Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired dozens of rockets into Israel on Saturday drawing retaliatory air strikes, the Israeli military said, after nightly Ramzan clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police resumed in Jerusalem.&nbsp;

The pre-dawn exchange of fire broke months of relative quiet on the Israel-Gaza frontier. &nbsp;

Signalling it did not expect an immediate wider escalation, the military said it would not impose safety restrictions on Israelis living near the border. &nbsp;

But in a sign violence could continue, Israel's chief of staff Aviv Kohavi postponed a visit to Washington on Sunday, expected to focus on Iran, due to the 'events and possible developments’, according to a military statement. &nbsp;

In Jerusalem, Israeli-Palestinian tension has been higher than usual during the Muslim holy month of Ramzan. Protests turned violent on Thursday with scores of arrests and injuries. &nbsp;

The unrest resumed on Friday night, when Palestinian youths gathered outside the walled Old City and scuffled with hundreds of Israeli police in riot gear.&nbsp;

Palestinians threw stones towards police firing water cannons. Others hurled rocks at an Israeli court building and smashed security cameras. The Palestine Red Crescent said eight Palestinians were injured.&nbsp;

Israeli police said the unrest later extended to a nearby Palestinian neighbourhood with Palestinians hurling fire-bombs at officers and throwing stones at Israeli vehicles and homes. Three Palestinians were arrested and four officers were injured.&nbsp;

In the occupied West Bank, Palestinians clashed with Israeli troops around military checkpoints near West Bank cities. Israel's border police said it dispersed hundreds hurling stones and fire-bombs. &nbsp;

In Gaza, Palestinian militants fired 36 rockets at Israel during the night, Israel's military said, soon after Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas and other armed groups issued a joint call for Palestinian resistance in Jerusalem. &nbsp;

Israeli aircraft retaliated with strikes on Hamas rocket launchers and underground infrastructure, the military said. There were no immediate reports of casualties in Gaza or on the Israeli side of the border where most the rockets fell in open areas and six were intercepted. &nbsp;

The UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland said the United Nations was working with all parties to deescalate the situation. In a written statement, he condemned the violence and called upon all sides to exercise restraint.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired dozens of rockets into Israel on Saturday drawing retaliatory air strikes, the Israeli military said, after nightly Ramzan clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police resumed in Jerusalem.

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired dozens of rockets into Israel on Saturday drawing retaliatory air strikes, the Israeli military said, after nightly Ramzan clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police resumed in Jerusalem. The pre-dawn exchange of fire broke months of relative quiet on the Israel-Gaza frontier. Signalling it did not expect an immediate wider escalation, the military said it would not impose safety restrictions on Israelis living near the border. But in a sign violence could continue, Israel's chief of staff Aviv Kohavi postponed a visit to Washington on Sunday, expected to focus on Iran, due to the 'events and possible developments’, according to a military statement. In Jerusalem, Israeli-Palestinian tension has been higher than usual during the Muslim holy month of Ramzan. Protests turned violent on Thursday with scores of arrests and injuries. The unrest resumed on Friday night, when Palestinian youths gathered outside the walled Old City and scuffled with hundreds of Israeli police in riot gear. Palestinians threw stones towards police firing water cannons. Others hurled rocks at an Israeli court building and smashed security cameras. The Palestine Red Crescent said eight Palestinians were injured. Israeli police said the unrest later extended to a nearby Palestinian neighbourhood with Palestinians hurling fire-bombs at officers and throwing stones at Israeli vehicles and homes. Three Palestinians were arrested and four officers were injured. In the occupied West Bank, Palestinians clashed with Israeli troops around military checkpoints near West Bank cities. Israel's border police said it dispersed hundreds hurling stones and fire-bombs. In Gaza, Palestinian militants fired 36 rockets at Israel during the night, Israel's military said, soon after Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas and other armed groups issued a joint call for Palestinian resistance in Jerusalem. Israeli aircraft retaliated with strikes on Hamas rocket launchers and underground infrastructure, the military said. There were no immediate reports of casualties in Gaza or on the Israeli side of the border where most the rockets fell in open areas and six were intercepted. The UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland said the United Nations was working with all parties to deescalate the situation. In a written statement, he condemned the violence and called upon all sides to exercise restraint. (With inputs from agencies)

Clashes on Gaza border as Ramzan violence flares in Jerusalem 

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday expressed solidarity with the people of India battling the deadly wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying, "We must fight this global challenge confronting humanity together".&nbsp;

A record single-day rise of 3,46,786 coronavirus cases pushed India's tally of infection to 1,66,10,481, while active cases crossed the 25-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.&nbsp;

The death toll rose to 1,89,544 with a record 2,624 more fatalities in a day, according to the data.&nbsp;

In a tweet, Khan said: "Our prayers for a speedy recovery go to all those suffering from the pandemic in our neighbourhood and the world".&nbsp;

"I want to express our solidarity with the people of India as they battle a dangerous wave of COVID-19. We must fight this global challenge confronting humanity together," he said on Twitter.&nbsp;

His tweet came after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed support to the people of India in the wake of a massive surge in COVID-19 cases in the country and extended his sympathies to the affected families.&nbsp;

Qureshi said the COVID-19 crisis is yet another reminder that humanitarian issues require responses beyond political consideration.&nbsp;

"We express our support to the people of India in the wake of the current wave of #COVID19 infections that has hit our region hard. On behalf of the people of Pakistan, I extend our heartfelt sympathies to the affected families in #India," Qureshi tweeted.&nbsp;

Pakistan continues to work with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries to foster cooperation to tackle the pandemic, he said.&nbsp;

Pakistan has reported 157 coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours, the highest since last year, while the new number of cases recorded were 5,908, the health ministry said on Saturday.&nbsp;

Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also expressed similar sentiments for the people of India.&nbsp;

"In these difficult times our prayers are with people of #India may God be kind and may these difficult times get over soon. #coronavirus," he tweeted.&nbsp;

The tweets from the Pakistani leaders came amidst some signs of rapprochement in the relations between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday expressed solidarity with the people of India battling the deadly wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying, "We must fight this global challenge confronting humanity together".

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday expressed solidarity with the people of India battling the deadly wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying, "We must fight this global challenge confronting humanity together". A record single-day rise of 3,46,786 coronavirus cases pushed India's tally of infection to 1,66,10,481, while active cases crossed the 25-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday. The death toll rose to 1,89,544 with a record 2,624 more fatalities in a day, according to the data. In a tweet, Khan said: "Our prayers for a speedy recovery go to all those suffering from the pandemic in our neighbourhood and the world". "I want to express our solidarity with the people of India as they battle a dangerous wave of COVID-19. We must fight this global challenge confronting humanity together," he said on Twitter. His tweet came after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed support to the people of India in the wake of a massive surge in COVID-19 cases in the country and extended his sympathies to the affected families. Qureshi said the COVID-19 crisis is yet another reminder that humanitarian issues require responses beyond political consideration. "We express our support to the people of India in the wake of the current wave of #COVID19 infections that has hit our region hard. On behalf of the people of Pakistan, I extend our heartfelt sympathies to the affected families in #India," Qureshi tweeted. Pakistan continues to work with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries to foster cooperation to tackle the pandemic, he said. Pakistan has reported 157 coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours, the highest since last year, while the new number of cases recorded were 5,908, the health ministry said on Saturday. Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also expressed similar sentiments for the people of India. "In these difficult times our prayers are with people of #India may God be kind and may these difficult times get over soon. #coronavirus," he tweeted. The tweets from the Pakistani leaders came amidst some signs of rapprochement in the relations between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan PM expresses solidarity with India over COVID-19 crisis  

China will discuss building a defence system against near-earth asteroids, a senior space agency official said on Saturday, as the country steps up efforts towards realising its longer-term space ambitions.&nbsp;

Zhang Kejian, head of the China National Space Administration, didn't provide any further details in his opening remarks at a ceremony for China's space day in the eastern city of Nanjing. &nbsp;

China has made space exploration a top priority in recent years, aiming to establish a programme operating thousands of space flights a year and carrying tens of thousands of tonnes of cargo and passengers by 2045.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Russia and China unveiled plans earlier for a joint lunar space station, as Moscow seeks to recapture the glory of its space pioneering days of Soviet times, and Beijing gears up its own extraterrestrial ambitions.&nbsp;

Though Moscow was once at the forefront of space travel as it sent the first man into space, its cosmic ambitions have dimmed thanks to poor financing and endemic corruption. &nbsp;

It has been eclipsed by China and the United States, which have both clocked major wins in space exploration and research in recent years. &nbsp;

The Russian space agency Roscomos said in a statement that it had signed an agreement with China's National Space Administration (CNSA) to develop a "complex of experimental research facilities created on the surface and/or in the orbit of the Moon".&nbsp;

The CNSA, for its part, said that the project was "open to all interested countries and international partners" in what experts said would be China's biggest international space cooperation project to date.&nbsp;

Moscow is seeking to re-take the lead in the space race.&nbsp;

This year, it celebrated the 60th anniversary of Russia's first-ever manned space flight, it sent Yuri Gagarin into space in April 1961, followed by the first woman, Valentina Tereshkova, two years later. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

China will discuss building a defence system against near-earth asteroids, a senior space agency official said on Saturday, as the country steps up efforts towards realising its longer-term space ambitions.

China will discuss building a defence system against near-earth asteroids, a senior space agency official said on Saturday, as the country steps up efforts towards realising its longer-term space ambitions. Zhang Kejian, head of the China National Space Administration, didn't provide any further details in his opening remarks at a ceremony for China's space day in the eastern city of Nanjing. China has made space exploration a top priority in recent years, aiming to establish a programme operating thousands of space flights a year and carrying tens of thousands of tonnes of cargo and passengers by 2045. Meanwhile, Russia and China unveiled plans earlier for a joint lunar space station, as Moscow seeks to recapture the glory of its space pioneering days of Soviet times, and Beijing gears up its own extraterrestrial ambitions. Though Moscow was once at the forefront of space travel as it sent the first man into space, its cosmic ambitions have dimmed thanks to poor financing and endemic corruption. It has been eclipsed by China and the United States, which have both clocked major wins in space exploration and research in recent years. The Russian space agency Roscomos said in a statement that it had signed an agreement with China's National Space Administration (CNSA) to develop a "complex of experimental research facilities created on the surface and/or in the orbit of the Moon". The CNSA, for its part, said that the project was "open to all interested countries and international partners" in what experts said would be China's biggest international space cooperation project to date. Moscow is seeking to re-take the lead in the space race. This year, it celebrated the 60th anniversary of Russia's first-ever manned space flight, it sent Yuri Gagarin into space in April 1961, followed by the first woman, Valentina Tereshkova, two years later. (With inputs from agencies)

China to consider building an asteroids defence system 

When the coronavirus was jumping borders, World Health Organization (WHO) was focussed on naming the virus. The world was calling it Wuhan virus on the place it originated from but the WHO disagreed. They said country and culture names cannot be linked to a virus. And they insisted on an anodyne name, sars-cov-2.&nbsp;

Anyone who linked the virus to China or Wuhan&nbsp;was called racist and now, we are living in the wave of mutants as they have been reported all over the world. The world is calling them British mutant, the South African variant, the Brazil variant, the Indian double mutant, etc.&nbsp;

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All of these variants have been geo-tagged. Does anybody say B.1.1.7? That's what everyone calls the UK variant, same for Brazil as no one is calling it the P.1. The World Health Organization has not condemned it or given a clarification. &nbsp;

The WHO allegedly helped China cover up the biggest health crisis of our times. They first criticised travel curbs on China, then praised Beijing's pandemic control, and then scolded world leaders for calling it the China virus.

WHO may act differently if China has a variant, but the country will never admit till the situation explodes. Unlike China, some other countries have been transparent. They have reported variants, kept the world in the loop so that others can prepare themselves. Even Brazil where the president himself is peddling conspiracies did not deny the existence of P1 variant. &nbsp;

The UK variant was among the first to emerge and some British newspapers called it the Kent variant but there weren't cries of racism or bigotry. British diplomats were not up at night, shooting out tweets. The same in India as the government has admitted the presence of mutations and double mutations. Some countries have even banned travel to India, but there is no sign of the WHO. Last year, the travel bans were racist and this year, they are precautionary.&nbsp;

Western media houses lapped up this controversy as they were more than happy to cancel leaders, who called it the Wuhan virus. A CNN headline in March 18, 2020 read ‘Trump's malicious use of Chinese virus’. The article called it xenophobic racism and now in March 31, 2021, it says experts predicted the UK variant would become dominant in the US. This, obviously, is not xenophobic racism.&nbsp;

WHO's eagerness to defend China last year was evident. Now, the enthusiasm has vanished. In January, the WHO met to decide on how to name variants. Three months later, the issue is on the backburner because China's name doesn't figure anywhere. This is hypocrisy of the highest order.&nbsp;

Geo-tagging is almost everywhere. There are African elephant, the Great Indian Bustard, the Royal Bengal Tiger, etc. These animals are also named after places. It is neither a tribute, nor an abuse.&nbsp;

When the coronavirus was jumping borders, World Health Organization (WHO) was focussed on naming the virus. The world was calling it Wuhan virus on the place it originated from but the WHO disagreed.

When the coronavirus was jumping borders, World Health Organization (WHO) was focussed on naming the virus. The world was calling it Wuhan virus on the place it originated from but the WHO disagreed. They said country and culture names cannot be linked to a virus. And they insisted on an anodyne name, sars-cov-2. Anyone who linked the virus to China or Wuhan was called racist and now, we are living in the wave of mutants as they have been reported all over the world. The world is calling them British mutant, the South African variant, the Brazil variant, the Indian double mutant, etc. × All of these variants have been geo-tagged. Does anybody say B.1.1.7? That's what everyone calls the UK variant, same for Brazil as no one is calling it the P.1. The World Health Organization has not condemned it or given a clarification. The WHO allegedly helped China cover up the biggest health crisis of our times. They first criticised travel curbs on China, then praised Beijing's pandemic control, and then scolded world leaders for calling it the China virus. WHO may act differently if China has a variant, but the country will never admit till the situation explodes. Unlike China, some other countries have been transparent. They have reported variants, kept the world in the loop so that others can prepare themselves. Even Brazil where the president himself is peddling conspiracies did not deny the existence of P1 variant. The UK variant was among the first to emerge and some British newspapers called it the Kent variant but there weren't cries of racism or bigotry. British diplomats were not up at night, shooting out tweets. The same in India as the government has admitted the presence of mutations and double mutations. Some countries have even banned travel to India, but there is no sign of the WHO. Last year, the travel bans were racist and this year, they are precautionary. Western media houses lapped up this controversy as they were more than happy to cancel leaders, who called it the Wuhan virus. A CNN headline in March 18, 2020 read ‘Trump's malicious use of Chinese virus’. The article called it xenophobic racism and now in March 31, 2021, it says experts predicted the UK variant would become dominant in the US. This, obviously, is not xenophobic racism. WHO's eagerness to defend China last year was evident. Now, the enthusiasm has vanished. In January, the WHO met to decide on how to name variants. Three months later, the issue is on the backburner because China's name doesn't figure anywhere. This is hypocrisy of the highest order. Geo-tagging is almost everywhere. There are African elephant, the Great Indian Bustard, the Royal Bengal Tiger, etc. These animals are also named after places. It is neither a tribute, nor an abuse.

Is geo-tagging of coronavirus, its mutants not appropriate? 

Police clashed with thousands of protesters in Berlin on Wednesday as the German parliament passed an amendment to give Angela Merkel's government power to impose tougher anti-coronavirus measures.&nbsp;

With Germany buckling under a third wave of the pandemic, the new law allowing for nationwide curbs including school closures and night curfews aims to end a political tug-of-war between the federal government and the 16 regional states over virus restrictions. &nbsp;

Around 8,000 protesters gathered in the German capital as the amendment was debated in the Bundestag lower house of parliament, with more than 2,000 police officers deployed to the scene.&nbsp;

Demonstrators were carrying placards with slogans such as "Merkel &amp; Co = high treason" and chanting "Wir sind das Volk" ("We are the people") -- a common refrain in the run-up to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.&nbsp;

Police said some 150 people were detained for throwing bottles, attacking officers and failing to comply with rules on mask wearing and distancing. Three officers were injured.&nbsp;

Tear gas was fired as police attempted to drag protesters from the streets, according to an AFP video journalist at the scene.&nbsp;

Dubbed the "emergency brake", the amended law prescribes tough measures including sweeping shutdowns and overnight curfews in regions with incidence rates of more than 100 new infections per 100,000 people over the last seven days.&nbsp;

It will also force schools to revert to virtual teaching in areas where the incidence rate exceeds 165.&nbsp;

Only one state had an incidence rate below 100 on Wednesday, while seven topped 165, including the two most populous of Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia.&nbsp;

Police clashed with thousands of protesters in Berlin on Wednesday as the German parliament passed an amendment to give Angela Merkel's government power to impose tougher anti-coronavirus measures.

Police clashed with thousands of protesters in Berlin on Wednesday as the German parliament passed an amendment to give Angela Merkel's government power to impose tougher anti-coronavirus measures. With Germany buckling under a third wave of the pandemic, the new law allowing for nationwide curbs including school closures and night curfews aims to end a political tug-of-war between the federal government and the 16 regional states over virus restrictions. Around 8,000 protesters gathered in the German capital as the amendment was debated in the Bundestag lower house of parliament, with more than 2,000 police officers deployed to the scene. Demonstrators were carrying placards with slogans such as "Merkel & Co = high treason" and chanting "Wir sind das Volk" ("We are the people") -- a common refrain in the run-up to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Police said some 150 people were detained for throwing bottles, attacking officers and failing to comply with rules on mask wearing and distancing. Three officers were injured. Tear gas was fired as police attempted to drag protesters from the streets, according to an AFP video journalist at the scene. Dubbed the "emergency brake", the amended law prescribes tough measures including sweeping shutdowns and overnight curfews in regions with incidence rates of more than 100 new infections per 100,000 people over the last seven days. It will also force schools to revert to virtual teaching in areas where the incidence rate exceeds 165. Only one state had an incidence rate below 100 on Wednesday, while seven topped 165, including the two most populous of Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia.

Police clash with protesters as Germany passes virus law 

Disneyland Paris, normally Europe's biggest tourist attraction, will from Saturday host a mass Covid vaccination site at its convention centre as France seeks to speed up its inoculation drive, officials said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The amusement park east of the capital has been closed since October 30, when non-essential businesses were ordered to close amid a surge in infections, putting its 17,000 employees out of work.&nbsp;

It had originally planned to re-admit visitors on April 2, but worsening conditions forced it to postpone.&nbsp;

The vaccination site will be housed outside the amusement park proper at its Newport Bay Club, a convention centre near its hotel complex.&nbsp;

It will be run by local authorities and the regional ARS health service, and will be open weekends only, whereas other French vaccination sites often close on Sunday.&nbsp;

The goal is to give shots to at least 1,000 people a day, as France aims to get at least one jab to 20 million people by mid-May.&nbsp;

As of Tuesday, France had given at least one dose to nearly 12.8 million people, or 19 per cent of its population, according to health ministry data.&nbsp;

"Disneyland Paris is proud to help support the authorities... to administer vaccines," the park's vice president of operations, Eric Marion, said in a statement.&nbsp;

The global Disney group has announced 32,000 job cuts at its theme park activities worldwide by the end of the first quarter, mostly in the United States, because of the impact of the coronavirus.&nbsp;

But the Disneyland Park in California is set to reopen on April 30 after more than a year of closure.&nbsp;

Disneyland Paris, normally Europe's biggest tourist attraction, will from Saturday host a mass Covid vaccination site at its convention centre as France seeks to speed up its inoculation drive, officials said on Wednesday.

Disneyland Paris, normally Europe's biggest tourist attraction, will from Saturday host a mass Covid vaccination site at its convention centre as France seeks to speed up its inoculation drive, officials said on Wednesday. The amusement park east of the capital has been closed since October 30, when non-essential businesses were ordered to close amid a surge in infections, putting its 17,000 employees out of work. It had originally planned to re-admit visitors on April 2, but worsening conditions forced it to postpone. The vaccination site will be housed outside the amusement park proper at its Newport Bay Club, a convention centre near its hotel complex. It will be run by local authorities and the regional ARS health service, and will be open weekends only, whereas other French vaccination sites often close on Sunday. The goal is to give shots to at least 1,000 people a day, as France aims to get at least one jab to 20 million people by mid-May. As of Tuesday, France had given at least one dose to nearly 12.8 million people, or 19 per cent of its population, according to health ministry data. "Disneyland Paris is proud to help support the authorities... to administer vaccines," the park's vice president of operations, Eric Marion, said in a statement. The global Disney group has announced 32,000 job cuts at its theme park activities worldwide by the end of the first quarter, mostly in the United States, because of the impact of the coronavirus. But the Disneyland Park in California is set to reopen on April 30 after more than a year of closure.

Disneyland Paris to host mass Covid vaccination site 

Vaccines are effective in reducing caseloads and preventing death, according to evidence. There is a clear divide between those who got the jabs first, and those who did not. As a result, the global struggle to tame the virus continues.&nbsp;

The masks have come off in Israel and the people are back on the streets. The beaches are packed and friends can embrace, without fear. Most adults in Israel have got at least one jab. Now, kids could be next as Israel is gearing up for the second round of vaccinations. The focus this time is on 12 to 15 year olds.&nbsp;

Israel might have reached herd immunity but the rest of the world is still struggling to find its way out of this pandemic. New infections worldwide touched a new high last week with more than 5.2 million people testing positive, an increase of 12 per cent from a week earlier.&nbsp;

While Brazil and India are driving the global caseloads, European countries like France and Germany are experiencing large outbreaks too. France now plans to lift restrictions in May while in Germany, the government has come up with a new law to impose tougher restrictions on states. A move that triggered protests in Berlin. &nbsp;

But some other European nations are in much better shape, such as Belgium, Switzerland and Denmark, who have announced easing of restrictions as their caseloads reduce.&nbsp;

The case of Denmark stands out unlike the major European powers as it avoided a third wave. Its infection and death rates are among the lowest in Europe.&nbsp;

Now, Denmark is in a position to fully implement a vaccine passport, known as the Coronapas. The digital app shows a certificate of vaccination or a citizen's latest negative coronavirus test. &nbsp;

The European Union wants to implement such digital certificates across all 27 member states by June as it tries to allow free movement of Europeans again. Denmark could be the first to get there as the country lifts the restrictions. Citizens would now need a Coronapas to enjoy their freedoms again.&nbsp;

Those, who don't get their jabs, might struggle to move around in the future as countries mull movement restrictions for the unvaccinated. The UAE is one of them. After vaccinating 65 per cent of its eligible population, the UAE is considering strict measures to restrict the unvaccinated. This could include entry bans in some places and curbs on access to public services.&nbsp;

Israel's mass inoculation drive has given the rest of the world a glimpse into the future. Other countries are now betting on the jabs to end restrictions. With more than 925 million doses administered across 155 countries by now, it looks like the vaccines will be the only key you would need to leave the safety of your home. &nbsp;

Vaccines are effective in reducing caseloads and preventing death, according to evidence. There is a clear divide between those who got the jabs first, and those who did not.

Vaccines are effective in reducing caseloads and preventing death, according to evidence. There is a clear divide between those who got the jabs first, and those who did not. As a result, the global struggle to tame the virus continues. The masks have come off in Israel and the people are back on the streets. The beaches are packed and friends can embrace, without fear. Most adults in Israel have got at least one jab. Now, kids could be next as Israel is gearing up for the second round of vaccinations. The focus this time is on 12 to 15 year olds. Israel might have reached herd immunity but the rest of the world is still struggling to find its way out of this pandemic. New infections worldwide touched a new high last week with more than 5.2 million people testing positive, an increase of 12 per cent from a week earlier. While Brazil and India are driving the global caseloads, European countries like France and Germany are experiencing large outbreaks too. France now plans to lift restrictions in May while in Germany, the government has come up with a new law to impose tougher restrictions on states. A move that triggered protests in Berlin. But some other European nations are in much better shape, such as Belgium, Switzerland and Denmark, who have announced easing of restrictions as their caseloads reduce. The case of Denmark stands out unlike the major European powers as it avoided a third wave. Its infection and death rates are among the lowest in Europe. Now, Denmark is in a position to fully implement a vaccine passport, known as the Coronapas. The digital app shows a certificate of vaccination or a citizen's latest negative coronavirus test. The European Union wants to implement such digital certificates across all 27 member states by June as it tries to allow free movement of Europeans again. Denmark could be the first to get there as the country lifts the restrictions. Citizens would now need a Coronapas to enjoy their freedoms again. Those, who don't get their jabs, might struggle to move around in the future as countries mull movement restrictions for the unvaccinated. The UAE is one of them. After vaccinating 65 per cent of its eligible population, the UAE is considering strict measures to restrict the unvaccinated. This could include entry bans in some places and curbs on access to public services. Israel's mass inoculation drive has given the rest of the world a glimpse into the future. Other countries are now betting on the jabs to end restrictions. With more than 925 million doses administered across 155 countries by now, it looks like the vaccines will be the only key you would need to leave the safety of your home.

COVID-19: Vaccine a must for travel in future? 

India’s vaccines can fight off the double mutation, but the numbers are still rising. India set a double record on Tuesday with almost 300,000 new cases and more than 2,000 deaths in 24 hours.&nbsp;

There were 825,000 cases reported globally and 300,000 of them came from India, almost 36% of the global caseload. So, what's India's exit route here?&nbsp;

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Simple, vaccines. On May 1, India will begin vaccinating all adults, but are we ready for this phase? &nbsp;

State governments can buy Covishield at Rs 400 per dose, which is around five US dollars. Private hospitals will have to pay Rs 600 per dose, which is around eight US dollars.&nbsp;

Vaccine makers will divide their output in two parts, one half goes to the central govt and the second half will be sold to states and in the open market. So, hospitals and state govts can buy directly and distribute any way they like.&nbsp;

Either sell or give the shots for free. If you are 45 plus, you can still get vaccinated free of cost but only at government facilities. If you are in the 18 to 45 category, you will have to visit a private hospital. They will charge you more than Rs 600, which depends on where the government caps the price. And these are the prices for Covishield. Bharat Biotech and Sputnik are yet to announce their rates. Chances are they will be somewhere between Rs 700 and Rs 1,000 per dose. Somewhere in the 10 US dollar range.&nbsp;

India is also expanding capacity as the government has granted 610 million dollars to the two vaccine makers, Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech. Bharat Biotech is expanding output to 700 million doses per year, which means around 60 million shots of Covaxin per month.&nbsp;

Covaxin's biggest market is still India, but it is being studied around the world including in the US and Europe. &nbsp;

Serum Institute is producing 70 million doses of Covishield per week and with additional funds, they are hoping to produce 100 million doses by the end of May. And if everything goes to plan, Sputnik shipments should also start arriving by then.&nbsp;

Two doses of a vaccine, that's the accepted norm, but if you have recovered from the coronavirus, you may need only one shot. &nbsp;

According to a new study, recovered patients could do with a single shot to build immunity as the body remembers the virus and one shot may be enough to jolt that memory.&nbsp;

In February, Israel recommended a single shot for recovered patients and so far, their rollout has been flawless. &nbsp;

The hysteria about the vaccine side effects is cooling down as people have started realising that side effects are rare, but natural. &nbsp;

Johnson and Johnson jab has got a clean chit from the European Union. They have listed blood clots as a rare side effect. So, the benefits continue to outweigh the risks.&nbsp;

Most European countries have resumed use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine. Mexico's president took the jab on live television. Confidence in AstraZeneca is slowly building up, but in the United States, women are reporting an unusual side effect. They are complaining of heavier and off-cycle periods after getting the jab. Vaccines are known to disrupt menstrual cycles. So, your body will course-correct itself in time. &nbsp;

States are accusing each other of looting oxygen cylinders. In the national capital, three hospitals were down to just a few hours of oxygen and in the middle of this shortage, some states are hoarding. So, the central government has stepped in. It is planning to restructure oxygen allocation to states.&nbsp;

India has enough capacity for this crisis but there are too many bottlenecks. Like there may be oxygen, but not enough cryogenic tankers to transport it, and there is a limit to what these new oxygen trains can do.&nbsp;

Mistakes like in Nashik, where oxygen started leaking while oxygen tankers were filling up the local hospital's stock, should not happen as 22 patients died because they couldn't get oxygen. &nbsp;

India’s vaccines can fight off the double mutation, but the numbers are still rising. India set a double record on Tuesday with almost 300,000 new cases and more than 2,000 deaths in 24 hours.

India’s vaccines can fight off the double mutation, but the numbers are still rising. India set a double record on Tuesday with almost 300,000 new cases and more than 2,000 deaths in 24 hours. There were 825,000 cases reported globally and 300,000 of them came from India, almost 36% of the global caseload. So, what's India's exit route here? Simple, vaccines. On May 1, India will begin vaccinating all adults, but are we ready for this phase? State governments can buy Covishield at Rs 400 per dose, which is around five US dollars. Private hospitals will have to pay Rs 600 per dose, which is around eight US dollars. Vaccine makers will divide their output in two parts, one half goes to the central govt and the second half will be sold to states and in the open market. So, hospitals and state govts can buy directly and distribute any way they like. Either sell or give the shots for free. If you are 45 plus, you can still get vaccinated free of cost but only at government facilities. If you are in the 18 to 45 category, you will have to visit a private hospital. They will charge you more than Rs 600, which depends on where the government caps the price. And these are the prices for Covishield. Bharat Biotech and Sputnik are yet to announce their rates. Chances are they will be somewhere between Rs 700 and Rs 1,000 per dose. Somewhere in the 10 US dollar range. India is also expanding capacity as the government has granted 610 million dollars to the two vaccine makers, Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech. Bharat Biotech is expanding output to 700 million doses per year, which means around 60 million shots of Covaxin per month. Covaxin's biggest market is still India, but it is being studied around the world including in the US and Europe. Serum Institute is producing 70 million doses of Covishield per week and with additional funds, they are hoping to produce 100 million doses by the end of May. And if everything goes to plan, Sputnik shipments should also start arriving by then. Two doses of a vaccine, that's the accepted norm, but if you have recovered from the coronavirus, you may need only one shot. According to a new study, recovered patients could do with a single shot to build immunity as the body remembers the virus and one shot may be enough to jolt that memory. In February, Israel recommended a single shot for recovered patients and so far, their rollout has been flawless. The hysteria about the vaccine side effects is cooling down as people have started realising that side effects are rare, but natural. Johnson and Johnson jab has got a clean chit from the European Union. They have listed blood clots as a rare side effect. So, the benefits continue to outweigh the risks. Most European countries have resumed use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine. Mexico's president took the jab on live television. Confidence in AstraZeneca is slowly building up, but in the United States, women are reporting an unusual side effect. They are complaining of heavier and off-cycle periods after getting the jab. Vaccines are known to disrupt menstrual cycles. So, your body will course-correct itself in time. States are accusing each other of looting oxygen cylinders. In the national capital, three hospitals were down to just a few hours of oxygen and in the middle of this shortage, some states are hoarding. So, the central government has stepped in. It is planning to restructure oxygen allocation to states. India has enough capacity for this crisis but there are too many bottlenecks. Like there may be oxygen, but not enough cryogenic tankers to transport it, and there is a limit to what these new oxygen trains can do. Mistakes like in Nashik, where oxygen started leaking while oxygen tankers were filling up the local hospital's stock, should not happen as 22 patients died because they couldn't get oxygen.

Vaccines only hope as India’s fight with Covid-19 gets intense  

The United Nations launched an appeal on Tuesday for $29.2 million to help some 15,000 people displaced when the La Soufriere volcano on the eastern Caribbean island of St Vincent erupted earlier this month.&nbsp;

"We are in a dire situation frankly ... We're not out of the woods," St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves told reporters, adding that scientists had warned eruptions could last another six months. &nbsp;

The volcano erupted on April 9 after decades of inactivity, spewing dark clouds of ash some 10 km (6 miles) into the air and prompting the evacuation of thousands of people. The volcano has continued to rumble and vent ash.&nbsp;

Didier Trebucq, the UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, visited the affected areas two days ago with Gonsalves and described the scene as "apocalyptic." He said the UN appeal was to scale up assistance for six months.&nbsp;

St Vincent and the Grenadines, which has a population of just over 100,000, has not experienced volcanic activity since 1979, when an eruption resulted in about $100 million in damages. An eruption by La Soufriere in 1902 killed more than 1,000 people. The name means 'sulfur outlet' in French.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The United Nations launched an appeal on Tuesday for $29.2 million to help some 15,000 people displaced when the La Soufriere volcano on the eastern Caribbean island of St Vincent erupted earlier this month.

The United Nations launched an appeal on Tuesday for $29.2 million to help some 15,000 people displaced when the La Soufriere volcano on the eastern Caribbean island of St Vincent erupted earlier this month. "We are in a dire situation frankly ... We're not out of the woods," St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves told reporters, adding that scientists had warned eruptions could last another six months. The volcano erupted on April 9 after decades of inactivity, spewing dark clouds of ash some 10 km (6 miles) into the air and prompting the evacuation of thousands of people. The volcano has continued to rumble and vent ash. Didier Trebucq, the UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, visited the affected areas two days ago with Gonsalves and described the scene as "apocalyptic." He said the UN appeal was to scale up assistance for six months. St Vincent and the Grenadines, which has a population of just over 100,000, has not experienced volcanic activity since 1979, when an eruption resulted in about $100 million in damages. An eruption by La Soufriere in 1902 killed more than 1,000 people. The name means 'sulfur outlet' in French. (With inputs from agencies)

UN asks for $29.2 million to help after Caribbean volcano eruption 

The ancient Greeks were brilliant at inventing fantastical animals like the Chimera for instance. It was a fearsome fire-breathing monster, which had a lion's head, a goat's body and a serpent's tail.&nbsp;

In Greek mythology, the Chimera was slain by Bellerophon, the son of Poseidon. But today, not all Chimeras are mythological. For biologists, this term describes any organism, whose body consists of cells from two different organisms. The scientists in the United States recently tried to create the world's first human-monkey Chimera.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-scientists-inject-human-cells-into-monkeys-embryo-378884/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

American scientists injected human cells into the embryo of a monkey. These efforts have ignited a debate about scientific ethics. In simple terms, DNA is the code of life. It is that all-important molecule we inherit from our parents. It gives the chemical instructions that make our bodies and sustain them. &nbsp;

What if the DNA is mixed? This is exactly what scientists at America's Salk Institute for Biological Studies recently tried doing. They integrated human cells into the embryos of a Macaque Monkey. In simple terms, they created embryos, that were part monkey and part human. &nbsp;

The embryos were grown in the open at lab for 20 days and then they were destroyed. But who came up with the idea? Professor Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, who also tried creating the first human-pig hybrid in 2017. &nbsp;

Professor Carlos believes his work could advance understanding of early human development and understand the onset of disease, the progression of ageing, and address the shortage of life-saving organs for human transplantation.

But like with any unnatural experiment, some ethical concerns have been raised. Scientists are arguing that while embryos in this case were destroyed in 20 days, others could try to take the work further and make a baby out of an embryo.&nbsp;

The second big concern has to do with a moral dilemma. Will the embryos be classified as humans or non-humans? If the answer is humans, can we legally use them for experiments at a later stage without human consent? The third and last concern is spreading viruses from animals to humans. &nbsp;

The coronavirus has taught us a thing or two about it. We still don't fully know what the drawbacks or benefits of creating a human-monkey hybrid could be, but this experiment sure sounds like the beginning to a bad horror movie.&nbsp;

The ancient Greeks were brilliant at inventing fantastical animals like the Chimera for instance. It was a fearsome fire-breathing monster, which had a lion's head, a goat's body and a serpent's tail.

The ancient Greeks were brilliant at inventing fantastical animals like the Chimera for instance. It was a fearsome fire-breathing monster, which had a lion's head, a goat's body and a serpent's tail. In Greek mythology, the Chimera was slain by Bellerophon, the son of Poseidon. But today, not all Chimeras are mythological. For biologists, this term describes any organism, whose body consists of cells from two different organisms. The scientists in the United States recently tried to create the world's first human-monkey Chimera. American scientists injected human cells into the embryo of a monkey. These efforts have ignited a debate about scientific ethics. In simple terms, DNA is the code of life. It is that all-important molecule we inherit from our parents. It gives the chemical instructions that make our bodies and sustain them. What if the DNA is mixed? This is exactly what scientists at America's Salk Institute for Biological Studies recently tried doing. They integrated human cells into the embryos of a Macaque Monkey. In simple terms, they created embryos, that were part monkey and part human. The embryos were grown in the open at lab for 20 days and then they were destroyed. But who came up with the idea? Professor Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, who also tried creating the first human-pig hybrid in 2017. Professor Carlos believes his work could advance understanding of early human development and understand the onset of disease, the progression of ageing, and address the shortage of life-saving organs for human transplantation. But like with any unnatural experiment, some ethical concerns have been raised. Scientists are arguing that while embryos in this case were destroyed in 20 days, others could try to take the work further and make a baby out of an embryo. The second big concern has to do with a moral dilemma. Will the embryos be classified as humans or non-humans? If the answer is humans, can we legally use them for experiments at a later stage without human consent? The third and last concern is spreading viruses from animals to humans. The coronavirus has taught us a thing or two about it. We still don't fully know what the drawbacks or benefits of creating a human-monkey hybrid could be, but this experiment sure sounds like the beginning to a bad horror movie.

Scientists try to create world's first human-monkey Chimera, raise eyebrows  

A cartoon has destabilised Pakistan, a country of 220 million people. Islamist radicals have taken law and order hostage and the prime minister, who once asked his citizens to unite against France, is now having a tough time explaining why he can't send the French ambassador back. &nbsp;

The violent protests, which began almost a week back, is far from being over. On one hand, are the supporters of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and on the other, Pakistan's security forces. They are clashing endlessly.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-pakistan-protests-blasphemy-378885/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

There's violence in almost every major city, such as Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Multan, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, etc. Every city in Pakistan is grappling with unrest.&nbsp;

What do the protesters want? Four things:&nbsp;the release of their leader Saad Hussain Rizvi, the lift of the ban on their group, quashing of all cases against its members, release of the arrested protesters and expelling of the French ambassador to Pakistan, Marc Barety.&nbsp;

Have the demands been met? So far, Islamabad has only agreed to release some of those arrested for disrupting law and order. It says it won't lift the ban on TLP and won't release its leader.&nbsp;

For the fourth demand, Imran Khan says, expelling the French ambassador will not change a thing. Besides ruining Islamabad's already rocky ties with European nations and maybe triggering some sanctions. Imran Khan said, "My question is that, will sending the French ambassador back and cutting ties stop this? Is there a guarantee&nbsp;that no one will insult the Prophet afterwards? Is there a guarantee?"&nbsp;

Khan added, "When we expel the French ambassador and cut ties with France, it means we will cut ties with the European Union (EU). Half of our textile export goes to Europe, this means half of our textile exports will be reduced there, which means unemployment and the closure of the factories."&nbsp;

When Charlie Hebdo republished Prophet Muhammad's caricatures, Imran Khan went all out to project himself as the custodian of Islamic faith. He put out sanctimonious tweets, preaching Emmanuel Macron on what the hallmarks of a true leader are. He also milked anti-France sentiments and gave a free run to protesters in his country. Rallies were held across Pakistan, calling for the death for Emmanuel Macron and the boycott of French products. &nbsp;

The Imran Khan govt led from the front and now when the chickens have come home to roost, the same prime minister is preaching tolerance, and to save face, the Pakistan govt has introduced a resolution on the expulsion of the French ambassador in Pakistan's national assembly. The debate has kickstarted, but not how the PTI wanted it to.&nbsp;

The opposition is going all guns blazing in exposing Imran Khan's hypocrisy. Ahsan Iqbal, opposition lawmaker, said, "The blasphemy was committed in France and we have to discuss this issue here in the Parliament. Mr&nbsp;Speaker, I was expecting that whenever there is a session over the honour and respect of Prophet Muhammad, it would be the most important session for any lawmaker or a Pakistani Muslim, (more) than any business. So, I expect that the prime minister should be on his chair during the session, and today's resolution should be presented by the prime minister himself."&nbsp;

Imran Khan also has some advice for Western nations. He has asked them to criminalise blasphemy against Islam. He says that insulting Prophet Muhammad should be treated the same way as the denial of holocaust. Says the leader of a country that uses faith to justify terrorism. &nbsp;

Why other Islamic countries are not protesting? The protests in Pakistan are as much religious as they are political. The TLP has a history of being backed by the Pakistan Army and the ISI. It was brought into the mainstream as a tool of political engineering and to launch Imran Khan to power. Now, this party has gone rogue and it has turned blasphemy into a political weapon and won the support of the general public. Imagine the implications to South Asia, if this party comes to power in the future.&nbsp;

A cartoon has destabilised Pakistan, a country of 220 million people. Islamist radicals have taken law and order hostage and the prime minister, who once asked his citizens to unite against France, is now having a tough time explaining why he can't send the French ambassador back.

A cartoon has destabilised Pakistan, a country of 220 million people. Islamist radicals have taken law and order hostage and the prime minister, who once asked his citizens to unite against France, is now having a tough time explaining why he can't send the French ambassador back. The violent protests, which began almost a week back, is far from being over. On one hand, are the supporters of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and on the other, Pakistan's security forces. They are clashing endlessly. There's violence in almost every major city, such as Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Multan, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, etc. Every city in Pakistan is grappling with unrest. What do the protesters want? Four things: the release of their leader Saad Hussain Rizvi, the lift of the ban on their group, quashing of all cases against its members, release of the arrested protesters and expelling of the French ambassador to Pakistan, Marc Barety. Have the demands been met? So far, Islamabad has only agreed to release some of those arrested for disrupting law and order. It says it won't lift the ban on TLP and won't release its leader. For the fourth demand, Imran Khan says, expelling the French ambassador will not change a thing. Besides ruining Islamabad's already rocky ties with European nations and maybe triggering some sanctions. Imran Khan said, "My question is that, will sending the French ambassador back and cutting ties stop this? Is there a guarantee that no one will insult the Prophet afterwards? Is there a guarantee?" Khan added, "When we expel the French ambassador and cut ties with France, it means we will cut ties with the European Union (EU). Half of our textile export goes to Europe, this means half of our textile exports will be reduced there, which means unemployment and the closure of the factories." When Charlie Hebdo republished Prophet Muhammad's caricatures, Imran Khan went all out to project himself as the custodian of Islamic faith. He put out sanctimonious tweets, preaching Emmanuel Macron on what the hallmarks of a true leader are. He also milked anti-France sentiments and gave a free run to protesters in his country. Rallies were held across Pakistan, calling for the death for Emmanuel Macron and the boycott of French products. The Imran Khan govt led from the front and now when the chickens have come home to roost, the same prime minister is preaching tolerance, and to save face, the Pakistan govt has introduced a resolution on the expulsion of the French ambassador in Pakistan's national assembly. The debate has kickstarted, but not how the PTI wanted it to. The opposition is going all guns blazing in exposing Imran Khan's hypocrisy. Ahsan Iqbal, opposition lawmaker, said, "The blasphemy was committed in France and we have to discuss this issue here in the Parliament. Mr Speaker, I was expecting that whenever there is a session over the honour and respect of Prophet Muhammad, it would be the most important session for any lawmaker or a Pakistani Muslim, (more) than any business. So, I expect that the prime minister should be on his chair during the session, and today's resolution should be presented by the prime minister himself." Imran Khan also has some advice for Western nations. He has asked them to criminalise blasphemy against Islam. He says that insulting Prophet Muhammad should be treated the same way as the denial of holocaust. Says the leader of a country that uses faith to justify terrorism. Why other Islamic countries are not protesting? The protests in Pakistan are as much religious as they are political. The TLP has a history of being backed by the Pakistan Army and the ISI. It was brought into the mainstream as a tool of political engineering and to launch Imran Khan to power. Now, this party has gone rogue and it has turned blasphemy into a political weapon and won the support of the general public. Imagine the implications to South Asia, if this party comes to power in the future.

TLP’s violent protests bring more turmoil to Pakistan 

There was a slight dip in the daily caseload of coronavirus but daily deaths set a new record as 1,761 people died on Monday. It was the highest 24-hour spike since last year. All the talk is about mutations as India has not just reported double mutations, but a triple mutation.&nbsp;

It is highly contagious. The mutations are most certainly driving India's second wave but India's prime minister is confident that the country can pull through. The PM has ruled out any lockdown. He said India is better prepared to face the second wave compared to last year. &nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-will-vaccines-work-against-double-mutants-378888/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Many countries have decided to halt travel from India. The first advisory came from the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC. Americans have been asked to avoid all travel to India. Even vaccinated citizens have been asked to delay their plans after the US, Britain put India on the red list.&nbsp;

From April 23, people who have visited India, will not be allowed to enter the UK. The only exemption is for British citizens. So essentially, the UK has banned travel to and from India. Hong Kong and New Zealand have done the same. It is not India's caseload that is scaring countries but the mutations. Will the vaccines work against mutants? Will the efficacy come down? These are some of the big worries.&nbsp;

The vaccines will continue to work, but their efficacy rates could fall as the double mutation in India could make it harder for vaccines to create antibodies but this is not an excuse to not take one.&nbsp;

Even against the mutants, vaccines will offer you some level of protection. Both Covishield and Covaxin were impressive in fighting off variants, but they are untested against the double mutation. The same for Sputnik V. The Russian vaccine maker says it is equally effective against the original virus and the variants. &nbsp;

The only empirical evidence we have is for Pfizer. Israel has studied Pfizer's effect on the double mutation. The jab is at least partially effective. So, the double mutation does not make vaccines completely useless, but they won't be as efficient.&nbsp;

Vaccines teach our body to recognise spike proteins and this is the outer coating on the virus. But when the virus mutates, the spike protein changes and that makes it difficult for your body to identify the virus. Difficult but not impossible, which is why vaccines are less effective, not useless.&nbsp;

We can overcome this by updating our vaccines. This might sound challenging but it's actually pretty common. Flu vaccines for example are updated every season. The idea is to stay one step ahead of the virus but simply updating the vaccine is not enough. It must be transported and administered. This is where India's biggest challenge lies. From May 1, Indians aged 18 plus will be eligible for jabs. That's an additional 500 million people. Do we have enough shots for all of these people?&nbsp;

The answer is no. India needs at least 10 million doses per day and India is producing less than half that number. Vaccine makers are struggling to expand capacity and now they have a new worry, lack of raw materials. India sources a large part of its vaccine raw materials from the US but the White House has curbed these exports. It wants to retain these raw materials for their own use and America's vaccine nationalism is hurting India's rollout. The second problem is this vaccine wastage.&nbsp;

Until April 11, 100 million doses were rolled out and out of these, 4.4 million were wasted. Around 2 million people could have been vaccinated by these wasted doses.&nbsp;

This indicates a lack of planning. Doses have to be tallied with local population. Doctors must oversee the inoculation process to avoid wastage. But what about the government?&nbsp;

It must strike a delicate balance between vaccination and treatment. Both the Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech are set to receive funds from the government. Reports say Rs 4,500 crore have been sanctioned. This should help expand capacity ahead of phase 3 and if the Sputnik jabs arrive before May, India could avoid a disastrous scenario. Simultaneously, the government will have to prop up the medical infrastructure. &nbsp;

The oxygen expresses have already started running. Oxygen plants have been set up at 100 hospitals and cylinder filling plants can now work 24x7. Oxygen is number one on India's wishlist and it looks like even the stock market honchos have realised this. Looking at the surging demand for oxygen, they rushed to scoop up shares of Bombay Oxygen, the company's shares soared 133% but guess what? Bombay Oxygen doesn't even produce oxygen. It works in the finance industry. &nbsp;

But really, will the government response be enough?&nbsp;

There was a slight dip in the daily caseload of coronavirus but daily deaths set a new record as 1,761 people died on Monday. It was the highest 24-hour spike since last year.

There was a slight dip in the daily caseload of coronavirus but daily deaths set a new record as 1,761 people died on Monday. It was the highest 24-hour spike since last year. All the talk is about mutations as India has not just reported double mutations, but a triple mutation. It is highly contagious. The mutations are most certainly driving India's second wave but India's prime minister is confident that the country can pull through. The PM has ruled out any lockdown. He said India is better prepared to face the second wave compared to last year. Many countries have decided to halt travel from India. The first advisory came from the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC. Americans have been asked to avoid all travel to India. Even vaccinated citizens have been asked to delay their plans after the US, Britain put India on the red list. From April 23, people who have visited India, will not be allowed to enter the UK. The only exemption is for British citizens. So essentially, the UK has banned travel to and from India. Hong Kong and New Zealand have done the same. It is not India's caseload that is scaring countries but the mutations. Will the vaccines work against mutants? Will the efficacy come down? These are some of the big worries. The vaccines will continue to work, but their efficacy rates could fall as the double mutation in India could make it harder for vaccines to create antibodies but this is not an excuse to not take one. Even against the mutants, vaccines will offer you some level of protection. Both Covishield and Covaxin were impressive in fighting off variants, but they are untested against the double mutation. The same for Sputnik V. The Russian vaccine maker says it is equally effective against the original virus and the variants. The only empirical evidence we have is for Pfizer. Israel has studied Pfizer's effect on the double mutation. The jab is at least partially effective. So, the double mutation does not make vaccines completely useless, but they won't be as efficient. Vaccines teach our body to recognise spike proteins and this is the outer coating on the virus. But when the virus mutates, the spike protein changes and that makes it difficult for your body to identify the virus. Difficult but not impossible, which is why vaccines are less effective, not useless. We can overcome this by updating our vaccines. This might sound challenging but it's actually pretty common. Flu vaccines for example are updated every season. The idea is to stay one step ahead of the virus but simply updating the vaccine is not enough. It must be transported and administered. This is where India's biggest challenge lies. From May 1, Indians aged 18 plus will be eligible for jabs. That's an additional 500 million people. Do we have enough shots for all of these people? The answer is no. India needs at least 10 million doses per day and India is producing less than half that number. Vaccine makers are struggling to expand capacity and now they have a new worry, lack of raw materials. India sources a large part of its vaccine raw materials from the US but the White House has curbed these exports. It wants to retain these raw materials for their own use and America's vaccine nationalism is hurting India's rollout. The second problem is this vaccine wastage. Until April 11, 100 million doses were rolled out and out of these, 4.4 million were wasted. Around 2 million people could have been vaccinated by these wasted doses. This indicates a lack of planning. Doses have to be tallied with local population. Doctors must oversee the inoculation process to avoid wastage. But what about the government? It must strike a delicate balance between vaccination and treatment. Both the Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech are set to receive funds from the government. Reports say Rs 4,500 crore have been sanctioned. This should help expand capacity ahead of phase 3 and if the Sputnik jabs arrive before May, India could avoid a disastrous scenario. Simultaneously, the government will have to prop up the medical infrastructure. The oxygen expresses have already started running. Oxygen plants have been set up at 100 hospitals and cylinder filling plants can now work 24x7. Oxygen is number one on India's wishlist and it looks like even the stock market honchos have realised this. Looking at the surging demand for oxygen, they rushed to scoop up shares of Bombay Oxygen, the company's shares soared 133% but guess what? Bombay Oxygen doesn't even produce oxygen. It works in the finance industry. But really, will the government response be enough?

Mutations continue to drive India's Covid second wave  

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Gandharv Walia

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