Coronavirus updates | COVID-19 vaccine for children still away: Government

The government will take a final decision on vaccinating children and adolescents against coronavirus on the basis of overall scientific rationale as well as the supply situation of vaccines available for those below 18 years old, COVID Task Force chief V.K. Paul said

The U.S. will allow fully vaccinated foreign travellers to enter the country from November 8, the White House announced on October 15.  With the announcement of the implementation of the new date, the U.S. will essentially lift travel restrictions from countries like India, United Kingdom and China.

Also Read: Coronavirus | Protection against COVID-19 reinfection may last only for months

You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.

Here are the latest updates:

Sydney eases more COVID-19 curbs as vaccinations pass milestone

Thousands of children returned to school in Sydney on Monday after months of home learning as Australia’s largest city, buoyed by rising vaccination rates, eased more COVID-19 restrictions.

Masks will no longer be mandatory in offices and more people will be allowed to gather in homes and outdoors after New South Wales state, home to Sydney, reached an 80% double dose inoculation rate for people aged over 16 over the weekend. – Reuters

Assam’s Covid positivity rate crosses 1% mark again within four days

The positivity rate of new Covid-19 cases in Assam breached the 1% mark for the second time within a period of four days on October 17 while six fresh fatalities were reported, an official bulletin said.

Altogether 205 new coronavirus cases were registered in the state during the day from 19,350 tests conducted, taking the total caseload to 6,06,468, the bulletin issued by the National Health Mission, Assam, said. – PTI

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal lays foundation stone of new 1,430-bed hospital

To improve the health infrastructure in the city and prepare for the possibility of further waves of COVID-19, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday laid the foundation stone of a new hospital with a capacity of 1,430 beds at Shalimar Bagh.

Being constructed at a cost of ₹275 crore, the hospital would be ready in six months, he said. He announced the government’s plan to build seven new hospitals with a total capacity of 6,800 beds in the next six months.

“The Delhi government is taking all necessary steps in view of the possible third wave of COVID-19. We are going to make such a system under which every citizen of Delhi will have their own health card. Earlier, it used to cost ₹1 crore to make a normal bed, but our government is spending only ₹20 lakh on an ICU bed,” Mr. Kejriwal said.

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COVID-19 vaccine for children still away: Government

The government will take a final decision on vaccinating children and adolescents against coronavirus on the basis of overall scientific rationale as well as the supply situation of vaccines available for those below 18 years old, COVID Task Force chief V.K. Paul said on Sunday.

Mr. Paul, who has been playing a key role in the government’s efforts in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, also cautioned that even though infections are coming down and the second wave is subsiding, it will not be fair now to say that the worst is over since many countries have seen more than two waves.

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COVID-19 possible despite earlier infection: doctors

Stressing the need for vaccination, doctors say that past natural COVID infection will not protect everyone against re-infection. Vaccination in fact could give higher rate of protection, they say.

“We can’t say with certainty that past, natural COVID infection offers 100 % protection against re-infections,” said Sarita Sharma, consultant Pediatrics at PSRI Hospital in New Delhi. Pointing out that the pandemic situation is evolving, Dr. Sharma stressed that not everybody who has been infected will have protection.

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