Hi Colleagues,
This interesting graph from the Economist is very reassuring for now.I think we have had enough of this pandemic and it is time we look forward to a new season with hope.Some of you have had the the two doses of the vaccine and should be ready for the dawn of a new era as we welcome and share our traditional new year greetings.With best wishes for the New year and continuing good health in the years to come. Eddie.
News, Views and More from Batch'64, Faculty of Medicine, Colombo, SriLanka 
Thank you Eddie, for sharing the most welcoming note
We are fed up with Covid, glorified prisoners, none else
For septuagenarian Fifteen months a large chunk of years
For vaccines we had to do a proper job we say prayers
Ariya
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Dear all
Ranjit and I wish all of our batch mates celebrating the New Year , a very peaceful and happy New Year.
Praxy
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Thanks Eddie for sharing. In Sri Lanka though the new detections are considerably less , after the National New Year it is expected to rise with a third wave in May. Only Colombo has been vaccinated in addition to front line workers, Police and Military and that too only the first dose of the Astra Zeneca vaccine. They have started the second dose for the frontline workers but we are unable to get anymore doses from India
I am told that the first dose affords 60% immunity!
Come what may, wish all batch mates and their families a contented and healthy National New Year and in the years to come. Subha Nava Vasarak Veva! Puthandu vaithikal.
Narme
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Thanks Ariya and Narme for your comments.It has been a topsy turvy situation in India recently.I think that the problem is related to Covid fatigue which has set in after 16 months of uncertqinty in many countries the world over.Religious practices ,where many congregate and holiday fun in the west also does not help, but what can the poor do in such a calamity when no one cares for them as regards vaccination, where Covax is the only hope and in it’s absence, they can only resort to their faith.This brings many of them together.The scenes by the Ganges is frightening during a deadly pandemic.!,We now have further alerts with AZ and JJ vaccines too.Although the incidence of TTP is of the order of one per million vaccinated cases,it has turned out to be deadly in many young women.No medicine and for that purpose any vaccine is entirely safe but these unusual thrombotic episodes are very frightening and deadly.!! Eary management of these side effects is the only hope.It is becoming quite clear that young women should not have these two vaccines as we await clear guidelines for early management of these deadly complications.As for now, early detection with PF4 antibodies and active management with Immunoglobulin infusions and non heparin substitutes for management of thrombosis is the only hope.This pandemic has opened our eyes to the complicated issues relating to Viral pandemics ,the evolving nature of new mutants and the issues related to m RNA vaccines using viral vectors.( AZ and JJ ).I suspect that this virus is going to be with us for the long haul and very much like the influenza vaccination,the world will need annual vaccination against the circulating mutants.Not a very happy prospect for the entire planet.The 1918 pandemic killed about 50 million the world over, thankfully the global death rate now is around the 6 million mark.!!
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