Bosnia began vaccinating its population against the novel coronavirus on Friday, using Russia's Sputnik V jab. It has been announced that only the medical staff will be inoculated for now, given the small supplies available.

Bosnia is now the third Western Balkan nation to begin vaccinating against Covid-19, after Serbia and Albania. The Balkan nation of 3.5 million people has registered 5,000 Covid-19 deaths so far.&nbsp;

In the region, European Union member Croatia has also started vaccinating.

Bosnia, namely its Serb-run half of Republika&nbsp;Srpska, received 2,000 doses of the Russian vaccine. An additional 200,000 are expected by the end of the month and 200,000 more in March, according to the authorities.

The government hopes to receive 200,000 Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines in mid-February through the United Nations' Covax programme, set up to ensure fair access to lower-income nations.

Bosnia ordered 1.2 million doses of jabs through Covax and nearly 900,000 through the EU.

Bosnia began vaccinating its population against the novel coronavirus on Friday, using Russia's Sputnik V jab. It has been announced that only the medical staff will be inoculated for now, given the small supplies available.

Bosnia began vaccinating its population against the novel coronavirus on Friday, using Russia's Sputnik V jab. It has been announced that only the medical staff will be inoculated for now, given the small supplies available. Bosnia is now the third Western Balkan nation to begin vaccinating against Covid-19, after Serbia and Albania. The Balkan nation of 3.5 million people has registered 5,000 Covid-19 deaths so far. In the region, European Union member Croatia has also started vaccinating. Bosnia, namely its Serb-run half of Republika Srpska, received 2,000 doses of the Russian vaccine. An additional 200,000 are expected by the end of the month and 200,000 more in March, according to the authorities. The government hopes to receive 200,000 Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines in mid-February through the United Nations' Covax programme, set up to ensure fair access to lower-income nations. Bosnia ordered 1.2 million doses of jabs through Covax and nearly 900,000 through the EU.

Bosnia starts vaccination drive with Russia's Sputnik V jab

During a conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, PM Narendra Modi assured him of coronavirus vaccine supplies. India has already sent vaccines to around 20 countries. It has got requests from developing as well as developed nations.

A readout from Indian PM's office said during the talks Prime Minister Trudeau informed PM Modi about "Canada's requirements of COVID-19 vaccines from India" to which the latter "assured...that India would do its best to support Canada's vaccination efforts, just as it had done for many other countries already"

The readout said Canadian leader lauded New Delhi saying, "if the world managed to conquer COVID-19, it would be significantly because of India's tremendous pharmaceutical capacity" and "Prime Minister Modi's leadership in sharing this capacity with the world."

The vaccines will be supplied commercially from India to Canada. India has already supplied vaccines on a commercial basis to countries like Brazil, Morrocco, South Africa.&nbsp;

During the talks, India and Canada discussed issues such as the economic impact of the pandemic, climate change.

The talks assume significance since ties between the two countries were impacted in December after Canadian PM commented on the farmer protests in India.&nbsp;

Back then, an angry New Delhi had summoned the Canadian envoy to Delhi Nadir Patel and handed over a strong demarche. In fact, the matter was taken up with Canadian authorities both in Ottawa and New Delhi and conveyed that such comments pertaining to the internal affairs of India are "unwarranted and unacceptable".

During a conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, PM Narendra Modi assured him of coronavirus vaccine supplies. India has already sent vaccines to around 20 countries.

During a conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, PM Narendra Modi assured him of coronavirus vaccine supplies. India has already sent vaccines to around 20 countries. It has got requests from developing as well as developed nations. A readout from Indian PM's office said during the talks Prime Minister Trudeau informed PM Modi about "Canada's requirements of COVID-19 vaccines from India" to which the latter "assured...that India would do its best to support Canada's vaccination efforts, just as it had done for many other countries already" The readout said Canadian leader lauded New Delhi saying, "if the world managed to conquer COVID-19, it would be significantly because of India's tremendous pharmaceutical capacity" and "Prime Minister Modi's leadership in sharing this capacity with the world." The vaccines will be supplied commercially from India to Canada. India has already supplied vaccines on a commercial basis to countries like Brazil, Morrocco, South Africa. During the talks, India and Canada discussed issues such as the economic impact of the pandemic, climate change. The talks assume significance since ties between the two countries were impacted in December after Canadian PM commented on the farmer protests in India. Back then, an angry New Delhi had summoned the Canadian envoy to Delhi Nadir Patel and handed over a strong demarche. In fact, the matter was taken up with Canadian authorities both in Ottawa and New Delhi and conveyed that such comments pertaining to the internal affairs of India are "unwarranted and unacceptable".

PM Modi assures Canada's Trudeau of COVID vaccine supplies

German leaders warned Thursday that they could not rule out shutting Germany's borders with its neighbours because of troublingly high coronavirus infections fuelled by more contagious variants in countries like Austria and the Czech Republic.

"We believe it would be sensible to declare both (Austria and Czech Republic) as mutation areas. This will likely happen," said Bavarian state premier Markus Soeder.&nbsp;

He had warned late Wednesday that if the Czech Republic was unable to take appropriate measures to curb contagion, then a "border closure must also be an issue".

Germany in late January banned most travellers from countries classed as so-called mutation areas or places hardest hit by new, more contagious coronavirus variants.

Only a handful of exceptions are allowed to enter Germany from these countries, including returning Germans and essential workers.

With neighbouring EU countries continuing to report high infection numbers in part fuelled by variants, German leaders fear that keeping the borders open could compromise the country's efforts to curb contagion.&nbsp;

Baden-Wuerttemberg state premier Winfried Kretschmann said in a regional parliament session that if virus variants were to keep propagating in neighbouring countries, then "of course that can in the extreme case also lead to border closures".&nbsp;

Austria has already ordered restrictions to stop people leaving the mountainous Tyrol region, which Chancellor Sebastian Kurz says has been hit by the biggest outbreak in Europe of the South African variant.

- Fearing superspreader hotspot -

Anyone leaving the region must now show a negative coronavirus test, with fines of up to 1,450 euros ($1,750) for anyone who fails to comply.

But Soeder, whose region borders Tyrol, said he feared that "a second Ischgl" was in the making -- referring to the Austrian ski region which became a coronavirus superspreader hotspot early on in the pandemic.

Tyrol "is not taking the development seriously," he said.

Meanwhile Saxony state, which lies next to the Czech Republic, said it was imposing tougher checks from Saturday with restrictions to also affect cross-border workers.

Only workers in essential sectors -- such as doctors or employees in elderly care home -- would be allowed to travel in.&nbsp;

But they would be required to take virus tests daily and commit to travel only between their homes and workplaces.

The Czech government said Thursday it would block off three hard-hit districts, including two on the German border, stopping people living in these zones from leaving and others from entering.

Czech public health officials want the curb to be in force for three weeks, although there are likely to be exceptions.

German leaders warned Thursday that they could not rule out shutting Germany's borders with its neighbours because of troublingly high coronavirus infections fuelled by more contagious variants in countries like Austria and the Czech Republic.

German leaders warned Thursday that they could not rule out shutting Germany's borders with its neighbours because of troublingly high coronavirus infections fuelled by more contagious variants in countries like Austria and the Czech Republic. "We believe it would be sensible to declare both (Austria and Czech Republic) as mutation areas. This will likely happen," said Bavarian state premier Markus Soeder. He had warned late Wednesday that if the Czech Republic was unable to take appropriate measures to curb contagion, then a "border closure must also be an issue". Germany in late January banned most travellers from countries classed as so-called mutation areas or places hardest hit by new, more contagious coronavirus variants. Only a handful of exceptions are allowed to enter Germany from these countries, including returning Germans and essential workers. With neighbouring EU countries continuing to report high infection numbers in part fuelled by variants, German leaders fear that keeping the borders open could compromise the country's efforts to curb contagion. Baden-Wuerttemberg state premier Winfried Kretschmann said in a regional parliament session that if virus variants were to keep propagating in neighbouring countries, then "of course that can in the extreme case also lead to border closures". Austria has already ordered restrictions to stop people leaving the mountainous Tyrol region, which Chancellor Sebastian Kurz says has been hit by the biggest outbreak in Europe of the South African variant. - Fearing superspreader hotspot - Anyone leaving the region must now show a negative coronavirus test, with fines of up to 1,450 euros ($1,750) for anyone who fails to comply. But Soeder, whose region borders Tyrol, said he feared that "a second Ischgl" was in the making -- referring to the Austrian ski region which became a coronavirus superspreader hotspot early on in the pandemic. Tyrol "is not taking the development seriously," he said. Meanwhile Saxony state, which lies next to the Czech Republic, said it was imposing tougher checks from Saturday with restrictions to also affect cross-border workers. Only workers in essential sectors -- such as doctors or employees in elderly care home -- would be allowed to travel in. But they would be required to take virus tests daily and commit to travel only between their homes and workplaces. The Czech government said Thursday it would block off three hard-hit districts, including two on the German border, stopping people living in these zones from leaving and others from entering. Czech public health officials want the curb to be in force for three weeks, although there are likely to be exceptions.

Germany warns neighbours of border closures on virus fears

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine is not perfect, but will have a big impact on the pandemic, its chief executive predicted on Thursday, as the drugmaker pledged to double supplies to more than 200 million doses per month by April.\

The two-dose shot, developed with Oxford University, has been hailed as a “vaccine for the world” because it is cheaper and easier to distribute than some rivals.

But its rapid approval in Europe and elsewhere has been clouded by doubts over its most effective dosage and interval between doses.

Data at the weekend also showed it was less effective against a fast-spreading South African variant of the virus, and the company has been embroiled in a row with the European Union over supply delays.

“Is it perfect? No it’s not perfect, but it’s great. Who else is making 100 million doses in February?” CEO Pascal Soriot said on a conference call about the vaccine.

“We’re going to save thousands of lives and that’s why we come to work everyday.”

AstraZeneca said it expected much-anticipated data from the U.S. trial of the vaccine before the end of March, and that it was confident the shot offered relatively good protection against severe disease and death for the South African variant. Its disappointing results were against milder cases.

However, after rising to become Britain’s most valuable company last summer, the company has now slipped to sixth, in a move some analysts attribute to doubts over the vaccine.

“In a year or two we will look back and everybody will realise we made a big impact,” Soriot said.

<h2>POSTER CHILD</h2>

AstraZeneca’s shares were up more than 2% in morning trade, after the company forecast a pick up in earnings growth this year on strong demand for its cancer and other new therapies.

It has pledged not to make any money from its COVID-19 vaccine during the pandemic.

The company said it expected 2021 revenues to rise by a low teens percentage and core earnings of $4.75 to $5.00 per share, as it beat expectations for fourth-quarter sales.

The earnings guidance equates to 18-24% growth, after 15% in 2020, but was a little lower than the $5.10 per share analysts were expecting, as the company flagged more spending this year.

The COVID-19 vaccine is not included in the guidance and the company said its sales would be reported separately from the first quarter of 2021.

While public interest is focused on the vaccine, AstraZeneca’s core business of diabetes, heart, kidney, and cancer medicines has been steadily growing, helping the company to turn around years of decline.

Rounding off its third consecutive year of product sales growth, sales for the three months to December surpassed a company-compiled consensus, while core profit of $1.07 per share was in line with expectations.

Cancer drugs sales, AstraZeneca’s biggest field, jumped 28% in the quarter, led by its top-selling lung cancer drug Tagrisso.

“The company is arguably the poster child for big pharma turnarounds,” said Third Bridge senior analyst Sebastian Skeet.

&nbsp;

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine is not perfect, but will have a big impact on the pandemic, its chief executive predicted on Thursday, as the drugmaker pledged to double supplies to more than 200 million doses per month by April.

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine is not perfect, but will have a big impact on the pandemic, its chief executive predicted on Thursday, as the drugmaker pledged to double supplies to more than 200 million doses per month by April.\ The two-dose shot, developed with Oxford University, has been hailed as a “vaccine for the world” because it is cheaper and easier to distribute than some rivals. But its rapid approval in Europe and elsewhere has been clouded by doubts over its most effective dosage and interval between doses. Data at the weekend also showed it was less effective against a fast-spreading South African variant of the virus, and the company has been embroiled in a row with the European Union over supply delays. “Is it perfect? No it’s not perfect, but it’s great. Who else is making 100 million doses in February?” CEO Pascal Soriot said on a conference call about the vaccine. “We’re going to save thousands of lives and that’s why we come to work everyday.” AstraZeneca said it expected much-anticipated data from the U.S. trial of the vaccine before the end of March, and that it was confident the shot offered relatively good protection against severe disease and death for the South African variant. Its disappointing results were against milder cases. However, after rising to become Britain’s most valuable company last summer, the company has now slipped to sixth, in a move some analysts attribute to doubts over the vaccine. “In a year or two we will look back and everybody will realise we made a big impact,” Soriot said. POSTER CHILD AstraZeneca’s shares were up more than 2% in morning trade, after the company forecast a pick up in earnings growth this year on strong demand for its cancer and other new therapies. It has pledged not to make any money from its COVID-19 vaccine during the pandemic. The company said it expected 2021 revenues to rise by a low teens percentage and core earnings of $4.75 to $5.00 per share, as it beat expectations for fourth-quarter sales. The earnings guidance equates to 18-24% growth, after 15% in 2020, but was a little lower than the $5.10 per share analysts were expecting, as the company flagged more spending this year. The COVID-19 vaccine is not included in the guidance and the company said its sales would be reported separately from the first quarter of 2021. While public interest is focused on the vaccine, AstraZeneca’s core business of diabetes, heart, kidney, and cancer medicines has been steadily growing, helping the company to turn around years of decline. Rounding off its third consecutive year of product sales growth, sales for the three months to December surpassed a company-compiled consensus, while core profit of $1.07 per share was in line with expectations. Cancer drugs sales, AstraZeneca’s biggest field, jumped 28% in the quarter, led by its top-selling lung cancer drug Tagrisso. “The company is arguably the poster child for big pharma turnarounds,” said Third Bridge senior analyst Sebastian Skeet.

Not perfect, but saves lives, AstraZeneca says of Covid vaccine

Pakistan is to allow private companies to import coronavirus vaccines and has agreed to exempt such imports from price caps, according to documents reviewed by Reuters, even as the nation scrambles to secure supplies.

The documents show the National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination division had sought a special cabinet exemption to allow for such imports, while excluding the imported vaccines from the strict price cap regime that is typically applied to all drug sales within the country.

The documents show the cabinet of Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved the proposal. Health Minister Faisal Sultan confirmed the cabinet decision to Reuters.

The decision is significant as Pakistan has yet to secure substantive volumes of vaccines from any companies and it only this month launched a vaccination drive with 500,000 doses of Sinopharm`s vaccine donated by long-time ally China.

Those shots are first being given out to frontline health workers on a priority basis. 
Sultan said that Pakistan still planned to inoculate its population for free and only a "small minority" who wish to pay for the shots will have that option in the open market.

"Only those who wish to get it via private sector will pay anything," he said. "Personally, my assessment is that when the vaccines are available and we have market competition, that will automatically set the prices."

Pakistan, which has recorded more than 550,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 12,000 deaths, is still largely reliant on the GAVI/WHO COVAX vaccine initiative that is aiming to provide shots to poorer nations.

Pakistan has yet to receive any of the 17 million doses it is expected to get through the COVAX initiative.

Pakistan is to allow private companies to import coronavirus vaccines and has agreed to exempt such imports from price caps, according to documents reviewed by Reuters, even as the nation scrambles to secure supplies.

Pakistan is to allow private companies to import coronavirus vaccines and has agreed to exempt such imports from price caps, according to documents reviewed by Reuters, even as the nation scrambles to secure supplies. The documents show the National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination division had sought a special cabinet exemption to allow for such imports, while excluding the imported vaccines from the strict price cap regime that is typically applied to all drug sales within the country. The documents show the cabinet of Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved the proposal. Health Minister Faisal Sultan confirmed the cabinet decision to Reuters. The decision is significant as Pakistan has yet to secure substantive volumes of vaccines from any companies and it only this month launched a vaccination drive with 500,000 doses of Sinopharm`s vaccine donated by long-time ally China. Those shots are first being given out to frontline health workers on a priority basis. Sultan said that Pakistan still planned to inoculate its population for free and only a "small minority" who wish to pay for the shots will have that option in the open market. "Only those who wish to get it via private sector will pay anything," he said. "Personally, my assessment is that when the vaccines are available and we have market competition, that will automatically set the prices." Pakistan, which has recorded more than 550,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 12,000 deaths, is still largely reliant on the GAVI/WHO COVAX vaccine initiative that is aiming to provide shots to poorer nations. Pakistan has yet to receive any of the 17 million doses it is expected to get through the COVAX initiative.

Pakistan to allow private firms to import Covid shots, exempt from price caps

China has donated 100,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine to the West African state of Equatorial Guinea to help it launch a Covid immunisation campaign.

The vaccines were ceremonially handed over at Malabo airport on Wednesday to Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, the son of head of state Teodoro Obiang Nguema, the presidency said on its website.

On Tuesday, Equatorial Guinea, an oil-rich but widely impoverished nation of 1.3 million people, declared a nightly curfew and reimposed restrictions that had been lifted against the coronavirus.

The Chinese vaccines will be used to provide two doses to 50,000 people in the front line of the pandemic -- health workers, people with serious underlying illnesses and border officials, the presidency said in its statement.

The president's son, who is also chairman of the National Committee to Fight Covid-19, would be the first person in Equatorial Guinea to receive the vaccine, on Thursday evening.

The tiny state has been ruled by Obiang for the past 41 years and his son is widely considered to be lined up as his successor.

Sinopharm, in an announcement on December 31, said its vaccine was 79 per cent effective. The figure is lower than the 95 and 94 per cent effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.

The state has officially recorded 5,614 cases of coronavirus, of which 87 have been fatal.

China has donated 100,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine to the West African state of Equatorial Guinea to help it launch a Covid immunisation campaign. The vaccines were ceremonially handed over at Malabo airport on Wednesday to Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, the son of head of state Teodoro Obiang Nguema, the presidency said on its website.

China has donated 100,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine to the West African state of Equatorial Guinea to help it launch a Covid immunisation campaign. The vaccines were ceremonially handed over at Malabo airport on Wednesday to Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, the son of head of state Teodoro Obiang Nguema, the presidency said on its website. On Tuesday, Equatorial Guinea, an oil-rich but widely impoverished nation of 1.3 million people, declared a nightly curfew and reimposed restrictions that had been lifted against the coronavirus. The Chinese vaccines will be used to provide two doses to 50,000 people in the front line of the pandemic -- health workers, people with serious underlying illnesses and border officials, the presidency said in its statement. The president's son, who is also chairman of the National Committee to Fight Covid-19, would be the first person in Equatorial Guinea to receive the vaccine, on Thursday evening. The tiny state has been ruled by Obiang for the past 41 years and his son is widely considered to be lined up as his successor. Sinopharm, in an announcement on December 31, said its vaccine was 79 per cent effective. The figure is lower than the 95 and 94 per cent effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. The state has officially recorded 5,614 cases of coronavirus, of which 87 have been fatal.

China donates 100,000 Covid vaccines to Equatorial Guinea

Mexico will receive around a million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine sent from India in the early hours of Sunday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday.

Indian envoy to Mexico Manpreet Vohra also made the announcement on Twitter.

"To assist #Mexico's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, I am delighted to confirm that 500,000 Made-in-India vaccines are scheduled to reach here on Sunday," the Indian Embassy in Mexico tweeted.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is being manufactured locally by the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer.

Earlier on Wednesday, Dominica and Barbados on Wednesday received 'Made in India' COVID-19 vaccines under the Vaccine Maitri initiative.

India has also supplied Indian-made vaccines to countries including Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Bangladesh.&nbsp;

Mexico will receive around a million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine sent from India in the early hours of Sunday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday.

Mexico will receive around a million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine sent from India in the early hours of Sunday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday. Indian envoy to Mexico Manpreet Vohra also made the announcement on Twitter. "To assist #Mexico's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, I am delighted to confirm that 500,000 Made-in-India vaccines are scheduled to reach here on Sunday," the Indian Embassy in Mexico tweeted. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is being manufactured locally by the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer. Earlier on Wednesday, Dominica and Barbados on Wednesday received 'Made in India' COVID-19 vaccines under the Vaccine Maitri initiative. India has also supplied Indian-made vaccines to countries including Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

Mexico to receive 1 million doses of India-made Covid vaccine

The EU has so far approved three vaccines – those produced by BioNTech/Pfizer, Moderna and Oxford-AstraZeneca, but roll-outs have been hampered by delivery delays.

EU Chief Ursula Von Der Leyen acknowledges failings in Covid Vaccine rollout

Chinese military on Sunday delivered a batch of Covid vaccines to the Pakistan Army. These vaccines are in addition to the five lakh doses already delivered to Islamabad by Beijing.

China's PLA provides Covid vaccines to Pakistan Army

Hungarian health authorities have approved Russia's coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V, the government said Sunday, with 40,000 doses of the jab already to be given.

Official testing has been completed "and the vaccine may be administered", Miklos Kasler, the human resources minister who is in charge of health, said on social media.

The government had announced Tuesday that it had taken delivery of 40,000 doses of Sputnik V, a first within the European Union.

It is the first batch of a total order of two million doses to be supplied over three months.&nbsp;

Initially viewed with scepticism in the West, the Russian vaccine has since convinced experts of its efficacy.

The medical journal The Lancet on Tuesday published an analysis of final stage testing results showing Sputnik V to be 91.6 percent effective against symptomatic forms of Covid-19.

Hungary, a country of 9.8 million people close to Moscow, has repeatedly criticised the slow pace of the EU's process for acquiring vaccines.

It is also the first EU member state to have reached an accord with the Chinese laboratory Sinopharm, announcing an order of five million doses of its jab.

Inoculation with the Sinopharm vaccine was to begin later in February.

Hungarian health authorities have approved Russia's coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V, the government said Sunday, with 40,000 doses of the jab already to be given. Official testing has been completed "and the vaccine may be administered", Miklos Kasler, the human resources minister who is in charge of health, said on social media.

Hungarian health authorities have approved Russia's coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V, the government said Sunday, with 40,000 doses of the jab already to be given. Official testing has been completed "and the vaccine may be administered", Miklos Kasler, the human resources minister who is in charge of health, said on social media. The government had announced Tuesday that it had taken delivery of 40,000 doses of Sputnik V, a first within the European Union. It is the first batch of a total order of two million doses to be supplied over three months. Initially viewed with scepticism in the West, the Russian vaccine has since convinced experts of its efficacy. The medical journal The Lancet on Tuesday published an analysis of final stage testing results showing Sputnik V to be 91.6 percent effective against symptomatic forms of Covid-19. Hungary, a country of 9.8 million people close to Moscow, has repeatedly criticised the slow pace of the EU's process for acquiring vaccines. It is also the first EU member state to have reached an accord with the Chinese laboratory Sinopharm, announcing an order of five million doses of its jab. Inoculation with the Sinopharm vaccine was to begin later in February.

Russia's Sputnik V vaccine gets all-clear in Hungary

LOS ANGELES — An out-of-work stand-up comic originally from New Jersey. An actor and conservative podcast host dressed in a white lab coat. A gadfly who has run several unsuccessful campaigns for Congress in Los Angeles. And at least a few who had been in Washington the day of the Capitol riot.

They were among the motley crew of so-called anti-vaxxers who recently converged on the entrance of the mass vaccination site at Dodger Stadium to protest distribution of a coronavirus vaccine.

The loosely formed coalition represents a new faction in California’s long-established anti-vaccine movement. And the protest was the latest sign that Californians have become the unlikely standard-bearers for aggressive criticism of the vaccines even as virus cases continue to spread in the state.

California, which has averaged 500 daily deaths tied to the virus over the past week, will soon become the state with the largest number of coronavirus deaths, surpassing New York.

For months, far-right activists across the country have been rallying against mask-wearing rules, business lockdowns, curfews and local public health officials, casting the government’s response to the virus as an intrusion on individual liberties. But as masks and lockdowns become an increasingly routine part of American life, some protesters have shifted the focus of their anti-government anger to the COVID-19 vaccines.

Last week at Dodger Stadium, the same small but vocal band of demonstrators who previously staged anti-mask and anti-lockdown protests in the Los Angeles area disrupted a mass vaccination site that gives an average of 6,120 shots daily. About 50 protesters — some carrying signs reading “Don’t be a lab rat!” and “COVID = Scam” — marched to the entrance and caused the Los Angeles Fire Department to shut down the city-run site for about an hour.

The disruption illustrates the increasingly confrontational bent of some of the state’s vaccine opponents, who have long claimed that mandatory school vaccine laws represent governmental overreach. Many were already skeptical about vaccine science, having read online disinformation sites that claimed early childhood vaccines caused autism, an allegation long refuted.

In California, the anti-vaccine movement has been popular for decades among Hollywood celebrities and wealthy parents, gaining momentum as state lawmakers passed one of the nation’s toughest mandatory vaccination laws for children in 2015. Previously, parents had opted out of vaccinations by seeking exemptions claiming that vaccines conflicted with their personal beliefs, but the law eliminated that option. The popularity of those exemptions led to immunization rates that dropped to 80% or lower at public and private schools and preschools in Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and other affluent Los Angeles area communities.

“Anti-vaccine attitudes are as old as vaccines themselves,” said Richard Carpiano, who is a professor of public policy and sociology at the University of California, Riverside, and who studies the anti-vaccine movement. “The other thing that gets tied into this is the wellness movement, this idea that natural is better. There’s a broader kind of mistrust of Big Pharma, and about medical care and medical professions. There is this real market for discontent that these groups can really kind of seize upon.”

In the COVID-19 era in California, vaccine opponents have found themselves increasingly in alignment with pro-Trump, working-class people sometimes eager to embrace extreme tactics to express their beliefs.

Anti-vaccine activists in the state have long been aggressive at times. But in the past two years, and in the months of the coronavirus pandemic, there has been an uptick in confrontational and threatening tactics.

They assaulted a lawmaker in Sacramento and threw menstrual blood onto legislators in the Senate chambers at the state Capitol in 2019, and last spring they helped pressure the chief health officer in Orange County to resign by publicly revealing the official’s home address. Last month, two weeks before the stadium vaccination protest, a group of women threatened lawmakers at a budget hearing at the Capitol, telling senators that they were “not taking your shot” and that they “didn’t buy guns for nothing.”

“I think the thing that’s most concerning is that they’re escalating,” said state Sen. Richard Pan, a pediatrician and Democrat who wrote vaccination legislation. Pan was struck in the back in 2019 by an anti-vaccine activist and was the likely target of the blood-throwing incident in the Senate chambers that year.

“This movement not only puts out mis- or disinformation about vaccines or lies about vaccines, which in itself can be harmful, but they are also aggressively bullying, threatening and intimidating people who are trying to share accurate information about vaccines,” he said.

Protesters who attended and helped organize the Dodger Stadium demonstration said they did not attempt to enter the site and did not block the entrance. They blamed firefighters for overreacting to their presence and shutting the gates and said their goal was to educate those waiting for vaccinations but not prevent them from driving inside to get their shots.

One of the protesters, a 48-year-old actor whose first name is Nick and who asked that his last name not be published because of death threats the group had received, said he did not believe that any of the protesters were part of previously established anti-vaccine groups in the state. “This has all stemmed as a result of this whole COVID-19 crisis,” he said. “It started with the mask-wearing and evolved to now being concerned over the vaccine. It’s all about civil liberties.”

The lead organizer, Jason Lefkowitz, 42, a stand-up comic and server at a Beverly Hills restaurant, said the catalyst for the stadium protest was the death of Hank Aaron, the baseball legend who died at the age of 86 on Jan. 22.

Aaron was vaccinated for the coronavirus in Atlanta on Jan. 5, and anti-vaccine activists, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have seized on his death to draw a link. The Fulton County medical examiner has said there was no evidence that he had an allergic or anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine.

“I’m not a violent person,” Lefkowitz said. “Nobody in my group is violent or physical or anything, but there’s a lot of people that don’t want to take this vaccine or be forced into it.”

No one was arrested, but city officials, including the police chief, were disturbed by the symbolism and the global headlines — that a small group of vaccine opponents had temporarily shut down one of the country’s largest vaccination sites and was walking and chanting mask-free among older residents waiting in their cars for their vaccine appointments.

“The optics of it is that it appeared that the protesters were able to symbolically interfere with that line, and I think that we have a greater public responsibility to ensure that that symbolism is not repeated,” Chief Michel Moore told the Los Angeles Police Commission at a virtual meeting.

Protesters were planning to return to Dodger Stadium and were more energized by the attention than discouraged by the social media criticism. Lefkowitz said that after the Fire Department shut the gates, he immediately took it as a positive sign for his group.

“They’re indirectly helping us, because now I’m like, ‘Oh, this is going to make the news,’” Lefkowitz said.

The ease with which many of the protesters have slipped from anti-mask to anti-vaccine ideology was on display in one Facebook livestream.

A protester at the site, Omar Navarro, a frequent Republican challenger to Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., told his Facebook viewers that he was “100% certain” that voter fraud led to President Joe Biden’s victory; touted the effort to recall the Democratic governor of California, Gavin Newsom; and called Democrats “the real virus.”

“They want to deceive us,” Navarro said in the video. “They want to control us. They want to put this muzzle on our face, this mask, which I don’t use.”

One of the most prominent anti-vaccine activists in Southern California, Leigh Dundas, a lawyer, spoke at a rally in Washington the day before the Capitol riot and posted videos on social media as she stood outside the building Jan. 6, shouting, “This is 1776 all over again!”

In May, Dundas led a push to force out Orange County’s chief health officer, Dr. Nichole Quick, over her mask order, which was unpopular in the historically conservative county. Quick received death threats and was given a security detail. During a Board of Supervisors meeting, Dundas ridiculed Quick’s credentials, announced her home address and said she was going to have people “do calisthenics in masks on her front doorstep, and when people start dropping like flies, and they will, I am going to ask every single first responder in a 30-mile radius to roll lights and sirens to her front door.”

Quick resigned nearly two weeks later.

Kenneth Austin Bennett, the activist who attacked Pan, the state senator, was charged with misdemeanor battery and was scheduled to be rearraigned in a few weeks. Rebecca Dalelio, who was arrested after throwing blood from the Senate gallery, was charged with felony assault on a public official and felony vandalism and has a preliminary hearing this month. A spokesperson for state Sen. Toni Atkins, the Senate president pro tempore, said a report was filed with law enforcement after the women made the threatening gun-related remarks in January.

Pan said the lack of arrests at the Dodger Stadium protest suggested that anti-vaccine extremists would feel emboldened.

“There’s a history of people being bullying and intimidating, and there’s very little consequence for doing this, and so they escalate, and they escalate, and they escalate,” he said.

LOS ANGELES — An out-of-work stand-up comic originally from New Jersey. An actor and conservative podcast host dressed in a white lab coat. A gadfly who has run several unsuccessful campaigns for Congress in Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES — An out-of-work stand-up comic originally from New Jersey. An actor and conservative podcast host dressed in a white lab coat. A gadfly who has run several unsuccessful campaigns for Congress in Los Angeles. And at least a few who had been in Washington the day of the Capitol riot. They were among the motley crew of so-called anti-vaxxers who recently converged on the entrance of the mass vaccination site at Dodger Stadium to protest distribution of a coronavirus vaccine. The loosely formed coalition represents a new faction in California’s long-established anti-vaccine movement. And the protest was the latest sign that Californians have become the unlikely standard-bearers for aggressive criticism of the vaccines even as virus cases continue to spread in the state. California, which has averaged 500 daily deaths tied to the virus over the past week, will soon become the state with the largest number of coronavirus deaths, surpassing New York. For months, far-right activists across the country have been rallying against mask-wearing rules, business lockdowns, curfews and local public health officials, casting the government’s response to the virus as an intrusion on individual liberties. But as masks and lockdowns become an increasingly routine part of American life, some protesters have shifted the focus of their anti-government anger to the COVID-19 vaccines. Last week at Dodger Stadium, the same small but vocal band of demonstrators who previously staged anti-mask and anti-lockdown protests in the Los Angeles area disrupted a mass vaccination site that gives an average of 6,120 shots daily. About 50 protesters — some carrying signs reading “Don’t be a lab rat!” and “COVID = Scam” — marched to the entrance and caused the Los Angeles Fire Department to shut down the city-run site for about an hour. The disruption illustrates the increasingly confrontational bent of some of the state’s vaccine opponents, who have long claimed that mandatory school vaccine laws represent governmental overreach. Many were already skeptical about vaccine science, having read online disinformation sites that claimed early childhood vaccines caused autism, an allegation long refuted. In California, the anti-vaccine movement has been popular for decades among Hollywood celebrities and wealthy parents, gaining momentum as state lawmakers passed one of the nation’s toughest mandatory vaccination laws for children in 2015. Previously, parents had opted out of vaccinations by seeking exemptions claiming that vaccines conflicted with their personal beliefs, but the law eliminated that option. The popularity of those exemptions led to immunization rates that dropped to 80% or lower at public and private schools and preschools in Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and other affluent Los Angeles area communities. “Anti-vaccine attitudes are as old as vaccines themselves,” said Richard Carpiano, who is a professor of public policy and sociology at the University of California, Riverside, and who studies the anti-vaccine movement. “The other thing that gets tied into this is the wellness movement, this idea that natural is better. There’s a broader kind of mistrust of Big Pharma, and about medical care and medical professions. There is this real market for discontent that these groups can really kind of seize upon.” In the COVID-19 era in California, vaccine opponents have found themselves increasingly in alignment with pro-Trump, working-class people sometimes eager to embrace extreme tactics to express their beliefs. Anti-vaccine activists in the state have long been aggressive at times. But in the past two years, and in the months of the coronavirus pandemic, there has been an uptick in confrontational and threatening tactics. They assaulted a lawmaker in Sacramento and threw menstrual blood onto legislators in the Senate chambers at the state Capitol in 2019, and last spring they helped pressure the chief health officer in Orange County to resign by publicly revealing the official’s home address. Last month, two weeks before the stadium vaccination protest, a group of women threatened lawmakers at a budget hearing at the Capitol, telling senators that they were “not taking your shot” and that they “didn’t buy guns for nothing.” “I think the thing that’s most concerning is that they’re escalating,” said state Sen. Richard Pan, a pediatrician and Democrat who wrote vaccination legislation. Pan was struck in the back in 2019 by an anti-vaccine activist and was the likely target of the blood-throwing incident in the Senate chambers that year. “This movement not only puts out mis- or disinformation about vaccines or lies about vaccines, which in itself can be harmful, but they are also aggressively bullying, threatening and intimidating people who are trying to share accurate information about vaccines,” he said. Protesters who attended and helped organize the Dodger Stadium demonstration said they did not attempt to enter the site and did not block the entrance. They blamed firefighters for overreacting to their presence and shutting the gates and said their goal was to educate those waiting for vaccinations but not prevent them from driving inside to get their shots. One of the protesters, a 48-year-old actor whose first name is Nick and who asked that his last name not be published because of death threats the group had received, said he did not believe that any of the protesters were part of previously established anti-vaccine groups in the state. “This has all stemmed as a result of this whole COVID-19 crisis,” he said. “It started with the mask-wearing and evolved to now being concerned over the vaccine. It’s all about civil liberties.” The lead organizer, Jason Lefkowitz, 42, a stand-up comic and server at a Beverly Hills restaurant, said the catalyst for the stadium protest was the death of Hank Aaron, the baseball legend who died at the age of 86 on Jan. 22. Aaron was vaccinated for the coronavirus in Atlanta on Jan. 5, and anti-vaccine activists, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have seized on his death to draw a link. The Fulton County medical examiner has said there was no evidence that he had an allergic or anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine. “I’m not a violent person,” Lefkowitz said. “Nobody in my group is violent or physical or anything, but there’s a lot of people that don’t want to take this vaccine or be forced into it.” No one was arrested, but city officials, including the police chief, were disturbed by the symbolism and the global headlines — that a small group of vaccine opponents had temporarily shut down one of the country’s largest vaccination sites and was walking and chanting mask-free among older residents waiting in their cars for their vaccine appointments. “The optics of it is that it appeared that the protesters were able to symbolically interfere with that line, and I think that we have a greater public responsibility to ensure that that symbolism is not repeated,” Chief Michel Moore told the Los Angeles Police Commission at a virtual meeting. Protesters were planning to return to Dodger Stadium and were more energized by the attention than discouraged by the social media criticism. Lefkowitz said that after the Fire Department shut the gates, he immediately took it as a positive sign for his group. “They’re indirectly helping us, because now I’m like, ‘Oh, this is going to make the news,’” Lefkowitz said. The ease with which many of the protesters have slipped from anti-mask to anti-vaccine ideology was on display in one Facebook livestream. A protester at the site, Omar Navarro, a frequent Republican challenger to Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., told his Facebook viewers that he was “100% certain” that voter fraud led to President Joe Biden’s victory; touted the effort to recall the Democratic governor of California, Gavin Newsom; and called Democrats “the real virus.” “They want to deceive us,” Navarro said in the video. “They want to control us. They want to put this muzzle on our face, this mask, which I don’t use.” One of the most prominent anti-vaccine activists in Southern California, Leigh Dundas, a lawyer, spoke at a rally in Washington the day before the Capitol riot and posted videos on social media as she stood outside the building Jan. 6, shouting, “This is 1776 all over again!” In May, Dundas led a push to force out Orange County’s chief health officer, Dr. Nichole Quick, over her mask order, which was unpopular in the historically conservative county. Quick received death threats and was given a security detail. During a Board of Supervisors meeting, Dundas ridiculed Quick’s credentials, announced her home address and said she was going to have people “do calisthenics in masks on her front doorstep, and when people start dropping like flies, and they will, I am going to ask every single first responder in a 30-mile radius to roll lights and sirens to her front door.” Quick resigned nearly two weeks later. Kenneth Austin Bennett, the activist who attacked Pan, the state senator, was charged with misdemeanor battery and was scheduled to be rearraigned in a few weeks. Rebecca Dalelio, who was arrested after throwing blood from the Senate gallery, was charged with felony assault on a public official and felony vandalism and has a preliminary hearing this month. A spokesperson for state Sen. Toni Atkins, the Senate president pro tempore, said a report was filed with law enforcement after the women made the threatening gun-related remarks in January. Pan said the lack of arrests at the Dodger Stadium protest suggested that anti-vaccine extremists would feel emboldened. “There’s a history of people being bullying and intimidating, and there’s very little consequence for doing this, and so they escalate, and they escalate, and they escalate,” he said.

A new front in the anti-vaccine fight emerges in California

Chinese military on Sunday delivered a batch of Covid vaccines to the Pakistan Army. These vaccines are in addition to the five lakh doses already delivered to Islamabad by Beijing.

Pakistan on Monday received the first batch of 500,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine from China, as the country was gearing up to kick start its immunisation drive.

With this, the Pakistan Army has become the first foreign military to receive the COVID-19 vaccine aid from the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

The PLA also delivered a batch of COVID-19 vaccines to the Cambodian military after receiving a request for it.

According to the state-run Xinhua news agency, the Cambodian Army was among the first batch of the foreign military to receive COVID-19 vaccine aid from the Chinese military.

The move comes as the number of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan reached 554,474. With 53 new deaths, the number of fatalities has gone up to 11,967, according to the Ministry of National Health Services.

Meanwhile, China has granted conditional approval for its second COVID-19 vaccine, ahead of the expected emergency approval from the WHO for two of its jabs that would enable the country to step-up global supplies of the shots.

Sinovac Biotech announced on Saturday that CoronaVac, an inactivated vaccine candidate against COVID-19, received authorisation from the National Medical Products Administration for conditional mass use in China.

Beijing authorised the state-owned Sinopharm's vaccine in December.

Chinese military on Sunday delivered a batch of Covid vaccines to the Pakistan Army. These vaccines are in addition to the five lakh doses already delivered to Islamabad by Beijing. Pakistan on Monday received the first batch of 500,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine from China, as the country was gearing up to kick start its immunisation drive. With this, the Pakistan Army has become the first foreign military to receive the COVID-19 vaccine aid from the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The PLA also delivered a batch of COVID-19 vaccines to the Cambodian military after receiving a request for it. According to the state-run Xinhua news agency, the Cambodian Army was among the first batch of the foreign military to receive COVID-19 vaccine aid from the Chinese military. The move comes as the number of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan reached 554,474. With 53 new deaths, the number of fatalities has gone up to 11,967, according to the Ministry of National Health Services. Meanwhile, China has granted conditional approval for its second COVID-19 vaccine, ahead of the expected emergency approval from the WHO for two of its jabs that would enable the country to step-up global supplies of the shots. Sinovac Biotech announced on Saturday that CoronaVac, an inactivated vaccine candidate against COVID-19, received authorisation from the National Medical Products Administration for conditional mass use in China. Beijing authorised the state-owned Sinopharm's vaccine in December.

Indonesia has approved China`s Sinovac Biotech`s COVID-19 vaccine for its elderly population, the country`s food and drugs authority (BPOM) said in a letter to state-run pharmaceutical company Bio Farma seen by Reuters on Saturday.

The letter showed that Bio Farma has approved the vaccine for those aged 60 and above after `taking into account the emergency situation".

Wiku Adisasmito, spokesman for the country`s COVID-19 task force, confirmed the authenticity of the letter, as did a Bio Farma spokesman.

A BPOM spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Southeast Asian country gave Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine its first emergency use approval outside China as the world’s fourth most populous country launches nationwide inoculations.

Indonesia has approved China`s Sinovac Biotech`s COVID-19 vaccine for its elderly population, the country`s food and drugs authority (BPOM) said in a letter to state-run pharmaceutical company Bio Farma seen by Reuters on Saturday.

Indonesia has approved China`s Sinovac Biotech`s COVID-19 vaccine for its elderly population, the country`s food and drugs authority (BPOM) said in a letter to state-run pharmaceutical company Bio Farma seen by Reuters on Saturday. The letter showed that Bio Farma has approved the vaccine for those aged 60 and above after `taking into account the emergency situation". Wiku Adisasmito, spokesman for the country`s COVID-19 task force, confirmed the authenticity of the letter, as did a Bio Farma spokesman. A BPOM spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Southeast Asian country gave Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine its first emergency use approval outside China as the world’s fourth most populous country launches nationwide inoculations.

Indonesia approves China's Sinovac vaccine for the elderly

Iran will kick off its coronavirus vaccination campaign within a week, President Hassan Rouhani said Saturday, after the country received its first batch of Russia's Sputnik V jab.

The Islamic republic is fighting the Middle East's deadliest outbreak of the coronavirus, with over 58,000 lives lost out of more than 1.4 million cases of infection.

Iran has bought two million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told AFP.

The first batch arrived in the country on Thursday, and the country is scheduled to receive two more batches by February 28.

"Vaccinations will start this very week; this is a real cause for celebration," Rouhani told a televised meeting of Iran's Covid-19 taskforce.

He did not give a specific date, only saying that the programme would begin before next Wednesday, which marks the 42nd anniversary of the victory of the Islamic revolution.

Health workers would be the first to get the jabs, followed by the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions, Rouhani said.

The president expressed hope that the first three categories would be inoculated before the Persian New Year on March 21.

Russia registered the Sputnik V vaccine -- named after the Soviet-era satellite -- in August last year, before the start of large-scale clinical trials.

In addition to the Russian jab, Iran is expecting to receive 4.2 million doses of a vaccine from the Anglo-Swedish firm AstraZeneca in February.

They were purchased via Covax, the mechanism for the equitable distribution of vaccines established by the UN World Health Organization.

Iran started clinical trials of one of its own vaccines in late December, and according to Rouhani, they may become available by early summer.

Iran will kick off its coronavirus vaccination campaign within a week, President Hassan Rouhani said Saturday, after the country received its first batch of Russia's Sputnik V jab.

Iran will kick off its coronavirus vaccination campaign within a week, President Hassan Rouhani said Saturday, after the country received its first batch of Russia's Sputnik V jab. The Islamic republic is fighting the Middle East's deadliest outbreak of the coronavirus, with over 58,000 lives lost out of more than 1.4 million cases of infection. Iran has bought two million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told AFP. The first batch arrived in the country on Thursday, and the country is scheduled to receive two more batches by February 28. "Vaccinations will start this very week; this is a real cause for celebration," Rouhani told a televised meeting of Iran's Covid-19 taskforce. He did not give a specific date, only saying that the programme would begin before next Wednesday, which marks the 42nd anniversary of the victory of the Islamic revolution. Health workers would be the first to get the jabs, followed by the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions, Rouhani said. The president expressed hope that the first three categories would be inoculated before the Persian New Year on March 21. Russia registered the Sputnik V vaccine -- named after the Soviet-era satellite -- in August last year, before the start of large-scale clinical trials. In addition to the Russian jab, Iran is expecting to receive 4.2 million doses of a vaccine from the Anglo-Swedish firm AstraZeneca in February. They were purchased via Covax, the mechanism for the equitable distribution of vaccines established by the UN World Health Organization. Iran started clinical trials of one of its own vaccines in late December, and according to Rouhani, they may become available by early summer.

Iran to start Covid vaccination within a week

China will provide 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Nepal on a grant basis.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with his Nepali counterpart Pradeep Gyawali on Friday evening, and assured that Beijing would accord priority to Kathmandu in vaccine cooperation.&nbsp;

In addition, according to a press statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang announced China would provide 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Nepal on a grant basis.

The Embassy of China in Kathmandu recently said that China would provide 300,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine that is expected to benefit 150,000 Nepali people. During the telephonic conversation between the two foreign ministers, China increased the grant assistance to 500,000 doses. During the phone conversation with Gyawali, Wang said China attaches great importance to Nepal's urgent need of Covid vaccines and has decided to provide the first batch of vaccine aid for the country.

The Chinese company producing the vaccine is yet to submit all necessary documents to the Nepal government. Without the green signal from the government, the BIBP-CorV vaccine -- developed by Sinopharm -- cannot be brought to Nepal.

China's move to supply the coronavirus vaccine to Nepal is seen as Beijing's efforts to step-up its vaccine diplomacy amid projections from experts that India could become a key player in distributing the jabs to the world.

China will provide 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Nepal on a grant basis. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with his Nepali counterpart Pradeep Gyawali on Friday evening, and assured that Beijing would accord priority to Kathmandu in vaccine cooperation.

China will provide 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Nepal on a grant basis. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with his Nepali counterpart Pradeep Gyawali on Friday evening, and assured that Beijing would accord priority to Kathmandu in vaccine cooperation. In addition, according to a press statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang announced China would provide 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Nepal on a grant basis. The Embassy of China in Kathmandu recently said that China would provide 300,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine that is expected to benefit 150,000 Nepali people. During the telephonic conversation between the two foreign ministers, China increased the grant assistance to 500,000 doses. During the phone conversation with Gyawali, Wang said China attaches great importance to Nepal's urgent need of Covid vaccines and has decided to provide the first batch of vaccine aid for the country. The Chinese company producing the vaccine is yet to submit all necessary documents to the Nepal government. Without the green signal from the government, the BIBP-CorV vaccine -- developed by Sinopharm -- cannot be brought to Nepal. China's move to supply the coronavirus vaccine to Nepal is seen as Beijing's efforts to step-up its vaccine diplomacy amid projections from experts that India could become a key player in distributing the jabs to the world.

Nepal to get 500,000 doses of Covid vaccine from China under grant assistance

New US Covid-19 cases have declined by 61 percent compared to the peak level on January 8, officials said Friday, as they announced troops were being deployed to support the national vaccine campaign.&nbsp;

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Rochelle Walensky said that latest official data from February 3 showed new infections were down to approximately 121,000, while hospitalizations were down nearly 42 percent and the pace of deaths appears to be slowing.

"While the data are moving in the right direction, context is important because cases, hospital admissions, and deaths, all remain high and well above the levels that we saw in the summer and early fall," Walensky said during a briefing by the White House's Covid-19 Response Team.

The Department of Defense meanwhile announced it had approved 1,110 active duty members to assist at five federal Covid-19 vaccination centers. That number could eventually rise to 10,000.

The new administration of President Joe Biden has set its sights on delivering 150 million doses of Covid shots in the first 100 days of office -- a challenge made all the more pressing by the emergence of new variants of the coronavirus that are more transmissible and reduce the efficacy of vaccines.

To this end, Tim Manning, the national supply chain manager for the Covid response, said the government was invoking emergency legislation called the Defense Production Act to give Pfizer priority access to the raw ingredients for its vaccine.

The legislation is also being used to help deliver 60 million more point-of-care or at-home tests by summer, and to increase the domestic manufacture of surgical gloves.

The US Food and Drug Administration is meanwhile examining vaccine data submitted to it by Johnson &amp; Johnson, ahead of a meeting by an independent advisory panel on February 26.

The panel is likely to advise in favor of emergency use authorization (EUA) given the positive data announced from J&amp;J's multi continent trial, which found the single-shot vaccine overall 66 percent effective, but highly protective against severe Covid.

An EUA would follow soon after, bringing a third vaccine into the picture, with vaccines by AstraZeneca and Novavax on the horizon.

New US Covid-19 cases have declined by 61 percent compared to the peak level on January 8, officials said Friday, as they announced troops were being deployed to support the national vaccine campaign.

New US Covid-19 cases have declined by 61 percent compared to the peak level on January 8, officials said Friday, as they announced troops were being deployed to support the national vaccine campaign. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Rochelle Walensky said that latest official data from February 3 showed new infections were down to approximately 121,000, while hospitalizations were down nearly 42 percent and the pace of deaths appears to be slowing. "While the data are moving in the right direction, context is important because cases, hospital admissions, and deaths, all remain high and well above the levels that we saw in the summer and early fall," Walensky said during a briefing by the White House's Covid-19 Response Team. The Department of Defense meanwhile announced it had approved 1,110 active duty members to assist at five federal Covid-19 vaccination centers. That number could eventually rise to 10,000. The new administration of President Joe Biden has set its sights on delivering 150 million doses of Covid shots in the first 100 days of office -- a challenge made all the more pressing by the emergence of new variants of the coronavirus that are more transmissible and reduce the efficacy of vaccines. To this end, Tim Manning, the national supply chain manager for the Covid response, said the government was invoking emergency legislation called the Defense Production Act to give Pfizer priority access to the raw ingredients for its vaccine. The legislation is also being used to help deliver 60 million more point-of-care or at-home tests by summer, and to increase the domestic manufacture of surgical gloves. The US Food and Drug Administration is meanwhile examining vaccine data submitted to it by Johnson & Johnson, ahead of a meeting by an independent advisory panel on February 26. The panel is likely to advise in favor of emergency use authorization (EUA) given the positive data announced from J&J's multi continent trial, which found the single-shot vaccine overall 66 percent effective, but highly protective against severe Covid. An EUA would follow soon after, bringing a third vaccine into the picture, with vaccines by AstraZeneca and Novavax on the horizon.

US Covid cases down 61% since peak, troops deployed for vaccine campaign

AstraZeneca and Oxford University's COVID-19 vaccine has similar efficacy against the variant first identified in Kent, southern England, as previously circulating strains,&nbsp;the university said on Friday.

The findings, released in a preprint paper on Friday, also detailed recent analysis showing that vaccination with the shot results in a reduction in the duration of shedding and viral load. This, in turn, may translate into a reduced transmission of the disease, Oxford University said.

"Data from our trials of the ChAdOx1 vaccine in the United Kingdom indicate that the vaccine not only protects against the original pandemic virus, but also protects against the novel variant, B.1.1.7, which caused the surge in disease from the end of 2020 across the UK," said Andrew Pollard, Chief Investigator on the Oxford vaccine trial.

Sarah Gilbert, co-developer of the vaccine, said that, although the vaccine had efficacy against the UK variant, it might need to be adapted for a future variant.

Earlier in the day, British regulators also received extra trial data from AstraZeneca that supports their view that the vaccine was effective in the elderly.

Britain has been rolling out the shot among all age groups after the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) was the first regulator to approve it in December, but some other European countries have said more data is needed before it is given to those over 65.

The variant, first identified in Kent, southern England, is more easily transmissible, prompting many countries to restrict travel to Britain.

AstraZeneca and Oxford University's COVID-19 vaccine has similar efficacy against the variant first identified in Kent, southern England, as previously circulating strains, the university said on Friday.

AstraZeneca and Oxford University's COVID-19 vaccine has similar efficacy against the variant first identified in Kent, southern England, as previously circulating strains, the university said on Friday. The findings, released in a preprint paper on Friday, also detailed recent analysis showing that vaccination with the shot results in a reduction in the duration of shedding and viral load. This, in turn, may translate into a reduced transmission of the disease, Oxford University said. "Data from our trials of the ChAdOx1 vaccine in the United Kingdom indicate that the vaccine not only protects against the original pandemic virus, but also protects against the novel variant, B.1.1.7, which caused the surge in disease from the end of 2020 across the UK," said Andrew Pollard, Chief Investigator on the Oxford vaccine trial. Sarah Gilbert, co-developer of the vaccine, said that, although the vaccine had efficacy against the UK variant, it might need to be adapted for a future variant. Earlier in the day, British regulators also received extra trial data from AstraZeneca that supports their view that the vaccine was effective in the elderly. Britain has been rolling out the shot among all age groups after the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) was the first regulator to approve it in December, but some other European countries have said more data is needed before it is given to those over 65. The variant, first identified in Kent, southern England, is more easily transmissible, prompting many countries to restrict travel to Britain.

Oxford confirms COVID-19 vaccine with AstraZeneca works against UK variant

Britain has agreed on a deal with German biotech firm CureVac to work to develop vaccines against coronavirus variants. The country has even, to this end, placed an initial order for 50 million doses in case they are needed.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has cited the possibility of new variants of the coronavirus as one of the biggest risks to the vaccine rollout and hopes that the economy can start to be reopened from lockdown in the spring. Both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines being rolled out appear to work well against variants currently dominant in Britain.

The government said that almost all vaccines developed through the partnership would be variants of CureVac's existing shot, which is currently undergoing late-stage clinical trials.

For CureVac, the alliance marks another move to catch up with leading mRNA vaccine developers BioNTech and Moderna and to regain the pole position for a new generation of vaccines that prevent more than one variant in one treatment course.

On Wednesday, it announced a partnership with Britain's GlaxoSmithKline on vaccines against variants.

CureVac said it chose Britain because of its leading role in analysing the viral genetic makeup as the pathogen evolves, and the country's head start in rolling out the first generation of vaccines.

Britain has agreed on a deal with German biotech firm CureVac to work to develop vaccines against coronavirus variants. The country has even, to this end, placed an initial order for 50 million doses in case they are needed.

Britain has agreed on a deal with German biotech firm CureVac to work to develop vaccines against coronavirus variants. The country has even, to this end, placed an initial order for 50 million doses in case they are needed. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has cited the possibility of new variants of the coronavirus as one of the biggest risks to the vaccine rollout and hopes that the economy can start to be reopened from lockdown in the spring. Both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines being rolled out appear to work well against variants currently dominant in Britain. The government said that almost all vaccines developed through the partnership would be variants of CureVac's existing shot, which is currently undergoing late-stage clinical trials. For CureVac, the alliance marks another move to catch up with leading mRNA vaccine developers BioNTech and Moderna and to regain the pole position for a new generation of vaccines that prevent more than one variant in one treatment course. On Wednesday, it announced a partnership with Britain's GlaxoSmithKline on vaccines against variants. CureVac said it chose Britain because of its leading role in analysing the viral genetic makeup as the pathogen evolves, and the country's head start in rolling out the first generation of vaccines.

UK plans to work with Germany's CureVac on vaccines against coronavirus variants

AstraZeneca has filed for approval of its coronavirus vaccine in Japan, and has become the second major pharmaceutical firm to ask Tokyo to authorise its jabs.

Japan has reached deals with Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna to buy enough Covid-19 vaccine doses for its population of 126 million. But it is yet to approve any inoculations with less than six months before the Tokyo Olympics.

The Pfizer jab will likely be the first to get the go-ahead later this month after the US firm filed for approval in December. Moderna is yet to formally file for approval. The Pfizer jab is likely to be approved in Japan on February 15, Kyodo News reported Thursday.

Olympic chiefs insist the Tokyo Games will begin in July, despite new waves of Covid infections in Japan and worldwide.

Participants will be encouraged to be vaccinated against Covid-19, organisers have said, but there will be no obligation.

Japan is yet to announce an official schedule for vaccinations, but after targeted jabs for healthcare workers, it is expected to begin inoculating the elderly from April.

AstraZeneca said it will file data of a clinical trial involving 256 patients in Japan in March. The UK drugmaker plans to produce 90 million shots in Japan, of the 120 million it has agreed to provide to the country.

AstraZeneca has filed for approval of its coronavirus vaccine in Japan, and has become the second major pharmaceutical firm to ask Tokyo to authorise its jabs. Japan has reached deals with Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna to buy enough Covid-19 vaccine doses for its population of 126 million.

AstraZeneca has filed for approval of its coronavirus vaccine in Japan, and has become the second major pharmaceutical firm to ask Tokyo to authorise its jabs. Japan has reached deals with Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna to buy enough Covid-19 vaccine doses for its population of 126 million. But it is yet to approve any inoculations with less than six months before the Tokyo Olympics. The Pfizer jab will likely be the first to get the go-ahead later this month after the US firm filed for approval in December. Moderna is yet to formally file for approval. The Pfizer jab is likely to be approved in Japan on February 15, Kyodo News reported Thursday. Olympic chiefs insist the Tokyo Games will begin in July, despite new waves of Covid infections in Japan and worldwide. Participants will be encouraged to be vaccinated against Covid-19, organisers have said, but there will be no obligation. Japan is yet to announce an official schedule for vaccinations, but after targeted jabs for healthcare workers, it is expected to begin inoculating the elderly from April. AstraZeneca said it will file data of a clinical trial involving 256 patients in Japan in March. The UK drugmaker plans to produce 90 million shots in Japan, of the 120 million it has agreed to provide to the country.

AstraZeneca files vaccine for approval in Japan

European Union Parliamentarians have strongly backed India and South Africa's joint proposal at the World Trade Organization for a waiver on intellectual property rights for COVID vaccine patents in a letter to EU leadership. The letter by 14 EU MEPs or members of the European Parliamentarians has called for a moratorium on the suspension of covid-19 vaccine patents.

The two page letter on Covid vaccine highlighted that, "South Africa and India sent a joint proposal to the World Trade Organization requesting an exemption from patents and other intellectual property rights concerning drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, personal protective equipment, and other medical technologies throughout the pandemic and this proposal is still pending."

The letter seen by WION has asked European Union to "support for India and South Africa's proposal at the WTO" with the aim to "guarantee widespread and equitable access to vaccines on a global scale"

WTO had met in December to take up the proposal for waiver of Intellectual property over Covid vaccines but failed to arrive at the decision over stiff opposition from United States, European Union and others. The proposal for waiver on IP rights for covid vaccines means affordable access to everyone even as countries try to vaccinate their population.

The letter by the EU MEP has been sent to President of the European Council Charles Michel, President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen, EU high representative for foreign affairs Josep Borrell, European Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis and European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Honorable Stella Kyriakides.

The MEPs who have sent the letter are--Andrea Cozzolino, Maria Arena, Eva Kaili, Alex Agius Saliba, Bogusław Liberadzki, Tiemo Woelken, Milan Brglez, Patrizia Toia, Irene Tinagli, Pierfrancesco Majorino, Pina Picierno, Giuliano Pisapia, Massimiliano Smeriglio, Franco Roberti.

The development comes amid the ongoing tiff between EU and AstraZeneca over vaccine supplies. Media reports are calling the India-South African proposal as a "nuclear option" and it is already leading a divide in the already divided group. In fact, the Italian Parliament had backed the proposal as far as December. A patent pause amid the Covid pandemic looks a humane action but for many license holders would see it as a loss, and would call for a pushback against it.

European Union Parliamentarians have strongly backed India and South Africa's joint proposal at the World Trade Organization for a waiver on intellectual property rights for COVID vaccine patents in a letter to EU leadership.

European Union Parliamentarians have strongly backed India and South Africa's joint proposal at the World Trade Organization for a waiver on intellectual property rights for COVID vaccine patents in a letter to EU leadership. The letter by 14 EU MEPs or members of the European Parliamentarians has called for a moratorium on the suspension of covid-19 vaccine patents. The two page letter on Covid vaccine highlighted that, "South Africa and India sent a joint proposal to the World Trade Organization requesting an exemption from patents and other intellectual property rights concerning drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, personal protective equipment, and other medical technologies throughout the pandemic and this proposal is still pending." The letter seen by WION has asked European Union to "support for India and South Africa's proposal at the WTO" with the aim to "guarantee widespread and equitable access to vaccines on a global scale" WTO had met in December to take up the proposal for waiver of Intellectual property over Covid vaccines but failed to arrive at the decision over stiff opposition from United States, European Union and others. The proposal for waiver on IP rights for covid vaccines means affordable access to everyone even as countries try to vaccinate their population. The letter by the EU MEP has been sent to President of the European Council Charles Michel, President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen, EU high representative for foreign affairs Josep Borrell, European Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis and European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Honorable Stella Kyriakides. The MEPs who have sent the letter are--Andrea Cozzolino, Maria Arena, Eva Kaili, Alex Agius Saliba, Bogusław Liberadzki, Tiemo Woelken, Milan Brglez, Patrizia Toia, Irene Tinagli, Pierfrancesco Majorino, Pina Picierno, Giuliano Pisapia, Massimiliano Smeriglio, Franco Roberti. The development comes amid the ongoing tiff between EU and AstraZeneca over vaccine supplies. Media reports are calling the India-South African proposal as a "nuclear option" and it is already leading a divide in the already divided group. In fact, the Italian Parliament had backed the proposal as far as December. A patent pause amid the Covid pandemic looks a humane action but for many license holders would see it as a loss, and would call for a pushback against it.

EU Parliamentarians back India-South Africa proposal for IPR waiver on Covid vaccine patents

Emergency measures to curtail the coronavirus pandemic took tolls on democratic freedoms around the world last year, with setbacks in the West even as some Asian countries made progress, a report said Wednesday.

The annual "Democracy Index" published by the Economist Intelligence Unit found an erosion of personal rights in nearly 70 percent of the 167 countries analysed.

France and Portugal in particular were downgraded to the rank of "flawed democracies" -- in France's case because of lockdowns and other restrictions on movement.

That pulled down its aggregate ranking on subjects including civil liberties, political participation and functioning of government.

Portugal's slide reflected in part fewer parliamentary debates during the health crisis to function as a check on the prime minister's powers.

Overall, "the pandemic resulted in the withdrawal of civil liberties on a massive scale and fuelled an existing trend of intolerance and censorship of dissenting opinion," the report found.

Even though in many cases citizens approved or at least accepted drastic social distancing rules aimed at limiting Covid deaths, incoherent policies and enforcement undermined trust in government and democratic norms for many.

"The withdrawal of civil liberties, attacks on freedom of expression and the failures of democratic accountability that occurred as a result of the pandemic are grave matters," the report found.

In Asia, however, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan were promoted to "full democracies" from "flawed," as government's "reacted decisively" to the crisis and "retained the confidence of their populations."

Even though Asia still lags overall in terms of democratic freedoms, "the novel coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the shift in the global balance of power from the West to the East," the study said.

The United States also retained its "flawed democracy" status, with more active voter participation in government offset by deep mistrust of political parties and dysfunctional government institutions.

"Social cohesion has collapsed, and consensus has evaporated on fundamental issues... Joe Biden, faces a huge challenge in bringing together a country that is deeply divided over core values," it said.

Elsewhere, Mali was demoted to an "authoritarian regime"&nbsp;after a military coup last August, after years of battling a jihadist insurgency with the help of French troops.

North Africa and the Middle East were again the worst regional performers, despite pledges of improved government transparency since the Arab Spring uprisings that began in 2010.

"More than one-third of the world's population live under authoritarian rule, with a large share being in China," the study found.

Emergency measures to curtail the coronavirus pandemic took tolls on democratic freedoms around the world last year, with setbacks in the West even as some Asian countries made progress, a report said Wednesday.

Emergency measures to curtail the coronavirus pandemic took tolls on democratic freedoms around the world last year, with setbacks in the West even as some Asian countries made progress, a report said Wednesday. The annual "Democracy Index" published by the Economist Intelligence Unit found an erosion of personal rights in nearly 70 percent of the 167 countries analysed. France and Portugal in particular were downgraded to the rank of "flawed democracies" -- in France's case because of lockdowns and other restrictions on movement. That pulled down its aggregate ranking on subjects including civil liberties, political participation and functioning of government. Portugal's slide reflected in part fewer parliamentary debates during the health crisis to function as a check on the prime minister's powers. Overall, "the pandemic resulted in the withdrawal of civil liberties on a massive scale and fuelled an existing trend of intolerance and censorship of dissenting opinion," the report found. Even though in many cases citizens approved or at least accepted drastic social distancing rules aimed at limiting Covid deaths, incoherent policies and enforcement undermined trust in government and democratic norms for many. "The withdrawal of civil liberties, attacks on freedom of expression and the failures of democratic accountability that occurred as a result of the pandemic are grave matters," the report found. In Asia, however, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan were promoted to "full democracies" from "flawed," as government's "reacted decisively" to the crisis and "retained the confidence of their populations." Even though Asia still lags overall in terms of democratic freedoms, "the novel coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the shift in the global balance of power from the West to the East," the study said. The United States also retained its "flawed democracy" status, with more active voter participation in government offset by deep mistrust of political parties and dysfunctional government institutions. "Social cohesion has collapsed, and consensus has evaporated on fundamental issues... Joe Biden, faces a huge challenge in bringing together a country that is deeply divided over core values," it said. Elsewhere, Mali was demoted to an "authoritarian regime" after a military coup last August, after years of battling a jihadist insurgency with the help of French troops. North Africa and the Middle East were again the worst regional performers, despite pledges of improved government transparency since the Arab Spring uprisings that began in 2010. "More than one-third of the world's population live under authoritarian rule, with a large share being in China," the study found.

Covid responses chip away at democratic norms worldwide, study says

Finland has recommended administering the two doses of all Covid-19 vaccines at a 12-week interval, citing better protection with a longer gap.

Manufacturers have so far recommended that Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines be taken three weeks apart, and the AstraZeneca/Oxford jabs four to 12 weeks apart.

"A vaccinated person usually gets better protection with a longer gap between doses as the body's immunity matures and strengthens," senior doctor Hanna Nohynek of the public health authority THL said on Wednesday.

A later second dose would also allow more people to be injected with limited vaccine supplies, affording a greater share of the population "reasonably good protection" in the meantime, Nohynek added.

THL also recommended that the AstraZeneca inoculation only be given to people under the age of 70.

"The recommendation will be modified if necessary as more research data on the effects of the vaccine in different age groups becomes available," THL said in a statement.

Vaccine maker BioNTech and the US Food and Drug Administration have previously warned that not enough clinical data exists to support delaying the second dose, after the UK and Denmark decided to increase time between the two jabs.

However, an Oxford University study under review by The Lancet argued Tuesday that those who had been vaccinated with a single dose of the AstraZeneca jab were 67 per cent less likely to test positive with a PCR test. A single dose was also 76 per cent effective in preventing virus symptoms after 22 days and for up to 90 days, rising to 82.4 per cent if the second dose was administered after 12 weeks, it showed.

Germany, France, Austria, Sweden, Bulgaria, Italy have also issued similar recommendations.

Finland has recommended administering the two doses of all Covid-19 vaccines at a 12-week interval, citing better protection with a longer gap. Manufacturers have so far recommended that Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines be taken three weeks apart, and the AstraZeneca/Oxford jabs four to 12 weeks apart.

Finland has recommended administering the two doses of all Covid-19 vaccines at a 12-week interval, citing better protection with a longer gap. Manufacturers have so far recommended that Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines be taken three weeks apart, and the AstraZeneca/Oxford jabs four to 12 weeks apart. "A vaccinated person usually gets better protection with a longer gap between doses as the body's immunity matures and strengthens," senior doctor Hanna Nohynek of the public health authority THL said on Wednesday. A later second dose would also allow more people to be injected with limited vaccine supplies, affording a greater share of the population "reasonably good protection" in the meantime, Nohynek added. THL also recommended that the AstraZeneca inoculation only be given to people under the age of 70. "The recommendation will be modified if necessary as more research data on the effects of the vaccine in different age groups becomes available," THL said in a statement. Vaccine maker BioNTech and the US Food and Drug Administration have previously warned that not enough clinical data exists to support delaying the second dose, after the UK and Denmark decided to increase time between the two jabs. However, an Oxford University study under review by The Lancet argued Tuesday that those who had been vaccinated with a single dose of the AstraZeneca jab were 67 per cent less likely to test positive with a PCR test. A single dose was also 76 per cent effective in preventing virus symptoms after 22 days and for up to 90 days, rising to 82.4 per cent if the second dose was administered after 12 weeks, it showed. Germany, France, Austria, Sweden, Bulgaria, Italy have also issued similar recommendations.

Finland recommends giving Covid vaccine at 12-week interval

Russia's Sputnik V vaccine will seek emergency-use authorisation by next month, a company official said on Wednesday.

A source close to the drug regulator said the application could come within days and when approved, bolster India's 18-day-old immunisation campaign which has covered more than 4 million people with two other shots.

India's Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd has been working with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to hold small clinical trials of Sputnik V in India. On Tuesday, RDIF told Indian news agency ANI that it expected to get approval for the vaccine this month or the next.

The company had partnered with RDIF to distribute 250 million doses.

Indian regulator the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had no immediate comment on a potential application.

The vaccine has proved 91.6 per cent effective against COVID-19, based on late-stage trials in Russia, results published in the Lancet medical journal showed on Tuesday.

More than a million people in Russia have received Sputnik V, which is marketed abroad by the RDIF and has been approved for emergency use in Algeria, Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico and Serbia.

RDIF expects India to produce about 300 million doses of Sputnik V this year. Hetero Biopharma is making more than 100 million doses.

India's regulator has approved for emergency use the AstraZeneca vaccine and another developed at home by Bharat Biotech and the state-run Indian Council of Medical Research. A similar request from Pfizer and partner BioNTech for their vaccine is pending with the regulator.

India has so far registered 10.78 million coronavirus cases. Deaths stand at 154,596.

Russia's Sputnik V vaccine will seek emergency-use authorisation by next month, a company official said on Wednesday. A source close to the drug regulator said the application could come within days and when approved, bolster India's 18-day-old immunisation campaign which has covered more than 4 million people with two other shots.

Russia's Sputnik V vaccine will seek emergency-use authorisation by next month, a company official said on Wednesday. A source close to the drug regulator said the application could come within days and when approved, bolster India's 18-day-old immunisation campaign which has covered more than 4 million people with two other shots. India's Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd has been working with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to hold small clinical trials of Sputnik V in India. On Tuesday, RDIF told Indian news agency ANI that it expected to get approval for the vaccine this month or the next. The company had partnered with RDIF to distribute 250 million doses. Indian regulator the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had no immediate comment on a potential application. The vaccine has proved 91.6 per cent effective against COVID-19, based on late-stage trials in Russia, results published in the Lancet medical journal showed on Tuesday. More than a million people in Russia have received Sputnik V, which is marketed abroad by the RDIF and has been approved for emergency use in Algeria, Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico and Serbia. RDIF expects India to produce about 300 million doses of Sputnik V this year. Hetero Biopharma is making more than 100 million doses. India's regulator has approved for emergency use the AstraZeneca vaccine and another developed at home by Bharat Biotech and the state-run Indian Council of Medical Research. A similar request from Pfizer and partner BioNTech for their vaccine is pending with the regulator. India has so far registered 10.78 million coronavirus cases. Deaths stand at 154,596.

Russia's Sputnik V vaccine to seek India approval by March

China is slated to provide 10 million doses of Covid vaccine to the WHO-backed international distribution programme Covax, Beijing said Wednesday.

The Covax programme, which aims to provide two billion doses of vaccine, pools funding from richer countries with the intention of ensuring poorer nations can inoculate their health workers and most vulnerable citizens, on the basis that the pandemic would remain a global threat if it was not tackled worldwide.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Wednesday that China "decided to provide 10 million vaccine doses to Covax, primarily to meet the urgent needs of developing countries."

The foreign ministry said last month that three Chinese vaccine makers, Sinopharm, Sinovac and CanSino, had formally applied for inclusion in the Covax stockpile.

The coronavirus is believed to have broken out in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, and the country has faced criticism over its early handling of the outbreak.

Beijing has hence been seeking to redo its image, and has, thereby, signed agreements to supply millions of doses in what analysts have called "vaccine diplomacy" to earn goodwill among poorer countries. 
&nbsp;

China is slated to provide 10 million doses of Covid vaccine to the WHO-backed international distribution programme Covax, Beijing said Wednesday. The Covax programme, which aims to provide two billion doses of vaccine, pools funding from richer countries with the intention of ensuring poorer nations can inoculate their health workers and most vulnerable citizens, on the basis that the pandemic would remain a global threat if it was not tackled worldwide.

China is slated to provide 10 million doses of Covid vaccine to the WHO-backed international distribution programme Covax, Beijing said Wednesday. The Covax programme, which aims to provide two billion doses of vaccine, pools funding from richer countries with the intention of ensuring poorer nations can inoculate their health workers and most vulnerable citizens, on the basis that the pandemic would remain a global threat if it was not tackled worldwide. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Wednesday that China "decided to provide 10 million vaccine doses to Covax, primarily to meet the urgent needs of developing countries." The foreign ministry said last month that three Chinese vaccine makers, Sinopharm, Sinovac and CanSino, had formally applied for inclusion in the Covax stockpile. The coronavirus is believed to have broken out in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, and the country has faced criticism over its early handling of the outbreak. Beijing has hence been seeking to redo its image, and has, thereby, signed agreements to supply millions of doses in what analysts have called "vaccine diplomacy" to earn goodwill among poorer countries.

China to offer 10 million vaccine doses to Covax

covid-vaccine

Covid Vaccine, News on Covid Vaccine, stories on Covid Vaccine, articles on Covid Vaccine, Covid Vaccine stories at Wion, Covid Vaccine news, Covid Vaccine latest news