Bharat Biotech Update : Avoid Covaxin in case of allergies, fever

 Bharat Biotech, makers of India’s first indigenous vaccine for Covid-19, has advised people not to take ‘Covaxin‘ if they have allergies, fever, bleeding disorder, are on blood thinners, immune-compromised, or are on medicines that affect the immune system.

The Hyderabad-based vaccine-maker, in a fact sheet for recipients and caregivers, said that even pregnant and nursing women should not take the vaccine.

 

People who have taken another Covid-19 vaccine or are suffering from any other serious health-related issues should also not take Covaxin.

 

Bharat Biotech reiterated that the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had authorized the “restricted use of Covaxin under clinical trial mode”.

 

“Individuals who are prioritised under the public health programme of the Health Ministry will be covered under this endeavour. Informing the individuals about the offer to vaccinate them with Covaxin will rest with the respective government program officials. Those offered Covaxin at pre-specified booths will have the option to receive or reject the administration of the vaccine,” says the fact sheet that surfaced on Tuesday.

 

Company sources told IANS that the fact sheet was issued last week.

 

“As with any new medicine, this vaccine will be closely monitored to allow quick identification of any new safety information,” said Bharat Biotech. Side effects can be reported to toll-free number 18001022245.

 

The vaccine-maker said that in phase 1 and 2 clinical trials, Covaxin has demonstrated the ability to produce antibodies against Covid-19. However, the clinical efficacy of Covaxin is yet to be established and it is still being studied in phase 3 clinical trial.

 

In phase 1 and 2 trials, 680 people were administered two doses each of Covaxin. The phase 3 clinical trial with 25,800 participants is on. The first dose was administered to them on January 6.

 

In the ongoing clinical trial, Covaxin has shown to generate immunity following two doses given four weeks apart, the firm said.

 

"Covaxin, which Bharat Biotech developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Virology, and ‘Covishield’, developed by Oxford University and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and manufactured by Serum Institute of India at Pune, have been cleared by the DCGI for emergency use. Both the vaccines are in use during the nationwide immunisation programme launched on January 16."

 

The move to include Covaxin even before the publication of data from its phase 3 trial had come under criticism from some quarters. However, the regulator had defended the decision by saying that both the vaccines were totally safe.

 

Over 500 adverse reactions were reported from across the country during two days of immunization. Two deaths were also reported but the government clarified that these were not related to vaccination.

 

Bharat Biotech said in case of any Serious Adverse Events (SAV), vaccine recipients will be provided medically recognized standards of care in government-designated and authorized centers/hospitals. Compensation for the serious adverse events will be paid by Bharat Biotech International Limited and if SAV is proved to be causally related to the vaccine. The compensation amount will be determined by the ICMR Central Ethics Committee, it added.

 

Source: https://insightonlinenews.in/bharat-biotech-update-avoid-covaxin-in-case-of-allergies-fever/

 

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कोरोना का प्रकोप, सादगी से मनेगी ईद

कोरोना महामारी को देखते हुए मुस्लिम समुदाय के लोगों ने श्नो शॉपिग फॉर ईदश् का अभियान चला रखा है। लिहाजा इस बार की ईद लॉकडाउन 4.0 में मनाई जाएगी। इस दौरान किसी को ईदगाह या मस्जिद में जमा होने की इजाजत नहीं होगी। इस बार ईद सादगी से मनेगी। लोग नए कपड़े नहीं पहनेंगे। मुस्लिम समुदाय के लोगों द्वारा कहा जा रहा है कि जब मस्जिदों में नमाज बंद है, तरावीह बंद है, मस्जिदें वीरान हैं तो इस बार ईद का भी सेलिब्रेशन नहीं होना चाहिए। हम नए कपड़े, जूता, चप्पल, ज्वैलरी क्यों खरीदें। लॉकडाउन में घर पर ही रहें। बाहर निकलने से कोरोना के फैलने का भय भी है। मुश्किल हालात में ईद की शॉपिग करना गलत है।

ईद-उल-फितर भूख-प्यास सहन करके एक महीने तक सिर्फ खुदा को याद करने वाले रोजेदारों को अल्लाह का इनाम है। सेवइयां में लिपटी मोहब्बत की मिठास इस त्योहार की खूबी है। मुसलमानों का सबसे बड़ा त्योहार कहा जाने वाला यह पर्व न सिर्फ हमारे समाज को जोड़ने का मजबूत सूत्र है, बल्कि यह इस्लाम के प्रेम और सौहार्दभरे संदेश को भी पुरअसर ढंग से फैलाता है।


मीठी ईद भी कहा जाने वाला यह पर्व खासतौर पर भारतीय समाज के ताने-बाने और उसकी भाईचारे की सदियों पुरानी परंपरा का वाहक है। इस दिन विभिन्न धर्मों के लोग गिले-शिकवे भुलाकर एक-दूसरे से गले मिलते हैं और सेवइयां अमूमन उनकी तल्खी की कड़वाहट को मिठास में बदल देती है।


ईद-उल-फितर एक रूहानी महीने में कड़ी आजमाइश के बाद रोजेदार को अल्लाह की तरफ से मिलने वाला रूहानी इनाम है। ईद समाजी तालमेल और मोहब्बत का मजबूत धागा है, यह त्योहार इस्लाम धर्म की परंपराओं का आईना है। एक रोजेदार के लिए इसकी अहमियत का अंदाजा अल्लाह के प्रति उसकी कृतज्ञता से लगाया जा सकता है। दुनिया में चांद देखकर रोजा रहने और चांद देखकर ईद मनाने की पुरानी परंपरा है और आज के हाईटेक युग में तमाम बहस-मुबाहिसे के बावजूद यह रिवाज कायम है। व्यापक रूप से देखा जाए तो रमजान और उसके बाद ईद व्यक्ति को एक इंसान के रूप में सामाजिक जिम्मेदारियों को अनिवार्य रूप से निभाने का दायित्व भी सौंपती है।



रमजान में हर सक्षम मुसलमान को अपनी कुल संपत्ति के ढाई प्रतिशत हिस्से के बराबर की रकम निकालकर उसे गरीबों में बांटना होता है। इससे समाज के प्रति उसकी जिम्मेदारी का निर्वहन तो होता ही है, साथ ही गरीब रोजेदार भी अल्लाह के इनामरूपी त्योहार को मना पाते हैं। व्यापक रूप से देखें तो ईद की वजह से समाज के लगभग हर वर्ग को किसी न किसी तरह से फायदा होता है। चाहे वह वित्तीय लाभ हो या फिर सामाजिक फायदा हो।



भारत में ईद का त्योहार यहां की गंगा-जमुनी तहजीब के साथ मिलकर उसे और जवां और खुशनुमा बनाता है। हर धर्म और वर्ग के लोग इस दिन को तहेदिल से मनाते हैं। ईद के दिन सिवइयों या शीर-खुरमे से मुंह मीठा करने के बाद छोटे-बड़े, अपने-पराए, दोस्त-दुश्मन गले मिलते हैं तो चारों तरफ मोहब्बत ही मोहब्बत नजर आती है। एक पवित्र खुशी से दमकते सभी चेहरे इंसानियत का पैगाम माहौल में फैला देते हैं। अल्लाह से दुआएं मांगते व रमजान के रोजे और इबादत की हिम्मत के लिए खुदा का शुक्र अदा करते हाथ हर तरफ दिखाई पड़ते हैं और यह उत्साह बयान करता है कि लो ईद आ गई।


कुरआन के अनुसार पैगंबरे इस्लाम ने कहा है कि जब अहले ईमान रमजान के पवित्र महीने के एहतेरामों से फारिग हो जाते हैं और रोजों-नमाजों तथा उसके तमाम कामों को पूरा कर लेते हैं तो अल्लाह एक दिन अपने उक्त इबादत करने वाले बंदों को बख्शीश व इनाम से नवाजता है। इसलिए इस दिन को श्ईदश् कहते हैं और इसी बख्शीश व इनाम के दिन को ईद-उल-फितर का नाम देते हैं।


रमजान इस्लामी कैलेंडर का नौवां महीना है। इस पूरे माह में रोजे रखे जाते हैं। इस महीने के खत्म होते ही 10वां माह शव्वाल शुरू होता है। इस माह की पहली चांद रात ईद की चांद रात होती है। इस रात का इंतजार वर्षभर खास वजह से होता है, क्योंकि इस रात को दिखने वाले चांद से ही इस्लाम के बड़े त्योहार ईद-उल-फितर का ऐलान होता है। इस तरह से यह चांद ईद का पैगाम लेकर आता है। इस चांद रात को श्अल्फाश् कहा जाता है। जमाना चाहे जितना बदल जाए, लेकिन ईद जैसा त्योहार हम सभी को अपनी जड़ों की तरफ वापस खींच लाता है और यह अहसास कराता है कि पूरी मानव जाति एक है और इंसानियत ही उसका मजहब है।

Source: Trusted Online News Portals in India

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15 Measures to Revive Economy, Big Takeaways For MSMEs, NBFCs

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has come out with 15 new and some enhanced measures to revive businesses, and support workers via fiscal incentives and regulatory easing under the mega stimulus package — Self-Reliant India Movement — which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening.

Accordingly, on Wednesday, Sitharaman announced the slew of fiscal and regulatory measures for MSMEs, real estate, NBFCs, power distribution and general businesses and workers.


She attempted to decrease the regulatory burden on companies while increasing the take-home pay of employees via these measures.


In terms of takeaways, the biggest was for the MSME sector which is considered to be the backbone of economic activity.


As a major reform measure for the sector, the Centre has decided to give a new definition to MSMEs.


This will denote the type of companies that will be included in the sector. Specifications wise, the investment limit for defining MSMEs has been revised upwards.


Besides, she highlighted that additional criteria such as turnover have been considered for defining MSMEs.


In terms of fiscal measures, the Minister announced that Rs 3 lakh crore “Collateral-free Automatic Loans” for businesses, including MSMEs, will be provided to meet operational liabilities built up, buy raw material and restart the business.


She announced another scheme worth Rs 20,000 crore for “Subordinate Debt for Stressed MSMEs”.


A Rs 50,000 crore “Fund of Funds” for MEMEs which face a severe shortage of equity was also announced.


The Centre has also decided not to go in for global bidding for government procurement for tenders up to Rs 200 crore, thereby, promoting the participation of MSMEs, she said.


Furthermore, e-market linkage for MSMEs will be provided and that the CPSEs will pay all receivables to MSMEs within 45 days.


Besides MSMEs, a Rs 30,000 crore special liquidity scheme for non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), housing finance companies (HFCs) and micro-finance institutions (MFIs) was announced.


This scheme will provide investments in both primary and secondary market transactions in “investment grade debt paper of these institutions”.


The minister said the scheme will support the previous initiatives of the government and the central bank to boost liquidity.


The securities under the scheme will be fully guaranteed by the Central government. Further, the FM has also announced Rs 45,000 crore partial credit guarantee scheme for NBFCs.


Under this measure, the first 20 per cent loss will be borne by the Centre, and even unrated papers will be eligible for investment, enabling NBFCs to reach out even to MSMEs in far-flung areas.


Additionally, a Rs 90,000 crore liquidity injection plan was announced for the financially stressed power distribution companies.


This plan will allow these entities to clear their dues towards power generation companies.


As per the plan, the liquidity window for discoms was essential as its revenue has plummeted and they are in the midst of unprecedented cash flow problem accentuated by demand reduction during the current lockdown.


The scheme will allow power sector financiers — PFC and REC to infuse liquidity of Rs 90,000 crore to discoms against receivables.


Loans will be extended against State guarantees for the exclusive purpose of discharging liabilities of discoms to gencos.


Apart from discoms, relief steps for the real estate industry were also announced.


The Minister stated that Union Ministry for Housing and Urban Affairs will issue advisory to states and union territories to declare the Covid-19 situation as a ‘force majeure’ under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act.


With this move, the government has allowed the suo-moto extension of the registration and completion date by six months for all registered project expiring on or after March 25, 2020, without individual applications.


Simultaneously, to give regulatory relief to businesses Sitharaman announced a six-month extension of contracts for contractors by all central agencies and departments including railways, the Central Public Works Department, and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.


The extension would not come with any cost for the contractors, she said. This scheme covers construction works and goods and services contracts.


It also applies on obligations like completion of work, intermediate milestones and extension of concession period in public-private partnership contracts.


The minister also announced that government agencies will partially release bank guarantees, to the extent contracts are partially completed, to ease cash flows.


Finally to provide more money into the taxpayers’ hands, Centre decided to reduce the TDS (tax deduction at source) rates for non-salaried specified payments made to residents, and the TCS (tax collection at source) rates by 25 per cent for the specified receipts.


Sitharaman said the move would release Rs 50,000 crore liquidity.


As per the announcement, the reduced TDS rate will be applicable to the payment for a contract, professional fees, interest, rent, dividend, commission and brokerage. It will be applicable for the remaining part of FY21 — from May 14 to March 31, 2021.


Speaking to the media, Finance Minister pointed out the due date of all income tax returns for FY 2019-20 will be extended from July 31, 2020, October 31, 2020, to November 30, 2020, and tax audit from September 30, 2020, to October 31, 2020.


The government has also extended the date of assessments getting barred on September 30, 2020, to December 31, 2020, and those getting barred on March 31, 2021, to September 30, 2021.


In another major move for businesses and charitable trusts, Sitharaman announced that all pending refunds to charitable trusts and non-corporate businesses and professions, including proprietorship, partnership, LLP and co-operatives, shall be issued immediately.


In addition, she announced a further extension of the deadline for settling tax disputes under the Vivid se Vishwaas scheme without paying any interest and penalty to December 31, 2020, from June 30, 2020.


“The sectors covered in the initial phase are clearly the ones that required the highest policy attention at this juncture, including MSME, power, and construction and real estate. The impact of the package totalling Rs 20 lakh crore to be unveiled in the next few days would add to spending power and bring relief to millions of enterprises that employ huge numbers of workers. We expect the stimulus measure to impart stability and growth to the economy,” said Vikram Kirloskar, President, Confederation of Indian Industry.


According to Ficci’s President Sangita Reddy: “The greatest takeaway from today’s announcement was the clear focus on getting liquidity flowing into the system.”


“Besides liquidity, we need to give equal focus on generating consumption demand and propping up investments. We hope that in the next set of announcements, these areas will be taken up in a comprehensive manner as well.”


On its part, Assocham’s Secretary General Deepak Sood said: “The Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free loans for the MSMEs on a guarantee from the government would have a big-time multiplier impact and would generate economic activity of at least up to Rs 10 lakh crore, not only retaining the jobs but also creating additional employment.”


He further said, treating COVID-19 as an ‘act of God’ and allowing the real estate developers extra six months for completion of projects would help both the developers and the consumers as it would make the sector viable.


Sood listed reduction in the TDS by 25 percentage points as a demand-boosting measure along with a cut in the EPFO deductions from 12 to 10 per cent.


Industry body PHD Chamber’s President D.K. Aggarwal said the liquidity injection of Rs 90,000 crore for DISCOMs will significantly help the power sector in mitigating the impact of demand deduction amid pandemic COVID-19 scenario.

Source: Trusted Online News Portals in India

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World Health Day: Amid corona cloud, PM, Cong thank health staff

As India has entered the third week of its 21-day nationwide lockdown and its total active cases of Coronavirus reached 3,981, this year’s World Health Day, unlike other years, assumed huge significance for lawmakers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Today on #WorldHealthDay, let us not only pray for each other’s good health and well-being but also reaffirm our gratitude towards all those doctors, nurses, medical staff and healthcare workers who are bravely leading the battle against the COVID-19 menace.”


It’s not just the Prime Minister, but politicians from across the barrier stressed the importance of good health and to honour those who keep us healthy — doctors, nurses, health workers.


Congress’s Randip Singh Surjewala took to Twitter to say: “#WorldHealthDay reminds us of the importance of good health every year. Today, when the whole world is fighting against Corona, pledge to create a better environment for living on earth, today.”


He added, “On this occasion, all the doctors, nurses and health workers should be thanked, who are the advance warriors of this battle.”


Meanwhile, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari too took to Twitter and posted a photo expressing gratitude to health staff and paramedics “protecting our lives”. He said: “Saluting every health worker on the frontlines fighting the novel coronavirus and safeguarding our lives. #WorldHealthDay”


So far 114 people have died due to Coronavirus in India. However, at least 325 people have recovered from the deadly coronavirus across the country. The total number of Corona affected patients in India, including those who have recovered, has reached 4,421 by Tuesday morning.

Source: Trusted Online News Portals in India 

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In worst case scenario, 200,000 Americans could die from COVID19: White House

 Sending out a dire warning, the White House on Sunday projected America’s peak death toll from the coronavirus is likely in two weeks coinciding with Easter weekend and in a worst-case scenario, a total of 100,000 to 200,000 Americans could eventually succumb to the virus.

“It’s possible. It’s entirely possible that would happen if we don’t mitigate. What we’re trying to do is to not let that happen,” America’s top infectious diseases doctor, Anthony Fauci said at a White House briefing in the Rose Garden on Sunday.

Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, explained that the model which is predicting the 100,000-200,000 death toll number assumes that social distancing is happening at scale.

“In the model, there’s a large confidence interval. In that model, they make the full assumption that we continue doing everything that we are doing and even better. We are hoping that the models aren’t completely right,” Birx said.

At the same time, Fauci urged Americans not to get “overly anxious” about the extremes of the models. “Models are as good as the assumptions you put into it,” Fauci said.

US President Donald Trump said that the grim numbers come from the “most accurate” study so far which landed on his desk Sunday.

Trump said, “2.2 million people would have died if we did not do the social distancing and all that. If we could hold that down to a 100,000 – it’s a horrible number – we’ve done a very good job.”

Trump announced that the US is extending the social distancing guidelines currently in place till April 30.

Seeking to reassure Americans, Trump said, “By June 1, we will be well on our way to recovery.”

By Sunday, the US death toll crossed the 2,300 marks and its caseload, already the world’s maximum rose to more than 135,000.

By now, at least 1 in three Americans are under some form of a government order to stay home and slow the spread of the virus. Schools have shut, businesses are operating with bare minimum staff and America’s neighborhoods are enveloped in an otherworldly kind of silence.

The initial ’15 days to slow the spread’ guidelines issued by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were announced on March 16. The guidelines are voluntary and many states which have emerged as COVID-19 hotspots have implemented stricter rules for locals.

Last week, Trump had talked up the “reopening” of the US economy by Easter Sunday which falls on April 12. Medical professionals reacted with alarm, warning that this timeline would be too soon.

Trump backtracked this weekend on a threat to quarantine New York and neighboring states while the CDC issued a travel advisory urging residents of New York City, New York State, New Jersey, and Connecticut to avoid all nonessential travel for 14 days.

In New York, which remains the epicenter of the outbreak, Governor Andrew Cuomo is saying that the virus is spreading “like fire through dry grass”. The White House task force has already warned that the effects of mitigation efforts and social distancing won’t be seen at least until the end of the coming week.

As Americans hunker down, Fauci has struck a cautiously upbeat tone saying he feels “confident” with all the knowledge now available on the virus. “We will have some sort of therapy, that gives at least a partial if not very good protection in preventing progression of the disease,” he said this week. Randomized control trials are how the US is planning to get the best drug as quickly and safely as possible to the people.

As the White House task force gets more data from domestic cases, Birx noted that “we’re seeing things here that weren’t reported from other places.”

Source: Trusted Online News Portals in India 

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