All hopes are on vaccines

The world is today living with the expectation that the vaccine against Covid will be available soon. The news that vaccine trials of various companies in different parts of the world are in their final phase is heart-warming.

In India, one of the countries with high number of Covid cases, also the vaccine trials are in their various stages.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reached institutes where trials are going on and assessed the progress of the vaccine development.
He interacted with scientists and promised all the help from his government. His gesture was a morale booster for the researchers.
The experiments in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Pune are nearing success according to reports

The researchers here say that two phases were complete successfully and once the third phase is complete, inoculation could be started.
Experiences of Covid vaccine candidates till date ensures the safety of the vaccine.
But recently there was a report of side-effects in a vaccine developed by Astrazeneca and Oxford University. The Serum Institute in Pune is just the manufacturing partner of that vaccine name Covishield.

However, the reputed Pune Institute has denied this reports.

This must be seen as the premonitions of fake campaigns and spreading of lies related to vaccine when it becomes available in markets in large scale.

So the state and central governments should take necessary precautions against this.
Covid vaccination will be the most massive vaccination drive in the country. So it is necessary to make arrangements for this from now itself.

Procuring and storing will be an expensive thing. The prime minister had discussed the matter with state chief ministers three days before.
The Centre is making preparations to inoculate at least 30 crore people in the first phase. Those who need the vaccine the most will be given the first shots.

Policemen, senior citizens and health workers will be covered in the first phase. It is not possible to vaccinate all at one go in a country with more than 135 crore people.

There may also be people who do not want vaccine. Therefore vaccination can be done only very cautiously after preparing a priority-based list.

The other day, the Centre had sanctioned Rs 900 crore for vaccine research. Once the vaccination begins, it may need the Centre’s help in a big way. It is not clear whether the Centre will give the vaccine to the states free of cost.

The cost of the vaccine could be anywhere from Rs 1000 to Rs 2000.
A person may need two doses.

Along with government facilities, private institutions will also have to chip in.

The discussions for that can start now itself.

Meanwhile, India has not been able to contain the epidemic totally.

India's coronavirus caseload rose to 93.92 lakh with 41,810 fresh infections, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to over 88.02 lakh, according to data updated by the Union Health Ministry on Sunday.

The overall Covid-19 cases mounted to 93,92,920, with 41,810 infections being reported in a span of 24 hours while the death toll climbed to 1,36,696 with 496 new fatalities, the government data showed.

There are 4,53,956 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country as on date, the data stated.

The total discharged cases are at 88,02,267 with 42,298 new recoveries in the last 24 hours.

The Indian Council of Medical Research said that a total of 13,95,03,803 samples have been tested for Covid-19 up to 28 November. Of these, 12,83,449 samples were tested yesterday, the ICMR added.

Highest number of case loads are in eight states including Kerala. The epidemic continue to pose a challenge to Kerala because of the flaw in the preventive measure taken by the people.

Now the attitude of the people towards the epidemic has changed. They now feel that even if hit by Covid, it won’t be able to harm them beyond certain point.
This dangerous outlook will negate the preventive measures. Though people wear mask fearing police action, they conveniently skip other restrictions. They don’t give a damn about its repercussions.

But America has shown us how far dangerous is Covid. Even today the daily caseloads are more than two lakhs.

Trump who downplayed the pandemic lost his power. Now, people there is paying the price for his adamancy, pride and ego.