On April 11, new, handmade shrines for Emory’s Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh communities will be dedicated at the Emory Interfaith Center, extending a greater welcome for those who practice the four Dharmic religions.
Scientific American
Large gatherings and much more lenient restrictions have allowed the virus to spread at devastating levels
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Young man returns to his home after getting his COVID-19 shot following the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh’s government giving permission to vaccinate people older than 18. Credit: Pradeep Gaur
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India’s relatively mild first wave of COVID last year intrigued scientists and led the country’s leadership to declare what turned out to be a very premature victory over the novel coronavirus. The current surge has been much more deadly. Some researchers and media outlets have pinned the blame on new viral variants, which early studies suggest may be more transmissible than the original strain. But many experts familiar with the situation on the ground argue that large gatherings and crowds in closed, compact urban spaces in contrast with the draconian lockdown imposed during the first wave are driving most of the spread.