In TN, virus is killing young people with no comorbidities

In TN, virus is killing young people with no comorbidities

No Scientific Reason Yet About Why Young People Are Dying

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  12.05.2021 

More young and healthy people —without comorbid conditions and below 40 years — are now dying of Covid-19 in Tamil Nadu, directorate of public health data shows.

On January 10, when TN’s Covid death toll reached 12,222, around 18% (2,084) were those without any comorbidities. By May 9, such people accounted for 6063 of the 15,648 deaths (39%). On Tuesday, 78 of the 298 people who died in the state had no comorbid conditions.

“In absolute numbers, deaths are still high among people above 50 years of age and among people with uncontrolled diabetes or hypertension. But during the last four to six weeks, we are seeing more young and healthy people in ICUs,” said Kilpauk Medical College Hospital dean Dr Vasanthamani P. “Some of them don’t make it.”

On Tuesday, five of the 298 who died were in their 20s and had no comorbid conditions. Of the people in their 30s, were a 30-year-old man and 37-year-old woman with diabetes, a 38-yearold man with hypertension and another man with chronic kidney disease. At least 21 of the 48 people in their 40s had no comorbid conditions.

Between January and May, the growth rate of deaths was highest (37%) among people in the 31-40 age group. On January 10, there were 456 deaths in this age group and 623 on May 9. In the same period, deaths in the 20-30 age group rose from 142 to 187, by 31%. Overall deaths jumped by 28% from 12,222 to 15,648. Since then, 8 people in their 20s and 35 people in their 30s have died.

Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital dean Dr Theranirajan said, “We have been able to reduce morbidity and mortality in people who reach hospitals early.”

Experts say that while more people below 40 years are juggling for space in ICUs with senior citizens, they don’t know why more young and healthy people are dying. “We don’t have any scientific reasons for this yet. We don’t know if the profile of young people we see now is from a better socio-economic background with higher risk of lifestyle disorders,” said senior infectious diseases expert Dr V Ramasubramanian.

Between January and May, the growth rate of deaths in Tamil Nadu as per official data was highest (37%) among people in the 31-40 age group

Don’t fret if 2nd dose delayed, say experts

Don’t fret if 2nd dose delayed, say experts

Neha Madaan & Sumitra DebRoy TNN

Pune/Mumbai:

First-dose recipients of Covaxin don't need to restart their vaccination schedule if the gap between doses goes beyond the recommended 4-6-week interval, a top public health official has said. Experts also stressed that delay in taking a second dose of Covishield or Covaxin does not render the first shot ineffective. An estimated 5 lakh people in Maharashtra are awaiting the second shot of Covaxin alone.

Dr N K Arora, member of the National Committee on Adverse Events Following Immunisation, said recipients should not worry if the second dose is delayed. “We know there are many single-dosers whose second shots have been delayed. They need not be worried. Even if gap between two doses increases to 8-10 weeks, in case of any of the two vaccines, beneficiaries can take the second shot and it will still be effective. There is no need to repeat the vaccine schedule due to a delayed second dose,” he said.

JAB EFFECT: Delay in getting second dose does not make the first ineffective, say experts

‘Advisable for senior citizens to avoid crowded vax centres’

Counselling recipients to not panic, immunologist Dr Vineeta Bal from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune said the first dose has already triggered an immune response which does not disappear because of the delay, only that it’s not optimum, and hence the second dose is needed.

“Abooster (second)doseessentially increases the quality and quantity of the first dose response,” she said, adding that it may be advisable for senior citizens to avoid crowded vaccination centres since there is a real possibility of catching the infection there. The first dose remains in the body but also has its own limited half-life.

All antibodies produced are proteins that get degraded within the body whether used or not used. “So, the immune response generated by the first dose may possibly start tapering off after 4-5 months,” Bal added.

The duration between two Covishield doses was increased from 4 weeks to 12 weeks primarily based on data from international trials where after a first dose the immune response was measured until the second dose was given. “In some cases, due to trial related issues, the second dose was given as late as 12 weeks and still the effect of the first dose was pretty much okay,” she added.

For Covaxin, such a variation in the duration between first and second dose was not tested in human beings though.

“The makers had uniformly tested at the end of four weeks. That’s why everybody is recommending booster for Covaxin at the end of 28 days. Theoretically, if there is enough response that lasted for four weeks, maybe it will last up to the fifth week too. But we don’t know that since there is no data,” Bal added.

Full report on www.toi.in

A deserted Har ki Pauri ghat on Vaishakh Amavasya on Tuesday

Those taking 2nd shots are priority: Govt

The Centre on Tuesday insisted that those eligible for the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine should be given priority and that vaccination wastage should be minimised. Expressing concern over the misinformation on the subject of vaccination, Cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba mentioned that all vaccines that are procured either by the central government or the state governments are actually meant for the public in the states and there is no consumption at the central-level. PTI

14 states start getting Covaxin supply directly

A SHOT OF HOPE

14 states start getting Covaxin supply directly

New Delhi:11.05.2021 

Bharat Biotech has commenced direct supply of its Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin to 14 states, including Delhi and Maharashtra, with effect from May 1, according to the company’s joint managing director Suchitra Ella.

The Hyderabad-based firm has started supplying its Covid-19 treatment vaccine to the states based on the allocations received by the central government.

“Bharat Biotech confirms direct supplies of Covaxin to the following state govt’s since 1/5/21, based on the allocations received by GoI. Requests have been received from other states, & will be processed for distribution based on availability of stocks 24x7,” Ella tweeted.

The company is supplying vaccines to Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

On April 29, Bharat Biotech announced a cut in the price of ‘Covaxin’ for states to Rs 400 per dose from the earlier Rs 600 per dose.

This followed widespread criticism of its pricing policy as it sold Covaxin to the central government at Rs 150 per dose. India has announced expansion of its Covid-19 vaccination drive by allowing its large18-plus population to get inoculated from May1.

Meanwhile, the Bombay high court has permitted Biovet Private Limited, an associate company of Bharat Biotech, to take possession of a fully operational and ready-touse vaccine manufacturing plant on a 12-hectare plot in Pune to produce Covaxin. PTI

NRI couple who came for family time die of Covid

NRI couple who came for family time die of Covid

Yagnesh.Mehta@timesgroup.com

Surat:11.05.2021 

“It would have been better had they not come to India. Despite trying for days, we did not get a hospital bed for my ‘mama’ (maternal uncle). We had to toil for hours to arrange oxygen cylinders for him. My ‘mama’ was on oxygen for over four days,” rues Piyush Bhatt, afinance consultant in Ahmedabad.

Bhatt is left lamenting as the septuagenarian NRI couple’s — Rashmikant Raval (73) and his wife Sushila (72) — died of Covid in span of two days last month. Raval, a retired hotel and catering business owner, passed away in Ahmedabad on April 23, while Sushila succumbed the next day.

“After making rounds of crematoriums, it was at the fourth one that I was able to perform the last rites of my uncle. I faced same problems while cremating my aunt,” Bhatt said. The US-based couple came to India in February spend some time with childhood friends and family after over a year of remaining locked in their house in Austin, Texas, due to global pandemic. The two had promised their grandchildren in the US that they will return soon.

The couple arrived in India on February 27 and did not take Covid-19 vaccine in the US. As the condition worsened in India they took the first dose of the vaccine in Ahmedabad on April 3 and 4. Sushila tested positive for Covid-19 on April 16 while Raval developed symptoms on April 19. But Raval tested negative in all three test he underwent.

For days Raval searched for a hospital bed for himself, but in vain. “After approaching several hospitals and trying for over12 hours my mother was finally admitted to one. But my father did not get admission in any hospital since his reports were negative. His CT-scan showed infection in chest.

Raval, who hailed from Choila village in Sabarkantha, lived with Rakesh, a businessman, in Austin, Texas. The family owns a fuel pump, restaurant and few stores that they have currently rented out.

Rashmikant Raval with his wife Sushila

Just 9 varsities started RT-PCR testing: Govt

Just 9 varsities started RT-PCR testing: Govt

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:11.05.2021 

After a push from Gujarat high court, the state government on Monday submitted that it could make only nine of 26 universities in the state start RT-PCR testing laboratories and has given up hope that five universities will ever start the facility.

When HC pressured the government to increase Covid-19 testing facilities, particularly RT-PCR testing, the state government said it would make 26 universities start these testing facilities. However, after nearly a month and instructions to administrative heads of the region to use the Epidemic Diseases Act to force these universities to act, facilities at only nine universities could be made operational, an addition of only four varsities since last week. These four are National Forensic Science University, Gandhinagar; Sardar Patel University, Anand; Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat and IIPH Gandhinagar.

For Anand Agriculture University, Uka Tarsadia University in Bardoli, Ahmedbad University, Kamdhenu University in Gandhinagar and Central University of Gujarat, the government said they “do not have appropriate RT-PCR machines for testing and thus, RT-PCR testing would not be possible in the five varsities.”

Google Maps now provides hospital beds, oxygen info

Google Maps now provides hospital beds, oxygen info

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:11.05.2021 

Google is testing a new feature using the Q&A function in Maps that enables people to ask about and share local information on availability of hospital beds and medical oxygen in select locations. “As this will be user generated content and not provided by authorised sources, it may be required to verify the accuracy and freshness of the information before utilising it,” the company said in a blogpost.

Google is also amplifying vital safety and vaccination messages that includes the ‘Get the Facts’ around vaccines campaign, to encourage people to focus on authoritative information and content for vaccines. “We’re also surfacing important safety messages through promotions on the Google homepage, Doodles and reminders within our apps and services.”

When people ask questions about vaccines on Google Search, they see information panels that display the latest updates on vaccine safety, efficacy and side-effects, plus registration information that directs users to the Co-WIN website. “You will also find information about prevention, self-care, and treatment under the Prevention and Treatment tab, in easyto-understand language sourced from authorised medical sources and the ministry of health and family welfare,” it said.

The new Q&A function in Maps enables people to ask about and share local information on availability of hospital beds and oxygen in select locations

MBBS students: Postponement of exams has jeopardised our future

MBBS students: Postponement of exams has jeopardised our future

Rema.Nagarajan@timesgroup.com

11.05.2021

Lakhs of medical students are exasperated with the government wanting to postpone all exams citing surging Covid cases and then asking the same students to join for Covid ward duty. Going by the government’s logic, they point out, MBBS doctors will get infected if they appear for exams, but not if they work in Covid wards.

They pointed out that their careers have been put on hold and their training periods have been extended indefinitely citing Covid cases even as elections were held and religious gatherings were allowed. Resident doctors and medical students have been writing to all authorities concerned to express their unhappiness with the series of decisions made by the central government. None have responded.

There are about 60,000 post-graduate medical students, including roughly 15,000 Diplomate of National Board (DNB) students — mostly in private hospitals and 45,000 MD/MS students in medical colleges — who were ready to graduate and become specialists by this time. Instead, the government has announced the extension of their tenure till the next batch joins. No fresh batch can join till the entrance exams for post-graduation are conducted, which has been put off till after August 31.

When Union health minister Dr Harshvardhan tweeted on April 15 to announce the indefinite postponement of the post-graduate entrance exam just two days before it was to be held, he said “the decision has been taken keeping wellbeing of our young medical students in mind”. He added that “health & safety of our young doctors is paramount”.

“It takes about a month for results of the exam to be declared and another two months for counselling. So, we cannot expect a fresh batch of PG students to join till November-December. Resident doctors have been doing Covid duty for more than a year now and they are exhausted. Instead of getting a fresh batch to relieve them, the government has done this,” lamented a postgraduate student.

Over 1.7 lakh MBBS doctors have registered for the post-graduate entrance exam. “We had been allotted our exam centres and we had even downloaded our admit cards for the entrance when the government decided to cancel it. Most of us have been preparing for more than a year for the exam. We could have joined as residents in various hospitals if the tension of the entrance exam had got over,” said a doctor who had registered to appear for the entrance.

The PMO also wants finalyear MBBS students to be used to help in the Covid effort. Neither they nor thirdyear students have done much of clinical duties They are now expected to do Covid duty. “Hardly any of them have been vaccinated as they did not qualify as health workers since they were still studying. You are risking their lives by putting them on Covid duty,” said a PG student.

Going by the Centre’s logic, they said, MBBS doctors will get infected if they appear for exams, but not during Covid duty