COVAXIN ON BACK FOOT!
BHARAT Biotech, the public sector vaccine company, has reported the largest number of side-effects. It has now warned that its vaccine should not be used for those acutely ill, pregnant women, those with bleeding disorders or suffering any allergies. Cardiac patients who use blood thinners are also warned against taking the vaccine.
The Central government has procured 55 lakh doses of Covaxin which nobody seems to trust! The much talked about Co-WIN app has not been functioning properly since its launch.
COVISHIELD SIDE EFFECTS
SERUM Institute of India, on the other hand, has advised people who are severally allergic to any of the ingredients in their vaccine Covishield not to take it. According to a Serum Institute fact sheet before us one should not take the second shot of Covishield if there is a reaction to the first dose. The Covishield vaccine ingredients listed are “L-Histidine, L-Histindine Hydrochloride Monohydrate, Magnesium Chloride Hexahydrate, Polysorbate 80, Ethanol, Sucrose, Sodium Chloride, Disodium Edetate-dihydrate (EDTA), water for injection.”
The fact sheet also says that if a woman is pregnant or plans to become pregnant or is breastfeeding, she should tell the healthcare provider before taking the jab. Vaccine recipients should also disclose to healthcare provider if they have fever, suffer a bleeding disorder or are on a blood thinner like Ecospirin and Warfarin, and also if they are immune-compromised or on a medicines affecting the immune system.
According to the Union Health ministry, a total of 3,81,305 beneficiaries have already been vaccinated for Covid-19 in the country till 5pm on Monday last (January 18) and 580 adverse events following immunisation reported. At least seven persons have been hospitalised so far.
WHAT IS UP IN WHATSAPP
USERS of Whatsapp are shifting to other platforms like Signal after the company was sold to Facebook. The concerns are about privacy which was guaranteed by the original developer of Whatsapp. Under Mark Zuckerberg Whatsapp will share all data with Facebook to increase its advertising revenue. However, the Delhi High Court has rejected the demand for a ban on Whatsapp pointing out that membership is voluntary and people can chose not to use it if they do not agree with its terms and conditions. Now Whatsapp has postponed implementation of the new condition for three months.
AVOID WATERMELONS
IN the heat of winter some folk may be tempted to buy watermelons. Indeed, the best watermelons are reportedly from Parra , the home village of the late Manohar Parrikar where he was born. However, the Horticulture Department of Goa government has warned people not to consume watermelons because they are infected by ringworm infection!
GOVERNMENT JOBS
THOSE who have been waiting endlessly for government jobs should keep a watch out for advertisements. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has revealed that within 15 to 20 days advertisements will be released for the 10,000 odd vacancies in various government departments. The government has also starting training centres in all the government colleges to train and guide students into answering competitive exams like the IAS and other Central services exams.
IFFI FELICITATES ESG
Congrats from Ravi
Kottarakara to Subhash Phal Desai! It was a moment of heart-felt tribute with the Secretary
General of the Film Federation of India, Ravi Kottarakara, felicitating and
honouring the Entertainment Society of Goa Vice-Chairperson Subhash Phal Desai
and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and others for conducting the prestigious 51st
International Film Festival of India, despite Covid-19 pandemic fears. Kottarakara
was full of praise for the ESG for the efficient, disciplined manner in which
the on-going hybrid format IFFI (half virtual, half physical) being conducted
and showcased despite obvious difficulties. The FFI secretary general
observed that organising IFFI this time
must have called for tremendous organising skills, and will go a long way in
restoring confidence in world and Indian film industry. So a big thank-you for
keeping the show going!
COVISHIELD FIRE
A fire broke out on the top floor of the Serum Institute of India (SII) which manufactures the Covishield vaccine developed by the Oxford university.
Production of the vaccine was not affected as the plant is far away from the site that caught fire. There are absolutely no losses of the vaccine.
Police revealed that the fire broke out on the top most floor of the Serum facility where a contractor had been hired to do some civil and electrical work. Five workers of the contractor have died in the fire.
HUGE U-TURN BY BIDDEN
Within hours of taking over the President Bidden signed seventeen orders to reverse the damage created by Donald Trump. Among the orders which are of concern to India is the liberalisation of the law on immigrants brought as children to the US. Trump had ordered that the children could not claim the blue card and had to be sent back. Bidden had requested congress to enact legislation to provide permenant status and a path to citizenship.
Bidden also ended travel restriction for people from Muslim and African countries and stopped the construction of the wall between the US and Mexico.
He over turns Trumps order to deport unauthorized immigrants and has stayed the changes with reference to the H1B1 visas.
The most important order pass by Bidden was to make wearing of masks compulsory even in government buildings. He has asked all Americans to wear masks for hundred days and maintain physical distance. On the day of the inauguration the US reported the largest number of deaths of over 4,000 American citizens. Bidden has also got the US to rejoin the World Health Organisation and to help poorer countries with the supply of vaccine at low rates.
LOKAYUKTA DILUTION
The Pramod Sawant government has undermined the powers of the Lokayukta. In a bill proposed to be passed in the coming session The Goa Lokayukta will be made a toothless tiger. The Lokayukta under the new act will not have any power to take action against officials who are found to be corrupt.
The Former Chief Justice of the Alahabad High Court has commented “It will be better if the act itself is crapped and public money not wasted if the CM, Ministers and public officers can only be investigated by taking he permission of the very officers who are under the control of the Chief Minister or the Minister.”