India Coronavirus Dispatch: People may get to pick time, venue for shots

Covid drug that's more potent than remdesivir, relevance of serological surveys, govt learning portal Diksha helps teachers-news relevant to India's fight against Covid-19

People may get to choose the time, vaccination centre for Covid shots

Members of the general public in the priority groups may be able to choose the vaccination centre and the time for getting their shots, according to a report in the Hindustan Times citing officials with knowledge of the matter.

This group includes about 270 million people above the age of 50 as well as younger people with comorbidities associated with higher risk from Covid-19. As of Monday this week, India has vaccinated 2 million health care workers. Next in line are essential service staff such as sanitation workers, police personnel and members of the armed forces. The general public on the priority list will be next in line. The next phase will also need modifications of the Co-Win digital platform meant for managing the vaccination rollout, the report said. Read more here

Covid drug that’s ‘27.5 times more potent than remdesivir’

A group of French and US researchers have identified a drug that is more effective than remdesivir in treating Covid-19, according to a report in ThePrint that cites a peer-reviewed study published in the Science journal.

The study says a drug called plitidepsin is 27.5 times more potent than remdesivir—a drug that is popular in India for treating Covid-19. The study demonstrated the in vivo efficacy of plitidepsin in two mice, infected with the novel coronavirus. The drug led to a notable decrease in viral replication in the mice. The study concluded that plitidepsin had “potent preclinical efficacy” against the novel coronavirus. Plitidepsin is a chemical compound extracted from ascidian Aplidium Albicans, an exotic marine creature found off the coast in Ibiza, Spain. Plitidepsin is owned by Pharma Mar, a Spanish drugmaker, the report said. Read more here

Govt learning portal Diksha has become key tool for teachers during Covid

An online education platform called Diksha launched by the Centre years ago, has proved to be a key tool for educators as they conduct lessons during the pandemic, according to a report in ThePrint.

The platform provides textbooks for students across different curriculums and languages, training material for teachers that go beyond the prescribed curriculum including mental well-being and inclusivity in classrooms. The platform, available both as an app and a website, can be accessed free of charge. Registering on the platform allows one to track their progress. Launched in 2017 as the government's e-Vidya lockdown package for the education sector, the platform has received a great response since the lockdown began in March. The portal has been receiving an average of 30 million hits per day, a senior education ministry official told ThePrint. Read more here

The relevance of conducting serological surveys on a regular basis

More than half of those surveyed in the fifth round of serological surveillance carried out in Delhi have developed antibodies. This report in The Indian Express explains the relevance of conducting this exercise on a regular basis.

Carrying out serological surveillance on the same population on a regular basis provides insight into the behaviour of the disease. Having robust surveillance is always beneficial, it may not be too close, but it may help us in giving an idea, even of the natural history of the disease, said Dr Jugal Kishore, head of community medicine, Safdarjung Hospital and Vardhman Mahavir Medical College. Read more here

Uncertainty for Indian athletes amid the pandemic

The pandemic has upended Athletics Federation of India's (AFI) plans to send athletes to South Africa for training and competition. This includes Asian Games and Commonwealth Games champion Neeraj Chopra, who is the brightest prospect to win independent India’s first athletics medal at the Olympics, a report in SportStar said. Read more here