No change in vax gap, interval working well, says NTAGI chief

No change in vax gap, interval working well, says NTAGI chief

Nisha.Nambiar@timesgroup.com

Pune:26.09.2021

Dr N K Arora, chairman, Covid-19 working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), on Saturday ruled out any changes in the gap between two doses of Covishield, citing scientific studies suggesting the vaccine’s higher efficacy when the interval between the shots was longer.

“Any further changes would be based only on scientific evidence and not on random demands,” Arora told TOI on Saturday, stressing that the current interval had been working well.

Several states, including Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra, are keen to reduce the gap between the two doses of Covishield from the current 84 days.

Arora said data from the vaccine tracker platform indicated that the way the Covishield doses were currently being administered was fine. Therefore, there was no need to change it as of now, he said, adding that the vaccine’s effectiveness in the current interval was being monitored constantly.

Virologist T Jacob John differed a bit. He told TOI the Covishield doses’ gap could be reduced to four weeks for individuals at high risk and senior citizens. “They (authorities) should at least think about it,” he said. Explaining his thought, the retired professor and the head of department of clinical virology and microbiology of Christian Medical College (Vellore) said, “If someone wants early immunity, give the second dose at four weeks. But if you want the maximum possible immunity, wait for 84 days. Two doses save lives. So, for individuals at high risk of severe disease and death, four weeks’ interval is the best. For them, protection delayed could mean protection denied. For all others between 18 and 60 years, the 84-day interval is logical.”

Dr Anish T S, associate professor at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, also said a shorter gap could be considered for vulnerable groups such as senior citizens and people with comorbidities. “The effectiveness of a single dose may not be sufficient to protect them from clinically severe diseases in the context of the Delta variant,” he said.

Dr M K Sudarshan, chairman of the Karnataka government Covid-19 technical advisory committee, told TOI they had recommended that the Karnataka health minister reduce the time gap of Covishield doses to about six weeks because there were sufficient vaccines but not enough second dose takers. “There is enough scientific evidence that one to two months’ gap is efficacious,” he said.

Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, member, National Indian Medical Task Force on Corona Epidemic, told TOI a longer gap was better for long-term protection. “At present, it is best to have a longer gap to protect people from severe disease,” he added.

Vaccine effectiveness monitored constantly, said NTAGI’s Dr N K Arora

‘No vax for children before schools open; parents, teachers need jabs’

There was no need to vaccinate children for reopening schools, said NTAGI task force chairman Dr N K Arora on Saturday. “What is important is to vaccinate parents, teachers and school staffers before the resumption of physical classes,” he said.

Vaccination of healthy children would commence next year, but the immunization of kids with comorbidities would start next month, Dr Arora said. He said they were finalising the list of comorbidities in this age group and it would be ready in the next 8-10 days.

Virologist Dr T Jacob John said the priority of vaccination for children was not high and schools should reopen before the immunisation programme was rolled out. TNN

After 7.5% quota, panel seeks school dropout database

After 7.5% quota, panel seeks school dropout database

Also recommends that skills of students be identified at schools

Published: 26th September 2021 05:34 AM 

The counselling process underway at the Government Central Polytechnic College at Taramani in Chennai. (Photo | Ashwin Prasath, EPS)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Justice D Murugesan committee, formed to analyse the reasons for fewer enrolment of government school students in engineering and other professional courses, has recommended the creation of a database on school dropouts.

“Creating a database of school dropouts is crucial. Unless we create a database, we will never know how many students dropped out to become labourers or victims of child marriage,” said Prince Gajendra Babu, an educationist.

It was based on the recommendations of the committee report that the State government introduced the 7.5 per cent horizontal reservation for government school students in admissions to professional courses. The report also wanted the skills of the students to be identified at school-level itself on the basis of their flair and aptitude. Further, it recommended a revision of the school syllabus to meet the requirements of modern technology, and suggested a mechanism to establish permanent training centres for teachers to update them on the proper utilisation of modern education technology and on the subjects they teach.

“In the pandemic period, teaching has no longer been the same. There have been behavioural changes in students, with their patience and attention levels dropping. Add the introduction of digital technology to it, and our government school teachers will need continuous training,” said M Sashidharan, a retired government college teacher.

“If we genuinely intend to give our government school students their due in professional courses, then all these points, which focus on holistic improvement of our schools, need to be followed,” added Sashidharan. The report also wants the government to focus more on improving the quality of schools. “Government systems generally focus on expansion, which too is a must. But, the schemes which aim to improve quality often get ignored at implementation stage albeit finding a prominent mention in the policies,” mentions the report.

An analysis in the report shows that only 12,659 government school students had joined engineering courses during the academic year 2019-20, representing a paltry 5.59 per cent of the available 2,26,385 seats during the year. In 2020-21, the number was 13,082, just 6.14 per cent of a total of 212932 seats available. The percentage of first generation government school students joining engineering courses stood at 2.41 per cent and 3.22 per cent during academic year 2019-2020 and 2020-21 respectively.

‘Victim-blaming’ news reports upset family of murdered Madras Christian College student

‘Victim-blaming’ news reports upset family of murdered Madras Christian College student

Police officials said the family was disappointed with the media coverage of the crime as they felt some sections of the media blamed the victim.

Published: 25th September 2021 07:03 AM 

A shamiana put up outside the house of Swetha on Friday, a day after she was murdered near the Tambaram Railway Station | R Satish Babu

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A day after a 25-year-old man murdered a student of the Madras Christian College (MCC) near the Tambaram Railway Station, grief filled the locality where the family of the victim, Swetha, resides. Police officials said the family was disappointed with the media coverage of the crime as they felt some sections of the media blamed the victim.

Meanwhile, the accused Ramachandran’s father allegedly attempted to beat his son at the hospital as he was agitated by the youngster’s act, police sources said. In his statement to the police, Ramachandran said he bought a knife to kill himself in front of Swetha as a sign of protest since she broke up with him, but ended up murdering her in a fit of rage after an argument. On realising the people around would nab him and hand him to the police, he inflicted an injury on his throat, but the attempt to commit suicide was stopped by the public, the police said.

On Friday morning, the police handed over Swetha’s body to her family after an autopsy. Their neighbourhood in Chromepet was filled with grief as several people visited the house to express condolences. Ramachandran was on Friday remanded in judicial custody after being discharged from hospital. Quoting him, the police said he had asked Swetha to meet him in front of the Tambaram Railway Station, and Ramachandran bought the knife before boarding the train at Maraimalai Nagar.

One of Swetha’s friends told the police the victim had said her troubles would end after meeting Ramachandran and she would be able to carry on with her life. Ramachandran, a native of Nagapattinam, was working in Maraimalai Nagar, and is said to have known the victim for three years.

Pilot study in RGGGH on chronic kidney disease

Pilot study in RGGGH on chronic kidney disease

The Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) has started a pilot study to identify chronic kidney disease among the rural population.

Published: 26th September 2021 06:39 AM 

By Omjasvin MD

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) has started a pilot study to identify chronic kidney disease among the rural population. Doctors said the drive began on Saturday and would cover up to 1,500 people.

“We have had eight patients with kidney diseases from Sengadu in Kancheepuram in the past and some were from the same street. So we wanted to know why the prevalence of kidney issues is high in this village,” Dr N Gopalakrishnan, Director of Institute of Nephrology told TNIE.

In the project, 40 doctors and more than 20 technicians are involved. Gopalakrishnan said the pilot study primarily focuses on identifying the illness early and providing treatment. “The village has 387 families and 1,500 people,” he said, adding most patients were in their 20s and 30s.

Hospital Dean, Dr E Theranirajan, said unknown factors could have caused the illness but after early detection and treatment, they would study the cause as well. “Early detection can save these lives and prevent the illness from going critical,” he said.

Doctors believe water salinity and contamination can contribute to early kidney disease. “The community medicine department had been assigned for outreach but this is the first time the nephrology department is doing an outreach programme,” the dean said.

Aadhaar authentication of taxpayers must for GST refund

Aadhaar authentication of taxpayers must for GST refund

New Delhi:26.09.2021

The government has made Aadhaar authentication of taxpayers mandatory for claiming Goods and Services Tax (GST) refund.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has amended GST rules bringing in various anti-evasion measures, including disbursal of refunds only in the bank account which is linked with the same PAN on which GST registration has been obtained.

The notification also states that from January 1, 2022 businesses that have defaulted in filing summary return and paying monthly GST will not be able to file GSTR-1 sales return of the succeeding month.

The notification follows the decisions taken at the GST Council meeting on September 17. PTI

Now, Aadhaar of taxpayers must for GST refund

Now, Aadhaar of taxpayers must for GST refund

26.09.2021

New Delhi:

The government has made Aadhaar authentication of taxpayers mandatory for claiming Goods and Services Tax (GST) refund. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has amended GST rules bringing in various anti-evasion measures, including disbursal of refunds only in the bank account which is linked with the same PAN on which GST registration has been obtained. The notification also states that from January 1, 2022 businesses that have defaulted in filing summary return and paying monthly GST will not be able to file GSTR-1 sales return of the succeeding month. PTI

No change in Covishield dose gap: NTAGI

No change in Covishield dose gap: NTAGI

Nisha.Nambiar@timesgroup.com

Pune:26.09.2021

Dr NK Arora, chairman of the Covid-19 working group of National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), on Saturday ruled out any change in the gap between two doses of Covishield, saying scientific studies suggest higher efficacy when the interval is longer.

“Any further changes would be based only on scientific evidence and not on random demands,” Arora said. Several states, including Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra, are keen to reduce the interval, which is currently 84 days.

Arora said data from the vaccine tracker platform indicated that the way the Covishield doses are being administered is fine.

‘Consider cutting Covishield gap for some’

Therefore, there was no need to change it as of now, he said, adding that the vaccine’s effectiveness in the current interval is being monitored constanty. Virologist T Jacob John differed a little, saying the Covishield dose gap could be reduced to four weeks for senior citizens and individuals at high risk. “They (authorities) should at least think about it,” he said.

Explaining his thought, the retired professor and the head department of clinical virology and microbiology of Christian Medical College (Vellore) said, “If someone wants early immunity, give the second dose at four weeks. But if you want the maximum possible immunity, wait for 84 days. Two doses save lives. So, for individuals at high risk of severe disease and death, four weeks’ interval is the best. For them, protection delayed could mean protection denied. For all others aged between 18 and 60, the 84-day interval is logical.”

Dr MK Sudarshan, chairman of the Karnataka government’s Covid-19 technical advisory committee, said they had recommended the Karnataka health minister to reduce the time gap of Covishield doses to about six weeks because there were sufficient vaccines but not enough second dose takers. “There is enough scientific evidence that one to two months’ gap is effective,” he said.

Theatres & auditoriums to reopen in Maha from Oct 22

A day after the Maharashtra government announced reopening of schools and religious places, CM Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday approved the reopening of cinema halls and auditoriums in the state from October 22. A detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) is still being compiled and will be issued by the government in the next few days. The decision was taken following a meeting of Thackeray with filmmakers, members of the state Covid task force and senior state officials. Cinema and theatre professionals welcomed the CM’s announcement to restart halls on October 22. Stage artistes were especially pleased that their reopening was advanced from the earlier appointed date of November 5.

No need to vaccinate children for reopening schools, says Dr Arora

There was no need to vaccinate children for reopening schools, said NTAGI task force chairman Dr NK Arora. “What is important is to vaccinate parents, teachers and school staffers before the resumption of physical classes,” he said.

The vaccination of healthy children would commence next year, but the immunization of children with comorbidities would start next month, Dr Arora said. He said they were finalising the list of comorbidities in this age group and it would be ready in the next 8-10 days. Virologist Dr T Jacob John said the priority of vaccination for children was not high and schools should reopen before the immunization programme was rolled out.