Centre’s officers in ivory towers, don’t know ground realities: HC

Centre’s officers in ivory towers, don’t know ground realities: HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:19.05.2021

The Centre’s officers are living in “ivory towers” oblivious of ground realities that Covid-19 has not spared a single family, Delhi High Court said on Tuesday, after getting to know that an Indian firm collaborating with Sputnik vaccine makers of Russia is being starved of funds by the Centre.

“Which bureaucrat is giving you instructions? Is he not alive to the situation? God bless this country. That is why we are facing this situation. In such matters instructions are need to be taken from the highest authorities, that, too, within 30 minutes,” the court said, highlighting that such partnership attempts with foreign vaccine manufacturers are an opportunity to the nation facing shortage of vaccines.

“Tell your officers it is an opportunity for you, don’t lose it. The virus has not spared any single family. Your officers are living in ivory towers,” a bench of justices Manmohan and Navin Chawla remarked.

“Does your officer not see so many deaths are taking place in the country and we are short of vaccines? You are so short of vaccines and you are not taking it through. Maybe it is an opportunity for you. Don’t be so negative. It is like a raging fire and nobody is bothered. You people don’t understand the larger picture or what,” the court fumed.

“No one is applying its mind” when there is an opportunity for the government to get millions of vaccines, the bench said. “Otherwise, deaths will continue to happen. Every day you are castigated by each and every court and still you are not awake.”

HC’s reaction came after reports that the Indian firm collaborating with Sputnik makers is being starved of funds

Pvt hosps in 30 cities getting Covaxin directly

Pvt hosps in 30 cities getting Covaxin directly

Swati.Bharadwaj@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad:19.05.2021

After kicking off direct supplies of indigenous Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin to states, its developer Bharat Biotech has now commenced direct supplies to private hospitals in as many as 31 cities across the country, a top official of the company said on Tuesday evening.

The dispatches to private hospitals, which began on Monday, include direct supplies by the company to private hospitals in 25 cities and supplies to private hospitals in 10 cities as directed by the Union ministry of health and family welfare, government of India.

Tweeting about this, Bharat Biotech’s joint MD Suchitra Ella said the company has dispatched Covaxin to private hospitals in Gannavaram, Guwahati, Delhi, Gandhinagar, Ranchi, Pune, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Jaipur and Lucknow at the directions of MoHFW.

This astrologer gives biryani to 150 strays daily in Nagpur

A SHOT OF HOPE

This astrologer gives biryani to 150 strays daily in Nagpur

Sudhanshu.Bisen@timesgroup.com

Nagpur:19.05.2021

Whenever you go grocery shopping in the city, don’t be surprised to see strays feasting on chicken biryani on the streets. In these times of Covid-induced restrictions, when even some sections of humanity are struggling to get one square meal a day, Nagpur-based astrologer Ranjeet Nath, fondly known as Ranjeet Dada, has been providing this scrumptious dish to around 150 strays.

The 58-year-old astrologer has been cooking nearly 35kg of biryani daily since the onset of the pandemic. “He has been doing this for quite some years now, but his work grew manifold since the pandemic started,” says Rahul Motwani, who has been associated with Ranjeet.

Such is his fondness for stray dogs that he calls them his “bachche” (kids). “I don’t like to call them dogs or stays. I consider all of them as my kids,” says Ranjeet. His day starts with preparations for the biryani. He starts cooking it from noon and goes around the city on his bike at 5pm daily to feed the strays.

“I have 10-12 fixed locations and my ‘bachche’ know them. The moment they see me, they start running towards me,” says Ranjeet, who returns home around midnight after the entire vessel full of biryani is empty.

He does it seven days a week. “Once on the streets, I do not discriminate against strays. I also feed cats but since the biryani has meat, I do not offer it to cows,” he says.

There is less meat and more bones in the chicken biryani. “I get the bony part of the chicken at a cheaper rate, which helps me feed more dogs. Until last month, most of the expenditure was from my pocket,” he says.

“A video featuring Ranjeet’s kind gesture was uploaded by a food blogger after which donations started pouring in,” says Motwani.

KIND-HEARTED: Nagpur-based Ranjeet Nath cooks 35kg of biryani every day

‘A 3-month gap between two AstraZeneca doses gives better protection’

TIMES evoke

‘A 3-month gap between two AstraZeneca doses gives better protection’

19.05.2021

Scientist Andrew Pollard co-developed the AstraZeneca vaccination together with Sarah Gilbert at Oxford University. Speaking to Srijana Mitra Das at Times Evoke, Pollard, head of the Oxford Vaccine Group, shares insights around the Covid-19 vaccination:

Both India and the UK recently changed the interval between two AstraZeneca doses. What is the ideal time gap?

We have very good data showing strong protection for the first three months between the two doses. A three-month interval produces very good protection – this gets even better with a longer interval from three to four months. A longer time gap gets a stronger immune response after the second dose.

The reason for the UK’s change is the situation posed by the B.1.617 variant and the attempt to improve immunity and curb transmission. But to get the maximum immune response, it’s worth waiting longer. There is a trade-off between getting a high response earlier or waiting longer and getting an even better immune response.

Could you address fears over AstraZeneca and blood clots? And why do diverse countriesrecommenddifferent age restrictions for your vaccine?

The biggest problem the world is facing now is the Covid-19 virus killing millions of people, with many more expected to succumb in the current waves. If we do a comparison between the risk of the virus and a very rare type of blood clot, the possibility of the latter happening is extremely low – the possibility of being affected by Covid-19 is high.

If you’re in a region where the disease is widespread, it’s much better to be vaccinated with a very, very small risk at all. If you’re in a part of the world where there are plenty of vaccines and almost no disease, the trade-offs are different. The diverse age restrictions in different countries are because they’re in the fortunate position of having most people vaccinated and very low rates of disease.

How effective is AstraZeneca against emerging variants?

The virus will generate variants as long as there is transmission. We’re a long way from vaccinating the world’s population, so we will see many variants evolving. However, we are optimistic that the current generation of vaccines will have a huge impact in improving immunity in vaccinated groups, so most people are protected against severe disease, hospitalisation and loss of life.

Can AstraZeneca be used eventually to vaccinate children?

There is very little good quality evidence at the moment about any change in the severity of the disease affecting children. We have not seen that in most populations – this is a very unusual and rare phenomenon as of now. For that reason, given how few adults worldwide have been vaccinated, we must focus the available doses on individuals most likely to be severely affected. My view is that highrisk people must be vaccinated before we start vaccinating children, who are still at low risk. The existing data on this is consistent throughout the pandemic – the rate of severe disease for children is low. The greater risk is for older adults and people with health conditions. Focus all available vaccines on them.

What are your views on vaccine equity?

We are all part of the human family – the value of a life in a rich country should be the same as a life in a poorer country. Morally, we should be distributing vaccines with equity. However, there is also a pragmatic reason for rich countries to do this – the virus will mutate and disrupt the global economy more if we don’t vaccinate the vulnerable in all countries. So, there are moral, health and economic security reasons for vaccine equity.

At the university, we are very firm on vaccine equity – one of the approaches we’ve taken in our partnership with Astra-Zeneca is to develop a distributed network of over 20 manufacturing sites around the world to maximise production, so the vaccine can be made and supplied to all countries at the fastest possible. That is our university’s goal – our work is not for profit and that is the nature of our partnership with Astra-Zeneca.

What lessons have been learned from the pandemic so far?

We need good surveillance systems to pick up disease threats earlier. We also didn’t have adequate capacity in most countries to produce enough personal protective equipment and diagnostic tests. We must have more security around healthcare staff and stronger disease surveillance and monitoring.

Alongside, the world has done remarkably well in vaccine development, with 15 vaccines in total authorised in at least one country. That’s when we’re only a year on – that’s a huge success where normally, vaccines take around10 years to develop.

I hope the biggest legacy from the pandemic will be an improved public understanding of the value of science – as the new generation grows up with greater respect for science, they will become our leaders one day and will shape better public policy, based on evidence.

Share your thoughts at: timesevoke@timesgroup.com

This (protection) gets even better with a longer interval from three to four months. A longer time gap gets a stronger immune response after the second dose The existing data is consistent throughout the pandemic – the rate of severe disease for children is low. The greater risk is for older adults and people with health conditions. Focus all available vaccines on them

At the university, we are very firm on vaccine equity... our work is not for profit and that is the nature of our partnership with AstraZeneca

‘Criminal action against hospitals for fleecing patients’

‘Criminal action against hospitals for fleecing patients’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:19.05.2021

Tamil Nadu chief secretary V Irai Anbu on Tuesday warned stringent action against private hospitals fleecing patients undergoing Covid treatment. He also said any government official taking bribe from people for distributing aid would be booked.

The warning has come in the backdrop of reports that many private hospitals are charging from Rs 40,000 to Rs 75,000 per day as just room rent for Covid treatment. There was also a video in circulation on Tuesday, showing government officials admitting to taking Rs 500 bribe for distributing Rs 2,000 per ration card holding family as Covid relief.

In a strongly-worded statement, the CS said that people were facing medical emergencies, financial crisis and mental agony owing to the pandemic. In such a situation, some government employees, corporate hospitals and private firms were indulging in “unlawful and inhuman acts”. Chief minister has ordered that stringent action should be taken against such people, said Irai Anbu.

The government has directed all secretaries and heads of departments to take action against their subordinates found guilty of indulging in such activities, he said. Similarly, police department, especially director of vigilance and anti-corruption, has been directed to take suitable action against erring officials, he said.

“Whoever it may be and whatever position he/she may be in, appropriate action will be taken against them based on complaints,” said the CS. He added the government would step up surveillance in places where public are subjected to harassment.

The government machinery has been functioning relentlessly to save the lives of people during the pandemic. However, the acts of some corrupt people in the system was tarnishing the image of upright government servants, he said.

WORD OF CAUTION: The warning to private hospitals came amid reports that hospitals are charging a bomb as just room rent for Covid treatment

Attendants of patients risk all in Covid wards

Attendants of patients risk all in Covid wards

They Walk In And Out Without PPEs

Team TOI

Chennai:19.05.2021

Government hospitals across Tamil Nadu are insisting that Covid-19 patients in the ICUs and wards should have attendants to care for them, exposing the deficiency, if not collapse, of the state’s healthcare system.

Besides putting themselves at risk through exposure to a high viral load environment, such attendants can infect their families and the public at large as they walk in and out of the hospital.

’They can cause super spreader events,” the director of public health Dr T S Selvavinayagam had said two days ago while prohibiting entry of visitors and attendants in all covid wards.

But on Tuesday, patients from several government hospitals across the state said doctors and nurses, violating all medical ethics and public health norms, told attendants to remain with the patients. These attendants are not even given PPE kits, without which doctors and nurses do not step into these wards.

TOI has photographs sourced from various districts – Chennai, Chengalpet, Coimbatore and Ramanathapuram showing attenders sitting by the bedside all day, sharing food and space on the beds with patients. In these high-infection zones, most of the attendants had neither N95 masks nor PPEs on them -- a cloth mask was their only protection against a sure-shot infection. Sometimes, attendants are made to adjust oxygen flow, remove IV drips and walk patient to toilets. That done, they venture out of the hospital to buy food for themselves. Close contacts of people in home quarantine are told to say inside to prevent spread of the infection. But in the state’s biggest hospitals, people are allowed to walk in and out, putting themselves and everyone else at risk.

“Now, no attendant wants to leave the ward because they are worried their relative won’t get care. Attendants had to alert nurses and doctors even about deaths,” said a patient relative.

One of biggest fears for most family members is that their relative would be left unattended and lonely in the ward. "My husband was moved to the ICU as soon as he was admitted because his condition was critical. After wheeling him in I was about to leave the ward, but they told me to stay. I wanted to protest, but saw an attendant for every patient. They were alerting nurses about dipping oxygen or dropping blood pressure. I didn't leave because I was scared he would die without attention," said Sathya in Chennai. Her husband died the next day. And four days later she and her sons tested positive.

At the Covid ward in Ramanathapuram GH, there were15 patients and more than 15 attendants. On Tuesday, patient attendants witnessed five deaths in the wards. Hospital dean Dr M Alli said the hospital was doing its best amidst staff shortage. “Nearly 30 doctors and nurses are positive. When cases are increasing there is only so much we can do,” she said. “We allowed attendants but when we try to regulate them, they don’t want to leave. They threaten us and we are forced to call the police,” said medical superintendent S Balasubramanian of Rajaji Government General Hospital in Madurai.

Despite the risk, many attendants say they don’t have a choice. “We have seen patients with hypoxia faint outside restrooms due to fall in oxygen saturation. I now take my dad to the toilet. I alert the nurse when he feels faint,” said Sandhya, whose 67-year-old father was admitted to RGGGH in Chennai on Saturday. On Monday, when Sandhya complained of body pain and sore throat, doctors told her she must have turned positive. “They did not do tests, but gave me medicines,” she said.

RISK OF INFECTION: Covid-19 patients with their attendants at a makeshift health facility in Chennai

TN logs highest number of new cases in country

TN logs highest number of new cases in country

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:19.05.2021

Tamil Nadu on Tuesday reported the highest number of new cases in the country since the start of the pandemic in March last year.

The state, however, is seeing a decline in total number of fresh cases. After reporting 33,658 cases on May 15, the state reported 33,181cases on May16 and 33,075 on May 17.

On Tuesday, a total of 33,059 people tested positive, thereby taking the cumulative Covid tally to 16,64,350.

The death count, however, continued to increase with another 364 people from TN succumbing to the disease in the last 24 hours. The state's death toll current death toll is18,369 — the fourth highest in the country.

Another worrying trend is the spike in the number of active cases. As of Tuesday, 2,42,949 patients are undergoing treatment in healthcare centres and in their homes.

Of them, nearly onethird were in the Chennai region. In hotspot Chennai, the number of people testing positive dipped for the third day in a row. A total of 6,016 got infected, and this included 74 from a children's home for intellectually-challenged.

In Kancheepuram, the daily infection count (761) fell sharply by 38% compared to Monday. But the death count increased to 19 on Tuesday. At the other two neighbouring districts —Chengalpet (2,299) and Thiruvallur (1,890) —the positivity rate hasn't reduced.

Coimbatore, which is the second worst-affected district in TN, had 3,071 new cases. But the recovery count (1,305) was not even half of it. This is why there is acute shortage for oxygen-supported and ICU beds over there. Only six such beds were vacant in the entire district on Tuesday evening.

Cases were increasing in other major cities like Salem (650) and Vellore (520), it dropped down marginally in Madurai (1,011) and Trichy (1,271) on Tuesday.

As far as vaccination was concerned, a total of 50,091 got their jabs on Tuesday —20 % less compared to Monday (63,101). So far, a total of 70,13,735 people have got vaccinated in the state.