New virus variant found in travellers from Brazil: Japan

Tokyo: A new coronavirus variant has been detected in four travellers from Brazil’s Amazonas state, Japan’s health ministry said on Sunday, in the latest instance the pandemic virus is evolving. A ministry official said studies were underway into the efficacy of vaccines against the new variant, which differs from highly-infectious variants first found in Britain and South Africa that have driven a surge in cases. “At the moment, there is no proof showing the new variant found in those from Brazil is high in infectiousness,” Takaji Wakita, head of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), said. Still, Brazil’s health ministry said it has been notified by Japan’s authorities that the new variant has 12 mutations, and one of them has already been identified also in the variants found in the UK and in South Africa. “It implies in a potential higher virus infectiousness,” it said. .... read more

How Kerala is different from the rest of the country in COVID response?

Kerala was the first state affected by COVID-19 in India. In today s MEDtalks with Dr KK Aggarwal we discuss lessons learnt from Kerala in responding to COVID 19.Just click on www.facebook.com/drkkaggarwal or https://perfecthealthmela.com/vevent2/hall1a.php

Covid-19 vaccines: Beware of the fake news factory on after-effects

Reproduced from: India Legal https://www.indialegallive.com/column-news/covid-19rumours-vaccine-epidemic-diseases-act/, published December 19, 2020 The arrival of vaccines has spawned all kinds of fake news such as they can cause impotency and lead to death. While there are no specific laws to tackle this, other regulations can crack down on misinformation. On January 3, 2021, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approved the use of Serum Institute of India’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for emergency restricted use in the country. However, since then, and even before the approval of vaccines, the internet and the media have been flooded with rumours about the effect and efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines. .... read more

CMAAO Coronavirus Facts And Myth Busters: Lab errors with new strain

With input from Dr Monica Vasudev 1295: In hospitalized COVID-19 patients with no previous neurologic disease, 37.4% were found to have abnormalities on neurologic exam 6 months later, most common being cognitive deficits, hyposmia, and postural tremor, reported researchers in a medRxiv preprint that has not undergone peer review. Patients also noted fatigue, memory impairment, and sleep disorders. The severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection was a key predictor, along with age and premorbid condition, of long-term neurological symptoms and features in the cohort. .... read more

Loneliness in older adults: A new epidemic of society

Loneliness is the new epidemic of society today. Loneliness is particularly common in older adults, whose children have grown up and left the nest and are busy with their lives. The amygdala in the brain plays a key role in regulating emotions and emotional responses. The dorsal posterior insula regulates perception of pain; it becomes more active when we are lonely, so anything that happens to socially isolated people is more painful. .... read more

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Vaccine Update

Healthcare News Monitor

Covid-19 vaccine race: Main candidates and where they stand

health.economictimes.indiatimes.com

Almost a year into the Covid-19 pandemic, about 200 vaccine candidates are in the works and 10 have been either approved by several countries or are under limited emergency use. As India prepares to launch its vaccine drive on January 16, here is a look at the options: Developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Institute of Virology, the indigenous vaccine has been granted emergency use authorisation in clinical trial mode by the Indian government.

Covishield vaccine transport to commence from SII’s Pune facility on Jan 11 or 12: Sources

expresspharma.in

The transportation of Covishield vaccine from the Serum Institute of India’s facility in Pune in Maharashtra is likely to start from the evening of January 11 or on January 12, sources involved in planning the logistics said. The vaccine-laden trucks will move out from Manjari location of the SII with elaborate police security. The Central government on Saturday said India will launch its COVID-19 vaccination drive from January 16, with priority to be given to nearly three crore health care and frontline workers.

Misophonia is a new-age mental disorder and here’s what you need to know about it

hindustantimes.com

Think of your school days and try to remember if the sound of chalk on that blackboard drove you crazy? Or do you get all worked up when you hear someone making sounds, while chewing gum or food? Well, if the answer to both these questions is a big YES, then you might have misophonia. It might not make sense in your head, but it’s a reality for those who live with it. In fact, at times we don’t take our emotional health into consideration, and think all this is normal. That’s why we want you to know everything about this new-age emotional disorder.

Covid curve doesnt bend in Kerala but why state isnt overly worried yet

indianexpress.com

In the last four months, Kerala has recorded more than 7 lakh coronavirus infections, more than any other state in India. For the last 45 days, it has consistently been the top contributor of new cases. The state now has the highest number of active cases in the country, comprising almost 30 per cent of India’s total. But while Kerala is the worst hotspot of the epidemic in the country now, what is remarkable is that the rise in cases has not resulted in a similar increase in the number of deaths. In fact, Kerala has one of the lowest death counts among the major states.