in the Organon of Medicine, Aphorism 241, as “…each single epidemic is of a peculiar, uniform character common to all the individuals attacked, and when this character is found in the totality of the symptoms common to all, it guides us to the discovery of homoeopathic (specific) remedy suitable for all the cases….”^[2].

In coincidence with the statement of Sir Samuel Hahnemann that every prevailing epidemic diseases are so called contagious disease that is why they always bring a fixed group of symptoms and must have to be judged by observing the cases on the field for appropriate symptomatology and proper individualization of the patient.

References:

Jacobs J. Homoeopathic Prevention and Management of Epidemic Diseases. Homoeopathy. 2018 Aug; 107(3):157-160.
Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy. Homoeopathic perspectives in covid-19 coronavirus infection fact sheet. 2020 March, 14-15.

Understanding Child Psychology during COVID-19 Pandemic

Student Contributors: Manisha Chakraborty, B.Sc 2^nd Year, Biochemistry; Samanwita Mandal, M.Sc 1^st Year, Biochemistry

For the last sixth months, the world has witnessed an unprecedented peril with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the coronavirus. It was first reported in the city of Wuhan Hubei Province of China in December 2019. Since then it has rapidly unfurled from one country to another. It has become a major threat to health and the global economy. Until now, over three million people were infected and more than one fifth million people have lost their live worldwide. Considering the global scale of asperity and widespread infection, COVID-19 is certainly much pervasive as compared to the emergence of SARS-CoV epidemics in the year 2002.
Most of the countries have grappled befitting approaches to control the disease. The most common approach to foil the COVID-19 outbreak is in the form of imposing lockdown. India is no exception. It has been over a month that the people across India are virtually confined at home. All the major activities like education, offices, business, entertainment, and transport are at stake; except for the health facility and essential commodities. Nobody knows when normalcy will reign. Government-issued several measures and guidelines to maintain social distancing and hygiene.
The situation sounds good especially for those who used to stay away from home or spending little time with their family. They have now ample opportunity to spend with family. Despite this, the enormous disruption of normal routine undeniably perturbs the innate behavior of common people. It creates feelings of anxiety, panic, depression irrespective of age. However, special attention must be rendered to children under the age of ten. Even under wearisome daily routine, children should not be excluded from the remarkable impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Children adopt and adapt a wide variety of behaviors, attitudes, skills, and experiences as they grow up. They seek for the structure of a daily routine that ensures predictability. Because the predictability can trim down apprehension and potential conflicts between parents and kids. The UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay claimed that ‘the global scale and speed of the current educational disruption is unparalleled’. Since schools are closed for prolonged and indefinite periods, they find themselves inside their rooms for weeks after weeks and behave differently such as the tendency to refuse things, clinginess, irritability, distraction, changing habits, and fear of asking questions. More concerning situation evolves when they witness themselves to interpersonal violence assuming their home becomes an unsafe place. In this situation, parents are getting afraid of tackling this menace.
Even children with special needs such as autism are also susceptible to uncanny behavior as a result of frustration for the disruption of their daily routines. A study in various countries reveals that pandemic has worsened the condition of mental illness of the children as day progresses. The condition becomes serious due to unfortunate accessibilities to mental health or peer support groups following stringent nation-wide lockdown measures and rigidity of social distancing.
In India, the summer vacation begins usually from April. They are supposed to go for outing, visit places of interest, enjoy their time with friends, relatives, and doing several activities including playing, singing, drawing, innovative thinking, and many more. Unfortunately, the outdoor activities are being compromised and their dream or wish has been slashed in this difficult time. Though children are perceptive to change, it is hard to comprehend or they may not articulate their view properly. Instead, they may express their anger, annoyance, irritation, and impatience quite often. Under this situation, children always look for their parents and are trying to become attached to them and throwing tantrums. This turns out to be disgusting to some parents.
By understanding their reactions and emotions, it is indispensable to address their needs properly. So, every parent has to develop a strategy of fostering resilience in children being worst affected by the psychological consequences of the COVID-19. The parent needs to pay attention, concentrate on them, monitor their activities, turn away their ill-attention to positivity. The main psychological consequence is the loneliness that can be alleviated by spending time with them such as playing collaborative games, sharing childhood experience, telling mythological stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata, motivational stories, addressing their fears and concerns, encouraging physical activities and promote singing, playing musical instruments, inspire a drawing, and apply music therapy to reduce the loneliness, distraction, stress, fear, and agony. This can certainly be achieved if parents can build up a schedule analogous to their daily routine such as regular wake up, breakfast, home-schooling hours, lunchtime, dinner including scope for fun, going for walks with safe distance, and virtual house parties, etc. To do so, parents must find time in managing their stress so that they can be models for their children. Besides the kids can spend quality time with their grandparents that can act as a real stress buster for both.

References

Neria Y, Nandi A , Galea S . Post-traumatic stress disorder following disasters: a systematic review. Psychol Med. 2008; 38(4):467-480.
Pettoello-Mantovani M, Pop TL, Mestrovic J, Ferrara P, Giardino I, Carrasco-Sanz A, et al. Fostering resilience in children: the essential role of healthcare professionals and families. J Pediatr 2019; 205:298-9.e1.
Lancet Child Adolesc Health 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(20)30109-7.
Wen Yan Jiao, Lin Na Wang, Juan Liu, Shuan Feng Fang, Fu Yong Jiao, Massimo Pettoello-Mantovani, and Eli Somekh, Fostering resilience in children: the essential role of healthcare professionals and families. J Pediatr