Pulmonologist Dr Harish Chafle highlights when and why you must not ignore a common cough.
As we go deeper into winter and air quality grows increasingly troubling, people are now relying on N95 coverings to shield their lungs from toxins and irritants. A sleek, wearable air purifier is a smart alternative.
Delhi choked under a thick blanket of smog on Monday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) settling at 498, which falls in the higher spectrum of 'severe' category.
The mask can potentially be worn longer, causing less plastic waste as it does not need to be replaced as frequently, the researchers said.
Ashwin's wife Prithi Narayanan said her family had been through a 'nightmare of a week' after 10 members of the household tested positive for COVID-19.
ISRO's Cartosat-3 satellite captured images of the damage caused by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar on March 28. The images show significant damage in Mandalay and Sagaing cities, including the complete collapse of the historic Ava (InnWa) Bridge near Inn Wa City. The earthquake also caused cracks and ground ruptures in the flood plains of the Irrawaddy River.
The Director General of Health Services (DGHS) in the ministry of health, in a letter to the Principal Secretaries of health and medical education of states, said it has been observed that there is 'inappropriate use' of N-95 masks, particularly those with valved respirators, by the public other than designated health workers.
The N95 masks reduced a cough's initial velocity by up to a factor of 10, and limit its spread to between 0.1 and 0.25 meters, the researchers said.
The Maharashtra government has capped the prices of N-95, double and triple layer masks for suppliers and private hospitals in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, state health minister Rajesh Tope has said.
In addition, 22,533 'Make in India' ventilators have been delivered to various states, Union territories and central institutions, the ministry said, adding that the Centre is also ensuring the installation and commissioning of the machines.
It is powered by the fastest processor currently used in the Symbian operating system devices and is faster than Dopod D600, a Windows Mobile 5 PDA.
Delhi's air quality deteriorated significantly on Monday, with areas like Dwarka, Mundka and Najafgarh recording an AQI of 500, the worst this season. The city's overall AQI reached 491, triggering the implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage-IV restrictions in Delhi-NCR. Doctors warned of health risks, urging people to wear N95 masks and avoid outdoor activities. The Supreme Court questioned the Delhi government on its anti-pollution measures and warned against scaling down preventive measures without its permission. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi accused the BJP-led central government of political maneuvering while neglecting stubble burning in states it governs. Meanwhile, the city enforced stricter pollution control measures, including a ban on truck entry and suspension of construction activities. Air purifier sales surged, reflecting the public's concern over the severe air pollution.
'Seek medical help if after five days of the first symptom the fever has not subsided.'
Wear masks to protect your lungs, sunglasses to shield your eyes and long-sleeved clothing to minimise and avoid skin irritation, says Dr Anjali Khalane.
The City of Toronto has formally apologised to the World Sikh Organisation of Canada for 'any delay' in reinstating the Sikh security guards whose services were terminated over a 'no-beard' policy.
The prime minister was spotted in a Swasa N95 mask created by the IIT-Kanpur start-up and incubator team.
Don't ignore symptoms like coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath, warns Dr Sandeep Tilve.
The relaxation has been given to facilitate "smooth conduct of air operations", the ministry's order stated.
'Every time you put on a mask and take the mask off and adjust the fit, you are putting additional fatigue on the materials.'
The ministry informed that over 14,000 existing ventilators are earmarked for COVID-19 patients in various hospitals in the country while there are 11.95 lakh N-95 masks in stock.
India's medical devices imports surged 41 per cent to touch Rs 63,200 crore in 2021-22, led by a 48 per cent year-on-year (YoY) jump in imports from China to Rs 13,538 crore, the commerce ministry data analysed by the Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMeD) has showed. Local industry players say this has led to several small and medium units to shut shop. Rakesh Vaid of Usha Fabs, a garments exporter, had started making N95 masks in his Gurgaon factory during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A staff nurse from a Bihar hospital begs the prime minister for her life as the state's medical staff continues to treat suspected COVID-19 patients without protective safety kits.
'If people use the mask properly, we can confidently say that this is as protective as the best mask in the market.'<
As the nearly 100-metre-tall Supertech twin towers were razed to the ground on Sunday, doctors said people living nearby, especially those suffering from respiratory diseases, should take extra care and avoid the area for a few days if possible.
Vardhan also expressed hope about having a vaccine against COVID-19 by the end of this year.
Breathing polluted air for long periods of time can cause more serious problems. Avoid exercising outdoors on bad air days, suggests Dr Varun Gupta.
If two individuals in an indoor space are not wearing a mask, in just 10 minutes, the infected person can transmit the virus to the other person, while if both are wearing a fitted N-95 mask, it requires over 600 hours of exposure for transmission, he said.
Indian Olympic Association has decided to come up with a battery-powered mask through which athletes will be able to train without worrying about COVID-19.
These masks will be distributed at various shelter homes of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board.
These masks will be distributed at various shelter homes of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board.
Weeks after the second wave peaked in many parts of the country, we are rapidly forgetting what happened to our hospitals, cautions Mihir S Sharma.
Seventy per cent of the people who received a booster dose of the Covid vaccine did not contract the disease during the third wave, according to a new study that covered nearly 6,000 people in India.
'Between the quiet hallways and the empty streets, there is a misleadingly peaceful atmosphere outside, that does not reflect the stress and tragedy happening every day between hospital walls.'
As per Dr Vardhan, there are 4,362 COVID-19 care centres across the country where 3,46,856 patients with mild or very mild symptoms can be kept.
'The government says the mortality rate among patients is 2 to 3 per cent, but in doctors it is 11 per cent, which is very high.'
On March 13, the Union consumer affairs ministry had declared face masks and hand sanitisers as essential commodities for 100 days to boost supply and prevent hoarding of these items in its fight to check the spread of coronavirus.
The scientists assessed the ability of common fabrics, alone or in combination, to filter out aerosols similar in size to respiratory droplets.
The GoM was apprised that as of now, the death rate is around 3.1 per cent while the recovery rate is more than 20 per cent, which is comparatively better than most of the countries and may be taken as a positive effect of the lockdown in the country, along with the cluster management and containment strategy.
It said the actual caseload of COVID-19 cases in the country as on date is 3,42,756, while more than 6.35 lakhs patients have recuperated from the disease.
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