-The Hindu The implications for workers are also manifold in terms of productivity, training, and overall well-being. The outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and the subsequent work-from-home imperatives and lockdowns have led to significant economic disruptions around the world. As several millions of workers across diverse sectors are asked to self-Quarantine, an understanding of the impact of this shift and mitigation strategies becomes critical. The insights from prior studies on the...

-The Hindu The government must ensure that the spectre of SARS-CoV-2 is not replaced by the spectre of hunger The Central government has asked States to seal borders to prevent lakhs of workers, who have been rendered jobless overnight with no guarantee of wages and shelter, from reaching their villages. The workers are to be herded into Quarantine zones. These atrocious actions amount to a mass criminalisation of the labour force of...

-NDTV Spraying chemicals on migrant workers to sanitize them as in Uttar Pradesh. Locking them up in a shed as in Bihar. Opening temporary jails for them as in Haryana. Herding them into ill-equipped Quarantine centers across national highways. A Home Ministry circular invoking the penal provisions of the National Disaster Management Act to imprison such defaulters. India has shamed itself in its utterly inhuman treatment of migrant workers - jobless,...

-The Hindu There is scientific basis and epidemiological significance for the 21-day lockdown period announced by PM Modi. Is there any public health/epidemiological significance to the 21-day lockdown period announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi? It seems that rich scientific data has fed this decision to announce a 21-day lockdown period. In fact, 21-day Quarantines have been discussed elaborately in the context of Ebola and the calculations are based on the estimated incubation...

-Newsclick.in Clearly, more than half of the Indian population would not be able to stay at home for long. Compensating them would cost around Rs 3 lakh crore or 1.5% of our current GDP. Does this Government have the will? It is definitely easier for those whose income is not dependent on moving out, to stay put at home. Most casual labourers, those that are self-employed and daily-wage earners would not be...