Ministry of Home Affairs releases updated guidelines for COVID-19 control
Those above 45 years will be eligible to receive novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine from April 1, 2021, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar said in a press conference March 23.
“We request that all eligible should immediately register and get vaccinated,” Javadekar said.
India started countrywide COVID-19 vaccination on January 16 with healthcare workers and frontline workers. In the next phase of COVID-19 vaccination drive that started on March 1, those aged above 60 years and those in the age group of 45-60 with co-morbidities were eligible for vaccination.
Based on the advice of task force on #COVID, the Union Cabinet took the decision that henceforth the second dose of #Covishield will be administered between 4-8 weeks now for greater effectiveness.#CabinetDecisions
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) March 23, 2021
टीका है सुरक्षा कवच pic.twitter.com/CMVmENK0qB
He added that the second dose of AstraZeneca-Oxford University’s Covishield, according to scientists, can be administered between the fourth and eighth week of the first dose, instead of a gap 28 days.
More than 32.53 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered March 22, the highest single-day count so far. As many as 4.7 crore people have received COVID-19 vaccine doses so far, the Union health ministry said.
Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs released updated guidelines for effective control of COVID-19. It said:
States and Union territories, where the proportion of RT-PCR tests is less, should rapidly increase it, to reach the prescribed level of 70 per cent or more. The new positive cases, detected as a result of intensive testing, need to be isolated / quarantined at earliest & provided timely treatment.
It added there will be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement of persons and goods including “those for cross land-border trade under treaties with neighbouring countries”.
MHA Guidelines for effective control of COVID-19.
— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) March 23, 2021
States/ UTs mandated to strictly enforce Test-Track-Treat protocol, Containment measures,COVID-Appropriate behavior and SOPs on various activities.
Press release-https://t.co/adAcSXw3rx
As much as 81 per cent of the latest 401 samples sent by Punjab for genome sequencing turned out positive for the new United Kingdom SARS-CoV-21 variant, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said March 23.
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