The world readied to usher in the New Year Thursday, with pandemic controls muting celebrations for billions of people eager to bid virus-ridden 2020 farewell.

After a grinding year that has seen at least 1.7 million people die from Covid-19, fresh waves of infection have sparked renewed lockdowns and forced would-be revellers to extend their 2020 tradition of watching events from the sofa.

From Sydney to Rome, firework displays, pyre burnings and live performances will be watched online or on television -- if they have not been cancelled altogether.&nbsp;

The eagerly awaited first lights of 2021 will fall on the Pacific nations of Kiribati and Samoa from 1000 GMT, with the uninhabited Howland and Baker Islands the last to tip over into the New Year, 26 hours later.

Although the Pacific islands were spared the worst ravages of the pandemic, border restrictions, curfews and lockdowns mean this New Year's Eve will still look a little different.

At the palm-fringed Taumeasina resort near the Samoan capital Apia, manager&nbsp;Tuiataga Nathan Bucknall is pleased to be open without a limit on guest numbers, but thanks to a Covid-induced state of emergency "we do have to stop the service of alcohol at 11pm" he said.&nbsp;

In Australia's largest city, Sydney, pyrotechnics will still light up the glittering harbour with a dazzling display, but few spectators will be there to watch in person.

Plans to allow crowds were scrapped amid a cluster of around 150 new infections that have seen travel to and from Sydney severely restricted.

Even a proposal to allow 5,000 frontline workers to replace absent tourists on the harbour foreshore as a token of thanks had to be abandoned.&nbsp;

Most Sydneysiders will simply watch proceedings on TV at home, where gatherings are limited to five guests.

Similarly, Romans will livestream the burning of an enormous pyre in Circus Maximus, the ancient city's stadium, alongside a two-hour event featuring artist performances and illuminated views of iconic sites.&nbsp;

Italy -- where shocking images of makeshift morgues and exhausted medics awoke the world to the severity of the crisis -- is on a nationwide lockdown until January 7 and a 10pm curfew is in place.

From France to Latvia to Brazil, police and -- in some cases -- military personnel are being deployed to make sure night-time curfews or bans on gathering in large numbers are enforced.

In hard-hit London, 74-year-old American singer-songwriter Patti Smith will ring in the New Year with a tribute to National Health Service workers who have died from Covid-19, projected on the screen at Piccadilly Circus and streamed on YouTube.

- Social gathering -

One place that residents can celebrate without the help of a screen is virus-free New Zealand, where several cities will host firework displays with only limited restrictions.

And in Dubai thousands are expected to attend a fireworks and a laser show at Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower, despite a slew of new cases.

All those attending the event -- whether at a public place, hotel or restaurant -- will be required to wear masks and register with QR codes.

In Beirut, a city still reeling from the August 4 port explosion, authorities are also cutting loose.&nbsp;

A night curfew has been pushed back to 3am. Bars, restaurants and night clubs have all reopened and are advertising large parties to mark the turn of the year. &nbsp;

Social media networks are already inundated with images and videos of packed clubs and restaurants, leading authorities to warn that a new lockdown may come into force after the holidays.

The fears of such a New Year hangover are widespread, and there are ominous signs that new strains of the virus may make the coming months even tougher.&nbsp;

Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday used her New Year greeting to warn Germans the "historic" coronavirus crisis will extend into 2021 even if the vaccines bring some hope.&nbsp;

In Brazil -- which has already recorded more than 193,000 Covid-19 deaths, the second-largest number in the world -- fearful medics await a new wave.

In recent days, social media has been filled with videos showing mask-less revellers enjoying a night out and television channels have even shown live images of police closing bars full of customers.

"The pandemic peak was between May and July, which was when there wasn't a lot of movement and we looked after ourselves more. Now there are many cases and people are acting as if there wasn't a pandemic," said Luiz Gustavo de Almeida, a microbiologist at the University of Sao Paulo.

The world readied to usher in the New Year Thursday, with pandemic controls muting celebrations for billions of people eager to bid virus-ridden 2020 farewell. After a grinding year that has seen at least 1.

The world readied to usher in the New Year Thursday, with pandemic controls muting celebrations for billions of people eager to bid virus-ridden 2020 farewell. After a grinding year that has seen at least 1.7 million people die from Covid-19, fresh waves of infection have sparked renewed lockdowns and forced would-be revellers to extend their 2020 tradition of watching events from the sofa. From Sydney to Rome, firework displays, pyre burnings and live performances will be watched online or on television -- if they have not been cancelled altogether. The eagerly awaited first lights of 2021 will fall on the Pacific nations of Kiribati and Samoa from 1000 GMT, with the uninhabited Howland and Baker Islands the last to tip over into the New Year, 26 hours later. Although the Pacific islands were spared the worst ravages of the pandemic, border restrictions, curfews and lockdowns mean this New Year's Eve will still look a little different. At the palm-fringed Taumeasina resort near the Samoan capital Apia, manager Tuiataga Nathan Bucknall is pleased to be open without a limit on guest numbers, but thanks to a Covid-induced state of emergency "we do have to stop the service of alcohol at 11pm" he said. In Australia's largest city, Sydney, pyrotechnics will still light up the glittering harbour with a dazzling display, but few spectators will be there to watch in person. Plans to allow crowds were scrapped amid a cluster of around 150 new infections that have seen travel to and from Sydney severely restricted. Even a proposal to allow 5,000 frontline workers to replace absent tourists on the harbour foreshore as a token of thanks had to be abandoned. Most Sydneysiders will simply watch proceedings on TV at home, where gatherings are limited to five guests. Similarly, Romans will livestream the burning of an enormous pyre in Circus Maximus, the ancient city's stadium, alongside a two-hour event featuring artist performances and illuminated views of iconic sites. Italy -- where shocking images of makeshift morgues and exhausted medics awoke the world to the severity of the crisis -- is on a nationwide lockdown until January 7 and a 10pm curfew is in place. From France to Latvia to Brazil, police and -- in some cases -- military personnel are being deployed to make sure night-time curfews or bans on gathering in large numbers are enforced. In hard-hit London, 74-year-old American singer-songwriter Patti Smith will ring in the New Year with a tribute to National Health Service workers who have died from Covid-19, projected on the screen at Piccadilly Circus and streamed on YouTube. - Social gathering - One place that residents can celebrate without the help of a screen is virus-free New Zealand, where several cities will host firework displays with only limited restrictions. And in Dubai thousands are expected to attend a fireworks and a laser show at Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower, despite a slew of new cases. All those attending the event -- whether at a public place, hotel or restaurant -- will be required to wear masks and register with QR codes. In Beirut, a city still reeling from the August 4 port explosion, authorities are also cutting loose. A night curfew has been pushed back to 3am. Bars, restaurants and night clubs have all reopened and are advertising large parties to mark the turn of the year. Social media networks are already inundated with images and videos of packed clubs and restaurants, leading authorities to warn that a new lockdown may come into force after the holidays. The fears of such a New Year hangover are widespread, and there are ominous signs that new strains of the virus may make the coming months even tougher. Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday used her New Year greeting to warn Germans the "historic" coronavirus crisis will extend into 2021 even if the vaccines bring some hope. In Brazil -- which has already recorded more than 193,000 Covid-19 deaths, the second-largest number in the world -- fearful medics await a new wave. In recent days, social media has been filled with videos showing mask-less revellers enjoying a night out and television channels have even shown live images of police closing bars full of customers. "The pandemic peak was between May and July, which was when there wasn't a lot of movement and we looked after ourselves more. Now there are many cases and people are acting as if there wasn't a pandemic," said Luiz Gustavo de Almeida, a microbiologist at the University of Sao Paulo.

World to mark locked-down New Year's Eve

U.S which has recorded over 3927 deaths due to COVID-19 in just 24 hours. This the new daily record since the pandemic begin. The highest death toll in America coming out of a time. however Anthony Fauci has downplayed the impact of this mutated virus saying that their is no indication at all that it increases the ability make people sick.

WION Dispatch: Biggest spike in U.S COVID-19 death toll

India's process of vaccine roll out might take a little longer. An expert panel backed by India's drug regulator will seek more data from the leading vaccine candidates Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Oxford University's COVID-19 vaccine before granting emergency use approval.

WION Dispatch: Indian experts take cautions approach,

Taiwan reported on Wednesday its first case of a new coronavirus variant discovered in Britain, in a person who returned to the island on Sunday and whose infection had previously been confirmed.

The new strain, which first emerged in the UK, pushed Britain to a new daily record of infections and led South Africa to impose a raft of new measures, amid fears around the world that holiday revelers are aggravating the spike in infections.&nbsp;

It has been detected in a number of European countries, as well as in the US, Canada, Australia, India, South Korea and Japan, among others.

The EU health agency warned the strain carried a high risk for more hospitalizations and deaths -- not because the infections are more severe but because it spreads more easily.

Taiwan reported on Wednesday its first case of a new coronavirus variant discovered in Britain, in a person who returned to the island on Sunday and whose infection had previously been confirmed.

Taiwan reported on Wednesday its first case of a new coronavirus variant discovered in Britain, in a person who returned to the island on Sunday and whose infection had previously been confirmed. The new strain, which first emerged in the UK, pushed Britain to a new daily record of infections and led South Africa to impose a raft of new measures, amid fears around the world that holiday revelers are aggravating the spike in infections. It has been detected in a number of European countries, as well as in the US, Canada, Australia, India, South Korea and Japan, among others. The EU health agency warned the strain carried a high risk for more hospitalizations and deaths -- not because the infections are more severe but because it spreads more easily.

Taiwan reports first case of new coronavirus variant found in Britain

All viruses mutate. Some are meaningless. But recent Wuhan virus mutations are more infectious than the original. Palki Sharma tells you what countries around the world are doing to stop the new strains from spreading.

Gravitas: Wuhan virus mutations are spreading

Even after almost a year after coronavirus pandemic gripped the world, there hasn't been any comprehensive and official confirmation on the origins. Though most facts point at China, the country has repeatedly denied that it was the origin of the pandemic and has instead chosen to float theories that blame other countries. But now an investigation by journalists has shed light on how far Chinese government went in order to hide any information to do with the pandemic and its origins. The brazen cover-up by Chinese health authorities has ensured that early warning and early testing was hampered.

Chinese government controlled the flow of information, silenced whistleblowers,&nbsp;and blocked all independent probes into the pandemic. A few Associated Press journalists managed to launch an investigation. They travelled across china to trace the origins of the virus. They interviewed dozens of chinese scientists. Went through hundreds of confidential documents. Their investigation established a pattern of government secrecy and top down control. The hunt began in the lush mountains of southern China, at Moajing mine located in China's Yunan province.

In 2012, six miners spent 14 days removing bat faeces from a mineshaft in Moajing mines. These miners later exhibited symptoms similar to Wuhan virus. They experienced cough, fever and shortness of breath. The mine became an area of intense scientific interest.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-china-agree-on-a-major-investment-deal-353420">EU-China agree on a major investment deal</a>

However, as of today, the area has become a black hole. You get no information whatsoever. The journalists who tried to travel to these mines were tailed by policemen in plain clothes and many cars. They blocked the access to mines.

The team then travelled to seafood market in Wuhan where some of the first cases were detected. The journalists were blocked here too. But they managed to obtain internal data from the Centre for Disease Control situated in Wuhan.

The journalists found that Chinese government had ordered CDC staff to not share any data , specimen or other information related to the Wuhan virus. This notification was then spread to all universities, companies and medical &amp; research institutions.

The communication and publication of all research was ordered to be orchestrated like a 'game of chess'. Public opinion teams of the Communist Party were asked to guide all publications...

Absolutely nothing was released. The leaked documents show that Beijing gave a grant of 1.5 million Renminbi to Bi Yuhai, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. This amounts to USD 230,000.

What followed were a series of conspiracy theories that the virus originated elsewhere, in contaminated packages of frozen fish from Europe, in trafficked pangolins from Southeast Asia.

The biggest theory formed through this effort was that the virus was apparently brought by US Army troops during world military games in Wuhan.

In the journalists' investigation, they hit dead end everywhere other than the leaked documents. This was because they were followed at every step. Their movements were monitored. Specialists and citizens were asked not to talk with them. It has been a year and Chinese approach has been more or less the same.

The truth about Wuhan virus may never come out, as 12 months is a long time for any government to wipe-out all evidence. Especially for a government like China's.

Even after almost a year after coronavirus pandemic gripped the world, there hasn't been any comprehensive and official confirmation on the origins. Though most facts point at China, the country has repeatedly denied that it was the origin of the pandemic and has instead chosen to float theories that blame other countries.

Even after almost a year after coronavirus pandemic gripped the world, there hasn't been any comprehensive and official confirmation on the origins. Though most facts point at China, the country has repeatedly denied that it was the origin of the pandemic and has instead chosen to float theories that blame other countries. But now an investigation by journalists has shed light on how far Chinese government went in order to hide any information to do with the pandemic and its origins. The brazen cover-up by Chinese health authorities has ensured that early warning and early testing was hampered. Chinese government controlled the flow of information, silenced whistleblowers, and blocked all independent probes into the pandemic. A few Associated Press journalists managed to launch an investigation. They travelled across china to trace the origins of the virus. They interviewed dozens of chinese scientists. Went through hundreds of confidential documents. Their investigation established a pattern of government secrecy and top down control. The hunt began in the lush mountains of southern China, at Moajing mine located in China's Yunan province. In 2012, six miners spent 14 days removing bat faeces from a mineshaft in Moajing mines. These miners later exhibited symptoms similar to Wuhan virus. They experienced cough, fever and shortness of breath. The mine became an area of intense scientific interest. Also Read | EU-China agree on a major investment deal However, as of today, the area has become a black hole. You get no information whatsoever. The journalists who tried to travel to these mines were tailed by policemen in plain clothes and many cars. They blocked the access to mines. The team then travelled to seafood market in Wuhan where some of the first cases were detected. The journalists were blocked here too. But they managed to obtain internal data from the Centre for Disease Control situated in Wuhan. The journalists found that Chinese government had ordered CDC staff to not share any data , specimen or other information related to the Wuhan virus. This notification was then spread to all universities, companies and medical & research institutions. The communication and publication of all research was ordered to be orchestrated like a 'game of chess'. Public opinion teams of the Communist Party were asked to guide all publications... Absolutely nothing was released. The leaked documents show that Beijing gave a grant of 1.5 million Renminbi to Bi Yuhai, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. This amounts to USD 230,000. What followed were a series of conspiracy theories that the virus originated elsewhere, in contaminated packages of frozen fish from Europe, in trafficked pangolins from Southeast Asia. The biggest theory formed through this effort was that the virus was apparently brought by US Army troops during world military games in Wuhan. In the journalists' investigation, they hit dead end everywhere other than the leaked documents. This was because they were followed at every step. Their movements were monitored. Specialists and citizens were asked not to talk with them. It has been a year and Chinese approach has been more or less the same. The truth about Wuhan virus may never come out, as 12 months is a long time for any government to wipe-out all evidence. Especially for a government like China's.

China ordered its top agency to not reveal info on coronavirus, investigation shows

Hospitals all over China have almost everything necessary for a mass vaccination drive: Millions of doses. Refrigerators to store them. Health care workers trained to administer them.

Everything, that is, except proof that any of their vaccines work.

Unlike their Western competitors, the Chinese companies have not disclosed data from late-stage clinical trials that would show whether their vaccines are effective, and regulators in China have not officially approved them.

That has not deterred local governments across the country, which have begun an ambitious vaccination campaign. The goal is to inoculate 50 million people — roughly the population of Colombia — by the middle of February, before the Lunar New Year holiday, when hundreds of millions of people are expected to travel.

China, where the virus first emerged a year ago, is going to great — and scientifically unorthodox — lengths to prevent a resurgence of the outbreak. While Beijing has not officially announced the vaccine target, the government has signaled the rollout will be managed in much the same way as the outbreak, through a top-down approach that can mobilize thousands of workers to produce, ship and administer the shots. Local officials were told that the drive was a “political mission.”

The campaign will focus on what China calls “key priority groups,” including doctors, hotel employees, border inspection personnel, food storage and transportation workers, as well as travelers. Irene Zhang, a 24-year-old student, got a vaccine on Dec. 22 in the city of Hangzhou before going to Britain next month for graduate school.

“Because my situation is pretty urgent and all the students around me going abroad have taken it, I feel it’s relatively reliable,” Zhang said.

Even before this current campaign, more than 1 million people had lined up to get vaccinated, bewildering scientists who have warned that taking unproven vaccines poses potential health risks. Their efforts now, which are wider in scope, are being rolled out in a similarly ad hoc fashion.

In southern Guangdong province, 180,000 people — mostly workers involved in food storage and transportation, quarantine facilities and border inspection — had been inoculated as of Dec. 22. In the eastern province of Zhejiang, 281,800 people had been vaccinated. In Wuhan, where the outbreak was first detected, the government said it had designated 48 vaccination clinics for its emergency program, which started Thursday.

China, which is testing five vaccines in Phase 3 trials, has not provided any information from this last stage to show the efficacy of these vaccines. By contrast, the United States and Britain started inoculations after reviewing and approving such trial data.

Instead, Chinese officials have issued broad statements with few details, assuring the public that the vaccines are safe and effective. Three of the vaccines have been approved only for emergency use. Last month, Liu Jingzhen, the chairman of Sinopharm, a state-owned vaccine-maker that has two vaccines in late-stage trials, said that none of the roughly 1 million people vaccinated so far had any adverse reactions and that “only a few had mild symptoms.”

The data and approval are expected to come within weeks. While there have been promising signs, they have come with caveats.

The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain said this month that a vaccine made by Sinopharm was effective, although they offered few details on how the conclusions were reached. Turkey said a vaccine made by Sinovac, a private Beijing-based vaccine-maker, has an efficacy rate of 91.25%, a finding that was based on preliminary results from a small clinical trial. Officials in Brazil said the Sinovac vaccine had an efficacy rate over 50% but put off releasing detailed data.

The scale and speed of the vaccination drive are the outgrowth of a centralized public health infrastructure in an authoritarian system. During the crisis, China showed how it can mobilize thousands of workers to reach millions of people; it tested 11 million people in Wuhan in 10 days.

Chinese vaccine-makers have worked to ramp up their production, both for the country’s own needs and global exports. The Chinese government has promised to produce 610 million doses by the end of the year and expects to make more than 1 billion doses next year.

“When they say 50 million, they probably will do it,” said Jennifer Huang Bouey, a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corp. and a public health researcher. “The question is how much it would cost and what is the effect.”

The all-out effort has taken months of preparation. Since June, hospitals in Guangdong province have started construction on vaccination clinics, equipped them with refrigerators and installed refrigerated storage systems.

Sinopharm conducted drills this month. In the trial run, workers loaded boxes with the vaccines and ice packs, while company official tracked the vaccines’ temperature in real time during shipment.

China has some advantages in its rollout. Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, those made by Sinopharm and Sinovac are based on traditional methods that use inactivated or weakened forms of the virus, making them easier to store and distribute.

But the pitfalls are plenty, as the U.S. experience has shown. In the United States, just over 2 million people have received a COVID-19 vaccine, far short of the 20 million goal the government had set for this month. Hospitals had to prepare the frozen shots and find employees to staff the clinics.

As China has geared up, local officials have been surveying the number of people in the “key priority groups.” They had to “ensure there were no omissions,” according to a government document from Xinchang County in Zhejiang province.

Just two months ago, it appeared that demand could outstrip supply. The eastern city of Yiwu had offered 500 doses, which were used within hours.

Zhang, the student, said she had initially been hesitant to get a vaccine because everyone around her had told her to “wait and see.” Still, she tried to sign up in Yiwu but failed to secure a spot.

Then, on Dec. 21, Zhang heard that Hangzhou was going to start its own vaccination drive. She took a high-speed train that night and signed a rental contract with her friend in the city since the local authorities required proof of residence. The next day, she paid $35 and got the shot from Sinovac.

At the hospital, four or five people were waiting to get the vaccine, according to Zhang. The process took one hour, which included registering, getting the shot and waiting for 30 minutes to see if there were any adverse reactions.

“Everything was very calm and orderly,” she said. Before she left, the doctor warned her: Don’t take a shower. Don’t stay up late. Don’t eat foods that could irritate your stomach.

The government has stressed that the vaccination drive is voluntary, and people will have to pay for the inoculations. Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations and an expert on health care in China, noted that the two-dose regimen could cost about $70, putting it out of reach for the rural poor.

China could also have problems trying to persuade people to take the vaccine. Scientists warn that the lack of transparency could set off fears about taking a new vaccine, especially in an industry that has a history of quality scandals.

Tao Lina, a vaccine expert and a former immunologist at the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said he knew of several health care workers who had declined the shots. “In the minds of doctors, they feel that any drug that has not passed Phase 3 trials is unreliable,” Tao said.

Tao, who got a Sinopharm vaccine on Monday, said he felt confident that the vaccines were safe and effective, echoing officials’ comments that there have been no reports of serious, adverse reactions. But he added that the companies could do better in their messaging.

“If you say that it’s safe, then you should show all kinds of evidence to show that it’s safe,” he said.

Hminem Zhang, a 27-year-old sales employee in an internet company, said he wanted to get a vaccine because he traveled for work and feared a run on the shots if there was a resurgence of the virus. But he worries about the Chinese-made ones because “not many people have received it,” he said.

“I want to wait another month or two for some official data to come out,” said Hminem Zhang, who is based in the southwestern municipality of Chongqing. “And then, if there is no news about any side effects, I will get a shot.”

Hospitals all over China have almost everything necessary for a mass vaccination drive: Millions of doses. Refrigerators to store them. Health care workers trained to administer them.

Hospitals all over China have almost everything necessary for a mass vaccination drive: Millions of doses. Refrigerators to store them. Health care workers trained to administer them. Everything, that is, except proof that any of their vaccines work. Unlike their Western competitors, the Chinese companies have not disclosed data from late-stage clinical trials that would show whether their vaccines are effective, and regulators in China have not officially approved them. That has not deterred local governments across the country, which have begun an ambitious vaccination campaign. The goal is to inoculate 50 million people — roughly the population of Colombia — by the middle of February, before the Lunar New Year holiday, when hundreds of millions of people are expected to travel. China, where the virus first emerged a year ago, is going to great — and scientifically unorthodox — lengths to prevent a resurgence of the outbreak. While Beijing has not officially announced the vaccine target, the government has signaled the rollout will be managed in much the same way as the outbreak, through a top-down approach that can mobilize thousands of workers to produce, ship and administer the shots. Local officials were told that the drive was a “political mission.” The campaign will focus on what China calls “key priority groups,” including doctors, hotel employees, border inspection personnel, food storage and transportation workers, as well as travelers. Irene Zhang, a 24-year-old student, got a vaccine on Dec. 22 in the city of Hangzhou before going to Britain next month for graduate school. “Because my situation is pretty urgent and all the students around me going abroad have taken it, I feel it’s relatively reliable,” Zhang said. Even before this current campaign, more than 1 million people had lined up to get vaccinated, bewildering scientists who have warned that taking unproven vaccines poses potential health risks. Their efforts now, which are wider in scope, are being rolled out in a similarly ad hoc fashion. In southern Guangdong province, 180,000 people — mostly workers involved in food storage and transportation, quarantine facilities and border inspection — had been inoculated as of Dec. 22. In the eastern province of Zhejiang, 281,800 people had been vaccinated. In Wuhan, where the outbreak was first detected, the government said it had designated 48 vaccination clinics for its emergency program, which started Thursday. China, which is testing five vaccines in Phase 3 trials, has not provided any information from this last stage to show the efficacy of these vaccines. By contrast, the United States and Britain started inoculations after reviewing and approving such trial data. Instead, Chinese officials have issued broad statements with few details, assuring the public that the vaccines are safe and effective. Three of the vaccines have been approved only for emergency use. Last month, Liu Jingzhen, the chairman of Sinopharm, a state-owned vaccine-maker that has two vaccines in late-stage trials, said that none of the roughly 1 million people vaccinated so far had any adverse reactions and that “only a few had mild symptoms.” The data and approval are expected to come within weeks. While there have been promising signs, they have come with caveats. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain said this month that a vaccine made by Sinopharm was effective, although they offered few details on how the conclusions were reached. Turkey said a vaccine made by Sinovac, a private Beijing-based vaccine-maker, has an efficacy rate of 91.25%, a finding that was based on preliminary results from a small clinical trial. Officials in Brazil said the Sinovac vaccine had an efficacy rate over 50% but put off releasing detailed data. The scale and speed of the vaccination drive are the outgrowth of a centralized public health infrastructure in an authoritarian system. During the crisis, China showed how it can mobilize thousands of workers to reach millions of people; it tested 11 million people in Wuhan in 10 days. Chinese vaccine-makers have worked to ramp up their production, both for the country’s own needs and global exports. The Chinese government has promised to produce 610 million doses by the end of the year and expects to make more than 1 billion doses next year. “When they say 50 million, they probably will do it,” said Jennifer Huang Bouey, a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corp. and a public health researcher. “The question is how much it would cost and what is the effect.” The all-out effort has taken months of preparation. Since June, hospitals in Guangdong province have started construction on vaccination clinics, equipped them with refrigerators and installed refrigerated storage systems. Sinopharm conducted drills this month. In the trial run, workers loaded boxes with the vaccines and ice packs, while company official tracked the vaccines’ temperature in real time during shipment. China has some advantages in its rollout. Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, those made by Sinopharm and Sinovac are based on traditional methods that use inactivated or weakened forms of the virus, making them easier to store and distribute. But the pitfalls are plenty, as the U.S. experience has shown. In the United States, just over 2 million people have received a COVID-19 vaccine, far short of the 20 million goal the government had set for this month. Hospitals had to prepare the frozen shots and find employees to staff the clinics. As China has geared up, local officials have been surveying the number of people in the “key priority groups.” They had to “ensure there were no omissions,” according to a government document from Xinchang County in Zhejiang province. Just two months ago, it appeared that demand could outstrip supply. The eastern city of Yiwu had offered 500 doses, which were used within hours. Zhang, the student, said she had initially been hesitant to get a vaccine because everyone around her had told her to “wait and see.” Still, she tried to sign up in Yiwu but failed to secure a spot. Then, on Dec. 21, Zhang heard that Hangzhou was going to start its own vaccination drive. She took a high-speed train that night and signed a rental contract with her friend in the city since the local authorities required proof of residence. The next day, she paid $35 and got the shot from Sinovac. At the hospital, four or five people were waiting to get the vaccine, according to Zhang. The process took one hour, which included registering, getting the shot and waiting for 30 minutes to see if there were any adverse reactions. “Everything was very calm and orderly,” she said. Before she left, the doctor warned her: Don’t take a shower. Don’t stay up late. Don’t eat foods that could irritate your stomach. The government has stressed that the vaccination drive is voluntary, and people will have to pay for the inoculations. Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations and an expert on health care in China, noted that the two-dose regimen could cost about $70, putting it out of reach for the rural poor. China could also have problems trying to persuade people to take the vaccine. Scientists warn that the lack of transparency could set off fears about taking a new vaccine, especially in an industry that has a history of quality scandals. Tao Lina, a vaccine expert and a former immunologist at the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said he knew of several health care workers who had declined the shots. “In the minds of doctors, they feel that any drug that has not passed Phase 3 trials is unreliable,” Tao said. Tao, who got a Sinopharm vaccine on Monday, said he felt confident that the vaccines were safe and effective, echoing officials’ comments that there have been no reports of serious, adverse reactions. But he added that the companies could do better in their messaging. “If you say that it’s safe, then you should show all kinds of evidence to show that it’s safe,” he said. Hminem Zhang, a 27-year-old sales employee in an internet company, said he wanted to get a vaccine because he traveled for work and feared a run on the shots if there was a resurgence of the virus. But he worries about the Chinese-made ones because “not many people have received it,” he said. “I want to wait another month or two for some official data to come out,” said Hminem Zhang, who is based in the southwestern municipality of Chongqing. “And then, if there is no news about any side effects, I will get a shot.”

China has all it needs to vaccinate millions, except proof its vaccines work

Apple has taken down an iPhone app called Vybe Together that promoted private parties during the Covid-19 pandemic. 
 
However, the now-deleted FAQ page of Vybe Together had said it was designed to promote "small gatherings" rather than "big parties." 
 
The app that used the tagline "Get your rebel on. Get your party on," has also been banned on TikTok. 
 
The app`s creators told The Verge that Apple was the one to take it off the App Store. 
 
The app promoted "gatherings every weekend" ? including an upcoming New Year`s Eve party ? in a TikTok video. 
 
The Vybe Together app had only 25 ratings before being removed, and its Instagram page has under 1,000 followers. I 
 
"The app appears to have launched previously under the name Trendies, a name mentioned on its now largely empty Instagram page". 
 
Its Instagram account now contains a single text post. "Blown out of proportion by media". 
 
"We DO NOT CONDONE LARGE GATHERINGS," it read. 
 
Vybe Together`s website also advertised a "Vybe House" for the 2021 Zamna Festival music event in Tulum, Mexico. 
 
Vybe Together kept a low profile although it was mentioned in at least one invitation to a New York party in September.

Apple has taken down an iPhone app called Vybe Together that promoted private parties during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the now-deleted FAQ page of Vybe Together had said it was designed to promote "small gatherings" rather than "big parties.

Apple has taken down an iPhone app called Vybe Together that promoted private parties during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the now-deleted FAQ page of Vybe Together had said it was designed to promote "small gatherings" rather than "big parties." The app that used the tagline "Get your rebel on. Get your party on," has also been banned on TikTok. The app`s creators told The Verge that Apple was the one to take it off the App Store. The app promoted "gatherings every weekend" ? including an upcoming New Year`s Eve party ? in a TikTok video. The Vybe Together app had only 25 ratings before being removed, and its Instagram page has under 1,000 followers. I "The app appears to have launched previously under the name Trendies, a name mentioned on its now largely empty Instagram page". Its Instagram account now contains a single text post. "Blown out of proportion by media". "We DO NOT CONDONE LARGE GATHERINGS," it read. Vybe Together`s website also advertised a "Vybe House" for the 2021 Zamna Festival music event in Tulum, Mexico. Vybe Together kept a low profile although it was mentioned in at least one invitation to a New York party in September.

Apple removes app that promoted private parties during pandemic

A two-year-old girl who recently returned to Meerut with her parents from the UK has been found to be infected with the new Covid-19 strain. 
 
This is the first such case in Uttar Pradesh of the new variant of Covid 19 virus which is said to be 70 per cent more transmissible than its previous form. 
 
The parents of the two-year-old, however, have been found to be infected with the old Covid-19 variant, the health officials in Meerut said. 
 
The child is in an isolation ward with her parents at Meerut`s Subharti Medical College. 
 
"A girl, who recently returned from the UK, has tested positive for the new Covid-19 strain in Meerut as per the reports received on Tuesday evening. Her parents have tested positive for Covid-19 too, but it is not the new strain. She has been kept in isolation," said Meerut`s Chief Medical Officer Akhilesh Mohan. 
 
Four members of the family had tested positive for Coronavirus earlier after which their samples were sent to Delhi to confirm the new strain. 
 
Out of the four samples, the two-year-old girl`s sample has tested positive for the new Coronavirus strain. 
 
The family belongs to Sant Vihar of TP Nagar Police Station area. Their locality has been sealed while locals in the area are being monitored. 
 
There has been several cases of the new strain including people who had recently returned from the UK to India and tested positive -- three in Karnataka, one each in Pune and Tamil Nadu and two in Hyderabad. 
 
The new strain reportedly spreads at a much faster pace and has sent alarm bells ringing across the world. 
 
Like many countries, India has suspended flights from Britain, where cases have soared because of the variant. People arriving from Britain before the ban came into force are being tested. 
 
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to upgrade testing systems and prepare to check the spread of the new virus variant.

A two-year-old girl who recently returned to Meerut with her parents from the UK has been found to be infected with the new Covid-19 strain. This is the first such case in Uttar Pradesh of the new variant of Covid 19 virus which is said to be 70 per cent more transmissible than its previous form.

A two-year-old girl who recently returned to Meerut with her parents from the UK has been found to be infected with the new Covid-19 strain. This is the first such case in Uttar Pradesh of the new variant of Covid 19 virus which is said to be 70 per cent more transmissible than its previous form. The parents of the two-year-old, however, have been found to be infected with the old Covid-19 variant, the health officials in Meerut said. The child is in an isolation ward with her parents at Meerut`s Subharti Medical College. "A girl, who recently returned from the UK, has tested positive for the new Covid-19 strain in Meerut as per the reports received on Tuesday evening. Her parents have tested positive for Covid-19 too, but it is not the new strain. She has been kept in isolation," said Meerut`s Chief Medical Officer Akhilesh Mohan. Four members of the family had tested positive for Coronavirus earlier after which their samples were sent to Delhi to confirm the new strain. Out of the four samples, the two-year-old girl`s sample has tested positive for the new Coronavirus strain. The family belongs to Sant Vihar of TP Nagar Police Station area. Their locality has been sealed while locals in the area are being monitored. There has been several cases of the new strain including people who had recently returned from the UK to India and tested positive -- three in Karnataka, one each in Pune and Tamil Nadu and two in Hyderabad. The new strain reportedly spreads at a much faster pace and has sent alarm bells ringing across the world. Like many countries, India has suspended flights from Britain, where cases have soared because of the variant. People arriving from Britain before the ban came into force are being tested. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to upgrade testing systems and prepare to check the spread of the new virus variant.

2-year-old in Uttar Pradesh tests positive for new coronavirus strain

A new variant of the novel coronavirus does not appear to cause more severe illness than other variants, according to a matched study by Public Health England.

Scientists say the new variant -- found in England in mid December and led to other countries imposing travel restrictions to the United Kingdom -- can spread more rapidly. Several other countries have also reported variants.

Under the study, researchers compared 1,769 people infected with the new variant with 1,769 who had what they described as "wild-type" virus. The two groups were matched 1:1 on the basis of age, sex, area of residence and time of testing.

Of the 42 people who were admitted to hospital, 16 were infected with the new variant while 26 cases had wild type infection, according to the study. In terms of fatality, there were 12 deaths in variant cases compared to 10 deaths in wild-type cases.

Results from the cohort study found no statistically significant difference in hospitalisation and 28-day case fatality between cases with the variant and wild-type comparator cases.

There was no significant difference in the likelihood of reinfection with the new variant as compared with the other variants, the study said.

The study, however, added that the "secondary attack rate", or the proportion of contacts of confirmed cases that develop disease themselves, was higher in people infected with the new variant.

Britain reported 53,135 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, the highest number since mass testing started in mid-2020.

A new variant of the novel coronavirus does not appear to cause more severe illness than other variants, according to a matched study by Public Health England. Scientists say the new variant -- found in England in mid December and led to other countries imposing travel restrictions to the United Kingdom -- can spread more rapidly.

A new variant of the novel coronavirus does not appear to cause more severe illness than other variants, according to a matched study by Public Health England. Scientists say the new variant -- found in England in mid December and led to other countries imposing travel restrictions to the United Kingdom -- can spread more rapidly. Several other countries have also reported variants. Under the study, researchers compared 1,769 people infected with the new variant with 1,769 who had what they described as "wild-type" virus. The two groups were matched 1:1 on the basis of age, sex, area of residence and time of testing. Of the 42 people who were admitted to hospital, 16 were infected with the new variant while 26 cases had wild type infection, according to the study. In terms of fatality, there were 12 deaths in variant cases compared to 10 deaths in wild-type cases. Results from the cohort study found no statistically significant difference in hospitalisation and 28-day case fatality between cases with the variant and wild-type comparator cases. There was no significant difference in the likelihood of reinfection with the new variant as compared with the other variants, the study said. The study, however, added that the "secondary attack rate", or the proportion of contacts of confirmed cases that develop disease themselves, was higher in people infected with the new variant. Britain reported 53,135 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, the highest number since mass testing started in mid-2020.

New coronavirus variant does not cause illness more severe than others, study says

Britain wanted to 'civilise' the world. Today, Britons are behaving in the most uncivilised manner. They are flouting rules, fleeing quarantine & putting others at risk- in middle of the scare over the new UK strain. Palki Sharma has the details.

Gravitas: Does U.K. have the worst pandemic response?

The UK strain of the Wuhan Virus has now reached India. How dangerous is it? What is the government doing to prevent its spread? What can you do to keep yourself safe? Will the vaccines work? Palki Sharma gets you all the answers.

Gravitas: Why the Mutant Wuhan Virus could be more dangerous

China had thought Biden would be soft on Beijing. It was mistaken. U.S. President-elect Joe Biden has promised to hold China accountable and build alliances with like-minded nations. Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: Biden promises to hold China accountable

Media reports have quoted China's CDC sample study which reveals that maybe China hadn't revealed and hide the real covid-19 numbers to the world. Watch this report

China: Study shows that nearly 500,000 may have been infected in Wuhan

The United Kingdom on Wednesday approved the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford, and AstraZeneca for use in the country, paving way for further vaccination.

Earlier, the UK had become the first country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine, which is now being administered to people around the world.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/oxford-astrazeneca-vaccine-safe-and-effective-claims-lancet-report-348584/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

This approval means that Britain would upgrade its vaccination capability. The country has ordered 100 million doses of the vaccine from the manufacturer - AstraZeneca, and it's enough to vaccinate 50 million people in the country.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/india-to-approve-astrazeneca-oxford-vaccine-soon-adar-poonawalla-352976" hreflang="en">India to approve AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine soon: Adar Poonawalla</a>

The vaccine was developed in the first few months of 2020, and was tested on the first volunteer in April. Since then, thousands have participated in the trials.

Since the approval of the Pfizer jab in December, over 600,000 people have received the vaccine in the country.

Experts have now turned their attention to making sure the existing vaccines work against the new variant too. Considering the same,&nbsp;AstraZeneca chief executive, Pascal Soriot, said his team of researchers are almost sure that the Oxford vaccine will be able to fight against the novel coronavirus.

he said more tests need to be performed to be sure about this. "So far, we think the vaccine should remain effective. But we can’t be sure, so we’re going to test that," Soriot said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/astrazeneca-chief-claims-vaccine-works-against-new-strain-of-coronavirus-352737" hreflang="en">AstraZeneca chief claims vaccine works against new strain of coronavirus</a>

Hailing it as a "winning formula", Soriot thanked the team of researchers and said he hopes it will be able to contain the new variant of the virus found in several countries such as the UK, South Africa, Italy, etc.

"We think we have figured out the winning formula and how to get efficacy that, after two doses, is up there with everybody else," Soriot said, refusing to reveal any more information before it is officially published.

The United Kingdom on Wednesday approved the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford, and AstraZeneca for use in the country, paving way for further vaccination.

The United Kingdom on Wednesday approved the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford, and AstraZeneca for use in the country, paving way for further vaccination. Earlier, the UK had become the first country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine, which is now being administered to people around the world. This approval means that Britain would upgrade its vaccination capability. The country has ordered 100 million doses of the vaccine from the manufacturer - AstraZeneca, and it's enough to vaccinate 50 million people in the country. Also read: India to approve AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine soon: Adar Poonawalla The vaccine was developed in the first few months of 2020, and was tested on the first volunteer in April. Since then, thousands have participated in the trials. Since the approval of the Pfizer jab in December, over 600,000 people have received the vaccine in the country. Experts have now turned their attention to making sure the existing vaccines work against the new variant too. Considering the same, AstraZeneca chief executive, Pascal Soriot, said his team of researchers are almost sure that the Oxford vaccine will be able to fight against the novel coronavirus. he said more tests need to be performed to be sure about this. "So far, we think the vaccine should remain effective. But we can’t be sure, so we’re going to test that," Soriot said. Also read: AstraZeneca chief claims vaccine works against new strain of coronavirus Hailing it as a "winning formula", Soriot thanked the team of researchers and said he hopes it will be able to contain the new variant of the virus found in several countries such as the UK, South Africa, Italy, etc. "We think we have figured out the winning formula and how to get efficacy that, after two doses, is up there with everybody else," Soriot said, refusing to reveal any more information before it is officially published.

British regulator approves Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

Six cases of a mutant strain of coronavirus that first surfaced in the UK, have been detected in the country. All six patients have recently returned from the UK, where cases have spiralled within days.

News Alert: Six UK returnees test positive for Mutant Strain

Superstar of the Telugu film industry Ram Charan on Tuesday revealed that he has tested positive for coronavirus.

Charan shared a statement about his diagnosis on Instagram and shared that he has no symptoms and is in home-quarantine. "I have tested positive for COVID-19. No symptoms &amp; quarantined at home. Hope to heal soon &amp; come out stronger," his statement read. 
 
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The 35-year-old actor also went on to request anyone who came in his contact to get tested in the caption of the post." Request all that have been around me in the past couple of days to get tested. More updates on my recovery soon," he wrote in the caption.

Fans of the actor poured in scores of "Get Well Soon" wishes for him in the comment section.&nbsp;

Superstar of the Telugu film industry Ram Charan on Tuesday revealed that he has tested positive for coronavirus. Charan shared a statement about his diagnosis on Instagram and shared that he has no symptoms and is in home-quarantine.

Superstar of the Telugu film industry Ram Charan on Tuesday revealed that he has tested positive for coronavirus. Charan shared a statement about his diagnosis on Instagram and shared that he has no symptoms and is in home-quarantine. "I have tested positive for COVID-19. No symptoms & quarantined at home. Hope to heal soon & come out stronger," his statement read. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ram Charan (@alwaysramcharan) × The 35-year-old actor also went on to request anyone who came in his contact to get tested in the caption of the post." Request all that have been around me in the past couple of days to get tested. More updates on my recovery soon," he wrote in the caption. Fans of the actor poured in scores of "Get Well Soon" wishes for him in the comment section.

Ram Charan tests positive for COVID-19

Russian health officials have registered more than three million infections since the start of the pandemic, putting the country's caseload at fourth-highest in the world.

Russia admits its COVID death toll three times higher than official figure

Mainland&nbsp;China&nbsp;reported 27 new COVID-19 cases on Dec. 28, up from 21 cases a day earlier, the country's national health authority said on Tuesday.

The National Health Commission said in its daily online bulletin that 12 of the new cases were imported infections originating from abroad. The 15 locally transmitted cases came from the northeastern province of Liaoning and the capital city of Beijing.

The number of new asymptomatic cases, which&nbsp;China&nbsp;does not classify as confirmed cases, fell to eight from 20 cases a day earlier.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in mainland&nbsp;China&nbsp;now stands at 87,003, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,634.

Mainland China reported 27 new COVID-19 cases on Dec. 28, up from 21 cases a day earlier, the country's national health authority said on Tuesday. The National Health Commission said in its daily online bulletin that 12 of the new cases were imported infections originating from abroad.

Mainland China reported 27 new COVID-19 cases on Dec. 28, up from 21 cases a day earlier, the country's national health authority said on Tuesday. The National Health Commission said in its daily online bulletin that 12 of the new cases were imported infections originating from abroad. The 15 locally transmitted cases came from the northeastern province of Liaoning and the capital city of Beijing. The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed cases, fell to eight from 20 cases a day earlier. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in mainland China now stands at 87,003, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,634.

China reports 27 new COVID cases vs 21 a day earlier

Once the Drug Controller General India (DCGI) and scientists give the green signal to vaccine manufacturers in India, India will begin a mammoth exercise to inoculate the first group of 30 crore citizens.

India to conduct genome sequencing to detect new virus

India on Monday logged 20,021 fresh Covid-19 infections taking the total number of cases to 1,02,07,871, along with 279 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the tally of fatalities to 1,47,901, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. 
 
In the last 24 hours, 21,131 people have recovered, taking the total number of the recovered people to 97,82,669. There are 2,77,301 active cases. The recovery rate stands at 95.83 per cent while the fatality rate is 1.45 as per cent. 
 
A total of 16,88,18,054 samples have been tested for Covid-19 till now. Of these, 7,15,397 samples were tested on Sunday, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said. 
 
Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state to the date with 19,13,382 cases. 
 
Over 70 per cent of the daily new cases are being reported by 10 states and union territory -- Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Gujarat. 
 
Over 75 per cent of the deaths are being reported from Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh. 
 
A new strain of the Covid-19 virus has appeared in the UK. The mutant is said to be 70 per cent more aggressive, according to reports. Flights and other forms of transport to and from the UK are being shut down. 
&nbsp;

India on Monday logged 20,021 fresh Covid-19 infections taking the total number of cases to 1,02,07,871, along with 279 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the tally of fatalities to 1,47,901, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

India on Monday logged 20,021 fresh Covid-19 infections taking the total number of cases to 1,02,07,871, along with 279 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the tally of fatalities to 1,47,901, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. In the last 24 hours, 21,131 people have recovered, taking the total number of the recovered people to 97,82,669. There are 2,77,301 active cases. The recovery rate stands at 95.83 per cent while the fatality rate is 1.45 as per cent. A total of 16,88,18,054 samples have been tested for Covid-19 till now. Of these, 7,15,397 samples were tested on Sunday, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said. Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state to the date with 19,13,382 cases. Over 70 per cent of the daily new cases are being reported by 10 states and union territory -- Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Over 75 per cent of the deaths are being reported from Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh. A new strain of the Covid-19 virus has appeared in the UK. The mutant is said to be 70 per cent more aggressive, according to reports. Flights and other forms of transport to and from the UK are being shut down.

India logs 20,000 COVID-19 cases, 279 deaths in 24 hours

South Korea detected its first case of the variant of coronavirus which was first found in Britain. Now, the government has stepped up efforts to contain further spread of the new variant, with officials vowing to speed up efforts to initiate a vaccination programme. 
 
The new variant of coronavirus is thought to be more transmissible than the original strain, and was spotted in three people who had come to South Korea from London on December 22, as per information given out by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on Monday.

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On Sunday, the country reported 808 new cases of COVID-19, its lowest tally since 1,241 new infections were recorded on Friday. South Korea intends to buy enough doses to vaccinate 46 million people, or more than 85 per cent of its population.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/canada-confirms-two-cases-of-coronavirus-variant-first-seen-in-uk-352638" hreflang="en">Canada confirms two cases of coronavirus variant first seen in UK</a>

Scientists say the variant is about 40%-70% more transmissible than the original strain. Several other countries, including Australia, Italy and the Netherlands say they detected cases of the new strain.

Scientists say there is no evidence that vaccines currently being deployed - including one made by Pfizer and BioNtech - or other COVID-19 shots in development will not protect against this variant.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/after-uk-south-africa-another-coronavirus-variant-emerges-in-nigeria-352189" hreflang="en">After UK, South Africa, another coronavirus variant emerges in Nigeria</a>

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock was the first one to announce the identification of a new variant of coronavirus on December 20. Now, as his government has announced a Tier 4 lockdown in the country, Hancock has justified the move by revealing the extent of danger the new variant poses.

Talking about the new and stricter lockdown in south-eastern England during the Christmas time, Hancock said the decision was needed to control the worsening situation as the new variant was "out of control".

Authorities cautioned that the drop may be due to less testing done over the weekend and the Christmas holiday, and said on Sunday they would be extending social distancing measures until early January.

South Korea detected its first case of the variant of coronavirus which was first found in Britain. Now, the government has stepped up efforts to contain further spread of the new variant, with officials vowing to speed up efforts to initiate a vaccination programme.

South Korea detected its first case of the variant of coronavirus which was first found in Britain. Now, the government has stepped up efforts to contain further spread of the new variant, with officials vowing to speed up efforts to initiate a vaccination programme. The new variant of coronavirus is thought to be more transmissible than the original strain, and was spotted in three people who had come to South Korea from London on December 22, as per information given out by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on Monday. On Sunday, the country reported 808 new cases of COVID-19, its lowest tally since 1,241 new infections were recorded on Friday. South Korea intends to buy enough doses to vaccinate 46 million people, or more than 85 per cent of its population. Also read: Canada confirms two cases of coronavirus variant first seen in UK Scientists say the variant is about 40%-70% more transmissible than the original strain. Several other countries, including Australia, Italy and the Netherlands say they detected cases of the new strain. Scientists say there is no evidence that vaccines currently being deployed - including one made by Pfizer and BioNtech - or other COVID-19 shots in development will not protect against this variant. Also read: After UK, South Africa, another coronavirus variant emerges in Nigeria British Health Secretary Matt Hancock was the first one to announce the identification of a new variant of coronavirus on December 20. Now, as his government has announced a Tier 4 lockdown in the country, Hancock has justified the move by revealing the extent of danger the new variant poses. Talking about the new and stricter lockdown in south-eastern England during the Christmas time, Hancock said the decision was needed to control the worsening situation as the new variant was "out of control". Authorities cautioned that the drop may be due to less testing done over the weekend and the Christmas holiday, and said on Sunday they would be extending social distancing measures until early January.

South Korea steps up vaccine efforts after detecting coronavirus variant from UK

People suffering from long COVID, or simply the persistence of coronavirus symptoms, are now reporting new symptoms. Long COVID remains elusive, with scientists attempting to understand why symptoms last longer in some people. In a long COVID situation, people can experience symptoms like shortness of breath, tiredness for months after recovering from the virus.

Now, new symptoms have come in. People with long COVID are reporting the oddest symptoms one could imagine&nbsp;- a strong stench of fish, sulphur, and a sickly odour, as reported by Sky News.

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Vaccines for COVID-19 may have emerged, but the virus itself continues to surprise scientists and doctors alike, as new variants and symptoms keep popping up across the world. A recent variant which is considered more quickly spreading than the original strain has triggered panic in the world, akin to the earlier days of coronavirus last year.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/your-overdramatic-immune-system-could-be-causing-long-covid-study-349625" hreflang="en">Your overdramatic immune system could be causing 'long COVID': Study</a>

Distortion of smell is a common symptom of COVID-19, but its particulars had remain unrevealed. Officially referred to as "parosmia", the distortion of smell is largely reported among young people as well as healthcare officials.

An ENT surgeon - Professor Nirmal Kumar told Sky News that the symptom was "very strange and very unique''. Kumar added how many patients are experiencing long-term distortion of smell, most of which is unpleasant.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/rare-fungal-infection-detected-in-coronavirus-patients-349431" hreflang="en">Rare fungal infection detected in coronavirus patients</a>

Anybody undergoing distortion of smells is being recommended to take on ''smell training'' - a process involving sniffing lemon, rose, clove, and eucalyptus oils every day for at least 20 seconds to slowly regain sense of smell.

Earlier, scientists claimed to have understood why coronavirus symptoms linger in some patients for a long period of time, or what is commonly known as “long COVID”.

Turns out, it’s part of the body’s reaction against COVID-19. But it’s a direct result of an overdramatic response from the immune system. Once the carrier beats the virus, its symptoms fully disappear, but in some cases, the symptoms can continue to show for months after recovery.

People suffering from long COVID, or simply the persistence of coronavirus symptoms, are now reporting new symptoms. Long COVID remains elusive, with scientists attempting to understand why symptoms last longer in some people.

People suffering from long COVID, or simply the persistence of coronavirus symptoms, are now reporting new symptoms. Long COVID remains elusive, with scientists attempting to understand why symptoms last longer in some people. In a long COVID situation, people can experience symptoms like shortness of breath, tiredness for months after recovering from the virus. Now, new symptoms have come in. People with long COVID are reporting the oddest symptoms one could imagine - a strong stench of fish, sulphur, and a sickly odour, as reported by Sky News. Vaccines for COVID-19 may have emerged, but the virus itself continues to surprise scientists and doctors alike, as new variants and symptoms keep popping up across the world. A recent variant which is considered more quickly spreading than the original strain has triggered panic in the world, akin to the earlier days of coronavirus last year. Also read: Your overdramatic immune system could be causing 'long COVID': Study Distortion of smell is a common symptom of COVID-19, but its particulars had remain unrevealed. Officially referred to as "parosmia", the distortion of smell is largely reported among young people as well as healthcare officials. An ENT surgeon - Professor Nirmal Kumar told Sky News that the symptom was "very strange and very unique''. Kumar added how many patients are experiencing long-term distortion of smell, most of which is unpleasant. Also read: Rare fungal infection detected in coronavirus patients Anybody undergoing distortion of smells is being recommended to take on ''smell training'' - a process involving sniffing lemon, rose, clove, and eucalyptus oils every day for at least 20 seconds to slowly regain sense of smell. Earlier, scientists claimed to have understood why coronavirus symptoms linger in some patients for a long period of time, or what is commonly known as “long COVID”. Turns out, it’s part of the body’s reaction against COVID-19. But it’s a direct result of an overdramatic response from the immune system. Once the carrier beats the virus, its symptoms fully disappear, but in some cases, the symptoms can continue to show for months after recovery.

New 'long COVID' symptoms may include stench of fish and burning

The World Health Organization reported that the overuse of antibiotics to treat the coronavirus — sometimes unnecessarily — has caused the sexually transmitted infection to find a new way to thrive, reports The Sun. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-will-stay-with-us-for-the-next-10-years-says-vaccine-creator-351920">Also read | Coronavirus will stay with us for the next 10 years, says vaccine creator</a> 
 
The World Health Organisation clearly states the sexually transmitted infection (STI) may become even more resistant to the recommended treatments like azithromycin, which typically is used for chest and sinus infections. Azithromycin has seen an increase in usage during the pandemic. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-us-nurse-passes-out-after-getting-pfizer-biontechs-covid-19-vaccine-350712">Watch: US nurse passes out after getting Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine</a>

"Such a situation can fuel the emergence of resistance in gonorrhea including gonorrhea superbug (super gonorrhea) or gonorrhea with high-level resistance to current antibiotics recommended to treat it," a WHO spokesperson told British media outlet The Sun. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-trial-volunteers-who-got-pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-developed-bells-palsy-348547">Also read: Four trial volunteers who got Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine developed Bell's palsy</a> 
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This so-called ‘Super Gonorrhea’ does not respond to the normal first-line treatments, making it particularly dangerous and uncomfortable for those afflicted. 
 
Doctors and medical experts have long warned of the possibility that “superbugs” that are antibiotic-resistant could become more commonplace, and this is one example of such a thing happening.

One reason the new strain is exploding is because most people aren’t going to the hospital unless they come down with COVID-19 symptoms. Instead they’re self-medicating, meaning, a WHO spokesperson told The Sun, that doctors aren’t catching this disease in time. And to make matters worse, “super gonorrhea” is extremely resistant to antibiotics.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said cases of gonorrhea, which is caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae, have increased 63 per cent since 2014. The US agency has also warned that this could "facilitate transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)." Not only this, it can also cause eye infections.

In Europe, the UK has the highest gonorrhea rate and there are likely to be more than 420,000 new cases annually by 2030.

(With inputs from agencies)

The World Health Organization reported that the overuse of antibiotics to treat the coronavirus — sometimes unnecessarily — has caused the sexually transmitted infection to find a new way to thrive, reports The Sun.

The World Health Organization reported that the overuse of antibiotics to treat the coronavirus — sometimes unnecessarily — has caused the sexually transmitted infection to find a new way to thrive, reports The Sun. Also read | Coronavirus will stay with us for the next 10 years, says vaccine creator The World Health Organisation clearly states the sexually transmitted infection (STI) may become even more resistant to the recommended treatments like azithromycin, which typically is used for chest and sinus infections. Azithromycin has seen an increase in usage during the pandemic. Watch: US nurse passes out after getting Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine "Such a situation can fuel the emergence of resistance in gonorrhea including gonorrhea superbug (super gonorrhea) or gonorrhea with high-level resistance to current antibiotics recommended to treat it," a WHO spokesperson told British media outlet The Sun. Also read: Four trial volunteers who got Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine developed Bell's palsy This so-called ‘Super Gonorrhea’ does not respond to the normal first-line treatments, making it particularly dangerous and uncomfortable for those afflicted. Doctors and medical experts have long warned of the possibility that “superbugs” that are antibiotic-resistant could become more commonplace, and this is one example of such a thing happening. One reason the new strain is exploding is because most people aren’t going to the hospital unless they come down with COVID-19 symptoms. Instead they’re self-medicating, meaning, a WHO spokesperson told The Sun, that doctors aren’t catching this disease in time. And to make matters worse, “super gonorrhea” is extremely resistant to antibiotics. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said cases of gonorrhea, which is caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae, have increased 63 per cent since 2014. The US agency has also warned that this could "facilitate transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)." Not only this, it can also cause eye infections. In Europe, the UK has the highest gonorrhea rate and there are likely to be more than 420,000 new cases annually by 2030. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Super Gonorrhea’ on the rise due to Covid-19: WHO

This year has taught mankind a lot, from making work from home normal to learning to bake everything from scratch, COVID-19 has also forced many people to become their own hairstylists. Watch report.

Pandemic helps people embrace their natural hair

France could be on its way to impose its third nation-wide lockdown if the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise. The country’s health minister on Sunday said that another lockdown could be on its way, with more cases expected in the aftermath of Christmas.

"We will never exclude measures that are necessary to protect the public," Olivier Veran, the country’s health minister told the Journal du Dimanche. 
 
"That is not to say we have made a decision, but that we are watching the situation hour by hour”, he added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-set-to-infect-2500-people-with-covid-19-for-research-352675" hreflang="en">Britain set to infect 2,500 people with COVID-19 for research</a> 
 
On an average, the country has been inducting 15,000 new cases of COVID-19 everyday. On Friday, the country also confirmed the first case of a faster spreading variant of coronavirus which was first spotted in the UK.

After experts claimed that the new strain is more contagious, countries quickly imposed travel restrictions on the United Kingdom. At least 50 countries have banned travel to and from the UK recently.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/study-sheds-light-on-critical-windows-in-pregnancy-for-covid-19-vaccination-352657" hreflang="en">Study sheds light on critical windows in pregnancy for COVID-19 vaccination</a> 
 
After a 48 hour ban on arrivals from the UK, France reopened its borders to allow French citizens to return home. In addition, a build up of freight goods at the border was causing problems, and had to be addressed by the government.

France is on its way to begin mass inoculation. On Saturday, the country received the first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

France could be on its way to impose its third nation-wide lockdown if the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise. The country’s health minister on Sunday said that another lockdown could be on its way, with more cases expected in the aftermath of Christmas.

France could be on its way to impose its third nation-wide lockdown if the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise. The country’s health minister on Sunday said that another lockdown could be on its way, with more cases expected in the aftermath of Christmas. "We will never exclude measures that are necessary to protect the public," Olivier Veran, the country’s health minister told the Journal du Dimanche. "That is not to say we have made a decision, but that we are watching the situation hour by hour”, he added. Also read: Britain set to infect 2,500 people with COVID-19 for research On an average, the country has been inducting 15,000 new cases of COVID-19 everyday. On Friday, the country also confirmed the first case of a faster spreading variant of coronavirus which was first spotted in the UK. After experts claimed that the new strain is more contagious, countries quickly imposed travel restrictions on the United Kingdom. At least 50 countries have banned travel to and from the UK recently. Also read: Study sheds light on critical windows in pregnancy for COVID-19 vaccination After a 48 hour ban on arrivals from the UK, France reopened its borders to allow French citizens to return home. In addition, a build up of freight goods at the border was causing problems, and had to be addressed by the government. France is on its way to begin mass inoculation. On Saturday, the country received the first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

France could impose another lockdown as coronavirus cases rise

A fire killed at least seven people and injured several others on Saturday at a private hospital that was treating coronavirus patients on the outskirts of the Egyptian capital Cairo.

The fire broke out at about 9 a.m. at Misr Al Amal Hospital in El Obour, some 30 km (19 miles) northeast of central Cairo, and according to initial investigations was caused by an electrical fault.

The hospital was evacuated and closed and patients were transferred to a public hospital in Cairo.

Egypt has seen a sharp increase in the number of officially confirmed coronavirus cases over the past week. The health ministry recorded 1,189 new cases and 43 deaths on Saturday, bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 131,315 cases including 7,352 deaths.

A fire killed at least seven people and injured several others on Saturday at a private hospital that was treating coronavirus patients on the outskirts of the Egyptian capital Cairo.

A fire killed at least seven people and injured several others on Saturday at a private hospital that was treating coronavirus patients on the outskirts of the Egyptian capital Cairo. The fire broke out at about 9 a.m. at Misr Al Amal Hospital in El Obour, some 30 km (19 miles) northeast of central Cairo, and according to initial investigations was caused by an electrical fault. The hospital was evacuated and closed and patients were transferred to a public hospital in Cairo. Egypt has seen a sharp increase in the number of officially confirmed coronavirus cases over the past week. The health ministry recorded 1,189 new cases and 43 deaths on Saturday, bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 131,315 cases including 7,352 deaths.

Deadly fire hits Egyptian hospital treating Covid patients

New strains of COVID-19 have stirred new fears among people. After the UK reported a new strain which is more contagious than the original, countries have stepped up measures to identify and isolate. The strain has already been spotted in different countries including Canada, and eight European countries have also found the strain in circulation.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-detects-new-coronavirus-variant-from-s-africa-while-dealing-with-highly-infectious-strain-352065/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Even though vaccination drives against COVID-19 have begun around the world, there’s a lot about the virus scientists still don’t understand.

Scientists in the UK want to get to know the virus better, and to achieve this, they’re infecting 2,500 healthy volunteers with COVID-19. They will attempt to understand how the virus behaves in the body, and how much it takes for the virus to develop, the Sun reported.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/ahead-of-who-probe-china-hails-its-success-curbing-coronavirus-352526" hreflang="en">Ahead of WHO probe, China hails its 'success' curbing coronavirus</a> 
 
The government has put out $45 million for the research, which will be undertaken by the Imperial College, the National Health Service’s Royal Free Hospital, along with a pharmaceutical company hVIVO.

Usually, such studies are shunned due to the ethical questions about infecting healthy people with a virus.

The project will begin in January, with the pilot results expected to come out in May. The volunteers - aged between 18-30 will be given an experimental nasal vaccine, after which they’ll be infected with the virus. 
 
All volunteers will be paid $5,300 for their three-week stay at a hospital, where they will be monitored all day and night, as reported by Mail Online.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/new-research-suggests-coronavirus-causes-a-storm-in-the-brain-352509" hreflang="en">New research suggests coronavirus causes a storm in the brain</a>

Based on this, scientists intend to ascertain how vaccines help in the prevention of COVID-19. 
 
Earlier on Wednesday, British scientists had found that people who develop mild cases of COVID-19 also develop immunity which lasts for at least four months.

New strains of COVID-19 have stirred new fears among people. After the UK reported a new strain which is more contagious than the original, countries have stepped up measures to identify and isolate.

New strains of COVID-19 have stirred new fears among people. After the UK reported a new strain which is more contagious than the original, countries have stepped up measures to identify and isolate. The strain has already been spotted in different countries including Canada, and eight European countries have also found the strain in circulation. Even though vaccination drives against COVID-19 have begun around the world, there’s a lot about the virus scientists still don’t understand. Scientists in the UK want to get to know the virus better, and to achieve this, they’re infecting 2,500 healthy volunteers with COVID-19. They will attempt to understand how the virus behaves in the body, and how much it takes for the virus to develop, the Sun reported. Also read: Ahead of WHO probe, China hails its 'success' curbing coronavirus The government has put out $45 million for the research, which will be undertaken by the Imperial College, the National Health Service’s Royal Free Hospital, along with a pharmaceutical company hVIVO. Usually, such studies are shunned due to the ethical questions about infecting healthy people with a virus. The project will begin in January, with the pilot results expected to come out in May. The volunteers - aged between 18-30 will be given an experimental nasal vaccine, after which they’ll be infected with the virus. All volunteers will be paid $5,300 for their three-week stay at a hospital, where they will be monitored all day and night, as reported by Mail Online. Also read: New research suggests coronavirus causes a storm in the brain Based on this, scientists intend to ascertain how vaccines help in the prevention of COVID-19. Earlier on Wednesday, British scientists had found that people who develop mild cases of COVID-19 also develop immunity which lasts for at least four months.

Britain set to infect 2,500 people with COVID-19 for research

Salman Khan wishes to keep his 55th birthday extremely low-key, keeping the pandemic in mind and has urged his fans to do the same. The actor, on Sunday, said that this year`s celebration will be muted due to the pandemic and urged fans to follow Covid-19 norms.

&nbsp;

"This time we will not have any birthday celebrations. Only our family will be here (Panvel) and no one else. This year we are not planning to do anything because this has been a terrible year for everybody, and people have faced a lot of difficulties," Salman told reporters at his Panvel farmhouse.

"Hopefully, next year everything will go back to normal. I hope that everyone is happy, healthy and safe," the actor said.

Salman also requested his fans to not gather outside his house in Mumbai on the occasion of his birthday.

Answering a question on the release date of his upcoming film 'Radhe', Salman said, "It will be released at an appropriate time when everything will go back to normal."

"We will release Radhe on Eid if everything will go back to normal. But the movie is less important; the safety and health of moviegoers is the most important thing. The release of Radhe can wait," he added.

(With inputs from ANI)

Salman Khan wishes to keep his 55th birthday extremely low-key, keeping the pandemic in mind and has urged his fans to do the same. The actor, on Sunday, said that this year`s celebration will be muted due to the pandemic and urged fans to follow Covid-19 norms.

Salman Khan wishes to keep his 55th birthday extremely low-key, keeping the pandemic in mind and has urged his fans to do the same. The actor, on Sunday, said that this year`s celebration will be muted due to the pandemic and urged fans to follow Covid-19 norms. "This time we will not have any birthday celebrations. Only our family will be here (Panvel) and no one else. This year we are not planning to do anything because this has been a terrible year for everybody, and people have faced a lot of difficulties," Salman told reporters at his Panvel farmhouse. "Hopefully, next year everything will go back to normal. I hope that everyone is happy, healthy and safe," the actor said. Salman also requested his fans to not gather outside his house in Mumbai on the occasion of his birthday. Answering a question on the release date of his upcoming film 'Radhe', Salman said, "It will be released at an appropriate time when everything will go back to normal." "We will release Radhe on Eid if everything will go back to normal. But the movie is less important; the safety and health of moviegoers is the most important thing. The release of Radhe can wait," he added. (With inputs from ANI)

Salman Khan urges fans to follow COVID-19 norms on his birthday

India's COVID-19 national task force held a meeting on Saturday to discuss the new strains of coronavirus, first of which was spotted in the United Kingdom.

They discussed strategies to detect and contain the new variant, which is more contagious than the first, which showed up in Wuhan first.

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Over 50 samples of people who returned from the UK are being sequenced across six labs in the country to identify the mutant strain. Officers from the force are also identifying people who have arrived into the country from UK in the last month.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/canada-confirms-two-cases-of-coronavirus-variant-first-seen-in-uk-352638" hreflang="en">Canada confirms two cases of coronavirus variant first seen in UK</a>

Besides checking people returning from the UK for the strain, the task force also stressed on the need to survey samples of 5 per cent positive cases from all states and union territories for genome sequencing. 
 
Under the leadership of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), a consortium for genomic surveillance called INSACOG has been formed. It will survey the strains of SARS-CoV-2 that are circulating in the country.

"It is important to understand that like all other RNA viruses, SARS-CoV-2 will continue to mutate. The mutated virus can also be contained by measures like social distancing, hand hygiene, wearing masks and also by an effective vaccine, as and when available”, the statement said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/ahead-of-who-probe-china-hails-its-success-curbing-coronavirus-352526" hreflang="en">Ahead of WHO probe, China hails its 'success' curbing coronavirus</a> 
 
The meeting was headed by NITI Aayog member Dr VK Paul, along with Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research - Dr Balram Bhargava. It also included members of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) along with top officials with the health ministry.

The number of cases in India have been dropping steadily in the last few weeks, after witnessing a peak in September. Even then, India has the world’s second highest number of infections, trailing just behind the United States. After a new strain appeared in the UK, countries banned travel to and from the country in a bid to prevent another outbreak, considering the new strain is more infectious.

India's COVID-19 national task force held a meeting on Saturday to discuss the new strains of coronavirus, first of which was spotted in the United Kingdom. They discussed strategies to detect and contain the new variant, which is more contagious than the first, which showed up in Wuhan first.

India's COVID-19 national task force held a meeting on Saturday to discuss the new strains of coronavirus, first of which was spotted in the United Kingdom. They discussed strategies to detect and contain the new variant, which is more contagious than the first, which showed up in Wuhan first. Over 50 samples of people who returned from the UK are being sequenced across six labs in the country to identify the mutant strain. Officers from the force are also identifying people who have arrived into the country from UK in the last month. Also read: Canada confirms two cases of coronavirus variant first seen in UK Besides checking people returning from the UK for the strain, the task force also stressed on the need to survey samples of 5 per cent positive cases from all states and union territories for genome sequencing. Under the leadership of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), a consortium for genomic surveillance called INSACOG has been formed. It will survey the strains of SARS-CoV-2 that are circulating in the country. "It is important to understand that like all other RNA viruses, SARS-CoV-2 will continue to mutate. The mutated virus can also be contained by measures like social distancing, hand hygiene, wearing masks and also by an effective vaccine, as and when available”, the statement said. Also read: Ahead of WHO probe, China hails its 'success' curbing coronavirus The meeting was headed by NITI Aayog member Dr VK Paul, along with Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research - Dr Balram Bhargava. It also included members of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) along with top officials with the health ministry. The number of cases in India have been dropping steadily in the last few weeks, after witnessing a peak in September. Even then, India has the world’s second highest number of infections, trailing just behind the United States. After a new strain appeared in the UK, countries banned travel to and from the country in a bid to prevent another outbreak, considering the new strain is more infectious.

India's coronavirus task force carves out plan to detect, isolate new strains

Europe has launched a cross-border vaccination programme of unprecedented scale as part of efforts to end the coronavirus pandemic.

A swath of EU nations begin vaccinating their most vulnerable groups Sunday as a reputedly more contagious coronavirus variant spread internationally.

First doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrived in EU countries including hard-hit Italy, Spain and France on Saturday, ready for distribution to retirement homes and care staff.

The approval and roll-out of vaccines has boosted hopes that 2021 could bring a respite from the pandemic, which has killed more than 1.7 million people since emerging in China late last year.

While Europe has some of the best-resourced healthcare systems in the world, the sheer scale of the effort means that some countries are calling on retired medics to help out while others have loosened rules for who is allowed to give the injections.

With surveys pointing to high levels of hesitancy towards the vaccine in countries from France to Poland, leaders of the 27-country European Union are promoting it as the best chance of getting back to something like normal life next year.

"We are starting to turn the page on a difficult year," Ursula von der Leyen, president of the Brussels-based European Commission coordinating the programme, said in a tweet. 
"Vaccination is the lasting way out of the pandemic."

In a video message ahead of the first International Day of Epidemic Preparedness on Sunday, World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was time to learn the lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic.

"History tells us that this will not be the last pandemic, and epidemics are a fact of life," said Tedros.

"Any efforts to improve human health are doomed unless they address the critical interface between humans and animals, and the existential threat of climate change that's making our earth less habitable," he added.

Vaccinations in all 27 European Union countries are set to begin from Sunday, after regulators approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on December 21.

But some countries began on Saturday: a 101-year-old woman in a care home became the first person in Germany to be inoculated, and the first jabs were also handed out in Hungary and Slovakia.

The three EU countries joined China, Russia and Britain, Canada, the United States, Switzerland, Serbia, Singapore and Saudi Arabia, which have also begun their vaccination campaigns.

Jitters also remained over a new strain that has emerged in Britain and reached several other European countries such as France and Sweden, as well as Japan.

Four cases were confirmed in Madrid on Saturday, though the patients were not seriously ill, according to the Madrid regional government's deputy health chief Antonio Zapatero, who said "there is no need for alarm."

The new strain, which experts fear is more contagious, prompted more than 50 countries to impose travel restrictions on the UK.

After European governments were criticised for failing to work together to counter the spread of the virus in early 2020, the goal this time is to ensure that there is equal access to the vaccines across the entire region.

But even then, Hungary on Saturday jumped the gun on the official roll-out by starting to administer shots of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech to frontline workers at hospitals in the capital Budapest.

In Italy, temporary solar-powered healthcare pavilions will spring up in town squares around the country, designed to look like five-petalled primrose flowers, a symbol of spring.

In Spain, doses are being delivered by air to its island territories and the North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. Portugal is establishing separate cold storage units for its Atlantic archipelagos of Azores and Madeira.

(with inputs from agencies)

Europe has launched a cross-border vaccination programme of unprecedented scale as part of efforts to end the coronavirus pandemic. A swath of EU nations begin vaccinating their most vulnerable groups Sunday as a reputedly more contagious coronavirus variant spread internationally.

Europe has launched a cross-border vaccination programme of unprecedented scale as part of efforts to end the coronavirus pandemic. A swath of EU nations begin vaccinating their most vulnerable groups Sunday as a reputedly more contagious coronavirus variant spread internationally. First doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrived in EU countries including hard-hit Italy, Spain and France on Saturday, ready for distribution to retirement homes and care staff. The approval and roll-out of vaccines has boosted hopes that 2021 could bring a respite from the pandemic, which has killed more than 1.7 million people since emerging in China late last year. While Europe has some of the best-resourced healthcare systems in the world, the sheer scale of the effort means that some countries are calling on retired medics to help out while others have loosened rules for who is allowed to give the injections. With surveys pointing to high levels of hesitancy towards the vaccine in countries from France to Poland, leaders of the 27-country European Union are promoting it as the best chance of getting back to something like normal life next year. "We are starting to turn the page on a difficult year," Ursula von der Leyen, president of the Brussels-based European Commission coordinating the programme, said in a tweet. "Vaccination is the lasting way out of the pandemic." In a video message ahead of the first International Day of Epidemic Preparedness on Sunday, World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was time to learn the lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic. "History tells us that this will not be the last pandemic, and epidemics are a fact of life," said Tedros. "Any efforts to improve human health are doomed unless they address the critical interface between humans and animals, and the existential threat of climate change that's making our earth less habitable," he added. Vaccinations in all 27 European Union countries are set to begin from Sunday, after regulators approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on December 21. But some countries began on Saturday: a 101-year-old woman in a care home became the first person in Germany to be inoculated, and the first jabs were also handed out in Hungary and Slovakia. The three EU countries joined China, Russia and Britain, Canada, the United States, Switzerland, Serbia, Singapore and Saudi Arabia, which have also begun their vaccination campaigns. Jitters also remained over a new strain that has emerged in Britain and reached several other European countries such as France and Sweden, as well as Japan. Four cases were confirmed in Madrid on Saturday, though the patients were not seriously ill, according to the Madrid regional government's deputy health chief Antonio Zapatero, who said "there is no need for alarm." The new strain, which experts fear is more contagious, prompted more than 50 countries to impose travel restrictions on the UK. After European governments were criticised for failing to work together to counter the spread of the virus in early 2020, the goal this time is to ensure that there is equal access to the vaccines across the entire region. But even then, Hungary on Saturday jumped the gun on the official roll-out by starting to administer shots of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech to frontline workers at hospitals in the capital Budapest. In Italy, temporary solar-powered healthcare pavilions will spring up in town squares around the country, designed to look like five-petalled primrose flowers, a symbol of spring. In Spain, doses are being delivered by air to its island territories and the North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. Portugal is establishing separate cold storage units for its Atlantic archipelagos of Azores and Madeira. (with inputs from agencies)

Europe begins vaccine rollout as new virus strain spreads fears

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