Over 200 crore doses of vaccines in pipeline; Covid positivity rate in India now less than 20%: Govt


Fifteen percent of all confirmed 37.1 lakh Covid-19 cases reported in India are currently active. At the same time, 83.26 percent, or 1.97 Crore patients, have recovered so far, said Joint Secretary (MoHFW) Lav Agarwal.

At a news conference on Thursday, Agarwal added that the national average mortality rate (CFR) for Covid patients in the country is 1.09 percent. Other speakers at the press conference were Dr. VK Paul and the ICMR DG Balram Bhargava.

Active cases are more than 1 lakh in 12 states, more than 50,000 in eight states, and less than 50,000 in four states, Lav Agarwal said. He added that the positivity rate is more than 15 percent in up to 24 states, while it is 5 to 15 percent in eight states and less than 5 percent in four states.

Districts in India have shown a sustained surge in Covid-19 cases

Cases have risen in 16 states, but the national positivity rate has now fallen below 20 percent, said the joint secretary at the Department of Health and Family Welfare. Infections are increasing in 316 districts, including Chennai. At the same time, there was a regular decline in new cases every day in 187 districts.

Lav Agarwal praised the containment measures put in place by RWAs (resident charities) in Noida and similar initiatives in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur, saying public participation is the only way to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission.

“Probably 216 crore doses of vaccines”

A total of 17.72 doses of Covid-19 vaccines were administered nationwide in 114 days, said NITI Aayog Member (Health) Dr. VK Paul. Dr. Paul is also the chair of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC).

“After the USA and China, we are third on the list of nations Vaccinating their respective populations fastest against Covid-19, “said Dr. VK Paul. A third of the Indian population aged 45 and over received the first dose of approved vaccines.

Vaccinating vulnerable groups was a government priority, said Dr. Paul, adding that those in the age group 45 and over account for 88 percent of deaths from Covid-19.

“We are going through a finite supply phase,” said Dr. VK Paul.

READ: Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine will be on the market from next week: NITI Aayog member VK Paul

Dr. VK Paul said nearly 50 percent of those scheduled to be given the second dose received it. At least 70 percent of those who received the first shock in West Bengal, Tripura and Sikkim were given the second dose, he added.

A total of 51.6 crore doses, including 16 crore add-on doses of Covid-19 vaccines for state and private hospitals, are in preparation. “We have procured 35.6 crore doses so far,” said Dr. VK Paul during Thursday’s press conference.

Covid-19 vaccination protection in India

The country is slated to have access to 216 crore cans between August and December later this year, he added.

“No import licenses are required for vaccines procured by different states. WHO and FDA-approved vaccines can be brought into the country,” said Dr. VK Paul.

Officials answer questions

In response to a question about the recommendation from the Covid Working Group Increase the space between two cans of Covishield Dr. Paul said that decision was made based on scientific data.

We found that extending the duration will have a better benefit, he said, adding that the national technical advisory body should be respected.

The UK and WHO have also increased the interval between doses to 12 weeks, and this has been done because scientists cannot afford to risk an increase in certain cases, said Dr. VK Paul.

The Joint Secretary (MoHFW), Lav Agarwal, declined to comment on the issue Delhi government allegations against vaccine manufacturers. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain has accused SII and Bharat Biotech of making a profit of 16,000 rupees each “at the public’s expense”.

When asked about the spread of Covid-19 in rural areas, Lav Agarwal said the virus was going nowhere. “We have repeatedly warned. This was announced by the Prime Minister on March 17th.”

“Nobody can predict the size of the peak. This is unexpected behavior of the virus,” he replied when asked whether the center had predicted the second wave of infection.




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