The Central government will now onwards collect data on those testing Covid positive even after getting vaccinated. The move follows reports of such instances coming from several parts of the country. It also comes amid a major resurgence in infections: India recorded over 1.15 lakh new cases in the past 24 hours for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic in January 2020.
The sample reference form issued by the government will, henceforth, carry columns related to those who have already been vaccinated, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has informed.
The person getting tested will have to disclose, among other details, whether he or she has received any Covid vaccination. If yes, the dates of the shots must be mentioned and also the brand -- Covaxin or Covishield -- that was administered, the ministry has said.
The government yesterday said vaccinations will not be opened up to a wider group anytime soon. "Why did we prioritise some groups over others? Because in this phase of vaccination (till around July), vaccines will be in limited supply," Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan told news agency ANI.
The 1,15,736 new infections in the past 24 hours have taken the country's total cases to over 1.28 crore. Up to 630 deaths in this time period have pushed the total coronavirus-related death count in India to 1,66,177, making it the world's third worst-hit country after the US and Brazil.
Maharashtra, the worst-hit state, reported over 55,000 Covid-19 cases. In Mumbai, a centralised system has been set by the civic body for the allotment of beds so that there is no chaos and crowding at hospitals. Maharashtra is followed by the southern states of Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu in terms of the total caseload.
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