To be able to manage any such uptick, Indian IT services players are hiring more locals, and relying on hybrid work models.
According to government data, the Centre procured only 35,179 ventilators out of the 50,000 originally ordered.
While the Indian government has been procuring Covid-19 vaccines at low prices so far, manufacturers have to declare the prices of vaccines they would supply to the open market (industries, private hospitals, etc) and state governments before May 1. Sohini Das reports.
Sputnik V is already approved in India and Sinovac is unlikely to come in as it does not meet the criteria.
While the stocks met various other inclusion parameters, there were fears they may still get disqualified given the sharp run up in their stock prices.
Attrition is driving the hiring effort on campuses.
The second wave of the pandemic has not only crippled medical infrastructure in terms of hospital beds, but has also led to bottlenecks in invasive ventilators and medical oxygen capacities and supplies.
One challenge for many laboratories in ramping up is the shortage of trained manpower for collecting samples, report Sohini Das, Vinay Umarji and Virendra Singh Rawat.
'In case of shortage of other raw material, like filters and bags, one can try to develop another vendor. However, for chemicals as critical as adjuvants, this is not possible'
Infosys, Facebook, Genpact, and Cognizant, among others, have reached out to employees and offered support in different ways as the second wave of Covid cases sees an exponential rise. Companies are asking employees to stay indoors and prioritise the health and safety of their families. This is of significance as several information technology firms were going to take a call on work-from-home from June and had plans to allow some employees to come back to work.
This will be an upfront payment for the vaccine doses that these two companies will supply to the government.
There seems to be no dearth of funds to fuel this growth, report Peerzada Abrar and Shivani Shinde.
The listing day gain-to-loss ratio for FY21 was 71 per cent, the highest since FY17, when it was 85 per cent.
'The US has invoked the Defence Act and banned export of raw materials.' 'This is as good as banning vaccines.'
The production of Covaxin will increase from the current 10 million doses per month to 60 million-70 million by July-August.
It has taken 51 days to reach a daily caseload of 84,000 from 11,000, as against 85 days taken in the first wave, report Abhishek Waghmare and Sohini Das.
'I don't think anybody would want to be in my position today where every head of State has to be explained that I am prioritising my country because there is a surge in cases.'
The IT services giant is also slated to hold a board meeting on April 13 and 14, to approve of and take on record the consolidated financial results of the company for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2021. Indian IT majors will be announcing their fourth quarter (Q4) and 2020-21 results starting April 12. At the end of the Q3 FY21 Infosys had cash and investment of $4.5 billion.
The finance ministry said the sharp inflows last fiscal were due to the government's policy initiatives and economic recovery.
Both manufacturers have sought funds in excess of Rs 150 crore under the department of biotechnology's Mission Covid Suraksha scheme. Announced last November, the scheme has an outlay of Rs 900 crore to help develop Covid vaccines, from the clinical development stage to setting up production sites.
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