To step up vaccination of those above 45-years of age, the government has allowed sessions in work places with at least 100 eligible/willing beneficiaries. Guidelines have been prepared by the Centre to help States in organising such sessions from April 11, a Health Ministry notification said.

As the second wave of Covid-19 intensifies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet heads of States on Thursday to take stock of the situation. The daily cases hit an all-time high, with 1,15,736 infections reported as of 8:00 am on Wednesday, according to the Health Ministry data.

Mask must in cars

In a reiteration of Covid-appropriate behaviour, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday mandated wearing a mask even in a vehicle occupied by a single person. “A mask is a suraksha kavach for preventing the spread of the coronavirus,” Justice Prathiba M Singh remarked, adding that “a vehicle which is moving across the city, even if occupied at a given point in time by one person, would be a public place owing to the immediate risk of exposure to other persons under varying circumstances.”

Working with the world

Addressing the WHO South-East Asia Regional Office via video conferencing on the eve of the World Health Day, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that India has worked with the international community to respond to the pandemic. The vaccines being made in India are being shared with over 80 countries through the ‘ maitri ’ initiative, a key step towards addressing inequities in vaccine distribution across the world.

Vaccination drive

The cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 8.83 Crore on Wednesday with 8,83,72,277 shots given till 8 pm. These include 89,65,839 healthcare workers, who have taken the first dose and 54,04,837 have got the second dose; 97,40,281 frontline workers (first dose), 43,35,473 (second dose), 2,26,42,318 for over 45 years old to 59 years old (second dose), 3,57,78,684 for above 60 years (first dose) and 10,57,785 for above 60 years (second dose).

On April 7, 13,14,623 vaccine doses were given till 8 PM, out of which, 12,04,551 beneficiaries were inoculated for first dose and 1,10,072 beneficiaries received second dose of the vaccine.

Stepping up remdesivir

PTI reports: The government on Wednesday said that all seven manufacturers of remdesivir in the country have been asked to ramp up production to full capacity by next week.

The direction comes against reports of shortages of the critical drug. Remdesivir is considered as a key antiviral drug in the fight against Covid-19, especially in adult patients with severe complications.

“There are seven players which produce remdesivir. I have asked all players to ramp up production to full capacity by next week. The drug's API is manufactured in India, so there won't be a problem,” Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Chemical and Fertilizers, told PTI.

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