News Analysis India

Tag: COVID vaccines

  • After Jharkhand, now Chhattisgarh refutes Centre’s claim about high vaccine wastage

    By PTI
    RAIPUR: Rejecting the Centre’s claim about high vaccine wastage, the Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday said the wastage of COVID-19 shots is below one per cent in the state, which has been performing well in all categories of the vaccination drive.

    According to a release issued by the state public relations department, Chhattisgarh has grabbed the second spot in the country in vaccinating healthcare workers, while it is among the top performing states in inoculating frontline workers.

    The release went on to negate a statement made by the Centre in a virtual meeting on May 21 about high vaccine wastage in Chhattisgarh.

    “The fact is that the percentage of wastage of the vaccines funded by the Centre is 0.81, while in the direct state procurement category, it is 0.63 per cent,” the release stated.

    As per the release, principal secretary of the state’s health department Dr Alok Shukla had conveyed the matter to the Centre’s Health Secretary in a letter on May 21 and had requested him to update the data at their level, it said.

    Shukla had informed the Centre that the state had received 68,40,210 vaccine doses from the Centre, of which, 61,67,632 shots were administered, while 55,608 were wasted, which is 0.81 per cent, the release stated.

    Apart from this, the state government had received 7,97,110 doses for the 18-44 age category, of which 6,66,101 had been administered, while 5,039 shots were wasted, which comes to 0.63 per cent, it said.

    The Union Health Ministry in a review meeting on the progress of the vaccination drive had stated that Chhattisgarh had reported 30.2 per cent vaccine wastage, which is higher than the national average of 6.3 per cent.

    “All efforts are being made by the state government to make full use of the vaccines and minimise their wastage,” the release added.

    The state is at second place in the country in vaccinating citizens in the above the age of 45, while it is among top five states in inoculating people in the 18 to 44 age category, the statement said.

    The figures clearly indicate that efficient management, proper adherence to the protocol and regular supervision have helped the state to utilise vaccines completely and keeping vaccine wastage minimal, it added.

  • Only way to decrease variants of COVID is by increasing vaccination: Gagandeep Kang

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Stressing that the only way to decrease variants of COVID-19 is by increasing vaccination, prominent clinical scientist Gagandeep Kang said massive inoculation being a mistake is a topic brought up with “pseudo-scientific messy incorrect immunology”.

    She was reacting to French virologist and Nobel laureate Luc Montagnier’s comments on mass vaccination.

    Kang said that apparently he did not say all vaccinated people will die in two years, as claimed by some, but he did say that new variants are created through selection imposed by antibodies made through vaccination.

    “And he said there will be much stronger infection by variants in vaccinated individuals due to antibody dependent enhancement, massive vaccination is an enormous error, a medical mistake,” Kang tweeted, and termed his claims as “not true”.

    Kang said, “When we are infected or vaccinated we make antibodies in response to a whole virus or part of a virus. In a viral infection, the body’s immune responses, including antibodies, shut down viral replication and we recover from infection”.

    “Massive vaccination being a mistake is a topic brought up with pseudo-scientific messy incorrect immunology that I have addressed previously,” she tweeted.

    Calling vaccination an exercise in “preparedness and prevention”, the vaccinologist said the immune response that is made has nothing to fight immediately but “we train the immune system to recognise the virus if and when it comes”.

    “In a small number of individuals, special, because they are immunocompromised (therefore not usually out & about to spread virus) it is possible that virus replication may be prolonged. In such (rare) cases there may be a development of variants that escape the immune response,” she said in another tweet.

    Kang said variants are many, but variants that escape immunity are few.

    “As the virus spreads through populations and multiplies massively, the few variants that are more capable of escaping immunity that is induced by vaccines will make vaccines somewhat less effective,” she said.

    “While this may be what we are currently seeing with B1.351 and B1.617.2, even there two doses of vaccines protect reasonably (data from Qatar and UK).

    “The only way to decrease variants is not to stop vaccination, but to increase it to stop virus circulation and replication!” she said.

    She said it is seen from effectiveness and impact studies that vaccination reduces viral replication in individuals and decreases transmission in communities, effectively decreasing the overall viral load in the community and the world.

    “Clear and simple- if viruses are not replicating they cannot mutate and become new variants. Vaccinate to decrease viral replication and variants,” she said.

    She said all vaccines are being evaluated to see that they make high amounts of neutralizing antibodies and they are.

    “What about with variants because neutralizing antibodies to an older version of the virus might not be enough? This is analogous to the situation with dengue where it is not old and new versions of the virus but four different serotypes that may infect sequentially,” she tweeted.

    “With repeat dengue infection, where low levels of antibodies from the first infection with 1 type of virus or vaccination can trigger enhanced/severe disease when a person does get subsequently infected with a type to which there is not good neutralizing antibody,” Kang added.

    Noting that with SARS-CoV2 vaccines based on older virus/spike the ability to neutralise new variants is lower but not absent, Kang said vaccines seem to be working.

    “A booster dose of old or new versions of mRNA vaccines has been shown to broaden the immune response, which is encouraging,” she added.

    “We need to continue to study long-term protection, and particularly study the immune response in vaccine breakthrough cases to understand what is happening with immunity and safety. But reassuringly, so far there is no signal,” she tweeted.

  • Jharkhand facing vaccine shortage, three days’ stock left for 18- 44 group: CM Hemant Soren

    Chairing a cabinet meeting, Soren said the Centre failed to alert states and take necessary measures even as it had prior knowledge of the second wave of the pandemic.

  • Centre allows walk-in COVID jabs for 18-44 age group in govt hospitals, states to take final call

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: The Centre on Monday decided to allow walk-in Covid-19 vaccinations for the 18-44 age group at government hospitals in order to reduce vaccine wastage and ensure immunisation coverage to those without access to the internet.

    The final decision on whether to opt for this facility will however be taken by state governments.

    So far, those in the 18-44 year age group  could receive Covid jabs only after registering and booking slots in advance through the CoWIN portal or Aarogya Setu app, a system that will continue for private hospitals. Those above 45 years however are allowed to walk in at any vaccination centre and take the shots.

    Only about 1 crore people in the 18-44 year age group—out of the estimated 49 crores across India—have taken the first jab of the vaccine so far, even though the inoculation was opened for them on May 1.

    The latest decision, said the Union health ministry, is based on various representations given by the states which suggested that in case of sessions exclusively organized with online slots, towards the end of the day, some doses are still left unutilized if the appointees do not turn up.

    In such cases, on-site registration of a few beneficiaries may be necessary to minimize the vaccine wastage, the ministry said.

    It also conceded that even though quite a few channels are available for the process of registration and booking an appointment, people requiring a facilitated cohort’s facility and those without access to internet or smart phones or mobile phones may still have limited access for vaccination.

    “Therefore, the feature for on-site registration and appointment is now being enabled for 18-44 years age group on CoWIN,” the Centre announced adding that this feature is being enabled only for government centres for now.

    “This feature will not be available for private CVCs presently and they will have to publish their vaccination schedules exclusively with slots for online appointments,” the government said in a statement.

    The ministry also clarified that this feature will be used only upon the decision of the respective states and they must take a call on opening of on-site registrations, facilitated cohorts’ registration and appointments for 18-44 years age group based on the local context.

    It also advised states to issue clear instructions to all district immunization officers to strictly adhere to the decision of the respective states regarding the extent and manner of using the walk-in facility.

    Fully reserved sessions can also be organized for providing vaccination services to the beneficiaries belonging to facilitated cohorts, the government said, stressing wherever such fully reserved sessions are organized, all efforts must also be made to mobilize such beneficiaries in sufficient numbers.

    It however cautioned that abundant caution should be exercised and extreme due care should be taken while opening up of on-site registration and appointment for 18-44 years age group, in order to avoid overcrowding at vaccination centres.

    The Covid19 vaccination drive in India, launched in mid-January, has been marred by vaccine shortage and over the last several weeks, the daily jabs have been very low. The government, on the other hand, has assured that it is targeting to fully cover at least the entire adult population of about 94 crores by the year end.

  • Problem not of COVID jab shortage but of planning; 1.67 crore doses still available with states, UT: Govt

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Over 1.67 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and UTs, the Centre said on Tuesday, underlining that the problem is not of vaccine shortage but of better planning.

    Addressing a press conference, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said so far states and UTs have received 13,10,90,370 vaccine doses, out of which the total consumption, including wastage, has been 11,43,69,677.

    “As per 11 am data, unutilised doses available with states and union territories for administration is 1,67,20,693.

    From now till April end, 2,01,22,960 doses are in supply pipeline to states and UTs,” he said.

    “This clearly shows that the problem is of lack of better planning, not of vaccine doses shortage. We have made available vaccine doses to states and UTs from time to time and as we told you earlier that to bigger states we give supply of four days at once and on fourth and fifth day we replenish the supply. For smaller states, at once we supply 7-8 days vaccine doses and on seventh or eighth day their supply is replenished,” he added.

    Bhushan said each state government needs to ascertain at cold chain points how many unutilised doses are lying and if necessary then from one cold chain point to nother the doses have to be reappropriated based on the consumption patterns.

    “In any state, the case might be that in one district more consumption is taking place while in another there is less consumption. Our request to state governments to ascertain where the doses can be reappropriated from,” he added.

    Bhushan also said Kerala has zero wastage of vaccine doses while on the other hand there are states which are registering 8-9 per cent wastage.

    Giving details of coronavirus situation in the country, Bhushan said the previous highest surge has already been crossed and the trend is going upward and that is a cause for worry and that is something they continuously share with the states and UTs and try to help them tackle the pandemic in a more effective manner.

    “The previous highest surge was 94,372 daily cases in September which is now 1,61,736 every day.

    There are 53 central teams which are camping in 53 districts of the country which are showing a surge in cases and these central teams are helping the district administration as well the state administration, particularly health department and revenue officials, in tackling the pandemic,” he added.

    The daily deaths are also showing an increasing trend.

    But the previous surge was 1,104 and it is presently 879 deaths.

    He said Maharashtra, UP, Delhi, Haryana and Gujarat are among states of concern.

    NITI Aayog member (Health) V K Paul said a serious situation is emerging.

    While the situation is worse in some states it is a countrywide problem and there has to be continued focus on test, track, trace and treat strategy and following COVID appropriate behaviour as well as embracing the vaccine, he said.

    “Everyone should wear a mask,” he said.

    Amid reports of shortage of remdesivir, he said the drug is to be given only to hospitalised, serious patients and those on oxygen support, and there is no question of its use in home setting and it is not to be procured from chemist shops.

    “As shortage of remdesivir was reported in some areas, its export was banned. This medicine is now available in plenty. We appeal to physicians to do rational, judicious use of remdesivir in hospitalised patients,” he said.

    Paul also stressed on embracing Ayush products for boosting immunity.

  • Accelerate inoculation drive in India first before sending COVID-19 vaccines outside: AAP

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The AAP questioned the Centre for sending COVID-19 vaccines across the world instead of further accelerating the inoculation drive within the country, claiming it will take at least 15 years to vaccinate the entire population of India at this rate.

    Addressing a press conference here, AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha questioned the reason for “exporting” vaccines and not supplying it to the people in India first.

    “Vaccination doses have been exported to 84 countries. The amount exported is higher than the number of vaccine doses given to the people in India. Should we care about people from our own country or from other countries?” Chadha said.

    “Where has the Centre’s vaccine nationalism gone? The AAP demands an increase in the rate of vaccinations against COVID-19 so that each and every Indian can get vaccinated,” he said.

    He further claimed that it will take 15 years to vaccinate the entire population of India if vaccination drive continues at the current pace.

    “Some scientists say that to contain the virus at least 70 per cent of the population has to be vaccinated.

    It will take 10 years to inoculate 70 per cent of the population of the country if the vaccination continues at the current pace while at the current pace, vaccinating everyone in the country will take about 15 years,” he said.

    In India, cumulatively, 7,91,05,163 vaccine doses have been administered through 12,31,148 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 am.

    These include 90,09,353 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the 1st dose, 53,43,493 HCWs who have taken the 2nd dose, 97,37,850 frontline workers (FLWs) who have received the 1st dose, and 41,33,961 FLWs who have taken the 2nd dose.

  • Allow vaccine for non-healthcare workers to curb wastage: IMA

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: Apex medical body IMA on Wednesday expressed concern over not all pre-registered beneficiaries turning up for receiving COVID-19 vaccines and suggested the Madhya Pradesh government to allow inoculation of people interested in getting doses.

    The Madhya Pradesh unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the apex body of doctors, said allowing vaccination of people outside the priority group, currently only healthcare workers are being inoculated, will help in preventing the “wastage” of the medicine.

    The government should make a provision for including those persons in the vaccination drive who are interested in getting doses so that maximum number of people benefit,” IMA MP Joint Secretary Dr Sudeep Pathak told PTI.

    “At present, once a vial is opened, then it can be administered to a maximum of 10 persons at a time. But when the number of persons (planned recipients) is less, then the medicine goes waste after a certain period of time, he said.

    Pathak suggested making such a provision in Co-WIN, the dedicated digital platform for the nationwide inoculation drive, so that those willing to get the shot but not registered, can be given vaccine to prevent its wastage.

    A vial of 5 ml can be administered to 10 individuals and once it is opened, it can be kept only for six hours, senior doctor Jayant Yadav said.

    As per daily reports, the vaccination target is not 100 per cent anywhere and in that scenario, it will be in the larger interest if people ready for inoculation are allowed to get the doses by registering themselves on the portal, Pathak said.

    However, MP’s Additional Director (Vaccination) Dr Santosh Shukla denied reports in a section of the media that vaccine doses are getting wasted in the state.

    The dose left in the last vial (of the day) cannot be termed as wastage and it is within the permissible limits of 0.4 per cent to 5 per cent which is allowed under government guidelines, Shukla said.

    It is happening only with the last vial of the day. But it cannot be termed as wastage. Those who are saying so are wrong.

    Only those vials get wasted which get opened as that is not allowed to be used again. But it (such number) is very minimal and within permissible limits, he said.

    Shukla informed they have requested the Centre to make a provision in the portal to accommodate those ready for vaccination and the same is under consideration.

    He said the central governments immunisation director, during a visit here on Tuesday, had termed Madhya Pradesh as the “best performing” state in the country on COVID-19 vaccination front and making arrangements for it.

  • Covid vaccine will be free for 3 crore healthcare, frontline workers: PM

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday assured Chief Ministers that the Centre will fully bear the expenses of vaccination against Covid-19 for nearly 3 crore healthcare and frontline workers in the first phase as the government inked the first purchase agreement with the Serum Institute of India.

    The confirmation by the PM ahead of the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out, planned for Saturday, came on the day the Centre signed a deal with Pune-based SII, which is manufacturing Covid-19 vaccine by Oxford University-AstraZeneca in India, to supply it nearly 11 million doses, costing Rs 200 each, in the first go.

    The Centre also signed a purchase agreement with Bharat Biotech for about 4 million doses. The cost of each dose of the vaccine, said sources, is nearly Rs 300. 

    SII’s Covishield along with Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin have been granted restricted emergency use permission under the accelerated approval process of the Central Drugs Standards Control Organization. 

    The first phase of vaccination will target those above 50 and younger people with serious comorbidities, after the most prioritized group consisting of healthcare and frontline workers is inoculated with two doses each.

    In the meeting with CMs, PM also said that politicians should not jump the queue, insisting that people’s representatives such as MPs and MLAs should not get the vaccine in the first phase and asked states to ensure that no rumours are spread against vaccination as the massive drive kicks off.

    “Health workers – government as well as private – will be vaccinated first of all. Sanitation workers, other frontline workers, defence forces, police and other paramilitary forces will also be vaccinated in the first phase,”

    Vaccine rollout will begin from January 16 with the help of 61,000 programme managers, 2 lakh vaccinators and 3.7 lakh other vaccination team members, CMs were informed and were also apprised that the priority of vaccination has been decided as per the advice of the experts and scientific community after consultation with the states.

    The PM also underlined that the vaccination drive in India is also significant since several other countries are going to follow the country.

    The vaccination for Covid-19 has been going on in about 50 countries since past 3-4 weeks, and till now, only about 2.5 crore people have received the vaccination, he said, highlighting that India, on the other hand, has set an ambitious target of vaccinating nearly 30 crore people in the next few months.

    Modi further said that proper mechanisms have been put in place in case a person feels discomfort due to the vaccine, adding that such a mechanism is already in place for a universal immunization programme, and it has been further strengthened for this vaccination drive.

  • At meeting with PM Modi, Mamata Banerjee asks about efficacy of COVID vaccines

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday asked about the efficacy of the two COVID-19 vaccines which the Centre has decided to use during the nationwide inoculation drive and enquired why states were not given any option to choose between the two.

    During a virtual meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief ministers of various states on the vaccination process starting January 16, Banerjee enquired whether or not the states have to purchase the vaccines for people other than those in the priority category such as health and other frontline workers.

    According to an official statement, she also asked if “adequate scientific confirmation was available in support of both the vaccines (Covishield and Covaxin) that are now being offered by the government of India”.

    Banerjee said that “states have been left with no option to choose or procure between the two vaccines and the Government of India has made a specific decision in favour of both the vaccines”.

    She said that adequate scientific opinions should be obtained before confirming the efficacy of both the vaccines and sought a clarification on whether there was any side effect of the vaccines.

    Later, she was assured by Niti Aayog member Prof (Dr) Vinod K Paul that both the vaccines are “completely safe based on the scientific evidence” and there is no report of serious side effects.

    The chief minister also sought “frontline worker” status for transport workers and said that the authorities should provide them with the COVID-19 vaccine.

    At the meeting, she assured the prime minister that the state government is fully prepared for the vaccination exercise and various committees have been formed to handle the process, the statement said.

    She also informed Modi that the state has prepared adequate storage capacity for the storage of the vaccine, and all 941 cold chain points have been thoroughly inspected.

    The chief minister said that the state has identified 44,000 vaccinators and more than 4,000 vaccination sites across West Bengal for the first phase of the exercise.

    At least 5.8 lakh government and private healthcare workers have been enrolled for the first phase and all the data have been uploaded on Co-WIN portal, an online platform for monitoring COVID-19 vaccine delivery, she said.