The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday immediately called for a donation of 10 million <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine </a>doses so that all the countries could begin their vaccination campaign within the first 100 days of this year.&nbsp;

WHO's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the rush to receive Covid-19 vaccines had delayed supply for Covax scheme that can deliver doses to poorer nations.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/who-says-global-covid-19-vaccine-inequality-becoming-grotesque-372521/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He added that there are 36 countries that had not received even a single dose and 16 of those were scheduled to receive their first doses through Covax in the remaining 15 of the first 100 days of 2021.&nbsp;

This implied that 20 countries would still going to miss out on receiving vaccines.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/world/who-lashes-out-at-unequal-vaccine-distribution-372409">WHO lashes out at unequal vaccine distribution</a>

"Getting all countries started by day 100 is a solvable problem. Covax needs 10 million doses immediately as an urgent stop-gap measure so these 20 countries can start vaccinating their health workers and older people within the next two weeks," WHO's director-general Tedros said.&nbsp;

"So today I'm asking countries with doses of vaccines that have WHO emergency use listing to donate as many doses as they can to help us meet that target."

"Ten million doses is not much and it is not nearly enough, but it is a start."

Covax intends to deliver vaccines to 92 of the world's poorest nations and vaccinate up to 27 per cent of these countries' population by the end of this year.&nbsp;

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday immediately called for a donation of 10 million coronavirus vaccine doses so that all the countries could begin their vaccination campaign within the first 100 days of this year.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday immediately called for a donation of 10 million coronavirus vaccine doses so that all the countries could begin their vaccination campaign within the first 100 days of this year. WHO's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the rush to receive Covid-19 vaccines had delayed supply for Covax scheme that can deliver doses to poorer nations. Watch | He added that there are 36 countries that had not received even a single dose and 16 of those were scheduled to receive their first doses through Covax in the remaining 15 of the first 100 days of 2021. This implied that 20 countries would still going to miss out on receiving vaccines. Also read | WHO lashes out at unequal vaccine distribution "Getting all countries started by day 100 is a solvable problem. Covax needs 10 million doses immediately as an urgent stop-gap measure so these 20 countries can start vaccinating their health workers and older people within the next two weeks," WHO's director-general Tedros said. "So today I'm asking countries with doses of vaccines that have WHO emergency use listing to donate as many doses as they can to help us meet that target." "Ten million doses is not much and it is not nearly enough, but it is a start." Covax intends to deliver vaccines to 92 of the world's poorest nations and vaccinate up to 27 per cent of these countries' population by the end of this year.

WHO calls for immediate release of 10 million Covid-19 vaccine doses

In a fresh set back for AstraZeneca, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in the US said that AstraZeneca may have included out-of-date information during trials of its COVID-19 vaccine.

US Agency: AstraZeneca may have included outdated data

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called vaccine inequality "grotesque" as he urged producers of COVID-19 vaccines to follow AstraZeneca's lead and license the technology to other makers.

WHO says global COVID-19 vaccine inequality becoming 'grotesque'

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">Coronavirus vaccinations</a>&nbsp;to all adults in the United Kingdom are unlikely to completely stop the deadly virus, a new modelling study claimed.&nbsp;

The study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases Journal was done before the real-world data on vaccination rollout was available. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The authors studied a range of levels of protection against infection.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/europe-covid-surge-fueled-by-contagious-virus-variants-371633/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

They found that their model neither includes new coronavirus variants nor for the effects of waning immunity.&nbsp;

This study modelled the combined interaction of the UK vaccination rollout with various scenarios of relaxing control measures, to predict the R-number and deaths and hospitalisations due to Covid-19 from January 2021 to January 2024.

It assumed vaccine uptake would be 95 per cent in the age group 80 and older, 85 per cent in 50–79, and 75 per cent in 18–49 group.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/world/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-coronavirus-right-now-371690">What you need to know about the coronavirus right now</a>

Vaccine protection against symptomatic infection was assumed to be 88 per cent based on phase 3 trial data from the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines, the two jabs administered in the UK.&nbsp;

The vaccines' protection was varied in four scenarios: 0 per cent, 35 per cent, 60 per cent, 85 per cent.

The modelling suggests that though vaccination can substantially reduce R-number, it may not be enough to drive it below 1 without other preventive rules.&nbsp;

Even in the best-case scenario which offers 85 per cent protection against Covid-19, the R number is estimated to be 1.58 without other measures.&nbsp;

Since the vaccine alone cannot take R below 1, removing all restrictions after the vaccination is complete could lead to another wave of cases and a surge in the number of deaths, the study said.&nbsp;

Coronavirus vaccinations to all adults in the United Kingdom are unlikely to completely stop the deadly virus, a new modelling study claimed. The study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases Journal was done before the real-world data on vaccination rollout was available.

Coronavirus vaccinations to all adults in the United Kingdom are unlikely to completely stop the deadly virus, a new modelling study claimed. The study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases Journal was done before the real-world data on vaccination rollout was available. The authors studied a range of levels of protection against infection. Watch | They found that their model neither includes new coronavirus variants nor for the effects of waning immunity. This study modelled the combined interaction of the UK vaccination rollout with various scenarios of relaxing control measures, to predict the R-number and deaths and hospitalisations due to Covid-19 from January 2021 to January 2024. It assumed vaccine uptake would be 95 per cent in the age group 80 and older, 85 per cent in 50–79, and 75 per cent in 18–49 group. Also read | What you need to know about the coronavirus right now Vaccine protection against symptomatic infection was assumed to be 88 per cent based on phase 3 trial data from the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines, the two jabs administered in the UK. The vaccines' protection was varied in four scenarios: 0 per cent, 35 per cent, 60 per cent, 85 per cent. The modelling suggests that though vaccination can substantially reduce R-number, it may not be enough to drive it below 1 without other preventive rules. Even in the best-case scenario which offers 85 per cent protection against Covid-19, the R number is estimated to be 1.58 without other measures. Since the vaccine alone cannot take R below 1, removing all restrictions after the vaccination is complete could lead to another wave of cases and a surge in the number of deaths, the study said.

Covid-19 vaccination alone will not able to prevent infection: Study

Amid fears of a second wave, the Indian government is facing demands to open up vaccinations for all adults. India could take lessons from Europe, where an over-cautious approach to vaccines could be costing lives. WION's Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: COVID-19 Pandemic: Why can't everyone get a vaccine in India?

EU health regulator on Thursday said that 'no evidence'&nbsp;was found of any direct links between either AstraZeneca or Pfizer Covid vaccine and blood clots.

"The committee has come to a clear scientific conclusion: this is a safe and effective vaccine," European Medicines Agency (EMA) chief Emer Cooke told a press conference after an investigation.

The remarks by the EMA&nbsp;come after the UK health regulator on Thursday also shrugged off concerns regarding Pfizer and Oxford <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccines</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Britain's health regulator on Thursday said it had found no evidence between Oxford-AstraZeneca's&nbsp;coronavirus vaccine&nbsp;and cases of blood clots after several countries halted the use of its jabs over safety fears.&nbsp;

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) also said that they did not find any relation even between Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine and blood clots.&nbsp;

"There is no evidence that blood clots in veins is occurring more than would be expected in the absence of vaccination, for either vaccine," said June Raine, chief executive of the independent MHRA, as quoted by news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-astrazeneca-vaccinations-will-go-on-with-full-vigour-371400/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Earlier, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), has said that it had detected "no indication" of a major problem and the number of clots after receiving the AstraZeneca shot is not higher than the group of people who are unvaccinated.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trust-in-astrazeneca-vaccine-is-shaken-in-europe-371386">Trust in AstraZeneca vaccine is shaken in Europe</a>

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday continued to urge nations to use the Oxford jab.&nbsp;

"The WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety is carefully assessing the latest available safety data," the WHO said in a statement on Wednesday. 
&nbsp;

EU health regulator on Thursday said that 'no evidence' was found of any direct links between either AstraZeneca or Pfizer Covid vaccine and blood clots. "The committee has come to a clear scientific conclusion: this is a safe and effective vaccine," European Medicines Agency (EMA) chief Emer Cooke told a press conference after an investigation.

EU health regulator on Thursday said that 'no evidence' was found of any direct links between either AstraZeneca or Pfizer Covid vaccine and blood clots. "The committee has come to a clear scientific conclusion: this is a safe and effective vaccine," European Medicines Agency (EMA) chief Emer Cooke told a press conference after an investigation. The remarks by the EMA come after the UK health regulator on Thursday also shrugged off concerns regarding Pfizer and Oxford coronavirus vaccines. Britain's health regulator on Thursday said it had found no evidence between Oxford-AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine and cases of blood clots after several countries halted the use of its jabs over safety fears. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) also said that they did not find any relation even between Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine and blood clots. "There is no evidence that blood clots in veins is occurring more than would be expected in the absence of vaccination, for either vaccine," said June Raine, chief executive of the independent MHRA, as quoted by news agency AFP. Watch | Earlier, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), has said that it had detected "no indication" of a major problem and the number of clots after receiving the AstraZeneca shot is not higher than the group of people who are unvaccinated. Also read | Trust in AstraZeneca vaccine is shaken in Europe Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday continued to urge nations to use the Oxford jab. "The WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety is carefully assessing the latest available safety data," the WHO said in a statement on Wednesday.

EU, UK regulator shrug off AstraZeneca vaccine concerns

India has said that it is going ahead with administring the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and will continue to roll out the shot in its huge immunisation programme "with full vigour".

India: AstraZeneca vaccinations will go on with full vigour

China wants us to take its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccines </a>and in return promises to offer certain "conveniences" when we visit China.

The message is simple: take our vaccine and enjoy a streamlined visa process in return.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-how-safe-are-made-in-china-vaccines-371239/embed" width="560" height="350" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" autoplay=1 allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

&nbsp;

But which vaccines is China even offering?

Is it Sinovac, whose CEO was once found to be bribing China's drug regulator for approvals?

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-a-bid-to-lead-the-vaccine-race-beijing-makes-chinese-jabs-compulsory-371241">In a bid to lead the vaccine race, Beijing makes Chinese jabs compulsory</a>

Or is it Sinopharm, which was called one of the most unsafe vaccines with 73 side effects by a Chinese doctor?

Sinovac, Sinopharm, CanSino Biologics and Anhui Zhifei Longcom are the four vaccines China is offering to the world.&nbsp;

Out of these four vaccines, two are in the process of being rolled out, while the other two have already made their way abroad.&nbsp;

Here's what has been on record as far as these vaccines are concerned.&nbsp;

<h2>Sinovac</h2>

Developed by a Beijing-based biopharmaceutical company, this vaccine is officially called Coronavac.

In July 2020, it was approved for emergency use in high-risk groups in China.

This vaccine would cost atleast Rs 1,027 rupees per dose in India.&nbsp;

It works by using killed viral particles to expose the body to the virus which mounts an immune response.

There's only one study published in the scientific journal The Lancet and it discloses information only about the first two phases of clinical trials.

Nonetheless, Coronavac is undergoing phase three trials in several countries, but the data is dodgy.

In Turkey, the vaccine was 91.25 per cent effective and was 65.3 per cent in Indonesia.&nbsp;

Brazil initially said it was 78 per cent effective but revised the figure to 50.4 per cent.&nbsp;

In November 2020, Brazil even halted trials of Sinovac after the mysterious death of a volunteer.

China called it politics until this report emerged the very next month.

The CEO of Sinovac Weidong Yin was caught for bribing Chinese drug regulators to get approvals several times in the past.&nbsp;

Still, the vaccine continues to be developed overseas to this day.&nbsp;

<h2>Sinopharm</h2>

This is the second major Chinese vaccine developed by the state-owned company.&nbsp;

It has two different types, but both work like Sinovac.

In India, the vaccine would cost atleast Rs 5,650 per dose.

The phase three trials of Sinopharm showed that it was 79 per cent effective, much lower than Pfizer and Moderna.

But even before these results came out, the vaccine was distributed to nearly a million people in China.

In January this year, Tao Lina, a Chinese vaccine expert working at the Shanghai Centre for Disease Control and Prevention claimed that there were 73 adverse reactions associated with the vaccine.&nbsp;

These reactions include: high blood pressure, delayed menstruation, urinary incontinence, loss of taste and loss of vision.

Tao's Weibo account was deleted with the allegations buried under the carpet.

In Peru, a volunteer who took the Sinopharm developed neurological problems.

This case was enough for Peru's government to halt all vaccine trials.

It's crystal clear that China is losing the vaccine race as it's vaccine programmes are shadowed by clouds of doubt.&nbsp;

Still, Beijing is trying to find some sunshine through its vaccine visa. 
&nbsp;

China wants us to take its vaccines and in return promises to offer certain "conveniences" when we visit China. The message is simple: take our vaccine and enjoy a streamlined visa process in return.

China wants us to take its vaccines and in return promises to offer certain "conveniences" when we visit China. The message is simple: take our vaccine and enjoy a streamlined visa process in return. Watch | But which vaccines is China even offering? Is it Sinovac, whose CEO was once found to be bribing China's drug regulator for approvals? Also read | In a bid to lead the vaccine race, Beijing makes Chinese jabs compulsory Or is it Sinopharm, which was called one of the most unsafe vaccines with 73 side effects by a Chinese doctor? Sinovac, Sinopharm, CanSino Biologics and Anhui Zhifei Longcom are the four vaccines China is offering to the world. Out of these four vaccines, two are in the process of being rolled out, while the other two have already made their way abroad. Here's what has been on record as far as these vaccines are concerned. Sinovac Developed by a Beijing-based biopharmaceutical company, this vaccine is officially called Coronavac. In July 2020, it was approved for emergency use in high-risk groups in China. This vaccine would cost atleast Rs 1,027 rupees per dose in India. It works by using killed viral particles to expose the body to the virus which mounts an immune response. There's only one study published in the scientific journal The Lancet and it discloses information only about the first two phases of clinical trials. Nonetheless, Coronavac is undergoing phase three trials in several countries, but the data is dodgy. In Turkey, the vaccine was 91.25 per cent effective and was 65.3 per cent in Indonesia. Brazil initially said it was 78 per cent effective but revised the figure to 50.4 per cent. In November 2020, Brazil even halted trials of Sinovac after the mysterious death of a volunteer. China called it politics until this report emerged the very next month. The CEO of Sinovac Weidong Yin was caught for bribing Chinese drug regulators to get approvals several times in the past. Still, the vaccine continues to be developed overseas to this day. Sinopharm This is the second major Chinese vaccine developed by the state-owned company. It has two different types, but both work like Sinovac. In India, the vaccine would cost atleast Rs 5,650 per dose. The phase three trials of Sinopharm showed that it was 79 per cent effective, much lower than Pfizer and Moderna. But even before these results came out, the vaccine was distributed to nearly a million people in China. In January this year, Tao Lina, a Chinese vaccine expert working at the Shanghai Centre for Disease Control and Prevention claimed that there were 73 adverse reactions associated with the vaccine. These reactions include: high blood pressure, delayed menstruation, urinary incontinence, loss of taste and loss of vision. Tao's Weibo account was deleted with the allegations buried under the carpet. In Peru, a volunteer who took the Sinopharm developed neurological problems. This case was enough for Peru's government to halt all vaccine trials. It's crystal clear that China is losing the vaccine race as it's vaccine programmes are shadowed by clouds of doubt. Still, Beijing is trying to find some sunshine through its vaccine visa.

China wants world to use its vaccine, but records are shoddy

For China, winning the vaccine race was never an option.

At least 22 Chinese institutions were pressed into action.

According to some reports, China developed a Wuhan virus vaccine as early as February 2020.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-how-china-tried-to-win-the-vaccine-race-371251/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

It started clinical trials in March and published results in May 2020.

In China's view, it was leading the vaccine race.

In reality, not so much.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-a-bid-to-lead-the-vaccine-race-beijing-makes-chinese-jabs-compulsory-371241">In a bid to lead the vaccine race, Beijing makes Chinese jabs compulsory</a>

This is the story of how China tried to cheat in the vaccine race.

Let us first take you through a quick timeline.

In December 2019, China finally reported the Wuhan virus outbreak to the World Health Organization (WHO).

In January 2020, China exported the virus.

On January 13, 2020, the first case of the Wuhan virus was reported outside China.

On March 11 last year, the WHO declared the outbreak a pandemic.

By May, China had successfully brought the world to a standstill.

China's next plan of action was to fast-track vaccines.

In May 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared that Chinese vaccines will be for the "global public good".

But our world is smarter than what China perceives it to be and not many countries signed up for Chinese vaccines.

So the dragon began pushing its vaccines by distributing them as donations, especially to low and middle-income countries.

In July 2020, China promised a billion-dollar vaccine loan for Latin American and Caribbean countries.

We don't know if it was ever delivered.

As of March 2021, here's where China stands in the vaccine race.

Our world has over 195 sovereign states and only 28 are inoculating its people with Chinese vaccines.

According to local reports, so far, China has administered more than 52 million doses of vaccines at home.

It has committed ten times the amount abroad.

In January, Sinovac reached only half of its daily manufacturing capacity.

The countries that ordered Chinese jabs were disappointed with its delayed deliveries.

Brazil, Turkey have raised concerns.

Did you know China also tried to forcefully innoculate people?

If Brazil was protesting Chinese vaccines, the mood was not too different back home.

In Beijing, health workers were scared to get themselves inoculated.

The South China Morning Post reported that less than 74 per cent of the staff in the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Beijing would get immunised voluntarily.

Chinese companies have not been transparent in announcing the results of phase three trials.

Only CanSino's vaccine has reportedly conducted trials on people above the age of 60.

There are also questions about the efficacy of Chinese vaccines.

In Brazil, Sinovac's trials yielded an efficacy rate of just over 50 per cent.

Elsewhere in Turkey, the UAE and Indonesia, the results were inconsistent.

Other than the concerns, there is also competition, from Russia's Sputnik V to the US's Moderna vaccine and the made-in-India Astrazeneca jabs to the Pfizer vaccine.&nbsp;

While the Chinese jabs crumble under tough competition, it is the Chinese president whose prestige is being hammered.

Vaccines were his way of projecting China as the global health leader as Xi wanted to demonstrate China's technological prowess.

The vaccines were his way of boosting China's influence, generating goodwill, a degree of indebtedness and perhaps even awe.&nbsp;

The world sees through China's designs so much so that in 2020, Chinese state media Xinhua had to issue a warning in which it was sinister to accuse China of vaccine diplomacy.&nbsp;

Xinhua forgot that as early as March 2020 China itself had given away its sinister plot to the world. 
&nbsp; 
This was when a Chinese press release referred to a Chinese medical shipment as the health silk road.

It didn't take the world too long to realise that China's vaccine nationalism is pretty much an extended version of the Belt and Road project.

There is no donation, or development and only danger.

It was debt-trapping of poor countries.

China planned, spent and schemed to win this vaccine race.

And it lost to a country it came second to in Ladakh.

India's 'vaccine maitri' is taking off and so far, its produced jabs have reached 72 countries.

As many as 37 countries have been given vaccines for free and 34 countries have got vaccines under the COVAX alliance, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.&nbsp;

The harsh truth for Xi to swallow is that vaccine was always India's race.

In 2019, China's share in the value of unprocured medical products was just 1.9 per cent, while India's share stood at 21.9 per cent.

Of the 155 WHO-prequalified vaccines, only four were from China and 44 were from India.

India is the world's pharmacy, the world's largest producer of vaccines.

It's not even about the numbers, but about trust too.&nbsp;

India's 'vaccine maitri' is an emblem of leadership and the country's role in healing the world shows exemplary benevolence.

For China, winning the vaccine race was never an option. At least 22 Chinese institutions were pressed into action. According to some reports, China developed a Wuhan virus vaccine as early as February 2020.

For China, winning the vaccine race was never an option. At least 22 Chinese institutions were pressed into action. According to some reports, China developed a Wuhan virus vaccine as early as February 2020. Watch | It started clinical trials in March and published results in May 2020. In China's view, it was leading the vaccine race. In reality, not so much. Also read | In a bid to lead the vaccine race, Beijing makes Chinese jabs compulsory This is the story of how China tried to cheat in the vaccine race. Let us first take you through a quick timeline. In December 2019, China finally reported the Wuhan virus outbreak to the World Health Organization (WHO). In January 2020, China exported the virus. On January 13, 2020, the first case of the Wuhan virus was reported outside China. On March 11 last year, the WHO declared the outbreak a pandemic. By May, China had successfully brought the world to a standstill. China's next plan of action was to fast-track vaccines. In May 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared that Chinese vaccines will be for the "global public good". But our world is smarter than what China perceives it to be and not many countries signed up for Chinese vaccines. So the dragon began pushing its vaccines by distributing them as donations, especially to low and middle-income countries. In July 2020, China promised a billion-dollar vaccine loan for Latin American and Caribbean countries. We don't know if it was ever delivered. As of March 2021, here's where China stands in the vaccine race. Our world has over 195 sovereign states and only 28 are inoculating its people with Chinese vaccines. According to local reports, so far, China has administered more than 52 million doses of vaccines at home. It has committed ten times the amount abroad. In January, Sinovac reached only half of its daily manufacturing capacity. The countries that ordered Chinese jabs were disappointed with its delayed deliveries. Brazil, Turkey have raised concerns. Did you know China also tried to forcefully innoculate people? If Brazil was protesting Chinese vaccines, the mood was not too different back home. In Beijing, health workers were scared to get themselves inoculated. The South China Morning Post reported that less than 74 per cent of the staff in the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Beijing would get immunised voluntarily. Chinese companies have not been transparent in announcing the results of phase three trials. Only CanSino's vaccine has reportedly conducted trials on people above the age of 60. There are also questions about the efficacy of Chinese vaccines. In Brazil, Sinovac's trials yielded an efficacy rate of just over 50 per cent. Elsewhere in Turkey, the UAE and Indonesia, the results were inconsistent. Other than the concerns, there is also competition, from Russia's Sputnik V to the US's Moderna vaccine and the made-in-India Astrazeneca jabs to the Pfizer vaccine. While the Chinese jabs crumble under tough competition, it is the Chinese president whose prestige is being hammered. Vaccines were his way of projecting China as the global health leader as Xi wanted to demonstrate China's technological prowess. The vaccines were his way of boosting China's influence, generating goodwill, a degree of indebtedness and perhaps even awe. The world sees through China's designs so much so that in 2020, Chinese state media Xinhua had to issue a warning in which it was sinister to accuse China of vaccine diplomacy. Xinhua forgot that as early as March 2020 China itself had given away its sinister plot to the world. This was when a Chinese press release referred to a Chinese medical shipment as the health silk road. It didn't take the world too long to realise that China's vaccine nationalism is pretty much an extended version of the Belt and Road project. There is no donation, or development and only danger. It was debt-trapping of poor countries. China planned, spent and schemed to win this vaccine race. And it lost to a country it came second to in Ladakh. India's 'vaccine maitri' is taking off and so far, its produced jabs have reached 72 countries. As many as 37 countries have been given vaccines for free and 34 countries have got vaccines under the COVAX alliance, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. The harsh truth for Xi to swallow is that vaccine was always India's race. In 2019, China's share in the value of unprocured medical products was just 1.9 per cent, while India's share stood at 21.9 per cent. Of the 155 WHO-prequalified vaccines, only four were from China and 44 were from India. India is the world's pharmacy, the world's largest producer of vaccines. It's not even about the numbers, but about trust too. India's 'vaccine maitri' is an emblem of leadership and the country's role in healing the world shows exemplary benevolence.

How China lost vaccine race to India?

To quell fears around the Oxford-AstraZeneca <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine</a>, UK PM Boris Johnson on Wednesday said that he will take the jab.&nbsp;

"I finally got news and I've got to have my own jab, very shortly, I'm pleased to discover," the British PM told lawmakers.&nbsp;

"It will certainly be Oxford AstraZeneca, that I will be having."

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/european-medicines-agency-hold-briefing-over-astrazeneca-vaccine-370956/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The comments made by Johnson came after he repeatedly insisted that AstraZeneca's vaccine is safe despite many European nations stopping its rollout over cases of blood clots.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday said that it is reviewing the safety of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab, but recommended continuing its use.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-backs-use-of-astrazeneca-vaccine-approves-jj-for-covid-variants-371182">WHO backs use of AstraZeneca vaccine; approves J&amp;J for COVID variants</a>

"At this time, WHO considers that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh its risks and recommends that vaccinations continue," the global health agency in a statement said.&nbsp;

After some Nordic nations suspended the use of the vaccine, many European nations, including Germany, France and Italy also halted the use until a review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is out.&nbsp;

The EMA on Tuesday stressed there was no evidence linking the jab to blood clots.&nbsp;

India, one of the largest producers of AstraZeneca's vaccine, said that the country will continue to use the vaccine with a top official saying there was nothing to suggest a "causal relationship" between the drug and blood clots. 
&nbsp;

To quell fears around the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, UK PM Boris Johnson on Wednesday said that he will take the jab. "I finally got news and I've got to have my own jab, very shortly, I'm pleased to discover," the British PM told lawmakers.

To quell fears around the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, UK PM Boris Johnson on Wednesday said that he will take the jab. "I finally got news and I've got to have my own jab, very shortly, I'm pleased to discover," the British PM told lawmakers. "It will certainly be Oxford AstraZeneca, that I will be having." Watch | The comments made by Johnson came after he repeatedly insisted that AstraZeneca's vaccine is safe despite many European nations stopping its rollout over cases of blood clots. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday said that it is reviewing the safety of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab, but recommended continuing its use. Also read | WHO backs use of AstraZeneca vaccine; approves J&J for COVID variants "At this time, WHO considers that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh its risks and recommends that vaccinations continue," the global health agency in a statement said. After some Nordic nations suspended the use of the vaccine, many European nations, including Germany, France and Italy also halted the use until a review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is out. The EMA on Tuesday stressed there was no evidence linking the jab to blood clots. India, one of the largest producers of AstraZeneca's vaccine, said that the country will continue to use the vaccine with a top official saying there was nothing to suggest a "causal relationship" between the drug and blood clots.

UK's Boris Johnson to get AstraZeneca vaccine as he dismisses safety fears

Russia condemned the US for pressurizing Brazil to reject its Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine. The US said that it has never discouraged Brazil from accepting Russia's vaccines.

Your Story: Russia blasts US for pressing Brazil to refuse its COVID-19 vaccine

Sweden is the latest European country in the row to suspend the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The government of Venezuela has also denied the approval of the vaccine due to the piling reports of complications.

AstraZeneca Vaccine Update: Venezuela denies to authorize the jab

Does AstraZeneca cause blood clots in everybody or only in those with co-morbidities? How many types of blood clots are being reported? Are they all linked to vaccination? WION's Palki Sharma separates the facts from the hype.

Gravitas | AstraZeneca Suspension: Facts vs Hype

Does the Astrazenca vaccine cause blood clots? At least 16 countries have suspended the shot so far. But the European & British regulators say the vaccine is safe. Who is right? Where does India stand? WION's Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Does the AstraZeneca vaccine cause blood clots?

Carrie Driscoll, a New York communications consultant who lost her job during the pandemic has used her free time to help people secure COVID-19 vaccine appointments.

New York: Carrie Driscoll helps others to get vaccinated

European Union vaccination drive stumbles as the production supply becomes the main reason for AstraZeneca shortage. Several countries have suspended the AstraZeneca vaccine over blood clot fears.

AstraZeneca Update: EU faces vaccine shortage, supplies to be blamed

AstraZeneca said that a review of safety data of people vaccinated with its COVID-19 vaccine has shown no evidence of an increased risk of blood clots.

AstraZeneca finds no evidence of blood clot risk from vaccine

The makers of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine have demanded an apology from the European Union's medicine regulator. This after a senior official urged EU member states not to use the Sputnik V vaccine yet.

Russia seeks apology from EU over Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine

Italy blocked the export of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to Australia, a move coordinated with the European Union authorities. This is perhaps the first such export ban under an EU vaccine monitoring scheme.

Italy blocks export of AstraZeneca vaccines doses to Australia

The Italian government has blocked the Australia-bound shipment of Oxford-AstraZeneca <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine's </a>250,000 doses.&nbsp;

Italy blamed the export ban on the doses produced in an Italian facility on the shortage of vaccines in Europe and a better situation in Australia when it comes to dealing with Covid-19.&nbsp;

By taking such a measure, Italy has become the first EU nation to use the group's new regulations permitting vaccine exports to be stopped if the company providing them has failed to meet its obligations to the EU.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/australia-begins-inoculation-with-pizer-jab-365177/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

However, Australia has played down the impact of Italy's decision,&nbsp;with the Australian prime minister saying that the situation is under control in the country, while Italy needs vaccine more as they are facing "an unbridled crisis situation".&nbsp;

"This particular shipment was not one we'd counted on for the rollout, and so we will continue unabated," Australian PM Scott Morrison said.&nbsp;

"They are in an unbridled crisis situation. That is not the situation in Australia."&nbsp;

Earlier, the Australian health ministry's spokesperson also said that the country is just losing "one shipment" from Italy.

Canberra has already received a supply of 300,000 doses of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine and they will first be used on Friday on the frontline workers.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/italy-pm-mario-draghi-sets-out-plan-to-rebuild-virus-hit-country-364400">Italy PM Mario Draghi sets out plan to rebuild virus-hit country</a>

The current stock of AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine in Australia is expected to last until domestic production ramps up.&nbsp;

"Domestic production starts with one million (doses) per week of deliveries from late March and is on track," the Australian health ministry spokesperson added.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the EU has faced a lot of criticism for its slow rollout of vaccines and in January, then Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said it is "unacceptable" on the delay of vaccine supplies by both AstraZeneca and Pfizer.&nbsp;

 
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The Italian government has blocked the Australia-bound shipment of Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine's 250,000 doses. Italy blamed the export ban on the doses produced in an Italian facility on the shortage of vaccines in Europe and a better situation in Australia when it comes to dealing with Covid-19.

The Italian government has blocked the Australia-bound shipment of Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine's 250,000 doses. Italy blamed the export ban on the doses produced in an Italian facility on the shortage of vaccines in Europe and a better situation in Australia when it comes to dealing with Covid-19. By taking such a measure, Italy has become the first EU nation to use the group's new regulations permitting vaccine exports to be stopped if the company providing them has failed to meet its obligations to the EU. Watch | However, Australia has played down the impact of Italy's decision, with the Australian prime minister saying that the situation is under control in the country, while Italy needs vaccine more as they are facing "an unbridled crisis situation". "This particular shipment was not one we'd counted on for the rollout, and so we will continue unabated," Australian PM Scott Morrison said. "They are in an unbridled crisis situation. That is not the situation in Australia." Earlier, the Australian health ministry's spokesperson also said that the country is just losing "one shipment" from Italy. Canberra has already received a supply of 300,000 doses of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine and they will first be used on Friday on the frontline workers. Also read | Italy PM Mario Draghi sets out plan to rebuild virus-hit country The current stock of AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine in Australia is expected to last until domestic production ramps up. "Domestic production starts with one million (doses) per week of deliveries from late March and is on track," the Australian health ministry spokesperson added. Meanwhile, the EU has faced a lot of criticism for its slow rollout of vaccines and in January, then Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said it is "unacceptable" on the delay of vaccine supplies by both AstraZeneca and Pfizer.

Italy blocks export of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine shipment to Australia

After Impacting other sectors, now COVID-19 has also impacted the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. The government has made COVID-19 shot mandatory for the pilgrims visiting Hajj.

Saudi Arabia: No COVID-19 vaccine, no Mecca tells government

A new study suggests that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is effective even in the elderly population. According to the research, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine appears to be more than 80 per cent effective.

Study suggests Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine effective in over-80s

African nations have started the COVAX aided vaccination drive as efforts to inoculate the world's poorest nations. COVAX aims to provide 1.3 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine to poor countries in the year 2021.

African nations start COVAX-aided vaccination drive

Bharat Biotech has announced the Phase 3 clinical trial results for its Coronavirus vaccine candidate Covaxin. The company said that Covaxin demonstrated an efficacy of 81 per cent in the trials.

Bharat Biotech announces successful Phase-3 trial results of Covaxin

France has reversed its stance on the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine jab for people aged over 65 with existing health problems can now be given the COVID-19 vaccine.

France eases ban on Oxford-AstraZeneca jab for people over 65

According to reports, Chinese hacking groups are targeting Indian vaccine makers Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech. Both SII and Bharat Biotech are involved in producing the COVID-19 vaccine.

Report: Hackers target Indian vaccine makers SII, Bharat Biotech

The popular Pfizer-BioNtech<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine?page=1"> vaccine</a> against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> might be a tad less effective on people suffering from obesity, a new study has revealed.

A group of Italian researchers have discovered that the healthcare workers who were injected with the Pfizer vaccine, and are obese were not able to produce as many antibodies as the other healthy healthcare workers.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pfizer-vaccines-single-dose-provides-strong-immunity-to-those-who-have-had-covid-19-study-366628" hreflang="en">Pfizer vaccine's single dose provides strong immunity to those who have had Covid-19: Study</a>

The obese healthcare workers were able to produce only half the amount of antibodies after the second jab of the Pfizer vaccine, in comparison to the healthy people.

Although the study is being pursued further and the researchers feel it is too soon as raise questions on the efficacy of the popular vaccine, this study might conclude that people with obesity need an additional booster dose of the vaccine to ensure safety against the deadly coronavirus.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-third-dose-pfizer-to-test-tweaked-vaccine-to-target-s-african-strain-of-coronavirus-366240" hreflang="en">A third dose? Pfizer to test tweaked vaccine to target S African strain of coronavirus</a>

This has come after an earlier study had suggested that obesity can increase the risk of dying by coronavirus by nearly 50 per cent, and also increases the risk of being hospitalised by 113 per cent.

Aldo Venuti, from the Istituti Fisioterapici Ospitalieri in Rome, worked at a sample group of nearly 248 healthcare workers and assessed the data to reach this conclusion.

As per their study, 99.5 per cent of these healthcare workers had developed an antibody response seven days after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. This response was also greater than the people who had recovered from COVID-19 but was not the same in the people who were obsese and overweight.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/large-study-shows-pfizers-coronavirus-vaccine-94-effective-366057" hreflang="en">Large study shows Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine 94% effective</a>

"Since obesity is a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality for patients with Covid-19, it is mandatory to plan an efficient vaccination programme in this subgroup," Venuti said. "Although further studies are needed, this data may have important implications to the development of vaccination strategies for Covid-19, particularly in obese people. If our data was to be confirmed by larger studies, giving obese people an extra dose of the vaccine or a higher dose could be options to be evaluated in this population."

However, this study is not being taken as it is due to its limitation of the sample size. "We always knew that BMI was an enormous predictor of poor immune response to vaccines, so this paper is definitely interesting, although it is based on a rather small preliminary dataset," Danny Altmann, a professor of immunology at Imperial College London was quoted by the Guardian. "It confirms that having a vaccinated population isn’t synonymous with having an immune population, especially in a country with high obesity, and emphasises the vital need for long-term immune monitoring programmes."

The popular Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine against coronavirus might be a tad less effective on people suffering from obesity, a new study has revealed. A group of Italian researchers have discovered that the healthcare workers who were injected with the Pfizer vaccine, and are obese were not able to produce as many antibodies as the other healthy healthcare workers.

The popular Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine against coronavirus might be a tad less effective on people suffering from obesity, a new study has revealed. A group of Italian researchers have discovered that the healthcare workers who were injected with the Pfizer vaccine, and are obese were not able to produce as many antibodies as the other healthy healthcare workers. Also read | Pfizer vaccine's single dose provides strong immunity to those who have had Covid-19: Study The obese healthcare workers were able to produce only half the amount of antibodies after the second jab of the Pfizer vaccine, in comparison to the healthy people. Although the study is being pursued further and the researchers feel it is too soon as raise questions on the efficacy of the popular vaccine, this study might conclude that people with obesity need an additional booster dose of the vaccine to ensure safety against the deadly coronavirus. Also read | A third dose? Pfizer to test tweaked vaccine to target S African strain of coronavirus This has come after an earlier study had suggested that obesity can increase the risk of dying by coronavirus by nearly 50 per cent, and also increases the risk of being hospitalised by 113 per cent. Aldo Venuti, from the Istituti Fisioterapici Ospitalieri in Rome, worked at a sample group of nearly 248 healthcare workers and assessed the data to reach this conclusion. As per their study, 99.5 per cent of these healthcare workers had developed an antibody response seven days after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. This response was also greater than the people who had recovered from COVID-19 but was not the same in the people who were obsese and overweight. Also read | Large study shows Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine 94% effective "Since obesity is a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality for patients with Covid-19, it is mandatory to plan an efficient vaccination programme in this subgroup," Venuti said. "Although further studies are needed, this data may have important implications to the development of vaccination strategies for Covid-19, particularly in obese people. If our data was to be confirmed by larger studies, giving obese people an extra dose of the vaccine or a higher dose could be options to be evaluated in this population." However, this study is not being taken as it is due to its limitation of the sample size. "We always knew that BMI was an enormous predictor of poor immune response to vaccines, so this paper is definitely interesting, although it is based on a rather small preliminary dataset," Danny Altmann, a professor of immunology at Imperial College London was quoted by the Guardian. "It confirms that having a vaccinated population isn’t synonymous with having an immune population, especially in a country with high obesity, and emphasises the vital need for long-term immune monitoring programmes."

Pfizer coronavirus vaccine may be less effective in obesity: Study

According to recently released data, more than 20 million people across the United Kingdom have received their first COVID-19 vaccine shot. With this, the country has successfully rolled out Europe's fastest vaccination program.

Britain: Vaccination hits 20 million mark in Europe's fastest jab rollout

As India begins its second phase of the mega vaccination drive Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at AIIMS, Delhi.

India begins second phase of COVID-19 vaccination drive