Most reports and studies by official agencies, international think tanks and private entities indicate the cataclysmic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economy and society. They anticipate that lockdowns imposed by various countries across the globe to reduce the exponential diffusion of COVID-19 (i.e. for flattening the curve by social distancing and quarantines) would adversely affect economic growth and disrupt supply chains in most sectors, on top of causing...

-TheWire.in The momentary attention to the migrant exodus was overshadowed by other spectacles that were easily perceived as communal, suited to deflect attention and which positioned the state as proactive. We live in a society that significantly values media spectacles. Spread of disease, risk of contagion, and the plight of migrant labourers become worthy of attention only when a spectacle is made. The representations of migrant’s transit and associated tribulation have emerged...

-Press release by Right to Food Campaign dated 13th April, 2020 Supported by more than 450 concerned citizens and civil society organisations, an appeal has been sent by the Right to Food Campaign to the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Shri Ram Vilas Paswan on 13th April, 2020. In that letter to the food minister, the Right to Campaign -- an informal network of organisations and individuals committed...

-The Hindu ‘They experience hardships in accessing information on prevention and risk of infection’ People with disabilities need much more support than others in the face of a pandemic. They may not be eating properly and may experience higher stress because they are unable to understand what is happening all around them, says Professor G.V.S. Murthy, vice-president and director, Indian Indian Institute of Public Health, Hyderabad. * What are the unique challenges that...

-The Hindu Lockdowns alone can’t be effective unless combined with other health measures, says the WHO Chief Scientist. Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist at the World Health Organisation, tells The Hindu in an interview that the fight against COVID-19 is likely to be long-term, and lockdowns alone cannot be effective unless combined with other public health measures. Dr. Swaminathan, who has worked in research on tuberculosis and HIV for 30 years, was...