A video posted by an Instagram influencer, in which&nbsp;a middle-aged woman criticises her for wearing shorts in public, has&nbsp;sparked a huge clash of opinion on social media

The viral video, shared with the caption “Woman against Woman,” raises questions on women’s attitudes toward western clothing.

In the clip, Tanny Bhattacharjee, a yoga instructor by profession with 120,000 followers on Instagram, stunned by the reaction, asks, “What do you think is the problem? I don’t know what’s happening.”

The video was shared on September 8&nbsp;and has received&nbsp;more than&nbsp;1.9 million views.

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Moral policing because the girl was wearing shorts🤦‍♂️ 
 
Respect to the bystander who intervened✊️ 
 
Apparently a Bengaluru Yoga trainer was wearing shorts &amp; an old lady started to follow her, shouted &amp; stopped vehicles to point her shorts(legs) to other men 
 
🎥 fit_and_fabb Insta <a href="https://t.co/dyuaXQkU6u">pic.twitter.com/dyuaXQkU6u</a>
— Waseem ವಸೀಮ್ وسیم (@WazBLR) <a href="https://twitter.com/WazBLR/status/1833804286792458438?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>'Bengaluru is going backwards,' internet reacts</h2>

One of the Instagram users commented, “Shorts have nothing to do with society. It’s your mentality. By the way, why is Aunty wearing a saree with a crop top showing her stomach?”

Another user, slamming the conservative mindset of the city, said, “Bengaluru is going backwards.”

A third user, criticizing the mindset of the woman, said, “Short skirts are never the problem. Cheap people with a cheap mentality who objectify, humiliate, and blame women for their choices—that’s the real issue.”

A video posted by an Instagram influencer, in which a middle-aged woman criticises her for wearing shorts in public, has sparked a huge clash of opinion on social media The viral video, shared with the caption “Woman against Woman,” raises questions on women’s attitudes toward western clothing.

A video posted by an Instagram influencer, in which a middle-aged woman criticises her for wearing shorts in public, has sparked a huge clash of opinion on social media The viral video, shared with the caption “Woman against Woman,” raises questions on women’s attitudes toward western clothing. In the clip, Tanny Bhattacharjee, a yoga instructor by profession with 120,000 followers on Instagram, stunned by the reaction, asks, “What do you think is the problem? I don’t know what’s happening.” The video was shared on September 8 and has received more than 1.9 million views. Moral policing because the girl was wearing shorts🤦‍♂️ Respect to the bystander who intervened✊️ Apparently a Bengaluru Yoga trainer was wearing shorts & an old lady started to follow her, shouted & stopped vehicles to point her shorts(legs) to other men 🎥 fit_and_fabb Insta pic.twitter.com/dyuaXQkU6u — Waseem ವಸೀಮ್ وسیم (@WazBLR) September 11, 2024 × 'Bengaluru is going backwards,' internet reacts One of the Instagram users commented, “Shorts have nothing to do with society. It’s your mentality. By the way, why is Aunty wearing a saree with a crop top showing her stomach?” Another user, slamming the conservative mindset of the city, said, “Bengaluru is going backwards.” A third user, criticizing the mindset of the woman, said, “Short skirts are never the problem. Cheap people with a cheap mentality who objectify, humiliate, and blame women for their choices—that’s the real issue.”

Viral video: Bengaluru woman slams Instagram influencer for wearing shorts

The elderly in Hong Kong are indulging in illegal gambling to tackle loneliness. In Japan, the elderly are shoplifting to tackle loneliness. We tell you why this is a cry for help.

Gravitas: Why the elderly in Hong Kong are indulging in illegal gambling

A disturbing trend has emerged from Japan where the young are killing their parents because they are tired of taking care of them in old age. Priyanka Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas | Modern-day murder: Japanese kill the elderly to avoid caring costs

An investigation carried out by BBC Africa Eye revealed how vulnerable people are being mistreated and neglected in an elderly care home near Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. 
 
In the secret footage, it can be seen that the residents were being physically mistreated by the staff members, their food was being directly dumped on tables and not served on any plates, and their medical conditions were being left untreated. 
 
"Hit her on the buttocks. Beat her," said a staff member while speaking to a stick-wielding colleague. The incidents took&nbsp;place at the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) Thogoto Care Home for the Aged, which is 20km (12 miles) west of Nairobi.

<h2>Torture of the elderly revealed</h2>

In the undercover footage,&nbsp;three staff members dressed in purple uniforms can be seen&nbsp;surrounding an old woman with a metal gate which was flanked by corrugated iron sheets at the perimeter of the home's garden. 
 
"Where were you heading to on that side? You were called and refused to come back,” said one of the staff. The old lady, who was wearing a bobble hat and a fleece, looked frightened and confused.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kenyas-government-and-opposition-agree-to-talks-after-protests-620657">Kenya's government and opposition agree to talks after protests</a>

"Oh, please forgive me," the lady said. "Now we have to cane you," said one of the staff. The staff member was then seen hitting the bottom of the elderly woman with a wooden stick. 
 
The care home was established by the Women's Guild of the local PCEA church but currently is being managed independently. The care home currently has around 50 elderly women and men. 
 
In the last decade, the number of homes for elderly people is reported to have increased by three-fold in Nairobi. A lot of these places don't charge rent from elderly people and depend on donations or are supported by local churches.

<h2>Secret filming by undercover reporters</h2>

In the investigation carried out by BBC Africa Eye, two undercover reporters secured employment at the care home and lived there for 14 weeks while secretly filming inside the facility. Along with the footage of the staff hitting the elderly woman with a cane, the reporters also recorded staff accepting that they have been physically abusing other residents.

WATCH |&nbsp;Tech firms permit ads for potentially harmful products in Kenya

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"Sometimes you have to use force," a staff member was heard saying. "Even carers who start being polite, they find themselves being aggressive towards clients," she said. They also described a man who "is always being caned". 
 
"We beat him and that is what calms him down. Because if he gets angry, he can even hit you with a rock," she said.

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An investigation carried out by BBC Africa Eye revealed how vulnerable people are being mistreated and neglected in an elderly care home near Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

An investigation carried out by BBC Africa Eye revealed how vulnerable people are being mistreated and neglected in an elderly care home near Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. In the secret footage, it can be seen that the residents were being physically mistreated by the staff members, their food was being directly dumped on tables and not served on any plates, and their medical conditions were being left untreated. "Hit her on the buttocks. Beat her," said a staff member while speaking to a stick-wielding colleague. The incidents took place at the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) Thogoto Care Home for the Aged, which is 20km (12 miles) west of Nairobi. Torture of the elderly revealed In the undercover footage, three staff members dressed in purple uniforms can be seen surrounding an old woman with a metal gate which was flanked by corrugated iron sheets at the perimeter of the home's garden. "Where were you heading to on that side? You were called and refused to come back,” said one of the staff. The old lady, who was wearing a bobble hat and a fleece, looked frightened and confused. ALSO READ | Kenya's government and opposition agree to talks after protests "Oh, please forgive me," the lady said. "Now we have to cane you," said one of the staff. The staff member was then seen hitting the bottom of the elderly woman with a wooden stick. The care home was established by the Women's Guild of the local PCEA church but currently is being managed independently. The care home currently has around 50 elderly women and men. In the last decade, the number of homes for elderly people is reported to have increased by three-fold in Nairobi. A lot of these places don't charge rent from elderly people and depend on donations or are supported by local churches. Secret filming by undercover reporters In the investigation carried out by BBC Africa Eye, two undercover reporters secured employment at the care home and lived there for 14 weeks while secretly filming inside the facility. Along with the footage of the staff hitting the elderly woman with a cane, the reporters also recorded staff accepting that they have been physically abusing other residents. WATCH | Tech firms permit ads for potentially harmful products in Kenya "Sometimes you have to use force," a staff member was heard saying. "Even carers who start being polite, they find themselves being aggressive towards clients," she said. They also described a man who "is always being caned". "We beat him and that is what calms him down. Because if he gets angry, he can even hit you with a rock," she said. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Secret footage reveals elderly caned, beaten at Kenya's PCEA Thogoto Care Home

The threat posed by Covid-19 is still present. Covid instances are on the rise once more worldwide, from the US to the UK. Currently, infections are surging throughout nations.

UK: Covid hospitalisations among elderly rise

An Indian national who posed as a fraud prevention specialist and defrauded senior citizens in the United States was given a 33-month prison term and was charged $2.4 million in fines, as per media reports citing US Department of Justice.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A 29-year-old man Ashish Bajaj on 4&nbsp;August 2022&nbsp;pleaded&nbsp;guilty to the complaint charging him with conspiracy to conduct wire fraud before District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/judge-who-presided-over-trumps-arraignment-receives-multiple-threats-579962">Judge, who presided over Trump's arraignment, receives multiple threats</a>

The Department of Justice said Thursday that he was sentenced to 33 months in prison and two years of supervised release. It also charged USD 2.4 million in restitution for his involvement in a global conspiracy that preyed on elderly victims in New Jersey and around the US.

According to documents, Bajaj and his cohorts preyed on senior victims throughout the US between April 2020 and August 2021 by posing as fraud prevention specialists for different banks, online shops, and online payment businesses.

Falsely claiming to be fraud protection specialists employed by respected businesses, they phoned victims and informed them that their bank accounts and online payment accounts were being targeted for fraud.

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Prosecutors claim that Bajaj and his accomplices then misled the victims into believing that they were needed as part of a sting operation to apprehend the fraudsters.

Firstly, they urged the elderly to transfer funds from their bank accounts to the accounts they controlled. Later, they fraudulently promised to repay the elderly victims' money within a few days following the alleged sting operation.&nbsp;

Watch | Rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia hold first high-level talks in seven years

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The victims were also misled into believing that the sting operation would result in the arrest of the alleged offenders after they submitted the money. The elderly sent money to several banks in India, China, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates as international wire transactions, according to court records.

Also, the victims sent funds to Bajaj's American bank accounts with the help of an online application. In addition to that, the elderly victims sent cash and cheques to Bajaj at a Californian location. The records state that the plan caused losses of more than USD 250,000.&nbsp;

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You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

An Indian national who posed as a fraud prevention specialist and defrauded senior citizens in the United States was given a 33-month prison term and was charged $2.

An Indian national who posed as a fraud prevention specialist and defrauded senior citizens in the United States was given a 33-month prison term and was charged $2.4 million in fines, as per media reports citing US Department of Justice. A 29-year-old man Ashish Bajaj on 4 August 2022 pleaded guilty to the complaint charging him with conspiracy to conduct wire fraud before District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court. Also Read | Judge, who presided over Trump's arraignment, receives multiple threats The Department of Justice said Thursday that he was sentenced to 33 months in prison and two years of supervised release. It also charged USD 2.4 million in restitution for his involvement in a global conspiracy that preyed on elderly victims in New Jersey and around the US. According to documents, Bajaj and his cohorts preyed on senior victims throughout the US between April 2020 and August 2021 by posing as fraud prevention specialists for different banks, online shops, and online payment businesses. Falsely claiming to be fraud protection specialists employed by respected businesses, they phoned victims and informed them that their bank accounts and online payment accounts were being targeted for fraud. Also Read | Israeli army strikes Lebanon as promised retaliatory measure Prosecutors claim that Bajaj and his accomplices then misled the victims into believing that they were needed as part of a sting operation to apprehend the fraudsters. Firstly, they urged the elderly to transfer funds from their bank accounts to the accounts they controlled. Later, they fraudulently promised to repay the elderly victims' money within a few days following the alleged sting operation. Watch | Rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia hold first high-level talks in seven years × The victims were also misled into believing that the sting operation would result in the arrest of the alleged offenders after they submitted the money. The elderly sent money to several banks in India, China, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates as international wire transactions, according to court records. Also, the victims sent funds to Bajaj's American bank accounts with the help of an online application. In addition to that, the elderly victims sent cash and cheques to Bajaj at a Californian location. The records state that the plan caused losses of more than USD 250,000. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Indian posing as fraud prevention specialist dupes many US elderly, gets 33 months prison term

The US police&nbsp;in Georgia are on a hunt for a man disguised himself as an old lady to rob a bank. Wearing a floral dress, white sneakers, orange latex gloves, a white wig and a dark face mask or neck "gator", the unidentified successfully pulled off the heist. According to CBS46 news TV, the suspect is described as a Black man, around 6 feet tall and slim.

According to the police, the incident took place in Henry County, southeast of Atlanta, on Monday.

The man in disguise arrived at Chase Bank in the city of McDonough carrying a pink bag and armed with a gun. He then reportedly gave a note to a member of staff demanding money, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution&nbsp;reported citing police.

After taking the money, the man drove off in a small, white SUV that police believe could have been a recent Lexus model. A tag wasn’t spotted.

Photos of the disguised accused were shared on Facebook by&nbsp;McDonough Police Department.

"Based on CCTV recordings and photos taken inside the bank, the department was able to confirm that the suspect was wearing a floral dress, a wig, and a black mask," the department wrote.

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The Facebook post, which has photos of the accused, as expectedly, drew a slew of reactions on social media, with some even praising him for single-handedly pulling off the heist.

“The funny part in all of this is, no one saw his strange getup as 'ODD' in any way. Just normal for Atlanta,” wrote another.

Another user said, "Now you know... I would have already pushed the panic button before she/ he reached the counter."

While the third user commented, "Hoping they find this man real soon. He's going to do it again and get aggressive.”&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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The US police in Georgia are on a hunt for a man disguised himself as an old lady to rob a bank. Wearing a floral dress, white sneakers, orange latex gloves, a white wig and a dark face mask or neck "gator", the unidentified successfully pulled off the heist.

The US police in Georgia are on a hunt for a man disguised himself as an old lady to rob a bank. Wearing a floral dress, white sneakers, orange latex gloves, a white wig and a dark face mask or neck "gator", the unidentified successfully pulled off the heist. According to CBS46 news TV, the suspect is described as a Black man, around 6 feet tall and slim. According to the police, the incident took place in Henry County, southeast of Atlanta, on Monday. The man in disguise arrived at Chase Bank in the city of McDonough carrying a pink bag and armed with a gun. He then reportedly gave a note to a member of staff demanding money, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported citing police. After taking the money, the man drove off in a small, white SUV that police believe could have been a recent Lexus model. A tag wasn’t spotted. Photos of the disguised accused were shared on Facebook by McDonough Police Department. "Based on CCTV recordings and photos taken inside the bank, the department was able to confirm that the suspect was wearing a floral dress, a wig, and a black mask," the department wrote. × The Facebook post, which has photos of the accused, as expectedly, drew a slew of reactions on social media, with some even praising him for single-handedly pulling off the heist. “The funny part in all of this is, no one saw his strange getup as 'ODD' in any way. Just normal for Atlanta,” wrote another. Another user said, "Now you know... I would have already pushed the panic button before she/ he reached the counter." While the third user commented, "Hoping they find this man real soon. He's going to do it again and get aggressive.” (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Man dressed as elderly woman robs bank in US, police launch manhunt

The first time the omicron variant breached Hong Kong’s coronavirus defenses, in late 2021, the city stamped it out, cementing its status as one of the world’s most formidable redoubts of “zero COVID.”

But a few weeks later, omicron came to the metropolis again, this time causing an outbreak among cleaners at a public-housing estate that spiraled out of control. The conflagration of resulting cases is now killing people at a rate exceeding that of almost any country since the coronavirus emerged.

Over the entire pandemic, Hong Kong’s death toll per capita, once far lower than those of Western nations, is no longer exceptional. A month ago, Americans had died from COVID at 90 times the rate of people in Hong Kong. By Monday, the cumulative American toll was 3 1/2 times as high.

As the United States braces for its own, less punishing rise in cases, and mainland China battles its biggest outbreak in two years, scientists have looked to Hong Kong for clues about the threat omicron poses in an entirely different setting: a dense city where people were not only largely untouched by previous infections, but whose oldest and most vulnerable residents were also largely unvaccinated.

Several critical lessons emerged, health experts said.

In the era of omicron and its even more infectious subvariant, BA.2, vaccinating a broad swath of the population remained important, scientists said. But inoculating as many older people as possible had become far and away the top priority.

That message, they said, was most pressing for China, where vaccinations in older age groups also appear to be lagging and there is little immunity from earlier infections.

But it was relevant again in the United States, too, where subpar vaccination and booster rates among older people have left scientists concerned about a potential surge of BA.2 cases. Partly because so many more Americans have been infected and killed by the coronavirus during earlier waves, scientists do not expect the United States to face as serious a situation in the coming months as Hong Kong.

Hong Kong’s dreadful outbreak also signals the perils of trying to eliminate the virus without a plan for what would come next, health experts said. Omicron’s high transmissibility, they said, made outbreaks almost inevitable.

Hong Kong, which along with mainland China had been among the last holdouts of a strategy of tight restrictions and border controls to eradicate the virus, was left vulnerable by how few of its residents had any immunity from prior infections: Before the omicron surge, scientists estimated that only 1% of Hong Kong’s population had contracted the virus.

Those low levels of immunity can leave places vulnerable to waves of cases, as more contagious variants sneak in or restrictions are lifted. But governments can still prepare for those waves, said Dr. Gabriel Leung, dean of medicine at the University of Hong Kong.

Less than one-quarter of people aged 80 and over in Hong Kong had been given two doses of a vaccine before omicron surged, compared with more than 90% of people in Singapore and New Zealand.

Because of the number of unvaccinated older people in China, scientists said, it might also have some difficulty lifting “zero COVID” restrictions. More than 87% of China’s population have been vaccinated. But just over half of people 80 and older have had two shots, and less than 20% of people in that age group have received a booster, Zeng Yixin, a vice minister of the National Health Commission, said Friday.

“I don’t think it’s quite ready for the transition,” Leung said.

A number of Asian and Pacific countries had largely kept the virus at bay for two years, only to face omicron outbreaks because the virus was so contagious and their populations had avoided earlier infections. But high vaccination rates, including among older people, have helped many of those countries avoid more devastating surges.

In South Korea, for example, where 87% of people are vaccinated and 63% have booster shots, the cumulative death toll per capita is one-tenth of America’s, even though South Korea has recorded more than three-quarters as many cases as the United States over the entire pandemic.

Health experts said that Hong Kong’s difficulties vaccinating older people resulted from a combination of complacency, given the city’s earlier success in containing the virus, and unfounded fears that older people and those in poor health faced particular risks from vaccines.

The city has now vaccinated 39% of residents aged 80 and above, despite having inoculated almost two-thirds of 12- to 19-year-olds.

Many people in Hong Kong have been given the Chinese vaccine Sinovac, which appears to offer relatively little protection from omicron infections but a better defense against severe disease. Scientists noted that almost 90% of people who died during the latest wave were not fully vaccinated, suggesting that getting shots to the most vulnerable is more important than the particular brand.

“The problem in Hong Kong is, we haven’t succeeded in vaccinating our most vulnerable population — the elderly, especially those staying in elderly-care homes,” said Dr. Siddharth Sridhar, a clinical virologist at the University of Hong Kong. “And as a result, we are in a very bad situation.”

The United States has vaccinated many more of its older residents than Hong Kong but fewer than Western Europe and has seen a high death rate. And as immunity from early vaccinations wanes and booster shots become critical for shoring up protection against omicron among older people, the United States finds itself exposed on that count, too. About 41% of people 65 and over have not received a booster shot.

Unlike other parts of Asia that had gradually lifted restrictions in recent months, Hong Kong was not ready for its defenses to fail, scientists said.

“From the government’s point of view, there was such a strong fixation on ‘zero COVID’ that as long as that worked, vaccination was not necessarily the priority,” said Ben Cowling, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Hong Kong.

Many older residents and their families adopted the same view, public health experts said. If Hong Kong’s rigid social-distancing measures and careful border controls were going to keep the virus out anyway, the conventional thinking went, was getting a vaccine worth the trouble?

“If you’re telling people that the disease is never going to get in, then there’s less of an incentive to go and get vaccinated,” said Dr. David Owens, a family doctor in Hong Kong. “To an extent, the messaging around elimination confounded the need to vaccinate.”

Cowling, of the University of Hong Kong, said that his city could have responded in one of two ways to signs that cases would surge: either double down on “zero COVID” through measures like building better quarantine facilities for overseas arrivals, or acknowledge that outbreaks are unavoidable and raise vaccination rates.

“Zero COVID is a really good strategy if you can stay at zero,” Cowling said. “But as we found in Hong Kong, it doesn’t last forever.”

Hong Kong eventually took steps to persuade older people to become vaccinated, once earlier inducements like vaccine passes proved ineffective. In January, the government announced that it would ban unvaccinated people from restaurants that serve dim sum, which are popular among older residents. But it was too late.

With cases and deaths now declining, Hong Kong announced Monday that it would lift certain restrictions.

Singapore began abandoning “zero COVID” policies in the summer. Dr. Ooi Eng Eong, an infectious disease expert at Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, said that it took a wave of the delta variant to raise vaccination rates and disabuse people of the notion that they did not need protection.

Now, cases in Singapore have surged, but deaths are relatively low.

“It’s so much more transmissible that I think wearing a face mask and all — that helps but not to the extent that it has impacted the epidemiology,” Ooi said of omicron. “The trends are really driven by vaccination.”

Still, even after five or six waves of the pandemic, the reasons that some countries have succeeded while others have suffered remain unclear.

Japan, for example, has tamped down on cases throughout the pandemic without resorting to full-fledged lockdowns, scientists said.

The country benefited from its government sharing sound public health advice early in the pandemic. As much as residents tired of precautions, they largely took the advice seriously, said Taro Yamamoto, a professor at the Institute of Tropical Medicine at Nagasaki University.

Roughly 80% of people in Japan have had their initial vaccine series. But even though the country is lagging in administering booster doses and had a surge of omicron infections, death rates during omicron have remained considerably lower than in nearby South Korea.

“Partly it’s a mystery,” Yamamoto said. “We cannot explain it all.”

The first time the omicron variant breached Hong Kong’s coronavirus defenses, in late 2021, the city stamped it out, cementing its status as one of the world’s most formidable redoubts of “zero COVID.

The first time the omicron variant breached Hong Kong’s coronavirus defenses, in late 2021, the city stamped it out, cementing its status as one of the world’s most formidable redoubts of “zero COVID.” But a few weeks later, omicron came to the metropolis again, this time causing an outbreak among cleaners at a public-housing estate that spiraled out of control. The conflagration of resulting cases is now killing people at a rate exceeding that of almost any country since the coronavirus emerged. Over the entire pandemic, Hong Kong’s death toll per capita, once far lower than those of Western nations, is no longer exceptional. A month ago, Americans had died from COVID at 90 times the rate of people in Hong Kong. By Monday, the cumulative American toll was 3 1/2 times as high. As the United States braces for its own, less punishing rise in cases, and mainland China battles its biggest outbreak in two years, scientists have looked to Hong Kong for clues about the threat omicron poses in an entirely different setting: a dense city where people were not only largely untouched by previous infections, but whose oldest and most vulnerable residents were also largely unvaccinated. Several critical lessons emerged, health experts said. In the era of omicron and its even more infectious subvariant, BA.2, vaccinating a broad swath of the population remained important, scientists said. But inoculating as many older people as possible had become far and away the top priority. That message, they said, was most pressing for China, where vaccinations in older age groups also appear to be lagging and there is little immunity from earlier infections. But it was relevant again in the United States, too, where subpar vaccination and booster rates among older people have left scientists concerned about a potential surge of BA.2 cases. Partly because so many more Americans have been infected and killed by the coronavirus during earlier waves, scientists do not expect the United States to face as serious a situation in the coming months as Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s dreadful outbreak also signals the perils of trying to eliminate the virus without a plan for what would come next, health experts said. Omicron’s high transmissibility, they said, made outbreaks almost inevitable. Hong Kong, which along with mainland China had been among the last holdouts of a strategy of tight restrictions and border controls to eradicate the virus, was left vulnerable by how few of its residents had any immunity from prior infections: Before the omicron surge, scientists estimated that only 1% of Hong Kong’s population had contracted the virus. Those low levels of immunity can leave places vulnerable to waves of cases, as more contagious variants sneak in or restrictions are lifted. But governments can still prepare for those waves, said Dr. Gabriel Leung, dean of medicine at the University of Hong Kong. Less than one-quarter of people aged 80 and over in Hong Kong had been given two doses of a vaccine before omicron surged, compared with more than 90% of people in Singapore and New Zealand. Because of the number of unvaccinated older people in China, scientists said, it might also have some difficulty lifting “zero COVID” restrictions. More than 87% of China’s population have been vaccinated. But just over half of people 80 and older have had two shots, and less than 20% of people in that age group have received a booster, Zeng Yixin, a vice minister of the National Health Commission, said Friday. “I don’t think it’s quite ready for the transition,” Leung said. A number of Asian and Pacific countries had largely kept the virus at bay for two years, only to face omicron outbreaks because the virus was so contagious and their populations had avoided earlier infections. But high vaccination rates, including among older people, have helped many of those countries avoid more devastating surges. In South Korea, for example, where 87% of people are vaccinated and 63% have booster shots, the cumulative death toll per capita is one-tenth of America’s, even though South Korea has recorded more than three-quarters as many cases as the United States over the entire pandemic. Health experts said that Hong Kong’s difficulties vaccinating older people resulted from a combination of complacency, given the city’s earlier success in containing the virus, and unfounded fears that older people and those in poor health faced particular risks from vaccines. The city has now vaccinated 39% of residents aged 80 and above, despite having inoculated almost two-thirds of 12- to 19-year-olds. Many people in Hong Kong have been given the Chinese vaccine Sinovac, which appears to offer relatively little protection from omicron infections but a better defense against severe disease. Scientists noted that almost 90% of people who died during the latest wave were not fully vaccinated, suggesting that getting shots to the most vulnerable is more important than the particular brand. “The problem in Hong Kong is, we haven’t succeeded in vaccinating our most vulnerable population — the elderly, especially those staying in elderly-care homes,” said Dr. Siddharth Sridhar, a clinical virologist at the University of Hong Kong. “And as a result, we are in a very bad situation.” The United States has vaccinated many more of its older residents than Hong Kong but fewer than Western Europe and has seen a high death rate. And as immunity from early vaccinations wanes and booster shots become critical for shoring up protection against omicron among older people, the United States finds itself exposed on that count, too. About 41% of people 65 and over have not received a booster shot. Unlike other parts of Asia that had gradually lifted restrictions in recent months, Hong Kong was not ready for its defenses to fail, scientists said. “From the government’s point of view, there was such a strong fixation on ‘zero COVID’ that as long as that worked, vaccination was not necessarily the priority,” said Ben Cowling, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Hong Kong. Many older residents and their families adopted the same view, public health experts said. If Hong Kong’s rigid social-distancing measures and careful border controls were going to keep the virus out anyway, the conventional thinking went, was getting a vaccine worth the trouble? “If you’re telling people that the disease is never going to get in, then there’s less of an incentive to go and get vaccinated,” said Dr. David Owens, a family doctor in Hong Kong. “To an extent, the messaging around elimination confounded the need to vaccinate.” Cowling, of the University of Hong Kong, said that his city could have responded in one of two ways to signs that cases would surge: either double down on “zero COVID” through measures like building better quarantine facilities for overseas arrivals, or acknowledge that outbreaks are unavoidable and raise vaccination rates. “Zero COVID is a really good strategy if you can stay at zero,” Cowling said. “But as we found in Hong Kong, it doesn’t last forever.” Hong Kong eventually took steps to persuade older people to become vaccinated, once earlier inducements like vaccine passes proved ineffective. In January, the government announced that it would ban unvaccinated people from restaurants that serve dim sum, which are popular among older residents. But it was too late. With cases and deaths now declining, Hong Kong announced Monday that it would lift certain restrictions. Singapore began abandoning “zero COVID” policies in the summer. Dr. Ooi Eng Eong, an infectious disease expert at Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, said that it took a wave of the delta variant to raise vaccination rates and disabuse people of the notion that they did not need protection. Now, cases in Singapore have surged, but deaths are relatively low. “It’s so much more transmissible that I think wearing a face mask and all — that helps but not to the extent that it has impacted the epidemiology,” Ooi said of omicron. “The trends are really driven by vaccination.” Still, even after five or six waves of the pandemic, the reasons that some countries have succeeded while others have suffered remain unclear. Japan, for example, has tamped down on cases throughout the pandemic without resorting to full-fledged lockdowns, scientists said. The country benefited from its government sharing sound public health advice early in the pandemic. As much as residents tired of precautions, they largely took the advice seriously, said Taro Yamamoto, a professor at the Institute of Tropical Medicine at Nagasaki University. Roughly 80% of people in Japan have had their initial vaccine series. But even though the country is lagging in administering booster doses and had a surge of omicron infections, death rates during omicron have remained considerably lower than in nearby South Korea. “Partly it’s a mystery,” Yamamoto said. “We cannot explain it all.”

High death rate in Hong Kong shows importance of vaccinating the elderly

Gita, a robot designed by Piaggio Fast Forward, helps senior citizens do shopping and other chores and even lets people sit on it if they need to catch a break. The robot follows people like a loyal pet.

Gita – A robot that helps senior citizens do shopping, lets you sit on it

Although most people are aware of the saying "time is money," few consider it to be a legitimate substitute for cash, and even fewer have utilised it as such.

While time used to be donated on a voluntary basis or as part of a mutual support agreement among neighbours or friends, technology has made time banking a reality.

For the first time, a huge number of individuals can track their time accurately and quickly, turning it into a money that can be banked and exchanged for desired goods and services.&nbsp;

Swiss citizens can save their time and put it to better use later by depositing it in banks.The Swiss Ministry of Health created the Time Bank concept as an old-age assistance programme.

Under the 'time bank' scheme, people save time and volunteer to look after the elderly who require assistance and the number of hours they spend with or caring for seniors is deposited in their individual social security account.

When the volunteer reaches the age when he or she wants support.He or she can take advantage of the "time bank."

He or she will be looked after by a volunteer.

In 2018, a panel of the National Human Rights Commission recommended that India adopt the "time bank" scheme.&nbsp; 
 
Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/swiss-citizens-can-now-deposit-their-time-in-bank-heres-how-442313/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

What is the scheme?

Time Bank is a barter system that allows people to "deposit" and "withdraw" their time based on their abilities and needs.

This ideology is both basic and noble in its vision, and it is founded on altruistic principles that date back to a simpler era.&nbsp;

How does it work?

The concept of time banking is straightforward.A time-based service is provided by one individual or entity to another entity.

This service could include IT services, consultations, babysitting, hairdressing, gardening, construction, tutoring, or any other time-consuming job.

A time bank is used to track the amount of time spent providing the service.

When time-based units collect in the time bank, they can be used to buy time-based services from other people.&nbsp;

Which countries have begun to implement this system?

Aside from Switzerland, the UK has adopted the 'time bank' plan, and Singapore is considering doing likewise.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Although most people are aware of the saying "time is money," few consider it to be a legitimate substitute for cash, and even fewer have utilised it as such. While time used to be donated on a voluntary basis or as part of a mutual support agreement among neighbours or friends, technology has made time banking a reality.

Although most people are aware of the saying "time is money," few consider it to be a legitimate substitute for cash, and even fewer have utilised it as such. While time used to be donated on a voluntary basis or as part of a mutual support agreement among neighbours or friends, technology has made time banking a reality. For the first time, a huge number of individuals can track their time accurately and quickly, turning it into a money that can be banked and exchanged for desired goods and services. Swiss citizens can save their time and put it to better use later by depositing it in banks.The Swiss Ministry of Health created the Time Bank concept as an old-age assistance programme. Under the 'time bank' scheme, people save time and volunteer to look after the elderly who require assistance and the number of hours they spend with or caring for seniors is deposited in their individual social security account. When the volunteer reaches the age when he or she wants support.He or she can take advantage of the "time bank." He or she will be looked after by a volunteer. In 2018, a panel of the National Human Rights Commission recommended that India adopt the "time bank" scheme. Watch | What is the scheme? Time Bank is a barter system that allows people to "deposit" and "withdraw" their time based on their abilities and needs. This ideology is both basic and noble in its vision, and it is founded on altruistic principles that date back to a simpler era. How does it work? The concept of time banking is straightforward.A time-based service is provided by one individual or entity to another entity. This service could include IT services, consultations, babysitting, hairdressing, gardening, construction, tutoring, or any other time-consuming job. A time bank is used to track the amount of time spent providing the service. When time-based units collect in the time bank, they can be used to buy time-based services from other people. Which countries have begun to implement this system? Aside from Switzerland, the UK has adopted the 'time bank' plan, and Singapore is considering doing likewise. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch | 'Time is money': People in Switzerland can actually deposit their time in banks

Education knows no age bar. A person can study at any point of time in life. This phrase is apt to describe the tale of a beaming centenarian, who has given the citizens of India yet another reason to cheer. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-pays-tribute-to-jawaharlal-nehru-on-his-132nd-birth-anniversary-429312" hreflang="en">PM Modi pays tribute to Jawaharlal Nehru on his 132nd birth anniversary</a>

Not just this, it is also a proud moment for the Indian state of Kerala as it has always had an inclination towards education as it has been the state with the highest literacy state for a long time. &nbsp; &nbsp;

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104-year-old Kuttiyamma from Kottayam has scored 89/100 in the Kerala State Literacy Mission’s test. Age is no barrier to enter the world of knowledge. With utmost respect and love, I wish Kuttiyamma and all other new learners the best. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Literacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Literacy</a> <a href="https://t.co/pB5Fj9LYd9">pic.twitter.com/pB5Fj9LYd9</a>
— V. Sivankutty (@VSivankuttyCPIM) <a href="https://twitter.com/VSivankuttyCPIM/status/1459008890708758531?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The government of Kerala has also started to brag about its famed literacy endeavours as the state’s Education Minister Vasudevan Sivankutty on Friday posted a picture of 104-year-old Kuttiyamma on social media along with a heartfelt message to congratulate her for scoring well in an exam.

The exam was conducted by the government's continuing education initiative. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/respiratory-cases-on-rise-in-delhi-amid-rising-pollution-levels-says-doctors-429311" hreflang="en">Respiratory cases on rise in Delhi amid rising pollution levels, says doctors</a>

"104-year-old Kuttiyamma from Kottayam has scored 89/100 in the Kerala State Literacy Mission's test. Age is no barrier to enter the world of knowledge. With utmost respect and love, I wish Kuttiyamma and all other new learners the best," Sivankutty tweeted. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Education knows no age bar. A person can study at any point of time in life. This phrase is apt to describe the tale of a beaming centenarian, who has given the citizens of India yet another reason to cheer.

Education knows no age bar. A person can study at any point of time in life. This phrase is apt to describe the tale of a beaming centenarian, who has given the citizens of India yet another reason to cheer. Also Read: PM Modi pays tribute to Jawaharlal Nehru on his 132nd birth anniversary Not just this, it is also a proud moment for the Indian state of Kerala as it has always had an inclination towards education as it has been the state with the highest literacy state for a long time. 104-year-old Kuttiyamma from Kottayam has scored 89/100 in the Kerala State Literacy Mission’s test. Age is no barrier to enter the world of knowledge. With utmost respect and love, I wish Kuttiyamma and all other new learners the best. #Literacy pic.twitter.com/pB5Fj9LYd9 — V. Sivankutty (@VSivankuttyCPIM) November 12, 2021 × The government of Kerala has also started to brag about its famed literacy endeavours as the state’s Education Minister Vasudevan Sivankutty on Friday posted a picture of 104-year-old Kuttiyamma on social media along with a heartfelt message to congratulate her for scoring well in an exam. The exam was conducted by the government's continuing education initiative. Also Read: Respiratory cases on rise in Delhi amid rising pollution levels, says doctors "104-year-old Kuttiyamma from Kottayam has scored 89/100 in the Kerala State Literacy Mission's test. Age is no barrier to enter the world of knowledge. With utmost respect and love, I wish Kuttiyamma and all other new learners the best," Sivankutty tweeted. (With inputs from agencies)

104-year-old woman in India’s Kerala state gets 89 out of 100 marks in exam

A study by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) has urged greater government investment in public healthcare to mitigate the impact of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> on the elderly.

The study suggests that the elderly are even bound to be adversely affected by COVID-19 norms such as physical distancing and isolation, which can lead to depression and other issues.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/home-grown-maritime-traffic-management-software-to-be-ready-in-2022-says-iit-madras-390652" hreflang="en">Home-grown Maritime Traffic Management software to be ready in 2022, says IIT Madras</a>

According to the study, diabetes, blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases are common in the elderly and those in the lower socio-economic strata suffer more.

Mobility issues, dependence on younger generation amid lockdown etc. affect their access to routine primary healthcare and essential care for other ailments.&nbsp;

"Only 18.9% of the elderly had health insurance and therefore may not be able to bear large expenditures on health. 27.5% of people aged 80 years or above are immobile and 70% of elders are partially or wholly financially dependent on others," the study revealed, based on the 75th round of the National Sample Survey (NSS) 2017-18.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-positive-liver-failure-patient-who-was-comatose-revived-successfully-after-transplant-390577" hreflang="en">COVID-19 positive liver-failure patient who was comatose revived successfully after transplant</a>

Undertaken by Prof. V.R. Muraleedharan, Dept of Humanities &amp; Social Sciences, IIT Madras, and Dr Alok Ranjan, Assistant Prof, Dept of Humanities &amp; Social Sciences at IIT Jodhpur, the NSS survey covered 113,823 households and 555,115 individuals.

The surveyed were randomly selected from 8077 villages and 6181 urban areas. The results of this study, published in the International journal Globalization and Health, showed that disparities exist in health status as well as healthcare access of elderly people across the country.

Factors such place of residence, gender, social group (caste), marital status, living arrangements, surviving children, and economic dependence are said to impact healthcare access among the elderly. Missed treatments and unavailability of drugs also pose a major health challenge.

Dr Alok Ranjan is of the opinion that lessons from the current pandemic are learnt to&nbsp;ensure that future adversities are less detrimental to the physical and mental well-being of the elderly. The researchers want to extend the result of this study to a policy. They plan to carry out detailed surveys among the elderly population particularly in Tamil Nadu, especially to design effective rehabilitative care which is almost absent in India's public healthcare system.

A study by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) has urged greater government investment in public healthcare to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the elderly.

A study by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) has urged greater government investment in public healthcare to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the elderly. The study suggests that the elderly are even bound to be adversely affected by COVID-19 norms such as physical distancing and isolation, which can lead to depression and other issues. Also read | Home-grown Maritime Traffic Management software to be ready in 2022, says IIT Madras According to the study, diabetes, blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases are common in the elderly and those in the lower socio-economic strata suffer more. Mobility issues, dependence on younger generation amid lockdown etc. affect their access to routine primary healthcare and essential care for other ailments. "Only 18.9% of the elderly had health insurance and therefore may not be able to bear large expenditures on health. 27.5% of people aged 80 years or above are immobile and 70% of elders are partially or wholly financially dependent on others," the study revealed, based on the 75th round of the National Sample Survey (NSS) 2017-18. Also read | COVID-19 positive liver-failure patient who was comatose revived successfully after transplant Undertaken by Prof. V.R. Muraleedharan, Dept of Humanities & Social Sciences, IIT Madras, and Dr Alok Ranjan, Assistant Prof, Dept of Humanities & Social Sciences at IIT Jodhpur, the NSS survey covered 113,823 households and 555,115 individuals. The surveyed were randomly selected from 8077 villages and 6181 urban areas. The results of this study, published in the International journal Globalization and Health, showed that disparities exist in health status as well as healthcare access of elderly people across the country. Factors such place of residence, gender, social group (caste), marital status, living arrangements, surviving children, and economic dependence are said to impact healthcare access among the elderly. Missed treatments and unavailability of drugs also pose a major health challenge. Dr Alok Ranjan is of the opinion that lessons from the current pandemic are learnt to ensure that future adversities are less detrimental to the physical and mental well-being of the elderly. The researchers want to extend the result of this study to a policy. They plan to carry out detailed surveys among the elderly population particularly in Tamil Nadu, especially to design effective rehabilitative care which is almost absent in India's public healthcare system.

Only 19% elderly have health insurance and can’t bear costs: IIT study

Pakistan started registration of elderly people aged 65 years and above to vaccinate them against the coronavirus on Monday, as the national tally of the Covid-19 cases reached 564,077.&nbsp;

Planning Minister Asad Umar, who is also chief of the anti-corona National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), said that the vaccination of the registered elderly people would begin next month.&nbsp;

Pleased to announce that registration for getting Covid vaccine is now open for all citizens, who are 65 years of age and above. Just write down your computerised national identity card (CNIC) number and send message on 1166. Vaccinations for this age group will start in March, he tweeted.&nbsp;

The vaccination of the frontline healthcare workers in the country started on February 2, a day after China donated 500,000 Sinopharm doses to Pakistan.&nbsp;

According to the Ministry of National Health Services, 1,048 new Covid-19 cases were reported in the last 24 hours, while 26 patients died in the same period, taking the total number of fatalities to 12,333.&nbsp;

A total of 525,997 have recovered from the disease.&nbsp;

The authorities carried out 32,019 tests in the last 24 hours. The positivity rate stood at 3.27 per cent.

Pakistan started registration of elderly people aged 65 years and above to vaccinate them against the coronavirus on Monday, as the national tally of the Covid-19 cases reached 564,077.

Pakistan started registration of elderly people aged 65 years and above to vaccinate them against the coronavirus on Monday, as the national tally of the Covid-19 cases reached 564,077. Planning Minister Asad Umar, who is also chief of the anti-corona National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), said that the vaccination of the registered elderly people would begin next month. Pleased to announce that registration for getting Covid vaccine is now open for all citizens, who are 65 years of age and above. Just write down your computerised national identity card (CNIC) number and send message on 1166. Vaccinations for this age group will start in March, he tweeted. The vaccination of the frontline healthcare workers in the country started on February 2, a day after China donated 500,000 Sinopharm doses to Pakistan. According to the Ministry of National Health Services, 1,048 new Covid-19 cases were reported in the last 24 hours, while 26 patients died in the same period, taking the total number of fatalities to 12,333. A total of 525,997 have recovered from the disease. The authorities carried out 32,019 tests in the last 24 hours. The positivity rate stood at 3.27 per cent.

Pak begins to register elderly for Covid-19 vaccination

A team of friendly robots is giving a much-needed boost to both staff and residents at a German care centre for the elderly, including by helping to enforce coronavirus hygiene measures.

Robots boost morale and help with hygiene at a German care home

Elderly living in Chile's capital of Santiago were able to leave their homes on Saturday (July 25), after months of lockdown to stem the tide of coronavirus infections in the South American country.

Chile: The elderly in Santiago venture out after months

People in isolation, looking for animal companionship, have started to adopt dogs. And many dogs have made new friends in the volunteers who walk the pets of elderly people.

Abandoned pets find new homes in Moscow

In Spain, elderly people have been found dead and abandoned in nursing homes. The elderly are the most vulnerable to the Wuhan Coronavirus. With no cure in sight, how can the community lend a helping hand? WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you more.

Gravitas: Wuhan Coronavirus: India's elderly population faces high risk

India has come under a complete lockdown as shops remain closed and there is a crunch for essentials.The elderly in society are the most vulnerable. Covid-19 has been found to have been more fatal among elderly people. Across the world community efforts and governments are innovating ways to show their care for the elderly.

COVID-19 shutdown makes elderly vulnerable

Kang Mi-sook, 62, begins each weekday on the road, driving around with her motorised fridge filled with yoghurt-like drinks and greeting familiar faces on her usual route through the streets of Seoul.

'Yoghurt lady' delivers treats and companionship to South Korea's elderly

Bihar Cabinet-led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has approved a proposal to punish sons and daughters who abandon their elderly parents with a jail term.&nbsp;

The proposal of Bihar social welfare department has provisions for punishments which could go up to imprisonment if wards do not look after their parents properly in their old ages.

The cases against the wards will be registered under the non-bail able section in Bihar after receiving complaints from the elderly parents.

Many other decisions were also taken during the cabinet meeting that took place on Tuesday.

Bihar Cabinet-led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has approved a proposal to punish sons and daughters who abandon their elderly parents with a jail term. The proposal of Bihar social welfare department has provisions for punishments which could go up to imprisonment if wards do not look after their parents properly in their old ages.

Bihar Cabinet-led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has approved a proposal to punish sons and daughters who abandon their elderly parents with a jail term. The proposal of Bihar social welfare department has provisions for punishments which could go up to imprisonment if wards do not look after their parents properly in their old ages. The cases against the wards will be registered under the non-bail able section in Bihar after receiving complaints from the elderly parents. Many other decisions were also taken during the cabinet meeting that took place on Tuesday.

Bihar: Abandoning elderly parents will now land sons, daughters in jail

People aged 65 years or older are expected to make up around 30 per cent of China's population in the next 30 years.

This is a significant rise as compared to the 11.9 per cent growth recorded in 2018, said an expert, cited by state-run China Daily on Monday.

"Rapid ageing of the population will place great pressure on the pension fund and the workforce, and family members will face unprecedented pressure to take care of the elderly," said Wang Guangzhou, a researcher at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

According to official data of 2018, people aged 65 and above account for some 11.9 per cent of the total population, but due to a gradual decrease of the population in proportion to those above 65 years, "will increase rapidly" over the coming decades, said the expert.

Yuan Xin, population studies professor in Nankai University, said that the overall population decrease along with an ageing population could result in a fall of around 700 million people - in the working age group of 15 to 59 years - by 2050 from the current 897.3 million, marking a 22 per cent decline.

However, Yuan added that the changes in the economic structures would not lead to a shortage of workforce under the circumstances.

He said increasing the age of retirement from 60 to 65 could increase the workforce by some 100 million, reported China Daily.

"With the disappearance of the advantage of a massive cheap workforce, which played a very important role in China's rapid economic development over the past four decades, China should not continue to rely on labour-intensive industries for growth," Yuan added.

"We should focus on scientific and technological research and development, and keep improving the quality of the workforce to make up for the decline in numbers," he said.

According to "Green Book of Population and Labor", a report published by CASS in early January, the Chinese population is set to peak in 2029 at 1.44 billion and is expected to start declining afterwards.

The population is projected to be some 1.36 billion in 2025 and will reach around 1.2 billion in 2065, a similar number to that of the year 1996.

However, the report said that if the birth rate remains unchanged at 1.6 children per woman, the population will begin declining 2027 onward and will drop less than 1.2 billion in 2065, recording the same number as in the year 1990.

China had put an end to its strict one-child policy in 2015 to address the perils of a rapidly-ageing population.

People aged 65 years or older are expected to make up around 30 per cent of China's population in the next 30 years. This is a significant rise as compared to the 11.

People aged 65 years or older are expected to make up around 30 per cent of China's population in the next 30 years. This is a significant rise as compared to the 11.9 per cent growth recorded in 2018, said an expert, cited by state-run China Daily on Monday. "Rapid ageing of the population will place great pressure on the pension fund and the workforce, and family members will face unprecedented pressure to take care of the elderly," said Wang Guangzhou, a researcher at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. According to official data of 2018, people aged 65 and above account for some 11.9 per cent of the total population, but due to a gradual decrease of the population in proportion to those above 65 years, "will increase rapidly" over the coming decades, said the expert. Yuan Xin, population studies professor in Nankai University, said that the overall population decrease along with an ageing population could result in a fall of around 700 million people - in the working age group of 15 to 59 years - by 2050 from the current 897.3 million, marking a 22 per cent decline. However, Yuan added that the changes in the economic structures would not lead to a shortage of workforce under the circumstances. He said increasing the age of retirement from 60 to 65 could increase the workforce by some 100 million, reported China Daily. "With the disappearance of the advantage of a massive cheap workforce, which played a very important role in China's rapid economic development over the past four decades, China should not continue to rely on labour-intensive industries for growth," Yuan added. "We should focus on scientific and technological research and development, and keep improving the quality of the workforce to make up for the decline in numbers," he said. According to "Green Book of Population and Labor", a report published by CASS in early January, the Chinese population is set to peak in 2029 at 1.44 billion and is expected to start declining afterwards. The population is projected to be some 1.36 billion in 2025 and will reach around 1.2 billion in 2065, a similar number to that of the year 1996. However, the report said that if the birth rate remains unchanged at 1.6 children per woman, the population will begin declining 2027 onward and will drop less than 1.2 billion in 2065, recording the same number as in the year 1990. China had put an end to its strict one-child policy in 2015 to address the perils of a rapidly-ageing population.

China's elderly population to grow significantly in next 30 years

A fire that tore through a nursing home killed five people and injured another 29 in Taiwan today. 
 
Television footage showed elderly people being evacuated from the facility, some in clothes blackened by smoke.&nbsp; 
 
Three bodies were found in the private nursing facility on the eighth floor of a ten-storey building in Xindian, New Taipei City, while rescuers rushed 31 people to hospital. 
 
Two people were later pronounced dead, while 18 were found to be suffering from serious injuries, the local fire department said. 
 
The fire was extinguished in around 30 minutes but the evacuation process was made more difficult by the fact that most elderly residents were bedridden or wheelchair-bound, it added.&nbsp; 
 
Authorities are looking into claims that insufficient staffing at the home had further complicated the rescue effort. 
 
&quot;The facility has passed inspections but we are investigating if its response (to the fire) and the staffing on the day met regulations,&quot; New Taipei City deputy mayor, Hou You-yi, told reporters.&nbsp; 
 
The facility has seven members of staff, according to the authorities. Local media reported that there were only two or three workers looking after some 40 residents at the time of the fire. 
 
In 2012, 13 people were killed and 60 others injured in a nursing home fire in southern Taiwan set by a 67-year-old man. 
 
The culprit, who was later sentenced to death, said he was in a bad mood, and was suffering from cancer and other chronic health problems. 
 
(AFP)

Authorities are looking into claims that insufficient staffing at the home had further complicated the rescue effort

A fire that tore through a nursing home killed five people and injured another 29 in Taiwan today. Television footage showed elderly people being evacuated from the facility, some in clothes blackened by smoke. Three bodies were found in the private nursing facility on the eighth floor of a ten-storey building in Xindian, New Taipei City, while rescuers rushed 31 people to hospital. Two people were later pronounced dead, while 18 were found to be suffering from serious injuries, the local fire department said. The fire was extinguished in around 30 minutes but the evacuation process was made more difficult by the fact that most elderly residents were bedridden or wheelchair-bound, it added. Authorities are looking into claims that insufficient staffing at the home had further complicated the rescue effort. "The facility has passed inspections but we are investigating if its response (to the fire) and the staffing on the day met regulations," New Taipei City deputy mayor, Hou You-yi, told reporters. The facility has seven members of staff, according to the authorities. Local media reported that there were only two or three workers looking after some 40 residents at the time of the fire. In 2012, 13 people were killed and 60 others injured in a nursing home fire in southern Taiwan set by a 67-year-old man. The culprit, who was later sentenced to death, said he was in a bad mood, and was suffering from cancer and other chronic health problems. (AFP)

Five killed, 29 hurt in Taiwan nursing home fire

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