Latest news with #post-Covid19
Irish Independent
14-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
The Irish Independent's View: Hard-pressed families need clarity on what cost-of-living measures lie ahead
It's viewed as a classic ambush question aimed at catching out politicians. Politicians who have stumbled on the question include former US president George HW Bush and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. Former UK prime minister Rishi Sunak was less than convincing on grocery prices when he was Britain's chancellor of the exchequer. The logic is that a politician is to legislate on ordinary people's lives, so the voters want down-to-earth leaders aware of their realities. Depending on what week the question is asked, the answer can now shift such is the growth in the price of shopping basket staples like milk, cheese and butter over the past year. And besides, most people are buying milk by the litre these days. The Central Statistics Office confirmed last week that the rate of food inflation since June of last year has been more than double that of the general rise in prices across the economy, running at 4.6pc compared to 1.8pc. Two litres of full-fat milk up by 27c in the year, a pound of butter is now up by €1.10, cheddar cheese is almost €1 dearer per kilogram and meat prices are up by more than a fifth. Food inflation is double the rate of general inflation, with many families being forced to stump up an additional €3,000 a year due to the rise in grocery prices. Any add-on payments won't be across the board The Government is arguing it is acutely aware of the cost-of-living pressures on families, but inflation is expected to be lower this year than in previous years. The Coalition is trying to wean the public off cost-of-living packages that have featured in recent budgets, due to the post-Covid 19 pandemic surge in inflation and energy. Given the economic clouds on the horizon, the Government doesn't want to see these packages being baked into public expectations. And the argument is that the energy price surge has now been becalmed. Coincidentally, there is no general election coming immediately after the Budget this year. Taoiseach Micheál Martin has spoken about targeted measures in Budget 2026. Reforms to child benefit are being examined to give a second tier top-up payment to less well-off families and tackle child poverty. Therefore, any add-on payments won't be across the board, albeit the existing level of child benefit will remain universal. But the Coalition has been at odds over what will happen with the €1,000 reduction in the student registration fee, which was also part of the cost-of-living package. Indications from Fianna Fáil minister James Lawless that the fee will revert to normal this year sparked a spinning row with Fine Gael. While nobody expects the Budget to be announced in July, the Summer Economic Statement does present the Government with an opportunity to clarify its intentions around helping those still struggling with the cost of living.
Hindustan Times
03-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
No link between Covid vaccine, deaths: Centre
The matter of sudden unexplained deaths in the country post-Covid 19 has been investigated through several agencies in the country that have conclusively established there is no direct link between Covid 19 vaccination and the reports of sudden deaths in the country, said Union ministry of health and family welfare in a statement on Wednesday. The ministry urged citizens to go only by the scientific evidence at hand. ICMR and NCDC have been working together to understand the causes behind sudden unexplained deaths, especially in young adults between the ages of 18 and 45 years. (REUTERS) 'Studies by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) affirm that COVID-19 vaccines in India are safe and effective, with extremely rare instances of serious side effects. Sudden cardiac deaths can result from a wide range of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, pre-existing conditions, and post-COVID complications,' read the health ministry statement. On Tuesday, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah alleged that the hastily approved and distributed Covid vaccines could also be a reason for sudden deaths. In a post on X, he wrote that more than 20 people had died of heart attacks in the past one month alone in the Hassan district of the state. ICMR and NCDC have been working together to understand the causes behind sudden unexplained deaths, especially in young adults between the ages of 18 and 45 years. To explore this, two complementary studies were undertaken using different research approaches—one based on past data and another involving real-time investigation. The first study, conducted by ICMR's National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), was titled 'Factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18-45 years in India – A multicentric matched case–control study.' This study was carried out from May to August 2023 across 47 tertiary care hospitals in 19 states and Union Territories. It looked at individuals who appeared to be healthy but died suddenly between October 2021 and March 2023. The findings have conclusively shown that COVID-19 vaccination does not increase the risk of unexplained sudden death in young adults, said the health ministry. The second study, titled 'Establishing the cause in sudden unexplained deaths in young,' is currently being conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi with funding and in collaboration with ICMR. This is a prospective study aimed at determining the common causes of sudden deaths in young adults. Early analysis of data from the study indicates that heart attacks, or myocardial infarction (MI), continue to be the leading cause of sudden death in this age group. Importantly, no major changes in the pattern of causes have been observed when compared with previous years. In the majority of the unexplained death cases, genetic mutations have been identified as a possible cause of these deaths. The final results will be shared once the study is complete, said the statement. 'Together, these two studies offer a more comprehensive understanding of sudden unexplained deaths in young adults in India. It has also been revealed that COVID-19 vaccination does not appear to increase the risk, whereas, the role of underlying health issues, genetic predisposition and risky lifestyle choices does play a role in unexplained sudden deaths.' Scientific experts have reiterated that statements linking Covid vaccination to sudden deaths are false and misleading, and are not supported by scientific consensus. Speculative claims without conclusive evidence risk undermining public confidence in vaccines, which have played a crucial role in saving millions of lives during the pandemic. 'Such unfounded reports and claims could strongly contribute to vaccine hesitancy in the country, thereby adversely impacting public health. The Government of India remains committed to evidence-based public health research to protect the well-being of its citizens,' read the statement.
The Star
30-06-2025
- Health
- The Star
Pioneering a greener healthcare centre
AS climate change becomes more apparent around the world—with melting icecaps, rising sea levels and severe, more frequent weather conditions—many industries have taken notice and are finding ways to reduce their carbon and GHG impact of their operations. Similarly, the post-Covid 19 pandemic demonstrated companies that embraced environment, social and governance (ESG) values tend to show more resilience, as mentioned in two separate reports on China (Gao, M., Geng, X.) and Nordic (Habeeb Yahya) companies. Straddled in a unique yet precarious situation is the healthcare industry, which National Heart Institute (IJN) chief executive officer Prof Datuk Seri Dr Mohamed Ezani Md Taib described the practices as 'a very complex environment.' He admitted in a recent interview that hospitals are traditionally one of the main culprits of carbon emitters due largely to the wide range of medical devices that they use. 'In the past, we used cloth masks so they were reusable. Due to worries of infection, there was a change to disposable masks and caps in the operating theatre.' He said this resulted in the increase in single-use medical devices that resulted in an increased number of waste products. 'Now with the concern for sustainability, environment and ESG, there's a relook at what we're doing now, if that is correct,' he added, referring to the use of plastic containers and bags for medication. 'To make that change will result in rising costs to repackage and redeliver these sustainably, and that is challenging. That's why it's not easy for the medical line to become fully ESG, but no doubt we are moving in that direction,' he explained. A greener approach Dr Mohamed Ezani: 'As a role model, we need to be responsible for our patients, and the environment as well'.— RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star . Dr Mohamed Ezani explained that IJN is recognised as a premier health centre globally, thanks to its cutting-edge technology and services. As such, it has become an example for healthcare centres within the country to aspire to become. 'As a role model, we need to be responsible for our patients, and the environment as well,' he said. However he pointed out that the challenge arises in how to implement sustainability procedures without compromising the patient care or healthcare standards, basically: 'How to prevent infection from happening while using sustainable approaches.' He does so by targeting sustainability 'low-hanging fruits', such as using more energy efficient LED lights and harvesting rainwater to water plants in the landscaped areas of the centre. 'We have also installed solar panels on half or more of our rooftops, which means using less from the main grid. Electricity consumed from solar generation is approximately 32,000kWh per day on average which contributes to about 2.2% of IJN's total electricity consumption per day.' A significant challenge he identified was changing employees' mindset of using excessive resources such as electricity and papers. With his efforts, IJN has almost gone paperless for its clinical and financial operations for the environment. 'We benchmarked our performance against the highest standard possible, which is the American standard.' Waste issues Dr Mohamed Ezani said that IJN has been segregating its waste into either clinical or general. 'Clinical waste carries a lot of carbon footprint because it is either to burn, which has a high carbon footprint, or bury it in landfills. For this, we will ensure that the amount of waste given to our waste vendors is minimised,' he said. Another aspect involves recycling, of which he said the hospital's food services are currently using recyclable materials. 'We're trying to cut down the usage of single-use plastics, in the wards. Now we don't use plastic spoons, instead we have recyclable items. Food containers are also recyclable as opposed to using plastic or polystyrene in the past. About 30% of the hospital's surgical cases are already almost green,' he said. He also explained that the hospital has policies that minimise or eliminate redundancies in its operations, in order to be as green as possible. Social awareness Dr Mohamed Ezani pointed out that IJN has been taking the CSR road before ESG became important. 'We realised that in Malaysia, there's a lot of issues about non-communicable diseases and for the last 10 years, we have visited more than 160 rural areas, such as the islands off the East Coast, to conduct healthcare screening for more than 160,000 participants for free. He explained that the hospital conducted such screenings to identify those at risk, then referring them to the nearest hospital when needed, or even bringing them back to IJN for treatment if necessary. 'We have been doing this as a service to return what we have gained back to the people. Our way of giving back to the community.' He also mentioned that patients can expect the best care possible and that the accessibility to this standard is important. 'When you talk about being sustainable, it also means that any Malaysian should have access to IJN. Our target is that 75% of new patients should receive their first appointment within two weeks. We will also ensure IJN is free of risk of infections—these are the things that we monitor.' Matter of governance IJN has been diligent in ensuring it is accredited in its standing, from ISO 55001:2014 Asset Management System to MS ISO/IEC 27001:2013 in Information Security Management System and more. 'Way before anybody had been talking about this, we've been looking at topics like anti-bribery, net zero carbon charges, cybersecurity and of course digitalisation. We've been careful to ensure that SDG Goal 5 in upholding transparency is observed all the way up to the board of directors. 'We have to report to our audit risk and compliance committee to make sure these are performed.' In light that World Ocean Day is in July, he shared that IJN will embark on more rural community work, which will include cleaning out the beaches from plastics and other marine litter.
Hindustan Times
26-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
TN-run co-working spaces a hit as bookings extend till June-end
At the government-run co-working space in Chennai, a two-month old tourism company started by a 22-year-old college graduate shares space with a 52-year-old former head of automation in Tech Mahindra who took his shot at being an entrepreneur in I-T after his retirement. Sitting across him is a financial analyst at Oracle who used to work from bed in the hybrid era and finds himself more productive here. They are among more than 32,000 professionals who have used the government's first co-working space since its launch on November 4, 2024 for over six months until May 18. Amid the growing trend of co-working spaces, the evolution of office spaces in a post-Covid 19 scenario, and people getting tired of working from home, the state government wanted to support entrepreneurs and youngsters who cannot afford a private working space. So the desk rentals are easy on the pocket and yet come with facilities and aesthetics that are on par with private co-working spaces. 60 mbps internet, air conditioning, conference rooms, comfortable chairs, housekeeping, security, cafeteria. With 38 individual desks and three conference rooms, the pilot project named Muthalvar Padaipagam (Muthalvar meaning Chief Minister; Padaipagam meaning a creative space), was launched in Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin's constituency- Kolathur- which was carved out in 2011 in Chennai's northern region which is dotted with industries and not particularly known for culture of start-ups or corporates. It is occupied not just by residents of Kolathur but professionals also commute from other neighbourhoods such as upscale Anna Nagar, 7 km away. The demand for affordable co-working is indicated by its full occupancy and bookings made until the end of June. 'It costs me ₹25,000 monthly to rent desk spaces for four to eight of my team members and book conference rooms for our meetings with clients. If I had to rent a private space, it would cost ₹7000 with GST for one seat. My overheads would have been in lakhs' says the college graduate, 22, A Udayaprakash. The government charges ₹50 for half a day (6 hours) and ₹100 for a full day (12 hours) while the monthly pass is ₹2,500 monthly. In comparison, the base rate at a private co-working space in Chennai starts from ₹350 a day and hot desks range anywhere between ₹5,000 and ₹12,000 monthly. Udayaprakash on Monday was on a table with three of his team members. He began organising group tours when he was a student in Chennai's Crescent College which has now grown into a small company, Cheroot Holidays with a branch in Madurai district and in Chennai's Vadapalani that handles domestic tourism for education institutions. In April, he expanded his portfolio to international tours, hiring eight team members and they began work from the Kolathur co-working space. The three storey white building is tucked inside a narrow street surrounded by low income houses, a free public toilet. The co-working space is on the ground floor while a 'learning centre' is on the first floor with the same facilities and furnishings for students preparing for competitive exams. The books on this floor, mostly on competitive exams, have been picked by Tamil Nadu's bureaucrats, said Helen Anita who monitors the project for the government. The users leave their footwear and bags in an open locker in the building and carry only their laptops and other devices inside the carpeted coworking floor. At the reception, the staff use a software developed for the scheme to verify the professionals' online booking made in the Chennai corporation website using a code or mobile number. There is a lounge space here with couches, a miniature wooden chess board, tic tac toe and a yellow book, 'the visual MBA' by Jason Barron on the centre table and a newspaper rack. Beyond this space, at least 15 desks were occupied on a late Monday evening. The only draw back is that they have to step outside to take calls or speak softly in the lounge since it's a silent work space. 'And each of us handle 150 calls per day,' S Priya, a team member of Udayaprakash's company. It's even busier at the learning centre where a student pays only ₹5 for a day. The demand is so high that Dr G K Balasubramaniam who has been preparing here for his NEET-PG exams says he had to book a desk for May 19 two months ago. 'You can even get IPL tickets easily but getting a desk here has become a craze,' the 25-year-old doctor says. Here too, it's a mix of students from various sectors and age groups. He is flanked by Vivanthan Shakti, 23 preparing for Indian government's Staff Selection Commission exams and Rahul, 33 studying for the railway recruitment board. Dr Balasubramaniam found out about the space in December 2024 from Stalin's Instagram account after spending ₹2,500 a month for a year at another learning centre, Achiever's Reading Room, in Chennai's Egmore. 'Now, I spend ₹750 a month,' he said. 'It's even more beneficial for poor students who mostly come after 6pm after finishing their day job. One of them is a truck driver preparing for civil services.' The professionals and students mix at the cafeteria–an open space– on the second floor. 'Even in swanky corporate offices in Chennai, you don't have an open space to relax in fresh air,' says the 52-year-old entrepreneur and CEO of Madvero Techservices, R J Madhan. Dressed in formals, the bespectacled Madhan brings the old school work culture to the co-working space. After being in I-T for 30 years, his last stint being in Tech Mahindra, Madhan started his own company in 2022 to develop software applications using generative artificial intelligence (AI). 'I've been here from day one when the co-working space was launched,' says Madan. He's convinced three of his 20 member team to join him here. It's also a key change from when he used to commute for 4 hours back and forth to the city's IT corridor in OMR, 40 km away from Kolathur. Leaving his home in Kolathur, Madan in a Bajaj motorbike, is at his desk in less than 10 minutes at 9 am when the co-working space opens. He starts his work by clearing emails, leads a team meeting at 10 am and leaves only when the space closes at 9 at night. 'I'm here all throughout the week. Sundays too,' he says. He has remained in the corner seat for the last six months. Two rows away from Madan is 30-year-old S Subramani, a financial analyst with Oracle who has to work from the office only 4 days in a month. He and four of his colleagues used to pool money and work out of private co-working space Workafella on most other days. 'In March, I booked this space for a day to check it out and I was surprised that a government facility is as premium as a private space,' Subramani says. 'From the chairs to the rugs, everything is maintained so well.' Though he has a study table and chair in his bedroom, he found himself working from bed and wanted to be in a co-working space to feel motivated. 'I'm definitely more productive here. At home, it's hard to manage time. I used to work beyond midnight. But, here, I have to finish my work at 9pm because the space closes then.' Given the success of the scheme, the government plans to open more co-working spaces first across Chennai and then scale it across Tamil Nadu. 'Our target is to provide such low cost spaces for start-ups, women entrepreneurs, and students,' says Anita. To ensure their target finds space, Anita says they discourage large corporations from occupying the desks and rooms and for a long period of time. Before launching the project, Anitha along with officials of the Greater Chennai Corporation (who is maintaining the project) and the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA- who funded and constructed the project) visited a popular chain of private co-working space in upscale Nungambakkam to gather a sense of what they wanted to offer at an affordable price. 'Several tables here were booked by multinational companies and banks,' she says. 'We just have to say no to such large-scale bookings. We are not looking to make income here but this project is the chief minister's idea to support students and professionals who cannot afford private spaces.'
