NEW DELHI, Dec 5: Some scientists who studied the pattern of the rise and fall of COVID-19 have claimed that the type of Coronavirus found in India at present was different from the types prevalent in the country in June and July.
“In India we find only 20B type virus now. In June and July there were four different types of Corona virus detected in different states in the country,” the scientist emeritus at the National Centre for Cell Sciences (NCCS) Yogesh Shouche made the key observation on Covid-19 during a webinar.
He, however, could not say whether the 20B type was more dangerous than the four types found earlier or the reverse. “We have to yet understand how severe Covid-19 will be during the second wave. However, we are surer now, of the treatment modality,” he said.
Dr Shouche was talking on, “Changing nature and current status of Covid-19” during the curtain-raiser for the India International Science Festival (IISF 2020) organised by NCCS online.
“In June and July as per our studies, in Nashik, Pune and Satara districts there were four different types. However, now, we have seen only 20B. As we stepped into unlock there was only 20B found,” said Dr Shouche.
He further said that the second wave of Covid-19 has affected many countries and that infectious diseases have multiple waves. “The same is true with Covid-19,” he said. He further said the virus may affect differently now.
“There are changes in the virus. Also, the virus may behave differently in different types of weather for the second wave. We can see throughout the world that the cases are increasing. Italy, Germany and Russia have witnessed the second wave. The numbers have reduced now,” said Dr Shouche.
As part of the curtain-raiser of IISF organised by National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), chief guest AB Pandit, Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai vice-chancellor delivered an online talk on “Expected impact of the new National Education Policy (NEP) and National Innovation and Start-Up Policy (NISP) on Future Research.”
Initiating the talk, Pandit underlined the importance of the new education policy and asked the research institutes need to be ready for course correction or re-orientation of the research efforts which were being made.
“It is important to understand the necessity of the NEP and NISP and what it addresses. It is a general perception that we are producing a large number of degree holders with very little or no capability,” said Pandit.
Pandit also said in the last few decades the industrial automation had taken over, the kind of skill-sets which were required for the graduating students was not necessarily addressed in terms of the requirements of the industry.
“The automation has improved the quality of the products and the syllabus was never addressing the changing needs and skill-sets of the industry,” said Pandit. The impact of the new policy would be visible after about five years, he said.
(Manas Dasgupta)