PG Times

The health ministry hasn't explained the criteria to decide how the 11 million doses of Covishield, and 5.5 million of Covaxin would be split between states   The nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive starts on Saturday amid speculation among some doctors whether the home-grown vaccine, which is yet to prove its efficacy, is being sent to public institutions that have fewer opportunities to question the decision. The doctors who have questioned the inclusion of the home-grown Covaxin from Bharat Biotech alongside the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine at the start of the inoculation campaign say the proposed split of the two vaccines in Delhi has amplified their concerns. Six government hospitals in Delhi will receive Covaxin while all the 42 private hospitals will receive the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, Covishield, produced in India by the Serum Institute of India, according to a document received by the sites. While government district hospitals will also receive Covishield with the priv

Early detection is key to minimising health and economic burdens Chandra Mohan The history of mankind is replete with ravaging pandemics that have wiped out civilisations. Now Covid-19 has spread to more than 180 countries, infected upwards of 83 million, and killed 1.8 million people in just one year. In India, in 1918 the Spanish Flu killed more than 13 million in just three months. And within the last year the country has reported more than 10 million Covid cases and 1.48 lakh deaths. Insights provided by Pasteur’s germ theory of disease, rapid advances in the development of new anti-microbial drugs and vaccines, improved housing, sanitation, and clean drinking water have dramatically reduced the burden of infectious diseases over time. Life expectancy in India increased from 32 years in 1947 to 69 years in 2020 leading to the illusion that the scourge of infectious diseases has been conquered. Nothing could be further from the truth. Increasing drug resistance, newly emerging infec