India Covid Dispatch: Experts say it's time to send kids back to schools

Flu shot may protect against severe Covid effects, long-lasting Covid symptoms rare in children and other stories from around the country on the fight against the pandemic

Over 44,500 fresh cases reported

India reported 44,643 fresh coronavirus infections on Friday, taking the cumulative caseload to 31.8 million, according to central health ministry data. The country saw 464 more deaths due to the pandemic, taking the death toll to 426,754. The active caseload is at 414,159, while the total recoveries have surged to 31 million. As many as 495 million vaccine shots have been administered since the nationwide inoculation programme kicked off on January 16. Of these, 5.7 million were given on Thursday. Read more

Experts say it’s high time we send kids back to schools

Over a