India is gearing up for one of the largest mass vaccination exercises in the world starting Saturday.

The South Asian country plans to inoculate some 300 million people, or more than 20% of its 1.3 billion population, against Covid-19 in the first phase of the exercise.

Indian airlines have started delivering the first doses of vaccines to Delhi and other major cities, including Kolkata, Ahmedabad and tech hub Bengaluru, tweeted Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri earlier this week.

Priority for the shots will be given to health-care and other frontline workers — an estimated 30 million people. That would be followed by those above 50 years of age and other younger, high-risk individuals.

The rollout will involve close collaboration between the central government and states.

India has also developed a digital portal called Co-WIN Vaccine Delivery Management System. It will provide real-time information on “vaccine stocks, their storage temperature and individualized tracking of beneficiaries,” according to the health ministry.

“India’s expertise in vaccine manufacturing and experience with mass immunization campaigns has prepared it well for ‘phase 1’ vaccinations set to begin this weekend,” Akhil Bery, South Asia analyst at Eurasia Group, wrote in a report this week.

“India has a long history of immunization campaigns, including its Universal Immunization Program that inoculates 55 million a year, and will rely on this expertise to distribute coronavirus vaccines,” he added.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/14/india-kicks-off-massive-covid-19-vaccination-drive-on-saturday-jan-16.html

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that all people will be provided vaccines free of cost. An estimated ₹500 will be spent on vaccination of each person,” says Union Minister of State Pratap Sarangi.

Union Minister Pratap Sarangi on October 25 said that all Indians will be given free COVID-19 vaccine, amidst the demand by Opposition parties in the country for it and not only in poll-bound Bihar as announced by the BJP.

The BJP announcement of free COVID-19 vaccine for Bihar had kicked up a controversy with the Opposition parties tearing into the NDA government alleging that the ruling party was using the pandemic for political reasons.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said the announcement was in order as it was an election manifesto announcement.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that all people will be provided vaccines free of cost. An estimated ₹500 will be spent on vaccination of each person,” Mr. Sarangi told reporters after addressing a campaign meeting for the November 3 Assembly bypoll in Balasore.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coronavirus-all-indians-to-get-free-covid-19-vaccine-says-union-minister/article32940902.ece

HELP US SPREAD GOOD NEWS!

I run this site in my spare time and thoroughly enjoy giving you all positive news!  If you've enjoyed the site we'd love for you to help me share the good news far and wide, share us on Reddit, your Facebook or your Twitter and spread a little positivity around.

ENJOY FEEL GOOD, INSPIRING STORIES AND VIDEOS ?

Our new page here is just what you need, with just good news, feel good stories unrelated to COVID.

India has given a green light for emergency use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, making it the first jab to be granted approval by regulators in the Covid-19 pandemic’s second worst-hit country.

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), whose experts were meeting on Friday for the second time this week came to the decision that paves the way for a near-immediate start to the inoculation process, according to Reuters.

The group was meeting a day ahead of a nationwide trial run for vaccine delivery in the country. According to Indian media reports, both AstraZeneca and the makers of a local vaccine candidate made presentations before the panel on Wednesday, while Pfizer, which has also applied for emergency authorisation sought more time to present their data.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, branded as “Covishield” in India, is being locally produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII), the biggest vaccine manufacturer in the world. 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/india-covid-vaccine-oxford-astrazeneca-b1781201.html

HELP US SPREAD GOOD NEWS!

I run this site in my spare time and thoroughly enjoy giving you all positive news!  If you've enjoyed the site we'd love for you to help me share the good news far and wide, share us on Reddit, your Facebook or your Twitter and spread a little positivity around.

ENJOY FEEL GOOD, INSPIRING STORIES AND VIDEOS ?

Our new page here is just what you need, with just good news, feel good stories unrelated to COVID.

Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute of India, has said his company is ready to "push the button" to make 100 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine a month in the country.

He told BBC World News: "We have targeted about a billion doses by the end of 2021. In fact we have already made about 40 million doses in India and stockpiled it."

Mr Poonawalla hoped they would be producing 100 million doses a month by January or February after full regulatory approval.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-india-55091890

HELP US SPREAD GOOD NEWS!

I run this site in my spare time and thoroughly enjoy giving you all positive news!  If you've enjoyed the site we'd love for you to help me share the good news far and wide, share us on Reddit, your Facebook or your Twitter and spread a little positivity around.

ENJOY FEEL GOOD, INSPIRING STORIES AND VIDEOS ?

Our new page here is just what you need, with just good news, feel good stories unrelated to COVID.

The world’s largest vaccine maker is ramping up production of AstraZeneca Plc’s Covid-19 shot, aiming to have 100 million doses ready by December for an inoculation drive that could begin across India that same month.

If final-stage trial data show AstraZeneca’s candidate gives effective protection from the virus, the Serum Institute of India Ltd. -- which is partnered to produce at least one billion doses -- may get emergency authorization from New Delhi by December, said Adar Poonawalla, chief executive officer of the family-owned firm based in the western city of Pune.

That initial amount will go to India, Poonawalla said in an interview on Thursday. Full approval early next year will allow distribution on a 50-50 basis with the South Asian nation and Covax, the World Health Organization-backed body that’s purchasing shots for poor nations. Serum, which has tied up with five developers, has so far made 40 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine in the past two months and aims to start manufacturing Novavax Inc.’s contender soon.

Serum Institute Of India Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla Interview

Adar PoonawallaPhotographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg

“We were a bit concerned it was a big risk,” said 39-year-old Poonawalla. But both AstraZeneca and Novavax’s shots “are looking pretty good.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-13/india-to-get-100-million-astra-shots-next-month-says-serum-head

HELP US SPREAD GOOD NEWS!

I run this site in my spare time and thoroughly enjoy giving you all positive news!  If you've enjoyed the site we'd love for you to help me share the good news far and wide, share us on Reddit, your Facebook or your Twitter and spread a little positivity around.

ENJOY FEEL GOOD, INSPIRING STORIES AND VIDEOS ?

Our new page here is just what you need, with just good news, feel good stories unrelated to COVID.

With a jump of 36,370 fresh COVID-19 cases in a day India reported the lowest number of new coronavirus infections in the country since mid-July, taking its tally to 79.46 lakh, government data shows. July 18 was the last time India reported less than 36,000 cases. Continuing with the downward trend in cases, India recorded an average of 55,000 daily Covid cases last week, against the weekly average of 90,000 during the peak in September, data shows. The weekly average of one-day tally has since dropped consistently and sharply, from about 80,000 in early October to 45,000 now.

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/coronavirus-36-370-fresh-covid-19-cases-in-india-total-cases-at-79-46-lakh-488-deaths-in-24-hours-1-19-502-total-deaths-2316202

HELP US SPREAD GOOD NEWS!

I run this site in my spare time and thoroughly enjoy giving you all positive news!  If you've enjoyed the site we'd love for you to help me share the good news far and wide, share us on Reddit, your Facebook or your Twitter and spread a little positivity around.

ENJOY FEEL GOOD, INSPIRING STORIES AND VIDEOS ?

Our new page here is just what you need, with just good news, feel good stories unrelated to COVID.

India’s coronavirus infections rose by another 62,212 cases over the previous day and a local media report said on Saturday that the government had begun identifying about 300 million people who would be given the vaccine first when it is ready.

The Times of India said that frontline health and sanitation workers, police officials and elderly people with co-morbidities will get the vaccine on priority.

The plan, which is still in the draft stage, aims to cover 23% of the population in the first phase. The final plan is likely to be ready by end October-November, the report said.

The selected individuals will be given an estimated 600 million doses.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-india-cases/india-begins-selecting-people-for-priority-coronavirus-vaccines-idUSKBN272084

HELP US SPREAD GOOD NEWS!

I run this site in my spare time and thoroughly enjoy giving you all positive news!  If you've enjoyed the site we'd love for you to help me share the good news far and wide, share us on Reddit, your Facebook or your Twitter and spread a little positivity around.

ENJOY FEEL GOOD, INSPIRING STORIES AND VIDEOS ?

Our new page here is just what you need, with just good news, feel good stories unrelated to COVID.

The country reported the lowest number of new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in at least a month, as 59,980 new infections were reported on Monday.

India has reported 6,681,937 Covid-19 cases to date, according to the data collated by HT’s dashboard.

On Monday, 903 fresh Covid-19 deaths were reported, as the overall toll rose to 1,03,622.

India had reported the first death due to the viral infection on March 12.

Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s (MoH&FW) data showed that the country’s Covid-19 caseload has remained under one million.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-reports-lowest-number-of-fresh-daily-covid-19-cases-in-a-month/story-4mfqv4mJkxsFx2GESTTaEI.html

HELP US SPREAD GOOD NEWS!

I run this site in my spare time and thoroughly enjoy giving you all positive news!  If you've enjoyed the site we'd love for you to help me share the good news far and wide, share us on Reddit, your Facebook or your Twitter and spread a little positivity around.

ENJOY FEEL GOOD, INSPIRING STORIES AND VIDEOS ?

Our new page here is just what you need, with just good news, feel good stories unrelated to COVID.

A team of scientists in India has developed an inexpensive paper-based test for coronavirus that could give fast results similar to a pregnancy test. The BBC's Soutik Biswas and Krutika Pathi unpack how it works.

The test, named after a famous Indian fictional detective, is based on a gene-editing technology called Crispr. Scientists estimate that the kit - called Feluda - would return results in under an hour and cost 500 rupees (about $6.75; £5.25).

Feluda will be made by a leading Indian conglomerate, Tata, and could be the world's first paper-based Covid-19 test available in the market.

"This is a simple, precise, reliable, scalable and frugal test," Professor K Vijay Raghavan, principal scientific adviser to the Indian government, told the BBC.

Researchers at the Delhi-based CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), where Feluda was developed, as well as private labs, tried out the test on samples from about 2,000 patients, including ones who had already tested positive for the coronavirus.

They found that the new test had 96% sensitivity and 98% specificity. The accuracy of a test is based on these two proportions. A test that's highly sensitive will detect almost everyone who has the disease; and a test that has high-specificity will correctly rule out almost everyone who doesn't have the disease.

The first ensures not too many false negative results; and the second not too many false positives. India's drug regulator has cleared the test for commercial use.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-54338864

HELP US SPREAD GOOD NEWS!

I run this site in my spare time and thoroughly enjoy giving you all positive news!  If you've enjoyed the site we'd love for you to help me share the good news far and wide, share us on Reddit, your Facebook or your Twitter and spread a little positivity around.

ENJOY FEEL GOOD, INSPIRING STORIES AND VIDEOS ?

Our new page here is just what you need, with just good news, feel good stories unrelated to COVID.

In fresh signs of a slowdown in the pandemic, India has begun to report more coronavirus recoveries each day than new patients. The trend began last Saturday and has lasted six days. This has helped India achieve its slowest weekly pace in the growth of active cases since the pandemic began: the number is now back below 1 million.

Most states reported a slower growth in active cases as well as deaths this week. 

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/india-records-slowest-weekly-rise-in-active-coronavirus-cases-11600933382383.html

HELP US SPREAD GOOD NEWS!

I run this site in my spare time and thoroughly enjoy giving you all positive news!  If you've enjoyed the site we'd love for you to help me share the good news far and wide, share us on Reddit, your Facebook or your Twitter and spread a little positivity around.

ENJOY FEEL GOOD, INSPIRING STORIES AND VIDEOS ?

Our new page here is just what you need, with just good news, feel good stories unrelated to COVID.