PM Modi chairs review meet on India's vaccine development and vaccination strategy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a crucial meeting to review progress on COVID-19 vaccine development and vaccination strategy going forward to counter Coronavirus. Prime Minister also reviewed issues concerning prioritisation of population groups for  vaccine to be ministered.

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India's indigeusly developed COVID-19 vaccine 'Covaxin' by Bharat Biotech is in phase III of clinical trials while Oxford University-Astrazeneca vaccine in collaboration with Serum Institute of India is said to be available in India from February 2020. 

Meanwhile, India has surpassed 90 lakh mark in terms of COVID-19 infections across country with 45,882 new COVID-19 infections on Friday. COVID-19 toll w stands at 90,04,365 in country, of which 4,43,794 are active cases while 84,28,409 have recovered and discharged. With 584 new deaths reported in last 24 hours, toll mounts to 1,32,162.

India has posed a good fight against virus with active cases steily declining and recoveries on rise. recovery rate of country is said to be one of highest in world at 93.60 per cent while mortality rate is furr reduced to 1.46 per cent.

Although significant improvement in national recovery rate and decreasing fatality rate, virus may see a surge during winters coupled with pollution which aids virus to sustain for a longer duration. Meanwhile, contrary to national scenario, Delhi has seen an alarming surge in COVID-19 infections for over a month. national capital recorded 6,608 new COVID-19 cases (out of 62,425 tests) on Friday taking infection tally in national capital to 5,17,238.

Central Government has sprung into action to curb alarming surge. Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a critical meeting this week with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to discuss strategy to control virus surge.

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Measures laid down by MHA

• First, RT-PCR test in Delhi will be increased two-fold.
• Mobile testing vans of Ministry of Health and ICMR will be deployed where re is a high risk of getting Covid, making maximum use of capacity of labs in Delhi. 
• capacity of hospitals in Delhi and availability of or medical infrastructure should be increased. In same direction, 250 to 300 ICU beds will be included in DRDO Covid Hospital located in Dhaula Kuan in May, which can be treated for serious Covid patients re.
• 10,000-bed Covid Center in Chhattarpur will be furr strengned with an aim to increase availability of beds with oxygen facilities.
• Some identified hospitals of MCD will be converted into dedicated hospitals for treatment of light-hearted Covid-19 patients.
• Dedicated multidisciplinary teams will visit all private hospitals in Delhi to clearly indicate availability of beds and also for inspection of medical infrastructure related to Covid-19.
• Review of all previously initiated containment measures such as setting up of containment zones, contact tracing and quarantine and screening. Especially those who are at high risk of getting Covid should be constantly reviewed so that re is short in implementing preventive measures.
• In dition to police forces assigned in Delhi, Centre will also give CAPF, doctors and paramedical staff due to short of health workers in national Capital.
• To save more lives, dedicated force be given for COVID-19 patients under home isolation for tracking and be given special care in case a need to be shifted to medical facilities. 
• Protocols have been decided for plasma donation for severe COVID-19 patients. 
• To save more and more people in Delhi, Central Government will provide oxygen cylinders, High Flow Nasal Cannula and all or essential health equipment.
• A concrete dialogue strategy to be formed in Delhi over educating people of COVID-19 behaviour and long term effects of Coronavirus on health of people.