Left, Right & Centre

Dr Mathukumalli Vidyasagar, Distinguished Professor at IIT Hyderabad and head of India's COVID-19 modelling committee, speaks to Vishnu Som on how much did our data-crunchers and modellers know about the second-Covid surge?

On Left, Right and Centre, Preetha Reddy, Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals, speaks about the struggle of doctors and healthcare workers who are fighting the greatest scourge of our times.

The unstoppable anti-Covid force, Sonu Sood, speaks to NDTV on how he continues to fight for hope as the country grapples with our greatest challenge.

12 people died in a Delhi hospital due to the oxygen shortage. There was a doctor among the patients who died. Batra hospital has said they are closely monitoring the other patients. They had put out distress calls earlier. The hospital ran out of oxygen for a crucial 80 minutes. Today, the High Court told the centre: "Enough is enough, water has gone above the head".

No hospital beds, lack of medical oxygen, surging COVID-19 numbers and deaths, and long queues to cremate or bury family members -- the horror of this Covid surge is unimaginable for families of patients. On Left, Right and Centre, NDTV speaks to the wife of a retired Indian Ambassador, who died of COVID-19 while waiting in a queue to get into a hospital.

Two days before COVID-19 vaccinations open to all above the age of 18 from May 1, there is uncertainty in many states over the availability of vaccines. Over a crore people registered on the Cowin portal in a day, but there seems to be a shortage of doses at private hospitals. On Left, Right and Centre, we discuss the impact of this delay.

Bollywood actor Bhumi Pednekar speaks to NDTV's Vishnu Som on spreading awareness on COVID-19 outbreak along with her volunteers and how one can help during these tough times.

"In this pandemic, all of the statistics have failed, and the second wave is affecting the younger age group, but the Centre government is fully prepared," says Dr Rakesh Varma, Additional Director General, Health Services (DGHS), Government of India.

The cricket caravan moved to Delhi in the middle of the pandemic, even as the cases crossed 24,000. BCCI says play for humanity. IPL matches are to be held near a cremation ground. IPL may have started messaging through commentary teams but some of the biggest stars prefer to remain in their own bubble of privilege. On LRC, we ask: is IPL really the capital's priority at this moment?

White House reporter Tyler Page gives details of the massive US Covid assistance package for India.

Amid the spiralling COVID-19 crisis, states have been bickering with the centre or other states over the supply of oxygen, vaccine and medicine. Many hospitals are facing shortage of oxygen supply, and several are left with just a few hours supply of oxygen.

The voices of people struggling to find a hospital bed, oxygen cylinder and dealing with grief amid the deadly second wave of COVID-19 show how big a challenge India faces today. These are brave people who have chosen to speak despite their own suffering. Also on the show, India's oxygen crisis, the voices of hospital owners live on the programme on how within hours they would have run out of oxygen, which would have been catastrophic for hundreds of patients, had resupply did not reach on time.

Russia's Sputnik V Covid vaccine will be sold at $10 (around ₹ 750) a dose in India, its India manufacturer Dr Reddy's Labs has told NDTV. Several hundred thousand doses will be available in the country in May-June through imports, says GV Prasad, Managing Director of Dr Reddy's.

After the centre announced Rs. 4,500 crore to boost production of the Covishield and Covaxin vaccines, Serum Institute of India says it has borrowed from banks to begin ramp-up of its vaccine immediately instead of waiting for the government's aid to arrive.

24 patients died in a hospital in Maharashtra's Nashik as an oxygen leak disrupted supply. The incident took place at a time when several hospitals across the nation are running out of medical oxygen. Who is responsible for these 24 deaths?