Those unable to afford a probable COVID-19 vaccine will get it for free and the government is considering a large immunisation programme to make the vaccine widely available, a highly placed official involved in the strategy told The Hindu.
The cost of the vaccine would likely retail between $2-3 (₹140-210), the official said.
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:
No garba in Gujarat this year due to COVID-19
The COVID-19 outbreak in Gujarat would deprive the people of the State of the famed garba celebrations during the Navaratra festival, as the Gujarat government on Saturday announced that it would not permit any garba event anywhere due to the pandemic.
The government said it would also not hold the State-level Navratri Mahotsav this year during the festival period from October 17 to October 25. The decision was taken by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani after a review meeting.
In a statement, the government said, “in public interest in view of the pandemic, CM has taken a decision to not allow the garba celebrations and also not hold the State level event at Ahmedabad.”
Patience key to resumption of sporting activities: Sjoerd Marijne
The hockey players reassembled for the national camps in early August but with six men testing positive for COVID-19, the quarantine period and SAI restrictions, the players — both men and women — began proper training only last week. And the coaches are in no hurry to rush them on.
“One of the most important things is to manage expectations. They will not come back at their old levels immediately. It is important to accept things as they are and give yourself and your players that time. I know the NFL has had 26 hamstring and six ACL injuries in two weeks. We have to be careful, not rush in too soon because you really need to have patience,” women’s chief coach Sjoerd Marijne said during a Hockey India webinar on Saturday on resumption of activities.
COVID-19 positivity rate highest in Bengaluru Rural last week
As the number of coronavirus infections in India and Karnataka continues to soar, the positivity rate among both asymptomatic and symptomatic cases over the last week in the State has been the highest in Bengaluru Rural.
Data from the Karnataka State COVID-19 War Room as of September 24 evening shows that the positivity rate among asymptomatic cases in the last seven days since the date of the report in Bengaluru Rural stands at 29.7 — for 2,331 tests conducted and 692 cases. Mysuru had the second highest positivity rate of 26.9 for 7,228 tests and 1,943 cases. Chitradurga, Tumakuru, Hassan, and Shivamogga are among the other districts with higher positivity rates for asymptomatic cases.
668 prisoners tested positive for COVID-19, Karnataka govt. tells HC
The State government has told the High Court of Karnataka that 668 prisoners lodged in 47 prisons have tested positive for COVID-19 as of September 18 and 585 of them have fully recovered from the infection after being treated at designated hospitals or care centres.
Also, the government said that 16,418 tests for COVID-19 were conducted for prisoners.
While 11,116 tests were conducted for those brought to prisons for the first time, 4,794 tests were conducted for the existing inmates, and 508 for prisoners who returned from parole, as of September 18.
The data was submitted before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S. Kinagi during the hearing of a petition filed by Amol Kale, a prime accused in Gauri Lankesh murder case lodged at the central prison in Mysuru. The petitioner had sought various measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the prison.