Left, Right & Centre

"This is a welcome step that the official reporting is being revised. All states must think of revising their death reporting and a systemic change into how deaths are being reported and recorded in India", says Dr Bhramar Mukherjee, health data scientist, on Covid fatality figures.

A recount of official Covid fatalities in Bihar shows total deaths at 9,375, up from the previous "official" figure of 5,424. This comes after the High Court asked for an audit. How many have died of Covid in India?

What is the actual cost of manufacturing Covid vaccines? Are Covid vaccines presently over-priced? How much are the 'input costs'? How much are royalty prices and why is one vaccine more expensive than the other? Why is Covaxin as priced in private facilities now among the most expensive vaccines in the world? Ultimately, pricing lies at the heart of vaccine distribution and equity, not just in India but around the world, particularly in the present context.

Thomas B Cueni, Director General, International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations tells NDTV that "economies are starting to come out of the pandemic and price in rich countries is pretty similar to what one pays for the seasonal flu vaccine, but when you look at the importance of COVID-19 vaccines, it is truly important and high value and pretty much all the companies do charge low prices to middle income and low-income countries."

The central government has decided to pay for vaccines for all adults. This comes a few days after the Supreme Court observed that India's vaccine policy for the 18-44 group was arbitrary. Why was this not done earlier? Will India be able to vaccinate all adults by December?

"It is an important course correction that the centre made vaccination open to all aged above 18; second, it got rid of the ambiguity of the state-centre-private vaccine procurement. This simplifies the whole matter," says Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Executive Chairperson, Biocon India Limited.

93 former bureaucrats write to the Prime Minister against a series of controversial decisions by Lakshadweep's administrator Praful Patel, saying the new proposed laws will destroy the fabric of one of India's most fragile communities. Top debate on Left, Right and Centre.

Fresh flashpoint between the centre and Twitter after the social media website removes, then restores, the verification badge from the accounts of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and a number of RSS leaders, including Mohan Bhagwat. Now, the government has sent the 'last warning' to Twitter, asking them to comply with the new digital rules in India. Top story on Left, Right and Centre.

Indian pharma major Wockhardt is set to announce a major production deal for an undisclosed vaccine. The formal announcement is due in two weeks and the production of the vaccine will begin in October, Dr Habil Khorakiwala, the Chairman of Wockhardt, told NDTV in an exclusive interview today. Dr Khorakiwala said that his company has signed a technology transfer agreement with a vaccine manufacturer and that they can produce 500 million doses per year once the capacity is ramped up.

After Pfizer and Moderna, Indian vaccine manufacturers have now sought legal indemnity from the government, sources have told NDTV. According to reports, the government may grant indemnity to Pfizer and Moderna. Should all vaccine makers be given this legal shield?