This Article is From Oct 22, 2021

Covid Highlights: "Triumph Of Indian Science", PM Modi On 1 Billion Vaccine Feat

COVID-19 Highlights: Even though 100 crore vaccine jabs is a big milestone, we must keep telling people not to let their guard down, says Serum’s Adar Poonawalla to NDTV.

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India News

PM Modi visited Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi as India crossed the COVID-19 vaccine milestone.

New Delhi:

In a landmark achievement, India's cumulative COVID-19 vaccination coverage crossed 100 crore doses on Thursday. A total of 100 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far to eligible beneficiaries, as per the Cowin portal at 9:47 am today.

India's COVID-19 vaccination drive was launched on January 16, 2021. Initially, the vaccination was opened for Health Care Workers (HCWs) only. From February 2, front-line workers were made eligible for vaccination. These included State and Central Police personnel, Armed Force Personnel, Home Guards, Civil Defence & Disaster Management Volunteers, Municipal workers, Prison Staff, PRI Staff and Revenue workers involved in containment and surveillance, Railway Protection Force and election Staff.

The vaccination drive was expanded from March 1 to include persons above 60 years of age and those above 45 years with associated specified 20 comorbidities. It was further expanded to all people above 45 years of age from April 1. From May 1 all persons above 18 years of age were made eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. 

Here are the LIVE updates on coronavirus (COVID-19) cases:

Oct 22, 2021 01:58 (IST)
Oct 22, 2021 01:18 (IST)
Thailand To Allow Quarantine-Free Travel From 46 Countries, Says PM
Thailand will allow vaccinated visitors from 46 countries forgo COVID-19 quarantine from next month, up from 10 previously announced, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Thursday, according to Reuters. The country is poised to introduce new quarantine-free travel arrangements on November 1 as it seeks to revive its vital tourism industry.

The 46 countries include Britain, the US, China, Singapore, Germany and Australia, according to the ministry of foreign affairs. Thailand will reopen the capital Bangkok and other key tourist destinations, including Hua Hin and Pattaya, where curfews will be lifted at the end of the month, according to the Royal Gazette released late on Thursday.
Oct 22, 2021 01:02 (IST)
COVID-19 India News: West Bengal Adds 833 New Cases, 14 More Deaths
West Bengal's Covid tally increased to 15,83,646 on Thursday after 833 more people tested positive for the infection as a Kolkata Municipal Corporation official attributed the spike to lack of safety protocols followed by people during Durga puja festivities last week, reported news agency PTI.

Fourteen new fatalities pushed the death count to 19,021, a Health Department bulletin said.

Atin Ghosh, KMC board member in-charge of Health, told reporters that the spike, though anticipated, was caused by a large section of people moving around for puja shopping and pandal hopping without wearing masks and overcrowding at certain spots.

"The figures are not that alarming though Covid cases are on steady rise. Many cases are asymptomatic and we have to watch out till next week," Mr Ghosh explained.

Meanwhile, Kolkata recorded the highest number of new cases at 232, followed by North 24 Parganas at 143, the bulletin said.
Oct 21, 2021 23:32 (IST)
Rajasthan govt did not promote COVID-19 vaccines: BJP MP Rajyavardhan Rathore

BJP national spokesperson and Jaipur Rural MP Rajyavardhan Rathore on Thursday alleged that the Congress government in Rajasthan has not promoted coronavirus vaccination in the state and has instead politicised the inoculation drive.

He claimed that there was discrimination in the vaccination campaign in the state due to which people had to wait in long lines to get their jabs.

Oct 21, 2021 23:01 (IST)
Russia Reports Cases Of More Contagious COVID-19 Delta Subvariant
Russia has reported "isolated cases" of COVID-19 with a subvariant of the Delta variant that is believed to be even more contagious, the state consumer watchdog's senior researcher said on Thursday.
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Oct 21, 2021 22:10 (IST)
Wishes pour in from WHO, Bhutan and Sri Lanka
Wishes poured in for India from the World Health Organisation and the leadership of Israel, the US and Sri Lanka, after it scripted history on Thursday with the cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country surpassing the 100-crore milestone.
Oct 21, 2021 20:58 (IST)
Parimahal in Srinagar illuminated to mark 100 crore Covid vaccination feat

Parimahal, a historical garden in the Zabarwan Hills here, was one of the 100 monuments illuminated on Thursday across the country to mark India crossing the 100 crore vaccine doses mark.

The Parimahal or Palace of fairies, over looking the famous Dal Lake, was illuminated in the colours of the national flag this evening, officials said.

Oct 21, 2021 20:06 (IST)
Over 6.10 crore Covid vaccine doses administered in Rajasthan

More than 6.10 crore coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered in Rajasthan, the state's Health Minister Raghu Sharma said on Thursday.

He said that the state has so far administered 4.21 crore first doses and 1.89 crore second doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Oct 21, 2021 19:08 (IST)
"Big achievement": Piyush Goyal on India achieving 100-crore Covid vaccinations

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal today hailed India achieving the landmark of 100-crore Covid vaccinations.

Mr Goyal also said that India would soon be able to inoculate all its citizens with the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, touching 100-crore COVID vaccination is a big achievement. It is clear that India would soon vaccinate all its citizens with the first dose of vaccine. There are sufficient vaccine stocks available for the second dose," Goyal told ANI.

Oct 21, 2021 18:45 (IST)
Kerala records 8,733 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday
Kerala reported 8,733 new Covid case on Thursday, a day after the daily infections in the state had cross the 10,000-mark. The caseload in Kerala currently stands at 48,79,317.
Oct 21, 2021 18:30 (IST)
Coronavirus Vaccine: "Congratulations": US Embassy To India On 1 Billion Jabs Milestone
The United States Embassy in New Delhi on Thursday congratulated India on administering 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
Oct 21, 2021 17:53 (IST)
Pfizer's booster shot 95.6 percent effective against Covid
A third dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 developed by Pfizer/BioNTech is 95.6 percent effective against symptomatic infection, according to a study by the makers published on Thursday.

The clinical phase three trial with "10,000 participants 16 years of age and older" showed "a relative vaccine efficacy of 95.6 percent against disease during a period when Delta was the prevalent strain", the companies said in a statement.

Oct 21, 2021 17:31 (IST)
Delhi records 22 coronavirus cases, zero deaths on Thursday

Delhi recorded 22 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, while there was zero deaths due to the infection.

The cumulative COVID-19 cases now stand at 14,39,488 and the death toll remains at 25,089.

Oct 21, 2021 17:16 (IST)
BJP's Dilip Ghosh hails inoculation feat, slams Bengal government for ''haphazard'' drive

Hailing the Narendra Modi government over its 100 crore COVID-19 vaccination feat, BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh on Thursday said the performance of the West Bengal government, however, has been a "disappointing" one on this front.

Ghosh claimed that there was little coordination and planning among officials carrying out the vaccination drive in Bengal, "making it difficult for the poor to get free jabs, unlike other states".

Oct 21, 2021 16:48 (IST)
"Stress And Anxiety": Adar Poonawalla On Initial Days Of Vaccine Drive
Adar Poonawalla, chief of the Serum Institute of India which manufactures the Covishield vaccine, today admitted to stress and anxiety in the initial days of the vaccination drive. The second wave, he added, was worse.
Oct 21, 2021 16:27 (IST)
New antibody treatment could offer up to 18 months' protection against severe Covid

A new treatment could soon help protect people from developing severe COVID. AstraZeneca has just released results from a phase 3 clinical trial - the final stage of testing before a drug is authorised - that suggest its new COVID treatment, AZD7442, is effective at reducing severe disease or death in non-hospitalised COVID patients.

The treatment contains antibodies, which are usually produced naturally in response to a COVID infection or vaccination. They work by recognising specific parts of SARS-CoV-2 - the virus that causes COVID - and either attack these directly or bind to them to stop the virus from working and flag it for destruction by other parts of the immune system.

After they''ve done their job of clearing the virus, the antibodies remain in the body for a period of time, making up part of our immunological memory. If what they target is encountered again, they can leap into action.

Oct 21, 2021 16:15 (IST)
Watch: Health Minister Launches Song To Celebrate India's 100 Crore COVID-19 Vaccine Feat
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya today launched a song and audio-visual film to celebrate India's milestone of achieving the 100 crore COVID-19 vaccination mark.
Oct 21, 2021 16:08 (IST)
Union Health Minister launches song, film as India achieves 1 billion jabs feat
As the cumulative vaccine doses administered in India surpassed the 100-crore mark, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday launched a song and a film describing the efforts that went behind the launch of the world's largest Covid inoculation programme.

The Union Health minister launched the song and the film at the iconic Red Fort where the country's largest khadi tricolour, weighing around 1,400 kg, has been displayed.
Oct 21, 2021 15:52 (IST)
Shashi Tharoor credits government for Covid vaccine milestone
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said credit should be given to the government for achieving the 100-crore COVID vaccine dose landmark in the country, drawing a sharp response from party colleague Pawan Khera, who asserted that giving credit is an "insult" to millions of families that "suffered due to the mismanagement" of the pandemic.
Oct 21, 2021 15:41 (IST)
Proud to have contributed to vaccine milestone: Bharat Biotech
As India crossed 100 crore COVID-19 vaccination, Bharat Biotech's Chairman and Managing Director Dr Krishna Ella said that the firm is proud to have contributed to this "historic landmark".

Terming the achievement as a "true success story of Atmanirbharta", he said that it was a unified effort of the government, vaccine manufacturers, healthcare workers and the citizens.

"Bharat Biotech is proud to have contributed to this historic landmark. This is a unified effort of the government, vaccine manufacturers, healthcare workers and all the vaccinated citizens, making it a true success story of Atmanirbharta," Dr Ella said in an official statement today.



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