Before we sign off from 2020, take few minutes and let us know how the year was for you.
Your experiences of a truly unique year, deserves to be documented!
1. Do you think 2020 was a good year for you personally.
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2. How did the pandemic affect your personal relationships after March 2020?
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3. How did the pandemic affect your professional/student life?
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4. Did you face any financial difficulties due to the pandemic?
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5. Did the pandemic affect your mental wellbeing?
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6. Did the pandemic make you more of a pessimist or optimist?
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7. Given an option, will you choose to go through 2020 again - with all the social, personal and professional experiences as is, but without the threat of a pandemic?
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8. How do you look forward to 2021?
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9. What is the biggest learning from 2020 that you will take ahead? Comment below and let us know!
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A (long) thread on Bharat Biotech - ICMR's #Covaxin vaccine.
1. Type of vaccine: #Covaxin is a whole virion INACTIVATED vaccine.
In such vaccines, the whole #sarscov2 virus is inactivated to make it harmless and used to make the vaccine. Seed virus provided by NIV Pune.
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2. How is it different from #Covishield? Covishield is a VIRAL VECTOR vaccine. Here, the spike protein of #sarscov2 is sequenced. A weakened virus that causes common cold in chimpanzees called Adenovirus is used as the vector to carry the spike protein in the vaccine.
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3. Phase 1 trial: 375 persons in trial, done across 11 sites in 9 states.
Age profile: 18 to 55.
375 persons divided into 4 groups. 3 groups of 100 each received 3 different formulations of the vaccine and 1 control group of 75 received placebo.
Dosage: 2 doses, 14 days.
#sarscov2mutation What does it mean for us?
Mutation of viruses is part of it's evolutionary process. Once inside the host, viruses start replicating. Errors during this replication process results in changes to the genetic makeup of the virus - leading to mutations.
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Depending on where in the genome the changes happen, mutation can impact the survivability of the virus. #SARSCoV2 is an RNA virus (like dengue) and is prone to more mutations than a DNA virus (eg. smallpox).
📣 As of Sept. abt. 12k mutations of #SARSCoV2 were documented.
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What about the new strain reported in UK? Named "VUI-202012/01" (Variant Under Investigation in Dec 2020), it has a set of 23 mutations (out of close to 30k genetic letters). Most notable being the change in spike protein that is used by the virus to bind to our host cells.
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This set of polls is for those of you who are students (school, college, doctoral).
The pandemic has been disruptive for you, with adoption of virtual learning, uncertainty around exams etc. Let us know how your experience has been.
1. Are you still having virtual classes?
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2. How effective have the virtual classes been, with respect to learning and comprehending subjects?
2/9
3. How ENGAGING have the virtual classes been, compared to classroom teaching?
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#Oxford AstraZeneca #vaccine Phase 3 trial EARLY results: What it means for India?
➡️ Efficacy of 62% and 90% in different dosages (early non peer reviewed results).
➡️ Early results of ongoing trials on adults in UK, Brazil and South Africa.
➡️ Stores at 2 to 8 deg C.
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➡️ Serum Institute of India (SII), Pune - One of the manufacturing partners of vaccine, will make it available in India after approvals.
➡️ Phase 3 trials in progress in India.
➡️ SII already started manufacturing the vaccine, targeting 100 million doses by Jan 2021.
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➡️ Emergency use approval based on early trial results will be for limited use of vaccine for vulnerable population - criteria being drawn up by govt.
➡️ Use for general population after more detailed trial results come in.
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