Kumaraguru Action for Relief and Empowerment (KARE), was founded in Nov, 2015 during the Chennai floods. KARE supports the victims of natural disasters such as floods, cyclone and other calamities and has supported during Kerala floods & Gaja Cyclone. This is a volunteer movement of Kumaraguru Institutions where many join hands when the need arises.

KARE COVID 19 Response Bulletin is an effort by a group of Kumaraguru alumni, students & informed citizens alike to clear the clutter around COVID 19 by providing informative, insightful news, articles & data around the world under various tags such as Research, Technology, Education, Economy & Insights with a short summary for each.

COVID19 Basic Info & Previous Bulletin Link: tinyurl.com/blog-KARE

STATISTICS

COVID-19
Active Cases 
Recovered 
Casualties  
India332,12732,671,167444,869
World18,695,656205,579,2854,700,565

VACCINE AND TESTING

India has inoculated the highest amount of people with first dose of COVID-19 vaccine: Health Ministry

According to the Union Health Ministry, India has inoculated the highest number of beneficiaries with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. About 60.7% of the adult population in the country have received at least the first dose. India also has the highest number of beneficiaries (over 181 million) who have been fully vaccinated with both doses. The ministry also provided a gender-wise breakdown of the vaccination coverage. |Hindustan Times

India worried about complacency over second dose of COVID-19 vaccine 

India is worried about growing complacency as COVID-19 infection rates and deaths decline could lead to people skipping their second vaccine shots, leaving communities vulnerable to the Coronavirus. Large numbers of people skipping their second dose would be particularly problematic in areas with low numbers of previously infected people, meaning more people with fewer antibodies so those communities would be more vulnerable. After being hit by the world’s biggest surge in Coronavirus cases and deaths in April and May, India’s daily infections have settled at around 40,000 and deaths have come down sharply. |Reuters 

International organizations, vaccine manufacturers agree to intensify cooperation to deliver COVID-19 vaccines

The heads of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, World Health Organization and World Trade Organization met with the CEOs of leading vaccine manufacturers to discuss strategies to improve the access to COVID-19 vaccines, especially in low and middle-income countries and in Africa. The COVID-19 task force expressed concerns that without urgent steps, the world is unlikely to achieve the end 2021 target of inoculating at least 40 percent of the population in all countries. The task force welcomed the willingness of CEOs to work collectively with the Task force members to end vaccine equity. |World Health Organization

RESEARCH

Moderna COVID-19 vaccine produces lasting immune response

Immunity generated by the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine lasts for at least six months, and there is no indicator that vaccinated people will need a booster shot, according to a study. After various trials the researchers suggest the immunity may even last longer. The study has also shown that this immune memory lasts in all age groups of people. “The immune memory was stable, and that was impressive. That’s a good indicator of the durability of mRNA vaccines,” said Shane Crotty, a professor at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) in the US. |Indian Express

The game is not yet over, and vaccines still matter

The COVID-19 delta variant emergence has again caused an urge in vaccination. There are various debates going on about booster doses. Distributing a booster shot and tackling vaccine hesitancy seem to be needed to end the pandemic. A recent Israeli study shows that the booster shot is 86 percent effective in preventing infection. The U.S centre for diseases has also emphasized on it as the effectiveness of current vaccine doses are declining. The booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine is more necessary than ever. The problem is encouraging people to get the booster shot. |Brookings

Study finds big drop in COVID-19 antibodies within four months of vaccination

An Indian study published in the Research Square pre-print platform which is yet to be peer-reviewed investigated and observed a significant drop in COVID-fighting antibodies in 614 fully vaccinated health workers. The drop in antibodies was found within four months from receiving the first shot. According to the director of a state-run institute who did the study, waning antibodies do not necessarily mean that immunized people lose their ability to counter the disease. The memory cells may still kick in to offer substantial protection. These findings could help the Indian Government decide whether booster doses need to be provided. |Reuters 

ECONOMY

Post-COVID remains a mirage for many developing countries: UN

Developing economies risk being left behind as fast growth in developed countries and talk there of a “Post-COVID” world distracts policymakers from the need for continued support to poorer nations, many of which still lack vaccines. The report urges concerted debt relief and, in some cases, debt cancellation; a reassessment of the role of fiscal policy in the global economy; greater policy coordination across systemically important economies; and “bold” support for vaccine deployment in developing countries, including a waiver of intellectual property rights to speed up manufacture and supply. |Financial Times

INNOVATION

Saline gargle RT-PCR technique transferred to MSME Ministry 

National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has transferred the know-how of indigenously developed Saline gargle RT-PCR technique, used for testing COVID-19 samples. This Saline Gargle RT-PCR technology is simple, fast, cost-effective and patient-friendly. It provides instant test results and is well-suited for rural and tribal areas. CSIR-NEERI stated that the innovation developed by the institute has been ‘dedicated to the nation’ to serve society. The know-how has been transferred to the union ministry of Micro, small and medium Enterprises (MSME), on a non-exclusive basis. |ANI 

EDUCATION

Mobile apps to track school dropouts during COVID-19

The Maharashtra Education Department has decided to roll out mobile apps that will help track school students who have fallen behind due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant shift to online education. Tata Trust and UNICEF have come forward with mobile apps and the early feedback has been encouraging. A comprehensive state-wide survey of children falling out of the education system is yet to be successfully carried out in this regard. |Indian Express

Repeated School closures due to COVID-19 leads to learning loss

Despite significant efforts by governments and partners to expand remote learning, school closures have led to alarming inequities in learning opportunities for children in South Asia. According to UNICEF’s research, a substantial proportion of students and their parents reported that students learnt significantly less compared to pre-pandemic levels. In India, 80 percent of children aged 14-18 years reported lower learning levels than when physically at school. Low connectivity and access to digital devices have severely impacted efforts to roll out remote learning. To ensure that children keep learning, UNICEF is calling on various measures and asking governments to prioritize vaccination of teachers to support safe reopening of schools. |UNICEF 

MENTAL HEALTH

AIIMS Delhi develops mobile apps to deal with mental illness

As the whole world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, cases of anxiety and depression have gone up. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi has developed two mobile apps – ‘Shaksham’ and ‘Disha’. ‘Shaksham’ is for patients suffering from  chronic mental illness and ‘Disha’ is for the people who undergo the first episode of such symptoms. These mobile apps have been developed in collaboration with the computer science departments of Indraprastha Institute of Technology, Delhi and the university of Warwick, UK. The apps which will be available for free public use from January next year will also remind caregivers on the patient requirements. |Economic Times

Digital Therapeutics for Mental Health

The emergence of digital tools in psychotherapy can help augment care when a face-to-face visit to the doctor’s office isn’t possible, especially during times like that of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tele-health enabled therapeutic treatments such as guided meditation sessions, new types of delivery mechanisms via Augmented reality, virtual reality and video game technology could stimulate the human brain to adapt to change and potentially help heal itself. Other than these, emerging technologies like the sensor-equipped pills will help keep patients on track. “Knowing whether a patient is adhering to the treatment program will go a long way in helping the healthcare team identify whether or not an individual’s therapy is effective,” says Innes Meldrum, senior VP and chief commercial officer of Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, INC. |Forbes

Where can we get authentic information about Coronavirus?

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Bulletin 52 Team

  1. Architha R
  2. Hind R Chetwani
  3. Nakshatra Lakshmi M S
  4. Shabnam S
  5. Shivani S
  6. Shwetha M

KARE COVID-19 Response So Far

43038 Cooked meals
2279 Volunteering hours clocked.
10 Tons of Vegetables transacted so far.
28+ Number of Farmers impacted so far.
640 Helpline Calls.
500 Grocery Kits & 500 kg Rice
50+ hours of student mentoring & 8 Gadgets
1400 Liquid sanitizer packs
5500 Masks
₹ 4,95,141 Funds Raised.
₹ 6,50,000 Funds Spent.
63000+ Lives Impacted

Impact areas: 

Chinnavedampatti, Saravanampatty, Vellaikinar, Sathyamangalam, Sulthanpet, Paapampatti, Sulur, Thondamuthur, Narasipuram, Kangayam, Coimbatore & Pollachi.

TO MAKE A DONATION
KARE Bank Account Details

Account name: KCT KARE
Account number: 1245155000078376
Bank: Karur Vysya Bank
Branch: KCT Extension Counter
IFSC: KVBL0001245
Bank address: Kumaraguru College of Technology, Chinnavedampatti, Coimbatore – 641036