News Analysis India

Tag: Vaccine

  • Lowest daily Covid cases recorded in India since March 2020 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI:  India recorded 89 new coronavirus infections, the lowest since March 27, 2020, while the active cases declined to 2,035, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

    The Covid case tally stood at 4.46 crore (4,46,81,233).The death toll stands at 5,30,726, the data updated at 8 am stated.

    The daily positivity was recorded at 0.05 per cent while the weekly positivity was pegged at 0.09 per cent.

    The active cases now comprise 0.01 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate increased to 98.80 per cent, the ministry said.

    A decrease of 84 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

    The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,48,472, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent.

    According to the ministry’s website, 220.17 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

    India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

    The country crossed the grim milestone of four crore on January 25 last year.

    NEW DELHI:  India recorded 89 new coronavirus infections, the lowest since March 27, 2020, while the active cases declined to 2,035, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

    The Covid case tally stood at 4.46 crore (4,46,81,233).The death toll stands at 5,30,726, the data updated at 8 am stated.

    The daily positivity was recorded at 0.05 per cent while the weekly positivity was pegged at 0.09 per cent.

    The active cases now comprise 0.01 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate increased to 98.80 per cent, the ministry said.

    A decrease of 84 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

    The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,48,472, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent.

    According to the ministry’s website, 220.17 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

    India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

    The country crossed the grim milestone of four crore on January 25 last year.

  • COVID-19: Covovax to get approval as booster in 10-15 days, says SII CEO Adar Poonawalla 

    By PTI

    PUNE: Serum Institute of India chief executive officer Adar Poonawalla on Sunday said its Covovax vaccine will get approval as a booster in the next 10 to 15 days, adding it works very well against the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

    Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event at Bharti Vidyapeeth University here, Poonawalla, when asked about states and districts not getting Covishield vaccines, said there are ample stocks with the Union government for supply.

    “Covovax will be approved as a booster in the next 10-15 days. It is actually the best booster because it works very well against Omicron, more than Covishield,” said Poonawalla.

    He said everyone was looking at India, not just in terms of healthcare but because the country managed to take care of a huge and diverse population and also helped 70 to 80 nations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “This was all possible because of the leadership of our Central government, our state governments, healthcare workers, manufacturers, all of whom worked together with one common goal,” he said.

    On the occasion, Poonawalla was conferred with the first Dr Pantangrao Kadam Memorial Award at the hands of NCP Chief Sharad Pawar and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in an event to mark the birth anniversary of the late minister and education baron from western Maharashtra.

    Appealing to students who wished to pursue education abroad, he said there was no place like India to fulfil dreams due to the presence of institutions like Bharti Vidyapeeth and others.

    “Even if you have to go abroad, come back as soon as possible,” he said.

    PUNE: Serum Institute of India chief executive officer Adar Poonawalla on Sunday said its Covovax vaccine will get approval as a booster in the next 10 to 15 days, adding it works very well against the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

    Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event at Bharti Vidyapeeth University here, Poonawalla, when asked about states and districts not getting Covishield vaccines, said there are ample stocks with the Union government for supply.

    “Covovax will be approved as a booster in the next 10-15 days. It is actually the best booster because it works very well against Omicron, more than Covishield,” said Poonawalla.

    He said everyone was looking at India, not just in terms of healthcare but because the country managed to take care of a huge and diverse population and also helped 70 to 80 nations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “This was all possible because of the leadership of our Central government, our state governments, healthcare workers, manufacturers, all of whom worked together with one common goal,” he said.

    On the occasion, Poonawalla was conferred with the first Dr Pantangrao Kadam Memorial Award at the hands of NCP Chief Sharad Pawar and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in an event to mark the birth anniversary of the late minister and education baron from western Maharashtra.

    Appealing to students who wished to pursue education abroad, he said there was no place like India to fulfil dreams due to the presence of institutions like Bharti Vidyapeeth and others.

    “Even if you have to go abroad, come back as soon as possible,” he said.

  • Amid lumpy skin disease spread, Maharashtra to vaccinate cattle for free

    By PTI

    PUNE: In a bid to check the spread of lumpy skin disease in cattle, the Maharashtra Animal Husbandry Department has directed authorities of all districts to speed up vaccination which will be offered free, officials said.

    The disease has so far claimed the lives of 43 cattle in the state.

    “The Maharashtra government has decided to offer vaccination against lumpy skin disease virus for free with 50 lakh vials to be made available from the next week,” Sachindra Pratap Singh, the state commissioner for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Department, said on Tuesday.

    Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Singh said farmers will not have to pay any charges for the vaccination of cattle.

    “The state government is going to receive 50 lakh vials of the vaccine against the lumpy skin disease virus,” he said.

    ALSO READ | Over 67,000 cattle died so far from lumpy skin disease in India: Government

    A total of 5,51,120 livestock in 1,755 villages within a five-kilometre radius of the infected area have been vaccinated, the Animal Husbandry department said in a release on Monday.

    Out of the total of 2,664 infected livestock in the affected villages, 1,520 have recovered after treatment, it added.

    “The lumpy skin disease among cattle is caused by a virus. If not treated in time, it turns fatal. More than 50,000 infected cattle have died in Rajasthan of this disease. Similar cases have been reported from Punjab and Haryana as well,” said an official.

    Singh said the disease was spreading rapidly in the state and there was a need to raise public awareness on a large scale.

    “In order to keep the mortality rate down due to lumpy skin disease in Maharashtra, a batch of 10 lakh vaccine doses has been received to vaccinate cows within a radius of five km of an affected area,” the release said.

    Instructions have been given that the vaccination should be done at a faster pace and continuous efforts should be made to bring the disease under control.

    The Animal Husbandry department also said that Rs 1 crore should be made available from the District Planning Committee for each district for the procurement of vaccines and medicines useful in curbing the ailment.

    “A vaccination campaign should be conducted in collaboration with private livestock supervisors to control the disease and their services should be taken on a remuneration basis.

    ALSO READ | 42 cattle die due to Lumpy Skin Disease in Maharashtra

    Vacant posts in the animal husbandry department must be immediately filled on a contract basis,” the release said.

    The Maharashtra government has already declared the whole state a “controlled area” to curb the spread of the disease and has banned the holding of markets, races and exhibitions connected to cattle.

    Singh said his department observed that private veterinary doctors were prescribing expensive antibiotics and other supportive medicines for the disease, whereas all the necessary medicines were available at government veterinary dispensaries and mini veterinary polyclinics in tehsils.

    “All farmers should avail free treatment for their affected cattle at their doorstep by contacting government veterinary dispensaries nearby and livestock development officers,” he said.

    PUNE: In a bid to check the spread of lumpy skin disease in cattle, the Maharashtra Animal Husbandry Department has directed authorities of all districts to speed up vaccination which will be offered free, officials said.

    The disease has so far claimed the lives of 43 cattle in the state.

    “The Maharashtra government has decided to offer vaccination against lumpy skin disease virus for free with 50 lakh vials to be made available from the next week,” Sachindra Pratap Singh, the state commissioner for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Department, said on Tuesday.

    Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Singh said farmers will not have to pay any charges for the vaccination of cattle.

    “The state government is going to receive 50 lakh vials of the vaccine against the lumpy skin disease virus,” he said.

    ALSO READ | Over 67,000 cattle died so far from lumpy skin disease in India: Government

    A total of 5,51,120 livestock in 1,755 villages within a five-kilometre radius of the infected area have been vaccinated, the Animal Husbandry department said in a release on Monday.

    Out of the total of 2,664 infected livestock in the affected villages, 1,520 have recovered after treatment, it added.

    “The lumpy skin disease among cattle is caused by a virus. If not treated in time, it turns fatal. More than 50,000 infected cattle have died in Rajasthan of this disease. Similar cases have been reported from Punjab and Haryana as well,” said an official.

    Singh said the disease was spreading rapidly in the state and there was a need to raise public awareness on a large scale.

    “In order to keep the mortality rate down due to lumpy skin disease in Maharashtra, a batch of 10 lakh vaccine doses has been received to vaccinate cows within a radius of five km of an affected area,” the release said.

    Instructions have been given that the vaccination should be done at a faster pace and continuous efforts should be made to bring the disease under control.

    The Animal Husbandry department also said that Rs 1 crore should be made available from the District Planning Committee for each district for the procurement of vaccines and medicines useful in curbing the ailment.

    “A vaccination campaign should be conducted in collaboration with private livestock supervisors to control the disease and their services should be taken on a remuneration basis.

    ALSO READ | 42 cattle die due to Lumpy Skin Disease in Maharashtra

    Vacant posts in the animal husbandry department must be immediately filled on a contract basis,” the release said.

    The Maharashtra government has already declared the whole state a “controlled area” to curb the spread of the disease and has banned the holding of markets, races and exhibitions connected to cattle.

    Singh said his department observed that private veterinary doctors were prescribing expensive antibiotics and other supportive medicines for the disease, whereas all the necessary medicines were available at government veterinary dispensaries and mini veterinary polyclinics in tehsils.

    “All farmers should avail free treatment for their affected cattle at their doorstep by contacting government veterinary dispensaries nearby and livestock development officers,” he said.

  • ICMR isolates monkeypox virus; may pave way for development of diagnostic kits, vaccines

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune under ICMR has isolated monkeypox virus from the clinical specimen of a patient which can pave the way for development of diagnostic kits and vaccines against the disease, officials said on Wednesday.

    With India isolating the virus, the Indian Council of Medical Research also invited expression of interest (EOI) from experienced vaccine manufacturers, pharma companies, research and development institutions and in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) kit manufacturers for joint collaboration in development of vaccine candidate against monkeypox and diagnostic kits for the infection.

    The virus isolation enhances India’s capacity to do research and development in many other directions, Dr Pragya Yadav, a senior scientist at NIV, said. The development comes amid India reporting four cases of monkeypox — three from Kerala and one from Delhi — so far.

    “The National Institute of Virology has successfully isolated monkeypox virus from the clinical specimen of a patient which can help in the development of diagnostic kits and also vaccines in future. For smallpox live attenuated vaccine was successful for mass immunisation in the past. Similar approaches on new platforms can be tried for making vaccines. The virus isolation enhances India’s capacity to do research and development in many other directions,” Dr Yadav said.

    At present, fluid inside the lesions on the skin are being used for virus isolation as they have the highest viral titre. Dr Yadav said monkeypox virus is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus having two distinct genetic clades — the central African (Congo Basin) clade and the west African clade.

    “The recent outbreak which has affected several countries leading to a worrisome situation is caused by the West African strain which is less severe than Congo lineage reported earlier. The cases reported in India are also of the less severe West African lineage,” she told PTI.

    The EOI documents states that ICMR is willing to make available monkeypox Virus strain/isolates for undertaking research and development validation as well as manufacturing activities using characterized isolates of monkeypox virus under the joint collaboration in the public-private partnership mode for development of vaccine candidate against monkeypox disease and diagnostic kits for diagnosis of the infection.

    “The ICMR is in possession of characterised monkeypox virus isolates/strain and is thereby willing to collaborate with experienced vaccine manufacturers as well as the in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) manufacturers on Royalty basis on fixed term contract condition for undertaking R&D and manufacturing activities for Joint development and validation of 5 potential vaccine candidate against monkeypox disease, development of diagnostic kit (IVD), for detection of the monkeypox virus leading to product development,” the EOI document said.

    “The firm(s)/organisation(s) would be granted rights to undertake further R&D, manufacture, sell, and commercialise the end product(s) ‘vaccine candidate/IVD’ against the Monkeypox disease under defined Agreement,” the document said.

    ICMR reserves all the Intellectual Property Rights and Commercialisation rights on the Monkeypox virus isolates and its method/ protocols for purification, propagation and characterisation, the EOI document stated.

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Saturday declared monkeypox a global public health emergency of international concern.

    Globally, over 16,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported from 75 countries and there have been five deaths so far.

    According to WHO, monkeypox is a viral zoonosis, a virus transmitted to humans from animals, with symptoms similar to smallpox although clinically less severe. Monkeypox typically manifests itself with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications. It is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting for two to four weeks.

    The ‘Guidelines on Management of Monkeypox Disease’ issued by the Centre, stated that human-to-human transmission occurs primarily through large respiratory droplets generally requiring prolonged close contact. It can also be transmitted through direct contact with body fluids or lesions, and indirect contact with lesion material such as through contaminated clothing or linen of an infected person.

    Animal-to-human transmission may occur by bite or scratch of infected animals or through bush meat preparation. The incubation period is usually from six to 13 days and the case fatality rate of monkeypox has historically ranged up to 11 per cent in the general population and higher among children.

    In recent times, the case fatality rate has been around three to six per cent.

    The symptoms include lesions which usually begin within one to three days from the onset of fever, lasting for around two to four weeks and are often described as painful until the healing phase when they become itchy. A notable predilection for palm and soles is characteristic of monkeypox, the guidelines stated.

    NEW DELHI: The National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune under ICMR has isolated monkeypox virus from the clinical specimen of a patient which can pave the way for development of diagnostic kits and vaccines against the disease, officials said on Wednesday.

    With India isolating the virus, the Indian Council of Medical Research also invited expression of interest (EOI) from experienced vaccine manufacturers, pharma companies, research and development institutions and in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) kit manufacturers for joint collaboration in development of vaccine candidate against monkeypox and diagnostic kits for the infection.

    The virus isolation enhances India’s capacity to do research and development in many other directions, Dr Pragya Yadav, a senior scientist at NIV, said. The development comes amid India reporting four cases of monkeypox — three from Kerala and one from Delhi — so far.

    “The National Institute of Virology has successfully isolated monkeypox virus from the clinical specimen of a patient which can help in the development of diagnostic kits and also vaccines in future. For smallpox live attenuated vaccine was successful for mass immunisation in the past. Similar approaches on new platforms can be tried for making vaccines. The virus isolation enhances India’s capacity to do research and development in many other directions,” Dr Yadav said.

    At present, fluid inside the lesions on the skin are being used for virus isolation as they have the highest viral titre. Dr Yadav said monkeypox virus is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus having two distinct genetic clades — the central African (Congo Basin) clade and the west African clade.

    “The recent outbreak which has affected several countries leading to a worrisome situation is caused by the West African strain which is less severe than Congo lineage reported earlier. The cases reported in India are also of the less severe West African lineage,” she told PTI.

    The EOI documents states that ICMR is willing to make available monkeypox Virus strain/isolates for undertaking research and development validation as well as manufacturing activities using characterized isolates of monkeypox virus under the joint collaboration in the public-private partnership mode for development of vaccine candidate against monkeypox disease and diagnostic kits for diagnosis of the infection.

    “The ICMR is in possession of characterised monkeypox virus isolates/strain and is thereby willing to collaborate with experienced vaccine manufacturers as well as the in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) manufacturers on Royalty basis on fixed term contract condition for undertaking R&D and manufacturing activities for Joint development and validation of 5 potential vaccine candidate against monkeypox disease, development of diagnostic kit (IVD), for detection of the monkeypox virus leading to product development,” the EOI document said.

    “The firm(s)/organisation(s) would be granted rights to undertake further R&D, manufacture, sell, and commercialise the end product(s) ‘vaccine candidate/IVD’ against the Monkeypox disease under defined Agreement,” the document said.

    ICMR reserves all the Intellectual Property Rights and Commercialisation rights on the Monkeypox virus isolates and its method/ protocols for purification, propagation and characterisation, the EOI document stated.

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Saturday declared monkeypox a global public health emergency of international concern.

    Globally, over 16,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported from 75 countries and there have been five deaths so far.

    According to WHO, monkeypox is a viral zoonosis, a virus transmitted to humans from animals, with symptoms similar to smallpox although clinically less severe. Monkeypox typically manifests itself with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications. It is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting for two to four weeks.

    The ‘Guidelines on Management of Monkeypox Disease’ issued by the Centre, stated that human-to-human transmission occurs primarily through large respiratory droplets generally requiring prolonged close contact. It can also be transmitted through direct contact with body fluids or lesions, and indirect contact with lesion material such as through contaminated clothing or linen of an infected person.

    Animal-to-human transmission may occur by bite or scratch of infected animals or through bush meat preparation. The incubation period is usually from six to 13 days and the case fatality rate of monkeypox has historically ranged up to 11 per cent in the general population and higher among children.

    In recent times, the case fatality rate has been around three to six per cent.

    The symptoms include lesions which usually begin within one to three days from the onset of fever, lasting for around two to four weeks and are often described as painful until the healing phase when they become itchy. A notable predilection for palm and soles is characteristic of monkeypox, the guidelines stated.

  • India to roll out first cervical cancer vaccine by year-end

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  The Centre plans to roll out India’s first Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus vaccine (qHPV), manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII), against cervical cancer as part of the national immunisation programme by this year-end.“The vaccine will probably be rolled out in the third or fourth quarter of this year. We will introduce it in the immunisation programme,” said Dr N K Arora, head of the Covid-19 Working Group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI). “It will be introduced for children as part of a routine immunisation programme,” he added.

    The Drug Controller General of India (DGCI), which had allowed the company to start manufacturing the vaccine on July 6, recommended market authorisation to SII on July 12. The drug controller based its approval following a recommendation by the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on Covid-19 on June 15.

    Before the DCGI approval, the NTAGI on June 29 had given its nod to the vaccine after going through the data. The recommendation came after a HPV working group of NTAGI had on June 8 reviewed the clinical trial data. Cervical cancer kills one woman in every eight minutes in India, with the country accounting for about a fifth of the global burden and 1.23 lakh cases and around 67,000 deaths per year, according to the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC-WHO). The vaccine, Cervavac, is based on VLP (virus-like particles), similar to the Hepatitis B vaccine, and protects by generating antibodies against the HPV virus L1  protein.

    The trials for the vaccine started in 2019 and thousands of participants in the age-group of 9‐26 years were part of the trials across India. Phase III results showed a robust immune response in 100 per cent of the vaccine recipients with good safety records. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is now a well‐established cause of cervical cancer. HPV types 16 and 18 are most common and are responsible for about 70 per cent of all cervical cancer cases worldwide. The vaccine is said to be effective against four strains of the virus — Type 6, Type 11, Type 16 and Type 18.

    Dr Manas Chakrabarti, consultant Onco-Gynaecologist, Manipal Hospital, Salt Lake, Kolkata, said national HPV vaccination is one of the single most important developments in Indian medical history and a milestone in preventing cervical cancer. A national vaccination drive will benefit a large section of women, he added.  Currently, two vaccines licensed globally are available in India – a quadrivalent vaccine, Gardasil, from Merck, and a bivalent vaccine, Cervarix, from GlaxoSmithKline. However, both are costly, he added.

    Describing indigenously-developed first qHPV against cervical cancer as “much awaited”, Dr Mahua Bhattacharya, Consultant Gynaecologist, Fortis Kolkata, said it would “be highly accepted considering the population profile and infection burden of India. This will surely significantly reduce morbidity and mortality associated with cervical cancer.” Cervical cancer is preventable if it is detected early and managed properly, she added. Though HPV vaccination has been licensed for use in India since 2008, it is yet to be included in the national immunisation programme, according to officials.

    ‘TAKE JAB RATE TO PRE-COVID TIME’The World Health Organisation on Saturday called for more significant steps in the South-East Asia Region to revive regular immunisation rates to pre-Covid times, stressing that despite concerted efforts by countries, challenges and gaps persist. Highlighting India’s routine immunisation, the WHO said that decline was witnessed in 2020. However, it added that in 2021, India provided close to 2 billion doses of Covid-19 and other childhood vaccines taken together, over five times more vaccines administered in the country during the year than in 2020. Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director WHO S-E Asia, commended the region for administering a billion doses since January 2021. “As we focus on further scaling up Covid-19 vaccination coverage, we must also do all we can to ensure no child is deprived of life-saving vaccines offered under routine immunisation services,” she added.

    NEW DELHI:  The Centre plans to roll out India’s first Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus vaccine (qHPV), manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII), against cervical cancer as part of the national immunisation programme by this year-end.“The vaccine will probably be rolled out in the third or fourth quarter of this year. We will introduce it in the immunisation programme,” said Dr N K Arora, head of the Covid-19 Working Group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI). “It will be introduced for children as part of a routine immunisation programme,” he added.

    The Drug Controller General of India (DGCI), which had allowed the company to start manufacturing the vaccine on July 6, recommended market authorisation to SII on July 12. The drug controller based its approval following a recommendation by the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on Covid-19 on June 15.

    Before the DCGI approval, the NTAGI on June 29 had given its nod to the vaccine after going through the data. The recommendation came after a HPV working group of NTAGI had on June 8 reviewed the clinical trial data. Cervical cancer kills one woman in every eight minutes in India, with the country accounting for about a fifth of the global burden and 1.23 lakh cases and around 67,000 deaths per year, according to the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC-WHO). The vaccine, Cervavac, is based on VLP (virus-like particles), similar to the Hepatitis B vaccine, and protects by generating antibodies against the HPV virus L1  protein.

    The trials for the vaccine started in 2019 and thousands of participants in the age-group of 9‐26 years were part of the trials across India. Phase III results showed a robust immune response in 100 per cent of the vaccine recipients with good safety records. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is now a well‐established cause of cervical cancer. HPV types 16 and 18 are most common and are responsible for about 70 per cent of all cervical cancer cases worldwide. The vaccine is said to be effective against four strains of the virus — Type 6, Type 11, Type 16 and Type 18.

    Dr Manas Chakrabarti, consultant Onco-Gynaecologist, Manipal Hospital, Salt Lake, Kolkata, said national HPV vaccination is one of the single most important developments in Indian medical history and a milestone in preventing cervical cancer. A national vaccination drive will benefit a large section of women, he added.  Currently, two vaccines licensed globally are available in India – a quadrivalent vaccine, Gardasil, from Merck, and a bivalent vaccine, Cervarix, from GlaxoSmithKline. However, both are costly, he added.

    Describing indigenously-developed first qHPV against cervical cancer as “much awaited”, Dr Mahua Bhattacharya, Consultant Gynaecologist, Fortis Kolkata, said it would “be highly accepted considering the population profile and infection burden of India. This will surely significantly reduce morbidity and mortality associated with cervical cancer.” Cervical cancer is preventable if it is detected early and managed properly, she added. Though HPV vaccination has been licensed for use in India since 2008, it is yet to be included in the national immunisation programme, according to officials.

    ‘TAKE JAB RATE TO PRE-COVID TIME’
    The World Health Organisation on Saturday called for more significant steps in the South-East Asia Region to revive regular immunisation rates to pre-Covid times, stressing that despite concerted efforts by countries, challenges and gaps persist. Highlighting India’s routine immunisation, the WHO said that decline was witnessed in 2020. However, it added that in 2021, India provided close to 2 billion doses of Covid-19 and other childhood vaccines taken together, over five times more vaccines administered in the country during the year than in 2020. Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director WHO S-E Asia, commended the region for administering a billion doses since January 2021. “As we focus on further scaling up Covid-19 vaccination coverage, we must also do all we can to ensure no child is deprived of life-saving vaccines offered under routine immunisation services,” she added.

  • Covid vax prevented over 42 lakh deaths in India: Lancet

    Further 599,300 lives could have been saved if the World Health Organization's target of vaccinating 40 per cent of the population in each country with two or more doses by end of 2021 had been met.

  • DCGI to review Serum Institute’s applications for Covovax use in kids aged 2 to 7 yrs, 7 to 11 yrs 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The subject expert committee on COVID-19 of India’s drug regulator will on Friday review the applications of Serum Institute of India seeking emergency use authorisation to use Covovax among those aged two to seven years and seven to 11 years, official sources said.

    The two applications were submitted by Prakash Kumar Singh, Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs at Serum Institute of India (SII) on March 16 and June 1.

    The expert panel in its last meeting in April had sought more data from SII following its application seeking the emergency use authorization of Covovax for seven to 11 years.

    Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had approved Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults on December 28 and in the 12 to 17 years age group subject to certain conditions on March 9.

    India began inoculating children aged 12-14 on March 16.

    The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase.

    Vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2 last year.

    The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 last year for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.

    India launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from April 1 last year.

    The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 years of age to be inoculated against the viral disease from May 1 last year.

    The next phase of vaccination commenced from January 3 for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years.

    India began administering precaution doses of vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10.

    The country began administering precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years at private vaccination centres on April 10.

  • Face masks optional for all areas of resort now in Disney World

    By Associated Press

    ORLANDO: Walt Disney World has lifted the last of its mask requirements, meaning face coverings will be optional for visitors at all locations on the central Florida Disney property.

    The rule change was posted Tuesday on Disney’s website. Masks are still recommended, though not required, for guests who are not fully vaccinated in indoor locations and enclosed transportation.

    In February, the park made face coverings optional for fully vaccinated visitors in all indoor and outdoor locations, with the exception of enclosed transportation, such as the resort’s monorail, buses and the resort’s sky gondola. The new rule change removes the transportation exception, as well as the requirement to be vaccinated.

    The change comes a day after a federal judge in Florida threw out a national mask mandate for public transportation. The ruling gives airports, mass transit systems, airlines and ride-hailing services the option to keep mask rules or ditch them entirely.

    Major airlines were some of the first to update their rules after the court decision. United, Southwest, American, Alaska, Delta and JetBlue announced that effective immediately, masks would no longer be required on domestic flights. The ride-sharing companies Lyft and Uber announced on their websites Tuesday that masks will now be optional while riding or driving.

  • Over 9,500 precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines given on April 10

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A total of 9,674 precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered in the 18-59 years age-group on the first day on Sunday taking the cumulative doses given in the country to 185.74 crore, the Union Health Ministry said.

    India on Sunday began administering precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years at private vaccination centres.

    All those above the age of 18 who have completed nine months after the administration of the second dose are eligible for the precaution dose.

    So far more than 2.22 crore (2,22,67,519) children in the age-group of 12-14 years have been administered with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, the ministry said on Monday.

    The Centre on Saturday told all states and UTs that the precaution dose will be of the same Covid vaccine which has been used for administration of first and second dose and that private vaccination centres can charge up to a maximum of Rs 150 per dose as service charge over and above the cost of the vaccine.

    States and UTs on Saturday were also informed that no fresh registrations would be required for precaution dose as all due beneficiaries are already registered on CoWIN.

    It was emphasized that all vaccinations must mandatorily be recorded of CoWIN platform and both the options of ‘Online appointment’ and ‘Walk-in’ registration and vaccination will be available at private Covid vaccination centres (CVCs).

    The Private CVCs will maintain the vaccination sites as per the guidelines issued earlier by the Ministry of Health.

    “They can charge up to a maximum of Rs 150 per dose as service charge for vaccination over and above the cost of vaccine,” Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had said.

    “Administration of precaution dose will be homologous i.e. same vaccine type will be used for precaution dose which was used for vaccination of first and second dose,” he had stated.

    Healthcare workers, frontline workers and citizens aged 60 years and above, shall continue to receive precaution dose vaccination at any vaccination centres, including free of charge vaccination at Government Vaccination Centers, Bhushan had underlined.

    The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase.

    Vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2 last year.

    The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 last year for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.

    India launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from April 1 last year.

    The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 years of age to be inoculated against the viral disease from May 1 last year.

    The next phase of vaccination commenced from January 3 for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years.

    India began administering precaution doses of vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10.

    The country began inoculating children aged 12-14 from March 16.

  • Government releases guidelines for Covid vaccination of children in 12-14 years age group

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday released guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination of children between 12-14 years that will begin from March 16 and said only Corbevax vaccine would be used for the beneficiaries of this age group.

    Two doses of Biological E’s intramuscular vaccine Corbevax would be administered to the beneficiaries in the 12-14 years age group at an interval of 28 days, the guidelines said. The Centre shared also these guidelines with states in a letter issued on Monday.

    COVID-19 vaccination of children between 12-14 years will begin from March 16 and only Corbevax vaccine would be used for the beneficiaries of age group 12-13 and 13-14 years, it said.

    Beneficiaries between 14-15 years have already been covered during the vaccination for 15-18 years’ age group.

    According to the guidelines, as of March 1, 2021 there are as many as 4.7 crore children aged 12 and 13 years in the country.

    Also, precaution dose can now be provided to all persons aged 60 years and above and the prioritization and sequencing of this dose would be based on completion of nine months — 39 weeks from the date of administration of the second dose.

    The guidelines said the vaccination of precaution dose should be with the same vaccine with which primary vaccination was done.

    According to the guidelines, all beneficiaries born in 2010 or earlier — those who have already attained the age of 12 years — will be able to register on CoWIN.

    “The vaccination slots will be booked for 12-14 years age group for “CorBEvax” only through Co-WIN.

    Vaccinator has to ensure that the vaccine is administered to only those children who have completed the age of 12 years on the date of vaccination and if a child is registered but has not attained the age of 12 years, the vaccination is not to be given,” the guidelines said.

    The registration can be done through the following modes — self-registration through an existing account on Co-WIN of a family member or by creating a new account through a unique mobile number (this facility is available for all eligible citizens presently), it said.

    It can also be done through onsite registration by the vaccinator in facilitated registration mode and appointments can be booked online or onsite (walk-in) for 12-14 years.

    Vaccination of 12-14 years would be conducted through dedicated inoculation sessions — that is earmarked COVID-19 vaccination centres for 12-14 years’ age-group — to avoid their unintended vaccination with any other COVID-19 vaccines.

    The guidelines said all citizen irrespective of their income status are entitled to free COVID-19 vaccination at government Covid centres.