Jai Ram Thakur also said that Prime Minister Modi has congratulated the state government and agreed to digitally address the people of the state on September 6.
Tag: Covid vaccination
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India administers over 1 crore Covid vaccine doses, highest in a day
By PTI
NEW DELHI: India administered more than one crore COVID-19 vaccine doses on Friday, the highest ever in a day, the Union Health Ministry said.
According to the CoWIN portal, the COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the country has crossed 62,17,06,882 doses.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed those behind the vaccination drive and also praised people getting inoculated.
Record vaccination numbers today!Crossing 1 crore is a momentous feat. Kudos to those getting vaccinated and those making the vaccination drive a success.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 27, 2021
“Record vaccination numbers today! Crossing 1 crore is a momentous feat. Kudos to those getting vaccinated and those making the vaccination drive a success,” he tweeted.Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, in a tweet, said, “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas. This is the same effort by which the country has crossed the figure of more than 1 crore vaccines in one day. This is the result of tireless work of health workers and PM Narendra Modi.”
According to the CoWIN portal, 1,00,64,032 jabs were administered on Friday.
On August 17, over 88 lakh doses of the vaccine were administered across the country.
A total of 30,85,06,160 people in the age group of 18-44 years have received vaccine doses while 23,98,99,849 beneficiaries in the age group of over 45 years have received jabs, according to the health ministry.
The vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from COVID-19 continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, the ministry said.
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UNICEF to provide India with 160 million syringes for vaccination against COVID-19
By PTI
NEW DELHI: UNICEF India has signed a USD 15 million agreement with COVID-19 relief initiative Crypto Relief to procure an estimated 160 million syringes to support India in its inoculation drive, according to a statement.
Under the agreement, UNICEF India will procure re-use prevention (RUP) syringes from manufacturers across the world through a global tendering process.
To maintain quality, only WHO pre-qualified manufacturers will be asked to participate in the tender.
Based on the global tender results, UNICEF will place orders with eligible bidders across the globe.
The syringes are expected to be delivered between September 2021 and January 2022, the UN body said in the statement.
“India’s COVID-19 vaccination drive is one of the largest in the world aiming to vaccinate over 994 million people above the age of 18 years. In this massive endeavour, as many syringes as vaccines are required to keep up the fight to contain the pandemic,” said Dr Yasmin Haque, UNICEF India Representative.
“We are bringing UNICEF’s expertise in procuring and delivering syringes to support India to fast-track vaccinations. Containing the pandemic will also help prevent the disruptions children are facing in education, in accessing health, routine immunization and nutrition services, along with ensuring safety and protection concerns,” she added.
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CoWIN: From vaccine certificate on WhatsApp to merging phone numbers & editing errors, things to know
By Online Desk
Did you know that now you can download your Covid vaccine certificate on WhatsApp? While vaccination against the pandemic is going on in full swing, many people are left confused about using the multiple options that are available on the CoWIN website.
These range from correcting wrong inputs like ID numbers or initials to changing a person to another phone number. We break down for you some of the key features available on the CoWIN portal.
How to receive Covid-19 vaccine certificate through WhatsApp:
Save the MyGov Corona Helpdesk number 9013151515 to your Phone Contacts
Open the number on WhatsApp and send “Covid certificate”
A reply will confirm that a one-time password (OTP) has been sent via SMS to the user.
Enter the OTP and the chatbot will display the names of individuals registered from the number in a sequence. All that needs to be done is to send the corresponding number against the person’s name whose certificate you want to access.
The portal will soon send you the certificate in the PDF format on WhatsApp.
How to merge phone numbers used by the same person:
Some people would have used multiple phone numbers to register for either dose of the vaccine. The problem with doing so is that he/she will end up receiving two certificates of the same first dose. Here is how one can merge multiple mobile numbers to receive the final certificate.
Log in to the Cowin portal through the number used for getting the first dose
Go to the ‘Raise an Issue’ button and choose ‘Merge my multiple dose #1 certificates to get the final vaccination certificate’
Enter the Reference ID from the first certificate and date of vaccination in the vacant space against ‘Vaccination Dose #1’
Fill the space against ‘Vaccination Dose #2’ with the Beneficiary ID in the certificate of the second dose followed by the mobile number used for registration.
Tick the checkbox below that begins with, ‘I declare that I have received both…” and click on ‘Submit Request’
How to change/transfer beneficiary to new mobile number:
Log in to the Cowin Portal using the mobile number used for registering the name you wish to change
Go to the ‘Raise an Issue’ button and choose ‘Transfer a member to new mobile number’
From the list of registered names under the ‘Member Details’ dropdown, choose the name you wish to transfer.
Under the ‘Transfer to’ option, enter the mobile number to which you want to change the beneficiary to, tick the acceptance form and click on ‘Continue’
The new mobile number will soon receive an OTP. The process will be complete once it is entered.
Before you begin, it should be noted that the number for an account can’t be changed more than once
How to rectify errors on Covid-19 certificate:
Go to the ‘Raise an Issue’ button and choose ‘Correction in my Certificate regarding Name/Age /Gender/ Photo ID’
Once you select an individual, the window that follows will display his/her name, Year of Birth, Gender and Photo ID one after the other with a box to make changes against it
Remember that you can only edit two inputs out of name, date of birth, gender and Aadhaar card number/PAN card/passport number.
Click ‘Continue’ after making the desired correction(s)
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Users can now book COVID vaccination appointments on WhatsApp
By PTI
NEW DELHI: WhatsApp on Tuesday said the MyGov Corona Helpdesk on its platform will now allow users to locate their nearest vaccination centre and book their vaccine appointments.
On August 5, MyGov and WhatsApp had introduced the ability for users to download vaccine certificates from the chatbot; and so far, over 32 lakh certificates have been downloaded by users across the country.
“The MyGov Corona Helpdesk on WhatsApp, since its launch in March 2020, has emerged as one of most authentic sources of COVID-related information during the pandemic and served as a critical instrument in fighting the public-health crisis for over 41 million users across India,” it added.
MyGov CEO Abhishek Singh said the MyGov Corona Helpdesk has been a path-breaking technological solution that benefited millions of citizens across the nation.
“Since its launch, MyGov Corona Helpdesk, enabled with support from Haptik and Turn.io, has evolved into a go-to platform that is not only helping citizens with authentic Corona-related information but is now also aiding them in the process of vaccine booking as also finding vaccination centers and slots and downloading vaccination certificates,” he added.
It is enabling digital inclusion in the true sense as most people find the AI based interface enabled on WhatsApp easier to navigate, he further said.
“Our collaboration has unlocked technology’s potential to extend benefits to citizens at scale.
Judging by the large numbers of people who have placed their trust in the MyGov Corona Helpdesk chatbot and availed themselves of the benefits, this is an important step in our journey to become a digitally empowered country.
“As a platform, we are fully committed to supporting our Government’s efforts to help fight this pandemic,” WhatsApp Public Policy Director Shivnath Thukral said.
To contact MyGov Corona Helpdesk chatbot, citizens can save the WhatsApp number +91 9013151515 on their phones; start a chat by typing “Book Slot” and send it to the number.
This will generate a six-digit one-time password on the respective mobile phone number.
Users then choose a preferred date and location, based on the pincode and vaccine type.
All users can follow this sequence to get a confirmation of their centre and day of their vaccine appointment.
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Top 10 districts in India that have administered highest Covid vaccine doses so far. Check here
Express News Service
PATNA: Patna district is now among India’s top 10 districts in terms of the highest number of Covid vaccinations so far.
As per the rankings of India’s 754 districts by the Ministry of Union health department, Patna has been ranked 10th while Mumbai from Maharashtra holds the number one position.
Patna district is credited to have vaccinated 21.0% of the people
As per the rankings, Mumbai toped the list with the highest — 86,28,757 number of people vaccinated followed by Karnataka’s BBMP with 83,26,267, Pune with 71,11,246, Kolkata with 52,88,244, Chennai with 45,01,791, Ahmedabad with 44,18,468, Thane with 41,76,939, North24-Pargana in West Bengal with 36,19,551, Hyderabad with 35,38,561 and Patna with 35,09,731.
ALSO READ | India achieves highest ever COVID-19 vaccination in single day
Sharing this with The New Indian Express, Patna district magistrate Dr Chandrasekhar Singh, the district has so far administered 35, 09,731 of total jabs.
The DM was recently appreciated by the additional chief sectary of health Pratyay Amrit in a letter. Amrit termed Singh as ‘Champion DM’ for effectively carrying out vaccination on a mission mode.
“Apart from the normal vaccinations centres, we have introduced boat-based vaccination centres in the flood-affected areas. The move has been proved to be very successful,” Dr Singh claimed, adding that people from rural areas are turning up in special vaccination centres in Patna.”
Among other district in the state, Muzaffarpur has administered 1,35,1743 doses followed by Saran (13,19,814), Darbhanaga (12,49,608), Gaya (12,32,645), Samastipur (12,29,168), Siwan (11,57,631), Bhagalpur (1,11,4453), Purnia (1057411), and Vaishali (999874).
The poorest record in vaccination has been ranked to Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh with 5199.
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Nearly six per cent fully vaccinated in UP, state seeks five crore doses per month
By PTI
LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has sought five crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines per month but is getting around seven to eight lakh doses per day, state Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh said on Thursday.
He also said that so far 5.9 per cent of the total eligible beneficiaries in the state have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Replying to a question of SP member Shatrudra Prakash, Singh said in the legislative council that till Aug 3, 32 per cent of the total population of adult citizens in the state was given the first dose of Covid vaccine and 5.9 per cent of the population has received both doses.
He said Covid vaccination in the state was being done through the vaccines being provided by the Central Government.
“Till August 11, 5.55 crore vaccine doses were administered,” he said Prakash asked the minister how many doses of vaccine the Uttar Pradesh government had asked for from the Centre and how many the Centre has been given so far.
In his reply, the minister said, “We have demanded five crore doses per month. We are getting hardly seven-eight lakhs per day. Sometimes we get five lakhs also. Demanding is a different thing but whatever the production is through two companies, we are getting accordingly. Centre has given more than six crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine so far on our demand.”
Going by the figures given by the minister, the state is only getting half of what it has demanded per month.
The SP member requested the Chair to refer the matter to the reference committee as the minister could not answer him.
Leader of the House and Deputy Chief Minister Dr Dinesh Sharma said, “Vaccine is given in a certain proportion to all the states. This was decided in the meeting of chief ministers. Vaccine supplies are set to increase in Uttar Pradesh in September. The government is also going to announce the programme of how the vaccine will be administered in the state according to its availability.”
SP MLC Naresh Uttam, who was in the chair, however, referred the matter to the reference committee.
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NCW worried over 12% gender gap in Covid vaccination, urges states bridge gap
By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has written to chief secretaries of all states to close the gender gap in Covid vaccination amid concerns that a large number of women, as compared to men, are not benefitting from the drive launched nearly 8 months back.
The national dashboard maintained by the Union Health Ministry shows that 28.03 crore males and 24.91 crore women have received shots against coronavirus in India so far and this marks a difference of nearly 12% between the two genders.
The gap in immunisation coverage between the two genders is a matter of great concern for the Commission, said a statement from the Union Women and Child Development Ministry on Friday.
In the letter, it added that the NCW chairperson, Rekha Sharma, has argued that there is an urgent need to increase the proportion of women coming to vaccination booths for receiving the vaccine so that the gap in immunization coverage can be corrected.
ALSO READ | COVID: Fully-vaccinated woman first to die of Delta Plus variant in Mumbai
The letter also shared with health secretaries of all the states, underlined that there is also a need to create public health awareness so that more and more women are vaccinated on priority.
The Commission said that it appears that the current gender gap in administering vaccines is significantly more among the elderly population than the younger females.
“It reflects the existing gender stereotypes in the society due to which women are being left behind and the reasons include unequal access to resources and technology for both genders,” wrote Sharma.
She also highlighted that in many households, women’s health is not considered a priority as compared to men if they do not work outside the home and end up getting less preference for vaccination.
“However, women being the primary caregivers are more likely to get infected while taking care of any sick member of the family,” she has written.
Some research studies carried out by scientists attached with various organisations in recent months have shown that while the percentage of women infected with Covid19 may be lesser in India, their death rate—after the infection—was higher compared to men, mostly due to lack of access to healthcare.
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NCW asks states to take measures to bridge gender gap in COVID-19 vaccination
By PTI
NEW DELHI: Raising concerns over gender gap in COVID-19 vaccine administration, the NCW has written to all states and UTs to take measures to ensure that women are not left behind in the vaccination drive.
In a letter to all chief secretaries, the National Commission for Women (NCW) referred to a media report that highlighted the low uptake of anti-Covid jabs among women.
“The gap in immunisation coverage between the two genders is a matter of great concern for the Commission and, therefore, Chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to chief secretaries of all States/UTs to take measures to close the gender gap in vaccination and to ensure that women are not left behind in the vaccination drive,” the NCW said.
The Commission said the report has highlighted that the current gender gap in administering vaccines is significantly more among the elderly population than the younger women.
“It reflects the existing gender stereotypes in the society due to which women are being left behind and the reasons include unequal access to resources and technology for both genders,” it said.
The Commission stated that there is an urgent need to increase the proportion of women coming to vaccination booths for receiving the vaccine so that the gap in immunisation coverage can be corrected.
“There is also a need to create public health awareness so that more and more women are vaccinated on priority,” the NCW said.
In its letter, NCW has mentioned that in many households, women’s health is not considered a priority as compared to men if they do not work outside the home and end up getting less preference for vaccination but women, being the primary care-givers, are more likely to get infected while taking care of any sick member of the family.
“The state government should also continue the campaigns so as to ensure correct information reaches to the remotest part of India,” the commission said.
According to government data, 27,86,40,043 men and 24,75,03,625 women have been vaccinated against COVID-19 till now.
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Negative Covid report or full vaccination must for visiting Himachal from August 13
By PTI
SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh government has made negative COVID-19 report or full vaccination mandatory for all people intending to visit the hill state from August 13.
In a late night order on Tuesday, Chief Secretary Ram Subhag Singh stated, “All persons intending to visit State shall carry their COVID-19 Vaccine Certificate (double doses) or a negative RT-PCR test report not older than 72 hours or RAT negative report not older than 24 hours w.e.f.13th August, 2021.”
Issuing the two-page order after the state cabinet meeting, Singh stated, “The situation of COVID-19 in the state has been reviewed. It is observed that the number of COVID-19 active cases and positivity rate are increasing in the state and the situation is still precarious.”
In its earlier order on August 6, the state government made mandatory a negative RT-PCR report or full vaccination for visiting temples in the state during ‘Shrawan Ashtmi Navratras’ from August 9 to August 17.
Further, it has also been decided that all schools would remain closed except residential ones from August 11 to 22.
However, teaching and non-teaching staff members will attend schools, the order stated.
The education department will frame Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the residential schools for containment of COVID-19, it added.
The order further stated, “Inter-state, Inter-district and Intra-district movement of public transport buses (state/ contract carriages) is now allowed to be operated with 50% of the registered seating capacity w.e.f.13th August, 2021.”
For inter-state public transport buses, the transport department shall frame mechanism for checking of RTPCR/ RAT/vaccine certificate so that only eligible persons will board the buses, it added.
The state recorded 419 fresh coronavirus cases and two deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of infections and fatalities to 2,08,616 and 3,521 respectively.
A total of 185 patients cured from the infection, according to the data provided by state health department.
Few days ago, the number of active cases had dipped to around 800 but the sudden surge took the figure to 2,318 on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur also expressed concern in the State Assembly on Monday over the increasing number of Covid cases.