India on Saturday staged nationwide drills to start one of the world's biggest coronavirus vaccination programmes as the drug regulator prepared to approve the first vaccine.

A government panel on Friday recommended emergency use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University shot and the first injections could be given in the coming week after the Drugs Control Authority of India gives final approval.&nbsp;

India, which has the world's second highest number of pandemic cases -- more than 10.2 million -- has set an ambitious target of inoculating 300 million of its 1.3 billion people by mid-2021.

The activity was conducted by all state and union territory administrations on January 2 to test the linkages between planning and implementation and to identify the challenges, the Centre had said on Thursday.

Three sites across the national capital were selected, while seven districts shortlisted in Chhattisgarh.

District hospital, community health centres (CHCs) and primary health centres (PHCs) were selected as centres for the exercise which will start from 10 am onwards.

A video conference was held under the chairmanship of the Delhi health secretary on Friday for conducting a dry run for COVID vaccination at three selected sites, one each in Central District, Shahdara District and South West district, according to the latest health bulletin.

From installing freezers to setting up cold chain equipment, arrangements are being made at a Delhi government hospital here for storing the vaccine, whenever it arrives.

The Delhi government is fully prepared to receive, store and administer COVID-19 vaccine to 51 lakh priority category persons in the city in the first phase of vaccination, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said on December 24.

These people include healthcare workers, frontline workers, people aged above 50 and those below 50 years but with co-morbidities.

Once the vaccine is available, 2.53 lakh health care personnel will be administered it in the first phase of roll out.&nbsp;

In Pune, a total of 17 registered beneficiaries&nbsp;underwent&nbsp;the mock drill at three health care centres in Pune city, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad.

The Punjab government conducted the drive in Patiala on January 2 and 3.

The first dry run in Gujarat was successfully held on December 28 and 29. The new dry run was conducted in the districts of Dahod, Bhavnagar, Valsad and Anand, said state Commissioner of Health Jai Prakash Shivahare.

Serum Institute of India, the world's biggest vaccine producer, has already stockpiled tens of millions of doses of AstraZeneca's Covishield ready for the campaign and &nbsp;96,000 health workers have been trained for the inoculation drive.

Health minister Harsh Vardhan said the exercise would help build expertise "so that the upcoming vaccination drive may proceed without any glitch." He has also called for a campaign to counter "misleading rumours" that may scare people off getting the vaccine.

(with inputs from agencies)

India on Saturday staged nationwide drills to start one of the world's biggest coronavirus vaccination programmes as the drug regulator prepared to approve the first vaccine.

India on Saturday staged nationwide drills to start one of the world's biggest coronavirus vaccination programmes as the drug regulator prepared to approve the first vaccine. A government panel on Friday recommended emergency use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University shot and the first injections could be given in the coming week after the Drugs Control Authority of India gives final approval. India, which has the world's second highest number of pandemic cases -- more than 10.2 million -- has set an ambitious target of inoculating 300 million of its 1.3 billion people by mid-2021. The activity was conducted by all state and union territory administrations on January 2 to test the linkages between planning and implementation and to identify the challenges, the Centre had said on Thursday. Three sites across the national capital were selected, while seven districts shortlisted in Chhattisgarh. District hospital, community health centres (CHCs) and primary health centres (PHCs) were selected as centres for the exercise which will start from 10 am onwards. A video conference was held under the chairmanship of the Delhi health secretary on Friday for conducting a dry run for COVID vaccination at three selected sites, one each in Central District, Shahdara District and South West district, according to the latest health bulletin. From installing freezers to setting up cold chain equipment, arrangements are being made at a Delhi government hospital here for storing the vaccine, whenever it arrives. The Delhi government is fully prepared to receive, store and administer COVID-19 vaccine to 51 lakh priority category persons in the city in the first phase of vaccination, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said on December 24. These people include healthcare workers, frontline workers, people aged above 50 and those below 50 years but with co-morbidities. Once the vaccine is available, 2.53 lakh health care personnel will be administered it in the first phase of roll out. In Pune, a total of 17 registered beneficiaries underwent the mock drill at three health care centres in Pune city, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad. The Punjab government conducted the drive in Patiala on January 2 and 3. The first dry run in Gujarat was successfully held on December 28 and 29. The new dry run was conducted in the districts of Dahod, Bhavnagar, Valsad and Anand, said state Commissioner of Health Jai Prakash Shivahare. Serum Institute of India, the world's biggest vaccine producer, has already stockpiled tens of millions of doses of AstraZeneca's Covishield ready for the campaign and 96,000 health workers have been trained for the inoculation drive. Health minister Harsh Vardhan said the exercise would help build expertise "so that the upcoming vaccination drive may proceed without any glitch." He has also called for a campaign to counter "misleading rumours" that may scare people off getting the vaccine. (with inputs from agencies)

India holds dry run for Covid vaccination ahead of inoculation drive

It's been a crazy year. And when it comes to wedding proposals, they have been crazier.

On December 23, Eric Vanderlee's boyfriend, Robby Vargas-Cortes, decided for one such crazy proposal.

Vanderlee is a registered nurse in Canton, and has been helping administer COVID-19 vaccines to fellow healthcare workers. Robby is an EMS supervisor.

He came to the Sanford Canton-Inwood Medical Center and brought a surprise literally hidden up his sleeve.

As Vanderlee rolled up Vargas-Cortes' shirt sleeve to administer the shot, there it was -- A RING, taped to his boyfriend's arm.

The moment, captured on video, went viral in no time.

"So it's been kind of a crazy year, and it's been a fun ride to have you in my life, so I just want to know ... " he says as the ring is revealed.

In the video, Vanderlee looks around in shock and surprise as the other people in the room realise what is happening in front of them.

People then break out into cheers and applause.

Vanderlee said yes to the proposal. (who would say no? **star eyes**)

Vargas-Cortes was a winner throughout -- he left with both a fiancé and a dose of a Covid vaccine.

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It's been a crazy year. And when it comes to wedding proposals, they have been crazier. On December 23, Eric Vanderlee's boyfriend, Robby Vargas-Cortes, decided for one such crazy proposal.

It's been a crazy year. And when it comes to wedding proposals, they have been crazier. On December 23, Eric Vanderlee's boyfriend, Robby Vargas-Cortes, decided for one such crazy proposal. Vanderlee is a registered nurse in Canton, and has been helping administer COVID-19 vaccines to fellow healthcare workers. Robby is an EMS supervisor. He came to the Sanford Canton-Inwood Medical Center and brought a surprise literally hidden up his sleeve. As Vanderlee rolled up Vargas-Cortes' shirt sleeve to administer the shot, there it was -- A RING, taped to his boyfriend's arm. The moment, captured on video, went viral in no time. "So it's been kind of a crazy year, and it's been a fun ride to have you in my life, so I just want to know ... " he says as the ring is revealed. In the video, Vanderlee looks around in shock and surprise as the other people in the room realise what is happening in front of them. People then break out into cheers and applause. Vanderlee said yes to the proposal. (who would say no? **star eyes**) Vargas-Cortes was a winner throughout -- he left with both a fiancé and a dose of a Covid vaccine. ×

Covid vaccine in South Dakota came with a side effect: a wedding proposal

Applications for the emergency use approval for the coronavirus vaccines filed by the Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech and Pfizer will be taken up on Friday for consideration by a government-appointed panel of experts.

The important meeting comes a day before the dry run for vaccination will be carried out in all states.&nbsp;

The SII is manufacturing 'Covishield' vaccine developed by Oxford University and pharma industry major AstraZeneca. Bharat Biotech partnered with the Indian Council of Medical Research to produce 'Covaxin', and Pfizer have sought more time to present its data.

The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) in the CDSCO had earlier met to consider the emergency use authorisation (EUA) request of Pfizer, Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech Pvt Ltd.

After the expert panel gives nod to the vaccines, the applications will be reviewed by the Drugs Controller General of India for final approval.&nbsp;

The government is aiming to start the vaccination drive this month.

India, which has the world's second-highest number of COVID-19 infections in the world after the United States, plans to inoculate 30 crore people in the next six to eight months and the affordable Oxford vaccine is its biggest hope.

Like the Pfizer-BioNTech jabs, Covishield is similar in requiring two doses but is easier to deliver as it does not need extremely low temperatures for storage. It is also cheap and easy to mass-produce.

Earlier in this week, the UK approved the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine for human use, the second coronavirus vaccine to be cleared for rollout in Britain after the Pfizer-BioNTech jabs.

(with inputs from agencies)

Applications for the emergency use approval for the coronavirus vaccines filed by the Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech and Pfizer will be taken up on Friday for consideration by a government-appointed panel of experts.

Applications for the emergency use approval for the coronavirus vaccines filed by the Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech and Pfizer will be taken up on Friday for consideration by a government-appointed panel of experts. The important meeting comes a day before the dry run for vaccination will be carried out in all states. The SII is manufacturing 'Covishield' vaccine developed by Oxford University and pharma industry major AstraZeneca. Bharat Biotech partnered with the Indian Council of Medical Research to produce 'Covaxin', and Pfizer have sought more time to present its data. The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) in the CDSCO had earlier met to consider the emergency use authorisation (EUA) request of Pfizer, Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech Pvt Ltd. After the expert panel gives nod to the vaccines, the applications will be reviewed by the Drugs Controller General of India for final approval. The government is aiming to start the vaccination drive this month. India, which has the world's second-highest number of COVID-19 infections in the world after the United States, plans to inoculate 30 crore people in the next six to eight months and the affordable Oxford vaccine is its biggest hope. Like the Pfizer-BioNTech jabs, Covishield is similar in requiring two doses but is easier to deliver as it does not need extremely low temperatures for storage. It is also cheap and easy to mass-produce. Earlier in this week, the UK approved the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine for human use, the second coronavirus vaccine to be cleared for rollout in Britain after the Pfizer-BioNTech jabs. (with inputs from agencies)

Meeting on Covid vaccine in India ahead of dry run to be held on Friday

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday granted emergency validation to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, paving the way for countries worldwide to quickly approve its import and distribution.&nbsp;

Britain launched its inoculation drive with the US-German vaccine on December 8, with the United States, Canada and EU countries following suit.

WHO said the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was the first to receive its "emergency validation" since the novel coronavirus first broke out in China a year ago.

WHO said its emergency use listing opens the way for regulators in different countries to approve the import and distribution of the vaccine.

It said it also enables UNICEF, which plays a key logistical role in distributing anti-Covid vaccines, and the Pan-American Health Organisation to procure the vaccine for countries that need it.

WHO convened its own experts and those from around the world to review the data on the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine’s "safety, efficacy and quality," weighing the benefits against the risks.

"The review found that the vaccine met the must-have criteria for safety and efficacy set out by WHO, and that the benefits of using the vaccine to address COVID-19 offset potential risks," it said.

(with inputs from AFP)

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday granted emergency validation to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, paving the way for countries worldwide to quickly approve its import and distribution.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday granted emergency validation to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, paving the way for countries worldwide to quickly approve its import and distribution. Britain launched its inoculation drive with the US-German vaccine on December 8, with the United States, Canada and EU countries following suit. WHO said the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was the first to receive its "emergency validation" since the novel coronavirus first broke out in China a year ago. WHO said its emergency use listing opens the way for regulators in different countries to approve the import and distribution of the vaccine. It said it also enables UNICEF, which plays a key logistical role in distributing anti-Covid vaccines, and the Pan-American Health Organisation to procure the vaccine for countries that need it. WHO convened its own experts and those from around the world to review the data on the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine’s "safety, efficacy and quality," weighing the benefits against the risks. "The review found that the vaccine met the must-have criteria for safety and efficacy set out by WHO, and that the benefits of using the vaccine to address COVID-19 offset potential risks," it said. (with inputs from AFP)

WHO grants 'emergency validation' to Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine

The next few months will be hell in terms of politics, epidemiology and economics. But at some point in 2021 things will start getting better. And there’s good reason to believe that once the good news starts, the improvement in our condition will be much faster and continue much longer than many people expect.

OK, one thing that probably won’t get better is the political scene. Day after day, Republicans — it’s not just Donald Trump — keep demonstrating that they’re worse than you could possibly have imagined, even when you tried to take into account the fact that they’re worse than you could possibly have imagined. One of our two major political parties no longer accepts the legitimacy of elections it loses, which bodes ill for the fate of the Republic.

But on other fronts there’s a clear case for optimism. Science has come to our rescue, big time, with the miraculously fast development of vaccines against the coronavirus. True, the United States is botching the initial rollout, which should surprise nobody. But this is probably just a temporary hitch, especially because in less than three weeks we’ll have a president actually interested in doing his job.

And once we’ve achieved widespread vaccination, the economy will bounce back. The question is, how big will the bounce be?

Our last economic crisis was followed by a sluggish recovery. Employment didn’t return to 2007 levels until 2014; real median household income didn’t regain the lost ground until 2016. And many observers expect a replay of that story, especially if Republicans retain control of the Senate and engage, once again, in economic sabotage under the pretense of being fiscally responsible.

But the crisis of 2020 was very different from the crisis of 2008, in ways that make our prospects look much better this time around.

The last economic crisis involved a Wile E. Coyote moment: The private sector suddenly looked down, realized that there was nothing supporting extravagant housing prices and extremely high levels of household debt, and plunged. The result was an extended period of depressed spending. The only way to have avoided multiple years of high unemployment would have been sustained, large-scale fiscal stimulus — and the GOP prevented that.

This 2020 crisis, by contrast, was brought on by a headwind out of nowhere, in the form of the coronavirus. The private sector doesn’t seem to have been particularly overextended before the pandemic. And while we shouldn’t minimize the hardships faced by millions of families, on average Americans have been saving like crazy, and will emerge from the pandemic with stronger balance sheets than they had before.

So I’m in the camp that expects rapid growth once people feel safe going out and spending money. Mitch McConnell and company will, no doubt, do what they always do when a Democrat occupies the White House, and try to sabotage the recovery. But this time the economy won’t need support as badly as it did during the Obama years.

And I suspect, although with less confidence, that the boom will go on for a long time. Why? Because like a number of other people, I’m getting optimistic about the future of technology.

The years that followed the 2008 crisis weren’t just marked by sluggish job growth. They also coincided with a period of technological disappointment. As entrepreneur Peter Thiel — whose politics I loathe, but who’s a good phrasemaker — put it, it was an era in which we wanted flying cars but got 140 characters instead. (It’s a mark of how trivial this stuff is that raising the limit to 280 characters seemed like a big deal.) That is, we were doing some flashy stuff pushing information around, but not making much progress in the material world, which is still where we mainly live.

Lately, however, I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz around new physical technologies that reminds me of the buzz about information technology in the early 1990s, which presaged the productivity surge from 1995 to 2005. Biotechnology finally seems to be coming into its own — hence those miraculous vaccines. There has been incredible progress in renewable energy; I’m old enough to remember when solar power was considered a hippie fantasy, and now it’s cheaper than fossil fuels. There’s room for more skepticism about the near-term prospects for things like self-driving vehicles and lab-grown meat, but the fact that we’re even talking about such innovations is a good sign for the future.

This new wave of innovation doesn’t have much to do with policy, although progress in renewables can be partly attributed to the Obama administration’s promotion of green energy. But the Biden administration, unlike its predecessor, won’t be anti-science and won’t try desperately to preserve the coal-burning past. That will help us take advantage of progress.

I’m less confident in my techno-optimism than I am in my expectations for a rapid employment recovery once we’ve been vaccinated. But all in all, there’s a pretty good chance that Joe Biden will preside over an economy that surprises many people on the upside. Happy New Year. 
&nbsp;

The next few months will be hell in terms of politics, epidemiology and economics. But at some point in 2021 things will start getting better. And there’s good reason to believe that once the good news starts, the improvement in our condition will be much faster and continue much longer than many people expect.

The next few months will be hell in terms of politics, epidemiology and economics. But at some point in 2021 things will start getting better. And there’s good reason to believe that once the good news starts, the improvement in our condition will be much faster and continue much longer than many people expect. OK, one thing that probably won’t get better is the political scene. Day after day, Republicans — it’s not just Donald Trump — keep demonstrating that they’re worse than you could possibly have imagined, even when you tried to take into account the fact that they’re worse than you could possibly have imagined. One of our two major political parties no longer accepts the legitimacy of elections it loses, which bodes ill for the fate of the Republic. But on other fronts there’s a clear case for optimism. Science has come to our rescue, big time, with the miraculously fast development of vaccines against the coronavirus. True, the United States is botching the initial rollout, which should surprise nobody. But this is probably just a temporary hitch, especially because in less than three weeks we’ll have a president actually interested in doing his job. And once we’ve achieved widespread vaccination, the economy will bounce back. The question is, how big will the bounce be? Our last economic crisis was followed by a sluggish recovery. Employment didn’t return to 2007 levels until 2014; real median household income didn’t regain the lost ground until 2016. And many observers expect a replay of that story, especially if Republicans retain control of the Senate and engage, once again, in economic sabotage under the pretense of being fiscally responsible. But the crisis of 2020 was very different from the crisis of 2008, in ways that make our prospects look much better this time around. The last economic crisis involved a Wile E. Coyote moment: The private sector suddenly looked down, realized that there was nothing supporting extravagant housing prices and extremely high levels of household debt, and plunged. The result was an extended period of depressed spending. The only way to have avoided multiple years of high unemployment would have been sustained, large-scale fiscal stimulus — and the GOP prevented that. This 2020 crisis, by contrast, was brought on by a headwind out of nowhere, in the form of the coronavirus. The private sector doesn’t seem to have been particularly overextended before the pandemic. And while we shouldn’t minimize the hardships faced by millions of families, on average Americans have been saving like crazy, and will emerge from the pandemic with stronger balance sheets than they had before. So I’m in the camp that expects rapid growth once people feel safe going out and spending money. Mitch McConnell and company will, no doubt, do what they always do when a Democrat occupies the White House, and try to sabotage the recovery. But this time the economy won’t need support as badly as it did during the Obama years. And I suspect, although with less confidence, that the boom will go on for a long time. Why? Because like a number of other people, I’m getting optimistic about the future of technology. The years that followed the 2008 crisis weren’t just marked by sluggish job growth. They also coincided with a period of technological disappointment. As entrepreneur Peter Thiel — whose politics I loathe, but who’s a good phrasemaker — put it, it was an era in which we wanted flying cars but got 140 characters instead. (It’s a mark of how trivial this stuff is that raising the limit to 280 characters seemed like a big deal.) That is, we were doing some flashy stuff pushing information around, but not making much progress in the material world, which is still where we mainly live. Lately, however, I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz around new physical technologies that reminds me of the buzz about information technology in the early 1990s, which presaged the productivity surge from 1995 to 2005. Biotechnology finally seems to be coming into its own — hence those miraculous vaccines. There has been incredible progress in renewable energy; I’m old enough to remember when solar power was considered a hippie fantasy, and now it’s cheaper than fossil fuels. There’s room for more skepticism about the near-term prospects for things like self-driving vehicles and lab-grown meat, but the fact that we’re even talking about such innovations is a good sign for the future. This new wave of innovation doesn’t have much to do with policy, although progress in renewables can be partly attributed to the Obama administration’s promotion of green energy. But the Biden administration, unlike its predecessor, won’t be anti-science and won’t try desperately to preserve the coal-burning past. That will help us take advantage of progress. I’m less confident in my techno-optimism than I am in my expectations for a rapid employment recovery once we’ve been vaccinated. But all in all, there’s a pretty good chance that Joe Biden will preside over an economy that surprises many people on the upside. Happy New Year.

Things will get better. Seriously

The government has allowed import and export of COVID-19 vaccines without any value limitation, in order to ensure speedy clearance and distribution.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has amended the regulations to facilitate the import/export of COVID-19 vaccines through courier, at locations where the Express Cargo Clearance System (ECCS) is operational.

"Imports of and exports of vaccines in relation to COVID-19 has been allowed without any value limitation," said the amended Courier Imports and Exports (Electronic Declaration and Processing) Amendment Regulations, 2020.

The CBIC said that COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to Customs and other administrations the world over and efficient clearance and distribution of vaccines would be a critical requirement in the collective fight against the pandemic.

"The challenges in doing so is heightened by the fact that the vaccines need to be stored and transported under controlled temperatures and there are multiple stakeholders involved in this process. This necessitates putting in place efficient cross-border procedures for speedy evacuation of the vaccines," the CBIC said.

The regulation further states that since the vaccines will be imported in durable containers equipped with the requisite temperature monitoring and tracking devices, the export of the durable container including accessories thereof, imported in relation to COVID-19 vaccines has also been permitted.

"Importers may be advised to indicate the unique identifier of the container and the accessories during import in the Courier Bill of Entry (CBE-V) and also at the time of re-export in the Courier Shipping Bill (CSB IV) for facilitating clearance," it added.

The CBIC, in a letter to field offices, said since multiple stakeholders will be involved in the process of clearance of the vaccines, effective coordination among the stakeholders would be necessary.

It also asked for setting up of a task force, headed by a Joint/ Additional Commissioner of Customs rank officer and comprising relevant stakeholders, for a coordinated approach for efficient clearance of vaccines relating to COVID-19.

AMRG &amp; Associates Senior Partner Rajat Mohan said global pharmaceutical companies are in advanced stages of bulk deployment of COVID-19 vaccines.

"Eyeing global logistics and custom clearance challenges, the government has made some changes in Courier Imports and Exports Regulations, which includes permission to import and export of COVID-19 vaccines without any value limitation," Mohan added.

The government has allowed import and export of COVID-19 vaccines without any value limitation, in order to ensure speedy clearance and distribution. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has amended the regulations to facilitate the import/export of COVID-19 vaccines through courier, at locations where the Express Cargo Clearance System (ECCS) is operational.

The government has allowed import and export of COVID-19 vaccines without any value limitation, in order to ensure speedy clearance and distribution. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has amended the regulations to facilitate the import/export of COVID-19 vaccines through courier, at locations where the Express Cargo Clearance System (ECCS) is operational. "Imports of and exports of vaccines in relation to COVID-19 has been allowed without any value limitation," said the amended Courier Imports and Exports (Electronic Declaration and Processing) Amendment Regulations, 2020. The CBIC said that COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to Customs and other administrations the world over and efficient clearance and distribution of vaccines would be a critical requirement in the collective fight against the pandemic. "The challenges in doing so is heightened by the fact that the vaccines need to be stored and transported under controlled temperatures and there are multiple stakeholders involved in this process. This necessitates putting in place efficient cross-border procedures for speedy evacuation of the vaccines," the CBIC said. The regulation further states that since the vaccines will be imported in durable containers equipped with the requisite temperature monitoring and tracking devices, the export of the durable container including accessories thereof, imported in relation to COVID-19 vaccines has also been permitted. "Importers may be advised to indicate the unique identifier of the container and the accessories during import in the Courier Bill of Entry (CBE-V) and also at the time of re-export in the Courier Shipping Bill (CSB IV) for facilitating clearance," it added. The CBIC, in a letter to field offices, said since multiple stakeholders will be involved in the process of clearance of the vaccines, effective coordination among the stakeholders would be necessary. It also asked for setting up of a task force, headed by a Joint/ Additional Commissioner of Customs rank officer and comprising relevant stakeholders, for a coordinated approach for efficient clearance of vaccines relating to COVID-19. AMRG & Associates Senior Partner Rajat Mohan said global pharmaceutical companies are in advanced stages of bulk deployment of COVID-19 vaccines. "Eyeing global logistics and custom clearance challenges, the government has made some changes in Courier Imports and Exports Regulations, which includes permission to import and export of COVID-19 vaccines without any value limitation," Mohan added.

Indian govt allows import/export of COVID-19 vaccine without any value limitation

Pakistan will purchase 1.2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from China`s Sinopharm , a minister said on Thursday, the first official confirmation of a vaccine purchase by the South Asian country as it battles a second wave of infections.

China approved a COVID-19 vaccine developed by an affiliate of state-backed pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm on Thursday, its first approved shot for general public use.

"The Cabinet Committee has decided to initially purchase 1.2 million doses of the vaccine from the Chinese company Sinopharm, which will be provided free of cost to frontline workers in the first quarter of 2021," Pakistani Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said on Twitter.

Pakistan had earlier this month approved $150 million in funding to buy COVID-19 vaccines, initially to cover the most vulnerable 5% of the population.

The country did not announce which vaccine it would procure, but said a panel of experts was compiling a list of recommendations and that it could tap more than one source.

"If the private sector wants to import any other internationally-approved vaccine, it can do so," Hussain said on Thursday.

The country of 220 million is in the midst of another spate of infections, with 58 deaths on Wednesday taking its death toll past 10,000.

It also reported 2,475 new infections, taking the total to 479,715.

Pakistan is also running phase III clinical trials for CanSino Biologics` COVID-19 vaccine candidate, Ad5-nCoV, led by the government-run National Institute of Health.

Pakistan will purchase 1.2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from China`s Sinopharm , a minister said on Thursday, the first official confirmation of a vaccine purchase by the South Asian country as it battles a second wave of infections.

Pakistan will purchase 1.2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from China`s Sinopharm , a minister said on Thursday, the first official confirmation of a vaccine purchase by the South Asian country as it battles a second wave of infections. China approved a COVID-19 vaccine developed by an affiliate of state-backed pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm on Thursday, its first approved shot for general public use. "The Cabinet Committee has decided to initially purchase 1.2 million doses of the vaccine from the Chinese company Sinopharm, which will be provided free of cost to frontline workers in the first quarter of 2021," Pakistani Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said on Twitter. Pakistan had earlier this month approved $150 million in funding to buy COVID-19 vaccines, initially to cover the most vulnerable 5% of the population. The country did not announce which vaccine it would procure, but said a panel of experts was compiling a list of recommendations and that it could tap more than one source. "If the private sector wants to import any other internationally-approved vaccine, it can do so," Hussain said on Thursday. The country of 220 million is in the midst of another spate of infections, with 58 deaths on Wednesday taking its death toll past 10,000. It also reported 2,475 new infections, taking the total to 479,715. Pakistan is also running phase III clinical trials for CanSino Biologics` COVID-19 vaccine candidate, Ad5-nCoV, led by the government-run National Institute of Health.

Pakistan to purchase 1.2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from China's Sinopharm

China has approved its first COVID-19 vaccine for general public use &nbsp;-- a shot developed by an affiliate of state-backed pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm.

The approval, announced by the National Medical Products Administration on Thursday, comes after the United Arab Emirates this month became the first country to roll out the vaccine to the public.

No detailed efficacy data of the vaccine has been publicly released but its developer, Beijing Biological Products Institute, a unit of Sinopharm subsidiary China National Biotec Group (CNBG), said on Wednesday its vaccine was 79.34 per cent effective in preventing people from developing the disease based on interim data.

China launched an emergency use programme in July aimed at essential workers and others at high risk of infection and as of the end of November, had administered more than 1.5 million doses using at least three different products &nbsp;-- two developed by CNBG and one by Sinovac.

More than 3 million additional doses have been given since December 15 as the drive to vaccinate priority groups gathers pace.

Four other vaccines from Sinovac, CNBG's Wuhan unit, CanSino Biologics and the Chinese Academy of Sciences are also in late stage trials, underscoring China's efforts to develop a homegrown vaccine to challenge Western rivals.

President Xi Jinping has pledged to make China's vaccines a global public good and it has won several large supply deals with countries including Indonesia and Brazil &nbsp;- the most populous countries in Southeast Asia and Latin America respectively.

While China has kept new outbreaks of the coronavirus under control, it is ramping up the emergency programme to contain the risks over the winter. The virus emerged a year ago in a market in the central city of Wuhan.

The South China Morning Post reported that China would vaccinate as many as 50 million people from high-priority groups before the Lunar New Year holiday in February.

The price of the vaccine would depend on the scale of use, but the "premise" was that it would be free for the public in China.

The vaccine's approval is officially "regulatory", a conditional green light given to vaccines deemed urgently needed to cope with major public health emergencies even though complete clinical trials have yet to be completed.

The approval comes as Britain on Wednesday approved a second COVID-19 vaccine, a shot developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, as it battles a major winter surge driven by a new variant of the virus.

(with inputs from agencies)

China has approved its first COVID-19 vaccine for general public use -- a shot developed by an affiliate of state-backed pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm. The approval, announced by the National Medical Products Administration on Thursday, comes after the United Arab Emirates this month became the first country to roll out the vaccine to the public.

China has approved its first COVID-19 vaccine for general public use -- a shot developed by an affiliate of state-backed pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm. The approval, announced by the National Medical Products Administration on Thursday, comes after the United Arab Emirates this month became the first country to roll out the vaccine to the public. No detailed efficacy data of the vaccine has been publicly released but its developer, Beijing Biological Products Institute, a unit of Sinopharm subsidiary China National Biotec Group (CNBG), said on Wednesday its vaccine was 79.34 per cent effective in preventing people from developing the disease based on interim data. China launched an emergency use programme in July aimed at essential workers and others at high risk of infection and as of the end of November, had administered more than 1.5 million doses using at least three different products -- two developed by CNBG and one by Sinovac. More than 3 million additional doses have been given since December 15 as the drive to vaccinate priority groups gathers pace. Four other vaccines from Sinovac, CNBG's Wuhan unit, CanSino Biologics and the Chinese Academy of Sciences are also in late stage trials, underscoring China's efforts to develop a homegrown vaccine to challenge Western rivals. President Xi Jinping has pledged to make China's vaccines a global public good and it has won several large supply deals with countries including Indonesia and Brazil - the most populous countries in Southeast Asia and Latin America respectively. While China has kept new outbreaks of the coronavirus under control, it is ramping up the emergency programme to contain the risks over the winter. The virus emerged a year ago in a market in the central city of Wuhan. The South China Morning Post reported that China would vaccinate as many as 50 million people from high-priority groups before the Lunar New Year holiday in February. The price of the vaccine would depend on the scale of use, but the "premise" was that it would be free for the public in China. The vaccine's approval is officially "regulatory", a conditional green light given to vaccines deemed urgently needed to cope with major public health emergencies even though complete clinical trials have yet to be completed. The approval comes as Britain on Wednesday approved a second COVID-19 vaccine, a shot developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, as it battles a major winter surge driven by a new variant of the virus. (with inputs from agencies)

China approves its first Covid vaccine, developed by Sinopharm, for general use

The COVID-19 vaccine developed by British drugmaker AstraZeneca Plc and Oxford University will likely be authorised for emergency use in the United States in April.

British regulators approved AstraZeneca's vaccine Wednesday, the first country in the world to do so, based in part on unpublished data.

Operation Warp Speed chief advisor Dr Moncef Slaoui Wednesday said recruitment for the British drugmaker's late-stage US trial is almost complete with over 29,000 participants enrolled.

Several scientists have raised doubts about the robustness of results from its British and Brazilian trials, showing the shot was 90 per cent effective in a sub-group of trial participants. That group, by error initially, received a half dose followed by a full dose. But the efficacy was 62% if the full dose was given twice, as it was for most participants.

Slaoui said it would ultimately be up to the US Food and Drug Administration as to how to evaluate the vaccine for US authorisation.

The chief advisor was also cautious about whether the United States should implement similar guidance as the UK regulators to space out the second dose of Pfizer Inc's by as much as 12 weeks, longer than what was studied in clinical trials.

Officials said that 14 million doses of Pfizer's and Moderna's have been distributed to states, short of their goal to send enough doses to vaccinate 20 million Americans this month. Only about 2 million Americans have been vaccinated thus far and officials said they were still studying why immunisations were slower than they anticipated.

The COVID-19 vaccine developed by British drugmaker AstraZeneca Plc and Oxford University will likely be authorised for emergency use in the United States in April.

The COVID-19 vaccine developed by British drugmaker AstraZeneca Plc and Oxford University will likely be authorised for emergency use in the United States in April. British regulators approved AstraZeneca's vaccine Wednesday, the first country in the world to do so, based in part on unpublished data. Operation Warp Speed chief advisor Dr Moncef Slaoui Wednesday said recruitment for the British drugmaker's late-stage US trial is almost complete with over 29,000 participants enrolled. Several scientists have raised doubts about the robustness of results from its British and Brazilian trials, showing the shot was 90 per cent effective in a sub-group of trial participants. That group, by error initially, received a half dose followed by a full dose. But the efficacy was 62% if the full dose was given twice, as it was for most participants. Slaoui said it would ultimately be up to the US Food and Drug Administration as to how to evaluate the vaccine for US authorisation. The chief advisor was also cautious about whether the United States should implement similar guidance as the UK regulators to space out the second dose of Pfizer Inc's by as much as 12 weeks, longer than what was studied in clinical trials. Officials said that 14 million doses of Pfizer's and Moderna's have been distributed to states, short of their goal to send enough doses to vaccinate 20 million Americans this month. Only about 2 million Americans have been vaccinated thus far and officials said they were still studying why immunisations were slower than they anticipated.

US may authorise AstraZeneca Covid vaccine for emergency use in April

Terming the approval for Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for use in the UK as a "big step forward", AIIMS Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Wednesday said that India will have the COVID-19 vaccine within days.

"This is very good news that AstraZeneca got approval for its vaccine by UK regulatory authorities. They have robust data and in India and the same vaccine is being developed by the Serum Institute of India. This is a big step forward not only for India but many parts of the world," Dr Guleria told ANI in an interview.

"This vaccine can be stored at two to eight degrees centigrade. Therefore it would be easy to store and transportation. Storage can be done using a simple fridge rather than what is required in the Pfizer vaccine of minus 70 degrees centigrade," All India Institute Of Medical Sciences, New Delhi Director Dr Guleria said.

On the issue of COVID-19 vaccination drive in India, he said, "India to roll out COVID-19 vaccines for a large part of the country and therefore we will see the vaccine available in our country in the very near future."

When asked about how much time is needed for the roll-out of COVID vaccine in the country, Dr Guleria said, "Now, we have a data, and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved based on the studies in UK, Brazil and South Africa. There is also data from Serum Institute of India (SII). I think, once the data is shown to the regulatory authority, we should get approval for the vaccine in the county within a few days. I would say days rather than weeks or months." Dr Guleria, who is a member of the national task force on Covid-19 management, said that the country has a "robust plan as far as the vaccination is concerned".

"We vaccinate children and pregnant women as part of our universal immunization program. Using the same platform to store vaccines at 2 to 8 degrees centigrade, it will be easier for us to store COVID-19 vaccines," he added while emphasising on the easy storage process in comparison to Pfizer vaccine of minus 70 degrees centigrade.

Meanwhile, the Pune-based Serum Institute of India has sought emergency approval for the vaccine--Covishield-- developed along with global pharma giant AstraZeneca and Oxford University.

In what could be termed as New Year gift, Adar Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer, Serum Institute of India on Monday said 40-50 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have already been stockpiled, adding that Covishield rollout is expected in January.

Terming the approval for Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for use in the UK as a "big step forward", AIIMS Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Wednesday said that India will have the COVID-19 vaccine within days.

Terming the approval for Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for use in the UK as a "big step forward", AIIMS Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Wednesday said that India will have the COVID-19 vaccine within days. "This is very good news that AstraZeneca got approval for its vaccine by UK regulatory authorities. They have robust data and in India and the same vaccine is being developed by the Serum Institute of India. This is a big step forward not only for India but many parts of the world," Dr Guleria told ANI in an interview. "This vaccine can be stored at two to eight degrees centigrade. Therefore it would be easy to store and transportation. Storage can be done using a simple fridge rather than what is required in the Pfizer vaccine of minus 70 degrees centigrade," All India Institute Of Medical Sciences, New Delhi Director Dr Guleria said. On the issue of COVID-19 vaccination drive in India, he said, "India to roll out COVID-19 vaccines for a large part of the country and therefore we will see the vaccine available in our country in the very near future." When asked about how much time is needed for the roll-out of COVID vaccine in the country, Dr Guleria said, "Now, we have a data, and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved based on the studies in UK, Brazil and South Africa. There is also data from Serum Institute of India (SII). I think, once the data is shown to the regulatory authority, we should get approval for the vaccine in the county within a few days. I would say days rather than weeks or months." Dr Guleria, who is a member of the national task force on Covid-19 management, said that the country has a "robust plan as far as the vaccination is concerned". "We vaccinate children and pregnant women as part of our universal immunization program. Using the same platform to store vaccines at 2 to 8 degrees centigrade, it will be easier for us to store COVID-19 vaccines," he added while emphasising on the easy storage process in comparison to Pfizer vaccine of minus 70 degrees centigrade. Meanwhile, the Pune-based Serum Institute of India has sought emergency approval for the vaccine--Covishield-- developed along with global pharma giant AstraZeneca and Oxford University. In what could be termed as New Year gift, Adar Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer, Serum Institute of India on Monday said 40-50 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have already been stockpiled, adding that Covishield rollout is expected in January.

India will have Covid-19 vaccine within days: AIIMS Director

LONDON — Just before 3 p.m. on Wednesday, British lawmakers voted to ratify the Brexit trade agreement with the European Union, drawing a symbolic end to a debate that has sundered the country for more than four years.

Minutes later, the health secretary, Matt Hancock, rose in Parliament to announce that the government would put three-quarters of the population of England into the strictest level of lockdown, as a new variant of the coronavirus rampages across the country. The government also delayed the reopening of secondary schools in January.

It was a dizzying day of contrasts in Britain on Wednesday — a country propelling itself into a post-Brexit future, even as it remained in the grip of a pandemic that has recently entered a frightening new phase, exulting in a newly authorized British-made vaccine while racing to vaccinate its people against the virus.

The 521-73 vote came after a rushed, single day of debate, just a day before the agreement is scheduled to come into force. No sooner had the House of Commons approved the deal and sent it to the House of Lords, which ratified it later in the day, than attention swung back to the increasingly desperate attempts to curb the virus. Even on the pandemic, however, the news was mixed.

Earlier Wednesday, British regulators approved a second vaccine, developed in labs at Oxford University and manufactured by AstraZeneca, which officials said gave hope for an end to the plague of infections. Hancock hailed it as a prized example of British scientific achievement but warned that it would not spare the country several more difficult weeks before the doses become widely available.

“Today is a day of mixed emotions,” Hancock said, understating the head-spinning events that unfolded with every hour.

For Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the penultimate day of 2020 summed up a year of unending turbulence. It began in January with Britain’s formal departure from the EU — a moment of triumph for a leader who won a landslide election victory by promising to “Get Brexit done” — but quickly slid into crisis, as Johnson repeatedly reversed himself in dealing with the coronavirus after being hospitalized himself.

The decision to delay the reopening of most secondary schools and colleges in England for two weeks, until Jan. 18, represented yet another reversal, since the government had vowed to keep schools open regardless of what else it shut down. The education secretary, Gavin Williamson, said most primary schools would open on schedule on Jan. 4.

Public health experts generally backed the government’s action, although some said schools should be closed altogether or delayed for two weeks to reassess the trajectory of infections, which have soared since the emergence last month of a more rapidly transmissible variant of the virus.

“The numbers are too high now,” said Devi Sridhar, head of the global public health program at the University of Edinburgh.

Britain reported 50,023 new cases Wednesday, and 981 deaths, the highest number of fatalities since April. All told, the country has recorded 72,548 deaths from the virus, the highest number in Europe.

The government estimated that 60% of the new cases were from the variant, which has spread to other countries in Europe and was detected this week in Colorado. The sudden surge in cases has upended the government’s plan to keep schools open as it began a massive rollout of vaccines.

The new rules will greatly expand, starting Thursday, the areas of England under the highest tier level of restrictions, Tier 4, closing nonessential businesses, prohibiting mixing between households and telling people they should generally stay at home. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which set their own rules, have similar limits in place.

Speaking at an end-of-day news conference, Johnson balanced his enthusiasm about the new vaccine, which he has seized on as emblematic of an enterprising post-Brexit Britain, with a sober recognition that the country remained in deep crisis. He declined to rule out further changes in schools, which had been, until now, one of the only areas where the government had stuck to its guns for several months.

“My emotions, I suppose, are mixture of frustration, plus optimism, equals grim determination,” Johnson said.

It was a stark contrast from the confident prime minister who opened the debate on the trade deal in the morning by extolling it as a way to “take back control of our money, our borders, our laws and our waters.”

“We now seize this moment,” he said, “to forge a fantastic new relationship with our European neighbors based on free trade and friendly cooperation.”

Despite the lack of time for scrutiny, the ease with which the agreement passed through Parliament was a departure from the many knife-edge votes held before last year’s election, when the House of Commons was gridlocked over Brexit.

Conservative lawmakers, including a caucus of hard-line Brexit supporters, rallied behind Johnson. His success in defusing the Brexiteer fringe of his party was notable, given that rifts over the EU have vexed the party for decades and Britain made substantial concessions to Brussels in the talks.

William Cash, a Conservative lawmaker who has spent his career opposing European integration, described the deal as a “true turning point in our history” and said Johnson had “saved our democracy.”

Even the opposition Labour Party ordered its lawmakers to support the agreement on the basis that it was better than nothing, although more than 30 refused to vote for an agreement that creates new barriers to trade with European nations.

Critics note that Johnson’s deal secures little for Britain’s services sector and means added bureaucracy for British businesses exporting to continental Europe that will have to make millions of additional customs declarations.

Former Prime Minister Theresa May noted that lawmakers spent months rejecting every previous attempt to broker a trade deal with the European Union. On Wednesday, lawmakers approved a deal in a few hours that May said was not as good as the proposals drawn up last year by her government.

Still, Johnson achieved his political objective by increasing the country’s ability to exert its sovereignty and make decisions without being restricted by EU institutions like its Court of Justice.

Some have pointed to the swift approval of the AstraZeneca vaccine, as well as the Pfizer vaccine a few weeks ago, as a testament to that new freedom, though Britain gave those approvals while still bound by EU rules. Those rules permit all member states to approve vaccines before the bloc’s health regulator during a pandemic, but only Britain has done so.

Britain, analysts said, would have felt more pressure not to get ahead of the EU had it still been a member.

The trade agreement has no shortage of critics. Fishing workers have accused Johnson of capitulating to the EU over fishing rights. Business leaders worry about the bureaucratic burdens resulting from the deal, and that it does little for the services sector, which accounts for about four-fifths of the British economy.

Johnson, however, dismissed suggestions that the new arrangements would cause headaches for British companies.

“From the point of view of U.K. exporters, for instance, they’ll now have the advantage that they’ll only have one set of forms they have to fill out for export to around the whole world,” he said in an interview with the BBC, glossing over the fact that millions of new customs forms that were not required while Britain was part of the European trading bloc will have to be completed.

Opponents of Brexit, Johnson said, often warned that Britain could not diverge from the EU’s rules and still trade freely with the bloc — in other words, it could not have its cake and eat it, too.

“That has turned out not to be true,” the prime minister said. “I want you to see that this is a cakist treaty.”

LONDON — Just before 3 p.m. on Wednesday, British lawmakers voted to ratify the Brexit trade agreement with the European Union, drawing a symbolic end to a debate that has sundered the country for more than four years.

LONDON — Just before 3 p.m. on Wednesday, British lawmakers voted to ratify the Brexit trade agreement with the European Union, drawing a symbolic end to a debate that has sundered the country for more than four years. Minutes later, the health secretary, Matt Hancock, rose in Parliament to announce that the government would put three-quarters of the population of England into the strictest level of lockdown, as a new variant of the coronavirus rampages across the country. The government also delayed the reopening of secondary schools in January. It was a dizzying day of contrasts in Britain on Wednesday — a country propelling itself into a post-Brexit future, even as it remained in the grip of a pandemic that has recently entered a frightening new phase, exulting in a newly authorized British-made vaccine while racing to vaccinate its people against the virus. The 521-73 vote came after a rushed, single day of debate, just a day before the agreement is scheduled to come into force. No sooner had the House of Commons approved the deal and sent it to the House of Lords, which ratified it later in the day, than attention swung back to the increasingly desperate attempts to curb the virus. Even on the pandemic, however, the news was mixed. Earlier Wednesday, British regulators approved a second vaccine, developed in labs at Oxford University and manufactured by AstraZeneca, which officials said gave hope for an end to the plague of infections. Hancock hailed it as a prized example of British scientific achievement but warned that it would not spare the country several more difficult weeks before the doses become widely available. “Today is a day of mixed emotions,” Hancock said, understating the head-spinning events that unfolded with every hour. For Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the penultimate day of 2020 summed up a year of unending turbulence. It began in January with Britain’s formal departure from the EU — a moment of triumph for a leader who won a landslide election victory by promising to “Get Brexit done” — but quickly slid into crisis, as Johnson repeatedly reversed himself in dealing with the coronavirus after being hospitalized himself. The decision to delay the reopening of most secondary schools and colleges in England for two weeks, until Jan. 18, represented yet another reversal, since the government had vowed to keep schools open regardless of what else it shut down. The education secretary, Gavin Williamson, said most primary schools would open on schedule on Jan. 4. Public health experts generally backed the government’s action, although some said schools should be closed altogether or delayed for two weeks to reassess the trajectory of infections, which have soared since the emergence last month of a more rapidly transmissible variant of the virus. “The numbers are too high now,” said Devi Sridhar, head of the global public health program at the University of Edinburgh. Britain reported 50,023 new cases Wednesday, and 981 deaths, the highest number of fatalities since April. All told, the country has recorded 72,548 deaths from the virus, the highest number in Europe. The government estimated that 60% of the new cases were from the variant, which has spread to other countries in Europe and was detected this week in Colorado. The sudden surge in cases has upended the government’s plan to keep schools open as it began a massive rollout of vaccines. The new rules will greatly expand, starting Thursday, the areas of England under the highest tier level of restrictions, Tier 4, closing nonessential businesses, prohibiting mixing between households and telling people they should generally stay at home. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which set their own rules, have similar limits in place. Speaking at an end-of-day news conference, Johnson balanced his enthusiasm about the new vaccine, which he has seized on as emblematic of an enterprising post-Brexit Britain, with a sober recognition that the country remained in deep crisis. He declined to rule out further changes in schools, which had been, until now, one of the only areas where the government had stuck to its guns for several months. “My emotions, I suppose, are mixture of frustration, plus optimism, equals grim determination,” Johnson said. It was a stark contrast from the confident prime minister who opened the debate on the trade deal in the morning by extolling it as a way to “take back control of our money, our borders, our laws and our waters.” “We now seize this moment,” he said, “to forge a fantastic new relationship with our European neighbors based on free trade and friendly cooperation.” Despite the lack of time for scrutiny, the ease with which the agreement passed through Parliament was a departure from the many knife-edge votes held before last year’s election, when the House of Commons was gridlocked over Brexit. Conservative lawmakers, including a caucus of hard-line Brexit supporters, rallied behind Johnson. His success in defusing the Brexiteer fringe of his party was notable, given that rifts over the EU have vexed the party for decades and Britain made substantial concessions to Brussels in the talks. William Cash, a Conservative lawmaker who has spent his career opposing European integration, described the deal as a “true turning point in our history” and said Johnson had “saved our democracy.” Even the opposition Labour Party ordered its lawmakers to support the agreement on the basis that it was better than nothing, although more than 30 refused to vote for an agreement that creates new barriers to trade with European nations. Critics note that Johnson’s deal secures little for Britain’s services sector and means added bureaucracy for British businesses exporting to continental Europe that will have to make millions of additional customs declarations. Former Prime Minister Theresa May noted that lawmakers spent months rejecting every previous attempt to broker a trade deal with the European Union. On Wednesday, lawmakers approved a deal in a few hours that May said was not as good as the proposals drawn up last year by her government. Still, Johnson achieved his political objective by increasing the country’s ability to exert its sovereignty and make decisions without being restricted by EU institutions like its Court of Justice. Some have pointed to the swift approval of the AstraZeneca vaccine, as well as the Pfizer vaccine a few weeks ago, as a testament to that new freedom, though Britain gave those approvals while still bound by EU rules. Those rules permit all member states to approve vaccines before the bloc’s health regulator during a pandemic, but only Britain has done so. Britain, analysts said, would have felt more pressure not to get ahead of the EU had it still been a member. The trade agreement has no shortage of critics. Fishing workers have accused Johnson of capitulating to the EU over fishing rights. Business leaders worry about the bureaucratic burdens resulting from the deal, and that it does little for the services sector, which accounts for about four-fifths of the British economy. Johnson, however, dismissed suggestions that the new arrangements would cause headaches for British companies. “From the point of view of U.K. exporters, for instance, they’ll now have the advantage that they’ll only have one set of forms they have to fill out for export to around the whole world,” he said in an interview with the BBC, glossing over the fact that millions of new customs forms that were not required while Britain was part of the European trading bloc will have to be completed. Opponents of Brexit, Johnson said, often warned that Britain could not diverge from the EU’s rules and still trade freely with the bloc — in other words, it could not have its cake and eat it, too. “That has turned out not to be true,” the prime minister said. “I want you to see that this is a cakist treaty.”

Brexit, lockdown and a vaccine: A head-spinning day of change in UK

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

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

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

Taiwan reports first case of new coronavirus variant found in Britain

The first known US case of a highly infectious coronavirus variant has been detected in Colorado.

The Rocky Mountain state of Colorado recorded what is believed to be the first case in the United States -- which has suffered the highest death toll of the year-old pandemic that has claimed more than 1.78 million lives globally. Nearly 338,000 people have died of Covid-19 in the US.

Governor Jared Polis Tuesday said his state had discovered a case of the highly infectious coronavirus variant B.1.1.7 first detected in Britain. Scientists there believe the variant is more contagious than other previously identified strains of the SAR-CoV-2 variant.

The new strain, which first emerged in the UK, pushed Britain to a new daily record of infections and led South Africa to impose a raft of new measures, amid fears around the world that holiday revelers are aggravating the spike in infections.&nbsp;It has been detected in a number of European countries, as well as in Canada, Australia, India, South Korea and Japan, among others.

The EU health agency warned the strain carried a high risk for more hospitalizations and deaths -- not because the infections are more severe but because it spreads more easily.

Polis said in a statement the infected patient was a man in his 20s with no recent travel history who is currently in isolation in Denver.

"Public health officials are doing a thorough investigation" and the individual has "no close contacts identified so far," he said, adding that the state has notified the federal government.

Meanwhile, President-elect Joe Biden has warned it could take years for most Americans to be vaccinated for the virus at current distribution rates.

Biden's prediction of a grim winter appeared aimed at lowering public expectations that the pandemic will be over soon after he takes office on January 20, while also sending a message to Congress that his administration will want to significantly increase spending to expedite vaccine distribution, expand testing and provide funding to states to help reopen schools.

Biden, a Democrat, said about 2 million people have been vaccinated, well short of the 20 million that outgoing Republican President Donald Trump had promised by the end of the year. Biden defeated Trump in a November election.

"The effort to distribute and administer the vaccine is not progressing as it should," Biden said in Wilmington, Delaware. At the current rate, "it's going to take years, not months, to vaccinate the American people."

Biden's goal of ensuring that 100 million vaccinations are administered by the end of his 100th day in office would mean "ramping up five to six times the current pace to 1 million shots a day," he&nbsp;said, noting that it would require Congress to approve additional funding.

"We're planning a whole-of-government effort and we're going to work to set up vaccination sites and send mobile units to hard-to-reach communities," Biden said.

Even at such an ambitious rate, it would still take months for the majority of Americans to be vaccinated, he said, adding that the situation may not improve until "well into March."

Biden also said he plans to invoke the Defence Production Act, which grants the president the power to expand industrial production of key materials or products for national security or other reasons, to accelerate production of vaccine materials.

Trump himself has invoked the law during the pandemic.

To reopen schools safely, Biden said Congress would need to provide funding for such things as additional transportation, so students can maintain social distancing, and improved ventilation in school buildings.

Earlier in the day, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris received a COVID-19 vaccination live on television in a bid to boost confidence in the inoculation.

Harris, who is Black and Asian American, received the Moderna Inc vaccine at a medical center in predominantly Black southeast Washington. The Biden team has emphasised the importance of inoculation in non-white groups especially hard hit by the coronavirus.

Biden has vowed to make a top priority of fighting the coronavirus, which has infected more than 19 million people in the United States and killed over 334,000. He received his first injected dose last week. Two doses are required for full protection.

(with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The first known US case of a highly infectious coronavirus variant has been detected in Colorado. The Rocky Mountain state of Colorado recorded what is believed to be the first case in the United States -- which has suffered the highest death toll of the year-old pandemic that has claimed more than 1.

The first known US case of a highly infectious coronavirus variant has been detected in Colorado. The Rocky Mountain state of Colorado recorded what is believed to be the first case in the United States -- which has suffered the highest death toll of the year-old pandemic that has claimed more than 1.78 million lives globally. Nearly 338,000 people have died of Covid-19 in the US. Governor Jared Polis Tuesday said his state had discovered a case of the highly infectious coronavirus variant B.1.1.7 first detected in Britain. Scientists there believe the variant is more contagious than other previously identified strains of the SAR-CoV-2 variant. The new strain, which first emerged in the UK, pushed Britain to a new daily record of infections and led South Africa to impose a raft of new measures, amid fears around the world that holiday revelers are aggravating the spike in infections. It has been detected in a number of European countries, as well as in Canada, Australia, India, South Korea and Japan, among others. The EU health agency warned the strain carried a high risk for more hospitalizations and deaths -- not because the infections are more severe but because it spreads more easily. Polis said in a statement the infected patient was a man in his 20s with no recent travel history who is currently in isolation in Denver. "Public health officials are doing a thorough investigation" and the individual has "no close contacts identified so far," he said, adding that the state has notified the federal government. Meanwhile, President-elect Joe Biden has warned it could take years for most Americans to be vaccinated for the virus at current distribution rates. Biden's prediction of a grim winter appeared aimed at lowering public expectations that the pandemic will be over soon after he takes office on January 20, while also sending a message to Congress that his administration will want to significantly increase spending to expedite vaccine distribution, expand testing and provide funding to states to help reopen schools. Biden, a Democrat, said about 2 million people have been vaccinated, well short of the 20 million that outgoing Republican President Donald Trump had promised by the end of the year. Biden defeated Trump in a November election. "The effort to distribute and administer the vaccine is not progressing as it should," Biden said in Wilmington, Delaware. At the current rate, "it's going to take years, not months, to vaccinate the American people." Biden's goal of ensuring that 100 million vaccinations are administered by the end of his 100th day in office would mean "ramping up five to six times the current pace to 1 million shots a day," he said, noting that it would require Congress to approve additional funding. "We're planning a whole-of-government effort and we're going to work to set up vaccination sites and send mobile units to hard-to-reach communities," Biden said. Even at such an ambitious rate, it would still take months for the majority of Americans to be vaccinated, he said, adding that the situation may not improve until "well into March." Biden also said he plans to invoke the Defence Production Act, which grants the president the power to expand industrial production of key materials or products for national security or other reasons, to accelerate production of vaccine materials. Trump himself has invoked the law during the pandemic. To reopen schools safely, Biden said Congress would need to provide funding for such things as additional transportation, so students can maintain social distancing, and improved ventilation in school buildings. Earlier in the day, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris received a COVID-19 vaccination live on television in a bid to boost confidence in the inoculation. Harris, who is Black and Asian American, received the Moderna Inc vaccine at a medical center in predominantly Black southeast Washington. The Biden team has emphasised the importance of inoculation in non-white groups especially hard hit by the coronavirus. Biden has vowed to make a top priority of fighting the coronavirus, which has infected more than 19 million people in the United States and killed over 334,000. He received his first injected dose last week. Two doses are required for full protection. (with inputs from agencies)

New coronavirus variant hits US as Biden vows all-out effort

U.K. approval would provide vindication for the AstraZeneca-Oxford shot, which has been slowed by questions about discrepancies in the trial results.

AstraZeneca Covid vaccine to be approved by UK within days

Scientists have found evidence of lower than expected transfer of protective antibodies against the novel coronavirus via the placenta from mothers who are infected in the third trimester, findings that shed light on critical windows in pregnancy that may be most desirable for vaccination.

According to the researchers, including those from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the US, the findings may be explained by a process where the carbohydrate molecules in the body alter antibodies after they are produced.

They explained that altered attachments of carbohydrates to the coronavirus-specific antibodies -- a process called glycosylation -- may be to blame for the reduced transfer from mother to fetus.

In the study, published in the journal Cell, the scientists compared maternal antibodies against the flu (influenza), whooping cough (pertussis), and the novel coronavirus -- SARS-CoV-2 -- and how these antibodies transferred across the placenta.

They found that influenza- and pertussis-specific antibodies were actively transferred in a relatively normal fashion.

In contrast, the researchers said the transfer of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies to the baby was not only significantly reduced, but the antibodies transferred were less functional than those against influenza.

According to the scientists, the reduced transfer was only observed in third trimester infection.

The study found that carbohydrate attachments on SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies in maternal blood were different than those seen on influenza- and pertussis-specific antibodies.

The researchers believe this carbohydrate pattern may cause the COVID-specific antibodies to be "stuck" in the maternal circulation, rather than transferred across the placenta via placental antibody receptors.

However, the scientists said some increases in total maternal antibodies induced by viral infection helped to partially overcome the problem and facilitate the transfer of some functional antibodies from mother to fetus.

A higher placental expression of a receptor which attracts the carbohydrate pattern on the SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies also helped, the study noted.

Based on the analysis, the scientists said some of the antibodies that transferred the best were also the most functional, activating the immune system's natural killer cells that could help the newborn fight the virus if exposed.

The researchers believe the findings have implications for the design of new vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2 for pregnant women.

"Vaccine regimens able to drive high levels of the COVID-specific antibodies with glycosylation patterns favoured by the placenta for selective transfer to the fetus may lead to better neonatal and infant protection," says study co-author Andrea Edlow, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital.

The scientists said the study results may point to critical windows in pregnancy that may be most desirable for vaccination to optimise protection for both the mother and her infant.&nbsp;

Scientists have found evidence of lower than expected transfer of protective antibodies against the novel coronavirus via the placenta from mothers who are infected in the third trimester, findings that shed light on critical windows in pregnancy that may be most desirable for vaccination.

Scientists have found evidence of lower than expected transfer of protective antibodies against the novel coronavirus via the placenta from mothers who are infected in the third trimester, findings that shed light on critical windows in pregnancy that may be most desirable for vaccination. According to the researchers, including those from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the US, the findings may be explained by a process where the carbohydrate molecules in the body alter antibodies after they are produced. They explained that altered attachments of carbohydrates to the coronavirus-specific antibodies -- a process called glycosylation -- may be to blame for the reduced transfer from mother to fetus. In the study, published in the journal Cell, the scientists compared maternal antibodies against the flu (influenza), whooping cough (pertussis), and the novel coronavirus -- SARS-CoV-2 -- and how these antibodies transferred across the placenta. They found that influenza- and pertussis-specific antibodies were actively transferred in a relatively normal fashion. In contrast, the researchers said the transfer of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies to the baby was not only significantly reduced, but the antibodies transferred were less functional than those against influenza. According to the scientists, the reduced transfer was only observed in third trimester infection. The study found that carbohydrate attachments on SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies in maternal blood were different than those seen on influenza- and pertussis-specific antibodies. The researchers believe this carbohydrate pattern may cause the COVID-specific antibodies to be "stuck" in the maternal circulation, rather than transferred across the placenta via placental antibody receptors. However, the scientists said some increases in total maternal antibodies induced by viral infection helped to partially overcome the problem and facilitate the transfer of some functional antibodies from mother to fetus. A higher placental expression of a receptor which attracts the carbohydrate pattern on the SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies also helped, the study noted. Based on the analysis, the scientists said some of the antibodies that transferred the best were also the most functional, activating the immune system's natural killer cells that could help the newborn fight the virus if exposed. The researchers believe the findings have implications for the design of new vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2 for pregnant women. "Vaccine regimens able to drive high levels of the COVID-specific antibodies with glycosylation patterns favoured by the placenta for selective transfer to the fetus may lead to better neonatal and infant protection," says study co-author Andrea Edlow, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital. The scientists said the study results may point to critical windows in pregnancy that may be most desirable for vaccination to optimise protection for both the mother and her infant.

Study sheds light on critical windows in pregnancy for COVID-19 vaccination

Officials from the New York State Health Department are investigating a Brooklyn-based healthcare provider on suspicion it violated state guidelines for distribution of Covid vaccine.

ParCare Community Health Network "may have fraudulently obtained COVID-19 vaccine, transferred it to facilities in other parts of the state in violation of state guidelines and diverted it to members of the public - contrary to the state's plan to administer it first to frontline healthcare workers, as well as nursing home residents and staffers," state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker Saturday said in a statement.

ParCare Community posted on its Facebook page on Tuesday photos of the Moderna vaccine, saying its centers had received the treatments that morning, five days after posting that it had "been authorised to distribute" the vaccine for people meeting certain criteria.

"ONE SMALL INJECTION CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY!" it said.

US President Donald Trump on December 14 announced that his country has inoculated the first person with Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, marking a pivotal turn in its effort to control the deadly virus.

Healthcare workers and elderly residents of long-term care homes are first in line to get the inoculations of a two-dose regimen given about three weeks apart.

Officials from the New York State Health Department are investigating a Brooklyn-based healthcare provider on suspicion it violated state guidelines for distribution of Covid vaccine.

Officials from the New York State Health Department are investigating a Brooklyn-based healthcare provider on suspicion it violated state guidelines for distribution of Covid vaccine. ParCare Community Health Network "may have fraudulently obtained COVID-19 vaccine, transferred it to facilities in other parts of the state in violation of state guidelines and diverted it to members of the public - contrary to the state's plan to administer it first to frontline healthcare workers, as well as nursing home residents and staffers," state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker Saturday said in a statement. ParCare Community posted on its Facebook page on Tuesday photos of the Moderna vaccine, saying its centers had received the treatments that morning, five days after posting that it had "been authorised to distribute" the vaccine for people meeting certain criteria. "ONE SMALL INJECTION CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY!" it said. US President Donald Trump on December 14 announced that his country has inoculated the first person with Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, marking a pivotal turn in its effort to control the deadly virus. Healthcare workers and elderly residents of long-term care homes are first in line to get the inoculations of a two-dose regimen given about three weeks apart.

New York health network faces probe over unauthorised Covid vaccine

A 96-year-old living in a care home in central Spain became the first person in the country to be vaccinated against Covid-19 on Sunday, in an event broadcast by national television.

She felt "nothing" from the shot, Araceli Rosario Hidalgo Sanchez said with a smile after being injected.

With her short white hair, the pensioner living in the Los Olmos retirement home in Guadalajara got up slowly after pulling on her black jacket and walked off using a frame for support.

Carer Monica Tapias followed as the second Spaniard to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

The Los Olmos home was picked to kick off the country's inoculation campaign because it sits near a Pfizer storage depot, where vaccines were delivered from Belgium Saturday ahead of nationwide distribution.

No cases of Covid-19 have so far been detected among the staff or residents.

"It's a great source of pride and a great satisfaction for us, we're representing all the retirement homes in Spain," director Marina Vadillo said Thursday.

After the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine last Monday, the way is open for injections across the 27-member bloc.

A 96-year-old living in a care home in central Spain became the first person in the country to be vaccinated against Covid-19 on Sunday, in an event broadcast by national television.

A 96-year-old living in a care home in central Spain became the first person in the country to be vaccinated against Covid-19 on Sunday, in an event broadcast by national television. She felt "nothing" from the shot, Araceli Rosario Hidalgo Sanchez said with a smile after being injected. With her short white hair, the pensioner living in the Los Olmos retirement home in Guadalajara got up slowly after pulling on her black jacket and walked off using a frame for support. Carer Monica Tapias followed as the second Spaniard to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The Los Olmos home was picked to kick off the country's inoculation campaign because it sits near a Pfizer storage depot, where vaccines were delivered from Belgium Saturday ahead of nationwide distribution. No cases of Covid-19 have so far been detected among the staff or residents. "It's a great source of pride and a great satisfaction for us, we're representing all the retirement homes in Spain," director Marina Vadillo said Thursday. After the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine last Monday, the way is open for injections across the 27-member bloc.

96-year-old is first Spaniard vaccinated for Covid-19

The Czech Republic started administering vaccinations against the new coronavirus on Sunday, part of a push against the pandemic across the European Union.

Prime Minister Andrej Babis was the first to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at the Central Military Hospital in Prague, just before other hospitals in the capital and second-largest city Brno started to distribute the 9,750 doses the country has received so far.

"The vaccine which arrived from the European Union yesterday, that is a hope, a hope that we will return to a normal life," Babis said before taking the jab.

Emilie Repikova, 95, a World War Two veteran, was also one of the first to be inoculated, shortly after Babis.

The country closed non-essential shops, services and ski lifts and enforced a stricter curfew from Sunday as it seeks to curb another rise in COVID-19 infections and hospitalisations.

The Czech Republic started administering vaccinations against the new coronavirus on Sunday, part of a push against the pandemic across the European Union. Prime Minister Andrej Babis was the first to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at the Central Military Hospital in Prague, just before other hospitals in the capital and second-largest city Brno started to distribute the 9,750 doses the country has received so far.

The Czech Republic started administering vaccinations against the new coronavirus on Sunday, part of a push against the pandemic across the European Union. Prime Minister Andrej Babis was the first to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at the Central Military Hospital in Prague, just before other hospitals in the capital and second-largest city Brno started to distribute the 9,750 doses the country has received so far. "The vaccine which arrived from the European Union yesterday, that is a hope, a hope that we will return to a normal life," Babis said before taking the jab. Emilie Repikova, 95, a World War Two veteran, was also one of the first to be inoculated, shortly after Babis. The country closed non-essential shops, services and ski lifts and enforced a stricter curfew from Sunday as it seeks to curb another rise in COVID-19 infections and hospitalisations.

Czech Republic starts rollout of coronavirus vaccine

Mexico on Thursday inoculated its first person against COVID-19, celebrating a Christmas roll-out that also began elsewhere in Latin America.

The pandemic has so far killed 120,000 people in the country and has badly battered the economy.

Officials directed the administration of the Pfizer vaccine to 59-year-old nurse in a ceremony broadcast on national media and watched by the president.

The government then broadcast the vaccine being given to medical personnel in other parts of Mexico.

Pfizer's is the first COVID-19 vaccine to reach Mexico, which has also signed deals for vaccines from other firms.

Chile received the first 10,000 doses of a 10-million order of Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine on Thursday, with inoculations of health workers due to begin immediately.

In Costa Rica, health workers administered the first doses of Pfizer vaccine to a pair of senior citizens in a home near the capital San Jose, while some 300,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine arrived in Argentina.

No COVID-19 vaccine has been approved yet for use in Brazil, Latin America's most populous country.

In Mexico, the first Pfizer shipment arrived on Wednesday containing only 3,000 doses of the vaccine. The next one will contain 50,000 doses, with Mexico slated to receive 1.4 million units of the two-shot Pfizer vaccine by January 31.

The vaccine roll-out is expected to last months and will initially prioritise Mexican medical staff.

Mexico on Thursday inoculated its first person against COVID-19, celebrating a Christmas roll-out that also began elsewhere in Latin America. The pandemic has so far killed 120,000 people in the country and has badly battered the economy.

Mexico on Thursday inoculated its first person against COVID-19, celebrating a Christmas roll-out that also began elsewhere in Latin America. The pandemic has so far killed 120,000 people in the country and has badly battered the economy. Officials directed the administration of the Pfizer vaccine to 59-year-old nurse in a ceremony broadcast on national media and watched by the president. The government then broadcast the vaccine being given to medical personnel in other parts of Mexico. Pfizer's is the first COVID-19 vaccine to reach Mexico, which has also signed deals for vaccines from other firms. Chile received the first 10,000 doses of a 10-million order of Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine on Thursday, with inoculations of health workers due to begin immediately. In Costa Rica, health workers administered the first doses of Pfizer vaccine to a pair of senior citizens in a home near the capital San Jose, while some 300,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine arrived in Argentina. No COVID-19 vaccine has been approved yet for use in Brazil, Latin America's most populous country. In Mexico, the first Pfizer shipment arrived on Wednesday containing only 3,000 doses of the vaccine. The next one will contain 50,000 doses, with Mexico slated to receive 1.4 million units of the two-shot Pfizer vaccine by January 31. The vaccine roll-out is expected to last months and will initially prioritise Mexican medical staff.

Covid vaccinations begin in Latin America

A doctor in Boston -- already suffering from a shellfish allergy -- developed a severe allergic reaction after receiving Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine on Thursday.

According to a report published in The New York Times, Dr Hossein Sadrzadeh, a geriatric oncology fellow at Boston Medical Center, said he had a severe reaction almost immediately after being vaccinated, feeling dizzy and with a racing heart.

It is the first severe reaction publicly linked to Moderna’s vaccine, which is in its first week of a nationwide rollout.

A spokesman at the Boston Medical Center, said in a statement on Friday that Sadrzadeh "felt he was developing an allergic reaction and was allowed to self-administer his personal epi-pen. He was taken to the Emergency Department, evaluated, treated, observed and discharged. He is doing well today."

A US Food and Drug Administration official said last week that the FDA is investigating around five allergic reactions that occurred after people were administered Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE's COVID-19 vaccine in the United States.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-fda-investigating-5-allergic-reactions-after-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-in-country-350896">Also read |&nbsp;US FDA investigating 5 allergic reactions after Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in country</a>

A doctor in Boston -- already suffering from a shellfish allergy -- developed a severe allergic reaction after receiving Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine on Thursday.

A doctor in Boston -- already suffering from a shellfish allergy -- developed a severe allergic reaction after receiving Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine on Thursday. According to a report published in The New York Times, Dr Hossein Sadrzadeh, a geriatric oncology fellow at Boston Medical Center, said he had a severe reaction almost immediately after being vaccinated, feeling dizzy and with a racing heart. It is the first severe reaction publicly linked to Moderna’s vaccine, which is in its first week of a nationwide rollout. A spokesman at the Boston Medical Center, said in a statement on Friday that Sadrzadeh "felt he was developing an allergic reaction and was allowed to self-administer his personal epi-pen. He was taken to the Emergency Department, evaluated, treated, observed and discharged. He is doing well today." A US Food and Drug Administration official said last week that the FDA is investigating around five allergic reactions that occurred after people were administered Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE's COVID-19 vaccine in the United States. Also read | US FDA investigating 5 allergic reactions after Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in country

Boston doctor develops severe allergic reaction to Moderna COVID vaccine

The European Union began a vaccine rollout Saturday, even as countries in the bloc were forced back into lockdown by a new strain of the virus, believed to be more infectious, that continues to spread from Britain.

The pandemic has claimed more than 1.7 million lives and is still running rampant in much of the world, but the recent launching of innoculation campaigns has boosted hopes that 2021 could bring a respite.

Hours before the first vaccine doses arrived in France, Paris' health ministry confirmed late Friday that it had detected its first case of the new variant in a citizen returned from Britain.

Several countries have reported cases of the new strain, which has sent jitters through already overstretched health services.

There was little sign of the usual Boxing Day sale rush on the streets of Sydney Saturday, as residents largely heeded the state premier's request they stay home faced with a new virus cluster.&nbsp;

"Even when we entered the store there were less than ten people," shopper Lia Gunawan told The Sydney Morning Herald after queueing up for the sales.

Even as some European nations eye a post-Christmas return to harsh restrictions, China's communist leadership issued a statement hailing the "extremely extraordinary glory" of its handling of the virus that emerged in the country's Hubei province last year, state news agency Xinhua reported.

Across the world, people are being urged to respect social distancing guidelines, as the World Health Organisation urged people not to "squander" the "great, heart-wrenching sacrifices" people had made to save lives.

- New variant -&nbsp;

The first French case of the new coronavirus variant was found in a citizen resident in Britain who arrived from London on December 19, the French health ministry said.&nbsp;

They are asymptomatic and self-isolating at home in Tours in central France, and contact-tracing has taken place for the health professionals who treated him.&nbsp;

The new strain of the virus, which experts fear is more contagious, prompted more than 50 countries to impose travel restrictions on the UK, where it first emerged.

But cases of the new variant have still been reported worldwide: on Friday, Japan confirmed five infections in passengers from the UK, while cases have also been reported in Denmark, Lebanon, Germany, Australia and the Netherlands.&nbsp;

South Africa has detected a similar mutation in some infected people, but on Friday denied British claims its strain was more infectious or dangerous than the one originating in the UK.

The closure of the UK-France border for 48 hours led to a bottleneck of up to 10,000 lorries in southeast England, with drivers stranded for days over the festive period.&nbsp;

But the head of the Calais port operator told AFP that after the port remained open over Christmas specially, the "situation should be completely taken care of" soon.&nbsp;

- New restrictions -&nbsp;

Some countries that loosened restrictions slightly for Christmas have re-imposed them -- Austria, for example, will see a curfew imposed from Saturday until 24 January.&nbsp;

Millions in the United Kingdom have been affected by a tightening of restrictions there -- according to the BBC, more than 40% of England's population are now affected by the strictest measures -- which include the closure of all non-essential businesses and a limiting of social contacts.

New lockdowns also started in Scotland and Northern Ireland on Saturday, and Wales has re-imposed restrictions too after relaxing them for Christmas.

More than 25 million infections have been recorded in Europe, according to an AFP tally on Friday.

- Vaccine hope -&nbsp;

Vaccinations in all 27 European Union countries will begin on Sunday, after regulators approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on 21 December.&nbsp;

As vaccine rollout gets underway across the world, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Friday: &nbsp;

"Vaccines are offering the world a way out of this tragedy. But it will take time for the whole world to be vaccinated."

The pope's Christmas message also referenced the issue, with a plea for "vaccines for all".&nbsp;

"I call on everyone, on leaders of states, on businesses, on international organisations, to promote cooperation and not competition, to find a solution for everyone... especially the most vulnerable and most in need in all regions of the planet," Pope Francis said.

The European Union began a vaccine rollout Saturday, even as countries in the bloc were forced back into lockdown by a new strain of the virus, believed to be more infectious, that continues to spread from Britain.

The European Union began a vaccine rollout Saturday, even as countries in the bloc were forced back into lockdown by a new strain of the virus, believed to be more infectious, that continues to spread from Britain. The pandemic has claimed more than 1.7 million lives and is still running rampant in much of the world, but the recent launching of innoculation campaigns has boosted hopes that 2021 could bring a respite. Hours before the first vaccine doses arrived in France, Paris' health ministry confirmed late Friday that it had detected its first case of the new variant in a citizen returned from Britain. Several countries have reported cases of the new strain, which has sent jitters through already overstretched health services. There was little sign of the usual Boxing Day sale rush on the streets of Sydney Saturday, as residents largely heeded the state premier's request they stay home faced with a new virus cluster. "Even when we entered the store there were less than ten people," shopper Lia Gunawan told The Sydney Morning Herald after queueing up for the sales. Even as some European nations eye a post-Christmas return to harsh restrictions, China's communist leadership issued a statement hailing the "extremely extraordinary glory" of its handling of the virus that emerged in the country's Hubei province last year, state news agency Xinhua reported. Across the world, people are being urged to respect social distancing guidelines, as the World Health Organisation urged people not to "squander" the "great, heart-wrenching sacrifices" people had made to save lives. - New variant - The first French case of the new coronavirus variant was found in a citizen resident in Britain who arrived from London on December 19, the French health ministry said. They are asymptomatic and self-isolating at home in Tours in central France, and contact-tracing has taken place for the health professionals who treated him. The new strain of the virus, which experts fear is more contagious, prompted more than 50 countries to impose travel restrictions on the UK, where it first emerged. But cases of the new variant have still been reported worldwide: on Friday, Japan confirmed five infections in passengers from the UK, while cases have also been reported in Denmark, Lebanon, Germany, Australia and the Netherlands. South Africa has detected a similar mutation in some infected people, but on Friday denied British claims its strain was more infectious or dangerous than the one originating in the UK. The closure of the UK-France border for 48 hours led to a bottleneck of up to 10,000 lorries in southeast England, with drivers stranded for days over the festive period. But the head of the Calais port operator told AFP that after the port remained open over Christmas specially, the "situation should be completely taken care of" soon. - New restrictions - Some countries that loosened restrictions slightly for Christmas have re-imposed them -- Austria, for example, will see a curfew imposed from Saturday until 24 January. Millions in the United Kingdom have been affected by a tightening of restrictions there -- according to the BBC, more than 40% of England's population are now affected by the strictest measures -- which include the closure of all non-essential businesses and a limiting of social contacts. New lockdowns also started in Scotland and Northern Ireland on Saturday, and Wales has re-imposed restrictions too after relaxing them for Christmas. More than 25 million infections have been recorded in Europe, according to an AFP tally on Friday. - Vaccine hope - Vaccinations in all 27 European Union countries will begin on Sunday, after regulators approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on 21 December. As vaccine rollout gets underway across the world, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Friday: "Vaccines are offering the world a way out of this tragedy. But it will take time for the whole world to be vaccinated." The pope's Christmas message also referenced the issue, with a plea for "vaccines for all". "I call on everyone, on leaders of states, on businesses, on international organisations, to promote cooperation and not competition, to find a solution for everyone... especially the most vulnerable and most in need in all regions of the planet," Pope Francis said.

EU begins vaccine rollout as new virus strain spreads

A COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech is 91.25% effective, the interim data from a late-stage trial in Turkey has said.

Researchers in Brazil, which is also running a final Phase III trial of the vaccine, said on Wednesday the shot was more than 50% effective, but withheld full results at the company's request, raising questions about transparency.

On the other hand, Turkish researchers said on Thursday no major side-effects were seen during their trial, apart from one person who had an allergic reaction. Common adverse effects caused by the vaccine were fever, mild pain and slight fatigue, they said.

The Turkish trials began on September 14 and have included more than 7,000 volunteers, the researchers said, adding the results announced on Thursday were based on data from 1,322 people.

Sinovac is the first Chinese vaccine maker to release details from late-stage clinical trials, following positive results from rival products developed by Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca last month.

The Turkish researchers, speaking alongside Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, said 26 of the 29 people who were infected during the trial were given placebos, adding the trial would continue until 40 people become infected.

Researchers initially planned to announce the results after 40 people were infected, but that the findings showed the volunteers had minimal adverse effects after the shot and that it was therefore deemed safe.

Turkey had agreed to buy 50 million doses of Sinovac's shot and receive delivery by Dec. 11 but the shipment was delayed. The country would vaccinate some nine million people in the first group, starting with health workers.

Sinovac has also signed supply deals for its vaccine, called CoronaVac, with countries including Indonesia, Brazil, Chile and Singapore, and is negotiating with the Philippines and Malaysia.

CoronaVac has been given to tens of thousands of people under an emergency use programme China launched in July targeting specific groups of high-infection risks.

CoronaVac is based on traditional vaccine technology that uses inactivated coronavirus that cannot replicate in human cells to trigger an immune response.

Vaccines developed by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna use a new technology called synthetic messenger RNA (mRNA) to activate the immune system against the virus and require far colder storage.

Pfizer's treatment is the first fully tested COVID-19 shot to be administered, with rollout already under way in Britain and the United States.

On Thursday, Turkey's death toll from the coronavirus rose by 254 to 19,115, according to Health Ministry data, while the total number of COVID-19 infections rose by 18,102.

A COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech is 91.25% effective, the interim data from a late-stage trial in Turkey has said. Researchers in Brazil, which is also running a final Phase III trial of the vaccine, said on Wednesday the shot was more than 50% effective, but withheld full results at the company's request, raising questions about transparency.

A COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech is 91.25% effective, the interim data from a late-stage trial in Turkey has said. Researchers in Brazil, which is also running a final Phase III trial of the vaccine, said on Wednesday the shot was more than 50% effective, but withheld full results at the company's request, raising questions about transparency. On the other hand, Turkish researchers said on Thursday no major side-effects were seen during their trial, apart from one person who had an allergic reaction. Common adverse effects caused by the vaccine were fever, mild pain and slight fatigue, they said. The Turkish trials began on September 14 and have included more than 7,000 volunteers, the researchers said, adding the results announced on Thursday were based on data from 1,322 people. Sinovac is the first Chinese vaccine maker to release details from late-stage clinical trials, following positive results from rival products developed by Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca last month. The Turkish researchers, speaking alongside Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, said 26 of the 29 people who were infected during the trial were given placebos, adding the trial would continue until 40 people become infected. Researchers initially planned to announce the results after 40 people were infected, but that the findings showed the volunteers had minimal adverse effects after the shot and that it was therefore deemed safe. Turkey had agreed to buy 50 million doses of Sinovac's shot and receive delivery by Dec. 11 but the shipment was delayed. The country would vaccinate some nine million people in the first group, starting with health workers. Sinovac has also signed supply deals for its vaccine, called CoronaVac, with countries including Indonesia, Brazil, Chile and Singapore, and is negotiating with the Philippines and Malaysia. CoronaVac has been given to tens of thousands of people under an emergency use programme China launched in July targeting specific groups of high-infection risks. CoronaVac is based on traditional vaccine technology that uses inactivated coronavirus that cannot replicate in human cells to trigger an immune response. Vaccines developed by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna use a new technology called synthetic messenger RNA (mRNA) to activate the immune system against the virus and require far colder storage. Pfizer's treatment is the first fully tested COVID-19 shot to be administered, with rollout already under way in Britain and the United States. On Thursday, Turkey's death toll from the coronavirus rose by 254 to 19,115, according to Health Ministry data, while the total number of COVID-19 infections rose by 18,102.

China's Sinovac COVID vaccine 91.25% effective in late trials, Turkey says

Iran has said the United States approved its fund transfer to buy coronavirus vaccines from overseas as its daily death toll fell to a three-month low.

Central Bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati Thursday said an Iranian bank had received backing from the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control to transfer the money to a Swiss bank to pay for the vaccines.

"They have put sanctions on all our banks. They accepted this one case under the pressure of world public opinion," Hemmati told state TV.

Iran would pay around $244 million for initial imports of 16.8 million doses of vaccines from COVAX, a multi-agency group dedicated to assuring fair access to vaccines for low- and middle-income countries.

Iranian officials have said repeatedly that US sanctions are preventing them from making payments to COVAX, to which some 190 economies have signed up.

Iran's Shifa Pharmed began registering volunteers this week for human trials of the country's first domestic COVID-19 vaccine candidate, Iranian media reported, as a factional dispute appeared to be brewing over the use of imports.

Officials have cautioned that the danger of a resurgence in infections looms large.

US President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers in 2018 and imposed new sanctions on the country.

President-elect Joe Biden's coming to power has raised the possibility that Washington could rejoin the agreement.

Iran has said the United States approved its fund transfer to buy coronavirus vaccines from overseas as its daily death toll fell to a three-month low. Central Bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati Thursday said an Iranian bank had received backing from the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control to transfer the money to a Swiss bank to pay for the vaccines.

Iran has said the United States approved its fund transfer to buy coronavirus vaccines from overseas as its daily death toll fell to a three-month low. Central Bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati Thursday said an Iranian bank had received backing from the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control to transfer the money to a Swiss bank to pay for the vaccines. "They have put sanctions on all our banks. They accepted this one case under the pressure of world public opinion," Hemmati told state TV. Iran would pay around $244 million for initial imports of 16.8 million doses of vaccines from COVAX, a multi-agency group dedicated to assuring fair access to vaccines for low- and middle-income countries. Iranian officials have said repeatedly that US sanctions are preventing them from making payments to COVAX, to which some 190 economies have signed up. Iran's Shifa Pharmed began registering volunteers this week for human trials of the country's first domestic COVID-19 vaccine candidate, Iranian media reported, as a factional dispute appeared to be brewing over the use of imports. Officials have cautioned that the danger of a resurgence in infections looms large. US President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers in 2018 and imposed new sanctions on the country. President-elect Joe Biden's coming to power has raised the possibility that Washington could rejoin the agreement.

Iran says has won US approval to transfer funds to buy Covid vaccines

More than 600,000 people in the United Kingdom have received the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine since inoculations began in the country.

Earlier this month, the United Kingdom became the first country in the world to roll out the vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech.

"The government has today published figures which show the number of people who have received the vaccine between 8 December and 20 December in the UK is 616,933," the Department of Health and Social Care said in a statement Thursday.

Britain has so far ordered 40 million doses of Pfizer's vaccine.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said that he expects to receive millions of doses by the end of the year.

Vaccines have been administered to care home residents, those aged 80 and over and health and social care staff through over 500 vaccination sites.

A new variant of the coronavirus has been spreading rapidly in Britain recently with huge swathes of England being placed under its strictest COVID-19 restrictions.

The variant known as the B.1.1.7 lineage may be up to 70% more infectious and more of a concern for children. It has sown chaos in Britain, prompting a wave of travel bans that are disrupting trade with Europe and threatening to further isolate the island country.

More than 600,000 people in the United Kingdom have received the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine since inoculations began in the country. Earlier this month, the United Kingdom became the first country in the world to roll out the vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech.

More than 600,000 people in the United Kingdom have received the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine since inoculations began in the country. Earlier this month, the United Kingdom became the first country in the world to roll out the vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech. "The government has today published figures which show the number of people who have received the vaccine between 8 December and 20 December in the UK is 616,933," the Department of Health and Social Care said in a statement Thursday. Britain has so far ordered 40 million doses of Pfizer's vaccine. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said that he expects to receive millions of doses by the end of the year. Vaccines have been administered to care home residents, those aged 80 and over and health and social care staff through over 500 vaccination sites. A new variant of the coronavirus has been spreading rapidly in Britain recently with huge swathes of England being placed under its strictest COVID-19 restrictions. The variant known as the B.1.1.7 lineage may be up to 70% more infectious and more of a concern for children. It has sown chaos in Britain, prompting a wave of travel bans that are disrupting trade with Europe and threatening to further isolate the island country.

Over 600,000 people in Britain get first Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine jab

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