India far from achieving herd immunity: Harsh Vardhan

India is far from achieving herd immunity for covid-19, Union minister Harsh Vardhan said on Sunday while interacting with people on social media during the third episode of Sunday Samvaad.

It may be noteworthy that, India has recorded over 60 lakh covid-19 cases, while the death toll has breached 95,000.

“The soon to be released second sero survey indications are that we are far from having achieved any kind of herd immunity which necessitates that all of us should continue following covid-19 appropriate behaviour," said Harsh Vardhan. The first sero survey of May 2020 revealed that the nationwide prevalence of novel coronavirus infection was only 0.73%.

On the emerging evidence that the disease not only impacts the lungs but also other organ systems, especially cardiovascular and renal, the health minister said that the government has already set up committees of experts to look into these facets of covid-19.

“The India Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is also studying this subject. ICMR is also actively investigating and researching reports of reinfection and although the number of reinfection cases is negligible at this moment, the government is fully seized of the importance of the matter," said the health minister.

Regarding wide usage of investigational therapies such as Remdesivir and Plasma Therapies, Harsh Vardhan said that the government has issued regular advisories regarding their rational usage. He re-emphasised on the need for wearing masks even in places of worship.

The private hospitals have also been advised against routine use of these investigational therapies. The doctors in the States/UTs are being made



aware of this through webinars and during the tele-consultation session of AIIMS, New Delhi, he said.

For covid-19 testing rates, the union health minister said that States/UTs have been advised to lower the prices of covid-19 diagnostic tests.

“In the early days of the pandemic, as the kits were imported, the price tended to be high. But now, supplies of testing kits have also stabilized and domestic production of these kits have also commenced," he said adding the Ministry of Health has written to States and Union Territories to engage private laboratories at mutually agreeable lower rates. “I have spoken personally to several State health ministers regarding reduction of prices of testing in their respective states," said Harsh Vardhan.

The number or covid-19 cases continue to increase in India. According to Union health ministry, a total of 88,600 new cases have been reported in the last 24 hours in the country. About 10 states/Union territories (UTs) account for 77% of the new confirmed cases.

With more than 20,000 cases reported during the last 24 hours, Maharashtra leads the tally, followed by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh with over 8,000 and 7,000 cases respectively.

“There have been 1,124 deaths in the past 24 hours. 10 States/UTs account for 84% of the deaths in the last 24 hours due to covid-19. Of the new deaths, Maharashtra reported more than 38% of deaths with 430 deaths followed by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu with 86 and 85 deaths, respectively," the government said in a statement.

Meanwhile, 92,043 new recoveries have been reported in the last 24 hours in the country, highest in Maharashtra.