Hyderabad: The Covid-19 vaccine being developed indigenously by Bharat Biotech has been found to be well tolerated with no serious adverse events and produced robust immune responses, interim findings from Phase I trials revealed.
The Hyderabad-based company, which is developing Covaxin, in collaboration with National Institute of Virology, an ICMR institute in Pune, has started phase-III trials only recently and is yet to enrol all the participants as per its design.
Underlining the potential challenges of serious adverse reactions that could be triggered by Covid-19 vaccines during the largest adult immunisation drive expected next year, the central government said it has directed all states to identify at least one health centre in each block level that would be linked to the vaccination centre for management of such adverse events.
Delhi
New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday hit out at his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath by saying that the latter only sees the Delhi government and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) whether he wakes up or goes to sleep. Kejriwal also added that the work done by Delhi towards combating the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis was being discussed in every street of UP.
Meanwhile, Adityanath said UP is the state to have conducted the most number of Covid-19 tests and it has the lowest positivity rate and the lowest mortality rate.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Asserting that the central government must give the Covid-19 vaccine to people free of cost, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said that if it doesn't do so then the state would think about distributing the vaccine for free.
"We demanded that the central government should give the Covid-19 vaccine to people free of cost. If it doesn't, then we will think about giving it for free in the state," Tope said, adding the central's government decisions on providing vaccines will be implemented in Maharashtra.
Tamil Nadu
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday permitted political/religious gatherings in open space with certain restrictions from December 19.
In a statement, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said following all the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), social, political, sports, educational, cultural, entertainment, and religious gatherings of a maximum of 50 per cent capacity would be permitted in open spaces.
He said other districts need to obtain prior permission from the District Collector, and Greater Chennai Police Commissioner with respect to Chennai.
At least eight residents of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Chennai tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, taking the number of infected on the campus to 191.
Meanwhile. six students also tested positive at Anna University’s College of Engineering, Guindy campus. The institution decided to conduct tests after two students residing on the campus complained of fever.
Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh has issued the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) with respect to COVID-19 pandemic for reopening schools from Classes 9 to 12 after a gap of more than nine months. All the state-owned schools will reopen for Classes 10 and 12 from December 18 onward while the state government has left it to the school authorities to decide whether or not to arrange physical sessions for Classes 9 and 11.
