Over the years, an increasing number of Indian students were opting to study in Australia for its world-class education, post-study work opportunities, and quality of living. In pursuit of attracting students from the Pune region to study in Australia, the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, organized a roadshow in the city, highlighting the various initiatives introduced by the government to support international students.

The Australian Government is offering a range of new visa support initiatives to international students and graduates, including an international student visa fee refund and Covid-19 visa fee waiver, extra time for English language tests and health checks, replacement Temporary Graduate visas and extended ‘stay and work’ periods. Furthermore, fully vaccinated international student visa holders, who have arrived in Australia between January 19, and March 19, 2022, were eligible for the visa application fee refund. The refund applies to current visa holders and new students. Eligible visa holders will be able to make a claim any time up to 31 December 2022.

Students already in Australia, who held a student visa on or after 1 February 2020 and could not complete their course within the original visa time period because of the impacts of COVID-19, may be eligible to have their student visa application fee (VAC) waived when applying for a new student visa.

A temporary relaxation of work restrictions for international student visa holders means there is no current restriction on the number of hours that students can work while studying in Australia. These changes will be reviewed in April 2022. Students must still meet satisfactory course enrolment, attendance, and progress requirements.

Graduates who held a valid Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), were outside of Australia at any time between 1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021 and lost time in Australia as a result of COVID-19 international travel restrictions, will have their visa extended to 30 September 2022. This extension is to allow eligible graduates time to apply for a replacement visa.

The length of stay for Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) holders has been extended from two (2) to three (3) years for Masters by Coursework graduates, matching the existing provisions for Masters by Research graduates. Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector graduates will also receive a two (2) year Temporary Graduate visa.

Talking about the initiatives, Dr. Monica Kennedy, Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner, Australian Trade and Investment Commission, Australian Government said, “From 22nd November 2021 (when the Australian Government announced that the border would open to students) to 18 March 2022, there have been 28,785 student visas lodged by Indian nationals. The Australian Government has worked hard to process student visas to ensure that Indian students are able to return to Australia to commence their studies for semester 1 2022. A surge of applications has been successfully processed with 15,310 visas granted from 22 November 2021 to 18 March 2022 and over 25,000 students arriving on our shores to begin or resume study at Australia’s quality education institutions.”

Australian education is in the top tier of demand globally, due to its high quality, strict accreditation standards, sophisticated support for international students, relevant curriculum, and one of the highest graduate employability rates, all delivering a better return on investment for the student. Australia has one of the most supportive international education systems in the world. The Australian Strategy for International Education 2021‑2030 puts the student experience, student protection, and students’ rights at the center.”

The unprecedented outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the lives of millions of students, especially international students who experienced difficulties due to border restrictions and health hazards, across the world. Recently, Australian Trade and Investment Commission has launched Study Australia Industry Immersion Program (SAIEP) for current Indian students at Australian universities to enhance their employability skills.

The India-Australia relationship is at an all-time high. The pace and scale of our cooperation have been grown swiftly since our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was agreed upon in 2020. The recent Summit between Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi on 21 March called for a new level of ambition to drive our cooperation forward, particularly when it comes to our economic cooperation and education is a sector that holds great potential.

At the Summit, Prime Ministers announced a Taskforce on Education Qualifications Recognition which will address the recognition of different delivery modes including online and blended learning, joint degrees, and education at offshore campuses. The task force will deliver a mechanism for expanding education qualification recognition between Australia and India by the end of the year, with implementation to take place in 2023.

More information about Study Australia and the support for Indian students is available at https://www.studyaustralia.gov.au/india

About The Australian Trade and Investment Commission

The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) is the Australian Government’s international trade promotion and investment attraction agency. We deliver quality trade and investment services to businesses to grow Australia’s prosperity. We do this by generating and providing market information and insights, promoting Australian capability, and facilitating connections through our extensive global network.

We position Australian education internationally by highlighting the global relevance, practicality, and quality of Australia’s education providers, along with their innovation, creativity, and focus on the future.

To discover how we can help you, visit  https://www.austrade.gov.au/

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Mumbai, December 7, 2021: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased respiratory issues leading to partially or in some cases, fully damaged lungs. Health professionals across the globe are already engaged in controlling the ongoing health crisis.

Home Insect Control Association (HICA), a non-profit making industry body promoting the safe use of household insecticides in India, has demanded a stop to buying or selling of mosquito repellent incense sticks (agarbattis) in Maharashtra as the majority of them are illegal and do not have necessary certification/licenses.

As per recent government data, 1,16,991 cases of dengue have been reported across the country in the last month. States like Maharashtra, Haryana, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and New Delhi have seen a sharp increase in the cases.

 People are protecting themselves from mosquitoes and are buying mosquito repellent incense sticks/ agarbatti available across chemists, pan shops, and Kirana stores. These incense sticks /agarbattis are sold at a cheap price and have a visible drop-down impact on mosquitoes yet are illegally made and sold without proper licenses and permissions from the relevant Government Department. Illegal & spurious incense sticks/agarbattis available in the market are laced with unapproved harmful chemicals (insecticides/ pesticides). This can cause health issues such as asthma, bronchitis, reactive airways disease, and other respiratory ailments. Basic checks on safety parameters that are mandatory for all home insecticide products are not carried out by these manufacturers producing the illegal agarbattis.

The mosquito repellent agarbattis are sold in the market under names like Relax, Comfort, Sleepwell, Just Relax, Relief, Natural Relax, among others. These incense sticks/agarbattis do not go through the regulated manufacturing and licensing processes. As per the provisions of the Insecticide Act 1968, all household insecticide products need to be approved by Central Insecticide Board (CIB) and the registration committee. Household Insecticide products are approved by the CIB after evaluating the toxicity and safety of the product to the consumers and animals before granting permissions.

Mr. Jayant Deshpande, Honorary Secretary, HICA, said, “At a time when respiratory issues are occurring frequently, we strongly urge people to stop or avoid using mosquito repellent incense sticks. Most of them available in the market are illegal and have the potential to damage consumer health. Usage of illegal mosquito repellent agarbattis or incense with unknown combustible material can trigger asthma, bronchitis, reactive airways disease, and other respiratory ailments. These incense sticks/agarbattis do not go through regulatory checks and have chemicals exceeding prescribed levels. They are likely to contain banned or unapproved chemicals as well. While these incense sticks seem to be effective on mosquitoes, they will be equally harmful to people’s health.”

He further added, “In the last 3 years, we have conducted more than 50 raids across the country along with local authorities. While we are committed to protecting the interest of consumers, we recommend people to use only branded mosquito repellents and solutions which are approved by the licensing authorities. The licensing number starts with CIR No and mfg license no that is issued by Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee (CIB-RC) and State Dept and mandatorily required to be displayed on packages. People buy mosquito incense sticks more because of their affordable cost. Today, the organized industry has innovated and introduced safe alternatives to incense sticks like paper-based mosquito repellent cards which are approved, effective, and cost as low as just INR 1 per usage.”

In India, close to 50% of mosquito repellents are in the burning format out of which, almost 30% are using unapproved and illegal mosquito repellent incense sticks. HICA has been working with the authorities for initiating strict action against manufacturers violating the licensing protocol of following certain safety parameters before the product is introduced in the market to consumers.

About Home Insect Control Association (HICA)

HICA is an organization established in 1995 to give impetus to the domestic Home Insecticides sector, to facilitate the members of the Association for the overall safety of the environment, and to educate the public about the healthy and proper use of home insecticides for a pest-free life, and to introduce self-regulation and governance by the member industry.

HICA cares to maintain and enhance the reputation of the insecticides industry and safeguard the business interests of its members by bringing to the notice of authorities cases of unauthorized & unrecognized suppliers who misrepresent and sell products of harmful nature to the hapless consumers.

The objective is to promote and stabilize measures in order to assist in the promotion of the safe use of insecticides in India and help in the development of the insecticides industry in the larger interest of the country.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an unprecedented crisis that has affected people from all walks of life. The vulnerable populations, in particular, are among the worst-hit as they face the threat of the Coronavirus on the one hand and the hunger pandemic on the other.

On 23 July 2021, The Akshaya Patra Foundation conducted an Incentivised Vaccination Drive-in Jogupalya, Bangalore, in association with Team MGK (M. Goutham Kumar) and vaccinated 500 people. After taking the vaccine shot, individuals received refreshments as well as a unique customized kit called ‘Raksha Kit’, containing essential groceries for 20 meal servings. These kits were distributed in the presence of the former Mayor of Bangalore, M. Goutham Kumar.

Other dignitaries present on the occasion were Dr. Sharanappa S.D., IPS – DCP East; Dr. Lakshminarayan Gundanna – Chairman BBMP and Domlur Corporator; B Gunaranjan Shetty – Founder of Jaya Karnataka Janapara Vedike and ICare Brigade.

Each Raksha Kit consists of one kg rice, one kg wheat flour, 500 gm tur dal, 500 gm desi channa, 500 gm green mung whole, 250 gm peanuts, 200 gm turmeric powder, one kg sugar, one kg salt, one liter refined oil and one bar soap. Apart from this, vaccinated people are provided with juice packets, water, and a banana/khichdi/pulav.

Earlier, on 19 July 2021, a similar drive was organized at Medi Agrahara, where 300 people were vaccinated and provided Raksha Kits. On 24 July 2021, vaccination drives are scheduled to be held at Rajajinagar and Mahalakshmi Layout, where 500 people each will be vaccinated, bringing the total number of beneficiaries of this initiative in Bangalore to 1,800. Speaking about the initiative, Mr. Sundeep Talwar, CMO – Akshaya Patra, said, “Many people, especially from vulnerable communities, such as slum dwellers and daily wagers, hesitate to take the vaccine due to misconceptions and resultant fear.

To address this vaccine hesitancy, we decided to initiate Incentivised Vaccination Drives where we educate people about the need to get vaccinated and also provide them ‘Raksha Kits’ as an incentive. We have so far vaccinated 800 people in Bangalore and plan to cover 100,000 across the country in the next 2-3 months.”
Incentivised Vaccination Drives are conducted by Akshaya Patra in association with a hospital partner or vaccination partner with the necessary safety measures in place. The Foundation has collaborated with a volunteering partner for manpower requirements. The initiative was started with a pilot in Delhi on June 26, 2021.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation has been utilizing its kitchen infrastructure and resources to undertake relief feeding by serving cooked meals and distributing essential grocery kits. The Foundation has so far served over 14 crore meals in various locations across 20 states and one union territory.

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Gourmet Garden aims to expand its zero-contamination farming operations, broaden the portfolio with additional fresh categories, boost customer experience by deploying India’s first end-to-end B2C tech-enabled cold-chain, and improve ordering experience with a mobile app and refreshed website

Bengaluru, India, July 1, 2021: Gourmet Garden, the first full-range zero- contamination F& V brand in the country, has announced its latest round of funding of Rs 25 Crores led by Beyond Next Ventures, M Venture Partners, and existing investors Incubate India & Whiteboard Capital among others.
Established in early 2019, Gourmet Garden is known for offering the widest range of zero- contamination vegetables and fruits and other curated essential offerings. They stand out on quality and safety owing to their patented naturoponic farming operations, certified organic farming extensions, and a lean 1-day & 2-touch supply chain. Already a leading brand in Bengaluru and Chennai, the start-up is founded by Arjun Balaji, erstwhile a Partner at McKinsey and Company, and Vishal Narayanaswamy launched among the first hydroponic farms in India.
With this funding, Gourmet Garden aims to expand its zero-contamination farming operations, broaden the portfolio with additional fresh categories, boost customer experience by deploying India’s first end-to-end B2C tech-enabled cold-chain, and improve ease of ordering with a mobile app and refreshed website.
Arjun Balaji, Co-founder, and Director, Gourmet Garden said, " We are fulfilling the consumer need-gap for a brand offering wholesome, distinctly fresh, and safe food essentials for everyday consumption. Most other offerings are aggregating commodity supply, however, our focus has been to operate end-to-end and focus disproportionately on source quality and safety, which is at the core of overall customer experience and differentiation.” " We wish to be the favored brand destination for all things wholesome, fresh and curated. Our patented Naturoponic farming yields the highest quality vegetables and is our customers’ most loved offering. Essentials grown in certified organic farms along with an assortment of imported fruits make up our extended safe F& V range. In addition, we also offer a selection of authentic spices and dry fruits, and will soon be launching wholesome bread and organic sauces & dips for a wider range in fresh” said Vishal Narayanaswamy, Co-founder, Gourmet Garden. The company now spans 60,000 customers in Bengaluru and Chennai alone. Over 75% of orders, every month come from repeat customers, a testimony to their loyalty-building quality.

Tsuyoshi Ito, CEO, and Akito Arima, Agri/FoodTech Lead Capitalist, Beyond Next Ventures said, “We are delighted to see that their sustainable cultivation techniques and quality of succulent vegetables are comparable to those in Japan. The focus on affordable, high-quality, and safe fruits and vegetables is rising in urban India. Gourmet Garden possesses a full basket of high-quality products, delivered in shortest time keeping their loyal customers happy.”

“Simply put, we partner with great founder entrepreneurs,” commented Mayank Parekh, Founder – M Venture Partners, a Singapore-based venture capitalist. “The distinctive talent combination of Arjun and Vishal is the perfect formula to scale this incredible offering for consumers”

The existing investors are very excited by the progress thus far and have extended their commitments further. Nao Murakami, Founder – Incubate Fund India, said, “Since our initial investment in the start-up a few months ago, the founders and the team have shown a very strong execution capability. Even under the COVID-19 pandemic and the series of lockdowns, the team managed to operate with full intensity despite a leaner covid-impacted team, showing agility to solve challenges. This is clearly backed by their passion and conviction” " We continue to be very excited by the organic growth and customer love that has become the cornerstone of Gourmet Garden's promise. The offering has scaled well and is all set to become the largest clean and contamination-free fresh essentials D2C brand in India and we are looking forward to the journey ahead with Arjun, Vishal, and our co-investors" said Anshu Prasher, General Partner at Whiteboard Capital.

About Gourmet Garden:

Gourmet Garden is a curated full-range brand of wholesome food essentials and fresh produce. The vegetables and fruits offered by Gourmet Garden are distinctly higher quality, mostly grown in their patented zero contamination NaturoponicTM farms and certified organic farms to yield unmatched freshness and assured safety for consumers. The farming methods are also economically viable for farmer partners adopting their approach, while also being the most sustainable methods from an environmental perspective. In addition to the fresh produce range, Gourmet Garden is offering a range of freshly cold-ground spices and the highest-grade of dry fruits and will soon offer other fresh categories including a wide range of bread and organic sauces & dressings. Gourmet Garden is thus catering to the unmet needs of the urban consumer for wholesome safe and high-quality food ingredients.

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New Delhi, 18 June 2021: NTPC Limited, India’s largest integrated energy company is all set to celebrate International Yoga Day on June 21 across its operational areas. The power warriors across NTPC are bringing out their yoga mats to gear up for International Yoga Day and to raise awareness on the importance of a healthy lifestyle, even being at home. Preparations are in full swing across all power stations.NTPC is preparing for webinars, competitions, lectures, conferences, LIVE Yoga sessions, Yoga training for all employees and their families ensuring Covid Appropriate behavior & all protocols.

The word ‘Yoga’ originates from the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’, which means ‘to join’ or ‘to yoke’ or ‘to unite’. According to Yogic scriptures, yoga leads to a flawless harmony between the mind and body.

Practise of Yoga has been flourishing for years and is a success story for maintaining both physical and mental health. Each yogic activity is a key to improving flexibility, strength, balance, and attaining harmony.

COVID-19 pandemic has added stress and anxiety among people. Yoga can be the healer for both psychological and emotional along with physical well-being.

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1. Can cancer patients take covid-19 vaccines?    

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, continues to have a serious impact on many people, including cancer patients, their families, and caregivers. Due to frequent hospital visits and increased exposure, vaccination for cancer patients has become imperative now. Individuals with cancer sadly have a higher risk of severe Covid infection because of their age, the disease, cancer treatment, and medical comorbidities.

Currently, vaccination for cancer patients has been recommended for all people with cancer and blood malignancies. These vaccines can be taken as long as the components of the vaccine suit the patient even while their immunity is down. However, the following points to be noted –

• These vaccines should not be taken if they do not suit one’s body (e.g., known allergic reaction, which is a contraindication)
• There could be an unknown safety situation which can rarely cause a problem
• Effectiveness may not be as much as in the general population due to a less immune reaction. Here the vaccine is given to give whatever benefit possible and with the intent to reduce the severity of covid-19 infection if it happens.

2. When to start and which are the most preferred vaccines for cancer patients? Can the vaccination lead to a change of plans in the cancer treatment of the patients?  

While starting your program of vaccination,  It is important to discuss with your oncologists and plan strategies for taking vaccines between the cycles of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. It is recommended to take any of the available vaccines as long as the blood counts are acceptable.

Cancer patients who are undergoing major surgery should ideally wait for a few days before going for vaccination. The best time for such patients to get vaccinated is before treatment, optimally 2 weeks before the start of chemotherapy. Furthermore, patients who have opted for radiotherapy can start their vaccination program anytime. Patients undergoing immunotherapy should opt. for vaccination at the earliest as toxicities and reactions can be severe if the covid infection happens along with chemotherapy/immunotherapy.

Other than the appropriateness and timing of the vaccination, there are no changes that the vaccination causes in the plan for cancer therapy. Vaccination can be recommended one week from the start of the chemotherapy cycle.

3. How long does immunity last?

 The expected immunity usually develops in 2-3 weeks after the second dose of vaccine and is effective beyond six months. As the vaccines and vaccination programs are relatively new. We are still awaiting further data on whether or not the immunity lasts beyond six months. However, considering the current scenario, where comorbid patients are at an increased risk of contracting the covid virus, vaccination is strongly recommended for all such patients. Cancer patients who have also recovered from covid-19 can also undergo vaccination without the fear of any complications.

4. What are the concerns of vaccination with regards to cancer patients?

A major concern is an uncertainty in the level of effectiveness of vaccination when immunity comes down during treatment. However, any level of effectiveness is better than status without covid-19 vaccination. Lymphoma patients can have lower vaccine responses as we do not know precisely the efficacy of the COVID vaccine for lymphoma when on active treatment. For cancer patients, despite the vaccination, it is ESSENTIAL to continue the practice of wearing a mask, social distancing, and maintaining hand hygiene as they are already immune-compromised and chances of re-infection are also high among them.

5. Is the Covid-19 vaccine safe in Bone Marrow Transplants?

Covid-19 vaccination is recommended at least two to four weeks before the planned transplant. We recommend most transplant patients delay all vaccines for at least three months following a stem cell or bone marrow transplant.

6. What are the vaccine’s side effects?

Currently, serious side effects are rare and compared to the benefit of protection, it would be negligible.    However, common side effects of vaccines are pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, and fever. Chills, joint pain, nausea, injection site redness and swelling, swollen lymph nodes. 

7. Can one get ill with Covid-19 after vaccination?

It is possible that one can get sick post receiving a vaccine, but the good news is that it is likely to be less severe and people may not require hospitalization in such cases.

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As India is gripped by the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, pressure on its medical infrastructure has intensified. There has been an acute shortage of oxygen, beds, and other facilities in several parts of the country.

The challenges are further aggravated in rural areas which have their unique features. In the Palghar district of Maharashtra, due to tough geographic conditions, the possibility of supplying oxygen cylinders and timely refilling is difficult. Oxygen concentrators are, hence, the best solution to this problem.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, IIFL Foundation partnered with Raah Foundation to provide 40 oxygen concentrators of varying capacity (5 or 10 liters per minute) to COVID care centers in Jawhar and Mokhada regions. These regions are dominated by the native tribal community – Warli. They have witnessed the addition of 2,100 new cases every day.

Ms. Madhu Jain, Director, IIFL Foundation said, “We have been closely watching the developments around the pandemic and are committed to supporting our communities in these testing times. An important step in this direction is addressing the shortage of oxygen in our communities. This will facilitate proper and timely treatment of patients, and a reduction in the number of deaths. It is our strong belief that by staying together and supporting each other, we can abate this crisis soon.”

Going forward, IIFL Foundation will continue to undertake relief measures and support the underprivileged sections of the society in their fight against the pandemic.

IIFL Foundation is the CSR arm of diversified financial conglomerate IIFL Group, which runs one of India’s largest girl child education programs – ‘Sakhiyon Ki Baadi’ – which has already educated over 36,000 girls in rural districts of Rajasthan.

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Authored by – Dr.Shireen Furtado, Consultant – Medical & Cosmetic Dermatology, Aster CMI Hospital

You can’t always control what goes on outside, but you can always control what goes on inside- Wayne Dyer

Stress and anxiety, the plague of modern-day life has been escalated during these uncertain and tumultuous times of the COVID-19 pandemic. The skin is the mirror which reflects our body’s health and wellbeing is affected and all aspects of skincare and break-in routine are visible. With nearly every aspect of our lives having been affected, the well-being of people has taken a severe beating with stress being both a cause and a consequence.

A common perception of stress is that it affects only the mental health of an individual – while this is true, as doctors we see the manifestation of stress in physical ways. One such major area that gets affected is the skin. When a person is stressed the level of the body’s stress hormone (cortisol) rises initially to combat this acute stress and cortisol other inflammatory mediators and histamine increase as well. Gradually the cortisol levels dip but inflammatory mediators remain high and thus we see the skin manifestations of stress.

Here are a few skin conditions typically aggravated by stress –

Hives (urticaria)

It is a fairly common skin condition primarily triggered by allergy-inducing foods, medication, and stress. The most common symptoms of hives are itchiness and red or skin-colored wheals that appear on the skin’s surface. These skin lesions are typically evanescent and do not last more than 24 hours.

Urticaria also tends to get chronic and have flares on and off. Currently, we see a large number of well-controlled urticaria patients coming in with flares due to the increasing histamine levels and decrease in the endogenous steroid production in the body.

Dehydration and Dullness

While working from home during the corona pandemic, many individuals are finding it difficult to maintain a balance between work and life. Long working hours and erratic sleep cycles have left many stressed and poorly groomed. Due to this several, people have started cutting corners in their sleep, hydration, and meals and have stopped prioritizing them. Such individuals are currently facing issues such as dehydration and dull skin.

It has been found in numerous researches that hydration, sleep and a healthy diet play a big part in skin health due to the natural release of anti-inflammatory mediators. Drinking more water and eating whole foods can certainly improve skin health. Adopting a balanced diet can help one overcome skin aging further thus changing the way the skin looks and feels.

Hence it recommended that individuals should aim to drink at least eight-ten glasses of water a day, load your plate with antioxidants, carotene-rich veggies, and proactively seek time to sleep for eight hours each night to avoid dehydration and dullness of skin.

Rosacea

Rosacea is a chronic skin condition on the face, mistaken by many for acne vulgaris/ pimples. This can be easily triggered by environmental factors and emotional stress. This condition is worsened by inflammation, and we know all too well that stress can lead to inflammation.

People can avoid this condition by sun protection, avoiding caffeinated/spicy meals and drink. We dermatologists also prescribe topical creams, oral meds, or in-office treatments to help people overcome this condition

Eczema

Eczema is a blanket term given for skin disease which involves inflammation, with or without oozing. The first step to overcome Eczema is to start moisturizing the skin hence improving the skin’s barrier function. Simply adding oatmeal to the bathing water and having quick and short lukewarm baths can help reduce dryness. Cold-pressed coconut oil applied generously all over the body after bath further enhances the skin’s ability to lock in moisture and ward off allergens. Scratching an itch is one of the greatest pleasures in life- however, it triggers a cascade of events that further exacerbates the condition. A quick visit to your dermatologist should keep you symptom-free and help soothe the skin.

Psoriasis and Seborrheic dermatitis

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin disorder that often leads to the formation of thick, red patches on the skin and appears to be covered in white silvery scales. Due to stress, this condition can become a whole lot worse. Just like the other skin conditions, there are a few treatments one can follow to relieve their symptoms.

Also, lot more patients are complaining of persistent dandruff nonresponsive to OTC antidandruff medication. Institution of medicated tar, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory based shampoo helps relieve this condition.

In conclusion — though this pandemic has seen aggravation of many skin conditions- don’t let it stress you out further. Healthy habits and clean eating go a long way in keeping stress under control and thus improving your skin. Do seek your dermatologist’s help rather than self-medication.

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Author name – Dr. Mahesh D M, Consultant, Endocrinology, Aster CMI Hospital, On the occasion of World Diabetes Day, it is important to remember that diabetics have a much weaker immune system which makes their bodies more vulnerable to infections and enable the coronavirus to cause harm.A report conducted by IndiaSpendhighlights that around 73% of the COVID-19 deaths are linked with comorbidities including diabetes and over half of the 77 million diabetes patients do not know that they have diabetes ailment and therefore may not initiate measures to control it.

Diabetes impairs the circulatory systems and makes it difficult for blood circulation all arou

nd the body and slows down the pace of recovery from infections like Covid-19.

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, diabetics may experience a severe form of the disease and even death. Therefore, in current scenario, it has become extremely important for the diabetic patients to adopt all the necessary precautions and prevent themselves from contracting the corona virus.

Things Diabetic patients should know about –

1. How Blood sugar and Covid-19 are linked?

Both diabetes type 1 or 2 are chronic diseases that produce high sugar levels in the blood (or blood glucose). In diabetes, the body may reduce insulin production which transforms body glucose into energy. Consequently, glucose builds up in the body and in severe cases, diabetics have to take insulin to reduce blood sugar levels. Regardless of the diabetes type then, the immune system gets compromised and the patient becomes more prone to coronavirus, which thrives in a context of elevated blood glucose.

Elderly patients particularly are more susceptible to the effects of Covid-19 in a diabetes context. Studies have shown a strong link between controlled blood sugar and lower inflammatory markers, while high blood sugar can lead to severe complications or even cause death. 

2. What are the effects of skipping medicine?

The effects of not controlling diabetes and skipping medicine may be severe. Research shows that this may make patients vulnerable to blindness and kidney damage which necessitates dialysis. It can also damage nerves which have serious consequences such as, numbness of the foot can develop when the foot falls asleep due to lack of circulation. This results in patients not knowing or noticing that they have hurt themselves, experienced injury, cut, or burn. The foot then gets infected and if the infection spread cannot be stopped, the limb would have to be amputated to prevent the infection from spreading to other parts of the body. Avoiding medicine can also lead to serious forms of heart disease.

1. What are the precautions and tips for diabetics to keep safe?

There are many safety measures that diabetic can take to prevent complications of the disease:

• Don’t forget to wash hands before taking an insulin shot
• Hydrate yourself frequently and eat well to develop immunity against the coronavirus
• Monitor blood glucose and blood pressure.
• Check your weight often as losing weight despite eating normally could be a sign of high blood glucose
• Don’t stop insulin treatment even if you fall ill
• Ensure you have enough stock of insulin in case it is not accessible
• Check the temperature for fever as it is a symptom of coronavirus
• Keep in touch with your doctor to discuss issues like medicine dosage, insulin levels, blood sugar etc.
• Have a plan ready for medication during the quarantine
• Ensure that you maintain sanitation and personal hygiene and disinfect your home regularly
• If you live alone, have emergency contacts handy
• Do not share your blood testing lancet or insulin needles with others.

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The Covid-19 pandemic has changed almost every aspect of our daily life including the way we work.  Most of us have switched to working from home where we have to manage our professional lives as well as our personal. Although working from home can have its own perks but for many, headache is the new normal, the change in the work environment and schedule has turned into a bane rather than a boon. Workload has increased along with responsibilities at home and many are experiencing burnout. People are also facing multiple distractions and feel overwhelmed as they have to attend to children and elders at home. Flexible work hours have become too-long work hours as they struggle to get everything done.

When there is a lack of a proper support system, balancing household and work can be stressful, which in turn can increase stress levels.

Try to identify the stressful situations that trigger a headache and take steps to avoid them. Here are some tips to prevent headaches:

See also: Safeguard your children from Injuries

Increased screen time may mean more frequent headaches–work from home can lead to more screen time. Give your eyes a chance to relax by periodically moving your gaze to something farther away every 20 minutes, which can help reduce eye strain.

Improper Posture –With the lack of ergonomically designed office furniture, this can lead to poor posture which can increase the likelihood of a headache. Even if you are managing your posture, taking breaks to stretch is a good idea, especially for your shoulder and neck muscles.

Sleep better-Inadequate sleep can increase the body stress and hence headaches. Try to get at least 7 hours of sleep every day.

Exercise regularly–Exercise for 30 minutes every day. Being physically active can burn off stress and can act as an energy booster.

Eat healthy-Start your day with a healthy breakfast and don’t skip meals even with a busy work schedule. Remove processed foods from your diet and eat more anti-inflammatory foods like fatty fish, whole grains, and dark, leafy greens.

Use Relaxation Techniques- Any type of relaxation technique can be helpful to prevent headaches due to stress. Some techniques you can try are meditation and deep breathing. Listen to music to relax and calm your mind.

Take a Break- Having too much going on in your life can lead to tension headaches so take a break in between work and relax for some time. Even a few minutes will help.

Turn to family and friends for support–speak to someone about what may be making you feel tensed. Spend time with people who are important to you like friends and family.

It is recommended to visit doctor if a headache is getting significantly worse or more frequent. Always check with your doctor before taking any supplements.

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