When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the world focused on how to tackle it. As we know now, vaccination became our key to attaining herd immunity. Many experts say this is the reason for the pandemic’s decline. The current variant that is spreading is the Omicron lineage. The symptoms appear to be milder and many cases recover faster than that of the Delta strain. This made many believe that the pandemic will soon be downgraded into endemic.

Recent studies in Netherland could refute the claim. Viruses don’t necessarily mutate to be milder. As we were all focused on COVID, another infectious disease has been moving under the radar. HIV has reached a pandemic status at some point until people began to learn how to live with it. There is a new HIV variant discovered recently that is more transmissible than the original sequence.

HIV Variant

The new HIV variant found in the Netherlands shows three to five times higher virus presence in the bloodstream. This makes the people with the virus more infectious. Also, it is found that their immune system deteriorates faster. This could lead them to develop AIDS faster than those who were infected by the original strain. This new HIV variant already has over 500 mutations scattered across its genome.

William A. Haseltine has written extensively about the HIV virus taking years to mutate and SARS-Cov 2 being able to do it in months. With HIV, it’s a long process to pass it to another person. It would take 100 sexual contacts for a man to transmit it and 200 sexual contacts for a woman. This makes the chances of the virus evolving slower and replication could take a while. Omicron on the other hand the replication only takes hours or days. This virus can be transmitted through the air we breathe.

The COVID variants depend on transmissibility to mutate. There are already many mutations some stronger than the one prior. There will be many ways for the virus to mutate to increase transmissibility but their virulence could change. It is not necessarily a milder virulence as shown by HIV mutations. As long as we give it the grounds, it will continue to mutate.

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A published report on the bioRxiv website states that the virus found in South Africa is deadlier and more contagious. Chinese Scientists from Wuhan warned about the NeoCov’. Russian news agency Sputnik reported that it has a high death and transmission rate. They estimate one out of three who are infected could die.

NeoCoV has the potential to combine the high mortality rate of MERS-high CoV (one out of every three infected people dies) with the rapid transmission rate of the existing SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

Only one mutation is required for the virus to penetrate human cells. According to researchers from Wuhan University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Biophysics. The novel coronavirus offers a threat, according to the findings. Since it attaches to the ACE2 receptor differently than the coronavirus pathogen. As a result, NeoCoV is not protected by antibodies or protein molecules produced by patients with respiratory disorders or who have been immunized.

Further studies are on their way to verify the information.

This is among the new strains appearing recently.

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The whole world is fighting off the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and so is India. After months of complete and partial lockdown implementation, the Government of India has finally introduced the Unlock 3.0 across India. Along with the Government of India, many state governments have also lifted lockdown and ease out the travel restrictions that were earlier imposed throughout the state. The travel industry is one of the sectors that is affected quite badly around the world. Even now, the tour and travel industry has not been restored completely. While a lot of people believe that it is still not safe to travel even within the country, there are many people who are looking for safest places to visit post corona virus. Many others have been taking flights and other modes of travel to reach their destination city or state.

However, the fact that we must not side-step is that the risk and panic of catching the corona virus infection are still there. In fact, India is currently at the third spot in terms of having the most number of corona virus cases. Even after the situation getting worst in the country, people are still waiting for lifting the travel restrictions in the country.

COVID-19 Travel Guidelines

Another thing that is creating a lot of confusion amid the pandemic is that corona virus guidelines for both travel and hospitality industries vary depending on the states and cities you are willing to travel. There are many states in India that require travellers to carry their COVID-19 negative report along with them while travelling whereas many states are putting tourists from other states to stay in quarantine for 7 to 21 days. Along with the active corona virus cases in the country, the uncertainty of the COVID-19 travel guidelines is a huge obstacle for the travel and hospitality industry to revive. Hence, it is quite important for you to choose the safest places to visit post corona virus pandemic. With that regard it’s best to get immunity against Covid-19 by getting vaccinated for added protection along with protocols we must abide by.

Apart from that, the long and indefinite lockdowns and unlocks have made people bored to tears. Now, the people just want to get out of their homes after this tiresome lockdown and have a trip; be it a short one. Nonetheless, taking adequate precautions and safety during the trip is a must. Besides, we must not forget that post-COVID-19, the future of the travel and tourism industry is going to be changed – at least for a while. There are a few factors that will have an immense impact on the travel plans of tourists.

Public Transportation VS Private Transportation

Well, a large number of tourists might avoid public transportation during the current pandemic for a while to travel within the city or state they planned to visit. This will have a direct impact on their travel expenses, schedule and plans. Consequently, most people would prefer to visit their nearby places where they can drive via their private vehicles. If not, they will have to take private vehicles for their trips to visit local places, which will increase their travel expenses.

Smaller But Separate Stay

Another thing that the travellers will and must take into account is the hotel/ resort/ or property they are going to stay at during their trip. A lot of travellers would want their stay to be safe and hence they would most likely to prefer smaller but separate space to stay.

Prefer Hygienic Service More Than Ever

Having a hygienic trip and stay will be the most preferable thing for travellers from now on. There were many travellers who would not take the hygiene very seriously earlier, however, from now on, having a hygienic service is a must for everyone.

Taking all these measures into account, we are providing you with two safest places to visit post-COVID-19. These places are adhering to all the guidelines and safety procedures prescribed by the Indian Tourism Ministry amid COVID-19 pandemic.

Chail Hills, Himachal Pradesh – A safe mountainous area in pandemic times

Chail Hills is one of the most preferred choices for weekend gateways for people living in and around Himachal Pradesh and other nearby states. It is among the best places to visit anytime throughout the year. Chail Hills is also known as the hiker’s paradise along with these places: Best trekking places in India for their magnificent and spectacular views of valleys. 

There are a lot of adventurous places to visit in Chail Hills and you can choose the most suitable options according to your preferences. Some of the most visited and enjoyed places in Chail Hills include but certainly not limited to are Himalayan Nature Park, Sadhupul Lake, Maharaja’s Palace, Kali Ka Tibba, Chail Wildlife Sanctuary, and Chail Palace Hotel etc.

Atali, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand – Another hilly area to visit in covid-19

Atali, Rishikesh is another place that offers a lot to its travellers. Every year, an innumerable number of travellers and sightseers from across the world come to India and visit the holy town of Rishikesh. There are a lot many amazing things to do in Atali, Rishikesh as it provides its travellers with a wide range of outdoor activities. Some of the adventurous activities to include in your itinerary while visiting Atali are hiking, mountain biking, river rafting, wall climbing, kayaking and of course, camping.

Another activity that fascinates a lot of tourists in Atali is the High Ropes Course. What makes the Atali, Rishikesh a safe and secure place to visit post-COVID19 is that the authorities require its visitors to upload their COVID-19 Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test reports from ICMR authorised labs, which should state that you have tested negative for COVID-19 disease. This helps all the visitors to have a safe and stress-free trip at Atali, Rishikesh.

If you are planning to visit Uttarakhand when the pandemic scare is over, don’t forget to visit the best places in Uttarakhand when travelling in normal times.

We understand your love for travel but we would like you to strictly follow the COVID-19 guidelines to stay safe during your trips. To make your trips safe and secure during the corona virus pandemic, you must take a few mandatory precautions.

Some of the Mandatory Precautions That You Should While Traveling Post-COVID19

You must wear your masks all the time whether or not you are getting in touch with people. You should wash your hands quite frequently and must use the alcohol-based hand sanitizer to have proper protection from COVID-19 infection. During the trip, avoid eating out in public places. Do not forget to maintain social distancing. Make sure that the food you are consuming is freshly cooked. Sanitise your vehicle, bags and other stuff that have higher chances of getting exposed to corona virus during the trip. Book your places while planning your trip and make sure to opt for hygiene services no matter if it costs you a few more bucks. You must strictly follow these precautions even when you’re looking for the safest places to visit post corona virus pandemic. Remember to have fun and have a safe trip!

If you are travelling internationally, here are the Covid-19 travel tips and precautions for you after the lockdown you must take care of for a safe and memorable journey.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has proved to be a major upheaval to people’s lives throughout these months, especially to those who can be as simple as video games addict up to those who are alcohol addict, cigarettes or tobacco addict, or to those who are currently in recovery mode. Addition to alcohol, tobacco, cigarettes, weed, marijuana or other drugs is seen as a choice of the people. However, at some point, this addiction becomes the necessity of the body and brain of the people who are addicted to these drugs. And, this whole pandemic and its lockdowns made the lives of people more difficult who are in the process of recovering from such addictions. A lot of people, who are in recovering mode, are facing trouble as the counselling sessions and meetings are not allowed in person during the lockdowns. We even hear the news of several people committing suicide in different parts of the country, majorly in the southern part of India.

The Negative Scenarios People Battling Addiction Are Facing During the Covid-19 Lockdown

The rehabilitation sessions influence and encourage people who are in addiction to seek the higher power and control their mind. However, the lockdown is taking a huge toll on everyone’s mental health. Many experts who deal with people who have such addictions express how much they are concerned about the mental health of their patients. According to many experts, these people require regular motivation, counselling sessions and strong will power to deal with their addictions. Though social isolation has been making it even more difficult for them to control their mind and has been making it more difficult to seek counseling and get out of the addiction cycle.

The recovery from such kinds of addiction requires people to connect with their peers, sharing their day-to-day experience of recovery, expressing the challenges they are facing and providing the solutions of problems they have overcome. These things can be done via digital platforms as well, however, the in-person connection makes a huge difference, according to experts. Other things that are making it difficult for the people who are recovering from addiction is the fear of revealing their identity. These digital video sessions often have the names appear on the screen whereas, in the sessions, you can stay anonymous. Another fear that a lot of people are facing is the fear of being recorded. Not many people like their confessions and the expression of the things they have been gone through to be recorded. Besides, it is important for people who are recovering from addiction to feel safe and not alone. Hence, in-person meetings and sessions are a very important part of being recovered from addiction.

The coronavirus (covid-19) lockdown has made it difficult for people battling the addiction to access doctors and experts. On the contrary, the lockdown has been making the addiction more severe as now such addictive people have more things in life such as self-isolation, unemployment, uncertain future, and stress about family’s wellbeing and on top of that, an unending spare time that is adding fuel to their already worst situation. The feeling of being alone, both physically and mentally, is the major reason for alcoholism.

It takes weeks and sometimes months for severe cases to recover from the addiction. The people who are going through the recovery period require regular professional supervision of the medical experts. However, during the coronavirus lockdown period, it is difficult for such people to get such professional help. In the absence of having the kind of care and attention they need, such addictive people are forced to go through the transition period alone at home, which is even riskier. It takes 6 to 24 hours from the last drink the addictive person have for alcohol withdrawal syndrome to start. The longer the person has been consuming the alcohol, the severe the alcohol withdrawal syndrome would be. It also depends on whether the person has shown any previous alcohol withdrawal syndrome or not. The people with alcohol dependence have higher risks of heart attack, low blood sugar levels and other life-threatening complications.

How to break Addiction During the covid-19 Lockdowns?

The people who are dealing with addiction must organize their day with a fixed schedule and make sure they do not have much idle time as it often leads the mind towards the thoughts of having alcohol, drugs and other addictive activities.

• You can replace alcohol with some regular and healthier drinks such as juice, milkshake, lassi or tea etc.

• Since we have more time than we usually have during this lockdown, you can indulge yourself with physical and cardio activities, yoga and meditation to make yourself physically and mentally fit.

• There is a huge importance of having a positive mind-set on your recovery level. Feed your mind with positive thoughts. Watch videos and movies that are not only good for your mind but also cheers you up, talk to the people who make you happy and provide you with positive vibes.

• Engage yourself with something or the other. Do not let your mind void even for a minute as it might fill your mind with negative thoughts or might take you towards your drinking again. Be busy with your family and friends. Play with your kids, spend time with your elders.

• Indulge yourself with daily household things, decorating your home, play good online games at a limit, learn something new online that improves your skills and expertise. This way, you can do well in your professional career and life.

• In a nutshell, when faced with a lockdown situation, trying to break the addiction cycle, distract yourself from anything that might lead you to your addiction. Create a scheduled sleep cycle and get some good sleep every day. Create a diet plan with the help of a dietician or nutritionist and follow it properly. Drink as much water as you can as it will help you hydrate yourself.

We understand that this is an unsettling time for every one of us. We all are having an emotional roller coaster right now. Having an optimistic mindset takes a stronger approach and strengthening your will power is the only things that will be going to help us get out of the addiction cycle & recover fully during this tough time of this pandemic and its lockdowns. Hence, we advise you to take care of yourself and your loved ones as this is probably the very time when we should stand together.

Want more articles like this? Try How Good Nutrition Can Help to Maintain Mental Health, Tips to Boost Your Mental Health

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With social distancing coming up as the most effective tool and weapon to fight the corona spread, and to break the chain of infection, this is the time to not just do your bit in supporting the government to curb the menace of this spread but also to bond with you family.

In a pre-corona world you would have rued spending less time with your family and kids, now is the best time to make the most of it. However, it’s not just about being there with them under the same roof, but to also share your experiences, insights and all about the life.

Children, while seeing all that is going through as something strange, may feel it hard to follow your commands. However, it is up to you and your parenting tips that can not only be effective for them how to survive this time, but can also prove valuable and righteous throughout their life.

Here, we are putting forward some key parenting tips in the times of corona and ensuing lockdown:

• Talk to Them About Anything and Everything – Become Their Friend

First and foremost, talk to them about the current situation. Secondly, in your busy life before you may not have had time to be with them and talk to them. But, now is the time to do so. Talk to them about how they are feeling, what plans they have in mind to carry on with their time, how they are going to manage and adapt to the online learning process, if there is, learn more about them. This is the time to become friends, remember it will bear fruit lifelong.

• Teach Them About Hygiene

We have been learning about this since childhood, in schools, and from elders in our homes. Keeping our clean and hygienic is a must-important life aspect that keeps us and our surroundings clean and free from diseases. This pandemic is an example of lack in hygiene, and it provides you a great opportunity to tell your kids about the hygiene, cleaning and sanitising; and what dangerous consequences can occur ignoring this fact.

• Set up Their Routine

Your children, small kids, might take this time as extended vacation and feel free to do as they wish. Having a routine is something that should be imbibed, whether it’s a regular day or a holiday. And this is something that, better tham telling them, set an example for them by having a set routine for yourself. They will see how you go about your daily life, and will listen to you. Make sure there is fixed time for meal, bed, study, play, hobbies, and so.

• Limit Their Exposure to Digital and TV World

Internet can be a boon as well as a curse; all it depends on how you make use of it. At the early age, it is easy for children to get fixated on the online world, be it social media, games, and so. Not only for the influx of information and engaging activities they take part in, it may also be bad for their eyes, health and cognitive growth. So, have a set time for when and how much they can access the digital world, view TV, etc.

• Teach Them about Patience, Tenacity and Punctuality

Kids, especially in primary stage and teenagers may get anxious about seeing this condition of the world, and how it is affecting daily life. However grave the situation at present, we know that it will pass. And this is something you should tell them – be good, follow hygiene, keep patience, and see this phase pass away. Teaching them about patience, regularity and resolve Is another aspect they should learn about from you.

• Have Them Develop a Hobby

While we may all be ruing this fact that we don’t have had a hobby, which we can have pursued during this lockdown, learn from this and make sure your children doesn’t let go of this opportunity. Talk to them, and see what interests them. Developing a hobby is a great asset for their own mental and skill growth and expansion. It can be learning to play chess, or trying hands at cooking, or developing a habit of book reading or so. It will be great to have their time utilised properly; as well as yours too, as learning something new doesn’t depend on age.

• Make Them do Household Chores

Doing one’s own work make for great learning activity as well as self-growth; it helps to become responsible, adhere to looking over and care for their things. Make sure that small works and tasks are carried out by your own children on their own, and also let them lend a helping hand to elders as well.

• Develop Workout Sessions at Home

Working out isn’t something that is reserved for outdoors and gymnasiums only. Age-specific workout activities, yoga and meditation is something that you can have your children adopt in their lifestyle. It will be an overall growth facet for them.

• Make Them Practice Mindfulness

It is easy for them to fell anxious and averse to the situation seeing their life scattered. They can’t visit their friends, go out to shop, play and roam around. This is the time when you should make them practice mindfulness, along with telling them why it is important to stay put at home. This will make them feel less restless. This isn’t something that can be done with meditations only, but through any activity that makes them learn something, feel contented in completing that task. It can be any home based task or a hobby.

• Let The Environment be Relaxing and Calm

Life is not about a race that you always feel compelled to compete and win. For most, during pre-corona time, it was all about work, money, position and so. This is something that led people away from their families, has been a cause of stress as well. This time, when you are under this pandemic, everything has come to a halt, and we are with what matters most to us – our family. Create a relaxing atmosphere at your home, have your kids bond with others. Let them imbibe it in themselves and learn that stressing about their professional and social life isn’t the only aspect of one’s life. There is more to life, and this is your family, your time, your health, and your recreation as well. Create an environment that is fun and filled with laughter at home, make them value moral values as much as anything else.

So, are you following effective parenting tips?? Are you making the best use of this time to bond with your kids? Let us know. Share your experiences and discuss how you are spending this time with your family and kids.

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Novel Coronavirus, a virus that has been threatening the entire human race for a couple of months now. A few months ago, nobody even knew the name of this hazardous pandemic that has now claimed the lives of thousands of people across the world in a very short span of time. On the very last day of the previous year i.e. December 31, 2019, the China office of the World Health Organisation (WHO) came to know the first reports of a pneumonia case in Wuhan, China that caused by Coronavirus. Notably, Wuhan has a good 11 million people within the city. Today, when I am writing this post on March 18, 2020, at noon IST, this pandemic has already affected as many as 198,729 people and claimed the lives of 7,989 across the globe. Unfortunately, the numbers may increase in the near future as there is no solid cure have come to the table as of now. However, what might give us some relief is that the number of people who have recovered from this pandemic is 82,779. Other than China, the Coronavirus has been spread across 150 countries with Italy, Iran and Spain are the most affected countries of all. On March 11, the WHO had announced the official name of the disease: COVID-19. According to the International Committee on the Taxonomy of Viruses, Coronavirus is called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, or Sars-CoV-2 for short. On March 11, 2020, the WHO officially declared COVID-19 as a pandemic.

How Did COVID-19 Pandemic Start?

It is reported that the COVID-19 disease was stem from Wuhan Seafood market – a marketplace where wild animals are traded ‘illegally’. In earlier stages, it was thought that the first people infected with COVID-19 must have a connection with the Wuhan Seafood market as Coronaviruses are generally transmitted from animals to humans. There have been some speculations that COVID-19 is caused by bats as the genetic sequences of coronavirus is 96 per cent identical to the coronavirus exists in bats. However, the analysis and study of the COVID-19 are still on.

How Do Coronaviruses Affect Us?

Coronaviruses affect the respiratory system of the humans and cause cold, cough, fever and some other severe infections. In some of the cases, the infection leads to severe respiratory tract diseases such as pneumonia and bronchitis. COVID-19 has a severe impact on older patients with pre-existing health conditions as their immune system is comparatively weak. In 2002 as well, the Coronavirus epidemic known as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was initially detected in Southern China, affected as many as 8000 people in 26 countries and claimed the lives of 774 people.

COVID-19, Spreading Across the World

As of today, March 18, 2020, the number of cases in China alone is 80,894 and the death toll has reached 3,237. Though the new cases of COVID-19 found in China as of today are just 13, which is extremely low as China has seen more than 5000 cases in a single day in Mid-February. However, what is causing distress across the globe is that the new cases of COVID-19 in other parts of the world have not been decelerating. Italy, today, is the most affected country after China that has more than 31,506 cases of COVID-19 with a death toll of 2,503. What is heart-breaking is the fact the entire country has been compelled to the point that it had to be locked down. Other countries with the highest number of COVID-19 cases include Iran with 16,169 cases and 988 deaths, Spain with 11,826 cases and 533 deaths, Germany with 9,367 cases and 26 deaths, followed by South Korea, France, the USA and Switzerland where the number of cases of coronavirus is 8,413, 7,730, 6,522 and 2,742 respectively.

COVID-19 Testing

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has not announced any standardized testing procedure as the information about this new Novel Coronavirus is limited. In many cases that have found in China, South Korea, Italy and Iran, it has seen that the symptoms of the COVID-19 are recrudesced. Meaning, when you do a coronavirus testing on a patient, it shows no symptoms. However, if you perform the test on the same person the very next day, it starts to show the COVID-19 symptoms. Even after recovering from the COVID-19 completely, coronavirus is reoccurring in patients after a while. Consequently, there are a total of 5 procedures for collecting samples to test COVID-19 that are mentioned below:

Swab Test – A medical practitioner takes the sample of your saliva from your nose and/ or throat using a special swab.

Nasal Aspirate – A medical practitioner injects a saline solution in your nose and/ or throat and remove the sample with gentle suction.

Blood Test – A Blood test can also be used to take the sample of your blood via arms. However, since COVID-19 is a respiratory illness, the blood test is not that reliable in such a scenario.

Tracheal Aspirate – It is considered as the most difficult test of COVID-19 as the medical practitioner would pass a catheter through the mouth of the patient that goes into your lungs. This thin and lighted tube is called a bronchoscope, which collects the sample.

Sputum Test – The sputum test is very common in which the medical practitioner would take the sample of the mucus from the patient’s nose with a swab.

Coronavirus Diagnosis

After collecting tissues samples of the patients, the process of converting RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) from those samples into cDNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) will be initiated. In this process, the medical practitioners will majorly focus on this conversion and will study the changes occurred. It is genuinely a very difficult test and hence, it takes 24 to 48 hours in the completion of the test.

COVID-19 in India and Thailand

While the entire world has fallen a victim to COVID-19, how can we Indians be unhurt to this pandemic? In India as well, we do have 148 cases of COVID-19 and death toll at 3. The number of COVID-19 patients is, fortunately, quite less as compared to what we have seen in the above mentioned countries. However, this number has been increasing with each passing day. Similarly in Thailand, there are a total of 212 COVID-19 cases and the death toll is restricted to one.

COVID-19 Testing in India

Amidst the chaos of this pandemic, the question arises in our minds that with COVID-19 blocking off the entire world, is India efficient enough to deal with this deadly disease? Since the test for COVID-19 requires some advanced testing and is a complex test, the Government of India has not allowed private labs to perform this test. The COVID-19 tests are only available in the government-owned labs where we have advanced medical facilities.

Government Precautionary Measures Against the Spread of COVID-19

Suspension of all Visas amid COVID-19

The Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs has issued Travel and Visa restrictions amid COVID-19 from March 13, 2020, to April 15, 2020. Under these restrictions, all the existing visas that had been issued to nationals from any country are suspended. The people with Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card who avail the visa-free travel facility in India are also included in this list. The visas of any foreign citizens who are already living in India remain valid. In a nutshell, the Government of Indian has suspended all the tourist visas.

There are some exceptions in the restrictions, basis which the visas issued to the following foreigners class remain unaffected:

• Diplomats who are working in embassies in India
• Any foreign government officials who are coming to India any government official work
• Any members of UN/ International Organisations
• Any person who is coming to India for employment
• Any person with project visa

Other than that, any foreign nationals who are willing to travel to India for ‘compelling reasons’ such as the medical emergency of a family member can get in touch with the nearest Indian Mission to apply for a fresh visa. However, the Indian Embassy has the right to accept or reject visas based on the reasons for travel.

Quarantine Rules by Indian Government

If any citizen, including Indian national, is arriving from or visited China, Italy, Iran, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Germany or France on or after February 15, 2020, s/he can be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days.

Thailand has also cancelled Visa on Arrival for India, South Korea, Hong Kong, Italy and 14 other countries amid COVID-19.

The Central Government has issued a notice to close some major landmarks including Rashtrapati Bhawan. The Delhi Government has already issued a circular to close schools, colleges and movie theatres till March 31, 2020, amidst Coronavirus spread. The Mayor of Agra has urged the Central Government to close Taj Mahal till March end as there is no screening facility for thousands of Taj Mahal visitors on a daily basis.

Indian Government Proposed SAARC Fund to Deal with COVID-19

The Indian Government recently has proposed a voluntary contribution of US $10 million for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Fund to cope with Coronavirus. This fund can be used by any of the members of the SAARC countries in case of requiring any medical equipment, medical services or any other requirements to fight COVID-19. There are 8 members in the SAARC namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

The Indian Government has also assembled a Rapid Response Team of Doctors and Specialists who will be on standby and can be deployed to any of the SAARC countries.

The Indian Government has also offered to arrange online training capsules through sharing software by which all the doctors and specialists can share their experiments, experiences, findings and knowledge of the COVID-19.

The Global Impact of COVID-19

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has stated that as many as 50 million jobs could be lost in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic. Further, it said that the travel sector may shrink up to 25% in the year 2020 alone.

The WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has alerted all the countries that the chances of containing COVID-19 are decreasing with each passing day, especially after the recent outbreaks of Iran and Italy, which have no direct link with China. This is one huge concern for the healthcare authorities to stop the coronavirus from spreading more.

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