Current Affairs in Short: 11 November 2020

Textiles Ministry Launches Local 4 Diwali campaign 

•The Ministry of Textiles has launched a local 4 Diwali campaign to urge all citizens to celebrate Diwali by buying and gifting Indian handicrafts.
•Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier on November 9 given a clarion call to people to come together and show support to local textile and handicraft business during this year’s Diwali. In line with the same, the Textiles Ministry has urged citizens to buy Indian handicraft goods be it humble earthen Diya or home furnishings like bedsheets and curtains. 
•Handicrafts is a symbol of India’s glorious cultural heritage and an important source of livelihood in the country. Most of the handicraft artisans, almost over 55 percent, are women.

Gujarat to reopen schools and colleges from November 23

•The Gujarat State Government has decided to reopen schools and colleges for physical education from November 23, 2020. The decision was taken during a state Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani at Gandhinagar on November 11, 2020.
•State Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama informed that guidelines have been finalized for the same after intense deliberations with all stakeholders. Initially, schools for Class 9 to 12 and colleges for medical, paramedical, engineering and other final year students will be allowed to reopen.
•The schools and college buildings will be cleaned and sanitized as per COVID protocols. Further, thermal screening, sanitizers and handwash facilities will have to be made available in all schools and colleges. 
•The schools will have to follow six feet distance in the classroom and odd-even rule from Class 9 to 12 on a three days a week basis. Face masks will also be compulsory. The consent of parents will be compulsory for all students. The online education system will also continue for all students. 

Union Health Minister interacts with Chief Ministers

•Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan interacted with Chief Ministers and Health Ministers of Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura Meghalaya and Goa on November 11, 2020.
•The Health Minister advised the states to focus on higher testing, especially in districts with higher positivity rate and mandatory testing of symptomatic negatives by RAT with a special focus on high-risk groups and vulnerable populations.
•Dr. Harsh Vardhan noted that through the number of active cases that have come down in Maharashtra, it continues to have a large active Caseload with a High Fatality Rate of 2.6 percent which increases to 3.5% in and around Mumbai. Manipur has also seen a rise in the number of active cases in recent days. 
•Goa reported around 40% of total deaths recorded in the country in the last one month. Mizoram has also seen a rise in the active case with 70 percent of the cases concentrated in Aizwal. 
•Tripura and Meghalaya also witnessed higher deaths in active age groups which are preventable, the Health Minister noted. 

Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine 92% effective?

•Russia informed recently that its Sputnik V is 92% effective at providing protection to people from COVID-19, as per interim trial results. The vaccine has been developed by Gamaleya Institute in Moscow. 
•Russia had become the first nation to register its Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine for public use in August 2020. The regulatory approval had come before the start of the large-scale trial in September.
•The interim results are based on data from the first large-scale trial of the vaccine, which involved around 16,000 participants who received both shots of the two-dose vaccine.
•The phase II trial of the vaccine is currently taking place in 29 clinics across Moscow and will involve 40,000 volunteers in total. 

Delhi extends validity of expiring vehicle-related documents till December 31

•The Delhi government has extended the validity of all vehicle-related documents till December 31, 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
•The documents include all kinds of the permit, driving licence or other concerned documents that had expired on February 1, 2020 or would expire by December 31.
•The government had earlier extended the validity of documents to September 30 but it has decided to further extend the validity taking into consideration the rising number of coronavirus cases in the national capital.