Covid-19 numbers declining; national approach needed on vaccine: NITI Aayog

The central government on Tuesday asked states not declare any place free of the coronavirus and take a national approach to a future vaccine, reacting after free inoculation politics gathered pace in Bihar and Tamil Nadu. 

“The statements of the state governments have to be respected. From our end we are trying to fine tune the blueprints for vaccine distribution. Preparations are being made,” said V K Paul, member of NITI Aayog and chairman of the government’s committee on vaccines. 

Paul's statement came as the number of coronavirus cases in India in a single day dropped below 40,000 on Tuesday after over three months.

Paul said resources will not be an issue when it comes to accessing the coronavirus vaccine, reacting to a question on whether the inoculation will be free. “Prioritisation will be done based on availability. Vaccine scenario is very dynamic and we don’t still have any single vaccine in the world which has been licenced,” Paul added. 

He also said that while elderly people will be given priority after establishing efficacy on adults, children will also be target for all preventive approaches including vaccines since they are contributing to the spread of the disease. 

Besides the three vaccine candidates in advance stages of clinical trial including Bharat Biotech, Zydus Cadila and Serum Institute of India, four other domestic vaccine candidates are in the process of completing the preclinical evaluation and will roll-out the phase one trials soon. 

India has reached a recovery rate of 90 per cent and the positivity rate has declined to around 7.61 per cent. Active cases are now around at 6.25 lakh. 

Rajesh Bhushan, health secretary, said that it is a cause of worry that 58 per cent of deaths in the last 24 hours were in five states including Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh.

Almost 50 per cent of the new cases in the last 24 hours were also in five states including Kerala, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Delhi and Karnataka. 

“We are fortunate that today we are showing a decline of the (Covid-19) pandemic, except in two or three states. This decline is particularly noteworthy because in other countries of the northern hemisphere there is a severe increase in the intensity of pandemic," Paul said.

The pandemic, largely in the northern hemisphere, has struck again in several countries perhaps because of slowing down of surveillance, containment strategies, Paul said. 

As air pollution increases, Indian Council of Medical Research chief, Balram Bhargava said that there have been studies that show the presence of coronavirus in the PM2.5 particles. “Whether it is active virus is not known… Pollution is a major contributor. The most inexpensive treatment is rapid adoption of masks,” Bhargava said.