Health
Indian-origin couple among first to receive COVID-19 vaccine in UK
Indian-origin couple Ranjan and Hari Shukla at Newcastle Hospitals to get the first dose of two-shot Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, on Tuesday. | NHS England Media/ Twitter
An Indian-origin man, Hari Shukla, 87, along with his 83-year-old wife Ranjan, from the north east of England will be among the first ones to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19 on Tuesday.
As part of the United Kingdoms biggest inoculation programme, the couple will receive their first of the two-dose vaccine at Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle. Developed by pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, people aged 80 and over and frontline healthcare workers will be first in line to receive the ?life-saving jab.
Declaring the vaccination process, which is the biggest immunisation programme in the countrys history, 50 National Health Service (NHS) hospitals have geared up to roll out the first consignment of the vaccine, whose first batch consists of 800,000 doses – to be administered in two doses – each 21 days apart.
Awarded with the royal honours of MBE, OBE and CBE for his work in race relations, Shukla said, I am delighted to be doing my bit by having the vaccine, I feel it is my duty to do so and do whatever I can to help.
Appreciating the NHS staff for the handwork during the pandemic, he added, As far as I’m concerned, I’m excited about it. We were waiting for this vaccine for a very long time. Having been in contact with the NHS staff, I know how hard they all work and I am grateful for everything they have done to keep us safe during the pandemic.
Queen Elizabeth, 94, and her husband Prince Philip, 99 are also expected to receive their first dose of the vaccine soon.
Until now the UK has placed an order for 40 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The UK government has also reached an agreement to gain early access to over 300 million doses of other vaccines, after approval from regulatory bodies.
Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, around 1.7 million people in the UK have been affected and more than 60,000 people have lost their lives due to COVID-19.
Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) added 25 additional beds in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital Kalwa apart from arranging a special ward dedicated to COVID-19 patients. The total number of active patients in the city stood at 252 while five succumbed to the virus. Meanwhile, TMC Commissioner Abhijit Bangar said a ‘death audit’ of patients who died of COVID would be conducted. The TMC has ensured it has additional stock of oxygen concentrators, testing kits, medicines, to name a few. Bangar told HT, “Due to the increasing number of Covid patients, it is necessary for everyone to be alert.”
He added, The number of Covid tests should be increased to stay one step ahead of the disease. As a result, the number of patients is likely to increase due to increased testing. However, as per the ‘test, isolate, treat’ protocol for Covid, it becomes necessary to isolate and treat more and more patients. The testing centres will not remain closed even for a single day. At the same time, more arrangements for testing will be made immediately in public places, markets, railway stations, malls.”
India recorded 3,095 new COVID cases and five deaths in last 24 hours.
Also read: Nagpur records 22 COVID cases in 24 hours
Politics
After Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification, his namesake who contested from Wayanad disqualified
Rahul Gandhi
An independent candidate for Lok Sabha elections named Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from contesting polls for failing to lodge account of election expenses. Gandhi, who’s name figures as ‘Rahul Gandhi K E S/o Valsamma’ in an Election Commission list of persons, had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as an Independent and had received 2196 votes from the Wayanad seat in Kerala – a constituency from where ex-Congress MP Rahul Rajiv Gandhi had won with over seven lakh votes.
However, since it is mandatory for all contestants to submit their account of election expenses among other mandatory requirements under EC rules and the Representation of the People Act.
Rahul Gandhi K E S/o Valsamma stood disqualified to contest polls from September 13, 2021 till September 13, 2024. According to Section 10A, the Election Commission can disqualify a contestant for a period of three years from the date of the order if he/she has failed to lodge an account of election expenses within the time and in the manner required by law and has no good reason or justification for the failure.
Also read: ‘CBI under UPA govt. pressurised me to frame Modi,’ recalls Amit Shah
A total of 22 patients tested positive for COVID-19 in Nagpur in past 24 hours on Thursday. Almost 242 people were tested in the city, out of which 15 belonged to urban area while and 6 were from the rural areas, and one from outside Nagpur district.
At present, there are 72 active patients in the city. Three new cases of the new XBB.1.16 variant of COVID-19 were detected that took the total tally to five in the district.
India recorded 3,095 new COVID cases and five deaths in last 24 hours.
Also read: CELESTIAL! Unique alignment of Moon and 5 planets
Thane Municipal Corporation adds 25 beds as COVID cases rise
After Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification, his namesake who contested from Wayanad disqualified
Nagpur records 22 COVID cases in 24 hours
‘CBI under UPA govt. pressurised me to frame Modi,’ recalls Amit Shah
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