-The Hindu Analysis of excess deaths from the civil registration system spotlights the systematic obfuscation in official statements By all accounts, the mortality impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been exceptionally large. Crematoria, burial grounds, and, in some places, even riverbeds are full. Tragically, almost everyone has lost at least one person close to them. Given this reality, few people have much faith in official COVID-19 death counts. How many COVID-19 deaths...

-Article-14.com A surge of untested, undocumented, unmonitored Covid-19 infections in India’s villages is killing thousands, many times more than reported cases. With no access to big-city medical care or Twitter SOSs, millions are at risk. Mumbai: It was past 10 pm when S H Mehdi, BAMS, saw off the last of the day’s 250-odd patients and settled down to speak over the phone. “Chaaron taraf fever phaili hui hai. (There are febrile...

-The Hindu There are recognised ways to overcome the patents hurdle, ensuring social justice and boosting the COVID-19 battle In order to achieve global herd immunity and prevent new strains of COVID-19 from emerging, possibly for years to come, vaccines need to be affordable and available in massive quantities throughout the globe. This can happen through patent owners voluntarily licensing their products to other companies, especially Indian producers who are experienced at...

-The Telegraph The panel of scientists and other experts on testing strategies, has also said that testing kit suppliers would need to be ready to respond to recurring surges An expert panel has asked the Centre to help the states conduct well-designed surveys on the prevalence of Covid-19 to understand the evolving epidemic, expressing concern that three nationwide surveys have so far not helped guide policy. The panel, which includes scientists and other...

-The Hindu Changes difficult to implement, State govt. tells court The Supreme Court on Friday stayed a May 17 order of the Allahabad High Court, which described the medical system in smaller cities and villages of Uttar Pradesh during the pandemic as Ram Bharose (at God’s mercy). A Vacation Bench of Justices Vineet Saran and B.R. Gavai remarked that the High Court’s directions for COVID-19 management in its May 17 order may be...