India Reports 1.34 Lakh Fresh Cases of COVID-19

India recorded a low positivity rate below 10 percent for the tenth straight day with 1.34 lakh fresh cases of COVID-19 being recorded in the last 24 hours and 2,887 deaths, the government data showed on Thursday morning.

The country has administered over 22 crore vaccine doses since January and has an aim to vaccinate all eligible people by the end of this year.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday made some sharp remarks on the center's vaccine plan as it called the policy of paid vaccination for those between 18 and 44 is "arbitrary and irrational". 

According to an NDTV report, the center has been asked to file a detailed affidavit giving complete data on the purchase history of all the vaccines till date – Covaxin, Covishield and Sputnik V. The Supreme Court also asks for dates of all procurement orders; number of doses ordered; projected date of supply.

Flagging several other flaws including shortage of vaccine doses and problems faced by rural people in accessing vaccines — the court asked the Centre to review its vaccination policy and "place on record a roadmap of projected availability of vaccines till 31 December 2021," the report said.

After Pfizer, now Serum Institute of India, the world's biggest vaccine maker has sought protection from indemnity, sources have said.

"Not just Serum Institute of India (SII), all the vaccine companies should get indemnity protection against liabilities if foreign companies are granted it," Serum sources said today, adding that rules should be the same for everyone, the NDTV report said.

Meanwhile, the government has booked 30 crore doses of Hyderabad-based Biological-E's Covid vaccine, which is still in clinical trials. . The Health Ministry will make an advance payment of Rs. 1,500 crore to the company for what will be the second made-in-India vaccine to be used in the country after Bharat Biotech's Covaxin.

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