This is an archive article published on October 28, 2020
Centre flags pollution role in Covid mortality, spike in 3 states
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan pointed out at the weekly briefing that in the last 24 hours, 49.4 per cent of the new cases came from five states and UTs -- Kerala, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi.
New Delhi | Updated: October 28, 2020 07:50 AM IST
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ICMR DG Dr Balram Bhargava flagged that evidence from scientific studies conducted abroad reveal that pollution is contributing to Covid-19 mortality. (Express photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
Against the backdrop of rising pollution levels being reported in the national capital region, ICMR DG Dr Balram Bhargava on Tuesday flagged that evidence from scientific studies conducted abroad reveal that pollution is contributing to Covid-19 mortality and that rapid adoption of masks is the only effective approach to this twin public health problem.
“It is well-known that pollution is one of the most important aspects of death. First being malnutrition, then tobacco, high blood pressure, and pollution… On pollution related to Covid-19 mortality, there have been some studies in Europe and the United States. They have looked at polluted areas, and have compared the mortality during lockdown and correlation with pollution, and have found clearly that pollution is contributing to the morality in Covid-19. That is well established by these studies,” Dr Bhargava said at a briefing.
“…rapid adoption of masks is the most inexpensive but effective approach to this situation,” he said.
Days after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced free Covid-19 vaccine for people of Bihar and at least two states announced that they will offer free vaccine, NITI Aayog Member Dr V K Paul said the expert committee has requested state governments to “wait for the overall picture to become clear”.
“Vaccine scenario is dynamic because we don’t have a single vaccine which has been licensed for use… let us remember that today there is no vaccine… we are working on vaccine scale-up… in that regard the access to the vaccine will be in such a way that if the vaccine supply is not unlimited, prioritisation has to be done… overall we can say that resources will not be an issue in ensuring the access to vaccine as it unfolds,” Paul said.
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“…we have requested the state governments to wait for the overall picture to become clear and to take a national approach towards engaging with companies, deciding the criteria for the vaccine, etc. The state governments have made these statements and they need to be respected,” he said.
Meanwhile, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan pointed out at the weekly briefing that in the last 24 hours, 49.4 per cent of the new cases came from five states and UTs — Kerala, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi.
“Our trend (of decline in cases) is a good sign. However, the trend in three states, in Kerala, West Bengal, and Delhi are worrisome. Delhi is having a third peak…,” Paul said.
Kaunain Sheriff M is an award-winning investigative journalist and the National Health Editor at The Indian Express. He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, an investigation into one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical companies.
With over a decade of experience, Kaunain brings deep expertise in three areas of investigative journalism: law, health, and data. He currently leads The Indian Express newsroom’s in-depth coverage of health.
His work has earned some of the most prestigious honours in journalism, including the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism, the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) Award, and the Mumbai Press Club’s Red Ink Award.
Kaunain has also collaborated on major global investigations. He was part of the Implant Files project with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which exposed malpractices in the medical device industry across the world. He also contributed to an international investigation that uncovered how a Chinese big-data firm was monitoring thousands of prominent Indian individuals and institutions in real time.
Over the years, he has reported on several high-profile criminal trials, including the Hashimpura massacre, the 2G spectrum scam, and the coal block allocation case. Within The Indian Express, he has been honoured three times with the Indian Express Excellence Award for his investigations—on the anti-Sikh riots, the Vyapam exam scam, and the abuse of the National Security Act in Uttar Pradesh. ... Read More
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