Tag: covid-19

India and Quality Education – SDG 4

Education is an integral part for the mental development of a human being. Not just education on paper but ‘Quality Education’ which in turn allows the beings to add to the well-being of themselves as well as others without comprising anyone’s needs. Given the importance of quality education in ensuring sustainable growth of the world, one of the sustainable development goals is “Ensure Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education and Promote Lifelong Learning Opportunities for All” (SDG 4).

Around 11 indicators have been decided by UNDP to ensure Quality Education across countries, which are:

  1. Free Primary and Secondary Education
  2. Equal Access to Quality Pre-Primary Education
  3. Equal Access to Affordable Technical, Vocational and Higher Education
  4. Increase the number of people with relevant skills for financial success
  5. Eliminate all discrimination in education
  6. Universal literacy and numeracy
  7. Education for sustainable development and global citizenship
  8. Build and upgrade inclusive and safe schools – in terms of electricity, toilets (including gender neutral toilets), apt infrastructure for disables, gender inclusive.
  9. Expand higher education scholarships for developing countries – by ensuring the sufficient volume of ‘Official Development Assistance’ flows for scholarships.
  10. Increase the supply of qualified teachers in developing schools
  11. Custodian agencies such as UNDP

The article attempts to throw light on the performance of India in the sphere of Education based on NSSO Education data. It is with no doubt that India has made great strides in this particular aspect but the challenges are always present – which will be taken up in the later section of the article.

As per the data, in 2014, total urban literacy rate stood at 86% (male: 91%; female: 81%) while total rural literacy rate was 71% (male: 80%; female: 61%). The difference between rural and urban male and female literacy rate is quite large. The reasons among many can be lack of initiatives; income-deficit; ingrained favoritism; lack of safe and inclusive schooling etc.

To better understand the Gender-gap/parity, data on Gender-Parity Index (GPI) based on Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER). It has been defined as “the ratio of GER of female students enrolled at Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Levels of education to the corresponding ratio of male students at that level” (ESAG, 2018). During 2015-16, the gender parity stood at 1.03 (Primary); 1.05 (Elementary); 1.01 (Senior-Secondary) to 0.92 (Higher Education). While up to +2 level, gender parity favors females but when it comes to higher education, it favors males. Interestingly, if we focus on the annual dropout rate in school education, 2014-15, it will come to notice that boys dropout percentage is higher in secondary (17.21%) than girls (16.88%).

To get a better grasp of gender equation, the article looks into the teaching section. The data for percentage of teachers who are females, 2014 speaks that the percentage is less than 50 at all levels – with dropping percentage as we move from Primary (49.49%), Secondary (43.21%) to Tertiary (39.03%).

Evaluation of reasons for dropout among both males and females as per NSSO brings out – for males, engagement in economic activities has been vetoed as the major reason while for females, reasons such as engagement in domestic activities followed by marriage stand out. The distance between home and school has also been one of the reasons of dropout among females.

Another set of data released by UNESCO as part of the realization of SDG 4 – ‘State of the Education Report: No Teacher, No Class’ for India, 2021 can be used as reference to right the wrongs, fill in the holes in the education scenario of the country. The report points out that there is shortage of 11.6 lakh teachers and about 1.2 lakh are single-teacher school, with 89% being in rural areas. However, in the private sector, the pupil teacher ratio increased from 21% in 2013-14 to 35% in 2018-19. With variation among states, the national average for percentage of females employed stands at 50.

The pandemic has only thrown obstacles testing the efficiency of the country in this sphere. As the world and its works shifted online, this country and sector did too. The shifting to online classes has led to many dropouts, leading to a break in the education of many pupils. When it comes to teaching, the country has faced certain inadequacy in the percentage of trained government school teacher – to use and teach using electronical devises. The Hindu (2021) reports that only 15% of government school teachers were trained and about 31% in private school.

However, when the world was still in offline mode and so the sector – various government schemes had benefitted the children. In this era of everything being online – government need to come up with new schemes focusing towards digital India, co-operating with various grassroot levels can be quite helpful in percolating the benefits to lower levels.

Image Credit: Google

दुनिया के चाहने पर खत्म होगी महामारी: WHO


विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन के प्रमुख ट्रेडोस ऐडनोम घेबरियस ने बर्लिन में आयोजित अपने एक वर्ल्डहेल्थ समिट को संबोधित करते हुए कहा कि जब सभी देश उपलब्ध स्वास्थ्य उपकरणों का प्रभावी ढंग से उपयोग करना शुरू कर देंगे,तब जाकर कोरोना महामारी खत्म हो जाएगी। उन्होंने कहा कि जब दुनिया इसे खत्म करना चाहेगी, तब यह समाप्त होगा। यह हमारे हाथों में है। वह सभी उपकरण हमारे पास मौजूद है,चाहे प्रभावी सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य उपकरण हो या प्रभावी चिकित्सा उपकरण,जिनकी हमे अवश्यकता है। परंतु दुनिया ने इसका अच्छी तरीके से उपयोग नहीं किया।एक सप्ताह में करीब 50 हज़ार मौतें हुईं हैं तो अभी महामारी खत्म नहीं हुई।



उन्होंने सम्मेलन में बोलते हुए कहा कि वह को भी ने टीकाकरण के लिए एक वैश्विक रणनीति शुरू करने के लिए WHO प्रमुख में शामिल हुए,जो सभी देशों में लोगों को टीके वितरित करने के लिए एक लागत और विश्वसनीय प्रभावी योजना का सुझाव देता है।

WHO प्रमुख ने जी 20 देशों का पहले से ही 40% अपनी आबादी को कोवैक्स तंत्र में सक्रिय रूप से संलग्न कर देने के लिए भी आव्हान किया। रविवार को संयुक्त राष्ट्र महासचिव एंटोनियो गुटेरेस ने जी-20 देशों से पूरी दुनिया में कोविड-19 के टीका का उचित वितरण सुनिश्चित करने के लिए 8 बिलियन अमेरिकी डॉलर इकट्ठा करने में मदद का एलान किया।

बता दें, WHO पहले से भी कोरोना को लेकर पूरी दुनिया को चेतावनी देता रहा है। एक बार फिर से भारत में कोरोना से मरने वालों की संख्या में इजाफा देखा गया है। पिछले 24 घंटों में 443 लोगों की मौतें हुई है। वहीं एक दिन में 14,306 कोरोना के नए मामले सामने आए हैं।

अनन्या कौशल द्वारा संपादित।

Are more women dying of Covid-19 in India?

New research by a group of scientists in India and US shows that although men make up the majority of infections, women face a higher risk of dying from the coronavirus than men.



The study, based on Covid-19 deaths in India until 20 May, shows early estimates that 3.3% of all women contracting the infection in India were dying compared to 2.9% of all men. (India had a caseload of more than 110,000 with 3,433 deaths and a fatality rate of 3.1% when the study was conducted.)In the 40-49 age group, 3.2% of the infected women have died, compared to 2.1% of men. Only females have died in the 5-19 age group.

Five key questions about India’s rising Covid-19 infections
I asked SV Subramanian, a professor of population health at Harvard University and one of the leader authors of the study, what this implied.


He told me that the narrative of calculating the Covid-19 fatality rate by groups has conflated two key metrics – mortality risk and mortality burden.

Mortality risk measures the probability of death in a specific group- in this case, total number of deaths of women divided by confirmed infections among women.

On the other hand, mortality burden gives you the number of deaths among women as a percentage share of the total deaths, both men and women.Prof Subramanian says for the large part, the statistics have looked at the latter – men having a greater share of total deaths (63% in India, hewing to international data) – but “inferred the former risk”.



“Our overall conclusion is that, when infected, women do not seem to have any specific survival advantage [in India],” says Prof Subramanian.

“How much of this can be attributable to biological factors and how much of this is associated with social factors is unclear. Gender can be a critical factor in Indian settings,” he says.

The ‘mystery’ of lndia’s low Covid-19 death rates
But the findings are certainly striking because they run counter to what has been observed elsewhere in the world.

For one, men are more likely to suffer from co-morbidities or underlying health conditions, like cardio-vascular disease and hypertension, says Kunihiro Matsushita, a professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Men also smoke more than women in many countries, and some studies have shown that men wash their hands less frequently than women.

Prof Matsushita says that studies he had participated in had shown that male patients have a higher risk of contracting severe Covid-19 infection.

Scientists also believe that women have a lower mortality risk because of sturdier immune defences. And have hormones like oestrogen which has “beneficial effects on upper and lower airways and is associated with stimulation of the immune response to upper airway infections”.

“In that regard, a higher case fatality rate in women than men in this report is certainly unique,” Prof Matsushita told me.

But he says the research data needs to be scrutinised in the context of how Covid-19 is diagnosed in India. “For example, is the opportunity to get a test same between men and women?” he wonders.There could be more to this puzzle than what meets the eye.

Women outlive men in India and there are more older women than men. Is this leading to more deaths among women, as elderly people are vulnerable to the infection?

Also, women in India are more likely to delay going to doctors, and often self-medicate at home. And a woman’s health is more likely to be ignored in a household. So are women arriving late for testing and treatment?

Homemaker caregivers are more prone to contracting the infection – during the 1918 Spanish flu more women in India – relatively undernourished, cooped up in unhygienic and ill-ventilated dwellings, and nursing the sick – died than men.


“We need to dissect the gender data to find out more about what’s going on,” says T Jacob John, a retired professor of virology at Christian Medical College, Vellore.

Researchers agree. “We will keep a close watch and keep updating the results,” Prof Subramanian says.

Written by: Ananya Kaushal

INDIA ACHIEVES A MILESTONE – News Update

The Indian Prime Minister, Mr.Narendra Modi has recently announced that the country remains a steadfast partner in global efforts to combat the Covid pandemic. The government’s results have resulted in a positive impact against the battle with the deadly Corona Virus. India made a 100 Crore Vaccine jabs milestone on 22nd October, 2021. Thousands of health care workers and people from the government sector joined hands to achieve this mark. There had been no such mass vaccination drive in the country prior to the pandemic. Indians were not made to wait endlessly for these jabs due to vaccine makers such as The Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute. Within a short duration of time amidst the Covid – 19 waves, these manufacturers came to the rescue and supplied indigenous doses.

After several episodes of complete and partial lockdowns in the nation, the authorities began permitting to open up different sectors, trains, educational institutes and shopping malls, with the mandatory restriction of complete vaccination of an individual. The date 16th of July, will be engraved in the history of India’s achievements, as this is the day when the very first vaccines were administered to the frontliners. The civilians were initially hesitant with administration of the jabs because of several inhibitions and rumours. Gradually, the public started pre-booking their slots in order to get vaccinated. In about only 9 months, India is basking in glory with the milestone that has been achieved.

The country not just secured itself from the virus, but also worked for humanitarian causes by supplying these vaccines to other nations such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, South Africa, Afghanistan and many more. There were times when the government did receive backlash for supplying vaccines and this move was also being called as a risky diplomacy. Inspite of hardships, the country did supply approximately 361 lakh doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to other nations.

With the completion of this landmark, a gesture of gratitude towards the frontline warriors was displayed by lighting up of 100 monuments in India, ins colour of the Indian tri-colour. This initiative was lead by the Archaeological Survey Of India. Therefore, to offer a vote of thanks to all the doctors, nurses, sanitation staff, police officers, monuments including the Konark Temple, Agra Fort, Red Fort, Shanivar Wada, Khajurao, Fatehpur Sikri, Qutb Minar, Kumbalgarh, Nalanda, St. Francis Church, Dholavira, etc were illuminated. This expression of gratefulness towards the relentless efforts of the essential workers took place on the night of 21st October, 2021.

The National COVID-19 vaccination drive of India is the world’s largest vaccination drive and has been unprecedented in both scale and reach. India alertly imposed restrictions on the movement of people and quickly arranged for hospital like setups to provide timely health care. A series of sessions were conducted by the Prime Minister to advice the citizens regarding the ongoing crisis. India scored high on communications with health care workers during a public health emergency, trade and travel restrictions, laboratory systems, immunization, and socioeconomic resilience.

Impact of Covid-19 on the Corporate Sector in India



The impact of coronavirus pandemic on India has been largely disruptive in terms of economic activity as well as a loss of human lives. Almost all the sectors have been adversely affected as domestic demand and exports sharply plummeted with some notable exceptions where high growth was observed. An attempt is made to analyze the impact and possible solutions for some key sectors.


Food & Agriculture

Since agriculture is the backbone of the country and a part of the government announced essential category, the impact is likely to be low on both primary agricultural production and usage of agro-inputs. Several state governments have already allowed free movement of fruits, vegetables, milk etc. Online food grocery platforms are heavily impacted due to unclear restrictions on movements and stoppage of logistics vehicles. RBI and Finance Minister announced measures will help the industry and the employees in the short term. Insulating the rural food production areas in the coming weeks will hold a great answer to the macro impact of COVID-19 on Indian food sector as well as larger economy.


Aviation & Tourism

The contribution of the Aviation Sector and Tourism to our GDP stands at about 2.4% and 9.2% respectively. The Tourism sector served approximately 43 million people in FY 18-19. Aviation and Tourism were the first industries that were hit significantly by the pandemic. The common consensus seems to be that COVID will hit these industries harder than 9/11 and the Financial Crisis of 2008. These two industries have been dealing with severe cash flow issues since the start of the pandemic and are staring at a potential 38 million lay-offs, which translates to 70 per cent of the total workforce. The impact is going to fall on both, White and Blue collar jobs. According to IATO estimates, these industries may incur losses of about 85 billion Rupees due to travel restrictions. The Pandemic has also brought about a wave of innovation in the fields of contactless boarding and travel technologies.



Telecom

There has been a significant amount of changes in the telecom sector of India even before the Covid-19 due to brief price wars between the service providers. Most essential services and sectors have continued to run during the pandemic thanks to the implementation of the ‘work from home’ due to restrictions. With over 1 billion connections as of 2019, the telecom sector contributes about 6.5 per cent of GDP and employs almost 4 million people. Increased broadband usage had a direct impact and resulted in pressure on the network. Demand has been increased by about 10%. However, the Telco’s are bracing for a sharp drop in adding new subscribers. As a policy recommendation, the government can aid the sector by relaxing the regulatory compliances and provide moratorium for spectrum dues, which can be used for network expansions by the companies.


Pharmaceuticals

The pharmaceutical industry has been on the rise since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, especially in India, the largest producer of generic drugs globally. With a market size of $55 billion during the beginning of 2020, it has been surging in India, exporting Hydroxychloroquine to the world, esp. to the US, UK, Canada, and the Middle-East.

There has been a recent rise in the prices of raw materials imported from China due to the pandemic. Generic drugs are the most impacted due to heavy reliance on imports, disrupted supply-chain, and labour unavailability in the industry, caused by social distancing. Simultaneously, the pharmaceutical industry is struggling because of the government-imposed bans on the export of critical drugs, equipment, and PPE kits to ensure sufficient quantities for the country. The increasing demand for these drugs, coupled with hindered accessibility is making things harder. Easing the financial stress on the pharmaceutical companies, tax-relaxations, and addressing the labour force shortage could be the differentiating factors in such a desperate time.


Oil and Gas

The Indian Oil & Gas industry is quite significant in the global context – it is the third-largest energy consumer only behind USA and Chine and contributes to 5.2% of the global oil demand. The complete lockdown across the country slowed down the demand of transport fuels (accounting for 2/3rd demand in oil & gas sector) as auto & industrial manufacturing declined and goods & passenger movement (both bulk & personal) fell. Though the crude prices dipped in this period, the government increased the excise and special excise duty to make up for the revenue loss, additionally, road cess was raised too. As a policy recommendation, the government may think of passing on the benefits of decreased crude prices to end consumers at retail outlets to stimulate demand.


Beyond Covid: The new normal

In view of the scale of disruption caused by the pandemic, it is evident that the current downturn is fundamentally different from recessions. The sudden shrinkage in demand & increased unemployment is going to alter the business landscape. Adopting new principles like ‘shift towards localization, cash conservation, supply chain resilience and innovation’ will help businesses in treading a new path in this uncertain environment.

Coronavirus (COVID-19), a virus that grew stealthily has become one of the deadliest viruses that are killing people worldwide. This virus took birth in Wuhan city of China and since then have traveled to more than 160 countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Coronavirus as a pandemic. It has become a mass scare and is leading to the deaths of thousands of people in numerous countries including China, Italy, Iran, Spain, the US, and many more. In India, this pandemic started on 30 January 2020 by affecting an individual who had a travel history from Wuhan, China.


The world economy is seeing its greatest fall ever. Coronavirus has largely impacted the growth of almost every country and is responsible for the slump in GDP worldwide. Like other countries, India is also impacted by this virus but not largely. Almost every industry sector has seen a fall in their sales and revenue. India’s GDP growth has fallen to 4.7% in the third quarter of 2020.


Inflation and Affected Industry:

China is one of the largest exporters of many raw materials to India. Shutting down of factories has damaged the supply chain resulting in a drastic surge in the prices of raw materials. Some of the other products that have seen a rise in their prices are gold, masks, sanitizers, smartphones, medicines, consumer durables, etc. The aviation sector and automobile companies are the hardest hit among the rest. With no airplane landings or take-offs globally and restricted travel has brought the aviation and travel industry to a halt.



Slump in Share market:
Share markets that include Sensex and Nifty are on nose dive since the occurrence of this pandemic (COVID-19). Sensex has declined close to 8000 points in a month. As of 12 March 2020, share market investors have lost approximately Rs. 33 lakh crore rupees in a month. This could be the beginning of a recession that the Indian market will never want to witness. Investors are advised to stay safe and invested in this virus-infected stock market. Few industries that can benefit from novel coronavirus during the time of the market crash are pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).




Cash flow Issue:
Due to this outbreak, almost 80% of Indian companies have witnessed cash flow difficulty and over 50% of companies are facing operations issues. As per the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), 53% of companies are impacted by COVID-19. Slow economic activity is resulting in cash flow problems eventually impacting repayments, interest, taxes, etc.


Coronavirus (COVID-19), a virus that grew stealthily has become one of the deadliest viruses that are killing people worldwide. This virus took birth in Wuhan city of China and since then have traveled to more than 160 countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Coronavirus as a pandemic. It has become a mass scare and is leading to the deaths of thousands of people in numerous countries including China, Italy, Iran, Spain, the US, and many more. In India, this pandemic started on 30 January 2020 by affecting an individual who had a travel history from Wuhan, China.


The world economy is seeing its greatest fall ever. Coronavirus has largely impacted the growth of almost every country and is responsible for the slump in GDP worldwide. Like other countries, India is also impacted by this virus but not largely. Almost every industry sector has seen a fall in their sales and revenue. India’s GDP growth has fallen to 4.7% in the third quarter of 2020.


Efforts from CII and Govt. of India:
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has suggested the RBI reduce repo rate up to 50 basis points and also asked for a reduction of 50 basis points on the cash reserve ratio. The government is planning to set up an amount to support MSMEs to overcome the crisis during this phase of shut down, cash flow difficulty, and working capital issues.

Written by: Ananya Kaushal

Education a right of everyone but a gift for poor

Education the solution for every problem in this world. If you are educated you know how to manage difficult time in a better way then others. Education is not only provided in school but it also present all around you.

The context of education is very wide, you can’t say that education is only provided in schools and colleges. By education you’re mean that you learn from your surrounding not only bookcase knowledge. A person who never went to school doesn’t mean that he don’t have knowledge of anything.

At present to the covid-19 situation there are millions of children who had lost the access to education, because they are not having digital devices to have their online Classic in even their schools are shut off.

Today we are having so many excuses for online classes like we’re having strain in eyes, neck, headache etc. I don’t mean mad they are not genuine but, these are not as hard as you are not getting education. You are fortunate in now to continue your education even without going to school but many in this world a not so fortunate.

There are many example synthesis world who had sacrifice a lot just to get educated. One of them is Malala Yousafzai who was ready to get shot from gun just to get educated.

So whenever you feel like you don’t want to study just think about them and you automatically will get an inspiration and a sense of gratitude that you are having so many resources that your education is not getting any hindrance.

We and government together should take step that gift access of education to everyone in your country or in the world. We can donate our old book, pencils and other stationaries to them and that will be a small step from our side but will make a big difference for them.

Positive effects of Covid Lockdown

Covid 19 a name which has changed the life of every individual in this world. It has changed the way we live, the way we work the way we think.When we hear covid-19 we get anxious, sad and always look at the negative side of it. Which is right because we have lost so many lives, jobs, increase in the number of of depression cases, which has ultimately made everyone’s life a Topsy-turvy.

But as we know there is always two sides of a coin, so there is always two sides of any situation too. We have already looked at the negative side and we know about it but now let’s look at the positive sides too.

Reduction in air pollution : there was reduced in air pollution which improve the air quality of whole world, as all of the big factories where close up and there was no emission of carbon dioxide, Sulphur and other toxic gases in the atmosphere.

Clearance of water body : the water bodies have cleaned themselves during this time as the industries and factories when not releasing any toxic chemicals and materials in the water bodies which even increased the number of water organism.

Reduction in use of energy : again due to the close down of all the factories and industries the energy consumed earlier was reduced and which lead to saving a lot of energy.

Improve in health facilities : as this covid-19 broke out we actually realised that we need a better health facilities and to provide these facilities many new firms were established to provide this medical and health facilities leading to its improvement. India was one of the largest producer of mass and PPE kits.

Technological advancement : when the spender make broke out everything has switched to online platforms which lead to to its improvement. As we know necessity is the mother of invention and in these time when we were not able to meet each other physically technology help us a lot to overcome this hindrance

Removal of place hindrance : we were able to take online classes, meetings, webinars and other events online which actually remove the hindrance of place as we can attend it being in any part of this world.

Spend more time with family : we were able to give more time to our family members and loved ones which earlier was not possible due to a busy work schedule.

Getting a break from busy life : this actually gave us a break from our busy life and think about ourselves and enjoy quality time with her family which actually make us very happy.

Chances for learning new skills : this also provided as to improve our skills through online courses which was earlier difficult for us to focus upon because of our busy life.

Just look at the positive sides of it. There are many more which I may not be able to cover right now, but you know it. So in order to get inspiration in the difficult time we should look at the positive points of it. Because this is what life is about facing difficulties with a smile on your face and a positive attitude in your mind.

Car Market in India during Pandemic Covid-19

The impact of pandemic covid-19 in India has been vastly disruptive in terms of loss of life and economic movement.
Almost every sector has been adversely affected by the pandemic. Production cut due to decline in demand of cars during covid-19 also impacted employment growth negatively.


As the domestic demand and export stopped with some notable exceptions. Pandemic with the lockdown derived in shutting down of production in automobile industries and impacted car marketing in India. In addition, the reduction in the consumer demand for cars is also increased. The car market during covid-19 in India had the hardest hit.

With the statement of automobiles Manufacturers society, the car market registers a negative growth in sales. But that’s not equally true for all. Still, luxury car manufacture said they are seeing a boom in the demand despite the pandemic. While studying the car market trends during covid-19. Profits are been made on the kind of car being sold during pandemic covid-19. Overall car sales were down compared with the previous year. As lockdown is giving ease in some cities hence people are electing to buy cars rather then using public transport. The reason being behind is people are afraid of using public transport while concerning about their safety.
The main Impact that the car market during covid-19 submitted is the slowdown in the demand for new cars and increase in demand for used cars. Because Used cars are budget-friendly and the supply of new cars is slow. Nowadays, The supply and demand all are delivered online. The available option is more.


The picture is improving however, the manufacturers must start the production after relief from the second wave of the covid-19. Confirming the protection of its employees and customers. Following the social distancing and vaccination. In addition, the government has decided to support The car market during covid19 by its policies, such as decreasing the cost of raw material required and cutting down the tax rates on automobiles. All such measures can help the market to recover sooner and tougher.

Covid impact on Children

‘The new normal’ a phrase you have offen listened to, and had became used to nowadays. Everything has changed the way we live, the way we interact, the way we meet, the way we chill. Our whole world has shrinking to just our electronic gadgets and our house. Even though everything is opening slowly but still, it is not the same as it was before covid.

Effect on children

One of the worst effected during this ‘new normal’ times are the children. They are not able to go out and play, not able to interact with their friends and teachers, not able to enjoy outdoor meals.As they used to before covid.

Now, their eyes are getting strained due to online class, they are becoming insocial, have become a night own. They have actually lost their whole routine. They have lost their speaking skills, have became addictive to social media. They have ultimately started losing the main essence of their childhood.

This is a really important issue, it should be treated with at most seriousness, as they number of children facing mental problems has increased drastically since, the out break of the covid.

It is the responsibility of the parents and teachers to observe their child’s behavior, if the are behavior has become rude or they are getting irritated or frustrated on small things or has stopped or reduced their interaction with you. Then it is certainly a matter of concern.

Ultimately this article is not to scare you, but to bring out the genuine problems of the children in this difficult time.

Disrupt, Divide, and Develop – The Effects of Covid-19 on Education

The pervasive nature of the Covid-19 pandemic has created one of the largest disruptions of education in human history, countervailing all efforts to provide education for all children. It caused unprecedented changes and continues to change numerous aspects of education that we took for granted. In March 2020, schools around India began closing to avoid the spread of Covid-19. These sudden closures led to confusion and uncertainty amongst students, especially those who were appearing for their board exams. For other students, these abrupt closures brought about a perplexing break from school. These ostensibly temporary closures were made permanent once the nationwide lockdown was effectuated and students were separated from their schools.

According to data by UNICEF and UNESCO, more than 1 billion children were at risk of falling behind due to school closures during the pandemic. Schools for more than 168 million children globally have been completely closed for almost an entire year. Around 214 million children globally, which is equivalent to 1 in 7 children, have missed more than three-quarters of their in-person learning. Furthermore, more than 888 million children worldwide continue to face disruptions to their education due to full and partial school closures. 

In India, the closure of 1.5 million schools in 2020 impacted 247 million children enrolled in elementary and secondary schools. In early March 2021, only eight States and Union Territories had reopened classes 1 to 12; 11 had reopened classes 6-12 and 15 had reopened classes 9-12. However, the ongoing second wave has caused the complete closure of schools yet again, as well as either the cancellation or postponement of board exams, competitive exams, and entrance exams. 

We began a new academic year like never before – from our homes. To continue the process of education, schools were compelled to adapt, adopt, and evolve. The biggest change has been the abandonment of traditional notions of schooling and the shift to online learning and teaching. Teachers have had to adapt to teaching online, a complete shift for those who’ve had many years of traditional classroom teaching experience. The fun and exciting trip to school has been diminished to clicking a link to join our classes. Interactive classes have become eerily similar to videos on our laptop or phone screen with a tincture of interaction arising when teachers ask us whether we’re present. The extreme sport of completing notes just before the teacher calls out our names has become the tedious process of scanning our notes and sending them as a pdf. Eating with our friends in the school canteen has been replaced with us eating alone during classes. Our classmates have become little rectangles on our screens. Outdoor sports have disappeared from the list of extracurriculars that we did in school. The end of school or college life is marked by video calls instead of grand graduation ceremonies. A lot has changed. 

These changes have led to some pernicious problems. The blurring of lines between school and home has led to students feeling overworked. This holds true for teachers too as they answer questions, clear doubts, and create lesson plans at all hours of the day. Students often have to study and sleep in the same rooms now. According to scientific studies, this often leads to a decrease in productivity and concentration. Students, especially younger ones, are easily distracted during online classes, despite attempts to marshal concentration and focus, as a classroom atmosphere is non-existent. Teachers are unable to pick up cues such as body language and facial expressions, making it challenging to connect with and understand their students. Problems such as eye strain and headaches are more common now due to the drastic and unavoidable increase in screen time for students. Online classes are often disrupted by copious internet problems, power cuts, background noise, and vexing software problems. All forms of practical education have been eliminated. A lack of clarity on important events such as board exam and entrance exam dates has led to the upheaval of students’ plans that were formulated before the pandemic began, fueling a rise in students’ anxiety and uncertainty.  

Covid-19 has also been a catalyst to the widening of socio-economic gaps in society on numerous fronts. While the virus cossets no one, the fact that it has disproportionately affected students belonging to less affluent households, especially those in rural India, is indubitable. Undoubtedly, access to the internet and an appropriate device are the lifelines of online education. 

A UNICEF report from August 2020 highlighted that only 24% of Indian households have access to the internet. While television and radio were purported as an alternative, there is no substitute for an actual teacher. A more recent survey conducted by Learning Spiral in February 2021 revealed that more than 50% of Indian students in rural and urban areas don’t have access to the internet. Moreover, only 47% of the households that have access to the internet own a device that can access the internet. It also revealed that, while 27% of all Indian households have access to the internet, only 28% of those are in rural India, even though rural India comprises of nearly 71% of India’s households.

Families in rural India are plagued with other impediments to online education –  insufficient or no smartphones, having to borrow smartphones (and therefore may not get them at the time needed), not having enough money to buy an appropriate internet package, and patchy connectivity even if they have internet access. The severity of these problems is incalculable and more prevalent than in urban households.   

Assuming that the problems stop here would be specious. The closure of schools has obstructed the “Mid Day Meal Scheme”. India has about 120 million children enrolled in the scheme in over 1.26 million schools across the country. However, due to the disruptions caused by Covid-19, many States and Union Territories have been forced to stop this initiative, depriving children of their basic nutritional needs. This scheme also serves as a huge incentive for children to attend school. Therefore, its removal may negatively impact both their health and their education. Furthermore, incidents of domestic abuse and child labour have drastically increased as students can no longer be protected by going to school. 

The Covid-19 pandemic has been atrocious but there has been a silver lining. The pandemic has led to an “academic revolution” that, unfortunately worsened certain differences in our society, but has also alleviated certain differences. 

Even before Covid-19, there was high growth in and adoption of education technology. Projections have shown that the overall market for online education may be valued at $350 Billion by 2025. There has been a significant surge in the usage of language apps, virtual tutoring, video conferencing tools, online learning software, etc. This is not only providing alternative paths for education but it is also future-proofing education. Through programs such as Coursera and edX, students can attend classes that they normally wouldn’t have had access to. India is considered the largest marketplace for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) after the USA.

In certain aspects, online learning has made school more inclusive and obviated numerous hindrances to education. The use of videos in class greatly benefits visual learners. The use of tools such as online polling and chats have improved the class participation of those who otherwise may have hesitated to speak up. Notes, videos, and other study material that are sent to students can be reviewed anytime so the pressure on students to complete their work “before the bell” has been reduced. Furthermore, differently-abled students who found it difficult to attend school in-person can now attend classes with their friends from their homes. 

As students are attending classes from their homes, commuting to school no longer blocks their schedules. This gives them more time for extracurriculars such as internships, online courses, and online competitions. It also allows them more time to do the things they enjoy such as singing, cooking, writing, and painting. Students are also honing their online collaborative skills and improving their digital literacy, this will immensely benefit them in the future as the entire world shifts online.    

Hopefully, the move to online learning creates a new, permanent, and more effective method of educating students. While this “new normal” has had certain benefits, we must remember the value of education for all and prudentially strive to shrink the divide caused by this unavoidable transition to online learning.     

Empathy vs. Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected everyone disproportionately and unfairly. Health care workers face the harsh realities of the virus head-on. Teachers have had to adapt their years of experience gained from conventional teaching to suit online classes. Millions face the harsh reality of poverty and hunger everyday. Millions have lost their hard-earned jobs. Businesses have been forced to shut down. Hate crimes against groups of society that are baselessly and cruelly accused of spreading the virus have drastically increased. Mental health issues have risen and fueled by isolation, anxiety, uncertainty, and fear. More than 150 million people have gone and continue to battle with this invincible enemy. More than 3 million people have lost their lives because of this virus. Families have lost their loved ones and the world has lost countless dreamers. This virus cossets no one.  

Early notions such as the pandemic would be ephemeral and infections were punitive for those who flouted the necessary precautions and rules have diminished during the ongoing second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. In my opinion, this is due to a rise in empathy amongst the people of India. Simply put, empathy is the ability of a living being to understand and share the feelings of another living being. Colloquially, it is referred to as “putting oneself in someone else’s shoes” 

The Government of India has had no shortage of opportunities to show empathy and alleviate the suffering of Indians. The Government has neglected its duty to serve the country and as Arundhati Roy put it, has committed a crime against humanity. The government has failed on many fronts. I would like to highlight a few that showcase an egregious lack of empathy. 

Firstly, the poorly planned nationwide lockdown, which was imposed with a mere 4 hours of notice, left thousands of migrant workers helpless, stranded, and vulnerable. With no help from the government, these migrant workers bravely decided to walk back to their villages. This lockdown was stained by police brutality and hate crimes against people that just wanted to survive. The lack of condemnation and apology by the government showcases a lack of empathy. 

Secondly, in an attempt to alleviate the suffering of Indians, the government launched the risibly named PM CARES (Citizens Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations) fund and its primary objective was “to deal with any kind of emergency or distress situation, like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and to provide relief to the affected”. The fact that a government that has never shied away from repeatedly putting their plans such as “Make in India”, “Swachh Bharat”, “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao”, etc on the highest possible pedestal has created such an opaque and inaccessible fund shows a lack of empathy. 

Thirdly, the government’s actions before the second wave hit can be described as complacent, incompetent, and overconfident. On the 21st of February 2021, a resolution was passed in the BJP National Office Bearers meeting that “unequivocally hails its leadership for introducing India to the world as a proud and victorious nation in the fight against Covid”. Additionally, the government decided to export vaccines to other countries without ensuring adequate supply was available for Indian citizens. This not only leaves Indian citizens in danger but also betrays all the countries that depended on “the pharmacy of the world” as vaccine exports were abruptly stopped. None of this would’ve happened if the government showed empathy towards the people of India and established appropriate contingent plans.

Fourthly, while the second wave virulently spread and claimed thousands of lives, the government showed no empathy. While a strong case can be made to prohibit sitting union ministers from campaigning in elections that they are not contesting during a crisis, a complete stop to the democratic process would have been detrimental. The occurrence of huge rallies during a pandemic is untenable and all politicians are guilty of this. The myopic and unsympathetic nature of the government is accentuated by the needless comments that they have made throughout the pandemic.  

Finally, the iniquitous lack of cooperation between the centre and states to fight this pandemic showcases a pathetic lack of empathy. The failure to come up with a comprehensive and transparent plan for the distribution and supply of oxygen and vaccines has caused unimaginable suffering to the people of India. Any attempt by the government to set aside pride and partisanship, as leaders have done before when facing a crisis, and listen to good advice and imploration would be a sign of empathy. No such attempt has been made. Their lack of action and belated action have had fatal effects, but the government has not shown a sign of remorse or empathy.    

But all is not lost. There have been instances in which the government has shown empathy. Most states have decided to offer a Covid-19 vaccine for free for different age groups. The central government also has plans to allow final-year MBBS students to join Covid duty before completing the NEET exam. This will drastically reduce the strain faced by health care workers taking care of Covid patients. The government of Karnataka also announced that it would form a team of 15,000 civil defence volunteers in Bengaluru for tracking and tracing Covid-19 patients. This is a significantly more empathetic and humane approach to managing the crisis than the sadistic and vicious approach used last year that made victims of Covid-19 feel like criminals.

However, none of these actions are as consequential and empathetic as the profound empathy amongst the ordinary people of India. Early displays of empathy were seen when people started taking care of stray animals during the lockdown. Furthermore, countless rations and donations were given to the stranded migrant workers to help them cope with the dire situation they faced. From providing meals, oxygen, assistance to the elderly and handling cremations, Gurudwaras around the country have been the perfect embodiment of empathy. Conspicuously, the empathy and equanimity shown by the youth of India has truly been remarkable. With the help of social media, the relentless youth are constantly doing their part by helping those in need. 

Empathy also provides a strong basis for our everyday fight against Covid-19. Precautions like wearing a mask, staying indoors as much as possible, social distancing when outside, and getting vaccinated as soon as possible would not be flouted if people were more empathetic. For those of us who have not been directly affected by the virus yet, empathy goes a long way in helping and caring about those who have. 

Perhaps, the most optimistic and quixotic change that we can hope for during this precarious and seemingly inexorable situation is the crippling of traditional barriers that have separated us before. If we, as ordinary citizens of India, continue to disregard gender, caste, religion, wealth, age, ethnicity, language, political ideology, and other barriers when helping those affected by this pandemic, we could truly be united in this fight against the invisible enemy. Together, we shall overcome.  

Covid effected the Engineering students and ways to cope up once the college’s reopens

Since the start of 2020 the world has been witnessing a health calamity with uncertain implications.
The coronavirus pandemic or covid-19 has created havoc causing immense damage in terms of loss
of human lives, financial and economic shortfalls and affected student’s education.

We, the students, I feel, are among those whose lives took an unalterable turn. The school or
college going community had to suddenly shift in-class action to onscreen lectures and
demonstrations. The students understood that theory classes can be done from home. Students can
get notes and study materials online. But the Engineering students or students from technical
background are lacking behind as they are not attending the practical classes. Practical classes are of
utmost importance for any technical students to work further in any technical field after graduation.

So, when the colleges will reopen now, the students need to focus on some topics and need to know
where they need to focus now.

Students need to attend more laboratory/practical classes once the college reopens, as we know
now that theory can be done online and we can gain theoretical knowledge by attending different
online video lectures, PDF notes etc. available on the internet.

Students must participate in events or exhibitions, they should know what projects can be made, the
topics that are needed in order to have a strong grip on the subjects. One must take technical fests
seriously and make new projects. If one is not making them, at least he/she can spectate others’
work or the events.

Once the college reopens, start looking for industrial training, start looking for companies or
workshop jobs (odd/even jobs) which one needs to gain experience.
If students want to start their own company, they must start once the college reopens, especially
the final year students can start their own projects or can start-up with innovation and implement
their skills and potential.

There would always be an increasing demand for creative reasoning, design thinking and problem-
solving skills looking at the current recruitment trends.

In a nutshell, the whole engineering fraternity will have to let go of the traditional mindset and think
out of the box to find innovative solutions to the way forward.

As the dust settles down on these outbreaks, the new dawn would bring in new challenges of
survival and those who adapt and adopts faster will win the race.

ROLE OF QUAD IN SOUTH CHINA SEA

BY DAKSHITA NAITHANI

The Quadrilateral Dialogue was established in 2007 when four countries—the United States, India, Japan, and Australia—joined forces. However, it did not take off at first due to a variety of factors, and it was resurrected in 2017 after almost a decade due to factors such as growing country convergence, the expanding importance of the Indo-Pacific area, and rising threat sentiments toward China, amongst many others.

The origins of QUAD may be traced back to the Malabar Exercise. Malabar began as a modest Passage Exercise named PASSEX between the Indian and US Navies in 1992, but was halted after India’s nuclear testing in Pokhran in 1998. It was later restarted in 2002. Since its inception in 2002, QUAD has become an annual event. With the addition of Japan in 2015, it has become a trilateral practice.

The Quad’s goal remains intact: to promote the economic and security objectives of those nations with genuine and essential interests, to devise a new approach for keeping the Indo-key Pacific’s maritime lanes free of foreign influence. It has become necessary in view of the increased need for information exchange in the maritime sector. With the growing presence of the Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean, awareness is a key subject for the Navy. After 2008, China increased its presence in the Region under the pretext of anti-piracy operations, even deploying submarines for the objective. In 2017, China formally established its first overseas facility near Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa.

What are the underlying challenges?

The environment in which QUAD has been resurrected, as well as subsequent engagements like as Malabar Exercise 2020, are regarded as governed by a counter-China narrative. There are several features that may not constitute sites of convergence, despite how they appear.

China’s influence: China has significant economic links with Quad partners, particularly Australia, which is what it may use to compel or sway nations to its side. This might prove to be an issue for India.

Maritime orientation: Quad is a marine rather than a land-based organisation because of its strong concentration on the Indo-Pacific. This raises some important concerns about the basis of collaboration with Asia-Pacific and Eurasian countries.

Differing perspectives. There are conflicting viewpoints on certain situations, such as the Myanmar crisis as seen through the eyes of the United States and India. India has remained silent in the face of Japan’s expressed worry that China is attempting to alter the status quo in the East and South China Seas.

Advantages in Space- When QUAD representatives join forces in space, they have significant benefits and are able to fight China. This includes (a) lowering the extremely high expenses of building a dock in order to promote the development of interplanetary vehicles (IPVs). (b) One member state has benefits that will compliment each other and will lead to a successful Mars exploration and the construction of support facilities that will be necessary for effective asteroid belt mining. (c) All member countries bring a high degree of convergence in space applications, for example, the United States has the advanced technological base required for advanced avionics, which will form the backbone for both the construction of a space dock and the construction of IPVs; India has a highly educated and inexpensive working population, which will lower the cost of space; and Australia has the natural resources required for exploration.

The Quad met in Tokyo on October 6, 2020, for the second time since the organisation revived in November 2017. It was the second such gathering, following the inaugural virtual meeting in June, and the first high-level Quad meeting since the 2019 foreign ministers’ meeting in New York on the margins of the UN General Assembly meeting. Furthermore, given mounting worries about Beijing’s hostile conduct and growing suspicions about China’s management of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, the meeting’s timing and circumstances added to its relevance.

China’s ‘incremental encroachment strategy’ in the South China Sea (SCS) is a source of worry not only for the countries currently affected by the loss of influence over the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), but also for the rest of the world, as China may be able to exercise a monopoly over SCS Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC). Affected nations lack the necessary power to stand up to China, and so will be forced to accept a one-sided agreement such as the China-driven “Code of Conduct” (COC).

As a result, Chinese adventurism must be restrained by other major maritime countries in the global interest. The fact that China could establish a military facility in the SCS despite the existence of the US Navy shows that worldwide criticism and more effort are required to prevent the SCS from becoming “China’s lake.”

Quad may not have the fangs it needs right now, but there is no other option than to establish a prospective structure like this involving likeminded maritime countries with shared strategic objectives in the Indo-Pacific. Various perspectives on the Quad’s role, viability, and prospects have been expressed on several occasions. Because Quad is a security conversation platform rather than a military alliance, aspirations from it must be suitably limited for the time being. 

In the Indo-Pacific, each Quad member sees a distinct threat. While three of the Quad’s warships (Australia, the United States, and Japan) operate under the NATO military alliance structure, India is not a member of any military alliance, while being a reliable ally of two of them. Without India, the trilateral conversation between the three NATO partners has been since 2002. Because India is the only Quad member with an unresolved land boundary with China, it will take a different strategy to dealing with China.

The Quad has emphasised the importance of ASEAN in the Indo-Pacific; nevertheless, their membership in it is a contentious topic owing to Chinese influence. In reaction to China’s claim to the nine-dash line in the SCS, there are divisions within the ASEAN grouping. Some of the ASEAN nations that have been harmed had previously raised a faint voice opposing Chinese aggressiveness, expecting international powers to rein in China’s antics.

Quad’s shared goal of putting its vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific on a “rules-based” legal framework to ensure freedom of passage in the global SLOC requires some reflection and strengthening. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III) has been ratified by Australia, India, and Japan, but the United States has yet to do so. This ratification will be required in order to maintain a high moral ground when implementing the agreement.

China is relatively certain that the US and any other country would not employ military action against it, given the current world geopolitical situation. Beijing is also beefing up its naval capabilities. Quad aims to upgrade beyond its Malabar workouts in this situation.

In the Indo-Pacific, Quad members must maintain freedom of navigation exercises and military posture as China continues to do so. Chinese expansion must continue to be condemned by the international community. Quad may not be powerful enough to stop Chinese adventurism in its current form, but it has the potential to become one of the most effective instruments if the afflicted nations and the international community band together to address their mutual concerns.

The navies of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States conducted their largest naval drills this month, sending warships, submarines, and aircraft to the Indian Ocean, signalling the four countries’ seriousness in countering China’s military and political influence in the Indo-Pacific region, according to analysts. Officials in Beijing were silent, but Chinese state media denounced the Malabar naval manoeuvres, calling them a threat to regional stability, according to the Global Times newspaper.

Conclusion

The Quad is developing as one of the major multilateral which is committed to increased security collaboration in the post–COVID-19 international order, given the rising pace and scope of the group’s work. Furthermore, having an active Quad dispels the long-held belief that the Indo-Pacific is mainly inert. With the stakes higher than ever, each of the Quad’s four members must play a larger role in balancing the Indo-threats Pacific’s and power moves. Every step made by the Quad will make it more difficult for Beijing to realise its great-power goals. As a result, China will be unnerved by the Quad’s emergence as a united front championing a free and open Indo-Pacific. Furthermore, if China continues to push the security boundaries and put the Quad members to the test, the organisation will morph into the anti-China squad Beijing fears.

BLESSING IN DISGUISE

BY DAKSHITA NAITHANI

The year 2020, as we all know, will be a major change in our life. It has also demonstrated the opposite side of existence. We continued to count things for the future, and when the pandemic struck, it reminded us of how unexpected life can be; different aspects of life were affected, and working conditions were significantly altered. There was a lot of misunderstanding in the education industry about how to teach pupils, how to start lessons, and so on. However, technology was the solution to all problems.

People have used mobile phones for social interactions and pleasure in the past, but they have now evolved into a source of information, and we can say that school has come within our grasp. This situation is very similar to one of the chapters in NCERT’s English course book for class 9 called “The fun they had,” in which two children from the future (2050) got their hands on a real hardcover book from their grandfather and were amused by the idea of a real school and school building where all the children of the same age group used to study together under one roof and thought that happiness was being together with their friends. Did the pupils in this circumstance realise that this narrative would become so relevant and genuine to them? Many parents used to refuse to let their children to use cell phones, but it has now become a necessity.

Although there are always two sides to a coin, sales of smart phones soared as a result of the epidemic, since every home needed one additional one for their children to attend courses. Technology has also played a significant role in education, and how we use it can have positive or negative consequences. Phones have evolved into more than simply a means of communication; they have also become a lifeline and an indispensible component of our lives in some manner. It was a struggle for teachers to not only teach their material but also to engage with their pupils throughout these testing periods. They’ve also learned to utilise technology in a variety of ways, including not just communicating but also using various digital classrooms, boards, and audio and visual teaching and learning methods. They were not only effective in speaking with pupils, but also with their guardians, and despite the challenges, they were able to establish an emotional bond with them.

Many parents lost their jobs as a result of industry losses and were obliged to shift their children from private to government schools, but many were pleased to do so because the curriculum is on par with top institutions. The government and teachers have made it a point to link each and every kid with them. Many teachers aided their students financially as well as academically. Many teachers have also attempted to offer phones or internet connections to their kids, demonstrating that humanity bears primary responsibility in any scenario.

The desire for change in school education emerges as a result of continual changes in society on psychological, social, and economic levels. As a result, we must constantly introduce and upgrade a framework. As you can see with the current pandemic, a lot of adjustments are required both during and after the crisis. With this in mind, the Delhi government began giving curriculum-based work sheets to children of all grades, as well as training their teachers.

Teachers’ ability and efficiency have been improved via the use of webinars and online seminars on a regular basis. Regular trainings were provided to demonstrate how to use Google products to make the teaching and learning process more engaging and beneficial. The government has also launched a number of applications, such as Chalklit and Diksha, to provide a platform for various trainings and to keep instructors informed about innovative ways of teaching and learning. It was remarkable that students continued to attend courses on a regular basis, whether they were in the same city or in their village; their desire to study grew day by day, and they began to respond positively.

ASPERGILLOSIS

BY DAKSHITA NAITHANI

INTRODUCTION

Pier Antonio Micheli, a priest and scientist, named Aspergillus while documenting moulds in 1729. The mould looked like an aspergillum, which is a type of holy water sprinkler. Physician Georg W. Fresenius described the species fumigatus for the first time in 1863.

 Apergillus spp., found in abundance of nature, can be found in soil, decomposing materials, water sources, and air particle. Aspergillus-related disease is uncommon, although it has a significant death rate. The majority of people are exposed to spores (conidia) during their lives, although illness development occurs mostly in people with compromised immune systems, as well as during construction and yard activities. In patients with leukaemia, asthma, cystic fibrosis, and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients, A.fumigatus is the most frequent invasive mould infection, with death rates exceeding 50 percent in these high-risk populations.

Around the apex, the stipes are grey in colour. They feature a slick finish. Their globule is tiny and columnar. The conidia’s texture is either smooth or spinose.

WHERE IT CAN BE FOUND?

Aspergillus is commonly found in rotting plant matter. After considerable environmental exposure to Aspergillus spores, such as when handling tree-bark chipping, Aspergillosis can develop in healthy hosts.

Aspergillus can be found in soil, compost piles, and damp grain in outdoor settings. Aspergillus may be found within buildings in wet insulation, fireproofing material, beds , behind couches, in damp rooms’ corners, dust, and air conditioning systems. In the Northern Hemisphere, most research studying seasonal changes in fungal exposure show an increase in airborne Aspergillus throughout the cold season.

TYPES OF ASPERGILLOSIS

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a multifaceted hypersensitivity reaction to inhaled Aspergillus fumigatus. Although it produces lung irritation and allergy symptoms, it does not cause infection. Aspergillus sinusitis is caused by an allergic reaction to the fungus Aspergillus, which produces inflammation in the sinuses and the symptoms of a sinus infection but does not cause an infection. A fungus ball is also known as an Aspergilloma. It forms in the lungs or sinuses but seldom spreads to other regions of the body, as the name implies.

Aspergillosis of the lungs (chronic pulmonary aspergillosis) Aspergilloma, chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis (CCPA), chronic fibrosing pulmonary aspergillosis (CFPA), and Aspergillus nodules are all illnesses classified as chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA). CPA is a lung infection that develops over time.

INVASIVE PULMONARY ASPERGILLOSIS

Inhaled conidia are removed by epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages in normal host lungs. Aspergillus becomes invasive when conidia escape these host defences and develop into branching filaments called hyphae. Alveolar macrophages generate inflammatory mediators, which attract neutrophils, which can destroy the hyphae.

CUTANEOUS SKIN ASPERGILLOS

Aspergillus comes in contact through a breach in the skin (for example, after surgery or a burn wound) and infects persons with weaker immune systems. Cutaneous Aspergillosis can also develop if invasive Aspergillosis moves from another part of the body, such as the lungs, to the skin.

LIFE CYCLE

Aspergillus begins its infectious life cycle by producing conidia (asexual spores) that are easily transported into the atmosphere, ensuring its ubiquity in both habitats. Inhalation of these conidia is the most common way to become infected, followed by conidial deposition in the bronchiole spaces. The phagocytosis and destruction of Aspergillus conidia is largely carried out by macrophages. The danger of infection stems largely from a breakdown in these host defences, as well as fungal characteristics that allow A. fumigatus to survive and flourish in this pulmonary habitat.

SYMPTOMS

The symptoms of Aspergillosis are:

  • Wheezing, chest pain
  • Shortness of breath, stuffiness, runny nose and reduced ability to smell
  • Cough (sometimes blood)
  • Fever (in rare cases), headache, fatigue
  •        Weight loss

•             The length of time that an illness lasts depends on the underlying health concerns, the intensity or location of infection, and the kind of sickness.

•             Allergic forms, may require steroid and antifungal treatment for a few months, possibly longer sometimes.       

•             Invasive pulmonary Aspergillosis may need at least 6 to 12 weeks of antifungal therapy. Severe cases may need therapy for lifetime and monitoring to keep the illness under control. 

•             If the infection spreads from the lungs to other areas of the body, additional symptoms may appear.

•             Red to purple plaques or papules are common symptoms of cutaneous Aspergillosis.

DIAGONOSIS    

Because the symptoms of Aspergillosis might be confused with those of other lung diseases, diagnosing it can be challenging. In order to make a diagnosis, your healthcare practitioner will look at your medical history, risk factors, symptoms, physical examinations, and lab testing.

An Aspergilloma, a fungal tumour, or the symptoms of invasive Aspergillosis and ABPA can be found on a chest X-Ray or a chest CT scan.

•             A sample of your sputum is stained with a dye and examined for the presence of Aspergillus filaments in a respiratory secretion (sputum) test.

•             Tissue and blood testing may be used to confirm the presence of ABPA.

•             To confirm invasive aspergillosis, a biopsy of tissues from your lungs or sinuses is performed, as well as blood testing.

TREATMENT

In addition to early diagnosis, early treatment is critical in managing aspergillosis. Depending on the type of disease, one may have the following treatments:

•             Observation- If you have a single aspergilloma, you may not need treatment; instead, you may be monitored with regular chest X-rays or CT scans. The doctor may prescribe antifungal medication if your disease worsens.

•             Antifungal medicines may be used in combination with corticosteroids to reduce the need of steroids, improve lung function, and prevent existing asthma or cystic fibrosis from deteriorating. Some examples are prednisone (Deltasone), prednisolone (Orapred), and methylprednisolone (Medrol).

•               Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is treated with antifungal medications. Voriconazole (VFEND) and amphotericin B are two of these drugs (Amphocin, Fungizone).

•             Surgery- as antifungal medicines have a hard time penetrating an aspergilloma, surgery may be required to remove the fungal mass if the aspergilloma causes pulmonary haemorrhage.

Embolization of the Arteries -This technique can be used to temporarily halt aspergilloma-related bleeding.  A radiologist uses a catheter to inject a substance into an artery supplying a lung cavity where an aspergilloma is causing blood loss. The injected substance solidifies, cutting off the area’s blood supply and halting the bleeding. This therapy works for a while, but the bleeding will most likely return.