Bonjour, new guests from small-town India
Puneet Dhawan of Accor is brimming with ideas on ways to revive the hospitality sector
Indian-origin Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee has shot eight 2.5-minute-long video messages in his native language Bengali to raise awareness about the coronavirus for millions of people in Bengal’s hinterland, BBC reported.
In a calm and humble voice, Banerjee said: “Keep away from crowds, maintain social distancing when meeting people. Don’t spit in public. If you are coughing or sneezing use your elbow or cloth or towel.”
“If you have a cough and fever it doesn’t mean you have the infection. But report your symptoms to frontline health workers. We will win this battle but it will take time,” he added.
Banerjee, with the help of his team of researchers in India and the US, sent text messages linked to the videos to 25 million people in the State in early May.
According to the BBC report, Dr Banerjee’s video messages helped in the dissemination of information on Covid-19. The messages also helped in doubling the reporting of health symptoms to community health workers for fever and respiratory diseases, decreased travel beyond one’s village, increased handwashing and the wearing of masks.
Please Email the Editor