Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Radha Vaccination!

 After so much near miss, chaos, non availability of slots, Radha today managed to get her first round of Vaccination done. Covishield was administered at Vikram Hospital through walk in process! Her colleague who lives near the hospital noted the event happening and informed her to get the vaccination done! Radha's 2nd dose shall be after 15th Aug 2021.



Meanwhile Lalitha's 2nd dose is now pushed back due to new Government directive to around 29th June 2021. 

I am hearing cases of people passing away even after 2 rounds of vaccination.  We lost our relative this week, aged 74 due to such situation. (Google Breakthrough infection!).... So all of you take care, keep distance, avoid crowds, and stay safe!! 

Karthik

25th May 2021. 

Sunday, May 09, 2021

FAILED STATE!! (INDIA TODAY Editorial and Pictures)!!!

LINK TO PDF 


The entire issue of India today this week, May 17th, (except few of 66 pages which is to Elections) is covering Covid situation!! I am not troubling you with all pages! I am sending a few pictures which speak for itself!+ First time in the magazine, India today History, an Editor has used up more than 1 page to give his piece of mind to the government / Administration!!! 


You may also read, if you wish, this week editorial of "Lancet" (#1 Science) global Magazine on COVID In INDIA!! 

 

In addition to death in the family of my Aunt, and a critical close relative now, I am now beginning to lose neighbours in the apartment, close friends & colleagues, due to COVID rampage!! So the enemy is at the doorstep! 

 

I sincerely hope that we see light at the end of the tunnel in the coming weeks or months.!! *I have never ever prayed for the country, as I always believed, each is on his own and you take care of yourself, the country takes care of itself!! Also, we  (I, the 1960ers) are successful, IN-SPITE of the inept government, and system!*  That thinking of mine, now appears, a thing of the past, dead and buried. With the government and administration failing so spectacularly; the resultant spill over may be coming to haunt us, with we nowhere to RUN AND HIDE. The mortal fear is real for the county and people, should there be just one instance of bad luck !! We all shall hang in there and overcome, U all stay safe! GOD BLESS!!!

 

*Strangely, I had this unknown anxious feeling exactly 50 years back, 1971, when the 9 day War broke out!! We overcame that, thanks to Leadership!!* 



LANCET Editorial----> COVID Horror in INDIA (My title) !!!

EDITORIAL| VOLUME 397, ISSUE 10286, P1683, MAY 08, 2021

India's COVID-19 emergency

The Lancet#1 Science Journal taking the Indian Government to cleaners!!! I totally agree!!! 

The scenes of suffering in India are hard to comprehend. As of May 4, more than 20·2 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported, with a rolling average of 378 000 cases a day, together with more than 222 000 deaths, which experts believe are likely to be substantial underestimates. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and health workers are exhausted and becoming infected. Social media is full of desperate people (doctors and the public) seeking medical oxygen, hospital beds, and other necessities. Yet before the second wave of cases of COVID-19 began to mount in early March, Indian Minister of Health Harsh Vardhan declared that India was in the “endgame” of the epidemic. The impression from the government was that India had beaten COVID-19 after several months of low case counts, despite repeated warnings of the dangers of a second wave and the emergence of new strains. Modelling suggested falsely that India had reached herd immunity, encouraging complacency and insufficient preparation, but a serosurvey by the Indian Council of Medical Research in January suggested that only 21% of the population had antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. At times, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Government has seemed more intent on removing criticism on Twitter than trying to control the pandemic.

Despite warnings about the risks of superspreader events, the government allowed religious festivals to go ahead, drawing millions of people from around the country, along with huge political rallies—conspicuous for their lack of COVID-19 mitigation measures. The message that COVID-19 was essentially over also slowed the start of India's COVID-19 vaccination campaign, which has vaccinated less than 2% of the population. At the federal level, India's vaccination plan soon fell apart. The government abruptly shifted course without discussing the change in policy with states, expanding vaccination to everyone older than 18 years, draining supplies, and creating mass confusion and a market for vaccine doses in which states and hospital systems competed.

The crisis has not been equally distributed, with states such as Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra unprepared for the sudden spike in cases, quickly running out of medical oxygen, hospital space, and overwhelming the capacity of cremation sites, and with some state governments threatening those asking for oxygen or a hospital bed with national security laws. Others, such as Kerala and Odisha, were better prepared, and have been able to produce enough medical oxygen in this second wave to export it to other states.

India must now pursue a two-pronged strategy. First, the botched vaccination campaign must be rationalised and implemented with all due speed. There are two immediate bottlenecks to overcome: increasing vaccine supply (some of which should come from abroad) and setting up a distribution campaign that can cover not just urban but also rural and poorer citizens, who constitute more than 65% of the population (over 800 million people) but face a desperate scarcity of public health and primary care facilities. The government must work with local and primary health-care centres that know their communities and create an equitable distribution system for the vaccine.

Second, India must reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission as much as possible while the vaccine is rolled out. As cases continue to mount, the government must publish accurate data in a timely manner, and forthrightly explain to the public what is happening and what is needed to bend the epidemic curve, including the possibility of a new federal lockdown. Genome sequencing needs to be expanded to better track, understand, and control emerging and more transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants. Local governments have begun taking disease-containment measures, but the federal government has an essential role in explaining to the public the necessity of masking, social distancing, halting mass gatherings, voluntary quarantine, and testing. Modi's actions in attempting to stifle criticism and open discussion during the crisis are inexcusable.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimates that India will see a staggering 1 million deaths from COVID-19 by Aug 1. If that outcome were to happen, Modi's Government would be responsible for presiding over a self-inflicted national catastrophe. India squandered its early successes in controlling COVID-19. Until April, the government's COVID-19 taskforce had not met in months. The consequences of that decision are clear before us, and India must now restructure its response while the crisis rages. The success of that effort will depend on the government owning up to its mistakes, providing responsible leadership and transparency, and implementing a public health response that has science at its heart.

Saturday, May 08, 2021

COVID VACCINATION MESS (BANGALORE- I GUESS ALL INDIA Same story)

Over the past 3 days we have been struggling to get vaccination slots at Bangalore. SMS confirming vaccination on a particular date gets cancelled in hours saying Regret!! Paid vaccinations are very few! Free vaccination spots have rush/ lack of social distancing, especially in place like Bangalore with 20,000+ cases.

The 18+ vaccination slots are non existent with about 300 doses /day for a population of 15 Million at Bangalore. (Yes it is 0, in other cities in Karnataka and 0 in few states)....

So be prepared for a long hard ride. Person like me are lucky to have got both shots. Lalitha is due for II round of COVID which technically she can stretch up to 3rd July (90 days for COVID SHEILD)! Radha is due for her vaccination we hope that she finds slot in the next few days/ weeks. 

I gone through the COWIN PORTAL and data is interesting! The vaccinations /day has come down from 2.7 Crores/day to 90 Lacs /day. 

Karnataka with Population of 7.5 Crores is 6th with vaccination of 1.2 Crores. Still a long way to go in these 60 days of vaccination done!!! 
You see the Issue in India, Only 18 Crore People have registered so far out of Population of 100 Crores.... Goes to show TECH CAN only do so much!! How Governemnt is going to reach out RURAL area?? This time in second wave, the rural India is taking a big hit in # cases, and protection of people there is key! 
Out of 59,000 Centere for vaccination, only 3000 Is PVT!!! Cost of Vaccination at PVT clinic is about Rs.1300 per dose!! Goes to show exploitation!!! 





For People's sake, I hope things fasten up!! I feel very lucky once again as 1 in 3 Crore Indians to have got both rounds without sweat!!! 

Regards
Karthik.

Friday, April 30, 2021

Shravan Graduation -MS.

It looks yesterday, (March 2019, 2200 hrs) when Shravan told us, "Hello, I Got admission for MS in Computer Science at Columbia University, New York"!! We were more than thrilled, He had almost given up applying that year, (He selected only top 5 universities in 2017, 18) I ecouraged him to spread his net a bit wide. His contention was that, Columbia fee is very expensive, as was New York to live. Besides he has  settled very well and began to excel in his career at TEXAS Instruments here at Bangalore!! 


Email announcing Admission March 2019. 

Yesterday, (29th April, Thursday) Shravan completed and received his"Masters of Science" (MS) degree in Computer Science. It was a proud moment for us! When the admissions were completed, Shravan informed us that it will be a great occasion to be in New York for the graduation ceremony ! It would have been the first overseas trip for Lalitha.!! As things shaped up, it was very different turn of events come March 2020 and things got worse! 

We are very proud of Shrvan to achieve this Masters Degree, in such a tiring /hard circumstance, COVID, George Floyd riots (Especially he lived near Bronx)!! No wonder, within 4 hours of finishing his final exams on 19th December 2020, He took the United Flight to New Delhi. He was not ready to spend a minute more than necessary in New York in such a situation! 

Message from Lalitha on Graduation Portal. 


Roll Call

Diploma Parchment. 

Shravan has since moved to Silicon Valley, and now is settling down there!! We wish him all the very best. He has become second person, in our family in 50 years to receive Master Degree / Ph.D outside India. (My Uncle did in Mathematics, 1966 in Canada).  

We must, also thank HDFC Credila for working out a favorable education loan,which reduced some burden on us parents. 
(Interesting, 1963, Dad stood as guarantor for Uncle's loan- when even rich relatives shunned away. Uncle,in gratitude, sponsored his brother, Dad, to do his Masters in 1968 ( I was 5 then) at Benares. Dad then went to complete his Ph.D, 1990, when Lalitha entered our life.)

Karthik
30th April 2021. 










Wednesday, April 28, 2021

No Slot for below 45 age for Vaccination!!!!

 COVIN Portal open for registration at 4pm for vaccination for all in India above 18...


No Hopsital is giving slot!! All are only accepting those above 45!!!  I tried many pincode in Bangalore as well as other cities!! 


This is JOKE!!! 





Mother's 1st Month Ritual update

From Today, for next 3 days we shall be performing Mother's 28th day ritual as well 1st Month completion ritual here at Bangalore. We shall also be performing the 45th day, 6th month rituals as a special event besides every month ritual (Falls on 5th day following FULL MOON of every Tamil Month)! 

Due to COVID Crisis and mayhem of cases in Bangalore, we felt that best way forward is to do remote management with Vaadhyaar reciting the mantras over phone, and I repeat!! Yes, we should have served LUNCH to 2 Brahmins; we decided that we shall perform the same either during second or third month rituals, when situation improves.!! Indeed few of our regular priests are also not doing well (NOT COVID) to attend.! I thought that this best practical way to meet our obligations! 

I very much wanted to perform today's rituals at Karaikudi, but due to the COVID situation, we couldnt make it there! As a Compromise, today, I requested our Vaadhiyaar, Kannan (His grandfather started interaction with us as priest in 1972, Kannan has taken over after his passing away)! to perform a Punyajaanam (Sacred water sprinkling ritual to purify "Gayathri Niwas" post mother's departure, similar to which we did on here on the 11th day!). This was completed today, local people were of help to open and clean up the house making it ready! 


Lalitha cooked a 6 course meal as lunch, (as per today's protocol with special ingradients) and served to mother's portrait, and first portion to the bird- Crow! It came to eat within minutes of serving!! 


Karthik.

28th April 2021.