Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

India to soon make available 10m Covid-19 vaccine doses per day

India to soon make available 10m Covid-19 vaccine doses per day

INDIA could have as many as 10 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines available per day in July and August, compared with just under three million now, the government said, trying to allay concerns about shortages and mishandling of the programme.

The world's second most populous country has suffered a disastrous outbreak of infections since April that is only now abating and health experts say the only way it can avert another surge is mass vaccination of its 1.3 billion people.


India on Wednesday (2) reported a daily rise in new coronavirus infections of 132,788 cases over the past 24 hours, while deaths rose by 3,207.

"We don’t doubt that we will be able to increase the pace of vaccinations, once supply is ramped up," government advisor V K Paul told reporters.

Vaccine manufacturers such as Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech are scrambling to boost supplies, with the country is also in talks with major foreign vaccine producers such as Pfizer Inc, officials have said.

The health ministry said nearly 45 million people had been fully vaccinated - 4.7 per cent of the country's 950 million adult population. India administered nearly 2.8 million doses on Monday, according to data from its official vaccine portal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has drawn criticism for a slow vaccine rollout even though India is one of the world's biggest manufacturers of doses, including AstraZeneca's shot.

Several states have complained of a shortage of the AstraZenca vaccines and another called Covaxin, developed by Indian firm Bharat Biotech.

Last month, the government ordered that the interval between two doses of AstraZeneca be increased to 12-16 weeks from 4-6 weeks, which experts said was because of tight supplies.

Paul said there was no plan to mix doses of different vaccines that some officials had suggested earlier. He also said everyone was recommended to take the full two doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine and not limit themselves to one shot.

"India's Covishield schedule is of two doses... there is no change, and Covaxin is also for two doses," Paul said.

Balram Bhargava, head of the Indian Council of Medical Research, said: "Containment has worked. However, it is not a sustainable solution and we have to find a measure to ease the lockdowns."

The South Asian nation's tally of infections now stands at 28.3 million, while the death toll has reached 335,102, health ministry data showed.

More For You

sugary drinks and ice cream

Researchers from the UK and US analysed data from American households between 2004 and 2019

iStock

Global warming may drive higher consumption of sugary drinks and ice cream, study warns

Highlights:

  • Hotter days linked to greater intake of sugary drinks and frozen desserts
  • Lower-income households most affected, research finds
  • Climate change could worsen health risks linked to sugar consumption
  • Study based on 15 years of US household food purchasing data

Sugary consumption rising with heat

People are more likely to consume sugary drinks and ice cream on warmer days, particularly in lower-income households, according to new research. The study warns that climate change could intensify this trend, adding to health risks as global temperatures continue to rise.

Sugar consumption is a major contributor to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, and has surged worldwide in recent decades. The findings, published in Nature Climate Change, suggest that rising heat could be nudging more people towards high-sugar products such as soda, juice and ice cream.

Keep ReadingShow less
Camellia Panjabi's cookbook elevates
vegetables from sides to stars

Camellia Panjabi (Photo: Ursula Sierek)

Camellia Panjabi's cookbook elevates vegetables from sides to stars

RESTAURATEUR and writer Camellia Panjabi puts the spotlight on vegetables in her new book, as she said they were never given the status of a “hero” in the way fish, chicken or prawns are.

Panjabi’s Vegetables: The Indian Way features more than 120 recipes, with notes on nutrition, Ayurvedic insights and cooking methods that support digestion.

Keep ReadingShow less
Spotting the signs of dementia

Priya Mulji with her father

Spotting the signs of dementia

How noticing the changes in my father taught me the importance of early action, patience, and love

I don’t understand people who don’t talk or see their parents often. Unless they have done something to ruin your lives or you had a traumatic childhood, there is no reason you shouldn’t be checking in with them at least every few days if you don’t live with them.

Keep ReadingShow less
HH Guruji performed the Dhwaja Ritual at Ambaji Temple

HH Guruji performed the Dhwaja Ritual at Ambaji Temple

Mahesh Liloriya

The holy town of Ambaji witnessed a spiritually significant day on Sunday as His Holiness Siri Rajrajeshwar Guruji, head of the International Siddhashram Shakti Centre, London, performed the Dhwaja ritual at the historic Ambaji Temple in Gujarat, one of the most revered Shakti Peeths of India.

Keep ReadingShow less
Eco-friendly Ganesh Utsav at Harrow’s Siddhashram Shakti Centre

Eco-friendly Ganesh Utsav at Harrow’s Siddhashram Shakti Centre

Mahesh Liloriya

The International Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Harrow witnessed an inspiring and environmentally responsible celebration of Ganesh Utsav 2025, which concluded on Saturday, 6 September, with the Ganesh Visarjan ritual performed on the sacred occasion of Anant Chaturdashi.

Keep ReadingShow less