‘99 Asian cities at high risk environmentally’

Of the 100 cities worldwide most vulnerable to environmental hazards, all but one are in Asia, and most are in India or China, according to a risk assessment that was published on Thursday.

Across the globe, more than 400 large cities with a total population of 1.5 billion are at “high” or “extreme” risk due to some mixture of life-shortening pollution, dwindling water supplies, heat waves, natural disasters and the climate crisis.

The sinking megalopolis of Jakarta topped the ranking, while two other Indonesian cities

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are in the top 10: Surabaya (4th) and Bandung (8th). Pakistan’s two biggest urban agglomerations, Karachi (12th) and Lahore (15th), are not far behind. But India, home to 13 of the world’s 20 most risk-laden cities, may face the most daunting future of any country.

Delhi ranks second on the global index of 576 cities compiled by business risk analysts Verisk Maplecroft, followed within India by Chennai (3rd), Agra (6th), Kanpur (10th), Jaipur (22nd) and Lucknow (24th).

Mumbai and its 12.5 million people is ranked 27th.

Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recommended that the second dose of the Oxfordastrazeneca vaccine be given up to 12 weeks after the first. The European Medicines Agency too recommends a 12 week gap at most, although Spain expanded it to 16 weeks in late April.

Most western expert groups, however, do not suggest a particular embargo for when Covid-recovered people should take a vaccine, as long as they no longer have symptoms of the disease or if they were given some particular treatment during their disease.

“If you were treated for Covid-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before getting a Covid-19 vaccine. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure what treatments you received or if you have more questions about getting a Covid-19 vaccine,” says the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in its explainer on Covid-19 vaccination.

Paul denied when asked by reporters if the decision was made to primarily help ease the supply crunch since many states are recording a rush for vaccines, especially since adults below the age of 45 became eligible from May 1.

According to Paul, India has a projected production capacity for the approved vaccines at 73 million for the month, which on average is adequate for just around 2.5 million vaccinations a day -- lower than the peak rate of 4.2 million recorded by the country in early April. Several states have stopped vaccinations and shut down centres due to a lack of doses.

“Please have faith in our scientific processes. The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) is a body of individuals of high