Coronavirus in India live updates: Centre, Bharat Biotech invite other companies to scale up Covaxin production

This is a comprehensive system developed by DRDO to regulate oxygen being administrated to patients based on the sensed values of their SpO2 levels. DRDO has transferred the technology to multiple industries in India who will be producing the Oxycare Systems.

German ambassador Walter J Lindner on Wednesday inaugurated the oxygen plant in Delhi's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel DRDO Covid Hospital and said that the coronavirus can be defeated with the combined effort of India, Germany and other countries. The plant is expected to service Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) operated Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Covid Hospital. Apart from meeting the requirements of the hospital, the plant can supply oxygen to other hospitals in need as this plant also has a facility for refilling oxygen cylinders.

The Karnataka government on Wednesday announced postponing the Common Entrance Test- 2021 following the postponement of the second pre-university exam this year. The exam will now take place from August 28 to 30, the government said.

A parliamentary standing committee had in March suggested ramping up of production capacity of the two COVID vaccines manufactured in India for ensuring their availability to a wider population as soon as possible after it was informed that there could be a "shortage" if the inoculation is opened beyond the priority groups. “India needs around 1.9 billion doses to fully vaccinate all adults. It was clear to the Standing Committee from the data presented by the government that the current production capacity is inadequate to meet that demand," chairperson Jairam Ramesh of Congress said.

Two drive-through vaccination centres were set up at Mohali District Sports Complex and at Mullanpur, said officials. The drive-through vaccination facility was for those aged above 45, frontline workers and healthcare workers. Around 500 people availed this facility on the first day of its roll out.

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said if the Union government had started door-to- door vaccination programme for senior citizens a few months back, then lives of many of them, including prominent persons, could have been saved. "Speaking off the cuff, if we had a door-to-door vaccination programme sometime back, then so many of our senior citizens, including prominent members of society from various walks of life, who have lost their lives to COVID-19, could have been saved," Justice Kulkarni said. The court noted that many foreign countries have already started door-to-door vaccination facilities.

Mamata Banerjee writes to PM, says state to provide land and other facilities for vaccine manufacturing/franchisee operation.