INTERVIEWER:
Gurudeb, my respects to you.
GURUDEB:
Yes, blessings to you, my son.
INTERVIEWER:
We see today that you are joined by two very learned individuals. We want to hear from them regarding the current COVID situation and what the future might hold.
GURUDEB:
Yes, I have one primary question for the doctor. For those who are contracting COVID and returning home, what will be the condition of their lungs or kidneys in the long run? I just want to ask him about this.
INTERVIEWER:
Before that, Gurudeb, letâs introduce them. On your right is Dr. S. Karanjay, and on your leftâa face many recognize from televisionâis Mr. Sujit Kar.
GURUDEB:
Yes, he is often on TV. Alright, letâs begin. Doctor, for those contracting COVID and recovering at home or in the hospital, is there anything specific they should do? How should they live their lives moving forward? Will there be other symptoms?
DR. KARANJAY:
For most people who recover from COVID and return home, there aren't typically any major sequels. However, in some cases, there is permanent damage, like lung fibrosis. This is seen in about 1% of the 100 people who get COVID. But we don't yet know 100% of everything about COVID. This is an evolving science, and our knowledge is growing.
DR. KARANJAY:
Based on the current picture, thereâs no need to panic, but one must keep themselves safe. Having COVID once doesn't mean you won't get it again. So, those who have recovered must still follow safety measures: wearing masks, sanitizing hands frequently, and avoiding gatherings. There should be no lapse in these precautions.
DR. KARANJAY:
Secondly, regarding vaccination: please cast aside any fear. Vaccination is becoming essential. While there might be adverse effects in a tiny fraction of a percentage, the benefits are far greater. I urge everyone to get vaccinated.
GURUDEB:
Youâre right, Doctor, but the thing is, we aren't getting the vaccine. I haven't received it yet. Iâve tried hard, but at my age, standing in a line at a hospital at 4:00 AM isn't possible for me. If I die doing that, whatâs the point? We aren't getting it. I doubt even 30% of the people have been vaccinated. Itâs a real concern for those who canât get it. A large percentage is going without it. Itâs understood that if you take the vaccine, even if you get sick, it will be within the doctor's control.
GURUDEB:
One more thing, Doctor: is there any medicine to take continuously for a month or two after recovering from COVID?
DR. KARANJAY:
There is no proven medicine for that yet. Although, just today, I read a report that the DRDO in our country has developed an oral medicine that seems to be helping COVID patients. I don't know the full extent of its benefits yet since the article just came out. But as of now, there is no hard scientific evidence for any medicine that needs to be taken long-term to prevent complications.
DR. KARANJAY:
Regarding the 30% figure Gurudeb mentioned, itâs actually much less. There is a total shortage, and people are desperate. But we have to wait, and as soon as itâs available, we must make an effort to get vaccinated.
GURUDEB:
Doctor, you are at PG Hospital. I heard you are a department head there.
DR. KARANJAY:
No, Iâm faculty there.
GURUDEB:
Regardless, you are there. Everything is coming to PG first, and I heard itâs being distributed from there. Is that correct?
DR. KARANJAY:
Not exactly. Itâs not just PG; patients can go to any government or private hospital. For government hospitals, admissions are handled through the Swasthya Bhavan helpline. You call them, report the condition, and they provide a booking or reference number. Itâs managed by Swasthya Bhavan because there is a shortage of beds. Every government hospital now has a COVID wing. The PG wing is at Shambhunath Pandit Hospital. All hospitals are providing this service because the case numbers are so high compared to the number of beds.
GURUDEB:
Thatâs a government matter, then. But what should the common people do? They are running around for vaccines. Will there be an adequate supply soon?
DR. KARANJAY:
It will be available. Right now, it seems inadequate, but the central and state governments are working to provide an adequate supply as quickly as possible.
GURUDEB:
Are all the vaccines currently on the market effective? I think they are. People are debating between Covaxin and Covishield.
DR. KARANJAY:
Thereâs no time for that debate. Whatever is available, take it.
GURUDEB:
But some are taking single-dose ones, like the one from Johnson & Johnson or AstraZeneca. Another one is coming from Russia, Sputnik. I heard one dose is enough for that.
DR. KARANJAY:
One variant of Sputnik is a single dose. But the ones currently available hereâCovaxin and Covishieldârequire two doses, the second one being six to eight weeks after the first. Both are effective. Itâs better not to get into the discussion of which is better. While the vaccine doesn't guarantee you won't get COVID, itâs clear that it significantly reduces the severity and complications. In this second wave, among those who were vaccinatedâlike doctors and policeâthe rates of hospitalization, serious illness, and death are much lower. So, the vaccine is definitely making a difference.
GURUDEB:
Exactly. The death rate I see in the news is about 1%âwhich is almost nothing. With more effort, it could be reduced further. People need to be conscious. We can't just blame the government. People must wear masks, use sanitizer, avoid gatherings, and maintain distance. If we do this, we can control the third wave. The government can only provide you with the vaccine. Beyond that, what can they do?
DR. KARANJAY:
Exactly. Ultimately, people must be responsible for their own health. The government will provide vaccines, and we should take them as soon as they are available. But we must stop walking around without masks or going to gatherings for our own sake.
GURUDEB:
We are hearing there might be a 15-day lockdown. I think thatâs good, but on the other hand, peopleâs livelihoods will be affected. If the government could help like they did in the first phase with rice, lentils, and wheat, that would be great. I don't know the government's current position, but if thereâs a lockdown, many won't have food. The government should look into that. Of course, they also have limited resources. People should request that if thereâs a 15-day closure, food arrangements should be made, as they were before. Many received free rice, lentils, wheat, biscuits, oil, and sugar. I would request "Didi" (Mamata Banerjee) that if thereâs a shutdown, she should ensure people have something to eat.
GURUDEB:
Sujit Babu, what is the state of the environment? We see you talking about this on various TV channels. Tell us about the environment, separate from COVID.
SUJIT KAR:
Well, the truth is, India's climate is currently in a state of disaster. We know that the monsoon is supposed to arrive around this time. Before that, we usually have many "Kalbaishakhi" (Nor'westers) and pre-monsoon rains. This year, weâve only had three Nor'westers, whereas the average is eight. The scattered rains we are seeing now are due to low pressure, not Nor'westers.
SUJIT KAR:
The global climate is changing, but there's a strange effect in India. In the Thar Desert region, there has been a lot of greeningâmany trees have been planted, and itâs now lush and used for farming. We all want a better environment for people, but deserts have a significant role in nature. If a desert becomes green, it changes things.
GURUDEB:
I heard someone say once that we shouldn't turn deserts into lush green areas because it would harm the desert's balance and lead to major climate changes.
SUJIT KAR:
Exactly. Thatâs what has happened. Because the desert is now green and has many trees, it rains frequently in Rajasthan. Usually, the wind should blow toward Rajasthan, but instead, itâs blowing toward Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. A low-pressure system has formed there. Consequently, the moisture-laden winds from the Bay of Bengal aren't coming over us; they are heading through Odisha and Andhra Pradesh toward Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
SUJIT KAR:
Secondly, for the past 17 years, weâve seen El Niño becoming very active over the South Bay of Bengal. El Niño is a very warm ocean current. It creates a lot of water vapor, making the low pressure over the water stronger than the low pressure over the land. Since the low pressure over the land is weaker, it can't pull in the moisture from the sea.
SUJIT KAR:
On June 21st, the summer solstice occurs, after which the sun begins moving back toward the equator. At that time, the land will be intensely heated, and then as the sun moves over the water, a double low-pressure system will form over the North Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. This will pull the moisture-laden winds onto the land.
SUJIT KAR:
What will happen then? Currently, we have a drought, and many crops will be destroyed. But when the rains finally comeânot by June 8th, but likely by late June or the first week of Julyâthere will be such massive rainfall that most states, including West Bengal, will face floods. So, we didn't get rain when needed, and then we will have floods. We are heading toward a major disaster.
SUJIT KAR:
Additionally, the rapid temperature fluctuations are preventing us from experiencing a normal summer. Itâs very hot, yet thereâs less sweat. This isn't normal here. The strong low pressure in the Bay of Bengal is pulling winds from the north, creating a dry wind at night. This indicates we will face major cyclones again, like Amphan or Aila. We are currently in a state of natural disaster, and if we don't start proper planning immediately...
GURUDEB:
You say proper planningâwhat can people do in this situation?
SUJIT KAR:
We need long-term planning. If we don't, we will face even greater disasters. The number of people losing jobs due to COVID is significant, but in the next 10 years, even more will be "naturally" unemployed because of nature. This is a terrifying prospect. We always say we need to plant trees, but planting trees without choosing the right locations can actually harm nature, which is what weâre seeing in India now.
SUJIT KAR:
Another issue is that we aren't managing our groundwater. The state and central governments need to work together on this. In coastal regions, the soil is becoming increasingly saline. Within 10 years, salinity will spread up to 73 km inland from the coastâand that includes Kolkata. People won't have drinking water.
GURUDEB:
We are already seeing the effects. If you go toward Dakshineswar along the Ganges, you can see mangroves. Mangroves don't grow without salt. That means salt from the sea is mixing with the Ganges. In the future, there will be no fresh water; it will all be saline.
SUJIT KAR:
And mangroves will grow along both banks of the Ganges. Scientists aren't yet sure why this is happening so fast. Itâs partly because sea levels are rising rapidly. You hear news about ice melting in Antarctica and the polar regions, and our mountain snowcaps are also melting. As water levels rise, more seawater enters during high tides. If the high tide is stronger than the river's flowâwhich happens as water levels riseâsaltwater pushes further inland and into the soil.
SUJIT KAR:
Furthermore, the rock layers that carry water to the sea sit at a 2 to 3-degree slope at the coast. If the sea level rises, the saltwater automatically enters these layers, salinating all the land in that region. Thatâs why we see mangroves.
SUJIT KAR:
The Sundarbans, as we know them today, actually originated near the Rajmahal Hills. Over time, the Sundarbans moved toward the sea as humans pushed nature back. Now, the reverse is happening. The Sundarbans are moving back inland, and the sea is rising. We call Kolkata a "degrading city," slowly sinking. We aren't thinking about these things now, but they will be the biggest problems in the near future.
INTERVIEWER:
If I may ask one more questionâsince COVID victims are being cremated in open pyres, is that causing environmental issues?
SUJIT KAR:
During a pandemic, there isn't much choice. We don't have enough electric crematoriums for such a large number of people, nor do we have enough wood. And during a pandemic, we can't just leave bodiesâthat would be inhumane.
SUJIT KAR:
The environmental damage is happening partly because of the plastic used to wrap the bodies. The harm from burning the bodies is less than the harm from burning all that plastic. But there is no other way right now. We have to accept it. This isn't a normal time.
GURUDEB:
And regarding the bodies being stackedâis that increasing pollution? Youâre dealing with these things.
DR. KARANJAY:
Regarding what Sujit said, itâs unlikely that COVID will spread from the cremation itself because the virus can't survive those temperatures. But as he mentioned, the burning of plastic is an issue. However, we have to accept these things for now; these are not normal times.
GURUDEB:
Thank you, Doctor. Thank you, Sujit Babu.
INTERVIEWER:
Audience, you heard this wonderful discussion today between an environmentalist, a doctor, and Gurudeb. We hope you found it insightful. We will bring you more programs in the future with other experts. My respects to you all.
GURUDEB:
Blessings to you.