Every Indian With Fever, Sore Throat Will Be Tested For Covid-19: Govt Issues Urgent Orders

Over 1,200 Omicron cases have been reported in India so far, with Maharashtra and Delhi reporting the majority of them.

 On Friday, the country saw 16,764 instances!

Anyone who has a fever, headache, sore throat, breathlessness, body ache, loss of taste or smell, fatigue, or diarrhoea should should be tested, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday.

The new variant, which has brought back worldwide curbs, is said to be “highly infectious” – a majority of cases, however, have been reported to be mild.

All those with symptoms should “immediately isolate themselves and follow home isolation guidelines,” the central government has said.

India Is Prepared For The Surge!

In its statement, the government has also insisted on ramping up testing. “The estimated national daily molecular testing capacity is more than 20 lakh per day,” the government said.

“Multiple RAT booths must be set up in identified geographies and operationalised on a 24X7 basis to offer widespread testing and easier access to all citizens,” the government said.

“Use of self-tests and home tests may be encouraged for symptomatic individuals. Seven such home testing kits have been approved so far,” the statement further read.

Vaccine Stock Availability In India

The health ministry reported on Saturday that 17,74,97,506 doses of coronavirus vaccinations were accessible with states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Saturday that India will begin giving the first coronavirus vaccination doses to youngsters aged 15 and above in January of next year.

Not just this, he also addressed the booster doses to health care and frontline workers and persons over the age of 60 with specified health conditions.

Drugs Controller General of India approved the use of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin in children aged 12 and up on Saturday. A second vaccine, ZyCoV-D, developed by Gujarat-based Zydus Cadila, has also been licenced by the medicines authority for use in people aged 12 and up.

The date to start the campaign for ZyCoV-D has not been finalised yet. On the advice of the doctors, citizens over 60 years old and with comorbidities will be able to receive a “precaution dosage” of the vaccination according to the PM.

 Boosters according to the Prime Minister are “precaution doses.”

Boosters for healthcare and front-line employees will begin on January 3.People aged 60 and up with certain health problems that put them at risk of severe Covid-19 disease will begin on January 10, according to the PM.

“This decision, apart from strengthening India’s fight against Corona, will also help reduce the concern of school and college goers and their parents,” “India needs to be vigilant about the spread of the coronavirus,”

Modi said, adding that people should not pay attention to rumours nor panic about rising infection numbers.

“In our country, a nasal vaccine and the world’s first DNA vaccine will also start soon,” Modi said, adding that “since the beginning, India’s fight against Corona has been based on scientific principles, scientific opinions and scientific patterns.”

“Today, the nation has 18 lakh isolation beds, 5 lakh oxygen supported beds, 1.4 lakh ICU beds and 90,000 special beds for kids. Today, we have over 3,000 functional PSA Oxygen plants and 4 lakh cylinders have been provided to all states,”

PM Modi added.

Usage Of Molnupiravir To Treat SARS-CoV-2

Due to the Omicron variety spreads, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have approved two new vaccinations and antiviral medication to protect individuals from Covid-19.

Molnupiravir, developed by Merck & Co. and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP, the first anti-viral Covid-19 pill, was approved by the Indian drug regulator on Tuesday.

Molnupiravir Has Been Repurposed For A Cause!

 So the medicine was developed to treat influenza not covid. But the medicine “Molnupiravir (MK-4482, EIDD-2801)” can prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus from replicating further by introducing errors into its genetic code. 

The drug is given orally in four 200 milligramme capsules every 12 hours for five days, totalling 40 capsules. Molnupiravir should not be used for more than five days in a row, according to the USFDA.

13 Indian drug manufacturers will produce the medication domestically, according to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. The medicine will be manufactured by Dr Reddy Laboratories, Cipla, Natco Pharma, Optimus Pharma Pvt Ltd, Stride, and Hetero, among other prominent pharmaceutical companies.