News Analysis India

Tag: Covid vaccination

  • Lockdowns, curfews should not affect vaccination drive against COVID: Centre to States, UTs

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  The Centre has asked states and Union Territories to ensure that restrictions on movement imposed for COVID-19 control do not adversely impact the vaccination exercise. In a letter, Additional Secretary in the Health Ministry Manohar Agnani said various measures are being undertaken to control the spread of coronavirus infection which includes curfews and partial/complete lockdown.Certain hospitals are being earmarked as dedicated Covid hospitals for management of the ongoing surge, he wrote.

    “In this regard, it is advised that vaccination services should not be affected by COVID-19 curfews/lockdowns and the movement of beneficiaries to and fro COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) should not be restricted during such interventions. “Similarly, those CVCs which have been identified as dedicated COVID-19 hospitals should continue providing uninterrupted COVID-19 vaccination services.

    “Vaccination services should be provided in a separate building/block in these hospitals that is directly separated from the building/block where management of COVID-19 patients is being done,” he said to states and UTs.

    The senior health official urged the states and UTs to  direct officials for ensuring uninterrupted continuation of COVID-19 vaccination. “The Government will extend all possible support for COVID-19 vaccination…” Vaccination drive has now completed three months wherein 12.26 crore doses have been administered, he added.

  • Centre rushes to raise Covaxin production as second Covid wave hits India hard

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: The Centre has now rushed to handhold Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech in boosting the production of Covaxin, the country’s first and only indigenous Covid vaccine approved by the drug regulator, as a ferocious second wave of the pandemic has hit India hard.

    After allowing Mumbai-based Haffkine Institute to produce Covaxin on a technology transfer basis following a plea by the Maharashtra government, the Union government has also decided to provide Rs 65 crore support to Bharat Biotech’s Bengaluru facility, said government sources.

    Covaxin, apart from Covishield by the Serum Institute of India (SII), is the only available Covid vaccine in the country but its share has been fairly limited, only about 15% of about 11.75 crore doses administered, owing to its limited supply. 

    “We will also provide Rs 65 crore aid to the Maharashtra based pharma firm,” a senior official in the department of science and technology said.

    ALSO READ | Adar Poonawalla urges US to lift raw material export ban to ramp up COVID vaccine production

    The government, said officials, is looking to ensure that at least 2 crore Covaxin doses per month are available by May-June and 6-7 crore doses of Covaxin are produced per month by July-August while current production capacity of Bharat Biotech is about 1 crore per month.

    “By September we are looking to raise the production to up to 10 crore doses a month,” said another official.

    For this, negotiations have already begun with at least two more companies –Indian Immunologicals Ltd (Hyderabad) and BIBCOL (Bulandshehar) whose facilities can be used to manufacture Covaxin.

    The development comes as it becomes increasingly clear that a rapid and aggressive expansion in daily vaccination numbers may be the only plausible answer to control a raging pandemic which is now leading to over 2 lakh fresh Covid cases every day.

    The Centre’s move to rely on increasing Covaxin production in the country may also be stemming from the fact that no foreign-made vaccines may be immediately available for India despite a recently announced policy to fast track vaccines approved in the US, UK, European Union, Japan or the WHO without the usual bridging clinical trials.

    Apart from the Russian Sputnik V, which has tied up with Hyderabad’s Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, and has recently been granted restricted use permission in India, no foreign Covid vaccines, however, are likely to be available for the Indian population over the next few months.

    Incidentally, SII CEO Adar Poonawalla also took to Twitter on Friday to appeal to the US government to lift the embargo of raw material exports out of the US that has hit the Covishield production. 

  • Centre to allow COVID vaccination at workplaces with about 100 eligible beneficiaries from April 11

    By Online Desk
    Centre on Wednesday announced that it will allow coronavirus vaccinations at public and private workplaces, having about 100 eligible beneficiaries.

    Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan in a letter to the chief secretaries said a substantial proportion of population aged 45 years and above is in the organised sector of the economy and is involved in formal occupation in offices (government and private) or manufacturing and services.

    “In order to increase the access of vaccine to these populations, COVID-19 vaccination sessions may be organised at workplaces (both public & private) which are having about 100 eligible and willing beneficiaries by tagging these workplaces with an existing COVID vaccination centre,” Bhushan said in the letter.

    ALSO READ | Average daily vaccinations: India surpasses US, becomes No 1 in world

    He said the states can initiate due consultations with private/public sector employers and management to prepare for launch of workplace vaccination.

    The announcement comes shortly after it released a statement on the apparent unavailability of covid-19 jabs for all.

    Earlier, Chief Ministers Uddhav Thackeray and Arvind Kejriwal requested the union government for both a decrease in the age criteria for inoculation and an increased supply of vaccine doses.

    Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope also said that about 14 lakh doses remain in stock in the state, which would last only three days.

    Several inoculation centres in the state are also facing possible closure due to the shortage.

    (With PTI inputs)

  • Maharashtra CM urges PM Modi to approve vaccination for all barring age, demands additional 1.5 crore doses

    Express News Service
    MUMBAI: As large number of children and youngsters continue to get infected in the state, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow people above 25 years of age to receive COVID-19 shots. He also demanded 1.5 crore additional doses urgently for six districts.

    In a video conference, the Prime Minister agreed to the demand of  Thackeray to vaccinate everyone below the age of 45 years. “Vaccinating a large number of young people, especially those who work outside their homes, would help to reduce the number of patients. Maharashtra has always been transparent in giving information on the pandemic. We have also increased the number of testing by opening more labs,” Thackeray told PM.

    According to the state public health department’s data, 88,827 children up to 10 years of age had tested positive across the state in the three-month period. The total percentage of children and youth (up to 40 years) infected was around 48 while the percentage of senior citizens (above 60) testing positive was 18 per cent.

    Uddhav Thackeray said that they needed more 1.5 crore additional doses to vaccinate people in three weeks in six most infected patient’s districts. “We are ready to vaccinate everyone under the age of 45 in just three weeks for six most infected districts like Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nashik, Aurangabad, Nagpur. But needs urgently 1.5 crore additional doses,” Thackeray said.

    “We are taking measures with the determination that every corona patient must be cured. We have put in place some strict restrictions through the Break the Chain campaign to prevent the virus from becoming more harmful than last year. We have taken vaccination very seriously and till April 4, a total of 76.86 lakh people have been vaccinated across the state. On April 3, we vaccinated 4.62 lakh people in the state. We want to vaccinate as many as people but for that the Center should also give extra dose for it,” Thackeray added.

  • Jharkhand heading towards vaccine shortage, restriction on administering first Covaxin shot

    Express News Service
    RANCHI: Amid the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases across India, Jharkhand is heading towards a vaccine shortage as only 3.5 lakh doses are currently available in the state. According to Health Secretary KK Soan, the state government has already sent a requisition for vaccines at least twice, but no consignment has reached so far.

    The available shots are likely to finish within 2-3 days which may affect the ongoing vaccination drive and the state authorities will write to the Centre once again asking for a quick supply of at least 5 lakh doses. 

    The request has already been made twice on March 23 and April 2, but the state is yet to get any supply from the Government of India, Soan said. “The way vaccination drive is being done here in Jharkhand, we need 5 lakh doses of Covishield immediately,” said the health secretary.

    Soan further added that COVID-19 vaccine has been administered to over 18 lakh individuals and efforts are on to cover more and people under the drive. “A special drive has been launched since yesterday under which we have fixed a target of giving vaccines to more than 1 lakh people every day.  Whereas on the occasion of World Health Day on April 7, we will try to cover more and more people under the vaccination drive,” said Soan.

    According to the health secretary, Jharkhand will get a supply of Covaccine by second week of April. As only 25000 doses of Covaxin available as against the requirement of 37000 doses for administering second dose, it has been decided to put restriction on giving the first dose of the same.

    Meanwhile, many people who had gone to get vaccines to their respective centres were disappointed to see the ‘Vaccine out of Stock’ boards put on display.

  • Piyush Goyal takes his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at AIIMS

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Union Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal on Thursday took his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi.

    The third phase of COVID-19 vaccination for all above 45 years begins from today.

    The Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had on Tuesday announced that from April 1 all people above 45 years will be eligible for vaccination.

    According to the Health Ministry, advance appointments for vaccination can be booked through http://cowin.gov.in, or one can visit their nearest vaccination centre after 3 pm and get on-site registration done.

    Meanwhile, the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 6.43 crore today, said the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday.

    According to the health ministry, a total of 6,51,17,896 vaccine doses have been given so far.

  • Maharashtra tops in COVID-19 vaccination drive, surpasses Rajasthan

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra has emerged as the leader in the COVID-19 vaccination drive as it has administered vaccine doses to 43,42,646 people, an official said on Thursday.

    The state surpassed Rajasthan in the vaccination drive on March 24, he said.

    Rajasthan now ranks second as it has vaccinated 43,27,874 people, the official said.

    “Maharashtra tops the list of states in the country in terms of the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered,” Dr Pradeep Vyas, principal secretary of Maharashtra Public Health Department, said.

    The state has also administered the second dose of vaccine to 6,72,128 people, thereby reaching the cumulative vaccination figure of 50,14,774.

    “Maharashtra is also the first stateto cross the 50- lakh doses benchmark. We will further scale up the vaccination,” he said.

    It is the only state to have covered half a crore of population in terms of vaccination, Vyas added.

    The cumulative vaccination figure for Rajasthan is 49,94,574.

    Maharashtra reported as many as 31,855 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, its highest single-day spike since the outbreak of the pandemic.

  • UP doctor tests positive for Covid-19 days after second dose of Covaxin

    Express News Service
    LUCKNOW: A doctor from Lucknow’s Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Hospital has tested positive for Covid-19 after completing his two-dose course of vaccination.

    According to sources, Dr. Nitin Mishra posted as an emergency medical officer at the hospital, tested coronavirus positive on Sunday afternoon.

    Dr. Mishra had taken the first dose of Covaxin on February 16 when the nation-wide campaign had opened up for the inoculation of health workers. He took his second dose on March 15 after 28 days.

    It is the first such case in Uttar Pradesh which is witnessing a fresh wave of inflictions getting gradually vigorous since March 10. During the last 24 hours, 542 new cases have been reported in the state which has now a total of 3,396 active cases, said Amit Mohan Prasad, Additional Chief Secretary (Health). 

    UP Director General of Medical Health Dr DS Negi said Dr Nitin’s case is the first recorded instance where a person has been found to have contracted Covid-19 and turned symptomatic after completion of the two-dose course of Covaxin.

    ALSO READ | 201 students, staffers from 14 institutions in Thanjavur test positive for Covid-19

    As per the sources, Dr. Mishra developed a severe cough and mild fever on March 18 and he gave his sample for the test through RT-PCR on Saturday (March 20). The report of Dr. Mishra arrived on Sunday following which he went into home quarantine.

    “We are in contant touch with Dr Mishra who is monitoring his own oxygen level and fever. If symptoms aggravate, he will be hospitalised,” said Civil Hospital director Dr. Subhash Chandra Sundariyal. 

    “The entire hospital was sanitised on Sunday and services are continuing as usual,” he added.

    Chief medical officer, Lucknow, Dr Sanjay Bhatnagar said that even after getting vaccinated, people need to take precautions against Covid-19 .

    According to Civil Hospital Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) Dr SK Nanda, as soon as Dr Mishra showed symptoms, he took leave and then got himself tested. The CMS claimed that those, who had come in contact with Dr. Mishra are in home qurrantine and undergoing tests. 

  • India crosses 4-crore vaccination doses figure

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI:L India has scaled a landmark peak in its fight against COVID-19 with the total doses administered in the country having crossed 4 crore till Friday evening, the Union health ministry said.

    A total of 4,11,55,978 vaccine doses have been given, as per the provisional report till Friday 7pm.

    As many as 18,16,161 people were vaccinated during the day.

    The total figure includes 76,86,920 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the first dose and 47,69,469 HCWs who have taken the second dose, 79,10,529 frontline workers (FLWs) who have been administered the first dose and 23,16,922 FLWs who have been given the second dose.

    Besides, 1,53,78,622 beneficiaries more than 60 years old and 30,93,516 individuals aged 45 to 60 with specific co-morbidities have taken the first dose.

    “Total 18,16,161 vaccine doses were given till 7 pm on Friday, the sixty-third day of nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive.

      “Out of which 16,43,357 beneficiaries were vaccinated for 1st dose and 1,72,804 HCWs and FLWs received 2nd dose of vaccine as per the provisional report,” the ministry said adding final reports would be completed for the day by late night.

    The 16,43,357 figure includes 12,00,856 beneficiaries aged above 60 and 3,13,518 individuals aged 45-60 with comorbidities.

      The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers getting inoculated and vaccination of the frontline workers started from February 2.

    The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for those who are over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.

  • 20 lakh jabs on Friday, highest so far: Government

    A total of more than 2.82 crore (2,82,18,457) vaccine doses have been administered through 4,86,314 sessions, as per the provisional report.