AROUND TAMILNADU

AROUND TAMILNADU

26.04.2021

It takes up to 5 days to get test results in Trichy

The Tamilnadu Government Doctors Association recently submitted a set of recommendations to the state government to control the rising number of Covid-19 cases. In a statement, association president K Senthil said the government should ensure shops deliver essentials at doorsteps so that people don’t have to step out. They added that work-from-home should be encouraged at government and private offices and that only one-third of the workers should be allowed to use offices at a given point of time. They added that biomedical engineers should be deployed to ensure proper maintenance of ventilators and oxygen supply system. The Indian Medical Association (IMA), in a statement, requested the state government not to divert oxygen to other states until Tamil Nadu becomes selfsufficient.

Civil service aspirants to be trained online this year

Due to the Covid-19 second wave, the state- government sponsored coaching for civil service aspirants will be held online again. The state government had ordered that all its coaching institutes be closed from April 19 due to the surge in Covid cases. “All aspirants residing on Anna Institute of Management premises have returned to their native places. To help them, the institute will post lectures by experts on various topics on its two YouTube channels,” the institute said in a release. The online coaching will continue till inperson classes are permitted. The two YouTube channels of the institute have more than 22,000 followers.

Doctors chalk out plans to check Covid spike

The Tamilnadu Government Doctors Association recently submitted a set of recommendations to the state government to control the rising number of Covid-19 cases. In a statement, association president K Senthil said the government should ensure shops deliver essentials at doorsteps so people don’t have to step out. They said biomedical engineers should be deployed to ensure proper maintenance of ventilators and oxygen supply system. The Indian Medical Association, in a statement, requested the state not to divert oxygen to other states until Tamil Nadu becomes self-sufficient.

People across state play by the rules on first lockdown Sunday

People across state play by the rules on first lockdown Sunday

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

26.04.2021

Streets across the state looked empty on the first complete lockdown Sunday to reduce the impact of the Covid-19 second wave. A majority of the public stayed indoors and those venturing out were out visiting hospitals and pharmacies and were stopped and checked by police.

All shops except pharmacies and fuel outlets were closed. Some hotels were functioning in Coimbatore, but they offered only takeaways. Food delivery personnel were also on the streets as the government permitted delivery during fixed timings.

As many as 500 police personnel were deployed acrossCoimbatore. Hundreds of guest workershad,however, gathered at the Coimbatore Railway Junction on Saturday night and were wait- ingforDhanbad and Gorakhpur Express. Mohan Prasad, 21, of Basti district in Uttar Pradesh, who has been working for a pump manufacturing companyatThennampalayam for the past eight years, said he decided to return as his parents were worried about his safety. “I won’t get any work in my hometown. I will rear cattle and sell milk, and return when the situation becomes normal,” he told TOI.

“We are allowing people to attend funerals, ones going to hospital and people involved in essential work. Action was taken against only those who ventured out for fun,” said a police officer posted at Goripalayam junction in Madurai. But the lockdown did not go well for the homeless as they couldn’t find food.

People responded well to the total lockdown in the other southern districts as well. The Tirunelveli city police monitored various localities using a drone. Those, who were roaming on the streets were advised to return home. The Tenkasi city police distributed food to homeless people as they were deprived of food due to total lockdown.

In Trichy, all the commercial streets were completely deserted. “Arterial roads did not witness even 1% of the usual buzz. This is the most successful lockdown we have enforced since the pandemic began last March,” a police officer in Trichy city said. Those attending weddings were seen carrying the wedding invitations to avoid penalties

SCENES ACROSS TN : (from top) Deserted Kalavasal Junction; A security guard on his way to work at RS Puram, Coimbatore; A daily wage earner, a rickshaw puller was seen waiting for a ride on the total lockdown Sunday in Madurai

‘States will get free vax, they can also buy’

‘States will get free vax, they can also buy’

New Delhi:26.04.2021

Amid intense criticism over differential pricing of vaccines, Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday dismissed allegations that the Centre was getting 50% of the local vaccine production at a cheaper price than states. He said the Centre did not give vaccines directly to anyone and the jabs were distributed through states and UTs. After May 1, these vaccines will be free of cost in government hospitals for people above 45 years.

“The actual situation is that states are getting one guaranteed channel of free vaccine supply, while they can simultaneously procure vaccines from another channel as per its aspirations and commitment to its people,” Vardhan said in a four-page statement posted on Twitter.

He also said the norms for vaccination have been eased to allow a free hand to states as well as private sector to ensure more people can get shots quickly. TNN

A SHOT OF

HOPE

Critical to give a free hand to states: Vardhan

The minister said, “While the dreaded disease is spreading like a tsunami, it was critical to ease the controls and allow a free hand to state governments as well as the private sector.”

Without naming Congress, he said, “I am also compelled to point out that there are certain political leaders who have chosen to indulge in

needless politics on the issue of vaccination and are spreading misinformation at every step, whether it is about efficacy or about pricing.”

Following widespread demand to open up vaccination for all adults, the Centre announced a new Covid-19 vaccination policy permitting all those above 18 years to take the shots from May 1. However, unlike the arrangement so far, the Centre will now procure 50% of local vaccine production and distribute it for free to those above 45 along with health and frontline workers through states. The remaining 50% of vaccines will be open for procurement by states, private hospitals and corporate sector.

Vardhan said while many questions were being raised on this “balance 50% quota”, the decision will grant flexibility to states as many had asked that the vaccination process be opened up for them.

“Now, this ‘balance 50% quota’ shall give them the freedom vaccinate groups that they deem as priority,” Vardhan said, underlining that health was a state subject and the Centre essentially coordinated with states. He noted that many states had said the shots will be for free.

Private and corporate sector options will empower a large number of people to get themselves quickly vaccinated outside the government route. “In essence, those who can afford to get them at private and corporate sector rates shall go ahead,” Vardhan said.

He added as per their earlier demand, states will now have the liberty to procure directly from vaccine manufacturers and even negotiate prices based on volumes. “This will also cut delays,” he said.

Vardhan maintained that there was no shortage of vaccines and diagnostics, and urged political parties to put the success of the vaccination programme above everything else. “There is no need for a crisis of confidence regarding alleged shortage of diagnostics and vaccines, because there are none,” he said.

India has administered over 14 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines so far.

Congress accuses govt of facilitating vaccine profiteering

New Delhi:

Congress on Sunday accused the Modi government of facilitating vaccine profiteering amid the steep and persistent rise in coronavirus cases in the country.

Congress’s communications head Randeep Surjewala said it was unacceptable that the two vaccines available in India were being sold at five different price points and accused the Modi government of abdicating its responsibility to the people by allowing this to happen.

Surjewala also alleged that by introducing the “highly discriminatory vaccine policy” under which the vaccines would be sold at different prices to the Centre, states and private hospitals, the government had allowed the two vaccine manufacturers, Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech, to make a profit of ₹1.11lakh crore at the expense of India’s young. “Modi government’s vaccination policy has deregulated 50% production of the two vaccine manufacturers — Serum Institute (Covishield) and Bharat Biotech (Covaxin) — as free from price regulation, to fix the prices for supply to states and private institutions. The two have now released an absolutely discriminatory pricing policy,” he said.

Last week, Serum Institute announced that it will sell its vaccine to the Centre at ₹150 per dose, to states at ₹400 a piece and to private hospitals at ₹600 per vial. TNN

Germany, Italy & B’desh too bar travellers from India

Germany, Italy & B’desh too bar travellers from India

Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:26.04.2021

Germany, Italy, Maldives and Bangladesh have restricted entry of travellers from India with immediate effect due to the Covid situation here.

Now, only German nationals and holders of a German resident permit travelling from India are allowed to enter there. Lufthansa and Air India, however, say they are not suspending flights between India and Germany.

Italy has barred foreign travellers who have been in India in the past 14 days from entering the country. Italian residents in India will be allowed to return with a negative test result before departure and on arrival, when they will have to go into quarantine.

On Sunday, Maldives tourism minister tweeted: “With effect from April 27, (Maldives’ health authorities) suspends tourists travelling from India to Maldives from staying at tourist facilities in inhabited islands.”

The highly infectious coronavirus mutant in India has led to several countries in past few days barring or restricting travellers from the country. These include UK, UAE, Canada, Kuwait, Oman, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Indonesia.

On Saturday, German Health Minister Jens Spahn tweeted (this is English translation): “The newly discovered virus mutation in India worries us very much. In order not to jeopardise our vaccination campaign, travel to India must be significantly restricted. Therefore, the federal government will shortly declare India a virus variant area. From Sunday night, only Germans from India are allowed to enter; they must also be tested before departure and immediately after entry sent into a 14-day quarantine.”

Under the new rules for travel from India to Germany, “transit via Germany to any Schengen destination is only permitted for German nationals and holders of a German resident permit. Transit to any non-Schengen destination is permitted for all nationalities. Holders of German short- and long-term visas are not allowed to enter Germany. Students on new German student visa and not holding a resident permit of Germany are not allowed to enter Germany… Members of aforeign diplomatic mission or consular office and their accompanying close family members whose appointment and arrival into Germany has been notified to the German Federal Foreign Office are allowed to enter Germany”.

TIGHT MEASURES: Passengers check their mobile phones next to a sign indicating the way to a sanitary control point for passengers arriving from countries listed as Covid-19 red zones, in Roissy, near Paris, on Sunday. Passengers arriving in France from India must take a Covid antigen test and follow a 10-day home quarantine

Covid is a mild disease, no need to panic, says Guleria

Covid is a mild disease, no need to panic, says Guleria

New Delhi:26.04.2021

Covid-19 is a mild disease and there is no need to panic, said AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Sunday while addressing issues related to coronavirus with Chairman of Medanta Dr Naresh Trehan, Professor and Head of Department of Medicine AIIMS Dr Naveet Wig and Director General Health Services Dr Sunil Kumar.

“If we talk about the current situation of Covid-19, there is panic in public, Due to this panic, people are putting injections in their houses, hoarding of the Remdesivir drug and oxygen cylinder has started with this. And because of this, we are facing a shortage of supply and unnecessary panic is being created,” Guleria said. He further said, “The Covid-19 infection is a normal infection. 85 to 90% of people are witnessing normal symptoms like fever, cold, body ache, and cough and in these cases, one doesn’t need Remdesivir or other large numbers of medicines. You can take medicines for these normal infections or treat yourself with home remedies and yoga.” ANI

Covid 2nd wave has shaken country: PM

Covid 2nd wave has shaken country: PM

Prioritize Expert Advice, PM Says In Mann ki Baat

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:26.04.2021

The second wave of Covid-19 infections has shaken the country and is testing the patience and limits of people but the government is utilising its entire might to give a fillip to efforts of state governments to overcome the crisis and beat back the disease, PM Narendra Modi said on Sunday.

In his monthly ‘Mann ki Baat’ radio address, the PM acknowledged the virulence and spread of the current wave. “Many of our near and dear ones have left us untimely. After successfully confronting the first wave of corona, the country was full of enthusiasm, full of self-confidence, but this storm has shaken the country,” he said.

Seeking to reassure people of the efforts to contain the spread of infections, Modi said he has had lengthy deliberations with experts from the pharma industry, vaccine manufacturers, those connected with oxygen production and experts from the medical field who had all offered valuable suggestions. “This time, for emerging victorious in this battle, we have to accord priority to expert and scientific advice. The government of India is applying its entire might to give a fillip to the endeavours of state governments,” he said.

People should get info only from correct sources: Modi

The PM said, “The states too are trying their best to fulfil their responsibilities.” In a departure from his usual practice, Sunday’s Mann ki Baat was only on Covid-19 with experts and healthcare workers speaking of their experience and the need to contain panic.

Modi spoke to doctors, nurses and ambulance drivers to instil confidence in people and said the biggest priority was to defeat the disease.

Modi emphasised that people should get information only from correct sources. “You can consult your family doctor or doctors in the neighbourhood on the phone. I am noticing that many of our doctors are taking upon themselves this responsibility, on their own. Many doctors are providing information to people through social media.... Many hospitals have websites where information is available,” he said.

The PM urged people to opt for vaccination and not be swayed by rumours.

“Now, from May 1 onwards, the vaccine is going to be made available for every person above 18 in the country. Now, the corporate sector and companies too will be able to participate in the programme of administering vaccines to their employees,” he said, adding that the programme of free vaccination by the Centre would continue.

Full report on www.toi.in

Banks in TN to work only till 2pm from today

Banks in TN to work only till 2pm from today

26.04.2021

Amid surge in Covid cases, bank branches in Tamil Nadu will function only between 10am and 2pm from Monday till the end of the month, the State Level Bankers’ Committee-Tamil Nadu (SLBC-TN) said on Saturday and issued a series of guidelines for members banks. The timing will be reviewed after April 30, based on the Covid-19 situation in the state.

Active cases may peak at 48 lakh mid May: Scientists

Active cases may peak at 48 lakh mid May: Scientists

New Cases Could Hit Peak Of 4.4L In Next 10 Days

Vishwa.Mohan@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:26.04.2021

With the huge number of daily Covid-19 cases showing no signs of easing in the next two-three weeks, IIT scientists working on a mathematical model to predict the course of the pandemic on Sunday revised both the timing and value of peak cases, saying the peak for ‘active’ infections may touch 38-48 lakh cases during May 14-18 while the peak for ‘new’ infections hitting 4.4 lakh in the next10 days.

“I have now computed a range of values for peak value and timing and the final numbers should be within this range. Reason for this uncertainly is that the parameter values for the last phase continue to drift,” tweeted Manindra Agrawal of IIT-Kanpur, involved with the national ‘super model’ initiative, while referring to the updates on peak timing and peak value.

“Peak timing: May 14-18 for activeinfectionsandMay 4-8 for new infections. Peak value: 38-48 lakh for active infections and 3.4-4.4 lakh for new infections,” Agrawal tweeted on Sunday. He had told TOI last week about the importance of such prediction despite the risk of going off the mark, noting that such an exercise through mathematical model was important for preparing policymakers for a proper response mechanism in terms of medical preparedness, supplies and facilities.

Referring to the model, called Sutra, Agrawal had explained that one should not confuse the two different peaks — one of daily ‘new’ cases which are more commonly observed and another of total number of ‘active’ infections which will come roughly 10 days after the peak for ‘new’ cases.

Update on prediction of peak timing and value means the number of ‘active’ cases in India will keep increasing roughly till mid-May before showing a decline. If the current model shows the trend correctly, the mid-May peak will now be around four times higher than the first peak of over 10 lakh ‘active’ cases witnessed on September 17 last year. India’s total ‘active’ caseload on Sunday reached 26,82,751.

On April 1, the model had predicted the peak of ‘active’ cases somewhere between April15-20 at around10 lakh — the same level as what the country saw in September last year. These figures were, however, later revised with the model last week predicting the possibility of a peak between May 11-15 with 33-35 lakh ‘active’ infections.

Asked about the reasons for such large variation in prediction which keeps on changing, Agrawal had then told TOI, “The severity (of the Covid-19 spread) has made computations go haywire. We were seeing significant drift in parameter values for India in our model and so the (previous) modelling was not accurate.”

He said the parameter values kept changing due to new data from states and that’s why the peak value kept shifting. A scientific paper on Sutra by three scientists (Manindra Agrawal, Madhuri Kanitkar and Mathukumalli Vidyasagar) claimed to have applied the model to predict progression of the Covid-19 pandemic in several countries.

WORKING OUT THE DAMAGE: IIT scientists used a mathematical model to predict the course of the pandemic

Cancel order to send 80 tonnes of oxygen to AP, T’gana: CM to PM

Cancel order to send 80 tonnes of oxygen to AP, T’gana: CM to PM

CM’s Letter Says TN May Face Shortfall

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:26.04.2021

Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to immediately cancel the order to divert 80 tonnes of oxygen produced in Tamil Nadu to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. With the number of active cases crossing one lakh, the state’s requirement for medical oxygen will increase significantly in the coming days, the chief minister said.

In a letter sent to the PM, chief minister Palaniswami said the state is taking all efforts to reduce positive cases but considering the current trend, the state would require 450 tonnes soon, which would be more than Tamil Nadu’s current production capacity of 400 tonnes.

In the latest national medical oxygen allotment plan, the allocation for Tamil Nadu has been fixed at 220 tonnes and based on this wrong allotment, 80 tonnes of liquid oxygen was diverted from manufacturing facilities located at Sriperumbudur to Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, the CM said. “As per Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisations (PESO) data, the consumption of oxygen in Tamil Nadu has already reached 310 tonnes, as against the inadequate allotment of 220 tonne made to the state,” Palaniswami said.

NO ENTRY: A deserted G N Chetty Road on Sunday night

Sterlite: All-party meet in TN today

The state government has convened an all-party meeting to be chaired by the CM on Monday to discuss the reopening of Sterlite copper plant in Tuticorin to manufacture oxygen. The meeting will start at 9.15am at the secretariat. “Invitations have been sent to all recognised political parties, including the AIADMK, the DMK, the BJP, the Congress, the PMK, the DMDK, the CPI and the CPM,” sources said. The Supreme Court will hear Vedanta’s plea to reopen the plant at at 11.30am on Monday . P 5

500 oxygen-bed care centres in city zones

The Chennai city corporation is planning to open a 500 oxygen-bed covid care centre in each zone. Guindy trade centre at south zone, Kilpauk indoor stadium for central zone, and K P Park for north zone have been tentatively identified for this. While the Guindy centre has 500 beds, the K P Park facility, shutdown in February, will reopen this week with 1,200 beds. Of the 11,645 beds at 13 covid care centres, 2,410 beds are currently occupied.

‘Depriving hotspot Chennai of oxygen wrong’

The chief minister said, “Compared to the maximum active cases number of 58,000 during the surge in 2020, the active caseload has already increased to over a lakh today. This has increased the oxygen demand. All efforts are being made to provide uninterrupted and adequate oxygen supply.”

Further, the states to which the allotment has been made have fewer active cases than Tamil Nadu and also have major steel industries located within their state/ close to their states. Hence, the diversion from the Sriperumbudur plant, which supplies Chennai city that has the second biggest caseload in South India, seems to have no justification. This needs to be immediately corrected, the chief minister said.

“While Tamil Nadu has never imposed any restrictions so far and is always ready to support other states, such mandatory diversion of liquid oxygen from the needs of our state can lead to major crises in Chennai and other districts. Hence, I request that diversion of 80 kilo litres from Sriperumbudur plant may immediately be cancelled,” Palaniswami said.

Foreign med grads oppose 2-year limit to clear test

Foreign med grads oppose 2-year limit to clear test

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai: 26.04.2021 

With the Foreign Medical Graduates Examinations (FMGEs) recording a poor pass percentage, graduates and education consultants say the proposed two year limit for clearing the screening test, mandatory for practising in India, isn’t practical.

Every year, around 3,000 students from Tamil Nadu who have completed medical degrees in foreign universities appear for the FMGE that is held twice a year. Only 19.4%ofn foreign medical graduates cleared the screening test held in December 2020.

The National Medical Council’s draft regulation 2021 for foreign medical graduates, released on its website, gives only two years to clear the test. It also proposes an additional paper in pre and para clinical subjects.

Many students say they prepare for the test only in the final year or pre-final year and that the new rule will add to the pressure. M Vignesh, a final year student at Xinjiang Medical University in China, said he could not write the test in December 2020 due to a delay in getting a provisional certificate.

“As per the proposed regulation, students get only four attempts. Foreign medical graduates usually face delays in getting certificates and will need time to prepare. If they miss one or two attempts, it will put them under enormous pressure,” he said.

Nirosha, who cleared the test in December 2020 with a score of 179 (students need to score 150 of 300 to be eligible to practise in India), said students have to prepare well in all 20 subjects. “The difficulty level varies for each test which makes it difficult to clear in one or two attempts.”

Education consultants said admissions in foreign universities will be affected. “The proposed regulations are against students,” said C Ravichandran, managing director, Study Abroad Educational Consultants.

“They [students] go out of the country only because they fail to get a seat here. They travel abroad at a very young age and return to serve people in their country. The new regulations will discourage them from going abroad,” he said, criticising the move to introduce an additional paper. A Mahendran, managing director of Foreign Students Study Centre in Trichy, said it was unfair to fix a two-year limit.

Rs 600 per dose for states, Rs 1200 to private hospitals: Bharat Biotech releases rates for Covaxin

Rs 600 per dose for states, Rs 1200 to private hospitals: Bharat Biotech releases rates for Covaxin

The company justified the price, viewed as steep by many, by saying that Covaxin is an inactivated and highly purified vaccine, making manufacturing expensive due to very low process yield.

Published: 24th April 2021 10:50 PM 

A health official shows Covaxin dose. (File photo| Shekhar Yadav, EPS)

By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech on Saturday announced that its COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin will cost Rs 600 per dose to state governments and Rs 1200 per dose to private hospitals, two days after its competitor Serum Institute of India declared the rate of Covishield for non-central government channels.

Covaxin and Covishield are currently two available vaccines for COVID-19 in India.

SII had said that Covishield will be available to states at Rs 400 per dose and private hospitals at Rs 600 per dose which led to huge criticism as the company has hinted earlier that it was generating normal profit even at Rs 150 per dose, at which it has been supplying the vaccine to the Centre.

In a statement, Bharat Biotech, which has developed Covaxin in collaboration with ICMR's National Institute of Virology said that the company is "honoured to develop, manufacture and supply the vaccine for India’s vaccine rollout at Rs 150 per dose", which is distributed for free by the Centre.

"We would like to state that more than 50 per cent of our capacities have been reserved for Central government supplies," it said adding that the vaccine has a distinct feature of having a 28 day open vial policy. Once opened, the vaccine can be stored at 2-8 degree Celsius for 28 days thereby reducing the wastage.

The announcement comes days after the company, along with ICMR, issued a press release saying that the second interim analysis of the phase-3 clinical trial of the vaccine had shown it to be 78 per cent effective against infection and 100 per cent effective against severe disease.

The company also justified the price, viewed as steep by many, by saying that Covaxin is an inactivated and highly purified vaccine, making manufacturing expensive due to very low process yield. "All costs towards product development, manufacturing facilities and clinical trials were deployed primarily using internal funding and resources of Bharat Biotech," said the company.

It also said that "recovering costs is essential in the journey of innovation towards other vaccine such as intranasal COVID-19, Zika, Chikungunya, Cholera and others".

50 percent of COVID patients in Tamil Nadu are in home quarantine, says top health official

50 percent of COVID patients in Tamil Nadu are in home quarantine, says top health official

“Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms must get themselves screened at the Corporation screening centre. They would be guided on admission or home quarantine from here,” said Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan

Published: 24th April 2021 06:18 PM 

A health worker taking a patient suspected to have infected with Covid, for testing at KMC, in Chennai, on Friday | P Jawahar

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: About 50 percent of COVID-19 patients in Tamil Nadu are in home quarantine, Health Secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan said on Saturday.

Addressing reporters, he said 50.8 percent of COVID-19 patients are in home quarantine and 8.85 percent patients are in COVID-19 care centers, while 25.8 percent are at hospitals and the remaining comprise daily discharge and admissions.

“Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms must get themselves screened at the Corporation screening centre for X-ray and blood profile. They would be guided on admission or home quarantine from here,” said Radhakrishnan.

He said that if people have severe symptoms, they can call the 108 ambulances or call 044-46122300/044-25384520 for assistance to get admitted to a hospital.

“If large numbers of people come to hospitals without symptoms, it will give the wrong impression that hospitals are crowded. Hospitals must be reserved only for those needing oxygen. This will be determined at the screening centres,” said Radhakrishnan.

Radhakrishnan also said it was worrying to hear of patients self-medicating themselves with drugs at their homes.

“I have learned that people are injecting themselves with Remdesivir or Tocilizumab at their homes. Leave the judgment of who needs these drugs to doctors and do not indulge in self-medication,” said Radhakrishnan.

The health secretary said that 363 additional doctors have been added to the present strength of doctors to fight COVID-19.

“Only if we stop the COVID-19 chain will crowds not gather at government hospitals,” he pointed out.

Radhakrishnan said that the oxygen capacity in the state is adequate and the government also regularly requests the Centre to fill up vaccine stock.

Surge in COVID-19 cases sparks fears among government employees in Chennai

Surge in COVID-19 cases sparks fears among government employees in Chennai

Already, many top government officials have tested positive but they have continued with their work.

Published: 24th April 2021 05:49 PM 

A health worker collecting swab samples in Chennai | Ashwin Prasath

By C Shivakumar

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The rapid rise in COVID-19 cases across the state has worried government employees who fear they could contract the virus during work. Already, many top government officials have tested positive but they have continued with their work.

With the Chennai Corporation warning of a massive spurt in cases next month, many employees have urged their department heads to conduct RT-PCR tests for them.

It is learnt that some departments like Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority have yielded to the request and tested a total of 164 employees for COVID-19. This also comes after some employees tested positive a few days ago.

A Chennai Corporation official told The New Indian Express that they took a sample of 64 employees on Thursday and 100 employees on Friday. "Five of them have tested positive," said the official. The employees have been home quarantined

The tests were conducted after some employees were found to be positive for the virus sparking fear among other workers. It is learnt that the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority Welfare Association put up a plea before the officials to conduct a test of its employees before undertaking a massive inoculation programme of the department.

The Chennai Corporation said they will be conducting camps to vaccinate all employees. Meanwhile, sources told The New Indian Express that CMDA has not given any relaxations for its employees despite the rise in COVID-19 cases. The fear of getting infected comes as CMDA has not restricted outsiders coming to the office.

"Outsiders who come for planning approvals or raising minor queries are putting the employees at risk. There is no shield or glass, so the employees are vulnerable in contracting the virus, which is airborne," said one of the association member. He demanded that CMDA come out with restrictions on outsiders coming to office and conduct the entire work through online mode.

However, official sources said that cutting down the strength in state government offices is not a feasible option. "With counting for the elections around the corner and cases rising, it will be difficult to run with half the strength," the official said. The other issue which government organisations face is who will be among the 50 per cent excused from work. "This will cause a lot of heartburn among employees," said the official.

Meanwhile, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited's Chennai Telephones is preparing for any eventuality including lockdown like measures following the rapid rise in cases across Chennai. V K Sanjeevi, chief general manager of Chennai Telephones, told The New Indian Express that some employees have tested positive but since telecommunications is an essential service, there is no restriction on work.

However, administrative meetings are not taking place. We conduct virtual meetings. It is learnt that once the vaccination for all begins from May 1, it will be mandatory for all BSNL employees to get vaccinated. "We don't want people to be put at risk," said Sanjeevi. It is learnt that BSNL is tying up with Chennai Corporation to vaccinate all its staff.

Chennai lockdown: Home nurses, caretakers confused about work commute

Chennai lockdown: Home nurses, caretakers confused about work commute

Officials said that permissions for caretakers to commute can be sought from the local corporation office or police stations.

Published: 24th April 2021 09:13 PM 

By Sushmitha Ramakrishnan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: With the first full lockdown on Sunday, senior citizens, disabled persons, and others who require nurses or attenders to provide home-based care are confused if their caretakers will be allowed to

commute during the day.

Officials said that permissions for caretakers to commute can be sought from the local corporation office or police stations.

Last year, when Chennai went under complete lockdown, the city corporation had issued passes to these caretakers. However, no such official announcement has been made to issue special passes to caretakers this year.

R Bala, an 86-year-old woman from Adyar, told The New Indian Express that she has hired a nurse and a cook who she depends on. "I live alone and I cannot cook for myself. I need assistance to even move around the house. I don't know how I'll manage without them on Sunday," she said adding that she cannot travel to the local authorities either.

Renuka, a caretaker living in Saidapet, travels to T Nagar every day. She takes care of a 74-year woman who is bedridden and immobile. "There is no public transport. I will have to ask my husband to drop me off there. I don't know what I will say if the police stop us," she said.

Speaking to Express, a senior official from the city corporation said while the authorities have not made any provision for special passes yet, people can independently seek permission from the local police station or corporation office. "Last year, a lot of people came to us asking for passes. So we issued them. Till then people can simply get permission from the authorities nearby," the official said.

The nurses who have their identity cards will be allowed to commute if they simply produce it, he added.

BU staff demands total shutdown of varsity amid Covid-19 rise

BU staff demands total shutdown of varsity amid Covid-19 rise

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal:25.04.2021 

After several staffers in Barkatullah University tested positive, the employees of thevarsity havedemanded that the premises be shut down. As many as five employees have lost their lives to the pandemic, while five teaching and eight non-teaching staff have tested positive for Covid.

Registrar HS Tripathi confirmed to TOI that five employees of the Barkatullah University have lost their lives to Covid. “It is true that employees are in fear after witnessing five deaths in the varsity in such short span of time. We have issued Covid guidelines for the employees to avoid the infection,” he said.

Tripathi said, the university is running with 10% staff as per the guidelines. “Only the VCandIaregoing totheuniversity. In addition, employees of the accounts department are coming. Other works including teaching is completely stopped,” said Tripathi.

He added, “Accounts department has to come to issue thesalary andother imperative financial work. Their presence is important.”

Microsleep and micronap: Know the difference

Microsleep and micronap: Know the difference

Microsleep

When you fall asleep briefly for a few seconds and sometimes you don’t even notice it. It can occur at any time and can be dangerous if you’re driving, for example. Microsleep is a clear indication you need more shuteye.

Micronap

This is a type of power nap where you sleep, or just relax with your eyes closed for a few minutes after which you feel refreshed and can tackle your next task. You can do this every day to give yourself an extra boost.

— DAILY MIRROR

TN and Kerala have fought the Covid tsunami well so far

TN and Kerala have fought the Covid tsunami well so far

A Triaging System & Stocks Of O2, Meds Play The Most Crucial Roles

Rema Nagarajan & Pushpa Narayan TNN

25.04.2021

The tsunami of Covid cases has led to a collapse of the health system in state after state exposing the lack of preparedness. People are begging for help as they run from one hospital to another looking for a bed, oxygen, drugs, ambulances or even hearse vans. With helplines clogged, nodal officers unreachable and dashboards and apps without real time data, some are turning to social media Samaritans in desperation. But there are two states — Tamil Nadu and Kerala — that have not witnessed such scenes yet. Both these states seem to have learnt important lessons from the last surge and stand out for their public health approach to tackling the pandemic and preparedness in terms of putting a system in place that takes responsibility of guiding treatment once a person tests positive for Covid.

In contrast to other states, how different has been the approach in Tamil Nadu and Kerala? In Tamil Nadu, Chennai has the highest number of cases and 75% of Covid beds are occupied. But instead of frantic relatives running around, the corporation has stepped in to reassure citizens that they need not approach hospitals directly. “Whosoever has a serious condition, they will be given first preference to get quality care and immediate treatment will be started. It is common sense. Those with mild symptoms should go to the screening centre,” explained the corporation commissioner G Prakash adding such a patient management system was important to avoid what was happening in other cities where people were lying on the road waiting for treatment.

Similar arrangements have been made in every district in Tamil Nadu. The state government has also stocked oxygen and centrally procured all the drugs needed for treatment of Covid. These arrangements have ensured that people don’t throng hospitals in panic. It has also prevented patients in a desperate situation being looted in the name of providing ambulances, oxygen or medicines. Ambulance, screening centre services and RTPCR tests are free for patients.

In Kerala, also a triaging system involving the public health cadre and the different tiers of the health system has been put in place along with tele-consultation facilities for patients to consult doctors without having to travel to hospitals. Barring a small percentage of walk-in patients who choose private hospitals and opt to pay for it themselves, for most, all Covid-related services are free of cost in the public health system. “We are preparing for an even bigger patient load. But no health system can go on expanding. So we are trying hard to bring the number of cases down to take the load off the system,” said Dr Mohammed Asheel, executive director of Kerala Social Security Mission even as daily Covid cases in the state have crossed 28,000 from about 14,000 a week back. By making use of the public health cadre and the different levels of treatment centres, these states have managed to minimise the load on the health system even as they get ready to face a surge.

“If a patient reaches a hospital, it should be the responsibility of the hospital to find the nearest bed so that patients need to go to just one place. There is an urgent need for a properly run control room which will know the number of beds open for admission and where. What patients are being put through is shocking and unacceptable,” said Dr T Sundararaman, global health coordinator of Peoples Health Movement.

Kapil Chopra of Charity Beds, which has been helping people find beds in Delhi, says the number of cases has deluged the system. “The government keeps talking of beds being available. Just go to their hospital and you will see a line of ambulances outside. People are sitting in ambulances and dying in ambulances. It is too late to talk of a system,” he said.

Sexual harassment: UAS V-C’s PA, stenographer suspended

Sexual harassment: UAS V-C’s PA, stenographer suspended

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Dharwad:25.04.2021 

The University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, has suspended two of its employees on charges of alleged misconduct. The varsity administrator has issued orders suspending the vice-chancellor’s personal assistant M A Mulla and stenographer U B Mestri on Friday.

The action comes after Dharwad suburban police registered an FIR against the two officials on Thursday in connection with the death of two women in an accident. Based on the complaint filed by Pratibha Singanath, mother of Meghana Singanath, police have registered the FIR against Mulla and Mestri.

Meghana and Rekha Kokatnur, who were working at the UAS on contract, died in an accident near Mastikatta near Ankola in Uttara Kannada district on January 30 when the car in which they were travelling collided with another vehicle. The car was being driven by Mulla and Mestri was another occupant.

Pratibha in her complaint has claimed that Mulla was sexually harassing the two women and had taken them to Goa on the pretext of taking them to Bagalkot for official work. Mestri had allegedly raped the two women in Goa and had threatened them of dire consequences if they told anyone about the incident, the complaint said. The car met with the accident while returning from Goa and both the women were killed.

Covaxin priced at ₹600 for states, ₹1200 for pvt hosps

Covaxin priced at ₹600 for states, ₹1200 for pvt hosps

Swati Bharadwaj & Rupali Mukherjee TNN

Hyderabad/Mumbai: 25.04.2021 

Indigenous Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin will be priced at Rs 600 per dose for state governments and Rs 1,200 for private hospitals, its developer Bharat Biotech said on Saturday.

For private hospitals, the increase in the vaccine price will be as much as eight times the current supplies they are getting through the central government. Similarly, state governments will pay Rs 600 per shot — four times more than the price at which the Centre will get the vaccine.

At these rates, for private hospitals, Covaxin will come at twice the cost of Serum Institute of India’s Covishield, which will be sold at Rs 600.

Bharat Biotech to keep prices for Centre unchanged at ₹150

For states too there will be a difference of Rs 200 per shot. Bharat Biotech, however, intends to keep prices for the Central government unchanged at Rs 150, unlike Serum Institute, which is seeking to increase the rate for the Centre to Rs 400 a shot.

The Hyderabad-based company sought to defend its pricing plan suggesting that in the export market, the vaccine price has been pegged at $15-20 per dose (Rs 1,125-1,500). The action is set to come under the scanner, with Serum Institute already facing flak.

On Saturday, Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla had to issue a statement justifying the price increase on the grounds that it was required to make it sustainable for the company to invest in scaling up capacity. The company maintained that Covishield was the most affordable Covid-19 vaccine.

The initial supply price of Covishield for all government immunisation programmes including India’s, has been the lowest, he said. The low price was also possible as advance funding was available, the company argued. “The price of the vaccine is still lower than a lot of other medical treatment and essentials required to treat Covid-19 and other life-threatening diseases,” Poonawalla said.

Only a limited portion of Serum’s volume will be sold to private hospitals at Rs 600 per dose, he said. “Government procurement for country-wide immunisation programmes in all countries including India has been at a far lower price as the volumes are very large,” the statement added.

Justice N V Ramana sworn in as 48th Chief Justice of India

Justice N V Ramana sworn in as 48th Chief Justice of India

As SC Judge, Authored Key Verdicts; Ensured End Of Internet Ban In Kashmir

25.04.2021 

New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) Justice N V Ramana, the new chief justice of India, has authored path-breaking verdicts as a Supreme Court judge and one of them led to the end of internet ban in Jammu and Kashmir, and another brought the apex court under the ambit of transparency law.

Hailing from an agriculturist family of Ponnavaram village of Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district, a soft-spoken Justice Ramana, sworn in as the 48th CJI by President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday, will have a tenure of over 16 months. He will demit office on August 26 next year and have to deal with key task of ensuring smooth functioning of apex court amid resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic.

The judgement penned by Justice Ramana in the Anuradha Bhasin case related to internet ban in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 provisions has been hailed by many as one of the progressive verdicts.

It held that freedom of speech and conducting business on the internet are protected under the Constitution and had directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration to immediately review curb orders.

The bench had directed the authorities in the Union territory to immediately review all orders suspending internet services and said orders not in accordance with the law must be revoked.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Justice Ramana had in March last year declined to refer to a larger sevenjudge bench a batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the Centre's decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370.

He was part of a five-judge constitution bench that had held in November 2019 that the office of the CJI was a public authority under the Right to Information Act.

In the November 2019 verdict, the top court had also said "judicial independence has to be kept in mind" while disclosing information in "public interest".

He was also a part of a fivejudge constitution bench of the top court that had in a landmark verdict in 2016 ordered restoration of the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh. The bench had said the "clock should be turned back" as it quashed all decisions of the governor that precipitated its fall in January, holding them "violative" of the Constitution.

In November 2019, a bench led by Justice Ramana had ordered floor test for then Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to prove his majority in the House, saying there was a "possibility of horse-trading" in case of delay.

Justice Ramana-led bench has also dealt with a plea that raised the issue of inordinately delay in disposal of criminal cases against former and sitting lawmakers.

Last September, the bench had said there had been "no substantial improvement" in disposal of pending criminal cases against sitting and former lawmakers, and directed the chief justices of high courts to submit an action plan for rationalisation of special courts to deal with these matters.

While acting as an executive chairperson of the National Legal Services Authority of India, he undertook various programmes to develop a strong legal aid culture in India and has been responsible for making India's legal aid programme "the largest in the world". PTI

President Ram Nath Kovind administers the oath of office to Justice N V Ramana, as the Chief Justice of India, at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Saturday

Nurse back on duty on 2nd day after kidney surgery

Nurse back on duty on 2nd day after kidney surgery

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:25.04.2021

If one sees Rekha Brahmbhatt, the head nurse at the 1,200-bed Covid hospital on the Civil Hospital campus, one might not notice that behind the smiling face and tireless duty, she has endured excruciating kidney pain. She had also deferred her surgery. “My chronic kidney disease needed a surgery and stenting. I underwent an operation in February, but the pain was recurring,” said Brahmbhatt, a native of Gandhinagar. “I was advised to again undergo a surgery. I could not leave work, but took a day off and reported for duty on the second day.”

Working at the hospital for the past one year on Covid duty, Brahmbhatt manages ward data, nursing staff, and coordination with patients to understand their requirements. Nowadays, her primary role is to ascertain the number of beds available and conveying it to the authorities. “I may endure my pain, but we are most needed at this time when the pandemic is at its peak,” she said. “If we won’t work now, when will we?”

Wedding blocks jab for senior citizens

AMC BUNGLE

Wedding blocks jab for senior citizens

Ahmedabad: 25.04.2021 

For the many elderly who turned up at the designated vaccination centre at the AMC’s Navdeep Hall in Naranpura on Saturday, it was a shock to see a wedding ceremony under way at the location. Since morning, many elderly had come walking a few kilometres to the centre, taking a risk during the pandemic. They had carried their identity cards with them. But they were told to leave because the celebration was on at the civic community centre.

Senior municipal officials said that a family had booked the community centre almost six months ago and there was no way the ceremony could be postponed. “The estate department had failed to communicate to the health department regarding the wedding booking,” said a senior official of the West Zone. “The elderly have requested the AMC for an alternative date.” The estate department has been told to better coordinate with local health departments.

It’s not just India’s fight, the world needs to pitch in

BY INVITATION

It’s not just India’s fight, the world needs to pitch in

BHRAMAR MUKHERJEE

25.04.2021 

As life is attempting to return to normalcy in the US with 52% of the adult population receiving at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and 35% of adults fully vaccinated on April 23, on the other side of the world, the lives of my friends and family in India have been struck with a paralysing sense of fear, anxiety, trauma and pain. The second surge of SARS-CoV-2 infections has a ferocity and a velocity that has never been seen before in this pandemic. In the last one month, daily new cases have gone up by roughly 8 times (from 40,000 to 315,000) and daily deaths have gone up by roughly 10 times (from 198 to 2,100). We are staring at a startling effective reproduction number of 1.6 nationally, with seven states having a 7-day average reproduction number above 2.0.

It is an enormous tidal wave that is ravaging my country of birth and we, unfortunately, have access to only picket fences to stop it. Many of us with a hyphenated identity across two continents, people of Indian origin living away from home tremble at the very sound of the phone ringing…is it a +91 number? Are our loved ones safe? If something happens to my octogenarian parents, will I be able to go through the travel restrictions to be by their side? Even in our safe inoculated first-world bubbles, there is no escape from this global pandemic.

Going from the personal to the population health level, the humanitarian crisis in India has ripple effects far beyond its borders. What happens in India affects the whole world in a number of ways. I will just share two compelling examples. As we can already appreciate, the more the virus spreads, the more it mutates. The UK variant is in Michigan, the Indian double mutant is in the UK: no one is safe until everyone is safe. The pandemic has taught us more emphatically than ever that our health is interconnected. The second example is through more obvious supply chain connections. Since India is one of the world’s largest vaccine producers, skyrocketing domestic demands for vaccines have already started to affect the immunisation plans of other countries.

We need to solidify our alliance with international partners to get through this catastrophe. This collaboration can take place in various direct and indirect ways, starting from negotiating supply of oxygen cylinders, pulse oximeters, medications, airlifting of oxygen generation plants to address the immediate crisis or through setting up a robust and scalable infrastructure for genomic sequencing integrated with epidemiologic surveillance. Some of these efforts are already underway. Sharing sequencing and individual level clinical and vaccination data in real time with global consortiums much more extensively and nimbly will help advance our understanding of the disease and the emerging variants. Assistance can be sought to secure shipments of rapid home self-tests for Covid-19, the one manufactured by Abbott is currently available in US retail stores. These tests are affordable, accurate and fast and will help us circumvent the RT-PCR testing bottleneck. Now that EUA has been granted to internationally approved vaccines, collaboration is needed to secure as many doses as quickly as possible.

Of critical importance is to strike a deal for one-shot vaccines due to the urgency and enormity of this exploding crisis and challenges with vaccine adherence in India. Global support towards enhancing infrastructure to scale up vaccine production in India, pressing pedal to the floor, will eventually help the whole world in managing the pandemic. The entire world should equally benefit from the astonishing science, technology and knowledge generated collectively in the last one year, not just the first world. It is undeniable that Covid-19 has underscored the glaring structural health inequities that exist around the world. The distribution of loss has not been equal, from Detroit to Dharavi, it is the most vulnerable who have suffered and are suffering the most.

It is even more unfortunate to see the loss of countless lives at this specific moment, when in a few months, copious supply of vaccines may be available. India has vaccinated only 1.5% of its population fully, we have a long way to go. We cannot be fatalistic and surrender to destiny and let people die, we have to work together as a nation and as a world, as a powerful and solidified human force against this insidious virus. The fundamental principle of public health and medicine is to save human lives, regardless of skin color, cast, creed, socio-economic status, religion, political ideology or country of origin. As clichéd as it may sound, we are indeed, all in this together. Colossal mistakes have been made to get us to this precarious juncture, insular focus on self-reliance is just not enough anymore.

Mukherjee is professor and Chair of Biostatistics at the University of Michigan School of Public Health

JAB WE UNITE: Global support to scale up vaccine production in India is vital