An year ago on 19.3.2020 @ 8 pm, the Nation heard with awe – the speech
of our Prime Minister Narendra Modiji – extremely balanced, explaining the
situation, measures, expectations and plan of action. Among others – Janata Curfew `~ social distancing and clapping those rendering
services @ 5pm on 22.3.2020 was announced !!
At that time – globally 217,845
Covid-19 cases had been confirmed, resulting in 9,177 fatalities worldwide.
After its discovery in Dec 2019, in Wuhan, China, the virus started to spread
around the world, causing panic. "Resolution
and restraint is very important in combat against this global epidemic. As
citizens, people need to strengthen their resolve to follow the advisories
issues by state and central governments to fight," advocating social
distancing to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, Narendra Modi spoke
passionately of self-enforced restraint by the people, for the people – “Janata
Curfew on 22.3.2020 from 7 am to 9 pm”
Life has come a long way
since ! .. .. Corona has not been wiped
out yet – though people in the city behave as if it has been conquered. Today’s reports state that Maharashtra sees
30,535 COVID-19 cases, highest since last March, taking tally to 24,79,682; 99
deaths push toll to 53,399. The COVID-19
concerns are growing in Tamil Nadu as the state recorded 1,243 cases on Saturday.
With this, the active cases now stand at 7,291, and with rise in cases, the
state has witnessed the hospital beds filling up fast in at least seven
districts. In Chennai alone, 458 new cases were reported and also more patients
were admitted both in private and government hospitals. People from Chengalpet,
Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur also headed to hospitals in Chennai.
The only hope
is vaccination .. .. .. on 16th January 2021 India started its
national vaccination programme against the SARS-CoV-2 virus which has caused
the COVID-19 pandemic. The drive prioritises healthcare and frontline workers,
and then those over the age of 60, and then those over the age of 45 and
suffering from certain comorbidities. In January 2021 Secretary-General of the
United Nations António Guterres said that India's vaccine-production capacity
is the best asset the world has.[3] According to health officials, India has
administered 4,46,03,841[a] vaccine doses across the country as of 20 March
2021.
There are a
total of 432 government-run vaccination centres in Chennai. These include
government hospitals, urban primary health centres and mini-clinics. Many
private hospitals have also set up vaccination centres. The entire list of
centres can be accessed at https://chennaicorporation.gov.in/gcc/covid-vaccine/
Miles away, Germany is set
to extend its coronavirus restrictions into April despite mass anti-lockdown
protests. Thousands of protesters angry
at Covid-19 restrictions rallied in cities across Europe over the weekend, even
as several nations reimposed partial lockdowns to fight new surges in
infections. A memo from several of Germany's regions said the country's partial
lockdown should be extended into April because of rising infection rates driven
by Covid variants. Country's chancellor, Angela Merkel, announced on Sunday
that she was keen to go ahead with the extension. Travel needs to be cut to a minimum, with
quarantines and negative tests required for those re-entering Germany, the memo
warned. The prospect of further curbs will infuriate the thousands of
protesters who marched against existing restrictions in the Germany city of
Kassel on Saturday. Police there used water cannon, batons and pepper spray to
disperse the crowds, which they estimated to number up to 20,000. The march was
organised by activists from both the far left and the far right, as well as
peddlers of baseless conspiracy theories about the pandemic and vaccines.
Protesters also marched in
Amsterdam, Vienna, the Bulgarian capital Sofia, and Switzerland over the
weekend. Thousands also protested the coronavirus restrictions in London on
Saturday, many of them carrying signs promoting coronavirus conspiracy
theories. Britain on Sunday warned the EU over its threat to halt exports of
AstraZeneca's vaccines, in a row that has heightened post-Brexit tensions
between London and Brussels. Anglo-Swedish pharma giant AstraZeneca has
delivered only 30 percent of the 90 million doses it promised the EU for the
first quarter, infuriating European leaders and complicating the continent's
already struggling rollout. Brussels has accused London of operating its own de
facto export ban to achieve its vaccine success, a claim furiously denied by
the British government.
In the meantime, Britain
has smashed its vaccine record yet again with 874,000 jabs given in just one
day - as the UK's daily death toll fall by 36.5 per cent week-on-week. The
first and second dose figure recorded yesterday - which is equivalent to around 27 jabs a second - marks the
second day in a row of record-beating figures, with 711,156 vaccines given on
Friday. And Britain's great vaccine push
appears to be working to drive down the country's death toll - as the 33
fatalities recorded today marks a drop of more than a third on the 52 recorded
last Sunday. However, the number of people who tested positive for Covid-19 has
gone up compared to this day last week. The 5,312 cases recorded today is 15
per cent higher than the 4,618 cases seen one week ago.
More than half of all
adults have now had at least one vaccine dose, with the number equivalent to
the entire adult populations of Liverpool, Southampton and Oxford combined. But
as the UK's hugely-successful vaccination drive soars ahead, the EU today
doubled down on its threat to block jab exports to the UK. The UK's triumphant vaccine figures come at
the end of a week which saw the highest number of doses delivered since the
vaccination programme began, NHS England said.
Chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said: 'The speed and precision of the
NHS vaccination campaign has been on full display this weekend and yesterday
NHS staff across England administered a remarkable 27 jabs a second.
'In just one day we
vaccinated the equivalent of the entire adult populations of Liverpool, Southampton
and Oxford combined, UK is claiming .. .. and .. .. what about you .. – have you
taken your vaccine yet ?? – here is the list of Centres for easy reference : https://chennaicorporation.gov.in/gcc/covid-vaccine/
21.03.2021
Nice
ReplyDelete