Inoculate all teachers by Sept 5: Centre to states

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, August 25

With India crossing the milestone of administering 60 crore Covid vaccine doses on Wednesday, the government pledged an additional 2 crore shots to states urging them to inoculate all schoolteachers by September 5, the Teachers’ Day.

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said, “Vaccination is gathering pace. We took 85 days to administer the first 10 crore doses and then 45 days for 20 crore, 24 more days for 40 crore, 20 days for 50 crore and another 19 days for 60 crore.”

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan and Pharmaceutical Secretary S Aparna reviewed the Covid status with states and asked them to prepare estimates of medical needs to ensure availability in the wake of any future surge.

A Home Ministry panel report to the PMO recently said paediatric facilities were close to nil. The states were told to also procure and maintain their own buffer stock of Covid medicines other than the eight essential drugs mandated by the ministry.

The Health Secretary advised the states to enhance second dose coverage and use the Emergency COVID Response Package (ECRP) funds to procure equipment, machinery, beds and drugs.

Zydus shot soon

The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation will soon meet to prioritise administration of Zydus Cadila’s vaccine, the first shot approved for kids above 12.

19% Positivity rate in Kerala
Fresh cases 37,593 
Active Cases 3,22,327
Total Deaths 4,35,758