News Analysis India

Tag: Coronavirus Outbreak

  • Uncollected ashes of COVID-19 victims being used to develop park at Bhopal crematorium

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: A park is being developed at a Hindu crematorium in Bhopal using the ashes of those who died due to COVID-19 infection during the second wave of the pandemic this year, its management committee has said.

    This novel idea is being implemented at the Bhadbhada Vishram Ghat using 21 truckloads of the ashes of the dead, which kept lying at the facility as their relatives failed to collect that due to the coronavirus-induced restrictions and its proper disposal posed a challenge before the management.

    The park will be developed on 12,000 square feet of land at the crematorium in memory of those who lost their lives due to the pandemic, an office-bearer of the crematorium’s management committee said.

    “Over 6,000 bodies were cremated at Bhadbhada Vishram Ghat in adherence to COVID-19 protocol during a 90-day period from March 15 to June 15. Most of the family members collected the bones and left the ashes due to the coronavirus-induced restrictions,” Mamtesh Sharma, its management committee secretary told PTI.

    “Due to this, 21 truckloads of ashes of the deceased were left in the crematorium. It was hard and not environment-friendly to release the ashes into the Narmada river. Doing so could have polluted the river. So, the decision about developing a park using the ashes was taken,” he said.

    Sharma said a land surface has been developed on 12,000 square feet of land in the crematorium by using the ashes of the dead, soil, cow dung, wood sawdust, sand, among other things, to develop the park.

    This garden is being developed using Japan’s ‘Miyawaki technique’, through which about 3,500-4,000 plants can be accommodated, he said.

    Sharma said that under this technique, these plants will take 15 to 18 months to grow into a tree.

    Committee president Arun Choudhary said the decision was taken to keep the memory of the dead permanent by developing this park in the crematorium campus.

    “We have urged the family members of those who lost their lives due to COVID-19, to participate in the plantation work. The management committee will take care of these plants till they grow into a tree,” he said.

    Committee’s treasurer Ajay Dubey said the plantation on the given land will start from July 5.

    “The plantation activity will continue from July 5 to 7 and the people of the city can make their contribution by planting saplings during this,” he said.

    Bhadbhada Vishram Ghat was the only Hindu crematorium for the funeral of COVID-19 patients in Bhopal.

  • Doctor posted at government hospital in Chhattisgarh sacked for black marketing of COVID-19 vaccines

    By PTI
    KORBA: A doctor posted at a government hospital in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district was dismissed from service on Sunday for allegedly selling COVID-19 vaccines at his private clinic, officials said.

    There were complaints that Dr Ashok Kumar Makhija, a child specialist posted at the Primary Health Centre Korba on a contractual basis, was allegedly selling COVID-19 vaccines of the government hospital at his private clinic, following which Korba Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Sunil Nayak probed the matter, Korba Collector Ranu Sahu said.

    “The probe revealed that Dr Makhija had been allegedly indulged in the black marketing of the vaccines. Dr Makhija has been terminated from service and a directive has been issued to seal his private clinic which was being operated without any license, with immediate effect,” she said.

    The SDM said it was not immediately known how Dr Makhija obtained the vaccines.

    “Each vial of the vaccine has 10 doses in total, and once opened for inoculation, all doses have to be used within a stipulated period of time. Dr Makhiha told us that he had been bringing the left vaccines (considered as wastage) in a vial,” Nayak said.

    However, official records showed no vaccine wastage was reported in the past two months in any vaccination centre in the Korba district, he said, adding that further investigation is underway.

  • COVID-19: Fully vaccinated tourists can now visit Sikkim from Monday

    By PTI
    GANGTOK: People who have taken both doses of the COVID vaccine can now visit Sikkim from July 5 as the state government on Sunday lifted the temporary ban on the entry of visitors from other parts of the country following a dip in fresh coronavirus cases.

    The Sikkim government had prohibited the entry of tourists since March this year following a surge in COVID-19 cases.

    The state Home Department, in a notification, said that fully vaccinated tourists can enter the Himalayan state through Rangpo in East Sikkim and Melli in South Sikkim after exhibiting their vaccination certificates at the border check-gates.

    The state government also allowed hotels, guest houses and homestays to operate at 50 per cent capacity from Monday with strict adherence to COVID protocols.

    Shopping malls, showrooms and shops have also been allowed to open at full capacity with strict compliance with safety guidelines.

    All government offices can function with fully vaccinated employees, while staffers who have not yet received both the jabs can work with the present arrangement of 50 per cent attendance, the notification said.

    All factories and commercial establishments can also operate at 100 per cent capacity provided the staffers are fully vaccinated, it said.

    “The Sikkim Hotel and Restaurant Association (SHRA) welcomes the state government’s decision to open the tourism industry, which is the mainstay of Sikkim’s economy. We will ensure strict adherence to COVID guidelines,” an executive member of the body told PTI.

    He claimed that the state’s tourism industry bore a loss of around Rs 600 crores last year due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

    A total of 21,131 people have tested positive for the infection in the Himalayan state so far, of whom 2,101 are undergoing treatment, while 18,469 have recovered from the disease, 308 have succumbed to the infection and 253 have migrated to other states till Sunday, a health department bulletin said.

  • Haryana extends lockdown till July 12

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government on Sunday extended the lockdown clamped in the state to curb the spread of the coronavirus by another week till July 12, while allowing some examinations to be held.

    According to the order issued by Chief Secretary Vijai Vardhan in exercise of powers under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, “the Mahamari Alert-Surakshit Haryana is extended for another week, that is from July 5 (5 am onwards) to July 12 (till 5 am) in the state of Haryana.”

    .The state government has termed the covid-induced lockdown as “Mahamari Alert-Surakshit Haryana (Epidemic Alert-Safe Haryana)”.

    The Institute of Chartered Accountants is allowed to hold “Chartered Accountant Examinations” from July 5-20, the order said.

    While conducting the exams, “guidelines for examination centres, examination functionaries and candidates for July 2021 CA examination in wake of the ongoing Covid pandemic, released by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India” along with SOPs issued by the Centre from time to time regarding preventive measures to be followed to contain Covid will have to be followed strictly, according to the orders.

    The orders further said that it has also been decided to allow the Common Entrance Exam (CEE) to be held at Hisar by the Army Recruiting Office, Military Station Hisar, subject to strict observance of social distancing norms, sanitisation and Covid appropriate behavioural norms.

    The relaxations, with respect to opening of shops, malls, restaurants, religious places, corporate offices, gatherings in weddings, funerals, and open spaces will continue as currently in place.

    According to earlier relaxations, all shops are allowed to open from 9 am to 8 pm, malls are allowed to open from 10 am to 8 pm, restaurants and bars, including those in hotels and malls, are allowed to open from 10 am to 10 pm with 50 per cent seating capacity.

    Swimming pools and spas will continue to remain closed.

    “Now, after duly considering the fact that although the Covid positivity rate and the number of new Covid positive cases have declined, so as to continue the preventive and precautionary measures to contain the Covid pandemic the ‘Mahamari Alert-Surakshit Haryana’ is extended for another week…,” the order said.

    The number of daily COVID-19, which had crossed the 15,000-mark in May, have now come down to nearly 50 while the Covid fatalities have also registered a sharp fall in the state.

    The Haryana government had imposed the lockdown in the state on May 3 in view of the prevailing Covid situation.

    It has now been extended for the ninth time.

  • Be cautious, don’t panic against COVID’s Delta-plus variant: Doctors

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Delta-plus variant of coronavirus is highly infectious but there is no need to panic, former ICMR chief, Dr Raman Gangakhedkar said on Sunday.

    With ICMR data showing over 70 per cent of people having developed immunity against coronavirus, the country appears to be heading towards herd immunity but the Delta-plus variant has created a frightening environment, said another doctor in a webinar on Covid.

    Noting the highly infectious nature of the Delta-plus variant, former chief of the Indian Council of Medical Research, Dr Gangakhedkar said a vaccine is also less effective to it.

    Dr Gangakhedkar, however, added, “There is no need to panic. Researches have shown that mRNA vaccine is likely to be more effective against it.”

    The ex-ICMR chief was part of a group of doctors from different parts of the country who held an in-depth discussion on the possible third wave of coronavirus infection through a webinar organised here on Sunday.

    The organiser of the webinar and a senior dermatologist, Dr Dinesh Mathur said doctors from top medical institutions took part in the conference to share their opinion.

    Dr Gangakhedkar also dispelled the popular misconception that people should avoid taking the Covishield vaccine if they have been given ‘heparin’ to stop bleeding or they have a low blood platelet count.

    He also said the risk of HIV infection can also be found higher in some groups like homosexuals, sex workers and transgenders during the pandemic.

    The former ICMR chief rejected the notion of taking two different vaccines and insisted that one should never take two doses of different vaccines.

    Dr Virendra Singh, a respiratory disease expert, said ICMR data reveal that more than 70 per cent of people have developed immunity against the virus due to infection or vaccine and it seems the country is moving towards herd immunity.

    “But, the Delta-plus variant has created a frightening environment,” he said.

    He, however, counselled caution, saying “instead of being afraid, this pandemic can be avoided with Covid-appropriate behaviour.”

    Dr Raman Sharma of the Department of Medicine of Sawai Man Singh Hospital said it is known from the experience so far that the drug Remdesivir should be used only appropriately and equitably.

    It has also been found from research that drugs like Jack State Inhibitor are proving effective in the treatment of Covid.

    Steroids should also be used at the right time and in the right dosage, he said.

    Other medical science experts who participated in the webinar included Dr Vishwa Mohan Katoch, a former director-general of ICMR, noted microbiologist Dr Nitya Vyas of the Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and chief executive Dr Jaswant Goyal of JNU Medical College, among others.

  • Serum Institute of India produces over 10 crore doses of Covishield in June

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Fulfilling its commitment, Serum Institute of India has produced over 10 crore doses of its COVID-19 vaccine Covishield in June so far as India ramps up the pace of its vaccination drive in the face of a possible third wave of the viral infection.

    India’s COVID-19 inoculation drive has picked up pace under the new phase of universalisation of COVID-19 vaccination that commenced on June 21 with around 69 lakh vaccine doses being administered on an average daily in the last six days.

    The immunisation data published at 7 am on Sunday showed that India administered 64.25 lakh vaccine doses in a day, taking the cumulative number of jabs given so far under the nationwide inoculation drive to 32.17 crore.

    According to information provided to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India, it has sent 45 batches of Covishield, amounting to 10.80 crore doses, to the Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli for release in June so far.

    The firm’s Director at Government and Regulatory Affairs, Prakash Kumar Singh, had in May communicated to Union Home Minister Amit Shah that Covishield production would be ramped up to 10 crore doses in June.

    “We are committed to enhancing the production capacity of our Covishield vaccine and have been working round-the-clock in spite of various challenges being faced by us because of COVID-19 pandemic.

    “We are pleased to inform that in the month of June we will be able to manufacture and supply nine to 10 crore doses of our Covishield vaccine to our country as compared to our present production capacity of 6.5 crore doses in May,” Singh had said in a communication to Shah.

    The nationwide vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to states and Union Territories enabling them to plan better, streamlining the vaccine supply chain, according to the Health Ministry.

    Under the revised guidelines, vaccine doses are provided free of cost by the Centre and are allocated to states and Union Territories based on criteria such as population, disease burden and the progress of vaccination.

    The Centre procures 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced in the country.

    All above the age of 18 years are eligible for free vaccine doses.

    The Centre had earlier allowed states and private hospitals to procure 50 per cent of the vaccines following demands for decentralisation of the process.

    However, after several states complained of problems including funding, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the revised vaccine guidelines.

    In order to incentivise production and encourage new vaccines, domestic manufacturers are given the option to provide vaccines directly to private hospitals.

    This is restricted to 25 per cent of their monthly production under the new guidelines.

  • Time interval for second Covishield dose for Indian contingent in Tokyo Olympics relaxed: Centre to SC

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Centre has told the Supreme Court that the athletes, sportspersons and accompanying staff of the Indian contingent attending the Tokyo Olympics, students undertaking foreign travel for education and persons working abroad will be administered the second dose of the Covishield vaccine prior to the prescribed time interval (after 28 days but before 84 days).

    Presently, based on the recommendations of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NÉGVAC), the schedule of Covishield under the National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy is to administer the second dose at an interval of 12-16 weeks (after 84 days) from the date of administration of the first dose.

    In a 380-page affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on Saturday in a suo motu matter on Covid management, the Centre has said the health ministry has received several representations from students as well as states such as Kerala regarding relaxations for the administration of the second dose of Covishield before the currently stipulated 84-day interval for students going abroad for higher studies.

    On May 31, the top court had slammed the Centre’s Covid vaccination policy, saying it is “prima facie arbitrary and irrational” to allow the states and private hospitals to charge those in the 18-44 age group while the jabs were offered for free in the first two phases of the nationwide inoculation drive, and ordered its review.

    In the affidavit, the Centre said, “The various representations request for allowing the administration of the second dose of Covishield for such persons who have only taken the first dose and are seeking to undertake international travel for educational purposes or employment opportunities or as part of India’s contingent for the Tokyo Olympic games, but whose planned travel dates fall prior to the completion of the currently mandated minimum interval of 84 days from the date of the first dose.”

    The Centre said the matter was taken up at a meeting of the Empowered Group-5 (EG-5) on Covid vaccination, “which has recommended administration of second dose of Covishield prior to the prescribed time interval (after 28 days but before 84 days) to provide full coverage of vaccination and facilitating international travel”.

    It said this special dispensation will be available to “students who have to undertake foreign travel for the purposes of education, persons who have to take up jobs in foreign countries and athletes, sportspersons and accompanying staff of the Indian contingent attending the Olympic games to be held in Tokyo”.

    The Centre submitted that the time interval between the two doses of Covishield under the vaccination drive has undergone a series of revisions based on the available and emerging scientific evidence under the overall guidance of the NEGVAC.

    “From four weeks at the start of the vaccination drive to a gap of six to eight weeks, currently, the interval between the first and the second dose of Covishield is 12-16 weeks in view of the emerging evidence documenting higher seroconversion and protection offered at a longer dose interval,” it said.

    The Centre further said that the matter was discussed by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), which recommended increasing the interval between the two doses of Covishield to 12-16 weeks.

    It said the requisite facility on the Co-WIN portal for the administration of the second dose in such exceptional cases will be made available shortly and a separate standard operating procedure (SOP) has been issued for the administration of the second dose of Covishield prior to the prescribed time interval.

    In the SOP, the Centre has advised that vaccination may be availed in such cases through the passport, which is one of the permissible ID documents according to the current guidelines, so that the passport number is printed on the vaccination certificate.

    “However, if passport was not used at the time of administration of the first dose, the details of the photo ID card used for vaccination will be printed on the vaccination certificate and a mention of the passport in the vaccination certificate is not to be insisted upon,” it has said.

    It has further said that wherever necessary, the competent authority may issue another certificate linking the vaccination certificate with the beneficiary’s passport number.

    “This facility shall be available to those who need to undertake international travel for these specified purposes in the period up to August 31,” it said.

    “This is to clarify that these SOPs have been issued specifically for Covishield because only the time interval between the two doses of Covishield has been increased from six-eight weeks to 12-16 weeks. The period for Covaxin has remained the same i.e four-six weeks and hence, there was no need for any special dispensation for the second dose of Covaxin. It is also clarified that complete vaccination with Covaxin is also sufficient for foreign travel,” the government has said.

    With regard to the vaccination of crematorium and panchayat workers, the Centre submitted that crematorium workers (regardless of their employment status of being permanent, contractual, outsourced or manpower working with a contractor with or without any designation), who are engaged in working in cremation grounds, and panchayat workers in rural areas involved in Covid control activities are already included in the “municipal workers group” under the “frontline workers category”.

  • India has capacity to store COVID vaccines requiring low temperatures: Centre to Supreme Court

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: India has the capacity to store vaccines that may require a lower temperature in the range of minus 15 to minus 20 degrees Celsius and there are over 29,000 cold chain points (CCPs) across the country where vaccines are stored at the recommended temperatures, the Centre has told the Supreme Court.

    In an affidavit filed in the apex court in a suo motu case on distribution of essential supplies and services during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centre has said that at present, the two vaccines — Covishield and Covaxin — are required to be stored at a temperature range of two to eight degrees Celsius.

    The Centre has said the requirement for cold storage may change with the arrival of other COVID-19 vaccines in the future and it is fully prepared to take appropriate steps as and when such vaccines are available.

    “The country also has the capacity to store vaccines which may require a lower temperature in the range of minus 15 to minus 20 degrees Centigrade. The Sputnik V vaccine requires storage at minus 18 degrees Centigrade,” said the affidavit filed on Saturday.

    “It is submitted that there are more than 29,000 cold chain points (CCPs) across the country in states/UTs, where the vaccines are stored at recommended temperatures,” it said, adding, “Of the above CCPs, four national level stores i.e. Government Medical Store Depot (GMSD) are managed by the Government of India and the remaining are managed by the respective state/UT governments,” it added.

    It said there are 37 state vaccine stores, 114 regional vaccine stores, 723 district vaccine stores and 28,268 sub-district vaccine stores.

    The affidavit said that based on the requirement of both the universal immunisation programme and COVID-19 vaccination, the government has centrally procured and supplied cold chain equipment (CCE) to the states and Union territories (UTs).

    “Further, funds are allocated to the states/UTs under the National Health Mission-Programme Implementation Plan (NHM-PIP) for maintenance of CCEs and also for provisioning cold chain technicians (CCTs) for undertaking the repair and maintenance of CCEs,” it said.

    The affidavit said there are 29,116 CCPs, located from the national to the sub-district level across the country, which have CCEs like walk-in coolers, walk-in freezers, ice-lined refrigerators, deep freezers, cold boxes for the storage of vaccines and freezing of ice packs.

    “The capacity of these CCPs has been augmented for the COVID-19 vaccination drive,” it said.

    The affidavit said the cold storage equipment procured by the government through the domestic budget is indigenously manufactured.

    “The cold storage equipment supplied as aid by the donors i.e.UNICEF constitutes both indigenously-manufactured equipment and imported equipment,” it said.

    In the affidavit, the Centre has also that the digital divide is no more a constraint as walk-in Covid vaccination has been allowed and a poor person and a multi-millionaire in the 18 years and above age group are equally entitled to get the vaccine for free.

    Till June 25, over 31 crore doses of the Covid vaccines have been administered in the country, the government has said while responding to a slew of questions raised by the apex court in its May 31 order.

  • Haryana extends lockdown till July 5, relaxations allowed earlier to continue

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government Sunday extended the coronavirus lockdown by another week till July 5, while allowing university campuses to open for research scholars and practical classes in laboratories.

    “The Mahamari Alert-Surakshit Haryana is extended for another week that is from June 28 (5 am onwards) to July 5 (till 5 am) in the state of Haryana,” Chief Secretary Vijai Vardhan said in an order issued under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

    The state government has termed the coronavirus lockdown “Mahamari Alert-Surakshit Haryana (Epidemic Alert-Safe Haryana)”.

    University campuses are allowed to open for research scholars, laboratory practicals, remedial and doubt classes by adopting requisite social distancing norms, regular sanitisation and Covid-appropriate behaviour, according to the order.

    Anganwadi centres and crèches under Women and Child Development Department shall continue to remain closed.

    These places will remain shut till July 31 in the state.

    The state’s Department of Women and Child Welfare will release the methodology for implementation of various women and child welfare programmes in the state, the order said.

    The relaxations on reopening of shops, malls, restaurants, religious places, corporate offices, gatherings in weddings, funerals, open spaces etc will continue as currently in place.

    According to earlier relaxations all shops are allowed to open from 9 am to 8 pm, malls from 10 am to 8 pm, restaurants and bars, including in hotels and malls, from 10 am to 10 pm with 50 per cent seating capacity.

    Swimming pools and spas will continue to remain closed.

    “Now, after duly considering the fact that although the Covid positivity rate and the number of new Covid positive cases have declined, so as to continue the preventive and precautionary measures to contain the Covid pandemic – the ‘Mahamari Alert-Surakshit Haryana’ is extended for another week…,” the order said.

    The number of daily COVID-19 cases, which had crossed the 15,000-mark last month, have now come down to nearly 100 while the Covid fatalities have also registered a sharp fall.

    The Haryana government had imposed the lockdown in the state on May 3 in view of the prevailing Covid situation.

    It has now been extended for the eighth time.

  • Another BJP leader criticises COVID handling in Uttar Pradesh

    By PTI
    BALLIA: Criticising the handling of the COVID-19 crisis in Uttar Pradesh, a ruling party leader has claimed that at least 10 people died in every village during the second wave as no lessons were learnt from the first one.

    State BJP working committee member Ram Iqbal Singh, who made the remarks on Saturday, is the latest among the party’s leaders who have questioned the management of the coronavirus infection in the state.

    Speaking to reporters here, Singh rued that the Health Department did not learn any lesson from the first wave of COVID-19 which led to a large number of deaths due to the disease in the second wave.

    “At least 10 people died from every village in the state during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic,” he alleged.

    The BJP leader also demanded that Rs 10 lakh be given to the kin of those who succumbed to the infection.

    He lamented that after 75 years of freedom, this district with a population of 34 lakh, has “no doctors or medicines”.

    On being reminded that during his visit to Ballia, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made by the Health Department, Singh said the officials had misled the CM, and the truth was not shown.

    He also urged the BJP government to give a diesel subsidy to farmers.

    Earlier in May, BJP’s Sitapur MLA Rakesh Rathore had joined the list of ruling party lawmakers in Uttar Pradesh, expressing resentment over the alleged COVID-19 mismanagement in the state and saying that he feared a sedition charge for speaking up.

    “What standing do MLAs have? If we speak too much, treason and sedition charges will be slapped on us as well,” Rakesh Rathore had told reporters, according to a video clip.

    On May 9, Union Labour minister Santosh Gangwar had complained to the chief minister about the situation in his Bareilly constituency, saying officials don’t take calls and government health centres send back patients for ‘referrals’ from the district hospital.

    In a letter to Adityanath, he had also complained about the “big shortage” of empty oxygen cylinders and the high prices of medical equipment in Bareilly.

    A day later, BJP MLA from Jasrana in Firozabad Ramgopal Lodhi claimed that his coronavirus positive wife was not admitted to an Agra hospital for over three hours, with officials saying that beds were not available.

    In April, a ‘confidential’ letter written by UP Law Minister Brajesh Pathak surfaced on social media.

    Pathak had lashed out at his state’s health authorities, complaining that beds for coronavirus patients were falling short and ambulances took hours to arrive in the state capital.