As the number of covid-19 cases is growing again across the world, it’s more important than ever to be safe and follow guidelines. It’s easy to get complacent – experts call it “disaster fatigue” – and we’re all guilty of it sometimes.

Day by day scientists are learning more about long hauler syndrome, formally referred to as post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) with the hopes of eventually being able to treat it.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said there is no significant risk of contracting COVID-19 from touching surfaces and objects.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

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The CDC issued guidance recently clarifying that direct contact with a sick person or through airborne transmission remains the primary cause of coronavirus’ spread.

Medics and researchers working on the coronavirus are saying that the second wave of the virus is reporting a change in the way the infection is developing symptoms.

The known symptoms identified by the global researchers are:

Fever 
Cough 
Chills 
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing 
Repeated shaking with chills 
Muscle or body aches 
Headache 
Sore throat 
New loss of taste or smell

As more cases now emerge, it is being advised that any unusual development or symptom should not be ruled out and demands testing.&nbsp;

These signs demand attention and diagnosis at once:

Conjuntivitis/Pink Eyes:&nbsp;

Conjunctivitis, aka pink eye, was linked to COVID-19 early in the pandemic. It is defined as an inflammation or infection of the transparent membrane that lines your eyelid and covers the white part of your eyeball.

Dysfunction of Eustachian Tube/Hearing loss:

If the auditory tube is dysfunctional, symptoms such as muffled hearing, pain, tinnitus, reduced hearing. All of these symptoms have been linked to post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC).

Gastrointestinal Disorders:&nbsp;

Gastrointestinal symptoms can vary in intensity from very mild to serious. If you’re experiencing the symptoms&nbsp;over and over again or if they cause you significant discomfort, you must get yourself tested.

As the number of covid-19 cases is growing again across the world, it’s more important than ever to be safe and follow guidelines. It’s easy to get complacent – experts call it “disaster fatigue” – and we’re all guilty of it sometimes.

As the number of covid-19 cases is growing again across the world, it’s more important than ever to be safe and follow guidelines. It’s easy to get complacent – experts call it “disaster fatigue” – and we’re all guilty of it sometimes. Day by day scientists are learning more about long hauler syndrome, formally referred to as post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) with the hopes of eventually being able to treat it. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said there is no significant risk of contracting COVID-19 from touching surfaces and objects. The CDC issued guidance recently clarifying that direct contact with a sick person or through airborne transmission remains the primary cause of coronavirus’ spread. Medics and researchers working on the coronavirus are saying that the second wave of the virus is reporting a change in the way the infection is developing symptoms. The known symptoms identified by the global researchers are: Fever Cough Chills Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Repeated shaking with chills Muscle or body aches Headache Sore throat New loss of taste or smell As more cases now emerge, it is being advised that any unusual development or symptom should not be ruled out and demands testing. These signs demand attention and diagnosis at once: Conjuntivitis/Pink Eyes: Conjunctivitis, aka pink eye, was linked to COVID-19 early in the pandemic. It is defined as an inflammation or infection of the transparent membrane that lines your eyelid and covers the white part of your eyeball. Dysfunction of Eustachian Tube/Hearing loss: If the auditory tube is dysfunctional, symptoms such as muffled hearing, pain, tinnitus, reduced hearing. All of these symptoms have been linked to post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). Gastrointestinal Disorders: Gastrointestinal symptoms can vary in intensity from very mild to serious. If you’re experiencing the symptoms over and over again or if they cause you significant discomfort, you must get yourself tested.

These are the three new symptoms of COVID-19. Don't take them lightly

India reported 115,736 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, setting a new daily record for the country witnessing another wave of infections.

The total cases in the country have gone up to 12.80 million, health ministry data showed. In the last 24 hours, 630 deaths were recorded, taking the total to 166,177.

On Tuesday, the national capital New Delhi initiated a curfew set to last till April 30 as cases continue to surge. The curfew prohibits movement of people between 10 pm and 5 am.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/coronavirus-global-death-toll-surpasses-3-million-amid-resurgence-of-infections-375787" hreflang="en">Coronavirus global death toll surpasses 3 million amid resurgence of infections</a>

India had become the third country to record over 100,000 new cases in a day after the United States and Brazil on Monday.&nbsp; The number of fresh cases dipped slightly on Tuesday when over 96,000 new cases were recorded.

Vaccination is currently underway across the country. The drive kicked off on January 16 and priority was given to healthcare and frontline workers in the first phase.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/filipino-man-who-flouted-coronavirus-rules-dies-after-exercise-punishment-375669" hreflang="en">Filipino man who flouted coronavirus rules dies after 'exercise punishment'</a>

The second phase began on March 1 which allowed inoculation of people aged 60 and above, and also those who fall in the age group between 49-59 with co-morbidities.

Last year, a nationwide lockdown was imposed to prevent mass transmission. Now, cases are rising again after the country witnessed a fall over the winter months.

India reported 115,736 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, setting a new daily record for the country witnessing another wave of infections. The total cases in the country have gone up to 12.

India reported 115,736 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, setting a new daily record for the country witnessing another wave of infections. The total cases in the country have gone up to 12.80 million, health ministry data showed. In the last 24 hours, 630 deaths were recorded, taking the total to 166,177. On Tuesday, the national capital New Delhi initiated a curfew set to last till April 30 as cases continue to surge. The curfew prohibits movement of people between 10 pm and 5 am. Also read: Coronavirus global death toll surpasses 3 million amid resurgence of infections India had become the third country to record over 100,000 new cases in a day after the United States and Brazil on Monday. The number of fresh cases dipped slightly on Tuesday when over 96,000 new cases were recorded. Vaccination is currently underway across the country. The drive kicked off on January 16 and priority was given to healthcare and frontline workers in the first phase. Also read: Filipino man who flouted coronavirus rules dies after 'exercise punishment' The second phase began on March 1 which allowed inoculation of people aged 60 and above, and also those who fall in the age group between 49-59 with co-morbidities. Last year, a nationwide lockdown was imposed to prevent mass transmission. Now, cases are rising again after the country witnessed a fall over the winter months.

India reports over 100,000 fresh coronavirus cases for second time in a week

Coronavirus-related deaths crossed the 3 million mark worldwide on Tuesday, as the world deals with a&nbsp;resurgence of the virus. Currently, vaccination drives are on across the world to prevent more outbreaks, especially involving mutants.

A Reuters tally claims that it took over a year for the death toll to hit 2 million, but it&nbsp;crossed the 3 million mark over just three months. Cases are rising across the world, especially in the three hardest hit countries - USA, Brazil, and India.

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Officials believe that the numbers are rising owing to more infectious variants which were first found in the United Kingdom and South Africa. In addition, public fatigue in terms of lockdowns and other precautions may have caused a surge.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/body-weight-bad-cholesterol-new-risk-factors-for-coronavirus-375715" hreflang="en">Body weight, 'bad' cholesterol new risk factors for coronavirus</a>

Currently, Brazil is leading with most number of new deaths reported daily on an average, a Reuters tally claims. The country accounts for one in every four deaths reported related to coronavirus.

The World Health Organization has acknowledged the dire conditions in Brazil, calling it a “critical” moment. Currently, many intensive care units in hospitals are running at over 90% capacity.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/body-weight-bad-cholesterol-new-risk-factors-for-coronavirus-375715" hreflang="en">Body weight, 'bad' cholesterol new risk factors for coronavirus</a>

On Monday, India reported a record surge in cases with 100,000 daily infections, becoming the second country after the US to report such huge numbers.

Europe has the highest number of total deaths at 1.1 million. Out of these, 60 per cent come from just five countries - the UK, France, Russia, Italy, and Germany.

The US has seen the highest number deaths in the world at 555,000 - accounting for 19 per cent of all coronavirus-related deaths in the world.

Coronavirus-related deaths crossed the 3 million mark worldwide on Tuesday, as the world deals with a resurgence of the virus. Currently, vaccination drives are on across the world to prevent more outbreaks, especially involving mutants.

Coronavirus-related deaths crossed the 3 million mark worldwide on Tuesday, as the world deals with a resurgence of the virus. Currently, vaccination drives are on across the world to prevent more outbreaks, especially involving mutants. A Reuters tally claims that it took over a year for the death toll to hit 2 million, but it crossed the 3 million mark over just three months. Cases are rising across the world, especially in the three hardest hit countries - USA, Brazil, and India. Officials believe that the numbers are rising owing to more infectious variants which were first found in the United Kingdom and South Africa. In addition, public fatigue in terms of lockdowns and other precautions may have caused a surge. Also read: Body weight, 'bad' cholesterol new risk factors for coronavirus Currently, Brazil is leading with most number of new deaths reported daily on an average, a Reuters tally claims. The country accounts for one in every four deaths reported related to coronavirus. The World Health Organization has acknowledged the dire conditions in Brazil, calling it a “critical” moment. Currently, many intensive care units in hospitals are running at over 90% capacity. Also read: Body weight, 'bad' cholesterol new risk factors for coronavirus On Monday, India reported a record surge in cases with 100,000 daily infections, becoming the second country after the US to report such huge numbers. Europe has the highest number of total deaths at 1.1 million. Out of these, 60 per cent come from just five countries - the UK, France, Russia, Italy, and Germany. The US has seen the highest number deaths in the world at 555,000 - accounting for 19 per cent of all coronavirus-related deaths in the world.

Coronavirus global death toll surpasses 3 million amid resurgence of infections

A new study sheds light on how COVID-19 affects the neurological health of recovered patients. Turns out, one in three people who recover from COVID-19 suffer a neurological or psychiatric&nbsp;diagnosis six months later, the study published in The Lancet Psychiatry Journal on Wednesday said.

The study took into account health records of over 230,000 patients who had recovered from COVID-19. They found that 34 per cent patients were diagnosed with a psychiatric condition within six months.&nbsp;

Most patients reported anxiety, with 17 per cent claiming the same while 14 per cent reported mood disorders. For 13 per cent patients who reported mental health issues, these were first diagnoses of a mental issue for them.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/body-weight-bad-cholesterol-new-risk-factors-for-coronavirus-375715" hreflang="en">Body weight, 'bad' cholesterol new risk factors for coronavirus</a>

Neurological disorders were less prevalent. Brain haemorrhage accounted for 0.6 per cent, stroke for 2.1 per cent, and dementia for 0.7 per cent, suggesting the risk of neurological issues was lower than psychiatric&nbsp;disorders.

Even then, the risk of brain disorders was higher among patients who had severe COVID-19. 46 per cent patients who required intensive care were diagnosed with neurological or psychiatric conditions within the span of 6 months after recovering.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/transmission-of-covid-19-from-surfaces-constitutes-low-risk-cdc-says-375644" hreflang="en">Transmission of COVID-19 from surfaces constitutes low risk, CDC says</a>

AFP cited Paul Harrison, the leader author of the study from the University of Oxford as saying that even the individual risk of developing issues was low, the overall effect could be “substantial”. Harrison also said that “many of these conditions are chronic”.

"As a result, health care systems need to be resourced to deal with the anticipated need, both within primary and secondary care services”, he added.

A new study sheds light on how COVID-19 affects the neurological health of recovered patients. Turns out, one in three people who recover from COVID-19 suffer a neurological or psychiatric diagnosis six months later, the study published in The Lancet Psychiatry Journal on Wednesday said.

A new study sheds light on how COVID-19 affects the neurological health of recovered patients. Turns out, one in three people who recover from COVID-19 suffer a neurological or psychiatric diagnosis six months later, the study published in The Lancet Psychiatry Journal on Wednesday said. The study took into account health records of over 230,000 patients who had recovered from COVID-19. They found that 34 per cent patients were diagnosed with a psychiatric condition within six months. Most patients reported anxiety, with 17 per cent claiming the same while 14 per cent reported mood disorders. For 13 per cent patients who reported mental health issues, these were first diagnoses of a mental issue for them. Also read: Body weight, 'bad' cholesterol new risk factors for coronavirus Neurological disorders were less prevalent. Brain haemorrhage accounted for 0.6 per cent, stroke for 2.1 per cent, and dementia for 0.7 per cent, suggesting the risk of neurological issues was lower than psychiatric disorders. Even then, the risk of brain disorders was higher among patients who had severe COVID-19. 46 per cent patients who required intensive care were diagnosed with neurological or psychiatric conditions within the span of 6 months after recovering. Also read: Transmission of COVID-19 from surfaces constitutes low risk, CDC says AFP cited Paul Harrison, the leader author of the study from the University of Oxford as saying that even the individual risk of developing issues was low, the overall effect could be “substantial”. Harrison also said that “many of these conditions are chronic”. "As a result, health care systems need to be resourced to deal with the anticipated need, both within primary and secondary care services”, he added.

New study claims 1 in 3 COVID-19 survivors develop mental, neurological issues

Israel’s parliament on Wednesday passed a law which allows the government to share the identities of those not vaccinated against COVID-19.

The measure passed with 30 votes in favour and 13 against, and now gives local governments, the director general of the education ministry, and many officials in the welfare ministry to receive the names, phone numbers, and addresses of those who have not received the vaccine.

According to a parliament statement, the goal of this law is to ”enable these bodies to encourage people to vaccinate by personally addressing them”. The law will be valid for three months or until the pandemic is declared over.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/israeli-researchers-reveal-china-copied-spyware-code-from-americas-nsa-365453" hreflang="en">Israeli researchers reveal China copied spyware code from America's NSA</a>

Israel has over nine million people living within its borders, and it has administered the two Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on a third of its population. Israel is currently restricting certain services including access to gyms and indoor dining to those who have received the vaccination. The government provides a “green pass” to those who have received both the doses of the vaccine.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/on-the-house-israel-bar-offers-free-drinks-with-covid-19-vaccine-jabs-365196" hreflang="en">On the house: Israel bar offers free drinks with COVID-19 vaccine jabs</a>

According to the parliament’s statement, the personal information of citizens cannot be used for purposes other than encouraging them to vaccinate. During discussion about the law, Labor party leader Merav Michaeli accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "denying citizens their right to the privacy of their medical information".

The law mandates the following - “The information will be deleted after its use within 60 days” and “a person who was contacted can demand that his details be deleted and that they not be contacted again”.

(With inputs from AFP)

Israel’s parliament on Wednesday passed a law which allows the government to share the identities of those not vaccinated against COVID-19. The measure passed with 30 votes in favour and 13 against, and now gives local governments, the director general of the education ministry, and many officials in the welfare ministry to receive the names, phone numbers, and addresses of those who have not received the vaccine.

Israel’s parliament on Wednesday passed a law which allows the government to share the identities of those not vaccinated against COVID-19. The measure passed with 30 votes in favour and 13 against, and now gives local governments, the director general of the education ministry, and many officials in the welfare ministry to receive the names, phone numbers, and addresses of those who have not received the vaccine. According to a parliament statement, the goal of this law is to ”enable these bodies to encourage people to vaccinate by personally addressing them”. The law will be valid for three months or until the pandemic is declared over. Also read: Israeli researchers reveal China copied spyware code from America's NSA Israel has over nine million people living within its borders, and it has administered the two Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on a third of its population. Israel is currently restricting certain services including access to gyms and indoor dining to those who have received the vaccination. The government provides a “green pass” to those who have received both the doses of the vaccine. Also read: On the house: Israel bar offers free drinks with COVID-19 vaccine jabs According to the parliament’s statement, the personal information of citizens cannot be used for purposes other than encouraging them to vaccinate. During discussion about the law, Labor party leader Merav Michaeli accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "denying citizens their right to the privacy of their medical information". The law mandates the following - “The information will be deleted after its use within 60 days” and “a person who was contacted can demand that his details be deleted and that they not be contacted again”. (With inputs from AFP)

Israel adopts law allowing identities of unvaccinated to be shared

The invention of COVID-19 vaccines will be remembered as a milestone in the history of medicine, creating in a matter of months what had before taken up to a decade. But Dr. Kayvon Modjarrad, director of the emerging infectious diseases branch at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Silver Spring, Maryland, isn’t satisfied.

“That’s not fast enough,” he said. More than 2.3 million people around the world have died, and many countries will not have full access to the vaccines for another year or two: “Fast — truly fast — is having it there on day one.”

There will be more coronavirus outbreaks in the future. Bats and other mammals are rife with strains and species of this abundant family of viruses. Some of these viruses will inevitably spill over the species barrier and cause new pandemics. It’s only a matter of time.

Modjarrad is one of many scientists who for years have been calling for a different kind of vaccine: one that could work against all coronaviruses. Those calls went largely ignored until COVID-19 demonstrated just how disastrous coronaviruses can be.

Now researchers are starting to develop prototypes of a so-called pancoronavirus vaccine, with some promising, if early, results from experiments on animals. Dr. Eric Topol, a professor of molecular medicine at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego, thinks scientists should join together in another large-scale vaccine-creation project immediately.

“We have to get a real workforce to accelerate this, so we can have it this year,” he said. Topol and Dennis Burton, a Scripps immunologist, called for this project on broad coronavirus vaccines Feb. 8 in the journal Nature.

After coronaviruses were first identified in the 1960s, they did not become a high priority for vaccine makers. For decades it seemed as if they only caused mild colds. But in 2002, a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV emerged, causing a deadly pneumonia called severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. Scientists scrambled to make a vaccine for it.

Since no one had made a coronavirus vaccine for humans before, there was a huge amount to learn about its biology. Eventually, researchers chose a target for immunity: a protein on the surface of the virus, called spike. Antibodies that stick to the spike can prevent the coronavirus from entering cells and stop an infection.

Public health officials in Asia and elsewhere did not wait for the invention of a SARS vaccine to get to work, however. Their quarantines and other efforts proved remarkably effective. In a matter of months, they wiped out SARS-CoV, with only 774 deaths along the way.

The danger of coronaviruses became even clearer in 2012, when a second species spilled over from bats, causing yet another deadly respiratory disease called Middle East respiratory syndrome. Researchers started work on MERS vaccines. But some researchers wondered if making a new vaccine for each new coronavirus — what Modjarrad calls “the one bug, one drug approach” — was the smartest strategy. Wouldn’t it be better, they thought, if a single vaccine could work against SARS, MERS and any other coronavirus?

That idea went nowhere for years. MERS and SARS caused relatively few deaths and were soon eclipsed by outbreaks of other viruses such as Ebola and Zika.

In 2016, Maria Elena Bottazzi, a virus expert at Baylor College of Medicine, and her colleagues applied for support from the U.S. government to develop a pancoronavirus vaccine but did not receive it. “They said there’s no interest in pancorona,” Bottazzi recalled.

Her team even lost funding for developing a SARS vaccine after they showed that it worked in mice, was not toxic to human cells and could be manufactured at scale. A coronavirus that had disappeared from view simply wasn’t a top priority.

Without enough money to start clinical trials, the scientists stored their SARS vaccine in a freezer and moved on to other research. “It’s been a struggle,” Bottazzi said.

Dr. Matthew Memoli, a virus expert at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, looks back at those decisions as an enormous blunder. “It’s a failure of our system of science,” he said. “Funders tend to chase after shiny objects.”

Three years later, a third dangerous coronavirus emerged: the SARS-CoV-2 strain that causes COVID-19. Although this virus has a much lower fatality rate than its cousins that cause SARS and MERS, it does a far better job of spreading from person to person, resulting in more than 106 million documented cases around the world and still climbing.

All the lessons that researchers had learned about coronaviruses helped them move quickly to make new vaccines for SARS-CoV-2. Bottazzi and her colleagues used the technology they had created to make SARS vaccines to make one for COVID-19, which is now in early clinical trials.

Other researchers used even newer methods to move faster. German company BioNTech created a genetic molecule called messenger RNA that encoded the spike protein. Partnering with Pfizer, the companies received U.S. government authorization for their vaccine in just 11 months. The previous record for a vaccine, against mumps, was four years.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic is still far from over, a number of researchers are calling for preparations for the next deadly coronavirus.

“This has already happened three times,” said Daniel Hoft, a virus expert at Saint Louis University. “It’s very likely going to happen again.”

Researchers at VBI vaccines, a Cambridge-based company, took a small step toward a pancoronavirus vaccine in the summer. They created viruslike shells studded with spike proteins from the three coronaviruses that caused SARS, MERS and COVID-19.

When the researchers injected this three-spike vaccine into mice, the animals made antibodies that worked against all three coronaviruses. Intriguingly, some of those antibodies could also latch onto a fourth human coronavirus that causes seasonal colds — even though that virus’s spike proteins were not included in the vaccine. The scientists have made this data public but have not yet published it in a scientific journal.

Last month, Pamela Bjorkman, a structural biologist at Caltech, and her colleagues published a more extensive experiment with a universal coronavirus vaccine in the journal Science. The researchers attached only the tips of spike proteins from eight different coronaviruses to a protein core, known as a nanoparticle. After injecting these nanoparticles into mice, the animals generated antibodies that could stick to all eight of the coronaviruses — and to four other coronaviruses that the scientists had not used in the vaccine.

Modjarrad is leading a team at Walter Reed developing another vaccine based on a nanoparticle studded with protein fragments. They anticipate starting clinical trials on volunteers next month. Although the vaccine currently uses protein fragments only from SARS-CoV-2 spikes, Modjarrad and his colleagues are preparing to retool it as a pancoronavirus vaccine.

Hoft of Saint Louis University is working on a universal vaccine that does not rely on antibodies to the spike protein. Collaborating with Gritstone Oncology, a California-based biotech company, he has created a vaccine that prompts cells to make surface proteins that might alert the immune system as if a coronavirus — any coronavirus — were present. They are now preparing a clinical trial to see if it is effective against SARS-CoV-2.

“We are interested to develop maybe a third-generation vaccine, which would be on the shelf and ready for the future outbreak,” Hoft said.

The invention of COVID-19 vaccines will be remembered as a milestone in the history of medicine, creating in a matter of months what had before taken up to a decade.

The invention of COVID-19 vaccines will be remembered as a milestone in the history of medicine, creating in a matter of months what had before taken up to a decade. But Dr. Kayvon Modjarrad, director of the emerging infectious diseases branch at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Silver Spring, Maryland, isn’t satisfied. “That’s not fast enough,” he said. More than 2.3 million people around the world have died, and many countries will not have full access to the vaccines for another year or two: “Fast — truly fast — is having it there on day one.” There will be more coronavirus outbreaks in the future. Bats and other mammals are rife with strains and species of this abundant family of viruses. Some of these viruses will inevitably spill over the species barrier and cause new pandemics. It’s only a matter of time. Modjarrad is one of many scientists who for years have been calling for a different kind of vaccine: one that could work against all coronaviruses. Those calls went largely ignored until COVID-19 demonstrated just how disastrous coronaviruses can be. Now researchers are starting to develop prototypes of a so-called pancoronavirus vaccine, with some promising, if early, results from experiments on animals. Dr. Eric Topol, a professor of molecular medicine at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego, thinks scientists should join together in another large-scale vaccine-creation project immediately. “We have to get a real workforce to accelerate this, so we can have it this year,” he said. Topol and Dennis Burton, a Scripps immunologist, called for this project on broad coronavirus vaccines Feb. 8 in the journal Nature. After coronaviruses were first identified in the 1960s, they did not become a high priority for vaccine makers. For decades it seemed as if they only caused mild colds. But in 2002, a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV emerged, causing a deadly pneumonia called severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. Scientists scrambled to make a vaccine for it. Since no one had made a coronavirus vaccine for humans before, there was a huge amount to learn about its biology. Eventually, researchers chose a target for immunity: a protein on the surface of the virus, called spike. Antibodies that stick to the spike can prevent the coronavirus from entering cells and stop an infection. Public health officials in Asia and elsewhere did not wait for the invention of a SARS vaccine to get to work, however. Their quarantines and other efforts proved remarkably effective. In a matter of months, they wiped out SARS-CoV, with only 774 deaths along the way. The danger of coronaviruses became even clearer in 2012, when a second species spilled over from bats, causing yet another deadly respiratory disease called Middle East respiratory syndrome. Researchers started work on MERS vaccines. But some researchers wondered if making a new vaccine for each new coronavirus — what Modjarrad calls “the one bug, one drug approach” — was the smartest strategy. Wouldn’t it be better, they thought, if a single vaccine could work against SARS, MERS and any other coronavirus? That idea went nowhere for years. MERS and SARS caused relatively few deaths and were soon eclipsed by outbreaks of other viruses such as Ebola and Zika. In 2016, Maria Elena Bottazzi, a virus expert at Baylor College of Medicine, and her colleagues applied for support from the U.S. government to develop a pancoronavirus vaccine but did not receive it. “They said there’s no interest in pancorona,” Bottazzi recalled. Her team even lost funding for developing a SARS vaccine after they showed that it worked in mice, was not toxic to human cells and could be manufactured at scale. A coronavirus that had disappeared from view simply wasn’t a top priority. Without enough money to start clinical trials, the scientists stored their SARS vaccine in a freezer and moved on to other research. “It’s been a struggle,” Bottazzi said. Dr. Matthew Memoli, a virus expert at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, looks back at those decisions as an enormous blunder. “It’s a failure of our system of science,” he said. “Funders tend to chase after shiny objects.” Three years later, a third dangerous coronavirus emerged: the SARS-CoV-2 strain that causes COVID-19. Although this virus has a much lower fatality rate than its cousins that cause SARS and MERS, it does a far better job of spreading from person to person, resulting in more than 106 million documented cases around the world and still climbing. All the lessons that researchers had learned about coronaviruses helped them move quickly to make new vaccines for SARS-CoV-2. Bottazzi and her colleagues used the technology they had created to make SARS vaccines to make one for COVID-19, which is now in early clinical trials. Other researchers used even newer methods to move faster. German company BioNTech created a genetic molecule called messenger RNA that encoded the spike protein. Partnering with Pfizer, the companies received U.S. government authorization for their vaccine in just 11 months. The previous record for a vaccine, against mumps, was four years. Although the COVID-19 pandemic is still far from over, a number of researchers are calling for preparations for the next deadly coronavirus. “This has already happened three times,” said Daniel Hoft, a virus expert at Saint Louis University. “It’s very likely going to happen again.” Researchers at VBI vaccines, a Cambridge-based company, took a small step toward a pancoronavirus vaccine in the summer. They created viruslike shells studded with spike proteins from the three coronaviruses that caused SARS, MERS and COVID-19. When the researchers injected this three-spike vaccine into mice, the animals made antibodies that worked against all three coronaviruses. Intriguingly, some of those antibodies could also latch onto a fourth human coronavirus that causes seasonal colds — even though that virus’s spike proteins were not included in the vaccine. The scientists have made this data public but have not yet published it in a scientific journal. Last month, Pamela Bjorkman, a structural biologist at Caltech, and her colleagues published a more extensive experiment with a universal coronavirus vaccine in the journal Science. The researchers attached only the tips of spike proteins from eight different coronaviruses to a protein core, known as a nanoparticle. After injecting these nanoparticles into mice, the animals generated antibodies that could stick to all eight of the coronaviruses — and to four other coronaviruses that the scientists had not used in the vaccine. Modjarrad is leading a team at Walter Reed developing another vaccine based on a nanoparticle studded with protein fragments. They anticipate starting clinical trials on volunteers next month. Although the vaccine currently uses protein fragments only from SARS-CoV-2 spikes, Modjarrad and his colleagues are preparing to retool it as a pancoronavirus vaccine. Hoft of Saint Louis University is working on a universal vaccine that does not rely on antibodies to the spike protein. Collaborating with Gritstone Oncology, a California-based biotech company, he has created a vaccine that prompts cells to make surface proteins that might alert the immune system as if a coronavirus — any coronavirus — were present. They are now preparing a clinical trial to see if it is effective against SARS-CoV-2. “We are interested to develop maybe a third-generation vaccine, which would be on the shelf and ready for the future outbreak,” Hoft said.

Could a single vaccine work against all coronaviruses?

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US President Joe Biden discussed an open& free Indo-pacific, COVID-19 pandemic, climate change on a phone call. This was the first conversation between the two leaders after Biden's inauguration,

Modi & Biden discuss Indo-pacific, Quad & COVID on a phone call

Royal Dutch Shell's profit last year dropped to its lowest in at least two decades as the coronavirus pandemic hit energy demand worldwide though the company's retail network and trading business helped cushion the blow.

Shell's profit slumps in 2020 as the pandemic bites

Dr. Sheetal Khedkar Rao, 42, an internist in suburban Chicago, can’t pinpoint the exact moment when she decided to hang up her stethoscope for the last time. There were the chaos and confusion of the spring, when a nationwide shortage of N95 masks forced her to examine patients with a surgical mask, the fears she might take the coronavirus home to her family and the exasperating public disregard for mask-wearing and social distancing that was amplified by the White House.

Among the final blows, though, were a 30% pay cut to compensate for a drop in patients seeking primary care, and the realization that she needed to spend more time at home after her children, 10 and 11, switched to remote learning.

“Everyone says doctors are heroes and they put us on a pedestal, but we also have kids and aging parents to worry about,” said Rao, who left her practice in October. “After awhile, the emotional burden and moral injury become too much to bear.”

Doctors, paramedics and nurses’ aides have been hailed as America’s frontline COVID warriors, but gone are the days when people applauded workers outside hospitals and on city streets.

Now, a year into the pandemic, with emergency rooms packed again, vaccines in short supply and more contagious variants of the virus threatening to unleash a fresh wave of infections, the nation’s medical workers are feeling burned out and unappreciated.

Over the last year, there have been the psychological trauma of overworked intensive care doctors forced to ration care, the crushing sense of guilt for nurses who unknowingly infected patients or family members, and the struggles of medical personnel who survived COVID-19 but are still hobbled by the fatigue and brain fog that hamper their ability to work.

Researchers say the pandemic’s toll on the nation’s health care workforce will play out long after the coronavirus is tamed. The impact, for now, can be measured in part by a surge of early retirements and the desperation of community hospitals struggling to hire enough workers to keep their emergency rooms running.

“Everyone wants to talk about vaccines, vaccines, vaccines, but for our members, all they want to talk about is workforce, workforce, workforce,” said Alan Morgan, chief executive of the National Rural Health Association. “Right now our hospitals and our workers are just getting crushed.”

Some health care experts are calling for a national effort to track the psychological well-being of medical professionals, much like the federal health program that monitors workers who responded to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“We have a great obligation to people who put their lives on the line for the nation,” said Dr. Victor J. Dzau, president of the National Academy of Medicine.

As vaccinations ramp up, it is tempting to imagine that the pandemic’s horrifying effect on health care workers is poised to recede. But it is unclear whether vaccinated health care workers can still spread the virus to others and how the ever-changing variants will affect the effectiveness of the vaccines.

And while supplies of personal protective equipment have improved in recent months, health care workers in much of the country are still reusing N95 masks that were designed to be thrown away after each patient.

Celia Nieto, 44, an intensive care nurse in Las Vegas, said many Americans had scant appreciation for the tribulations that she and her colleagues face day after day. There is the physical exhaustion of lifting and turning patients on their bellies so they might breathe easier, the never-ending scramble to adjust ventilators and pain medication, and the mental anguish of telling relatives she doesn’t have the time to help them FaceTime with their loved ones.

“It feels like we’re failing, when in actuality we’re working with what we’ve got and we don’t have enough,” she said. “We feel quite helpless, and it’s a real injury to our psyches.”

Dr. Donald Pathman, a researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said he was struck by the early results of a study he has been conducting on the pandemic’s effect on clinicians who serve in poor communities. Many of the 2,000 medical, dental and mental health professionals who have participated in the survey so far say they are disillusioned.

“There is a lot of personal trauma,” Pathman said. “Many people have been scarred by their experiences during the pandemic, and they will look to leave their practices.”

In interviews, doctors who have recently left the field or are considering early retirement said the pandemic had exacerbated frustrations spurred by shifts in the business of medical care that often required them to work longer hours without increased compensation.

In a survey released in September by the online site Medscape, two-thirds of American doctors said they had grappled with intense burnout during the pandemic, with a similar percentage reporting a drop in income. A quarter of respondents said their experiences with COVID had led them to exit the medical field.

Another survey, by the Physicians Foundation, found that 8% of doctors in the United States had closed their offices during the pandemic, translating to 16,000 fewer private practices.

Dr. Erica Bial, a pain specialist from suburban Boston who barely survived COVID-19 last spring, said she felt increasingly drained.

“We put on our masks and come to work every day because we don’t have the luxury of working from home in our pajamas, but the apathy and ennui that’s taken hold of society just makes our job feel thankless,” said Bial, who works full time despite struggling with the lingering effects of her illness. “It’s so demoralizing.”

Staffing shortages have been especially acute at nursing homes and long-term care facilities. They were already struggling to retain employees before the pandemic, but many are now facing an existential shortage of skilled workers. According to a study released last week by the nonpartisan U.S. PIRG Education Fund, more than 20% of the nation’s 15,000 nursing homes reported severe shortages of nursing aides in December, up from 17% in May, a significant jump over such a short period.

As more and more medical staff members fall ill or quit, those who remain on the job have to work harder, and the quality of care invariably suffers, said Dr. Michael L. Barnett, assistant professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health who served as a consultant to the study.

“It’s a recipe for a collapse in the workforce,” he said.

So far, the federal government has shown little interest in addressing what Dzau, of the National Academy of Medicine, writing in The New England Journal of Medicine, described as a “parallel pandemic” of psychological trauma among health workers.

He and other experts say the government should start by making a concerted effort to accurately count medical worker infections and fatalities.

Thousands of health care workers have already paid the ultimate price for their workaday devotion. Since March, more than 3,300 nurses, doctors, social workers and physical therapists have died from COVID-19, according to a tally by Kaiser Health News and the Guardian.

Experts say the death toll is most likely far higher. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention counts 1,332 deaths among medical personnel, which is striking given that its sister agency, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, lists roughly the same number of deaths just among nursing home workers — a small portion of those employed by the nation’s hospitals, health clinics and private practices.

A number of studies suggest that medical professionals made up 10% to 20% of all coronavirus cases in the early months of the pandemic though they comprise roughly 4% of the population.

Many medical workers who have survived COVID-19 face more immediate challenges. Bial, the pain specialist from Boston, is still plagued by fatigue and impaired lung function.

“The day before I got sick, I could comfortably run 8 to 10 miles,” said Bial, 45, who started a Facebook group memorializing doctors lost to COVID. “Now I go out for a brisk walk and my heart is pounding. I’m starting to wonder whether these effects could be permanent.”

Dr. Andrew T. Chan, a professor at Harvard Medical School and a gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital who has been studying the pandemic’s disproportionate toll on health care workers, said his preliminary research suggested that long haulers in the medical field suffer greater health challenges than the overall population. That is in part because they are often exposed to increased levels of virus, which can lead to more severe illness.

Another factor, he said, is that the worsening staffing shortages in much of the country lead many COVID survivors to return to work before they have fully recovered.

“If health care workers are not given the opportunity to fully heal after getting COVID and are subjected to the continued physical and mental stress of working through the pandemic, they are likely to experience a greater risk of long-term complications,” Chan said. “COVID could impact our health care system for years to come by not only depleting our workforce but by impairing the ability of survivors to do their jobs.”

Dr. Sheetal Khedkar Rao, 42, an internist in suburban Chicago, can’t pinpoint the exact moment when she decided to hang up her stethoscope for the last time. There were the chaos and confusion of the spring, when a nationwide shortage of N95 masks forced her to examine patients with a surgical mask, the fears she might take the coronavirus home to her family and the exasperating public disregard for mask-wearing and social distancing that was amplified by the White House.

Dr. Sheetal Khedkar Rao, 42, an internist in suburban Chicago, can’t pinpoint the exact moment when she decided to hang up her stethoscope for the last time. There were the chaos and confusion of the spring, when a nationwide shortage of N95 masks forced her to examine patients with a surgical mask, the fears she might take the coronavirus home to her family and the exasperating public disregard for mask-wearing and social distancing that was amplified by the White House. Among the final blows, though, were a 30% pay cut to compensate for a drop in patients seeking primary care, and the realization that she needed to spend more time at home after her children, 10 and 11, switched to remote learning. “Everyone says doctors are heroes and they put us on a pedestal, but we also have kids and aging parents to worry about,” said Rao, who left her practice in October. “After awhile, the emotional burden and moral injury become too much to bear.” Doctors, paramedics and nurses’ aides have been hailed as America’s frontline COVID warriors, but gone are the days when people applauded workers outside hospitals and on city streets. Now, a year into the pandemic, with emergency rooms packed again, vaccines in short supply and more contagious variants of the virus threatening to unleash a fresh wave of infections, the nation’s medical workers are feeling burned out and unappreciated. Over the last year, there have been the psychological trauma of overworked intensive care doctors forced to ration care, the crushing sense of guilt for nurses who unknowingly infected patients or family members, and the struggles of medical personnel who survived COVID-19 but are still hobbled by the fatigue and brain fog that hamper their ability to work. Researchers say the pandemic’s toll on the nation’s health care workforce will play out long after the coronavirus is tamed. The impact, for now, can be measured in part by a surge of early retirements and the desperation of community hospitals struggling to hire enough workers to keep their emergency rooms running. “Everyone wants to talk about vaccines, vaccines, vaccines, but for our members, all they want to talk about is workforce, workforce, workforce,” said Alan Morgan, chief executive of the National Rural Health Association. “Right now our hospitals and our workers are just getting crushed.” Some health care experts are calling for a national effort to track the psychological well-being of medical professionals, much like the federal health program that monitors workers who responded to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. “We have a great obligation to people who put their lives on the line for the nation,” said Dr. Victor J. Dzau, president of the National Academy of Medicine. As vaccinations ramp up, it is tempting to imagine that the pandemic’s horrifying effect on health care workers is poised to recede. But it is unclear whether vaccinated health care workers can still spread the virus to others and how the ever-changing variants will affect the effectiveness of the vaccines. And while supplies of personal protective equipment have improved in recent months, health care workers in much of the country are still reusing N95 masks that were designed to be thrown away after each patient. Celia Nieto, 44, an intensive care nurse in Las Vegas, said many Americans had scant appreciation for the tribulations that she and her colleagues face day after day. There is the physical exhaustion of lifting and turning patients on their bellies so they might breathe easier, the never-ending scramble to adjust ventilators and pain medication, and the mental anguish of telling relatives she doesn’t have the time to help them FaceTime with their loved ones. “It feels like we’re failing, when in actuality we’re working with what we’ve got and we don’t have enough,” she said. “We feel quite helpless, and it’s a real injury to our psyches.” Dr. Donald Pathman, a researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said he was struck by the early results of a study he has been conducting on the pandemic’s effect on clinicians who serve in poor communities. Many of the 2,000 medical, dental and mental health professionals who have participated in the survey so far say they are disillusioned. “There is a lot of personal trauma,” Pathman said. “Many people have been scarred by their experiences during the pandemic, and they will look to leave their practices.” In interviews, doctors who have recently left the field or are considering early retirement said the pandemic had exacerbated frustrations spurred by shifts in the business of medical care that often required them to work longer hours without increased compensation. In a survey released in September by the online site Medscape, two-thirds of American doctors said they had grappled with intense burnout during the pandemic, with a similar percentage reporting a drop in income. A quarter of respondents said their experiences with COVID had led them to exit the medical field. Another survey, by the Physicians Foundation, found that 8% of doctors in the United States had closed their offices during the pandemic, translating to 16,000 fewer private practices. Dr. Erica Bial, a pain specialist from suburban Boston who barely survived COVID-19 last spring, said she felt increasingly drained. “We put on our masks and come to work every day because we don’t have the luxury of working from home in our pajamas, but the apathy and ennui that’s taken hold of society just makes our job feel thankless,” said Bial, who works full time despite struggling with the lingering effects of her illness. “It’s so demoralizing.” Staffing shortages have been especially acute at nursing homes and long-term care facilities. They were already struggling to retain employees before the pandemic, but many are now facing an existential shortage of skilled workers. According to a study released last week by the nonpartisan U.S. PIRG Education Fund, more than 20% of the nation’s 15,000 nursing homes reported severe shortages of nursing aides in December, up from 17% in May, a significant jump over such a short period. As more and more medical staff members fall ill or quit, those who remain on the job have to work harder, and the quality of care invariably suffers, said Dr. Michael L. Barnett, assistant professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health who served as a consultant to the study. “It’s a recipe for a collapse in the workforce,” he said. So far, the federal government has shown little interest in addressing what Dzau, of the National Academy of Medicine, writing in The New England Journal of Medicine, described as a “parallel pandemic” of psychological trauma among health workers. He and other experts say the government should start by making a concerted effort to accurately count medical worker infections and fatalities. Thousands of health care workers have already paid the ultimate price for their workaday devotion. Since March, more than 3,300 nurses, doctors, social workers and physical therapists have died from COVID-19, according to a tally by Kaiser Health News and the Guardian. Experts say the death toll is most likely far higher. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention counts 1,332 deaths among medical personnel, which is striking given that its sister agency, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, lists roughly the same number of deaths just among nursing home workers — a small portion of those employed by the nation’s hospitals, health clinics and private practices. A number of studies suggest that medical professionals made up 10% to 20% of all coronavirus cases in the early months of the pandemic though they comprise roughly 4% of the population. Many medical workers who have survived COVID-19 face more immediate challenges. Bial, the pain specialist from Boston, is still plagued by fatigue and impaired lung function. “The day before I got sick, I could comfortably run 8 to 10 miles,” said Bial, 45, who started a Facebook group memorializing doctors lost to COVID. “Now I go out for a brisk walk and my heart is pounding. I’m starting to wonder whether these effects could be permanent.” Dr. Andrew T. Chan, a professor at Harvard Medical School and a gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital who has been studying the pandemic’s disproportionate toll on health care workers, said his preliminary research suggested that long haulers in the medical field suffer greater health challenges than the overall population. That is in part because they are often exposed to increased levels of virus, which can lead to more severe illness. Another factor, he said, is that the worsening staffing shortages in much of the country lead many COVID survivors to return to work before they have fully recovered. “If health care workers are not given the opportunity to fully heal after getting COVID and are subjected to the continued physical and mental stress of working through the pandemic, they are likely to experience a greater risk of long-term complications,” Chan said. “COVID could impact our health care system for years to come by not only depleting our workforce but by impairing the ability of survivors to do their jobs.”

A parallel pandemic hits health care workers: Trauma and exhaustion

Drugmakers GlaxoSmithKline and CureVac, a German biotech firm recently struck a deal to begin the development of next-generation COVID-19 vaccines. The drug giants have struck a $182 million deal to start development of vaccines which will target multiple variants of the virus in one product.

In a joint statement, the companies claimed that they are planning to launch the vaccine in 2022. Currently, healthcare experts around the globe are worried about the efficacy of pre-existing vaccines on mutations.

GSK is a UK-based company and holds a stake in CureVac.&nbsp; The company will also help the firm manufacture up to 100 million doses of its vaccine, which is undergoing clinical trials right now. GSK's response to the pandemic has remained muted, owing to delays in vaccine development as part of a collaboration with Sanofi.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/russias-sputnik-v-vaccine-to-seek-india-approval-by-march-361083" hreflang="en">Russia's Sputnik V vaccine to seek India approval by March</a> 
 
In the joint statement from Wednesday, GSK and CureVac said that the collaboration would help offer "broader protection" against newly emerging variants of the virus. It will also help limit the transmission of potential variants.

"The increase in emerging variants with the potential to reduce the efficacy of first-generation COVID-19 vaccines requires acceleration of efforts to develop vaccines against new variants to keep one step ahead of the pandemic," the statement said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/inoculation-may-provide-protection-from-severe-diseases-says-oxfords-vaccine-head-361067" hreflang="en">Inoculation may provide protection from severe diseases, says Oxford's vaccine head</a>

"These next-generation COVID-19 vaccines may either be used to protect people who have not been vaccinated before, or to serve as boosters in the event that COVID-19 immunity gained from an initial vaccination reduces over time", it added. 
 
GSK's chief executive Dame Emma Walmsley said the following - "We believe that next-generation vaccines will be crucial in the continued fight against COVID-19". 
&nbsp;

Drugmakers GlaxoSmithKline and CureVac, a German biotech firm recently struck a deal to begin the development of next-generation COVID-19 vaccines. The drug giants have struck a $182 million deal to start development of vaccines which will target multiple variants of the virus in one product.

Drugmakers GlaxoSmithKline and CureVac, a German biotech firm recently struck a deal to begin the development of next-generation COVID-19 vaccines. The drug giants have struck a $182 million deal to start development of vaccines which will target multiple variants of the virus in one product. In a joint statement, the companies claimed that they are planning to launch the vaccine in 2022. Currently, healthcare experts around the globe are worried about the efficacy of pre-existing vaccines on mutations. GSK is a UK-based company and holds a stake in CureVac. The company will also help the firm manufacture up to 100 million doses of its vaccine, which is undergoing clinical trials right now. GSK's response to the pandemic has remained muted, owing to delays in vaccine development as part of a collaboration with Sanofi. Also read: Russia's Sputnik V vaccine to seek India approval by March In the joint statement from Wednesday, GSK and CureVac said that the collaboration would help offer "broader protection" against newly emerging variants of the virus. It will also help limit the transmission of potential variants. "The increase in emerging variants with the potential to reduce the efficacy of first-generation COVID-19 vaccines requires acceleration of efforts to develop vaccines against new variants to keep one step ahead of the pandemic," the statement said. Also read: Inoculation may provide protection from severe diseases, says Oxford's vaccine head "These next-generation COVID-19 vaccines may either be used to protect people who have not been vaccinated before, or to serve as boosters in the event that COVID-19 immunity gained from an initial vaccination reduces over time", it added. GSK's chief executive Dame Emma Walmsley said the following - "We believe that next-generation vaccines will be crucial in the continued fight against COVID-19".

Work on next gen coronavirus vaccines with focus on mutations underway

Britain's opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer said on Tuesday (January 26) the UK government has been too slow to act to curb the spread of the coronavirus from the onset of the pandemic.

UK opposition: government 'too slow' as COVID-19 deaths top 100,000

Start your day with WION's daily news brief: From US National Guard members getting COVID-19 after Biden inauguration, to China's Wuhan celebrating its anniversary, here are the biggest stories of the morning. Click on the headline to read the full story.

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Watch: Pakistan's vaccine crisis

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-pak-struggling-to-get-a-vaccine-358687/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Start your day with WION's daily news brief: From US National Guard members getting COVID-19 after Biden inauguration, to China's Wuhan celebrating its anniversary, here are the biggest stories of the morning.

Start your day with WION's daily news brief: From US National Guard members getting COVID-19 after Biden inauguration, to China's Wuhan celebrating its anniversary, here are the biggest stories of the morning. Click on the headline to read the full story. Over 150 National Guard troops for Biden inauguration test positive for coronavirus China marks Wuhan lockdown anniversary amid spiraling coronavirus cases US President Joe Biden and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau to have first meeting 'next month' Low-income countries could start vaccinating by Feb under Pfizer deal: WHO After death of 10-year-old, Italy orders TikTok to ban unverified users Watch: Pakistan's vaccine crisis

Morning news brief: COVID spreads among National Guard troops, Biden to meet Trudeau, and more

Japan on Monday detected the new UK variant of coronavirus among three people. The Health Ministry reported that none of them had any travel history to the UK.

The variant in question is considered more infectious, if not more fatal, and is now spreading across different parts of the world. Many countries are still reeling from the first variant of the virus which first emerged in December 2019. 
&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/japan-finds-new-covid-strain-in-travellers-from-brazil-355927/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The three patients aged between 20-60 are situated in the Shizuoka prefecture, which lies about 200 kilometres west of Tokyo. They first developed symptoms in early January, the ministry said.

&nbsp;

The ministry claims that it is trying to ascertain how they became infected with the virus without travelling to the country.&nbsp; They, however added that till now there’s no evidence of the new variant spreading in Shizuoka. 
 
So far, Japan has recorded 45 cases of the new variants of the virus which were reported in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Brazil.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/hotels-quarantined-schools-shut-down-in-swiss-ski-resort-to-contain-covid-19-variant-357526" hreflang="en">New Covid-19 variant? Hotels quarantined, schools shut down in Swiss ski resort</a>

Japan had earlier announced a state of emergency for Tokyo, but soon after a spike the country extended it to seven more prefectures in a bid to limit the spread of the virus. 
 
In total, the country has recorded 335,000 cases of COVID-19, which has killed 4,500 people, according to the state broadcaster NHK.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/how-british-scientists-found-the-more-infectious-coronavirus-variant-357185" hreflang="en">How British scientists found the more infectious coronavirus variant</a>

On January 13, the World Health Organization said the new variant from the United Kingdom is currently in 50 countries across the globe, while the one from South Africa is making rounds in 20 countries. The organisation added that another variant from Japan remains of concern, and that it needed more investigation.

Japan on Monday detected the new UK variant of coronavirus among three people. The Health Ministry reported that none of them had any travel history to the UK. The variant in question is considered more infectious, if not more fatal, and is now spreading across different parts of the world.

Japan on Monday detected the new UK variant of coronavirus among three people. The Health Ministry reported that none of them had any travel history to the UK. The variant in question is considered more infectious, if not more fatal, and is now spreading across different parts of the world. Many countries are still reeling from the first variant of the virus which first emerged in December 2019. The three patients aged between 20-60 are situated in the Shizuoka prefecture, which lies about 200 kilometres west of Tokyo. They first developed symptoms in early January, the ministry said. The ministry claims that it is trying to ascertain how they became infected with the virus without travelling to the country. They, however added that till now there’s no evidence of the new variant spreading in Shizuoka. So far, Japan has recorded 45 cases of the new variants of the virus which were reported in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Brazil. Also read: New Covid-19 variant? Hotels quarantined, schools shut down in Swiss ski resort Japan had earlier announced a state of emergency for Tokyo, but soon after a spike the country extended it to seven more prefectures in a bid to limit the spread of the virus. In total, the country has recorded 335,000 cases of COVID-19, which has killed 4,500 people, according to the state broadcaster NHK. Also read: How British scientists found the more infectious coronavirus variant On January 13, the World Health Organization said the new variant from the United Kingdom is currently in 50 countries across the globe, while the one from South Africa is making rounds in 20 countries. The organisation added that another variant from Japan remains of concern, and that it needed more investigation.

Japan finds UK coronavirus strain among three people with no travel history

Scientists have demonstrated that a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine candidate, which could potentially be stored at room temperature, can produce immunity against the novel coronavirus in mice. The vaccine, described in the ACS Central Science journal, contains ultrasmall nanoparticles studded with the spike proteins of the coronavirus which enables it to enter host cells.

"Our goal is to make a single-shot vaccine that does not require a cold-chain for storage or transport. If we're successful at doing it well, it should be cheap too," said study co-author Peter Kim from Stanford University in the US.

"The target population for our vaccine is low- and middle-income countries," Kim added.

According to the researchers, viral-based vaccines which use viruses to deliver immunising proteins are often more effective than those which contain only isolated protein parts of a virus.

They said nanoparticle vaccines balance the effectiveness of viral-based vaccines with the safety and ease-of-production of protein vaccines.

To develop the vaccine, the scientists first removed a section near the bottom of the spike protein of the coronavirus, and combined it with nanoparticles of ferritin -- an iron-containing protein -- which has been previously tested in humans.

In the following tests in mice, the researchers compared their shortened spike nanoparticles to four other potential variations -- nanoparticles with full spikes, full spikes or partial spikes without nanoparticles, and a vaccine containing just the section of the spike that binds to cells during infection.

The scientists then tested the effectiveness of these vaccines against a safer pseudo-coronavirus that was modified to carry the spike proteins.

They determined the potential effectiveness of each vaccine by monitoring levels of virus neutralising antibodies generated in the mice immune system.

After a single dose, the study found that two nanoparticle vaccine candidates both resulted in neutralising antibody levels at least twice as high as those seen in people who have had COVID-19.

According to the scientists, the shortened spike nanoparticle vaccine produced a significantly higher neutralising response than the binding spike or the full spike vaccines.

After a second dose, they said mice that had received the shortened spike nanoparticle vaccine had the highest levels of neutralising antibodies.

Based on the results, the Stanford scientists said their nanoparticle vaccine could produce COVID-19 immunity after just one dose.

The scientists believe the vaccine could also be stored at room temperature and are assessing whether it could be shipped and stored in a freeze-dried, powder form.

"This is really early stage and there is still lots of work to be done," said Abigail Powell, lead author of the study.

The researchers hope to improve the nanoparticle vaccine candidate to move it closer to initial clinical trials in humans.

Scientists have demonstrated that a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine candidate, which could potentially be stored at room temperature, can produce immunity against the novel coronavirus in mice.

Scientists have demonstrated that a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine candidate, which could potentially be stored at room temperature, can produce immunity against the novel coronavirus in mice. The vaccine, described in the ACS Central Science journal, contains ultrasmall nanoparticles studded with the spike proteins of the coronavirus which enables it to enter host cells. "Our goal is to make a single-shot vaccine that does not require a cold-chain for storage or transport. If we're successful at doing it well, it should be cheap too," said study co-author Peter Kim from Stanford University in the US. "The target population for our vaccine is low- and middle-income countries," Kim added. According to the researchers, viral-based vaccines which use viruses to deliver immunising proteins are often more effective than those which contain only isolated protein parts of a virus. They said nanoparticle vaccines balance the effectiveness of viral-based vaccines with the safety and ease-of-production of protein vaccines. To develop the vaccine, the scientists first removed a section near the bottom of the spike protein of the coronavirus, and combined it with nanoparticles of ferritin -- an iron-containing protein -- which has been previously tested in humans. In the following tests in mice, the researchers compared their shortened spike nanoparticles to four other potential variations -- nanoparticles with full spikes, full spikes or partial spikes without nanoparticles, and a vaccine containing just the section of the spike that binds to cells during infection. The scientists then tested the effectiveness of these vaccines against a safer pseudo-coronavirus that was modified to carry the spike proteins. They determined the potential effectiveness of each vaccine by monitoring levels of virus neutralising antibodies generated in the mice immune system. After a single dose, the study found that two nanoparticle vaccine candidates both resulted in neutralising antibody levels at least twice as high as those seen in people who have had COVID-19. According to the scientists, the shortened spike nanoparticle vaccine produced a significantly higher neutralising response than the binding spike or the full spike vaccines. After a second dose, they said mice that had received the shortened spike nanoparticle vaccine had the highest levels of neutralising antibodies. Based on the results, the Stanford scientists said their nanoparticle vaccine could produce COVID-19 immunity after just one dose. The scientists believe the vaccine could also be stored at room temperature and are assessing whether it could be shipped and stored in a freeze-dried, powder form. "This is really early stage and there is still lots of work to be done," said Abigail Powell, lead author of the study. The researchers hope to improve the nanoparticle vaccine candidate to move it closer to initial clinical trials in humans.

Single dose COVID-19 vaccine candidate generates immunity in mice: Study

Mainland China witnessed its largest daily increase in the number of coronavirus cases in five months on Monday, the country's health authority reported. New infections in the Hebei province around Beijing have pushed the numbers up.

In addition, a county situated in northeastern Heilongjiang province on Monday slipped into a lockdown after new cases were reported.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-places-11-mn-people-under-lockdown-as-shijazhuang-witnesses-dramatic-rise-in-covid-cases-355409/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Out of the 85 new infections reported on January 10, 82 came from the Hebei province, as stated by the National Health Commission (NHC). Liaoning province reported two new cases while Beijing reported one new case.

In addition, the country recorded 18 imported infections from outside the country.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/china-denies-forceful-use-of-birth-control-measures-on-uighur-women-355991" hreflang="en">China denies forceful use of birth control measures on Uighur women</a>

China recorded 103 new cases of coronavirus, marking the highest tally since 127 cases were reported on July 30.

Even though this marks a small part of what was seen at the peak of the outbreak in the country in early 2020, authorities are now racing against time to avoid another outbreak. 
 
On Thursday, a team of the World Health Organization is set to arrive in China to investigate the origins of the virus. Their arrival date was announced by NHC on Monday, without shedding light on their itinerary.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/who-experts-to-visit-china-from-thursday-to-investigate-virus-origin-355920" hreflang="en">WHO experts to visit China from Thursday to investigate virus origin</a> 
 
China has been accused of covering up the intensity of the outbreak which first showed up in Wuhan in 2019. Many critics claimed that China's initial response to the virus is partly responsible for its global spread.

As winter conditions blanketed the country, new cases were reported across provinces. The port city of Dalian in Liaoning province blamed the cases on contaminated foreign vessels, claiming that the gene sequencing of the new cases varied from what they had seen in previous outbreaks in the country.

The total number of infections in Mainland China stands at 87,536. The death toll remains unchanged with 4,634 deaths.

Mainland China witnessed its largest daily increase in the number of coronavirus cases in five months on Monday, the country's health authority reported. New infections in the Hebei province around Beijing have pushed the numbers up.

Mainland China witnessed its largest daily increase in the number of coronavirus cases in five months on Monday, the country's health authority reported. New infections in the Hebei province around Beijing have pushed the numbers up. In addition, a county situated in northeastern Heilongjiang province on Monday slipped into a lockdown after new cases were reported. Out of the 85 new infections reported on January 10, 82 came from the Hebei province, as stated by the National Health Commission (NHC). Liaoning province reported two new cases while Beijing reported one new case. In addition, the country recorded 18 imported infections from outside the country. Also read: China denies forceful use of birth control measures on Uighur women China recorded 103 new cases of coronavirus, marking the highest tally since 127 cases were reported on July 30. Even though this marks a small part of what was seen at the peak of the outbreak in the country in early 2020, authorities are now racing against time to avoid another outbreak. On Thursday, a team of the World Health Organization is set to arrive in China to investigate the origins of the virus. Their arrival date was announced by NHC on Monday, without shedding light on their itinerary. Also read: WHO experts to visit China from Thursday to investigate virus origin China has been accused of covering up the intensity of the outbreak which first showed up in Wuhan in 2019. Many critics claimed that China's initial response to the virus is partly responsible for its global spread. As winter conditions blanketed the country, new cases were reported across provinces. The port city of Dalian in Liaoning province blamed the cases on contaminated foreign vessels, claiming that the gene sequencing of the new cases varied from what they had seen in previous outbreaks in the country. The total number of infections in Mainland China stands at 87,536. The death toll remains unchanged with 4,634 deaths.

China inducts highest daily coronavirus cases since July

In the spring, as thousands of people were sickened by the coronavirus, the bodies began to pile up in one of the country’s densest urban centers: New York City.

News headlines rolled like a steady drumbeat of doom. The region became known as the epicenter of the pandemic. Economists predicted that the city’s recovery would take years. Some New Yorkers started moving out, “fleeing” to the suburbs.

Government leaders, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo, blamed the city’s population density for fueling the spread of the virus. And soon it seemed as though big cities, especially those that relied heavily on crowded public transportation, were inherently some of the most dangerous places to live during a pandemic.

“Those outbreaks started and spread in those cities because, as major international travel hubs, those were the places that cases were coming into this country,” said Janet Baseman, an public health researcher at the University of Washington School of Public Health in Seattle.

But now, coronavirus cases are rising across much of the United States. In recent months the pandemic has surged in some of the least densely populated states, like Alaska, the Dakotas, Nebraska and Wyoming. Suburbs such as Westchester County, New York, and small towns like Dewey, South Dakota, now have more cases per capita than New York City.

“During a pandemic, there really are no safe places,” said Kim Weeden, a sociology professor and director of the Center for the Study of Inequality at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

So is it still right to assume that it’s riskier to live in a city when faced with a highly contagious respiratory virus? We asked seven public health experts.

More space, but fewer resources.

During a pandemic, regions with fewer people and more space, like suburbs and rural areas, can offer more room to isolate from others, which can help you avoid getting sick. A more spacious home can also help preserve your mental health during lockdown — especially if you’re quarantining with family, said Sandra Albrecht, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City and the chief public health researcher behind “Dear Pandemic,” a scientific communication initiative on social media.

But while less populous areas may have more space, they may also be lacking in critical resources.

“It’s not hard to find rural areas where the closest hospital that has testing capacity is over 100 miles away,” said Tracy Loh, a fellow at the Brookings Institution and an expert in city and regional planning.

In editorials published in the spring on the Brookings website and in NextCity, a nonprofit news organization, Loh and her co-authors have argued that some of the very traits that can make cities more dangerous during a pandemic, like population density, can also make them more advantageous should a pandemic take hold.

Populous urban areas and cities may offer larger safety nets than rural regions, Loh said. New York City, for example, has plentiful hospitals, specialists, equipment and resources for coronavirus testing.

Cities also tend to offer a larger variety of social support services, said Jenifer Allsworth, a public health researcher at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, including various child care and public transportation options. (So far, mass transit does not seem to significantly contribute to the spread of the coronavirus, provided there is adequate ventilation and riders wear masks.) And cities tend to have more delivery options for all kinds of items including food, medicine and household supplies.

It’s also easier for small businesses like restaurants to use delivery services to stay afloat when there are more potential customers per square mile, a boon to city residents who either own those businesses or depend on them. And cities tend to have more employment opportunities than do rural areas, Loh said.

“Urban areas are more resilient because they have more diversified economies,” she added.

How you (and your community) behave is more important than where you live.

In the end, every expert agreed that when it comes to reducing the risk of getting sick, behavior is more important than location.

“This virus is relentless, and it will hunt down anyone who ignores social distancing practices,” said Dr. Lee Riley, a professor of infectious disease at the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley. “So it’s not necessarily the type of space where people live, but the type of behavior that people engage in their spaces that ultimately determines who gets infected.”

New York City was able to beat back the virus in the late spring and summer months by enforcing critical public health measures like shutting down nonessential businesses, adopting mask wearing and encouraging social distancing. Other areas that took no such precautions, like parts of the South and Upper Midwest, saw big surges.

Generally speaking, people in cities might have more incentive to follow public health guidelines because they are often surrounded by strangers who may or may not be taking the proper precautions, said Dr. Michael Mina, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Mina, who lives on a quiet road in Boston, said that right now his city “is as safe or safer than any place in the rural United States,” although he added that this has the potential to change if the community does not take steps to suppress the virus.

He’s thankful that his home has a small backyard. But, like many of us, he often craves even more freedom to move around without a mask.

“I think if I had the chance, it would be really nice to live somewhere where there’s much more space,” he said.

The best possible environment to ride out a pandemic may vary for each person, the experts said. Ideally it’s a place where you can protect yourself and others from the coronavirus while maintaining your income and preserving your mental and emotional health.

Being able to choose where you live or how you quarantine, however, is an enormous privilege.

Many residents in parts of Queens, where thousands fell ill, had service jobs that didn’t allow for them to work remotely, and lived in cramped, close quarters with family, friends or roommates.

Those with more money, autonomy and job flexibility can more easily reduce their risk of infection and live more comfortably in isolation, Allsworth said, regardless of whether they are in a rural, suburban or city setting.

After we get through the long, dark winter and cases eventually start to decline, those who left cities may find that living in a suburban or rural environment has lost much of its appeal.

“Many will move back into cities or stay in cities once they feel protected by the vaccine, because of all the convenience and social activities cities have to offer,” Riley said.

As for Albrecht, she is staying put in New York City.

“While I understand why people left during lockdown, much of what keeps me here is the idea that once this is all over, the city, with all its energy and vibrancy, is where I’d want to be,” she said.

All personal preferences aside, the experts said the best course of action right now is simply to hunker down, wherever you happen to be.

“COVID is so widespread across so much of the U.S. now, the safest place to be is at home with your household members,” Baseman said, “whether that home be in the city or in the mountains.”

In the spring, as thousands of people were sickened by the coronavirus, the bodies began to pile up in one of the country’s densest urban centers: New York City.

In the spring, as thousands of people were sickened by the coronavirus, the bodies began to pile up in one of the country’s densest urban centers: New York City. News headlines rolled like a steady drumbeat of doom. The region became known as the epicenter of the pandemic. Economists predicted that the city’s recovery would take years. Some New Yorkers started moving out, “fleeing” to the suburbs. Government leaders, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo, blamed the city’s population density for fueling the spread of the virus. And soon it seemed as though big cities, especially those that relied heavily on crowded public transportation, were inherently some of the most dangerous places to live during a pandemic. “Those outbreaks started and spread in those cities because, as major international travel hubs, those were the places that cases were coming into this country,” said Janet Baseman, an public health researcher at the University of Washington School of Public Health in Seattle. But now, coronavirus cases are rising across much of the United States. In recent months the pandemic has surged in some of the least densely populated states, like Alaska, the Dakotas, Nebraska and Wyoming. Suburbs such as Westchester County, New York, and small towns like Dewey, South Dakota, now have more cases per capita than New York City. “During a pandemic, there really are no safe places,” said Kim Weeden, a sociology professor and director of the Center for the Study of Inequality at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. So is it still right to assume that it’s riskier to live in a city when faced with a highly contagious respiratory virus? We asked seven public health experts. More space, but fewer resources. During a pandemic, regions with fewer people and more space, like suburbs and rural areas, can offer more room to isolate from others, which can help you avoid getting sick. A more spacious home can also help preserve your mental health during lockdown — especially if you’re quarantining with family, said Sandra Albrecht, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City and the chief public health researcher behind “Dear Pandemic,” a scientific communication initiative on social media. But while less populous areas may have more space, they may also be lacking in critical resources. “It’s not hard to find rural areas where the closest hospital that has testing capacity is over 100 miles away,” said Tracy Loh, a fellow at the Brookings Institution and an expert in city and regional planning. In editorials published in the spring on the Brookings website and in NextCity, a nonprofit news organization, Loh and her co-authors have argued that some of the very traits that can make cities more dangerous during a pandemic, like population density, can also make them more advantageous should a pandemic take hold. Populous urban areas and cities may offer larger safety nets than rural regions, Loh said. New York City, for example, has plentiful hospitals, specialists, equipment and resources for coronavirus testing. Cities also tend to offer a larger variety of social support services, said Jenifer Allsworth, a public health researcher at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, including various child care and public transportation options. (So far, mass transit does not seem to significantly contribute to the spread of the coronavirus, provided there is adequate ventilation and riders wear masks.) And cities tend to have more delivery options for all kinds of items including food, medicine and household supplies. It’s also easier for small businesses like restaurants to use delivery services to stay afloat when there are more potential customers per square mile, a boon to city residents who either own those businesses or depend on them. And cities tend to have more employment opportunities than do rural areas, Loh said. “Urban areas are more resilient because they have more diversified economies,” she added. How you (and your community) behave is more important than where you live. In the end, every expert agreed that when it comes to reducing the risk of getting sick, behavior is more important than location. “This virus is relentless, and it will hunt down anyone who ignores social distancing practices,” said Dr. Lee Riley, a professor of infectious disease at the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley. “So it’s not necessarily the type of space where people live, but the type of behavior that people engage in their spaces that ultimately determines who gets infected.” New York City was able to beat back the virus in the late spring and summer months by enforcing critical public health measures like shutting down nonessential businesses, adopting mask wearing and encouraging social distancing. Other areas that took no such precautions, like parts of the South and Upper Midwest, saw big surges. Generally speaking, people in cities might have more incentive to follow public health guidelines because they are often surrounded by strangers who may or may not be taking the proper precautions, said Dr. Michael Mina, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Mina, who lives on a quiet road in Boston, said that right now his city “is as safe or safer than any place in the rural United States,” although he added that this has the potential to change if the community does not take steps to suppress the virus. He’s thankful that his home has a small backyard. But, like many of us, he often craves even more freedom to move around without a mask. “I think if I had the chance, it would be really nice to live somewhere where there’s much more space,” he said. The best possible environment to ride out a pandemic may vary for each person, the experts said. Ideally it’s a place where you can protect yourself and others from the coronavirus while maintaining your income and preserving your mental and emotional health. Being able to choose where you live or how you quarantine, however, is an enormous privilege. Many residents in parts of Queens, where thousands fell ill, had service jobs that didn’t allow for them to work remotely, and lived in cramped, close quarters with family, friends or roommates. Those with more money, autonomy and job flexibility can more easily reduce their risk of infection and live more comfortably in isolation, Allsworth said, regardless of whether they are in a rural, suburban or city setting. After we get through the long, dark winter and cases eventually start to decline, those who left cities may find that living in a suburban or rural environment has lost much of its appeal. “Many will move back into cities or stay in cities once they feel protected by the vaccine, because of all the convenience and social activities cities have to offer,” Riley said. As for Albrecht, she is staying put in New York City. “While I understand why people left during lockdown, much of what keeps me here is the idea that once this is all over, the city, with all its energy and vibrancy, is where I’d want to be,” she said. All personal preferences aside, the experts said the best course of action right now is simply to hunker down, wherever you happen to be. “COVID is so widespread across so much of the U.S. now, the safest place to be is at home with your household members,” Baseman said, “whether that home be in the city or in the mountains.”

Are cities a safe place to live during a pandemic?

The United States government may cut the dose of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine in half for some&nbsp;in a bid to inoculate more people and to speed up vaccinations.

On Sunday, Moncef Slaoui, head of Operation Warp Speed, the US government's programme for the emergency rollout of vaccines announced plans to halve the dose of Moderna's vaccines.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/moderna-starts-shipping-its-covid-19-vaccine-in-us-351277/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

On CBS, Slaoui said that they were in talks with Moderna and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the idea.

As of now, Moderna's vaccine requires two injections, but this could change.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/wisconsin-pharmacist-arrested-for-removing-500-doses-of-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-353792" hreflang="en">Wisconsin pharmacist arrested for removing 500 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine</a>

"We know that for the Moderna vaccine, giving half of the dose to people between the ages of 18 and 55, two doses, half the dose, which means exactly achieving the objective of immunizing double the number of people with the doses we have," Slaoui said.

"We know it induces identical immune response", he added. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the country has administered 4,22,756 doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of Saturday morning. Additionally, the country had distributed 13,071,925 doses of the vaccine.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/boston-doctor-develops-severe-allergic-reaction-to-moderna-covid-vaccine-352464" hreflang="en">Boston doctor develops severe allergic reaction to Moderna COVID vaccine</a>

In addition to Moderna's vaccine, the US has also approved a vaccine from Pfizer, which also requires two shots. Even then, the goal of mass inoculation has fallen short. By the end of 2020, officials had hoped to vaccinate 20 million people. 
 
Slaoui further claimed that he expected the number of vaccinations to continue going up. In addition, he rejected the suggestion that officials should focus more on giving people the first shot, instead of holding back doses to complete the regimen. He added how cutting Moderna's vaccine in half was a ''more responsible approach'' based on facts and data.

The United States government may cut the dose of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine in half for some in a bid to inoculate more people and to speed up vaccinations. On Sunday, Moncef Slaoui, head of Operation Warp Speed, the US government's programme for the emergency rollout of vaccines announced plans to halve the dose of Moderna's vaccines.

The United States government may cut the dose of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine in half for some in a bid to inoculate more people and to speed up vaccinations. On Sunday, Moncef Slaoui, head of Operation Warp Speed, the US government's programme for the emergency rollout of vaccines announced plans to halve the dose of Moderna's vaccines. On CBS, Slaoui said that they were in talks with Moderna and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the idea. As of now, Moderna's vaccine requires two injections, but this could change. Also read: Wisconsin pharmacist arrested for removing 500 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine "We know that for the Moderna vaccine, giving half of the dose to people between the ages of 18 and 55, two doses, half the dose, which means exactly achieving the objective of immunizing double the number of people with the doses we have," Slaoui said. "We know it induces identical immune response", he added. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the country has administered 4,22,756 doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of Saturday morning. Additionally, the country had distributed 13,071,925 doses of the vaccine. Also read: Boston doctor develops severe allergic reaction to Moderna COVID vaccine In addition to Moderna's vaccine, the US has also approved a vaccine from Pfizer, which also requires two shots. Even then, the goal of mass inoculation has fallen short. By the end of 2020, officials had hoped to vaccinate 20 million people. Slaoui further claimed that he expected the number of vaccinations to continue going up. In addition, he rejected the suggestion that officials should focus more on giving people the first shot, instead of holding back doses to complete the regimen. He added how cutting Moderna's vaccine in half was a ''more responsible approach'' based on facts and data.

US may halve Moderna's vaccine doses to inoculate more people

Germany`s CureVac announced on Monday that it has enrolled the first participant in the Phase 2b/3 study of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. 
 
The trial will assess the safety and efficacy in adults and is expected to include more than 35,000 participants in Europe and Latin America, it added in a statement.

 
(More details expected)

Germany`s CureVac announced on Monday that it has enrolled the first participant in the Phase 2b/3 study of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The trial will assess the safety and efficacy in adults and is expected to include more than 35,000 participants in Europe and Latin America, it added in a statement.

Germany`s CureVac announced on Monday that it has enrolled the first participant in the Phase 2b/3 study of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The trial will assess the safety and efficacy in adults and is expected to include more than 35,000 participants in Europe and Latin America, it added in a statement. (More details expected)

CureVac enrols first participant in pivotal study of COVID vaccine

California compelled much of the state to close shop and stay at home on Monday, when some of the harshest coronavirus restrictions in the United States came into effect one day after the state set a record with more than 30,000 new COVID-19 cases. 
 
Governor Gavin Newsom`s order was triggered in areas where fewer than 15 percent of intensive care hospital beds were available, affecting more than 23 million people in Southern California. 
 
In addition five counties in Northern California surrounding the San Francisco Bay area have voluntarily imposed the restrictions even before reaching the ICU threshold. 
 
California has been under a stay-at-home order for all but essential services since March. The new order, which will last at least three weeks, bans private gatherings of any size, shuts all but critical infrastructure and retail operations, and requires everyone to wear a mask and maintain physical distancing. 
 
Newsom, a first-term Democrat, has threatened to withhold funds from local governments that refuse to comply. 
 
Even so, the sheriffs of Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties have said they will refuse to enforce the order, emboldening non-essential businesses to remain open. 
 
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said in a videotaped message posted on the department`s website that his office "will not be blackmailed, bullied or used as muscle" to enforce the governor`s orders. 
 
"Orange County Sheriff`s deputies will not be dispatched to, or respond to, calls for service to enforce compliance with face coverings, social gatherings or stay at home orders," his counterpart in Orange County, Don Barnes, said in a written statement. 
 
Even so, the mayor of one Los Angeles County town said more enforcement was needed. 
 
"People absolutely should be arrested for not wearing masks," Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Perris told the Orange County Register. "Most of these people have never been arrested before. Spend one night incarcerated and they won`t do it again." 
 
California reported more than 30,000 new cases on Sunday, exceeding the state`s previous high of 21,986 set on Dec. 4, and marked a new record for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. 
 
New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia also announced record one-day rises in new infections. 
 
Nationwide, COVID-19 infections in United States are at their peak with an average of 193,863 new cases reported each day over the past week, according to a Reuters tally of official data. 
 
There have been 14.7 million infections and 282,253 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the country since the pandemic began. 
 
States and cities are grappling with how to respond to the global pandemic in the absence of a national strategy. 
 
New York City on Monday will reopen schools for preschool to fifth-grade students, except those in high-risk "orange" zones. 
 
New York`s decision comes upon finding that infection rates for young children were lower than in the population at large. Grades six through 12 will continue remote classes until further notice. 
 
Departing President Donald Trump, a Republican, has downplayed public health measures such as mask-wearing, instead banking on the rapid development of vaccines, which could receive federal approval as soon as next week. 
 
Anticipating that approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the White House will host a vaccine distribution summit on Tuesday with governors, retail pharmacy chains and shipping companies, Health Secretary Alex Azar told Fox News. 
 
The aim of the meeting was "to be very transparent and show the world how comprehensively we have planned out every aspect of this distribution," Azar said. 
 
President-elect Joe Biden, a Democrat, has said he will make the pandemic his top priority upon taking office on Jan. 20.

California compelled much of the state to close shop and stay at home on Monday, when some of the harshest coronavirus restrictions in the United States came into effect one day after the state set a record with more than 30,000 new COVID-19 cases.

California compelled much of the state to close shop and stay at home on Monday, when some of the harshest coronavirus restrictions in the United States came into effect one day after the state set a record with more than 30,000 new COVID-19 cases. Governor Gavin Newsom`s order was triggered in areas where fewer than 15 percent of intensive care hospital beds were available, affecting more than 23 million people in Southern California. In addition five counties in Northern California surrounding the San Francisco Bay area have voluntarily imposed the restrictions even before reaching the ICU threshold. California has been under a stay-at-home order for all but essential services since March. The new order, which will last at least three weeks, bans private gatherings of any size, shuts all but critical infrastructure and retail operations, and requires everyone to wear a mask and maintain physical distancing. Newsom, a first-term Democrat, has threatened to withhold funds from local governments that refuse to comply. Even so, the sheriffs of Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties have said they will refuse to enforce the order, emboldening non-essential businesses to remain open. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said in a videotaped message posted on the department`s website that his office "will not be blackmailed, bullied or used as muscle" to enforce the governor`s orders. "Orange County Sheriff`s deputies will not be dispatched to, or respond to, calls for service to enforce compliance with face coverings, social gatherings or stay at home orders," his counterpart in Orange County, Don Barnes, said in a written statement. Even so, the mayor of one Los Angeles County town said more enforcement was needed. "People absolutely should be arrested for not wearing masks," Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Perris told the Orange County Register. "Most of these people have never been arrested before. Spend one night incarcerated and they won`t do it again." California reported more than 30,000 new cases on Sunday, exceeding the state`s previous high of 21,986 set on Dec. 4, and marked a new record for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia also announced record one-day rises in new infections. Nationwide, COVID-19 infections in United States are at their peak with an average of 193,863 new cases reported each day over the past week, according to a Reuters tally of official data. There have been 14.7 million infections and 282,253 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the country since the pandemic began. States and cities are grappling with how to respond to the global pandemic in the absence of a national strategy. New York City on Monday will reopen schools for preschool to fifth-grade students, except those in high-risk "orange" zones. New York`s decision comes upon finding that infection rates for young children were lower than in the population at large. Grades six through 12 will continue remote classes until further notice. Departing President Donald Trump, a Republican, has downplayed public health measures such as mask-wearing, instead banking on the rapid development of vaccines, which could receive federal approval as soon as next week. Anticipating that approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the White House will host a vaccine distribution summit on Tuesday with governors, retail pharmacy chains and shipping companies, Health Secretary Alex Azar told Fox News. The aim of the meeting was "to be very transparent and show the world how comprehensively we have planned out every aspect of this distribution," Azar said. President-elect Joe Biden, a Democrat, has said he will make the pandemic his top priority upon taking office on Jan. 20.

California imposes strict stay-at-home orders amid record COVID cases

A Brooklyn trial was postponed after the defense lawyers said they were unwilling to spend weeks in a cramped courtroom. In Manhattan, a woman summoned for jury duty told the court she had been sick with the coronavirus and was symptomatic. Another trial, in the Bronx, was canceled when four courthouse staff members tested positive.

Since October, state and federal court officials have taken extraordinary measures to restart criminal trials in New York City. They have constructed Plexiglas boxes with special air filters in court. They have asked witnesses to testify in face shields and have spread jurors out in courtroom galleries.

But those efforts have not stopped the virus from disrupting nearly every step of the process. The state and federal courts in the city have been able to complete only nine criminal jury trials since the pandemic hit in March, officials said. Last year, there were about 800 criminal trials in the city.

For months, the logistical problems have threatened the ability of hundreds of defendants to secure their constitutional right to a speedy trial. Now, as a second wave of the virus threatens the region, the delays are worsening — and officials foresee the backlog of unresolved cases continuing to grow.

Last month, the chief judge in New York state halted new jury trials until further notice because of surging virus cases. More than 400 defendants have been waiting in New York City jails for more than two years for their cases to be resolved, according to the mayor’s office.

“Is it fair for people to be languishing in pretrial detention and presumed innocent with no prospect of a trial in the future for them?” said New York’s chief administrative judge, Lawrence K. Marks. “A criminal justice system cannot be, in any sense of the word, fully functioning, if it is not conducting jury trials.”

And in the last week, the federal courts in the city also announced that all trials would be suspended until mid-January.

Some prosecutors, citing safety concerns, have pushed to delay trials because their witnesses live out of state or work in hospitals with COVID-19 patients. In other cases, prosecutors said the fears of catching the virus during trials had been overblown.

The problems in New York have been mirrored across the country. Federal judges in Nebraska, Nevada, Colorado and several other jurisdictions recently suspended jury trials in response to rising virus cases. A court in McKinney, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, held the state’s first virtual criminal trial last month.

Each court has determined its own protocols. One local courthouse in Orange County, California, has completed 114 criminal trials since May, while the federal courthouse across the street has determined it is unsafe to hold any trials.

In New York City courts, the challenge of preventing the virus’s spread is magnified by the dense population. In normal times, clerks, court officers and lawyers squeeze into courtroom galleries and line the crowded hallways, waiting for cases to be called.

In November, at least three dozen people who appeared in nine criminal courthouses in the city tested positive for the virus, according to the state’s court administrators.

Many judges have been eager to begin trials, worried about violating the constitutional rights of people charged with crimes. Without speedy trials, jails become overcrowded, evidence grows stale, and witnesses’ memories fade.

Early in the pandemic, after New York City officials released hundreds of inmates, the city’s jail population dropped to its lowest level since the 1940s. But the population has increased again — to 4,669 people last month — raising fears about the virus spreading among inmates and jail staff. Most of the inmates are awaiting trial, according to the Center for Court Innovation, a criminal justice nonprofit.

But one of the biggest hurdles to restarting trials has been finding defense lawyers who are willing to do them.

At a federal hearing in Manhattan, Susan Kellman, a defense lawyer, said she felt unsafe visiting her client in jail, which hindered their ability to prepare for a drug-trafficking trial that had been scheduled for October. Her client has been adamant about going to trial quickly, she said, and regularly screams at her on the telephone.

“I’m a single parent. I have two kids. I’m really not ready to die,” she told the judge, who rescheduled the trial.

In Brooklyn, Alexander Zhukov, a defendant charged in a cybercrime scheme, was finally set to begin trial last month after waiting in jail for two years. But all three of his lawyers asked to quit weeks before the start date, citing fears about the new virus wave.

Saritha Komatireddy, a prosecutor on the case, questioned why the lawyers had raised the concern for the first time so close to trial.

“They may be entitled to their own fears, but they’re not entitled to their own facts,” she said at a recent hearing. “Trials are possible.”

Out of desperation, Zhukov asked the judge if he could represent himself, even though Zhukov, a Russian national, has never studied American law.

“For me, there is no options any more,” Zhukov said at the hearing. “It’s a must choice right now. It’s the only opportunity to get to trial on time. Otherwise, it will be postponed, postponed, postponed, postponed.”

The judge assigned Zhukov a new lawyer and delayed the trial until at least February.

Courthouse security officers and defense lawyers have sued to oppose the reopening of New York’s state courts, accusing court administrators of failing to take adequate safety measures.

The chief administrative judge has said the courts are thoroughly and regularly cleaned. But a team of physicians hired by the city’s public defender groups contended in an August report that the state’s courthouses were ill-equipped to stop the spread of a virus, pointing to crowded holding cells for defendants, improperly installed plexiglass and poorly ventilated rooms.

The virus has infiltrated the city’s courtrooms in ways that threaten the health of those inside and the constitutional rights of defendants.

At a drug trial in state court in Manhattan in October, a police officer testified while wearing a see-through mask and face shield, surrounded by Plexiglas. But his testimony was interrupted by drilling noises from the sidewalk, which were audible because the courtroom’s windows had been propped open to improve ventilation.

The jurors and the defendant, Demetre Cornish, strained to hear the officer. The judge decided to close a window, but kept the others open, saying, “We want to keep the air circulating.”

Cornish was acquitted by the jury of some drug and firearm offenses but convicted of others. His lawyer, Thomas Kenniff, filed a motion Monday asking the judge to set aside the verdict, arguing that his client did not have a fair and public trial because of restrictions caused by the pandemic.

Cornish’s relatives were denied entry into the courtroom. Their presence would have “had the potential to allow jurors to see him as an individual as opposed to an anonymous masked Black man sitting in the defendant’s chair,” Kenniff wrote.

Face coverings prevented the defense from assessing facial expressions and reactions of potential jurors, Kenniff said.

And the 12-person jury had included only two Black jurors and did not reflect the demographics of the borough, Kenniff said. Some defense lawyers have raised concerns that the virus’s disproportionate effect on Black and Latino residents might make jury pools less representative.

Even before trials were halted entirely, jury selection had been transformed during the pandemic, screening out anyone uncomfortable with health risks. Once seated, juries deliberated in a separate courtroom, giving them more space than they had in cramped jury rooms.

Still, some jurors have not seemed keen to stay for too long. A murder trial in the Bronx in July ended in an acquittal on all charges after jurors deliberated for less than an hour. A federal gun possession trial in Brooklyn last month led to a guilty verdict in 30 minutes.

Communication between lawyers and their clients, who are supposed to sit 6 feet apart during trial, has been difficult. Federal courts have provided special phones that operate like walkie-talkies, although lawyers have said that the whispered conversations are picked up by microphones used to address the court.

“The whole technology seems like it was from the days of Alexander Graham Bell,” said Eric Creizman, a lawyer whose client was convicted of securities fraud last month after a federal trial in Manhattan.

Even with careful preparations, trials have been derailed by the pandemic.

On Long Island, a judge stopped a trial after two days of testimony in September when the defendant revealed that his wife had tested positive for the virus. He said he was unable to isolate from her inside their small house. The trial resumed last month, and a jury convicted him on several drug offenses.

One or two other trials that had been halted in March may have also resumed during the pandemic, state court officials said.

“We are concerned for both victims and defendants that the wheels of justice continue to move,” said Karen Friedman Agnifilo, chief assistant to the Manhattan district attorney. “Languishing court cases is not good for anybody.”

A Brooklyn trial was postponed after the defense lawyers said they were unwilling to spend weeks in a cramped courtroom. In Manhattan, a woman summoned for jury duty told the court she had been sick with the coronavirus and was symptomatic.

A Brooklyn trial was postponed after the defense lawyers said they were unwilling to spend weeks in a cramped courtroom. In Manhattan, a woman summoned for jury duty told the court she had been sick with the coronavirus and was symptomatic. Another trial, in the Bronx, was canceled when four courthouse staff members tested positive. Since October, state and federal court officials have taken extraordinary measures to restart criminal trials in New York City. They have constructed Plexiglas boxes with special air filters in court. They have asked witnesses to testify in face shields and have spread jurors out in courtroom galleries. But those efforts have not stopped the virus from disrupting nearly every step of the process. The state and federal courts in the city have been able to complete only nine criminal jury trials since the pandemic hit in March, officials said. Last year, there were about 800 criminal trials in the city. For months, the logistical problems have threatened the ability of hundreds of defendants to secure their constitutional right to a speedy trial. Now, as a second wave of the virus threatens the region, the delays are worsening — and officials foresee the backlog of unresolved cases continuing to grow. Last month, the chief judge in New York state halted new jury trials until further notice because of surging virus cases. More than 400 defendants have been waiting in New York City jails for more than two years for their cases to be resolved, according to the mayor’s office. “Is it fair for people to be languishing in pretrial detention and presumed innocent with no prospect of a trial in the future for them?” said New York’s chief administrative judge, Lawrence K. Marks. “A criminal justice system cannot be, in any sense of the word, fully functioning, if it is not conducting jury trials.” And in the last week, the federal courts in the city also announced that all trials would be suspended until mid-January. Some prosecutors, citing safety concerns, have pushed to delay trials because their witnesses live out of state or work in hospitals with COVID-19 patients. In other cases, prosecutors said the fears of catching the virus during trials had been overblown. The problems in New York have been mirrored across the country. Federal judges in Nebraska, Nevada, Colorado and several other jurisdictions recently suspended jury trials in response to rising virus cases. A court in McKinney, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, held the state’s first virtual criminal trial last month. Each court has determined its own protocols. One local courthouse in Orange County, California, has completed 114 criminal trials since May, while the federal courthouse across the street has determined it is unsafe to hold any trials. In New York City courts, the challenge of preventing the virus’s spread is magnified by the dense population. In normal times, clerks, court officers and lawyers squeeze into courtroom galleries and line the crowded hallways, waiting for cases to be called. In November, at least three dozen people who appeared in nine criminal courthouses in the city tested positive for the virus, according to the state’s court administrators. Many judges have been eager to begin trials, worried about violating the constitutional rights of people charged with crimes. Without speedy trials, jails become overcrowded, evidence grows stale, and witnesses’ memories fade. Early in the pandemic, after New York City officials released hundreds of inmates, the city’s jail population dropped to its lowest level since the 1940s. But the population has increased again — to 4,669 people last month — raising fears about the virus spreading among inmates and jail staff. Most of the inmates are awaiting trial, according to the Center for Court Innovation, a criminal justice nonprofit. But one of the biggest hurdles to restarting trials has been finding defense lawyers who are willing to do them. At a federal hearing in Manhattan, Susan Kellman, a defense lawyer, said she felt unsafe visiting her client in jail, which hindered their ability to prepare for a drug-trafficking trial that had been scheduled for October. Her client has been adamant about going to trial quickly, she said, and regularly screams at her on the telephone. “I’m a single parent. I have two kids. I’m really not ready to die,” she told the judge, who rescheduled the trial. In Brooklyn, Alexander Zhukov, a defendant charged in a cybercrime scheme, was finally set to begin trial last month after waiting in jail for two years. But all three of his lawyers asked to quit weeks before the start date, citing fears about the new virus wave. Saritha Komatireddy, a prosecutor on the case, questioned why the lawyers had raised the concern for the first time so close to trial. “They may be entitled to their own fears, but they’re not entitled to their own facts,” she said at a recent hearing. “Trials are possible.” Out of desperation, Zhukov asked the judge if he could represent himself, even though Zhukov, a Russian national, has never studied American law. “For me, there is no options any more,” Zhukov said at the hearing. “It’s a must choice right now. It’s the only opportunity to get to trial on time. Otherwise, it will be postponed, postponed, postponed, postponed.” The judge assigned Zhukov a new lawyer and delayed the trial until at least February. Courthouse security officers and defense lawyers have sued to oppose the reopening of New York’s state courts, accusing court administrators of failing to take adequate safety measures. The chief administrative judge has said the courts are thoroughly and regularly cleaned. But a team of physicians hired by the city’s public defender groups contended in an August report that the state’s courthouses were ill-equipped to stop the spread of a virus, pointing to crowded holding cells for defendants, improperly installed plexiglass and poorly ventilated rooms. The virus has infiltrated the city’s courtrooms in ways that threaten the health of those inside and the constitutional rights of defendants. At a drug trial in state court in Manhattan in October, a police officer testified while wearing a see-through mask and face shield, surrounded by Plexiglas. But his testimony was interrupted by drilling noises from the sidewalk, which were audible because the courtroom’s windows had been propped open to improve ventilation. The jurors and the defendant, Demetre Cornish, strained to hear the officer. The judge decided to close a window, but kept the others open, saying, “We want to keep the air circulating.” Cornish was acquitted by the jury of some drug and firearm offenses but convicted of others. His lawyer, Thomas Kenniff, filed a motion Monday asking the judge to set aside the verdict, arguing that his client did not have a fair and public trial because of restrictions caused by the pandemic. Cornish’s relatives were denied entry into the courtroom. Their presence would have “had the potential to allow jurors to see him as an individual as opposed to an anonymous masked Black man sitting in the defendant’s chair,” Kenniff wrote. Face coverings prevented the defense from assessing facial expressions and reactions of potential jurors, Kenniff said. And the 12-person jury had included only two Black jurors and did not reflect the demographics of the borough, Kenniff said. Some defense lawyers have raised concerns that the virus’s disproportionate effect on Black and Latino residents might make jury pools less representative. Even before trials were halted entirely, jury selection had been transformed during the pandemic, screening out anyone uncomfortable with health risks. Once seated, juries deliberated in a separate courtroom, giving them more space than they had in cramped jury rooms. Still, some jurors have not seemed keen to stay for too long. A murder trial in the Bronx in July ended in an acquittal on all charges after jurors deliberated for less than an hour. A federal gun possession trial in Brooklyn last month led to a guilty verdict in 30 minutes. Communication between lawyers and their clients, who are supposed to sit 6 feet apart during trial, has been difficult. Federal courts have provided special phones that operate like walkie-talkies, although lawyers have said that the whispered conversations are picked up by microphones used to address the court. “The whole technology seems like it was from the days of Alexander Graham Bell,” said Eric Creizman, a lawyer whose client was convicted of securities fraud last month after a federal trial in Manhattan. Even with careful preparations, trials have been derailed by the pandemic. On Long Island, a judge stopped a trial after two days of testimony in September when the defendant revealed that his wife had tested positive for the virus. He said he was unable to isolate from her inside their small house. The trial resumed last month, and a jury convicted him on several drug offenses. One or two other trials that had been halted in March may have also resumed during the pandemic, state court officials said. “We are concerned for both victims and defendants that the wheels of justice continue to move,” said Karen Friedman Agnifilo, chief assistant to the Manhattan district attorney. “Languishing court cases is not good for anybody.”

Only 9 trials in 9 months: Virus wreaks havoc on NYC courts

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the counsel for the Delhi government to take instructions on a plea seeking directions to follow stringent measures for the safe disposal of swabs used for Rapid Antigen Testing of COVID-19. 
 
A division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan, after going through the petition and submissions, asked the counsel of the Delhi government to take the instructions and apprise the court about the same and listed the matter for December 3.

The public interest litigation, filed by advocate Pankaj Mehta, sought directions to form specific guidelines on the waste disposal in the testing of the novel coronavirus, and to carry out safety audits at COVID-19 testing centers across the national capital.

The PIL alleged that the used swabs were being thrown out in public and tests were being carried out over a pile of used swabs for COVID-19 testing at the office of the District Magistrate, South East Delhi in Lajpat Nagar.

"Upon complaining about the risk of widespread infection and the irregularity behind the disposal of the swabs in this manner, the concerned doctor at the counter said the swabs are of negative patients and thus it is safe to stand over them and get tested," the plea said.

The plea mentioned that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has via a Clinical Management Protocol Notification dated July 3, 2020, laid emphasis on safe waste management and cleaning of the environment across all the areas of healthcare facilities.

However, the enforcement of the same has been completely ignored by the respondents as evident by the actions of the medical staff at the office of the District Magistrate, southeast Delhi in Lajpat Nagar, and by medical staff across the country, the plea said.

Such negligence on the parts of the respondents amounts to the violation of the fundamental right to life as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India and as such, demands the intervention of the court, it added.

The plea said the Supreme Court, in a catena of judgments in recent months, had held that appropriate measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 should be put in place.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the counsel for the Delhi government to take instructions on a plea seeking directions to follow stringent measures for the safe disposal of swabs used for Rapid Antigen Testing of COVID-19.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the counsel for the Delhi government to take instructions on a plea seeking directions to follow stringent measures for the safe disposal of swabs used for Rapid Antigen Testing of COVID-19. A division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan, after going through the petition and submissions, asked the counsel of the Delhi government to take the instructions and apprise the court about the same and listed the matter for December 3. The public interest litigation, filed by advocate Pankaj Mehta, sought directions to form specific guidelines on the waste disposal in the testing of the novel coronavirus, and to carry out safety audits at COVID-19 testing centers across the national capital. The PIL alleged that the used swabs were being thrown out in public and tests were being carried out over a pile of used swabs for COVID-19 testing at the office of the District Magistrate, South East Delhi in Lajpat Nagar. "Upon complaining about the risk of widespread infection and the irregularity behind the disposal of the swabs in this manner, the concerned doctor at the counter said the swabs are of negative patients and thus it is safe to stand over them and get tested," the plea said. The plea mentioned that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has via a Clinical Management Protocol Notification dated July 3, 2020, laid emphasis on safe waste management and cleaning of the environment across all the areas of healthcare facilities. However, the enforcement of the same has been completely ignored by the respondents as evident by the actions of the medical staff at the office of the District Magistrate, southeast Delhi in Lajpat Nagar, and by medical staff across the country, the plea said. Such negligence on the parts of the respondents amounts to the violation of the fundamental right to life as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India and as such, demands the intervention of the court, it added. The plea said the Supreme Court, in a catena of judgments in recent months, had held that appropriate measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 should be put in place.

HC seeks Delhi government's stand on safe disposal of swabs used for COVID-19 tests

Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates recently hit out at anti-mask protesters. In the era of conspiracy theories circling social media, many believe that masks are pointless. In fact, in many countries, many have taken to the streets to protest wearing masks.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/bill-gates-slammed-by-anti-vaxxers-for-funding-research-300792/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Bill Gates recently compared anti-mask protesters to “nudists”.&nbsp;During an interview on the podcast “Bill Gates and Rashida Jones Ask Big Questions”, Gates and the comedian took up the issue of anti-mask protesters. Many continue to denounce masks, especially after calls from leaders like American President Donald Trump and Brazil’s Bolsonaro, who have continuously downplayed the importance of face coverings.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/uk-prime-minister-boris-johnson-meets-bill-gates-to-discuss-covid-19-vaccine-342652" hreflang="en">UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson meets Bill Gates to discuss COVID-19 vaccine</a>

Gates referred to anti-maskers as a “weird thing”. He added the following - “I mean, what are these, like, nudists?”

Gates went on to comparing the situation with wearing pants. "We ask you to wear pants and, you know, no American says — or very few Americans say — that that’s, like, some terrible thing," Huffpost quoted him as saying.

The American billionaire also spoke about the shifting public perception about masks. He said that in the beginning of the pandemic, not everyone was convinced of the safety of masks, but now that it has been ascertained that COVID-19 is different from fevers and flus, masks are more commonly accepted.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/normalcy-will-return-only-with-second-generation-of-covid-19-vaccine-bill-gates-334922" hreflang="en">Normalcy will return only with second generation of Covid-19 vaccine: Bill Gates</a>

Gates alluded to a research undertaken by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. It claimed that if everybody wore masks, “over 100,000” deaths could be averted int he US.

Rashida Jones and Bill Gates also spoke to Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Fauci claimed that "wearing a mask, keeping a distance, avoiding crowds, being outdoors as much as you possibly can - weather permitted - and washing your hands" are the defining ways for one to return to the normal world.

Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates recently hit out at anti-mask protesters. In the era of conspiracy theories circling social media, many believe that masks are pointless.

Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates recently hit out at anti-mask protesters. In the era of conspiracy theories circling social media, many believe that masks are pointless. In fact, in many countries, many have taken to the streets to protest wearing masks. Bill Gates recently compared anti-mask protesters to “nudists”. During an interview on the podcast “Bill Gates and Rashida Jones Ask Big Questions”, Gates and the comedian took up the issue of anti-mask protesters. Many continue to denounce masks, especially after calls from leaders like American President Donald Trump and Brazil’s Bolsonaro, who have continuously downplayed the importance of face coverings. Also read: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson meets Bill Gates to discuss COVID-19 vaccine Gates referred to anti-maskers as a “weird thing”. He added the following - “I mean, what are these, like, nudists?” Gates went on to comparing the situation with wearing pants. "We ask you to wear pants and, you know, no American says — or very few Americans say — that that’s, like, some terrible thing," Huffpost quoted him as saying. The American billionaire also spoke about the shifting public perception about masks. He said that in the beginning of the pandemic, not everyone was convinced of the safety of masks, but now that it has been ascertained that COVID-19 is different from fevers and flus, masks are more commonly accepted. Also read: Normalcy will return only with second generation of Covid-19 vaccine: Bill Gates Gates alluded to a research undertaken by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. It claimed that if everybody wore masks, “over 100,000” deaths could be averted int he US. Rashida Jones and Bill Gates also spoke to Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Fauci claimed that "wearing a mask, keeping a distance, avoiding crowds, being outdoors as much as you possibly can - weather permitted - and washing your hands" are the defining ways for one to return to the normal world.

Bill Gates wonders whether anti-maskers are 'nudists' and why they won't wear masks

Speaking Exclusively to WION, India's G20 Sherpa Suresh Prabhu talks about the upcoming summit. Prabhu said that, battling the COVID-19 pandemic & encountered terrorism will be India's first focus at the G20 virtual summit that will take place on November 21 and 22.

India's focus to be on COVID-19 pandemic & terrorism: India's Sherpa Suresh Prabhu

Government of India on Thursday announced a new scheme named “Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana” to incentivize the creation of new employment opportunities during the COVID-19 recovery phase.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in a press conference that the new scheme will boost job creations&nbsp;by giving subsidy to those establishments that make new hires.

The subsidy would be to cover for retirement fund contributions by employees as well as employers for two years, she said.

Employees contribution (12 per cent of wages) and employer's contribution (12 per cent of wages) totalling 24 per cent of wages would be given to establishments for two years, she said.

Under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana, every Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) registered establishment taking new employees would get this subsidy.

The scheme will cover any new employee joining employment in EPFO-registered establishment on monthly wages less than Rs 15,000 crore.

It would also cover EPF members drawing monthly wages of less than Rs 15,000, who made an exit from employment during COVID-19 pandemic from March 1, 2020, and is employed on or after October 1, 2020.

The scheme would cover establishments registered with EPFO if they add new employees compared to the reference base of employees as in September 2020.

The condition would be adding a minimum of two new employees for establishments with up to 50 employees. Those establishments with more than 50 employees, would have to give a minimum of five new jobs.

The scheme would be operational till June 30, 2021.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Government of India on Thursday announced a new scheme named “Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana” to incentivize the creation of new employment opportunities during the COVID-19 recovery phase.

Government of India on Thursday announced a new scheme named “Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana” to incentivize the creation of new employment opportunities during the COVID-19 recovery phase. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in a press conference that the new scheme will boost job creations by giving subsidy to those establishments that make new hires. The subsidy would be to cover for retirement fund contributions by employees as well as employers for two years, she said. Employees contribution (12 per cent of wages) and employer's contribution (12 per cent of wages) totalling 24 per cent of wages would be given to establishments for two years, she said. Under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana, every Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) registered establishment taking new employees would get this subsidy. The scheme will cover any new employee joining employment in EPFO-registered establishment on monthly wages less than Rs 15,000 crore. It would also cover EPF members drawing monthly wages of less than Rs 15,000, who made an exit from employment during COVID-19 pandemic from March 1, 2020, and is employed on or after October 1, 2020. The scheme would cover establishments registered with EPFO if they add new employees compared to the reference base of employees as in September 2020. The condition would be adding a minimum of two new employees for establishments with up to 50 employees. Those establishments with more than 50 employees, would have to give a minimum of five new jobs. The scheme would be operational till June 30, 2021. (With inputs from agencies)

What is Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana and who can avail it?

Mexico prepared on Thursday for more low key annual Day of the Dead celebrations. Markets at this time of the year would normally be crowded with people looking for sugar skulls, candy and paper decorations to decorate the burial places of their deceased loved ones, but most are virtually empty, with few people venturing out because of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

Amid pandemic Mexicans prepare for Day of the Dead

England cricketer Ben Stokes’ recent joke about not wishing a 14-day quarantine on his ‘worst enemy’ Marlon Samuels didn’t go down well with the former West Indies cricketer.

Marlon Samuels slammed the England star and also targeted Australia great Shane Warne as he made it clear he was not all pleased with Ben Stokes’ recent joke about him.

Highlighting the demands of quarantining, Stokes recently quipped that he wouldn't wish the process on his "worst enemy" Marlon Samuels.

Samuels posted a couple of expletive-laden messages on his Instagram story. Marlon Samuels also dragged Stokes’ wife in a derogatory manner while boasting about his skin tone. He further targeted Shane Warne too as well as some West Indies cricketers.

“no white boy could diss me in the sports and no get back diss look at this b*tch still thinking about me give me 14 days with you wife turn har into Jamaican in 14 seconds mate none of yall knows me that simply means it’s my f***ing superior skin tone,” Samuels wrote on his Instagram story. 
 
<img alt="Marlon Samuels" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a96629b5-48e3-4e1e-9476-21a97efe4ead" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Marlon-Samuels-Instagram-Story-Post.jpg" /> 
 
Marlon Samuels' Instagram Story Post (Photo Credits: Instagram)

The two players have engaged in a fierce war of words when the West Indies and England were playing a Test match in early 2014.&nbsp;

Stokes is currently playing in the IPL in the UAE.

(With inputs from agencies)

England cricketer Ben Stokes’ recent joke about not wishing a 14-day quarantine on his ‘worst enemy’ Marlon Samuels didn’t go down well with the former West Indies cricketer.

England cricketer Ben Stokes’ recent joke about not wishing a 14-day quarantine on his ‘worst enemy’ Marlon Samuels didn’t go down well with the former West Indies cricketer. Marlon Samuels slammed the England star and also targeted Australia great Shane Warne as he made it clear he was not all pleased with Ben Stokes’ recent joke about him. Highlighting the demands of quarantining, Stokes recently quipped that he wouldn't wish the process on his "worst enemy" Marlon Samuels. Samuels posted a couple of expletive-laden messages on his Instagram story. Marlon Samuels also dragged Stokes’ wife in a derogatory manner while boasting about his skin tone. He further targeted Shane Warne too as well as some West Indies cricketers. “no white boy could diss me in the sports and no get back diss look at this b*tch still thinking about me give me 14 days with you wife turn har into Jamaican in 14 seconds mate none of yall knows me that simply means it’s my f***ing superior skin tone,” Samuels wrote on his Instagram story. Marlon Samuels' Instagram Story Post (Photo Credits: Instagram) The two players have engaged in a fierce war of words when the West Indies and England were playing a Test match in early 2014. Stokes is currently playing in the IPL in the UAE. (With inputs from agencies)

Marlon Samuels reacts ugly to Ben Stokes' quarantine remarks, shares expletive-laden posts on Instagram

Russia's daily tally of new COVID-19 cases soared to a record high of 17,347 on Monday as the Kremlin warned the pandemic was beginning to inflict a greater toll outside the capital Moscow.

Authorities say Russia has enough hospital beds and medication to tackle the second wave of the coronavirus outbreak. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said "extremely energetic" efforts from both the federal and regional governments were now needed to cope with rising case numbers.

"The situation is quite serious," Peskov told reporters on a conference call. "The epidemic has stricken the regions, it has gone east of Moscow."

Russian media reports suggest some regions are struggling to withstand the pressure on their health system.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/iran-is-reporting-a-coronavirus-related-death-every-four-minutes-338067" hreflang="en">Iran is reporting a coronavirus-related death every four minutes</a>

In one indication of the crisis, Russia's health watchdog said it was investigating after local media outlet 161.ru in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don reported that several COVID-19 patients had died in hospital when their oxygen supply ran out. A city official denied the report.

Moscow, a city of nearly 13 million, reported 5,224 new infections on Monday.

Authorities in the capital have opened temporary hospitals, ordered businesses to have at least 30% of staff working remotely and directed the city's sprawling metro system to turn away commuters with high body temperatures.

Russia in August became the first country to grant regulatory approval for a vaccine against COVID-19, doing so after less than two months of human testing, and large-scale trials are underway. Regulators approved a second vaccine earlier this month.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/new-coronavirus-outbreak-detected-in-chinas-kashgar-city-337973" hreflang="en">New coronavirus outbreak detected in China's Kashgar city</a>

The virus has also cut a swathe through the ranks of lawmakers in the State Duma (lower house of parliament).

In a televised meeting on Monday, parliament speaker Vyacheslav Volodin told President Vladimir Putin that one in every five lawmakers in the 450-seat legislature currently has or had COVID-19. He said that 38 lawmakers were currently hospitalised, one of whom was in intensive care.

With 1,531,224 infections, the vast country of around 145 million people has recorded the world's fourth largest COVID-19 caseload - after the United States, India and Brazil.

Authorities said 219 people had died from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, pushing the official death toll to 26,269.

Russia's daily tally of new COVID-19 cases soared to a record high of 17,347 on Monday as the Kremlin warned the pandemic was beginning to inflict a greater toll outside the capital Moscow.

Russia's daily tally of new COVID-19 cases soared to a record high of 17,347 on Monday as the Kremlin warned the pandemic was beginning to inflict a greater toll outside the capital Moscow. Authorities say Russia has enough hospital beds and medication to tackle the second wave of the coronavirus outbreak. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said "extremely energetic" efforts from both the federal and regional governments were now needed to cope with rising case numbers. "The situation is quite serious," Peskov told reporters on a conference call. "The epidemic has stricken the regions, it has gone east of Moscow." Russian media reports suggest some regions are struggling to withstand the pressure on their health system. Also read: Iran is reporting a coronavirus-related death every four minutes In one indication of the crisis, Russia's health watchdog said it was investigating after local media outlet 161.ru in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don reported that several COVID-19 patients had died in hospital when their oxygen supply ran out. A city official denied the report. Moscow, a city of nearly 13 million, reported 5,224 new infections on Monday. Authorities in the capital have opened temporary hospitals, ordered businesses to have at least 30% of staff working remotely and directed the city's sprawling metro system to turn away commuters with high body temperatures. Russia in August became the first country to grant regulatory approval for a vaccine against COVID-19, doing so after less than two months of human testing, and large-scale trials are underway. Regulators approved a second vaccine earlier this month. Also read: New coronavirus outbreak detected in China's Kashgar city The virus has also cut a swathe through the ranks of lawmakers in the State Duma (lower house of parliament). In a televised meeting on Monday, parliament speaker Vyacheslav Volodin told President Vladimir Putin that one in every five lawmakers in the 450-seat legislature currently has or had COVID-19. He said that 38 lawmakers were currently hospitalised, one of whom was in intensive care. With 1,531,224 infections, the vast country of around 145 million people has recorded the world's fourth largest COVID-19 caseload - after the United States, India and Brazil. Authorities said 219 people had died from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, pushing the official death toll to 26,269.

Russian COVID-19 tally hits new high, Kremlin warns regions suffering

India will be sending food aid to four central African countries of&nbsp;Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti and Eritrea. The 270 MT aid is to help these countries deal with the COVID pandemic and also natural calamities.&nbsp;

Ministry of External Affairs release said, "strong bonds of friendship and brotherly relations between India and countries in Africa have been forged and strengthened over several centuries."

Adding, "India has always stood in solidarity with the countries and people in Africa and has partnered in undertaking development, capacity building and humanitarian assistance programmes."

The aid is being transported on Indian Nava Ship Airvat which left Mumbai on 24th October and it will make port calls at&nbsp;Djibouti, Massawa, Port Sudan and Mombasa. The 270 MT aid includes --155 MT of wheat flour, 65 MT of rice and 50 MT of sugar.

Amidst the COVID Pandemic, India has reached out to several countries. It supplied anti-COVID medicine HCQ to over 150 countries. Earlier this year, it sent medical and food assistance to five countries of the Indian Ocean--Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros to deal with the crisis.&nbsp;

India will be sending food aid to four central African countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti and Eritrea. The 270 MT aid is to help these countries deal with the COVID pandemic and also natural calamities.

India will be sending food aid to four central African countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti and Eritrea. The 270 MT aid is to help these countries deal with the COVID pandemic and also natural calamities. Ministry of External Affairs release said, "strong bonds of friendship and brotherly relations between India and countries in Africa have been forged and strengthened over several centuries." Adding, "India has always stood in solidarity with the countries and people in Africa and has partnered in undertaking development, capacity building and humanitarian assistance programmes." The aid is being transported on Indian Nava Ship Airvat which left Mumbai on 24th October and it will make port calls at Djibouti, Massawa, Port Sudan and Mombasa. The 270 MT aid includes --155 MT of wheat flour, 65 MT of rice and 50 MT of sugar. Amidst the COVID Pandemic, India has reached out to several countries. It supplied anti-COVID medicine HCQ to over 150 countries. Earlier this year, it sent medical and food assistance to five countries of the Indian Ocean--Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros to deal with the crisis.

India sends aid to four African countries to deal with COVID-19 crisis

The coronavirus pandemic has left no territory untouched, and Iran is no different. The country is currently grappling with another wave of COVID-19, and is registering a coronavirus related death every four minutes. 
 
As reported by Reuters, health authorities claim that hospitals are increasingly becoming&nbsp;crammed, and running out of beds to treat new patients.&nbsp;

The head of the country's coronavirus task force told state TV that the healthcare workers are increasingly "tired", while urging everyone to follow protocols.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-brokered-sudan-israel-deal-secured-by-ransom-iran-says-337733" hreflang="en">US-brokered Sudan-Israel deal secured by 'ransom', Iran says</a>

&nbsp;"Our doctors and nurses are tired. I urge everyone to respect the protocols," Alireza Zali said. Iran is the hardest hit Middle East country. Over the last 24 hours, the country has reported 337 deaths, and 5,960 new cases.&nbsp; This amounted to a death every four minutes, according to local media.

Health authorities have warned of serious consequences if social distancing norms are continually flouted. Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi last week said that the death count could go up to 600 a day owing to poor social distancing.&nbsp;

Schools, shops, restaurants, mosques and other institutions in the country have remained shut, with the restrictions earlier slated to end today. But now, the lockdown has been extended until November 20. 
 
43 counties that have witnessed a surge in infections will be liable to "extreme measures and limitations", at least for the coming week.&nbsp; 
 
Out of the country's 31 provinces, 21 are currently on a coronavirus red alert.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/a-metoo-awakening-stirs-in-iran-337419" hreflang="en">A #MeToo awakening stirs in Iran</a>

According to Iran, US sanctions are getting in the way of efforts to minimise the outbreak. On the other hand, the US has accused Iran of "incompetent and deadly governance".&nbsp;

The US has not lifted sanctions on the country that were reimposed in 2018 after Donald Trump exited the nuclear deal with six other powers.

The country's death toll has risen to 32,953, and the total number of cases stand at 574,856, according to the Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat.

Critics are sceptical of Iran's numbers. A report put out by Iran parliament's research centre in April suggested that the toll of COVID-19 in the country might be twice as high as the reported numbers.&nbsp;

The coronavirus pandemic has left no territory untouched, and Iran is no different. The country is currently grappling with another wave of COVID-19, and is registering a coronavirus related death every four minutes.

The coronavirus pandemic has left no territory untouched, and Iran is no different. The country is currently grappling with another wave of COVID-19, and is registering a coronavirus related death every four minutes. As reported by Reuters, health authorities claim that hospitals are increasingly becoming crammed, and running out of beds to treat new patients. The head of the country's coronavirus task force told state TV that the healthcare workers are increasingly "tired", while urging everyone to follow protocols. Also read: US-brokered Sudan-Israel deal secured by 'ransom', Iran says "Our doctors and nurses are tired. I urge everyone to respect the protocols," Alireza Zali said. Iran is the hardest hit Middle East country. Over the last 24 hours, the country has reported 337 deaths, and 5,960 new cases. This amounted to a death every four minutes, according to local media. Health authorities have warned of serious consequences if social distancing norms are continually flouted. Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi last week said that the death count could go up to 600 a day owing to poor social distancing. Schools, shops, restaurants, mosques and other institutions in the country have remained shut, with the restrictions earlier slated to end today. But now, the lockdown has been extended until November 20. 43 counties that have witnessed a surge in infections will be liable to "extreme measures and limitations", at least for the coming week. Out of the country's 31 provinces, 21 are currently on a coronavirus red alert. Also read: A #MeToo awakening stirs in Iran According to Iran, US sanctions are getting in the way of efforts to minimise the outbreak. On the other hand, the US has accused Iran of "incompetent and deadly governance". The US has not lifted sanctions on the country that were reimposed in 2018 after Donald Trump exited the nuclear deal with six other powers. The country's death toll has risen to 32,953, and the total number of cases stand at 574,856, according to the Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat. Critics are sceptical of Iran's numbers. A report put out by Iran parliament's research centre in April suggested that the toll of COVID-19 in the country might be twice as high as the reported numbers.

Iran is reporting a coronavirus-related death every four minutes

Matthew Loflin was coughing up blood, struggling to breathe and losing consciousness in his cell while awaiting trial on drug-possession charges in this historic Southern city.

US jails are outsourcing medical care, and the death toll is rising

More than 140,000 companies with 1.9 million local employees here will receive Singapore dollars 5.5 billion (USD 4.5 billion) this month as part of a jobs scheme to help them retain their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic that has upended life and businesses across the globe.

The latest payout is Singapore dollars 1.5 billion more than the last round of disbursement in July, according to a Channel News Asia report.

First announced by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat in February's Budget, the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS), to be implemented from October 29, is a wage subsidy programme aimed at helping companies retain their workers as businesses have taken a hit from the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the October payouts, more than Singapore dollars 21.5 billion (USD 15.8) in JSS support would have been given out, said the Ministry of Finance and Inland Revenue Authority.

Meanwhile, Singapore reported four imported COVID-19 cases on Monday, all of whom have been placed under the Stay-Home Notice (SHN), taking the national tally to 57,915.

There was no locally transmitted coronavirus case, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

The five imported cases, reported on Sunday, came from the Philippines, Greece, France and Guatemala. &nbsp;They are under SHN.

There are currently 40 confirmed cases in hospital and 36 are isolated and cared for at community facilities for mild symptoms.

Nine COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals and community facilities on Sunday, taking the recoveries to 57,807.

Separately, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has suspended operations of Hawaii Hostel from October 11 to November 9 for failing to comply with safe management measures.

The hostel is not permitted to accept new bookings or accept check-ins for the duration of its suspension.

Under the COVID-19 measures act, such first-time offenders face a fine of up to Singapore dollars 10,000.

Subsequent offences may result in a fine of up to Singapore dollars 20,000, said STB.

More than 140,000 companies with 1.9 million local employees here will receive Singapore dollars 5.5 billion (USD 4.5 billion) this month as part of a jobs scheme to help them retain their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic that has upended life and businesses across the globe.

More than 140,000 companies with 1.9 million local employees here will receive Singapore dollars 5.5 billion (USD 4.5 billion) this month as part of a jobs scheme to help them retain their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic that has upended life and businesses across the globe. The latest payout is Singapore dollars 1.5 billion more than the last round of disbursement in July, according to a Channel News Asia report. First announced by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat in February's Budget, the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS), to be implemented from October 29, is a wage subsidy programme aimed at helping companies retain their workers as businesses have taken a hit from the COVID-19 pandemic. With the October payouts, more than Singapore dollars 21.5 billion (USD 15.8) in JSS support would have been given out, said the Ministry of Finance and Inland Revenue Authority. Meanwhile, Singapore reported four imported COVID-19 cases on Monday, all of whom have been placed under the Stay-Home Notice (SHN), taking the national tally to 57,915. There was no locally transmitted coronavirus case, said the Ministry of Health (MOH). The five imported cases, reported on Sunday, came from the Philippines, Greece, France and Guatemala. They are under SHN. There are currently 40 confirmed cases in hospital and 36 are isolated and cared for at community facilities for mild symptoms. Nine COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals and community facilities on Sunday, taking the recoveries to 57,807. Separately, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has suspended operations of Hawaii Hostel from October 11 to November 9 for failing to comply with safe management measures. The hostel is not permitted to accept new bookings or accept check-ins for the duration of its suspension. Under the COVID-19 measures act, such first-time offenders face a fine of up to Singapore dollars 10,000. Subsequent offences may result in a fine of up to Singapore dollars 20,000, said STB.

Singapore to give SGD 5.5 billion to 140,000 companies to help them during COVID-19 pandemic