Page 22 - Coronavirus Vaccine

Top Headlines: Banks' balance sheet grows, daily vax rates in India double

Business Standard brings you the top headlines at this hour

India's nasal vaccine not for those who have taken booster: NTAGI chairman

The Indian nasal vaccine cannot be given to those who have allready taken a precaution or booster dose, the head of the country's vaccine task force said

Daily vaccination rates in India surge two-fold amid global Covid scare

This despite an infection rate of about 150-200 cases a day; Vaccine makers say there are sufficient stocks to meet rising demand

Corporate India gears up to hedge China supply risk amid Covid surge

The sectors in India that import from China include pharmaceutical (pharma), automotive (auto), textile, engineering, and electronic goods

Doctors urge govt to allow fourth booster dose for medical fraternity

They say protective effect of vaccine lasts nine months to a year. For health workers that period is already over and this is the right time to boost their immunity

Bharat Bio's nasal Covid vaccine to cost Rs 800/dose in private market

Price at Rs 325 per dose for large-volume government procurement, will be on sale late January

Top headlines: Venugopal Dhoot arrested, Advent buys stake in Suven, & more

Business Standard brings you the top headlines at this hour

Karnataka makes masks mandatory in public places, increases Covid testing

State govt tells revellers to end New Year celebrations before 1 am; Centre readies for mock drills today

Hyderabad-based drug major Hetero prices Paxlovid generic at $60 per course

Generic version of Pfizer's Covid antiviral treatment would be exported for $70

Sudden surge in demand for Covid-19 vaccine leads to shortage in Gujarat

Due to sudden surge in demand for vaccines, some health centres ran short of it. The supply of vaccines is said to increase soon

Hetero's Covid drug Nirmacom (generic Paxlovid) gets WHO prequalification

Hetero, a city-based leading pharmaceutical company on Monday announced the receipt of World Health Organisation Prequalification of Medicines Programme (WHO PQ) approval for its generic version of COVID-19 oral anti-viral treatment candidate Nirmatrelvir. A press release from the drug maker said it is the first prequalification for a generic version of Pfizer's COVID-19 oral anti-viral drug 'Paxlovid,' which the WHO called, the best therapeutic choice for high-risk patients to date. WHO made a strong recommendation for Nirmatrelvir and Ritonavir for mild and moderate COVID-19 patients at highest risk of hospital admission, such as unvaccinated, aged or immunosuppressed patients, it said. The combi pack, launched by Hetero as Nirmacom, will contain Nirmatrelvir 150 mg (2 tablets) and Ritonavir 100mg (1 tablet). It is available by prescription only and should be initiated as soon as possible after diagnosis of COVID-19 and within five days of symptom onset. Nirmacom will be ...

About 24 mn people over age 60 yet to receive first Covid jab in China

The vaccination figure fell to "just 42.4 per cent for those aged 80 and over"

Facing questions over accuracy, China stops releasing Covid-19 cases data

The commission didn't provide a reason for the change in policy, but said that the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention will release Covid-related info for studies and reference

Statsguru: Covid-19 fears return; vaccination rates still low in India

Around 50 per cent of people over 60 years of age are fully vaccinated. Vaccination is significantly lower for the rest of the country

India reports 227 fresh Covid-19 cases; active tally rises to 3,424

) India recorded 227 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases increased to 3,424, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday. The Covid case tally was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,77,106) . The death toll stands at 5,30,693 with two fatalities with one reconciled by Kerala and one death reported in Maharashtra in the last 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am stated. The active cases comprise 0.01 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate increased to 98.80 per cent, according to the ministry. An increase of 27 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,42,989, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry's website, 220.05 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. India's COVID-19 tally had crossed

China claims 'adequate' medical supplies for Covid amid reports of shortage

Amid a rise in Covid-19 cases, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that they have "expanded production capacity" of medical supplies amid reports of a shortage of fever and cold drugs

New defence spending law ends Covid-19 vaccine mandate for US troops

US military forces around the world will no longer be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine, after the mandate was lifted under an USD 858 billion defence spending bill passed by Congress and signed into law on Friday by President Joe Biden. The Pentagon is now likely to strongly encourage troops to get the shot, but has 30 days to work out the details for rescinding the vaccine mandate. Biden had opposed the Republican-backed provision, agreeing with Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin that lifting the mandate was not in the best interests of the military, according to White House officials. But he ultimately accepted GOP demands in order to win passage of the legislation. The contentious political issue, which has divided America, forced more than 8,400 troops out of the military for refusing to obey a lawful order when they declined to get the vaccine. Thousands of others have sought religious and medical exemptions. The new law effectively ends those exemption requests, but questions

T'gana urges Centre to supply vaccines to administer booster doses

Telangana Health Minister T Harish Rao on Friday urged the Centre to supply COVID-19 vaccines to step up booster dose coverage in the state. Rao, who attended a video conference held by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, said Telangana has achieved 48 per cent booster dose coverage against national average of 23 per cent, an official release said. He asked the Centre to inform the states on various issues, including spread of virus, its impact and treatment in view of the rise in Omicron sub-variant BF 7 cases in different countries. This will help the states in improving their preparedness, he said. Rao suggested taking steps in advance to prevent any shortage in oxygen supply. As part of this, oxygen plants should be linked to the nearby hospitals. He also sought steps to ensure that the ventilators and others provided by the Centre to the state remain readily available, the release said. Amid fresh concerns over COVID-19, Rao on Thursday directed officials to ensure ...

States to conduct mock drills next week to review Covid preparedness

Specific focus on oxygen plants, ventilators, logistics and human resources; aim is to check whether the equipment is in running condition, or needs refurbishment

Nearly 83% people in Indore didn't take Covid-19 precautionary dose

Nearly 83 per cent of eligible population in Madhya Pradesh's Indore district has not taken the precautionary dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, an official said on Friday. The stock of Covidshield vaccine has also gotten over in Indore, which was one of the worst affected districts in the state amid the pandemic, the official said. At least 30 lakh people have taken the first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, but only five lakh have taken the precautionary booster dose, district vaccination officer Dr Tarun Gupta said. This indicates that there are still 25 lakh people who have not taken the precautionary jab of the vaccine, he said. However, people have again started showing interest in getting inoculated with the booster dose since the last few days and the authorities have also increased the number of vaccination centres in the district, the official said. Dr Gupta further said that the stock of Covishield vaccine has gotten over in the district and a request has been sent