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Ayushman Bharat: Over 0.7 mn Covid treatments authorised from Apr’20-Jul’21

“Under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, over 20 lakh tests and 7.25 lakh COVID-19 related treatments worth over Rs 2,800 crore were authorised from April 2020 to July 2021.The insurance scheme allows the beneficiaries to avail free testing and treatment across all empanelled — both public and private — hospitals,” an official said.

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Karnataka cabinet approves implementation of Mental Healthcare Act for covid

Under the act, a State Mental Health Authority will be set up. A committee under the chairmanship of the Director of the NIMHANS Institute will be constituted for the drafting of guidelines for the authority. The authority will also maintain a registry and publish a list of clinical psychologists, nurses, social workers and health workers in the field of mental health.

The state act is being implemented in tandem with the Central Mental Healthcare Act, 2017.

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World Bank launches new Cybersecurity Multi-Donor Trust Fund

“There is widespread agreement in the international community that significantly more cybersecurity capacity building is needed to help low- and middle-income countries become more resilient against attacks and take full advantage of the development opportunities of the digital economy,” said Felix Kroll of the Cyber Foreign Policy and Cyber Security Coordination Staff of the German Federal Foreign Office.

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Pandemic has IFC pumping $1.7 billion into local companies, up 51%

The impact of the pandemic coupled with the region’s vulnerability to climate change, has highlighted the need for a collaborative, resilient and climate friendly recovery that can withstand future shocks, said its new regional director for South Asia, Hector Gomez Ang.

While South Asia is one of the fastest growing regions in the world, estimates suggest that climate impacts could reduce its annual GDP by an average of 1.8 percent by 2050, rising to 8.8 percent by 2100 if the region failed to take adequate corrective measures. The region is also estimated to have an untapped climate investment potential of USD3.4 trillion by 2030, Ang said.

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No data shows need for booster vaccines presently: Dr Gagandeep Kang

According to Dr Kang, whether people will have more antibodies or be better protected with the booster dose is still not known.

“It sounds obvious that more antibodies (abs) are better but we really don’t know whether people who push up abs with additional doses will be better protected than with the level they initially made. Or that when abs wane, we need to boost to maintain above some level,” she said.

Further, she explained how people with a poor immune response should get a third dose,

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U.S. employers get religion with vaccine mandates ​​​​​​​

Google’s parent Alphabet Inc, Walmart Inc, and Tyson Foods Inc are among the growing list of employers requiring some or all staff to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

But with each mandate comes exceptions. Employers have to make reasonable accommodations for staff who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons or refuse vaccination because of “sincerely held religious beliefs,” according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

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