India's overall percentage of COVID-19 vaccine wastage stands at 6.5 percent, informed the Union Health Ministry on March 17, 2021. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh top the list with 17.6 percent and 11.6 percent of vaccine wastage respectively.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan stated during the weekly press briefing that the Ministry has told the states that vaccine wastage needs to be drastically reduced.
He also added saying that the states have been requested to do testing, tracking and treating in a more efficient manner amid the recent spike in COVID-19 cases.
States' Coronavirus Positivity Rate: Key Highlights
•The Health Secretary highlighted that 60 percent of all active cases are concentrated in Maharashtra.
•He said that Punjab's positivity rate is 6.8 percent now, which is worrying. He said that it shows that COVID-19 appropriate behaviour is not being followed.
•The mortality rate is less than 2 percent even when certain States/UTs are seeing a surge.
•Karnataka's positivity rate is 1.3 percent. The Health Ministry has advised the Karnataka state government to increase testing.
Karnataka's case positivity rate is 1.3%. Our advice to the Karnataka government is to increase the absolute number of tests: Health Ministry
— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2021
•Delhi's positivity rate is less than 1%. The Health Secretary noted that it has, however, increased from 0.4% to 0.6%.
In the last 24 hours, more than 400 cases have been reported in Delhi. Positivity rate is less than 1%, however, it has increased from 0.4% to 0.6%: Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan pic.twitter.com/W13m5C1T1G
— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2021
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his meeting with all the state Chief Ministers, had expressed his disappointment over vaccine wastage. He said that all states should review why vaccine wastage is happening.
The Prime Minister stressed that the vaccine is a precious commodity and at an individual level and for the country, this wastage is not right. He emphasised that vaccine wastage should be absolutely minimal.
Over 10% vaccine wastage in Telangana & Andhra Pradesh. Vaccine wastage in UP is almost the same. It should be reviewed in states that why's vaccine wastage happening? Monitoring must be done every evening & pro-active people should be contacted so that there's no wastage: PM pic.twitter.com/d8TGo4CmHY
— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2021
On AstraZeneca vaccine
Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, Niti Aayog acknowledged that there are reports on AstraZeneca's vaccine relationship with thrombotic events in people who received the vaccine.
However, he said that India's group that looks at adverse effects is aware of the issue and is tracking the information available. He assured that they have no signal of concern in this regard.
India's group that looks at adverse effects is aware of the issue and are tracking the information available. I assure you that we have no signal of concern in this regard: Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, Niti Aayog on AstraZeneca vaccine
— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2021
Background
India has administered over 3.64 crore total doses of the COVID-19 vaccine till now. As per the official release, a total of 3,64,67,744 vaccine doses were administered in the country till 7 pm on March 16, 2021.
Further, a total of 14,03,208 vaccine doses were given till 7 pm on March 17, 2021- the 61st day of India's nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive.
India reported 35,871 new COVID-19 cases, 17,741 recoveries and 172 deaths in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry informed on March 18, 2021. This takes the country's total number of coronavirus cases to 1,14,74,605, including 2,52,364 active cases, 1,10,63,025 recoveries and 1,59,216 fatalities.
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