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Amidst new variants, governments demand calm

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 13:50:38 +0000

Image Courtesy:thehindu.com

Recording as many as 5,481 cases in the last 24 hours on January 4, 2022, Delhi government announced a weekend curfew in the city to address the surge in Covid-19 cases.

The weekend lockdown will begin from January 8. Apart from essential services, all government offices will remain closed while employees will work from home. Meanwhile, private offices can call only 50 percent of the workforce to the office. Delhi Metro and DTC buses will run with full capacity but commuters must wear a mask for travel.

Deputy Chief Minister Shri Manish Sisodia on Tuesday said, “Leave houses only in case of emergency or in need of essential services. On the basis of the experiences so far, experts believe that this variant is not fatal and the Delhi government is fully prepared to fight it.”

He appealed to the people to remain calm, wear a mask and follow all Covid-19 protocols. The city recorded an increasing number of Omicron cases recently. As per the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the city reported 382 Omicron cases by Tuesday. Although only 350 people are hospitalized and only 124 patients are on oxygen beds. Seven people were also reported to be on ventilators.

As per government data, 8,511 out of 9,042 hospital beds are vacant. Moreover, 4,223 out of 4,547 beds are available in dedicated Covid-care centres and 139 out of 140 beds are available in dedicated Covid-health centres. Therefore, Sisodia appealed that infected people should opt for hospitals only in case of decreasing oxygen levels.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar aired the possibility of imposing a lockdown in the city if cases keep rising. She said the need for the lockdown will be imminent if the daily cases cross the 20,000-mark. Similarly, persisting crowding is another factor to be considered for the lockdown, she said.

Already schools have been closed for classes 1 to 9 and class 11 until January 31. Mumbai police also issued an order prohibiting people from visiting beaches, open grounds, sea faces, promenades, gardens, parks, or similar public places between 5 PM and 5 AM until January 15 due to a rise in Omicron cases. Marriages whether in enclosed or open spaces can only welcome 50 persons while funerals will only allow 20 persons. Overall, Maharashtra reported the highest number of Omicron cases, 568 cases, by Tuesday.

In light of this number, the Karnataka government is also preparing for an “inescapable” third wave of the virus, reported The Times of India. Before the night curfew ends on January 7, senior officials will meet to discuss more stringent restrictions. Accordingly, sufficient oxygen supply, ICU beds, etc. is another priority for the government. It also mandated a negative RT-PCR report along with a fully vaccinated certificate to enter the state.

At the national level, India recorded over 146.70 cr vaccinations by early Tuesday morning. Nearly 1 cr doses were administered in the last 24 hours. However, out of the total figure, 42.06 lakh of these doses were administered to the 15-18 age group for the first time.

The country’s active caseload was at 1,71,830 cases – less than one percent of total cases – with a recovery rate of 98.13 percent. More than 152.96 crore vaccine doses have been provided to states and union territories with more than 19.69 cr balance and unutilized doses still available with the state and union territories, said the union ministry.

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Covid-19 Vaccine: Where are the crores of doses manufactured, but not administered?

Fri, 28 May 2021 07:07:23 +0000

Image Courtesy:businesstoday.in

For the fourth consecutive day, the Delhi government has been unable to administer Covid-19 vaccination to those between 18 to 44 years of age. According to a statement by AAP-MLA Atishi, “All the doses of Covaxin are over for the 45-plus category and 11-day stock of Covishield is available”.

This is yet another indicator of the mismatch between the large numbers that companies producing the Covid vaccines shared and the and the number of people who received the vaccine shots across the country.

As reported, the Centre had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that 8.5 crore doses of vaccines were being produced monthly in India. According to a report in Business Today, the Centre submitted before the SC that the Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing capacity of India for Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V, “could cumulatively cross 14 crore doses a month by July 2021.”

According to the Centre’s affidavit, as reported by India Today, each month the Serum Institute of India (SII), is producing around 6.5 crore doses of Covishield and Bharat Biotech, is producing 2 crore doses of Covaxin. Bharat Biotech reportedly added that it was to “increase the production to 3 crores doses in May.” The basic math then adds up to show that India’s production capacity of the two Covid-19 vaccines is at least 8.5 crore doses a month. And as reported by IT the daily production and supply of vaccine doses then is at an approximate 27.5-28.5 lakh.

As per covid19india.org, India administered 19,60,51,962 doses till May 23, and the news report shows that this means “17.85 lakh doses” are administered each day in May. This makes the total number vaccinated by May around 5.5 crore, which by all data reports so far across media is much lower than the production capacity declared. There is a massive gap of about 3 crore doses, reported IT.

Where are the missing doses?

The Times of India reported that this gap was most glaring in the case of Covaxin where official data shows that 2.1 crore doses of the vaccine had been administered across the country till Thursday morning, whereas at least 6 crore doses should have been available. If they were made available, why are they not being used? Where are the missing doses?

According to news reports, Bharat Biotech’s CMD Krishna Ella had said that just May’s production will be 3 crore doses. According to a report in the Times of India, added to the doses made in April and March, at that rate over 6 crore doses should have been in circulation in India itself, after any exports. The Centre reportedly, told the courts that Covaxin production was at 2 crore doses a month. According to reports, India’s vaccine exports put together are about 6.6 crore doses and most are Covishield.

That states across India are facing acute shortage of Covid-19 vaccine and have flagged the shortfall to the Centre regularly is old news. Citizens are now suggesting solutions too. In Tamil Nadu they signed an appeal drafted by People First Joint Convenor Thomas Franco on May 20, 2021, requesting the state’s Chief Minister and Finance Minister to run the sophisticated Integrated Vaccine Complex (IVC) for Covid vaccine production. The BSL 3 compliant, WHO standard IVC in Chengalpattu was ready in 2017. Yet, four years later, it has still not produced any vaccines. “In 14 blocks, it has five bulk vaccine antigen production units and four formulation units. It also has four filling lines with 200 vials/min speed. Only commissioning and validation are pending,” said Franco in the letter.

In wake of scathing criticism with respect to export of vaccines despite shortages in India, Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawala issued a public statement to explain the current vaccine shortage by taking one through the timeline since January when the nationwide vaccination campaign was kickstarted, saying that at that time “we had a large stockpile of vaccine doses” and that “most people including health experts believed that India was turning the tide on the pandemic.” He added that vaccine exports were temporarily halted, and vaccines were prioritised for use in India to control the spread of the more lethal domestic variant that was spreading fast. “We have never exported vaccines at the cost of the people of India,” SII had reiterated.

However, India’s ambitious vaccine for all programme, still seems to be on the slow track, across the country, as even Global tenders floated for Covid-19 vaccines by various states have not got any favourable response. Major vaccine-makers have said they will deal only with the Union Government and not states.

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Delhi HC issues notice, not convinced of hoarding allegations against AAP MLA

Sat, 08 May 2021 13:14:38 +0000

Image Courtesy:barandbench.com

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to Aam Aadmi Party and its legislator Imran Hussain in a plea alleging hoarding of oxygen cylinders at his office. Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli have directed him to be present before the court on the next hearing date. However the court stressed that neither from the posts announcing free distribution of oxygen not from the photographs was there any evidence of hoarding.

The post on social media has pictures of people lining up outside Hussain’s office and the caption reads, “To make oxygen reach those needing it, in Delhi, Cabinet Minister Imran Hussain Free Oxygen Distribution from his office”, reported LiveLaw.

The court perused the online post, as urged by the petitioner and responded, “The pictures don’t show hoarding. People are standing in line…some are taking (oxygen) from there.” The court also noted that if Hussain was “not eating away from the allocated quantity of oxygen to Delhi”, there was no reason to raise an alarm.

The Bench was quoted saying, “First we have to see where is he getting it from…he may be getting from Faridabad (on his own)…you can’t really have a problem. Even Gurudwaras are doing it.”

According to the media, the plea was filed by one Vedansh Sharma who alleged that the Delhi Cabinet Minister was “hoarding oxygen cylinders at a time when entire Delhi is in the crisis of the supply of the oxygen”. Sharma alleged that what Hussain did was illegal.

Vedansh Sharma’s counsel also referred to some online post from the official handle of the AAP, which stated that free oxygen was available at Hussain’s office. Urging the Court to see it, his counsel argued that hoarding of cylinders was visible in the picture, and thus action should be initiated against Hussain.

Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra (appearing for Delhi government), reportedly told the Court that if there was any veracity in the allegations, the strictest possible action shall be taken irrespective of who it is.

The matter will be heard on May 10.

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Delhi Government now means Lieutenant Governor

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 10:32:36 +0000

The Government of India has notified the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021. The provisions of the Act came into effect from April 27, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). This Act gives more authority to the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) of Delhi over the elected government in the city.

Simply put, Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Anil Baijal is THE government in the Union territory now. According to the legislation, the opinion of the L-G “shall be obtained” before taking any executive action on decisions of the Council of Ministers of the Delhi government.

The notification signed by additional secretary in the MHA, Govind Mohan, stated, “In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act 2021 (15 of 2021), the Central Government hereby appoints the 27th April 2021 as the date on which the provisions of the said Act shall come into force.”

The notification has come in the middle of the Covid-19 crisis which is at its peak in the national capital, and the Centre and Delhi government are often pitted in a blame game over Covid-19 management such as shortage of hospital beds and erratic supply medical oxygen in hospitals, that are being flagged on a daily basis in the media and sos calls are given on social media.

On March 24, Parliament passed the contentious Government of National Capital territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021. It was opposed by many who saw this Act as empowering the centre-nominated Lieutenant Governor (LG) and weakening the elected Delhi government. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 15 and was passed by the House on March 22. It may be read here.

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