Tag: COVID-19

Why these two modern-day challenges need urgent attention

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Childhood obesity and social media addiction are two modern-day challenges that demand urgent attention, points out Dr. Anupam Sibal, a paediatric gastroenterologist and Senior Consultant at Apollo Hospitals Group. 

 Prevalence of Child Obesity

Referring to a survey conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic by Apollo Hospitals Group on child obesity in 5 to 10-year-old school children in South Delhi, Dr Sibal says the findings were alarming. This survey found that 15% of children were overweight, and 4.9% were classified as obese. Even more concerning was the discovery that 19% of children with normal weight had fatty livers, while a 45% of overweight children had the same condition.

Dr. Sibal identifies unhealthy snacking habits and the availability of junk food in school canteens as major contributors to the rise in childhood obesity. The pandemic according to him exacerbated sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy eating habits with the incidence of obesity increasing post-COVID-19.

 Perils of Social Media Addiction

In addition to obesity, Dr. Sibal highlights the detrimental effects of social media addiction on children’s health and well-being. He observes a concerning trend of even 4 to 5-year-olds spending excessive time on smartphones, leading to adverse effects on their eyesight. The shift to online schooling during the pandemic further intensified screen time, raising concerns about parental control and healthy communication within families.

Dr. Sibal advocates for strict guidelines on screen time, recommending no more than one hour per day for children aged 2 to 5 years. He underscores the importance of parental involvement and fostering open communication with children from a young age. Failure to engage with children can lead them to seek advice and validation from social media platforms, exacerbating feelings of anxiety and inadequacy.

 Addressing Child Obesity with Lifestyle Changes

Dr. Sibal emphasised the need for a holistic approach to combat child obesity, involving the entire family in adopting healthier lifestyles. He stresses the importance of parental buy-in and active participation in programs aimed at promoting weight loss in children. By fostering a supportive environment at home and encouraging healthier eating habits and physical activity, families can effectively address the challenges of childhood obesity.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

From COVID-19 cure to anonymous letter, a timeline of Patanjali case

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

“We will rip you apart”, the Supreme Court said in a stern warning to the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority slamming it for inaction over misleading advertisements by Haridwar-based Patanjali Ayurved, founded by yoga guru Ramdev and his aide Balkrishna.

“What about all the faceless people who have consumed these Patanjali medicines stated to cure diseases which cannot be cured?” a Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice A Amanullah questioned, highlighting the seriousness of the issue. Rejecting apologies from Ramdev and Balkrishna, the apex court stated it would pass an order on April 16.

The top court is hearing a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) alleging a smear campaign against the COVID-19 vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine.

Here’s a timeline of how this case unfolded:

December 2020

Patanjali Ayurved urged the state authorities in Uttarakhand to change Coronil’s existing licence from an ‘immunity booster’ to ‘medicine for COVID-19,’ BBC reported.

January 2021

Patanjali said that its product received approval from the authorities as a “supporting measure” against coronavirus. However, the AYUSH Ministry and Uttarakhand state authorities later confirmed to the news outlet that a new licence had been issued. They made it clear that Coronil was “not a cure” for COVID-19.

February 2021

Just before the Delta wave of COVID-19 struck, Ramdev launched Coronil and described it as the “first evidence-based medicine for COVID-19”. The launch event was attended by then Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. A poster at the event claimed that ‘Coronoil’ has received a certificate of pharmaceutical product and has even been recognised by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Good Manufacturing Practices.

However, WHO later clarified that no traditional medicine has been reviewed or certified by it to treat COVID-19.

August 2022

The Indian Medical Association filed a plea against Patanjali Ayurved after it published an advertisement in newspapers — titled ‘Misconceptions Spread By Allopathy: Save Yourself And The Country From The Misconceptions Spread By Pharma And Medical Industry’. The advertisement claimed that the company’s medicines have cured people of diabetes, thyroid, high blood pressure, asthma, liver cirrhosis and arthritis.

Besides mentioning Ramdev’s earlier remarks on modern medicine, IMA noted that the “continuous, systematic, and unabated spread of misinformation” comes alongside the Haridwar-based company’s efforts to make false and unfounded claims about curing different types of diseases.

The Drugs and Other Magical Remedies Act, which regulates magic pill claims, has laid down a jail term and fine for misleading advertisements.

November 2023

The Supreme Court warned Patanjali Ayurved against claims that the company’s products can completely cure diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure and threatened to impose heavy fines.

On its behalf, Patanjali’s counsel assured the apex court that there would be no further violations of laws, especially regarding the branding of its products and its advertising. Further, the counsel assured the court that “no casual statements of claiming medicinal efficacy of any system of medicine will be released to the media in any form”.

January 2024

The Supreme Court on January 15 received an anonymous letter addressed to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud. Copies of the letter were also marked to Justices Kohli and Amanullah. The letter highlighted how Patanjali continued to put out misleading advertisements, despite the top court’s order.

Senior Advocate PS Patwalia, IMA’s counsel, presented before the court newspaper advertisements by Patanjali after the November 21, 2023 warning. Further, a transcript of Ramdev and Balkrishna’s press conference right after the court’s hearing was presented.

After considering it, the apex court noted that Patanjali Ayurved had violated the undertaking given by it. Further, the top court sought an explanation from the company as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated.

March 2024

On March 19, the Supreme Court was informed that Patanjali Ayurved had not replied to the contempt notice. The court also asked Ramdev and his aide Balkrishna to appear in person. Balkrishna issued an unqualified apology on March 21.

April 2024

Hearing the matter on April 2, the apex court slammed Ramdev and Balkrishna for their ‘absolute defiance’ over not filing proper affidavits regarding the misleading advertisements by their company Patanjali Ayurved. Noting that the advertisements violated the law, the court told Ramdev and Balkrishna to be “ready for action”.

“Your apology is not persuading this court. It is more of a lip service,” the top court observed while rejecting their apologies.

Last week, a Bench of the Supreme Court said after notices to show cause were issued to them over ‘misleading’ advertisements, Ramdev and Balkrishna attempted to ‘wriggle out’ of their personal appearance in the court which is ‘most unacceptable’.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Former IMA vice president applauds Supreme Court’s stand against Patanjali’s medicines

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

In a significant blow to Patanjali Ayurved, the Supreme Court has once more declined to accept an apology from Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna.

During a hearing prompted by a petition from the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the court reprimanded Ramdev and Balkrishna for “deliberately flouting” court directives and disseminating misleading advertisements claiming their product Coronil could treat COVID-19.

Dr Jayesh Lele, former vice president of the IMA, lauded the court’s stance, emphasising that the order not only targeted Coronil but also underscored the accountability of all Patanjali medicines. He highlighted the humiliation faced by allopathic doctors and the erroneous portrayal of allopathic medicine as inferior to Ayurveda by Patanjali.

“This order is not only against Coronil but against all the medicines of Patanjali. In spite of our registering FIRs in Patna, in Madhya Pradesh and various police complaints, no action was initiated and they went on to not only say about the Coronil, but they went on to humiliate allopathic doctors, allopathic medicines, and make the false claim that allopathic is wrong and ayurvedic is the best. Today we welcome the strong action initiated and taken and noted by the Supreme Court. So we are very thankful to the Supreme Court,” Lele stated in an interview with CNBC-TV18.

The controversy surrounding Coronil dates back to its launch in early 2021 amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in India. At the launch event, attended by former Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Ramdev touted the tablet as the “first evidence-based researched cure” for COVID-19.

Subsequent scrutiny by the IMA prompted the government’s Ayush Ministry to clarify that Coronil was only approved as an “immunity booster,” refuting Ramdev’s assertions. Despite this clarification, the Haryana government announced plans to distribute 1 lakh Coronil kits among COVID-19 patients, further fuelling the controversy.

Murali Neelakantan, Principal Lawyer at Amicus, emphasized the legal framework surrounding such claims, stating, “The law is very clear…None of these medicines can find a basis in those books…None of these drugs have proved any effectiveness.”

Furthermore, Neelakantan pointed out the role of government support in facilitating the sale of such products, suggesting that without this backing, such ventures would not thrive.

In today’s proceedings, the court also chastised Uttarakhand regulators for failing to take action against Patanjali. While the court indicated a leaning towards issuing a contempt notice to state regulators, it refrained from doing so immediately. The matter has been adjourned until April 16.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

‘Will rip you apart’, SC tells Uttarakhand Licensing Authority in Patanjali’s misleading ads case

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday, April 10, rapped the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority for not taking action against Patanjali Ayurved in a misleading advertisement case. The court came down heavily on the state government for being ‘hand in glove’ with Patanjali.

“We will rip you apart, piece by piece, you have done nothing but push files and sit pretty. As per documents, it seems you either did not know about the violations (until flagged by the Centre) or were in cahoots with Patanjali. What is this business of warning being issued by Uttrakhand? There is no provision for a warning in the law. You cannot simply jerk your shoulders and submit an apology. You were hand in glove with them. Your apology is not worth the paper it may be written on,” the top court said.

Addressing Joint Director Mithilesh Kumar of Uttrakhand Licensing Authority, the court asked about the legal advice sought against Patanjali. “Are you a licensing authority or a post office? Why should we not take action against you? Not even an FIR has been filed in the case,” the court observed.

The Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority assured the apex court that it will take action in the case. “Finally you seem to have woken up to the law of the land. For several months you did not act as per the provisions of law,” the court told the authority.

The court said that it would send out a message to fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies selling products with rosy pictures of the results of those products.

The Bench added that the State Licensing Authority showed disdain and the warning to Patanjali suggested that if the court did not pass the order it would abdicate its duties. The authority has been asked to explain its inaction against the firm.

The apex court is hearing a plea filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) alleging a smear campaign against the vaccination drive and modern medicines. On March 19, the court had directed Ramdev and Balkrishna to appear before it after taking exception to the company’s failure to respond to the notice issued in the case relating to advertisements of the firm’s products and their medicinal efficacy.

The top court had said it deemed it appropriate to issue Ramdev a show cause notice as advertisements issued by Patanjali, which were in the teeth of the undertaking given to the court on November 21, 2023, reflect an endorsement by him.

Patanjali had launched Coronil on June 23. Balkrishna claimed that the medicine could cure Covid-19 patients within 5-14 days. The announcement regarding the Ayush certification for Coronil and the release of a research paper calling it the “first evidence-based medicine for COVID-19 by Patanjali” was done at an event attended by former health minister Harsh Vardhan.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

COVID-19 dropped life expectancy, became second-leading cause of death globally in 2021: Study

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

COVID-19 replaced stroke to become the second-leading cause of death globally in 2021, causing 94 deaths per one lakh population and slashing life expectancy by 1.6 years, an international research published in The Lancet journal has found.

Disrupting more than three decades of consistent improvements in life expectancy and deaths, COVID-19 reversed this long-standing progress to emerge as “one of the most defining global health events of recent history,” researchers said.

In 2020, deaths around the world rose by 10.8% compared to 2019, and in 2021, they rose by 7.5% relative to 2020. Death rates too followed a similar trend, rising by 8.1% in 2020 and an additional 5.2% in 2021, the study estimated.

Globally, COVID-19 and related deaths were responsible for slashing life expectancy by 1.6 years between 2019 and 2021, even as reduced deaths from infections, stroke, and of newborns, among others, had helped steadily enhance life expectancy between 1990 and 2019, the researchers found.

India lost 1.9 years of life expectancy due to COVID-19, resulting in a net gain of 7.9 years of life expectancy between 1990 and 2021, the study showed.

“COVID-19 had a pronounced influence on the reduction in global life expectancy that occurred,” the authors wrote.

The researchers forming the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Causes of Death Collaborators estimated mortality and years of life lost from 288 causes of death across 204 countries and territories for every year from 1990 until 2021.

Region-wise, death rates from COVID-19 were the highest in the sub-Saharan Africa.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, it was at 271 per one lakh population and almost 200 deaths per one lakh population, respectively.

The rate was the lowest in southeast Asia, east Asia, and Oceania at around 23 deaths per one lakh population, the researchers estimated.

The impact of COVID-19 on life expectancy was found to be wide-ranging in severity, with Andean Latin America seeing a loss of 4.9 years and the southern sub-Saharan Africa seeing a reduction of 3.4 years, to the east Asia, which witnessed almost no change, they said in the study.

The leading cause of death worldwide in 2021 continues to be ischaemic heart disease, as was the case in 2019 and 1990, the researchers found. The disease is caused by a reduced blood flow to a certain body part due to clotting or constricting blood vessels.

Stroke, at the third position amongst the top five causes of death, was found to be followed by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at fourth, and other pandemic-related mortality at fifth. COPD is a lung condition usually seen to affect heavy smokers.

The GBD study, providing “latest comprehensive estimates of cause-specific mortality,” gives insights about the global landscape of disease before and during the first two years of the pandemic, revealing changes in disease-burden patterns that followed, according to the researchers, coordinated by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington, US.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Nifty has tripled from its March 24, 2020 low of 7,511 — check out the biggest gainers

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The Nifty 50 fell to a low of 7,511 on March 24, 2020. Four years later, it is 3x from those levels. That low was made a day after the nation went into a lockdown to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

It has been a swift recovery for the market, which has now delivered positive annual returns for eight years in a row till the end of 2023. The start of 2024 has also been positive for the Nifty, which gained 1.2% in February, 1.5% in March and is up another 1% in April so far.

The ride has been swifter during the last 12 months, when the index making a bottom at 16,828 on March 20. Since then, the index has gained over 5,500 points.

All 50 index constituents have delivered positive returns since the Covid-19 low. Shares of Adani Enterprises and Tata Motors lead the pack with both stocks having gained between 10 times to 20 times during this period. The list is dominated by metal names and stocks like Apollo Hospitals, a recent Nifty entrant and Grasim.

With the kind of gains seen in the list above, even stocks that have doubled during this period, feature as underperformers on the Nifty. However, there are also stocks like Hindustan Unilever, which is the worst performer on the Nifty during this period with gains of just under 30%. Asian Paints, HDFC Bank, UPL, which was the worst performer on the Nifty in 2023, also feature in this list.

All sectoral indices have also delivered positive returns during this period. While broader markets have outperformed, they are not the best performers. It isn’t banking or auto stocks either. Real Estate has emerged as the best performer during this period, with the realty index having gained over 400% during this period. The Nifty Bank index has also tripled during this period.

Indices Since March 24, 2020

Most stocks on the Midcap index have also delivered sizeable returns since the Covid lows. The underperformers on the index, stocks like Delhivery, Nykaa and Paytm, had not listed in 2020. Other than these names, only Yes Bank has delivered negative returns during this period, declining by 32%.

JBM Auto has emerged as the top performer on the Nifty Smallcap index from the lows of March 24, 2020. Other names in this list include stocks like Titagarh Rail Systems, Olectra Greentech and Tata Teleservices.

It must be clarified that the returns in this story have been calculated from the day the Nifty made its low and not from the day these specific stocks or indices made theirs.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Adam Neumann offers to buy back WeWork for more than $500 million: WSJ report

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

WeWork co-founder Adam Neumann has submitted an offer to buy the bankrupt company for more than $500 million, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people with knowledge of the matter.

It wasn’t immediately clear how Neumann would finance the acquisition of the provider of shared office space, the newspaper reported.

A representative for Neumann’s real estate company, Flow, confirmed that a bid was submitted, saying it exceeded the amount reported by the Journal.

“Two weeks ago, a coalition of half a dozen financing partners — whose identities are known to WeWork and its advisers — submitted a potential bid for substantially more than the Wall Street Journal reported,” the Flow representative said.

WeWork said in an emailed statement that it remains focused on emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the second quarter as a “financially strong and profitable company.”

“WeWork is an extraordinary company and it’s no surprise we receive expressions of interest from third parties on a regular basis,” the company said. “Our board and our advisers review those approaches in the ordinary course, to ensure we always act in the best long-term interests of the company.”

Neumann, previously WeWork’s chief executive officer, and other investors including Dan Loeb’s Third Point were exploring an offer to buy WeWork out of bankruptcy, Bloomberg reported last month. Neumann and his real estate startup, Flow, had been trying to get information from WeWork necessary to formulate a bid since December, according to a letter sent to WeWork’s lawyers.

Third Point isn’t involved in Neumann’s bid, said people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because the information was private. A spokesperson for the firm declined to comment.

Neumann’s Flow received a $350 million investment from venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz at a $1 billion valuation in 2022 before even beginning operations. Flow operates multifamily residential properties that aim to foster a feeling of ownership and community.

WeWork’s valuation plummeted from a high of $47 billion after a failed attempt to go public in 2019, then the Covid-19 pandemic dealt another blow. Although WeWork’s office locations initially emptied out, demand for flexible work proved somewhat resilient. The company eventually went public in 2021 through a combination with a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC.

Before it fell into bankruptcy, WeWork had been trying to deliver a turnaround story — one in which the rowdy co-working startup transforms into a stable, profitable public company. After the pandemic, the New York-based firm was bleeding cash with onerous leases. The company listed $19 billion of liabilities and $15 billion of assets in its Chapter 11 filing last year.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Scientists discover new class of antiviral drugs against Covid infection

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Scientists have discovered a new class of antiviral drugs with the potential to prevent or treat COVID-19 infections in a future outbreak.

In a study published in the journal Nature, the researchers show that SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19 — activates a pathway in cells that stops the production of peroxisomes and interferon, both key parts of the normal immune response.

The team from the University of Alberta in Canada successfully tested the new class of antiviral drugs that stimulate interferon production to reverse that effect.

Interferon stops infected cells from producing more virus by shutting down the infected cell, which often results in cell death, and then acts on the surrounding cells to prevent them from being infected, the researchers said.

The study builds on the team’s earlier research that showed how HIV has evolved to activate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in cells as a way to stop the body from producing peroxisomes, which trigger interferon production.

The team tried 40 existing drugs that target the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Most were originally developed and tested for treating cancer, which often responds to boosted interferon production.

Three of the drugs significantly reduced the amount of virus found in the lungs, and one of the drugs was also effective at reducing inflammation and other clinical symptoms in mice.

“We saw, in some cases, a 10,000-fold reduction in the amount of virus produced in a test tube, and when we went into a mouse model, the drugs prevented severe weight loss and the mice recovered much quicker,” said study lead author Tom Hobman, a professor at the University of Alberta.

During a viral outbreak, people who might have been exposed or who have already developed early symptoms would take a four- or five-day course to prime their peroxisome levels and limit the severity and spread of the disease.

“The beauty of this approach is that in the absence of viral infection, there’s no interferon produced. We see these drugs potentially serving as first-line drugs against emerging viruses,” Hobman added.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Man takes 200 COVID-19 shots, immune system unscathed: Lancet study

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Researchers have examined a man in Germany who claims to have received 217 vaccinations against COVID-19 and found that his immune system was fully functional.

Until now, it has been unclear what effects hypervaccination such as this would have on the immune system. Some scientists were of the opinion that immune cells would become less effective after becoming used to the antigens.

However, the case study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal found that the immune system of the person is fully functional.

More than 60 million people in Germany have been vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, a majority of them several times, the researchers said.

The man examined by a team at Friedrich–Alexander University Erlangen–Nurnberg (FAU) in Germany claims to have received 217 vaccinations for private reasons. There is official confirmation for 134 of these vaccinations, they said.

”We learned about his case via newspaper articles,” said Kilian Schober from FAU.

”We then contacted him and invited him to undergo various tests in Erlangen (a city in Germany). He was very interested in doing so,” he said.

Vaccinations contain parts of the pathogen or a type of construction plan that the vaccinated person’s cells can use to produce these pathogenic components themselves.

Thanks to these antigens, the immune system learns to recognise the real pathogen in the event of a later infection. It can then react more rapidly and forcibly.

The researchers wanted to analyse what happens if the body’s immune system is exposed extremely often to a specific antigen.

”That may be the case in a chronic infection such as HIV or hepatitis B, that has regular flare-ups,” explained Schober.

”There is an indication that certain types of immune cells, known as T-cells, then become fatigued, leading to them releasing fewer pro-inflammatory messenger substances,” he added.

This and other effects triggered by the cells becoming used to the antigens can weaken the immune system, which is then no longer able to combat the pathogen so effectively.

However, the study does not deliver any indication that this is the case, the researchers said.

”We were also able to take blood samples ourselves when the man received a further vaccination during the study at his own insistence. We were able to use these samples to determine exactly how the immune system reacts to the vaccination,” Schober said.

The results showed that the individual has large numbers of T-effector cells against SARS-CoV-2. These act as the body’s own soldiers that fight against the virus, the researchers said.

The person even had more of these compared to the control group of people who had received three vaccinations, they said.

The researchers did not perceive any fatigue in these effector cells. They were similarly effective as those in the control group who had received the normal number of vaccinations.

They also explored memory T cells — cells at a preliminary stage, similar to stem cells, that can replenish numbers of suitable effector cells.

”The number of memory cells was just as high in our test case as in the control group,” explained Katharina Kocher, one of the leading authors of the study.

”Overall, we did not find any indication for a weaker immune response, rather the contrary,” Kocher added.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

India ranks fourth in global measles outbreak — what’s causing it

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Measles is a highly contagious viral airborne disease caused by a virus that spreads easily through the air and can lead to severe complications and death. The virus can affect any person but is most common in children, especially those below the age of five.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 136,000 people, mostly children, died of measles in 2022. In recent months, there has been a major outbreak of measles in several countries, including India, with multiple cases reported daily.

As per the provisional data reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) as of early February 2024, India stood fourth among the top countries with measles outbreaks. The country reported 12,301 cases between July–December 2023. The maximum number of cases in the said period was reported in Yemen (18,464), followed by Azerbaijan with 13,721 cases and Kazakhstan (13,195).

Country                                Number of cases             

Yemen                                                  18,464.

Azerbaijan                                           13,721.

Kazakhstan                                         13,195.

India                                                      12,301.

Ethiopia                                                10,060.

Russian Federation                            7,720.

Iraq                                                        7,601.

Pakistan                                               7,027.

Kyrgyzstan                                          5,777.

Indonesia                                            3,205.

Why Measles cases are rising

One of the major reasons behind the increased risk of measles outbreaks is the COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC said. As per the available data, more than 61 million doses of measles-containing vaccine were postponed or missed between 2020 and 2022 due to delays in supplementary immunisation activities related to COVID-19.

“The COVID-19 pandemic led to setbacks in surveillance and immunisation efforts. The suspension of immunisation services and declines in immunisation rates and surveillance across the globe left millions of children vulnerable to preventable diseases like measles,” WHO states.

Last year, a report by the WHO and CDC stated that around 11 lakh children in India missed their first dose of the measles vaccine in 2022. The first COVID-19-positive case was reported in India in January 2020.

India logged as many as 40,967 cases of measles in 2022, the report highlighted.

Another reason behind the outbreak is that the measles virus belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family and is very well known for its rapid transmission, TOI reported.

A person infected with measles can potentially spread the virus to nine to 18 others, making the disease even more contagious than the coronavirus.

Symptoms

The usual symptoms of the disease begin around 10–14 days after exposure to the virus. One of its most visible symptoms is rashes on the body. Others are:

1. Running nose.
2. Cough.
3. Red and watery eyes.
4. Small white spots inside the cheeks.

The symptoms of the disease usually last five days before fading, while most of the deaths from the disease are from complications related to it.

During pregnancy, if a woman catches measles, it may result in the premature birth of her newborn with low weight.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow