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This paper analyses findings of the 'PROWELLMIGRANTS'2 project, which qualitatively investigated COVID‐19 impacts on migrants' well‐being and mental health in Kerala, India. It draws on a novel conceptual framework that combines assemblage‐thinking with theories of social contracts in disasters. The paper first explores how past development processes and contemporary migration policies in Kerala, and India more widely, generated conditions of vulnerability for migrant workers in Kerala prior to the pandemic. Next it shows that Government of Kerala interventions, in some cases supported by the central Government of India, temporarily addressed these vulnerabilities during the pandemic. In acknowledging the helpful response of the Kerala government, we problematise its stance on migrant workers during 'normal' times and speculate that permanently addressing these conditions of vulnerability would be a more logical approach. We acknowledge this involves overcoming many wider barriers. Thus, the paper also contains national‐level policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of Coronavirus 2019 (COVID‐19) has impacted everyday lives globally. The number of positive cases is growing and India is now one of the most affected countries. This paper builds predictive models that can predict the number of positive cases with higher accuracy. Regression‐based, Decision tree‐based, and Random forest‐based models have been built on the data from China and are validated on India's sample. The model is found to be effective and will be able to predict the positive number of cases in the future with minimal error. The developed machine learning model can work in real‐time and can effectively predict the number of positive cases. Key measures and suggestions have been put forward considering the effect of lockdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of the SARS CoV2 virus, commonly referred to as the COVID‐19 pandemic, has impacted the social, economic, political, and cultural lives of citizens around the world. The sudden outbreak of the pandemic has exposed the legal preparedness, or lack thereof, of governments to reduce and contain its drastic impact. Strong legislative measures play a crucial role in any epidemic or pandemic situation. In this situation, the Indian Government has requested all state governments to invoke the Epidemic Disease Act (EDA) of 1897 to address the COVID‐19 emergency. The Central Government has also used the powers provided in the Disaster Management Act (DMA) of 2005. As the country is facing its first major health emergency since independence, the existing legislative measures to deal with a COVID‐19 like situation are lacking and require certain amendments to address such situations in the future. This paper aims to present the current constitutional and legislative response to health emergencies in India and attempts to identify gray areas in the statutory provisions. Based on the analysis, this paper suggests several recommendations for amending current legislation and suggests the promulgation of comprehensive public health law. This paper is largely based on primary sources such as the EDA and the DMA, regulations, guidelines, rules issued by the public authorities and court cases related to health and health emergencies along with secondary resources such as newspaper articles and published papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic affected cancer service delivery and the feasibility of following the standard treatment guidelines. The present paper describes the use of clinical care guidelines for cancer management in routine practice and the approach adopted towards cancer care during the COVID‐19 pandemic in India. Methods: A web‐based survey was done in 107 hospitals (including public and private health facilities) that hosted Hospital‐Based Cancer Registries under the National Cancer Registry Programme. The participants comprised Principal Investigators of these registries, who were also medical, surgical, and radiation oncology clinicians. The survey was done between May 1, 2021, and July 31, 2021. Participants were provided with a web link for the survey questionnaire, confidential login, and password. Results: The study found high utilization of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) during practice, with eight out of ten physicians constantly to referring them. The study reported lack of knowledge, skills, and training to administer the treatment based on the guidelines followed by organizational infrastructure and affordability of treatment by the patients as the factors hampering utilization. International clinical guidelines were preferred when compared to national guidelines. The COVID‐19 pandemic decreased the use of CPGs, wherein six out of ten clinicians reported their use. Conclusion: Stakeholders who formulate clinical guidelines must consider the practical aspects and feasibility of implementing such guidelines during a pandemic and similar situations. This should be coupled with adequate changes in care practice to ensure optimal care delivery and a continuum of cancer care in routine and pandemic‐imposed situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the post‐COVID period, demand augmenting policies were needed and have been exercised by the Government of India to prevent the Indian economy from falling into recession. However, these demand augmenting policies seem to be inflationary as in the recent past high inflation has been observed in India. Thus, optimum combination of monetary and fiscal policies is needed to simultaneously achieve the objectives of demand growth and price stability. This paper proposes combinations of the two policies based on the results of a sign‐restricted vector autoregressive (VAR) modelling framework. The experimentation was performed using sign restrictions on macroeconomic target variables viz. demand growth and inflation rate while leaving the policy variables free to suggest proposed stances to achieve desired objectives. On the basis of the empirical findings, the proposed stances of monetary and fiscal authorities were then compared with the actual stances and requisite correction in the policy behaviours has been suggested in terms of improvements to the magnitude and frequency of contraction and expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first case of COVID‐19 in India detected on January 30, 2020, after its emergence in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The lockdown was imposed as anemergency measure by the Indian government to prevent the spread of COVID‐19 but gradually eased out due to its vast economic consequences. Just 15 days after the relaxation of lockdown restrictions, Delhi became India's worst city in terms of COVID‐19 cases. In this paper, we propose a variable‐order fractional SIR (susceptible, infected, removed) model at state‐level scale. We introduce a algorithm that uses the differential evolution algorithm in combination with Adam–Bashforth–Moulton method to learn the parameters in a system of variable‐order fractional SIR model. The model can predict the confirm COVID‐19 cases in India considering the effects of nationwide lockdown and the possible estimate of the number of infliction inactive cases after the removal of lockdown on June 1, 2020. A new parameter p is introduced in the classical SIR model representing the fraction of infected people that get tested and are thereby quarantined. The COVID‐19 trajectory in Delhi, as per our model, predicts the slowing down of the spread between January and February 2021, touching a peak of around 5 lakh confirmed cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic, governments across the world including India, a South‐Asian country is busy 'strategizing', 'managing' 'containing' the crisis to restrict its spread. But given the vastness and diversity of the Indian territory, one pan Indian model of is not possible and the states have been working in consonance with the centre in a matter of 'cooperative federalism' and are implementing various micro models of Covid 19 governance. This paper explores the micro models of governance strategies taken by states in India namely, Kerala located in its Southern coast and Odisha in the Eastern coast which have been experiencing disasters be it health or natural calamities. Inspite of the differences in social development indicators between both the states, they have managed to keep the death rates lower in the initial phases of the outbreak in comparison to other states. This is reflected in the strategies they took in controlling the pandemic like "preparedness" "decentralisation", "community participation". However, inspite of deploying various governance models, the gradual unlocking led to the explosion of positive cases as a result of which the challenges to deal with the pandemic still looms large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically investigates the impact of COVID‐19 on the volatility of stock prices in India with the help of a generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity model. Daily closing prices of stock indices, Nifty and Sensex from September 3, 2019 to July 10, 2020 has been used for the analysis. Further, the study has been attempted to make a comparison of stock price return in pre‐COVID‐19 and during COVID‐19 situation. Findings reveal that the stock market in India has experienced volatility during the pandemic period. While comparing the result during COVID period with that of the pre‐COVID, we found that the return on the indices is higher in the pre‐COVID‐19 period than during COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India has been hard‐hit by the Covid‐19 pandemic. The virus has exacted a heavy toll in terms of lives lost and deteriorating health outcomes. The economic consequences of the pandemic have been similarly grim. In this paper we attempt an initial, interim, assessment of the impacts of the crisis on poverty. We review the growing literature that considers emerging poverty impacts, noting that there remain significant knowledge gaps due to limited evidence on current welfare outcomes. We analyze pre‐Covid survey data to examine the incidence of chronic poverty and downward mobility during a period of rapid economic growth and declining poverty. A profile of poverty during such a period might offer a plausible, partial, window on population groups currently at risk. We suggest that, notwithstanding the severe initial impacts of the crisis on poverty, there are grounds for expecting further consequences going forward. As the virus has spread out of the relatively affluent cities, and as economic stagnation persists, rural areas, with historically higher rates of chronic poverty and vulnerability, may see particularly sharp increases in poverty. While recent vaccination developments offer some grounds for optimism, there remains an urgent need to identify, implement and amplify effective policy alleviation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID‐19 pandemic brought novel challenges for society and businesses. Along with psychological impact on humans, COVID‐19 led to significant changes in business processes. Managerial competencies, which positively impact performance of both the employees and businesses, are influenced by changing social and business context. In this milieu, there is a call for research to understand the impact of recent changes on managerial competencies to make them future‐ready. Further, in light of prior studies that present opposing findings, a related question worth exploring is—does the importance of managerial competencies differ across countries? By answering these questions, key competencies, that can boost both employee performance and business profitability, can be assessed and nurtured for a positive global impact. This paper presents theoretical background, methodology, findings and implications from a two‐part study that was conducted to answer above questions. Phase 1, which included literature review, analysis of US Government's O*NET database and expert validation, yielded a unique 9 × 51 Managerial Competencies Framework. Using quantitative methodology, that involved primary survey of Indian experts and hypothesis testing on matching data‐sets, Phase 2 of this cross‐country study reports a broad agreement amongst US and Indian experts on the importance of key managerial competencies. Study offers many theoretical and practical implications, along with directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious COVID‐19 transformed the world overnight, freezing all physical activities and forcing the majority toward online mode. Technology came up as a savior to alleviate the consequences of COVID‐19 on the economy, causing a rapid transformation in consumers' behavior, and an overall jump in the sale of e‐commerce could be witnessed globally. This paper aims to explore the factors that caused the transformation in consumers' behavioral attitude (AT) and intention toward online shopping (BITOS). The study integrates the TPB and UTAUT models while adding two additional variables, namely, perceived risks (PR) and perceived benefits (PB), to predict consumers' BITOS. A survey was conducted to collect a sample of 402 consumers Aligarh city, and the National Capital Region of India using the mall intercept sampling method. The data were analysed to establish the measurement model and test the hypothesized structural model with the Smart‐PLS software. The study's findings confirmed that PB, subjective social norms, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness positively affect AT and BITOS, whereas PR does not influence AT and BITOS. The study also indicated that AT has a positive effect on BITOS. Concerning AT, it does not mediate the relationship between PR and BITOS; however, it mediates between the direct link PB and BITOS, making it stronger. The study's findings help the E‐commerce industry understand consumers' transformed attitudes/intentions and restructure their strategies to strengthen their online business further. Despite its regional and design limitations, it contributes significantly to the current research on online shopping behavior in India during COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores social work students' perspectives of online fieldwork practice that emerged due to sudden disruption in field placement as a result of the outbreak of COVID‐19 in India. We have recruited and interviewed 32 Master's students from five north‐Indian universities to participate in the research. The study's findings highlight ill‐equipped agencies lacking social work components in online/virtual field placement. Also, ethical dilemmas in working virtually, disconnectedness from the field, and superficial supervision were experienced by the students. The study result implies the urgent need to develop and innovate a pedagogical approach to deal with uncertainties and crises like the COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 pandemic presents a threat to physical and psychosocial health of individuals. In lieu of the subsequent lockdown and containment measures, helpline counselling becomes a viable method of accessing psychosocial services during the pandemic. The present paper describes experiences of counsellors working with a special COVID‐19 counselling helpline initiated by iCALL, a national‐level technology‐assisted counselling service of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, India, which aims to address the psychosocial impact of the pandemic and the lockdown. The paper is based on two focus group interviews held with 11 counsellors during the initial two months of the helpline's functioning. Findings of the study highlight the diverse profile of the callers, with individuals belonging to different strata of society and to marginalised communities. The nature of concerns presented by the callers were often a mix of psychological, relational and practical issues. The resultant distress emanated from an interplay of these factors with the relational contexts, their social locations and social structures the individuals were embedded in. This highlighted the need for conceptualising and responding from a psychosocial lens, whereby interventions involved traditional counselling approaches and strategies for addressing determinants of distress by connecting callers to required ground‐level resources. Counsellors' engagement with this process impacted their professional and personal selves, necessitating the need for structured and continuous training, supervision and support. At a larger level, the counsellors' narratives asserted the need for adopting a psychosocial paradigm for conceptualising and addressing mental health concerns in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine how the market valuation of firms varies on account of their operational fragility that makes them vulnerable to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Using the data on plant location that uniquely identifies the vulnerability of firms to operational disruptions, we find that firms with plants located in zones susceptible to higher infections earn significantly lower returns. For firms with high operational fragility, the marginal value of financial flexibility and operating flexibility is higher. The adverse impact of the operational fragility is lower for firms affiliated with the larger business groups. The paper identifies unique channels associated with the pandemic that impact firm value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 crisis has translated into an unprecedented humanitarian crisis for the poor and marginalized groups in society. The countrywide lockdowns, quarantine measures, and mobility restrictions across 200 countries of the world have resulted in a host of negative manifestations for women. There have been unprecedented losses in the informal economy, which is dominated by women. Some scholars also contend that the pandemic will translate into heightened burden of unpaid domestic work, loss of economic autonomy and disruption to maternal health services. Despite these factors a gendered perspective is absent in the policy response to this crisis. It is against this background that the present paper employed a feminist intersectionality lens to conduct participatory field based research on the lived experiences of women in informal employment in Indian Punjab during the COVID‐19 crisis. The research unearthed the specific pathways through which existing socio‐economic inequities rooted in caste, class and occupational entities magnify the vulnerabilities experienced by women during such a health crisis. The research offers a contextualized framework for understanding the gendered impacts of the crisis. It also highlights the urgency of taking account of gender specific constraints during the health crisis so as to institute robust, effective and equitable policy interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial hot spots of COVID‐19 infections and fatalities are observed at places exposed to high levels of air pollution across many countries. This study empirically investigates the relationship between exposure to air pollutants that is, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter (SO2, NO2, and PM10) and COVID‐19 infection at the smallest administrative level (ward) of Mumbai City in India. The paper explores two hypotheses: COVID‐19 infection is associated with air pollution; the pollutants act as determinants of COVID‐19 deaths. Kriging is used to assess the spatial variations of air quality using pollution data, while information on COVID‐19 are retrieved from the database of Mumbai municipality. Annual average of PM10 in Mumbai over the past 3 years is much higher than the WHO specified standard across all wards; further, suburbs are more exposed to SO2, and NO2 pollution. Bivariate local indicator of spatial autocorrelation finds significant positive relation between pollution and COVID‐19 infected cases in certain suburban wards. Spatial Auto Regressive models suggest that COVID‐19 death in Mumbai is distinctly associated with higher exposure to NO2, population density and number of waste water drains. If specific pollutants along with other factors play considerable role in COVID‐19 infection, it has strong implications for any mitigation strategy development with an objective to curtail the spreading of the respiratory disease. These findings, first of its kind in India, could prove to be significant pointers toward disease alleviation and better urban living. Plain Language Summary: The study investigates the relationship between exposure to pollutants (local SO2, NO2, and PM10) and COVID‐19 (cases and deaths) in Mumbai. It also explains whether pollutants act as determinants of COVID‐19 deaths when other factors like population density, health infrastructure, number of slums, waste water drains and roads are controlled through spatial modelling. PM10 concentration is much above the WHO specified standard across Mumbai. Overall, people living in the suburbs of Mumbai are at a higher risk of respiratory morbidity. High exposure to specific pollutants (SO2, NO2, and PM10) and high‐presence of COVID‐19 cases are well established in certain wards in the suburban parts of the city. Further, exposure to NO2 and COVID‐19 deaths reveals strong linkages in Mumbai. Association of COVID‐19 and environmental pollution should be considered as a measure of an integrated approach in sustainable development as it has strong implications for mitigation strategies related to the novel virus. Key Points: Significant association between COVID‐19 infection with SO2, NO2, and PM10 reveals spatial hot spots in MumbaiWith increase in NO2 there is substantial increase in COVID‐19 deaths in MumbaiAir quality is an important element to address COVID‐19 management and sustainable urban development [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the COVID‐19 pandemic resulted in about a 24% decline in India's GDP during the April–June 2020 quarter, the nation's agricultural sector, somewhat surprisingly, seems to have done remarkably well. This paper examines whether the public transfer program Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), announced immediately after the lockdown, benefited farmers in dealing with the COVID shock. Overall, 95% of the smallholders received support from at least one of PMGKY's four components. Direct cash transfers had significantly more impact than in‐kind transfer schemes. The result shows that farmers receiving cash transfers under PM‐KISAN, one component of PMGKY, were more likely to invest in buying seeds. In contrast, farmers receiving cash transfers under PM‐UY, another piece of PMGKY, were more likely to invest in fertilizer and pesticides. Finally, smallholders who received benefits from all four components of PMGKY were more likely to invest in purchasing seeds, fertilizer, and pesticides. Findings suggest the fungibility of public cash transfers from the recent PMGKY scheme is significant in alleviating credit constraints and increasing future investments in modern inputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic impacts of COVID‐19 lockdowns on poor and vulnerable households living in rural areas of developing countries are not well understood due to a lack of detailed micro‐survey data at the household level. Utilizing weekly financial transaction data collected from households residing in a rural region of India, we estimate the impacts of India's COVID‐19 lockdown on household income, food security, welfare, and access to local loan markets. A large portion of households living in our study region is reliant on remittances from migrants to sustain their livelihoods. Our analysis reveals that in the month immediately after India's lockdown announcement, weekly household local income fell by INR 1,022 (US$ 13.5), an 88% drop compared to the long‐term average with another 63% reduction in remittance. In response to the massive loss in earnings, households substantially reduced meal portions and consumed fewer food items. Impacts were heterogeneous; households in lower income quantiles lost a higher percentage of their income and expenditures, but government food aid slightly mitigated the negative impacts. We also find an increase in the effective interest rate of local borrowing in cash and a higher demand for in‐kind loans, which are likely to have an adverse effect on households who rely on such services. The results from this paper have immediate relevance to policymakers considering additional lockdowns as the COVID‐19 pandemic resurges around the globe and to governments thinking about responses to future pandemics that may occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With growing interest in the lives of individuals and communities during the COVID‐19 pandemic, there is consensus among scholars, academicians, and policy makers that the pandemic has had unequal impacts on different sections of the society. The dominant idea that “we are in this together” needs to be critically unpacked to understand the differential impact of the same pandemic on people with varied vulnerabilities. The concept of “intersectional vulnerability” has been key to understanding the unequal distribution of the pandemic risk. Using a gendered intersectional lens, this paper aims to understand the lived experiences of migrant women workers during the pandemic and their narratives of gendered inequality. Through a narrative study in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), India, from May to October 2020, this study brings out stories of precarity faced by five migrant women while battling the social, psychological, and economic effects of the pandemic. Loss of livelihood, home, savings, and prospects of a better future shape the narratives of these women. The pandemic exacerbated the already precarious positions of these women by creating a situation where—(a) patriarchal structures were further reinforced, and (b) losing gender solidarity and companionship through lockdown and social distancing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The study documents the lived experience of nurses coping with the double burden of external demands and internal stressors while providing care during the COVID‐19 pandemic in India. Methods: This qualitative study interviewed 18 female nurses who worked in the COVID wards of a major hospital in India. The one‐on‐one telephonic interviews were conducted with respondents based on three broad open‐ended questions. Thematic analysis was conducted. Results: Three themes were identified: (i) external demands such as availability, utilization, and management of resources; (ii) internal psychological stressors, such as emotional exhaustion, moral anguish, and social isolation; and (iii) promotive factors such as the roles of the state and society, and of patients and attendants Conclusions: Findings suggest that despite limited resources and facilities, nurses ploughed through the pandemic with their resilience and the state's and society's promotive factors. To improve health care delivery in this crisis, the role of the state and healthcare system has become important to prevent the workforce from crumbling. The sustained attention of the state and society is required to reinstate motivation among nurses by raising the collective value of their contribution and capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined perceived needs, well‐being, work/nonwork conflict and demands, and coping mechanisms among government and private schoolteachers in India while working from home during the COVID‐19 pandemic. We employed a mixed method design, collecting 161 quantitative responses using questionnaires and 121 qualitative responses using open‐ended questions. These were analyzed using inferential statistics and thematic analysis, respectively. Results highlight the negative impact of work/nonwork conflict on well‐being. The missing work‐home boundaries resulted in extended work hours, unorganized routines, and simultaneous work/nonwork demands. We describe the multifaceted nature of operational, pedagogical, and technological challenges faced by schoolteachers. We suggest psychological and operational resources and support mechanisms that can be developed at the family, school administration, and policy levels. Further, customized bundles of solutions are needed to address the variability in the challenges faced. Practitioner points: 1.During the COVID‐19 pandemic, schoolteachers experienced lower well‐being due to simultaneous work and household demands and challenges of transitioning to online teaching.2.Schoolteachers faced challenges on operational, pedagogical, and technological fronts, which remain relevant as online teaching continues to be adopted in education.3.Contextualized support mechanisms at family, school administration, and policy level need to be developed to support schoolteachers' well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater‐based surveillance can be used as an early warning system to identify COVID‐19 outbreaks because the viral load can be observed in sewage before it is clinically verified. Wastewater surveillance of SARS‐CoV‐2 can trace the transmission dynamics of infection in communities when using the scale of a wastewater diversion and treatment system. Using this early detection method can help protect human health and mitigate socio‐economic losses. It can help quantify the epidemiological data of a given population in real‐time and circumvent the need for other epidemiological indicators. There are challenges in using this technique in areas with underdeveloped sewerage infrastructure. It is especially the case in developing nations where uniform protocols for viral detection are lacking, and wastewater is heterogeneous because of environmental and operational conditions. This article explains the need for and importance of wastewater‐based surveillance for SARS‐CoV‐2. It lays out the most recent methodological approaches for detecting SARS‐CoV‐2 in municipal wastewater and outlines the main challenges associated with wastewater‐based epidemiology (WBE). The article includes a case study of surveillance work across India to demonstrate how a developing nation manages research and locational challenges. The socio‐economic, ethical, and policy dimensions of WBE for SARS‐CoV‐2 are also discussed. This article is categorized under:Engineering Water > Water, Health, and SanitationEngineering Water > Sustainable Engineering of WaterEngineering Water > Methods [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 pandemic has affected thousands of people around the world. In this study, we used artificial neural network (ANN) models to forecast the COVID‐19 outbreak for policymakers based on 1st January to 31st October 2021 of positive cases in India. In the confirmed cases of COVID‐19 in India, it's critical to use an estimating model with a high degree of accuracy to get a clear understanding of the situation. Two explicit mathematical prediction models were used in this work to anticipate the COVID‐19 epidemic in India. A Boltzmann Function‐based model and Beesham's prediction model are among these methods and also estimated using the advanced ANN‐BP models. The COVID‐19 information was partitioned into two sections: training and testing. The former was utilized for training the ANN‐BP models, and the latter was used to test them. The information examination uncovers critical day‐by‐day affirmed case changes, yet additionally unmistakable scopes of absolute affirmed cases revealed across the time span considered. The ANN‐BP model that takes into consideration the preceding 14‐days outperforms the others based on the archived results. In forecasting the COVID‐19 pandemic, this comparison provides the maximum incubation period, in India. Mean square error, and mean absolute percent error have been treated as the forecast model performs more accurately and gets good results. In view of the findings, the ANN‐BP model that considers the past 14‐days for the forecast is proposed to predict everyday affirmed cases, especially in India that have encountered the main pinnacle of the COVID‐19 outbreak. This work has not just demonstrated the relevance of the ANN‐BP techniques for the expectation of the COVID‐19 outbreak yet additionally showed that considering the incubation time of COVID‐19 in forecast models might produce more accurate assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective crisis communication is essential to efficiently handle the uncertainty and anxiousness of citizens during the COVID‐19 crisis. Government Twitter handles are an excellent platform for faster information dissemination and engaging citizens. While most government ministries actively use Twitter, limited attention is given to its modus operandi. Using data retrieved from the official Twitter handle of 'The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare' (MOHFW) of India, the current study examines the effect of the content characteristics, including content type and media type, on citizen engagement measured as tweet likes and retweets. The findings are based on 3742 tweets from MOHFW, recording more than 4.06 million likes and 1.23 million retweets over the initial six months of the largest COVID‐19 vaccination drive. Results show that content‐sharing guidance for stakeholders gained the maximum engagement, while the latest news about the COVID‐19 crisis resulted in the least engagement. Photos gained maximum engagement, while statuses resulted in the least engagement. The results illuminate the textual features of the government's Twitter communication and will enable policymakers to manage their social media content strategy diligently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current global crisis has had a significant impact on professionally engaged mothers and the proliferation of the invisible nature of the work that they are engaged in on a daily basis. Several research studies have indicated how mothers seem to have been particularly affected. Mothers experienced an exacerbation in their domestic household and child‐care responsibilities due to the absence of househelp and other child care arrangements while balancing their professional careers. These challenges crystallized the existing gender inequalities and the gendered nature of parenting. Using a feminist lens, this study explores the experiences of mothering load during COVID‐19 against the backdrop of urban India. A total of two themes and six sub‐themes were identified through the process of thematic analysis—Triad of work included increased care work, increased formal work, and increased worry work and Mothering experiences: Burdens and Biases included the lack of support, parental role overload, and gendered nature of parenting. This study adds to the limited empirical evidence of working mothers in India while straddling the worlds of feminism and mental health activism. Findings indicate the need to explicitly highlight the invisibilized phenomena of unpaid care work, worry work, and the gendered nature of parenting that contribute to the larger experience of mothering load. The findings also point toward acknowledging the importance of maternal mental health and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 to establish and enforce stronger policies around recognizing and appreciating unpaid care and domestic work to promote gender equality and empowering women at all levels. This may be enacted through the encouragement of shared responsibilities within the household and family units as contextually feasible and through the development of appropriate infrastructure, social protection policies, and the delivery of public services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since March 2020, the COVID‐19 pandemic has significantly reduced the availability of global aircraft‐based observations (ABOs), which has been restored later in 2021. This study focuses on the impact of ABOs on a regional reanalysis. Indian Monsoon Data Assimilation and Analysis (IMDAA) is a regional reanalysis for a period from 1979 to 2020 (originally up to 2018) over India and surrounding regions produced at the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), India, in collaboration with the UK Met Office. A comparison of the impact of ABOs on other conventional and satellite observations assimilated in the NCMRWF global model and IMDAA during 2019 and 2020 revealed the importance of ABOs, particularly in IMDAA, since it did not assimilate the latest satellite data as the IMDAA system was frozen in October 2016. A data denial experiment that removes all the ABOs from the IMDAA assimilation system for a period from March to November 2019 is designed. The results from the IMDAA reanalysis run, which assimilates ABOs during the same period, are compared with the data denial experiment. Assimilation of ABOs strengthened the upper tropospheric circulation, the Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ), during the Indian summer monsoon compared to the data denial experiment. Analysis of the features of two cyclones that developed over the North Indian Ocean during the study period revealed that ABO assimilation played a key role in simulating the track and intensity of these cyclones when they were in the 'severe' category. Since the sample is small, more cyclone cases need to be analysed to consolidate the result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the effect of COVID‐19‐induced lockdown on the profitability of listed firms in India. We use quarterly income statement of 4168 listed firms for the period between April–June 2020 quarter and April–June 2022 quarter and compare their financial data with previous quarters (2015–2019). Using a difference‐in‐difference estimation framework and various profitability measures, we find that the COVID‐19 lockdown has reduced profits by around 15 per cent for listed firms in India. Our results are robust to various robustness tests and alternate specifications. We find evidence of firms losing revenues more than expenses, thus leading to decline in profits. The main effect is conditioned by firm‐specific factors. Specifically, firms that are smaller, older, unlisted and that do not belong to any group witnessed larger decline in profitability due to lockdown. Additionally, the effect of lockdown is more pronounced in areas that had lower mobility and higher COVID‐19 spread. These results underscore the importance of institutional factors and pre‐existing firm characteristics in conditioning the impact of lockdown on firm profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the dynamics of the impact of the evolving policy response during the COVID‐19 pandemic on the equity market sentiment in India. We operationalise our study by examining the India VIX, the fear gauge of the Indian equity market as an indicator for the market sentiment, and the country level Government Response Index of the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University as an indicator for the policy response. The relation is examined through the Markov‐switching model using high‐frequency daily data from January 30, 2020, to May 31, 2021. The evidence suggests that the policy response has a positive impact on the market sentiment when the market is fearful. Further, the evidence suggests that both the high‐fear state and the low‐fear state of the market sentiment given by the model are short‐lived indicating heightened volatility and possible speculation during the ongoing pandemic in the Indian equity market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Motivation: COVID‐19 has disrupted the lives of millions of people worldwide. Migrants in developing economies have been among the most affected. This vulnerable population faces a threat to their livelihood and way of life. Hence, there is an urgent need to understand the impact of the pandemic on their lives to be able to tackle subsequent waves of the pandemic or similar future exogenous shocks. Purpose: We delve into the economic and social disruptions caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic on the employment, sources of income, and lives of different categories of migrant labourers in the Indian state of Kerala. Methods and approach: Using the livelihood portfolio theory, we dissect this impact in relation to a wide range of issues. This was corroborated by in‐depth semi‐structured interviews with three categories of respondents. The interview data was analysed by using the directed qualitative content analysis method. We created themes from the data and juxtaposed them with the livelihood portfolio theory in addressing the research objectives. Findings Results highlight the impact on livelihood, lifestyles, migration prospects, and gender aspects. First, households dependent on international migrants were more severely affected than those with family members who were internal migrants. Second, a considerable lifestyle change (more reliance on a plant‐based diet) and borrowing patterns (more reliance on informal money lending) was reported. Third, opinions on future migration prospects were pessimistic, and a trend towards reverse migration was noted. We also captured resilience measures for each of the themes. Policy implications: We find that blanket responses to mitigate migrants' hardships could be counterproductive. Policy‐makers ought to implement tailor‐made policies keeping in mind the migrants' classification and socioeconomic demographics. Further, we recommend specific measures to address challenges that women face, to ease their workload and mitigate the loss of income. Specific measures aimed at initiating attitudinal change such as creating mental health awareness, curbing misinformation, and providing counselling services could also add immense value in tackling the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on in‐depth interviews with 24 middle‐class Indian child participants, this is the first exploratory qualitative study, in India, to demonstrate the ways in which children as reflexive social actors re‐negotiated everyday schedules, drew on classed resources at their disposal and made sense of the impact of the pandemic on their educational pathways and future aspirations. These narratives offer a unique lens on the politics of middle‐classness and its constitutive relation to constructions of normative childhoods in contemporary India. Study findings contribute to the sociology of Indian childhood and more generally help enrich our understanding of southern childhoods and the reproduction of inequalities in contemporary India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The healthcare sector is increasingly facing changing demand patterns and escalating pressures for innovative services during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Market‐focused flexibility refers to the capabilities of adaptation and facilitating the innovative performance of the firm. Accepting the overall role of innovation in COVID‐19 response, this study aims to explore how public healthcare organizations exhibit market‐focused flexibility to introduce new and innovative services. This study conducts an exploratory case study in a national‐level healthcare firm in India. This study identifies four specific dimensions of market‐focused flexibility that healthcare firms execute to deliver customized services. The study's findings contribute to an integrative framework of market‐focused flexibility and innovative performance in public healthcare. The mechanisms of market‐focused flexibility are unearthed and explained how the different facets influence innovative services in various manners. The implications to theory and practices are discussed, and future research avenues are sketched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we developed and analyzed a mathematical model for explaining the transmission dynamics of COVID‐19 in India. The proposed SIuIkR model is a modified version of the existing SIR model. Our model divides the infected class I of SIR model into two classes: Iu (unknown infected class) and Ik (known infected class). In addition, we consider R a recovered and reserved class, where susceptible people can hide them due to fear of the COVID‐19 infection. Furthermore, a non‐monotonic incidence function is deemed to incorporate the psychological effect of the novel coronavirus diseases on India's community. The epidemiological threshold parameter, namely the basic reproduction number, has been formulated and presented graphically. With this threshold parameter, the local and global stability analysis of the disease‐free equilibrium and the endemic proportion equilibrium based on disease persistence have been analyzed. Lastly, numerical results of long‐run prediction using MATLAB show that the fate of this situation is very harmful if people are not following the guidelines issued by the authority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 crisis re‐shaped many livelihood options and placed significant burdens on those with precarious incomes exacerbating persisting vulnerabilities, especially among a large section of the migrant population. This group faced a dual threat – both to their livelihood and health. To understand the consequences of this pandemic on the income of the migrant population, a household level survey was conducted in the state of Bihar, India, which is one of the highest migrant‐sending states. We examine the role of differences in the socio‐economic status of migrants and their households in determining the extent of vulnerability caused by the COVID‐19 crisis. Vulnerability is proxied by the income lost by migrants during the lockdown. The results suggest that households with diversified income portfolio, larger landholdings, and those receiving government benefits suffered significantly lower income loss whereas, larger household size and greater distance from town tended to escalate income loss. Additionally, private salaried workers faced higher income loss and an increment in years of education lowers the losses significantly. It is observed that individual‐level characteristics also played a significant role in determining economic loss due to the lockdown. Our findings suggest a binding necessity to actively shape policies considering the financial insecurity of vulnerable migrants at their destination and the household members at the origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The COVID‐19 pandemic adversely affected the essential care of newborns. In a tertiary care hospital in India, all COVID‐19 suspect post‐natal mothers awaiting COVID results were transferred to a ward shared with symptomatic COVID suspect female patients from other clinical specialities, due to shortage of space and functional health workforce. Babies born to COVID‐19 suspect mothers were moved to a separate ward with a caretaker until their mothers tested negative. Due to shortage of beds and delay in receiving COVID results, mothers and babies were often discharged separately 2–3 days apart to their home. This deprived babies of their mother's milk and bonding. We, therefore, undertook a quality improvement (QI) initiative aiming to improve rooming‐in of eligible COVID‐19 suspect mother–newborn dyads from 0% to more than 90% over a period of 6 weeks. Methods: A QI team was formed which ran multiple Plan‐Do‐Study‐Act cycles. The results were reviewed at regular intervals and interventions were adopted, adapted or abandoned. These included advocacy, rearrangement of wards, counselling of mothers and caretakers regarding infection prevention practices and coordination between labour room, post‐natal ward and nursery staff. Results: An improvement in rooming‐in from 0% to more than 90% was achieved. Conclusion: QI methodology is a systematic approach in addressing and solving unexpected unforeseen problems effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The COVID‐19 outbreak and the subsequent lockdown were an unanticipated shock to the global stock market. Managers also had minimal time to counterbalance its effect through corporate policies. Therefore, this health crisis offers a unique opportunity to examine the effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on shareholder value. We observe that firms engaged in more CSR activities outperform other firms. This suggests that CSR plays a positive role in determining shareholder value, particularly for an emerging market where minority shareholder rights are weak. Collaborating with our main finding, we further find that governance metrics play a significant role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of American Anthropologist is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The sudden surge of mucormycosis cases which happened during the second wave of COVID‐19 pandemic was a significant public health problem in India. Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyse the clinico‐epidemicological characteristics of the mucormycosis cases to determine the changes that had occurred due to COVID‐19 pandemic. Methodology: A retrospective cross‐sectional study was conducted at the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India. Patients diagnosed with rhino‐orbital mucormycosis were categorised into the following groups: Pre‐pandemic(May 2019 to April 2020), Pandemic Pre‐epidemic (May 2020 to April 2021) and Epidemic (1 May 2021 to 12 July 2021). The epidemiological, clinical and surgical data of all the patients were retrieved from the hospital records and analysed. Results: The epidemic period had 370 cases, compared with 65 during pandemic period and 42 in the pre‐pandemic period. Diabetes mellitus was seen in 87% of cases during epidemic period, 92.9% in the pre‐pandemic period and 90.8% in the pre‐pandemic pre‐epidemic period. The proportion of patients suffering from vision loss, restricted extra‐ocular movements, palatal ulcer and nasal obstruction was higher in the pre‐epidemic groups, and the difference was significant (p, <.01). There was no history of oxygen use in 85.9% of patients and no steroid use in 76.5%. The death rates were the lowest during epidemic (10%). Conclusion: COVID‐19 has caused a statistically significant increase in the number of mucormycosis infections. The mortality and morbidity which showed an increase during the first wave of COVID‐19 decreased significantly during the epidemic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic violence is one of the most pernicious gendered ailments of human society. Researchers have confirmed the inevitable consequences of domestic violence (physical, sexual, and emotional) in increased vulnerability to psychopathologies in addition to physical morbidity. Domestic violence cases are vast in India, and the numbers are further aggravated at an alarming rate during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The present study aimed at exploring the cases of domestic violence among Indian women during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Newspapers reporting the incidents of domestic violence during the last 5 years were analysed to explore the issues related to the surge in domestic violence incidents during the COVID‐19 lockdown period. A major increase in domestic violence cases was observed during the COVID‐19 period as compared to the previous years. Also, the cases were higher during the initial phases of the pandemic but gradually decreased as time progressed.The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on women was unprecedented and worse than before. Home containment as a measure to protect the health and well‐being of the general public has resulted in increased sufferings for women in terms of both sufferings from diseases and increased domestic violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The real‐time Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes (BTEX) concentrations were measured in a metropolitan city of India during January to May of 2020 and 2014‐2015‐2018 to assess the impact of emission reduction during the COVID‐19 lockdown. The total BTEX (∑BTEX) concentrations were 11.5 ± 9.0, 15.7 ± 16, 5.3 ± 5.0, 2.9 ± 2.0, and 0.93 ± 1.2 ppbv in January–May 2020, respectively. The evening rush hour peaks of BTEX during lockdown decreased by 4–5 times from the same period of years 2014‐2015‐2018. A significant decline in background concentrations suggests a regional‐scale reduction in anthropogenic emissions. The contributions of ∑TEX compounds to ∑BTEX increased from 42% to 59% in winter to 64%–75% during the lockdown under hot summer conditions. While emission reductions dominated during the lockdown period, the meteorological and photochemical factors may also have contributed. Meteorological influence on actual observed BTEX data was removed by normalizing with ventilation coefficient (VC). The actual ambient air reductions of 85%–90% and VC‐normalized reductions of 54%–88% of the BTEX concentrations during lockdown were estimated compared to those during the same period of 2014‐2015‐2018. The estimated changes using nighttime data, which take into account BTEX photooxidation removal, are ∼8% lower than the VC‐normalized estimates using all data. These significant reductions in BTEX concentrations are consistent with the change in people's movement as inferred from mobility data during the lockdown. Although enforced, the significant decline in ambient BTEX levels during lockdown was a good change for the air quality. The study suggests a need for more effective science‐based policies that consider local and regional factors. Plain Language Summary: Outbreaks of the COVID‐19 pandemic necessitated the implementation of strict lockdown in India, which drastically decreased anthropogenic emissions. The elevated levels of a group of aromatic volatile organic compounds known as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) can adversely impact human health. The real‐time continuous measurements of ambient air BTEX concentrations were conducted in a major city of India during January–May 2020. The concentrations of all BTEX compounds declined drastically during the COVID‐19 lockdown period. We incorporated the VC in the ambient air BTEX concentrations to reduce the meteorological influences. During the lockdown, different BTEX compounds were reduced by 54%–88% compared to the same period during the normal years. In addition to reduced anthropogenic activities, the balance between photochemical processes and evaporative emissions seems to control BTEX concentration and composition during the lockdown period. Although enforced, the decrease of ambient BTEX concentrations was a good change for air quality as these compounds are primary pollutants and precursors for secondary pollutants. This is the most comprehensive study, investigating the impact of the lockdown on ambient BTEX concentrations in India. Key Points: Significant reductions in ambient benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) concentrations during COVID‐19 lockdown in a major city of IndiaMeteorology‐corrected BTEX concentrations during lockdown‐2020 decreased by 54%–88% from the same period of 2014–2015–2018The estimates accounting for the photo oxidation removal cause lesser reductions by ∼8% than ventilation coefficient‐normalized estimates [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The COVID‐19 outbreak has adversely impacted all societal domains including education. Home confinement, school closures and distance learning impacted children's, teachers' and parents' lives worldwide. In this study, we aimed to examine the impact of the COVID‐19 lockdown on the lives, including education, of school‐age children with vision impairment (VI) and their parents in India. Methods: Primary and secondary school children with VI were recruited from the Institute for Vision Rehabilitation, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India. A qualitative research methodology, utilising a self‐constructed questionnaire with open and closed questions and stem and leaf design, was employed to explore the experiences of school closure and its impact on education and attending online classes during the COVID‐19 lockdown. Textual data from responses to the questions were analysed using content analysis to identify themes pertinent to the cohort studied. Results: Forty eight child‐parent dyads were included. The median age of children was 10 years (range, 7–19 years) and 60% were male. Inherited retinal disorders were the major cause of VI (40%). Best spectacle corrected visual acuity (better eye) ranged from 0.30 to 2.09 logMAR (6/12 to 6/750). Six major themes were identified: (1) accessibility of technology (online learning and technology); (2) parental beliefs/concerns (harmful effects of technology, prioritisation of normally sighted children, online classes considered a distraction); (3) support (peers, parents, teachers, private tuition); (4) socialisation and physical activity; (5) socioeconomic status and (6) near vision. Conclusions: This study provides an understanding of the adverse impact of lockdown on the lives of children with VI and their parents, especially related to education in India. The study identified critical factors that affect online learning and the participation of children with VI in these sessions. Policymakers and educators should implement effective measures for supporting online classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several reports in India indicate hospitals and quarantined centers are COVID‐19 hotspots. To study the transmission occurring from the hospitals and as well as from the community, we developed a mechanistic model with a lockdown effect. Using daily COVID‐19 cases data from six states and overall India, we estimated several important parameters of our model. Moreover, we provided an estimation of the effective (RT), the basic (R0), the community (RC), and the hospital (RH) reproduction numbers. We forecast COVID‐19 notified cases from May 3, 2020, till May 20, 2020, under five different lockdown scenarios in the seven locations. Our analysis suggests that 65% to 99% of the new COVID‐19 cases are currently asymptomatic in those locations. Besides, about 1–16% of the total COVID‐19 transmission are currently occurring from hospital‐based contact and these percentage can increase up to 69% in some locations. Furthermore, the hospital‐based transmission rate (β2) has significant positive (0.65 to 0.8) and negative (‐0.58 to ‐0.23) correlation with R0 and the effectiveness of lockdown, respectively. Therefore, a much larger COVID‐19 outbreak may trigger from the hospital‐based transmission. In most of the locations, model forecast from May 3, 2020, till May 20, 2020, indicates a two‐times increase in cumulative cases in comparison to total observed cases up to April 29, 2020. Based on our results, we proposed a containment policy that may reduce the threat of a larger COVID‐19 outbreak in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical education in India is undergoing a landmark transformation under the National Medical Commission implementing competency‐based medical education (CBME). The CBME approach intends to ensure that medical graduates acquire the competencies needed to fulfill the health needs of the patient and society. This outcome‐based approach shifts the focus from the traditional knowledge‐based training to skill‐based training valued on attitude, ethics, and communication (AETCOM) competencies. CBME thus aims to create medical professionals capable of providing holistic care with compassion and excellence embracing the global trends. The opportunity posed by the CBME should be utilized to sensitize and create interest among the learners about the science and scope of psychiatry. However, there are many challenges in the successful implementation of CBME, which have to be identified and addressed on time for serving the purpose. A basic tenet in CBME is to continue training until the desired competencies are achieved; in other words, to de‐emphasize time‐based learning. Moreover, the current COVID 19 pandemic is posing a significant influence on the execution of CBME implemented in August 2019. Online platforms could have several advantages in assisting the implementation of CBME; they provide an alternative to continue teaching–learning and assessment during these times and allow learners with the flexibility to learn at their own pace. In this article, we discuss the opportunities, including digital platforms and challenges to be overcame as well as the need for training the faculty toward assimilating the curriculum in the undergraduate psychiatric training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In the spring and summer of 2020, as the COVID‐19 pandemic began to sweep through India, artists from the Mithila region began to paint about the new world in which they lived. Their thoughtful engagement with the changes they faced—changes in behavior, in social life, in nature—is reflected in their many paintings at the Syracuse University Art Museum, which I organized into an online exhibit, "Mithila Art in the Time of Covid‐19." Several painters focused on the All‐India Lockdown imposed by Prime Minister Modi on March 24, 2020. With millions of laborers stranded in India's cities, lacking work, housing, or food, a massive human movement home began. Here I engage with four paintings of the Lockdown and journeys home, two by a Dalit male artist, himself at times a migrant day‐laborer, and the other two by a middle‐class/upper caste educated female artist. Representing social positions at the two ends of the social structure of the Mithila region, they present contrasting views of what the Lockdown meant. Both also focus on what they see as the failure of the Indian government in this time of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of the present study is to compare and assess the socio‐economic implications of the 1918 influenza pandemic and the COVID‐19 pandemic in India. Both pandemics are similar in the nature of their disease and spread, and have had a far‐reaching impact on society and economies worldwide. To achieve their objective, the researchers adopted the method of systematic literature review (SLR). The findings of the review have been categorised in four subsections: comparison of 1918 influenza and COVID‐19 pandemics in a global context; economic consequences of a pandemic in India; social consequences of a pandemic in India; and the pandemic mitigation measures adopted by India. The findings suggest there are similarities in the socio‐economic implications of the two pandemics and also indicate that developing countries face more severe implications of such pandemics as compared to developed countries. The research findings from the review of literature are followed by the recommendations made by the researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the influential 1995 article "Social Conditions as Fundamental Causes of Disease," Bruce Link and Jo Phelan described social and political factors as "fundamental causes" of death and disease. Whitney Pirtle has recently declared racial capitalism another such fundamental cause. Using the case of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, she has argued that racial capitalism's role in that situation meets each of the criteria Link and Phelan's article outlines: racial capitalism influenced multiple disease outcomes, affected disease outcomes through multiple risk factors, involved access to flexible resources that can be used to minimize both risks and the consequences of disease, and was reproduced over time through the continual replacement of intervening mechanisms. We argue for Pirtle's conclusion using the extensive literature on racial capitalism and case studies concerning housing in the United States and Brazil and what Naomi Klein has termed "corona capitalism" in India. If races correspond to hierarchies of material security, as suggested by Ruth Wilson Gilmore, then these hierarchies and their causal effects are fundamental determinants of public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Coronavirus Disease (COVID‐19) a pandemic due to the huge upsurge in the number of reported cases worldwide. The COVID‐19 pandemic in India has become a public health threat, and if we go by the number of confirmed cases then the situation seems to be a matter of grave concern. According to real‐time data, the numbers of confirmed cases are growing exponentially. No doubt, substantial public health interventions both at the national and state levels are implemented immediately by the Government of India; there is a need for improved preparedness plans and mitigation strategies along with accurate forecasting. The present study aims to forecast the COVID‐19 outbreak infected cases in India. The data have been obtained from https://www.covid19india.org, https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus, and ICMR reported publicly available information about COVID‐19 confirmation cases. We have used the double exponential smoothing method for forecasting the trends in terms of confirmed, active, recovered and death cases from COVID‐19 for emergency preparedness and future predictions. Findings reveal that the estimated value of point forecast is just 8.22% of the total number of confirmed cases reported on a daily basis across the country. It was observed that the deaths were lower for the states and union territories with a higher detection rate. It is suggested that by keeping in view the limited healthcare resources in the country, accurate forecasting, early detection, and avoidance of acute care for the majority of infected cases is indispensable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid spread of COVID‐19 pandemic has caused a severe disorder in the global economy. The sudden imposition of lockdown is expected to largely impact the global as well as Indian economy. To overcome serious economic fallouts, the honorable Prime Minister of India, Sri Narendra Modi in his address to the nation called for "Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan" or "Self‐reliant India" as self‐reliance would help in making pragmatic developments of the economy. According to WHO, COVID‐19 is a new strain found among humans that are caused by SARS‐CoV‐2, mainly a respiratory tract infection. As a consequence, the COVID‐19 pandemic gives India a unique situation to face this period of crisis boldly for optimum utilization of the available resources, and shift towards a more resilient and sustainable economy. Attainment of self‐reliance and sustainable resource management will also help the nation to overcome various global challenges. The present study mainly focuses on two objectives: Firstly, to understand the different possibilities which will secure India to become self‐reliant; and secondly, to know the prospects of self‐reliant of India in the post‐COVID‐19 scenario. It has to be kept in mind that Covid‐19 may not be the last viral infection that the world might see. Therefore, Novel Coronavirus sets a distinctive chance for India and the countries alike to utilize the available resources strategically and transform its dreams of "local" India into "Glocal" India for a better and brighter future of her people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Household air pollution is a serious public health concern in India with more than half of the Indian households relying on solid fuel use. The long periods of lockdown related measures to control COVID‐19 pandemic in India further aggravated the adverse health effects of household air pollution as millions Indians were exposed to high level of health‐damaging air pollutants inside their homes. This commentary discusses the vulnerability of the socioeconomically disadvantaged population forced to stay indoors during the pandemic. Exposure to household air pollution has detrimental effects on health, which might put individuals at higher risk for complications related to COVID‐19. A large proportion of socioeconomically disadvantaged section of the population were exposed to critical levels of household air pollution and more vulnerable to severe health effects of COVID‐19. There is a pressing need to understand the aggravated health consequences of household air pollution in association with COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To contain the spread of the Covid‐19 pandemic, the mandated social distancing and restricted market activities have adversely affected the employment and earnings of the poor who are considered the targeted beneficiaries of the Microfinance Institutions (MFIs). The MFI operation and more specifically fresh lending are under serious threat as the mode of operations primarily involve physical interaction while distributing credits at the clients' doorsteps, conducting periodic group meetings and carrying out regular collections. This short article attempts to analyze the various challenges that MFIs may encounter in their current and future operations due to the ongoing pandemic. It discusses how the government initiated coping mechanisms may help MFIs overcome or minimize the pandemic challenges. At the same time, MFIs' efforts towards continued services are expected to create a win‐win situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]