The Current & After of the Pandemic

The world is no longer your oyster. Things aren’t the same anymore. A casual stroll to your nearest park or a lunch with your friends seems like a far fetched dream today. The horrifying effect of Coronavirus has engulfed numerous victims. Economies and stock markets are crashing at a speed you can never imagine. The rate of Oil in the US has hit zero, the lowest in its entire history. While the news persists us to look at the dark grey side, there is still some positivity and hope that we can all look out for. Countries are coming together to lift each other as much as they can.

As the world health organization has commanded countries all over the world to rigorously conduct coronavirus tests and India is surely following those steps. An early morning decision by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narender Modi led to the lockdown to be extended till the 3rd of May.

Coronavirus cases have been increasing by every hour, hence increasing the testing speed is an absolute must in defeating this disease. Sadly India stands a little behind on the testing rate. On the April of 15 India till now has conducted a total of 274,599 tests as compared to the United States of America who has conducted 100,000 tests per day. The testing situation was further clarified when the Supreme Court of India mentioned that if a patient can afford getting tested then they should pay the fee of Rs. 4500. But if they cannot afford it then they can move to the government clinics that conduct this test for free.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), India’s top medical body that has granted the approval for two types of testing kits. One is the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test that is conducted in a lab which requires nasal and throat swabs. This is a confirmatory molecular test. It takes around six to eight hours for its results to be processed. The second type of test is a rapid antibody test. This is a kind of a blood test that detects COVID-19 antibodies. The results of this test can be obtained within a span of 30 minutes. Though this test is not entirely conclusive, Indian Council of Medical Research has stated that it could be used for cluster-based testing in government-designated hotspots. Companies such as Medsource Ozone Biomedicals, Malaysia based ADT Biotech and Chennai based Helini Biomolecules received approval this week to make RT-PCR test kits too. Indian companies such as Pune based MyLab and Bhopal based 3B BlackBio Biotech received the approval by the Indian government during the last week of March. During the initial days of April, South Korea’s Seegene, SD Biosensor and China’s BGI also received a nod from the government. On the 16th of April India received 6,50,000 tests from China, a much-needed breather for the country. Other companies that have received the approval from Indian Council of Medical Research, Alpine Biomedicals in Ambala,  Immunoscience in Pune, Nulife Care in Delhi. At the beginning of April Delhi-based Vanguard Diagnostics, Surat-based Voxtur Bio, Chennai-based CPC Diagnostics and government-operated HLL Lifecare also received approvals alongside China’s Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics and SD Biosensor. As these Indian companies race to get kits produced, a glooming cloud of raw material, logistics and supply of chemical worries looms all over them. However, the government is giving them full support in terms of sourcing, ordering, shipments, logistics and deliveries. With every rise in cases, the companies are also trying to speed up their entire process. Recently MyLAb also received an investment from the Serum institute helping its production reach from 1,50,000 tests to 2 million tests per week.  Medsource Ozone is also utilizing its resources to make around 300,000 tests per week and our procuring raw materials from Europe, China and Japan. Its first set of kits will be ready in two weeks. It is also the only Indian company that has received approval for both types of kits, RT-PCR and antibody tests. The technical head of Medsource Ozone has mentioned that his company has been working tirelessly for a month now to produce these kits. He also further states that the company is producing three times faster than its competitors. 3D BlackBio Biotech is currently producing 25,000 tests and plans to scale up to 100,000 tests by the end of April.

One of the biggest challenges that these companies are facing is due to the lockdown guidelines. The freight movement for raw materials and finished kits are both at a possible standstill. Procurement of raw materials from various Indian and global vendors is underway. One of the biggest challenges that these companies are facing is due to the lockdown guidelines. The freight movement for raw materials and finished kits are both at a possible standstill.

When the dreadful coronavirus passed through the ginormous countries of China, America and currently India it hindered the successful functioning of everything around. A failure in diagnostic tests leads to people questioning the counter-attack for the pandemic. As it leapt into states and cities, the government was aware of the situation and took the decision to put the entire country under lockdown. Offices, schools, restaurants, malls, cinemas and everything around was ordered to be shut. Thankfully India’s situation is better as compared to that of the U S. One of the major developed nations in the world, the USA was expected to be in a much better position than most developing countries. The U.S has been the centre of the pandemic with the most number of recorded deaths in the world. 

Well for the further month’s people can just hope that it brings some respite for countries all over the globe. As of 22nd April, the total number of coronavirus positive cases stand at 20,178 out of which 645 are dead and the rest 4006 people are recovered. Out of all the states of India, Maharashtra has been the hardest hit. As of now a total of 5,229 cases have been detected in the state and are under the careful supervision of both the state and central government. The Maharashtrian government further removed the relaxations from its hardest-hit cities, Mumbai and Pune. Following Maharashtra, the other states that come under the hardest hit include Gujarat, Delhi, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. State and the Mumbai Municipal corporation had allowed E-commerce companies, Electrical and electronic supplies, sweet shops, confectionaries, courier services, agriculture production activities, restaurants with taking away and construction activity relieved from restrictions. But on 21st April, Tuesday’s all these orders were revoked. The reason behind these orders to be revoked is due to people residing in the city not obeying the orders of the government. 

The great news comes amidst everything in India, the party capital of India Goa has been declared Coronavirus free. The state had a total of seven positive cases who have been entirely recovered. The Union Home Ministry has issued relaxations in this lockdown period that were imposed on the 20th of April. So the perfect place for you to drop by when Coronvirus decides to leave our lives would be Goa.

1. The Calangute Beach has located 15 km from Panjim and is regarded as the longest beach of North Goa. Due its never-ending coastline tourists flock over to enjoy the shore and its waters on a quaint sunny day. Due to its sheer popularity, Calangute Beach is called the ‘Queen of Beaches’. It is also named under the top ten bathing beaches in the world. As it is crowd favourite you will be able to spot numerous eating joints serving cold beer and delicious seafood. Fun water sports activities such as parasailing, water surfing, banana ride and jet-skiing are a big hit among tourists. 
2. The Basilica of Bom Jesus is a famous church of Goa that was built in 1594 and consecrated in the year 1605. Known for its stunning baroque architecture, the church is located in Old Goa in Bainguinim about 10 km away from Panjim. Basilica of Bom Jesus is loved by tourists and locals as it is one of the oldest churches of Goa. The church holds the remains of St. Francis Xavier who was a special friend of St. Ignatius Loyola with whom he founded the Society of Jesus, Jesuits. The four-hundred-year-old UNESCO World Heritage Site, the church has managed to remain intact despite going through a lot of wear and tear.
3. The Fort Aguada in Goa is one of the most stunning Portuguese structures in Goa. Built-in the seventeenth century, it lies on the Sinquerim beach, around 18 km from Panjim. The fort has been named Aguada after the Portuguese Word for water Agua that was once used as a replenishing source of freshwater for the sailors. The Fort Aguada was built to gain some form of protection from the Dutch and Marathas. The fort acted as the most crucial aspect for the Portuguese people residing in Goa. The entire area of the fort covers the southwestern tip of Bardez and offers the most stunning view of the Mandovi river and the Arabian Sea. 
4. The Baga beach is one of the most popular beaches in the entire area of North Goa. It is located near Calangute beach, around 30 Km North of Panaji. The beach derives its name from the Baga Creek that flows into the Arabian sea. Baga is popular among tourists for its vibrant nightlife hubs such as Britto’s, Titos and Mambos which is perfect if you wish to party and eat delicious food. The beach has many water sport activity options too. You could also stroll around the nearby street-side markets that have many designer stores too. Baga beach has numerous tattoo parlours, tarot shops, palmistry shops, spas, sun decks and shacks to explore.

On the 19th of April, the Chief Minister of Manipur declared that there had been no further positive cases for Coronavirus. The state government after a couple of days went ahead and relaxed some of the curfews. These relaxations have been imposed until a certain period of time as the government would want to assess the situation thoroughly and then bring back everything to normal. 

1. The Loktak Lake in Imphal, Manipur is the largest freshwater lake of the Northeastern region in India. It is largely famous for a series of floating islands that rests on its waters. It also hosts the only floating national park in the world, the Keibul Lamjao National Park. The lake also acts as a major source of water for hydropower generation, irrigation and drinking purposes. The lake is majorly known for its stunning combination with the Sendra Island. The floating island, Sendra has been made out of the organic waste that acts as the only major attraction of the area. The stunning greenery, stunning sunsets, diverse ecosystems and fishermen villages make it the perfect spot to visit in Manipur.
2. The capital of the state of Manipur, Imphal is one of the most stunning places to witness in the entire region. The unperturbed state of the city surrounded by beautiful landscapes, blue skies, stunning landscapes, streaming rivers and lush spots make it an absolutely perfect city to spend time around and experience. During World WarII, Imphal acted as the battleground due to which it has gained a great level of importance in the history books. The city has numerous tourist spots to witness such as the  INA memorial, Manipur State Museum, Kangla Fort, Langthabal, war cemeteries, Shri Govindajee temple, the Waithou and the Loktak lake. Imphal also has a growing and flourishing fauna and flora. You can get a chance to witness it at the Manipur Zoological gardens and Keibul Lamjao National park.

4. Thoubal is a popular district of the state of Manipur. It is one of the largest towns that is embarked with a lot of lakes, rivers, paddy fields and gardens. Thoubal is a perfect known spot for adventure enthusiasts that includes trekking, hiking, picnics that are enjoyed more due to the beautiful naturistic surroundings. Thoubal is also known for its beautiful temples and numerous water bodies that make it the perfect place to spend some enriching time. Despite being a not so popular spot, Thoubal is still visited by some due to its phenomenally unhindered nature that many travellers wish to experience. The famous markets of Thoubal,  Ningombam Laxmi Bazaar and Athokpam Bazaar are also fun to visit and take back some souvenirs.
5. One of the famous districts of Manipur, Chandel is a quaint little place that is mostly visited by people who wish to not be amongst the crowd and enjoy the little nitty-gritty of the vast green nature. The second least populous district is located on the international border that forms the division between India and its neighbouring country Myanmar. Hence, it is also famously called as the Gateway to Myanmar. Chandel has over twenty native tribes residing that displays a unique amount of culture and traditions. Whenever visiting here do take part in the variedly beautiful art forms that are celebrated with vibrant music and dances. Apart from that, the place is also home to abundant flora and fauna. 

Health ministry official Lav Aggarwal on Thursday said that India had at least 325 districts that continue to remain unaffected from the novel coronavirus. These districts have been categorised as green zones.

Lav Aggarwal also said that there are 14 districts across India which have not reported any new cases of COVID-19 in the last 14 days. Mahe in Pondicherry has reported no new cases in the last 28 days.