Five Hospitals of Gurugram hospitals are about to introduce 24×7 vaccination facility from March 15 and Gurugram will become the first district to do so. People are being vaccinated on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in government hospitals in Gurugram while it goes on from Monday to Saturday in private hospitals.
As of now, 22 government and 45 private hospitals are administering covid vaccines in the District. Seven new private hospitals will be added to the list of these 45 hospitals and vaccination here will start from Saturday, a health official said.
Dr. Virender Yadav, Civil Surgeon of Gurugram said that this decision has been taken with a view to provide accessible vaccination facilities to the people to protect them from the deadliest virus. He said, “The way the number of Covid patients is increasing in the country, it seems that there may be an increase in the number of positive cases in the coming days, so everyone should be prepared. If cases increase, the number of beds reserved for Covid patients can be be increased in private hospitals as before.”
“The container zone will be barricaded as before and there will be restrictions on movement. We also urged the police officers to put police personnel on duty outside the containment zones as before. Those who do not follow the Covid protocol should be penalized,” he added.
Apart from this, a Covid Vaccination helpline has also been started.
“On this helpline number, any person can get information related to Covid Vaccination like schedule of vaccination, places of vaccination, its side-effects or other effects, etc.,” Yadav said.
The helpline number is – 108, mobile number – 7015663108, 24 hour information can be obtained. On 0124-2322412, information will be available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
covid-19
NEGVAC suggests priority age group for third phase of Vaccination
The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) has recommended age group of third phase of vaccination to be 50 years and above.
A senior health ministry official said, “This priority group would only come after we have covered a majority of senior citizens and 45-59 years with comorbidities. This could take at least 6-8 weeks to come to the third phase. It could even take longer. But the priority group identified by NEGVAC, 50 years and above would be next.”
There is no time frame given by the government on the inclusion of other priority groups.
In view of the increasing cases of daily Covid cases, the Union Health Secretary Shri Rajesh Bhushan and Dr. Vinod K. Paul, Member of NITI Aayog held a meeting today with the MDs (NHM) and Health Secretaries of 8 states to review the ongoing Public health measures of surveillance, containment and management of high active caseload reported in these states/UTs.
According to a report from PIB it was pointed out that 9 districts in Delhi, 15 in Haryana, 10 in Andhra Pradesh, 10 in Odisha, 9 in Himachal Pradesh, 7 in Uttarakhand, 2 in Goa, 1 in Chandigarh continue to be of concern as these districts are seeing a decrease in total tests being conducted, low share of RT-PCR tests, increase in weekly positivity and low number of contact tracing of the COVID positive cases.
States were specifically asked to:
- Continue with the effective strategy of ‘Test Track & Treat’ that had yielded rich dividends at the height of the pandemic.
- Improve overall testing in districts reporting reduction in testing
- Increase share of RT-PCR tests in districts dependent on high levels of antigen testing.
- Refocus on surveillance and stringent containment of those areas in selected districts which are seeing cluster of cases.
- Carry out an average close contact tracing of minimum of 20 persons per positive case.
- Focus on clinical management in districts reporting higher deaths.
- Actuate their health infrastructure to provide effective clinical management to all the patients as a surge in cases also affects the case fatality rate in those districts.
- Accelerate vaccination for priority population groups in districts reporting higher cases.
- Make optimal use of the available vaccine doses and focus on critical districts.
- To collaborate with the private hospitals to open up vaccination time-table for a minimum of 15 days and maximum of 28 days at a time.
- Promote COVID-appropriate behaviour through communication and enforcement.
Study reveals Covid-19 vaccines, antibodies less effective against new variants
According to a study published in the journal Nature Medicine, the present Covid-19 antibodies and vaccines developed so far have been may be less effective against the new variants of UK, Brazil and South Africa, as these can evade the antibodies that work against the original virus.
The researchers said there is a wide variation in how much antibody a person produces in response to vaccination or natural infection. According to the scientists, including those from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis in the US, more of antibodies produced in response to vaccination or natural infection, or purifies antibodies intended for use as drugs, is needed to neutralize these varieties, compared to the levels needed to counter the original virus lineage from Wuhan, China.
Michael S. Diamond, a senior author from the Washington University School of Medicine said, “We’re concerned that people whom we’d expect to have a protective level of have a protective level of antibodies because they have had Covid-19 or been vaccinated against it, might not be protected against the new variants. Some people produce very high levels, and they would still likely be protected against the new worrisome variants. But some people, especially older and immunocompromised people, may not take such high levels of antibodies.”
According to the researchers, people infected with coronavirus generate the most protective antibodies against the virus spike protein which enable it to enter host cells.
According to a recent report released by the Health Ministry, nearly 86% new cases have been reported along with 89 deaths in 6 states of India in the last 24 hours. While more than 1.66 crore doses of vaccine have been administered till 7 a.m. today.
Health ministry said that a total of 17,407 new cases have come out today from Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka collectively.
With this figure, India’s active caseload has reached 1,73,413 today. Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 9,855 with maximum casualties (42). This is the highest number recorded in Maharashtra since 18th October when 10,259 new cases were reported. It is followed by Kerala with 2,765 and 15 deaths while Punjab reported 772 new cases and 12 deaths in the last 24 hours.
On the other hand, nearly 1 million doses have been distributed across the country in these 24 hours.
More than 1.66 cr (1,66,16,048) vaccine doses have been administered through 3,23,064 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 am today. These include 67,90,808 HCWs (1st dose), 28,72,725 HCWs (2nd dose), 58,03,856 FLWs (1st dose) and 4,202 FLWs (2nd Dose), 1,43,759 beneficiaries aged more than 45 years with specific co-morbidities (1st Dose) and 10,00,698 beneficiaries aged more than 60 years.
Mumbai Police has taken action against 58 thousand people walking without masks in the last 13 days. In view of the growing case of Corona in Mumbai, Mumbai Police is now investigating upon anyone found without mask and seizing those found guilty.
With 9,855 new cases in the last 24 hours, Maharashtra’s Covid-19 tally went up to 2,179,185 on Wednesday, according to figures released by the state health department. This is the highest single-day jump since October 17 last year. Of the total new cases, 1,121 came from Mumbai. The western state’s positivity rate has climbed to 13.2 per cent.
Keeping in mind that people have not been taking the precautionary measures seriously, the Maharashtra Police has started imposing fines on those who roam around without masks.
According to the information received from Mumbai Police spokesperson S. Chaitanya, in the last 13 days, the Mumbai Police has procured more than Rs. 1 crore 16 Lakhs from people not wearing masks.
Earlier only BMC used to inquire on people who didn’t wear masks, but in view of the increasing cases, the government also asked Mumbai Police to wear masks and take strict action against those not wearing it.
Union minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harshvardhan along with his wife received the first dose of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin today at the Delhi Lung and Heart Institute and becomes the first high-post minister after PM Modi to get inoculated.
Apart from the central ministers, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik also got their first dose of vaccines on Monday. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu got his first dose at the Government Medical College in Chennai.
. The ministry had released guidelines regarding the vaccination yesterday for how and where to get vaccinated.In the second phase of the vaccine drive, citizens above the age of 60, and those between 45-59 years of age but with co-morbid conditions, are eligible to get inoculated. In the first phase, which began on January 16, healthcare and front-line workers were vaccinated; the second half of the first phase commenced on February 13, with second vaccine doses being administered to the beneficiaries.
In a tweet by ANI, it was revealed that actor and MNM President Kamal Hasan and the Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team Ravi Shastri received Jabs at Chennai and Ahemedabad respectively.
After having administered 1.5 crore people with the Covid-19 vaccine, second phase of the vaccine drive began today aiming to cover 10 crore people in India. Health ministry said that for the next two days, training will be provided to the health workers and other staff who will administer the vaccine and other standard procedures in the centers.
States and Union Territories have been instructed to keep a scale-up plan ready which includes the granular weekly and fortnightly plans for administering the vaccination sites within the government as well as private facilities along with the number of doses administered.
The following criterion has been set for the administration of Covid-19 vaccination:
Eligibility
People who are above the age of 60 and people within the age of bracket of 45 to 59 years with specified co-morbidities are allowed to take vaccine shots. The government has listed 20 co-morbidities that are covered for vaccination.
- Heart failure with hospital admission in past one year.
- Post-cardiac transplant/Left-ventricular Assist device (LVAD).
- Significant Left-Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction (LVEF<40%).
- Moderate or Severe Valvular Heart Disease.
- Congenital heart disease with severe PAH or Idiopathic PAH.
- Coronary Artery Disease with past CABG/PTCA/MI and Hypertension/Diabetes on treatment.
- Angina and Hypertension/Diabetes treatment.
- CT/MRI documented stroke and Hypertension/Diabetes on treatment.
- Pulmonary artery hypertension and Hypertension/Diabetes on treatment.
- Diabetes (>10 years or with complication) and hypertension on treatment.
- Kidney/Liver/Hematopoietic stem cell transplant: Recipient/ On wait-list.
- End stage kidney disease on haemodialysis/ CAPD.
- Current prolonged use of oral corticosteroids/ immunosuppressant medications.
- Decompensated cirrhosis.
- Severe respiratory disease with hospitalizations in last two years/ FEVI 50%.
- Lymphoma/ Leukaemia/ Myeloma.
- Diagnosis of any solid cancer on or after July 1, 2020 or currently on any cancer therapy.
- Sickle Cell Disease/ Bone Marrow Failure/ Aplastic Anemia/ Thalassemia Major.
- Primary Immunodeficiency disease/ HIV infection.
- Persons with disabilities due to intellectual disabilities/ Muscular Dystrophy/ Acid attack with involvement of respiratory system / Persons with disabilities having high support needs/ Multiple disabilities including deaf-blindness.
Registration
People who want to get vaccinated in the second phase of Covid-19 vaccination have to register on the Co-Win platform.
Registration on Co-Win 2.0 portal – www.cowin.gov.in – opened at 9 a.m. today.
The beneficiaries can self-register in advance by downloading the Co-Win 2.0 portal and through other IT Applications such as Arogya Setu etc.
For people who are unable to register themselves can directly visit the vaccination center along with the required documents and get themselves registered.
Documents
A government ID proof will be sufficient for people over the age of 60. People aged 45 will have to upload a medical certificate mentioning their comorbid conditions.
The certificate can either be uploaded on Co-win 2.0 by the beneficiary while self-registering or a hard copy can be carried by the beneficiary to the CVC.
Cost of vaccination
The vaccine is free at government hospitals and paid at private hospitals with a cost of 250 per dose (price set by the government).
Where to get vaccinated
The health ministry has released two lists of private hospitals empaneled.
The list can be accessed here:
https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/PMJAYPRIVATEHOSPITALSCONSOLIDATED.xlsx