Tuesday, July 28, 2020
Elderly and COVID-19 - M.A.Aleem Neurologist #Trichy #Tamilnadu #India
Elders and COVID-19
Government of India and the state government of Tamilnadu is able to manage Covid-19 treatment and reduce deaths better than many other countries.
In line with international data, those above 60 years of age account for maximum percentage of COVID-19 deaths in India.
Epidemiologically, the elderly population also bears the heaviest burden of non-communicable diseases, leading to heightened vulnerability in the COVID-19 scenario.
The elderly, who constitute 10% of India’s population, accounted for over 60% of the country’s Covid-19 deaths.
Besides, 73% of Covid-19 deaths were among those with co-morbidities.
Globally, COVID-19 has impacted several lives and is steadily increasing its
reach. While Indian Government has taken stringent actions to contain the spread of
COVID-19, including nation-wide lockdown, it is also critical for each one of us to
follow the protocols and take necessary measures and precautions to break the
chain of transmission of the disease.
Elderly people are at a higher risk of COVID-19 infection due to their
decreased immunity and body reserves, as well as multiple associated co-
morbidities like diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease and chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease. Also, course of disease tends to be more severe in
case of elderlies resulting in higher mortality.
However, COVID-19 transmission among elderly population can be reduced
by taking following measures:
DO’s
1. Stay at home. Avoid meeting visitors at home. If meeting is essential, maintain
a distance of one meter.
2. Wash your hands and face at regular intervals with soap and water.
3. Sneeze and cough either into your elbow or into tissue paper / handkerchief .
After coughing or sneezing dispose of the tissue paper/ wash your
handkerchief.
4. Ensure proper nutrition through home cooked fresh hot meals, hydrate
frequently and take fresh juices to boost immunity.
5. Exercise and meditate.
6. Take your daily prescribed medicines regularly.
7. Talk to your family members (not staying with you), relatives, friends via call
or video conferencing, take help from family members if needed
8. Postpone your elective surgeries (if any) like cataract surgery or total knee
replacement
9. Clean the frequently touched surfaces with disinfectant regularly.
10.Monitor your health. If you develop fever, cough and/or breathing difficulty
immediately contact nearest health care facility and follow the medical advice
rendered
DON’Ts
1. Do not cough or sneeze into your bare hands or without covering your face.
2. Don’t go near your contacts if you are suffering from fever and cough.
3. Don’t touch your eyes, face, nose and tongue.
4. Don’t go near affected/ sick people .
5. Don’t self-medicate.
6. Don’t shake hands or hug your friends and near ones.
7. Do not go to hospital for routine checkup or follow up. As far as possible make
tele-consultation with your healthcare provider.
8. Don’t go to crowded places like parks, markets and religious places.
9. Don’t go out unless it is absolutely essential.
The case fatality rate (CFR) seems to be age-dependent, with a higher percentage among the elderly, especially in men.
In Tamil Nadu, the percentage of people over 60 years of age among the total number of positive cases has been increasing over the months.
Monday, July 27, 2020
Vaccines For COVID-19 - M.A.Aleem BMJ 2020;370:m2752
BMJ British Medical Journal
Editorials
Covid-19: an opportunity to reduce unnecessary healthcare
BMJ 2020; 370 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2752 (Published 14 July 2020)
Cite this as: BMJ 2020;370:m2752
Re: Covid-19: an opportunity to reduce unnecessary healthcare
Dear Editor
Vaccines for COVID-19
Introduction of vaccines to prevent COVID-19 may help to overcome some unnecessary health care burden.
Scientists around the world are working on potential treatments and vaccines for the new coronavirus disease known as COVID-19.
Researchers around the world are developing more than 165 vaccines against the coronavirus, and 27 vaccines are in human trials. Vaccines typically require years of research and testing before reaching the clinic, but scientists are racing to produce a safe and effective vaccine by next year for COVID-19.
The potential vaccines are first administered to animals in preclinical testing trials.
Then that is given to a small number of people to test safety and dosage and to confirm the immunity development in phase I safety trials.
After that the tested vaccine is given to hundreds of people, children and elderly people, in phase II expended trials to study the ability to stimulate immunity and its safety.
Then the tested vaccine is given to thousands of people and wait to see how many people become infected, compared to volunteers who received a placebo. These trials can determine if the vaccine protect against COVID-19.
Currently a vaccine in development by the British-Swedish company AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford is based on a chimpanzee adenovirus called ChAdOx1. Their Phase I/II trial, reported on July 20, found that the vaccine was safe, causing no severe side effects. It raised antibodies against the COVID-19 as well as other immune defenses. The vaccine is now in a Phase II/III trial in England, as well as Phase III trials in Brazil and South Africa. The project may deliver emergency vaccines by October. AstraZeneca has said their total manufacturing capacity for the vaccine, if approved, stands at two billion doses.
Serum Institute of India is planning to manufacture two-three million doses of the Oxford coronavirus vaccine by end-August.
Part of their phase III trials of this Oxford vaccine are also expected to be conducted in India next month.
In India in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Institute of Virology, the Indian company Bharat Biotech designed a vaccine called Covaxin based on an inactivated form of the coronavirus. When the company launched Phase I/II trials in July, reports circulated that the vaccine would be ready by August 15. But now it seems that it would be available no sooner than early 2021.
Regulators in each country review the trial results and decide whether to approve the vaccine or not. During a pandemic, a vaccine may receive emergency use authorization before getting formal approval.
Competing interests: No competing interests
25 July 2020
M.A. Aleem
Emeritus Professor of Neurology * Visiting Specialist in Neurology ** Consultant Neurologist ***
The Tamilnadu Dr.M.G.R. Medical University * Dhanalakshami Srinivasan Medical College ** ABC Hospital ***
Chennai 600032* Perambalure 621212** Trichy 620018*** Tamilnadu India
@drmaaleem
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
COVID19 #TrichyRural#Tiruchirappalli Manapparai, Marungapuri blocks see a steady rise in cases by C. Jaisankar in The Hindu Tiruchi on 21.7.2020 - M.A.Aleem Neurologist #Trichy #Tamilnadu #India
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/manapparai-marungapuri-blocks-see-a-steady-rise-in-cases/article32150562.ece
#COVID19 #TrichyRural
#Tiruchirappalli
Manapparai, Marungapuri blocks see a steady rise in cases by
C. Jaisankar I. The Hindu Tiruchi on 22.7.2020 - M.A.Aleem Neurologist #Trichy #Tamilnadu #India
THE HINDU 22.7.2020
TIRUCHIRAPALLI
Manapparai, Marungapuri blocks see a steady rise in cases
C. Jaisankar
TIRUCHI 21 JULY 2020 18:15 IST
UPDATED: 21 JULY 2020 18:19 IST

Mounting cases of COVID-19 in Manapparai and Marungapuri blocks in the district were a cause of concern not only for residents but also the administration.
According to official sources, 2,094 persons were tested positive for the virus in the district up to July 18. Of them, 1,123 were from Tiruchi city. Rural areas of the district accounted for 867 cases.
Manapparai tops the list of 14 blocks in the district. There were 132 cases in Manapparai alone, followed by Mannachanallur block with 118 cases. Manikandam and Musiri follows with 74 cases each. Sixty nine cases were reported from Marungapuri block. At least five to six cases have been adding to Manapparai tally daily.
It was from April, that the first few cases of COVID-19 were reported in Puthanatham and Thuvarankurichi in Marungapuri block. Though most of the patients had recovered, the virus began affecting the people residing in neighbouring villages gradually. The case load in Manapparai continues to surge and it crossed 150 mark on Monday.
Kallipatti, Marungapuri, Valanadu and Karutha Kodangipatti were among the most affected villages in Manapparai and Marungapuri blocks. Since many policemen in Manapparai station tested positive for COVID-19, it has been shut temporarily. A few policemen in Thuvarankurichi were diagnosed positive.
On death count too Marungapuri tops the list in rural areas. As per an official statement, 33 COVID-19 deaths were reported in the district. While Tiruchi city accounted for 22 deaths, 11 were from rural areas. Of them, five deaths were reported in Marungapuri alone.
“It is a matter of concern. We observe that awareness on social distancing norms is very low in rural areas. There are people, who still believe that there is no such virus,” says M. A. Aleem, a neurologist.
He said that there was no seriousness among the people on the exponential spread of the virus. More than 60 to 70% of the rural people did not use face mask and failed to follow personal distancing norms. Moreover, many of them hardly followed hand washing etiquette.
Dr. Aleem said that employment guarantee job scheme workers, grocery and vegetable traders and others should be made to wear face mask.
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