Tag: covid

Delta or Delta plus? which one is more threatening?

DELTA OR DELTA PLUS VARIANT? WHICH IS A BIGGER THREAT AND WHY?

India has been immersed by an awful spread of novel Covid, particularly during the subsequent wave. It was fuelled significantly by the Delta variation, found first in Quite a while and observed to be ordinarily more irresistible than the first strain, and added caseloads consistently to a disabled medical services framework. It is likewise now the most predominant variation causing a flood of cases across the globe. In India, where the case tally has spiralled down, there’s as yet a conceivable chance of a third wave coming up and a fresher, more unnerving change, Delta Plus was found in certain conditions of the nation and still thought to be a potential danger.

The Delta variation of the infection, known to be significantly irresistible, contagious and serious in its assault drove the second flood of the infection in many pieces of the country. Simultaneously, the Delta Plus variation, likewise sequenced during a portion of the cases recognized during the subsequent wave, is said to convey forward changes from two variations supposedly infects even the individuals who have completely immunized, and furthermore cause passing. Yet, which among the two would it be advisable for us to be the most careful of? Could one be more potentially irresistible than the other?

DELTA VERSUS DELTA PLUS VARIATION : HOW WOULD THEY THINK ABOUT?

Both the Delta and Delta Plus variations have been classified as Variants of Concern (VoC), and are spreading in numerous nations. The most significant dangers were found in our own, where immunization inclusion is as yet on the lower side.

While the Delta variation (B.1.617.2) keeps on being a prevailing and quickly rising variation unleashing destruction across the world, it is likewise answerable for the outrageous storm of cases and pulverizations looked during the second wave in India. Not exclusively were greatest cases observed to be genomically followed to this variation of the infection, it actually stays to be a disturbing variation adding cases, even after the decay of the second wave direction in India. In states actually recording stressing caseloads, the Delta variation has been considered mindful.

In the meantime, the Delta Plus variation, which as well, was sequenced in Maharashtra, India, is a disturbing infection variation. Containing transformations of two COVID variations the Beta variation (found in South Africa) and the Delta variation (found in India), the Delta Plus contains two striking changes L452R and P871R.

WHICH ONE COULD RISE QUICKER

While the Delta variation of Covid was intensely liable for driving a dangerous second wave, the ascent of cases was additionally very quick with the variation in view of its high contagiousness. In any case, the Delta Plus variation, which contains transformations from the Delta variation has been named significantly really concerning. In examination, the Delta in addition to variation is said to spread very nearly ‘60% quicker’ than the Delta variation.

In any case, while clinical perceptions have proposed a higher infection danger, the presence of the Delta Plus variation is as yet on the lower side and has simply been found to spread at a much slower rate than anticipated. Until this point in time, three states represent most analysed instances of the new variation Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.

Presently, while the Delta variation is as yet a predominant COVID strain, and the infection particularly dynamic, specialists recommend that the Delta variation, with its serious striking side effects could stay to be a waiting danger we may confront.

The proof accessible on contagiousness and spread have likewise agreed through examinations and genomic discoveries. According to specialists, Delta Plus, in spite of its extreme provisions and capacity to quickly spread, isn’t really rising quicker at the present time.

MANIFESTATION OF BOTH THE VARIANTS

The Delta variation of the infection is viewed as outrageous because of the seriousness of manifestations it causes, in contrast with the first strain. High lung contribution, respiratory challenges and gastrointestinal protests (even with gentle or moderate cases) were what separated it from past variations of concerns.

The Delta in addition to variation, in the interim, which is said to convey highlights from both the Delta variation and the Beta variation could be significantly more extreme in nature. A few examinations have recommended that the variation could without much of a stretch outperform resistant protections, and tie unequivocally to lung cell receptors. More examinations are in progress to decide an expounded rundown of potential signs and side effects.

While the majority of the indications are supposed to be like the Delta variation, underneath recorded could be the potential signs which draw a few concerns and consideration:

– Early-stage lung association

– Shortness of breath and breathing troubles

– Longer enduring fever and steady hack

– Gastrointestinal manifestations

– Skin rashes and sensitivities

– Dryness and watery eyes

– Appetite misfortune and queasiness

WHAT POSES GREATER THREAT FOR VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS?

With any variation, what studies have shown is that the greatest danger involves unvaccinated people. The Delta variation, with its serious side effects and high virus rate was seen to hugely affect the ones who were/are unvaccinated. The ones who gotten an advancement case, just proceeded to foster milder side effects and had a quicker recuperation course of events. The chances of hospitalization and mortality with immunization are definitely decreased.

Nonetheless, with the Delta Plus variation, not exclusively could the infection be conceivably compromising for the unvaccinated, however it has been seen to progressively influence the ones who have been completely inoculated too in various habits some asymptomatic, some experiencing gentle or moderate contaminations, and seldom implied the danger of hospitalizations. Until this point in time, more than 3 passing have been recorded in the nation, ascribed to the Delta Plus variation. Each of the 3 cases were connected to serious comorbidities also. Government reports additionally have given alerts that the fresher variation, while sidestepping the insusceptible guards, could likewise lessen a reaction to the monoclonal counter acting agent treatment.

It is additionally obscure concerning how powerful current immunizations are against the fresher variation, since it’s still leisurely spreading and a couple of cases have been distinguished up until this point. Notwithstanding, specialists and virologists keep on issuing preventative counsel, proposing that regardless of a low predominance, the Delta in addition to variation could dodge neutralizer assurance and along these lines, add to stresses.

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New Restrictions: Only 50 tourists now allowed at Mussoorie’s Kempty Falls.

After sightseers spurned Covid standards at Mussoorie’s Kempty Falls, the Uttarakhand government on Friday declared that only 50 guests will be permitted at the waterfalls and they can not remain there past thirty minutes.

The district administration made this step after photographs of many tourists bathing together in the waterfalls became a web sensation via online media.

“Now only 50 tourists are allowed at Kempty Falls (waterfall) in Mussoorie, can’t stay at the spot more than half an hour” said Iva Ashish Srivastava, Tehri Garhwal District Magistrate.

Also District Magistrate has received many complaints about tourists not following the Covid-19 Guidelines while bathing in the waterfall.

The DM further said that the tourists should leave the waterfalls when the hooter rings and furthermore asked senior superintendent of police (SSP) and sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) to set up a check post and screen the vacationers around kempty.

Why do people have so much aggression?

  • We all act aggressively from time to time—say while sitting in traffic or in the midst of an argument—but some are more aggressive than others.
  • There are several reasons we engage in aggressive behavior, which also help to explain why some people display aggression more often.
  • These causes include instinct, hormonal imbalance, genetics, temperament, nurture, and stress.
  • If there are excessively aggressive people in your life, like a loved one or coworker, you can learn to cope or deal with their behavior effectively.
  • First, try keeping your cool, empathizing, and expressing your concern—these actions should help you to navigate the interaction and make it more pleasant.
  • If these strategies don’t prove effective, consider distancing yourself from the overly aggressive person; your wellbeing should be your priority.

Aggression is hostile or violent behavior. It’s a woman yelling at her son for spilling his milk on the carpet. It’s a child pushing his friend down on the playground because she was playing with his favorite toy. It’s a girl snapping at her boyfriend because he didn’t invite her out with the guys.

As you can see (and probably know from personal experience), aggression can take many forms. We all act aggressively at some point or another in our lives, whether it’s yelling at the black Sudan that cut us off or getting into it with family or friends. But some are more aggressive than others—quick to react or engage in hostile behavior. Which begs an important question: why

What Causes Aggression? 6 Origins

Sure, traffic can spur aggression, as can a disagreement with a coworker. But what’s the psychology behind this behavior? There are actually a few reasons we become aggressive, which also help to explain why some people are more aggressive than others:

1. Instinct: Aggression is one of our many survival instincts. According to Sigmund Freud, aggression continuously builds up until it releases as aggressive behavior, at some point or another. Some individuals can suppress this aggression and use other survival instincts instead, but others simply react and release.

2. Hormonal imbalance: A hormonal imbalance in an individual can certainly contribute to aggressive behavior. For example, high levels of testosterone contribute to high levels of aggression. This explains why males are characteristically more aggressive than females.

3. Genetics: Aggression can also be passed down genetically. Children are at a greater risk of adapting aggressive tendencies if they have a biological background for it. Time and time again, father and son both display aggressive behavior.

4. Physiological illness and temperament: Serious illness can have a major effect on an individual’s mood and behavior, as the stress and other mental effects may bring about greater aggression. Additionally, one’s temperament can play a role in aggression. People with bad tempers typically become aggressive more quickly than calmer individuals.

5. Social learning: Aggression can be learned. Some become more aggressive due to personal experiences or observational learning. For example, children are always looking for cues on how to act, as illustrated by the Bobo doll experiment. They learn to act aggressively when they watch someone else commit violent acts like in movies or video games.

6. Psychological frustrations: It’s human nature to become frustrated when life just doesn’t seem to be going so well. This frustration may involve work or love, for example, and can lead to an all-around feeling of negativity. This negativity then represents a threat, which can lead to aggression

How to Cope with an Aggressive Individual

Dealing with someone who constantly lashes out in hostile or violent behavior is tough—especially when it’s someone you’re close to like your boyfriend or mother, or someone you can’t get away from, like a coworker. In any case, the following can help you deal with the aggressive people in your life more effectively:

  • Keep your cool. The last thing that will alleviate this situation is another aggressive individual. Maintain your composure and use your better judgment to handle the situation. Aggressive people often seek to intimidate and upset others. You have to ensure this doesn’t happen and instead of reacting with rage like they want you to, take a moment to count to ten and think of a better way to deal with the situation at hand.
  • Put yourself in their shoes. Even if the aggression seems unwarranted, take a moment to imagine yourself in their position. Maybe they grew up in an overly aggressive household. Or, maybe they have a lot on their plate and they’re reacting to the stress with aggression. This will help calm your own negative feelings down and empathize with the individual. Then, maybe you can turn the aggressive attack into a productive conversation.
  • Express your concern. Maybe there isn’t an obvious, underlying cause of the individual’s aggression. Once you’ve taken a step away and you’re both calm, express your concern for them. They may not realize the severity of their aggression or its effect on those around them. It could take someone like you bringing it to light for them to make that realization and make a change.
  • Distance yourself. Sometimes, these aggressive individuals are just not worth it and don’t deserve a place in your life. You have to prioritize your wellbeing and if that means cutting them out of your lives, then so be it. And if cutting them completely out of your life isn’t very realistic (think, an aggressive aunt or uncle that’s at every family reunion or your coworker who doesn’t look to be going anywhere anytime soon), then just distance yourself as best you can. Avoid them.

Ultimately, you have to decide if it’s worth dealing with the aggressive individual. If you decide that it’s not, kick them to the curb and distance yourself from them. But if you decide that this individual is worth it and could maybe use your help, do your best to sympathize with them and determine the underlying cause of the aggression. This will help you both moving forward

Illitracy in India

Illiteracy in India is a massive problem in India especially when it comes to facing crisis like the Covid 19 . This crisis has nearly disturbed the lives of a majority of the world population . A group of seen applying cow dung on their body and when they were asked they told the news reporter that cow dung will help them face the crisis . And what happened the next day  is not very happening as one of them died due to Covid 19 . So education plays an important role in facing such crisis . But the problem is levels of education can not be increased over night . Science play an important role in this case .

Unemployment-hindrance to development

Unemployment became a never ending war problem in front of our country .But the outbreak of covid19 make this problem more dense. Now along with the problem of unemployment the problem of disguised employment is in front of us. Unemployment means the numbers of individuals in the state are finding jobs for which they are fit, and they are willing to, but not getting that. Or simply a person is willing for a paid job or searching for one. It is a curse to society and decreases the economic growth of the country. The particular age group of unemployment is adults. The main reason for unemployment is the rapidly increasing population is one of the most affecting factors of unemployment. Slow economic growth, industrial growth is also the main reason for unemployment.
Unemployment leads to an increase in poverty and sets back the economic growth of the country. The women’s unemployment rate is higher in rural areas than in urban sectors of the country. Unemployment also misguides or makes our youth helpless to do criminal activities. The migration of people from rural to urban areas for the search of the job also affects it. As the demand for jobs is high and the number of posts is less. Unemployment is also a reason for our youth is getting addicted to drugs. Due to lack of a job, they get addicted to drugs, alcohol, and may even get into criminal activities. The government, as well as the society or we, should focus on population control and make people aware of its ill effects, long-time advantages, and ways to control which help the government to provide jobs to needy ones if there are some limited members.
Agriculture is the backbone of our economy. Agriculture in India is not developed enough to accommodate all the unemployed youth. Our agriculture is still dependent on old and traditional ways of farming. And our education should also be upgraded as it mainly focuses on practical aspects of learning, should offer the vocational course and with that indirectly it will give the job to teachers.

Agony of covid19

COVID has not only affected us by entering our bodies but the agony of Losing family members, jobs, income, a completely disrupted education system, and constant fear of what next have severely damaged the peace of people. Even doctors, nurses are under the agony of constant threat and tremendous work pressure. Oxygen plants are being constructed and vaccines are being produced, however, what the mind has been going through cannot be cured by steroids or vaccines.

These are some of the thoughts that haunt many of us who are infected or have lost people close to us due to COVID. Whenever we surf the internet through information pieces or even when we watch the news, we see they offer COVID helpline numbers, hospital details, and other valuable information on how to tackle COVID. In the same way, we can have a COVID Mental Health support helpline, wherein people can interact with therapists or more precisely connect to somebody who can listen and feel empathetically.

At this point advice like yoga, meditation, or “keep yourself engaged” does not work. There has to be sharing, there has to be handholding throughout the process of recovery. To heal completely from COVID or COVID implications the mind needs to be healed as well and we all have to pay attention to this

Mental Sickness

Covid-19 has shaken the entire world. Even though Major Pharma companies have developed vaccines intending to end the pandemic. we are still struggling to find an end to this pandemic. One of the issues that India faces is the delay in immunizing the population again Covid-19. The delay is partly due to overpopulation. And If the vaccines are not effective against the new variant, it needs to be redesigned to combat the new variant, prolonging the pandemic.

Due to covid, our country has to suffer Major economies struggle to cope with the health care burden as millions of infected people need hospitalization for several days, depending on the severity of the disease.

No one knows when lockdown will be enforced again to control the situation. Many are losing their families and not allowed to attend the final rites due to strict quarantine and lockdown measures. Along with these major problems This disease has seriously created mental health issues, and it may take years to recover from such mental health conditions. Governments have to set up a separate budget to manage increasing mental health issues. The freedom to move around has now been crippled by Covid-19, and most people in lockdown are confined in a small space, limiting them to have face-to-face interactions with their dear ones and friends. It has affected people from all walks of life and has led to mental health issues. It is hard to find a common solution to all as mental health issues differ from person to person. Students are the worst affected community as Many schools and colleges have resorted to online teaching, which isn’t as good as a regular session. 

The digital screen has now become our portal to communicate with the outside world. Many children have lost their parents in this second wave in India and have become orphans since then. There were several appeals to the Government of India requesting to support the children who have lost their parents/guardians/adopted parents. In such a drastic situation people are feeling alone. The best thing to overcome negative thoughts is by performing regular meditation and yoga, listen to music, news, recall sweet memories, watch favorite movies, plays, and read books. Only by overcoming our negative thoughts we can overcome mental sickeness.

Why unemployment occurs?

Being 2nd in terms of the population can seem a curse to our country especially in terms of employment. The competition that youngsters face these days is because of this population. Even those who get a job didn’t get the desired salary. Most employees are not paid in proportion to the work that we put in. What’s more, this is not a new problem or one that has been created by a single government. In our country, low monthly incomes are a norm – across all states, and as a consequence, wage inequality remains high. Wage growth significantly trails economic growth in the country. The sluggish growth of our GDP has led to a rise in inequality and widened the economic divide between rural and urban India.

The sad part is that India’s unemployed are mostly the higher educated and the young. And those who have jobs are not satisfied enough. If you believe that only a few people at the top are getting huge paychecks, think again. Because data suggest that we aren’t creating too many high-paying jobs either. And even though labor productivity has risen in India, growth in remuneration has remained slow. The sad part is statistic, graphs of unemployment are still the same. The new jobs and opportunities are nothing in front of our population. This problem needs to review and can be to some extent need to be solved through bargaining power. Skilling, sometimes, multi-skilling at all levels is the most effective way to fight the wage crisis and the coming job crisis -the crucial designation before talent can be matched with demand. If the skilling exception isn’t corrected, job seekers will end up in the bad job trap. Skills produce productivity, and productivity brings with it higher pay.

The problem is that the business power of workers in India is low and getting more worse. Wage changes are also a result of changes in the way of production. Throughout the last few years, production has become more capital intensive or less dependent on labor in nearly every manufacturing industry in the organized and unorganized sectors. This is true, if to a lesser extent, for agriculture and services as well. While technical know-how and increased use of machinery is a change that needs to be welcomed since it translates to increased productivity, in labor surplus economies like India, the enhanced productivity does not automatically translate to higher wages for employees. Therefore need of the time is to cope up with the desired need of the institutes and became more high tech by learning more digital skills.

Mumbai is in Trouble

Mumbai is in a huge trouble . The reason is that the governance of the financial capital of the country is in wrong hands . It is a great matter of sorrow and a matter which needs our attention . We have to choose our leader properly and be unbiased which choosing the leader . This is the need of the hour . The video of a car drowning in a hole was seen and went viral . The authority lies in our hands .

Mask hai zaruri

Masks help stop germs. Many medical masks are made of soft materials that cover the nose and mouth. There are stretch cords that run behind the head or ears. They keep the mask in place.

Your mask helps to protect those around you
Masks are an easy barrier to help prevent your respiratory drops from reaching others. Studies show that masks reduce dripping when applied to the nose and mouth. You should wear a mask, even if you do not feel sick.

Masks should be used as part of a comprehensive plan of measures to reduce transmission and save lives; the use of a mask alone is not sufficient to provide adequate level of protection to COVID-19.

All right. Your mask protects others from any infection that you may be unknowingly carrying. It protects anyone you meet, including store staff, other customers, family and friends. Many are aware that they are wearing masks, especially to protect the most vulnerable people in our society, including the elderly and those with a high risk.

Mask , 2 gaj ki duri … dono h zaruri

Sports

Sports are an integral part of ones life . It is rightly said that ” All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy “. These cannot be excluded from our lives . But during the Covid 19 pandemic we are not able to play outdoor games .  We all are scared to go outside our homes . So what we do is that during our free time we play online games like PUBG , Free fire , FIFA , Call Of Duty  etc . So that is what we can do before every thing becomes normal .

Government also books 30 crore doses of vaccine under trial.


The Centre has placed fresh orders for 44 crore vaccine doses of Covishield and Covaxin which will be available from August-December. It has also placed an order for 30 crore doses of a vaccine from Hyderabad-based Biological E for its in-development protein subunit vaccine.


“All together 74 crore doses have been secured for use from August onwards,” Dr. V.K. Paul, Chairman, National Empowered Group on Vaccination, said at a press conference on Tuesday.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation, in New Delhi, Monday, June 7, 2021.
Government will revert to centralised procurement of vaccines, says Modi


Until July, 53 crore vaccine doses — including 23.5 crore already administered — were expected from the two manufacturers Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech.

If all the estimates were to come to fruition, it would mean 127 crore doses could be available, enough to ensure India’s estimated population of about 94 crore gets one dose of a vaccine.

However, a lot of it depends on the speed at which vaccines are disbursed. After a lacklustre May that saw vaccine stocks and immunisation plummet, the number of daily doses have started to rise after May 29, touching over 30 lakh on several days. To be able to administer at least a single dose to all adults by December, over 9 crore people need to be inoculated per month.

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In this April 8, 2021 photo, Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives the second dose of the Covaxin Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine, at AIIMS hospital in New Delhi.
Fact check | History shows India did not lack access to vaccines as claimed by PM Modi


The government has earmarked ₹35,000 crore towards vaccine procurement. Until May 28, it had ordered 28.5 crore doses for ₹4,488 crore according to data from the Health Ministry.

New vaccine
Biological E said it had got permission from India’s Drug Controller on April 24 to begin phase-3 trials in India.

The Phase III clinical study to be conducted in 15 sites across India would evaluate the extent and nature of immunity and safety of Biological E’s SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 vaccine in about 1,268 healthy subjects in the age range of 18 to 80 years. It is intended to be part of a larger global Phase III study, the company said in a statement.

Biological E has successfully concluded the Phase I/II trials of the vaccine candidate, which began in India in November last year. Data from the Phase I/II trial suggested that the Covid-19 vaccine was “safe, well-tolerated, and immunogenic,” according to a company statement.

The vaccine candidate has an antigen developed by the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and in-licensed from BCM Ventures, Baylor College of Medicine’s integrated commercialisation team, and Dynavax Technologies’ advanced adjuvant, CpG 1018TM.

Poverty and the Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic, which led to a wave of infections in March 2020, brought the whole country to a standstill. Nation-wide lockdown was imposed, and movement of public was restricted. Many of us were fortunate enough to be in the comfort of our own homes, away from harm and any form of risk.  But for many unfortunate people of our country, this pandemic just made things a lot harder than they already were.

According to recent studies, the poverty rate of the country, during the first wave in 2020, almost doubled. Crores of people lost their jobs and livelihoods. The pandemic disrupted almost all the industries in the last year, leading to huge job losses across both, the formal and informal sector of the economy. For a nation that managed to reduce the poverty rate from 2011 to 2019, 2020 came as huge blow, and disrupted the progress that the country had achieved.

The number of individuals, that had incomes below the minimum wave threshold income (less than 375Rs), increased by 230 million during the pandemic. Incomes decreased all throughout the country, but the economically weaker section took a larger blow, with the poorest 20% losing their entire income.

During the lockdown, 61% of men remained employed, and 7% lost employment. This ratio was lower for women, where, only 19% remained employed and 47% suffered a permanent job loss during lockdown. Most of the women, who were unemployed, did not return to their work field even after restrictions were lifted.

The reports show that younger workers were much more impacted, they experienced higher losses and of a more permanent nature. Households have coped by reducing food intake, borrowing and selling assets and properties.  People had to dig into their meager savings for survival. People have stopped the basics like lentil as food inflation has spiked.

 

Cut to 2021. Rural Indians which compose the informal workforce have lived with irregular jobs for over one year now.  What exactly does one mean by ‘informal work force’?  The informal sector consists of low-skilled laborers who are desperate enough to work for miserly wages in order to meet their daily requirements. Due to this constant need of jobs, the employers can control the pay and the work hours which, in some cases, are inhumane and brutal. These informal workers have no safety net to fall back on and hence are in a very dangerous situation.

As per June 1, 2021, India’s economy contracted 7.3 percent, its worst recession since independence.  The government has faced growing criticism for focusing on loans to hard-hit businesses rather than direct cash handouts to vulnerable households. The focus, currently, should be to make sure that every citizen of this country is above the poverty line.

Social safety net transfers should be more prevalent, so that during an emergency, the family or individual has funds to fall back on. For employment of women, microfinance loans should be given, but it should be paired with extensive training and knowledge as to how it can help them learn new skills, and in turn help them start earning.

If we don’t make any changes, the second wave of pandemic will paralyze the economically weaker sections, who have just recovered from the first wave of the virus. These are all citizens of this country, and yet, they are being treated differently. Every job is important, and deserves respect and acknowledgement.  How can we progress as a nation, if 28% of our population is below the poverty line?

 

References :
Deccan Herald 29/5/21

DAWN 01/06/21

CORONAVIRUS ON ICE CREAM CARTONS

After declaring itself Covid-free last year, China is witnessing another wave of corona cases.

And according to the latest reports, the novel coronavirus was found on an ice cream carton coming in from eastern China. 

The Daqiaodao Food Co, Ltd in Tianjin, adjacent to Beijing, was sealed and its employees were being tested for the coronavirus. But there was no indication that anyone among the employees had contracted the virus. 

The batch contained more than 29,000 cartons and most of it was not yet sold. Only 390 cartons were said to be sold to Tianjin. They are now being tracked and authorities elsewhere were notified of sales to their areas. The government said that they have recalled the cartons from the same batch. 

The ingredients included New Zealand milk powder and whey powder from Ukraine, the government said. 

On Saturday, the Health Commission of China blamed the travellers and imported goods saying they brought the virus from abroad. 

Whereas on Sunday, China reported 109 new confirmed cases of Covid-19, two-thirds of them in a northern province that is close to national capital Beijing, though no deaths have been reported. 

Currently, its death toll stands at 4953 and total cases at 88,227.

China was the first country to report a case of coronavirus in Central Wuhan in late 2019. The pandemic is said to have originated from that very place. 

Earlier this month, a team of WHO scientists travelled to China to discover the origins of the novel coronavirus.

According to reports, the Chinese government has banned the entry of two scientists. The Chinese government is of the view that the disease came from abroad and has highlighted what it says are discoveries of the coronavirus on imported fish and other food. But this theory has been rejected by various economies around the world.  

The WHO team says that the motive behind the investigation is not to blame some but to find the scientific answers. It is about studying an important interface between the human kingdom and the animal kingdom.

The investigation will apparently take months to complete even in the best circumstances. The team must also navigate attempts by China to politicize the inquiry.

The novel coronavirus has killed nearly two million people since the first outbreak first emerged in Wuhan. 

Thousands of mutations in the virus have taken place as it has passed from person to person around the world, but new variants recently detected in Britain and South Africa are seemingly more contagious.

Britain has imposed a lockdown for the third time since the first outbreak in the country. Other countries have also reported cases of the new variant and have imposed a strict check on the people entering the country. Adequate measures are being taken all around the world to control the mutant variant.

Friendship And Physical Distancing

Introverts or extrovert, social interaction is a need for everyone. No one is liking the fact that physical distancing isn’t taking place on their terms.

Self Isolation, physical distancing and ‘Real Friends’

To give you a breakup: Some of my friends aren’t taking self-isolation very well. Some don’t seem to be minding it at all. And then there are those who, on the surface, seem to be taking it well, but in reality are carrying the heavy load of being ‘the strong friend’.

In April, a tweet by the handle @/tiamowry got viral, it read “During this pandemic, you’ll really see who your friends are. Who’s really checking up on you? Making sure you’re okay? Remember that when all this is over?”. It was deleted after the backlash, but the sheer number of likes, retweets and all the ‘yes omg, you’re right’ comments it received made it clear that a lot of us follow the same mentality that the tweet reflected. The mentality, in plain words, is being self-absorbed. Sure, all of us want to receive love and feel loved. We want constant reassurance from our friends and family that care about us.

However, to go ahead and suggest that a friend who is not constantly checking up on you isn’t a ‘real’ friend is parochial. This mentality implies that the pandemic is only affecting you and your mental health. It fails to acknowledge that it is also affecting everyone else, which includes your ‘real’ friends.

The last thing you should do is measure the strength of your friendships based on how often a friend is checking up on you as if they don’t have other things that could be worrying them or occupying their time during a pandemic.

Personally, I’ve been checking in on my friends, talking to them as much as I can. Doing as much listening as sharing. In no way am I doing this expecting everyone else to do the same for me. While saying this, it is also important that I mention the context- I’m in an extremely privileged position than most in this whole situation. For one, I have a roof over my head, three hot meals and not any financial burden to keep me worried about. I am someone who can be described as an ‘overly productive’ person during the pandemic. While on most day I like to be buried in work, but there are also days when everything starts to take a toll on me, on those days, sometimes I’m busy pretending to be strong for people even though I can hardly seem do anything for my own mental health. The other times I prioritise myself, something I learned the hard way.

Who SHOULD YOU CHECK UP ON?

There is no fixed answer to this question. It could be people with emotional/mental disorders, your current friends, old friends, new friends, family or even distant relatives. It is okay to do this as long as it doesn’t cost you your own peace of mind. You can not help anyone if you yourself are struggling. If you are over extending yourself it is okay to not check in with people you regularly check in with. You can keep yourself first without dissolving in guilt.

UNLEARNING

Like I mentioned before, I personally don’t take offence to whether or not a friend drops me a text or randomly video calls me. The pandemic isn’t just about me nor is it just about them. It is something that we are all collectively experiencing combined with our own personal struggles.

Take a quick moment to practice a more open and accommodating mindset.

Taking Care Of Your Mental Health In The Times Of COVID-19

Breathe In. Breathe Out.

Hey, It’s normal to feel stressed, nervous, anxious, drained or worried right now.

COVID-19 has most likely changed every aspect of your life- your family dynamics, your eqaution with your friends, your social life, your schooling, your career, your interests, your habits and even you. As you deal with uncertainity and all the emotions that tag along, it’s crucial that along with your physical health, you take care of your mental health as well. Here are some things that I religiously follow and have worked for me. I hope they work for you as well!

You deserve patience, so be patient with yourself

  • Allow others to help you when you’re struggling. Don’t be shy to ask for help from those you trust and the ones who care about you. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength, strength in acknowledging that you need help and that you’re willing to work towards a better self.
  • Remind yourself that “It will pass”. Like any other moment, any other journey, any other hurdle in life, this too shall pass, for better. We can’t control what’s happening around us, and with the lack of control and constant bugging of how uncertain the times are, it’s important to remind ourselves we are doing what we can and that’s enough for today.
  • Self-reflect and see what you feel is important to you right now.

Reach out

  • Call your close friends and share your feelings with each other. As simple as it sounds, it is therapeutic, and will leave you in a better state than before. This will help lift off the weight from your chest.
  • Arrange a video call with friends, seeing their faces is as close to physical proximity as you can get right now.
  • Text a friend you haven’t spoken to in a long time, rekindle with them. Maybe reminiscence the times you spent together, memorable moments that you shared, tell them something that remind you of them, go where the conversation takes you.

Take care of your body

  • Since there is very less to no physical activity. Make an active effort to do any form of exercise that you like: walking, jogging, skipping rope, dancing, Zumba, weights, yoga.
  • Get your quota of fresh air during the day. Inhale as much oxygen as you can.
  • Stick to a sleeping routine. In times that are so uncertain and unstable, having a routine can make you feel in control and calm about your surroundings. If you’re having trouble with sleeping, check my article- What should you do if you’re struggling to sleep in quarantine?
  • Practice deep breathing. Try 4-7-8 breathing if you feel anxious or stressed.

Eat your meals

  • Since most of us have erratic sleep schedules it’s no secret that we’re skipping out on meals. Try and eat three small meals each day.
  • Don’t starve yourself. It’s normal to not want to have full meals sometimes. Choose a trusted snack and rely on it whenever you feel hungry but not enough to have a meal.
  • Stay hydrated. Drink 4-6 cups of water daily to avoid dehydration. Warning signs of dehydration can include dizziness, weakness, low blood pressure, or urine that’s dark in color. (source: Harvard Medical School)

Why it’s okay to not be productive right now

Pandemic or not, your self worth is not proportional to your productivity

Like me, if social media has become your only out to boredom, you may have noticed conversations about the notions of ‘productivity’ rocketing. Whether it is your twitter mate updating you with their daily baking sessions or an Instagram friend showing off the pages and pages of work that they finished, or your family groups bombarding you with motivational posts about how to spend your free time, if you have any. There’s so much pressure right now to make the most of this ‘free’ time. It’s exhausting to even try to keep up. The rhetoric around productivity is so romanticised, glamorised and even glorified. However, every time I come across a reminder to be productive, I find myself thinking whether is it really a practical thing or can being productive everyday be a damaging to oneself?

As a university student doing her under graduation, the increase of workload, since the onset of Coronavirus in India, hasn’t gone unnoticed- being given a task after task, a deadline after deadline took a toll on all students. At the start of lockdown, I had internals, I was constantly pulling all nighters revising for the tests, completing assignments and keeping up with the daily workload of the online lessons. In this sense, it felt like nothing even while being locked up in our homes. There was always something that had to be submitted, something that needed to be revised or something that I needed to start working on. I was trying, as was everyone, but oftentimes, it felt like all the efforts amounted to nothing in the end. The workload didn’t end with the end of the semester, having to take-up internships in the middle of a pandemic caused immeasurable pressure and paranoia. My work plans are disrupted by distractions, I find myself unknowingly overextending and the balance between work & free time has become invisible. Not to mention the stress is unavoidable, and I constantly find myself waking up wishing for the day to end.

Is there anything that can be done?

Last year, if someone told us that we would be trapped inside our homes in a state of quarantine due to a deadly pandemic, we would have laughed it off. So, at the time our worst and unimaginable fears are coming true, being plunged into uncertainty does not mean that we have to function effectively alongside it. And therefore, being productive is no longer as important as it was before.

It is of utmost importance to acknowledge that not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to use this situation to hone their skills, try new hobbies, explore new passions or build something unforgettable. In the midst of rapid unemployment, losing your loved ones, anxiety caused by separation from friends and family, isolation and loneliness, bad mental health is inevitable- and that’s okay. It’s okay not to be okay, it’s okay needing to take time off. It’s okay to listen to your body. Don’t be mad at yourself for not being able to deal with the situation as efficiently as your friend or your parent or your Instagram mutual. Getting out of the bed at a reasonable time is a task enough. Not putting off taking care of yourself and your needs is a task enough. Keeping up with your friends and checking up on them is a task enough. Spending time with your family is a task enough. Doing these tasks is no where near the perfect productive day I imagined – and it won’t be for a long while. I was meant to be getting excited about interning opportunities and travelling more and capturing more. Now when everything has gone south, the task of prioritising yourself is a rebellious act.

How can we change this mindset?

If you’re anything like me, university and work mean that I can not entirely ignore all my responsibilities in favour of self-care. Prioritising what you have to do is a good start to make sure you can do what needs to be done. Practice different methods or working. For me, sitting at my desk for more than 7 hours, staring at the laptop screen is quite overwhelming, mentally exhausting and doesn’t leave me feeling fulfilled. Taking breaks to perhaps watch an episode from a show that I’m currently hooked to or to mindlessly scroll on twitter ensures that I feel the balance.

This unsettling environment can be taxing. Forgive yourself for making mistakes.

4 Productive Things To Do During Quarantine

REMINDER: IT’S OKAY TO NOT BE PRODUCTIVE EVERYDAY. YOUR WORTH IS INDEPENDENT OF YOUR PRODUCTIVITY

PART 1

Here are 4 productive things to do during quarantine:

1. Learn to play an instrument

Playing an instrument is a great skill, you could start with an instrument that you have always thought of playing- a guitar, a ukulele, a tabla or an instrument that is fascinating to you. Though it will take some time to get used to the habit of following YouTube tutorials or online lessons, but once you get a hang of it, you’ll realise just how rewarding it is. With so much time on your hands you’ll not be under any pressure to reschedule your day and make time out of you busy schedule, instead you’ll be able to take it at your pace and pay more attention to details. 

Here’s a list of easy to learn instruments: Top 15 musical instruments you can easily learn & play

2. Read more books

There are hundreds of thousands of authors and an even bigger amount of books you could read. Books are an essential item for improving your language as well as your vocabulary. They develop your knowledge – and like instruments, they help sharpen your memory. If you don’t want to shell out money from your pocket and/or are sceptical to order paperbacks online from stores like Amazon or Flipkart, the easier way out is free e-book websites. 

You can try and give EPDF or PDF Drive a shot. 

3. Bake

Baking is incredible and extremely fulfilling: mix a few ingredients, put it in the oven – and bingo! You have a tasty treat for yourself. Baking can also be advantageous for mental health as it is very therapeutic and calming for the brain. Research show that it is a great stress reliever and can leave you feeling happier and more positive.  

Here are some YouTube channels that will make you want to run to you kitchen to get your supplies

  1. Bake With Shivesh
  2. The Terrace Kitchen
  3. Spice Bangla

4. Learn a new language

If you want to level up and attempt a more challenging activity, which will benefit you exceedingly- learn a new language. It is scientifically proven that learning a new language makes you smarter and helps in developing cognitive abilities. Learning a new language help strengthen your listening and multitasking skills. Research also suggests that it helps prevent the onset of Alzheimers. 

There are plenty apps and e-learning wesbites that can help you learn a language. These include: Affordable yet excellent language courses on Udemy and Coursera also offers such free and paid courses by prestigious universities from all over the globe. 

3 Ways for Students to Make Money Online Without Getting a Job

USE Depop

Similar to eBay, Depop is a platform for those who want to sell their clothing, jewelry, artwork, and anything else under the sun. The app is well known for being populated by vintage lovers and those who want to reduce their carbon footprint by practicing sustainability. The app also includes item recommendations based on your taste, top sellers based on style, and world favourites. Users can decide to follow shops and sellers in order to keep track of the items they are selling.

Starting up on this app is very elementary. The user only needs to connect their Paypal account for transactions and other payments. In addition to payments, many sellers and users on the app also participate in trades where they trade items from either store of similar value. After this step, the only thing left is setting up an account with a profile photo, a biography, and social media links, if that’s what your heart desires. From here, you can post photos of whatever you want to sell and choose the price.

If your item is a clothing item, a jewellery piece, or an accessory of any sort, wearing it in a photo for reference is normally preferred by buyers so they can see how it may fit another individual. Always take as many photos of your product as possible. This usually increases the likelihood that someone will buy it because you show all the angles of the product as well as the flaws it may have. Include a bunch of tags related to your item under the post. These tags are used for when other users search an item through keywords.

Youtube

For creators from all walks of life, Youtube is one of Gen Z’s golden media platforms. From compilations to make up tutorials to daily vlogs to art tutorials to photography tips, the platform is extremely versatile. And this is where you come in. Like the previous idea, take something you like and start a channel on it. If you’re really religious, start a channel on things you have learned or practice. If you love makeup, become a practicing beauty guru. Or maybe even just do daily vlogs and stream your routine in quarantine. The possibilities of Youtube are endless, but that doesn’t always promise you money. Many Youtubers correlate their large incomes from Youtube to brand deals, views and hard work But the message on success in the Youtube space is clear: you need to be patient. Success on Youtube doesn’t just come with the click of the upload button, you need to work for it or do something that is worth remembering. 

SELL YOUR ART

This option is much more universal than you think. Whether you are a skilled artist or not, selling paintings or art on eBay is much more simple than one would expect. If you’re an amateur then start by making a small abstract piece. If you’ve mastered an art form then you have an upper hand, show your art skills, create more art pieces since you have more time on your hand.

Living through a pandemic during the social media age

Wuhan Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), woman and man in suit with blue medical face mask. Concept of coronavirus quarantine

In the face of the coronavirus, social media is a great way for individuals and communities to stay connected even while physically separated. With the advent of social media in the 21st century, not only are we learning the latest news updates, but we’re also using platforms like Facebook and Twitter to provide personal and business updates. For businesses, this means leveraging social media to support employees and customers like never before. For the government, it means doing its best to efficiently share factual and up-to-date information.

Taking a look at how individuals, businesses, and government agencies have been sharing information and interacting with others on social media in the past few weeks, here are two important roles that social platforms are playing during the COVID-19 outbreak:

An influence on public response to the outbreak

Billions of people are free to publicly share their opinions on COVID-19 across various social platforms. In the past few weeks, we’ve seen individuals, organizations, and businesses use social media to spread awareness of COVID-19, as well as the public actions that can be taken. 

Here are a few of the most distinct ways social media has influenced the public since the virus reached epidemic and pandemic levels:

Social distancing and home quarantine are trending

Until a few weeks ago, many of us hadn’t even heard of “social distancing,” which refers to staying at least 6 feet away from others to help prevent the spread of infection. Now, social media users, from friends and family to celebrities and governments, are regularly calling for social distancing.

Boasting and shaming panic buying 

Many people have been excessively purchasing household goods, sanitization products, and food in fear that necessities will no longer be accessible — just like they do when there is a hurricane or some other natural disaster. This over-purchasing has become so commonplace that social media users have coined a phrase to describe it: panic buying. 

On social, panic buying is being discussed in two distinct ways: 1) people are posting about their own panic buying, showing images of carts filled with toilet paper, water bottles, and frozen meals; and 2) people are posting pictures of empty shelves or other people’s carts as a way to shame supposed panic buyers.

A source of information as well as misinformation

Never have we had more realtime information available at our fingertips in the face of a worldwide event. Such information can help keep us safe, providing us with a better understanding of what is occurring and how it might impact us and those we love. Yet, social media can also spread falsehoods, including miracle preventative measures, false claims about the implementation of martial law, conspiracy theories, and more. 

Finding trusted sources of information regarding COVID-19 is extremely important.

Social media companies are working to combat misinformation on coronavirus

At a time where many of us are grappling for as much information as we can get our hands on, the public is especially susceptible to false and sometimes hazardous claims, which are then passed on to others.

untrustworthy sources on social media

The best rule of thumb for making sure information is accurate is to check original sources and make sure that (a) those sources are indeed trustworthy, and (b) the information was relayed accurately. Just because someone claims to have learned something from a reliable source doesn’t mean they’re relaying that information accurately. 

If you’re the one presenting information, whether on behalf of a business or your personal account, it’s your responsibility to cite and fact-check your own sources. Be wary of using verbiage that is alarmist or absolute. There are still so many unknowns about the virus, and nobody is sure what the coming weeks and months hold. It’s always best to be cognisant of this and avoid unnecessary bold statements.

The Changing Landscape of Education During COVID-19

illustration by Sara Gironi Carnevale

Learn about the impact on children due to COVID-19 that has forced the schools to adapt with online education.

Imparting online education to children amid the COVID-19 crises has emerged as the go-to solution for schools looking to resume the classes amid the need to continue social distancing till a vaccine for the pandemic is found. Conducting online classes is helping education institutions across the world to beat the coronavirus lockdown and push ahead with the academic calendar. 

However, this trend has raised numerous concerns among the educational experts, at the United Nations Children’s Emergency Funds (UNICEF) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). While some of them have expressed alarm about the potential dangers of internet exposure for young kids, others say they are scared that this digital shift may alienate the economically disadvantaged students who lack access to the technology needed to attend the digitally conducted classes. 

The internet exposure puts children at high risk of online sexual exploitation and grooming, as predators look to exploit the coronavirus pandemic. Online grooming is a worrying product of the internet and social media age, in which predatory adults builds online relationships with gullible children and trick or pressure them into sexual behaviour. 

Moreover, under the shadow of COVID-19, millions of children’s lives have temporarily shrunk to just their homes and screens of devices. It is high time we should adapt ourselves with the current situation and help our children to navigate this new reality. 

According to a report issued by the UNESCO, ‘Half of the total number of learners, about 826 million students kept out of the classroom by the pandemic, don’t have access to a household computer or a smartphone device. While 43 percent have no internet at home when the online based distance education is being opted by the schools and educational institutions to ensure continuity of academic year for students in different countries of the world.’ 

Challenges of Online Education 

There are many challenges when it comes to imparting the online education: 

Students who reside in small towns and villages struggle to get a good internet connection speed and mostly are unable to attend the online classes. This will especially prove disadvantage during the exam time as half the students will fail for sure because they will not to connect due to bad internet connection. 

Many of the students don’t have the devices, smartphones and laptops or money to keep the internet connection while also paying the school fees. These are the real challenges which hinder the process of the online learning. 

Not just students, some school teachers and educators are also struggling to get a hang of the technology. The school wants them to make PowerPoint Presentations (PPTs), record the video lectures, and take online classes through different apps and online platforms, but they aren’t instructed clearly as to how this should be done. This is more common among adults of 60 years and above who find the online medium to impart education quite challenging due to lack of hands-on experience with the latest technology.

The lack of real-world interaction among the students and teachers is another challenging factor that could have a negative impact on their relationships compared to regular classes. 

A New Reality

 As the security concerns of the video conferencing apps such as Zoom emerged in the early days of lockdown with regards to conducting online lessons, meetings and private appointments, most schools have started searching for alternatives to keep the academic year 2020-21 going and not suffer much with disruption owing to coronavirus pandemic. 

The COVID-19 has spawned up an unprecedented dependence on technology that keep up the operations running across different sectors and its potential long-term impact on the economy and lives of people across the world. Studies are been conducted on the increasing dependency on the gadgets among the children and adults to monitor its impact on mental health. 

Now it is more vital to provide child protection services to ensure they remain open and active throughout the pandemic, by ensuring that the devices they use have the latest software updates and antivirus programs for precautions against cyber attacks and threats. 

Additionally, UNESCO has advised the use of television and radio broadcasts as an alternative to reduce the already existing inequalities among students seeking to continue their education with the online classes.

Can India’s economy over take China in coming years?

With the Covid-19 pandemic infecting millions of people around the world, China is facing a global backlash, especially from the United States. It has created a cold-war situation between the two, where India is siding the US. Despite the strong anti-China sentiment, the Indian government can no way stop the Chinese market.

Indian Market cannot afford to keep China out of its markets as Chinese products are fairly cheap and have helped low-income groups to improve their standard of living. The country’s products are not just cheap but also durable and well-aligned to other country’s needs. This formula has helped Chinese production experts take over even Euro-American markets. Although, China is known to be the birthplace for Coronavirus, which is uniting its enemies- India, the US, Japan, and Australia. But, there are very low chances that they can stop its goods and services all over the world, including their own countries, in the post-COVID world.

Focusing on India, it still hasn’t prepared its labor force to challenge the Chinese skilled labor force. Also, the question arises, is India capable enough to produce goods and commodities as inexpensive as China?

China has its rural industry which is that independent that it can produce goods for all sorts of cultures and commercial markets. There is no rural industry in India. While announcing plans for post- corona economy, Narendra Modi talked about establishing cottage industries. But there are no skilled laborers in rural India to produce goods for the global market’s tastes. How will this happen then?

Not to forget, Chinese growth has been driven by some of the world’s largest investment rates. This has made possible high –speed rail lines, infrastructure revolution of new cities, ports, airports, and manufacturing muscle for the country. Now, China has become the world’s factory for more than 20 years. Its ability to quickly and efficiently move what it produces domestically and around the world has played a major role in its growth miracle.

Today, India lags behind China in three dimensions: investment, infrastructure, and manufacturing. India has barely scratched the surface on all these. China invests about 50% of its GDP, while India does only 30%. Manufacturing is about is just 20% in India, while in China it’s about 30%.

India lags behind China a lot in the development. It looks like a poor country in major parts, where China has one of the best infrastructures around the world.

But, if India starts taking things seriously it can be a real opportunity. It is a known fact that by increasing investment, improving infrastructure, and growing economic output, it can be a true path to growth if the nation is patient enough to follow.

The ‘Make in India’ initiative is so promising as it does not rely on the Indian government. Launched to surpass China in direct foreign investment, ‘Make in India’ calls for global firms to increase their financial commitment to India. The innovative firms as diverse as Lenovo, Samsung and Boeing have publically supported this initiative, proving that the private sector is ready to step in.

Only thing is that private firms won’t act until it is more confident about politics and this scheme. Taking this into consideration, the government first has to give confidence to them for further progress to be made.

There is a lot of potential that India has. The raw material that the nation is so rich for any production. The challenge now is to use it effectively by all means.

All to say, to challenge China, it means unlearning many things and re-learning new things for India to take over this nation in terms of economy.

With the Covid-19 pandemic infecting millions of people around the world, China is facing a global backlash, especially from the United States. It has created a cold-war situation between the two, where India is siding the US. Despite the strong anti-China sentiment, the Indian government can no way stop the Chinese market.

Indian Market cannot afford to keep China out of its markets as Chinese products are fairly cheap and have helped low-income groups to improve their standard of living. The country’s products are not just cheap but also durable and well-aligned to other country’s needs. This formula has helped Chinese production experts take over even Euro-American markets. Although, China is known to be the birthplace for Coronavirus, which is uniting its enemies- India, the US, Japan, and Australia. But, there are very low chances that they can stop its goods and services all over the world, including their own countries, in the post-COVID world.

Focusing on India, it still hasn’t prepared its labor force to challenge the Chinese skilled labor force. Also, the question arises, is India capable enough to produce goods and commodities as inexpensive as China?

China has its rural industry which is that independent that it can produce goods for all sorts of cultures and commercial markets. There is no rural industry in India. While announcing plans for post- corona economy, Narendra Modi talked about establishing cottage industries. But there are no skilled laborers in rural India to produce goods for the global market’s tastes. How will this happen then?

Not to forget, Chinese growth has been driven by some of the world’s largest investment rates. This has made possible high –speed rail lines, infrastructure revolution of new cities, ports, airports, and manufacturing muscle for the country. Now, China has become the world’s factory for more than 20 years. Its ability to quickly and efficiently move what it produces domestically and around the world has played a major role in its growth miracle.

Today, India lags behind China in three dimensions: investment, infrastructure, and manufacturing. India has barely scratched the surface on all these. China invests about 50% of its GDP, while India does only 30%. Manufacturing is about is just 20% in India, while in China it’s about 30%.

India lags behind China a lot in the development. It looks like a poor country in major parts, where China has one of the best infrastructures around the world.

But, if India starts taking things seriously it can be a real opportunity. It is a known fact that by increasing investment, improving infrastructure, and growing economic output, it can be a true path to growth if the nation is patient enough to follow.

The ‘Make in India’ initiative is so promising as it does not rely on the Indian government. Launched to surpass China in direct foreign investment, ‘Make in India’ calls for global firms to increase their financial commitment to India. The innovative firms as diverse as Lenovo, Samsung and Boeing have publically supported this initiative, proving that the private sector is ready to step in.

Only thing is that private firms won’t act until it is more confident about politics and this scheme. Taking this into consideration, the government first has to give confidence to them for further progress to be made.

There is a lot of potential that India has. The raw material that the nation is so rich for any production. The challenge now is to use it effectively by all means.

All to say, to challenge China, it means unlearning many things and re-learning new things for India to take over this nation in terms of economy.

Coronavirus: How fashion and lifestyle influencers are rethinking their content strategy

Amidst the lockdown to curb coronavirus, fashion and lifestyle influencers are trying to creatively reform their content strategies to stay relevant.

The lockdown has had a range of implications, and all of us are trying to make through in the best way possible. It has altered how we go about our work and personal lives. Following suit, fashion and lifestyle influencers can be seen creatively reforming their content strategies.

These are people who give us a piece of the enviable, designer lives set behind perfect lighting and breathtaking locations. But, fashion and lifestyle content meets a slight amount of inconvenience when there is a nationwide lockdown.

Fashion and lifestyle influencers are now social distancing at home, dressing up for no one but themselves, spending their time not in exotic locations, but on their couches. This has pushed many of them to restructure their content during work from home. 

Fresh, alternate mediums for videography

Fashion influencers are deprived of professional photographers. Hence, fashion content is currently experiencing the epitome of creativity as far as content creation goes. One can see many of them brushing up their skills, trying to master video techniques. They can be seen making the most of their smartphones. Many influencers are now exploring non-conventional resources like Skype, Facetime, etc. This not only helps you to create Instagram-worthy content by themselves, but it also helps to create relatable content. How? Such content displayed in the format of everyday applications uses images in the content, which thus helps them to reach out to a bigger audience.

New genres of content

As technology and skill affect the glamour and finesse of fashion and lifestyle content, the lockdown has also reformed their content typology. Many influencer accounts can be seen creating relatable content at home. Since you cannot travel to exotic locations, or for that matter even the local cafe, during the lockdown, it might be a good idea to engage with your audience beyond your professional conduct. They are opening up online, bringing forward their informal side while they share their talents, hobbies, recipes etc.

Influencers are also extending their online presence to TikTok, which is now a growing trend. These are just a few of the ways to help your followers know the real you, which will again help you garner their trust and engage better with them.

Use your platform responsibly

It is refreshing to see how many lifestyle influencers are creating sensitive and responsible content that is helping people get through this time. As an influencer, you have a following, and the power of influencing them. Hence, there are a number of ways you can respond to this pandemic. Go all out by sharing the latest news and local resources that could help those affected harshly by the lockdown, or try to share the troubles and stress of your audience with a bit of humour.

A few examples can be light-hearted humour about having to stay at home, informative content to stay safe, etc. Many popular lifestyle bloggers can be seen occasionally opening up about stay-at-home struggles that all of us are facing while we try to stay safe.

Branded content with a twist

With the tsunami of sponsored, branded content, social media was flooded with similar-looking content, especially in the fashion content industry. But now each influencer is coming up with raw and creative ways to respond to branded content – live sessions, new video formats, and innovative photoshoots.

With the lockdown affecting the whole of the industry, many brands are now open to innovative, raw, and personal ways of content creation. Even the Vogue magazine had a work from home edition! Use your creative cells and create meaningful and fun branded content with whatever you have at hand.

Once the lockdown relaxes, maybe the raw and honest elements from influencer content will also go away. But, they are currently going deeper than they usually would, to engage with their followers. This might bring a shift towards betterment in influencer marketing trends, making it more curated and engaging.

5 Ways to Stay Fit During Quarantine

Now that you are spending less or no time outside your homes, it’s more important than ever to prioritize your physical health. Staying active can boost your mood and even reduce stress. How can you stay on top of fitness game without going to your local gym, doing weights and following your fitness instructors? Online challenges and videos, home fitness apps, creative at home swaps and the use of the safe outdoors, if available, can help.

Here are some ways to stay active while also staying home: 

Switch up your running/walking routines

Whether you’re a runner, jogger or a walker, try and keep your routine fun by setting a schedule and small goals. If you’re a walker, map out a different route of your house for each week of exercise or just stay in one place. If you’re a runner and have access to a terrace or a garden, select a goal such as run a 4 KM and set up a training schedule to achieve your goals, and with time you can increase up a notch and challenge yourself.

Check out this 1 Mile walk at home- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njeZ29umqVE

Try a bodyweight workout

You don’t have to grab weights to achieve a good workout. You can still feel the burn if you do a low impact cardio, bodyweight strength or a high intensity interval training circuit. 

Check out this 30-minute body weight workout from Greatist- https://greatist.com/fitness/no-gym-bodyweight-workout-infographic#1

Try a fitness challenge on YouTube

Want to build core strength? Tone your abs? Tone your arms? Find a fitness challenge on YouTube that targets the zone you want to work on. You’ll be surprised by how much stronger you can become in a week or more.

Check out these videos out

7 day workout challenge by Carly Rowena: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ixZnsKTErE
6 minute arm workout by The Uma Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpLA1tPwjXA

20 Min Total Core Workout (Equipment Free Ab Workout): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b2lNLq3EaA

Try a Fitness Website

Active.com offers 30-day fitness challenges including push-up challenges, ab challenges and more.

Greatist offers many detailed work out blogs- from workout plans for beginners to expert routines. For a start, check these out- 

https://greatist.com/health/back-workouts-at-home

https://greatist.com/health/calisthenics

https://greatist.com/fitness/chest-workout-at-home

Follow along with a studio

Many studios offer video easy to follow tutorials, try Zumba tutorials for high energy workouts or go with cardio dance workouts. You can also try free tutorials with simple, at-home equipment swaps like bags of flour or books instead of weights. Although these workouts will be different than the gym sessions that you’re used to, it’s an interesting way to break a sweat and re-connect with your own body.

Check out Keaira LaShae’s  dance workouts-

10 Minute Cardio Dance Abs Workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTH5saFBDqA

Cardio Fitness Party Workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhUP6FQj3t4

Check out the link to read more on at-home equipment swaps-

8 Household Items That Double as Workout Equipment for Your Makeshift Home Gym: https://www.realsimple.com/health/fitness-exercise/fitness-equipment-alternatives-home