-Newslaundry.com The Standing Committee on Health highlighted shortages of medical oxygen and hospital beds. The government seems to have ignored its report. As the second wave of the pandemic rips through the country, the public is asking two big questions. How prepared was the government? Did it anticipate a crisis of this magnitude to hit India? Turns out, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare produced a report in which it...

-The Telegraph Many hospitals in Lucknow and other parts of the state had put up notices declaring an oxygen shortage and advising families to shift patients elsewhere Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has sent out a clear message to the state’s hospitals: keep your mouth shut about any oxygen crisis or face action. At an online meeting on Sunday evening, Adityanath asked senior administrative and police officers, including divisional commissioners and inspectors-general, to crack...

-The Indian Express Many groups, previously engaged with blood donation, have also stepped up to the task. From fulfilling plasma needs, these volunteers are now working on getting ventilators, oxygen cylinders, hospitals beds and medicines. For over a week, citizen volunteers across the country, from students to social media influencers, have been responding to SOS requests on Twitter from Covid patients seeking oxygen, ventilators, hospital beds, plasma and medicines. The website has become...

-TheNewsMinute.com The health department asked those with symptoms to immediately get tested at the nearest government test centres, which are providing free services. Telangana's Health Department on Friday appealed to people from the state who attended Kumbh Mela to quarantine themselves for 14 days. The Director of public health said all those who attended Kumbh Mela held from April 1 to April 17 should quarantine and maintain physical distance from family members for...

-The Hindu The ECI woke up late to the ill-effects the long campaign in Bengal had on public health The Election Commission of India’s decision to restrict campaigning for the remaining two phases of the West Bengal Assembly election is an instance of wisdom dawning late. Nevertheless, it will help limit the public health damage to what was already caused by an unreasonably extended election cycle in the State during the pandemic....