A positivity fee of lower than 5 per cent for every week, immunization of 70 per cent susceptible populations, and neighborhood possession of COVID-appropriate habits and care – the Center on Tuesday set key un-lockdown norms for districts. Possible third wave.
On Tuesday, Dr Balram Bhargava, Director General of ICMR and member of India’s COVID-19 Task Force, underlined that the “gradual lifting” [of restrictions] won’t see an enormous improve”, the districts “have to make sure that vaccination is given precedence…”
“In terms of preventing the third wave, it is very easy that districts with less than 5 per cent positivity should open up a little… they should open very slowly. They should ensure that the vulnerable population should receive at least 70 per cent vaccination… if that is not achieved, they should vaccinate and then open up,” Bhargava stated.
Bhargava’s assertion comes within the backdrop of 344 districts – nearly half of India’s 718 districts – now having a seven-day positivity fee of lower than 5 per cent. The ministry stated this has improved because the week ending May 7, when solely 92 districts reported positivity charges of lower than 5 per cent.
As of May 13, 32 per cent of individuals aged 45+ have obtained their first dose, in line with immunization knowledge from the well being ministry.
“We are in the middle of a brutal second wave, although it is coming to an end now. Looking at the figures, in the first week of April, we had less than 200 districts with more than 10 per cent positivity. And in the last week of April, we had about 600 districts with more than 10 percent positivity… Today, there are 239 districts in the country with more than 10 percent positivity; 145 districts have 5 per cent to 10 per cent positivity; And 350 districts, which is almost half of India, have less than 5 percent positivity. So, we are moving in the right direction,” Bhargava stated.
He stated that whereas the district-level management has labored, it’s “not a permanent solution” and thus, a mechanism must be labored out for alleviating the lockdown. “It has to be done very slowly and very gradually. Basically, the opening revolves around three pillars: One, the test positivity rate in that particular district should be less than 5 per cent in a week… so seven The day average should be less than 5 percent. Second, vulnerable individuals who are over 60 years of age and those with comorbidities over 45 years should be vaccinated. Their vaccination rate should reach 70 percent… Third, community ownership of COVID-appropriate behavior and care must be taken in a big way… We need to remember that our vaccinations are being ramped up. By December, we hope to have the entire country vaccinated… ,” stated Bhargava.
On Tuesday, the pinnacle of India’s COVID-19 job drive, Dr VK Paul, stated that India will stick with the two-dose program for Covishield and Covaxin, and clarified that mixing vaccines shouldn’t be a part of the nation’s vaccine technique.
“I want to clarify that the Covishield and Covaxin schedule in India is a two-dose schedule, there is no change. There should be no doubt about it. We have to essentially take two doses,” Paul stated.
“Similarly, on mixing vaccines … there’s a risk that the physique might present an hostile response with one other vaccine. This is a scientific consideration, particularly when the second vaccine is made on a distinct platform. Second Science additionally states that That if the primary dose is of 1 vaccine and the second dose is of the second, there could also be a rise in immunity. The potential for a constructive impact can also be believable… Research is underway in different nations. This is an unresolved scientific query… of vaccination. There is not any change in technique and there’s no mixing of vaccines,” Paul stated.
Dr NK Arora, chairman of the COVID-19 working group beneath the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI), had earlier instructed The Indian Express that work on testing the feasibility of a routine combining two COVID vaccines might begin quickly. . “We are looking for combinations of vaccines that provide better protection. At the moment, the vaccines used are providing protection against serious disease, but they are not providing protection against infection and virus transmission to the extent that we would have liked,” he stated.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
