Wuhan Coronavirus Resource Thread

Zynda · Post by **Zynda** » 02 May 2021 12:31

vijayk wrote:https://swarajyamag.com/news-brief/when ... al-partner
When Will SaNOtize's Nasal Spray Treatment For Covid-19 Be Available In India? CEO Says Company In Search Of Local Partner

Give this drug EUA as fast as possible...

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 02 May 2021 13:09

Raja · Post by **Raja** » 02 May 2021 13:39

Sad but true.

Cyrano · Post by **Cyrano** » 02 May 2021 13:46

The Directorate General of Free Trade DGFT has notified on 30th April that :

"Import of goods, including those purchased from e-commerce portals, through post or courier, where Customs clearance is sought as gifts, is prohibited except for life saving drugs / medicines/oxygen concentrators and Rakhi (but not gifts related to Rakhi).

The exemption for oxygen concentrators is allowed only for a period till 31 July 2021 for personal use."

Which means oxygen concentrators can be sent from abroad by DHL/FedEx etc to your near & dear in India as a gift ?
Customs duties will still apply ? Its not clear to me.

If they apply, the recipient in India needs to pay the duties to take delivery? Has anyone tried this before?
Thanks.

sanjayc · Post by **sanjayc** » 02 May 2021 13:49

Raja wrote:Sad but true.

Not really. This is how narrative against rich successful people and wealth creators is built in India to ensure the country remains socialist.

Cyrano · Post by **Cyrano** » 02 May 2021 13:52

Shameful to see Parsi bashing on this forum. You need the safety of his vaccine, but his safety to produce the vaccine for you be damned ? Times like these are a test of character. Rise to the occasion if you can. If not at least stop lowering others'.

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 02 May 2021 13:58

Zynda wrote:
vijayk wrote:https://swarajyamag.com/news-brief/when ... al-partner
When Will SaNOtize's Nasal Spray Treatment For Covid-19 Be Available In India? CEO Says Company In Search Of Local Partner
Give this drug EUA as fast as possible...

Has it received clearance from the Canadian authorities??

Because a cursory search doesn't reveal clearance of the same in Canada. If it has been cleared for general use in home countries then we can ask for the EUA in India.

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 02 May 2021 14:04

Cyrano wrote:Shameful to see Parsi bashing on this forum. You need the safety of his vaccine, but his safety to produce the vaccine for you be damned ? Times like these are a test of character. Rise to the occasion if you can. If not at least stop lowering others'.

Well said. Even on BRF is it shocking to see how easily some of the members fall for such events. No one at this time is remembering that SII had produced 100 Million doses even before they had gotten clearance from relevant authorities.

We have to keep calm and carry on with our lives as best as we can so that panic can be minimized. Panic is the biggest killer. It destroys ability to think clearly. Which in turn brings about total destruction.

Cyrano · Post by **Cyrano** » 02 May 2021 14:18

It would do us good to remember Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2, Verse 63

क्रोधाद्भवति सम्मोह: सम्मोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रम: |
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति || 63||

krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ sammohāt smṛiti-vibhramaḥ
smṛiti-bhranśhād buddhi-nāśho buddhi-nāśhāt praṇaśhyati

Anger leads to clouding of judgment, which results in bewilderment of the memory. When the memory is bewildered, the intellect gets destroyed; and when the intellect is destroyed, one is ruined.

Raja · Post by **Raja** » 02 May 2021 14:38

Without SII, we would be in a far worse position. They should be applauded.

ritesh · Post by **ritesh** » 02 May 2021 15:03

Deleted

Cyrano · Post by **Cyrano** » 02 May 2021 15:24

That was errr 75 years go? A refugee micro minority community's only chance for survival is to align with the power center of the land, be non controversial and do visible community service to be barodly accepted and mostly left alone. They have done that well. As to adopting angrezi vesh-bhasha we had enough and more non-Parisis who did the same until swadeshi movement started.

Parsis smoothly realigned to the new power structure post independence and further built their businesses. Some spectacularly like the Tatas and others modestly like Adir Poonawallah. He happens to be at the right place at the right time fortunately for him and the rest of the country when Covid hit. He risked big and produced AZ in millions even before it was approved.

Instead of being thankful to him, wish him more success and hoping more entrepreneurs to emerge to out do him, we are bashing him for the suits and cutlery of his forefathers ? When he runs out of country due to threats from MVA goondas - he did it quite smartly, not taking on anyone directly or crying on TV but fleeing first and leaking it later (that micro minority survival instinct again) - we call him a traitor and what not?

Arre bhai what the hell do you want ? I can't understand this thinking.

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » 02 May 2021 15:48

First Ambani, then Adani and now Poonawalla. They must all be vilified because they succeeded and they are Indians!

Really! For those who writing these assorted narratives, I feel sorry for you. Delete them if you really care.

Raja · Post by **Raja** » 02 May 2021 15:59

This is what will happen if BJP fails and pappu days are back. This is why BJP cannot fail. COVID needs to be vanquished not just for saving lives but also saving us from going back to the corrupt garabi hatao days.

Karan M · Post by **Karan M** » 02 May 2021 17:54

Guys - a moderator has already weighed in on this. No more posts on Parsis and colonialism etc. They are irrelevant to the current situation. Please dont drag in a community for an individuals actions, that too at a time when much more serious things are going on. Keep this thread on topic, thanks.

Raja · Post by **Raja** » 02 May 2021 21:07

One of my uncle who is relatively young (61) and healthy is in critical condition now. He already had two doses of vaccinations. Unfortunately, it does not seem to be helping in his case.

In the meantime, 2 new deaths in my parents street in the past 24 hours. We don't know if they were vaccinated. My parents have stopped leaving the house now despite being vaccinated.

This wretched virus is becoming everything we were afraid of. We need to invest in vaccination production on a war footing. There is definitely going to be demand for the next 24 months across the world.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 02 May 2021 21:28

Just because one has been vaccinated doesn't mean you will not get covid. Only probabilities of significant sickness and death are reduced, but the probability remains. I have a relative who is 85 and in hospital ICU after being fully vaccinated, and I have family in NCR who are not vaccinated, but have had a prolonged illness at home.

Raja · Post by **Raja** » 02 May 2021 21:47

I know that. Why else would I ask for increasing vaccine production on a war footing?

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 02 May 2021 22:37

Why Virus do mutate? How virus makes decision to mutate? If we kill virus ( or a colony of bacteriae ), how it is brought to attention of other microorganism? Living bacteria has no connection with those which were destroyed by drugs. Or is it the result of survival of fittest. One virus survives , other die and then the surviving virus multiply. Any article or book on this subject?

Cyrano · Post by **Cyrano** » 02 May 2021 22:54

In simplest terms, each time the virus replicates it makes several copies of its genetic material, one for each "offspring". In the process some errors occur naturally, which if carried over future generations during successive cycles of replication, are called mutations. Its the same for any species.

If some of these mutations cause alterations in the nature of the organism that are favourable in its environment, those organisms survive and reproduce better. This is called natural selection and forms the basis of evolution of species over time.

The best author on the subject is Richard Dawkins, his book "The selfish gene" is simply fascinating and a wonderful read.

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 02 May 2021 23:49

Thanks a lot^^^

darshan · Post by **darshan** » 03 May 2021 00:10

I'm vaccinated but have continued to wear mask. Hopefully I'm only getting controlled exposure to new strains. Things in Desh aren't doing too well to keep my health up but other than that I'm doing whatever I can to keep my health up to survive the jolt when it comes.

Jarita · Post by **Jarita** » 03 May 2021 00:18

Kudos to the RSS Karyakartas on the ground who are distributed food packets and helping people round the crowd. The same cannot be said about some of the ministers in the party.

vera_k · Post by **vera_k** » 03 May 2021 00:20

I usually lose a week every year with the 1-2 day partial downtime with the flu vaccine and the 2-3 downtime getting the flu due to a poor match between the vaccine and the circulating flu variant. Have enjoyed not getting the flu this past year, so I plan on keeping up the masking regimen going forward.

vera_k · Post by **vera_k** » 03 May 2021 00:46

What India’s Viral Misery Is Telling Us

This article points out a silver lining for India's rush to vaccinate the population caused by the 2nd wave where most Indians will be vaccinated, but most Chinese will not be.

I wonder if the recent news out of China about a lower birth rate in urban areas is intended as a way to explain away a decline in population due to a higher death rate due to Covid-19.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 03 May 2021 01:57

Raja wrote:I know that. Why else would I ask for increasing vaccine production on a war footing?

Vaccine production IS going at a war footing. GoI has pumped more than Rs. 4000 crore into this and is allowing imports. As Suraj has been reporting, this is a supply and demand issue. Production capabilities are limited to around 70-80 million/month and demand is at least 6-7 million/day. The key here is that the surplus stock that GoI has of nearly 90 million are used judiciously until production ramps up to 120+ million/month. That and getting imports should meet the demand. However, all of this is going to take time until June.

The US government needs to release the 60 million doses of AZ vaccine which is not approved in the US. That would help quite a bit until June, but the US has no timeline besides promises, and seems intent to create the maximum kill in India.

vijayk · Post by **vijayk** » 03 May 2021 02:05

One idea is to set up vaccination centers in front of railway stations and bus stands. Verify their aadhar via finger print and offer vaccine there itself. Wondering if we can do this once we stock up.

Kakkaji · Post by **Kakkaji** » 03 May 2021 03:23

Kakkaji wrote:More than 84 thousand beneficiaries of age group 18-44 Vaccinated today

Good start on first day of Phase 3, given all the news about shortage of vaccines.

86,023 beneficiaries of the age group 18-44 years received their first dose of COVID vaccine across 11 States. These states are Chhattisgarh (987), Delhi (1,472), Gujarat (51,622), Jammu and Kashmir (201), Karnataka (649), Maharashtra (12,525), Odisha (97), Punjab (298), Rajasthan (1853), Tamil Nadu (527) and UP (15,792).

I will say it again: Gujarat will be the first large state in India to get to herd immunity.

Raja · Post by **Raja** » 03 May 2021 03:47

Mort Walker wrote:
Raja wrote:I know that. Why else would I ask for increasing vaccine production on a war footing?
Vaccine production IS going at a war footing. GoI has pumped more than Rs. 4000 crore into this and is allowing imports. As Suraj has been reporting, this is a supply and demand issue. Production capabilities are limited to around 70-80 million/month and demand is at least 6-7 million/day. The key here is that the surplus stock that GoI has of nearly 90 million are used judiciously until production ramps up to 120+ million/month. That and getting imports should meet the demand. However, all of this is going to take time until June.

Okay. There is no shortage. It is just a supply and demand issue. Demand is 210 million per month and production is expected to get to 120M by June/July. So, there is no need to consider possibility of further ramping up. And the most judicious use of current limited stocks is to open it up for everyone over 18+.

Got it.

venkat_kv · Post by **venkat_kv** » 03 May 2021 04:18

Raja wrote:
Mort Walker wrote:
Vaccine production IS going at a war footing. GoI has pumped more than Rs. 4000 crore into this and is allowing imports. As Suraj has been reporting, this is a supply and demand issue. Production capabilities are limited to around 70-80 million/month and demand is at least 6-7 million/day. The key here is that the surplus stock that GoI has of nearly 90 million are used judiciously until production ramps up to 120+ million/month. That and getting imports should meet the demand. However, all of this is going to take time until June.
Okay. There is no shortage. It is just a supply and demand issue. Demand is 210 million per month and production is expected to get to 120M by June/July. So, there is no need to consider possibility of further ramping up. And the most judicious use of current limited stocks is to open it up for everyone over 18+.

Got it.

Raja Saar,
You are saying the same things with different inferences/conclusions. I think ideally the govt would have liked to ramp up gradually going by high risk populations based on previous data. Since we have the second wave going on, the vaccine has been opened for everyone above 18. if not my guess would be that it could have been opened after a month to month and a half from current timelines.

We are ramping Covishield and Covaxin production facilities and vaccine production takes time, from raw materials, adjuvants to BS4 labs and ensuring that steps are followed to have a safe vaccine production. We had reports of Johnson and Johnson vaccines go waste in the US no less for not following protocols.
It's the same thing said multiple times in this thread and elsewhere. if you need a baby, you need the 9 months in the womb. Having 9 pregnant woman will not give us a baby in one month.
Ideally we will have our vaccines from June-July time frame. Till then, we will have to maintain social distancing and taking care of ourselves along with keeping our mental health with the constant news about death toll in India.

Kakkaji · Post by **Kakkaji** » 03 May 2021 07:16

No vaccination for people above 45 years on Monday in Mumbai: BMC

Vaccination of the people above 45 years will not be conducted in Mumbai on Monday due to the shortage of vaccines, the city civic body said on Sunday.

Vaccination for the people in the age group of 18 to 44 years will continue at five centres in the megapolis, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in a statement.

"Citizens in the 18-44 age group will be allowed in the vaccination centres based on the slots assigned to them after registration on CO-WIN application," it said.

"Due to the shortage of doses, vaccination for the people above 45 years will not be conducted on Monday," the BMC stated.

The civic body has identified five centres for COVID- 19 vaccination for the 18-44 age category at Nair Hospital, BKC Jumbo Facility, Cooper Hospital, Seven Hills Hospital and Rajawadi Hospital.

On the first day of the vaccination drive for the 18- 44 age group on Saturday, 1,004 people were vaccinated, officials had said

Kakkaji · Post by **Kakkaji** » 03 May 2021 07:21

COVID-19: Vaccination drive for 18-44 age group begins at 200 centres in Haryana

Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Sunday said the anti-coronavirus vaccination drive for the 18-44 age group began at about 200 centres in the state on Sunday. He said vaccination is free at all government hospitals in the state.

The health minister said about 1.1 crore people of the state fall between the age group of 18 to 44 years.

Registration for the phase 3 vaccination drive had started from April 28.

Earlier, Additional Chief Secretary Health Rajeev Arora said the state had sought 66 lakh vaccine doses, which would be allotted in a phased manner.

vera_k · Post by **vera_k** » 03 May 2021 10:27

Severe vaccine crunch to continue
India’s vaccine shortage will last months, biggest manufacturer warns

India is likely to face a vaccine shortage for the next few months, Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla said.

In an interview to the Financial Times, he said he had not expanded capacity earlier because of lack of orders.

I read the article, but cannot make out which way is up and which down. Very glad that the government has other manufacturers lined up as well.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 03 May 2021 10:56

vera_k wrote:Severe vaccine crunch to continue
India’s vaccine shortage will last months, biggest manufacturer warns

India is likely to face a vaccine shortage for the next few months, Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla said.

In an interview to the Financial Times, he said he had not expanded capacity earlier because of lack of orders.
I read the article, but cannot make out which way is up and which down. Very glad that the government has other manufacturers lined up as well.

I don't know about that FT article. It is more FUD.

It lacks credibility when they say Modi government proceeded with state election rallies and Kumbh Mela. Election rallies are per EC guidelines, not the center or states. The Kumbh Mela is not organized by the center. The state of UT and Kumbh organizers followed all outdoor covid protocols. In fact, the PM asked the seers to participate virtually on April 17th. The PM has no control over Kumbh Mela.

The timelines may be wrong and Poonawalla may have been incorrectly quoted.

vera_k · Post by **vera_k** » 03 May 2021 10:59

^ Thanks for putting a finger on it. Those inconsistencies are glaring to an Indian reader. However not so for someone who's not an Indian citizen.

Govt explores possibility of producing Covaxin abroad

The move, which is expected to increase availability of and access to vaccines, especially in the global South comes at a time when India is looking to boost domestic production of the vaccines.

Jay · Post by **Jay** » 03 May 2021 11:17

Mort Walker wrote:
vera_k wrote: I don't know about that FT article. It is more FUD.

It lacks credibility when they say Modi government proceeded with state election rallies and Kumbh Mela. Election rallies are per EC guidelines, not the center or states. The Kumbh Mela is not organized by the center. The state of UT and Kumbh organizers followed all outdoor covid protocols. In fact, the PM asked the seers to participate virtually on April 17th. The PM has no control over Kumbh Mela.

The timelines may be wrong and Poonawalla may have been incorrectly quoted.

I do not know why you always have to call every thing you do not agree with as FUD. We all know, and in fact everybody knows that if the central govt would have wanted to postpone elections because of Covid nothing would have stopped the govt from doing it.

Similarly if Kumbh center would have the authority and ability to not have kumbh this year.

When you start discounting basic facts like this, you come across as someone without any clue on what's happening on the ground nor the inclination to do some basic research.

vera_k · Post by **vera_k** » 03 May 2021 12:00

Looking forward, should next years elections in Goa, Manipur, Punjab, UP, UK be cancelled or postponed until the pandemic is over (estimated 2024)? They are only 9 months away and campaigning will start at the end of this year. Possibly 2024 general elections also need to be postponed since the current dates coincide with the flu season in India.

What is the constitutional position for postponing elections?

arshyam · Post by **arshyam** » 03 May 2021 13:39

Jay wrote:We all know, and in fact everybody knows that if the central govt would have wanted to postpone elections because of Covid nothing would have stopped the govt from doing it.

Really? Under which provision?

Genuine Q.

sum · Post by **sum** » 03 May 2021 13:57

24 Covid-19 patients dead after Chamarajanagar hospital runs out of oxygen

In a tragic turn of events, a total of 24 patients died at the district Covid Hospital in Chamarajanagar, 175 kilometres from Bengaluru on Sunday. According to the district administration, as many as 12 patients died due to lack of oxygen

Fleecebags

Some private ambulance drivers are charging up to Rs 80,000for ferrying a body to the open cremation ground outside the city; in other places, they are cutting queues. And there’s nobody to rein them in

Just tip of the iceberg since i have had relatives sit outside hospital/in ambulances pleading for oxygen and using every possible means to get even basic amenities, being fleeced by everyone without mercy, having stuff stolen when running around in the hospital for getting work done and this is in "IT capital", Bengaluru ( ruled by BJP and not evil non-BJP govts)

I can sense a distinct sense of change in tone among folks around me regarding the feeling of being let down since all of them have been personally affected this time around. I remember the same folks a few months back arguing with others about how it doesn't matter if we are not getting any due ( basic roads/water/electricity) as we are doing a greater good with our taxes.
But, same folks are now absolutely distraught that they are completely abandoned by govt after having paid into the system for so long for even basic medical help and relying on social media etc. to get help

Most of the folks are now just waiting out and looking for ways to get into other countries for work since the sense of gloom and hopelessness with the future in the country in now complete. Sad situation but thats the undercurrent im sensing ( and i cannot disagree since nothing to counter against).

All the gyaan about how one should look at bigger picture/only state govt is to blame etc is only from friends sitting safely in US/xyz and not having experienced the horror of actually interacting with the system for even 1 hour( despite all the good work being done by many of the volunteers and other frontline workers)

2024 is going to be a uphill task for Modi and co, even if the current mess wasnt really his fault and there was no lack of effort from his govt side

Tanaji · Post by **Tanaji** » 03 May 2021 14:49

SII is now saying that vaccine production will not increase until July. Earlier it was May, then june and now July.

I think there are problems with the ramp up and may be linked to his move to London.