Covid LIVE: Karnataka releases unlock plan; 10,697 new cases in Maharashtra

Coronavirus live updates: Tamil Nadu recorded 15,759 cases in the last 24 hours. Kerala registered 14,233 infections, Maharashtra 11,766, Karnataka 8,249, Delhi 238. Stay tuned for corona-related news

3:35 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: No change in GST rate on vaccines, says FM Sitharaman

Coronavirus LIVE: No change in GST rate on vaccines, says FM Sitharaman

3:33 PM

GST on electric furnaces and temperature checking equipment brought down to 5%, says FM

GST on electric furnaces and temperature checking equipment brought down to 5%, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman

3:29 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: GST on ambulance services reduced to 12%, says FM Sitharaman

Coronavirus LIVE: GST on ambulance services reduced to 12%, says FM Sitharaman

3:29 PM

LIVE: FM says GoM recommendations on rate rationalisation on Covid essentials have been accepted.

LIVE: FM says GoM recommendations on rate rationalisation on Covid essentials have been accepted.

3:25 PM

Watch: FM Sitharaman addresses the media on GST Council meeting

3:19 PM

Rajasthan govt announces financial package for children orphaned by Covid

The Rajasthan government on Saturday announced a financial relief package for children who lost their parents to the coronavirus.

 

Under the package, ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh and a pension of Rs 1,500 a month will also be provided to women who lost their husbands to the infection, according to an official statement.

 

For children of these widows, Rs 1,000 a month per child and Rs 2,500 a month for school books and dress will be provided, it said.

 

The package, which was announced by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, has a provision of Rs 1 lakh as immediate grant for children, who lost their parents to Covid, the statement said. (PTI)

3:13 PM

Smriti Irani unveils oxygen production plant in Amethi

3:12 PM

UK govt mulls delaying lockdown by another month: Report

The UK government is considering delaying the lifting of the remaining restrictions in England by another month amid concerns over the spike in new Covid cases and the further transmission of the Delta variant, informed sources said on Saturday.

 

The development comes as government is facing increasing pressure to delay the final step of unlocking restrictions in England on June 21 due to concerns over the spread of the Delta variant, which has become the "dominant" strain in the UK.

 

As of now, the government's roadmap is expected to see all legal limits on social contact to be removed on June 21.

 

The Downing Street sources told the BBC that a final decision on the lockdown is yet to be taken by the government. (IANS)

2:49 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: UK hails G7 declaration on preventing future pandemics

2:36 PM

FM's press briefing to be slightly delayed as the meeting is still underway

2:31 PM

Watch: FM Sitharaman to address the media on GST Council meeting

2:21 PM

Companies desperate to reopen ask: What's your vaccination status?

The message from many companies to their office workers is clear. It will soon be time to shed the slippers for hard shoes and return to your desk. But many companies are still puzzling over a single quandary: What to do about vaccines. Should they require employees to get them? Encourage or cajole or bribe them?

 

“We’re all kind of, you know, flying by the seat of our pants,” said Wayne Wager, the chief executive of Remote Medical International, a consulting firm in Seattle that is helping companies that are reopening offices. Mr. Wager said his own company had not decided what to do yet, but would probably demand that anyone coming back be vaccinated. Read here

2:08 PM

No changes as of now in gap between Covishield doses, says report

Amid calls to reduce the gap between two doses of Serum Institute of India's Covid-19 vaccine Covishield based on the new findings by Public Health England, the Central government will not take the decision to change the dosage interval immediately, said sources, adding that the authorities will review the scientific evidence for the same.

 

"There is going to be no changes in the interval between Covishield doses immediately. However, scientific evidence has been collected to review the decision in the coming meeting of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC)," government sources told ANI.

 

The Union Health Ministry has said there is no need to panic as such decisions will be taken after careful examination by the experts. (ANI)

2:06 PM

Assam forms 2,000 teams to vaccinate 300,000 people daily

Assam Health Minister Keshab Mahanta on Saturday said that the state government has formed 2,000 teams to vaccinate three lakh people every day provided an adequate number of doses are available.

 

He said the state administration has an adequate stock of Covaxin for administering the second dose to people in the 18-44 years age group.

 

"We have kept ready 2,000 teams who could vaccinate four lakh people every day. But, for now, we are targeting to inoculate three lakh people daily if we get the vaccines. We hope that the availability of vaccines will increase in the coming days," he told reporters.

 

Mahanta, in a tweet on Friday night, had said that the state has a total stock of 3,80,900 vaccines, including 2,43,460 for those above 45 years of age and 1,37,440 for the 18-44 years age group. (PTI)

1:49 PM

Over 258.7 mn vaccine doses provided to states so far: Govt

More than 25.87 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses have been provided to states and union territories so far through the Centre and direct state procurement category, the Union health ministry said on Saturday.

 

Of 25,87,41,810, the total consumption, including wastage, is 24,76,58,855 doses (according to data available at 8 am on Saturday), the ministry said in a statement. Read here