22:08 (IST)
Tamil Nadu’s active cases fall below 8,000 after seven months
After seven months, Tamil Nadu’s active cases on Monday dropped below the 8,000 mark and with 838 fresh infections, the tally stood at 8,21,550, while 10 more fatalities pushed the toll to 12,166. The active cases dipped to 7,970 with 985 patients getting discharged from various hospitals and in total 8,01,414 people have got cured, a health department bulletin said. It was on May 24 that the state had reported less than 8,000 active cases. On that day active cases stood at 7,839.
PTI
21:44 (IST)
Eight UK returnees in Maharashtra test positive for new virus strain, says Rajesh Tope
21:31 (IST)
Maharashtra registers 2,765 new cases
21:20 (IST)
Tamil Nadu govt allows cinema theatres to function with full seating capacity
The Tamil Nadu government on Monday permitted 100 percent seating capacity in cinema theatres from the present 50 percent and directed them to follow the
Standard Operating Procedure prescribed to prevent spread of coronavirus. The relaxation comes after owners of cinema halls made a representation appealing to the government to allow them to screen films with full seating capacity.
In its order on Monday, the government said messages on precautionary measures to avoid the virus spread shall also be screened during the show time in cinema theatres to create awareness among the public. “Based on the decrease in the COVID-19 cases day by day, the theatre owners association have represented to the government to increase the seating capacity of cinemas, theatres and multiplexes,” the GO said.
PTI
20:59 (IST)
Six UK returnees to Kerala found positive for new variant, says state health minister
Six UK returnees from Kerala have tested positive for the new strain of the virus, Health Minister KK Shailaja said on Monday. “Six people who recently returned from the UK have tested positive for the new strain.We have placed them under surveillance.Their samples had been sent to NIV, Pune and results received today,” the minister told reporters.
While two persons each from Alappuzha and Kozhikode have tested positive for the new variant, Kottayam and Kannur districts have reported one case each, she said.The six are under isolation and observation, the minister added.
PTI
20:53 (IST)
Centre taking up COVID-19 vaccination in big way, says Harsh Vardhan
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Monday said the Centre has initiated a series of actions to prevent the spread of
coronavirus and that it is now taking up the vaccination drive in a big way. Vardhan’s remarks came a day after India’s drug regulator approved the restricted use of COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech in the country.
In his address at the 32nd Convocation of Sri Ramachandra rpt Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER) held virtually, he said the pandemic showcased the contribution of the government sector towards adequate healthcare – both Intensive Care and otherwise.He also called for a powerful societal commitment to overcome the barriers imposed by the pandemic.
PTI
20:40 (IST)
Covishield to cost $3-4 per dose to govt, double in pvt market, says Adar Poonawalla
The coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford will cost $3-4 per shot (Rs 219-292) to the government and will be priced at double that rate in private market ones such sales open up, said the CEO of its Indian manufacturer Serum Institute of India (SII).SII the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, has a license to produce the shot and has already manufactured close to 50 million doses.Its CEO Adar Poonawalla told news agency PTI that the company will start selling the Covishield to the Indian government and GAVI countries in the first stage, followed by the private market.
“We want the vaccine to be affordable and accessible to all. The government of India will receive it at a far more affordable price of $ 3-4, since they will be buying in a larger volume,” he said.
PTI
20:34 (IST)
Three more UK returnees test positive for new strain in Karnataka, says health minister
Three more people who returned from the United Kingdom have tested positive for the mutant strain of coronavirus, taking the total of such cases to ten in
Karnataka, Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said on Monday. He also said 75 people who returned from the UK were yetto be traced and the Home department and the city corporation authorities have assured to locate them soon.
“Thirty-four UK returnees tested positive for COVID-19. Mutant coronavirus is found in ten people among them and all of them are recovering in government hospitals,” Sudhakar told reporters.
PTI
20:15 (IST)
After 9 months, schools reopen in Aurangabad, Nagpur, Pune
After remaining closed for over nine months due to the COVID-19 outbreak, schools reopened on Monday for students of select classes in Aurangabad, Nagpur and Pune cities of Maharashtra with all protocols and precautions in place.
In Nagpur city, 67 teaching and five non-teaching staff tested positive for COVID-19 during tests conducted ahead of reopening of schools. In Aurangabad in central Maharashtra, two teachers and four other staff members tested positive for coronavirus before reopening of schools for students of classes 9 and 10.
19:41 (IST)
Akhilesh Yadav clarifies “BJP vaccine” remark, says did not insult scientists
Two days after Akhilesh Yadav said he will not get himself injected with a “BJP vaccine” against coronavirus, the Samajwadi Party chief asserted on Monday that he had never insulted the scientists who developed it. Yadav’s comment on Saturday that he could not trust a vaccine which would be used by a BJP government had triggered sharp reactions from the ruling party as well as leaders like Omar Abdullah of the National Conference.
The SP chief had tried to make amends on Twitter the same day, saying he was not referring to the scientists.
Questioned again by reporters on his remarks, the SP asked the Centre to tell when the poor people in the state will get the anti-COVID shot and if it will be available free. “I have never raised any questions on any scientist developing the vaccine or any person helping in making the vaccine. I only raised questions on the BJP as people do not have faith in the party because of the decisions taken by it,” he said.
19:30 (IST)
CDCSO guidelines show emergency license possible with ‘good pre-clinical data’, says Krishna Ella
Bharat Biotech on Monday addressed concerns regarding DCGI’s approval for restricted emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine without having completed its Phase 3 trials.
“In 2019, CDCSO formed a notification, I request you to read the guidelines… it clearly states that if yours is a proven platform technology, safe platform technology and good pre-clinical trial data is available then you can get emergency license for the product,” MD Krishna Ella said.
He added, :Covaxin is a simple two-dose, we are the only vaccine for above 12 years of age right now. We are planning to do even children trials soon, as per the protocol.”
19:13 (IST)
Bharat Biotech says COVAXIN is ‘200% safe’
Bharat Biotech MD Krishna Ella said that the company’s COVID-19 vaccine, ‘COVAXIN’, has shown less than 10 percent adverse reactions in the volunteers,
“Covaxin has shown less than 10 percent adverse reactions, while others have 60-70 percent adverse reactions. AstraZeneca was giving 4g paracetamol to volunteers to suppress such reactions. We haven’t given paracetamol to any volunteer. I can assure our vaccine is a 200 percent safe.”
19:04 (IST)
Krishna Ella says vaccine doses sent to Kasauli govt testing lab
Bharat Biotech MD Krishna Ella said that the company will roll out the vaccine “as early as possible”. “Batches have been sent to Kasauli govt testing lab already,” he said.
He added, “(There is) no placebo. We keep vaccinating people at an open level and then monitor the safety and efficacy. That is what it means in our project mode method in emergency licence.”
18:44 (IST)
‘Many people are gossiping, not right’: Krishna Ella
Addressing the questions raised about DCGI’s approval for Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine, COVAXIN, its MD Krishna Ella said it was “just gossip” and backlash” against Indian companies.
“That is not right for us. We don’t deserve that. Merck’s Ebola vaccine never completed a human clinical trial at all but WHO gave emergency authorization for Liberia and Guinea.”
He added, “Even US government says emergency authorization can be given if a company has good immunization data. Merck’s Ebola vaccine got authorization for emergency use even before completion of phase-3 trial. Johnson and Johnson did trials on 87 people & got emergency licence.”
18:27 (IST)
20 million vaccine doses currently available, says Bharat Biotech
Stating that Bharat Biotech is aiming to achieve a capacity of 700 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine across its Hyderabad and Bengaluru facilities, MD Krishna Ella said that currently, there are 20 million doses available and added that the company was encountering logistics-related problems.
About the price of the vaccine, he said, “In the beginning, the cost of vaccine may be a little higher. As the scale of production increases, the price will be controlled by market.”
18:21 (IST)
‘Bharat Biotech has sole BSL-3 production facility’
Dr Krishna Ella, MD of Bharat Biotech, said that the company has the only BSL-3 production facility “in the world, even the US doesn’t have it”.
He added, :Many people say that I am not transparent in my data. I think people should have patience to read on the internet and how many articles we have published. More than 70 articles have been published in various international journals.”
On being asked whether COVAXIN will be effective against the new COVID-19 strain, he said, :Give me one week’s time, I will give you confirm data.”
18:01 (IST)
Bharat Biotech ‘in no way’ inferior to Pfizer, says Krishna Ella
Bharat Biotech MD Krishna Ella said that the company’s COVID-19 vaccine is in “no way” inferior to Pfizer’s vaccine. He added that “Bharat Biotech is the only company to have published five articles on COVID-19 vaccine process,” India Today reported.
About concerns regarding the efficacy of COVAXIN, Ella said, “Why is nobody questioning the UK trials? Because Indian trials are easy to be bashed.”
“In India, we do everything systematically and we get bashing from the news media. Some company has branded me as water. It hurts as a scientist and we don’t deserve that,” he added.
17:41 (IST)
We have tremendous experience in vaccines, says Bharat Biotech MD
Bharat Biotech MD Krishna Ella said, “We are not a company without experience in vaccines. We have tremendous experience in vaccines. We are touching 123 countries. We are the only company that has got such extensive experience and extensive publication in review journals.”
17:34 (IST)
Bharat Biotech is a ‘truly’ global company, says Krishna Ella
Asserting that Bharat Biotech is conducting clinical trials in Pakistan, Nepal, UK, and Bangladesh, along with India, Managing Director Krishna Ella said that the company is “not just Indian, but is truly global”. He added that the company has conducted in trials in over 12 countries.
He also claimed that Indian companies are “targeted by everyone in the world”.
“People are talking to backlash on Indian companies. That is not done for us. I don’t know why Indian companies are targeted by everyone in the world,” he said.
17:23 (IST)
Krishna Ella says vaccine being ‘politicised’
Bharat Biotech managing director Krishna Ella addressed a press conference amid concerns around the company’s COVID-19 vaccine.
He started by saying, “Now that vaccine is being politicized, I want to state very clearly that none of my family members are associated with any political party.”
“”Thank you to all the volunteers who participated in the trials without any commercial interests. I come from a small agricultural family in Tamil Nadu. All I know is science. Vaccine is getting political now and I want to state that my family and myself have nothing to do with politics. We are a company with vaccine experience AND have made 16 vaccines,” he said.
17:17 (IST)
Shashi Tharoor raises concerns over DCGI nod to Bharat Biotech vaccine
1/2 Any Covaxin user should note the Govt’s “approval” is on the basis of “emergency” &on a “clinical trial basis”.https://t.co/zd2oEXLtFm@BharatBiotech is yet to complete the process of recruitment of the targeted number of volunteers for Phase3 trials https://t.co/jOdRdpM1Q8
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 4, 2021
17:01 (IST)
Bharat Biotech to address press conference soon
Amid concerns over approval to Covaxin, Bharat Biotech will hold a press conference at 5 pm today, said reports. As per CNN News18, Dr Krishna and Suchitra Ella will address the presser.
16:28 (IST)
Gujarat fully equipped for COVID-19 vaccination drive, says Vijay Rupani
Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani said the state is fully equipped for the COVID-19 vaccination drive and will begin the process as soon as the Central government announces the plan. Addressing an event at Ahwa in Dang district, Rupani said “Gujarat is fully equipped for vaccination against COVID-19. Soon, the Made in India vaccine will be available and the vaccination process will start.
16:03 (IST)
Cases of UK coronavirus strain in India rise to 38
A total of 38 samples have been found to be positive with the new UK variant genome, said the Union health ministry in a statement. Giving a break up of the cases, it said 10 samples have been found positive for the new strain in NIMHANS, Bengaluru, three in CCMB, Hyderabad, five in NIV, Pune, 11 in IGIB, Delhi, eight in NCDC, New Delhi and one in NCBG, Kolkata. NCBS, InSTEM, Bengaluru, CDFD Hyderabad, ILS Bhubaneswar, and NCCS Pune have so far not found the UK mutant strain in samples, it added.
“All these persons have been kept in single room isolation in designated Health Care facilities by respective State Governments. Their close contacts have also been put under quarantine. Comprehensive contact tracing has been initiated for co-travellers, family contacts and others. Genome sequencing on other specimens is going on,” the ministry said.
It added that the situation is under careful watch and regular advice is being provided to the states for enhanced surveillance, containment, testing and dispatch of samples to INSACOG labs.
15:51 (IST)
Decision on re-opening schools after consulting parents, students: Tamil Nadu minister
15:38 (IST)
Ballia CMO dies of COVID-19
15:33 (IST)
Will get vaccinated after priority groups, says Madhya Pradesh CM
मध्यप्रदेश के समस्त ज़िले #COVID19 वैक्सिनेशन के लिए तैयार हैं। सभी प्रकार की व्यवस्थाएँ कर ली गई हैं।
मैंने निर्णय लिया है कि मैं अभी वैक्सीन नहीं लगवाऊंगा। पहले हम प्रायॉरिटी ग्रुप्स का वैक्सिनेशन सुनिश्चित करेंगे और बाद में मेरा वैक्सिनेशन होगा।
— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) January 4, 2021
15:10 (IST)
Mumbai reports 3 COVID deaths in 24 hours, least since March 2020
Mumbai on Sunday reported three COVID-19 deaths, which are the lowest in a single day since March last year, city civic commissioner IS Chahal said. In a statement, the city civic chief said the hard work of the Maharashtra government and teams of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is paying off.
With three new fatalities, the overall deaths in Mumbai has reached 11,135.
14:58 (IST)
US teen creates video game ‘Covid Invaders’ to destroy virus with click
A teenager from the US state of Minnesota created a game called Covid Invaders where the user will be destroying the virus yourself with one click. The teen named Josh Ternyak has created a video game wherein the users can attack the coronavirus with syringes of the vaccine.
Josh took inspiration for a game from Space Invaders, a video game which was popular in the 70s. He said that the idea came after his friend Roman Peysakhovich created a website to help people during the pandemic. Josh also wanted to create something that can uplift the spirits of people during the COVID-19.
The game has a syringe which needs to be released in the direction of the red-coloured coronavirus. Some of these viruses are masked and big in size while others are small. The song created by Josh plays as you try to kill the coronavirus with the syringe which has the Covid-19 vaccine. Reportedly, more than 3,000 people have played the game since its launch.
14:39 (IST)
Leela Palace becomes 2nd luxury hotel in Chennai to turn COVID hotspot
Twenty staff members at Chennai’s Leela Palace hotel have tested positive for COVID-19, making it the city’s second luxury hotel to have emerged as a COVID-19 hotspot after the ITC Grand Chola, according to The Indian Express.
Following the outbreak, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) officials said they have instructed the luxury hotels to postpone the scheduled events. A total of 125 hotel employees, including 114 from the star-category hotels, have tested positive. According to civic authorities, as many as 4,392 employees of the hotels across the city were tested and the results of 491 of them are awaited.
14:37 (IST)
Co-WIN app likely to be used for India vaccine rollout: How to register
The health ministry of India has developed an app to monitor real-time COVID vaccine delivery.
“Co-WIN digital platform includes a free downloadable mobile application which can help record vaccine data. One can register themselves on it if they want the vaccine. There are five modules in Co-WIN app – administrator module, registration module, vaccination module, beneficiary acknowledgment module and report module,” Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan was quoted by PTI as saying. “Through these modules, they can create sessions and the respective vaccinators and managers will be notified,” he added.
As of now, the Co-Win app is not available on either Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.The application is currently being developed and it is at its pre-product stage. The registration process is not open to common people. Only the health officials and frontline workers have registered for the vaccine. Once the registration process goes live, people will need to upload an identity card to register. The users can upload Aadhar Card, Driving License, PAN Card, and others.
14:19 (IST)
UK begins Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine rollout with dialysis patient
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) began rolling out the Oxford University vaccine developed by AstraZeneca as protection against COVID-19, with an 82-year-old Oxford-born dialysis patient becoming the first to receive the new jab.
Brian Pinker is among the first to be vaccinated by the Oxford University Hospital’s (OUH) chief nurse, hailed as a major milestone in the phased vaccination programme being undertaken by the NHS as the Oxford jab became the second vaccine approved for rollout after the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
14:12 (IST)
Enough stock of COVID vaccine for inoculation of priority groups: VK Paul
India has enough stockpile of the COVID-19 vaccine for inoculation of priority groups, including healthcare workers and frontline workers, in the first phase, Niti Aayog member VK Paul said.
Paul, who is also the Chairman of National Expert Group On Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) further said the government will soon announce its plans for purchase and distribution of COVID-19 vaccine. “Our first phase (of vaccination) comprises priority groups with high risk of mortality and our healthcare and frontline workers. For them, we believe, we have enough (COVID-19 vaccine) stockpile,” he told PTI in an interview.
13:58 (IST)
Japan PM says COVID-19 vaccine approval being sped up
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said vaccine approval is being sped up to curb the spread of the coronavirus, and he promised to consider declaring a state of emergency.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and the governors of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa had asked the national government Saturday to declare the emergency after the capital saw a daily record of 1,337 cases on New Year’s Eve. The declaration carries no legal penalties but works as a strong warning for people to work from home, reduce nonessential outings and social distance, as well as having businesses close early.
Suga said vaccine approval is now expected this month instead of February. Vaccinations are expected to begin next month.
13:54 (IST)
Ladakh reports six new cases, taking total to 9,956
Ladakh’s COVID-19 caseload climbed to 9,956 as six more people tested positive for the disease, officials said. All the six fresh cases were reported from Leh district, they said.
So far, Ladakh has recorded a total of 127 COVID-19 deaths with Leh alone accounting for 84, the officials said. With the recovery of 10 more patients, all from Leh, the union territory”s active caseload stands at 257 (246 in Leh district and 11 in Kargil district), they said.
13:46 (IST)
Tamil Nadu allows 100% seating in multiplexes
The Tamil Nadu government has permitted an increase in the seating capacity of cinemas, theatres, multiplexes from the existing 50 percent to 100 percent.
13:28 (IST)
Colleges, schools resume in Kerala, Puducherry
After remaining shut for over nine months, colleges reopened in Kerala. Meanwhile in Puducherry, schools reopened for students of Classes 1 to 12 , with half-day classes from 10 am to 1 pm which will be held till 18 January, after which full-day classes will resume.
13:26 (IST)
Shivraj Singh Chouhan to not get vaccinated for COVID-19
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said he will not get vaccinated for COVID-19, asserting that it needs to be ensured that priority groups are administered the dose first.
#WATCH …I have decided that I will not get vaccinated for now, first it should be administered to others. My turn should come afterwards, we have to work to ensure that priority groups are administered with the vaccine: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan pic.twitter.com/EGbkb70iz2
— ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2021
13:09 (IST)
Schools reopen in Aurangabad, two teachers test positive
Schools reopened for Classes 9 and 10 in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district, even as two teachers have tested positive for coronavirus, a civic official said. There was good response from students in the civic-run schools on the first day, the official said, adding that the exact number of students who attended the classes will be known by evening.
While permitting reopening of schools for Classes 9 and 10, the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation has made coronavirus test mandatory for teachers. From 28 December till 3 January, 1,358 teachers and other staff of various schools underwent RT-PCR tests. Out of them, two teachers and one staff member have so far tested positive for coronavirus, the official said.
When contacted, the civic body”s education officer Ramnath Thore told PTI that they have received good response from students.
“However, some students were sent back home as they didn”t have consent of their parents. The students are enthusiastic about coming back to school and we will surely see a rise in the number in the coming days,” he said.
12:51 (IST)
214 fatalities reported in past 24 hours
The nationwide death toll increased to 1,49,649 with 214 new fatalities, according to official data. The 214 new fatalities include 35 from Maharashtra, 26 from West Bengal, 25 from Kerala, 16 from Uttar Pradesh and 14 each from Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
12:49 (IST)
Total tests conducted cross 17.5 crore
India’s total cumulative tests have crossed 17.5 crore (17,56,35,761) with 7,35,978 samples being tested on Sunday.
“One crore tests were conducted in the last 11 days. Higher testing has led to further decline in the cumulative positivity rate at 5.89 percent,” the health ministry highlighted.
12:30 (IST)
Odisha logs 183 new cases, 2 more deaths
Odisha’s COVID-19 tally on Monday mounted to 3,30,492 after 183 more people tested positive for the infection, while two more fatalities pushed the death toll to 1,885, a health department official said.
Of the new cases, 106 were reported from different quarantine centres, while the remaining 77 are local contact cases.
Sundargarh district recorded the highest of 32 new cases followed by Angul (24) and Khurda (14) districts.
Taking to twitter, the Health and Family Welfare department said: “regret to inform the demise of two numbers of Covid positive patients while under treatment in hospitals.”
The two fresh fatalities were reported from Balasore and Sunadargarh districts.
PTI
12:26 (IST)
‘Made in India’ products should have global acceptance: PM
Addressing scientists at the National Metrology Conclave, Narendra Modi said it must be ensured that ”Made in India” products not only have global demand but also global acceptance.
“Quality is as much important as quantity, our standards should rise with our scale in our quest for Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” he said.
India”s drugs regulator on Sunday approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country, paving the way for a massive inoculation drive.
PTI
12:04 (IST)
India on threshold of starting largest vaccination programme: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the achievements of the scientists in the fight against the pandemic and said that research is important for a progressive society.
“We’re on the threshold of starting the largest vaccination programme in the world. The entire country is indebted to all scientists and technicians. The Indian scientists have been successful in coming up with two ‘made in India’ COVID19 vaccines. The country is proud of its scientists,” the prime minister said during the inaugural address at National Metrology Conclave.
11:39 (IST)
Educational institutes reopen in Bihar
Educational institutions including schools, colleges, universities, coaching institutes reopened in Bihar from Monday after a gap of over nine months since the outbreak of COVID pandemic.
However, the classes will operate only at half the strength of the total students and other protocols of coronavirus have to be followed strictly, Education Department Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar told PTI on Sunday.
11:36 (IST)
Recovery rate rises to 96.19%
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 99,46,867 pushing the national recovery rate to 96.19 percent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 percent.
The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 3 lakh for the 14th consecutive day.
There are 2,43,953 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprise 2.36 percent of the total caseload, the data stated.
11:20 (IST)
India records over 16,000 new cases in 24 hours
India logged 16,504 cases of COVID-19 and 214 related deaths between Sunday and Monday morning, according to the Union ministry of health and family welfare, taking the country’s tally to 1,03,40,469.
Coronavirus News LATEST Updates: As many as eight returnees to Maharashtra from the UK have been found to be infected with
the new COVID-19 variant detected in the European country, said health minister Rajesh Tope. Of these, five are from Mumbai, he said, adding contacts of all the COVID-19 patients with the UK strain are being traced.
Six UK returnees in Kerala have tested positive for the new strain of the virus, Health Minister KK Shailaja said on Monday. “Six people who recently returned from the UK have tested positive for the new strain.We have placed them under surveillance. Their samples had been sent to NIV, Pune and the results received today,” the minister told reporters.
While two persons each from Alappuzha and Kozhikode have tested positive for the new variant, Kottayam and Kannur districts have reported one case each, she said.The six are under isolation and observation, the minister added.
Bharat Biotech on Monday addressed concerns regarding DCGI’s approval for restricted emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine without having completed its Phase 3 trials.
“In 2019, CDCSO formed a notification, I request you to read the guidelines… it clearly states that if yours is a proven platform technology, safe platform technology and good pre-clinical trial data is available then you can get emergency license for the product,” MD Krishna Ella said.
He added, ‘Covaxin is a simple two-dose, we are the only vaccine for above 12 years of age right now. We are planning to do even children trials soon, as per the protocol.”
Addressing the questions raised about DCGI’s approval for Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine, COVAXIN, its MD Krishna Ella said it was “just gossip” and backlash” against Indian companies.
“That is not right for us. We don’t deserve that. Merck’s Ebola vaccine never completed a human clinical trial at all but WHO gave emergency authorization for Liberia and Guinea.”
He added, “Even US government says emergency authorization can be given if a company has good immunization data. Merck’s Ebola vaccine got authorization for emergency use even before completion of phase-3 trial. Johnson and Johnson did trials on 87 people & got emergency licence.”
Stating that Bharat Biotech is aiming to achieve a capacity of 700 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine across its Hyderabad and Bengaluru facilities, MD Krishna Ella said that currently, there are 20 million doses available and added that the company was encountering logistics-related problems.
About the price of the vaccine, he said, “In the beginning, the cost of vaccine may be a little higher. As the scale of production increases, the price will be controlled by market.”
Asserting that Bharat Biotech is conducting clinical trials in Pakistan, Nepal, UK, and Bangladesh, along with India, Managing Director Krishna Ella said that the company is “not just Indian, but is truly global”. He added that the company has conducted in trials in over 12 countries.
He also claimed that Indian companies are “targeted by everyone in the world”.
“People are talking to backlash on Indian companies. That is not done for us. I don’t know why Indian companies are targeted by everyone in the world,” he said.
Bharat Biotech managing director Krishna Ella addressed a press conference amid concerns around the company’s COVID-19 vaccine.
He started by saying, “Now that vaccine is being politicized, I want to state very clearly that none of my family members are associated with any political party.”
“”Thank you to all the volunteers who participated in the trials without any commercial interests. I come from a small agricultural family in Tamil Nadu. All I know is science. Vaccine is getting political now and I want to state that my family and myself have nothing to do with politics. We are a company with vaccine experience AND have made 16 vaccines,” he said.
Amid concerns over approval to Covaxin, Bharat Biotech will hold a press conference at 5 pm today, said reports. As per CNN News18, Dr Krishn and Suchitra Ella will address the presser.
A total of 38 samples have been found to be positive with the new UK variant genome, said the Union health ministry in a statement. Giving a break up of the cases, it said 10 samples have been found positive for the new strain in NIMHANS, Bengaluru, three in CCMB, Hyderabad, five in NIV, Pune, 11 in IGIB, Delhi, eight in NCDC, New Delhi and one in NCBG, Kolkata. NCBS, InSTEM, Bengaluru, CDFD Hyderabad, ILS Bhubaneswar, and NCCS Pune have so far not found the UK mutant strain in samples, it added.
“All these persons have been kept in single room isolation in designated health care facilities by respective state governments. Their close contacts have also been put under quarantine. Comprehensive contact tracing has been initiated for co-travellers, family contacts and others. Genome sequencing on other specimens is going on,” the ministry said.
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said he will take the COVID-19 vaccine shot after priority groups get vaccinated. Addressing commissioners, district collectors and superintendents of police in the state through video- conferencing, Chouhan said all districts of Madhya Pradesh are ready for the COVID-19 vaccination.
Mumbai on Sunday reported three COVID-19 deaths, which are the lowest in a single day since March last year, city civic commissioner IS Chahal said.
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) began rolling out the Oxford University vaccine developed by AstraZeneca as protection against COVID-19, with an 82-year-old Oxford-born dialysis patient becoming the first to receive the new jab.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the achievements of the scientists in the fight against the pandemic and said India is “on the threshold of starting the largest vaccination programme in the world”.
India logged 16,504 cases of COVID-19 and 214 related deaths between Sunday and Monday morning, according to the Union ministry of health and family welfare, taking the country’s tally to 1,03,40,469.
There were 16,432 cases of the coronavirus disease on December 29 last year. The number of active cases of COVID-19 remained below the 250,000 mark for the second day on a row at 243,953.
According to the health ministry, 9,946,867 people have recovered so far with 19,557 patients of COVID-19 cured or discharged across the country in the last 24 hours. The national recovery rate has gone up to 96.19 percent. The daily new recoveries have been more than the daily cases registered since the last 38 days.
Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) VG Somani on Sunday approved Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, and Bharat Biotech International Limited’s Covaxin for restricted emergency use, clearing way for the government’s vaccination drive against the coronavirus disease in about 10 days. However, the emergency use approval to the Serum Institute of India (SII) vaccine against COVID-19 developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, and the “restricted use in emergency situation” consent to Bharat Biotech’s locally developed vaccine received criticism.
India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on 7 August, 30 lakh on 23 August, 40 lakh on 5 September and 50 lakh on 16 September. It went past 60 lakh on 28 September, 70 lakh on 11 October, crossed 80 lakh on 29 October, 90 lakh on 20 November and surpassed the one-crore mark on 19 December.
According to the ICMR, 17,56,35,761 samples have been tested up to 3 January with 7,35,978 samples being tested on Sunday.