TH-Delhi_30_Apr_2022.pdf

🔰The Hindu Vocabulary For All Competitive Exams | 30-04-2022


1.BANDY (ADJECTIVE): (झुका हुआ): bowed
Synonyms: curved, bent
Antonyms: straight
Example Sentence:
She had legs that were bent and slightly bandy.

2.SPLENDOUR (NOUN): (वैभव): magnificence
Synonyms: grandeur, opulence
Antonyms: modesty
Example Sentence:
The barren splendour of the Lake District looked stunning.

3.INDICT (VERB): (अभियोग लगाना): charge with
Synonyms: summon, cite
Antonyms: acquit
Example Sentence:
His former manager was indicted for fraud.

4.INSURGENT (NOUN): (विद्रोही): rebel
Synonyms: revolutionary, mutineer
Antonyms: loyalist
Example Sentence:
He signaled to the other insurgent, who obeyed and moved forward.

5.CONFER (VERB): (प्रदान करना): bestow on
Synonyms: present with/to, grant to
Antonyms: withhold
Example Sentence:
The Minister may have exceeded the powers conferred on him by Parliament.

6.CONSENSUS (NOUN): (आम सहमति): agreement
Synonyms: harmony concord
Antonyms: disagreement
Example Sentence:
There is a growing consensus that the current regime has failed.

7.BLIGHT (NOUN): (यातना): affliction
Synonyms: scourge, bane
Antonyms: blessing
Example Sentence:
The vacant properties are a blight on the neighbourhood.

8.DEFY (VERB): (अवज्ञा करना): disobey
Synonyms: go against, flout
Antonyms: obey
Example Sentence:
She is a woman who defies convention.

9.COLLISION (NOUN): (टकराव): clash
Synonyms: conflict, opposition
Antonyms: coalescence
Example Sentence:
When she married an NRI, collision of two diverse cultures took place.

10.DIRE (ADJECTIVE): (अत्यंत गंभीर): terrible
Synonyms: dreadful, appalling
Antonyms: excited
Example Sentence:
Misuse of drugs have dire consequences.

💢💢The Hindu Editorial with Vocab - 29th APRIL

In haste: On vaccinating children against COVID-19

The emergency use authorisation (EUA) granted on April 26 to two COVID-19 vaccines — Corbevax for children 5-11 years, and Covaxin for children 6-11 years — is one more instance where the Indian drug regulator has acted in haste. Even if the EUA granted to Covaxin in January 2021 despite no safety and efficacy data of the phase-3 trial is condoned as a desperate measure in ensuring greater vaccine availability, the regulator clearly has no fig leaf to defend the greenlighting of the vaccines for children at this stage. Evidence from across the world after the deadly Delta variant and the extremely transmissive Omicron variant has shown that unlike adults, children in general, and little children in particular, do not suffer from severe disease. The ICMR’s fourth seroprevalence survey (June-July 2021) soon after the second wave peaked nationally found that 57.2% of children (6-9 years) and 61.6% of children (10-17 years) were infected by SARS-CoV-2 virus; seroprevalence among adults was 66.7%. Since vaccination of adolescents began only in early January 2022, the antibodies detected in children in mid-2021 were only from infection by the virus. The extremely infectious Omicron variant would have infected an even larger percentage of children. Yet, the number of severe cases and deaths in children 5-11 years has been very low. True, with schools reopening, children could be at greater risk of contracting infection. But with natural infection found to offer protection across age groups, India could have waited for validation of the available evidence on the vaccines for children.

Unlike in January 2021 when approving vaccines for adults as soon as possible was the highest priority, and hence the EUA based on fewer cases and short follow-ups was seen as a necessity, the situation is not the same now, especially in the case of children as young as five. Hence, the regulator’s urgency to greenlight vaccines for children under the EUA route is highly questionable. Clinical trial data of Corbevax for children 5-12 years were posted as a preprint, which is yet to be peer-reviewed, on the day approval was granted; trial data of Covaxin for children 2-18 years were posted as a preprint in December 2021. The Health Ministry had already set a precedent last month by clearing Corbevax for children 12-14 years without first seeking the approval of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), which clears vaccines for the national immunisation programme. With NTAGI clearly against approving vaccines for children, there is every likelihood of the expert body being ignored again. Also, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message on April 27, a day after the EUA, that every eligible child should be vaccinated at the earliest might prompt the Health Ministry to sidestep the NTAGI once more, thus departing even more from evidence-based policy making.


CREDIT SOURCE - THE HINDU
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1. Fig Leaf (N)- a thing intended to conceal a difficulty or embarrassment.

2. Seroprevalence (N)- the level of a pathogen in a population, as measured in blood serum.

3. Contracting (Adj)- decrease in size, number, or range.

4. Follow-Ups (N)- a further examination or observation of a patient in order to monitor the success of earlier treatment. जांच करना

5. Peer-Review (N)- a process by which something proposed (as for research or publication) is evaluated by a group of experts in the appropriate field.

6. Precedent (N)- preceding in time, order, or importance.

30-04-2022_-_Hand_Written_Notes.pdf

TH-01-05-2022.pdf

TH-Delhi_02_May_2022.pdf

TH-Delhi_03_May_2022.pdf

💢💢The Hindu Editorial with Vocab - 2nd MAY

Mercury rising: On intense heat in several parts of the country

India has been in the grip of what seems like an eternity of heatwaves. April temperatures over north-west and central India are the highest in 122 years. During April 1 to 28, the average monthly maximum temperature over northwest India was 35.9° Celsius and the same over central India was 37.78° C. These averages belie measurements at the district and sub-divisional level where several parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, and Maharashtra have seen temperatures inch towards the mid-40s and breach normals. There is little respite expected in May, which is anyway the hottest month, though the India Meteorological Department (IMD) says that while north and west India will continue to sizzle on expected lines, and must likely brace for more heatwaves, the rest of the country is unlikely to see the levels of March and April. A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is over 40° C and at least 4.5 notches above normal. A severe heatwave is declared if the departure from normal temperature is more than 6.4° C, according to the IMD. The proximate causes for the searing heat are an absence of rain-bearing Western Disturbances, or tropical storms that bring rain from the Mediterranean over north India. Cool temperatures in the central Pacific, or a La Niña, that normally aid rain in India, too have failed to bolster rainfall this year. This is an unusual occurrence.

Despite five Western Disturbances forming in April, none was strong enough to bring significant rain and depress temperatures. The IMD has forecast a ‘normal’ monsoon or 99% of the Long Period Average (LPA) of 87 cm and is expected to forecast the monsoon’s arrival over Kerala later in May. On the surface, there is no direct bearing between the intensity of heatwaves and the arrival and performance of the monsoon. In fact, even as northern India baked for want of rain, April saw monthly rainfall break a four-year record with high rainfall in several parts of southern and north-eastern India. May too is expected to see 9% more rain over India than is usual for the month, though it must be kept in mind that base rainfall is so low in this month that it is unlikely to make a mark. While individual weather events cannot be linked to greenhouse gas levels, a warming globe means increased instances of extreme rain events and extended rain-less spells. What is better known is it helps to have disaster management plans in place that help States better deal with heatwaves and their impact on health. The official toll due to heatwaves in the last 50 years is put at over 17,000 people, according to research from the IMD. The heat island effect means urbanisation adds degrees to the already searing conditions; and so, heatwave deaths must be treated as a disaster that merits compensation. Private and public workplaces too must be better equipped to factor heatwave risk.


CREDIT SOURCE - THE HINDU
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1. Eternity (N)- a seemingly endless period of time.

2. Belie (Adj)- fail to fulfil or justify (a claim or expectation).

3. Sizzle (N)- a state or quality of great excitement or passion.

4. Proximate (Adj)- (especially of the cause of something) closest in relationship; immediate. निकटस्थ

5. Bolster (V)- support or strengthen.

6. Toll (N)- the number of deaths or casualties arising from a natural disaster, conflict, accident, etc.

7. Equip (V)- supply with the necessary items for a particular purpose.