Even if Covaxin formula shared, not many equipped to make it: Experts

Even if Covaxin formula shared, not many equipped to make it: Experts

Swati.Bharadwaj@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad:  16.05.2021 

After the loud chorus for vaccine maker Bharat Biotech to share its Covaxin "formula" prompted a top NITI Aayog official to invite interested vaccine makers to come forward, experts say very few players in the country are equipped to manufacture the inactivated virus vaccine.

That’s perhaps what also prompted Biocon’s founder chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw to tweet: “Vaccine Makers Invited To Produce Covaxin To Address Shortage -—interested to see how many takers there are.”

“Basically nobody actually wants to deal with or work with live viruses. In the rest of the world, nobody would dare to do it, that’s why most manufacturers go for protein-based vaccines. But in terms of the pandemic, the quickest way to develop a vaccine is to take the live virus and inactivate it,” says the honcho of a leading vaccine company.

Adds vaccine pioneer and Shantha Biotech founder KI Varaprasad Reddy: “Firstly, in a vaccine, there is no formula, its a process and technology. Even if others get it, they will take at least 6-8 months to a year to get acclimatized and start production, as validation of a high containment Bio-Safety Level-3 (BSL-3) facility alone would take 3-6 months. Also, training people to handle live viruses would require at least six months. It’s not a joke.”

Sources point out that even Indian Immunologicals Ltd, which will be manufacturing the Covaxin drug substance, will take at least three months to repurpose its BSL-2+ rabies facility and full-fledged production would begin only after October.

Others like Bharat Immunologicals & Biologicals as well as Haffkine Institute, roped in by the Indian government to make Covaxin, too, would take a few months to set up BSL-3 facilities.

Explaining the need for a BSL-3 facility to make Covaxin, Dr Rakesh K Mishra, former director and now adviser of Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), points out that Covaxin requires a large-scale culture facility in a BSL-3 setup for growing live SARS-CoV-2 virus.

NOT AN EASY TASK

People turned away as 12-wk rule for Covishield kicks in

People turned away as 12-wk rule for Covishield kicks in

Alok K N Mishra & Amin Ali TNN

New Delhi:16.05.2021 

Two days after the Centre approved extending the gap between two doses of the Covishield vaccine from 6-8 weeks to 12-16 weeks, many people in the 45+ age group who had booked their second dose on the CoWin portal got a rude shock. They were turned away from vaccination centres across the city on Saturday. They had no inkling of the change and the CoWin portal didn’t in any way reflect it.

Arguments broke out at the vaccination centres with people who had completed 42-56 days after the first dose claiming they had not received any message or mail and should be allowed the second dose. The civil defence volunteers and other officials had a hard time convincing them that they had to go back.

Dilpreet Kaur, a 65-yearold resident of Lajpat Nagar, whose daughter in the US had booked a slot for her, was quite distressed that she would now have to wait for almost a month for the second dose.

She said senior citizens, especially those like her who stay alone, should have been allowed to take their second shot. The change has been brought about following a recommendation by the Covid Working Group, chaired by Dr N K Arora, which had been accepted by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19. It is based on the experience of the United Kingdom.

Ambiguity over whether this was only an advisory ended when people turned up at the vaccination centres on Saturday morning. They were told that they would get the second dose only after they completed at least 12 weeks (84 days). The orders from the central government seemed to have travelled to the Delhi government with lightning speed, bypassing the CoWin portal. It showed no change in the status of people, including many elderly citizens, who had found a slot with great difficulty, travelled some distance and stood in queue.

The Delhi government has been asked by the Centre to ensure that the second dose of Covishield is given at an interval of 12 to 16 weeks. This has been conveyed in a letter written to the chief secretary of all states and Union territories by the secretary, ministry of health & family welfare, Rajesh Bhushan. An immunisation officer in Delhi said officials and vaccinators have been asked to ensure adherence to the revised dosing interval.

Arguments broke out at vaccination centres with people claiming they had not received any message and should be allowed the second dose

Elderly show signs of depression: Survey

Elderly show signs of depression: Survey

Ambika.Pandit@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:16.05.2021 

Loneliness and a deepening sense of uncertainty has hit the senior citizens like never before during the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, according to the analysis based on interactions with over 5,000 elderly during the past one month by volunteers of Agewell Foundation. It has released data to flag mental health concerns with over 82% of the eldery complaining of anxiety due to rising Covid-19 cases and casualties around them.

Around 70.2% of respondents were found suffering from sleeplessness or insomnia or nightmares due to poor quality of sleep. During the past month, it was also found that 63% of the elderly developed symptoms of depression due to loneliness and social isolation and unceasing stress The analysis is based on feedback collected between April 10 and May 10.

More than half (55%) of the elderly claimed that they are also feeling weak and fatigued due to change in lifestyle, restrictions and other factors. At the same time, over 52% complained of loss of appetite.

Agewell Foundation Founder Himanshu Rath said, “During the past month, there was overall rise of 50% in the number of older people seeking counselling or help for psychological issues.”

These concerns are also reflected in the nature of calls being received by organisations like HelpAge India.

Loneliness and a sense of uncertainty have hit senior citizens during second wave of Covid-19 pandemic

Covid-19 patients can’t have visitors, attenders: DPH

Covid-19 patients can’t have visitors, attenders: DPH

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:16.05.2021 

The directorate of public health has prohibited visitors or attenders for Covid-19 patients admitted to isolation wards in dedicated Covid care hospitals, institutions and health centres to avoid further spread of the infection.

The order from the director of public health Dr T S Selvavinayagam directs hospitals to set up information desks for relatives to know about a patient's condition.

With increasing number of Covid-19 patients, government hospitals including tertiary care medical college hospitals such as Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital have been asking patient attenders to sit by the patients’ bedsides, in high-infection zones such as Covid-19 isolation wards and intensive care units. A family member sits by the side of patients without adequate PPEs, masks, gloves or face shields and monitors the patient's vital parameters such as saturation levels, feeds them and even walks them to the restroom.

While hospital administrators and doctors quote a shortage of nursing staff, Dr Selvavinayagam said permitting attendants can take infection back into the community. Over the past month, the state has found that 8-10% of fresh infections detected every day were picked up during patient visits or stays. Such attendees can also turn super spreaders when they travel between hospital and home. "If, due to unavoidable circumstances, attender visit or stay is essential, they should follow all Covid appropriate behaviour as directed by the head of the department or health officials. The attender’s health should be protected by giving him or her PPEs,” he said.

Covid-19 has been declared as a notified disease in Tamil Nadu under Section 62 of the TN Public Health Act, 1939 . “Under rule 71 (1) and (2) of the Act, exposure of other people to the infection is prohibited,” he said. While the order does not specify punishments for violation, legal experts say the rules permit the government to punish violators with imprisonment of up to three months or penalise them or do both.

State issues order as data shows 8-10% of fresh infections picked up from visiting patients

Covishield dose gap decision based on experts’ view: Govt

Covishield dose gap decision based on experts’ view: Govt

Decision Not Taken Under Pressure Or Due To Shortage: Dr V K Paul

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:16.05.2021 

The government said that the decision to increase the gap between first and second dose of Covishield vaccine to 12-16 weeks was based on assessment of experts and no controversy be created over suspected shortages of the shots.

The government stood by the decision even as UK decided to shorten the gap between the first and second doses of Covishield to eight weeks. The government said the vaccine expert group’s assessment is that even a single dose of vaccine is 60-85% effective in disease prevention (collectively for mild, moderate and severe) and inhibits transmissibility.

Officials did say the government will study the basis of the decision taken by UK while reversing the interval to eight weeks. The Centre had said the experience of UK based on actual vaccinations rather than limited studies was the basis of the Indian decision to increase the interval from 6-8 weeks to 12-16 weeks.

“They are taking decisions based on their situation, mutant, pandemic...We have taken it as per our risk epidemiology. We are driven by science. It is a dynamic process,” Niti Aayog, member-health Dr V K Paul said, adding, “If the science changes tomorrow we will move forward accordingly.”

UK on Friday reversed the gap between the first and second dose of Covishield to eight weeks from12 for all those over the age of 50 and the clinically vulnerable. UK cited concerns regarding B.1.617 variant, detected first in India, behind its decision.

Dr Paul also refuted that the decision to increase the time interval between two doses of Covishield vaccine to12-16 weeks was taken under any pressure or due to shortage.

“Independent scientists in our institutes have taken these decisions after studying the data to reduce the risk of infection in the Indian population,” Dr Paul said, referring to the recommendations of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation.

NEED OF THE HOUR: Despite heavy rain due to cyclone Tauktae, hundreds of people wait for vaccination in Mangaluru on Saturday

Couple murder daughter, 5, commit suicide in Salem dist

Couple murder daughter, 5, commit suicide in Salem dist

Salem:  16.05.2021 

A couple hanged to death after murdering their daughter at their house near Annadhanapatty here on Saturday. Police are yet to ascertain the reason that forced them to take the extreme step.

The Annadhanapatty police identified the deceased as K Gopinath, 31, of Maankuttai area, his wife G Pavithra, 29, and daughter G Nanditha, 5.

A police officer said Gopinath was working with a bakery in the city, while his wife was a homemaker.

He said it was Gopinath's mother K Sengamalam, 60, who first saw the couple hanging from the ceiling of their house. “She went to visit them on Saturday evening. She knocked on the door several times, but there was no response from inside. She waited for around 30 minutes and peeped through the window gap only to see her son and daughter-in-law hanging from the ceiling.”

She immediately alerted the Salem city police. Subsequently, Annadhanapatty police inspector Ramesh and team rushed to the spot and broke into the house. “We found Nanditha dead on the floor. The couple seemed to have strangulated her after feeding her food laced with poison,” the officer said.

Preliminary inquiry revealed that Gopinath was suffering from breathlessness since May 9. “He was taking treatment at the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College and Hospital. Gopinath was looking upset after his health deteriorated,” the officer said.

The Annadhanapatty police have registered a case and initiated inquiry. TNN

People crowd PDS counters for ₹2,000 dole

People crowd PDS counters for ₹2,000 dole

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

16.05.2021 

Long queues and crowds were the highlights of the government’s distribution of ₹2,000 Covid-19 relief to family card holders in the state which kicked off on Saturday, raising questions about the method chosen for handing over the dole when the pandemic is raging. However finance minister P T R Palanivel Thiagarajan said the government wanted to hand over the relief as early as possible.

In Kannankurichi town panchayat in Salem district, hundreds of DMK cadres surrounded Salem MP S R Parthiban, Salem (north) MLA R Rajendran and district collector S A Raman when they handed over the money to beneficiaries. “Was this an event to distribute the dole or spread Covid-19,” asked BJP state treasurer S R Sekhar who also pointed out that at several places card holders gathered without maintaining social distance.

Questions have been asked whether the government couldn’t have deposited the amount in the card holder’s bank account as in the case of central government schemes. Finance minister P T R Palanivel Thiagarajan said in Madurai there had been suggestions about giving the assistance in some other way. ``But it would have taken time, and we know there are problems with the Aadhaar system. This was the way in which it could be done in the fastest mode,’’ he said.

Citing macro economic theory, the minister, who is Madurai central MLA, said people’s money should rightfully reach them when there is a need. ``Tamil Nadu has seen many outstanding chief ministers, and chief minister M K Stalin is proving that he is as good and even better by swinging into action as soon as he assumed office,’’ he said President of Tamil Nadu Makkal Urimai Katchi (TNMUK) Poomozhi appealed to the chief minister not to resort to such a blunder while distributing grocery kits to card holders, supposed to start on June 3.

Meanwhile, an official release said the distribution of Covid relief from PDS outlets will be held on Sunday too. Cardholders who received tokens could collect the amount between 8am and 12noon.

Minister for Commercial Taxes P Moorthy distributed the dole in Chettikulam and said that as many as 8.99 lakh people will benefit from the scheme in Madurai district. Food and civil supplies minister R Sakkarapani launched the distribution in Coimbatore. He said there were as many as 10.18 lakh card holders in the district out of which about 2.17 lakh received it. As many as 1.78 lakh of the 8.1 lakh card holders in Trichy district were given the aid on the first day.

INVITING DANGER: DMK workers surround MP S R Parthiban in Salem on Saturday to collect the ₹2,000 dole