Wuhan Coronavirus Resource Thread

[Primus]

Further to the inquiry about Remdesivir, here is the response from my classmate who leads the ICU team at a major hospital:

Yes remdisavir has a role - but only if used in a timely manner AND in people who are significantly hypoxemic. That is more difficult than it sounds - because in my experience by the time the majority of patients become significantly hypoxemic they are already past the 10 days since the initial exposure - given the average 7+ days incubation period. Giving it late does nothing, but giving it in that very limited correct window is actually quite helpful (diminishing severity and progression - which is the objective) but that means it has to be readily available off the shelf to be given at a moments notice...

One workaround option is to give remdisavir when XRay or CT looks bad but patient not yet significantly hypoxemic - so window is broadened - but that assumes unrestrained drug supply: which is not the case.

[darshan]

....
Accordingly they should have a plan in place on how to react with rising cases. Many people even in this thread were claiming that NUMBER OF CASES does not matter, only MORTALITY rate matters. But one should realize that mortality rate can jump as soon as the health infrastructure buckles. We as ordinary citizens cannot have an overview of this. Only the govt. can and should have an overview of it. I run a small department of 10 people in my company and I have all kinds of plans for all kind of scenarios. What we are going through reeks of poor planning. Now we are caught by surprise and just like we do last minute spending on ammunition, we run around trying to set up oxygen plants.

We all know how babus like that Tripura DM work. No worry of job loss or accountability. Or expertise for that matter against decision making power.

Irrespective of that, I have been running sequence of events and some glue information again and again starting from February. Here are my thoughts:
1) flu season awareness. There was no proper campaign ongoing to educate people about it. Everyone in India is more and less used to various seasons like malaria, chicken gunia, etc. However, the flu season awareness in light of this chinese virus would have been critical.
2) in the context of GJ, as that's where I can get information from, remedesvir procurement was being ramped up well before the wave. However not in exponential manner. Various ways to interpret this. One way is that someone's model did predict the usage going up. May be they had correlated with flu season. The remedisvir lobby had started competing to pull more funds and was winning. This meant other efforts losing out. I'm sure that they did not win out due to convincing babus that the wave is coming as that would have meant less mayhem right now. The lobby had this drug in pretty much all protocols. Even being given out to people in precautionary observation in late February. So lobby was doing what they do which is to make money. Happens all the times and not blaming them. Only RTIs would reveal how many babus actually took lessons learned from last few months to improve things. Months of following this thread had informed me that there's not anything particular about this drug to be in all protocols. But I'm a villager with no UPSC knowledge to know any better.
Let's say you find out many things through RTIs. Whom would you hold responsible? You can't vote babus out.
3) no education about the cost of being hospitalized. No incentive to be extra careful.
4) no changes in models to predict the wave. If maskless people increased and noise went up, then change the ways to track and monitor samples that have high confidence. like portion of population that did follow rules and how many of this were getting infected. Enlist medical professionals to submit their concerns from knowing their patients well enough to know who is disciplined and who's not to get infected. Careful people being infected should have indicated things.

What else could have been used other than rapid testing to predict the wave? Can there have been randomized surface tests in public area? Air samples testing? Sewage testing? Only learned UPSC people can tell us. Villagers only have pulse and no brain.

Mask enforcement was essentially turning into a fiasco when there's not equal enforcement across all the dimensions. Same thing about gatherings. Common person on the road would notice the difference in enforcement.

[pgbhat]

While we are focusing on lack of bed in hospital or even getting oxygen which is what we see in news right now, even simple sore throat is making people nervous. Normal times the docs would just prescribe medications and move on.

This is not the case now, we have to be ready to get a battery of tests (RT/PCR, make sure oxygen level is good, have a CT of the lung) and source meds and food when entire families are down with COVID. The pressure on health infra has shot up insanely. The whole mental health aspect of general population has suffered. Health Infra collapse will take down economy with it. I still see people not masking up properly. Longer this Pandemic drags without achieving at least 70-80% vaccination worse the economy becomes due to diversion of resources to triaging and treating folks suffering from disease.

[darshan]

Giving it late does nothing, but giving it in that very limited correct window is actually quite helpful (diminishing severity and progression - which is the objective) but that means it has to be readily available off the shelf to be given at a moments notice...

This is definitely bit hard in the Indian context and likely true in general for others as well. Hard to catch that perfect window. Right now many elders just want to stay home and let nature run its course and not consume any further resources of the next generation. Even in February, cautious high risk people avoided visiting hospitals to avoid picking up the virus.

[darshan]

Medical infrastructure collapse is already taking toll on other patients not affected by the virus.

[Paul]

Assuming there is a shortage of vaccine in India, how can MHH state call for a global tender to supply vaccine. Do they not have to go through central government for this. and how come other states like Bihar and Rajasthan are also not complaining about vaccine shortages.

[Zynda]

Here in BLR, test results are taking 3+ days even in private labs...BSY promised that results would be made available in a day earlier this month I think. Similar issue was faced during last wave...test reports itself taking disproportionate time. Know a couple of people whose test results have not arrived since more than a week (they are probably negative given no symptoms etc...they got it checked because of travel)...I know we are testing a lot more than what we did before but at the end, it seems like from a patient POV, things have not improved.

[Jay]

Longer this Pandemic drags without achieving at least 70-80% vaccination worse the economy becomes due to diversion of resources to triaging and treating folks suffering from disease.

This is one thing that both the people in power and the common man are failing to comprehend. By investing upfront in the vaccine we will reap the benefits manifold as time passes. But with us going by this piecemeal approach and divide and conquer attitude between center, states, private entities, and companies we are just prolonging the pandemic and shooting ourselves in the foot.

[pgbhat]

Here in BLR, test results are taking 3+ days even in private labs...BSY promised that results would be made available in a day earlier this month I think. Similar issue was faced during last wave...test reports itself taking disproportionate time. Know a couple of people whose test results have not arrived since more than a week (they are probably negative given no symptoms etc...they got it checked because of travel)...I know we are testing a lot more than what we did before but at the end, it seems like from a patient POV, things have not improved.

Yeah from patient perspective things suck more than the first wave. Not only the testing time has gone back to first wave times now bed and oxygen situation is much worse. There is no way out but to keep the lockdown going and vaccinate people. Economy will not take off without pressure on health infra being relieved.

[darshan]

With states not in sync with the central govt, lockdowns would be a mixed bag. Lockdowns for vaccination also imply enough shots and infrastructure in place to vaccinate 50% in two weeks. Doable in a similar manner like elections. However, SC would need to take hints and lay down rules to avoid running to judicial branch to mess things up.

[darshan]

2.5 crore vaccine doses ordered; fourth phase vaccination to start in first half of May: Rupani
https://www.deshgujarat.com/2021/04/29/ ... ccination/
...
Speaking about upcoming fourth phase of vaccination for 18-45 age group, Rupani said those above 18 will be given vaccine for free of cost at government centres in the fourth phase of vaccination. The State government has ordered 2.5 crore vaccine doses for fourth phase – 2 crore doses of Covishiled and 50 lakh doses of Covaxin, he added.
....

[vera_k]

What else could have been used other than rapid testing to predict the wave? Can there have been randomized surface tests in public area? Air samples testing? Sewage testing? Only learned UPSC people can tell us. Villagers only have pulse and no brain.

IMO, the only criteria that should be used are the number of ICU beds available and the number of infections or the test positivity rate to control for variation in testing. If any of these numbers start to exceed thresholds at the district or city level, restrictions on activities and lockdowns need to be increased. While this is still a reactive process, it avoids delays of the kinds seen today where government and opposition spend time bickering over whether it is appropriate to impose a lockdown. It also provides people with advance warning that a lockdown may be coming so they can make their way to their homes without being stranded at their workplace.

[darshan]

IMO, the only criteria that should be used are the number of ICU beds available and the number of infections or the test positivity rate to control for variation in testing. If any of these numbers start to exceed thresholds at the district or city level, restrictions on activities and lockdowns need to be increased.

This is what GJ did. However, ramp up was exponential and govt decision making was not fast enough. Though it was still faster than normal times and no opposition hurdles.

[saip]

Even though the case numbers seem to be increasing the recovery numbers are keeping in step and actually increasing. During the past five days the INCREASE in active cases is trending DOWN - 125919,126333,121461,117310,113341. At this rate we may see wave peaking around May 15.

[vimal]

Why does this virus keeps coming back in waves? I’ve checked a few other countries and they all seem to have control it only to go up again?

[Ashokk]

Update on the peak date from Prof.Agrawal, IIT

<Update on 29/4> @stellensatz
Some good news about India from SUTRA's perspective. The trajectory has stabilized now and so I can switch back to predicting daily new infections instead of active infections. As predicted earlier, peak expected to arrive during May 4-8.

[Mukhi]

Gentlemen.

I need some guidance. Few folks, Drs and Local Desi Politician, (I do not know them personally, but I am told they are of good character) in USA are requesting a donation so that they can ship 2 oxygen generating plants.

They have procured equipments, refurbished, add a cost of $1.9 million. They need additional $38,000 for shipping to India. The question is, do these numbers sound reasonable or acceptable?

Please guide.

[nachiket]

Why does this virus keeps coming back in waves? I’ve checked a few other countries and they all seem to have control it only to go up again?

Because when the case numbers go down significantly, people get lax in their precautions (if they take any that is) and go out and meet others more thinking that the pandemic is almost over. I saw this a lot in India in the Dec-Feb period. Some of the "intellectuals" who are blaming the government for not doing anything now were the same people asking why government wasn't removing all restrictions because covid was done in India. Then the cases rise, slowly at first but the graph is always exponential so you know there is going to be a sudden and uncontrollable rise at some point. By the time people are scared enough to mask up and social distance again and the governments have woken up to impose restrictions again the damage is already done.

[Rudradev]

Gentlemen.

I need some guidance. Few folks, Drs and Local Desi Politician, (I do not know them personally, but I am told they are of good character) in USA are requesting a donation so that they can ship 2 oxygen generating plants.

They have procured equipments, refurbished, add a cost of $1.9 million. They need additional $38,000 for shipping to India. The question is, do these numbers sound reasonable or acceptable?

Please guide.

Personally I make my donations only to groups like Sewa Foundation. These are established organizations that have expertise in getting specific types of aid to where they are needed, and also offer accountability mechanisms. For example, if there are special provisions that can be availed of to ship the equipment expediently and at lowest cost, Sewa and like groups would best know how to leverage them.

If legit, these guys with the equipment should have no problem contacting Sewa and availing of their mechanisms in place to ship it to India (as I am sure many other items are also being shipped and distributed through their pipeline).

I would tread carefully with anyone directly asking for money, especially if you do not know them personally. Even if they are completely honest and sincere, their way of shipping it to India may not be the most efficient.

[saip]

It does not make sense. 1.9 million they raised but could not raise just 38k? Also, won't Air India offer FREE transportation? Even US airlines operating to India may give free transportation for PR.

[Mort Walker]

Gentlemen.

I need some guidance. Few folks, Drs and Local Desi Politician, (I do not know them personally, but I am told they are of good character) in USA are requesting a donation so that they can ship 2 oxygen generating plants.

They have procured equipments, refurbished, add a cost of $1.9 million. They need additional $38,000 for shipping to India. The question is, do these numbers sound reasonable or acceptable?

Please guide.

Personally I make my donations only to groups like Sewa Foundation. These are established organizations that have expertise in getting specific types of aid to where they are needed, and also offer accountability mechanisms. For example, if there are special provisions that can be availed of to ship the equipment expediently and at lowest cost, Sewa and like groups would best know how to leverage them.

If legit, these guys with the equipment should have no problem contacting Sewa and availing of their mechanisms in place to ship it to India (as I am sure many other items are also being shipped and distributed through their pipeline).

I would tread carefully with anyone directly asking for money, especially if you do not know them personally. Even if they are completely honest and sincere, their way of shipping it to India may not be the most efficient.

Agree. Many PIOs in the US are sympathetic to BIF and in some cases embezzlers. Sewa Foundation or PM Cares https://www.pmcares.gov.in/en/web/contr ... onate_wire
https://www.pmcares.gov.in/en/web/contr ... te_foreign
are the best way to go.

[Rudradev]

Must-read article:

https://kushalmehra.com/2021/04/27/covi ... mell-test/

India is in the middle of its second wave and our social media feeds have morphed into SOS helplines with citizens running pillar to post to arrange medicines and oxygen cylinders. Amid this, the pack of foreign correspondents and their desi counterparts, who in the first wave couldn’t understand why COVID-19 wasn’t killing the natives in sufficient numbers, have made a triumphant comeback. With intrusive pictures of burning pyres that’d shame vultures, the ecosystem that lives for poverty ***** is back with many of them claiming that India is grossly underreporting its COVID-19 death numbers.

John Burn-Murdoch of the Financial Times even claimed that the “numbers of Covid victims who have been cremated are 10x larger than official Covid death counts in same areas”.

Now, if you claim that the death toll is twice the government figure, it’s still understandable but if one claims it’s 10 times the number, it fails to pass the basic smell test.

To begin with, the under-reported death figures aren’t part of some grand global conspiracy. This has been happening and will continue to happen across the globe. For example, New York City was accused of underreporting its nursing home deaths by a few thousand that were added to the tally in early February 2021, this pushed their total nursing home resident deaths in the state up from 8,500 to nearly 15,000.

So, it’s quite natural that if one digs deeper, one will find that state governments are underreporting deaths. But that’s not the point. This piece doesn’t carry a brief for any government, nor is it an apologia to reduce the death count. The only thing we are bothered about is the truth.

Now let’s examine the lofty claim that the death rate is 10 times what’s being officially reported. For starters, the criticism of the government’s nefarious schemes has to be consistent. Critics would’ve us believe that the same governments (state and central), which can’t provide basic facilities during the second wave are somehow Machiavellian enough to under-count death rates by a factor of 10!

If the death count was actually 10 times, it’d suggest that both state and central governments, which have a plethora of different political parties, somehow managed to come together on the same page and keep the official numbers down.
And they somehow managed to do so under immense scrutiny from NGOs, media, activists, and the foreign press.

Also, numbers don’t lie.

Also, just to give you some perspective, the current number of deaths as of this moment is 1,98,899. If the number was 10 times, it’d suggest that 20 lakh (or 2 million) people in India had succumbed to COVID-19.

Even a flat earther would think twice before making the aforementioned claim.

By the way, we had the same narrative last year during the 1st wave albeit with a different religion. In 2020 we were flooded with stories of the Muslim burial grounds being overburdened and running out of space and there are dead bodies everywhere.

So is it possible that there were underreported deaths during the 1st wave? Yes, but the key question is by how much? If it was 10 times do you understand the amount of time & in the case of Muslims the amount of space that would be required to bury people? By the way, such stories had cropped up in Mumbai too. But then after a while, it was clear that the chaos was partly because of the spike (which is expected), but, it was primarily because burial grounds were overburdened with COVID-19 protocols.

Another way to decipher all of this is to look at the death rates of 2018 to 2020. We can study the trends and wherever we find gaps we can try to use basic logic to decipher what is happening. So what points should be considered to break this down?

What is the spike in terms of absolute numbers of deaths?
In which period did this spike happen?
Can these numbers be given to COVID completely? If yes, why?
If someone says Yes to point 3 what they are trying to say is that every extra death in India has happened only because of COVID!!! Does that mean deaths by other causes are reported perfectly? Of course, the third point is outrageous, since it’s impossible to believe that Indians have become immune to every other disease.

Let’s look at the data. In Mumbai, 21,000 more deaths (around 23%) were reported in the 2020 calendar year compared to 2019. It was 1,11,942 in 2020 and 91,223 in 2019. The month of May 2020 had by far the highest amount of deaths registered (14328) compared to 7335 deaths from May 2019.

Now here are some points that we should remember when we further analyse this data:

When we calculate the excess mortality data we must keep in mind the standard year-on-year rise of deaths by 2 to 2.5%.

One must also remember that these are the total number of deaths in the whole year. These numbers do not indicate or consider deaths by various other causes. For eg, during the 1st wave, the entire health infrastructure had collapsed and patients suffering from various other chronic illnesses like cancer, kidney failure, hypertension, and diabetes were denied basic healthcare access. Also, the lockdown had temporarily reduced the rate of deaths by road accidents for a while, but it had also resulted in an increase of deaths by suicides. To get a real picture one might have to look at the age-wise distribution to get an even better idea (COVID-19 does tend to harm the 60 and above age group more).

The official COVID-19 fatality number of Mumbai was 11,116 for the year 2020. So when we take points number 1 and 2 into consideration and try to break down the excess number of deaths, it would be fewer or not more than 2 times the official count.

Another point we need to remember in the case of Mumbai is that the 1st wave had hit the slums disproportionately more than the non-slums. This can be seen by looking at the sero survey conducted by BMC that showed 57% of the people in slums had antibodies to Covid-19 as against 16% in non-slum pockets. How do we know whether the sero survey was right? Well during the second wave the infection spread is completely lopsided in comparison to the 1st wave. Unlike the 1st wave, the 2nd wave in Mumbai has found 90% are concentrated in high-rise buildings while slums account for just 10%. Slum-dwellers do not have the same level of access to quality healthcare in comparison to non-slum dwellers. This is another factor that should be considered when we try to understand the overall mortality narrative.

Let us consider another state for our analysis. The state of Kerala released its all cause-mortality data and as per that Kerala recorded over 16,000 fewer deaths in 2020 compared to the average of the previous five years. The point to be noted here is that Kerala had and still has the 2nd highest number of infections in the entire country.

If one was to consider all these factors the only rational conclusion that can be derived is that the deaths at most could be 2 times what the governments (state and central) claim. It cannot be beyond that. And if someone wants to make the 10 times claim then they should provide the evidence for the same.

Taking some news reports and amplifying them to suggest the entire country is crumbling is not data crunching, it’s simply pandering to the ‘bhay ka mahaul’ narrative without giving facts to substantiate it. In a huge country like India, it’s always possible to find any story to fit one’s narrative but that doesn’t make it the universal truth.

The only way to figure out the real Covid-19 mortality numbers for 2021 would be looking at the annual death data and then trying to make sense out of that after a year in 2022.

As Carl Sagan once said, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Nothing substantiates the 10 times claims and stories of crematoriums might excite a naïve audience back home, but it certainly doesn’t pass the muster.

In fact, one would’ve to use a metaphorical blade of two philosophical razors to truly slice through the ridiculous claims of the death ***** enthusiasts: Hitchen’s and Hanlon’s. While Hitchen’s states that what can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence, Hanlon’s states: “Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity.”

A close observation would show that we can reject the claims simply because they are being made either from malice or stupidity, neither of which is a great skill for data observation.

[Rudradev]

Do share the above in WhatsApp groups, FB, etc as widely as possible.

[Mort Walker]

^^^A lot of FUD going around with the goal of trying to discredit GoI by international elitist press.

[Rakesh]

[Kakkaji]

Bharat Biotech reduces price of Covaxin for states to Rs 400 per dose

Taking cue from Serum Insistute of India, Hyderbad-based Bharat Biotech on Thursday reduced price of its coronavirus vaccine, Covaxin, for states to Rs 400 per dose from Rs 600.

Neither SII nor BB have reduced their original prices for private hospitals yet.

I think that in this new vaccination phase starting May 1st, bulk of the available doses will be purchased by the state governments for free vaccination of 18-44.

As far as private hospitals are concerned, I think they will buy doses mainly on behalf of corporates that want to vaccinate their employees quickly.

I predict that Gujarat will be the first large state to complete the vaccination of its population.

[Anujan]

Perhaps it would have been better if the central government acquired vaccines and distributed it free to the states.

The loss to the economy due to lockdown and sickness is probably higher than the cost of free vaccines to the states.

But then I do know how we landed up in this mess (states demanding that center allow them to buy directly etc etc)

[Raja]

As it stands, the new vaccine policy seems to be heading towards a shaky start. I hope I am wrong as we really need to scale it up. But, there just seems to be more interest in blaming each other from the political parties.

[Suraj]

^^ That's quite literally what they were doing for all practical purposes. None of the vaccines so far involve payment unless you get it from a private hospital who is allowed to charge up to Rs.250.

The main problem is that the center set the terms in two regards
1) Prioritization . First HCW/FLW, Then >60 and comorbid >45, then all >45 .
2) Distribution . This was based on a centrally tracked picture of state level consumption and requirements.

Both these have pros and cons.
1. Prioritization. Perfectly sensible as a general concept - literally every major nation is doing exactly the same, with. more or less the same prioritization tiers . The negative is that when there's a sudden wave, it's important to change plans and ideally vaccinate everyone in dense areas, or maximize usage of first doses so the largest number of people have at least a single-shot immunity level. It can make the difference between an overloaded medical system and otherwise.
2. This coordination is hard to get perfectly at the best of times, and no one, not even param poojya California does it properly. We know how Pfizer decides these things: Inside Pfizer’s Fast, Fraught, and Lucrative Vaccine Distribution

The vaccine allocation was the product of a company struggling to apportion doses while demand far exceeded supply, using an opaque process that appears to have involved a mix of order size, position in the queue, production forecasts, calls from world leaders, the potential to advance the science, and of course the desire to make a profit. “Everybody wanted [deliveries] in the first quarter, and we tried to allow discussions and negotiations to spread things so everybody would get in an equitable base,” Bourla says. The countries that hadn’t placed orders wanted a place in line, and those that had placed early orders wanted to buy more. “It was a constant negotiation,” he says. “Everybody wanted it of course earlier.”

Sometimes top down federalism is better than competitive confederative action - states fight each other instead of the common bogeyman the center.

This led to recriminations and politically motivated finger-pointing, which led to states demanding to buy from supplier directly. Center shrugged and agreed, whereupon states suddenly realized they're only trading one problem with arguably another worse one.

It bears repeating - besides the Rs.250 convenience fee at private hospitals neither the people nor the states have paid anything of the Rs.7500 cr in total spending on vaccine orders the center has done so far. It's all come from Union Health Min and PM CARES budgets. Various important celebs post on their iPhone 12 Pro Max that people should get vaccine free instead of Rs.600 . They can get it free both from center and from most states which have already announced those vaccines will be free to registered recipients.

[Tanaji]

My relatives went for their second dose in Mumbai and were turned away due to lack of vaccine supply. Apparently it will be in stock after 1 May. This at 2 separate hospitals one government and one private.

[Suraj]

It looks like the government is implicitly delaying second doses and trying to emphasize first doses, given that week on week daily vaccination rate is more or less the same, and there's greater pressure on second dose needs now. If they're indeed doing this, then I hope they're better with their messaging rather than confusing people in this manner.

For those posting anecdotes, please post what vaccine type and what was the date of first dose.

[Sicanta]

Next phase of vaccination from May 1st unlikely as supplies scarce


https://m.economictimes.com/news/india/ ... 283085.cms

As per local news, UP too has decide to float global tender to secure supplies so as to start vaccine drive soon as possible

[vinod]

My relatives went for their second dose in Mumbai and were turned away due to lack of vaccine supply. Apparently it will be in stock after 1 May. This at 2 separate hospitals one government and one private.

I'm betting on corruption. You can divert these vaccines to private hospitals for a good profit.
Also, state can divert centres vaccines and say they provided for free.

[Jay]

^^^A lot of FUD going around with the goal of trying to discredit GoI by international elitist press.

Like I said, every dog has its day. For us we should not pay attention to any of this news, but put our heads down and save the lives of our countrymen first, and get the economic recovery on a fast track. Everything else will fall into place.

[venkat_kv]

khujliwal raj


बिजली हाफ,

पानी माफ,

ऑक्सीजन साफ !

..... snip

Me, my parents, my wife and infant, my in laws, all are positive in three different states. Only I have recovered so far. My entire friend circle or their families are positive. Last couple of weeks have been nerve racking trying to arrange medical essentials for friends and family over phone while still struggling with the personal toll of disease myself.

I tried making a list of people I know who are infected so I can enquire about their health. I had to give up when the list was 300 names long, and I just couldn't compile it anymore.

So please, it's my humble request to not make this disaster political. This may seem like an emotional rant, but I do not have it in me to make another phone call to console people who have lost a dear one.

Hope you and your loved ones recover Thakur Saab. this is a testing time for all of us.

I have responded to upper half of your political post in the politics thread.

@Sachin Saar, hope you are feeling better and are making your recovery as well.

[Bart S]

2.5 crore vaccine doses ordered; fourth phase vaccination to start in first half of May: Rupani
https://www.deshgujarat.com/2021/04/29/ ... ccination/
...
Speaking about upcoming fourth phase of vaccination for 18-45 age group, Rupani said those above 18 will be given vaccine for free of cost at government centres in the fourth phase of vaccination. The State government has ordered 2.5 crore vaccine doses for fourth phase – 2 crore doses of Covishiled and 50 lakh doses of Covaxin, he added.
....

TN meanwhile has ordered only 1.5 cr doses, there is no information on when those will arrive, and has slowed vaccinations down to a crawl. In fact TN has among the worst metrics around in terms of vaccinations and vaccine wastage.

The conclusions that many are drawing is that this is a deliberate strategy to mess things up for the next govt since all indications are that anti-incumbency will ensure that they are out of power soon.

[Tanaji]

The first dose for my relatives was more than 55 days ago and it was Astra Zeneca. All are above 65 years of age. They went to queue at 8 am itself having heard that it runs out quickly.

Other relatives in Thane could get vaccinated a week ago, but apparently even there, they are now reporting less availability.

[OmkarC]

Lots of orgs are asking for financial support in the wake of this unprecedented emergency.. I have donated and will continue to donate but want to be sure am not unwittingly feeding the Commie/Urban Naxal ecosystem.. can anyone help screen the following as legit/BIF:

- Help Age India, Delhi
- Sewa International, Houston, USA
- Akshaya Patra Foundation, Bangalore
- Support daily wagers in India during Covid-19, Goonj, Delhi
- Give foundation, Bangalore

[S_Madhukar]

My parents both 70+ got their 2nd AZ dose on Monday in NW Mumbai.. they were in queue since 7.30 am and finally got the dose at 1.30 am.... apparently there was a stock of only 500 odd that day and early doses that day were apparently taken by ahem some VIPs ...the queue was massive , some chaos until the police arrived as no one knew vaccine was available... my parents had been turned back a few days before as they had 42 days after the 1st dose...this day they had completed 45+ days... at least they were given a bottle of water...after the 1st dose they had some headaches and pain in the joints for a few days and some temperature but no such side-effect this time

[Uttam]

Lots of orgs are asking for financial support in the wake of this unprecedented emergency.. I have donated and will continue to donate but want to be sure am not unwittingly feeding the Commie/Urban Naxal ecosystem.. can anyone help screen the following as legit/BIF:

- Help Age India, Delhi
- Sewa International, Houston, USA
- Akshaya Patra Foundation, Bangalore
- Support daily wagers in India during Covid-19, Goonj, Delhi
- Give foundation, Bangalore

I
I am sticking to PM Cares only.