India today expanded the nationwide vaccination against the coronavirus, opening registerations for people above 60 years and those aged 45 in the second phase of the inoculation drive which began on January 16.
Citizens will be able to register and book an appointment for vaccination, anytime and anywhere, using the Co-WIN 2.0 portal or through other IT applications such as Arogya Setu.
With 15,510 fresh cases, India's COVID-19 tally has climbed to 1,11,12,241, while the number of recoveries has surged to 1,07,86,457, the Union health ministry said on Monday.
The death count due to the viral disease has gone up to 1,57,157 in the country with 106 more fatalities reported in a 24-hour period, the ministry's data updated at 8 am showed.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today tweeted to say that he took first dose of coronavirus vaccine at Delhi's premier All India Institutes of Medical Sciences.
"Remarkable how our doctors and scientists have worked in quick time to strengthen the global fight against COVID-19," PM Modi tweeted as he shared an image of himself taking first dose of the vaccine.
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A Chinese state-backed hacking group has in recent weeks targeted the IT systems of two Indian vaccine makers whose coronavirus shots are being used in the country's immunisation campaign, cyber intelligence firm Cyfirma told Reuters. India produces more than 60 percent of all vaccines sold in the world. Goldman Sachs-backed Cyfirma, based in Singapore and Tokyo, said Chinese hacking group APT10, also known as Stone Panda, had identified gaps and vulnerabilities in the IT infrastructure and supply chain software of Bharat Biotech and the Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's largest vaccine maker.
The Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines have been "highly effective" in reducing coronavirus infections and severe illness among elderly people in Britain, with a more than 80 percent reduction in hospitalisation, official data showed Monday.
In the over 80s, a single dose of either vaccine is more than 80 percent effective at preventing hospitalisation around three to four weeks after the jab, according to a Public Health England real-world study that has gathered data since January.
The study comes as France and Germany consider reversing their refusal to authorise the AstraZeneca vaccine for people over 65 due to concerns of its efficacy.
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock hailed the new study as "extremely good news".
Union minister Jitendra Singh on Monday discussed with Brazilian Science, Technology and Innovation minister Marcos Pontes ways to further explore space cooperation between the two countries, including India's support in procurement of material and systems for Brazil's launch vehicle programme, a statement said.
Cooperation possibilities in future space science missions, utilising ISRO's PS4 orbital platform, space weather studies were also discussed in the virtual meeting, it added.
The meeting took place a day after the successful launch of Amazonia-1 satellite of Brazil by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday.
"The collaboration between the two countries mark a beginning of robust bonding and is a role model for other countries to follow," Mr Singh said, adding that the launch also marked the first dedicated mission of ISRO's commercial arm NewSpace India Ltd. (NSIL).
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Monday night warned people against letting down their guard because of the rollout of coronavirus vaccines. He urged them to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour for "at least a few months" to stop the virus' chain of transmission.
"People should not be complacent thinking that the vaccine is there and that cases are reducing. We can't relax. We can't forget about it at least for a few months," Dr Vardhan told NDTV.
The cautionary note comes amid a spike in cases in a few states - most notably in Maharashtra, where over 6,300 infections were reported over the past 24 hour, and over 8,000 in each of the five previous days - and concerns over mutated strains of the virus spreading through India.
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan today said that in the next few days, the "walk-in system" for people will be further streamlined in states to ensure smooth functioning.
"We have given some relaxation to state governments. In the next few days, the walk-in system will be streamlined, a provision is in place for this. A certain number of people can go to the centres after taking appointments through booking," Dr Vardhan said.
Reassuring that the Co-WIN portal is functioning without any issues, the union minister said that: "there are many people in the country who can't access or face difficulties in booking. All these systems will be streamlined within one week. As of now, there is no issue in the Co-WIN portal."
On the recent spike in cases especially in Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir, the Minister said that there is no link in the increase in cases and the mutation of the virus. "Scientists and Indian Council of Medical Research, (ICMR) confirmed that these have no link to any mutation," Dr Vardhan said.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday stated that no death has occurred due to Covid-19 vaccination in the country so far.
Talking about the side effects of the Covid-19 vaccines, he said to ANI, "The side effects are minimal like swelling or fever. This sometimes happens during normal vaccination too. Hospitalisation due to vaccination is 0.0004 - it's negligible. No death has occurred due to vaccination."
The Minister further said, "If someone dies 4 days or 10 days after inoculation, you can't link it to vaccination. Every death has been scientifically investigated. High powered experts committee evaluate it, no case has come yet that death is vaccine-induced."
Queen Elizabeth II's 99-year-old husband Prince Philip on Monday left the private London hospital where he had spent nearly two weeks to have heart tests and treatment at another hospital, Buckingham Palace said.
Royal officials said the Duke of Edinburgh, as he is formally known, was taken from King Edward VII's hospital to the state-run St Bartholomew's Hospital in the City of London.
Doctors there "will continue to treat him for an infection, as well as undertake testing and observation for a pre-existing heart condition," they added.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah today took the first dose of the COVID19 vaccine. He was vaccinated by Medanta Hospital doctors.
Got my jab. For the curious, it was #Covaxin.
- Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 1, 2021
Felt secure, will travel safely. pic.twitter.com/8PL7PZMEsf
A user manual for registration and appointment for COVID-19 vaccination has been shared by the government. The second phase of the vaccination campaign has started today. "The exemplary groundwork and precaution advisory by the government has helped in containing the spread of the virus in our country," the centre said in the introduction to the user manual.
The registration on the CoWIN 2.0 portal opened this morning. See cowin.gov.in for details. More than 10,000 private hospitals empanelled under Ayushman Bharat PMJAY, more than 600 hospitals under the CGHS and other private hospitals empanelled under state schemes can function as vaccination centres.
The latest announcement was on private hospitals - they can charge up to ₹ 250 per dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Judges of the Supreme Court will get COVID-19 vaccine shots from tomorrow. They can choose which vaccine they want - Bharat Biotech's Covaxin or Serum Institute of India's Covishield.
Those eligible for the vaccine in the drive starting tomorrow also includes the families of the judges and retired judges.
The Supreme Court registry has arranged a vaccination facility at the court complex.
The judges and their families have an option of getting the jabs at the Supreme Court complex or any hospital listed by the government.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar takes the first dose of #COVID19 vaccine at JJ Hospital in Mumbai pic.twitter.com/B47KJhNfkl
- NDTV (@ndtv) March 1, 2021
With 15,510 fresh cases, India's COVID-19 tally has climbed to 1,11,12,241, while the number of recoveries has surged to 1,07,86,457, the Union health ministry said on Monday. The death count due to the viral disease has gone up to 1,57,157 in the country with 106 more fatalities reported in a 24-hour period, the ministry's data updated at 8 am showed.
