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

Update: The current data and status of Astrazeneca Covid vaccine

-

 Astazeneca covid vaccine is in some trouble. Neither the people nor government are happy about it. And the regulators are looking out for some more data from the company. What is the current scenario on it? 

Astrazeneca-covid vaccine and the status 

There are doubts about the covid vaccine developed and manufactured by Astrazeneca company. A US health agency said in public that the said company used outdated data in the results of its large scale covid vaccine trials. 

Earlier, the company has released some interim data that revealed that its vaccine is better in the US trials. 

The company said:

"The numbers published yesterday were based on a pre-specified interim analysis with a data cut-off of 17 February.


"We have reviewed the preliminary assessment of the primary analysis and the results were consistent with the interim analysis. We are now completing the validation of the statistical analysis.


"We will immediately engage with the independent data safety monitoring board (DSMB) to share our primary analysis with the most up to date efficacy data. We intend to issue results of the primary analysis within 48 hours."

Anthony Fauci and his comments on the vaccine 

The main expert on covid in the USA government, Dr Anthony Fauci said:

"This (is) likely a very good vaccine."

He added:

"But the data and safety monitoring board got concerned that the data in AstraZeneca's public statement "were somewhat outdated and might in fact be misleading a bit,"

Emer Cooke is head of the European Medicines Unit. He said:

"The trials point to greater efficacy than what we actually observed in the previous trials that we examined,"

"The company has promised to provide us with (data) and we will adjust our assessment if there is any new information that needs to be taken into account."

Read here on medical and ethical issues of immunity passports 

Ian Jones, Professor of virology at Reading said:

"The NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) statement is not clear on the actual data that is causing the disquiet."

"I think it is generally accepted that the early trial data, while positive, did suffer from a communication issue which failed to get across a single clear message.


"But any concerns that date from that time would have surely been surpassed by the data now available from actual usage, which shows an excellent safety profile and the prevention of severe disease.

Astrazeneca vaccine for coronavirus (Source: BBC) 


"That is, in effect, a much bigger trial and it is that data that should be up front for consideration by bodies who have yet to approve its use."

More expert opinions 

Stephen Evans said:

"One explanation might well be that this trial is currently being conducted when there is a large amount of a new variant about more recently, and, as might be expected, the efficacy against that variant might be less, so more recent data shows reduced efficacy. Of course the other vaccines may also show such reduced efficacy and we don’t know by how much.

"It does not leave me concerned particularly unless they had found a safety issue that was being hidden, which does not appear to be the case."

German Professor Peter Kremsner said:

"This is indeed an extraordinary act. The negative reports about this vaccine do not stop, although my assessment is that it is well tolerated and safe, but clearly less effective than the two mRNA vaccines."


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