Lav Agarwal said, “A decline in COVID-19 case fatality rate has been noted with an increase in administration of vaccine doses.”
Tag: Lav Agarwal
-
COVID-19: No case of SARS-CoV-2’s Lambda variant found in India yet, says Centre
By PTI
NEW DELHI: No case of the Lambda variant of SARS-CoV-2 has been found in India so far, the government said on Friday. Responding to a question at a press briefing, joint secretary in the health ministry, Lav Agarwal, said Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) is closely monitoring the variant.“Lambda was the seventh variant of interest identified by the WHO (World Health Organisation) on June 14 and it has been detected in 25 countries,” he said.
“In our country, no cases have been reported and INSACOG is monitoring it and we are watchful. In Peru, 80 per cent infections were from this variant. It has also been found in South American countries and also in the UK and European countries, and any public health impact will be monitored,” Agarwal said.
NITI Aayog Member (Health) Dr VK Paul said the Lambda variant is a variant of interest so its total significance is still being explored. “As far as we know it has not entered our country, we have not detected this variant in our country. Our surveillance system INSACOG is very effective and it will detect it if it happens to enter our country because when you do sequencing, all this will be picked up. So we should watch for that,” he said.
Paul said the Lambda strain is a variant of interest which means its public health significance is being watched but it has not been proven for excessive transmissibility, for impact on excess severity or any other public health issues like those related to vaccines.
“We should be watchful for these variants because the virus is under pressure and when it goes under pressure then it tends to pick up characteristics that tend to help it in survival but as of now we should be watching such variants for their presence in our country but as of now we have no evidence that this has been detected in any part of our country,” he added.
-
No consensus yet on COVID vaccine passport issue at WHO level: Government
Discussion is still being done if vaccinated people will be allowed. As of now, as per WHO guidelines and other countries, people with negative COVID test report is being allowed, Centre said.
-
Keeping a close watch on vaccine breakthrough cases, deaths: Centre
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Amid concerns that breakthrough Covid infections and risk of severe disease despite vaccinations against coronavirus may be much higher than the results from clinical trial data, the Centre on Monday maintained that it had kept a close watch on such incidences.“The risk of infection in the recipients of Covid vaccines is much lesser (than the unvaccinated population) but there is a small chance that a tiny fraction of people can get the infection despite the vaccinations as vaccines are not 100% efficacious,” said Lav Agarwal, joint secretary in the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday.
There is one more advantage of the vaccines that even those who get the infection despite the shots, will likely not get the severe disease and recovery will be faster, he said.
VK Paul, member health, Niti Aayog said that ICMR is keeping a record of breakthrough infections.
“As said earlier, breakthrough infections are rare but in a dynamic situation we should watch it carefully,” he said. “But we should remember that vaccine recipients are protected to (only) a certain level and therefore in an overwhelming situation, risk remains and therefore all are requested to continue taking precaution.”
ALSO READ | India could get fourth Covid vaccine as Zydus Cadila set to seek nod for ZyCoV-D
The response comes on a day the Indian Medical Association released a list of 270 doctors who have died in India during the second wave of the pandemic, the highest deaths reported from Bihar (78) and Uttar Pradesh (37), followed by Delhi (29).
Though the association has not made the vaccination status available of each of the doctors who have died, its office bearers said many of them had taken either both or at least one dose of Covid19 vaccine.
Sixty-three-year-old K K Agarwal, leading cardiologist and former IMA president who succumbed to the infectious disease on Tuesday, for instance, had also completed his two dose Covid vaccination schedule as per information provided by the association sources.
Last month, ICMR director general Balram Bhargava had said that breakthrough infection rates seen in India thus far were negligible with only 2 to 4 infections reported per 10,000 inoculations.
He, however, had not elaborated on whether or how many of these infections led to severe disease or deaths.
Many experts have pointed out that this data collection by the ICMR has been patchy and delayed and may not be giving the actual picture on breakthrough infections and severe disease despite vaccinations.
-
Health Ministry warns against ‘misplaced bravery’, says ‘we may be tired but virus isn’t’
By PTI
NEW DELHI: Amid a record surge in coronavirus cases, the Health Ministry warned against “misplaced bravery” and stressed on following COVID-appropriate behaviour and treatment guidelines while saying “we may be tired but the virus isn’t”.Seeking everyone’s support to manage the situation, Joint Secretary in the Union Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said that “misplaced fear” was also being observed among people and urged them not to stock oxygen cylinders at home.
“We are observing misplaced bravery that corona is nothing, its a scam, we have had enough of coronavirus, I don’t need a mask, let’s party, there’s life beyond worrying over coronavirus. Laxity at any level will impact everyone in the society,” he said at a press conference.
“Then we see misplaced fear that ‘I came in contact with a case, I am infected and will surely die’, ‘I need Remdesivir just in case I get the infection’, ‘Let’s get an oxygen cylinder in advance at home’,” Agarwal said.
He underlined that fear and panic only aggravates and complicates the agony.
“Let’s not get an oxygen cylinder in advance at home,” the Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry said.
However, there are some alert and aware citizens also who know that chances of contracting the infection can be minimized by wearing a mask and washing hands, and believe in following the guidelines and in consulting doctors, he said.
Agarwal stressed that citizens need to follow all guidelines, take all precautions and follow COVID-appropriate behaviour.
“The virus has not gone into fatigue, even if we have. Laxity at any level will impact everyone in society. We need the support of everyone to manage the situation,” he stressed.
AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria said that in the second wave of the pandemic, the rate of the rise in infection has been rapid which has put immense strain on health infrastructure for some time.
“Also, doubling of COVID-19 cases has been rapid. That should ease if turnover time reduces.”
He observed that this time coronavirus infection is spreading in tier two and three cities.
“So, it is important to train doctors about treating this new disease,” Dr Guleria said and underlined avoiding misuse of drugs like remdesivir and tocilizumab.
“Systemic oral steroids are not indicated in case of mild disease and may be counter-productive especially if started too early. One should consult doctors before starting it,” he said.