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Delhi government schools are clean, spacious and airy; thus, can enforce social distancing well. We received a thunderous response & hence expanded it for inoculation of 45+
Positivity rate declined to nearly 14%, but we cannot afford complacency, must follow covid-appropriate behaviour
India
healthysoch
New Delhi, May 14, 2021 :
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Friday stated that Delhi government schools are clean, spacious and airy and thus can enforce social distancing well. We received a thunderous response with vaccination of the 18-44 age group and hence decided to expand it for inoculation of 45+ as well. Jain stressed that it is quite strange that after exporting nearly 6.5 Cr vaccines to countries, the centre is asking states to purchase vaccines from the international market.
He then went on to claim that Kumbh Mela is being told as the reason behind spread of covid-19 to rural areas, where people went in large numbers and got infected from there. Shri Jain asserted that since the supply of Tocilizumab is controlled by the centre, they have mandated only 1000 units per month, whereas the demand is much more. The order passed by the Delhi government yesterday that enumerates formation of an expert committee is to mobilise and streamline the supply effectively. Shri Jain also said that Delhi’s positivity rate has declined to nearly 14%, but we cannot afford complacency, and must follow covid-appropriate behaviour.
Jain, while presenting the health bulletin, stated, “Delhi recorded 10,489 COVID positive cases yesterday. The positivity rate was 14.24% which has substantially reduced from the highest that stood at 36%. This declining trend has been observed from April 24. However, we cannot afford complacency yet, and must strictly follow covid-appropriate behaviour.”
Drawing attention to the availability of vaccines, he claimed that Delhi is facing acute shortage of sufficient doses, wherein the stock for Covaxin has completely finished for 18-44 age group, and the centres administering it have been temporarily shut down. He then went on to state that the recent statement by the centre in which the gap between first and second dose has been extended upto 12-16 weeks will be abided by us once intimated by the concerned authorities.
Jain then went on to elaborate upon the global tender for vaccines, and added, “The three vaccines which have been approved for inoculation in India are: Covishield, Covaxin, and Sputnik V. I would like to reiterate what I stated yesterday, that India is one nation, and one tender policy should be implemented, rather than a statewise tender which will only create more confusion and heat between states which are going to procure vaccines.
A statewise tender will also put India in a bad light. Like there is one Indian embassy in each country, there should be one tender for the procurement of vaccines from this international market. Nonetheless, I believe that India has the most renowned vaccine manufacturers in the world. I am aware of at least 30 prominent companies who have the capacity to prepare them if they are given the required formula from the makers of Covishield and Covaxin. The centre itself is an owner of Covaxin, and may submit the formula to other companies so that they are equipped to make the vaccines by themselves.
At the same time, the centre has exported nearly 6.5 Cr vaccines to various countries. Now, they are asking us to purchase them from these international markets, which is quite strange and uncanny. Every suggestion made by the Delhi government has been first denounced by the opposition parties and the centre, but later on they subscribed to them and implemented those suggestions. Whether the suggestion was to inoculate those above 60, then 18, and now these requests which I have put forth regarding the manufacturing of vaccines and the fact that the formula should be shared with other companies too.
I am certain that they will agree to this recommendation very soon. The two companies making Covishield and Covaxin have been given the opportunity to generate high profits during this time of the crisis. The company has itself claimed that it is incurring profits through sale at ₹150 also. So, why is that sale being done at higher rates to state governments and private entities. These enormous windfall gains are being made by the companies at a time when the nation is grappling with the virus. The rate must be capped at ₹150 for all, and if possible, must be reduced as well.”
Jain stressed upon how the Delhi government’s vaccination programme in government schools has been successful. He added, “People are hesitant to take the vaccine in hospitals and dispensaries as they are fearful of contracting the virus. So, when we started the vaccination drive in schools for the 18-44 age group, we received a thunderous response. The schools are spacious and airy with multiple rooms, and it is easier to follow social distancing and other protocols. Thus, we decided to extend it and give the jabs to above 45 years of age as well in these schools so as to make the experience hassle-free.”
While underlining the reduced oxygen intake of Delhi, Shri Jain ascertained, “We are not hoarding the vaccines for storage. It is about consumption rate. The 700 MT we demanded was about what the private, state, and central government hospitals used. That demand has been reduced owing to the decrease in number of covid positive cases.”
Throwing light upon drug management, Jain added, “For Remdesivir and Tocilizumab, all the management and control is in the hands of the central government which is supplied to the hospitals through a website managed by the centre. The statewise distribution is also being controlled by the centre. The centre has mandated hardly 1000 units of Tocilizumab injection in one month, which means hardly 30 units per day, while the demand is much more than this. Thus, we have passed the order and formed the expert committee to streamline the supply effectively and mobilise it.”
Highlighting the spread of covid-19 in rural parts of the country, Jain said, “In the previous three waves that Delhi faced, we hardly saw any covid cases coming from the villages in the countryside. But in this wave, we have seen a number of cases. The entire nation is in fact tackling the spread in rural areas. It is being widely told that the reason behind this spread in villages and rural areas has been Kumbh Mela wherein people went in large numbers. The Delhi government is indeed tackling the situation and the South Delhi district alone is doing 10,000 tests in a single day.”
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