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-19Active Cases Recovered Casualties  
India77,03234,223,263479,520
World24,207,037249,880,8175,411,928

VACCINE AND TESTING

Vaccination drive needs to be strengthened globally: WHO chief scientist

In view of the rising cases of the Omicron variant, WHO Chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan called for the expansion and strengthening of the COVID-19 vaccination programme across the world. She emphasized that the scope of vaccination needs to be expanded to ensure that the vulnerable are protected. Discussions about having a “pandemic treaty” that binds all countries on the lines of pacts are also underway. A solidarity vaccine trial platform has also been set up considering the need for proper testing of vaccines that are developed. |The Hindu

Omicron forces new restrictions, global call for boosters

Governments globally have tightened social mobility restrictions as Omicron has emerged as a dominant strain of the virus. India has urged its states to prepare for surges and allowed them to impose restrictions on crowds and large gatherings. In response to the surge, countries across the world look for booster doses. Israel will offer a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine to people older than 60. |Times of India

After Omicron’s arrival, Delhi reports biggest daily rise in infections in 6 months 

Delhi reported 125 new  COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the biggest single-day surge in six months. The national capital has detected the highest number of Omicron infections across the country, prompting the authorities to tighten the social distancing measures and announce fresh COVID-19 protocols. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) ordered a ban on all gatherings for Christmas and New Year celebrations. |Hindustan Times 

RESEARCH

73.2% Of New Covid Cases In US Are Omicron, Strain Now “Dominant”

The fast-spreading Omicron variant is now the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States, health authorities reported Monday. The United States President Joe Biden does not plan on “locking the country down,” press secretary Jen Psaki said earlier in the day. Early data suggests Omicron could be more infectious and possibly have higher resistance to vaccines, despite indications that it is not more severe than the Delta variant. |NDTV

Omicron at least three times more contagious than Delta variant: Centre warns states

The recently-detected Omicron variant of coronavirus is thrice as contagious as the Delta variant, the Centre informed the state governments on December 21. The health secretary stressed that there should be constant review at the district level of the population infected by COVID-19. Regular reviews with field officers and proactive action in this regard will definitely control the spread of infection and flatten the curve. |Money Control 

Study finds why some COVID-19 cases are more critical than others 

A new study has found that some COVID cases are more critical than others due to the antiviral inflammatory response to the virus, with the help of humanized mice. The study also showed that two well known therapies – use of monoclonal antibodies and the steroid dexamethasone can help treat COVID-19 infections. The humanized mice models might also reveal strong clues to the causes and potential treatments of so-called long and severe COVID, the scientists said. |ANI

EDUCATION

What the new Omicron scare means for your plans to study abroad 

Higher education institutions in Australia, the UK, and the US anticipate a significant decrease in International learners for the upcoming semesters. The sudden closure of internal borders of multiple countries has forced students to deal with reduced flight frequency, visa approval latency,  quarantine rules, and incoming flight bans thereby increasing the overall expenses. Eventually, this has resulted in many students opting for online education programs. However, governments worldwide and in India are organizing robust vaccination drives to deal with the new variant. |Economic Times

ECONOMY

Cash support to COVID-19 hit economy with fiscal consolidation in focus

The report by the Finance Ministry stated that increasing the buoyancy of tax revenue through improved compliance, mobilisation of resources, monetisation of assets are some of the important measures directed towards fiscal consolidation. Lower fiscal deficit during H1 implies that the economy is slowly, but surely getting back on the rails. Better fiscal results are expected with increased momentum of economic recovery in the second half of the current financial year, the report said. |Money Control 

TECHNOLOGY

Novel approaches to offer more accurate COVID-19 detection 

A team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US noted that the rapid tests that are in use now do not quantify the amount of virus accurately. However, the new approach that uses the principle of Nitrogen Vacancy (NV) can be sensitive enough to detect just a few hundred strands of the viral RNA within just a second. The team plans to do a basic proof-of-principle lab test and then work on ways to optimize the system to work on real virus diagnosis applications. |Business Standard

MENTAL HEALTH

Nurses need mental health support more than ever

COVID-19 spotlighted the intense and heroic efforts of the front line workers. Nurses are the largest group of healthcare professionals who have jobs that are physically, mentally and emotionally demanding. The sheer volume of patients throughout the pandemic combined with extensive treatment and safety procedures have pushed the members of the nursing communities to their breaking points. As the COVID-19 cases trend upwards again, leveraging tele-health and app-based platforms will help us recognize the unique mental health needs of the healthcare fraternity. |Fortune

Where can we get authentic information about Coronavirus?

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Bulletin 56 Team

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

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