Maharashtra Vaccine News

How India plans to achieve its target of eliminating tuberculosis by 2025
The Indian Express | 5 days ago | |
The Indian Express
5 days ago | |

With India setting the target of eliminating tuberculosis by 2025, five years ahead of the global target, scientists are rushing to test newer vaccines and shorter courses of treatment, the government is focusing on active case finding, entrepreneurs have helped increase testing capacity, and the community at large has come forward to provide nutritional support to patients.On World TB Day 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the One World TB Summit on Friday. He is likely to announce initiatives to help the country meet the 2025 target. This year’s theme ‘Yes! We can end TB!’ also relates to India’s goal for itself.Although India continues to be the largest contributor to global TB cases, there has been a decline in the number of cases in 2021. Reporting of TB cases also improved in 2021 – although it didn’t reach the pre-pandemic levels, it bounced back from the lows seen during the first year of the pandemic, according to the Global TB Report 2022.The incidence of TB – new cases detected through the year – reduced by 18% in 2021 over the 2015 baseline, dropping to 210 cases per lakh population as compared to 256 cases per lakh population. The incidence of drug-resistant TB also went down by 20% during the period from 1.49 lakh cases in 2015 to 1.19 lakh cases in 2021.India accounts for 28% of all TB cases in the world, according to the Global TB Report 2022. There were 21.3 lakh cases detected in 2021 as compared to 18.05 lakh cases in 2020. The numbers are still lower than the 24.04 lakh cases reported before the pandemic in 2019, according to data from the government’s Ni-kshay portal that can help in real-time reporting of new TB cases.A survey conducted across 20 states pegged the incidence at a higher 312 cases per lakh population.Although elimination of Tuberculosis is one of the sustainable development targets to be achieved by 2030 by the world, India has set the target of 2025. The national strategic plan 2017-2025 sets the target of India reporting no more than 44 new TB cases or 65 total cases per lakh population by 2025. The estimated TB incidence for the year 2021 stood at 210 per lakh population.Achieving this target is a big task as the plan had envisaged an incidence of only 77 cases per lakh population by 2023.The programme also aims to reduce the mortality to 3 deaths per lakh population by 2025. The estimated TB mortality for the year 2020 stood at 37 per lakh population.The plan also aims to reduce catastrophic costs for the affected family to zero. However, the report states that 7 to 32 per cent of those with drug-sensitive TB, and 68 per cent with drug-resistant TB experienced catastrophic costs.The goals are in line with the World Health Organisation’s End TB strategy that calls for 80% reduction in the number of new cases, 90% reduction in mortality, and zero catastrophic cost by 2030.To achieve the TB elimination target of 2025, the government has taken several steps including looking for cases actively among vulnerable and co-morbid populations, screening for it at the health and wellness centres, and calling on the private sector to notify all TB cases.An online Ni-kshay portal has been set up to track the notified TB cases.The pandemic has led to improved access to the more accurate molecular diagnostic tests like CB-NAAT and TureNat that were also used to test for Covid-19. At present, there are 4,760 molecular diagnostic machines available, covering all districts of the country. In addition, 79 line probe assay laboratories and 96 liquid culture testing laboratories have been set up for the diagnosis of multi and extremely drug resistant TB.The government has also implemented a universal drug susceptibility test, meaning that antibiotic susceptibility of the mycobacterium is determined for all newly diagnosed cases. Earlier, the patients were started on first line treatment and were tested for drug resistance only if the therapy did not work. Conducting a drug susceptibility test at the outset ensures that the patients are given antibiotics that will work for them from the get go.Last year, the government also launched the community engagement programme where Ni-kshay mitras can adopt TB patients and provide them monthly nutritional support. So far, 71,460 Ni-kshay Mitras have adopted about 10 lakh TB patients under the programme.Newer drugs such as Bedaquiline and Delamanid for the treatment of drug-resistant TB have been included in the government’s basket of drugs provided free TB patients. These oral drugs can replace the injectable kanamycin that was associated with serious side effects like kidney problems and deafness.These new drugs have also been included in the new National List of Essential Medicines that gives the government power to regulate their market price as well.Researchers have also been studying shorter three- and four-month courses of anti-tubercular drugs, instead of the existing six-month therapy. Anti-tubercular drugs have to be taken for six months to over two years depending on the susceptibility of the mycobacterium. Long duration of treatment results in people dropping out in between, increasing their likelihood of them developing drug-resistant infections later.Nearly 100 years after the existing BCG vaccine was developed, researchers are on the lookout for newer ways of preventing tuberculosis infection. The BCG vaccine uses a weakened form of the TB bacteria to train the immune system. Although it can protect against severe forms of TB like the ones in the brain, the protection is not very good against the most common form of TB in the lungs.It offers limited protection to adults, it doesn’t prevent people from getting the infection or re-activation of a latent infection.Trials are underway to test the effectiveness of a vaccine called Immuvac, which was initially developed to prevent leprosy, in preventing TB. The vaccine developed using mycobacterium indicus pranii has antigens – the portions of a pathogen against which antibodies are developed – similar to those of leprosy and TB bacteria.Researchers are also testing the vaccine candidate called VPM1002, which is a recombinant form of the BCG vaccine modified to express the TB antigens better. This results in better training of the immune system and protection against TB.Researchers are also studying whether the existing BCG vaccine booster shot should be given to household contacts of a person with active tuberculosis.

How India plans to achieve its target of eliminating tuberculosis by 2025
Israel records two cases of new Covid-19 variant: Doctors say no need to panic
The Indian Express | 1 week ago | |
The Indian Express
1 week ago | |

A new Covid virus combination has been discovered in two persons in Israel who had travelled abroad. According to a report in Israeli daily Haaretz, the virus is a combination of BA.1 (Omicron) and BA.2 variants. The report quoting the Israel health ministry as saying the patients exhibited symptoms that included fever, headaches and muscle aches. However, they did not need specialised medical care.The report quoted physician Salman Zarka noting that the two viruses tend to link up when both are contracted and if both are in the same cell in the body, they are said to generate a new virus as they multiply and exchange genetic material. Zarka had also reportedly said that the patients were a couple in their thirties who contracted the infection from their infant.Do people need to be concerned?Dr Ravi Shekhar Jha, director and head, Pulmonology, Fortis Hospitals, Faridabad told indianexpress.com that there is nothing to worry about at present due to the new Covid variant. “The newer variant is a combination of milder variants that were extremely contagious but mildest in India. We simply need to follow the vaccination schedule. Nothing else is needed,” said Dr Jha.Adequate rest and recovery are advised at home with simple home-cooked, fresh food, and proper hydration.Dr Jha recommended*Covid vaccination*Flu vaccination*High protein diet*Covid-appropriate behaviour as precautionary measuresDr Shrey Srivastav, MD (Internal Medicine), Sharda Hospital mentioned that while people who are vaccinated need not panic, they should be careful while travelling, especially those going abroad. “People shouldn’t panic at this time if you are vaccinated. Wear masks in public places and gatherings where you don’t know the vaccination status of people around you. Get yourself booster doses for Covid vaccine,” said Dr Srivastav.He also emphasised that people who are immunocompromised, have pre-existing lung diseases, diabetes, kidney failure, liver diseases, cancer and are on chemotherapy, should continue to take extra precautions.The World Health Organization recommends that the most effective way to prevent infection from any virus is to get vaccinated and follow prevention measures: “Maintaining at least a 1-metre distance from others, wearing a well-fitted mask when keeping your distance is not possible, avoiding crowded and poorly ventilated places and settings, opening windows and doors to keep rooms well ventilated and cleaning your hands frequently.”📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!

Israel records two cases of new Covid-19 variant: Doctors say no need to panic
  • What we know of the new Covid variant cases in Israel
  • The Indian Express

    A new virus combination was discovered in two persons who had returned from abroad and landed at Israel’s Ben-Gurion International Airport, reported local media on Thursday.According to the report in the Israeli daily Haaretz, the virus is a combination of BA.1 (Omicron) and BA.2 variants.The patients had symptoms that included fever, headaches and muscle aches. However, they did not need specialised medical care, said the report quoting the Israel health ministry.The report also quoted physician Salman Zarka as saying that two viruses tend to link up when both are contracted and if both are in the same cell in the body. They are said to generate a new virus as they multiply and exchange genetic material.Zarka had also reportedly said that the patients were a couple in their thirties who contracted the infection from their infant.Meanwhile, the Union Health Secretary of India has written to six states — Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat — which account for most of the increase in new Covid-19 and seasonal flu cases.

Flu cases increasing: What is driving the surge
The Indian Express | 1 week ago | |
The Indian Express
1 week ago | |

With cases of influenza on the rise, the Centre took a review meeting last week. States are on alert, readying hospitals to treat patients with the viral infection. The Union Health Ministry in March confirmed at least two deaths – one in Haryana and one in Karnataka – due to the H3N2 subtype of influenza virus.Data from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, however, suggests that flu killed at least nine persons in just the month of January.As many as 3,038 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza were reported across the country till March 9, according to data provided by the Union Health ministry. This is not unusually high. For reference, a total of 13,202 cases had been reported last year. The actual numbers, however, are likely to be higher because not everyone gets tested for flu and the result of everyone who does isn’t always reported to the government.Officials and experts have attributed the current increase in cases to a number of reasons.One, this is the flu season. India usually sees two peaks every year – once between January and March and again post-monsoon between August and October. Changing seasons create the perfect environment for the virus to spread. But it is not just flu that is circulating at the moment. An increase in cases of other respiratory infections like adenovirus and Covid-19 has also been reported.A senior government official said on condition of anonymity, “In Delhi alone, when the patients hospitalised with respiratory symptoms were tested, only 10% were found to have the flu (H3N2). Another 15% actually had Covid-19.” The official said there has been an increase in Covid-19 cases across the five southern states and Gujarat over the past couple of weeks.Two, fewer flu infections during the pandemic have left large sections of the population with lowered immunity. “Every year, there is a sub-clinical spread of influenza and people acquire some immunity to it. And, unlike the West, we do not see high mortality due to it. But during the pandemic, people masked up, stayed away from crowded areas, and avoided gatherings, so this spread could not occur. Hence, there is an increase this year,” said Dr Sujeet Singh, former director and advisor at National Centre for Disease Control. There were fewer flu cases reported in 2020 and 2021, 2,752 and 778 respectively.Three, the flu virus is very prone to changing its structure. “This change means that we see an increase in flu cases usually every other year,” said Singh.Four, India has a huge burden of chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease even among the young, which are risk factors for severe disease. And, unlike Covid-19, the yearly flu shot is not readily available in government set-ups and not many take it.It is actually not.Just like Covid-19, it causes mild symptoms like fever, cough, and runny nose in most, but can lead to complications like pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome that can kill.Very young children, old people, people with co-morbidities such as heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease, pregnant women, and those with a weakened immune system, like people who have undergone transplants, are at a higher risk of getting severe disease.Last year, there were 410 deaths due to the infection. While most of the cases were caused by the more common sub-type H1N1 during the surge in respiratory infections in August, the ICMR network of viral diagnostic laboratories started detecting increasing numbers of H3N2 cases by December.No, it is one of the sub-types of Influenza virus and has been known to cause seasonal infections, just like the 2009 pandemic sub-type H1N1 that has been in circulation since. In fact, the sub-type H3N2 had caused a flu pandemic in 1968.“The sub-type was first detected in India in 1996 and has since caused outbreaks too. The only difference this year is that the disease seems to be more severe than we would usually see with H3N2,” said the senior government official.It was the second most commonly found virus in respiratory samples in 2021 during the August-September surge – the most common being the Victoria sub-type. There are two main sub-types of Influenza viruses – Type A and Type B. Influenza A encompasses sub-types such as H1N1 and H3N2, while there are two lineages of Influenza B called Victoria and Yamagata. Usually, Influenza A is associated with more severe disease and deaths than type B.The sub-types to be included in the yearly flu shot are updated by the World Health Organisation twice a year depending on the types in circulation.The ICMR network of viral laboratories test respiratory samples throughout the year from sentinel sites to keep an eye on the ups and downs in the numbers of flu cases, but more importantly to track the sub-types in circulation. There is a need to continuously update the vaccine because of the constantly evolving nature of influenza viruses.It can undergo an “antigenic drift” to acquire mutations that change the part that cause the body to illicit an immune response. The Covid-19 equivalent would be the spike protein – which has changed but not enough that a vaccine using the original virus is useless.It can also undergo “antigenic shift”, where there is an abrupt, major change that leads to a new protein structure of the virus. This results in a new virus from the same family infecting humans or a virus that infects animals to jump over to humans. These shifts can lead to pandemics such as the one in 2009 or even the Spanish flu of 1918.The flu vaccine usually contains four sub-types – two influenza A (with H1N1 and H3N2 recommended for 2022-23) and two Influenza B.Influenza spreads when people inhale infected droplets released by a patient when they cough or sneeze. These droplets can also survive on surfaces and can spread if a person touches the surface and then touches their eyes, nose, or mouth.The transmission can be prevented by ensuring that the mouth and nose are covered when you sneeze or cough and washing your hands frequently. It is best to remain home when sick and drink plenty of fluids. Masks may also be used in crowded places to prevent infection.

Flu cases increasing: What is driving the surge
How Covid’s bitter divisions tarnished a liberal icon- Jacinda Ardern
The Indian Express | 2 months ago | |
The Indian Express
2 months ago | |

Written by Damien CaveJacinda Ardern explained her decision to step down as New Zealand’s prime minister Thursday with a plea for understanding and rare political directness — the same attributes that helped make her a global emblem of anti-Trump liberalism, then a target of the toxic divisions amplified by the coronavirus pandemic.Ardern, 42, fought back tears as she announced at a news conference that she would resign in early February before New Zealand’s election in October.“I know what this job takes, and I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice,” she said. “It is that simple.”Ardern’s sudden departure before the end of her second term came as a surprise to the country and the world. New Zealand’s youngest prime minister in 150 years, she was a leader of a small nation who reached celebrity status with the speed of a pop star.Her youth, pronounced feminism and emphasis on a “politics of kindness” made her look to many like a welcome alternative to bombastic male leaders, creating a phenomenon known as “Jacindamania.”Her time in office, however, was mostly shaped by crisis management, including the 2019 terrorist attack in Christchurch, the deadly White Island volcanic eruption a few months later and COVID-19 soon after that.The pandemic in particular seemed to play to her strengths as a clear and unifying communicator — until extended lockdowns and vaccine mandates hurt the economy, fueled conspiracy theories and spurred a backlash. In a part of the world where COVID restrictions lingered, Ardern has struggled to get beyond her association with pandemic policy.“People personally invested in her; that has always been a part of her appeal,” said Richard Shaw, a politics professor at Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand.“She became a totem,” he added. “She became the personification of a particular response to the pandemic, which people in the far-flung margins of the internet and the not so far-flung margins used against her.”The country’s initial goal was audacious: Ardern and a handful of prominent public health researchers who were advising the government held out hope for eliminating the virus and keeping it entirely out of New Zealand. In early 2020, she helped coax the country — “our team of 5 million,” she said — to go along with shuttered international borders and a lockdown so severe that even retrieving a lost cricket ball from a neighbor’s yard was banned.When new, more transmissible variants made that impossible, Ardern’s team pivoted but struggled to get vaccines quickly. Strict vaccination mandates then kept people from activities like work, eating out and getting haircuts.Dr. Simon Thornley, a public health researcher at the University of Auckland and a frequent and controversial critic of the government’s COVID response, said many New Zealanders were surprised by what they saw as her willingness to pit the vaccinated against the unvaccinated.“The disillusionment around the vaccine mandates was important,” Thornley said. “The creation of a two-class society and that predictions didn’t come out as they were meant to be, or as they were forecast to be in terms of elimination — that was a turning point.”Ardern became a target, internally and abroad, for those who saw vaccine mandates as a violation of individual rights. Online, conspiracy theories, misinformation and personal attacks bloomed. Threats against Ardern have increased greatly over the past few years, especially from anti-vaccination groups.The tension escalated in February. Inspired in part by protests in the United States and Canada, a crowd of protesters camped on the Parliament grounds in Wellington for more than three weeks, pitching tents and using parked cars to block traffic.The police eventually forced out the demonstrators, clashing violently with many of them, leading to more than 120 arrests.The scenes shocked a nation unaccustomed to such violence. Some blamed demonstrators, others the police and the government.“It certainly was a dark day in New Zealand history,” Thornley said.Dylan Reeve, a New Zealand author and journalist who wrote a book on the spread of misinformation in the country, said the prime minister’s international profile probably played a role in the conspiracist narratives about her.“The fact that she suddenly had such a large international profile and was widely hailed for her reaction really seemed to provide a boost for local conspiracy theorists,” he said. “They found support for the anti-Ardern ideas from like-minded individuals globally at a level that was probably out of scale with New Zealand’s typical prominence internationally.”The attacks did not cease even as the worst of the pandemic receded. This month, Roger Stone, the former Trump adviser, condemned Ardern for her COVID approach, which he described as “the jackboot of authoritarianism.”In her speech Thursday, Ardern did not mention any particular group of critics, nor did she name a replacement, but she did acknowledge that she could not help but be affected by the strain of her job and the difficult era when she governed.“I know there will be much discussion in the aftermath of this decision as to what the so-called real reason was,” she said, adding: “The only interesting angle you will find is that after going on six years of some big challenges, that I am human. Politicians are human. We give all that we can, for as long as we can, and then it’s time. And for me, it’s time.”Suze Wilson, a leadership scholar at Massey University in New Zealand, said Ardern should be taken at her word. She said that the abuse could not and should not be separated from her gender.“She’s talking about not really having anything left in the tank, and I think part of what’s probably contributed to that is just the disgusting level of sexist and misogynistic abuse to what she has been subjected,” Wilson said.In the pubs and parks of Christchurch on Thursday, New Zealanders seemed divided. In a city where Ardern was widely praised for her unifying response to the mass murder of 51 people at two mosques by a white supremacist, there were complaints about unfulfilled promises around nuts-and-bolts issues such as the cost of housing.Tony McPherson, 72, who lives near one of the mosques that was attacked nearly four years ago, described the departing prime minister as someone who had “a very good talk, but not enough walk.”He said she fell short on “housing, health care” and had “made an absolute hash on immigration,” arguing that many businesses had large staff shortages because of a delayed reopening of borders after the lockdowns.Economic issues are front and center for many voters. Polls show that Ardern’s Labour Party has been trailing the center-right National Party, led by Christopher Luxon, a former aviation executive.On the deck of Wilson’s Sports Bar, a Christchurch pub, Shelley Smith, 52, a motel manager, said she was “surprised” at the news of Ardern’s resignation. She praised her for suppressing the community spread of the coronavirus in 2020, despite the effects on the New Zealand economy. Asked how she would remember Ardern, she replied: “As a person’s person.”That appeal may have faded, but many New Zealanders do not expect Ardern to disappear for long. Helen Clark, a former prime minister who was a mentor to Ardern, followed up her time in office by focusing on international issues with many global organizations.“I don’t know she’ll be lost to the world,” Shaw said of Ardern. “She may get a bigger platform.”

How Covid’s bitter divisions tarnished a liberal icon- Jacinda Ardern
Serum Institute seeks inclusion of Covid jab Covovax in CoWIN portal as heterologous booster dose for adults
The Indian Express | 2 months ago | |
The Indian Express
2 months ago | |

Serum Institute of India has written to the Union Health Ministry seeking the inclusion of its Covid vaccine Covovax in the CoWIN portal as a heterologous booster dose for adults, official sources said on Wednesday.The letter was written by Prakash Kumar Singh, Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs at Serum Institute of India (SII), they said.National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) is likely to hold a meeting soon to decide on the matter.The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on January 16 approved market authorisation for Covovax as a heterologous booster dose for adults who have been administered two doses of either Covishield or Covaxin.Its approval was based on recommendations by the subject expert committee (SEC) of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation.The DCGI approved Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults on December 28, 2021, in the 12-17 age group on March 9, 2022, and also in children aged seven to 11 years on June 28 last year subject to certain conditions.Covovax is manufactured through technology transfer from Novavax.It has been approved by the European Medicines Agency for conditional marketing authorization and was granted emergency-use listing by the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 17, 2021.In August 2020, US-based vaccine maker Novavax Inc. had earlier announced a licence agreement with the SII for the development and commercialization of NVX-CoV2373, its COVID-19 vaccine candidate in India and low-and-middle-income countries.

Serum Institute seeks inclusion of Covid jab Covovax in CoWIN portal as heterologous booster dose for adults
Vivek Agnihotri gives update on Pallavi Joshi’s accident: ‘She limped back today to sets’
The Indian Express | 2 months ago | |
The Indian Express
2 months ago | |

Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri took to Twitter and gave an update about the health of his wife, actor Pallavi Joshi, after she met with a car accident while shooting on sets of their upcoming film The Vaccine War. Vivek said that Pallavi is healing and it will take time to get completely fine but she is back on sets.Pallavi was last seen in Vivek’s award-winning film The Kashmir Files. Vaccine war in their second consecutive association. The shooting was taking place in Hyderabad when a vehicle lost control and hit the actor. She was then taken to a local hospital for treatment.Vivek took to Twitter and wrote, “On behalf of #PallaviJoshi, I’d like to thank all her well-wishers and fans for their concern. While shooting, a car ran over her foot. The bone will take its long course to heal but she limped back today to sets to give her shot. Show must go on.”On behalf of #PallaviJoshi, I’d like to thank all her well-wishers and fans for their concern. While shooting, a car ran over her foot. The bone will take its long course to heal but she limped back today to sets to give her shot. Show must go on. 🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/tFGRHm0uu0— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 18, 2023 Vivek’s 2022 release, The Kashmir Files, had a blockbuster run at the box office despite critical reviews. The film earned over Rs 300 crore collection mark with its story revolving around the genocide of the Kashmiri pandits. The filmmaker also announced that the movie will be releasing on January 20 ahead of the Cinema Lovers’ Day.Vivek Agnihotri superhit film The Kashmir Files all set to re release on the big screen | The Kashmir Files: बड़े पर्दे पर दोबारा रिलीज को तैयार ‘द कश्मीर फाइल्स’, जानें कब और कहां हो रही है रिलीज | Hindi News, Zee Hindustan Entertainment https://t.co/Bb0mSaReo2— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 18, 2023 Vivek had recently falsely claimed that the film has been “shortlisted for Oscars 2023.”. However, in reality, The Kashmir Files was only on the reminder list which primarily includes films that can officially compete in various categories. Merely featuring on the list does not guarantee that the film will advance in the final nominations of the Academy Awards, which will be announced on January 24. 

Vivek Agnihotri gives update on Pallavi Joshi’s accident: ‘She limped back today to sets’
India records lowest Covid cases since March 2020; zero in Delhi
The Indian Express | 2 months ago | |
The Indian Express
2 months ago | |

India, on Monday recorded 89 new coronavirus infections, the lowest number of cases since March 27, 2020. The active cases declined to 2,035, according to data released by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.The Covid case tally stood at 4.46 crore (4,46,81,233) and death toll at 5,30,726. A fall of 84 cases was recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in the last 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 percent.Delhi recorded no new cases of Covid-19 Monday for the first time since March 2020. According to data shared by the state health department, the number of active cases stands at just 10. No Covid-related fatality was reported on Monday. Delhi has logged only one death due to the infection (on January 9) this month.As many as 931 tests were conducted in the national capital the previous day, data shared by the state health department showed. The city reported just one new case on Sunday with a positivity rate of 0.05 per cent.Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of India today will hear a suo motu case related to the spread of Covid-19 in prisons across the country.The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on Tuesday approved market authorisation to Covid-19 vaccine Covovax as a heterologous booster dose for adults who have been administered two doses of Covishield or Covaxin, official sources told PTI.  The DCGI’s approval came following recommendation by the Subject Expert Committee of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).“Prakash Kumar Singh, Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs at the Serum Institute of India (SII), had recently written to the DCGI for the approval of Covovax heterologous booster dose for those aged 18 years and above in view of the escalating Covid-19 pandemic situation in some countries,” an official source told PTI.(With inputs from PTI)

India records lowest Covid cases since March 2020; zero in Delhi
  • Active Covid-19 cases in India drop to 2,119; no deaths reported in the past 24 hours
  • The Indian Express

    In the past 24 hours, India reported 114 fresh Covid-19 cases, with active cases declining to 2,119, as compared to 2,149 recorded a day earlier, the official website of the Union Ministry of Health showed on Monday.The country’s total Covid-19 tally was reported to be 4.46 crore (4,46,81,154), according to news agency PTI. No Covid-related deaths were reported in the country in the last 24 hours, with the death toll staying at 5,30,726, the data updated on health ministry’s website at 8 am on Monday showed. The case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent.The national Covid-19 recovery rate continued to stay at 98.80 per cent, PTI reported, with the number of people who have so far recuperated from the disease, surging to 4,41,48,309.According to the data, 74,320 tests to detect the virus were conducted on Sunday across the country.About 3,984 doses were administered in vaccination centers around the country on Sunday within the government’s nationwide vaccination drive against Covid-19. A total of 2,20,17,06,017 doses of vaccine against the virus have been administered in the country so far.Kerala currently lodges the most number of Covid-19 cases in the country, however, the number of active cases decreased to 1,303, as compared to 1,308 on Sunday. The tally of active cases in Karnataka and Maharashtra lies at 146 and 139, respectively, according to the website.As China and other countries witness a rise in the number of coronavirus cases, Union Health Ministry, on December 28, had said that the next 40 days would be crucial for India, as it might see a surge in infections in January. The government had asked states to step up their Covid-related measures and advised citizens to follow Covid-appropriate guidelines.

  • Maharashtra sees 11 Covid-19 cases, no death; active tally 139 as 13 recover
  • Times of India

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra on Sunday reported 11 Covid-19 cases, which took the tally to 81,36,935, while the death toll stood unchanged at 1,48,419, a health official said. The recovery count increased by 13 in the last 24 hours to touch 79,88,377, leaving the state with an active caseload of 139, he said. The recovery rate in the state is 98.17 per cent, while 8,61,02,847 coronavirus tests have been conducted so far, including 8,771 in the last 24 hours, as per state health department data. It also said, since December 24, a total of 8,471 of 3,92,698 international passengers who arrived at Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur airports were subjected to RT-PCR tests to detect coronavirus, and 21 reports had returned positive. All the 21 samples have been sent for whole genome sequencing to find out the variant, he added. The 21 patients comprise four from Mumbai, three from Pune, one each from Navi Mumbai, Amravati and Sangli, while three are from Gujarat, two from Kerala and one each from Goa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Odisha and Telangana. Maharashtra coronavirus figures for the day: Fresh cases: 11; Fatality; 0; Active cases: 139; Tests; 8,771.

State yet to get Covishield stock ordered in December
Times of India | 2 months ago | |
Times of India
2 months ago | |

Pune: Maharashtra is still waiting for four lakh Covishield doses, as many as 15 days after it had ordered them from the Centre in the last week of December. Covid vaccines for government vaccination sites are dispatched by the central government once states place orders. There have been delays in delivery in the past, but officials said on Saturday the most recent hold-up is surprising, considering the Centre itself had called for wider vaccine coverage (especially of boosters) following Covid spikes in some countries. “We are in touch with our central counterparts. We’re yet to get the doses we need to increase booster coverage,” one state official said on Saturday. The Covishield resupply is critical as it has been the lead vaccine in almost all state districts. Many also continue to prefer it as their third dose, despite India’s mixed-dose approvals. Currently, the state has only 8.5 lakh Covaxin doses in stock and some 5,000 doses are being administered daily. “The third dose coverage is below 30% in the 60-plus age groups. It’s only 11% in the 18-59 group. We need these Covishield doses to improve these numbers,” the official said, adding Maharashtra has no stock of Corbevax either.One central official said vaccines are being dispatched to states as per demand. “There is no shortage of Covishield,” the official added. Earlier this week, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya had said that states can procure more doses to improve their booster Coverage. He had also said that permission has been given to the private sector to continue with their vaccination drives. But administrators of many private hospitals said they're no longer keen to participate, due to low response and the lack of an exchange policy which they fear could lead to wastage. “States such as Gujarat and Karnataka allowed unused vials from the private sector to be utilised by public sites. Maharashtra doesn’t have such a policy. So we’re stocking up only if there's demand,” said a representative of a leading private hospital in the city.On Saturday, just over 2,900 (2,981) doses were administered across the state, according to CoWIN data till 10pm.

State yet to get Covishield stock ordered in December
  • Maharashtra yet to get Covishield stock ordered in December
  • Times of India

    PUNE: It has been 15 days and Maharashtra is still waiting for four lakh Covishield doses it had ordered from the Centre in the last week of December. Covid vaccines for government vaccination sites are dispatched by the central government once states place orders. There have been delays in delivery in the past, but officials said on Saturday the most recent hold-up is surprising, considering the Centre itself had called for wider vaccine coverage (especially of boosters) following Covid spikes in some countries. "We are in touch with our central counterparts. We're yet to get the doses we need to increase booster coverage," one official said. The Covishield resupply is critical as it has been the lead vaccine in almost all state districts. Many continue to prefer it as their third dose as well, despite the mixed dose regimen. Currently, the state has only 8.5 lakh Covaxin doses in stock and some 5,000 doses are being administered daily. "The third dose coverage is below 30% in the 60-plus age groups. It's only 11% in the 18-59 group. We need these Covishield doses to improve these numbers," the official said, adding Maharashtra has no stock of Corbevax either. One central official said vaccines are being dispatched to states as per demand. "There is no shortage," the official added. Earlier this week, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya had said that states can procure more doses to improve their booster Coverage.

The superbugs are here – and they are resistant to antibiotics
The Indian Express | 2 months ago | |
The Indian Express
2 months ago | |

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), often also called antibiotic resistance, is a global health challenge and a looming public health crisis. The WHO has declared it as one of the top 10 health threats facing humanity. Microorganisms (bugs) are everywhere with some being helpful like the yoghurt-making lactobacillus and some being harmful like the typhoid-causing salmonella. Antimicrobials, chemicals or molecules that kill harmful bugs, are the backbone of modern medicine. Improperly used antimicrobials create selective pressure on bugs. The bugs most vulnerable to the drugs die quickly, while the most resilient ones survive, replicate and become superbugs. AMR occurs when superbugs develop and antimicrobials stop working.Reversing AMR and or finding solutions for it is a tall order since we are up against natural selection — Darwinian evolution, the process by which we evolved. The Covid-19 pandemic has given us a painful reminder of what it means to have no vaccine or medicine to tackle an emerging pathogen. AMR is bad news on a similar scale except it’s a silent killer. Covid has also taught us that in a global crisis government, industry and society can come together and work together to find solutions.Tackling AMR and coming up with solutions means navigating complex domains of science and society to develop cross-disciplinary solutions. AMR national action plans (NAPs) have been implemented in several surveyed economies including India for human health. However, the development and implementation of antimicrobial plans for animals and the environment that equally impact AMR hasn’t been adequate.Some recipes for reducing and potentially reversing AMR can be implemented by each one of us individually or collectively at the ground level.The first prescription is prevention. Disease prevention and wellness are key to public health and thus preventing infections whenever and wherever possible is equivalent to averting resistance. We need to spearhead sanitation drives, ensure a clean water supply and support hospital-driven infection-control programmes. Reducing AMR also requires prescribing antimicrobials judiciously and only when they are absolutely needed. There is also a need for more cohesion within management strategies. Coordination across the animal industry and environmental sectors to prevent the unnecessary use of antibiotics in farms — this nurtures drug-resistant organisms in our food supply — is necessary. Vaccines are also a powerful tool to prevent infections and have the potential to curb the spread of AMR infections. However, immunisation programmes are not comprehensive and exhaustive yet for many infectious diseases. A second prescription closely connected with prevention is the development of robust surveillance systems that allow us to detect resistant pathogens of all kinds in the environment and hospitals that would eventually allow containment.The third prescription is to invest heavily in research and development through both government and private funding. There is an urgent need for a strong pipeline of new antibiotics; an essential component in restoring the balance and ensuring that we have new tools in the fight against AMR. Bringing a new antibiotic from basic research through clinical trials takes more than a decade and requires upward of $1 billion. However, the profits on these drugs are negligible. Hence, the fourth prescription would be to formulate new types of financial incentives to measure return on investment and measure profitability by the social value of the antibiotic, breaking the conventional link between sales and profits. Last but not least, we need to bring a collective moral vision to AMR and start thinking of antibiotic/antimicrobial drugs as limited resources that should be available to all.Although seemingly distant and abstract, AMR is in the air and potentially catastrophic for those burdened by it. Longer hospital stays due to prolonged illness, death and disability are huge financial challenges for those impacted. The success of modern medicine, women’s health, infectious diseases, surgery and cancer would be at increased risk for lack of working antimicrobials. The cost of AMR to the economy is significant and it is critical to develop policies and implement them through a holistic “One Health” approach.The writer is a Senior Principal Scientist at CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory. Views are personal

The superbugs are here – and they are resistant to antibiotics
Skilled workers could transform Maharashtra into trillion-dollar economy: Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis
Times of India | 2 months ago | |
Times of India
2 months ago | |

PUNE: Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, while speaking at a function in the city, emphasized expanding the base of skilled human resources to make Maharashtra a trillion-dollar economy.He was speaking at the inauguration of Bharati Hospital's new super speciality facility and students' housing complex marking the 79th birth anniversary of Vidyapeeth founder and late senior congress leader Dr Patangrao Kadam at Bharati Vidyapeeth Educational Complex in Dhankawadi on Sunday.Former union agriculture minister and National Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu were also present at the event. Chancellor of Bharti Vidyapeeth Dr Shivajirao Kadam, pro-vice-chancellor Dr Vishwajit Kadam, vice-chancellor Dr Vivek Saoji, executive director of the department of health sciences Dr Asmita Jagtap and cabinet minister of Himachal Pradesh Sanjay Awasthi were present."Pune has become the state's manufacturing and industrial hub. This could happen because Pune is primarily a pivotal education and research hub providing skilled human resources. Expanding such a skilled workforce through educational institutions can help accommodate the exodus of various industries from China," Fadnavis said.Adar Poonawalla, owner and chief executive officer (CEO) of Serum Institute of India (SII), was felicitated at the inauguration and presented with the first Dr Patangaro Kadam Memorial Award in recognition of his contribution to the fight against Covid-19. In his acceptance speech, Poonawalla said, "The entire SII workforce worked tirelessly during the pandemic. You may have seen me on television, but they were working hard to fulfil the delivery of the Covishield vaccine, which our country and the world needed. This could be possible because of the united efforts at the Central and state government, our healthcare workers and manufacturers working together with a common goal.""Many students want to go abroad for education, but with institutions like this (Bharati Vidyapeeth) and so many others in India, you can fulfil your dreams and ambitions. Even if you want to go abroad, please come back as soon as possible," Poonawalla said.Pawar, in his speech, urged educational institutes to focus on the ever-expanding field of artificial intelligence (AI). "Educational institutes like Bharati Vidyapeeth should take the lead in nurturing young minds in AI and elevate research work at the global level," he said. Pawar, during his speech, mentioned how he and Cyrus Poonawala studied together and were good friends. Sukhu drew attention to opportunities in Himachal Pradesh and spoke about various schemes and projects his government has undertaken.

Skilled workers could transform Maharashtra into trillion-dollar economy: Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis
COVID-19: Covovax to get approval as booster in 10-15 days, says SII CEO Adar Poonawalla
The Indian Express | 2 months ago | |
The Indian Express
2 months ago | |

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 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.Poonawalla was conferred 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 Kadam’s birth anniversary.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.

COVID-19: Covovax to get approval as booster in 10-15 days, says SII CEO Adar Poonawalla
China's ‘great migration’ kicks off under shadow of Covid
The Indian Express | 2 months ago | |
The Indian Express
2 months ago | |

China on Saturday marked the first day of “chun yun”, the 40-day period of Lunar New Year travel known pre-pandemic as the world’s largest annual migration of people, bracing for a huge increase in travelers and the spread of Covid-19 infections.This Lunar New Year public holiday, which officially runs from Jan. 21, will be the first since 2020 without domestic travel restrictions. Over the last month China has seen the dramatic dismantling of its “zero-Covid” regime following historic protests against a policy that included frequent testing, restricted movement, mass lockdowns and heavy damage to the world’s No.2 economy. Investors are hoping that the reopening will eventually reinvigorate a $17-trillion economy suffering its lowest growth in nearly half a century.But the abrupt changes have exposed many of China’s 1.4 billion population to the virus for the first time, triggering a wave of infections that is overwhelming some hospitals, emptying pharmacy shelves of medicines and causing long lines to form at crematoriums. The Ministry of Transport said on Friday that it expects more than 2 billion passengers to take trips over the next 40 days, an increase of 99.5% year-on-year and reaching 70.3% of trip numbers in 2019.There was mixed reaction online to that news, with some comments hailing the freedom to return to hometowns and celebrate the Lunar New Year with family for the first time in years. Many others, however, said they would not travel this year, with worry of infecting elderly relatives a common theme.“I dare not go back to my hometown, for fear of bringing the poison back,” said one such comment on the Twitter-like Weibo.Also Read |BF.7 and BA.5.2: The Omicron sub-variants driving the China surgeThere are widespread concerns that the great migration of workers in cities to their hometowns will cause a surge in infections in smaller towns and rural areas that are less well-equipped with ICU beds and ventilators to deal with them. Authorities say they are boosting grassroots medical services, opening more rural fever clinics and instituting a “green channel” for high risk patients, especially elderly people with underlying health conditions, to be transferred from villages directly to higher level hospitals.“China’s rural areas are wide, the population is large, and the per capita medical resources are relatively insufficient,” National Health Commission spokesman Mi Feng said on Saturday.“It’s necessary to provide convenient services, accelerate vaccination for the elderly in rural areas and the construction of grassroots lines of defense.”INFECTION PEAK REACHEDSome analysts are now saying the current wave of infections may have already peaked.  Ernan Cui, an analyst at Gavekal Dragonomics in Beijing, cited several online surveys as indicating that rural areas were already more widely exposed to Covid infections than initially thought, with an infection peak already reached in most regions, noting there was “not much difference between urban and rural areas.”On Sunday China will reopen its border with Hong Kong and will also end a requirement for travelers coming from abroad to quarantine. That effectively opens the door for many Chinese to travel abroad for the first time since borders slammed shut nearly three years ago, without fear of having to quarantine on their return.More than a dozen countries are now demanding Covid tests from travellers from China. The World Health Organization said on Wednesday that China’s Covid data underrepresents the number of hospitalizations and deaths from the disease. Chinese officials and state media have defended the handling of the outbreak, playing down the severity of the surge and denouncing foreign travel requirements for its residents.On Saturday in Hong Kong, people who had made appointments had to queue for about 90 minutes at a Centre for PCR tests needed for travel to countries including mainland China.Also Read |What is BF.7, the Omicron sub-variant driving the new surge in China?TREATMENT TO THE FOREFor much of the pandemic, China poured resources into a vast PCR testing program to track and trace Covid-19 cases, but the focus is now shifting to vaccines and treatment. In Shanghai, for example, the city government on Friday announced an end to free PCR tests for residents from Jan. 8.A circular published by four government ministries Saturday signaled a reallocation of financial resources to treatment, outlining a plan for public finances to subsidies 60% of treatment costs until March 31.  Meanwhile, sources told Reuters that China is in talks with Pfizer Inc to secure a license that will allow domestic drugmakers to manufacture and distribute a generic version of the U.S. firm’s Covid antiviral drug Paxlovid in China.Many Chinese have been attempting to buy the drug abroad and have it shipped to China. On the vaccine front, China’s CanSino Biologics Inc announced it has begun trial production for its Covid mRNA booster vaccine, known as CS-2034.  China has relied on nine domestically-developed vaccines approved for use, including inactivated vaccines, but none have been adapted to target the highly-transmissible Omicron variant and its offshoots currently in circulation.The overall vaccination rate in the country is above 90%, but the rate for adults who have had booster shots drops to 57.9%, and to 42.3% for people aged 80 and older, according to government data released last month. China reported three new Covid  deaths in the mainland for Friday, bringing its official virus death toll since the pandemic began to 5,267, one of the lowest in the world.  International health experts believe Beijing’s narrow definition of Covid  deaths does not reflect a true toll, and some predict more than a million deaths this year.

China's ‘great migration’ kicks off under shadow of Covid
  • As ‘great migration’ kicks off under Covid shadow, China expects over 2 billion people to travel over next 40 days
  • The Indian Express

    China on Saturday marked the first day of “chun yun”, the 40-day period of Lunar New Year travel known pre-pandemic as the world’s largest annual migration of people, bracing for a huge increase in travelers and the spread of Covid-19 infections.This Lunar New Year public holiday, which officially runs from Jan. 21, will be the first since 2020 without domestic travel restrictions. Over the last month China has seen the dramatic dismantling of its “zero-Covid” regime following historic protests against a policy that included frequent testing, restricted movement, mass lockdowns and heavy damage to the world’s No.2 economy. Investors are hoping that the reopening will eventually reinvigorate a $17-trillion economy suffering its lowest growth in nearly half a century.But the abrupt changes have exposed many of China’s 1.4 billion population to the virus for the first time, triggering a wave of infections that is overwhelming some hospitals, emptying pharmacy shelves of medicines and causing long lines to form at crematoriums. The Ministry of Transport said on Friday that it expects more than 2 billion passengers to take trips over the next 40 days, an increase of 99.5% year-on-year and reaching 70.3% of trip numbers in 2019.There was mixed reaction online to that news, with some comments hailing the freedom to return to hometowns and celebrate the Lunar New Year with family for the first time in years. Many others, however, said they would not travel this year, with worry of infecting elderly relatives a common theme.“I dare not go back to my hometown, for fear of bringing the poison back,” said one such comment on the Twitter-like Weibo.Also Read |BF.7 and BA.5.2: The Omicron sub-variants driving the China surgeThere are widespread concerns that the great migration of workers in cities to their hometowns will cause a surge in infections in smaller towns and rural areas that are less well-equipped with ICU beds and ventilators to deal with them. Authorities say they are boosting grassroots medical services, opening more rural fever clinics and instituting a “green channel” for high risk patients, especially elderly people with underlying health conditions, to be transferred from villages directly to higher level hospitals.“China’s rural areas are wide, the population is large, and the per capita medical resources are relatively insufficient,” National Health Commission spokesman Mi Feng said on Saturday.“It’s necessary to provide convenient services, accelerate vaccination for the elderly in rural areas and the construction of grassroots lines of defense.”INFECTION PEAK REACHEDSome analysts are now saying the current wave of infections may have already peaked.  Ernan Cui, an analyst at Gavekal Dragonomics in Beijing, cited several online surveys as indicating that rural areas were already more widely exposed to Covid infections than initially thought, with an infection peak already reached in most regions, noting there was “not much difference between urban and rural areas.”On Sunday China will reopen its border with Hong Kong and will also end a requirement for travelers coming from abroad to quarantine. That effectively opens the door for many Chinese to travel abroad for the first time since borders slammed shut nearly three years ago, without fear of having to quarantine on their return.More than a dozen countries are now demanding Covid tests from travellers from China. The World Health Organization said on Wednesday that China’s Covid data underrepresents the number of hospitalizations and deaths from the disease. Chinese officials and state media have defended the handling of the outbreak, playing down the severity of the surge and denouncing foreign travel requirements for its residents.On Saturday in Hong Kong, people who had made appointments had to queue for about 90 minutes at a Centre for PCR tests needed for travel to countries including mainland China.Also Read |What is BF.7, the Omicron sub-variant driving the new surge in China?TREATMENT TO THE FOREFor much of the pandemic, China poured resources into a vast PCR testing program to track and trace Covid-19 cases, but the focus is now shifting to vaccines and treatment. In Shanghai, for example, the city government on Friday announced an end to free PCR tests for residents from Jan. 8.A circular published by four government ministries Saturday signaled a reallocation of financial resources to treatment, outlining a plan for public finances to subsidies 60% of treatment costs until March 31.  Meanwhile, sources told Reuters that China is in talks with Pfizer Inc to secure a license that will allow domestic drugmakers to manufacture and distribute a generic version of the U.S. firm’s Covid antiviral drug Paxlovid in China.Many Chinese have been attempting to buy the drug abroad and have it shipped to China. On the vaccine front, China’s CanSino Biologics Inc announced it has begun trial production for its Covid mRNA booster vaccine, known as CS-2034.  China has relied on nine domestically-developed vaccines approved for use, including inactivated vaccines, but none have been adapted to target the highly-transmissible Omicron variant and its offshoots currently in circulation.The overall vaccination rate in the country is above 90%, but the rate for adults who have had booster shots drops to 57.9%, and to 42.3% for people aged 80 and older, according to government data released last month. China reported three new Covid  deaths in the mainland for Friday, bringing its official virus death toll since the pandemic began to 5,267, one of the lowest in the world.  International health experts believe Beijing’s narrow definition of Covid  deaths does not reflect a true toll, and some predict more than a million deaths this year.

Covaxin third jab gets boost, 9 lakh doses to expire by January-end in Maharashtra
Times of India | 2 months ago | |
Times of India
2 months ago | |

PUNE: State officials have intensified the Covaxin booster drive to try and save nine lakh doses of the vaccine that are set to expire by the end of this month. According to state data, there are over one crore beneficiaries due for a Covaxin booster dose. Encouragingly, turnouts at vaccination centres are slowly increasing, officials said, adding that CoWIN shows at least 4,000 booster doses are now being administered daily. An official from the immunisation office said considering the state's reserves, the health department has told all vaccine sites to expedite their Covaxin drives. Covaxin is not the only jab in demand. Several centres have also reported Covishield shortages, but fresh stock of this shot is expected to arrive from the Centre soon, officials said.When asked about more Corbevax and Covaxin doses, the state official said Maharashtra so far has not placed any orders for fresh stock from the Centre. Dr Sanjay Patil, chairperson of the Indian Medical Association's Hospital Board of India, Pune chapter, said response to Covid vaccination at private hospitals saw a sudden increase two weeks ago. "Due to waning protection from the vaccines, it is highly advised that adults should opt for these booster doses," he said.Daily Covid-19 vaccination statewide showed slight improvements on Thursday, with a little over 3,800 shots administered. On some days towards the end of last year, daily coverage had dropped to the low three digits. The renewed response ended up exhausting the state's reserves of Covishield and Corbevax doses at government-run sites.

Covaxin third jab gets boost, 9 lakh doses to expire by January-end in Maharashtra
Tackling emergencies in health focus, India seeking to be voice of global south
The Indian Express | 2 months ago | |
The Indian Express
2 months ago | |

Tackling health emergencies, digital innovations for universal health coverage, and strengthening the pharmaceutical sector will be the three focus areas for the health working group under India’s G20 presidency, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said Thursday.The Minister’s comments, made during an interaction with reporters, are in line with India’s plans to use the G20 presidency to become the “voice of the global south”, officials said.“With the current troika being all developing countries, it is the apt time for India to raise issues of the global south,” one official said, referring to developing countries at the helm of the grouping in the “previous, current and next” years.“As we saw during the Covid pandemic, even when the vaccine manufacturing was scaled up, developed countries purchased more by several folds than their requirement, while several countries remained without (vaccines). We will call for equity for the global south,” the official added.The health track of the G20 Summit will meet four times throughout the year, with the fourth meeting attended by the health ministers of the member countries. The health meetings will be convened in Trivandrum (Kerala) between January 18 and 20; in Goa between April 17 and 19; in Hyderabad (Telangana) between June 4 and 6, and in Gandhinagar (Gujarat) between August 17 and 19.There will also be side events such as a summit by the WHO and the AYUSH ministry’s Global Centre for Traditional Medicines.At the Summit meetings, India will showcase its Covid-19 management, the official said, apart from medical access and affordability initiatives such as Jan Aushadhi, under which over 9,000 medical stores across the country ensure access to 1,759 cheaper generic medicines.India will use the pharmaceutical agenda to promote distributed manufacturing of vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics globally, the official said.

Tackling emergencies in health focus, India seeking to be voice of global south
Hamlin’s collapse spurs new wave of vaccine misinformation
The Indian Express | 2 months ago | |
The Indian Express
2 months ago | |

Unfounded claims about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines proliferated in the hours and days after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed during Monday’s game, revealing how pervasive vaccine misinformation remains three years after the pandemic began.Even before Hamlin was carried off the field in Cincinnati, posts amassing thousands of shares and millions of views began circulating online claiming without evidence that complications from COVID-19 vaccines caused his health emergency.While cardiac specialists say it’s too soon to know what caused Hamlin’s heart to stop, they’ve offered a rare type of trauma called commotio cordis as among the possible culprits. Physicians interviewed by The Associated Press say there’s no indication Hamlin’s vaccine status played a role, and said there’s no evidence to support claims that a number of young athletes have died as a result of COVID vaccinations.Peter McCullough, a Dallas cardiologist and outspoken vaccine critic, amplified the theories on a Fox News segment hosted by Tucker Carlson on Tuesday, speculating that “vaccine-induced myocarditis,” may have caused Hamlin’s episode. While the Bills have not said whether Hamlin was vaccinated, about 95% of NFL players have received a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the league.In his Tuesday segment, Carlson claimed McCullough and another researcher found that “more than 1,500 total cardiac arrests” have occurred among European athletes “since the vax campaign began.”But Carlson was citing a letter in which the authors’ evidence was a dubious blog that lists news reports of people all over the world, of all ages, dying or experiencing medical emergencies. The blog proves no relationship between the incidents and COVID-19 vaccines; it also includes in its count reported deaths from cancer and emergencies of unknown causes.“It’s not real research, but he quotes it as if it’s real research,” said Dr. Matthew Martinez, director of sports cardiology at Atlantic Health System in Morristown Medical Center. “Anybody can write a letter to the editor and then quote an article that has no academic rigor.”Many social media users have also shared deceptive videos that purport to show athletes collapsing on-field because of COVID-19 vaccines. However, several of the cases shown have been proven to be from other causes.Though anti-vaccine influencers have insisted that sudden cardiac arrests during sports games are unprecedented, cardiologists say they’ve observed these traumatic events throughout their careers, and long before the COVID-19 pandemic.“There have always been cases of athletes having sudden cardiac death or cardiac arrest,” said Dr. Lawrence Phillips, sports health expert and cardiologist at NYU Langone Health. “I have not seen a change in the prevalence of them over the last couple of years versus earlier in my career.”In fact, Phillips said, these rare medical emergencies are the main reason that doctors and activists have spent years campaigning for defibrillators to be on standby at sporting events.That push, and the implementation of emergency action plans, has improved outcomes after cardiac events on the playing field, even as the number of such events has remained “remarkably stable,” Martinez said.Martinez, who has worked for the National Football League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and Major League Soccer, said he has investigated but not seen any signal that COVID-19 or vaccines are causing an increased incidence of cardiac events among athletes.His research shows that among professional athletes who have had COVID-19, rates of inflammatory heart disease were about 0.6% — showing no increased risk compared to other viruses.Online posts mentioning Hamlin and vaccines soared into the thousands within one hour of Hamlin’s collapse, according to an analysis conducted for the AP by Zignal Labs, a San Francisco-based media intelligence company.It’s not surprising that misleading claims about COVID-19 vaccines surged following Hamlin’s cardiac arrest, given how much vaccine misinformation has spread since the pandemic began, said Jeanine Guidry, a Virginia Commonwealth University professor who researches health misinformation and vaccine hesitancy.High-profile public events like Hamlin’s collapse often create new waves of misinformation as people grasp for explanations. For people concerned about vaccine safety, Hamlin’s sudden collapse served to affirm and justify their beliefs, Guidry said.“This happened to a person in the prime of their life, on primetime television, and the people watching didn’t immediately know why,” she said. “We like to have clear answers that make us feel safer. Especially after the last three years, I think this is coming from fear and uncertainty.”Similarly unfounded claims about vaccine injuries surged last month following the death of sports journalist Grant Wahl, who died of a ruptured blood vessel in his heart while covering the World Cup in Qatar. His death was not related to vaccines.

Hamlin’s collapse spurs new wave of vaccine misinformation
Animal husbandry department steps up Vaccination drive against lumpen skin disease in Tamil Nadu
Times of India | 2 months ago | |
Times of India
2 months ago | |

COIMBATORE: The district animal husbandry department has intensified the drive to vaccinate cattle against the lumpy skin disease following the death of a four-month-old calf at Devambadi village near Pollachi on Monday.Samples from the carcass of the calf were collected and sent to the Central University, Chennai, to ascertain the cause of the death, said R Perumalsamy, regional joint director of the animal husbandry department. "We have also formed six special teams to screen cattle in and around Pollachi," he added.With many cattle getting infected with the lumpy skin disease in a few states, including Kerala and Maharashtra, the state government in mid-December directed the animal husbandry department to vaccinate cattle in all the districts.Perumalsamy said, "It is the first time that the cattle are vaccinated against the disease in Tamil Nadu.""The severity of the disease is mild in the district. We have so far identified as many as 42 cattle across the district exhibiting symptoms of the disease. Houseflies, mosquitoes and external parasites are common vectors. A key reason for cattle contracting this disease is poorly maintained yards.," he added.Another official from the department said the district has a total of 2.63 lakh cattle, and at least 90% of them must be vaccinated to acquire herd immunity. As of Tuesday, the district animal husbandry department has vaccinated 1.01 lakh cattle.A vaccine vial contains 100 doses that should be administered to the cattle within a stipulated time. Else, it will go to waste. "We have been sensitising the cattle farmers to come forward to get their animals vaccinated. There is poor awareness among farmers about the infection. When we offer to vaccinate the animals even at their places, they are reluctant to let us proceed."Meanwhile, Pollachi MLA V Jayaraman has written to animal husbandry minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan urging the government to conduct a survey in the district to know the extent of the spread of the infection. He claimed that at least 15 cattle had died, and another 300 were infected with the disease in the Pollachi region.

Animal husbandry department steps up Vaccination drive against lumpen skin disease in Tamil Nadu
Covid vaccination halts in many Maharashtra districts for want of stock, dose expiry
Times of India | 2 months ago | |
Times of India
2 months ago | |

PUNE: The New Year has begun with a complete halt to Covid vaccination at government sites in many Maharashtra districts, including Kolhapur, due to non-availability of Covishield stock and a major chunk of Covaxin doses expiring on December 31 last year.The poor vaccine reserves also explains why December's total vaccination uptake recorded only a marginal rise despite a sharp spike in demand after the Centre stepped up surveillance measures on December 22 in the wake of rising Covid cases globally.The state administered 1.33 lakh doses in December 2022, a slight increase of only 23,000 doses from the previous month (November) when 1.10 lakh people had opted for the vaccine, mainly precautionary doses."Maharashtra reported a sharp rise in vaccination numbers for a short period post-December 22 last year after the Centre reinforced surveillance measures across the country in view of rising cases in some countries like China and Japan. But it started declining from January 1 owing to the severe crunch of Covishield doses and expiry of a substantial chunk of Covaxin doses on December 31 in some districts," said a senior state health official.Around 37,000 doses of Covaxin available with the Kolhapur district administration expired on December 31. "Besides, there has been no stock of Covishield at government sites for the last many days. We have raised a demand for 20,000 doses of Covishield," said assistant district health officer Dr Sanjay Ranvir.Amid a shortage of Covishield doses, the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) had been carrying out Covid immunization with available doses of Covaxin, but the stock at its disposal also lapsed expiry date on December 31. AMC's health official Dr Paras Mandlecha said, "Around 1,500 doses of Covaxin with us expired on December 31. We have raised the demand for Covishield doses."State immunization officer Dr Sachin Desai said, "Not all the stock of Covaxin available with the state has expired. There are enough viable doses still available with the state. The expired doses will be replaced with a fresh stock. We are soon going to get a fresh stock of Covishield."

Covid vaccination halts in many Maharashtra districts for want of stock, dose expiry
Covid-19: Maharashtra continues with free third dose for 18-59 age group
Times of India | 2 months ago | |
Times of India
2 months ago | |

PUNE: Eligible individuals in the 18-59 age bracket in Maharashtra would continue to get free booster vaccine against Covid-19 at government and civic-run vaccination sites across all districts even after the new allocation of doses from the Union government, senior health officials told TOI on Friday."Covid vaccine is actually free to anyone who wants it. This includes booster shots for people in 18-59 age group," state health secretary Sanjay Khandare said.Initially, the booster shot was chargeable for the individuals in the age group and available only at private vaccination sites.For the first time during July-September 2022, the nationwide 75-day-long 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' drive offered booster shots to the individuals in 18-59 age group, besides covering vaccination in other age brackets.Later, the Union government allowed states and union territories to extend the free offering beyond the drive until the allocated stocks were utilized."States who have the stock can still extend the vaccine doses free to cover the maximum population, including those eligible for a precautionary dose in 18-59 age bracket. But, there has been no decision regarding the inclusion of the free booster for 18-59 years at government sites at the Centre's level. But states can take a call depending on the ground situation," Dr NK Arora, chairman of the Covid-19 working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) told TOI.The inclusion of free booster shots for 18-69 years at government sites could also help avert the wastage of doses as a huge chunk of the stock in the government supply chain is set to expire by February 2023, officials said.Maharashtra state immunization officer Dr Sachin Desai said Maharashtra had continued to offer booster shots to 18-59 years along with already included age groups even after the 75-day drive to date. "Besides, there have been no directives from the Centre to stop offering free booster shots to the 18-59 years after the 75-day drive. We will continue to offer free vaccination to every eligible person in the state, including free booster to 18-59 years, even after receipt of fresh allocation from the union government," Dr Desai said.Despite repeated attempts, Dr Veena Dhawan, joint commissioner (immunization), union health ministry, could not be contacted for her comment.

Covid-19: Maharashtra continues with free third dose for 18-59 age group
  • Covid-19: Free booster for 18-59 age bracket still on in Maharashtra
  • Times of India

    Eligible persons in the 18-59 age bracket in the state would continue to get free booster vaccine against Covid-19 at government- and civic-run vaccination sites in all districts even after the new allocation of doses from the Centre, senior health officials told TOI on Friday."Covid vaccine is actually free to anyone who wants it. This includes booster shots for people in the 18-59 age group," state health secretary Sanjay Khandare said.Initially, the booster shot was chargeable for people in the age bracket and available only at private Covid vaccination sites. For the first time during July-September 2022, the nationwide 75-day-long 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' drive offered booster shots to those in the 18-59 age group, besides covering vaccination in other age brackets. Later, the Centre let states and union territories extend the free offer until stocks lasted. "States that have the stock can still extend the vaccine doses free to cover the maximum population, including those eligible for a precautionary dose in the 18-59 age bracket. But, there has been no decision on inclusion of the free booster for 18-59 years at government sites at the Centre's level. But states can take a call depending on the ground situation," NK Arora, chairman of Covid-19 working group of National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation told TOI.State immunisation officer Dr Sachin Desai said Maharashtra continued to offer booster shots to 18-59 years with already included groups even after the 75-day drive to date. -Umesh Isalkar

More than 80% in Maharashtra reluctant to take booster shots: Survey
Times of India | 2 months ago | |
Times of India
2 months ago | |

MUMBAI: The medical fraternity has started discussing the need for a second booster or the fourth shot in light of new Covid waves in countries such as China and the US, but two surveys found people cold to even the third precautionary dose.This reluctance is apparent in the number of takers so far: In Mumbai, only 16% of those eligible for the booster shot have taken it while 90 lakh are still to take it. In Maharashtra, over six crore people haven't taken the booster so far.In Colaba and Cuffe Parade, the EyeBetes Foundation recently found only 6.7% of the women and 10.4% of men among the 2,141 participants had taken the booster shot. Incidentally, the footfall for the booster shot increased in the past seven days after the union government issued a warning over the fresh surge in other countries but BMC officials said the rise is not statistically significant. As BMC executive health officer Dr Mangala Gomare said people don't seem to be interested in taking the booster.A survey by LocalCircles, a community social media platform, found 82% of the over 3,000 surveyed in Maharashtra were reluctant to take the booster shot. At the national level, 64% of the 20,000 participants were reluctant.Sachin Taparia of LocalCircles said only 8% of the people said they would take the precautionary shot within the next 30 days. "Our discussions with the respondents showed that many people, especially in tier 2, 3 and 4 and rural districts, believe Covid has long gone," he said.The other cause, he said, is the "spate of heart attacks and strokes" that people somehow connect to vaccines (AIIMS New Delhi has undertaken a study on the rise in sudden cardiac deaths and the role of Covid, if any).When the Covid vaccines became first available, the response was phenomenal with over 100% of the target population taking the first shot in Mumbai. Dr Nishant Kumar, founder of the EyeBetes Foundation, said a large percentage of the Colaba and Cuffe Parade population had taken two shots. "We found that 84.4% of women and 80.2% of males in the area have received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine," he said.However, the reluctance for the booster shot is highest among the youth. "It is noteworthy that of the unvaccinated population in the slums of Cuffe Parade and Colaba, the majority, or 37.7%, are under the age of 20," said Dr Kumar.Even people with comorbidities who are advised vaccination, aren't keen. "Only 7.6% of those with comorbidities have taken the booster compared to 83.9% who have taken the second dosage," said Dr Kumar.

More than 80% in Maharashtra reluctant to take booster shots: Survey
Maharashtra: Private sector hesitates to stock up on nasal vaccine priced at Rs 800 a dose
Times of India | 3 months ago | |
Times of India
3 months ago | |

PUNE: The private sector will tread cautiously and buy fewer doses of the nasal vaccine to avoid wastage in case of less uptake, representatives from the private healthcare sector told TOI on Tuesday, after Bharat Biotech announced that its nasal vaccine will be available for Rs 800 at private centres and Rs 325 at government sites.Former IMA president Dr JA Jayalal said there might be a rise in the demand of nasal vaccine among people, but they might still prefer to go to government sites because of the pricing. “We have learned lessons from the bitter experiences of the past. We will, therefore, opt for stocking less quantity,” he said.Dr Sanjay Patil, chairman of the IMA’s Hospital Board of India, said changing policies of the government had landed the private sector with losses and vaccine wastage earlier. “We will discuss with all our members before we take a final call on the nasal vaccine stock,” he said.States will have to procure adequate doses and ensure enough awareness about the nasal vaccine, said state health department officials. “Currently, we do not have Covishield and Corbevax stock in the state, for which a demand has been sent for the precautionary dose. The state will have to procure the nasal vaccine doses and stock it up depending on the response to precaution dose uptake,” a health department official said.The nasal vaccine from Bharat Biotech, iNCOVACC (BBV154), received approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) last month for the use of heterologous booster doses. The booster doses will be rolled out at the end of January for those above 18 and is available on Cowin. The vaccine has been specifically formulated to allow intranasal delivery through nasal drops and it is the first needle-less vaccination.

Maharashtra: Private sector hesitates to stock up on nasal vaccine priced at Rs 800 a dose
After long lull, crowds back at hospitals in Maharashtra for Covid shots
Times of India | 3 months ago | |
Times of India
3 months ago | |

PUNE: After several months of negligible turnouts, Covid-19 vaccination has once again gained steam at some private hospitals offering the jabs.On Christmas Day, a total of 200 people turned up for the Covishield booster at Parasmani Hospital in Hadapsar, delighting the staff.“We have now ordered more doses of the vaccine, given the increase in footfall,” said the hospital’s director Dr Nivedita Oswal. Large private setups, including Ruby Hall Clinic and Noble Hospital, have also moved to procure fresh stock of Covishield doses.“People are coming forward to take booster doses of Covishield and Covaxin. They’re not really keen on mixing the shots so those on the Covishield schedule are opting for Covishield again as a booster. We are also receiving orders for bulk vaccination of employees from private companies,” said Noble Hospital’s executive director Dr HK Sale.Noble has procured 500 vials of Covishield. “We had ordered 250, but got an additional 250 vials free. Manufacturer Serum Institute of India (SII) has started offering double the ordered vials in view of stock expiry by February 2023,” Dr Sale said.SII has also made Covishield available in small quantities through the Viloo Poonawalla Hospital in Hadapsar. “Private vaccination centers that require vials in small numbers (less than 25 vials) can get the vials directly from this hospital, instead of CoWIN. This step has helped small and medium-sized hospitals resume Covid vaccination as there is no worry of doses going unused when ordered in bulk,” an SII official said.Frequent changes in vaccine procurement policy, weak response, availability of vaccines at government sites and huge financial losses due to wastage were the key reasons that had forced many private centres nationwide to stop Covid vaccinations. Turnouts had started to drop in February. Dr Sanjay Patil, chairperson of the IMA’s Hospital Board of India said: “Some private vaccination centres in Pune have slowly started offering the Covid vaccines. Since most have taken Covishield, there is more demand for the shot as a precaution or booster dose.”According to CoWIN, an estimated 6.71 crore people in the state still haven’t taken the booster shot, allowed for everyone over the age of 18.

After long lull, crowds back at hospitals in Maharashtra for Covid shots
BMC writes to Maharashtra govt for more Covid vaccines
Times of India | 3 months ago | |
Times of India
3 months ago | |

MUMBAI: The BMC has written to the state government seeking more doses for the mass Covid vaccination programme.The city has only 5,000 doses of Covaxin and no stocks of Covishield or Corbevax, BMC health officials told TOI. The shortage has occurred at a time when the number of Covid vaccine-seekers in Mumbai has increased in the last few days: according to the Cowin portal, 3,154 (1,848 for the precautionary dose) turned up for vaccine on Saturday as against 1,734 on Friday. Before the fresh outbreaks in China, Japan and the US, barely a couple of hundreds daily would turn up for it.The BMC health department wrote a letter on Friday and has been following up about fresh stock since. "We have asked for stocks of all the vaccines, especially Corbevax," said BMC executive health officer Dr Mangala Gomare.Corbevax, India's second indigenously developed vaccine, is versatile in that it can be given as a booster to adults who have taken Covaxin or Covishield previously.Barely 16% of those eligible for the precautionary dose in Mumbai have taken it so far. Over 90 lakh Mumbaikars have yet to take it. A doctor from one of the few private hospitals that still provide the Covid vaccine said that the sudden uptake may not be related to the fear of a new wave but due to travel plans. "People flying out of the country may be taking it as a precaution,'' said the doctor.

BMC writes to Maharashtra govt for more Covid vaccines