Thread by @barandbench

Karnataka HC will shortly hear a case registered suo motu after the Court received two letters on Covid-19 Management in the state.

#CovidIndia
#COVIDSecondWave

Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar will be hearing the matter.

#COVIDEmergency
#COVID19

Bench: What is the position of vaccine? In how many cases times of 6 weeks has expired?

AG Prabhuling Navadgi informs that 3,75,178 on May 20.

#KarnatakaHighCourt
#COVID19

Are you administering first dose of COVAXINE? First dose completely stopped? Bench

#KarnatakaHighCourt
#COVIDEmergency

How private hospitals getting quota? Bench

AG: We have issued advisory to all private institutions to only administer second dose for the age group 45 plus who are awaiting for the second dose of covaxin.

#KarnatakaHighCourt
#COVID19

From Centre, 50% of vaccination is free? Rest of 50%, should State give it to private institutions? How much State can take? : Bench

Is state empowered to transfer from the 50 percent quota to private entities ? : Bench

#COVID19
#KarnatakaHighCourt

ASG Aishwarya Bhati: State is administering itself.

CJ: On one hand age group of 18 to 44 years are not getting first dose vaccine from state and on the other hand they can get it from private entities.

You shell out money and you get the dose, can the Central govt remain silent? State says a person between 18-45 years will not get the first dose. He crosses the road and gets it from a private lab : Bench

ASG: State will have to answer that. We have been asking States to plan accordingly.

How the state regulates private entities is up to the state.

#COVIDEmergency

CJ: So can a person shell out money and get first dose and then come to govt hospital and take free second dose.

ASG Bhati: There is no bar on this.

Bench: There are people from the slums. He may not have the Rs 1200 to shell out. Another person who has the money will get the vaccine. We are placing this on Articles 14 and 21.

#COVIDEmergency

CJ: People are queue up at centers and are coming back. Have you (State) gone to the public about who will get the vaccine?

AG: Through television and print media we are doing

Bench: Have you gone to the public saying this is how you want to administer second dose?

#COVID19

As far as Covishield is concerned, nobody under the age group of 18-44 will get it? Bench

#COVID19India

AG says that priority is for frontline workers for getting vaccine. It is intended to vaccinate 18 to 44 years of age group beneficiaries from May 22 with Covishield.

CJ: Is there any planning done that they will get the second dose?

AG; Most certainly.

Bench: Let us see advisory to private hospitals. How you are going to ensure that advisory is implemented?

#COVID19

So today the position is if anyone who is not a front-line worker within this age group will not get a vaccine? They will have to go to private player?

There is lack of information.... : Bench

#COVIDEmergency

Bench: How are you going to implement the advisory issued to private institutions?

AG: Our first priority is to fight covid-19.

Bench: So will you not take action if the advisory is not implemented?

AG; No milords...I am not saying that

#COVIDEmergency

ASG Bhati is now giving details of procurement of vaccines by GOI, free supply to States, and direct procurement by State.

How many (vaccines) are procured by the State and how much is by private players in Karnataka: Bench

I will inform the percentage: Bench

#COVIDEmergency

ASG Bhati: As milords can see, it is not 25 and 25. Private players are taking less.

Bench: In State of Karnataka, suppose in May, private players taken only 10 percent, can remaining 40 percent of the 50 % quota be taken by state ?

ASG Bhati: Yes milords, that can be done

Shridhar Prabhu: All the orders issued by the govt of Karnataka are issued under Disaster Management Act but it is not known why the order to private entities is not.

CJ: It is not an order, it is an advisory, therefore we asked the AG how it will be implemented.

#COVID19

Is State government keeping a tab to ensure that private persons don't exceed 25%? Bench

Court: At what cost (state) are you purchasing this Covishield and Covaxin vaccines? We would like to know this. Do you have money to procure?

#COVIDEmergency

Are two manufactures of vaccines giving vaccines are different prices or the same? Bench

Centre: Prices are the same, pro-rata basis.

Our immediate strategy is to provide supply, the price is not an issue now.

#COVIDEmergency

CJ: We want to continue tomorrow on shortage of Oxygen.

We have some difficulty today, we will have to close at 5.

#COVIDEmergency

ASG MB Nargund: I want to share a good news, milord. One hour back it was said in a TV channel that the number of cases in India are reducing. It is only above 2 lakhs now.

#COVIDEmergency

Today we are not passing an order. We will continue tomorrow.

We will take up issue of food security and oxygen. Tomorrow 3:30 : Bench

#COVIDEmergency

Court directs ASG to inform tom figures on private entities procuring vaccine in the state of Karnataka.

ASG Bhati: State has taken around 16 lakhs and private players around 16.16 lakh.

CJ: So they have taken more?

Bench rises.