Tag: COVID vaccines

  • Over 1.24 crore unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses still with states: Centre

    Over 32.92 crore vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far through Government of India (free of cost channel) and direct state procurement category.

  • India overtakes US in total number of vaccines administered: Government 

    India launched the COVID-19 vaccination drive on Jan 16, and has administered over 32.36 crore jabs till date while US which started on Dec 14, 2020 has given over 32.33 crore doses.

  • Six Covid vaccines to be available in India by September

    Express News Service
    BENGALURU: While it is expected that the country will face a third wave by September, the chairman of National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), Dr Narendra Kumar Arora, has said that India can expect at least six more vaccines to be available by then. Of the six vaccines in the pipeline is the world’s first DNA-plasmid vaccine by Zydus-Cadilla, which is made in India. The Health Ministry expects to procure 30-35 crore doses by July to enable vaccinating one crore people a day.

    In a statement released to the media, from excerpts of an interview to Department of Science and Technology’s ‘Indian Science Channel’, Dr Arora, chairman of Covid-19 Working Group of the NTAGI, said, “The trials are quite encouraging. We are hopeful that they will be available by September.” Along with Zydus’s vaccine, the country is also expecting Biological E’s protein sub-unit vaccine. According to NTAGI, Biological E’s made-in-India vaccine is expected to have 90 per cent efficacy against Covid-19, and is likely to be a game-changer in the fight against the pandemic. The vaccine, called Corbevax, is similar to the Novavax vaccine, which is more than 90% effective, including against the SARS-CoV-2 variants.

    Meanwhile, HGCO19, India’s first mRNA vaccine manufactured by Pune-based Genova in collaboration with Seattle-based HDT Biotech Corporation, using bits of genetic code to cause an immune response, and which can be stored in a temperature range of 2-80 Celsius, may also be available by September. The other two vaccines, are Novavax (known as Covovax in India) by Serum Institute of India and Johnson & Johnson, which are scheduled to be approved by then. Dr Arora said the production capacity of Bharat Biotech and SII will be increased phenomenally by the third week of July. “By August, we expect to procure 30-35 crore doses a month.This will enable us to vaccinate one crore persons a day,” he said.

    On the efficacy of the new vaccines, he said there is very little chance of severe disease, and death after vaccination is negligible. “If the efficacy is 80%, then 20% of the vaccinated may contract mild Covid. The vaccines available in India are capable of reducing the spread of the virus. If 60-70% people are vaccinated, the spread of the virus can be checked,” he noted.

    MIX AND MATCH VACCINES

    Dr Arora said research may soon start on testing mix-and-match vaccines, in which doses of different vaccines can be taken instead of two doses of just one vaccine. He said although no research was done on this in India, within a few weeks such research may start as it is necessary to explore that possibility. 

  • Are vaccines effective against Delta Plus variant? Assessment report in 10 days, says Centre

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Top government authorities on Friday announced that within 7-10 days, the results of experiments being carried out to assess the efficacy of the existing Covid vaccine against the Delta Plus variant of SARSCoV2 will be out.

    The announcement comes amid concerns that this variant, now detected in nearly 50 samples in 11 states — Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Rajasthan, Jammu, and Karnataka — may potentially have immune evasive properties and may be capable of causing more severe disease.

    In a first-ever study in the world, declared ICMR director general Balram Bhargava on Friday, India will come up with its finding on how effective the vaccines are against the delta plus variant — which is B1.617.2 or delta variant with K1417N mutation — reported in 12 countries thus far.

    Such data is available nowhere globally, said Bhargava, adding that the report will be available in 7 to 10 days.

    In a press briefing on Friday on Covid19 status in the country, senior officials said that Covid vaccines — Covaxin and Covishield — are effective against coronavirus variants of concern, such as alpha, delta, gamma, and delta.

    The existing vaccines, however, have reduced effectiveness against the delta variant, which is now the most dominant variant in India and is being seen in nearly 90% of the samples.

    ALSO READ | 48 Delta Plus Covid variant cases detected in India; Maharashtra records highest: Government

    While Covishield has shown a two-fold reduction in neutralising antibodies, it is down by 3 fold in the case of Covaxin, Bhargava said, also assuring that vaccines can be modified structurally to work better against emerging variants. 

    “It can be done more easily in case of RNA vaccines but can also be done in case of whole inactivated virus-based vaccines and adenovirus-based vaccines,” he stressed.

    Department of biotechnology secretary Renu Swarup underscored that the reported delta plus variant cases in India, so far, are localised in some districts and have largely been seen in isolated cases. 

    Studies are underway currently to understand whether this variant is associated with increased transmissibility, change in virulence, or disease presentation and has any effect on diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines.

    S K Singh, Director, National Centre for Disease Control highlighted that forming a scientific opinion on a variant takes time and clarified that the “plus” in the name of variant does not denote more virulence.

    “The plus is an addition of an existing variant due to its properties.  It does not mean that it is stronger than delta. If scientific evidence suggests so in future, we will inform the public about it,” he said.

  • Statewise distribution of vaccines transparent, media allegations baseless: Centre

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Allocation of COVID-19 vaccines to a state is done based on its population, caseload, utilisation efficiency and wastage factors, the Union Health Ministry on Thursday said, dismissing media reports alleging non-transparent distribution of the jabs.

    There have been some media reports alleging non-transparent allocation of COVID-19 vaccines to states, according to the statement. The ministry said the “allegations are completely without any basis, and not fully informed”.

    It clarified that the Government of India continues to allocate COVID-19 vaccines to states and UTs in a transparent manner.

    #CovidVaccine distribution to states based on parameters below, reiterates @MoHFW_INDIAPopulation of a stateCaseload or disease burdenState’s utilisation efficiency*allocation negatively affected by the vaccine wastage@NewIndianXpress#CovidVaccination
    — Sumi Dutta (@SumiSukanya) June 24, 2021

    In a statement, the ministry said India’s National COVID Vaccination Programme is built on scientific and epidemiological evidence, WHO guidelines and global best practices.

    Anchored in systematic end-to-end planning, it is implemented through effective and efficient participation of states and UTs and the people at large.

    Information about the vaccine supply by the Government of India, consumption by the states and UTs, balance and unutilised vaccine doses available with them, along with vaccine supply in the pipeline is regularly shared through press releases made by Press Information Bureau, and also through other forums, the statement said. 

  • COVID-19: Daily vaccinations fall by 40 per cent after record breaking show

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: A day after India achieved nearly 86 lakh daily Covid vaccinations as the union government took over the task of supplying free vaccines for adults in all government hospitals across India, the vaccination numbers fell by nearly 40 per cent on Tuesday.

    A total of 52.83 lakh vaccine doses were administered on Tuesday, in comparison to 86.16 lakh doses given on Monday as all adults became eligible to receive the shots free of cost in government hospitals across the country.

    Nearly 64  per cent of the doses administered on Monday were in rural areas and nearly 65,000 of total 67,000 Covid vaccination centres were government facilities while women comprised about 46 per cent of the total vaccine recipients.

    ALSO READ: Centre declares delta plus as variant of concern, tells states to strictly isolate Covid cases with new variant

    Senior authorities conceded that while Monday’s show was a sign of India’s ability to vaccinate at scale, it will remain a challenge to sustain the momentum per day even during the remaining days this month.

    Officials said that of about 12 crore vaccine doses available for June, 9.5 crore doses have already been exhausted which leaves only about 2.5 crore doses for 8 days.  

    “Monday was actually an orchestrated capacity demonstration to show that we are capable of carrying out this high number of vaccinations but current dose supplies might constrain efforts to sustain the pace,” a top official in the Union health ministry said.

    From Monday, the Union government is responsible for procuring and supplying 75 % of the total vaccines available in the country which will be used for inoculating all adults in government hospitals while 25 per cent vaccines will be available for procurement by private hospitals.

    ALSO READ: 81 lakh get shots as jabs rise 62 per cent in one day

    V K Paul, who heads the national Covid task force and the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19, underscored that the day one vaccination figures demonstrate India’s ability to carry out vaccination on large scale for days and weeks together.

    “All this was possible because of planning and coordination between central and state governments and taking up the task work in mission mode,” said Paul.

    “We need to do our daily work, maintain our social life, open schools, businesses, take care of our economy; we will be able to do all this only when we are able to vaccinate at a fast pace”.

    N K Arora, chairperson of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation in India, on the other hand said the country could even achieve 1.25 crore vaccinations in a day.

    “This is not unprecedented. In one week, we give polio vaccines to around 17 crore children,” he said.

  • With current pace, BJP govt won’t be able to vaccinate all by Diwali: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav

    The former UP CM also claimed that the condition of vaccination centres in the state is bad.

  • Minority affairs ministry to run Covid vaccine awareness campaign to bust rumours: Union Minister Naqvi

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The minority affairs ministry will run a campaign from June 21 for creating awareness about vaccination against Covid in rural areas and to dispel apprehensions being spread by “some vested interests” over the inoculation drive in the country, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Saturday.

    As part of the “Jaan Hai To Jahaan Hai” programme, the minority affairs minister said the ministry along with various socio-educational organisations, NGOs and women self-help groups, will launch the awareness campaign on June 21.

    The nationwide awareness campaign will be launched from minority dominated Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh, he said in a statement.

    The campaign will be launched to create awareness on coronavirus vaccination in rural and remote areas of the country and also to “crush and curb the rumours and apprehensions, being spread by some vested interests” regarding the on-going inoculation drive, Naqvi said.

    He said various religious leaders, prominent people from social, educational, cultural, medical, science and other fields will send out effective messages to the people to get vaccinated.

    Street plays will also be organised across the country as part of the campaign, he said.

    Naqvi said here that some vested interests are trying to spread rumours and apprehensions regarding vaccination and asserted that such elements are “enemies of the health and well-being” of the people.

    “Two made-in-India coronavirus vaccines are the result of the hardwork of our scientists and it has been proved scientifically that these vaccines are absolutely safe and are an effective weapon in the fight against coronavirus,” the minister said.

    Naqvi said that state Haj Committees, Waqf boards, their associated organisations, Central Waqf Council, Maulana Azad Education Foundation, various social and educational institutions, NGOs, women self-help groups, working under ‘Nai Roshni’ scheme of the Minority Affairs Ministry, will be part of the awareness campaign.

    Religious leaders and prominent people from various fields including Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid; Imam of Fatehpuri Masjid Mufti Mukarram Ahmad; Jain Guru Acharya Lokesh Muni and Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee president Manjinder Singh Sirsa will part of the campaign.

    The Ajmer Sharif Dargah ‘Sajjadanashin’ Syed Zainul Abedin; Dargah Ajmer Sharif Chairman Syed Moin Hussain; Aligarh Muslim University Vice-Chancellor Tariq Mansoor; various Christian and Buddhist religious leaders; personalities from film, television, among others will also participate in the campaign.

    Naqvi said the Modi government is running the world’s largest Covid vaccination drive under which crores of people have been vaccinated so far in the country.

    The minister said India is far ahead of nations with better resources and facilities in terms of vaccination against coronavirus.

    The government and the society have worked unitedly to defeat coronavirus and the country is coming out of the crisis, he said.

  • Covid vaccination lowers chances of hospitalisation by nearly 80%: Centre

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Citing first studies from India from healthcare workers, top officials on Friday underlined that Covid vaccines offer substantial risk reduction against hospitalisation, ICU care, and the need for oxygen. 

    The studies have come out from two prestigious healthcare institutions, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, and Christian Medical College, Vellore.

    In a press briefing by the Union Health Ministry on Covid status on Friday, VK Paul, member (health), Niti Aayog, who heads the national task force on Covid, said that vaccination offered a 75-80% risk reduction against hospitalisation from infection in vaccinated individuals, as compared to those unvaccinated.

    “The possibility of such individuals (vaccinated) needing oxygen support is around 8% and the risk of ICU admission is only 6% in vaccinated persons,” he said.

    “Healthcare workers are very high-risk groups. They live and work where they’re exposed to high viral loads in ICU and in coronavirus wards,” said Paul

    “Studies show that if vaccination is done, then the need for hospitalisation decreases by 75 to 80%. Even if the infection takes place, the hospitalisation chance falls to 20 to 25%.”

    ALSO READ | Such breaches will hasten third wave: Delhi HC concerned over Covid norm violation in markets

    He added, without naming the CMC study but citing its findings that oxygen demand is only 8% in vaccinated individuals as compared to those who have not received the vaccines.

    “The data also shows that in terms of ICU admissions, the risk is only 6%.. Protection is 94%..This is powerful data from reasonable sized studies. The risk of serious disease is low. One study observed one death among 7,000 but it involved comorbidities,” said the top official.

    The CMC study, released on a preprint server for medical sciences last week, had said that one dose of Covid vaccine offered 61% protective effect against infection, while two doses offered 65%.

    Significantly, one dose reduced the risk of hospitalisation by 70% and two doses by 77%.

    Among the staff members who received vaccines, no deaths were reported and only one staff member of the medical institution has died but he had had several comorbidities and did not receive the vaccine, the paper said.

    The study from PGI, Chandigarh on the other hand showed that while there were 1.6% instances of breakthrough infections in vaccinated healthcare workers, vaccines offered significant protection against hospitalisation and death.

  • PM Modi has lost moral authority to rule, he failed to stand with people needing medical help: Kabil Sibal

    He also said that the toolkit issue is nothing but an attempt to #39;deploy forgery #39; to divert public attention from his government #39;s failures.