Editor,
Around 955 stranded people from different states of the North East returned to Meghalaya through several designated check-gates, viz Byrnihat , Bajengdoba , Ratacherra and Tikrikilla. At the entry check point syndromic testing was being done (i.e. only people who have symptoms of fever, cough etc) but most of the people travelling without any symptoms were advised home quarantine. Now the question arises as to whether the people who were advised to follow the protocol of home quarantine really understand its meaning, including the do’s and don’ts of home quarantine. Actually home quarantine means isolating oneself in a single room with proper cross ventilation and attached bathroom and not sharing or having contact with other family members for a period of 14 days or 21days.
This is a big challenge when viewed from the sociological aspect. Much depends on the living standard and home facilities of the returnees. While some may have facilities for proper home quarantine without breaking the rules, there are others who are not fortunate enough and are staying on shared basis or in rented houses with limited rooms. Such persons will not be able to completely self isolate in the crowded atmosphere.
This will pose enormous challenges and risks to the immediate family members living together in a crowded place and they will indirectly affect others around. Covid 19 is highly contagious and the health agencies and government have been emphasising on the importance of social distancing. Why take the risk of home quarantine when we are aware that 80 percent will break the rules as seen in previous outbreaks and as stated by our MLA, Adelbert Nongrum. For the safety of all citizens it is the duty of the Government and health authorities to keep them in designated quarantine facilities for at least the required days of quarantine protocol.
If the government and health agencies have taken the responsibility of bringing them all the way from different parts of north east, then why not complete the last simple steps of this cycle i.e, isolating them in designated quarantine facilities which will be the most efficient step to curb the spread of Covid 19. This will not only save the person quarantined but also the immediate family members and society.
Together we can prevent the spread of this disease through social distancing, wearing proper protective masks, proper hygiene and taking the right decision at the right time and cooperating with the government. As there is no cure for this disease till date, the only step is social distancing so as to prevent people from getting infected and to mitigate the spread of the virus until a vaccine is found.
Yours etc.,
Dr Valensha Surong,
MSc (CEH) London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, FRCS(Glasgow).
Consultant Ophthalmologist ,Mission Nethralaya,
Via email
Online teaching pitfalls
Editor,
This piece of writing has got two alternative destinations. Either the waste bin or the thinking chamber! One hot topic at present is “online teaching”. I have never been a supporter of online teaching. To me, the method of teaching depends on the end use, whether it is ending with examination or general understanding of the subject.
I want to put forward a suggestion to overcome the present crisis in regard to undergraduate degree classes under NEHU.
Let us presume that lockdown will be over on May 17. Here is the suggestion.
(a) Call back the outstation/stranded students (only the 6th semester) immediately (by 20th May). Let them be quarantined for 2 weeks (hostellers can stay in the hostel , as only 1/3 rd of the full capacity will be occupying ,less crowded )
(b) Resume normal classes (only the 6th Semester), continue for about one month and hold exams for them. With only the 6th semester students present in the college, there will be adequate time and space to run the classes in different groups and in several slots. Maintenance of all protocols of social distancing will therefore be possible.
(c) For the remaining 2nd and 4th semester students online classes will start ( if not yet started) at the earliest to complete the syllabus . Even if a small section of the students fails to avail this facility in real time , they can still get hold of the materials ( written/audio/ video) at their convenient time.
(d) There will be no examination/assignment/internal test, etc. for the 2nd and 4th semester students. But they will have knowledge of the subject (through online mode) for future use. Marks for the 2nd and 4th semester students will be awarded along with the next/subsequent semester result on the basis of ( a suitable formula for averaging )their preceding and succeeding semester marks.( i.e. for 2nd semester students ,marks of 1st semester and 3rd semester; for 4th semester students marks of 3rd and 5th semester ). This will also motivate them to work hard for the next semester.
Let us not be too optimistic that everything will become normal very soon and we will be able to have normal classes with full strength of students.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
Whither internet speed BSNL?
Editor,
Through your esteemed daily, I would like to draw the attention of the BSNL authorities to the poor internet speed of the broadband connection over Mawlai area, particularly Iewrynghep-Nonglum, which has caused great inconvenience to students and the public at large. In this day and age when the concept of “work from home” has become the new norm, the extremely poor speed of BSNL broadband connectivity really lets the consumers down. This inconvenience is experienced daily during peak hours, when the speed can be compared to a snail’s pace. Many are unable to even load basic HTML pages on their phones; such is BSNL’s network speed.
I request BSNL to please take this matter seriously, else it will leave a bad impression on the public at large, and we may have to resort to other legal means to address our concerns.
Yours etc.,
- Nongsteng,
Via email
CMs deserve praise
Editor,
Kudos to the top international medical journal, ‘The Lancet’ for correctly ‘‘This is not a battle between the United States of America and terrorism, but between the free and democratic world and terrorism.’’ — Tony Blair Capitalism needs to be reformed By Gary Marbaniang Case of the absentee MLAs/ Ministers: Taking social distancing to a new level By Patricia Mukhim stating that the states deserve much of the credit for India’s Covid-19 response! Indeed, the chief ministers of various states are rendering yeoman’s service by leading from the front in fighting the dreaded virus with utmost efficiency, despite financial constraints.
Again The Lancet has correctly observed that the lockdown was hastily prepared and immediately disadvantaged already vulnerable populations. Had necessary action been taken much earlier after offering a window of one week for the migrant labourers to return home and preparing necessary infrastructure to feed the wage earners losing livelihood, this supreme economic adversity upon the vulnerable wouldn’t have taken place.
Meanwhile it is scandalous to see the social media team of a particular political party praising it’s leader to the skies for the way he is handling the situation when the fact remains that cases of infection and deaths are increasing at an astonishing rate and all the preventive measures and actual fight against Covid are being undertaken by the states led by respective chief ministers with the people cooperating by staying at home! What a mockery on the sentiments of more than 1000 Indians who have already succumbed to the viral attack and the unbearable pain of billions of poor Indians suffering hunger and related deaths and suicide! Still if only a particular leader gets bestowed with deluge of praises for “brilliant” handling of the crisis, then who should take the blame for the 1000 plus Covid deaths, who are among the poorest of poor passing away on streets? They were compelled to engage in the long march home amidst unbearable hardship of being wage earners and losing their livelihoods. This has pushed many to suicide.
And think of the woes of innumerable migrant labourers, patients and tourists stranded in various parts of the country! The whole country is in a crisis. The Centre, states and common people of India should work unitedly to tackle the crises. If we succeed in limiting the damage, India wins. Else India loses. This is not the time for political muscle-flexing. Still if somebody is exclusively awarded liberal compliments, then all failure should also be credited to him/her! The “Heads I Win, Tails You Lose” syndrome should never be encouraged.
Yours etc.,
Kajal Chatterjee, Kolkata