15 Jul 2022: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Jagriti
2. Covaxin can help in controlling the virus load of SARS-CoV-2

1. Jagriti

Syllabus: GS-2; Governance; Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors 

Prelims: Jagriti

Mains: Various measures undertaken by the government to protect consumer rights

Context:

The Department of Consumer Affairs launched ‘Jagriti’, a mascot to empower consumers and generate awareness of consumer rights.

Details:

• The mascot Jagriti will be projected as an empowered consumer who is spreading awareness about consumer rights & addressing solutions to the problems faced by the consumers.
• The mascot will be used to generate consumer awareness about various themes of the Department like provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 2019, Hallmarking, National Consumer Helpline toll-free number 1915, provisions of weights & measures Act, decisions of the Central Consumer Protection Authority and testimonials by consumers on grievance redressal.
• The objective of the initiative:
  • To strengthen its consumer awareness campaign presence in digital and multimedia and reinforce a young empowered and informed consumer as a top-of-mind consumer rights awareness recall brand.
• Jagriti mascot shall be shown along with the tagline “Jago Grahak Jago” in all its media campaigns.

Image Source: PIB

2. Covaxin can help in controlling the virus load of SARS-CoV-2

Syllabus: GS-3, Science & Technology – Developments and their applications and effects in everyday life

Prelims: Covaxin

Mains: Significance of vaccines in mitigating the spread of diseases such as COVID-19

Context:

Covaxin can help in controlling the virus load of SARS-CoV-2 & its variants, reducing disease severity: Study.

Who conducted the Study?

• It was a multi-institutional collaboration between THSTI, Faridabad, AIIMS, New Delhi, ESIC Medical College, Faridabad, LNJP Hospital, New Delhi, LJI, LA Jolla, Dr. Nimesh Gupta and a group at the National Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi.
• It was supported under the IRHPA-COVID-19 special call by the Science and Engineering Research Board, a statutory body of the Department of Science and Technology

Covaxin

• It was the first alum-imidazoquinolin adjuvanted vaccine produced in India and received emergency use authorization from WHO for use in a large population. 

What does the study show?

• According to the Study, Covaxin induces robust immune memory to SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern that persist for at least 6 months after vaccination and induces memory T cells that can respond robustly against the variants.
• This is significant because it may help in controlling the virus load and thus, reduce the disease severity.
• The study found that the vaccine produces antibodies against Spike, RBD, and Nucleoprotein of the virus, just like in virus infection. However, analyses of both the binding and neutralizing antibodies revealed a reduced recognition of variants of concern like Delta (India), Beta (S. Africa), and Alpha (UK). 
• This study showed that the vaccine is capable of inducing memory B cells. They found this satisfying because antibodies may decline with time, but these memory B cells can replenish antibodies against the virus, whenever required.
• Significance: This study provided the first-ever evidence of the detailed traits of immune memory generated in humans in response to an inactivated virus vaccine.

Read previous PIB here.

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