Budget private schools stare at bleak future: While private schools are generally associated with luxury and sophistication, there a number of schools that strive to provide good quality education to children from low-income families. Many of these schools, situated in Delhi, are now reeling under the pandemic. These schools are crucial for children who would otherwise have to study in government schools characterised by poor infrastructure and general neglect. During the pandemic, most of the families to which the students belong have seen a huge decline in income since they’re daily wage earners. This has left the schools without crucial income. Read more here.
Lag in deaths: The overall number of deaths in Karnataka logged under the Civil Registration System between January and July has reduced by 10,806 compared to the year-ago period. This is baffling considering the fact that the state has seen 2,314 Covid-related deaths this year. This dip in deaths has been attributed to a general lag that has built up over the months, death registration issues during the lockdowns and a fall in number of road accidents. This lag creates huge problems in surveillance measures for studying the spread and impact of the disease. Read more here.
Delhi model dwindles: Days after the Prime Minister cited Delhi’s fight against the pandemic has an example of good management, the national capital started witnessing a new spike in cases. After recoding a decline in cases, there is now an upward trend in positive cases. Barring August 10, daily cases have been over 1,000 in the city between 5 and 11 August. The average number of daily cases over seven days, known as seven-day daily moving average, also increased in the past week. The past week also shows a rise in hospital admissions. Delhi health minister, meanwhile, says the new spike is to be attributed to an influx of patients from other states. Read more here.
Ground Reports
ASHAs protest: Thousands of accredited social health activists (ASHAs) in Delhi have been protesting since July 21 against abysmal work conditions. On August 9, many of them assembled at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Two days later, Delhi Police filed first information reports (FIR) against them for violating protocol. ASHA workers have been demanding better wages and protective gear. Their monthly salary amid the pandemic has been Rs 3,000. Besides, many of them say they had no access to protective gear even while being in contact with infected people. Read more here.
Toll on Mumbai’s healthcare: As India’s worst-hit city battles it out with the pandemic, a parallel story has been playing out. The city’s healthcare infrastructure has been overwhelmed by the virus. Now, the non-coronavirus facilities have taken a hit. The BMC has asked private hospitals to look after patients with monsoon illnesses like malaria and dengue. As a tragic incident narrated in the piece shows, the body of a patient went missing for two weeks. When it was found, it had decomposed beyond recognition since someone else had mistakenly assumed it was their kin and buried it. This neglect now points to a larger trend in the city. Read more here.
Grief in the time of Corona: At a south Delhi crematorium, some people — all covered by PPE suits — stand a few feet apart from each other and cry alone. This sight has now become commonplace. As the virus continues to cause more deaths, grief and mourning are taking on a new shape. With isolation being the norm, most people are finding the mourning process to be even more devastating. As one psychiatrist says, not being able to see the loved one before they die makes it harder for relatives to accept the fact that they’re gone. Read more here.
Interview
How an expert deals with the crisis: Dr Randeep Guleria, 61, is the Director of AIIMS and one of the leading members of the Covid-19 national task force. He speaks about how he, and other health workers, are issued four masks to be used on a rotational basis over 20 days. He elaborates in great detail, the precautionary measures he takes when dealing with patients and when travelling. He uses a disposable mask when in a non-Covid zone and N95 mask when at work. Occasionally, he uses a pair of gloves. As far as his life after the crisis is concerned, he says, “I would want to spend an evening or weekend with friends and family whom I have not seen or met in a long time.†Read the interview here.
