G20 Virtual Summit
Context :
The video conference summit was held on 26 March 2020. The G20 nations agreed to collectively inject $5 trillion into the world economy. The move by the countries is to counteract the social, economic and financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
G20 Summit Highlights :
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi represented India in a video-conference of G20 economies.
- PM Modi stressed on a new concept of “globalization that focusses on humanity and collective welfare” rather than individual interest.
- The leaders of the G20 countries has agreed to make collaborative effort to develop therapeutic solutions including vaccines, make diagnostics more effective and make testing kits and other equipment more freely available.
- The leaders agreed to ensure the flow of medical supplies and critical agricultural products across borders and work together to facilitate international trade.
- The countries reaffirmed their commitments to WHO’s mandate to fight the pandemic. The members countries agreed to provide resources to poorer countries and come up with a Covid Solidarity Response Fund.
- The leaders urged to boost funding for a vaccine for coronavirus.
- So far, the coronavirus has infected close to 5,00,000 people across countries and claimed more than 22,000 lives.
G20 Summit :
G20 was founded in 1999. It is a group of 20 countries. The members of the group include Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the UK, the US, and EU. The aim of the group is to promote international financial stability. The 2019 summit was held in the Osaka summit.
Disaster Management Act
Context :
Govt. of India imposed a complete lockdown across the country for 21 days by invoking the Disaster Management Act, 2005 as well as Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897.
The Disaster Management Act 2005 :
The stated object and purpose of the Disaster Management Act is to manage disasters, including preparation of mitigation strategies, capacity-building and more. In the popular imagination, a disaster is usually associated with a natural calamity such as a cyclone or an earthquake. Even the definition of a “disaster” in Section 2 (d) of the Disaster Management Act states that a disaster means a “catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave occurrence in any area, arising from natural or man made causes…”. To address the current epidemic outbreak, the Central government has included the Covid-19 (pandemic) outbreak as “Notified Disaster” as a “critical medical condition or pandemic situation” .
Related : Coronavirus, a pandemic
The Epidemic Diseases Act
Under this law, the Central government as well as state government, have the power to take special measures and prescribe regulations to prevent the spread of a “dangerous epidemic disease”.
An example of this would be the order on March 16 under the Delhi Epidemics Diseases, Covid-19( pandemic ) Regulations, 2020, whereby the Delhi government has restricted gatherings with groups of more than 50 persons till March 31.
What is a lockdown :
A lockdown is an emergency protocol that prevents people from leaving a given area. A full lockdown will mean you must stay where you are and not exit or enter a building or the given area.
This scenario usually allows for essential supplies. All non-essential activities remain shut for the entire period.
In India, the restrictions on movement and services have been enforced by state government, after advisories from the Centre. These restrictions derive their legal basis from the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.
What does the coronavirus ( pandemic )lockdown mean for Indian citizens :
We are making efforts that there is no difficulty in daily life. We are taking all steps to ensure continuous essential supplies, Modi has said.
— Under the coronavirus lockdown, essential supplies and grocery stores, pharmacies and banks will be open for public. All non-essential activities remain shut for the entire period.
— Essential activities include: Buying groceries and medical supplies. Visit to the doctor in case of medical emergencies will be permitted.
— Private and government offices will be shut
— Religious institutions, schools, colleges will not be allowed to function.
— Hospitals will be open
Tsunami warnings near Russia’s Kuril islands
Context :
A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck in the northern Pacific and a tsunami warning was issued for the closest shores on Russia’s far eastern Kuril Islands.
The earthquakes of this strength in the region have caused tsunamis in the past far from the epicenter of the earthquake.The epicenter is the point on the Earth’s surface directly above a hypocenter or focus.(The hypocenter is where an earthquake or an underground explosion originates.)
Geographic Location of Kuril Islands :
- Kuril Islands are stretched from the Japanese island of Hokkaido to the southern tip of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula separating Okhotsk Sea from the North Pacific ocean.
- It consists of 56 islands and minor rocks.
- The chain is part of the belt of geologic instability circling the Pacific and contains at least 100 volcanoes, of which 35 are still active, and many hot springs.
- Earthquakes and tidal waves are common phenomena over these islands.
Hydroxychloroquine now a schedule H1 drug
Context :
Hydroxychloroquine is now a schedule H1 drug, and can be sold on prescription only.
Why need to be scheduled :
“The Central Government is satisfied that the drug ‘Hydroxychloroquine’ is essential to meet the requirements of emergency arising due to pandemic COVID-19 and in the public interest, it is necessary and expedient to regulate and restrict the sale and distribution of the drug ‘Hydroxychloroquine’ and preparation based thereon for preventing their misuse,” reads the notification.
What is hydroxychloroquine :
Hydroxychloroquine is a prescription drug. It comes as an oral tablet. Hydroxychloroquine, used for the prevention and treatment of certain types of malaria. Specifically it is used for chloroquine-sensitive malaria. Other uses include treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and porphyria cutanea tarda
Hydroxychloroquine may be used as part of a combination therapy. That means you may need to take it with other drugs.
How it works :
Hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial drug. It treats malaria by killing the parasites that cause the disease.
It isn’t fully understood how this drug works to treat lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis. However, it’s believed that this drug affects how your immune system works, which may be a benefit in lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.
Relief package under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY)
Context :
The Centre announced a Rs. 1.7 lakh crore relief package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and countrywide lockdown, providing free food and cash transfers to support the poorest and most vulnerable citizens during the crisis.
Highlights :
The move aims to provide the poor with food and money in hands so that they do not face difficulties in buying essential supplies and meeting essential needs.
The components of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package include :
1. Insurance scheme for health workers who fight COVID-19 in Health Care Centres and Government Hospitals
Under the scheme, doctors, specialists, nurses, ASHA workers, paramedics, technicians, Safai karamcharis, ward-boys, and other health workers will be covered. Any health profession meet with some accident while treating COVID-19 patients, will be compensated with an amount of Rs.50 lakh under the scheme. The scheme is expected to benefit approximately 22 lakh health workers.
2. PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana:
As per the announcement made by the Finance Ministry, the scheme will cover 80 crore individuals across India. Under the scheme, the government aims to provide foodgrains to the people of India for the next 3 months. The beneficiaries of the scheme will be given adequate availability of protein. The people will be given 1 kg per family for the next three months.
3. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana:
Under the scheme, the first installment of Rs.2,000 due in 2020-21 will be paid in April 2020. It will cover 8.7 crore farmers across India.
4. Cash transfers Under PM Garib Kalyan Yojana:
A total of Rs.20.40 crores PMJDY women account-holders would be given an ex-gratia of Rs.500 per month for the next three months.
5. Self-Help groups:
The limit of the collateral-free lending of the 63 lakh Self Help Groups (SHGs) has increased from Rs.10 to Rs 20 lakhs.
6. Employees’ Provident Fund Regulations (EPFR) will allow the non-refundable advance of 75% of the amount or three months of the wages, whichever is lower, from their accounts due to the pandemic.
7. The Ministry has created a Welfare Fund for Building and Other Constructions Workers. Under the Central Government Act, the State Governments will be given directions to utilize the fund to provide assistance and support to these workers to protect them against economic disruptions.