Dementia: problem, risks, effects, and management

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I had met my classmate around 4 months back and informed her also about my mom's death. But in a recent email, she wrote to me that I had met her a couple of years back. She also enquired about my mom. Seeing her email, the first thought that came to my mind was: is she suffering from early dementia. I hope not. Maybe, she just forgot about the time that I had met her a few months back. Maybe because it was a hurried and surprise visit.  Nonetheless, dementia is on the rise. It affects people after 60 years of age. The increased life expectancy means that one will see more of such cases in the near future.  India has around 10 million dementia cases out of the world total of 57 million. This is a huge percentage. It affects not only an individual but the whole family. There is this individual who is physically okay but mentally absent. The person needs custodial care and it could turn out to be expensive. It is also emotionally disturbing to see your loved one in that state of...
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COVID-19 vaccines-The prioritization strategy in the various countries of the world!

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 Normally it takes years to roll out one vaccine. It happens only after proper and thorough development, testing, and trails. But in the case of covid-19 vaccine, all this was done at top speed and before testing on a larger scale, the vaccines were rolled out in less than a year. These included Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and others in China and Russia. Due to the limited supply of the vaccines, companies and governments are prioritizing those who will get the vaccines. The vulnerable group and the frontline health workers are the first to receive it. 

The vaccines for COVID-19 

WHO has revealed that there are a number of vaccines that are in the various stages of development. 61 are in the clinical trial phase and 172 are in the pre-clinical testing level. This is the status as of 22 December 2020. And 2 vaccines in the USA, 1 each in China, the UK, and Russia have been provided emergency approval for use in public. They are said to be safe and effective but these have not yet tested in children < 16 years, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. The side-effects of the vaccines in the form of allergies are now coming to be known. 

Pfizer covid-19 vaccine [Source: Pinterest]

Each country has put forth a prioritization strategy so that the vulnerable groups get the vaccine first. These include the frontline workers who are maximally exposed to the virus, aged population, and those with comorbidities. The others will get the vaccine later on and not now. 

Pfizer and Moderna vaccines

Pfizer covid-19 vaccine got approval in the UK in early December. Later, Bahrain also approved it in an emergency. The USA followed suit. The other countries that have approved it similarly are Canada, Mexico, EU 29 nations, Serbia, Chile, UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait. Singapore has also given emergency approval to the said vaccine. 

501.V2 new fast-spreading strain of covid-19-Read her on it! 

Russian Sputnik V covid-19 vaccine [Source: Pinterest]

Moderna vaccine has so far got an emergency approval in the USA and Canada. Russia approved its Sputnik V vaccine in August 2020. Argentina and Belarus have approved it as well though some concerns on its testing have been raised. CanSino's vaccine got approval in China. UAE, Bahrain, and China also have sanctioned the SinoPharma vaccine. 

India and the vaccine scenario there

In India, it is the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization that has the power to approve the vaccines. But it has yet not sanctioned any of the world vaccines against covid-19. The Department has asked for additional data on it. Hence no mass vaccination has commenced in India. But in other countries, mass immunization has been initiated. The USA has already immunized 1 million people. The USA has the Operation Warp Speed for the administration of the vaccine. The health care workers and the people in long-term care facilities get the vaccine first there. In the UK, it is the elderly people and health care workers first and later the younger population would get the vaccine. Similar prioritization exists in Ireland. 

SinoPharma covid-19 vaccine [Source: CGTN]

Though no clear-cut guidelines have been stated by the Indian authorities, whenever the vaccination starts online registration for it and an ID proof will be required. And the vaccination would be voluntary. 

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