FILE. Indian school teacher at Gandhi Smarak school in Raghunathpur records a history lesson via mobile phone for students at the school on the outskirts of New Delhi
(EPA)
India is facing mounting calls to reopen schools, which have largely been closed throughout the pandemic since March 2020, resulting in many pupils dropping out altogether. At least 50 leading academics have now written an open letter calling for a rethink, saying “this break from schools will push us back by decades”.
Meanwhile, the IMF chief Geeta Gopinath, while explaining the agency’s decision to lower the economic growth projection for India, said the country had suffered a “catastrophic” second wave. And in terms of economic recovery, “looking forward, we have a very modest recovery as we think the [consumer] confidence will not come back as strongly as it did after the first wave.”
Etihad Airways has announced that it will stop all flights from India to the UAE until further notice. A spokesperson however clarified that “UAE nationals, diplomatic missions, official delegations and Golden residence holders are exempted from the UAE entry restriction.”
Myanmar could become a super-spreader state, the UN special rapporteur for the country has warned. Tom Andrews also urged for a ceasefire amid fears that Covid might spread to far and wider regions in the country.
And after a report that antibodies from Pfizer shots wane over a period of time after full vaccination, the company has implied that a booster dose could help improve immunity — even though scientists have not yet concluded whether a third shot will be needed.
Myanmar could become Covid “super-spreader” state
Myanmar could become a super-spreader state, the UN special rapporteur for the country has warned. Tom Andrews also urged for a ceasefire amid fears that Covid might spread far and wide in the country.
Myanmar is still facing a severe outbreak of Covid-19, and Mr Andrews was quoted by the Guardian as saying: “We know that this is a spike upward. It’s a very rapid, an alarmingly rapid rise.”
Myanmar’s vaccination programme is also not looking great amid the political turmoil and economic crisis post the 1 February coup.
Mr Andrews said: “Myanmar is becoming a super-spreader of Covid-19 with these very virulent variants – Delta and other forms of the disease, [which are] extremely dangerous, extremely lethal, extremely contagious.”
He added: “It’s just a fact that Covid does not respect nationalities or borders or ideologies or political parties. It’s an equal opportunities killer. This is a region that is susceptible to even greater suffering as a result of Myanmar becoming a super-spreader state.”
Maroosha Muzaffar29 July 2021 06:55
Etihad Airways stops flights from India to UAE ’till further notice’
Etihad Airways has announced that it will stop all flights from India to the UAE until further notice. A spokesperson however clarified that “UAE nationals, diplomatic missions, official delegations and Golden residence holders are exempted from the UAE entry restriction.”
An Etihad spokesperson said: “Following the latest UAE government directives, passenger travel from India to the UAE and Etihad’s network has been suspended until further notice. Etihad will not be permitted to carry passengers from India. However, UAE nationals, diplomatic missions, official delegations and Golden residence holders are exempted from the UAE entry restriction. These passengers will be subject to acceptance and quarantine conditions.”
However, it added that “Etihad will continue to operate flights to India and cargo flights will continue to operate in both directions without any impact.”
Maroosha Muzaffar29 July 2021 06:42
IMF Chief warns that third wave might further downgrade India’s growth projection
IMF chief Geeta Gopinath, while explaining the agency’s decision to lower the economic growth projection for India, said the country had suffered a “catastrophic” second wave. And in terms of economic recovery, “looking forward, we have a very modest recovery as we think the [consumer] confidence will not come back as strongly as it did after the first wave.”
On Tuesday, the IMF had lowered its economic growth projection for India for the current financial year — 2021-’22 — by three percentage points to 9.5 per cent. The earlier forecast had been 12.5 per cent.
Ms Gopinath also warned that the growth projection might suffer again if the impending third wave resulted in more lockdowns across the country.
She also said that the government needed to provide the poorest in the country with more cash support.
Maroosha Muzaffar29 July 2021 06:01
Mounting calls for India to reopen schools as closures ‘set back country by decades’
India is facing mounting calls to reopen schools, which have largely been closed throughout the pandemic since March 2020, resulting in many pupils dropping out altogether.
At least 50 leading academics have now written an open letter calling for a rethink, saying “this break from schools will push us back by decades”.
They have also argued that children are facing mental distress, reduced social skills and losing confidence.
The academicians, doctors, lawyers from institutes like IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi and Delhi University have said that there might never be a “zero case scenario” as “Covid-19 is here to stay.”
They have said that keeping schools closed is a “major disservice to the coming generations.”
Maroosha Muzaffar29 July 2021 05:41
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live blog on the coronavirus pandemic for Thursday 29 July 2021.
Maroosha Muzaffar29 July 2021 05:13
