On Saturday - January 16, India began the world’s largest immunisation programme against COVID-19. A sanitation worker become the country’s first person to receive the vaccine on Saturday.

Manish Kumar, who received the shot at Delhi’s All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), said that “everyone should go for it”.

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India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the vaccination drive on Saturday to bring down the numbers in the world’s second hardest hit country. 
 
AIIMS is one of 3,006 vaccination centres set up by the government across the country.

"The vaccine will give me strength and motivation to serve my hospital which has been at the forefront of taking care of coronavirus patients," Kumar said.&nbsp; 
 
"Since I'm feeling relieved after taking the vaccine, I think everyone should go for it”, Reuters reported him as saying.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-pm-modi-launches-worlds-largest-coronavirus-vaccine-drive-357049" hreflang="en">Indian PM Modi launches world's 'largest coronavirus vaccine drive'</a>

In the first vaccination drive, India is prioritising frontline workers including nurses and doctors.

"The disease separated people from their families, kept mothers away from their children, and those who died of the disease couldn't even get a final goodbye from their families," Modi said in an emotional address.

Modi’s top coronavirus advisor, along with AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria also received the jab. India’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan was also present at the spot.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/coronavirus-in-india-165714-people-vaccinated-today-says-health-ministry-357156" hreflang="en">Coronavirus in India: 165,714 people vaccinated today, says health ministry</a> 
 
India is the world’s second-most populous country with 1.4 billion people. Around 10.5 million people have been affected by COVID-19 in the country. 151,000 people have succumbed to the virus. 
India is currently deploying two vaccines - one based on Oxford/AstraZeneca, and the other developed by India’s Bharat Biotech. People will not be able to choose the vaccine they want.&nbsp;

Both of these vaccines are being produced in India, with the goal of inoculating 30 million healthcare workers.

On Saturday - January 16, India began the world’s largest immunisation programme against COVID-19. A sanitation worker become the country’s first person to receive the vaccine on Saturday.

On Saturday - January 16, India began the world’s largest immunisation programme against COVID-19. A sanitation worker become the country’s first person to receive the vaccine on Saturday. Manish Kumar, who received the shot at Delhi’s All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), said that “everyone should go for it”. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the vaccination drive on Saturday to bring down the numbers in the world’s second hardest hit country. AIIMS is one of 3,006 vaccination centres set up by the government across the country. "The vaccine will give me strength and motivation to serve my hospital which has been at the forefront of taking care of coronavirus patients," Kumar said. "Since I'm feeling relieved after taking the vaccine, I think everyone should go for it”, Reuters reported him as saying. Also read: Indian PM Modi launches world's 'largest coronavirus vaccine drive' In the first vaccination drive, India is prioritising frontline workers including nurses and doctors. "The disease separated people from their families, kept mothers away from their children, and those who died of the disease couldn't even get a final goodbye from their families," Modi said in an emotional address. Modi’s top coronavirus advisor, along with AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria also received the jab. India’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan was also present at the spot. Also read: Coronavirus in India: 165,714 people vaccinated today, says health ministry India is the world’s second-most populous country with 1.4 billion people. Around 10.5 million people have been affected by COVID-19 in the country. 151,000 people have succumbed to the virus. India is currently deploying two vaccines - one based on Oxford/AstraZeneca, and the other developed by India’s Bharat Biotech. People will not be able to choose the vaccine they want. Both of these vaccines are being produced in India, with the goal of inoculating 30 million healthcare workers.

First person to receive COVID-19 vaccine in India urges everyone to 'go for it'

The build-up to next month`s Australian Open was thrown into disarray on Saturday when 47 players were forced into two weeks of strict hotel quarantine after coronavirus infections were reported on two chartered flights carrying them to Melbourne. 
 
Two dozen players and their staff landed from Los Angeles to go into quarantine after an aircrew member and a passenger, who was not a player, tested positive for COVID-19. 
 
A further 23 players arriving by a chartered flight from Abu Dhabi met a similar fate after another non-player passenger was found positive, the organisers of the year`s first grand slam said in a statement. 
 
The players will "not be able to leave their hotel rooms for 14 days and until they are medically cleared," they said. 
 
"They will not be eligible to practise." 
 
Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas, Mexico`s Santiago Gonzalez and New Zealander Artemis Sitak confirmed via social media that they were on the flight from Los Angeles. 
 
According to local media, two-time champion Victoria Azarenka, American former U.S. Open winner Sloane Stephens and Japan`s Kei Nishikori were also on the flight. 
 
Another player reportedly on the same plane was Tennys Sandgren, who was granted special permission to travel from Los Angeles late last week after testing positive for the new coronavirus, which he had previously had. 
 
Tennis Australia said in a statement the decision to allow Sandgren to fly had been made after a review by medical officials. A spokesperson for COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria said it was common among people who previously tested positive to "shed viral fragments for some time - which can trigger another positive result". 
 
Tournament director Craig Tiley said: "We are communicating with everyone on this flight, and particularly the playing group whose conditions have now changed, to ensure their needs are being catered to as much as possible." 
 
Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk said that she was on the flight from Abu Dhabi. 
 
Several players took to social media to vent their frustration and resentment at being denied training. 
 
"Weeks and weeks of practice and hard work going to waste for one person positive to Covid in a 3/4 empty plane. Sorry but this is insane," tweeted France`s Alize Cornet. 
 
Belgium`s Kirsten Flipkens criticised the decision to quarantine all the players on the flight, calling it "Russian roulette". 
 
New Zealand`s Sitak said it was "obviously not great" but he was aware of the risks ahead, and he appeared relaxed about being grounded in his hotel room. 
 
"I asked for a bike, so hopefully I`ll get one and stay in shape, and we`ll probably be out on the 29th of January," the 34-year-old said in a video on his Instagram page. 
 
He later posted a photo of his exercise bike saying "got this beauty". 
 
After the organisers found themselves on the receiving end of many players` wrath, Azarenka sounded a different note. 
 
"If you have time to whine then you have time to find solution," the Belarusian tweeted. 
 
Australia has agreed to accept about 1,200 players, officials and staff on 15 flights for the major sporting event beginning on Feb. 8. 
&nbsp;

The build-up to next month`s Australian Open was thrown into disarray on Saturday when 47 players were forced into two weeks of strict hotel quarantine after coronavirus infections were reported on two chartered flights carrying them to Melbourne.

The build-up to next month`s Australian Open was thrown into disarray on Saturday when 47 players were forced into two weeks of strict hotel quarantine after coronavirus infections were reported on two chartered flights carrying them to Melbourne. Two dozen players and their staff landed from Los Angeles to go into quarantine after an aircrew member and a passenger, who was not a player, tested positive for COVID-19. A further 23 players arriving by a chartered flight from Abu Dhabi met a similar fate after another non-player passenger was found positive, the organisers of the year`s first grand slam said in a statement. The players will "not be able to leave their hotel rooms for 14 days and until they are medically cleared," they said. "They will not be eligible to practise." Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas, Mexico`s Santiago Gonzalez and New Zealander Artemis Sitak confirmed via social media that they were on the flight from Los Angeles. According to local media, two-time champion Victoria Azarenka, American former U.S. Open winner Sloane Stephens and Japan`s Kei Nishikori were also on the flight. Another player reportedly on the same plane was Tennys Sandgren, who was granted special permission to travel from Los Angeles late last week after testing positive for the new coronavirus, which he had previously had. Tennis Australia said in a statement the decision to allow Sandgren to fly had been made after a review by medical officials. A spokesperson for COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria said it was common among people who previously tested positive to "shed viral fragments for some time - which can trigger another positive result". Tournament director Craig Tiley said: "We are communicating with everyone on this flight, and particularly the playing group whose conditions have now changed, to ensure their needs are being catered to as much as possible." Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk said that she was on the flight from Abu Dhabi. Several players took to social media to vent their frustration and resentment at being denied training. "Weeks and weeks of practice and hard work going to waste for one person positive to Covid in a 3/4 empty plane. Sorry but this is insane," tweeted France`s Alize Cornet. Belgium`s Kirsten Flipkens criticised the decision to quarantine all the players on the flight, calling it "Russian roulette". New Zealand`s Sitak said it was "obviously not great" but he was aware of the risks ahead, and he appeared relaxed about being grounded in his hotel room. "I asked for a bike, so hopefully I`ll get one and stay in shape, and we`ll probably be out on the 29th of January," the 34-year-old said in a video on his Instagram page. He later posted a photo of his exercise bike saying "got this beauty". After the organisers found themselves on the receiving end of many players` wrath, Azarenka sounded a different note. "If you have time to whine then you have time to find solution," the Belarusian tweeted. Australia has agreed to accept about 1,200 players, officials and staff on 15 flights for the major sporting event beginning on Feb. 8.

Tennis: COVID cases on player flights leave Australian Open buildup in disarray

On New Year's Eve - President Xi Jinping declared China's victory over the Wuhan virus. But after 15 days, more than 22 million people are facing a lockdown in China.

Gravitas: China puts millions of people back under lockdown

AstraZeneca`s COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for emergency use in Pakistan, the health minister said on Saturday, making it the first coronavirus vaccine to get the green light for use in the South Asian country. 
 
Pakistan, which is in the midst of a second wave of coronavirus infections, has said it would procure more than a million doses of Sinopharm`s vaccine, but the Chinese vaccine has not yet been approved by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP). 
 
"DRAP granted emergency use authorisation to AstraZeneca`s COVID vaccine," the country`s health minister, Faisal Sultan, told Reuters. 
 
Pakistan is in the process of speaking to a number of vaccine makers, and Sultan said the country could get "in the range of tens of millions" of vaccine doses under an agreement with China`s CanSinoBio. 
 
The vaccine company`s Ad5-nCoV COVID-19 candidate is currently nearing completion of phase III clinical trials in Pakistan. 
 
Pakistan reported 2,432 new coronavirus infections and 45 deaths on Friday, taking the total number of cases to more than 516,000 and deaths close to 11,000.

AstraZeneca`s COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for emergency use in Pakistan, the health minister said on Saturday, making it the first coronavirus vaccine to get the green light for use in the South Asian country.

AstraZeneca`s COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for emergency use in Pakistan, the health minister said on Saturday, making it the first coronavirus vaccine to get the green light for use in the South Asian country. Pakistan, which is in the midst of a second wave of coronavirus infections, has said it would procure more than a million doses of Sinopharm`s vaccine, but the Chinese vaccine has not yet been approved by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP). "DRAP granted emergency use authorisation to AstraZeneca`s COVID vaccine," the country`s health minister, Faisal Sultan, told Reuters. Pakistan is in the process of speaking to a number of vaccine makers, and Sultan said the country could get "in the range of tens of millions" of vaccine doses under an agreement with China`s CanSinoBio. The vaccine company`s Ad5-nCoV COVID-19 candidate is currently nearing completion of phase III clinical trials in Pakistan. Pakistan reported 2,432 new coronavirus infections and 45 deaths on Friday, taking the total number of cases to more than 516,000 and deaths close to 11,000.

Pakistan approves AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use

The number of people who have tested positive for the new UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 in the country has climbed to 116, the Union Health Ministry said on Saturday.

"The total number of persons found infected with the new UK variant genome is 116," the ministry said.

All these persons have been kept in single-room isolation in designated healthcare facilities by respective state governments, the ministry earlier had said.

Their close contacts have also been put under quarantine. Comprehensive contact tracing has been initiated for co-travellers, family contacts and others. Genome sequencing on other specimens is going on, the ministry said.

The situation is under careful watch and regular advice is being provided to the states for enhanced surveillance, containment, testing and dispatch of samples to INSACOG (Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium) labs.

The presence of the new UK variant has already been reported by several countries including Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Sweden, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Japan, Lebanon and Singapore.

The number of people who have tested positive for the new UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 in the country has climbed to 116, the Union Health Ministry said on Saturday.

The number of people who have tested positive for the new UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 in the country has climbed to 116, the Union Health Ministry said on Saturday. "The total number of persons found infected with the new UK variant genome is 116," the ministry said. All these persons have been kept in single-room isolation in designated healthcare facilities by respective state governments, the ministry earlier had said. Their close contacts have also been put under quarantine. Comprehensive contact tracing has been initiated for co-travellers, family contacts and others. Genome sequencing on other specimens is going on, the ministry said. The situation is under careful watch and regular advice is being provided to the states for enhanced surveillance, containment, testing and dispatch of samples to INSACOG (Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium) labs. The presence of the new UK variant has already been reported by several countries including Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Sweden, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Japan, Lebanon and Singapore.

116 people infected with UK coronavirus variant in India 

Today is the biggest day for India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched World's biggest vaccination drive as India fight against the COVID-19. Virologist Michal Linal discusses more India's ambitious vaccination strategy.

3000 vaccination centers start inoculation today

The W.H.O team has landed in Wuhan to probe the origin of the virus. But China may not let the experts visit the Wuhan lab. What's more - China is rebranding Wuhan.

Gravitas: China tries to rebrand Wuhan

Brazil is the third-worst affected country in the world due to the coronavirus pandemic and the situation is getting worse. A new strain has been found in Brazil.

Health workers in the country's largest state are helpless. They are running short of oxygen.

The coronavirus has changed its shape again this time in Brazil. The four travellers who reached Tokyo with the virus were from Amazonas.&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-variant-already-in-uk-confirms-top-scientist-356937">Brazil variant already in UK, confirms top scientist</a>

The largest state in Brazil, where the coronavirus is mercilessly taking lives, has witnessed the death of six thousand people.&nbsp;

Now, there is a surge in the cases. One official has suggested the flare-up could be linked to the new variant. The outbreak is getting out of hand.

It could lead to a collapse of the local healthcare system. There is a shortage of everything. From healthcare workers to medical supplies. ICU beds and even oxygen.

The dead are being delivered to the graveyards day and night. With tractors being deployed to fill up the graves.

On Thursday, the families of the victims hit the streets. They claim their loved ones died — because hospitals ran out of oxygen. The situation on the ground is quite grim.

A woman shared this desperate plea for help on Twitter. Standing outside a clinic near the airport she said that the oxygen supplies have run out. The video ends with an appeal for more supplies.&nbsp;

Ultimately, Brazil's army sent in the essential supplies. Brazil’s vice-president tweeted photographs of the airlift. But for those who have already lost their loved ones. These actions — are simply too little and too late.

Brazil is the third-worst affected country in the world due to the coronavirus pandemic and the situation is getting worse. A new strain has been found in Brazil.

Brazil is the third-worst affected country in the world due to the coronavirus pandemic and the situation is getting worse. A new strain has been found in Brazil. Health workers in the country's largest state are helpless. They are running short of oxygen. The coronavirus has changed its shape again this time in Brazil. The four travellers who reached Tokyo with the virus were from Amazonas. Also read| Brazil variant already in UK, confirms top scientist The largest state in Brazil, where the coronavirus is mercilessly taking lives, has witnessed the death of six thousand people. Now, there is a surge in the cases. One official has suggested the flare-up could be linked to the new variant. The outbreak is getting out of hand. It could lead to a collapse of the local healthcare system. There is a shortage of everything. From healthcare workers to medical supplies. ICU beds and even oxygen. The dead are being delivered to the graveyards day and night. With tractors being deployed to fill up the graves. On Thursday, the families of the victims hit the streets. They claim their loved ones died — because hospitals ran out of oxygen. The situation on the ground is quite grim. A woman shared this desperate plea for help on Twitter. Standing outside a clinic near the airport she said that the oxygen supplies have run out. The video ends with an appeal for more supplies. Ultimately, Brazil's army sent in the essential supplies. Brazil’s vice-president tweeted photographs of the airlift. But for those who have already lost their loved ones. These actions — are simply too little and too late.

Brazil runs short of supplies as new COVID strain ravages Amazonas

Covid-19 vaccine deliveries to European Union nations by US Pharma group Pfizer will be delayed in coming one month because of works at the US Pharma firm's plant in Belgium, Germany's health ministry said Friday.

"At short notice, the EU Commission and, via it, the EU member states, were informed that Pfizer will not be able to fully meet the already promised delivery volume for the next three to four weeks due to modifications at the Puurs plant," the ministry said.

Pfizer said the renovation works were aimed at augmenting production capacity from mid-February, according to the ministry.

Pfizer limiting output so that it can upgrade production capacity to 2 billion vaccine doses per year from 1.3 billion currently.

(With inputs from agencies)

Covid-19 vaccine deliveries to European Union nations by US Pharma group Pfizer will be delayed in coming one month because of works at the US Pharma firm's plant in Belgium, Germany's health ministry said Friday.

Covid-19 vaccine deliveries to European Union nations by US Pharma group Pfizer will be delayed in coming one month because of works at the US Pharma firm's plant in Belgium, Germany's health ministry said Friday. "At short notice, the EU Commission and, via it, the EU member states, were informed that Pfizer will not be able to fully meet the already promised delivery volume for the next three to four weeks due to modifications at the Puurs plant," the ministry said. Pfizer said the renovation works were aimed at augmenting production capacity from mid-February, according to the ministry. Pfizer limiting output so that it can upgrade production capacity to 2 billion vaccine doses per year from 1.3 billion currently. (With inputs from agencies)

Covid-19: European Union's Pfizer vaccine deliveries to be delayed 'for next 3-4 weeks'

A bell rings in the convent of Saint Veronica Giuliani, in the medieval town of Citta di Castello, signalling a visitor.

Cloistered nuns feel more isolated in COVID-19 lockdown

Germany's economy shrank by 5.0% in 2020, less than expected and a smaller contraction than during the global financial crisis, as unprecedented government rescue and stimulus measures helped lessen the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Germany avoids record economic plunge in 2020 despite COVID-19 hit

People who have had COVID-19 are highly likely to have immunity to it for at least five months, the latest study over the virus has revealed. Watch this report.

WION Fineprint: Coronavirus infection provides as much immunity as vaccines

Responding to the request of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for Indian vaccines, a plane carrying two million doses of Covishield will leave for the country from Mumbai on Friday evening. The vaccine, Covishield (AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine) produced by India's serum institute of India, will help kick start Brazil's vaccination program next week. 
 
Meanwhile, Ministry of external affairs, when asked about the development said, "Vaccination process is just starting in India, too early to give a specific response on the supplies to other countries".

Adding,” We will take decision in this regard on due course and this may take some time". 
 
"To enable the immediate implementation of our National Immunization Program", the Brazilian President had written to Indian PM Modi requesting, "2 million doses of the immunizer produced by the Serum Institute of India".&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-bharat-biotech-to-supply-its-covid-19-vaccine-to-brazil-356520">Also read | India's Bharat Biotech to supply its Covid-19 vaccine to Brazil</a> 
 
He explained in the letter that, "Brazilian government has launched the National Immunization Program against Covid-19" and "Among the vaccines selected by the Brazilian government, are those from the Indian company Bharat Biotech International Limited (Covaxin) and AstraZeneca at the University of Oxford (Covishield), also produced by the Serum Institute of India."

Important to note that Brazil will be producing 100 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine by its national health institute/laboratory Fiocruz. Fiocruz is right now acquiring ready vaccines from the Serum Institute in India, one of the production centres for the vaccine.

Earlier this month, India's Bharat Biotech signed an agreement with Brazil's Precisa Medicamentos for Covaxin covid vaccine. A team from Precisa Medicamentos visited the Bharat Biotech facility in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad.&nbsp;

The company in a statement said, "In principle, it is understood between both parties that supplies of Covaxin to be prioritized for the public market, through a direct procurement by the Govt. of Brazil". Supplies to the private market would be based upon receipt of market authorization from ANVISA, the Brazilian regulatory authority.

India is known as the pharma capital of the world, a position it reaffirmed during the covid pandemic by sending HCQ and paracetamol to around 150 countries around the world. Indian PM has said that India's vaccine will be for humanity, with priority to the developing world and the neighbourhood.

Responding to the request of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for Indian vaccines, a plane carrying two million doses of Covishield will leave for the country from Mumbai on Friday evening.

Responding to the request of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for Indian vaccines, a plane carrying two million doses of Covishield will leave for the country from Mumbai on Friday evening. The vaccine, Covishield (AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine) produced by India's serum institute of India, will help kick start Brazil's vaccination program next week. Meanwhile, Ministry of external affairs, when asked about the development said, "Vaccination process is just starting in India, too early to give a specific response on the supplies to other countries". Adding,” We will take decision in this regard on due course and this may take some time". "To enable the immediate implementation of our National Immunization Program", the Brazilian President had written to Indian PM Modi requesting, "2 million doses of the immunizer produced by the Serum Institute of India". Also read | India's Bharat Biotech to supply its Covid-19 vaccine to Brazil He explained in the letter that, "Brazilian government has launched the National Immunization Program against Covid-19" and "Among the vaccines selected by the Brazilian government, are those from the Indian company Bharat Biotech International Limited (Covaxin) and AstraZeneca at the University of Oxford (Covishield), also produced by the Serum Institute of India." Important to note that Brazil will be producing 100 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine by its national health institute/laboratory Fiocruz. Fiocruz is right now acquiring ready vaccines from the Serum Institute in India, one of the production centres for the vaccine. Earlier this month, India's Bharat Biotech signed an agreement with Brazil's Precisa Medicamentos for Covaxin covid vaccine. A team from Precisa Medicamentos visited the Bharat Biotech facility in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad. The company in a statement said, "In principle, it is understood between both parties that supplies of Covaxin to be prioritized for the public market, through a direct procurement by the Govt. of Brazil". Supplies to the private market would be based upon receipt of market authorization from ANVISA, the Brazilian regulatory authority. India is known as the pharma capital of the world, a position it reaffirmed during the covid pandemic by sending HCQ and paracetamol to around 150 countries around the world. Indian PM has said that India's vaccine will be for humanity, with priority to the developing world and the neighbourhood.

Indian Covid-19 vaccines to kickstart Brazilian vaccination program

Due to the COVID pandemic, no foreign guest will be present at India's Republic Day parade, something that has been one of the highlights of the annual event celebrating the country's diversity at the heart of Delhi. 
&nbsp; 
Announcing the development, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, "Due to the global Covid 19 situation, it has been decided that this year there will not be a foreign head of state or head of govt as the chief guest at our republic day event".

India had extended an invite to UK PM Boris Johnson to be the guest at the Republic Day that had accepted and confirmed that he will be coming. But earlier this month he had informed the Indian PM of his inability to come due to the new strain of Covid virus that had emerged in the UK.&nbsp;

This is the 4th time in history that no foreign guest will be present at India's republic day.&nbsp;

The last time it had happened was in the year 1966, and before that in 1953 and 1952.

The choice of republic day guest showcases New Delhi's closeness with the country. Indian PM Modi had invited US President Barack Obama as the chief guest in 2015, which sent the message of growing ties Delhi Washington partnership.&nbsp;

In 2018, all members of the ASEAN grouping were invited, creating history since never before 10 heads of govt/states were present at the parade together.

Due to the COVID pandemic, no foreign guest will be present at India's Republic Day parade, something that has been one of the highlights of the annual event celebrating the country's diversity at the heart of Delhi.

Due to the COVID pandemic, no foreign guest will be present at India's Republic Day parade, something that has been one of the highlights of the annual event celebrating the country's diversity at the heart of Delhi. Announcing the development, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, "Due to the global Covid 19 situation, it has been decided that this year there will not be a foreign head of state or head of govt as the chief guest at our republic day event". India had extended an invite to UK PM Boris Johnson to be the guest at the Republic Day that had accepted and confirmed that he will be coming. But earlier this month he had informed the Indian PM of his inability to come due to the new strain of Covid virus that had emerged in the UK. This is the 4th time in history that no foreign guest will be present at India's republic day. The last time it had happened was in the year 1966, and before that in 1953 and 1952. The choice of republic day guest showcases New Delhi's closeness with the country. Indian PM Modi had invited US President Barack Obama as the chief guest in 2015, which sent the message of growing ties Delhi Washington partnership. In 2018, all members of the ASEAN grouping were invited, creating history since never before 10 heads of govt/states were present at the parade together.

Covid-19 shadow on 72nd Republic Day: No foreign head of state to attend the event

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday he was right to criticize the credibility of a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech that posted disappointing efficacy results in local trials.

On Tuesday, researchers in Sao Paulo state announced that the Chinese vaccine was 50.4% effective at preventing symptomatic infections in a local trial - barely enough for regulatory approval and well below the rate announced last week.

Bolsonaro, a far-right former army captain, is a longstanding China hawk. He has repeatedly criticized the Sinovac shot, which was being late-stage tested by Sao Paulo's Butantan Institute, as untrustworthy. He previously said his government would not buy the Chinese vaccine but later relented as a criticism of Brazil's vaccine rollout has grown.

Speaking to supporters outside his residence, Bolsonaro made light of Sinovac's trial results so far, saying he had been unfairly maligned for questioning the shot.

"This 50% is good, is it? All the (criticism) I got for my comments, and now they are seeing the truth. Four months of being lambasted because of the vaccine," he said.

Nonetheless, Bolsonaro said he had no role in greenlighting the Sinovac shot as it was up to federal health regulator Anvisa to decide on whether to approve it for use.

Last week, Brazil's government closed a deal with the Butantan Institute to buy up to 100 million doses of the Chinese vaccine. The government will receive an initial 46 million doses with another 54-million dose option later.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday he was right to criticize the credibility of a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech that posted disappointing efficacy results in local trials.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday he was right to criticize the credibility of a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech that posted disappointing efficacy results in local trials. On Tuesday, researchers in Sao Paulo state announced that the Chinese vaccine was 50.4% effective at preventing symptomatic infections in a local trial - barely enough for regulatory approval and well below the rate announced last week. Bolsonaro, a far-right former army captain, is a longstanding China hawk. He has repeatedly criticized the Sinovac shot, which was being late-stage tested by Sao Paulo's Butantan Institute, as untrustworthy. He previously said his government would not buy the Chinese vaccine but later relented as a criticism of Brazil's vaccine rollout has grown. Speaking to supporters outside his residence, Bolsonaro made light of Sinovac's trial results so far, saying he had been unfairly maligned for questioning the shot. "This 50% is good, is it? All the (criticism) I got for my comments, and now they are seeing the truth. Four months of being lambasted because of the vaccine," he said. Nonetheless, Bolsonaro said he had no role in greenlighting the Sinovac shot as it was up to federal health regulator Anvisa to decide on whether to approve it for use. Last week, Brazil's government closed a deal with the Butantan Institute to buy up to 100 million doses of the Chinese vaccine. The government will receive an initial 46 million doses with another 54-million dose option later.

Was right to question Chinese COVID-19 vaccine, says Brazil's Bolsonaro after disappointing results

The AAP government will provide coronavirus vaccine free to the people of Delhi if the Centre fails to do so, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday. He said he has already appealed to the Centre for ensuring free vaccination in the country since there are many people who may not afford the life-saving shot. "We will see what the Centre does.

If need be and the Centre does not provide the vaccine free of cost, we will make it available free of cost for the people of Delhi," he told reporters. The chief minister also appealed for not spreading rumours about the vaccine. "I understand that the Centre and our scientists have brought the vaccine following all the protocols and safeguards. So, there should not be any doubt and people should come forward for vaccination," he said.

Kejriwal said the coronavirus vaccine will be given first to healthcare and frontline workers, and he expressed hope it will provide relief to the people from the virus and the pain they suffered over the last one year.

The vaccination drive will begin in Delhi from Saturday at 89 centres.&nbsp;Around 51 lakh people, including health workers, frontline workers, those aged?50?years or above, and those with co-morbidities, will be covered under the first phase of vaccination in the national capital. Each person will be given two doses of the vaccine, and the government has estimated the requirement of 1.02 crore doses for the first phase of the vaccination in Delhi.

The Centre is bearing the cost of the first phase of vaccination of priority group people. Sources said over Rs 300 crore will be required to provide free COVID-19 vaccination to 1.5 crore people of around two crore population of Delhi. However, no information was immediately available from the Delhi government about the total number of people to be vaccinated and the expected funds needed for the same.

The AAP government will provide coronavirus vaccine free to the people of Delhi if the Centre fails to do so, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday. He said he has already appealed to the Centre for ensuring free vaccination in the country since there are many people who may not afford the life-saving shot.

The AAP government will provide coronavirus vaccine free to the people of Delhi if the Centre fails to do so, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday. He said he has already appealed to the Centre for ensuring free vaccination in the country since there are many people who may not afford the life-saving shot. "We will see what the Centre does. If need be and the Centre does not provide the vaccine free of cost, we will make it available free of cost for the people of Delhi," he told reporters. The chief minister also appealed for not spreading rumours about the vaccine. "I understand that the Centre and our scientists have brought the vaccine following all the protocols and safeguards. So, there should not be any doubt and people should come forward for vaccination," he said. Kejriwal said the coronavirus vaccine will be given first to healthcare and frontline workers, and he expressed hope it will provide relief to the people from the virus and the pain they suffered over the last one year. The vaccination drive will begin in Delhi from Saturday at 89 centres. Around 51 lakh people, including health workers, frontline workers, those aged?50?years or above, and those with co-morbidities, will be covered under the first phase of vaccination in the national capital. Each person will be given two doses of the vaccine, and the government has estimated the requirement of 1.02 crore doses for the first phase of the vaccination in Delhi. The Centre is bearing the cost of the first phase of vaccination of priority group people. Sources said over Rs 300 crore will be required to provide free COVID-19 vaccination to 1.5 crore people of around two crore population of Delhi. However, no information was immediately available from the Delhi government about the total number of people to be vaccinated and the expected funds needed for the same.

Will provide COVID-19 vaccine free to people of Delhi if Centre fails to do so: Kejriwal

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday claimed that the government is planning to move to a 24/7 vaccination programme as soon as possible, while adding that such plans were delayed owing to a limit in the supply of vaccine doses available in the country so far.

"We'll be going to 24/7 as soon as we can," Johnson told the parliament.

&nbsp;Johnson on Tuesday said that the United Kingdom is in "a race against time" to roll out COVID-19 vaccines as deaths hit record highs and hospitals ran out of oxygen, and his top medical adviser said the pandemic's worst weeks were imminent.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/boris-johnson-race-against-time-to-roll-out-coronavirus-vaccine-356151/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The next few weeks are going to be the worst weeks of this pandemic in terms of numbers into the NHS," Johnson said in an interview.

A new, more transmissible variant of the disease is now surging through the population, with one in 20 people in parts of London now infected, threatening to overwhelm the National Health Service (NHS) as hospitals fill up with patients.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/uk-pm-johnson-says-end-of-lockdown-in-england-will-be-slow-unwrapping-354863" hreflang="en">UK PM Johnson says end of lockdown in England will be slow unwrapping</a>

The death toll in the United Kingdom has been soaring and now stands in excess of 81,000, the world's fifth-highest official toll, while more than three million people have tested positive.

In a bid to get on top of the pandemic and to try to restore some degree of normality by the spring, Britain is rushing out its largest ever vaccination programme, with shots to be offered to about 15 million people by the middle of next month.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/uk-in-race-against-time-to-roll-out-coronavirus-vaccine-says-boris-johnson-356164" hreflang="en">UK in 'race against time' to roll out coronavirus vaccine, says Boris Johnson</a>

"It's a race against time because we can all see the threat that our NHS faces, the pressure it's under, the demand in intensive care units, the pressure on ventilated beds, even the shortage of oxygen in some places," Johnson said on a visit to a vaccination centre in Bristol, in southwest England.

"This is a very perilous moment. The worst thing now for us is to allow success in rolling out a vaccine programme to breed any kind of complacency about the state of the pandemic."

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday claimed that the government is planning to move to a 24/7 vaccination programme as soon as possible, while adding that such plans were delayed owing to a limit in the supply of vaccine doses available in the country so far.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday claimed that the government is planning to move to a 24/7 vaccination programme as soon as possible, while adding that such plans were delayed owing to a limit in the supply of vaccine doses available in the country so far. "We'll be going to 24/7 as soon as we can," Johnson told the parliament. Johnson on Tuesday said that the United Kingdom is in "a race against time" to roll out COVID-19 vaccines as deaths hit record highs and hospitals ran out of oxygen, and his top medical adviser said the pandemic's worst weeks were imminent. "The next few weeks are going to be the worst weeks of this pandemic in terms of numbers into the NHS," Johnson said in an interview. A new, more transmissible variant of the disease is now surging through the population, with one in 20 people in parts of London now infected, threatening to overwhelm the National Health Service (NHS) as hospitals fill up with patients. Also read: UK PM Johnson says end of lockdown in England will be slow unwrapping The death toll in the United Kingdom has been soaring and now stands in excess of 81,000, the world's fifth-highest official toll, while more than three million people have tested positive. In a bid to get on top of the pandemic and to try to restore some degree of normality by the spring, Britain is rushing out its largest ever vaccination programme, with shots to be offered to about 15 million people by the middle of next month. Also read: UK in 'race against time' to roll out coronavirus vaccine, says Boris Johnson "It's a race against time because we can all see the threat that our NHS faces, the pressure it's under, the demand in intensive care units, the pressure on ventilated beds, even the shortage of oxygen in some places," Johnson said on a visit to a vaccination centre in Bristol, in southwest England. "This is a very perilous moment. The worst thing now for us is to allow success in rolling out a vaccine programme to breed any kind of complacency about the state of the pandemic."

Will move to 24/7 vaccinations soon, says UK PM Boris Johnson

Team Great Britain's Chef de Mission Mark England on Wednesday said that he was confident that Tokyo Olympics will take place this year despite a surge in COVID-19 cases.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/iocs-senior-official-says-tokyo-olympics-uncertain-due-to-coronavirus-surge-355388" hreflang="en">IOC's senior official says Tokyo Olympics uncertain due to coronavirus surge</a>

"We are hugely confident of the Games going ahead in the summer," he told Reuters after announcing the selection of four shooting competitors.

"We certainly wouldn't be announcing athletes if that wasn't the case."

The Games were postponed last year due to the novel coronavirus, and this year the Olympics are scheduled to be held between July 23 to August 8. However, Japan announced a state of emergency that has expanded to areas in Tokyo with the surge in COVID-19 in the Asian country.&nbsp;

England, who sits on an International Olympic Committee (IOC) working group, said the Games would look different with "incredibly comprehensive" health and safety protocols to protect athletes.

Recently, a Kyodo News poll showed around that 80 per cent of Japanese want the Tokyo Olympics to either be cancelled or delayed after a surge in coronavirus cases.

According to the survey, 35.3 per cent want the Games to be cancelled and 44.8 per cent favoured another delay. The Olympics were scheduled to be held last year but was postponed due to coronavirus pandemic and is scheduled to be held between July 23-August 8 in Tokyo.&nbsp;

On Thursday, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared a state of emergency on greater Tokyo and could extend the measure to other areas as Japan struggles to contain a surge in infections.

The Japanese Prime Minister has been criticised and his support ratings have tumbled for his handling of the pandemic since he succeeded Abe in September. Suga's cabinet's approval rate slid 9 points from a month earlier to 41.3 per cent with the disapproval rate at 42.8 per cent, the Kyodo survey showed.

About 79 per cent said Suga's decision to call the state of emergency for Tokyo came too late and 68 per cent were dissatisfied with the government's response to the pandemic, the survey found.

(Inputs from Reuters)

Team Great Britain's Chef de Mission Mark England on Wednesday said that he was confident that Tokyo Olympics will take place this year despite a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Team Great Britain's Chef de Mission Mark England on Wednesday said that he was confident that Tokyo Olympics will take place this year despite a surge in COVID-19 cases. ALSO READ: IOC's senior official says Tokyo Olympics uncertain due to coronavirus surge "We are hugely confident of the Games going ahead in the summer," he told Reuters after announcing the selection of four shooting competitors. "We certainly wouldn't be announcing athletes if that wasn't the case." The Games were postponed last year due to the novel coronavirus, and this year the Olympics are scheduled to be held between July 23 to August 8. However, Japan announced a state of emergency that has expanded to areas in Tokyo with the surge in COVID-19 in the Asian country. England, who sits on an International Olympic Committee (IOC) working group, said the Games would look different with "incredibly comprehensive" health and safety protocols to protect athletes. Recently, a Kyodo News poll showed around that 80 per cent of Japanese want the Tokyo Olympics to either be cancelled or delayed after a surge in coronavirus cases. According to the survey, 35.3 per cent want the Games to be cancelled and 44.8 per cent favoured another delay. The Olympics were scheduled to be held last year but was postponed due to coronavirus pandemic and is scheduled to be held between July 23-August 8 in Tokyo. On Thursday, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared a state of emergency on greater Tokyo and could extend the measure to other areas as Japan struggles to contain a surge in infections. The Japanese Prime Minister has been criticised and his support ratings have tumbled for his handling of the pandemic since he succeeded Abe in September. Suga's cabinet's approval rate slid 9 points from a month earlier to 41.3 per cent with the disapproval rate at 42.8 per cent, the Kyodo survey showed. About 79 per cent said Suga's decision to call the state of emergency for Tokyo came too late and 68 per cent were dissatisfied with the government's response to the pandemic, the survey found. (Inputs from Reuters)

Team Great Britain 'confident' that Tokyo Olympics will take place

As millions are inoculated against the coronavirus, and the pandemic’s end finally seems to glimmer into view, scientists are envisioning what a postvaccine world might look like — and what they see is comforting.

The coronavirus is here to stay, but once most adults are immune — following natural infection or vaccination — the virus will be no more of a threat than the common cold, according to a study published in the journal Science on Tuesday.

The virus is a grim menace now because it is an unfamiliar pathogen that can overwhelm the adult immune system, which has not been trained to fight it. That will no longer be the case once everyone has been exposed to either the virus or vaccine.

Children, on the other hand, are constantly challenged by pathogens that are new to their bodies, and that is one reason they are more adept than adults at fending off the coronavirus. Eventually, the study suggests, the virus will be of concern only in children younger than 5, subjecting even them to mere sniffles — or no symptoms at all.

In other words, the coronavirus will become “endemic,” a pathogen that circulates at low levels and only rarely causes serious illness.

“The timing of how long it takes to get to this sort of endemic state depends on how quickly the disease is spreading, and how quickly vaccination is rolled out,” said Jennie Lavine, a postdoctoral fellow at Emory University in Atlanta, who led the study.

“So really, the name of the game is getting everyone exposed for the first time to the vaccine as quickly as possible.”

Lavine and her colleagues looked to the six other human coronaviruses — four that cause the common cold, plus the SARS and MERS viruses — for clues to the fate of the new pathogen.

The four common cold coronaviruses are endemic, and produce only mild symptoms. Severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome, which surfaced in 2003 and 2012, respectively, made people severely ill, but they did not spread widely.

While all of these coronaviruses produce a similar immune response, the new virus is most similar to the endemic common cold coronaviruses, Lavine and her colleagues hypothesized.

Re-analyzing data from a previous study, they found that the first infection with common cold coronaviruses occurs on average at 3 to 5 years of age. After that age, people may become infected again and again, boosting their immunity and keeping the viruses circulating. But they don’t become ill.

The researchers foresee a similar future for the new coronavirus.

Depending on how fast the virus spreads, and on the strength and longevity of the immune response, it would take a few years to decades of natural infections for the coronavirus to become endemic, Lavine said.

Without a vaccine, the fastest path to endemic status is also the worst. The price for population immunity would be widespread illness and death along the way.

Vaccines completely alter that calculus. The faster people can be immunized, the better. An efficient vaccination rollout could shorten the timeline to a year, or even just six months, for the coronavirus to become an endemic infection.

Still, the vaccines are unlikely to eradicate the coronavirus, Lavine predicted. The virus will become a permanent, albeit more benign, inhabitant in our environment.

Other experts said this scenario was not just plausible but likely.

“The overall intellectual construct of the paper I fully agree with,” said Shane Crotty, a virus expert at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in San Diego.

If the vaccines prevent people from transmitting the virus, “then it becomes a lot more like the measles scenario, where you vaccinate everybody, including kids, and you really don’t see the virus infecting people anymore,” Crotty said.

It is more plausible that the vaccines will prevent illness — but not necessarily infection and transmission, he added. And that means the coronavirus will continue to circulate.

“It’s unlikely that the vaccines we have right now are going to provide sterilizing immunity,” the kind needed to prevent infection, said Jennifer Gommerman, an immunologist at the University of Toronto.

Natural infection with the coronavirus produces a strong immune response in the nose and throat. But with the current vaccines, Gommerman said, “you’re not getting a natural immune response in the actual upper respiratory tract, you’re getting an injection in the arm.” That raises the likelihood that infections will still occur, even after vaccination.

Ultimately, Lavine’s model rests on the assumption that the new coronavirus is similar to the common cold coronaviruses. But that assumption may not hold up, cautioned Marc Lipsitch, a public health researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

“Other coronavirus infections may or may not be applicable, because we haven’t seen what those coronaviruses can do to an older, naive person,” Lipsitch said. (Naive refers to an adult whose immune system has not been exposed to the virus.)

Another plausible scenario, he said, is that the virus may come to resemble the seasonal flu, which is mild some years and more lethal in others. New variants of the coronavirus that evade the immune response may also complicate the picture.

“Their prediction of it’s becoming like common cold coronaviruses is where I’d put a lot of my money,” Lipsitch said. “But I don’t think it’s absolutely guaranteed.”

When and how the common cold coronaviruses first appeared is a mystery, but since the emergence of the new coronavirus, some scientists have revisited a theory that a pandemic in 1890, which killed about 1 million people worldwide, may have been caused by OC-43, one of the four common cold coronaviruses.

“People have suggested that the human population developed a low-grade, broad immunity to OC-43 that terminated the pandemic,” said Andre Veillette, an immunologist at Montreal Clinical Research Institute in Canada. “This coronavirus currently broadly circulates in the community in a rather peaceful way.”

As millions are inoculated against the coronavirus, and the pandemic’s end finally seems to glimmer into view, scientists are envisioning what a postvaccine world might look like — and what they see is comforting.

As millions are inoculated against the coronavirus, and the pandemic’s end finally seems to glimmer into view, scientists are envisioning what a postvaccine world might look like — and what they see is comforting. The coronavirus is here to stay, but once most adults are immune — following natural infection or vaccination — the virus will be no more of a threat than the common cold, according to a study published in the journal Science on Tuesday. The virus is a grim menace now because it is an unfamiliar pathogen that can overwhelm the adult immune system, which has not been trained to fight it. That will no longer be the case once everyone has been exposed to either the virus or vaccine. Children, on the other hand, are constantly challenged by pathogens that are new to their bodies, and that is one reason they are more adept than adults at fending off the coronavirus. Eventually, the study suggests, the virus will be of concern only in children younger than 5, subjecting even them to mere sniffles — or no symptoms at all. In other words, the coronavirus will become “endemic,” a pathogen that circulates at low levels and only rarely causes serious illness. “The timing of how long it takes to get to this sort of endemic state depends on how quickly the disease is spreading, and how quickly vaccination is rolled out,” said Jennie Lavine, a postdoctoral fellow at Emory University in Atlanta, who led the study. “So really, the name of the game is getting everyone exposed for the first time to the vaccine as quickly as possible.” Lavine and her colleagues looked to the six other human coronaviruses — four that cause the common cold, plus the SARS and MERS viruses — for clues to the fate of the new pathogen. The four common cold coronaviruses are endemic, and produce only mild symptoms. Severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome, which surfaced in 2003 and 2012, respectively, made people severely ill, but they did not spread widely. While all of these coronaviruses produce a similar immune response, the new virus is most similar to the endemic common cold coronaviruses, Lavine and her colleagues hypothesized. Re-analyzing data from a previous study, they found that the first infection with common cold coronaviruses occurs on average at 3 to 5 years of age. After that age, people may become infected again and again, boosting their immunity and keeping the viruses circulating. But they don’t become ill. The researchers foresee a similar future for the new coronavirus. Depending on how fast the virus spreads, and on the strength and longevity of the immune response, it would take a few years to decades of natural infections for the coronavirus to become endemic, Lavine said. Without a vaccine, the fastest path to endemic status is also the worst. The price for population immunity would be widespread illness and death along the way. Vaccines completely alter that calculus. The faster people can be immunized, the better. An efficient vaccination rollout could shorten the timeline to a year, or even just six months, for the coronavirus to become an endemic infection. Still, the vaccines are unlikely to eradicate the coronavirus, Lavine predicted. The virus will become a permanent, albeit more benign, inhabitant in our environment. Other experts said this scenario was not just plausible but likely. “The overall intellectual construct of the paper I fully agree with,” said Shane Crotty, a virus expert at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in San Diego. If the vaccines prevent people from transmitting the virus, “then it becomes a lot more like the measles scenario, where you vaccinate everybody, including kids, and you really don’t see the virus infecting people anymore,” Crotty said. It is more plausible that the vaccines will prevent illness — but not necessarily infection and transmission, he added. And that means the coronavirus will continue to circulate. “It’s unlikely that the vaccines we have right now are going to provide sterilizing immunity,” the kind needed to prevent infection, said Jennifer Gommerman, an immunologist at the University of Toronto. Natural infection with the coronavirus produces a strong immune response in the nose and throat. But with the current vaccines, Gommerman said, “you’re not getting a natural immune response in the actual upper respiratory tract, you’re getting an injection in the arm.” That raises the likelihood that infections will still occur, even after vaccination. Ultimately, Lavine’s model rests on the assumption that the new coronavirus is similar to the common cold coronaviruses. But that assumption may not hold up, cautioned Marc Lipsitch, a public health researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. “Other coronavirus infections may or may not be applicable, because we haven’t seen what those coronaviruses can do to an older, naive person,” Lipsitch said. (Naive refers to an adult whose immune system has not been exposed to the virus.) Another plausible scenario, he said, is that the virus may come to resemble the seasonal flu, which is mild some years and more lethal in others. New variants of the coronavirus that evade the immune response may also complicate the picture. “Their prediction of it’s becoming like common cold coronaviruses is where I’d put a lot of my money,” Lipsitch said. “But I don’t think it’s absolutely guaranteed.” When and how the common cold coronaviruses first appeared is a mystery, but since the emergence of the new coronavirus, some scientists have revisited a theory that a pandemic in 1890, which killed about 1 million people worldwide, may have been caused by OC-43, one of the four common cold coronaviruses. “People have suggested that the human population developed a low-grade, broad immunity to OC-43 that terminated the pandemic,” said Andre Veillette, an immunologist at Montreal Clinical Research Institute in Canada. “This coronavirus currently broadly circulates in the community in a rather peaceful way.”

The future of the coronavirus? An annoying childhood infection

Nepal foreign minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali will be on a 3-day India visit from tomorrow with a focus on procuring COVID vaccines from India. Nepal wants 20% or around 12 million doses of Covid vaccines from India. He will be meeting India's external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar as part of the 6th Nepal-India joint commission meet for which the invite was extended last year.

A release by Nepal foreign ministry, "The Joint Commission Meeting will discuss the whole gamut of Nepal-India bilateral relations, including trade, transit, energy, boundary, COVID-19 cooperation, infrastructure, connectivity, investment, agriculture, tourism, culture, among others."

The joint commission meeting, which alternates between the 2 countries, takes place in New Delhi this year. The Fifth Joint Commission Meeting was held in August 2019 in Kathmandu with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visiting the country. The Nepali delegation will consist of the Nepali envoy to India, Foreign Secretary, Health Secretary, and other senior officials of the Government of Nepal.

Last year saw 3 high-level visits from Delhi to Nepal. These include the visit of India's intelligence chief, followed by the Indian army chief, and then by the visit of the foreign secretary.

This is the first high-level visit from Kathmandu in over a year and comes in the backdrop of India Nepal row over the new map issued by the Oli government. The new Nepali map showed Indian territories of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as Nepali territories drawing the ire of New Delhi which dismissed the "Unjustified Cartographic Assertion'. He will be the first foreign minister to visit Delhi this year.

While the map row did impact the political ties, the focus on people to people relations continued. India has been involved in a number of projects in the country and plans to operationalize Jayanagar-Kurtha cross-border rail line. Earlier both countries inaugurated the Motihari–Amlekhgunj petroleum pipeline, the first cross country pipeline in south Asia. The pipeline can carry two million metric tonnes of petroleum products into Nepal and so far has led to a saving of over 800 million Nepali rupees.

Nepal foreign minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali will be on a 3-day India visit from tomorrow with a focus on procuring COVID vaccines from India. Nepal wants 20% or around 12 million doses of Covid vaccines from India.

Nepal foreign minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali will be on a 3-day India visit from tomorrow with a focus on procuring COVID vaccines from India. Nepal wants 20% or around 12 million doses of Covid vaccines from India. He will be meeting India's external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar as part of the 6th Nepal-India joint commission meet for which the invite was extended last year. A release by Nepal foreign ministry, "The Joint Commission Meeting will discuss the whole gamut of Nepal-India bilateral relations, including trade, transit, energy, boundary, COVID-19 cooperation, infrastructure, connectivity, investment, agriculture, tourism, culture, among others." The joint commission meeting, which alternates between the 2 countries, takes place in New Delhi this year. The Fifth Joint Commission Meeting was held in August 2019 in Kathmandu with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visiting the country. The Nepali delegation will consist of the Nepali envoy to India, Foreign Secretary, Health Secretary, and other senior officials of the Government of Nepal. Last year saw 3 high-level visits from Delhi to Nepal. These include the visit of India's intelligence chief, followed by the Indian army chief, and then by the visit of the foreign secretary. This is the first high-level visit from Kathmandu in over a year and comes in the backdrop of India Nepal row over the new map issued by the Oli government. The new Nepali map showed Indian territories of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as Nepali territories drawing the ire of New Delhi which dismissed the "Unjustified Cartographic Assertion'. He will be the first foreign minister to visit Delhi this year. While the map row did impact the political ties, the focus on people to people relations continued. India has been involved in a number of projects in the country and plans to operationalize Jayanagar-Kurtha cross-border rail line. Earlier both countries inaugurated the Motihari–Amlekhgunj petroleum pipeline, the first cross country pipeline in south Asia. The pipeline can carry two million metric tonnes of petroleum products into Nepal and so far has led to a saving of over 800 million Nepali rupees.

With procurement of Covid vaccine in focus, Nepal FM to visit Delhi from tomorrow

In India, the community around us has always played an integral part in our lives. We live in a people-centric culture, where every occasion and emotion must be shared with those around us. Our parents and grandparents grew up in an India where neighbours arrived unannounced to chat over a cup of steaming hot tea or simply flaunt their latest buy from the neighbourhood sari shop. Generations lived together under one roof with children sharing rooms not just with siblings but cousins too.&nbsp;

However, with time things have changed.

Joint families that were once a norm, have been replaced with nuclear families and empty nester households. Better prospects and opportunities have led the younger generation to settle down in different cities and countries with family reunions restricted to 2 weeks of paid leave.

Though India’s elderly have gracefully accepted the changing social and cultural environment, a lot of them still struggle to reconcile the values that they grew up witnessing, with the new age more individualistic culture of the ‘younger India’.

While summer and winter vacations spent at family homes was a norm for India’s silver generation, they are now often forced to celebrate even Diwali alone in the quiet companionship of their aging spouse as their children choose to vacation abroad.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/real-thing-or-placebo-my-covid-19-vaccine-odyssey-continues-350633">Real thing or placebo? My COVID-19 vaccine odyssey continues</a>

Despite, the elders acknowledging the reasons for the changing social fabric, the looming shadows of loneliness and isolation begin to quietly creep up and fill those empty corners of the house.

This is a generation that is used to building their lives around their families, especially their children, making the sense of isolation even deeper. However, this is also the generation that has lived through some of the most challenging and revolutionary times and has successfully adapted itself with sheer grit and resilience.

Thus, when faced with even more challenging and trying times such as the ongoing pandemic, they have successfully rallied together to create communities that empower them to repurpose and lead fuller lives.&nbsp;

Alka Sharma, a 65-year-old retired teacher, residing in Vasant Vihar, suddenly woke up to the faint smell of smoke. She walked around the house and found intermittent sparks arising from her main switchboard. Mr Sharma was away visiting their son Amit in Canada and now unable to return as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

Mrs Sharma immediately remembered Amit’s instructions to press the emergency button on her senior citizens app that he had recently installed on her phone.

Simultaneously she sent a message out to her Vasant Vihar morning walk group consisting of other senior citizens from her neighbourhood. Within minutes, she had the emergency service as well as 3 of her neighbours rushing to her home.

Mrs Mehta, Alka’s next-door neighbour and morning walk friend, helped her pack an overnight bag, and stayed by her side all night while she calmed her worried husband and son sitting miles away. The next few days were spent relishing hot cups of tea, with her neighbours and morning walk friends who stopped by to make sure she was safe and well.

India’s elderly are bound by a common thread of their collective experiences and have learnt to harness this power of togetherness through various groups and communities that they have formed and nurtured, especially during these last few challenging months.

This generation has successfully embraced the world of technology to find avenues to stay connected with family and friend and re-discover that feeling of togetherness while pursuing their own interests and hobbies.

Whether it is video calls with the grandchildren or attending neighbourhood Diwali parties through Zoom or Google Meet, India’s senior citizens, especially those residing in urban areas, are cherishing the time spent with family and friends even if it is restricted to virtual platforms.

The lockdown served as a catalyst encouraging the elderly to explore the world of social media and stay updated with the outside world. Some of them rediscovered old friendships while others chanced upon various groups created by and for senior citizens.&nbsp;

Many became active on WhatsApp and joined the numerous groups created to allow seniors to feel connected with each other despite the limitations of physical distance.

From morning yoga sessions to afternoon cooking demos, this senior citizen-focussed communities, ensure a fulfilling daily schedule that is both engaging and relaxing for its members. Besides, as active members of these communities, the elders continue to feel as Independent contributors to society while experiencing the warmth of companionship and togetherness.

The various health apps have also played an integral role in allowing elders to stay safe and fit in the comfort of their home while creating an ecosystem that takes care of their physical and emotional well –being.

Regular check-in calls and prompt emergency services give elders as well as their children staying away from home, the sense of security that one desires from their community.&nbsp;

The pandemic has been particularly difficult for India’s elderly. As the more vulnerable targets of this dreaded virus, the senior citizens have been forced to re-envision a new world within the four walls of their homes.

However, it has encouraged them to embrace a whole new virtual world and community that can be accessed at the tip of a button. They are no longer restricted by physical distance as they reconnect with old friends and forge new relationships.

Ruchika Club in South Mumbai has hundreds of women over 65, join in every week for an exciting new virtual workshop on international cuisine. The clubs in Gurgaon are hosting virtual bingo nights for their senior citizen members, while condominiums are hosting virtual entertainment evenings hosted by the senior citizens residing in the society.

India’s elderly have always believed in the power of the community, but now with the help of technology they are once again able to enjoy that same feeling of belonging and togetherness from the comfort of their own homes.

In India, the community around us has always played an integral part in our lives. We live in a people-centric culture, where every occasion and emotion must be shared with those around us.

In India, the community around us has always played an integral part in our lives. We live in a people-centric culture, where every occasion and emotion must be shared with those around us. Our parents and grandparents grew up in an India where neighbours arrived unannounced to chat over a cup of steaming hot tea or simply flaunt their latest buy from the neighbourhood sari shop. Generations lived together under one roof with children sharing rooms not just with siblings but cousins too. However, with time things have changed. Joint families that were once a norm, have been replaced with nuclear families and empty nester households. Better prospects and opportunities have led the younger generation to settle down in different cities and countries with family reunions restricted to 2 weeks of paid leave. Though India’s elderly have gracefully accepted the changing social and cultural environment, a lot of them still struggle to reconcile the values that they grew up witnessing, with the new age more individualistic culture of the ‘younger India’. While summer and winter vacations spent at family homes was a norm for India’s silver generation, they are now often forced to celebrate even Diwali alone in the quiet companionship of their aging spouse as their children choose to vacation abroad. Also Read | Real thing or placebo? My COVID-19 vaccine odyssey continues Despite, the elders acknowledging the reasons for the changing social fabric, the looming shadows of loneliness and isolation begin to quietly creep up and fill those empty corners of the house. This is a generation that is used to building their lives around their families, especially their children, making the sense of isolation even deeper. However, this is also the generation that has lived through some of the most challenging and revolutionary times and has successfully adapted itself with sheer grit and resilience. Thus, when faced with even more challenging and trying times such as the ongoing pandemic, they have successfully rallied together to create communities that empower them to repurpose and lead fuller lives. Alka Sharma, a 65-year-old retired teacher, residing in Vasant Vihar, suddenly woke up to the faint smell of smoke. She walked around the house and found intermittent sparks arising from her main switchboard. Mr Sharma was away visiting their son Amit in Canada and now unable to return as a result of the ongoing pandemic. Mrs Sharma immediately remembered Amit’s instructions to press the emergency button on her senior citizens app that he had recently installed on her phone. Simultaneously she sent a message out to her Vasant Vihar morning walk group consisting of other senior citizens from her neighbourhood. Within minutes, she had the emergency service as well as 3 of her neighbours rushing to her home. Mrs Mehta, Alka’s next-door neighbour and morning walk friend, helped her pack an overnight bag, and stayed by her side all night while she calmed her worried husband and son sitting miles away. The next few days were spent relishing hot cups of tea, with her neighbours and morning walk friends who stopped by to make sure she was safe and well. India’s elderly are bound by a common thread of their collective experiences and have learnt to harness this power of togetherness through various groups and communities that they have formed and nurtured, especially during these last few challenging months. This generation has successfully embraced the world of technology to find avenues to stay connected with family and friend and re-discover that feeling of togetherness while pursuing their own interests and hobbies. Whether it is video calls with the grandchildren or attending neighbourhood Diwali parties through Zoom or Google Meet, India’s senior citizens, especially those residing in urban areas, are cherishing the time spent with family and friends even if it is restricted to virtual platforms. The lockdown served as a catalyst encouraging the elderly to explore the world of social media and stay updated with the outside world. Some of them rediscovered old friendships while others chanced upon various groups created by and for senior citizens. Many became active on WhatsApp and joined the numerous groups created to allow seniors to feel connected with each other despite the limitations of physical distance. From morning yoga sessions to afternoon cooking demos, this senior citizen-focussed communities, ensure a fulfilling daily schedule that is both engaging and relaxing for its members. Besides, as active members of these communities, the elders continue to feel as Independent contributors to society while experiencing the warmth of companionship and togetherness. The various health apps have also played an integral role in allowing elders to stay safe and fit in the comfort of their home while creating an ecosystem that takes care of their physical and emotional well –being. Regular check-in calls and prompt emergency services give elders as well as their children staying away from home, the sense of security that one desires from their community. The pandemic has been particularly difficult for India’s elderly. As the more vulnerable targets of this dreaded virus, the senior citizens have been forced to re-envision a new world within the four walls of their homes. However, it has encouraged them to embrace a whole new virtual world and community that can be accessed at the tip of a button. They are no longer restricted by physical distance as they reconnect with old friends and forge new relationships. Ruchika Club in South Mumbai has hundreds of women over 65, join in every week for an exciting new virtual workshop on international cuisine. The clubs in Gurgaon are hosting virtual bingo nights for their senior citizen members, while condominiums are hosting virtual entertainment evenings hosted by the senior citizens residing in the society. India’s elderly have always believed in the power of the community, but now with the help of technology they are once again able to enjoy that same feeling of belonging and togetherness from the comfort of their own homes.

Strong community bonds shine through like a ray of hope for India’s elderly

The hidden corners of world wide web, commonly known as the "dark web" host bizarre things, as is famous among people who seek what is not easily available on the regular web. Now, sellers on the dark side of the internet are capitalising on pandemic panic and scamming people seeking vaccines. 
 
Sellers have put up advertisements for coronavirus vaccines. Payment for these transactions may only be made in bitcoin. However, the goods do not get delivered to the buyer, as media reports claim, attributing it to cybersecurity firm called "Check Point".

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To access the dark web, people require access to special software, which may be installed onto one's computers easily. Even then, the dark web is a dangerous place with no regulation mechanisms in place. People can easily buy drugs, weapons, and other illegal goods on the darknet.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/man-to-lose-usd-240-million-worth-bitcoins-if-he-gets-password-wrong-356402" hreflang="en">Man to lose USD 240 million worth bitcoins if he gets password wrong</a>

But as the pandemic intensifies, along with global plans to continue vaccinations, hackers are attempting to take advantage.

Search queries for vaccines undertaken by Check Point received 340 hits for advertisements across 34 pages. When the company had undertaken a similar exercise in December, only 8 pages of results were seen.&nbsp; 
 
The company published a report on Tuesday which highlighted the average price of vaccines which was $250 has gone up to $500, and in some cases even $1000.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/business-economy/bitcoin-all-questions-about-the-growing-cryptocurrency-answered-354928" hreflang="en">Bitcoin: All questions about the growing cryptocurrency - answered!</a>

The firm reached out to seller on the messaging application Telegram, placing an order for a vaccine dose. A vaccine made in China was on sale for $750 worth of bitcoin. Once the payment was made, and delivery address was shared, the seller deleted their account, with no package slated for delivery.

All vaccine-related listings require bitcoin as payment, the firm's report said. Bitcoin has been largely seen as an anonymous form of payment. But with time, it is getting easier to trace the cryptocurrency.

The hidden corners of world wide web, commonly known as the "dark web" host bizarre things, as is famous among people who seek what is not easily available on the regular web.

The hidden corners of world wide web, commonly known as the "dark web" host bizarre things, as is famous among people who seek what is not easily available on the regular web. Now, sellers on the dark side of the internet are capitalising on pandemic panic and scamming people seeking vaccines. Sellers have put up advertisements for coronavirus vaccines. Payment for these transactions may only be made in bitcoin. However, the goods do not get delivered to the buyer, as media reports claim, attributing it to cybersecurity firm called "Check Point". To access the dark web, people require access to special software, which may be installed onto one's computers easily. Even then, the dark web is a dangerous place with no regulation mechanisms in place. People can easily buy drugs, weapons, and other illegal goods on the darknet. Also read: Man to lose USD 240 million worth bitcoins if he gets password wrong But as the pandemic intensifies, along with global plans to continue vaccinations, hackers are attempting to take advantage. Search queries for vaccines undertaken by Check Point received 340 hits for advertisements across 34 pages. When the company had undertaken a similar exercise in December, only 8 pages of results were seen. The company published a report on Tuesday which highlighted the average price of vaccines which was $250 has gone up to $500, and in some cases even $1000. Also read: Bitcoin: All questions about the growing cryptocurrency - answered! The firm reached out to seller on the messaging application Telegram, placing an order for a vaccine dose. A vaccine made in China was on sale for $750 worth of bitcoin. Once the payment was made, and delivery address was shared, the seller deleted their account, with no package slated for delivery. All vaccine-related listings require bitcoin as payment, the firm's report said. Bitcoin has been largely seen as an anonymous form of payment. But with time, it is getting easier to trace the cryptocurrency.

Sellers on dark web promise vaccines. After charging $1000 in bitcoin, nothing is delivered.

Tesco, Asda and Waitrose will not let shoppers into their stores if they are not wearing a face covering, the British supermarket groups said on Tuesday, joining rivals Sainsbury`s and Morrisons which made the policy change a day earlier. 
 
With COVID-19 infection numbers rising sharply, the UK government has expressed concern about the spread of the virus in supermarkets, with some people breaching rules by not wearing masks while shopping. 
 
Non-essential retail, restaurants and bars are shut across Britain, leading to a high level of demand for supermarkets and other food stores. 
 
"To protect our customers and colleagues, we won’t let anyone into our stores who is not wearing a face covering, unless they are exempt in line with government guidance," market leader Tesco said in a statement. 
 
"Our colleagues are working hard in difficult circumstances to make sure everyone can get what they need, and we’d ask everyone to please be kind, patient and respectful as we all work to keep each other safe." 
 
Tesco said it was also asking customers to shop alone, unless they are a carer or with children. 
 
It has also put in additional security in stores to manage the change in stance. 
 
Asda issued a similar statement. It said if customers had forgotten a face covering, it would continue to offer them one free of charge. 
 
"But should a customer refuse to wear a covering without a valid medical reason and be in any way challenging to our colleagues about doing so - our security colleagues will refuse their entry," it said. 
 
The John Lewis Partnership also said face coverings would be mandatory at its Waitrose supermarkets. 
 
The British Retail Consortium, which represents more than 170 major retailers including the big supermarket groups, said on Monday it was the police`s responsibility to enforce face coverings and called for their support.

Tesco, Asda and Waitrose will not let shoppers into their stores if they are not wearing a face covering, the British supermarket groups said on Tuesday, joining rivals Sainsbury`s and Morrisons which made the policy change a day earlier.

Tesco, Asda and Waitrose will not let shoppers into their stores if they are not wearing a face covering, the British supermarket groups said on Tuesday, joining rivals Sainsbury`s and Morrisons which made the policy change a day earlier. With COVID-19 infection numbers rising sharply, the UK government has expressed concern about the spread of the virus in supermarkets, with some people breaching rules by not wearing masks while shopping. Non-essential retail, restaurants and bars are shut across Britain, leading to a high level of demand for supermarkets and other food stores. "To protect our customers and colleagues, we won’t let anyone into our stores who is not wearing a face covering, unless they are exempt in line with government guidance," market leader Tesco said in a statement. "Our colleagues are working hard in difficult circumstances to make sure everyone can get what they need, and we’d ask everyone to please be kind, patient and respectful as we all work to keep each other safe." Tesco said it was also asking customers to shop alone, unless they are a carer or with children. It has also put in additional security in stores to manage the change in stance. Asda issued a similar statement. It said if customers had forgotten a face covering, it would continue to offer them one free of charge. "But should a customer refuse to wear a covering without a valid medical reason and be in any way challenging to our colleagues about doing so - our security colleagues will refuse their entry," it said. The John Lewis Partnership also said face coverings would be mandatory at its Waitrose supermarkets. The British Retail Consortium, which represents more than 170 major retailers including the big supermarket groups, said on Monday it was the police`s responsibility to enforce face coverings and called for their support.

No mask, no shop - UK supermarkets insist on face coverings

Nothing is same after the outbreak of coronavirus, not even the way of paying obeisance to God.

'Sashtang pranam' or prostration before the deity is no longer allowed in Gujarat temples.

Instead, devotees can only bring their palms together to offer a`namaste'.

Carrying 'prasad' (offerings) inside the sanctum sanctorum is also not allowed in line with the standard operating protocol of the state government, authorities said.

Temples and other places of worship reopened in the state in June, 75 days after the lockdown came into effect.

"Sashtang pranam is not allowed as per the government guidelines.

No devotee is allowed to touch anything as per the SOP," said Vijaysinh Chavda, manager of the famous Somnath temple.

"People are allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum only for `darshan' to ensure minimum contact in view of the pandemic," he said.

Sashtang pranam or namaskar involves prostrating oneself in such a way that eight parts of the body touch the floor.

"No devotees are allowed entry in the temple for aarti which is performed thrice a day, and no more than five devotees are allowed to sit for prayers at once.

No more than three persons are allowed during yagna," Chavda further said.

Ambaji Mata Temple in Banaskantha district, another major shrine in Gujarat, too has banned sashtang pranam as per government guidelines, said its spokesperson Ashish Raval.

Social distancing and wearing a mask are compulsory and devotees are allowed inside only after thermal screening, he said.

Nothing is same after the outbreak of coronavirus, not even the way of paying obeisance to God. 'Sashtang pranam' or prostration before the deity is no longer allowed in Gujarat temples.

Nothing is same after the outbreak of coronavirus, not even the way of paying obeisance to God. 'Sashtang pranam' or prostration before the deity is no longer allowed in Gujarat temples. Instead, devotees can only bring their palms together to offer a`namaste'. Carrying 'prasad' (offerings) inside the sanctum sanctorum is also not allowed in line with the standard operating protocol of the state government, authorities said. Temples and other places of worship reopened in the state in June, 75 days after the lockdown came into effect. "Sashtang pranam is not allowed as per the government guidelines. No devotee is allowed to touch anything as per the SOP," said Vijaysinh Chavda, manager of the famous Somnath temple. "People are allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum only for `darshan' to ensure minimum contact in view of the pandemic," he said. Sashtang pranam or namaskar involves prostrating oneself in such a way that eight parts of the body touch the floor. "No devotees are allowed entry in the temple for aarti which is performed thrice a day, and no more than five devotees are allowed to sit for prayers at once. No more than three persons are allowed during yagna," Chavda further said. Ambaji Mata Temple in Banaskantha district, another major shrine in Gujarat, too has banned sashtang pranam as per government guidelines, said its spokesperson Ashish Raval. Social distancing and wearing a mask are compulsory and devotees are allowed inside only after thermal screening, he said.

Covid-19: No sashtang pranam, only namaste in Gujarat temples

The Centre said 54.72 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses have been received at designated national and state-level stores till Tuesday afternoon, and all the shots -- 1.1 crore from the Serum Institute of India and 55 lakh from Bharat Biotech -- will be received by January 14.

A massive pan-India inoculation drive against COVID-19 was set in process with Covishield vaccine leaving Pune for 13 cities across India early in the morning, four days before vaccination is scheduled to begin on January 16.

Apart form the 1.1 crore doses of Covishield being procured from the Serum Institute of India, 55 lakh doses of indigenously developed Covaxin were being obtained from Bharat Biotech, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said at a press conference.

"Fifty-five lakh doses of Covaxin are being procured from Bharat Biotech. For 38.5 lakh doses the price is Rs 295 each, excluding taxes. Bharat Biotech is providing 16.5 lakh doses for free which ultimately brings the cost of Covaxin down to Rs 206 per dose," he said.

Bhushan said there are four Central Government Medical Stores Depots at Chennai, Karnal, Kolkata and Mumbai where the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, doses are being received.

Besides this, all states have at least one regional vaccine store. Some big states have multiple stores. Uttar Pradesh has nine such stores, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat four each, Kerala has three such facilities, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka and Rajasthan two each, he said.

"As we speak, 54,72,000 doses have already been received till 4 pm at these vaccine stores, while 100 per cent doses, 1.1 crore from Serum Institute and 55 lakh from Bharat Biotech, will be received by January 14 in all states and Union Territories," the health secretary added.

NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul, Covishield and Covaxin have been tested on thousands of people. "They are the safest and there is no risk of any significant side effect."

Bhushan said that Zydus Cadila, Russia''s Sputnik V, Biological E and Gennova are the other vaccines which are in advanced stages of clinical trials in India.

"In the coming days some of these vaccines too may be approaching the drug controller for emergency use authorisation. There will be sequential roll-out of COVID-19 vaccination.

"Healthcare workers will be on the top of priority list, followed by frontline workers and prioritized age groups. The cost of vaccination for healthcare and frontline workers will be borne by the central government," the Union health secretary said.

Giving a scenario of the price of vaccines available round the world, Bhushan said each dose of the vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech costs Rs 1,431 per dose, Moderna Rs 2,348 to Rs 2,715, Sinovac Rs 1,027, Novavax Rs 1,114, Sputnik V less than Rs 734 and the one developed by Johnson and Johnson at Rs 734.

"All these vaccines except the one developed by Pfizer can be stored between two to eight degrees Celsius. The one developed by Pfizer needs to be stored at -70 degrees Celsius," he added.

About the effectiveness of the vaccines, Bhushan said those can be observed only after 14 days. "So we urge people to keep following COVID-appropriate behaviour."

The health secretary said the five key principles for anti-coronavirus vaccination are to ensure people''s participation, utilise the experience of elections and universal immunisation programme, making no compromise on scientific and regulatory norms and neither on existing healthcare services.

Noting that the COVID-19 situation is worrisome around the world, he said even though daily new cases are declining in India, there should not be any laxity in following COVID-appropriate behaviour.

India's overall COVID-19 positivity rate stands at 5.7 per cent while positivity rate in the last one week was recorded at 2 per cent, Bhushan said, adding that about 43.96 per cent of the total COVID-19 patients are in healthcare facilities while 56.04 per cent patients are in home isolation.

The Centre said 54.72 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses have been received at designated national and state-level stores till Tuesday afternoon, and all the shots -- 1.

The Centre said 54.72 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses have been received at designated national and state-level stores till Tuesday afternoon, and all the shots -- 1.1 crore from the Serum Institute of India and 55 lakh from Bharat Biotech -- will be received by January 14. A massive pan-India inoculation drive against COVID-19 was set in process with Covishield vaccine leaving Pune for 13 cities across India early in the morning, four days before vaccination is scheduled to begin on January 16. Apart form the 1.1 crore doses of Covishield being procured from the Serum Institute of India, 55 lakh doses of indigenously developed Covaxin were being obtained from Bharat Biotech, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said at a press conference. "Fifty-five lakh doses of Covaxin are being procured from Bharat Biotech. For 38.5 lakh doses the price is Rs 295 each, excluding taxes. Bharat Biotech is providing 16.5 lakh doses for free which ultimately brings the cost of Covaxin down to Rs 206 per dose," he said. Bhushan said there are four Central Government Medical Stores Depots at Chennai, Karnal, Kolkata and Mumbai where the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, doses are being received. Besides this, all states have at least one regional vaccine store. Some big states have multiple stores. Uttar Pradesh has nine such stores, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat four each, Kerala has three such facilities, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka and Rajasthan two each, he said. "As we speak, 54,72,000 doses have already been received till 4 pm at these vaccine stores, while 100 per cent doses, 1.1 crore from Serum Institute and 55 lakh from Bharat Biotech, will be received by January 14 in all states and Union Territories," the health secretary added. NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul, Covishield and Covaxin have been tested on thousands of people. "They are the safest and there is no risk of any significant side effect." Bhushan said that Zydus Cadila, Russia''s Sputnik V, Biological E and Gennova are the other vaccines which are in advanced stages of clinical trials in India. "In the coming days some of these vaccines too may be approaching the drug controller for emergency use authorisation. There will be sequential roll-out of COVID-19 vaccination. "Healthcare workers will be on the top of priority list, followed by frontline workers and prioritized age groups. The cost of vaccination for healthcare and frontline workers will be borne by the central government," the Union health secretary said. Giving a scenario of the price of vaccines available round the world, Bhushan said each dose of the vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech costs Rs 1,431 per dose, Moderna Rs 2,348 to Rs 2,715, Sinovac Rs 1,027, Novavax Rs 1,114, Sputnik V less than Rs 734 and the one developed by Johnson and Johnson at Rs 734. "All these vaccines except the one developed by Pfizer can be stored between two to eight degrees Celsius. The one developed by Pfizer needs to be stored at -70 degrees Celsius," he added. About the effectiveness of the vaccines, Bhushan said those can be observed only after 14 days. "So we urge people to keep following COVID-appropriate behaviour." The health secretary said the five key principles for anti-coronavirus vaccination are to ensure people''s participation, utilise the experience of elections and universal immunisation programme, making no compromise on scientific and regulatory norms and neither on existing healthcare services. Noting that the COVID-19 situation is worrisome around the world, he said even though daily new cases are declining in India, there should not be any laxity in following COVID-appropriate behaviour. India's overall COVID-19 positivity rate stands at 5.7 per cent while positivity rate in the last one week was recorded at 2 per cent, Bhushan said, adding that about 43.96 per cent of the total COVID-19 patients are in healthcare facilities while 56.04 per cent patients are in home isolation.

54.72 lakh Covid-19 vaccine doses received till Tuesday afternoon: Centre

Moderna Inc, which was one of the first pharmaceutical companies to announce the creation of a COVID-19 with over 90 per cent efficacy on Monday claimed that immunity from the vaccine should last at least a year. 
 
During the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, the drugmaker claimed that its vaccines are likely to protect people from the virus for at least a year.

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It added that the new messenger RNA (mRNA) technology which it used to make the vaccines is equipped to deal even with the new variants of coronavirus, which have emerged in different parts of the world.&nbsp;

The first variant was spotted in Britain, followed by South Africa. Japan also claimed that a new variant had been spotted in the country recently.&nbsp;

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mRNA-1273, the company’s vaccine uses synthetic mRNA to copy the make up of coronavirus. Then, it teaches the immune system to recognise and kill it. 
 
In December, Moderna said that it would conduct tests to confirm how the vaccine performs against various strains. On Monday, Moderna claimed that it hopes to deliver between 600 million and 1 billion doses of the vaccine in 2021.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/wisconsin-pharmacist-arrested-for-removing-500-doses-of-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-353792" hreflang="en">Wisconsin pharmacist arrested for removing 500 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine</a> 
 
In addition, it forecast sales of $11.7 billion coming from vaccines in 2021, based on advance purchases from governments around the world.

“The team feels very comfortable with the track record we have now … that we are on track to deliver at least 600 million doses,” Chief Executive Officer Stéphane Bancel announced.

Moderna Inc, which was one of the first pharmaceutical companies to announce the creation of a COVID-19 with over 90 per cent efficacy on Monday claimed that immunity from the vaccine should last at least a year.

Moderna Inc, which was one of the first pharmaceutical companies to announce the creation of a COVID-19 with over 90 per cent efficacy on Monday claimed that immunity from the vaccine should last at least a year. During the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, the drugmaker claimed that its vaccines are likely to protect people from the virus for at least a year. It added that the new messenger RNA (mRNA) technology which it used to make the vaccines is equipped to deal even with the new variants of coronavirus, which have emerged in different parts of the world. The first variant was spotted in Britain, followed by South Africa. Japan also claimed that a new variant had been spotted in the country recently. Also read: US may halve Moderna's vaccine doses to inoculate more people mRNA-1273, the company’s vaccine uses synthetic mRNA to copy the make up of coronavirus. Then, it teaches the immune system to recognise and kill it. In December, Moderna said that it would conduct tests to confirm how the vaccine performs against various strains. On Monday, Moderna claimed that it hopes to deliver between 600 million and 1 billion doses of the vaccine in 2021. Also read: Wisconsin pharmacist arrested for removing 500 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine In addition, it forecast sales of $11.7 billion coming from vaccines in 2021, based on advance purchases from governments around the world. “The team feels very comfortable with the track record we have now … that we are on track to deliver at least 600 million doses,” Chief Executive Officer Stéphane Bancel announced.

Here's how long Moderna's vaccine will protect you from coronavirus

With 12,584 new coronavirus infections reported in the last 24 hours on Tuesday, India recorded the lowest single-day figure in over seven months taking India`s overall tally to 1,04,79,179. 
 
Before this, the lowest number was recorded on June 17 last year, when India reported 12,881 fresh Covid cases in a day. 
 
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said 167 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours taking the death toll to 1,51,327.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/first-flight-of-coronavirus-vaccine-covishield-flown-to-delhi-356150" hreflang="en">First flight of coronavirus vaccine Covishield flown to Delhi</a>

Since the last 18 days, less than 300 new deaths per day have been recorded in the country. 
 
As per the ministry data, till now, 1,01,11,294 people have recovered. Currently, there are 2,16,558 active cases. 
 
The recovery rate stands at 96.43 per cent while the fatality rate is 1.44 as per cent. 
 
The total number of samples tested up to January 11 were 18,26,52,887 including 8,97,056 samples tested on Monday, the Indian Council of Medical Research said.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/at-unsc-india-expresses-concern-over-terror-acts-by-boko-haram-islamic-state-in-west-africa-356117" hreflang="en">At UNSC, India expresses concern over terror acts by Boko Haram, Islamic State in West Africa</a> 
 
About 82.25 per cent of the daily new cases were being reported from nine states -- Kerala, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Gujarat. 
 
Meanwhile, the most-awaited mass vaccination drive is slated to begin from January 16, with approval of two vaccines. The Central government plans to vaccinate nearly three crore people in the first phase of the drive. 
 
The vaccine will be offered to one crore healthcare workers, along with two crore frontline and essential workers, 26 crore people above the age of 50 and one crore below 50 with comorbidities.&nbsp;

With 12,584 new coronavirus infections reported in the last 24 hours on Tuesday, India recorded the lowest single-day figure in over seven months taking India`s overall tally to 1,04,79,179.

With 12,584 new coronavirus infections reported in the last 24 hours on Tuesday, India recorded the lowest single-day figure in over seven months taking India`s overall tally to 1,04,79,179. Before this, the lowest number was recorded on June 17 last year, when India reported 12,881 fresh Covid cases in a day. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said 167 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours taking the death toll to 1,51,327. Also read| First flight of coronavirus vaccine Covishield flown to Delhi Since the last 18 days, less than 300 new deaths per day have been recorded in the country. As per the ministry data, till now, 1,01,11,294 people have recovered. Currently, there are 2,16,558 active cases. The recovery rate stands at 96.43 per cent while the fatality rate is 1.44 as per cent. The total number of samples tested up to January 11 were 18,26,52,887 including 8,97,056 samples tested on Monday, the Indian Council of Medical Research said. Also read| At UNSC, India expresses concern over terror acts by Boko Haram, Islamic State in West Africa About 82.25 per cent of the daily new cases were being reported from nine states -- Kerala, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Gujarat. Meanwhile, the most-awaited mass vaccination drive is slated to begin from January 16, with approval of two vaccines. The Central government plans to vaccinate nearly three crore people in the first phase of the drive. The vaccine will be offered to one crore healthcare workers, along with two crore frontline and essential workers, 26 crore people above the age of 50 and one crore below 50 with comorbidities.

India reports 12.5K new COVID cases, lowest in 7 months

Pope Francis’ personal doctor has died from COVID-19 complications, bringing into concern Pope's health and well-being.

It is, however, not clear when the doctor was last in direct contact with the Pope, CNN reports.

Fabrizio Soccorsi, 78, was in hospital and was being treated for cancer. He had been the pope`s doctor since 2015.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis said on Saturday he planned to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as early as next week and urged everyone to get a shot, to protect not only their own lives but those of others.

"I believe that ethically everyone should take the vaccine," the Pope said in an interview with TV station Canale 5. "It is an ethical choice because you are gambling with your health, with your life, but you are also gambling with the lives of others."

Vatican City, the smallest independent county in the world, home to about 450 people including Pope Francis, has said it will shortly launch its own vaccination campaign against the coronavirus.

"Next week," the Pope said, "we will start doing it here, in the Vatican, and I have booked myself in. It must be done."

Pope Francis, 84, had part of one lung removed during an illness when he was a young man in his native Argentina, making him potentially vulnerable to the disease.

Vatican City last week said it expected to receive enough COVID-19 vaccine doses in the following days to inoculate all of its residents and its workers who live beyond its walls in Rome.

As part of its vaccination plan, the Vatican said it had bought an ultra-cold refrigerator to store doses, suggesting it will use the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, which must be stored at about minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 Fahrenheit).

(with inputs)

Pope Francis’ personal doctor has died from COVID-19 complications, bringing into concern Pope's health and well-being. It is, however, not clear when the doctor was last in direct contact with the Pope, CNN reports.

Pope Francis’ personal doctor has died from COVID-19 complications, bringing into concern Pope's health and well-being. It is, however, not clear when the doctor was last in direct contact with the Pope, CNN reports. Fabrizio Soccorsi, 78, was in hospital and was being treated for cancer. He had been the pope`s doctor since 2015. Meanwhile, Pope Francis said on Saturday he planned to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as early as next week and urged everyone to get a shot, to protect not only their own lives but those of others. "I believe that ethically everyone should take the vaccine," the Pope said in an interview with TV station Canale 5. "It is an ethical choice because you are gambling with your health, with your life, but you are also gambling with the lives of others." Vatican City, the smallest independent county in the world, home to about 450 people including Pope Francis, has said it will shortly launch its own vaccination campaign against the coronavirus. "Next week," the Pope said, "we will start doing it here, in the Vatican, and I have booked myself in. It must be done." Pope Francis, 84, had part of one lung removed during an illness when he was a young man in his native Argentina, making him potentially vulnerable to the disease. Vatican City last week said it expected to receive enough COVID-19 vaccine doses in the following days to inoculate all of its residents and its workers who live beyond its walls in Rome. As part of its vaccination plan, the Vatican said it had bought an ultra-cold refrigerator to store doses, suggesting it will use the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, which must be stored at about minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 Fahrenheit). (with inputs)

Pope Francis’ personal doctor dies from coronavirus complications

New infections, hospitalisations and deaths keep soaring in the United States -- so much so that while it took about 90 days for the United States to reach its first 2 million cases of coronavirus last year, it took just 10 days to hit 2.2 million cases in 2021.

Experts, to this end, have now suggested that at this rate, January 2021 might just turn out to be the worst in terms of these infections.

More than 27,000 new Covid-19 deaths have been reported in just the first 10 days of 2021, according to data from Johns Hopkins.

According to a report in CNN, at this rate, more people could die from Covid-19 in January than any other month of this pandemic. December had a record high of 77,431 deaths due to Covid-19.

On Saturday, the United States suffered 3,655 new Covid-19 deaths, along with 269,623 new infections. The crisis is now being expected to fare even worse in hard-hit Arizona.

Experts have also expressed concern about "the inevitable arrival of the more highly transmissible" strain of coronavirus that was first detected in the United Kingdom and has spread to at least eight US states, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas.

Thursday was the first day the US reported more than 4,000 new Covid-19 deaths in a single day. The toll could get worse as more hospitals fill up.

There were 129,229 Covid-19 patients in US hospitals on Sunday, according to the COVID Tracking Project -- the sixth highest figure recorded. It was the 40th consecutive day that US Covid-19 hospitalizations remained above 100,000.

Meanwhile, President-elect Joe Biden has said he aims to release nearly all available doses of Covid-19 vaccines in an effort to quickly ramp up the US vaccine rollout.

Time is absolutely of the essence. If there isn't enough vaccine in reserve for people to received second doses, the entire plan would come crashing down.

(with inputs)

New infections, hospitalisations and deaths keep soaring in the United States -- so much so that while it took about 90 days for the United States to reach its first 2 million cases of coronavirus last year, it took just 10 days to hit 2.

New infections, hospitalisations and deaths keep soaring in the United States -- so much so that while it took about 90 days for the United States to reach its first 2 million cases of coronavirus last year, it took just 10 days to hit 2.2 million cases in 2021. Experts, to this end, have now suggested that at this rate, January 2021 might just turn out to be the worst in terms of these infections. More than 27,000 new Covid-19 deaths have been reported in just the first 10 days of 2021, according to data from Johns Hopkins. According to a report in CNN, at this rate, more people could die from Covid-19 in January than any other month of this pandemic. December had a record high of 77,431 deaths due to Covid-19. On Saturday, the United States suffered 3,655 new Covid-19 deaths, along with 269,623 new infections. The crisis is now being expected to fare even worse in hard-hit Arizona. Experts have also expressed concern about "the inevitable arrival of the more highly transmissible" strain of coronavirus that was first detected in the United Kingdom and has spread to at least eight US states, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas. Thursday was the first day the US reported more than 4,000 new Covid-19 deaths in a single day. The toll could get worse as more hospitals fill up. There were 129,229 Covid-19 patients in US hospitals on Sunday, according to the COVID Tracking Project -- the sixth highest figure recorded. It was the 40th consecutive day that US Covid-19 hospitalizations remained above 100,000. Meanwhile, President-elect Joe Biden has said he aims to release nearly all available doses of Covid-19 vaccines in an effort to quickly ramp up the US vaccine rollout. Time is absolutely of the essence. If there isn't enough vaccine in reserve for people to received second doses, the entire plan would come crashing down. (with inputs)

January can turn out to be the deadliest month of Covid-19 in US, experts say

US President-elect Joe Biden will receive his second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Monday -- three weeks after his first injection was broadcast live on TV to boost public confidence in the jab.

Biden told Americans "there's nothing to worry about" when he got his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at the Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware on December 21.

His team had said that his second jab would also be done in front of the media.

The United States has so far registered more than 374,000 deaths from Covid-19, and to this end, Biden on Friday slammed President Donald Trump administration's troubled distribution of vaccines as a "travesty."

About 6.7 million Americans have so far received their first shot -- far short of the target of 20 million by the end of 2020. But 22.1 million doses have been distributed nationwide, underlining the logistical challenge of getting the injections administered to the elderly and health workers who are the priority.

Both vaccines currently authorised in the US, developed by Pfizer and Moderna, require recipients to receive booster shots after three and four weeks, respectively.

Biden, who will be inaugurated on January 20, has said he plans to release every available dose of vaccine, rather than holding back half to make sure people receive their booster shots on time as is the current protocol.

US President-elect Joe Biden will receive his second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Monday -- three weeks after his first injection was broadcast live on TV to boost public confidence in the jab.

US President-elect Joe Biden will receive his second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Monday -- three weeks after his first injection was broadcast live on TV to boost public confidence in the jab. Biden told Americans "there's nothing to worry about" when he got his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at the Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware on December 21. His team had said that his second jab would also be done in front of the media. The United States has so far registered more than 374,000 deaths from Covid-19, and to this end, Biden on Friday slammed President Donald Trump administration's troubled distribution of vaccines as a "travesty." About 6.7 million Americans have so far received their first shot -- far short of the target of 20 million by the end of 2020. But 22.1 million doses have been distributed nationwide, underlining the logistical challenge of getting the injections administered to the elderly and health workers who are the priority. Both vaccines currently authorised in the US, developed by Pfizer and Moderna, require recipients to receive booster shots after three and four weeks, respectively. Biden, who will be inaugurated on January 20, has said he plans to release every available dose of vaccine, rather than holding back half to make sure people receive their booster shots on time as is the current protocol.

Biden to receive second Covid vaccine dose on Monday

Does plasma therapy work for coronavirus patients? A global trial which tested blood plasma on coronavirus patients with moderate to severe illnesses claims it does very little to alleviate trouble for patients.

Owing to no change in condition, the trial has stopped the enrolment of severe coronavirus cases in need of intensive care, Reuters reported.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/who-cautious-about-endorsing-plasma-therapy-for-covid-19-patients-322895/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The REMAP-CAP is an international trial which is looking at potential treatments for the virus. As part of this trial, it had recruited 4,100 coronavirus patients spread out across 290 sites in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia.

The trial showed how 900 patients who were severely ill, and in need of intensive care, did not respond well to the treatment with antibody-rich plasma taken from people who had already recovered from the virus.

The treatment did not improve outcomes among patients, painting a grim picture of a treatment which has been employed by governments across the world in a bid to limit the spread of infection, and to control the death rate.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/does-plasma-therapy-help-coronavirus-patients-this-study-reveals-shocking-results-345179" hreflang="en">Does plasma therapy help coronavirus patients? This study reveals shocking results</a> 
 
Even then, scientists did not find evidence of any harm associated with the plasma treatment, and will continue to induct patients who are hospitalised with moderate illness, they claimed in a statement.

Patients who are not producing antibodies during therapy, and those carrying a high load of the virus might be benefitting from the treatment, something the researchers intend to explore in the future course of this study.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/plasma-jets-may-kill-coronavirus-in-seconds-study-342611" hreflang="en">Plasma jets may kill coronavirus in seconds: Study</a> 
 
The basic rationale behind convalescent plasma therapy is that antibodies from recovered patients could effectively neutralise the virus, preventing it from spreading further and damaging tissues.

The treatment has a very low probability of reducing death rates and the number of days patients need in intensive care - a meagre 2.2 per cent, the researchers found.

Earlier, findings from another REMAP-CAP trial found that arthritis drugs like Roche's Actemra and Sanofi's Kevzara were effective in preventing deaths, and reducing the time patients spend in intensive care.

Does plasma therapy work for coronavirus patients? A global trial which tested blood plasma on coronavirus patients with moderate to severe illnesses claims it does very little to alleviate trouble for patients.

Does plasma therapy work for coronavirus patients? A global trial which tested blood plasma on coronavirus patients with moderate to severe illnesses claims it does very little to alleviate trouble for patients. Owing to no change in condition, the trial has stopped the enrolment of severe coronavirus cases in need of intensive care, Reuters reported. The REMAP-CAP is an international trial which is looking at potential treatments for the virus. As part of this trial, it had recruited 4,100 coronavirus patients spread out across 290 sites in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The trial showed how 900 patients who were severely ill, and in need of intensive care, did not respond well to the treatment with antibody-rich plasma taken from people who had already recovered from the virus. The treatment did not improve outcomes among patients, painting a grim picture of a treatment which has been employed by governments across the world in a bid to limit the spread of infection, and to control the death rate. Also read: Does plasma therapy help coronavirus patients? This study reveals shocking results Even then, scientists did not find evidence of any harm associated with the plasma treatment, and will continue to induct patients who are hospitalised with moderate illness, they claimed in a statement. Patients who are not producing antibodies during therapy, and those carrying a high load of the virus might be benefitting from the treatment, something the researchers intend to explore in the future course of this study. Also read: Plasma jets may kill coronavirus in seconds: Study The basic rationale behind convalescent plasma therapy is that antibodies from recovered patients could effectively neutralise the virus, preventing it from spreading further and damaging tissues. The treatment has a very low probability of reducing death rates and the number of days patients need in intensive care - a meagre 2.2 per cent, the researchers found. Earlier, findings from another REMAP-CAP trial found that arthritis drugs like Roche's Actemra and Sanofi's Kevzara were effective in preventing deaths, and reducing the time patients spend in intensive care.

Global study finds plasma therapy isn't helping severely ill coronavirus patients

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