Monday, July 13, 2020

The Coronavirus Disease

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Hardi Talwani

Article Title

The Coronavirus Disease

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Global Views 360

Publication Date

July 13, 2020

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Computer generated representation of COVID-19 virions (SARS-CoV-2) under electron microscope

Computer generated representation of COVID-19 virions (SARS-CoV-2) under electron microscope | Source Felipe Esquivel Reed via Wikimedia

Severe acute respiratory syndrome-Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel virus from the family of coronaviruses which causes COVID-19 i.e. Coronavirus Disease-2019. It is the successor of the SARS-CoV-1 which caused the SARS outbreak in the year 2003-2004. This is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus which has rapid mutation properties.

The etymology of the name suggests that 'Corona' comes from the Latin word corōna meaning crown, garland, or a wreath. When seen under an Electron Microscope, the virion which has a diameter of 50-200 nanometres looks like the solar corona hence named Coronavirus.

When the virus enters the body; it attaches itself to the binding site or the ACE 2 receptors of healthy lung cells through its spike protein. Then it enters the cell via this attachment and causes apoptosis or cell death. The virus also affects organs other than lungs such as the brain, heart and kidneys. The multiple impact points make it problematic for the researchers to create a vaccine in addition to its rapid mutation properties.

The disease might have a zoonotic origin i.e. the transmission occurs from animals to humans. On comparing the genomic sequences the Human Coronavirus strain is found to be 96% identical to Bat Coronavirus samples and 92% similar to the Pangolins samples. Human transmission of the disease takes place via air droplets when the infected person is coughing, sneezing or talking.

The first cases of this respiratory illness were reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, on 31 December 2019. It is the first severe outbreak since the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic. Initially, it was supposed that the site of origination is Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market but, in May 2020 the negative samples tested, by  Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, from the livestock market suggested that it was the site of the super spreading of the virus.

SARS-CoV-2 is known to have an average reproduction number of 2.2-2.6 which means that, on an average, one infected person can spread the infection to 2-3 people. Although if measures like social distancing are put into use, to reduce the exposure of the infected population, it leads to a significant reduction in transmission rates. The infection fatality rate (IFR) of COVID-19 in various studies till 16th June 2020 was projected to range 0.60% to 1% of infected people . However few studies suggested the IFR as high as 3.6%.

The testing of an individual takes place through a method known as real-time Reverse transcription Polymerization Chain reaction (rRT-PCR). The process of obtaining strains and testing the patients usually involves nasal swabs or sputum swabs; the results come in within a span of a few hours to a couple of days.

Currently, there are no known vaccines available for the virus or any specific antiviral treatments, but there are numerous vaccines in works all over the world to tackle COVID-19. Experts believe that the minimum time required to test a vaccine is 12 to 18 months.

Trials are also going on for the repurposed drugs or the drugs which are useful for treating other diseases and might be capable against COVID-19: Some of these drugs are Hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, Remdesivir, Dexamethasone, Lopinavir-ritonavir, and Convalescent plasma.

The only current solutions for tackling the pandemic are social distancing, hand wash, hygiene and face masks.

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February 4, 2021 5:06 PM

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) 2020: Why the draft is being opposed in India?

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) sent a shockwave through the country when it released the Environmental Impact Assessment 2020 draft notification on March 12, 2020, amending the 2006 version.

The EIA serves as a means for the industries to obtain environmental clearances for their projects. The proposed projects are brought in front of the concerned public to be discussed and debated. If the projects proposed by the industries disturb the ecology and people living in that particular area to a large extent, then the Government cannot give permission for the project to continue.

There are several things included, or excluded, in the 2020 version which have enraged environmentalists, nature lovers and numerous concerned citizens across India.

Firstly, it includes post-facto approval. This means that any factory which has already begun with construction, will get a clearance, irrespective of the environmental damage it has already caused. However, the owners of the concerned factory will have to pay a fine of a certain amount.

Secondly, the new draft notification is released only in Hindi and English. Considering the lingual diversity of India, the communities which are not fluent in either languages will not know what the notification is about. This will reduce transparency and the livelihoods of such communities might get demolished without any warning.

The 2006 notification made it mandatory for every company involved in a project to submit a report every six months, verifying that the company is working within the terms of the granted permission and not going overboard with the available resources. The 2020 draft has extended the timeline of report submission once in twelve months. Moreover, certain projects like expansion of highways and road construction through forests are exempted from getting clearances.

Himalayan foothills, Sikkim, India | Source: Flowcomm via Flickr

Such features of the 2020 draft violate norms of the Environmental Protection Act (EPA, 1986) and also indicate that the scales are tipping dangerously towards the big industries, at the cost of our planet’s health. Livid cries have erupted from the people, especially those living in North-Eastern India and foothills of the Himalayas.

Himalayan ecology is at the brink of fragility and it requires stringent monitoring laws, the opposite of what EIA 2020 offers. "The Himalayan region today is in the most vulnerable position with massive climate-induced disasters, increasing deforestation, loss of biodiversity etc. Amending environmental norms will accelerate the ecological crisis in the Himalayas" says Ravi Chopra, a renowned environmentalist from Dehradun.

Since the draft has not come out in regional languages, the Karnataka High Court restrained the government from publishing the final document till it was accessible to a wider audience.

Although the government extended the deadline from June 30 to August 11, 2020, for the general public to pool in their opinions through emails, it shut down three main online websites on which youngsters of this country protested against EIA 2020. “We reasonably have a clear basis, based on our correspondence as well as our technical analysis, that this was a domain seizure by the government of this website” says Apar Gupta, executive director of Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF).

The EIA 2020 amendment does not do justice to the fundamental principles of environmental impact assessment and is more focussed in easing the clearance for the industries than the protection of the environment.

Economic growth, no doubt is important, more so at this trying time. However we should also bear in mind the cost which is to be paid for it, sooner or later.

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