Ways of eating idlis

-
Image
 During my trip down South, I had the opportunity to watch common people enjoy traditional southern foods. Idlis are one such popular food items that can be consumed anytime of the day. They can be had during breakfast, lunch, or dinner or anytime in between.  Idlis are traditionally South Indian delicacies. They are rice and lentil cakes that are steamed. They are usually salty but in Mauritius, you will find sweet varities as well in small shops and restaurants there.  Idlis are healthy food items and are a good source of carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats. They have minerals and vitamins and have the goodness of fermented foods too. They are served with sambhar (curry made of dal) and chutney (coconut, tomato or the like). Some also savour them with yoghurt, ghee (clarified butter) or spice mix (podi).  Idli pizza A modern twist to idli dish has been as idli masala (idlis usually small-sized covered with spices), idli fry (idlis usually small-sized that are...
Post a Comment

The new fast-transmitting strain of the coronavirus is in the UK and South Africa! Has it reached the USA shores?

-

 

 

New mutant strains of coronavirus are doing the rounds and spreading in Britain and South Africa. But there is no evidence as yet that it is more deadly than the previous strains. But has this virus reached the USA as well and is causing the infection to spread faster? Considering this, some nations of Europe have already implemented a stricter travel lockdown in order to prevent the spread of this new faster-transmitting virus strains.

501.V2-the new faster-spreading COVID-19 strain

There is a new variant of the coronavirus that has been detected in the UK and South Africa. It is causing a fast spread of the virus in the population. But luckily as yet it is not more deadly. Hence, new travel restrictions are in place in Europe in order to stop the spread of this newer variant of the virus. Besides, the USA has also made it mandatory for travelers from the UK to get a negative COVID-19 report before they board a plane to the USA.
501.V2 new mutant strain of coronavirus [Source: NDTV]

The US CDC has said that as yet the new variant has not been detected in the USA. They have been able to sequence only 51k of the 17 million infections in the USA. On the other hand, in the UK, there are 125k sequences done.

CDC’s take with the newer variant emergence

Taking note of the fact that the new variant is already spreading in the UK fast, CDC has taken immediate steps to curb its spread to the USA. America is already under great stress with the coronavirus infection. The Southern states are particularly affected by it. Hence CDC said:

“Ongoing travel between the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the high prevalence of this variant among current UK infections, increase the likelihood of importation,” 

The fast-spreading strain of coronavirus is in [Source: FT]

Further, its statement read:

“Given the small fraction of US infections that have been sequenced, the variant could already be in the United States without having been detected.”

Additionally, the CDC has decided to take steps to early detect the variant in its population. It will be getting 10 samples from each state every week from January 2021 for sequencing and its further genetic analysis.

Will travel from areas with the new strain be halted temporarily?

A central Florida high health official was queried about whether there needs to be a ban applied temporarily for travel from areas where the new strain is detected. Dr Raul Pino, with the Florida Department of Health-Orange County replied:

“Although everyone is trying to stop how this new strain may spread across the world, it could be already across the world because it’s not a case that was identified yesterday ... so this had happened,” 

“So it’s safe to assume that it has spread to some places already.”

A high number of cases due to the mutant strain of coronavirus [Source: News 18]

Raul implied that the sequencing is done on viruses collected from patients in the past and hence by the time the results are in, the virus strain would have already spread more. But the good news is that the new vaccines approved in the USA would be taking care of all these variant strains of the virus:

“It’s also important to know that the vaccines that are in place will continue to be effective even against them,”

Despite the vaccines, CDC guidelines for covid-19 prevention should be continued and not stopped.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Loneliness is a growing epidemic especially during this coronavirus pandemic in the USA!

-
Image
  The coronavirus pandemic has increased social segregation and this has proven to be bad particularly for the elderly population. They are unable to catch up with their children and grandchildren and are finding themselves extremely lonely. They are the worst affected by the pandemic in terms of physical as well as emotional health. THE OLD AGE AND LONELINESS Old age is a time of loneliness for many people. Usually, people have lost their partners at that ripe age and depend on their children and grandchildren for support and to beat the loneliness. Though their younger family members used to occasionally visit the parents, now with the coronavirus pandemic this has become difficult due to the risk of the children carrying the infection to their aged parents and grandparents. So the visits have come down drastically and the contact remains only on phone or via digital technology. This though good does not suffice and cannot substitute the physical visits and the warmth that th...
Read more

Color therapy-the ancient art of healing! Know the science behind it and its current status!

-
Image
  Color as a form of therapy is not a new concept. In it, electromagnetic waves in the form of the visible spectrum (that we interpret as colors) are used to cure various body illnesses. It is an ancient mode of therapy that is being reinvented. There are attempts to elucidate its scientific basis and explanation. This would help to explore and discover newer dimensions of this old remedy. Color therapy (Chromotherapy) Newton talked about solid matter and moving objects while Einstein found out that mass and energy are dual expressions of the same universal substance. It is the vibration rate of its molecules that determines its form. When slow, it is physical matter and when the vibrations are intense it is energy. Thus, light is an energy and when it interacts with matter, color is formed. Each color has its own wavelength, frequency, and energy level. And human eye is adapted to see only this energy that has a wavelength between 380-780 nm. This is therefore, the visible spe...
Read more

Wuhan Institute of Virology scientists and bite from Covid infected bat!

-
Image
 Covid-19 pandemic started in Wuhan in China. This was in December 2019. But China continues to state that though the first cases of Covid-19 were detected in Wuhan, it never originated there. But the world wants to know the true answer of origin of the virus and hence the pandemic that brought the world to a standstill. WHO is investigating this matter.  China and its denial of origin of coronavirus   China has been persistent in its denial of Covid-19 in Wuhan. It stresses that though the first cases were detected there, they never originated there. They claim that it came into Wuhan from somewhere else.  But the world feels that the wet markets are the source of the pandemic. Also, the other powerful countries of the world such as the USA blame the Wuhan Virology lab for the start of the virus and its spread to the outside world. WHO is investigating this matter. Initially, WHO was denied access of the lab but now they have been able to get inside and try to probe...
Read more