24 Apr 2021: PIB Summary & Analysis

April 24th, 2021, PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Appointment of Supreme Court Judges
2. Mahavir Jayanti
3. Virafin

1. Appointment of Supreme Court Judges

Context:

Chief Justice of India sworn in.

Details:

• Justice NV Ramana was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India.

Know more about the appointment of SC judges in the link.

2. Mahavir Jayanti

Context:

The Vice President greets people on the eve of Mahavir Jayanti.

About Mahavir Jayanti:

• Mahavir Jayanti is the most important religious holiday in Jainism.
• The holiday is celebrated on the 13th day of the waxing (rising) half of Hindu month of Chaitra which usually occurs in either late March or early April in the Gregorian calendar.
• Mahavir Jayanti celebrates the birth of Mahavira, a contemporary of the Buddha, and the 24th and last Tirthankara.
• The festival is marked with prayers and fasting.

3. Virafin

Context:

Virafin gets emergency nod.

Details:

• DBT-BIRAC supported ‘Virafin’ from Zydus Cadila gets emergency nod for treating moderate COVID-19 infections in adults.
• The restricted emergency use approval was given by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).
• Virafin is a pegylated interferon alpha-2b(PegIFN), which when subcutaneously injected to the patient in the early stages of infection, resulted in their faster recovery.
• For the development of Virafin, Zydus appreciated the support provided by DBT-BIRAC COVID 19 Research Consortium through NBM, for conducting the Phase II human clinical trial studies. 
• The studies confirmed the safety, tolerability and efficacy of Virafin. 
• The studies also reported that Virafin reduces viral load and aids in managing the disease in a better way, such as reduction in the need for supplemental oxygen, thereby reducing the respiratory tension caused due to low oxygen levels.
• Phase III clinical trial studies reported that a larger proportion of patients when administered subcutaneously with Virafin turned out to be RT-PCR negative by day 7, apart from faster recovery as compared to other antiviral agents.

Read previous PIB here.

April 24th, 2021, PIB:- Download PDF Here