NO COVISHIELD, ONLY 1 DAY COVAXIN STOCK LEFT, PUNJAB CM CALLS FOR MORE SUPPLIES FROM CENTRE

NO COVISHIELD, ONLY 1 DAY COVAXIN STOCK LEFT, PUNJAB CM CALLS FOR MORE SUPPLIES FROM CENTRE

Chandigarh, July 9

With the state running out of Covishield and left with only one day’s stock of Covaxin, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday again stressed the need for increase in vaccine supplies from the Centre.

Increase in supplies was critical given the gradual opening of sectors conditional to stakeholders having taken at least one dose, said the Chief Minister, directing the officials to continue pursuing aggressively with the Centre for enhancement of the state’s quota.

Pointing out that Punjab had already vaccinated nearly 83 lakh eligible persons (approximiately 27% of population), the Chief Minister said that the stock was being utilised in the state without any wastage. Punjab was able to utilise more than 6 lakh doses in a single day when adequate supply was received, he noted, at the Covid review meeting. While the 1st dose has been administered to 70 lakh people, 13 lakh people had received the second dose, he added.

Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan told the meeting that the administration was following up with the Government of India for more doses.

CAPT AMARINDER ORDERS STEPPING UP OF WHOLE GENOME SEQUENCING AS GMCH PATIALA GETS READY TO START OWN SAMPLING

PUNJAB ALSO SET TO START DRY SWAB TESTING TO IDENTIFY COVID VARIANTS

CHANDIGARH, JULY 9

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday asked the concerned departments to step up Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) to expeditiously identify cases of new Covid variant and to fast track the project for execution of the MoU with ICMR for Regional Institute of Virology, Mohali.

Though no fresh cases of Delta Plus variant (apart from two reported earlier based on May sampling) had been identified in the state, the Chief Minister directed that the Whole Genome Sequencing Lab at GMCH Patiala, coming up with the support of PATH, must become functional this month. PATH has informed that the machine is likely to be installed by 25th July, the Chief Minister was apprised. VRDL GMC Patiala has applied for registration with INSACOG.

Reviewing the Covid situation, the Chief Minister noted with satisfaction that the state was also starting dry swab testing, with a pilot at GMC Patiala next week. Sensitivity of the dry swab variant method is 79% and specificity is 99% when compared with standard RTPCR test as the gold standard. Considering its lesser cost and quick turn-around, the dry swab variant method can be used as a screening tool only in settings where automated RNA extraction is not available.

As per GoI guidelines, Punjab has identified 10 sentinel sites and sending at least 15 samples per site every 15 days for whole genome sequencing. Positive samples of post vaccination, re-infection cases, death cases, severe cases, clustering etc. are being sent for WGS, the meeting was informed.