Vaccine - The Purbottar

25 May

Centre enables on-site registration for 18-44 age group at Covid-19 vaccination centres

editor0 CommentsHealthCovid-19, INDIA, Vaccine

Centre on Monday enabled on-site registration and appointment for 18-44 age group at government-run Covid-19 vaccination centres (CVCs). This decision came more than three weeks after it rolled out vaccination for the 18-44 age group, where slots could be booked only through online appointment on Co-WIN. However, with several states forced to shut down vaccination sites or operate a limited number of vaccination sites due to unavailability and shortage of vaccines, the Centre’s decision to allow walk-ins is likely to have limited impact. So far, only vaccinations for those above 45 were allowed through walk-ins, with those in the 18-44 age group…

18 May

Never exported Covid-19 vaccine at cost of people in India: Adar Poonawalla

editor0 CommentsHealthAdar Poonawalla, Serum Institute, Vaccine

Serum Institute chief Adar Poonawalla today said his firm has "never exported vaccines at the cost of the people of India". India's vaccination drive, he said, cannot be completed in two or three months given the huge population. It is Important to "stay united to fight the pandemic", read his statement in which he also pointed out that India is now receiving support from nations where vaccines, medicines were exported. The statement, Mr Poonawalla also explained the circumstances in which consignments of vaccines were sent abroad and the commitments made by the government in the initial stages of the pandemic…

17 May

26 cases of blood clotting, bleeding due to AstraZeneca vaccine in India: Govt

editor0 CommentsHealthoxford astrazeneca, Vaccine

The government on Monday said it identified 26 potential cases of bleeding and blood clotting in India due to the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine in India.Serum Institute of India is producing Covishield vaccine in India in partnership with AstraZeneca. The Union Health Ministry said in a statement on Monday that over 23,000 adverse events have been reported since the vaccination drive involving Covishield and Covaxin vaccines started in the country and of these 700 cases were reported to be serious. The ministry is separately issuing advisories to healthcare workers and vaccine beneficiaries to encourage people to be aware of…

17 May

60,000 doses of Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V arrives at Hyderabad

editor0 CommentsHealthCovid-19, INDIA, Russia, Sputnik V, Vaccine

As many as 60,000 doses of the second batch of Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V on Sunday landed at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories said on Sunday. “Pleased to share that the consignment that arrived today in Hyderabad contains 60,000 doses of the second dose component of the #SputnikV vaccine. Samples from the consignment will be sent for release to the Central Drugs Laboratory,” the drug maker tweeted. Dr Reddy’s Laboratories on May 14 soft launched imported COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V vaccine which is priced at Rs 948, with five per cent GST per dose (retail price). “Given the…

15 May

India needs proper vaccine strategy, government’s ‘disastrous policy’ will ensure 3rd wave: Rahul

editor0 CommentsNorth EastPOLITICS, RAHULGANDHI, Vaccine

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday called for a national vaccine strategy and claimed that the government’s “disastrous” inoculation policy will “ensure a devastating third wave” in the country. He also accused the prime minister of making “mother Ganga cry” after bodies of suspected coronavirus victims were found floating in the river. “The Government of India’s (GOI’s) disastrous vaccine strategy will ensure a devastating third wave. It can’t be repeated enough--- India needs a proper vaccine strategy,” he said on Twitter. Tagging media reports claiming that over 2,000 bodies have been found in 1140 km area along the Ganga, he…

14 May

Delhi govt seeks help from Serum Institute mentioning the non-availability of vaccines

editor0 CommentsBusiness, HealthCovid-19, Delhi, Health, INDIA, Serum Institute, Vaccine

Delhi government has written to Pune-based Serum Institute of India to "come to its rescue", adding it has a week's stock of Covishield for 18-44 years. The letter further mentioned that vaccination centres will have to be shut down due to the non-availability of vaccines. This letter came after Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech stated it cannot supply more vaccine doses to Delhi. The Serum Institute replied to this and said that they are doing their best to meet countrywide vaccine requirements. "We rely on your support for provision of sufficient quantities of vaccine in a time-bound manner. Delhi has a limited…

11 May

Bharat Biotech has been supplying Covaxin directly to 14 states

editor0 CommentsAssam, Business, Healthbharat biotech, covaxin, Covid-19, Vaccine

Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad based vaccine manufacturer has been supplying its COVID-19 vaccine ‘Covaxin’ directly to 14 states beginning May 1. In a tweet joint managing director of Bharat Biotech Suchitra Ella said, “Glad to announce that Bharat Biotech confirms direct supply of COVAXIN to some state government since 1st May 2021, based on the allocation received by the GoI”. Here the 14 state includes Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhva Pradesh, Odhisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Previously the vaccine was distributed only for those above 45 years and all the frontline warriors…

19 Apr

Manmohan Singh asks Modi to make public details of the orders placed by the Government for Covid vaccine doses

editor0 CommentsHealthCovid-19, INDIA, manmohan singh, Narendra Modi, Vaccine

STRESSING THAT the country is “facing an unprecedented emergency”, former prime minister Manmohan Singh asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a letter on Sunday to make public details of the orders placed by the Government for Covid vaccine doses and indicate the strategy for them to be distributed in a transparent manner. The senior Congress leader also asked the Prime Minister to provide some flexibility to states to define categories of frontline workers for vaccination even if they are below 45 years of age, which is the current cut-off. Pointing out that domestic supplies are limited, Singh suggested that any vaccine that…

10 Apr

Sonia Gandhi blames the Centre for “mismanaging the situation” by exporting vaccines.

editor0 CommentsHealthCovid-19, INDIA, sonia gandhi, Vaccine

Congress president Sonia Gandhi Saturday held a meeting with the chief ministers of Congress-ruled states to review their efforts to fight Covid-19, including the availability of vaccines and access to medicines and ventilators. During the virtual meeting, the Congress president told chief minister to focus on testing, tracking and vaccination. “Covid is surging and as the principal opposition party, it’s our responsibility to raise issues and push the government to move away from PR tactics and act in the interest of the people. Therefore, there must be transparency. Governments must reveal the actual numbers of infections and deaths across states, whether Congress-ruled or…

08 Apr

States hit by Covid-19 second-wave ask for more vaccines, while Centre says they are “trying to divert attention”

editor0 CommentsHealthCovid-19, INDIA, Vaccine

The coordinated Covid-19 battle plan between the Centre and states came under strain Wednesday when the Union Health Ministry, being pushed by several states to supply more vaccine doses and open up the vaccination process to all individuals above the age of 18, reacted sharply, accusing the second-wave surge states of “politicizing” a public health issue and “spreading lies”, and of not doing enough in terms of testing, contact tracing and ramping up the health infrastructure. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, who came down heavily on Maharashtra, Delhi and Punjab, the states contributing most to the second surge of Covid-19 cases, said they were “trying…