Coronavirus updates for May 21
Here's a roundup of YourStory's coverage today of how India and the world are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
As the global COVID-19 case count crosses five million and the number of cases in India reaches 114,000, the country is gradually easing travel restrictions. After the airspace opening up to domestic travel in a calibrated manner, Indian Railways also announced that it will run 200 more trains from June 1. Around 1.5 lakh tickets were booked within two hours of opening the bookings for 100 passenger trains.
The Civil Aviation Ministry and DGCA came out with a set of guidelines for passengers, airlines, and airports to be followed after the resumption of services. Around 30-35 percent of the routes will be made operational, and airlines will have to adhere to the lower and upper limit of fares as prescribed by the government.
The number of COVID-19 fatalities across the world touched 331,000, according to Worldometer. The World Health Organisation warned that the pandemic was far from over, as 106,000 new cases were recorded worldwide in the last 24 hours — the biggest single-day spike. With 2.4 million Americans filing for unemployment insurance, close to 39 million people have reportedly lost their jobs in just nine weeks.
Here's a roundup of YourStory's coverage today of how India and the world are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
Amid the COVID-19 crisis, this angel network is seeing new startup investment opportunities
Lead Angels, India’s first privately owned angel network, is seeing investment opportunities in startups whose products and services cater to behavourial changes caused by the COVID-19 crisis, Founder and CEO Sushanto Mitra tells YourStory.
Can’t make cash without cash? Won't be able to make cash with cash: Suxus founder
In the first episode of SMBStory’s ‘Small Businesses, Big Opportunity: Lessons from MSME trenches’, Faizal Ahamed of Suxus menswear brand talks about post-lockdown strategy for the offline retail industry.
Meet the unicorn still hiring despite industry-wide layoffs and salary cuts
Delhi-based unicorn Hike is looking at hiring across roles, with a special focus on those facing job and salary cuts amidst the coronavirus crisis.
Expert speak: How to Transition to Virtual Selling to help your business survive COVID-19
To help businesses succeed in this new normal, YourStory hosted its first Ask Me Anything (AMA) on how to approach Virtual Selling with experts from LinkedIn, Freshworks, and HT Media.
Started by IIT-Delhi alumni Anoop G Prabhu and Kapil Bardeja in 2005, Vehant Technologies’ FebriEye for COVID-19 detects face masks, social distancing, and body temperature of individuals.
Coronavirus: Bengaluru-based company enables safety solutions for businesses
Bengaluru-based Pinkblue.in is digitising supply chains to ensure that hospitals and pharmacies are well stocked with medical supplies, and corporates and startups have access to COVID-19 safety solutions as employees return to work.
Coronavirus: Rapido resumes operations in over 35 cities with safety measures
Rapido's driver-partners have been trained to implement safety checks and asked to heed some guidelines before accepting rides to ensure the safety of customers.
6 platforms that are helping MSMEs during the coronavirus-led lockdown
These six companies are working to help SMEs and MSMEs evolve and stay afloat during these difficult times.
Bharat Biotech, US university tie up for COVID-19 vaccine
Vector used in new COVID-19 vaccine is a deactivated rabies vaccine known to produce a strong immune response; it has been proven safe for all populations, including children and pregnant women.
Swiggy launches home delivery of alcohol amid coronavirus
All orders will carry a unique OTP which needs to be provided by the customer at the time of delivery. There is also a capping on the order quantity to ensure a customer does not order alcohol above the prescribed limit as per the state law.
Coronavirus: A pandemic of anxiety and depression
The pandemic, and the collateral damage it has been causing, is one of the leading sources of stressors today. With no end currently in sight, people's mental health could take a serious blow, experts worry. Mental wellbeing today is as important as physical wellbeing, if not more.
Coronavirus: Access to menstrual hygiene impacted due to the lockdown, study reveals
A study released by Dasra in partnership with Change.org revealed that closure of educational institutions and community organisations has severely degraded the supply chain of menstrual hygiene products, especially in rural areas.
Coronavirus: This teenager cycled her ailing father for 1,200 km from Delhi to Bihar
Jyoti and her injured father set off on a bicycle from Delhi on May 10, and reached Darbhanga, Bihar, on the evening of May 16.
How girls in rural Jharkhand got menstrual care products amid lockdown
Social worker Bandana Dubey and NGO Nischay are trying to combat the lack of sanitary napkins in rural Jharkhand by distributing 1000s of napkins.
Almost 50 pc Indians are stockpiling essentials, shopping online during COVID-19: Mintel
Mintel’s Consumer Tracker also reports that two-thirds of Indian consumers are extremely worried about exposure to infection and are attempting to change their lifestyles.
7 Social Media Trends that Help Your Brands in COVID-19 Time
During the COVID 19 Pandemic, These top 7 social Media Trends help you to increase your brand awareness.
Celebrity singer-songwriter Jay Sean recently performed some of his finest hit songs on the Instagram page of Vh1 India. He also answered many questions posed by his fans.
How Digital Marketing is New Turn to Businesses in COVID-19
Due to global pandemic, the countries are on lockdown. So businesses are hit badly all of a sudden due to closure.
How closing of preschools due to COVID-19 crisis is affecting children’s socio-emotional skills
The COVID-19 pandemic has majorly affected the education system across the globe, including parents and teachers, where everyone is making their way to ensure best practices for their students and children.
ShareChat lays off 101 employees as COVID-19 hits business plans
ShareChat said the global pandemic, along with various local market uncertainties, has had an impact on its business plans.
Coronavirus: Apple, Google release technology for pandemic apps
The companies said 22 countries and several US states are already planning to build voluntary phone apps using their software. It relies on Bluetooth wireless technology to detect when someone who downloaded the app has spent time near another app user who later tests positive for the virus.
Coronavirus: Growth this fiscal depends on the intensity of the pandemic, says FinMin report
The report said that downside risks to India's growth emerge from the high possibility of global slowdown deepening, and supply chain disruptions getting exacerbated due to prolonged spread of COVID-19 and lockdowns across the world.
Coronavirus: Samsung India partners with Facebook to enable offline retailers to go digital
Samsung's latest initiative will enable thousands of the company's offline partners to become part of the online ecosystem and reach out to a larger base of consumers.
Uber expands 'Connect' service to five more cities in India
The service, which was piloted last week in Kolkata, Jaipur, Guwahati, and Gurugram, enables residents to send and receive items from each other within city limits, while maintaining social distancing amid COVID-19 outbreak.
SC says no action against firms for not paying wages during lockdown
The Union Home Ministry had passed a notification asking firms to pay full wages during coronavirus lockdown but some companies had challenged this directive.
Edited by Suman Singh
