News Analysis India

Tag: COVID-19 Vaccines

  • 14 states reporting spike in Covid-19 cases asked to be on alert by Centre

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: As 14 states, including Delhi, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka and Telangana, are reporting a spike in Covid-19 cases on a weekly basis, along with a high positivity rate, conducting less testing and below-average vaccination,  the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday advised them to continue to be alert and step-up their vigil. 

    In the virtual review meeting, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan strongly advised them to monitor the epidemiological profile of admitted Covid-19 patients strictly and report the clinical manifestation to the ministry, rather than random or anecdotal reporting, a statement issued said. 

    “This will help to identify at an early stage any out-of-the-ordinary or different clinical presentation of the patients,” it added. 

    Noting that the uptake in second and precaution doses in many states reporting the present surge was low, they were advised to rapidly accelerate the vaccination coverage, especially for the elderly population, and second dose among the 12-17 age group.

    Underscoring that there was no shortage of Covid-19 vaccines, states were advised to ensure that vaccines that expire first are administered first to prevent any wastage.

    Since June 1, many states, which have now expanded to 14, have been reporting a spike in Covid cases. The other states that were part of the virtual meet included Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

    In the meeting, the low level of Covid-19 testing was highlighted as also the drop in RTPCR share. 

    Instead of a thin and broad testing spectrum, states were advised to focus on strategic testing of patients coming to fever clinics and patients of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) along with new clusters and geographies in all districts reporting higher positivity, the statement said.

    The health secretary also urged states to ensure that claims under ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package: Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19′ were expeditiously processed to ensure that insurance dues are paid to those public healthcare providers, including community health workers, who have died due to Covid. 

    In the meeting, Dr Vinod Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, advised the states to watch the emerging pandemic situation. 

     “Routine surveillance constitutes the steel frame of our Covid response and management strategy and needs continuous and unstinted attention,” he said.

  • NTAGI members agree on reducing Covid booster dose gap to six months; discuss monkeypox

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Members of the government advisory panel NTAGI on Thursday agreed on reducing the gap between the second and precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the current nine to six months, official sources said.

    A recommendation for it will be made to the Health Ministry soon, they said.

    The NTAGI’s Standing Technical Sub-Committee (STSC), which met on Thursday, also reviewed the findings of a study by the Christian Medical College (CMC) in Vellore on the feasibility of allowing as a precaution dose a Covid vaccine different from the one used for primary vaccination.

    The panel members found a lack of uniformity in results upon mixing of jabs for booster shots and stated that no recommendation for it can be made as of now.

    The CMC study was on Covishield and Covaxin.

    The threat of monkeypox and the requirement of vaccination were also discussed in the meeting, the sources said.

    “However, the members were of the view that a strong surveillance is what is required as of now. No case of monkeypox has been detected in the country till now,” one of the sources told PTI.

    The panel also reviewed data on Covaxin and Corbevax vaccines for the 6-12 age group.

    “The members opined that data of Covid burden and mortality among children is not robust enough to take any decision to begin vaccination of those below 12 years,” the source stated.

    India’s drug regulator in April this year had granted emergency use authorisation for Biological E’s COVID-19 vaccine Corbevax for those aged five to 12 years and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for children in the age group of six to 12 years.

    The STSC members were learnt to have also agreed on the administration of an additional third dose for renal transplant patients before the precaution dose.

    “In the meeting today, members also agreed on reducing the gap between the second and the precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the current nine months to six months,” the source told PTI.

    Currently, all those above the age of 18 who have completed nine months after the administration of the second dose are eligible for the precaution dose.

    The Union government last month allowed citizens and students travelling overseas to get the shot before the stipulated nine-month waiting period as required by the guidelines of the destination country.

  • Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech cut COVID vaccine prices for private hospitals to Rs 225

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Vaccine majors Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech on Saturday said they have decided to cut prices of the precaution dose of their respective COVID-19 vaccines to Rs 225 per shot for private hospitals after discussions with the government.

    “We are pleased to announce that after discussion with the central government, SII has decided to revise the price of COVISHIELD vaccine for private hospitals from Rs 600 to Rs 225 per dose,” SII CEO Adar Poonawalla said in a tweet.

    On Friday, the company had said that the precaution dose of its Covishield vaccine against COVID-19 will be priced at Rs 600 per shot for eligible individuals.

    Bharat Biotech Co-Founder Joint Managing Director Suchitra Ella in a tweet said: “We welcome the decision to make available precautionary dose for all adults. In consultation with the Central Government, we have decided to revise the price of #COVAXIN from Rs 1,200 to Rs 225 per dose, for #privatehospitals.”

    SII and Bharat Biotech have been major suppliers of COVID-19 vaccines to the government so far.

    The Union Health Ministry on Friday announced that those above the age of 18 years who have completed nine months after the administration of the second dose will be eligible for the precaution dose.

    According to the health ministry, so far, about 96 per cent of all those above the age of 15 years in India have received at least one vaccine dose, while about 83 per cent have received both doses.

    More than 2.4 crore precaution doses have also been administered to healthcare workers, frontline workers and those aged above 60 years.

    Besides, 45 per cent of beneficiaries in the 12-14 years age group have received the first dose, the ministry said.

    The ongoing free COVID-19 inoculation programme through government vaccination centres for the first and the second dose to the eligible population as well as the precaution dose to healthcare workers, frontline workers and those above 60 years will be accelerated, the ministry stated.

  • Serum Institute’s Covovax vaccine gets WHO emergency use nod, Poonawalla hails decision

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla on Friday hailed WHO’s approval for emergency use of Covovax vaccine for children “as yet another milestone” in the fight against COVID-19.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday listed the Covovax as the ninth COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use with an aim to increase the access to vaccination in lower-income countries.

    It is produced by the Serum Institute of India under the licence from Novavax.

    Reacting to the development, Poonawalla tweeted, “This is yet another milestone in our fight against COVID-19, Covovax is now WHO approved for emergency use, showing excellent safety and efficacy. Thank you all for a great collaboration…..”

    He tagged Novavax, WHO, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, its CEO Seth Berkley and the Gates Foundation.

    Earlier this week, Poonawalla had said that SII planned to launch Covovax, a COVID-19 vaccine for children in the next six months.

    He had stated that Covovax which is under trial would offer protection to children all the way down to three years as it had shown excellent data during the trials.

    Currently, Covishield and other COVID -19 vaccines are approved for people above the age of 18.

    Poonawalla had asserted that there was enough data to show that the vaccine would work and protect children against the infectious disease.

    According to WHO, Covovax was assessed under its emergency use listing (EUL) procedure based on the review of data on quality, safety and efficacy, a risk management plan, programmatic suitability, and manufacturing site inspections carried out by the Drugs Controller General of India.

    “The Technical Advisory Group for Emergency Use Listing (TAG-EUL), convened by WHO and made up of experts from around the world, has determined that the vaccine meets WHO standards for protection against COVID-19, that the benefit of the vaccine far outweighs any risks, and that the vaccine can be used globally,” it said.

  • India committed to supplying COVID vaccines to other nations; exports to begin by year end

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India is committed to supplying COVID-19 vaccines to other nations and such supplies are likely to begin by the end of this year, as the abundant production will not just meet domestic needs but also generate surplus for exports, a top government official said on Monday.

    The official, however, added that the supply of vaccines to other nations will have to be balanced against the country’s vaccination program.

    “India’s commitment to provide vaccines to other nations stands. It has been reiterated by the Indian leadership. However, major supplies to other nations will have to be balanced against India’s own needs of vaccines for the country’s vaccination program,” the official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

    India, the world’s largest producer of vaccines overall, had suspended exports of COVID-19 vaccines in April to focus on inoculating its own population following a sudden spike in infections.

    “We do foresee that there will be spare supplies, and in fact going into late 2021 and beyond, there will be generous vaccine supplies, which would then become available for exports, so the situation is being watched carefully, it is a dynamic situation,” he said.

    According to the official, currently the priority is to cover the eligible population of India effectively and in the shortest possible time.

    “The export needs and commitments are also carefully watched and monitored,” he said, adding that going forward, the calibrated approach to exporting vaccines would be taken.

    The official said: “India would particularly like to fulfil its commitment to COVAX.”

    COVAX is a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines directed by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the WHO.

    The Ministry of External Affairs on October 14, had said that coronavirus vaccines have been sent to Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Iran as per the government’s decision to resume their supplies.

    External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the government has decided to send the supplies to neighbouring countries initially.

    India had suspended exports of COVID-19 vaccines in April.

    Last month, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that India will resume supply of coronavirus vaccines abroad.

    “Prime Minister Narendra Modi said recently at the UN General Assembly that India will resume supply of coronavirus vaccines. We have decided to start with the neighbourhood,” Bagchi had said.

    On October 21, India achieved a major milestone in its vaccination programme against COVID-19 as the cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country surpassed the 100-crore mark.

    More than 75 per cent of India’s adult population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with nine states and union territories administering the first dose to all eligible people.

    Over 31 per cent of the country’s around 93 crore adults have been administered both doses, according to health ministry officials.

    Three vaccines — Covishield manufactured by Serum Institute of India, Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Sputnik V — are currently being used in the country’s COVID vaccination drive.

  • Vaccines – Not So Cool!

    Online MI

    Vaccines – Not So Cool!

    In India, it is not so cool. Reference is to the acute shortage of a cold chain for an effective COVID vaccination drive in India.The Covid-19 Pandemic has shaken up the entire world and has invoked a sense of fear, uncertainty and has brought upon immense loss. The world has been going through a very difficult phase and the pain is more evident in emerging economies which are further plagued by a host of shortages from food to adequate health centres and healthcare workers.

    In India,the problems are accentuated because of the huge population and immunizing them is a complex problem based on the procurement, transportation and delivery, not to say hesitancy in taking the vaccine.The Covid-19 vaccination program an ambitious project, was launched on January 16 2021, a commendable attempt to vaccinate1.3 billion population in a two-dose regimen of Covaxin and Covishield. While the move was applauded and seen as a ray of hope there were concerning doubts.

    The current stats at the end of September states that around 87 crore doses were given and the percentage who have received the first dose stands at 29% and those fully vaccinated stands at around 16%, in comparison to the developed countries where the fully vaccinated ranges from 60 to 75%.

    Source: Our World in Data

    Does India have sufficient infrastructure for the procurement, transportation, storage and delivery, specially a cold chain for the COVID-19 vaccine? Does it have adequate facilities and trained officials to administer the vaccine successfully?

    While the problems associated with these different verticals remain a concern,one of the major concerns are associated with the distribution and ultimate delivery of the vaccine in a proper manner.Currently less than 16% of the people in the country have been fully vaccinated – not good, at this rate it would take more than a year to reach the entire population. Although India is believed to have a huge manufacturing capacity for domestic and export purposes, the cold chain supply infrastructure is woefully inadequate and is becoming a critical bottleneck for the vaccination of Covid-19. From a supply chain management perspective,thecold chain supply is of humungous importance in the entire vaccine delivery system.

    As per reports, the vaccine temperature has to be maintained from -2 to -8 degrees or else it will hamper the efficacy of the vaccine.Many vaccines lose potency when exposed to higher temperatures and re-cooling does not help.It is going to be challenging to store vaccine in good condition using cold storage facilities particularly in India considering the geographies and problems of shortage of facilities.These vaccines can be stored using cold boxes, refrigerators, foam packs, vaccine carriers and water packs.Though researchers like the one at IIScare working on a ’warm vaccine’ that can be stored over a month at room temperatures, the current situation is that it requires refrigeration.

    The existing cold supply chain for vaccine infrastructure is insufficient hence the Government of India is planning to utilize existing cold storage network of fruits and vegetables, a smart move. India’s National Centre for Cold-Chain Development has pointed out the ’synergies’ between agricultural, processed-food, and medical cold-chain infrastructure, the existing primary vaccination facilities and the fisheries industry have a lot of cold storage infrastructure, if a part of it can be used for storing vaccines then it would be highly beneficial. Another efficient way to facilitate is to increase the public-private and public-public partnerships. By sharing the load of storage and transportation through partnerships would relieve the stress on the existing infrastructure and facilitate better distribution.

    Another roadblock to efficient cold chain is a shortage of uninterrupted and sometimes total lack of electricity.Away to assist in the vaccine programme is to setup solar-based cold storage facilities in remote areas where scarcity of electricity tends to be an additional hindrance. In this decade, electrical batteries have started to power our houses and cars.The current technology of storage batteries for electric vehicles is also a development that might help the cause of powering cold chains in areas deficient in electrical energy or having power cuts.

    The creation of the infrastructure would not go waste. It would wipe out the current shortage that is present in the primary vaccination. This chain would help increase the access to markets and also reduce the wastage of food products that occur due to a shortage of such facilities especially in remote areas.

    Help has been forthcoming from across the world.UNICEF has procured and supplied to India infrastructure for the cold chain like walk-in coolers, walk-in freezers, ice-lined refrigerators, deep freezers, solar direct drive fridges, cold boxes, vaccine carriers, etc. not only to support the COVID vaccinations but also for the routine vaccination for children in the longer term.The Government of Japan announced on 25th June 2021 that it will provide USD 9.3million worth of cold chain equipment and related assistance to India.

    At the end of it all, we might not have to vaccinate everybody- it could be that herd immunity will set in and it will not be required at all or well, the virus may just fade away.Not so cool, huh?

    Dr. PramodShetty

    Dr. Shetty is a Professor & Area Chairperson – Operations &Supply Chain Management at K J Somaiya Institute of Management.

    View expressed in this article are entirely his own.

  • Biden appreciated India’s decision to resume COVID vaccine exports: MEA

    By ANI

    WASHINGTON: During his first in-person meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden appreciated the decision of the Government of India to resume exports of COVID-19 vaccines from October, said Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

    Biden hosted PM Modi at the Oval Office in the White House for the first in-person bilateral meeting.

    Addressing a special press briefing on PM Modi’s second day of engagements in the US, Shringla said the discussions were wide-ranging including discussions on vaccines.

    “It was the meeting which was characterised warmth, cordiality. It is both productive and timely. The leaders on a broad plain acknowledged that the comprehensive global strategic partnership between the two countries was firmly anchored in a shared commitment to democratic values and common strategic interests,” he said.

    “The discussions were wide-ranging but what was very evident was that the importance both leaders placed on dealing and combating with Covid crisis. Both leaders were able to brief each other on their experiences. The Prime Minister expressed solidarity shown by the US when we had second wave of crisis. President Biden appreciated India as a country that has extended assistance to countries across the world,” he added.

    Speaking further, Shringla said: “There were discussions on vaccines. President Biden appreciated the decision of the Government of India to resume exports of vaccines from October. He said that the US announced a significant increase in their own efforts to distribute vaccines. This also come up in Quad. Indian vaccines which were of quality and affordable would also be scaled up significantly to make a difference in terms of the availability of vaccines and in dealing with vaccine inequity in the developing world. I think there is a great appreciation there on those factors.”

    US Vice President Kamala Harris earlier welcomed New Delhi’s announcement that it will soon be able to resume exports of COVID-19 vaccines. PM Modi, who is on a three-day visit to the US, held a first in-person meeting with Harris on Thursday.

    Early this year, India halted vaccine exports as coronavirus cases surged in the country.Recently, the Indian government announced that the country will resume exports of COVID-19 vaccines in the October quarter, prioritising the global vaccine-sharing platform COVAX and neighbouring countries first as supplies rise.

  • No vaccine, no entry: Ahmedabad bars those not inoculated from using public transport, other facilities

    By ANI

    AHMEDABAD: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has from Monday banned those who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 from using public facilities, like civic transport service and from entering public buildings.

    Jignesh Patel, Director Parks and Garden, AMC told ANI that everyone above 18 years must carry physical COVID vaccination certificate or an e-copy in their mobile and that these certificates will be checked at the entry of facilities.

    “Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS), Bus Rapid Transit System, Kankaria lakefront, riverfront, libraries, gymnasiums, sports complex, swimming pool, city civic centre are closed to non-vaccinated people from today,” said Jignesh Patel.

    He further said that the decision was taken to speed up the vaccination process and overcome possible hesitancy among people.

    “Vaccine is the only weapon against the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who are not vaccinated will be barred from entry into the parks and gardens. Those who have taken the first dose and are dur for their second will also be not be allowed to enter into vehicles of the civic transport service and buildings,” he said.

    Several people lauded the administration’s decision. “This is a good initiative. This kind of strict decision of government and administration will encourage people to take the vaccinations. If everyone gets vaccinated, it is good for us. We welcome the decision of AMC,” said a visitor inside the park.

    Deepak Gehlot, another visitor said, “This is a very good decision, as many people are still not following the COVID-19 guidelines. They are roaming without masks. If government and corporation are strict people will definitely follow the rules and vaccine is the most important to make our country COVID free.”

    According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, as of now, Gujarat has 136 active cases. 

  • Another lab approved for batch testing, release of COVID-19 vaccines

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: In an effort to ramp up the speed of vaccination in the country, the Union Health Ministry has approved another laboratory for testing and lot release of COVID-19 vaccines, it said on Monday.

    The ministry has notified the National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB) as a Central Drug Laboratory (CDL) for testing and lot release of Covid vaccines, according to an official statement.

    In order to discuss the various aspects of COVID-19 vaccination distribution in India, a meeting was organised under the chairmanship of the cabinet secretary on November 11, 2020.

    In the meeting, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Department of Science and Technology (DST), and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) were asked to indicate to the Health Ministry if any of their labs could be converted for use as a CDL.

    After due deliberations, the DBT proposed two laboratories, namely the NIAB and the National Centre for Cell Sciences (NCCS), Pune, for this purpose.

    Funds from the Prime Minister Cares Fund Trust (PM-CARES) were allotted for upgradation of these two laboratories, the statement said.

    “The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had furnished a draft notification to the Union Health Ministry for notifying NIAB, Hyderabad as a CDL laboratory in response to which the Union Health Ministry has now notified NIAB, Hyderabad as a CDL laboratory,” it added.

    The NCCS, Pune was notified as a CDL on June 28, 2021 by the Health Ministry, the statement said.

    The notification of these two laboratories as CDLs will improve vaccine production and ultimately strengthen the vaccination campaign, it stated.

  • COVID-19: India’s drug regulator approves study on mixing of Covaxin and Covishield doses

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India’s drug regulator has given approval for a study to be conducted by the Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore on mixing of COVID-19 vaccines Covaxin and Covishield, official sources said on Wednesday.

    An expert panel of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) on July 29 had recommended granting permission for conducting the study.

    The trial will involve 300 healthy volunteers.

    “The aim of the study is to assess the feasibility on whether a person can be given two different vaccine shots — one each of Covishield and Covaxin — to complete the inoculation course,” a source said.

    Separately, a recent study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) involving 98 people, 18 of whom had inadvertently received Covishield as the first dose and Covaxin as the second in Uttar Pradesh, showed that combining these two COVID-19 vaccines elicited better immunogenicity than two doses of the same vaccine.

    The study also found that immunisation with combination of Covishield and Covaxin was safe and the adverse effects were also found to be similar when compared to the same dose regimen.

    Meanwhile, more than 53.24 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far and a further 72,40,250 doses are in the pipeline, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

    Of this, the total consumption including wastage is 51,56,11,035 doses.

    Over 2.25 crore balance and unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states, UTs and private hospitals to be administered, the ministry said.

    The new phase of universalisation of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from June 21.