According to officials, as of Friday, Februry 5, 2021, nearly 5.2 million vaccinations have been administered over 10.4 million sessions. This suggests that around 50% of the intended target has been achieved. There were 3.3 lakh vaccinations administered today and India has been the fastest, when compared with the United States, United Kingdom and Israel to reach 5 million inoculations, the Health Ministry spokesperson claimed. India’s vaccine programme has been the fastest, when compared with the United States, United Kingdom and Israel to reach 5 million inoculations, the Health Ministry spokesperson claimed.
Natonal
India’s coronavirus tally touches 1,08,14,304
India’s COVID-19 infection tally climbed to 1,08,14,304 with 11,713 new cases in a day, while 1,05,10,796 people have recuperated so far pushing the national recovery rate to 97.19 per cent on Saturday, according to Union Health Ministry data.
There are 1,48,590 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which accounts for 1.37 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.
The total coronavirus cases mounted to 1,08,14,304 and the death toll climbed to 1,54,918 with the novel coronavirus virus claiming 95 lives in a span of 24 hours in the country, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The COVID-19 case fatality rate stood at 1.43%.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a cumulative total of 20,06,72,589 samples have been tested up to February 5 with 7,40,794 samples being tested on Friday.
New Delhi
Third phase of vaccination covering persons aged above 50 likely to begin in March
The third phase of vaccination against the coronavirus is likely to commence in March and will cover 27 crore people aged 50 years and above and those with co-morbidities, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said in Lok Sabha on Friday.
Replying to questions on vaccines and the vaccination drive against the coronavirus during the Question Hour, Dr. Vardhan said nearly five million people have been inoculated in the country so far.
He added that the vaccination drive for frontline workers has begun this week.
“In coming days, 27 crore people who are of above 50 years of age and those under 50 with co-morbidities will be vaccinated,” Dr. Vardhan said.
Karnataka
CSIR-CFTRI to conduct sero surveillance
In continuation of COVID-19 related activities, the CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, is carrying out Phase 2 Pan-CSIR study on sero surveillance on the contagion.
It is being conducted in collaboration with CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi.
The study aims at covering the large population size across CSIR laboratories to assess the sustained immune status of an individual and the extent of herd immunity achieved.
Delhi
Cannot afford to wait for zero cases to resume classes: Sisodia
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday said students need to get back to their normal routine and the government cannot afford to wait for COVID cases to drop to zero in order to resume classes.
Mr. Sisodia, also the Education Minister, inspected the COVID-19 protocols put in place at the Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Gandhi Nagar on Friday when classes resumed for students of Class IX and XII.
Oxford Vaccine
Oxford vaccine is protective against the U.K. variant, preprint says
The Oxford vaccine appears to protect people against the new, more transmissible variant (B.1.1.7) first found in Britain in end-November and has since become the dominant one in the U.K. The efficacy of the vaccine against the U.K. variant is comparable with the efficacy against other SARS-CoV-2 virus lineages. The results were posted in a preprint server says. Preprints are yet to be peer-reviewed and published in scientific journals.
No studies were carried out to examine the efficacy of the vaccine against the variant found in South Africa.
Also read: Coronavirus | Updated efficacy results show benefits of delaying second dose of Oxford vaccine
The vaccine efficacy against primary symptomatic disease caused by the new variant was 74.6% as against 84.1% against symptomatic disease caused by other lineages, the preprint says.
Andhra Pradesh
7 nursing students taken ill after vaccine jab
Seven girls, studying B.Sc (Nursing) and attached to the SVRR Government Hospital at Tirupati, showed symptoms of dizziness after taking COVID vaccine at the session centre there on Friday evening.
Tamil Nadu
Fresh COVID-19 cases, casualties show a declining trend in Tami Nadu
Fresh COVID-19 cases are on the decline in Tamil Nadu, and so are deaths due to the infection. The last seven-day average deaths is down to five a day, while the case fatality rate (CFR) for the last week has reduced to under 1%.As of February 4, the State registered 12,375 deaths. A majority of them — 10,275 persons, accounting for 82% — had co-morbidities. About 63% of the deceased were aged over 60.
With a dip in fresh infections in the State, deaths due to COVID-19 too have declined.
Tirumala darshan
Devotees with darshan tickets only will be allowed on Ratha Sapthami
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Executive Officer K.S. Jawahar Reddy has made it clear that the devotees with valid darshan tickets alone will be allowed to travel up to Tirumala on the day of Ratha Sapthami festival (February 19) in view of the COVID protocol.
Tens of thousands of devotees converge atop the town to take part in the festival which will be organised from dawn to dusk. A majority of the devotees tend to spend the entire day seated in the mada streets witnessing different processions of the deity. With an intention to minimise the congregation and thereby thwart any minute chances of infections, the TTD resolved to strictly abide by the health protocols.
(With inputs from our Correspondents and agencies)
