India Coronavirus Dispatch: Top WHO official backs move to approve Covaxin

No free jabs for all in next vaccine phase, virus affects more parts of body than commonly believed, mental health amid pandemic-news relevant to India's fight against Covid-19

IN NUMBERS: Over 10,500 fresh cases reported

India reported 10,584 fresh coronavirus infections on Tuesday, taking the cumulative caseload to 11,016,434, according to a report in the Scroll. The country saw 78 deaths due to the pandemic, taking the toll to 156,463, according to central health ministry data. Total recoveries have surged to 10,712,665. The national recovery rate is at 97.24 per cent. The active caseload is at 147,306, or 1.34 per cent of the total caseload. About 11,745,552 healthcare and frontline workers have been inoculated since the nationwide inoculation programme kicked off on January 16, the report said. Read more here

Top WHO official backs move to greenlight Covaxin

A top official of the World Health Organization (WHO) has supported the Modi government's move to give emergency approval to Covaxin even though complete phase-3 clinical trial data is not available yet, a report in ThePrint said. Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, the WHO’s regional director for the South-East Asia Region, told ThePrint that evidence could be limited during the early phases of vaccine development, but countries have the autonomy to issue emergency-use authorisations for "any health product”. Covaxin is an indigenous Covid-19 vaccine developed by Hyderabad-based drugmaker Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the report said. Read more here

Next phase of vaccination to not have free shots for all

The next phase of India's Covid-19 vaccination programme to target those above the age of 50 and those with preexisting conditions will have two groups—those who will get the vaccine for free and those who will have to pay, a report in The Indian Express said. Shots will be administered to this group starting early next month. Those above the age of 60 will be prioritised within the group. Recipients can also opt to get vaccinated in a state different from the one they belong to according to the electoral roll, the report said. Read more here

Covid-19 affects more parts of body than commonly believed: Study

A team of researchers from five cities, including Hyderabad, have found that coronavirus can affect nearly every part of the body, contrary to the common belief that the virus affects only the lungs and the heart, a report in Times of India said. The findings published in the Journal of Clinical Pathology said while the virus mainly affects the respiratory and immune systems, other systems such as cardiovascular, urinary, gastrointestinal tract, reproductive system, and nervous system are not spared, especially in the elderly and those with preexisting conditions. Read more here

Mental health issues triggered by pandemic on the rise

While Covid-19 cases may have declined significantly in some states, many state-run hospitals are witnessing a rise in complaints of mental health problems triggered by the pandemic, a report in The Hindu said. The frequently encountered mental health issues include anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and trauma caused by near-death experiences, the report said. Read more here