COVID-19

INSIGHTS, IMPACTS, AND OPPORTUNITIES

A STUDENT DRIVEN PROJECT AT KRMU

Dear Students,

It is quite heartening to connect with all of you through online classes. We believe that
you are enjoying your respective classes. We hope that you all are following the advisory
issued by the Govt. of India regarding COVID-19. We wish you and your families a very
safe stay at home. We stand strongly with all of you in the wake of this unexpected time
of social distancing.

You will be glad to know that we are in the process of starting theme based, cross-
disciplinary projects related to Covid-19 for all our students. The project ‘COVID-
19:Insights, Impacts and Opportunities’ shall, inter alia, focus on the business, media,
pharmaceutical, legal, political, economic, regional, global, family and individual impact
of the corona outbreak. There is no doubt whatsoever that the current pandemic has put
an immediate STOP to the growth of world economies and shall result in a new
alignment of the world order. Where do we go from here? As you explore the various
facets of the project, you will be guided by your faculty members who will ensure that it
results in an immensely satisfying, meaningful and enriching experience for each one of
you.

You will be required to register at the university portal (Unisoft) on first-cum-first comes
basis and choose the project (very much like the Open Electives and Value Added
Courses).

The following are the broad themes from which you may choose:

1. Portrayal of Covid-19 as an epidemic/disaster

Disaster management or emergency management is a discipline managing and minimizing the

impact of risks by providing immediate support to the affected society. During any disaster, it is
the fundamental duty of the administration to provide immediate relief in the form of
emergency shelters, emergency water supply and sanitation provisions along with medical
facilities.
It is also important to map the problems and solutions of the epidemic. Technology can provide
innovative solutions to mitigate the effects of the pandemic as well as prepare for the future.

Use of drones, ML, AI can go a long way in addressing the challenges of a pandemic like
COVID-19.

i. Disaster Management plan for Homeless

This proposal aims at providing solutions for the shelter to homeless people and to the labor
classes who are stuck due to lock down.

ii. Mass Gathering Alert

The main goal of this project is to develop a pre-warning system to avoid mass gathering in
places where the large gathering of people take place during pandemic situation. The system will
warn individuals as well as the concerned authorities about the gathering of a large number
ofpersons in a specific region.

iii. Drone Sanitization

The main goal is to develop a drone system to avoid human exposure to affected area which can
lead to some serious health issues. The affected area will be identified and then a drone will be
sent to that area for artificial rain of sanitizer without involving physical presence of human
being in the affected area.

iv. Relating COVID 19 with Temperature analysis using Machine Learning

In this analysis, we will be applying machine learning algorithms to find out the co-relation
between deaths due to COVID19 and temperature of a respective region. How COVID 19 is
related to Temperature Country wise? Initially, we will be analyzing the data available and then
machine learning will be used to get the prediction pattern of those countries and applying them
to the Countries that are not yet affected or less affected.

2. Nature of Epidemic - Past vs Present

 How the corona virus is spreading around the world, origin and emergence of corona
virus and the nature of spread.
 Comparison of COVID-19 with other diseases?
  Current estimates of COVID-19’s case fatality rate and the proportion of infected people
who eventually die.
 Comparison, symptoms and treatment strategies of corona and other outbreaks such as of
SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome)
and Ebola.
 How have travel restrictions affected carbon emissions and air quality its statistical
analysis?
 How is India working out on epidemic model of COVID-19?
 How crowded Asian cities tackled an epidemic of COVID-19?
 How the corona outbreak going to end globally?
 What are the present challenges for controlling the epidemic of corona and how they are
different from the past?
 Epidemiology of disease and preventive measures for COVID-19 infection.

3. Conversion of Community Spaces into Quarantine Zones

For the first time in history, we have been almost globally hit by an epidemic. All countries, big
and small in terms of both area and population are addressing this with either precaution for its
spread or with quarantine and medical attention for its treatment. 
Both these functions need a redefinition of spaces around us. 

 The spaces within our houses, places of work, outdoor and indoor public areas need to be
arranged in a way that we stay connected on a social/emotional level and yet physically
maintain a safe distance.
 Conversion of community spaces during pandemic into spaces for quarantine and
other require medical functions.

4. Life Cycle of Covid-19 – Stages and Treatment

An epidemic of cases with unexplained low respiratory infections was identified in Wuhan, the
largest metropolitan area in China's Hubei province, stated to the WHO on December 31, 2019.
This infection was very contagious and spread throughout the world soon. On February 11, 2020,
the WHO Director-General, Dr.TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus, announced that the disease caused
by this new CoV was a "COVID-19," which is the acronym of "coronavirus disease 2019".
  Students will collect, assimilate and explore the biological and clinical characteristics
of novel coronavirus and its similarities with other viruses especially SARS.

 Study relating to environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and UV

radiation which affects COVID 19 survival will be done.

 The stages involved in unprecedented speed of transmission and progression will be

recorded.

 Management and treatment strategies to deal with this continuous threat will be
deliberated upon.

 Details about clinical and subclinical complications associated with corona.

 Is there any preventive effect of influenza or pneumococcal vaccination against

COVID 19 infection?

 Current and future challenges in treatment of COVID 19 will be explored.

5. Health, Hygiene and Immunity Boosters during COVID- 19

With the recent corona virus (COVID-19) outbreak, many people are concerned about staying
healthy and maintaining a healthy immune system.

 How is it transmitted from person to person?

 Is COVID 19 transmitted from animals to human?

 What is role of COVID 19 transmission and ACE 2?

 What is the role of washing hands often for at least 20 seconds?

 Why should we avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth?

 Why are only alcoholic based hand sanitizers effective against COVID 19?

 Why should we clean and disinfect frequently used objects such as mobile phones, keys,
wallets and work passes, bench tops, desks and doorknobs?
  Maintaining public distance for about 1 to 3m, why specifically 1 to 3m? Is it has any
relation with the size and transmission of COVID

 Clinically the immune responses induced by COVID 19 are 2 phases (during incubation
period and non-severe stages).

 What is the role of specific adaptive immunity against COVID?

 Are immune boasters helpful in providing protection against COVID 19?

 What are various pathogen immune evasion strategies?

 To study pathogenesis behind host-pathogen interaction.

Herbal drugs Mechanism to boast immunity

Leafy greens, carrots, berries, broccoli, Antioxidants (reduces the generation of free
oranges, kiwi, green tea, lemon, giloy, radicals).
papaya leaves, and tomato. What are the roles of antioxidants against COVID?

Vitamin C (citrus fruits, grapefruits, Vitamin C accumulates in phagocytic cells, such

tangerines, strawberries, bell peppers,
spinach)
Garlic, ginger, liquorice, ginseng, black
cumin, ajwan, tulsi leaves.
as neutrophils, and can enhance chemotaxis,
phagocytosis.
How does Vitamin C prepare our body to fight
against COVID?
It boasts the number of virus fighting T-cells in
bloodstream.
Is it effective against COVID?

6. Covid-19 - Biological Weapon vs Legal Weapon

During the outbreak of COVID-19, each one of us is, morally as well as legally, bound to maintain a
social distance. All the rights- legal, financial, social of the individuals are affected at present because
somewhere we have failed in fulfilling our moral as well as legal obligations. Every organization, at this
time, is putting its best effort in dealing with the situation in its own way. Be it our government
organizations or the private sector, the media or health department or the executive, everyone is trying its
best to fight with this pandemic. Even the criminals are supporting the battle against and the crime rate
has come down.
News like criminals released on parole, Indians stuck abroad being brought back to their homeland, etc.
force us to think about the threat which we have because of these orders. It makes us think - are we
“legally proficient” to deal with the situation where a balance has to be made between the rights of few
groups of the society with the remaining ones? Do we need more laws, at National and/or International
levels to prevent any Nation from using a biological weapon like COVID-19, in future?

These provisions, forming a legal weapon against the biological weapon like COVID-19, can be used for
the people, by the people and against the people.

7. COVID-19 and Global Economic Recession

Project will provide insight on the future of business as we have never foreseen such situation
that would have a sudden and severe impact on business and society as whole. Research in this
area will try to uncover the various aspects of business while studying the impact of COVID-19
worldwide to comprehend and analyze this uncertain situation and lead through it.

As a student you may study:

 Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on Indian Economy in terms of vital parameters such as

GDP, Forex, Employment, BOP, Inflation etc.
 Impact of Covid-19 on Indian Stock Market and comparative analysis with the other
countries.
 Measuring Covid19’s impact on the world’s supply chains.
 Comparative analysis of Economic Relief measures taken by the Indian Government and
other countries.
 A critical study of leadership styles in handling corona crisis.
 Pilot e-shopping project focusing handicrafts & textiles.
 E-Marketing platform for farmer: raw material of textiles.
 E-commerce has been the life blood for the cities under shutdown to fight Covid-19.
 How Covid -19 pandemic is fast tracking digital transformation in the companies?

8. Narratives and Media on Pandemic: A Contextual Study on Covid-19

It has been more than 12 weeks when media broke first story on Coronavirus, since then it has
not only affected our life styles but media consuming habits also. Media is spreading information
about its spread, safety, advisories and misinformation too using fake news and rumours. When
countries all over the world are waging war against Corona using best of the infrastructure and
biggest lockdowns of the history to contain the virus, common man is glued to various forms of
media to have latest updates of the situation. Media is providing round the clock information at
the time of house arrest. The dynamics of media management are also changing on the daily
basis. So, it becomes imperative to study the narratives of media during such an unprecedented
crisis. As a student you may study

 the representation of coronavirus in media (International/National/Regional/Local)

 fake news and deep fakes
 role of media in spreading information or creating mass hysteria
 advertising to create awareness
 media strategies to create awareness
 political narratives in media
 narratives of celebrities
 narratives of common man/health workers/police personnel

9. Starting Afresh: World after COVID-19

In a span of few months, the world has witnessed a transformation which seems to continue for
the coming months due to the pandemic COVID -19. Millions have been infected and thousands
have died and global economies and societies are facing major challenges due to lock downs and
quarantines. As it is evident from the history that every major event leads to big transformation
both at micro and macro level testing our ability to withstand the crisis and also teaches us to
bounce back with greater zeal as the show must go on.

This project will be working on the following aspects of the effects of COVID-19:

 Review of chronology of the pandemic

 Review of refuted theories and principles given in the past and the nationwide actions
taken
 Mistakes committed and precautions to be take while prevention of any future pandemics
 Stories of the survivors

Please feel free to contact your mentor for detailed discussion

Once again, we wish for your safety and your families.