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<keyword id="19897423" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-19" source="keywords">COVID-19</keyword>, the unwelcome guest that never quite leaves, may well be in the process of ushering in a fresh global wave, with <keyword id="6356662" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="singapore" source="Orion">Singapore</keyword> potentially on the front lines. The Singapore government is on alert, with its Ministry of Health reporting a significant rise in COVID-19 cases. There was a doubling of infections in the first half of May, with the numbers increasing from 13,700 in the first week of this month to 25,900 in the second (May 5 to 11). Hospitalisations have also spiked, with average daily admissions rising from 181 to around 250 in the same period. To manage hospital bed capacity, public hospitals have been directed to reduce non-urgent elective surgeries and transfer suitable patients to care facilities. Health Minister <keyword id="19895083" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ong-Ye-Kung" source="keywords">Ong Ye Kung</keyword> has indicated that Singapore is in the early stages of this wave, which is expected to peak between mid- and end-June. Recognising Singapore's role as a major transport and communications hub, Ong has acknowledged that the city-state is likely to experience COVID-19 waves earlier than other regions. An uptick in infection numbers has also been observed in the neighbouring countries as well, including Philippines. However, no alarming rise in hospitalisation has been reported yet. Regional reports are attributing this surge to new COVID-19 variants, collectively termed FLiRT. This name is based on the technical names for their mutations, one of which includes the letters "F" and "L", and another, the letters "R" and "T". The FLiRT group comprises of variants KP.1, KP.2, KP.3, JN.1.1 and JN.1.7. At present, KP.1 and KP.2 make up over two-thirds of cases in Singapore. While the WHO has classified KP.2 as a variant under monitoring, there is no evidence suggesting these variants are more transmissible or cause more severe illness than existing strains. Nevertheless, Ong has urged high-risk groups, including those aged 60 and above, medically vulnerable individuals, and residents of aged care facilities, to receive an additional COVID-19 vaccine dose if they haven't been vaccinated in the past year. The public has also been advised to consider wearing masks again. Ong emphasised that there are no current plans for social restrictions, as Singapore treats COVID-19 as an <keyword id="21743830" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="endemic-disease" source="keywords">endemic disease</keyword>. He noted that additional measures would only be considered as a last resort. “COVID-19 is just something that we have to live with. Every year, we should expect one or two waves,” he said. Meanwhile, 91 cases of the <keyword id="21640619" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="FLiRT-variants" source="keywords">FLiRT variants</keyword> have been detected in India. However, there have been no reports of severe cases or unique symptoms associated with these variants so far. (With inputs from TOI)

FLiRT-ing with pandemic! With a sharp rise in COVID cases, could Singapore be witnessing the start of a global wave?

<keyword id="19895045" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Singapore" source="keywords">Singapore</keyword> is seeing a new <keyword id="21710881" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Covid-19-wave" source="keywords">COVID-19 wave</keyword> as the authorities recorded more than 25,900 cases from May 5 to 11 even as <keyword id="19962428" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Health-Minister" source="keywords">Health Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19895083" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ong-Ye-Kung" source="keywords">Ong Ye Kung</keyword> on Saturday advised the wearing of masks again. "We are at the beginning part of the wave where it is steadily rising," said Ong. "So, I would say the wave should peak in the next two to four weeks, which means between mid- and end of June," The Straits Times newspaper quoted the minister as saying. The Ministry of Health (MOH) said the estimated number of COVID-19 cases in the week of May 5 to 11 rose to 25,900 cases, compared with 13,700 cases in the previous week. The average daily COVID-19 hospitalisations rose to about 250 from 181 the week before. The average daily intensive care unit (ICU) cases remained low at three cases, compared with two cases in the previous week. The MOH said that to protect hospital bed capacity, public hospitals have been asked to reduce their non-urgent elective surgery cases and move suitable patients to transitional care facilities or back home through Mobile Inpatient Care@Home, an alternative inpatient care delivery model that offers clinically suitable patients the option of being hospitalised in their own homes instead of a hospital ward. Ong urged those who are at greatest risk of severe disease, including individuals aged 60 years and above, medically vulnerable individuals and residents of aged care facilities, to receive an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if they have not done so in the last 12 months. Ong said that if the number of COVID-19 cases doubles one time, Singapore will have 500 patients in its healthcare system, which is what Singapore can handle. However, if the number of cases doubles a second time, there will be 1,000 patients, and "that will be a considerable burden on the hospital system", he pointed out. "One thousand beds is equivalent to one regional hospital," Ong said. "So, I think the healthcare system has to brace ourselves for what is to come." There are no plans for any form of social restrictions or any other mandatory kind of measures for now, as COVID-19 is treated as an endemic disease in Singapore, he said, adding that imposing additional measures would be a last resort. Ong said that with Singapore being a transport and communications hub, it will be one of the cities to get a wave of COVID-19 earlier than others. "So, COVID-19 is just something that we have to live with. Every year, we should expect one or two waves," he said. Globally, the predominant COVID-19 variants are still JN.1 and its sub-lineages, including KP.1 and KP.2. Currently, KP.1 and KP.2 account for over two-thirds of cases in Singapore. As of May 3, the World Health Organisation has classified KP.2 as a variant under monitoring. There are currently no indications, globally or locally, that KP.1 and KP.2 are more transmissible or cause more severe disease than other circulating variants, the MOH said. However, members of the public are urged to stay updated with vaccinations to protect themselves against current and emerging virus strains. The MOH said that to date, about 80 per cent of the local population have completed their initial or additional dose, but have not received a dose within the last year. The ministry added that since COVID-19 vaccination started in 2020 to 2021, the vaccines have consistently been proven to be safe and effective in protecting individuals from severe illness. Billions of doses have been administered globally, and safety monitoring internationally has shown that the vaccine is safe, it said. There have also been no long-term safety concerns with COVID-19 vaccination, and adverse effects from vaccines, including the mRNA vaccines, have all been observed to occur shortly after vaccination, the ministry added. 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Singapore seeing new COVID-19 wave, minister advises wearing of masks

As many as 290 cases of <keyword id="21545939" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="KP-2" source="keywords">KP.2</keyword> and 34 cases of <keyword id="21748081" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="KP-1" source="keywords">KP.1</keyword>, both sub-lineages of COVID-19 that are responsible for surge in cases in Singapore, have been found in India, according to official data. However, a source in the Union health ministry told PTI that they are all sub variants of <keyword id="20115417" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="JN1" source="keywords">JN1</keyword> and there is no associated increase in hospitalisation and severe cases. "So there is no reason for concern or panic. The mutations will keep happening at a rapid pace and this is the natural behaviour of viruses like SARS-CoV2," the source said. The source further said that the INSACOG surveillance is sensitive and is able to pick up the emergence of any new variant and samples are also picked from hospitals in a structured manner to detect any change in the severity of disease due to virus. Data compiled by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) showed that 34 cases of KP.1 have been found across seven states and UTs with 23 cases registered from West Bengal. The other states are Goa (1), Gujarat (2), Haryana (1), Maharashtra (4) Rajasthan (2) and Uttarakhand (1). As many as 290 cases of KP.2 have been registered with Maharashtra reporting the highest number at 148, according to the data. The other states and Union territories are Delhi (1), Goa (12), Gujarat (23), Haryana (3), Karnataka (4), Madhya Pradesh (1), Odisha (17), Rajasthan (21), Uttar Pradesh (8), Uttarakhand (16) and West Bengal (36). Singapore is seeing a new COVID-19 wave as the authorities recorded more than 25,900 cases from May 5 to 11 with KP.1 and KP.2 accounting for over two-thirds of cases in Singapore. Globally, the predominant COVID-19 variants are still JN.1 and its sub-lineages, including KP.1 and KP.2. KP.1 and KP.2 belong to a group of COVID-19 variants scientists have nicknamed 'FLiRT', after the technical names of their mutations. The strains in FLiRT are all descendants of the JN.1 variant, an offshoot of the Omicron variant. KP.2 was classified by the World Health Organization as a Variant Under Monitoring.

290 cases of COVID-19 variant KP.2, 34 cases of KP.1 detected in India: INSACOG data

Not allowing yourself to be peer-pressured into downloading those tiresome dating apps may be the first best precaution you can take to protect your heart. Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 may well be the second, it turns out. A new international study examining the effects of vaccines on millions of patients in the UK, Spain and Estonia found that being vaccinated may be the trick to a healthier heart. In the first month after infection, the researchers found that the risk of <keyword id="25186" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="blood-clotting" source="Orion">blood clotting</keyword> plummeted by a whopping 78% in the limbic veins and 47% in the arteries of the vaccinated individuals. Avoiding these complications helped more than halve the <keyword id="32031" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heart-failure" source="Orion">heart failure</keyword> risk among vaxxers compared to the non-vaccinated. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What does blood clotting have to do with COVID?" comment="subhead" text="What does blood clotting have to do with COVID?">What does blood clotting have to do with COVID?</cmsannotation> Unfortunately, just having blood inside your body isn’t enough to help you survive; the stuff needs to constantly move and slosh through your blood vessels, transporting and depositing oxygen and other nutrients around like silt on a river edge. However, certain conditions — such as diabetes and obesity — can cause some of your blood to abnormally coagulate, forming giant blockages that prevent your veins and arteries from moving blood around efficiently. This places an extra burden on your heart, which can lead it to fail. Research has shown that COVID-19 infections have the capability to cause unusual blood clots in multiple parts of the body, including the lungs and the legs. This can lead to organ failures, <keyword id="6357661" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heart-attack" source="Orion">heart attack</keyword> and <keyword id="25191" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="stroke" source="Orion">stroke</keyword>. Fortunately, simply taking a wee bit of time off to get yourself jabbed by the <keyword id="24209" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccine" source="Orion">vaccine</keyword> helps tremendously, it turns out. It wasn’t just heart failure and stroke; being vaccinated also reduced the risk of developing other heart-related diseases. This included scary conditions such as heart attacks and ventricular arrhythmia (an abnormal heartbeat), although this shield only persisted for the first 30 days after the infection. Despite not being at peak efficacy, the vaccine’s protection was potent enough to slash risk of heart failure by nearly 50% for up to a year after vaccination, the study found. This showed that even as the protective halo of the vaccine waned over time, it still continued to pack a punch. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Will this squash the vaccine side-effect debate?" comment="subhead" text="Will this squash the vaccine side-effect debate?">Will this squash the vaccine side-effect debate?</cmsannotation> There has been a second-wave of reluctance to take the COVID-19 vaccine, majorly due to concerns of long-term complications that can arise from them. The important thing to note is that while the vaccine can lead to heart issues in some people, it only takes place in extremely rare circumstances. Conversely, one study even showed that vaccination reduced the risk of long-COVID by a massive 67%. The researchers thus hope that these positive heart-related findings will help clear any vaccination hesitations among sceptics. However, more studies need to be conducted to conclusively understand the protection offered by booster doses in different populations. "Our findings probably reflect the fact that the vaccines are effective in reducing infection, and minimise the risk of severe COVID-19," explains study author Núria Mercadé-Besora. "These results could encourage COVID-19 vaccination among hesitant people who are worried about the potential risk of vaccine side effects." The findings of this study have been published in Heart and can be accessed <a href="https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2024/01/24/heartjnl-2023-323483" data-type="tilCustomLink">here</a>.

COVID-19 vaccine can slash risk of post-infection heart failure by half, study finds

<div type="image" title="Indians are getting fancy, and they don&amp;#39;t mind paying a little extra if it means quality and luxury. Most consumer brands are witnessing an uptick in their premium product segment" msid="115018213" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Indians are getting fancy, and they don&amp;#39;t mind paying a little extra if it means quality and luxury. Most consumer brands are witnessing an uptick in their premium product segment&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> It's time to move over from plain, vanilla budget basics! Indians are no longer looking for “best purchases and value buys under Rs 1,000”—at least not as much as before. <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword>'s getting fancy, and how! From gold-flaked chocolates to swanky SUVs that look like they’re wheeled straight out of a Bollywood blockbuster, Indian companies are rapidly jazzing up their product lines, even faster than you can say the word "premiumization." But what does this mean for Indian companies and consumers? What is this jazz about premiumization all about? Is it just urban India that’s riding this wave, or has rural India also joined the bandwagon? We decode for you. <h2>What's premium, really?</h2>Imagine you’re eating Pav Bhaji at a roadside thela. Later during the day, you decide to dine out at a fancy, upmarket cafe, only to find Pav Bhaji Fondue on the menu. Same same, but much more expensive—often 5 to 10 times higher—for a little more hygiene and some better ambience! Think of premium products as this fondue. They are a notch up your regular, daily-use products soaps or shampoos, and even cars, all packaged luxuriously, offering just about the right touch of quality. The main differentiator, though, would be the price range. <h2>Driving home premium wellness</h2>A recent report by Nielsen suggests that over 70% of urban Indians are okay with paying a premium for their products. And companies are cashing in on this sentiment like never before. This explains why 58% of new products launched so far this year have been in the premium+ segment, as opposed to just 38% of new launches in regular, traditional trade. Take cars, for instance. Indians are no longer vying for a good old <keyword id="19950117" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="maruti" source="keywords">Maruti</keyword> 800 or <keyword id="20400567" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="alto" source="keywords">Alto</keyword>, traditionally known for their healthy mileage, but are rather happy investing in more swanky features that come along with high-end cars. In October 2024, India’s largest car manufacturer, <keyword id="19909974" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="maruti-suzuki" source="keywords">Maruti Suzuki</keyword>, sold 65,948 units of its compact cars like Swift, WagonR, Dzire, and more. Compared to the year-ago period, which saw sales of 80,662 units, this was an 18% dip. But take a look at their SUV (sport utility vehicle) sales for the same period. Cars like Brezza, Ertiga, and Grand Vitara sold about 70,644 units, a 19% uptick from the sales made in October 2023, i.e. 59,147 units. Simply put, when it comes to cars, Indians are saying the bigger, the better! The same is true for India's second biggest automobile manufacturer, Hyundai. Its SUV lineup made up a staggering 68.2% of the firm's total sales made for October 2024. What's more, SUV demand remained largely consistent across urban and rural markets. <h2>Consumers are inching up</h2>FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) are also riding the premiumization wave, with Indians prioritizing their health and wellness and not bothered about dishing out a few extra bucks for the same! You’ll find no dearth of words like organic, vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free, peppered generously over every product you’ll see today, be it soaps, juices, or more. No wonder then, sales from premium segments in 2024 make up around 27% of all FMCG sales and even contribute a massive 42% to the sector’s value growth in India. Nielsen report further adds that luxury brands that position themselves at twice the price of their category’s average are even witnessing stellar growth. In fact, for most FMCG brands like Tata Consumer Products, <keyword id="20002610" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hindustan-unilever" source="keywords">Hindustan Unilever</keyword> (HUL), Dabur, and Nestle, it is this premium segment that is growing much faster than their regular ones. And it's not just about daily-use products; Indians are also taking their celebrations a step over. Spirits manufacturer <keyword id="20125704" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="radico-khaitan" source="keywords">Radico Khaitan</keyword> highlighted that for the first half of 2024, their prestige &amp; above segment made for 88.4% of its net sales value. In the same period, the regular popular segment accounted for just 9.1% of their net sales. From Hindustan Unilever, which saw its premium products grow 30% over the last quarter, to <keyword id="20521971" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kingfisher" source="keywords">Kingfisher</keyword> beer's parent company, <keyword id="20124009" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="united-breweries" source="keywords">United Breweries</keyword>, whose premium product sales volume jumped by 27% during the quarter as opposed to just a 5% rise in overall volumes, everyone is seemingly taking their lifestyle a notch above. Per the Nielsen report, in 2024, a typical global consumer spends about $13.7k per year. This is set to grow by around 2.4% to $14k as early as next year. Even a report by Goldman Sachs also highlighted a similar trend, noting that India’s affluent class, or those earning over $10,000 (Rs 8,42,694.97), is set to reach 100 million in the next 3 years. And where will this consumer spend? On premium products! <h2>Online shopping shifts from mass to class</h2>Amazon’s Great Indian Shopping Festival, which was live between September 27 and October 29 this year, saw 140 crore customers, more than 85% of whom came from non-metro Indian cities. On the site, there was a 400% spike in sales in premium sales across categories like watches, fragrances, handbags, jewelry, and more. Rival <keyword id="19896939" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="flipkart" source="keywords">Flipkart</keyword> noted a similar trend, recording 1.8x growth in premium beauty and personal care products during the first half of this year. <h2>Dialing in premiumness</h2>The Indian smartphone ecosystem has always been dominated by basic phones, or those entry- and mid-range phones that are priced between Rs 10,000 and Rs 6,000. But that has changed in recent times, with premium smartphones (i.e., those priced over Rs 60,000) registering 20%+ growth in 2024. During the first quarter of this year, sales of mass phones (priced between Rs 10,000 and 20,000) reached 44%, compared to 51% in the year-ago period. But it's all sunny and shiny in the mid-premium (priced between Rs 40,000 and Rs 60,000) and super-premium segments (priced above Rs 60,000). Sales growth has burgeoned by as much as 27% and 86% in these categories, respectively. As India continues its march toward becoming the world's third-largest economy by 2027, the premium party is just getting started. Industry experts predict that premium segments will grow faster than you can say "sustainable organic handcrafted artisanal batch of coffee." So the next time you see someone dropping serious rupees on a fancy bottle of black water that also somehow plays music and tracks their hydration (yes, that's a thing), remember: This is just the trailer. Picture abhi baaki hai, mere dost! Do you have a topic in mind you'd want a simpler explanation for, or insights or experiences to share on personal finance and more? Contact us at businessinsider@timesinternet.in.

Simply Put: From Dal to Dolce—India is loving its luxury life

<keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> on Tuesday recorded 3038 fresh cases of covid in the last 24 hours with the active caseload standing at 21,179. The COVID cases in India have seen an upward trend in the past few days with the daily fresh infections ranging between 2,994 on April 1 to 3,824 on April 2 and 3,641 on April 3 now dropped to 3038 in the last 24 hours. With 2,069 recoveries in the last 24 hours, total recoveries have increased to 4,41,77,204. India's recovery rate is currently at 98.76 per cent. The daily and weekly positivity rates are 1.84 per cent and 2.49 per cent respectively. A total of 1,894 doses were administered in the last 24 hours. Of the 92.20 crore total tests conducted so far, 1,64,740 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours. Under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive, India has so far administered 220.65 crore Covid-19 <keyword id="24209" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="vaccine" source="Orion">Vaccine</keyword> doses (95.20 crores <keyword id="7334317" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="second-dose" source="Orion">Second Dose</keyword> and 22.86 crores <keyword id="12813770" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="precaution-dose" source="Orion">Precaution Dose</keyword>), of which 9,497 doses were administered in the last 24 hours. In the wake of rising COVID cases in India, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said that Omicron's sub-variant which is circulating in the country has not led to an increase in hospitalisations and there is no need to worry. The Minister said that there is a need to remain vigilant. "We need to remain alert but there is no need to worry. Currently, the sub-variant of Omicron which is circulating in the country hasn't increased hospitalisations," Mandaviya said. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued revised guidelines for Covid-19 in the wake of the surge of cases in the past week across the country. "Antibiotics should not be used unless there is clinical suspicion of bacterial infection. The possibility of coinfection of COVID-19 with other endemic infections must be considered. Systemic corticosteroids are not indicated in mild disease," revised guidelines said. "Antibiotics should not be used unless there is clinical suspicion of bacterial infection. The possibility of coinfection of COVID-19 with other endemic infections must be considered. Systemic corticosteroids are not indicated in mild disease," revised guidelines said. "Seek immediate medical attention if difficulty breathing, High-grade fever/ severe cough, particularly if lasting for more than 5 days. A low threshold is to be kept for those with any of the high-risk features," guidelines discussed and prepared in January said. Additionally, in moderate or severe diseases at high risk of progression, the guidelines recommend, "Consider <keyword id="8775508" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="remdesivir" source="Orion">Remdesivir</keyword> for up to 5 days (200 mg IV on day 1 followed by 100 mg IV OD for the next 4 days)". SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/virat-kohli-ms-dhoni-rohit-sharma-rule-brand-endorsements-in-indian-sports-industry/articleshow/99237494.cms">With 30 brands each, Kohli, Dhoni &amp; Rohit Sharma rule Indian sports endorsements</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/harsh-discipline-with-young-children-can-lead-to-lasting-mental-health-problems-says-new-study/articleshow/99238367.cms">Harsh discipline with young children can lead to lasting mental health problems says new study</a>

Remain alert says Union Health Minister as India records 3,038 fresh Covid-19 cases

<ul><li>The Indian immunisation panel is discussing a fourth dose of <keyword id="8764262" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="covid" source="Orion">Covid</keyword> vaccine, or a <keyword id="10424474" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="second-booster-dose" source="Orion">second booster dose</keyword>. </li><li>India started its booster or precaution dose drive in January 2022 and has so far inoculated over 15 crore Indians in the age group of 15-59 years. </li><li>Only 28% of the eligible population in India have received the first <keyword id="2825536" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="booster-dose" source="Orion">booster dose</keyword> so far.</li></ul>Covid-19 cases are once again <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/indias-case-tally-of-new-omicron-variant-xbb-1-5-reaches-five-heres-what-you-need-to-know/articleshow/96704832.cms">rising across various parts</a> of the world and the Indian government has already started taking precautionary measures. As India has also reported cases of new variants like XBB.1.5, BF.7, the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) is considering to roll out a second booster dose or fourth dose of Covid vaccine for the Indian population. “Discussions have started on the matter of opening a second booster among members of the technical group. There is a section that is keen on allowing another booster dose. They will be minutely going through all the scientific data before making any recommendations,” an expert on one of the committees of NTAGI <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/discussions-begin-in-govt-panel-on-2nd-booster-dose-101672684219149.html">said</a>. Last week, doctors of <keyword id="6365835" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Medical-Association" source="Orion">Indian Medical Association</keyword> (IMA), in a discussion with the union health minister <keyword id="2607815" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="mansukh-mandaviya" source="Orion">Mansukh Mandaviya</keyword>, suggested that the government must approve a fourth Covid-19 vaccine for people. <a href="https://www.healthnavigator.org.nz/medicines/c/covid-19-vaccine-booster/">New Zealand</a> is one such country which has approved a second booster dose for people at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. The second booster dose is offered at least six months after the previous dose or three months after a COVID-19 infection. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Booster dose coverage" comment="subhead" text="Booster dose coverage">Booster dose coverage</cmsannotation> Amid Covid fears, the government is also taking steps to boost the coverage of the first booster dose in the country. India started its booster or precaution dose drive in January 2022 and has given 15 crore booster doses to people in the age group of 15-59 years; and over 69 crore in the age group of 60 plus years, according to <a href="https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/CummulativeCovidVaccinationReport06Jan2023.pdf">data</a> by <keyword id="210071" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ministry-of-health" source="Orion">ministry of health</keyword>. As of January 6, 2023, around 92 crore adults have taken their first dose, while 86 crore vaccines have been administered a second dose in India. Additionally, over 6 crore children aged between 15-18 years have received the first dose, and over 5 crore children in this age group have received the second dose. In the age group of 12 to 14, around 4 crore children have received the first dose, and 3 crore have received the second dose. Other than Covaxin (by Bharat Biotech) and Covishield (by Serum Insitute of India), the government has also approved two more vaccines — Corbevax (by Biological E) and a nasal vaccine named as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/covid-19-nasal-vaccine-bharat-biotechs-incovacc-is-the-first-approved-intranasal-vaccine-in-the-world/slidelist/96542239.cms">iNCOVACC</a> (by Bharat Biotech) as booster dose. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="People reluctant to take booster dose" comment="subhead" text="People reluctant to take booster dose">People reluctant to take booster dose</cmsannotation> Even as discussions around the fourth vaccine are going on, people in various states are reluctant to get their precaution doses. In fact, as per <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/discussions-begin-in-govt-panel-on-2nd-booster-dose-101672684219149.html">reports</a>, currently only 28% of the eligible population in India has taken the first booster dose. The West Bengal health department also saw the number of booster dose nosedive, which led to 80,000 Covaxin vaccines expiring by December last year. As per <a href="https://ians.in/news/public-reluctance-to-go-for-covid-booster-dose-worries-bengal-govt/C-1-1550083.html">IANS</a>, the WB health department said that over seven crore people went for the first dose, but the number slid down for the second dose. However, when it came to the third dose aka the booster dose, the number fell to just 1.5 crore. The department official also said this reluctance of people will further lead to more expiration of Covid-19 vaccines in January. A <a href="https://ians.in/news/over-6-in-10-indians-avoiding-covid-booster-due-to-heart-attack-fears-report/C-1-1545504.html">LocalCircles survey</a> also revealed that 64% of Indians are reluctant to take the booster dose of Covid vaccine. The major reason cited by people is rising cases of heart attacks in young people. However, as cases are rising the demand for Covid-19 vaccine seems to be surging and in fact, states like Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh reported a vaccine shortage. "Since the Covid cases had dropped drastically, people had started taking Covid-19 lightly and were less enthusiastic in taking booster doses, so the government, too, was keeping a low stock. As of Monday (December 26) there are 35,000 vaccine bottles available with the state government," <a href="https://ians.in/news/sudden-surge-in-demand-for-vaccine-leads-to-shortage-in-gujarat/C-1-1546640.html">said</a> Nilam Patel, additional director (Health), government of Gujarat. Patel further said, “Till the first week of December (2022), on an average 3,000 vaccinations were taking place on a daily basis but since December 15, all of a sudden, people were turning up in large numbers to take the booster dose." Similarly, the health department of Uttar Pradesh also reported that four government vaccine centres ran out of Covid vaccines, on Wednesday, January 4. However, the department has placed a fresh order of the Covid-19 vaccines and expects it to come by next week. "More than 10 lakh vaccines will be arriving in the state shortly to fulfill the demand across the state. We are also monitoring the COVID-19 situation," Brajesh Pathak, Deputy Chief Minister of UP told <a href="https://www.cnbctv18.com/healthcare/uttar-pradesh-lucknow-government-hopital-run-out-of-covid-doses-india-15580451.htm">PTI</a>. A new <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/newsblogs/covid-outbreak-live-news-coronavirus-india-china-cases-latest-updates-5-january-2023/liveblog/96752025.cms">report</a> also reveals that around 11 types of Covid-19 variant were found in India, when testing international passengers at airports, seaports and landports between December 24 and January 3. (With inputs from PTI and IANS) SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/kreditbee-closes-200-million-series-d-from-advent-international-mufg-bank-others/articleshow/96791309.cms">KreditBee closes $200 million Series D from Advent International, MUFG Bank, others</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/reliance-makes-open-offer-to-acquire-26-stake-in-lotus-chocolate/articleshow/96791043.cms">Reliance makes open offer to acquire 26% stake in Lotus Chocolate</a>

India mulls 2nd Covid booster even as coverage of first dose remains feeble

<ul><li>Even as India grapples with the second wave of COVID-19, the government’s advisor has warned about the possibility of a third wave. </li><li>According to him, a third wave is inevitable, going by the higher levels of coronavirus circulating in the country. </li><li>He also said that while vaccines are effective currently, they will need to be updated to deal with new strains.</li></ul>A third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is inevitable given the higher levels of coronavirus circulating in the country, said Indian government’s principal scientific advisor K VijayRaghavan. "A phase three is inevitable, given the higher levels of circulating virus but it is not clear on what time scale this phase three will occur. We should prepare for new waves," K VijayRaghavan said during the press conference. “Scientists of India and all over the world are working to anticipate these kinds of variants and act against them rapidly by early warning and developing modified tools. It's an intense research program, happening in India and abroad,” he <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1389899026405814273">added</a>. India has already lost over 2.25 lakh people to COVID-19 infections, a lot more in the second wave that has peaked in the last month and a half. The peak of coronavirus infections in the first wave, in September 2020 was 6.3 million. Compared to that, the total infections currently have crossed 20 million. What made the second wave worse was the lack of planning given the poor state of health infrastructure in the country where there is only one hospital bed for 2,000 people, <a href="http://hdr.undp.org/en/2020-report">according</a> to the United Nations Human Development Report 2020. A lot of the deaths have been blamed on the poor preparation from genome sequencing to ensuring adequate supply of hospital beds and oxygen, as well as sourcing of vaccines. The government of India has come under severe criticism for downplaying the threat of the second wave and allowing (even participating) public gatherings and election rallies, including those held by the Prime Minister. The government also said, “Long Covid-19 wave of such ferocity we are seeing was not predicted.” However, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/scientists-warned-the-central-government-about-new-covid-19-variants-and-surge-in-cases-says-scientist-community/articleshow/82381531.cms">reports</a> suggest that the government had ignored warnings from scientists about the second wave, weeks before there was an explosion in new cases. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/private-ambulances-in-gurgaon-are-on-strike-amid-the-surging-cases-of-covid-19/articleshow/82404211.cms">COVID-19 patients are the ones paying the price amid the tussle over rates between the government and ambulance operators in Gurgaon</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/oxygen-crisis-in-delhi-india-supreme-court-stays-contempt-proceeding-against-centre-but-asks-for-solutions/articleshow/82404049.cms">Oxygen crisis in Delhi: India’s top court stays contempt proceeding against Centre, but asks for solutions</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/banks-respond-positively-to-indian-central-banks-covid-stimulus-package-check-out-the-list-of-top-gainers/articleshow/82400850.cms">Banks respond positively to Indian central bank’s COVID stimulus package – check out the list of top gainers</a>

A third wave of COVID-19 will surely come and it may spread faster and wider but don't know when, says advisor to the Indian government

<ul><li>A new study by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and the National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE) recommends doling out vaccines to everyone above the age of 18 years from April 15.</li><li>Estimates show that it would still take another six to seven to vaccinate the whole country at a rate of 2.5 million doses a day.</li><li>Keeping the second wave of infections in check won’t only reduce the number of active cases but also reduce the impact of a potential third COVID-19 wave.</li></ul>In April, India began to vaccinate everyone above the age of 45 years but that still leaves a large chunk of its population out of the loop. Even if the country was to open up its vaccination programme to everyone above the age of 18 years from April 15, it would still hypothetically take another six to seven months to vaccinate the whole country. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and the National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE) ran a study with numbers of the best case scenario with 2.5 million vaccine doses being administered daily. Their research shows that India needs to speed up its vaccination drive across the country if it hopes to come out ahead of the second wave of infections. In the last 24 hours, India has recorded a whopping 104,000 new COVID-19 cases, which is higher than ever before. The last biggest surge was on 17 September 2020 when 97,894 infections were recorded in the span of a single day. According to TCS and NITIE, keeping the second wave of infections in check won’t only reduce the number of active cases but also reduce the impact of a potential third COVID-19 wave. The need to cover more of the Indian population The Indian government began the roll out of its massive vaccination drive on January 16, this year. So far, it has managed to distribute around 7.9 million doses of the vaccine for its 1.21 billion strong population. It should also be kept in mind that COVID-19 vaccinations are a double-dose exercise. So many of the patients, especially those above the age of 60 and 45 who were only just initiated into the programme, are yet to receive their second dose. TCS and NITIE recommend that India should prioritise and accelerate the vaccination for the 130 districts, which were identified as ‘red zones’ during the first wave of the pandemic. “Once the vaccination is opened up for everyone above 18 years, around 230 million people — assuming 80% coverage — need to be vaccinated at the rate of 2.5 million per day across these 130 districts,” said the report. Beyond these 130 districts, it will take another six to seven months to vaccinate the remaining population of around 490 million people above the age of 18 years. <div type="image" title="Screenshot (720)_edited" msid="81915197" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Hypothetical simulation run by TCS Insights&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The above example shows how the results would vary across a suburban Mumbai district with a population of 10 million and an infected population of 20,000. The red curve shows how the second wave of COVID-19 would play out with no vaccinations. Meanwhile, the best case scenario is depicted by the green curve and assumes 80,000 vaccines being administered per day. The key difference between the two extremes is that the peak of COVID-19 infections as well as the time it takes for the infection to subside is drastically different. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Curve </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Peak </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Number of days to reach tail-end of the curve </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Green </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">70,000 cases </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">140 days </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Red </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">20,000 cases </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">60 days </td></tr></tbody></table> “Clearly, rapid vaccination will not only reduce the peak cases but will significantly arrest the growth of disease,” said the report. For vaccines to be available to all individuals above the age of 18 years and maintain a rate of 2.5 million doses per day, the report believes that India needs to open all delivery channels like round-the-clock vaccination centres, vaccinating through non-Ayushman Bharat hospitals and clinics, and bringing pharmacies into the loop. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/lockdown-trends-are-starting-to-re-emerge-as-india-faces-second-wave-of-covid-19-infections/articleshow/81912266.cms">Lockdown trends are starting to re-emerge as India faces second wave of COVID-19 infections</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tcs-hcl-tech-infosys-q4-earnings-preview-and-guidance/articleshow/81908765.cms">Record breaking quarter for Indian IT services is a given ⁠— all eyes are now on guidance</a>

Even if India opens up COVID-19 vaccination for everyone above 18 years of age, it will take another six to seven months to vaccinate the entire country

<ul><li>As of April 29, there are 18 million active Covid cases in India.</li><li>To help our country grapple with the second wave of Coronavirus pandemic, many brands have stepped forward to do their bit.</li><li>Apart from financial aid, there’s another powerful tool that brands can use today -- advertising. It can influence consumers to act and remind them that we are in this together.</li><li>We reached out to experts to understand how should a brand use its marketing tools today: should they halt their advertising to give consumers space or launch empathetic campaigns as a reminder of togetherness and better tomorrow.</li></ul>As we stepped into 2021, consumers were hopeful about their lives returning back to normalcy. There was hope and enthusiasm for a better tomorrow. We were almost towards the end of it. Consumer sentiment also picked up with the announcement of India’s biggest sporting event IPL and advertisers were optimistic about bouncing back to normalcy. Advertising agencies worked on IPL pitches for months, risked their lives to execute them and even started thinking about campaigns for Mother’s Day. However, the country now is in the midst of one of the worst calamities it has faced in recent times. Our country’s healthcare system and our brave healthcare workers continue to be under tremendous pressure. It has impacted our mental health because we are living in constant fear of us or someone close to us contracting the virus. People are either mourning someone’s loss or dealing with the anxiety that they might have to, soon. Despite the despondency in the air, citizens have taken it upon themselves to help each other out. Many brands and organisations have also come to our rescue. They are using their social media reach to amplify requests for hospitals beds and oxygen supply. They have also donated money to government bodies and NGOs. There’s another powerful tool that brands can use today -- advertising. It can influence consumers to act. Apart from facing the truth of what’s happening around us, we need empathy and kindness to get through this tough phase. It is only in socially-distanced unity and togetherness that we can find courage to face the reality. Consumers also need compassion, more than ever today. They need brands they follow to set an example and encourage them. Afterall, they are a huge part of our country. Many brands, however, have chosen silence to give their consumers enough space to heal. A few are using their social media to help everyone out -- left, right and centre. Some have chosen to focus on the fact that consumers still need products and services to survive and have continued advertising like nothing has changed. At the same time, these ads remind us of good, old days and serve as a great escape from the grim reality. So, we reached out to experts to understand how should a brand use its marketing tools today. Here is what they had to say: <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Karthik Srinivasan, Social Media Expert and Independent Brand Consultant:" text="Karthik Srinivasan, Social Media Expert and Independent Brand Consultant:">Karthik Srinivasan, Social Media Expert and Independent Brand Consultant:</cmsannotation> I would say that silence is definitely not the best way for brands now. It could be construed as disinterest or worse, callousness. A better way could be one of the two, or both, depending on the size and scale of the brand. 1. Make yourself directly useful - use your reach: Brands have media budgets, social handles with a sizable following, and access to media. They could put this to good use by helping in the coordination of essential medical supplies including oxygen. This would take time, effort, and coordination, but it would also be a visible example of the brand trying to help as against one donation done once and announced. This is particularly useful for brands that cannot reposition their own products/services as a way to help people manage their lives during a pandemic. For instance, a movie production house. Or a fashion brand. Or a Cola brand. Or IPL teams. 2. Make yourself indirectly useful - use your product/service context: This is useful for brands that can reposition their own products/services as a way to help people manage their lives during a pandemic. For example, a book retailer (or an audiobooks retailer, like Audible) could make a selection of their repertoire free/cheaper and pick those titles that can calm minds, or those that can help engage children (helping the parents who are recuperating). Or a retailer or producer of audio equipment could become a curator of calming music, podcasts, or audiobook titles. This way, they are not selling their products, but merely making them a backdrop to a far more contextually useful curation effort that is related to their category. Or food brands that could help offer recipes to gradually overcome the loss of sense of taste and smell. <div type="twitter" handle="beastoftraal" handlename="Karthik" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1140493276316745734/WH-6N17h_normal.jpg" favoritecount="8" retweetcount="2" status="Nice idea - &quot;A cook book to inspire those experiencing changes in taste and smell as a result of Covid&quot; (free digit… https://t.co/UU5s258eOf" createdat="1619440585000" id="1386660436552994821"></div> It is important that brands do not force-fit or contort themselves to become relevant within the COVID-19 context - that would be seen through and exposed very soon, and backfire badly. The connection has to be entirely natural and more importantly, purposeful. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Lloyd Mathias, Business Strategist, Investor and former APAC Marketing head of HP:" text="Lloyd Mathias, Business Strategist, Investor and former APAC Marketing head of HP:">Lloyd Mathias, Business Strategist, Investor and former APAC Marketing head of HP:</cmsannotation> I think a brand cannot completely isolate themselves from the reality on the ground. Given the grim situation because of the Covid surge, it is appropriate that commercial objectives take a back seat and a brand communicates sensitively. Staying silent is a safe and acceptable strategy but if a brand can help people cope in any way appropriate, this will be a good time to do so. This could mean using the brand’s assets – communication spends or social media assets to communicate help messages or using logistical resources to move healthcare related equipment. These need to be devoid of any commercial motive or seem like virtue signalling. So staying sensitive to large humanitarian tragedy is paramount. Also, collaborating with a competitor on any social project would seem like a mature and positive thing to do. Many fondly remember Nike’s support to the Back Lives Matter movement when they said ‘For once, don't do it.’ Seeing this heartfelt message, Adidas shared the sentiment saying together we can move forward and change. This worked wonderfully for both brands. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Vani Gupta Dandia, Founder, CherryPeachPlum Growth:" text="Vani Gupta Dandia, Founder, CherryPeachPlum Growth:">Vani Gupta Dandia, Founder, CherryPeachPlum Growth:</cmsannotation> What can brands do in all of this crying chaos? Quite simply help, for no other reason, but for humanitarian reasons. Corporates can respond in one of three ways: 1) Support the efforts to fight the virus directly e.g. by providing infrastructure (ambulances, cold chains for supply chain management), volunteers, disseminating information on hygiene protocols etc. Last few days, for example, OYO has converted its rooms into isolation centres. Can an Airtel or a Truecaller take on the task of separating fake vs real/verified numbers amidst the zillion different covid related forwards? Can a company set up a leasing system of oxygen concentrators? Patients need one for only a few hours, at best a few days. Why don't we have them available on hire? Saves consumers money and lives, while those who lease can actually make more money than through a single sale. Can some company come forward to set this up? 2) Providing support to those impacted by the pandemic e.g., smartphones to students for online learning, community food kitchens in slum areas to support daily wage labourers etc; and 3) Helping NGOs e.g. Give India by providing cash and expertise. Will it reap any benefit on brand equity or more sales later... Who knows? But my bet is it will! People are hungry for stories of good amidst this grim desperation. And one great way of standing out just now is to simply come forward with courage and say "Screw strategy, let's help where we can.” It's war -- just of a different kind. Not all good work by companies need be categorised as 'purpose-driven' or 'CSR'. When brands stand up at such times people remember. It doesn't need to have any link at all with the brand proposition. But I see that there is an ongoing debate on whether IPL should be pulled down, given the gravity of the ongoing crisis. I don't see why it shouldn't go on. All of us as consumers need to keep our sanity too - and cricket is a welcome distraction. And because we're watching cricket, advertisers will continue to sell their wares - and I don't see why not. Normal life also must go on to the extent possible. Lives and livelihoods both matter. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Ronita Mitra, Founder and Chief Strategist, Brand Eagle Consulting:" text="Ronita Mitra, Founder and Chief Strategist, Brand Eagle Consulting:">Ronita Mitra, Founder and Chief Strategist, Brand Eagle Consulting:</cmsannotation> While we are faced with a large scale and challenging humanitarian crisis, corporates and brands, as responsible citizens, should consider contributing actively in order to alleviate the situation. This phase is not about advertising products and services unless it is for a new category which needs immediate awareness building. Actions, especially empathetic ones, that contribute towards bettering the lives of people during these challenging times, will have far more meaningful impact than mere communication. Corporates have the clout to make a significant impact and they should consider diverting their CSR funds towards helping citizens in various possible ways - be it funding supply of medical products, food for the lower socio-economic classes who are impacted by the lockdowns, education for children who have been impacted by the inadequate infrastructure at home, facilitating vaccination for those who are not adept with the systems, and much more. Brands can use social media and other media platforms to communicate the same. Meaningful actions during these times will have a memorable impact on the consumer psyche too and will help strengthen consumer connect in the long term more than anything else now. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Harish Bijoor, Brand-strategy specialist &amp; Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc:" text="Harish Bijoor, Brand-strategy specialist &amp; Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc:">Harish Bijoor, Brand-strategy specialist &amp; Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc:</cmsannotation> In moments such as these, very very tough times when fear and chaos is the norm, I do recommend a dignified brand silence. Brands must not add to the clutter of personal communication. Staying away from the melee of tumult is a good thing brands with commerce on their minds can do. At least for now. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="82260905" title="From CRED to Google, here’s how brands are helping India fight against COVID-19" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Experts share the ideal ways in which brands can advertise during the second Covid-19 wave in India

India's gross <keyword id="6354679" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="gst">GST</keyword> revenue collection fell below the psychological mark of Rs 1 lakh crore for the first time this year, clocking Rs 92,849 crore in June 2021, as collections fell due to disruptions caused by the fresh wave of Covid-19. Though the GST revenues during June 2021 are lower than the over Rs 1 lakh crore collections recorded in the previous month and a record Rs 1.41 lakh crore collection made in April, it is still a growth over June 2020 collections when GST numbers had remained low due to the first set of lockdowns. Most tax experts had feared that the real impact of the pandemic and lockdowns in different parts of the country would pull down GST revenues significantly in May and then in June. "The revenues for the month of June 2021 are 2 per cent higher than the GST revenues in the same month last year", a <keyword id="47209" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Ministry">finance ministry</keyword> statement said. According to the statement, the gross GST revenue collected in the month of June is Rs 92,849 crore of which CGST is Rs 16,424 crore, SGST is Rs 20,397, <keyword id="6360947" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="IGST">IGST</keyword> is Rs 49,079 crore (including Rs 25,762 crore collected on import of goods) and Cess is Rs 6,949 crore (including Rs 809 crore collected on import of goods). The June numbers include <keyword id="4943720" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="gst-collection">GST collection</keyword> from domestic transactions between 5th June to 5th July 2021 since taxpayers were given various relief measures in the form of waiver or reduction in interest on delayed return filing for 15 days for the return filing month June '21 for the taxpayers with the aggregate turnover upto Rs 5 crore in the wake of the second wave. During this month the government has settled Rs 19,286 crore to CGST and Rs 16,939 crore to SGST from IGST as regular settlement, the statement said. With June collections staying close to below the Rs 1 lakh crore mark, it would be the first month after a gap of eight months in a row when GST revenues had remained above the threshold. The collection is surprising as most of the States have been under strict lockdown due to the pandemic. The GST collection for June, 2021 is related to the business transactions made during May, 2021. During May, 2021, most of the States/UTs were under either complete or partial lockdown due to Covid. A finance ministry statement said that the e-way bill data for the month of May 2021 shows that during the month, 3.99 crore e-way bills were generated as compared to 5.88 crore in the month of April 2021, down by more than 30 per cent. However, with reduction in caseload and easing of lockdowns, the e-way bills generated during June 2021 are 5.5 crore which indicates recovery of trade and business. The daily average generation of e-way bills for the first two weeks of April 2021 was 20 lakh, which came down to 16 lakh in the last week of April 2021 and further to 12 lakh in the two weeks between 9th to 22nd May. Thereafter, the ministry said, the average generation of e-way bills has been increasing and has again reached the 20 lakh level since the week beginning 20th June. Therefore, it is expected that while the GST revenues have dipped during the month of June, the revenues will see an increase again from July 2021 onwards, the finance ministry said. "While the collections are lower than Rs 1 Trillion, which had become the norm for the past few months, considering the fact that it relates to transactions in May 2021 which was badly impacted by the pandemic, it would be considered as a very satisfactory collection. These numbers also reflect the economic resilience shown during the recent pandemic phase," said MS Mani, Senior Director, <keyword id="6356108" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="deloitte-india">Deloitte India</keyword>. SEE ALSO- <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/payments-firm-pine-labs-raises-600-million-as-it-plans-to-go-public-by-2022/articleshow/84162996.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Payments firm Pine Labs raises $600 million as it plans to go public by 2022</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/what-happens-if-you-forget-to-claim-your-fixed-deposit-proceeds-after-maturity-explained/articleshow/84161710.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">What happens if you forget to claim your fixed deposit proceeds after maturity? Explained</a>

India's GST revenue falls below ₹1 lakh crore for the first time this year

As of now no second Covid-19 booster dose is required, said government sources amid an apparent increase in Covid-19 cases. "First we have to complete the booster drive in the country," said the government sources. India's active caseload currently stands at 2,582, with 134 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours, as per <keyword id="83655" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="union-health-ministry" source="Orion">Union Health Ministry</keyword> data. As per ministry data, a total of 220.11 cr vaccine doses (95.13 cr <keyword id="7334317" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="second-dose" source="Orion">Second Dose</keyword> and 22.41 cr <keyword id="12813770" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="precaution-dose" source="Orion">Precaution Dose</keyword>) have been administered so far under <keyword id="10580665" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="nationwide-vaccination-drive" source="Orion">Nationwide Vaccination Drive</keyword>. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/series-creators-want-more-money-after-ads-appear-on-netflix/articleshow/96700323.cms">Series creators want more money after ads appear on Netflix</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/pope-benedict-xvi-a-man-at-odds-with-the-modern-world-who-leaves-a-legacy-of-intellectual-brilliance-and-controversy/articleshow/96699003.cms">Pope Benedict XVI: A man at odds with the modern world who leaves a legacy of intellectual brilliance and controversy</a>

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