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What Should Parents Know About COVID-19-Related Anxiety in Kids?

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the lives of everyone, including children. Vermont’s mental health professionals have seen higher-than-normal numbers of kids experiencing anxiety brought on by the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order, school closures, canceled extracurricular activities, and curtailed visits with family and friends.

Thankfully, parents can play an active role in reducing their kids’ anxiety, beginning by reassuring them that they live in a very safe place. According to the Vermont Department of Health, the number of youth under the age of 20 who have contracted COVID-19 remains low, and no Vermont children or teens have died from the virus.

Still, if children seem unusually anxious for a prolonged period, there are things parents can do to help. Dr. Lewis First, chief of pediatrics at the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, shares his expert advice for managing anxiety in kids.

KIDS VT: What is anxiety?

DR. LEWIS FIRST: Anxiety is a normal emotion we all experience at one point or another as part of our natural fight-or-flight response. Having a little stress or anxiety about something new, different or challenging is normal and prepares us to be sharper and more alert to respond. For a child, it may be a big test or athletic competition. But anxiety can become a problem when a child faces a sudden, prolonged crisis — which makes COVID-19 the perfect scenario for causing stress and anxiety. While their stress may not indicate a classic anxiety disorder, it can reach the upper limits of what a child is emotionally able to handle.

KVT: What signs should parents watch for?

LF: Anxiety becomes a concern when a child experiences a persistence of symptoms associated with this condition. Kids may have physiological complaints such as headaches, stomachaches or loss of appetite. Some kids become irritable or agitated. They may become restless, easily fatigued, have trouble concentrating or difficulty sleeping. Some become disruptive or even withdraw from their parents as a way to cope.

KVT: Does anxiety look different depending upon the child’s age?

LF: Kids of all ages, even babies, can show signs of stress or anxiety, which they can sense from their parents’ unease or experience when they’re around people they don’t know. Babies, toddlers and preschoolers may seem clingier, cry more, get upset easily and not want to do things that they previously enjoyed. Older schoolchildren and early adolescents may exhibit more negativity. They may complain of shortness of breath, shakiness, clamminess, a racing heart and feelings of doom, which are all classic signs of a panic attack.

KVT: When should parents be concerned about a child’s anxiety?

LF: First, parents should realize that the vast majority of children who are showing signs of stress right now are not having classic anxiety disorders. To make such a diagnosis, we need to see at least one sign of excessive anxiety occurring more days than not for at least six months, and we haven’t been dealing with COVID-19 for that long yet.

KVT: What can parents do to help?

LF: Kids tend to stress when they sense that their parents are worried. I know it’s hard right now, but parents need to remain calm and manage their own stress as best they can. This is a great opportunity for families to recognize that, even while isolated or as we slowly get out in public more often, this is a special time together. Parents should build in time to be with their child where it’s not about talking at them but really listening to them. With an older child or teenager, sometimes a parent expressing their own concerns will open the door to them feeling it’s OK to vent their own feelings. Parents can ask a child if there’s something they saw or heard about the coronavirus that worries them, then educate them about what is fact versus fiction. Parents can also reassure their children that scientists and medical professionals around the world are working every day to find new medicines and vaccines that will make this virus go away.

KVT: What can kids do themselves?

LF: Children can be made to feel like they’re part of the solution by practicing physical distancing, good handwashing hygiene and staying home when necessary. Parents should focus on all the positive things their kids are doing. Limit children’s exposure to the news or, with an older child, watch it together as a family so that you can discuss what’s going on. One of the most important things you can do to reduce anxiety is create predictability. Uncertainty breeds anxiety and fear, so parents should create a schedule that is predictable yet flexible and includes plenty of group playtime. Communicate with family, friends, teachers and coaches by phone or videoconference. And parents should not loosen the rules too much on healthy behaviors such as consistent bedtimes, good diet and daily exercise.

KVT: What if kids are still struggling with daily anxiety?

LF: If children just aren’t sleeping well most or all nights, are anxious most of the time, or continue to show the signs and symptoms we’ve discussed, then it’s time to talk to a health care professional. They can recommend treatments such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and even medication. A counselor or therapist can be very helpful in teaching a child coping mechanisms such as taking slow, deep breaths; counting backward from 100; and having a safe space to go to in their minds and/or in their homes. Increased anxiety in adults can lead to physical or emotional abuse, so parents need to manage their own stress levels, too.

© 2020 Kids VT

WHO : Astrazeneca leading in Covid-19 vaccine race, Moderna not far behind

The WHO is in talks with multiple Chinese manufacturers, including Sinovac, on potential vaccines

syringe and pills on blue background
Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

AstraZeneca’s experimental Covid-19 vaccine is probably the world’s leading candidate and most advanced in terms of development, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) chief scientist said on Friday.

The British drugmaker has already begun large-scale, mid-stage human trials of the vaccine, which was developed by researchers at University of Oxford.

This week, AstraZeneca signed its tenth supply-and-manufacturing deal.

“Certainly in terms of how advanced they are, the stage at which they are, they are I think probably the leading candidate,” WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan told a news conference.

“So it’s possible they will have results quite early.”

Swaminathan said Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine candidate was “not far behind” AstraZeneca’s, among more than 200 candidates, 15 of which have entered clinical trials.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE: Vaccine tests need over $30 bn in 12 months, says WHO

“We do know that Moderna’s vaccine is also going to go into phase three clinical trials, probably from the middle of July, and so that vaccine candidate is not far behind,” she said.

“But I think AstraZeneca certainly has a more global scope at the moment in terms of where they are doing and planning their vaccine trials.”

The WHO is in talks with multiple Chinese manufacturers, including Sinovac, on potential vaccines, as well as with Indian researchers, Swaminathan said.

She called for drugmakers to consider collaborating on Covid-19 vaccine trials, similar to the WHO’s ongoing Solidarity trial for drugs. A WHO-led coalition fighting the pandemic on Friday asked government and private sector donors to help raise $31.3 billion in the next 12 months to develop and deliver tests, treatments and vaccines for the disease. The initiative is called the ACT-Accelerator.

Andrew Witty, Special Envoy for the ACT-Accelerator, said it was important to consider a “portfolio of research efforts” for vaccines.

“It’s still very early days in this journey, we may be super lucky – which would be terrific – and have an early win,” Witty said. “Even if it takes 12 to 18 months that would be without precedent, the world’s fast development of vaccine.”

 

Dream big, but start small!

Why is it So Hard to Stick to Good Habits?

Have you ever set out with the goal of actually sticking to a new behavior … only to find yourself not doing it at all one week later?

I know I have.

Why is it so hard to form good habits? Why is it so difficult to make consistent change? How can we have the best intentions to become better, and yet still see so little progress?

And most importantly, is there anything we can do about it?

Your Life Goals are Not Your Habits

Your audacious life goals are fabulous. We’re proud of you for having them. But it’s possible that those goals are designed to distract you from the thing that’s really frightening you—the shift in daily habits that would mean a re–invention of how you see yourself.

We all have hopes and dreams.

And most of the time, we have at least a general sense of what those goals are: the way we want our bodies to look and the good health we want to enjoy, the respect we want to receive from our peers and the important work we want to create, the relationships we want with our family and friends and the love we want to share.

Overall, this is a good thing. It’s nice to know what you want and having goals gives you a sense of direction and purpose. However, there is one way that your hopes and dreams actually sabotage you from becoming better: your desires can easily lure you into biting off more than you can chew.

You know exactly what I mean…

  • You get inspired by The Biggest Loser, head to the gym, bust your butt to the point of exhaustion, and take the next three months off to recover.

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  • You’re motivated by your friend’s stories of traveling to new countries, so you start to plan your own around–the–world trip, only to end up overwhelmed by all the details and stay at home.

Too often, we let our motivations and desires drive us into a frenzy as we try to solve our entire problem at once instead of starting a small, new routine..

So how do we balance our desire to make life–changing transformations with the need to build small, sustainable habits?.

Dream Big, But Start Small

If you’re serious about making real change — in other words, if you’re serious about doing things better than you are now — then you have to start small.

Imagine the typical habits, good or bad: Brushing your teeth. Putting your seatbelt on. Biting your nails.

These actions are small enough that you don’t even think about them. You simply do them automatically. They are tiny actions that become consistent patterns.

Wouldn’t it make sense that if we wanted to form new habits, the best way to start would be to make tiny changes that our brain could quickly learn and automatically repeat?

What if you started thinking of your life goals, not as big, audacious things that you can only achieve when the time is right or when you have better resources or when you finally catch your big break … but instead as tiny, daily behaviors that are repeated until success becomes inevitable?

What if losing 50 pounds wasn’t dependent on a researcher discovering the perfect diet or you finding a superhuman dose of willpower, but hinged on a series of tiny habits that you could always control? Habits like walking for 20 minutes per day, drinking 8 glasses of water per day, eating two meals instead of three.

I think the following quote, sums this idea up nicely.

If you plant the right seed in the right spot, it will grow without further coaxing.

I believe this is the best metaphor for creating habits.

The “right seed” is the tiny behavior that you choose. The “right spot” is the sequencing — what it comes after. The “coaxing” part is amping up motivation, which I think has nothing to do with creating habits. In fact, focusing on motivation as the key to habits is exactly wrong.

Let me be more explicit: If you pick the right small behavior and sequence it right, then you won’t have to motivate yourself to have it grow. It will just happen naturally, like a good seed planted in a good spot.

How great is that?

The typical approach is to dive into the deep end as soon as you get a dose of motivation, only to fail quickly and wish you had more willpower as your new habit drowns. The new approach is to wade into the shallow water, slowly going deeper until you reach the point where you can swim whether you’re motivated or not.

Focus on Lifestyle, Not Life–Changing

Too often we get obsessed with making life–changing transformations..

  • Running a marathon would be life–changing, running 3 days per week is a new type of lifestyle.
  • Squatting 100 more pounds would be life–changing, squatting 3 days per week is a new type of lifestyle.

Do you see the difference?

Life goals are good to have because they provide direction, but they can also trick you into taking on more than you can handle. Daily habits , tiny routines that are repeatable  are what make big dreams a reality.

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Intrinsic factors affecting the growth of microorganisms in food

There are various types of interactions between microorganisms and other living organisms. These interactions are natural, constant and also play a significant role in maintaining the ecological balance and stability of the biogeochemical cycle of the nature. Mostly, the food products we consume are obtained from plants and animals and also these foods are rich in variety of microorganisms which may or may not be pathogenic to humans. Growth of microorganisms in food depends on various different parameters which can be broadly classified as INTRINSIC and EXTRINSIC factors.
INTRINSIC FACTORS –
These are the factors that are present in the food substance in which the microorganism is growing, or it may be said as the internal factors of that particular food substrate. Various intrinsic factors are-

  1. Hydrogen Ion Concentration – All the microorganisms have minimal, maximal, or optimal pH for their growth and survival. Thus, the growth of microorganisms in food is affected by the pH of the food material. Foods may be classified as low pH or high pH foods. Most fruits, fermented foods come under high acid foods whereas most vegetables, meat, fish and milk are low acid foods. pH range of different microorganisms are :
    • Molds – 1.5-9.0
    • Yeasts – 2.0-8.5
    • Gram-positive bacteria – 4.0-8.5
    • Gram-negative bacteria – 4.5-9.0
  2. Water activity or moisture content – Water activity can be defined as the measure of availability of water present in any substance which can be used for biological functions and it also gives an idea of free water present in any food product. Water is an excellent requirement for microorganism for their growth. It has been observed and noted that the water activity of fresh food substances is 0.99. Also bacteria require more water activity i.e. free water in any food substrate for their growth than molds and yeasts. If specifically studied, it will be observed that gram-negative bacteria have relatively higher water requirements than gram-positive bacteria. Free water in any food substance is an essential requirement for the growth of microorganisms. Water activity of any food can be reduced by various absorption techniques to reduce the affect of spoilage by microorganisms.
  3. Redox Potential – Redox potential can be defined as the reducing and oxidizing power of food and it also greatly influences the growth of microorganisms in food. The concentration of oxygen present in any food sample determines the type of microorganism that will grow in it. Like, aerobic microbes require the oxygen whereas anaerobic microbes can also grow in lack of oxygen. So, it can be said aerobes grow at positive O-R potential whereas anaerobes grow at negative O-R potential.
  4. Composition of nutrients – Food composition is also an another intrinsic factor which influences the growth of microorganisms in food. There are 5 major nutrients group which are counted i.e. carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins and minerals, amount of each varies with the type of food and so the type and growth of microorganisms. Bacteria require the most nutrient requirement than yeasts and molds. Microorganisms utilize large complex nutrient molecules and convert them into smaller molecules. For e.g. there are some proteolytic bacteria which acts on proteins and hydrolyze it. Also some microbes convert lipids into glycerol with the help of an enzyme lipase. Some microorganisms which require vitamins for their growth are called as fastidious microorganisms.
  5. Inhibitory substances – There are a number of inhibitory substances that are present in foods by their origin which naturally prevent the growth of microorganisms in them. For e.g. some plants contain essential oils possessing antimicrobial properties. Milk also contains several antimicrobials like lactoferrin, conglutinin, etc.
  6. Biological structures – The natural structure of some foods have the remarkable excellence in controlling the entry as well as the growth of microorganisms in or on them. It can be noted as the natural covering of some foods which prevents the entry of microbes. So, the inner parts of the healthy tissues are sterile and possess very less microbial count. For e.g. skin of egg, rind on fruits, etc.

Monsoon

Last Sunday morning my father entered from balcony for lifting up his call he was looking annoyed after attending the call, when I enquired what was the reason he told me that he was dreaming and this telephone woke him up from the dream and brought him back to the reality.

As he told he was dreaming about his lost childhood…….

On a lazy Sunday morning, sitting in balcony, sipping hot tea and enjoying rain is an unparalleled experience. Vivid memories of past passes through the mind like sequence of a movie. People from hinterlands of the country migrate in search of job and choose to stay in busy cities like Mumbai always bear a nostalgic feeling about their “lost villages”. Rain always help memories to take shape and take back us to the “good old days”.

During Late 60s and 70s, each Kerala village use to have one or two primary schools and one high school.  Study after seventh standard involve some extra walking through paddy fields or palm groves along with rocky areas. To reach nearest High school, some students used to take bus for a short distance. My village was blessed with a high school with reasonable educational facilities and excellent set of teachers.

Education starts from home, enjoying walk through paddy fields crossing a canal and then the most difficult balancing act of crossing a narrow path way over slippery rock and flowing water during monsoon. After reaching school there will be a foot ball session till the school bell rang. Playground used to be uneven and filled with stones and hard rock pieces. Some areas were slippery and hard. These challenging conditions never affect the zeal of players. Injuries were order of the day due to hard condition of ground as well as aggressive nature of few individual players.

Way back home after school was also equally interesting. People discuss about the day’s events and express their views. Some interactions used to end up in fight between two groups. Walking back home in heavy rain used to be a normal affair during monsoon. Summer evening used to be hot and sticky. People used to prefer shady routes to reach home.

On Sundays and school holiday we used to go to the nearest forest for grazing cows. The forest was not dense, but it used to be the source for fresh grass for cattle and timber for households. Women folk used to go to the forest during early hours of the day and collects logs. They used to pack their days collection and carry by head and exit the forest area before the forest guards become active.

Villages in Kerala were always blessed with its natural water bodies and amazing greenery. Area close to Sahya mountains receive heavy rain from June to October. Due to this the nature used to be fresh and clean during most part of the year but hot and humid during the summer. From February to mid of May, weather used to be very hot and humid during the day. Summer is the time of heat and humidity as well as the temple festivals. Evening Summer rain used to give respite from scorching heat often. Smell of the soil after the first rain fall was a refreshing experience.

April and may were mid-summer vacation days for schools. Day start with busy playing session in harvested paddy fields along with friends and an hour-long bath and swimming session in village pond by noon. After noon was the time for relishing summer delicacies such as mangos and jackfruits. Visiting temple on special days to witness annual temple fest was in the card on few days of the month. During this period, porticoes of temple used to witness various temple art forms like ‘Kalmezhuthu Pattu’ (Color full Rangoli display of portraits of goddess on floor and a musical concert), Chenda  melam (a drum concert). Some temples used to organize Kathakali during late evening. Annual festival used to prolong from twelve to fifteen day for each temple with final day as “Vela” or “Uthsavam’. A procession of elephants along with plots depicting men dressed in various Hindu gods and legendary heroes used to be a common mix in these processions. The tallest among the tuskers   will carry the deity on its back with ceremonial outfits and other elephants will position either side during the procession. The culmination of the fortnight long festival will be marked with heavy fireworks which will tremble the whole village.

The ringing phone caught my attention and I was brought back to reality. As expected that my boss’ s call. Working from Home gives him a privilege to call me even on holiday morning when I was trying to go back to my golden days in my lost village.

Electrified Fabric Could Zap the Coronavirus on Masks and Clothing

Prototype mask made from a fabric that can inactivate pathogens. Credit: Vomaris Innovations, Inc.

Wearing masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) can slow the spread of COVID-19. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone wear some kind of face covering in public places, especially where social distancing is difficult to maintain. And health workers are donning additional coverings, such as gowns. Yet all such protective gear shares one significant problem: people still risk becoming infected with the novel coronavirus if they accidentally touch areas of the fabric that are contaminated with viral particles. So researchers are working to develop cloth that could inactivate or repel coronaviruses—ideally including the one that causes COVID-19—and other pathogens.

People transfer infectious particles to their hands if they touch the front of a mask during use or when they remove gowns or other PPE, according to Chandan Sen, director of the Indiana Center for Regenerative Medicine and Engineering at Indiana University. He and his colleagues have been developing a way to render those particles and other infectious agents harmless. The team researches “electroceutical” materials that wirelessly “generate electric fields across the surface of the fabric,” Sen says. Those fields can disrupt the behavior of bacteria or viruses on the cloth.

“The beauty of this [technology] is the inherently simple design,” he says. The polyester material is printed with alternating spots of silver and zinc resembling polka dots. They are one to two millimeters wide and spaced one millimeter apart. When the electroceutical material is dry, it functions as an ordinary fabric. But if it gets dampened—say, with saliva, vapor from a coughed up droplet or other bodily fluids—ions in the liquid trigger an electrochemical reaction. The silver and zinc then generate a weak electric field that zaps pathogens on the surface.

The researchers co-developed the material with the biotechnology company Vomaris Innovations in 2012. Last year they showed that the technology could be used to treat bacterial biofilms in wounds. A clinical trial is underway to further evaluate the fabric’s effectiveness as a Food and Drug Administration–cleared dressing for wound care, Sen says.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen’s team tested its existing material on a different coronavirus strain that causes a respiratory illness in pigs and on an unrelated type of pathogen called a lentivirus. “We wanted to know how broadly this principle could be applicable,” he says. In a study posted on the preprint server ChemRxiv in May, Sen’s team reported that its electroceutical fabric destabilized both viruses, leaving them unable to infect cells. The researchers plan to submit the results to a peer-reviewed journal as well.

To study the fabric’s action, they placed a liquid solution containing viral particles onto the electroceutical fabric and a polyester control fabric without the metal dots. After the droplets were fully absorbed, and the samples had rested for one to five minutes, the researchers recovered viral particles from both fabrics and tested whether they could still infect the types of cells they typically target.

“The data presented here show that, of the total virus that was recovered, a significant percentage was inactivated,” says Jeff Karp, a professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and co-leader of an N95 respirator working group at the Massachusetts General Brigham Center for COVID Innovation. Karp, who was not involved with the study, adds that the researchers did not test all of the virus that they had placed on the cloth. “In fact, the majority of virus was not recovered from the textiles examined in this study,” he says. Sen responds that his team focused on sampling only enough viral particles to show that the fabric had rendered them unable to infect cells. The researchers recovered roughly 44 percent of the particles from the electroceutical fabric samples that had rested for one minute. And they retrieved 24 percent of them from the samples that had rested for five minutes.

The material’s virus-fighting abilities have not been tested specifically on SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The researchers’ findings with the two viruses they studied, however, gave them “hope that this could apply more widely,” Sen says. He adds that large-scale manufacturing of the electroceutical fabric is already possible and that the costs of producing it are relatively low. The metal dots could be printed directly onto the front surfaces of masks, he suggests. Or an electroceutical fabric could be inserted between the front of a mask and the wearer’s face.

If a virus-stopping PPE material were widely available, it could limit the novel coronavirus’s ability to spread. “There is a huge unmet need to better understand modes of viral transfer that lead to virus transmission,” Karp says. “As we develop a better understanding of this, there is a huge immediate need to develop and quickly apply solutions that can reduce transmission.”

Metal dots are not the only potential approach. Paul Leu, director of an advanced materials laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh, and his colleagues are developing a textile coating that repels bodily fluids, proteins and bacteria. It also repels one strain of adenovirus that causes respiratory illness and another that causes conjunctivitis, as reported in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces in April. Leu’s team has also not tested the material with the novel coronavirus itself, however. “The main thing with testing [the coating on] SARS-CoV-2 is the biosafety level you need to test it, because it’s very hazardous,” he says. Still, his team plans to see how well textiles with this coating repel a different coronavirus.

Leu says the coating, which remains repellent even after ultrasonic washing and scraping with a razor blade, could make PPE safer for wearers to take off. It could also be used on hospital bed linens, drapes and waiting room chairs, the researchers note in the study. But Leu points out that the coating is intended for use with medical textiles that are already considered reusable. His team has not tested it on single-use masks or N95s, but he thinks it could potentially damage them. Still, he says, the coating could work well for cloth masks such as those now being worn by many among the general public.

By developing materials that kill or repel viruses, researchers hope to make masks and other protective gear safer to remove and more effective against all viruses. “If the common person were to have PPE that wouldn’t spread infection,” Sen says, “I think that’s a big, big deal.”

 

Anatomy of eyes.

Eyes are one of the most important parts of our body. They work very similar to camera. Eyes basically convert light into electric signal. Light enters into eyes through cornea. Eyes have pupil which control the amount of light entering our eye. Light then passes through lens which forms an image on retina. Retina has rods and cons cell which convert image into electric signal. Naturally we ought to take best care of this sensitive part of our body. Our senses are the input mechanisms for us to perceive the world and act. Eyes are perhaps the most important of our five senses. They are most sensitive organ. Eyes are perhaps the most favorite body part of poets, they are said to reflect emotions of the being. We rest with our eyes closed, we are said to have closed eyes when we die.

Structure and Working of Eyes and its function

Human eyes are basically designed in two parts- front part, which comprises of lens, cornea and iris; and the interior part which comprises of vitreous, retina and veins.Cornea is the transparent structure found in front of our eyes. Light enters into our eyes through cornea which focuses most of the light. Then light passes through lens and gets further focused.  Behind the cornea is iris. It is a colored, ring shaped membrane. The iris has a circular opening called pupil. Pupil can expand or retract to control the amount of eyes entering our eyes. The pupil may take some time to react to light- that is why eyes take time to adjust to low light.The lens is surrounded by muscles which keep the lens in place. These muscles can relax to flatten the lens or contract to thicken the lens. The lens in our eyes is a convex lens- the surrounding muscles make it of variable focus length. When lens is flattened the focus length is high thus we are able to see far away, and when the lens is thickened, the focus length is small and we can see closer objects.

 The interior chamber of eyeball is filled with vitreous humor. After the light crosses lens, it passes through vitreous humor to reach retina. Retina is like the film in camera. It acts as screen for the image formation. Interesting thing to note here is that the image formed is inverted! This happens because of the convex lens in our eye. And only real image formed in a convex lens are always inverted. It is the magic of our brain that interprets the things right way up.Retina has three tissue layers. The first layer is called sclera which gives eye most of its white color [2]. The middle layer is called choroid which contains blood vessels that supply the retina with nutrients and oxygen and remove its waste products. Retina has millions of light sensing nerves. These nerves are called rods and cones because of their shape. Cones are concentrated in the center of the retina. Cones work more in bright light. They provide clear, sharp central vision and detect colors and fine details. Rods and cones convert light in electric signals. This signal is sent to brain via optical nerves which interprets the signal. Rods are located outside the center of retina. They extend all the way to the outer edge of the retina. They provide peripheral or side vision. Rods also allow the eyes to detect motion and help us see in dim light and at night.

INTERVIEW ADVICE Self Introduction for Job Interview

Self-introduction actually matters a lot across every industry- from politics, medical, education, real estate, to the healthcare industry. There is an endless number of studies and researches that prove this fact to be true. Whenever you meet a new person, you just have few seconds to either impress him or let him go!

Let’s take an example!

Joseph has come up for his very first interview after completing his graduation. He is well dressed in a carefully chosen formal suit, fully prepared with all the questions he’s expecting in the interview and waiting in the reception area to get a call for his turn.

Well, let me ask you a question here.

Is that all it takes to crack an interview? Are you prepared for the first question the interviewer is going to ask?

Yes, I am talking about the self-introduction part.

The misconception about self-introduction is that job seekers find this question as the easiest one, but actually it’s not. The majority of the candidates never prepare for this part, and during this question, they just say- Hi, My name is Nick….and then hope for the interviewer to take over.

Let’s be honest here!

This is not the approach that can help you get the job you have been dreaming of.

In this blog, we’ll discuss the basic things about the ‘Self Introduction’ part that every job seeker must know to grab the desirable job. Let’s get started!

What to include in the self-introduction

Self-introduction seems to be an obvious question, and nobody makes efforts on this part. But don’t forget that this part will either make or break the hiring decision. You need to invest good time and effort while planning this part. You must understand the interviewer’s intention behind this question and answer accordingly. Here I am listing a few things you need to include in the self-introduction for interview.

Who You Are? Start by greeting the interviewer with a smile on your face, introduce yourself by telling your name.

Where Are You From? You need to specify your native place and make sure you don’t drag it long. Explain in a brief one line only

Education Qualification: Once done with the formal introduction, now you need to mention your qualification details while telling the school and university’s name and location. Begin with the highest qualification, followed by under graduation, and then schooling.

Work Experience (freshers can skip this part): First of all, you need to tell the total experience you have, mention the current job and your role, briefly describe your responsibilities and things you are expert at.

Tips for improving the self-introduction part

Apart from adding the above things in your self-introduction part, you need to know a few tips that can make your self-introduction part an effective one. So, here you go!

Head held high with a smile on the face: No matter you are feeling nervous or not, you must have a smiling face. This signifies a good start of the interview. You must give a firm handshake and say ‘Hello’ to the interviewer.

Be prepared to give family details: Most of the recruiters ask the candidates about their family background and you need to be prepared for the answer in advance. Don’t hesitate, be comfortable and speak up freely.

Stay positive during the past experience part: While describing your past job experience, remember no matter how bad your experience was, you can’t negatively talk about the past employer. Because this will leave a negative impact on the interviewer and indicates unprofessional behavior.

Sharing hobbies and goals: Unlike in the past years, interviews have become interactive and comfortable than ever before. Candidates can freely mention their hobbies, aspirations, and goals to the interviewer. This will reflect your personality clearly.

Mistakes you can’t afford to make during a self-introduction

Keep the self-introduction part brief and concise, don’t make it lengthy. So, try avoiding irrelevant things that have nothing to do with the job role you have applied for.

Many job seekers even rehearse before giving an interview but still panic once they enter the interview cabin. You need to stay calm and have a smile on your face.

Stop being nervous, it’s just an interview. Talk openly with confidence.

If you aren’t confident enough about anything, don’t wander your eyes here and there. Maintain eye contact with the interviewer, it helps in making the conversation interactive.

Never badmouth your past employer or share any negative experience with any past co-workers.

Never interrupt in-between when the interviewer is speaking, start once he’s done.

Samples for Introducing Yourself in an Interview

Before you feel clueless when the interviewer asks you- ‘Tell me about yourself’, it’s high time that you have a few samples in your mind. So, I have listed a few effective samples of self-introduction for experienced candidates as well as freshers.

 

Self-Introduction Sample for a Fresher:

Of course, a fresher doesn’t have much to showcase in his resume, and the same goes for the self-introduction part. But you can do a lot more to make the self-introduction an effective thing. Here’s one such sample:

Good morning Sir/Madam, It’s a pleasure to introduce myself. My name is Jonas Smith born and brought up in Michigan. I have completed my schooling from Rochester Adams High School with 84% and presently pursuing my final year bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University. Coming to my strengths, I love taking challenges and turn them into opportunities. During failures, I learn a lot out in the future. My goal is to become a part of an organization that enables me to reach my true potential and develop in that field. That’s a brief about me, and thanks for this opportunity.

Let’s have a look at another self-introduction sample in which a fresher is aspiring to begin his career in teaching:

I am Robin, a graduate with no work experience yet. I completed my schooling from Brooklyn City School and now I am in the final year of B.ED. From my school time, I always dreamt of becoming a teacher. At times, I have even given home tuitions to school going kids and really had a great experience throughout. As of now, I am looking for an opportunity to join an institute or an educational center where I can polish my teaching skills.

Self-Introduction Sample for Experienced Job Seekers:

Experienced job seekers are from various industry segments, so I have listed a few industry-specific samples:

1) Self-Introduction sample for IT Professional

Good evening Sir/Madam

I am glad to be here for the interview.

I am Joseph, an engineering graduate from Hong Kong University. I graduated in the year 2013, and since then I have been working as a system administrator. I have worked upon various operating systems, troubleshooting, managing in-house servers, and so on. I always had an interest in exploring operating systems, and during my graduation, I had a good hold over managing PCs and windows of the college. As of now, I am looking forward to expanding my portfolio and enhance my technical skills as a senior system administrator.That’s a brief about me, and thanks for this opportunity.

 

2) Self-Introduction sample for Software Tester

Good evening Sir/Madam

I am Rihaan, an engineering graduate from Italy University. I graduated in 2012 and completed my internship program at HCL. Since then, I have been working as a Senior Software Tester. I have worked upon numerous software testing projects and have a stronghold over various software testing tools like Selenium, Cucumber, and so on. Presently, I am looking forward to joining a company where I get better opportunities in the software testing industry.

 

3) Self-Introduction sample for Sales Manager

Good evening Sir/Madam My name is Genelia. I am a graduate from Delhi University in the year 2011. I have worked in sales with Infosys for the last five years. At Infosys, I achieved notable growth over the past years and have successfully achieved challenging targets. My strong networking and relationship management skills have helped me achieve my goals on time. As of now, I am passionate to become a part of an organization where I can experience more growth opportunities.

 

4) Self-Introduction sample for a Medical Practitioner Morning Sir/Madam

I am Albert. I graduated from Carrington College, my major is clinical medicine. I live in San Jose and have been working as a Medical Practitioner since 2016. Being in the healthcare segment, I spend most of my time with the patients, understanding the ailments, symptoms and assisting them to get out of that ailment. I have carried out deep researches about many pharmaceutical products during my past internship programs. As of now, I am looking for a better growth opportunity where I can broaden my past experience and get better exposure.

 

5) Self-Introduction sample for a Business Analyst

Good Morning Sir/Madam

 

My name is Mathew. I have been a Business Analyst for the past five years and my domain expertise is in the retail banking and insurance segment, I have good exposure in numerous end-to-end development solutions and hold proficiency in diverse business phases. I have worked with enterprises with strategic development approach and also with ones that work upon other development methodologies like Waterfall, Agile, SDLC, and so on. I am comfortable working with the team and even complete the target single-handedly. As of now, I am seeking better growth opportunities as a Senior Business Analyst in your company.

Wrapping Up

Every job seeker is looking for something extraordinary in you. If you succeed in presenting that zeal to the interviewer, good for you; otherwise it’s time to put more focus on your resume and interview part. So, whenever you go for the next interview, keep the above points in mind, and rock the interview. This will definitely help to impress the recruiter, and you will get hired!Spread the love

Author: Arjun Singh

 

Who Is Responsible If People Die From Coronavirus On A Reopened Campus?

The loss of lives that could have been otherwise avoided, will attract the most serious penalty and incrimination. Institutional authorities must keep this in mind as they consider the decision to open campus while the pandemic continues to pose threat to life.

Students wearing protective masks appear in the higher secondary school examinations of Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education, during the fifth phase of ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, in Bhopal.

July is almost here, and the autumn semester is not far away. Are we in a position to reopen schools, colleges and universities? What are the implications if we do? Who suffers if COVID-19 attacks campus, and who is responsible if lives are lost?

To open or not to open. Worldwide, this brings together three major crises: a public health crisis, an economic crisis, and the long crisis of higher education. For instance, in the US, due to the high cost of college and the importance of residential education, it is likely that a number of small colleges will go bankrupt, large number of jobs will be lost, and the quality of education will almost invariably suffer. “A kind of a shock therapy,” predicts The Chronicle of Higher Education, “will permanently restructure the higher-education sector.”

Few things in recent history have foregrounded social inequalities as the education sector under the pandemic. Here in India, poor and rural students have suffered the most, lacking the infrastructure to participate meaningfully in online education. In the West, the heads of institutions for racial minorities have championed reopening, pleading that institutions are the safest places for them, as their poor home networks make them more vulnerable to the disease than on campus.

Almost everywhere, education experts have argued that rich and well-prepared students will do fine online, but students from weaker segments of society, including those with poorer academic preparation and lower familiarity with technology, are certain to suffer if on-campus instruction does not resume.

On the other hand, if the campus of a school or college opens and people die from contracting the virus, who holds the legal (to say nothing of the human) liability of such deaths?

The leadership of a number of American colleges are scrambling to get people to sign waivers. However, as the Chronicle has pointed out, this is a fantasy: “No waiver can resolve all those headaches, according to a dozen lawyers who work with colleges.” More than ever, in this circumstance, asking something to sign a waiver is essentially telling them: “I might be doing something that could do you harm.”

Hope Sarah Goldstein, a partner with Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, told the Chronicle that an employer cannot ask employees to sign away future claims from workplace-related injuries covered by workers’ compensation. Waivers cannot annul liability. On the other hand, a disclosure can raise awareness and underscore communal responsibilities that must be held in a public-health crisis.

What about institutions in India? What are their responsibilities on event of COVID-related fatalities due to virus contracted on a reopened campus?

Dr Abhik Majumdar, a faculty member at the National Law University, Odisha, elaborates on a range of possibilities. The liability of an institution depends on whether or not it reopens following a government order; whether the order in question is mandatory or merely an authorisation given to institutions to reopen at their discretion; and whether the institution is a private or a state body.

If an institution opens contrary to government orders, Prof Majumdar points out, it will attract punishment under Section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, read with Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code 1860. Sections 269 and 271 of the Penal Code might also become applicable in such a situation. It is, however, unlikely to happen, as no institution will be so reckless as to flout governmental orders in the present situation.

It remains important to note, however, that if the government orders educational institutions to open, then liability in case of untoward incidents will lie mainly with the Government. Institutions may incur liability if they fail to adequately provide for safety measures such as dispensing masks, maintaining social distancing, and so forth.

In the last situation, if the government merely permits (as opposed to compelling) institutions to open at their own discretion, the institution becomes liable if their action leads to the spread of the disease and fatalities resulting from the spread. The nature of liability will depend on whether it is a private institute or a state body. In the first case, the institution may incur liability in tort law. It may also be liable under the Epidemic Diseases Act as mentioned earlier, if it is found deficient in implementing appropriate rules. State bodies’ liability features an added dimension. Any deficiency on their part cam be construed as a violation of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Surabhi Singh, an alum of NLU Odisha and a current LLM student at the University of Toronto points out that under the current legal regime, State institutions run the risk of being sued for a violation of broader constitutional rights as they are an arm of the government, under writ jurisdictions of the Supreme Court as well as the respective High Courts. A writ jurisdiction is broad, and the relief granted by the courts can range from asking the institute to shut in person classes, award compensation to affected students, refund fees etc. “All of this is of course speculative,” she says, “but as a practicing lawyer I can foresee it being asked for from courts.”

However, Singh thinks that this writ-based relief is less likely with private institutions. Also, should some student fall sick and die, there is the risk of being sued for criminal negligence, which can implicate individual administrators of the institute concerned. Tort claims of negligence can also be made by the students who may claim damages. If the infection spreads through food or water, State based laws on food and water safety may apply.

Life, livelihood, and learning – or at least its best practice. It may seem like a lose-lose situation. This is, however, an extended emergency, and in the end, loss of lives that could have been otherwise avoided, will attract the most serious penalty and incrimination. Institutional authorities must keep this in mind as they consider the decision to open campus while the pandemic continues to pose threat to life.

SAIKAT MAJUMDAR

Second Film on Sushant Singh Rajput’s Life to be Titled ‘Sushant’, by Sanoj Mishra

Sushant Singh Rajput’s Life Story Inspires a Second Film ‘Sushant’ by Sanoj Mishra

Actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death has led to debates and discussions around the existence of nepotism, favouritism, lobbying, camps in Bollywood. It’s been more than a week and two films are already in the plan related to Sushant. Earlier, director Shamik Maulik shared his idea of making a film on Sushant’s life titled Suicide or Murder: A Star Was Lost. It is based on how actors with no film background are treated by the industry when they try to make their career in the movie world. Also Read – Sushant Singh Rajput’s Demise: Ranvir Shorey Speaks on Nepotism, Godfathers And Award Shows in Bollywood

After Shamik Maulik, Sanoj Mishra has announced his film and titled it Sushant. The director wants to frame the late actor’s journey in a film. Also Read – OPINION | Fans’ Cringeworthy Reactions to 16-Year-Old TikTok Star Siya Kakkar’s Death by Suicide Brings us to Square One of Mental Health discussion.

Sanoj Mishra, who is known for films such as Srinagar, Nawab, Lafange, Gandhigiri, revealed in a statement made to a news publication that film Sushant will tell the story of people pushed to take drastic measures due to the struggle and the harassments in the industry. Also Read – Dil Bechara: Mukesh Chhabra Misses Sushant Singh Rajput, Says ‘Can Visualise You With Your Beautiful Smile’

According to reports, the film is being bankrolled by Road Production and Sanoj’s own production. The location of the film will be Bihar and Mumbai.

Meanwhile, Sushant’s close friend and producer Sandip Ssingh shared a poster for his directorial debut Vande Bharatam, which had Sushant in the lead. In an Instagram post, Sandip wrote, “You made me a promise. We, the Bihari brothers, will one day rule this industry and be the inspiration/support system for all young dreamers like you and me bhai. You promised me that my directorial debut will be with you. Raaj Shaandilyaa wrote this and we were to produce this together. I need your belief, that faith you showed, that was my strength. Now, with you gone…I’m lost…but I promise you this my brother. Now tell me how do I fulfil this dream? Who will hold my hand like you did? Who will give me the power of SSR, my brother?”

Record recoveries in India,  highest new cases in 24 hours

Total coronavirus cases in India crossed 4.9 lakh

The number of active coronavirus cases in India stands at 189463 while 285636 people have recovered

The death toll has risen to 15,301

The total number of coronavirus cases in India jumped to 4,90,401 after 17,296 new cases were reported in 24 hours. This is the highest number of new cases reported in 24 hours. According to health ministry’s numbers released today morning, the number of active cases stands at 1,89,463 while 2,85,636 people have recovered and one patient has migrated. A record total of 13,940 COVID-19 patients were declared cured in a single day. The recovery rate has improved to 58.24%.

Covid-related deaths rose to 15,301 after 407 fatalities were reported in 24 hours.

Coronavirus testing facilities have been ramped up across the country with 1,007 diagnostic labs currently offering covid diagnostic facilities, the government said.

Medical research body ICMR has said that a total of 77.76 lakh samples have been tested up to June 25. And on Thursday over 2.15 lakh samples were tested.

According to figures released by the government on Thursday, coronavirus cases per lakh in India stand at 33.39 against the world’s average of 120.21 cases/lakh. Also, death/lakh in the country is currently amongst the lowest in the world with 1.06 deaths/lakh against the world average of 6.24 deaths/lakh, the government said.

A team from Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will visit Gujarat, Maharashtra and Telangana this weekend to interact with the state officials and coordinate with them to strengthen ongoing efforts for management of Covid-19.

Maharashtra, the worst affected state, has reported over 1,47,741 cases and 6,931 fatalities. Among other states, Delhi has reported 73,780 cases, Tamil Nadu 70,977 and Gujarat 29,520.

Globally, total coronavirus cases moved past 95 lakh while the death toll has crossed 4.8 lakh. US on Thursday reported record number of 37,000 cases in a day, taking its overall count to over 24 lakh. The country has reported over 1.24 lakh coronavirus-related fatalities.

 

Pros of mobile phones for students !

The device which you are holding right now in your hand for reading this article has changed the world. It is not only providing us with a calling facility but also something much more. Mobile phones have changed the pattern of study for students. The time when we found knowledge between the pages of books has gone now. The mobile phone has diversified the area of knowledge. In this article, we have enlisted some of the advantages of mobile phone for students.

Now let us discuss how the mobile phone has changed the lives of students. What are the advantages of the same.

  • Great source of knowledge

Whenever you got confused and you don’t get a clear idea of some topic, then at that time the mobile phone will be of great use for you. You can search for that particular topic and can get a mirror image of the topic. It also provides knowledge regarding similar topics.

  • Helps to be prompt and punctual 

The mobile phone helps in managing the data. You can manage and make notes regarding important things. Then you will not going to miss something really important. You can also set alarms with a title so that on time you get reminders for the things, that will help you to be punctual and be available on time for your things.

  • Helps in Navigation and Finding Place

Mobile phones now come with a feature known as GPS  which helps to track your location. It is very helpful for navigation purposes too. If sometimes student got stuck anywhere, at that time having a mobile phone in their hand will be bliss. They can use google map to know their exact location. Then they can inform their parents about their location and can easily reach to their places. You can also share your location with your parents so that they can know where you are.

  • Help in learning left topics

Sometimes the situation arises when students are not able to attend the classes. So if at that time teacher has taught something really important then what to do? There is nothing to worry about this. You can simply google out the topic and can get a full explanation for the same. And Yes one more thing there is not only one option or site for the topic, but there are many sites you can access according to your requirement for the same topic written by various experts.

  • Great source of entertainment

Whenever students feel bored or get tired of studying for hours and hours, at that time they can listen to their favourite music, or watch movies sitting at home itself in their mobile phone. This will help them to get rid of boredom and feel fresh. Students can also read novels or even listen to audible stories whenever they get the time or they need some relaxation. There are various apps available such as Kindle, Wattpad, Novel cat, Aldiko, etc. They can access to these apps easily. This will not only help them to overcome boredom but also help them in learning something new.

  • Introduce you to the various social media platform

Facebook, Tweeter, Instagram and many more social media platforms are available now on play store where students can make their account and get connected to more number of peoples, friends, family members which are far away. They can post their activities and can see other activities too. They can also get the latest news of Hollywood, Bollywood, and their favourite celebrities.

  • Helps in Collecting proofs

Whenever students find something black lentils or they feel some types of exploitation done to them by a teacher such as when they think teacher do favouritism to students who are taking coachings from them, and not giving deserving marks to other students. Then, they can record this and show it to a higher authority and save themselves from favouritism. Or if they feel exploitation or being bullying from other students then they can record the incident and collect evidence regarding the matter in their mobile phones and can help in catching the culprit red-handed.

  • Provides Various Apps for learning

Nowadays, there are hundreds of learning apps available on mobile phones for every standard students. They can use them in free for learning, various courses are available which helps in their skill development. They can also use a mobile phone in time when they are not having books with them. So, they can use these apps to get their course-related topics cleared. This will also save their time to wait for the books.

  • Capture the moment

Students can capture their significant and sizzling moments in their mobile phones. Students who have an interest in photography, and purchasing any professional camera is not possible for them at that time they can use their mobile phones for their passion.

  • Helps in building a bright future

Mobile phones can be used in various ways and for various purposes by the students. But everything is useless until we use it for some useful purpose. There are various apps available such as LinkedIn, Internshala, freelancer, etc. Nowadays, world is on the way of digitalization. There are various types of jobs and internships available for students on these apps. They can grab them and add something useful to their CV and to their life as well.

  • Dictionary: Improve your Vocabulary

Carrying Huge dictionary everywhere with you is really a tough task. So, now they need of lifting it is over. The mobile phone provides you with various types of offline and online dictionary such as Oxford online and offline dictionary, V-Dictionary, Color Dict dictionary, Concise Oxford Dictionary by, where you can find the meaning of each and every word you are stuck at.

  • Storage of Data

The best use of the mobile phone is that you can store huge amount of data in it. Students who want to learn something new, they can download the matter and various pdfs, documents, about the same topic and they can even take notes from their friends and teacher through WhatsApp. This will prevent making any hard copies of the topic. You can even store data for a long time and even can keep it till you don’t want to erase it.

  • Easy Money Transfer

Mobile phones are primarily used for online transactions nowadays. People sitting at home can easily transfer and receive money to someone else in just some quick steps. Students who are living away from home can use these applications such as google pay, phone pay, pay pal, Paytm and many more to receive money from their parents to submit free or for their basic expenses.

  • Online Shopping

Students can use various online shopping apps such as Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Nykaa, etc to get their desired and essential products at their doorsteps. This will save their time and they don’t have to roam here and there to grab things.Advertisements

Can People Spread the Coronavirus If They Don’t Have Symptoms? 5 Questions

Screening for symptoms of COVID-19 and self-quarantine are good at preventing sick people from spreading the coronavirus. But more and more evidence is suggesting that people without symptoms are spreading the virus too. Monica Gandhi, an infectious diseases physician and researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, explains what is known about asymptomatic spread and why she thinks it may be a big part of what is driving the pandemic.

What does it mean to be asymptomatic?

 

SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – can produce a range of clinical manifestations.Some people who are infected never develop any symptoms at all. These patients are considered true asymptomatic cases.

When people do get sick from the coronavirus, it takes on average five days and as many as two weeks to develop symptoms that can range from very mild to extremely dangerous. The time between initial infection and the first symptoms is called the pre-symptomatic phase. As an infectious disease physician, when I hear about asymptomatic spread of SARS-CoV-2, I think of a person who doesn’t have symptoms at the moment they give the virus to someone else. It doesn’t matter whether they are a true asymptomatic case or just pre-symptomatic; the public health risk is the same.

How many people are asymptomatic?

Estimates of the proportion of true asymptomatic cases – those who are infected and never develop symptoms – range from 18% to over 80%. The reasons for the huge range in estimates are still unclear, but some studies are better than others.

The most accurate way to determine the rate of asymptomatic cases is to test people regardless of whether or not they have symptoms – an approach called universal mass testing – and track them over time to see if they develop symptoms later. A recent mass testing campaign in San Francisco found that 53% of infected patients were asymptomatic when first tested and 42% stayed asymptomatic over the next two weeks. Another recent paper compared the evidence from 16 studies and estimated the overall rate of asymptomatic infection to be 40%-45%. This is in line with the San Francisco finding, but the studies sampled were of various quality and size and likely include some pre-symptomatic cases. Though none of these studies is perfect, a lot of evidence supports a true asymptomatic rate of around 40%, plus some addition fraction of patients who are pre-symptomatic.

How can asymptomatic people spread the coronavirus?

Compared to most other viral infections, SARS-CoV-2 produces an unusually high level of viral particles in the upper respiratory tract – specifically the nose and mouth. When those viral particles escape into the environment, that is called viral shedding.

Researchers have found that pre-symptomatic people shed the virus at an extremely high rate, similar to the seasonal flu. But people with the flu don’t normally shed virus until they have symptoms.

The location of the shedding is also important. SARS-CoV – the virus that caused the SARS epidemic in 2003 – does not shed very much from the nose and mouth. It replicates deep in the lungs. Since SARS-CoV-2 is present in high numbers in a person’s nose and mouth, it is that much easier for the virus to escape into the environment.

When people cough or talk, they spray droplets of saliva and mucus into the air. Since SARS-CoV-2 sheds so heavily in the nose and mouth, these droplets are likely how people without symptoms are spreading the virus.

 

How much asymptomatic spread is happening?

 

Public health experts don’t know exactly how much spread is caused by asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic patients. But there are some telling hints that it is a major driver of this pandemic. An early modeling estimate suggested that 80% of infections could be attributed to spread from undocumented cases. Presumably the undocumented patients were asymptomatic or had only extremely mild symptoms. Though interesting, the researchers made a lot of assumptions in that model so it is hard to judge the accuracy of that prediction.

A study looking at outbreaks in Ningbo, China, found that people without symptoms spread the virus as easily as those with symptoms. If half of all infected people are without symptoms at any point in time, and those people can transmit SARS-CoV-2 as easily as symptomatic patients, it is safe to assume a huge percentage of spread comes from people without symptoms.

Even without knowing the exact numbers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believes that transmission from people without symptoms is a major contributor to the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 around the world.

 

What can we do to limit asymptomatic spread?

 

Any time a virus can be spread by people without symptoms, you have to turn to preventative measures. Social distancing measures and lockdowns work, but have large economic and social repercussions. These were necessary when epidemiologists didn’t know how the virus was spreading, but now we know it sheds at high quantities from the upper respiratory tract.

This means that universal mask wearing is best tool to limit transmission, and there is evidence to back that idea up.

On April 3, the CDC recommended that all members of the public wear facial coverings when outside of the house and around others. The World Health Organization finally followed suit and recommended universal public masking on June 5.

At this point, no one knows exactly how many cases of COVID-19 are from asymptomatic spread. But I and many other infectious diseases researchers are convinced that it is playing a major role in this pandemic. Wearing a mask and practicing social distancing can prevent asymptomatic spread and help reduce the harm from this dangerous virus until we get a vaccine.

This article is republished from The Conversation.

CBSE Evaluation Criteria for 10th 12th Result 2020 released – Explained, how marks would be calculated

CBSE Evaluation Criteria has been released for CBSE 10th 12th Results 2020. Result for all students would be released. Here is how the marks would be calculated for the papers that were cancelled.

Central Board of Secondary Education, CBSE has submitted the assessment and evaluation criteria for the cancelled 10th 12h board examinations. The board would be awarding the students based on the papers they have attempted. For the students who have not attempted a minimum of 3 papers (especially students of North East Delhi) the results would be based on internal evaluation. Check complete notice and details here.

For students whose all papers were complete, the marks would be declared basis the performance in the examination For students of classes 10 and 12 who have appeared in more than 3 subjects, the marks for the pending subject would be based on the average marks obtained in the best three subjects For students who have appeared only for 3 subjects, average marks on the basis of the three attempted subjects would be used for determining the marks of the pending exams that were cancelled For the Class 12 students whose only 1 or 2 papers could be conducted (true for students from North East Delhi), their results would be declared basis the performance in the appeared subjects as well as the performance in the internal/practical/project assignment. These students would have an option to appear for the examination at a later date. The results of all such students, however, would be announced along with the results of all the students.

For CBSE Class 10 students (barring students from North East Delhi), all core exams of 5 subjects were completed. The CBSE Class 10 results of the students, hence would be basis the performance in the examinations attempted. All the other examinations were cancelled this year and as such the board would not be grading students on those papers.

Results would be declared by the board by July 15, 2020 for all CBSE Class 12 students, irrespective of the number of subjects students had appeared for, so as to facilitate the admissions to higher educational instituted. Marks and option to appear for the examinations at the later date would depend on the way their result is calculated.

Students who appeared for all their papers

Most of the students of CBSE Class 12 had already appeared for the papers they had opted for. For all such students, the marks would be awarded basis the performance in the examinations attempted. All such students would not get an option to appear for the examination at a later date. Their results would be binding.

Students who appeared three or more papers and 1 or 2 subjects were pending

For such students, the board would be awarding students as per the average of the best three performed subjects. For instance, say a student appeared for English, Maths, Accountancy and Economics and the Business Studies paper was pending. Now, the student scored (out of 100), 75 in English, 45 in Maths, 85 in Accountancy and 90 in Economics, then the student’s marks in English, Accountancy and Economics would be considered for calculating the average marks in Business Studies. All such students would have an option of appearing for the board exam for the subject that was cancelled when it is conducted by CBSE at a later date. Students can also choose to accept the average marks awarded by the board. However, should the student choose to opt for and appear in the examination at the later date, the marks thus obtained by the students in the examination would be considered final (even if they are less than the average score that was awarded).

Students who appeared for only three other papers

For all such students, the marks would be awarded on the basis of the average score of the three subjects appeared for by the student. For example, say the students appeared for English, Physics and Chemistry and secured (out of 100) 75, 80 and 80 marks respectively, the marks for the remaining two subjects would be given on the basis of the average of these three subjects. All such students too would have an option of appearing for the cancelled papers at the later date. Again, should the students opt to appear for the examination at the later date, the marks thus obtained would be considered final – irrespective.

Students who appeared for only 1 or 2 papers (Students from North East Delhi)

For such students, the marks would be a combination of the average of the performance in the subjects the students appeared in as well as their performance in internal assessment (practical, project, etc.). These students too would be allowed to appear for the examination at a later date to improve their performance.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE

No exams for Class 10 students would be conducted. The results thus calculated and released would be finale. CBSE Class 12 students would have an option to appear for the exams whose marks were awarded based on averages as detailed above. In such a case, the performance in the paper appeared would be considered. CBSE has not shared when the students need to share their choice for optional.It can be assumed the CBSE may provide the students the option to appear for the examination once the results are declared.

CBSE Class 10, 12 Board Exams 2020 which were scheduled for July have been cancelled. The board presented the evaluation criteria to the Supreme Court, which has in turn accepted and allowed CBSE to release the same. The notification detailed above would be released on cbse.nic.in by end of day today. ICSE Board, too, decided to cancel the pending exams. The evaluation criteria, as per CISCE Counsel, would be slightly difference from CBSE and students may be given an option too. The evaluation criteria of ICSE board would be released in a weeks’ time.

By :- Kanika

CBSE 2020 results date: CBSE class 10 and Class 12 board exam results announced; read here

The Central government on Friday told the Supreme Court that the results of CBSE and ICSE board exams of Class X and XII will be declared around mid July

The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that the results of CBSE and ICSE board exams of Class X and XII will be declared by July 15. The Top court also permitted CBSE to go ahead with its assessment scheme to award marks to students for cancelled exams.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the CBSE, said that the assessment scheme will consider marks achieved by students in last three papers of board exams.

According to Exam Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj, the exams which were pending due to the COVID-19 situation have been cancelled.

‘Class 12 students will get an option’

“Results will now be declared following an alternate assessment scheme. Class 12 students will get an option to appear for exams later to improve their score. However, for students who chose for sit for exams, their marks in the exams will be treated as the final score,” Bhardwaj said in an official notification.

“Class 10 students will not get the chance to appear for improvement exam. Their result declared by the board shall be treated final,” he added.

The CBSE on Thursday had informed the top court that the Board has decided to cancel the remaining Class X and XII board examinations in light of the rising number of COVID cases across the country.

‘Conducive time’ will be decided by the Centre General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court that for now, the exams that were scheduled from July 1 to July 15 have been cancelled and will be conducted at a conducive time for Class XII students. The ‘conducive time’ will be decided by the Centre’

ICSE board told the Supreme Court that they too were agreeable with the CBSE decision to cancel the board exams for students of Classes X and XII. The state of Maharashtra, on behalf of ICSE, had earlier informed the Bombay HC that they will be unable to conduct the exams for the students this year.

ICSE has however clarified to the Supreme Court that they will not be providing any student with an option to appear for the exam at a later date and the results for all students in Class X and XII for the ICSE board will be declared on the basis of their marks in the internal assessment.

The CBSE class XII exams had started on February 15 and were to conclude on April 3. The class X exams had started on February 21 and were to end on March 29. However, the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus (COIVD-19) pandemic came into force from March 25.