News Analysis India

Tag: Covishield

  • For foreign travel, Centre reduces second Covishield dose gap for certain groups

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Those intending to undertake international travel for education purposes, joining employment and as part of the Indian contingent to the Tokyo Olympics will be allowed to take the second dose of Covid vaccine Covishield prior to the prescribed time interval of 84 days after the first dose.

    However, according to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the Health Ministry on Monday, even in these cases, the second dose will only be administered after 28 days from the date of the first dose. 

    The Co-WIN system will soon provide the facility for the administration of the second dose in such exceptional cases, the ministry said.

    It said it has received several representations for allowing the administration of the second dose of Covishield to such people who have taken the first dose and are seeking to undertake international travel for educational purposes or for employment opportunities or as part of the Indian contingent for the Tokyo Olympic Games, but whose planned travel dates fall prior to the completion of the currently mandated minimum interval of 84 days from the date of the first dose.

    The Centre advised that vaccination may be availed in cases through passport which is one of the permissible ID documents as per the guidelines so that the passport number is printed in the certificate.

    Second shot only after 28 days

    According to the SOPs, even in these cases, the second dose will only be administered after 28 days from the date of the first dose. The Co-WIN system will soon provide the facility for the administration of the second dose in such exceptional cases.

  • Centre issues SOPs to administer 2nd dose of Covishield before 84 days for certain categories

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Those intending to undertake international travel for education purposes, joining employment and as part of the Indian contingent to the Tokyo Olympics will be allowed to take the second dose of Covid vaccine Covishield prior to the prescribed time interval of 84 days after the first dose.

    However, according to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the Union health ministry on Monday, even in these cases, the second dose will only be administered after 28 days from the date of the first dose.

    The Co-WIN system will soon provide the facility for the administration of the second dose in such exceptional cases, the ministry said.

    It said it has received several representations for allowing the administration of the second dose of Covishield to such people who have taken the first dose and are seeking to undertake international travel for educational purposes or for employment opportunities or as part of the Indian contingent for the Tokyo Olympic games, but whose planned travel dates fall prior to the completion of the currently-mandated minimum interval of 84 days from the date of the first dose.

    The matter has been discussed in Empowered Group 5 (EG-5) and appropriate recommendations have been received.

    In this context, with a view to providing full coverage of vaccination and facilitating international travel for such genuine reasons, the ministry has issued the SOPs according to which the states shall designate a competent authority in each district to grant permission for such administration of the second dose of Covishield.

    The competent authority shall check whether a period of 28 days has elapsed after the date of the first dose and the genuineness of the purpose of travel, based on documents related to admission offers or the associated formal communications for the purpose of education.

    It will also check whether a person is already studying in a foreign educational institution and has to return to that institution for continuing his or her education, interview calls for a job or offer letters for taking up employment and the nomination to participate in the Tokyo Olympic games, before according the permission for the administration of the second dose.

    This special dispensation will be available to the students who have to undertake foreign travel for the purposes of education, those who have to take up jobs in foreign countries, athletes, sportspersons and the accompanying staff of the Indian contingent attending the Tokyo Olympic games.

    The ministry advised that vaccination may be availed in such cases through passport, which is one of the permissible ID documents according to the current guidelines, so that the passport number is printed in the vaccination certificate.

    However, if the passport was not used at the time of the administration of the first dose, the details of the photo ID card used for vaccination will be printed in the vaccination certificate and a mention of the passport number in the vaccination certificate is not to be insisted upon, the SOPs stated.

    Wherever necessary, the competent authority may issue another certificate linking the vaccination certificate with the passport number of the beneficiary, it stated.

    A mention of the vaccine type as “Covishield” is sufficient and no other qualifying entries are required in the vaccination certificates.

    This facility shall be available to those who need to undertake international travel for these specified purposes in the period up to August 31.

    All technical protocols as prescribed in the guidelines of the ministry regarding Covid vaccination centres and AEFI management etc. shall have to be followed.

    The states and Union territories have been advised to widely publicise and take all necessary measures to immediately implement these SOPs.

    Presently, based on the recommendations by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC), the dosage schedule of Covishield under the National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy is to administer the second dose at an interval of 12-16 weeks (after 84 days) since the administration of the first dose.

  • Covishield produced more antibodies than Covaxin, says preliminary study

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: The Covishield vaccine produced more antibodies than Covaxin, according to a preliminary study by Coronavirus Vaccine-induced Antibody Titre (COVAT) involving healthcare workers (HCW) who have received both doses of either of the two vaccines.

    Seropositivity rates to anti-spike antibody were significantly higher in Covishield recipients compared to Covaxin after the first dose, the study claimed.

    The study is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed, so should not be used to guide clinical practice.

    It said that both vaccines – Covishield and Covaxin – elicited a good response after two doses, but seropositivity rate and median anti-spike antibody were significantly higher in Covishield.

    Initial data on the immunogenicity of Covishield & Covaxin .Anti S assessed after a mth of 2nd doseAutoimmune patients have lower immunogenicity than controls.2, Covishield appears to more immunogenic than Covaxin @drharshvardhan @GKangInd @PMOIndia https://t.co/2TnCEVH9mL pic.twitter.com/AYC443Ya4U

    — Padmanabha shenoy (@drdpshenoy) June 6, 2021

    “Amongst the 552 HCW (325 Male, 227 Female), 456 and 96 received the first dose of Covishield and Covaxin respectively. Overall, 79.3 per cent showed seropositivity after the first dose. Responder rate and median (IQR) rise in anti-spike antibody were significantly higher in Covishield vs Covaxin recipient (86.8 vs. 43.8 per cent; 61.5 vs 6 AU/ml; both p<0.001),” the study said.

    The study involved those healthcare workers who have been administered either of the two vaccines, Covishield and Covaxin, and are with or without past history of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

    “This ongoing, Pan-India, Cross-sectional, Coronavirus Vaccine-induced Antibody Titre (COVAT) study is being conducted amongst HCW, with or without past history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike binding antibody is being assessed quantitatively at four timepoints between 21 days or more after the first dose to 6 months after the second dose,” the study said.

    However, the conclusion of the study said that both the vaccines have elicited good immune response.

    “While both vaccines elicited immune response, seropositivity rates to anti-spike antibody were significantly higher in Covishield recipient compared to Covaxin after the first dose. Ongoing COVAT study will further enlighten the immune response between two vaccines after the second dose,” it said.

    ALSO WATCH | 

  • Why start vaccination centres with pomp if 2nd jab of COVAXIN not available, HC asks Delhi government

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court Wednesday said if the Delhi government could not ensure that people will get both the doses of COVAXIN within the stipulated time, then it should not have started so many vaccination centres with “much pomp and splendour”.

    Justice Rekha Palli issued notice to the Delhi government and sought its stand on whether it can provide the second dose of COVAXIN to those who got the first jab, before expiry of the incubation period of six weeks between the two doses.

    The court also issued notice to the Centre on two pleas to make the second dose of both vaccines – COVAXIN and COVISHIELD — available in the national capital.

  • Stick to two-dose protocol for Covishield, no mixing of vaccines anytime now: VK Paul

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Amid confusion that the government may completely do away with the second dose of Covid vaccine Covishield, the Centre on Tuesday clarified that there was no change in the existing dosing protocol while also insisting that mixing and matching of vaccines was not a possibility in the near future.

    “There is some confusion and misunderstanding but let us make clear that we will keep following the gap interval of 12 weeks between two Covishield doses and everyone will get two doses of both Covishield,” said VK Paul, Member (Health) Niti Aayog and head of the national Covid task force.

    He also maintained, while addressing a press conference on Covid situation India, that mixing of Covid doses is not a protocol anywhere in the world as of now and it remains an unresolved scientific question which only research can settle.

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    “Possibility of a positive effect (of mixing doses) is also plausible but a harmful reaction cannot be ruled out either,” he said, noting that research is still underway. “Mixing of vaccine is not the protocol yet, the same vaccines, that is Covishield and Covaxin should be administered for both doses. Stick to the SOP.”

    Last week, in a briefing by the Union health and family welfare, Paul on being asked a question related to inadvertent mixing of vaccines in Uttar Pradesh, had remarked that vaccinating people with two different vaccines is “scientifically and theoretically possible” but “it lacks scientific evidence at this time”.

    Meanwhile, authorities added that it will be able to offer Covid vaccines to 1 crore people per day by mid-July or August.

    “There is no shortage of Covid vaccines. By mid-July or August, we will have enough doses to vaccinate 1 crore people per day. We are confident of vaccinating the whole population by December,” said ICMR director general Balram Bhargava.

    ALSO WATCH |  Is B.1.617 variant spreading at a frightening speed?

  • Scale up Covid vaccination numbers, 12 crore doses coming in June: Centre to states

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: India could see nearly 40 lakh Covid vaccinations in June every day, on an average, a level never achieved even though the daily vaccinations crossed 35 lakh-mark briefly in April, as the vaccine availability for the month is set to be higher by over 50% as compared to May.

    While 10 crore and 90 lakh doses of Covishield and Covaxin will be available respectively, nearly 1 crore doses of Sputnik V too is likely to be available in June, sources told The New Indian Express.

    In a review on the progress of Covid vaccination in states, the Centre on Monday asked states to enumerate ways accelerate the pace of Vaccination in view of substantial increase in vaccine availability in June.

    The government has said that while 7,94,05,200 crore doses of Covid vaccines were available in May, through the central supply and the direct procurement by states and private hospitals however the stock available for June is 11,95,70,000.

    In view of this, the states have been asked to maximize use of flexibilities like ‘near home’ Covid vaccination centers and raising the involvement of private hospitals for enhanced pace of vaccination.

    In the review meeting on Monday, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan asked states to increase the number of near-to-home vaccination centres, and create awareness among the masses for use of these centers. These vaccination centers have been permitted at community halls, residents’ association offices, schools among other locations in order to facilitate inoculation of those above 60 years with first doses and those with special needs.

    ALSO READ | ‘Near home’ COVID vaccination centres will benefit 14 crore senior citizens: Centre

    The average daily vaccinations against coronavirus in India was nearly 40% lower in May as compared to April, even though inoculations opened for all adult population in India from the beginning of this month.

    Between April 3 and 9, an average of 35, 35, 250 shots were administered every day and this figure reached 36,59, 356 on April 10—the highest daily vaccinations achieved in the country so far—but this number has been dipping dramatically ever since.

    On the other hand, as per the details shared by the Centre, for June, 6,09,60,000 doses of Covid vaccines will be supplied to states for vaccination of priority group of health care and frontline workers, front-line workers and persons aged 45 years + and above as supply from the Centre.

    In addition, 5,86,10,000 vaccine doses will be available for direct procurement by states and private hospitals as per the figures shared.  

    The Centre has said that the delivery schedule for this allocation will be shared in advance.

    For the month of May, a total 4,03,49,830 vaccine doses were supplied by the Centre while 3,90,55,370 doses were available for direct procurement by the states and private hospitals.

    The statistics show that over 23 crore doses of the Covid vaccines have been procured by the Centre and states so far of which total consumption was 21,22,38,652 doses, including wastages, till Monday morning.

  • COVID: At current rate, Uttarakhand will take 18 months to vaccinate 70 per cent population

    DEHRADUN: At the current rate of vaccination, it will take another 16-18 months to cover about 70 per cent of the population of Uttarakhand, revealed analysis of data from the state health department. Seventy per cent means over 80 lakh.

    Anoop Nautiyal, whose Social Development for Communities has been collating and analysing data since the first Covid-19 case surfaced in the state on March 15 last year, said: “To vaccinate the population between the age group of 18-45, 1.32 crore doses are needed.’ Till May 27, a total of 35,36,840 vaccine doses to check Covid 18 have been administered.

    Of this, 21,72,760 have been given the first dose and 6,82,040 both the doses. At present, the estimated population of the state is 1.15 crore, out of which around 66 lakh are between 18 and 44. Uttarakhand has received a total of 29,98,400 doses till May 21.

    Out of this, 92,370 are Covaxin and 29,06030 are Covishield. Officials from the state health department said that vaccine doses for those above 45 are allocated by the Centre free of cost. Costs of doses for those above 18 are brone by the state government and private players, if they are willing to procure the doses.

    As far as the vaccine allocation trend is concerned, it has witnessed an upward growth from January 2021. In that month, the state received a total of 205500 doses of Covisheild allocated by the Centre followed by 4,26,660 in February, 6,28,540 in March, 8,97,150 in April and 7,59,550 in May.

    Uttarakhand received its first-ever lot of Covid-19 vaccines on January 13, with 1.13 lakh. This was followed by 92,500 on January 20, 1,40,160 on February 4, 1,93,500 on February 11, 93,000 on February 26, 2,24,010 on March 9, 2,03,790 on March 22, 2,00740 on March 31, 1,95,240 on April 2, 1,38,340 on April 11, 1,54,570 on April 14, 2,00,000 on April 16, 90,000 on April 17, 50,000 on April 21, 50,000 on April 23, 1,00,000 on April 27, 2,00,000 on May 3, 1,20,000 on May 4, 1,75,000 on May 8, 42,370 on May 12, 1,22,180 on May 18 and 1,00,000 on May 21. A total of 2,64,550 doses have been procured by the state government from domestic manufacturers.

    EXPECTING SUPPLY OF COVISHIELD

    The state government is also due to receive 1,41,130 doses of Covishield from Serum Institute of India, Pune, any day, said state health department officials.

  • ‘More than 1.82 crore doses available with states, over four lakh in pipeline’: Centre on vaccine shortage

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: More than 1.82 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are available with states and union territories, and over 4 lakh will be received by them within the next three days, the Union health ministry said on Saturday.

    The central government has so far provided, through the free of cost category and direct state procurement category, more than 22.77 crore vaccine doses to states and UTs.

    Of these, the total consumption, including wastages is 20,80,09,397 doses, according to data available at 8 am on Saturday, the ministry said.

    “More than 1.82 crore (1,82,21,403) COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered. Furthermore, 4,86,180 vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by the states and UTs within the next 3 days,” the ministry said.

    As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Centre has been supporting the states and UTs by providing them Covid vaccines free of cost.

    In addition, it has been facilitating direct procurement of vaccines by the states and UTs.

    Vaccination is an integral pillar of the comprehensive strategy of Union government for containment and management of the pandemic, along with test, track, treat and Covid-appropriate behaviour, the ministry said.

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    Implementation of the liberalised and accelerated phase-3 strategy of Covid vaccination has started from May 1, it said.

    Under the strategy, 50 per cent of the total Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) cleared vaccine doses of any manufacturer would be procured by the government of India every month.

    It would continue to make these doses available to the states free of cost as was being done earlier, the ministry said.

    Vaccine, being a biological product, takes time for harvesting and quality testing and this cannot be done overnight to ensure a safe product, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.

    The ministry said Government of India, through the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC), is regularly interacting with national and international manufacturers like Pfizer, Moderna to make vaccines available in the country.

    “The concrete actions are a stern indication that Government of India is making all out efforts to increase vaccine production in the country as well as attracting foreign vaccine manufacturers to supply the required vaccine doses for national Covid vaccination programme,” the ministry in a statement.

    Despite the constraints of availability, India has fared well in covering 200 million persons in only 130 days which is the third largest coverage in the world, the ministry said.

    Government of India has been supporting the efforts of states and UTs for effective management of Covid patients in vaccination under the ‘Whole of Government’ approach since January this year.

    With Covid being a pandemic with worldwide impact, there has been a high global demand of vaccines with a limited number of manufacturers and limited manufacturing capacity across countries.

    India has a population of 1.4 billion, which is a substantial share of the world population, the statement said.

    In India, two vaccines were approved by the regulatory body in January.

    The two manufacturers, Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech, had a capacity to provide around 1 crore doses in the month of December, 2020.

    ALSO READ | Delhi floats global tender to procure 1 crore Covid vaccine doses

    The NEGVAC was established in August, 2020 to provide guidance on all aspects of vaccine introduction, including prioritisation of beneficiaries, procurement, vaccine selection and its delivery.

    The priority of beneficiaries for COVID-19 vaccination in India has been done based on the review of available scientific evidence, guidelines proposed by the WHO, global examples and practices followed in other countries with the primary objective of protecting the healthcare and frontline workers.

    Accordingly, the vaccination drive in the country has been sequentially expanded to cover the prioritized groups starting with healthcare workers (HCWs) on January 16 followed by frontline workers (FLWs) from February 2, persons aged 60 years and above, and those aged 45-59 years with co-morbidities were covered from March 1.

    Subsequently, from April 1 everyone aged 45 and above are eligible for vaccination.

    Such an approach has yielded positive results by achieving more than 90 per cent first dose coverage among registered HCWs and around 84 per cent coverage of 1st dose among registered FLWs, the statement said.

    A ‘Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy’ was adopted on May 1 which is guiding the ongoing phase of the vaccination drive.

    This strategy aims at incentivising manufacturers to ramp up vaccine production and also attract new manufacturers.

    This will augment vaccine production resulting in wider availability of vaccines with flexibility in pricing, procurement, the statement said.

    “The manufacturing capacities have been ramped up. Vaccine being a biological product takes time for harvesting and quality testing. This cannot be done overnight to ensure a safe product. Thus, increase in capacity of manufacturing too needs to be a guided process,” the statement said.

    The Russian Sputnik V is the third vaccine to get approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for restricted use in emergency situation and it is being used in a few private hospitals.

    These are expected to be increased over the coming days.

    Meanwhile, the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 20.86 crore, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.

    It said 13,36,309 people in the age group of 18-44 years received their first dose and 275 beneficiaries of the same group received their second dose of COVID vaccine on Friday.

    Cumulatively 1,66,47,122 beneficiaries in this age group have been vaccinated since the start of phase three of the immunisation drive.

    Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have administered the first dose of anti-coronavirus vaccine to more than 10 lakh beneficiaries of the age group 18-44 years.

    The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country stood at 20,86,12,834, according to a 7 pm provisional report.

    This includes 98,44,619 healthcare workers and 1,54,41,200 frontline workers who have received the first dose, 67,58,839 healthcare workers and 84,47,103 frontline workers who have taken both doses.

    Also, 1,66,47,122 beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group have received the first dose and 275 people in the same group have got both the jabs.

    Besides 6,44,71,232 and 1,03,37,925 beneficiaries aged between 45 and 60 years have been administered the first and second dose respectively.

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    Also, 5,81,23,297 senior citizens and 1,85,41,222 such beneficiaries have received the first and second dose respectively.

    As on day 133 of the vaccination drive, 28,07,411 doses were administered, of which 25,99,754 beneficiaries were given the first dose and 2,07,657 the second dose, according to the provisional report, the ministry said adding final reports for the day would be completed by late in the night.

    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 health ministry underlined.

  • ICMR to examine effectiveness of AstraZeneca’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: In the first of its kind study since the launch of AstraZeneca’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin in the country, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will conduct a survey from next week to examine the effectiveness of these vaccines in preventing progression of COVID into a severe form.

    Around 4,000 people above the age of 45 years who have taken either one or both doses of any of these two vaccines will be reviewed, according to Dr Tarun Bhatnagar, senior scientist at ICMR’s National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) in Chennai.

    “As a part of the study we will take people who are COVID-19 positive and hospitalised and compare their vaccination status with those who have tested COVID negative,” Bhatnagar told PTI.

    “The aim is to assess how effective vaccination is in preventing progression of the disease into a severe form,” he said.

    Noting that this is first of its kind study since the launch of these vaccines in the country and used in India’s inoculation drive, Bhatnagar said the survey is expected to be undertaken from next week.

    The study will also compare the effects of one dose of Covishield and Covaxin against two doses, he added.

    The cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 20 crore so far.

    The central government has been urging people to get vaccinated, maintaining that the vaccine will not protect one from contracting the coronavirus infection but will prevent its progression to a severe form and thereby reduce mortality.

    The government has also been stressing on the need to wear a mask and adherence to other COVID protocols.

    As of date, India is using three vaccines against COVID-19 in its immunization drive.

    These include Covishield manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute and Covaxin of Bharat Biotech in Hyderabad.

    The Russian Sputnik V is the third vaccine to get approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for Emergency Use Authorisation and has been used in a few private hospitals so far.

  • Vaccine mix-up: Probe launched after 20 UP villagers get wrong second dose of jabs

    Express News Service
    LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh health department’s vaccination staff has done the unimaginable in Siddharthnagar district – by administering a mix of Covishield and Covaxin vaccines to at least 20 villagers at a primary health centre, even as global researchers are yet to study the impact and effectiveness of mixing jabs from different vaccines.

    The faux pas happened at Badhni Primary Health Center (PHC) in the East UP district neighbouring Nepal, as 20 residents of Audahi Kalan village, who were given the first dose of Serum Institute of India’s (SII) Covishield vaccine on April 1, 2021 were administered the jabs of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin as their second dose on May 14.

    The chief medical officer (CMO) of Siddharthnagar district, Dr Sandeep Chaudhary accepted that it’s a lapse, as there is no guideline from the union government’s ministry of health and family welfare for the use of cocktail of vaccines on a single beneficiary. 

    “Both, the first and second dose need to be of the same vaccine. After the lapse came to light, a team of senior doctors conducted an inquiry into the entire matter and based on their report, I sought explanation from all those who were found responsible for the lapse. Based on the explanation given by those found responsible in the enquiry, action will either be taken against them from our end or else we’ll recommend to the higher-ups in the state government for action,” the Siddharthnagar district CMO told The New Indian Express on Wednesday.

    “A team of doctors from the district headquarters was also sent to enquire about the health of the villagers who were given first dose of Covishield and second dose of Covaxin. All of them have been found healthy and normal on all important health parameters. We’re keeping a close watch on their health and expect that no health-related problems will happen to them even in future,” Chaudhary said.

    ALSO READ | Covishield seen preventing severe Covid even in breakthrough infections, finds study

    Ram Surat, one of the villagers vaccinated with a cocktail of the vaccines, said, “I got the first jab of Covishield on April 1, but six weeks later on May 14, instead of second dose of Covishield vaccine, the Covaxin jab was given at the PHC. Instead of enquiring about our details of the first dose, the staff at the vaccination center seemed busy in their own things. Till now, I’m fully fit, but also fear that a cocktail of vaccines could cause something wrong in my body in the long run.”

    It was Ram Surat only who brought the fact about him and 19 others getting first and second doses of their COVID vaccines mixed up to the notice of the health workers.

    Meanwhile, the Yogi Adityanath government said in an official statement on Wednesday that the pace of vaccination in UP has picked up significantly this month, hitting a daily record of around 2.66 lakh doses in the last 24 hours. 

    As per the official data, the state has reported more daily jabs than Maharashtra to become the state doing the highest daily vaccinations in the country. Maharashtra has just delivered 1.93 lakh daily jabs on May 25.

    The figures clearly reveal how UP has pushed ahead in providing a safeguard to the maximum number of people against Covid-19, the official statement added. UP has given more than 1.68 crore jabs so far, in which, over 1.34 crore people have been administered the first dose while around 33 lakh people got their second jab. 

    Since May 1, when registrations opened for the category of 18-44, around 13.61 lakh youths have so far been able to receive a jab in the state. In the last 24 hours, around 1,47,048 got their first dose administered in this category.