Emergency use approval has been granted in India for anti-Covid-19 therapeutic application of the drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) developed by INMAS, a lab of the DRDO, in collaboration with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories.
2DG is an oral anti-viral drug that can be administered only upon prescription to hospitalised moderate to severe Covid-19 patients as adjunct (add on) therapy along with existing standard of care.
Health experts have warned against the emergence of four emerging coronavirus variants, apart from the Delta-plus strain, which has already been designated as a variant of concern. The variants to be watched out for includes B.1.617.3, a sibling of the Delta variant (B.1.617.2); B.1.1.318, which has 14 mutations; and Lambda (C.37), which was designated as a variant under investigation on June 23. Kappa (B.1.617.1), another sibling of the Delta variant, too needs to be closely monitored, though it has thus far been less infectious than Delta or Delta-plus.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding an adequate supply of vaccines for people due for the second dose, citing concern over a possible third wave.
The chief minister said: “Rajasthan has been one of the leading states in vaccination. So far, over 2.36 crore people have been vaccinated in the state. The state has developed the capacity to vaccinate up to 15 lakh people per day, but on an average, we are getting 3 to 4 lakh vaccine doses per day.”
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