<p>As India launched its new vaccination policy on June 21, India administered a record <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/india-administers-record-85-lakh-covid-19-vaccine-doses-on-day-one-of-free-shots-999871.html" target="_blank">85 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccines</a> on Monday, with the Centre providing free vaccines to all above 18 years.</p>.<p>Madhya Pradesh <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/covid-19-top-five-states-by-daily-vaccination-numbers-as-new-policy-kicks-in-1000250.html" target="_blank">topped the chart</a> administering <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/madhya-pradeshs-daily-covid-19-vaccinations-fell-by-99-after-record-high-on-day-1-of-new-vaccination-drive-1000532.html" target="_blank">15.4 lakh doses</a>, Karnataka came runner-up with 10.67 lakh shots, though <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/bengaluru-urban-first-among-districts-karnataka-second-among-states-in-nationwide-covid-vaccine-drive-999958.html" target="_blank">Bengaluru Urban clocked the most jabs</a> in the entire nation at 2.14 lakh doses.</p>.<p>However, there is a twist to this fairytale: A day after Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest daily Covid-19 vaccinations, the state's numbers <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/madhya-pradeshs-daily-covid-19-vaccinations-fell-by-99-after-record-high-on-day-1-of-new-vaccination-drive-1000532.html" target="_blank">witnessed a free fall</a>, plummeting to a mere 4,842 doses on Tuesday. On Sunday, a day before the new drive came into force, MP had administered a meagre 692 doses.</p>.<p>Since the second wave, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/video/national/what-s-wrong-with-india-s-vaccination-guidelines-999423.html" target="_blank">India's vaccination guidelines have been dogged by inconsistencies</a> creating confusion among states, private companies and recipients. According to the new immunisation guidelines, the Centre will now procure 75% of vaccines being produced by manufacturers in the country, leaving the balance 25% for the private sector. Can the revised guidelines scheduled to come into effect on June 21, reverse the damage done in the last two months?</p>.<p>On the international front, China — once the centre of the outbreak — on Sunday said it has administered over <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/china-says-one-billion-covid-19-vaccine-doses-administered-999605.html" target="_blank">one billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines in the country</a>. The United States will likely <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/us-likely-to-miss-july-4-covid-19-vaccine-target-white-house-says-1000486.html" target="_blank">fail to meet President Joe Biden's goal</a> to deliver at least one Covid-19 vaccine to 70% of adults by July 4, officials said on Tuesday and warned the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/specials/delta-goes-global-heres-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-covid-19-variant-999214.html" target="_blank">Delta variant</a> first found in India poses the greatest threat to US eradication efforts.</p>.<p>North Korea has told the World Health Organization it tested more than 30,000 people for the coronavirus through June 10 <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/north-korea-tells-who-it-has-detected-no-covid-19-cases-1000094.html" target="_blank">but has yet to find a single infection</a>. Experts widely doubt North Korea's claim that it has not had a single case of the virus, given its poor health infrastructure and porous border with China</p>.<p>Meanwhile, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/philippines-duterte-threatens-those-who-refuse-the-covid-19-vaccine-with-jail-999991.html" target="_blank">threatened to jail people who refuse to be vaccinated</a> against the coronavirus as the Philippines battles one of Asia's worst outbreaks</p>.<p>A World Health Organization epidemologist on Monday said that it is seeing <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/vaccines-showing-reduced-efficacy-against-delta-variant-who-official-1000065.html" target="_blank">'reduced efficacy' of Covid-19 vaccines against the Delta variant</a> — not classified as a '<a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/delta-plus-a-variant-of-concern-says-health-ministry-1000335.html" target="_blank">variant of concern.'</a></p>.<p>The emergence of a more mutated form of the infectious 'Delta' variant of the novel coronavirus has scientists on edge. Just as the Delta variant superseded all other variants, there is concern that <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/covid-19-second-wave-not-yet-over-warns-centre-1001401.html" target="_blank">'Delta Plus', too, could take over</a>.</p>.<p>Amidst these concerns, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-cityscape/is-bengaluru-in-for-booster-doses-and-mixed-vaccines-1001157.html" target="_blank">are booster shots and mixed vaccine</a> doses the answer?</p>.<p>Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/business/bharat-biotechs-covaxin-submits-phase-iii-trials-data-to-dcgi-1000071.html" target="_blank">has submitted phase-III clinical trial data for its vaccine Covaxin</a> to the Drugs Controller General of India over the past weekend. Covaxin is also awaiting <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/business/bharat-biotechs-pre-submission-meeting-for-covaxin-eul-with-who-on-june-23-998834.html" target="_blank">WHO's Emergency Use Listing (EUL)</a> after the global health regulator accepted its expression of interest for the same, and a pre-submission meeting took place on June 23.</p>.<p><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> Doctors in Kerala have detected <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/kerala-doctors-find-7-cases-of-rare-neuro-disorder-among-covishield-recipients-1001092.html" target="_blank">seven cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome – a rare neurological disorder</a> – within a month among 12 lakh people who received the Covishield vaccine, prompting them to alert others to watch out for GBS among the vaccine recipients. <span> </span></p>.<p>In some positive news, a study by the ICMR and an Odisha Health centre found that in a sample size of about 360 people, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/99-of-those-fully-vaccinated-against-covid-19-needed-hospitalisation-study-1001281.html" target="_blank">only 9 per cent of those fully vaccinated contracted serious infection</a> requiring hospitalisation. The findings of this study, although on a small sample size, is key if it is a genuine indication of reduction of severity in Covid-19 infections.</p>
<p>As India launched its new vaccination policy on June 21, India administered a record <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/india-administers-record-85-lakh-covid-19-vaccine-doses-on-day-one-of-free-shots-999871.html" target="_blank">85 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccines</a> on Monday, with the Centre providing free vaccines to all above 18 years.</p>.<p>Madhya Pradesh <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/covid-19-top-five-states-by-daily-vaccination-numbers-as-new-policy-kicks-in-1000250.html" target="_blank">topped the chart</a> administering <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/madhya-pradeshs-daily-covid-19-vaccinations-fell-by-99-after-record-high-on-day-1-of-new-vaccination-drive-1000532.html" target="_blank">15.4 lakh doses</a>, Karnataka came runner-up with 10.67 lakh shots, though <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/bengaluru-urban-first-among-districts-karnataka-second-among-states-in-nationwide-covid-vaccine-drive-999958.html" target="_blank">Bengaluru Urban clocked the most jabs</a> in the entire nation at 2.14 lakh doses.</p>.<p>However, there is a twist to this fairytale: A day after Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest daily Covid-19 vaccinations, the state's numbers <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/madhya-pradeshs-daily-covid-19-vaccinations-fell-by-99-after-record-high-on-day-1-of-new-vaccination-drive-1000532.html" target="_blank">witnessed a free fall</a>, plummeting to a mere 4,842 doses on Tuesday. On Sunday, a day before the new drive came into force, MP had administered a meagre 692 doses.</p>.<p>Since the second wave, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/video/national/what-s-wrong-with-india-s-vaccination-guidelines-999423.html" target="_blank">India's vaccination guidelines have been dogged by inconsistencies</a> creating confusion among states, private companies and recipients. According to the new immunisation guidelines, the Centre will now procure 75% of vaccines being produced by manufacturers in the country, leaving the balance 25% for the private sector. Can the revised guidelines scheduled to come into effect on June 21, reverse the damage done in the last two months?</p>.<p>On the international front, China — once the centre of the outbreak — on Sunday said it has administered over <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/china-says-one-billion-covid-19-vaccine-doses-administered-999605.html" target="_blank">one billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines in the country</a>. The United States will likely <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/us-likely-to-miss-july-4-covid-19-vaccine-target-white-house-says-1000486.html" target="_blank">fail to meet President Joe Biden's goal</a> to deliver at least one Covid-19 vaccine to 70% of adults by July 4, officials said on Tuesday and warned the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/specials/delta-goes-global-heres-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-covid-19-variant-999214.html" target="_blank">Delta variant</a> first found in India poses the greatest threat to US eradication efforts.</p>.<p>North Korea has told the World Health Organization it tested more than 30,000 people for the coronavirus through June 10 <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/north-korea-tells-who-it-has-detected-no-covid-19-cases-1000094.html" target="_blank">but has yet to find a single infection</a>. Experts widely doubt North Korea's claim that it has not had a single case of the virus, given its poor health infrastructure and porous border with China</p>.<p>Meanwhile, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/philippines-duterte-threatens-those-who-refuse-the-covid-19-vaccine-with-jail-999991.html" target="_blank">threatened to jail people who refuse to be vaccinated</a> against the coronavirus as the Philippines battles one of Asia's worst outbreaks</p>.<p>A World Health Organization epidemologist on Monday said that it is seeing <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/vaccines-showing-reduced-efficacy-against-delta-variant-who-official-1000065.html" target="_blank">'reduced efficacy' of Covid-19 vaccines against the Delta variant</a> — not classified as a '<a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/delta-plus-a-variant-of-concern-says-health-ministry-1000335.html" target="_blank">variant of concern.'</a></p>.<p>The emergence of a more mutated form of the infectious 'Delta' variant of the novel coronavirus has scientists on edge. Just as the Delta variant superseded all other variants, there is concern that <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/covid-19-second-wave-not-yet-over-warns-centre-1001401.html" target="_blank">'Delta Plus', too, could take over</a>.</p>.<p>Amidst these concerns, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-cityscape/is-bengaluru-in-for-booster-doses-and-mixed-vaccines-1001157.html" target="_blank">are booster shots and mixed vaccine</a> doses the answer?</p>.<p>Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/business/bharat-biotechs-covaxin-submits-phase-iii-trials-data-to-dcgi-1000071.html" target="_blank">has submitted phase-III clinical trial data for its vaccine Covaxin</a> to the Drugs Controller General of India over the past weekend. Covaxin is also awaiting <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/business/bharat-biotechs-pre-submission-meeting-for-covaxin-eul-with-who-on-june-23-998834.html" target="_blank">WHO's Emergency Use Listing (EUL)</a> after the global health regulator accepted its expression of interest for the same, and a pre-submission meeting took place on June 23.</p>.<p><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> Doctors in Kerala have detected <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/kerala-doctors-find-7-cases-of-rare-neuro-disorder-among-covishield-recipients-1001092.html" target="_blank">seven cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome – a rare neurological disorder</a> – within a month among 12 lakh people who received the Covishield vaccine, prompting them to alert others to watch out for GBS among the vaccine recipients. <span> </span></p>.<p>In some positive news, a study by the ICMR and an Odisha Health centre found that in a sample size of about 360 people, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/99-of-those-fully-vaccinated-against-covid-19-needed-hospitalisation-study-1001281.html" target="_blank">only 9 per cent of those fully vaccinated contracted serious infection</a> requiring hospitalisation. The findings of this study, although on a small sample size, is key if it is a genuine indication of reduction of severity in Covid-19 infections.</p>