A spike- Covid-19 vaccination(on friday,17 sept. 2021) GS paper I- society      

20 Sep  A spike- Covid-19 vaccination(on friday,17 sept. 2021) GS paper I- society      

Doctor drawing up Covid-19 vaccine from glass phial bottle and filling syringe injection for vaccination. Close up of hand wearing protective disposable gloves in lab and holding a bottle of vaccination drugs. Hand with blue surgical gloves taking sars-coV-2 vaccine dose from vial with syringe: prevention and immunization concept.

Introduction-

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. People infected with the virus generally experience mild to moderate respiratory illness among others. Some may get seriously ill requiring medical attention. Older people with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, or cancer are more likely to develop serious illness. Anyone can get sick with COVID-19 and become seriously ill or die at any age whatsoever. 

 People can protect themselves and others from its infection by-

• staying at least 1 metre apart from each other

•  wearing a properly fitted mask

• washing their hands using an alcohol-based rub etc.

• one can get himself vaccinated when it’s your turn and follow the medical guidance that is made public by medical experts.

The virus can spread from an infected person’s mouth or nose in small liquid particles while  they are coughing, sneezing, speaking, and breathing etc. It has arrived in two waves already and the third wave is also reported, to come next, by experts.

About the data-

The data related to covid-19 and its vaccination drive, changes rapidly and may differ location to location. Some areas may not have the data itself. As a result, 7-day averages may be calculated on different dates by the authorities.

It only has the final calculations of full vaccinations in some locations-

In most of the datas collected, it shows the number of people recieving at least 1 dose or have been fully vaccinated or total number of vaccine doses given to people. Since some vaccines require more than 1 dose, the number of fully vaccinated people is likely lower.

Why in News- 

On Friday, there has been a record vaccination in India which is connected to the result of a B.J.P. campaign to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.

Brief Details-

As per reports, at 11.20 pm on Friday, at least five BJP-ruled states had administered over 20 lakh Covid-19 vaccine doses each.

The available data according to the CoWin portal says-

• Bihar had administered 29 lakh vaccine shots

• Karnataka over 28 lakhs

• Uttar Pradesh more than 27 lakhs

• Madhya Pradesh close to 26 lakhs

• Gujarat around 24 lakhs

India on September 17 administered a record 2.5 crore vaccine shots, which an ebullient Health Ministry said was the equivalent of the populations of the whole of Australia, two-thirds of Canada and five times that of New Zealand. The only other comparison would be China’s pace of vaccination — 2.47 crore shots on a single day. Thus, 2.5 crore means 62% Indian adults have now got at least one dose and one in five fully inoculated.

But to encourage a behavioural nudge when supply is abundant and demand is not commensurate — as in the U.S. — and have a marked supply shortage even as vaccine production continues — as in India — are two different things. 

Bharat Biotech will provide at least 52 crore doses from July-December, of which 40 crore is to be supplied from September-December. Since the vaccination drive began, only nine crore doses of Covaxin have been administered as of last week — at least three crore short.

Future concern-

India is once again on a downswing as far as daily coronavirus numbers go. The globally most prevalent Delta variant may have already washed over large swathes of India, but waning immunity and the emergence of variants capable of immune escape are thriving too.

 With educational Institutions set to open in a big way during the winter and crores of unvaccinated children vulnerable, the imperative should be to boost daily supplies. India is lucky that there is so far no discernible vaccine scepticism and hesitancy and it has only to really bother with producing and delivering the jab painlessly.

To conclude-

Instead of positioning vaccine drives as opportunities to set vacuous records, the Centre must prioritise vaccines to States and districts that are at greatest infection risk and follow up with vaccine makers to speed up and make good on their commitments.

BY RAJEEV YADAV

HISTORY OPTIONAL and GS FACULTY

(PLUTUS IAS)

Plutus IAS Daily Current Affairs 20th September 2021