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COVID-19 India News

Centre to provide free Covid booster dose for 75 days

Around 26 per cent of the estimated 16 crore eligible population aged 60 and above as well as healthcare and frontline workers have received the booster dose…reports Asian Lite News

The Centre will provide free booster doses of Covid vaccines for the 18-59 age group at government vaccination centres under a 75-day special drive from July 15, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced on Wednesday.

The free booster dose drive will be held for next 75 days as part of the government’s Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence and to boost the uptake of Covid precaution doses, he said.

“Under the Amrit Mahotsav of Azadi, a 75-day free vaccination campaign will be conducted from July 15, in which all citizens above the age of 18 years will be given free vaccination doses at government centres”, Mandaviya said in a tweet. Mandaviya thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this decision.

Urging eligible population to get the precaution doses, he said in subsequent tweet: “With this decision, India’s fight against Covid will be strengthened and additional security of citizens will also be ensured. I urge that all adult citizens must get the prevention dose.”

Less than 1 per cent of the target population of 77 crore in the 18-59 age group have been administered the precaution dose, as per a source. The initiative has been undertaken to increase the uptake the precautions doses.

However, around 26 per cent of the estimated 16 crore eligible population aged 60 and above as well as healthcare and frontline workers have received the booster dose.

To accelerate the pace of vaccination and encourage booster shots, the government also had initiated the second round of the ‘Har Ghar Dastak campaign 2.0’ across states and UTs on June 1. The two-month programme is currently underway.

Daily Covid cases jump to 20,139

India reported 20,139 new Covid cases in last 24 hours, a considerable rise from the previous day’s count of 16,906, said the Union Health Ministry on Thursday.

In the same period, the country reported 38 more Covid deaths taking the nationwide toll to 5,25,557.

The active caseload has also risen to 1,36,076 cases, accounting for 0.31 per cent of the country’s total positive cases.

The recovery of 16,482 patients in the last 24 hours took the cumulative tally to 4,30,28,356. Consequently, India’s recovery rate stands at 98.49 per cent.

Meanwhile, India’s daily positivity rate has also increased to 5.10 per cent, while the weekly positivity rate currently stands at 4.37 per cent.

Also in the same period, a total of 3,94,774 tests were conducted across the country, increasing the overall tally to over 86.81 crore.

As of Thursday morning, India’s Covid-19 vaccination coverage exceeded 199.27 crore, achieved via 2,61,97,150 sessions.

Over 3.76 crore adolescents have been administered with a first dose of Covid-19 jab since the beginning of vaccination drive for this age bracket.

ALSO READ-Covid-19 booster dose gap reduced to 6 months

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-Top News COVID-19

Covid-19 booster dose gap reduced to 6 months

Israel decides to increase Covid measures for elders

Therefore it has now been decided that the precaution dose for all beneficiaries from 18-59 years will be administered after completion of 6 months or 26 weeks from the date of administration of 2nd dose at Private Covid Vaccination Centres…reports Asian Lite News

The Centre on Wednesday reduced the gap for administration of Covid vaccine booster doses from existing 9 months or 39 weeks to 6 months or 26 weeks.

The Union Health Ministry said that as per the recommendation, it has been decided all beneficiaries from 18-59 years will be administered the booster after completion of 6 months or 26 weeks from the date of administration of 2nd dose.

“In view of the evolving scientific evidence and global practices, the Standing Technical Sub Committee (STSCI) of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) has recommended to revise the duration between 2nd dose and precaution dose from existing 9 months or 39 weeks to 6 months or 26 weeks,” it said, adding that the NTAGI has endorsed it.

“Therefore it has now been decided that the precaution dose for all beneficiaries from 18-59 years will be administered after completion of 6 months or 26 weeks from the date of administration of 2nd dose at Private Covid Vaccination Centres (CVCs),” the ministry said in a letter to the states.

It also said that for beneficiaries aged above 60 years and above as well as the Health Care Workers (HCWs) and Front Line Workers (FLWs), the precaution dose would be administered after completion of 6 months or 26 weeks from the date of administration of 2nd dose at Government CVCs free of charge.

“Instructions in this regard may be issued to all the concerned officials and it may also be publicised widely. I look forward to your support and leadership for extending the benefits of precaution dose to all due beneficiaries at Covid Vaccination Centres (CVCs) as well as at household level during the ongoing Har Ghar Dastak 2.0 Campaign,” Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in the letter.

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COVID-19 India News

India now considering boosters for all adults

Lawmakers in parliament have called for boosters to be authorised soon for all adults…reports Asian Lite News

India is considering making all adults eligible for booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, two sources with knowledge of the matter said on Monday, as infections grow in some countries and some Indians find it hard to travel abroad without a third dose.

Only frontline workers and those older than 60 are now allowed to take booster doses in India, whether free in government centres or paid for in private hospitals.

The government is debating whether to provide boosters to other groups for free, said one of the sources, who both sought anonymity as the government has yet to make a decision.

A health ministry spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lawmakers in parliament have called for boosters to be authorised soon for all adults.

Last week, the health ministry urged Indian states to boost surveillance measures for the disease, citing a resurgence in some parts of Asia and Europe. Countries such as China and Italy have seen a recent rise in cases.

Infections in India have fallen to their lowest in more than a year, however, with 1,549 new cases reported in the past 24 hours and 31 deaths.

Devastated last year by a wave of Delta infections that saw morgues run out of space and people die in parking lots, India’s tally of infections during the pandemic now stands at more than 43 million, with 516,510 deaths.

Of the 1.81 billion vaccine doses distributed among the population of about 1.4 billion, more than 20 million are boosters.

On Twitter, some Indians have said organisers of some events overseas have limited attendance to those who have taken booster doses. Countries such as Israel, for example, do not consider vaccination complete in the absence of booster doses.

India reports 1,549 fresh Covid cases

In the last 24 hours, India reported 1,549 new Covid-19 cases and 31 deaths, the Union Health Ministry announced on Monday.

The new fatalities increased the nationwide death toll to 5,16,510.

Following a continuous downward trend, India’s active caseload has further declined to 25,106 on Monday, constituting 0.06 per cent of the country’s total positive cases.

A total of 2,652 patients have recovered in the last 24 hours, raising the cumulative tally to 4,24,67,774. India’s recovery rate stands at 98.74 per cent.

Also in the same period, a total of 3,84,499 tests were conducted across the country, which took the total to 78.30 crore.

Meanwhile, both the weekly and daily positivity rates currently stood at 0.40 per cent .

As of Monday morning, India’s Covid inoculation coverage has exceeded 181.24 crore, achieved via 2,14,03,116 sessions.

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-Top News UK News

Govt extends vaccine booster programme to all adults

Since last week, the government in London has slapped a travel ban on 10 southern African countries, including South Africa, to try to control the spread of Omicron…reports Asian Lite News.

All adults in Britain will now be able to get a third Covid jab, a government scientific advisory body said Monday, as concern mounted about the spread of the new Omicron variant.

The move, approved by Health Secretary Sajid Javid, comes as the UK government said it needed to react swiftly to the new variant, which was first detected in South Africa.

“We’re advising that the booster programme should now be extended to adults aged 18 to 39 years old,” said Wei Shen Lim, of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Until now, only adults aged 40 and over were eligible for a booster dose six months after their second.

At the same time, the advisory body also recommended second doses of vaccine for children aged 12 to 15.

Since last week, the government in London has slapped a travel ban on 10 southern African countries, including South Africa, to try to control the spread of Omicron.

It has also reintroduced compulsory testing for travellers, and mandatory mask-wearing in shops and public transport in England, as well as self-isolation for contact cases.

The JCVI approved the government’s proposed expansion of the rollout of booster jabs of Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech to include more people within a shorter time.

Britain is one of several countries to have announced cases of the new variant on their soil, including Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.

Six new cases

Meanwhile, six cases of the new strain were detected in Scotland on Monday, two of them in the largest city of Glasgow. Five others were confirmed in England, Javid told parliament.

“We expect cases to rise over the coming days,” he added.

“In this race between the vaccines and the virus the new variant may have given the virus extra legs,” he told MPs.

Meanwhile, six cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant have been confirmed in Scotland, taking the total for the United Kingdom up to nine with the previous three infections detected in England, the Scottish health authorities reported on Monday.

“Six cases of the Covid-19 omicron variant have been identified in Scotland. Four cases are in the Lanarkshire area and two have been identified in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area,” the Scottish semiautonomous government said in a statement, with Scotland’s Health Secretary Humaz Yousaf adding that “all will receive expert help and support and Public Health Scotland will undertake enhanced contact tracing in all cases.”

According to Yousaf, this will be a worrying time for the six people now identified as having the new variant. All will receive expert help and support and Public Health Scotland will undertake enhanced contact tracing in all cases.

He warned that since there was still much to learn about this new variant of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 regarding its severity, transmissibility and response to treatments and vaccines, people must be cautious and do everything they can to minimize the risk of spreading infection. On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) identified the new strain of the coronavirus, Omicron, as one of concern, since it may be more transmissible and dangerous. Cases of the new variant have already been confirmed in multiple countries and governments rushed to suspend travel with southern African nations in order to prevent the spread of the new strain.

In the United Kingdom, face coverings will be mandatory on public transport and in shops and other closed settings including banks, post offices and hairdressers from Tuesday, when isolation rules will return for international arrivals until they receive a negative PCR test for Covid-19.

The UK also convened an urgent meeting of the Group of Seven health ministers on Monday to discuss the Omicron variant.

Measures against Omicron variant come into effect

Targeted measures to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant took effect from 4am today.

Yesterday the JCVI advised the booster programme was extended to all 18-39 year-olds and the gap between the second dose and booster was reduced to three months. All those aged 12 to 15 years have now been advised to receive a second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, no sooner than 12 weeks after the first dose. Severely immunosuppressed individuals who have received three primary doses, should now also be offered a booster dose.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “The measures taking effect today are proportionate and responsible` and will buy us time in the face of this new variant. Based on everything we know, our vaccines and boosters remain our best line of defence, so it is more important than ever that people come forward when eligible to get boosted. Not only will today’s steps help us slow down the variant’s spread, but they will help us protect each other and the gains we have all worked so hard for.”

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UK Begins Covid Booster Vaccine Rollout

The National Health Service said that its vaccination programme will now invite eligible people, who had their second COVID jab at least six months ago, for a top up, reports Asian Lite News

The United Kingdom has begun to administer third coronavirus vaccine doses to medical and social care workers as part of their vaccination campaign, which will fully launch next week, the National Health Service said on Thursday.

The vaccination agencies are currently identifying those eligible for third doses.

“The NHS vaccination programme will now invite eligible people, who had their second COVID jab at least six months ago, for a top up,” the authority said in a statement.

The priority groups also include nursing home residents, adult house-contacts of “immunosuppressed individuals,” vulnerable people aged 16-49, and adults aged 50 and older, according to the statement.

Patients will be invited to vaccination without appointments once they become eligible, the service said, adding that around 4.5 million people from priority groups will receive shots in the coming weeks.

Earlier this week, the government allowed minors aged 12 to 15 to be offered one dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine starting next week.

To date, 48.5 million people in the UK were vaccinated at least once, and 44.2 million people have received two doses.

Meanwhile, another 26,911 people in the UK have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 7,339,009, according to official figures released on Thursday.

The country also recorded another 158 coronavirus-related deaths.

The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 134,805. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

The latest data came as modelling prepared for the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), a British government advisory body, showed that there is still “the potential for another large wave of hospitalisations” after the return of schools and more people going back to their workplaces.

“While the relationship between cases and hospitalisations has changed due to vaccination, increasing cases remain the earliest warning sign that hospital admissions are likely to rise,” the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling Operational sub-group (Spi-M-O) said.

University modelling provided to Spi-M-O showed that the hospital admissions in the next few months could skyrocket to more than 7000 per day.

The British government on Tuesday released a COVID-19 Autumn and Winter Plan, outlining the possible measures and restrictions the country may see towards the end of this year.

According to the plan unveiled by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, there is “significant uncertainty” about what will happen later this year and there is a “plausible” risk of cases rising to an extent that would place the National Health Service (NHS) under “unsustainable pressure”.

The government’s Plan A consists of a booster jabs campaign which will begin next week, and guidance that people meet outdoors or open windows if inside. “Plan B” could include vaccine passports, compulsory masks and working from home guidance.

Johnson said “Plan B” would aim to prevent the NHS being overwhelmed.

The total number of people in hospital with coronavirus in the country currently stands at 8,340. It has been over 8,000 for eight of the past nine days.

More than 89 percent of people aged 16 and over in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine and more than 81 percent have received both doses, the latest figures showed.

Meanwhile, in its latest weekly COVID-19 vaccine surveillance report, the Public Health England (PHE) has announced that 230,800 hospitalisations prevented by COVID-19 vaccines in those over 45.

The latest report included hospitalisations averted in those aged 45 to 64 years for the first time. Around 51,900 hospitalisations have been prevented in this age group, which includes healthy individuals and at-risk groups, the latter prioritised earlier in the campaign. (with inputs from ANI/Sputnik)

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-Top News COVID-19 UK News

‘Booster jab will better protect against future variants’

UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid had said the government is awaiting advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on the roll out of the booster dose…reports Asian Lite News.

Even as the UK government is planning to give a third Covid vaccine shot to everyone above 50 years of age from next month, scientists confirm that the autumn booster dose will be an effective way to protect people from existing, and potentially future, variants of concern.

The team of experts at the University of Nottingham found that neutralising antibodies generated by a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine were less effective at neutralising key variants of concern, for example the beta (first identified in South Africa) variant.

However, the second dose, especially in those volunteers who had previously been infected with SARS-CoV-2, dramatically increased virus variant neutralising antibody responses (and therefore potential protection) to a level comparable to those seen for the original strain of SARS-CoV-2.

This suggests that an additional boost, even using vaccines containing the original strain of coronavirus, will increase protection against variants of concern, revealed the findings published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

“We showed that the individuals with past infection produced more antibodies following each dose of vaccine than those who hadn’t been exposed. We also showed that this increased antibody response was more effective against some of the variants of concern, such as the Beta and Gamma variants,” said Professor Jonathan Ball from the School of Life Sciences at the University.

“In essence, natural infection has mimicked the effects of an additional vaccine dose, and our data clearly shows that this additional antigenic exposure produces an extra boost to the overall virus-killing antibody response that is more effective against variants of concern. Our results support the UK Government’s plan to provide a booster jab in the autumn as an effective strategy in protecting people against these variants,” he added.

UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid had said the government is awaiting advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on the roll out of the booster dose, which will be administered along with flu a jab, the Evening Standard reported on Wednesday.

The booster dose will be prioritised for people who received the Covid shots when the vaccination programmes were first rolled out last December, Javid said.

Meanwhile, the UK government on Tuesday also announced that 75 per cent of adults in the country have received both doses of a Covid-19 jab, while about 47 million people have received their first dose, the Financial Times reported. However, nearly 6 million adults — roughly one in 10 of the over-18 population — remain completely unvaccinated, official statistics showed.

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