Who should be given vaccines first? Prioritising the elderly and health workers may not have helped. Younger people with co-morbidities are still at risk, and now children are being hit by the second wave.

Gravitas: Time to rethink vaccination models?

More than half a million people in the United Kingdom received a dose of COVID-19 vaccine in a day, official data showed on Thursday, raising the total who have had two doses past 6 million. 
 
A total of 31.8 million people have now had at least one dose, while 6.1 million have had two after the health service delivered 99,530 first doses and 408,396-second doses in the latest 24-hour period. 
 
The daily total number of new cases of the virus was 3,030, with the seven-day total of 20,056 down by 37% compared with the previous seven-day period. 
 
The daily number of deaths was 53, with the seven-day death toll of 216 down by 32% compared with the previous seven days.

More than half a million people in the United Kingdom received a dose of COVID-19 vaccine in a day, official data showed on Thursday, raising the total who have had two doses past 6 million.

More than half a million people in the United Kingdom received a dose of COVID-19 vaccine in a day, official data showed on Thursday, raising the total who have had two doses past 6 million. A total of 31.8 million people have now had at least one dose, while 6.1 million have had two after the health service delivered 99,530 first doses and 408,396-second doses in the latest 24-hour period. The daily total number of new cases of the virus was 3,030, with the seven-day total of 20,056 down by 37% compared with the previous seven-day period. The daily number of deaths was 53, with the seven-day death toll of 216 down by 32% compared with the previous seven days.

UK COVID data shows more than 6 million people have had two doses of vaccine

Nepal will start its second phase of the Covid-19 inoculation drive from April 7 using a China-donated vaccine.

The first phase of the vaccination drive began in January with the one million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine provided by India under grant assistance in sync with its 'Neighbourhood First' policy.

The second phase will begin from Wednesday, April 7. The 800,000 doses of the China manufactured vaccine - Vero Cell- against COVID-19 infection will be administered to the frontline workers as well as those involved in trans-Himalayan trade activities in the mountainous region, Dr Jageshwor Gautam, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, said.

Nepalese students studying in China under scholarship schemes and those preparing to visit China for further studies will also receive the Chinese vaccine.

Nepal has recorded 277,944 coronavirus infections and 3032 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. It had granted a conditional emergency approval for use of Vero Cell, the coronavirus vaccine manufactured by China's Beijing Institute of Biological Products earlier on February 18.

Nepal will start its second phase of the Covid-19 inoculation drive from April 7 using a China-donated vaccine. The first phase of the vaccination drive began in January with the one million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine provided by India under grant assistance in sync with its 'Neighbourhood First' policy.

Nepal will start its second phase of the Covid-19 inoculation drive from April 7 using a China-donated vaccine. The first phase of the vaccination drive began in January with the one million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine provided by India under grant assistance in sync with its 'Neighbourhood First' policy. The second phase will begin from Wednesday, April 7. The 800,000 doses of the China manufactured vaccine - Vero Cell- against COVID-19 infection will be administered to the frontline workers as well as those involved in trans-Himalayan trade activities in the mountainous region, Dr Jageshwor Gautam, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, said. Nepalese students studying in China under scholarship schemes and those preparing to visit China for further studies will also receive the Chinese vaccine. Nepal has recorded 277,944 coronavirus infections and 3032 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. It had granted a conditional emergency approval for use of Vero Cell, the coronavirus vaccine manufactured by China's Beijing Institute of Biological Products earlier on February 18.

Nepal to administer Chinese vaccines to citizens from April 7

Indian drugmaker Cadila Healthcare Ltd said on Monday it would seek local regulatory approval to treat Covid-19 patients with an already approved Hepatitis C drug, following promising interim results from a late-stage trial.

A single dose of the Hepatitis C drug when taken early could help Covid-19 patients recover faster and avoid complications seen in the advanced stages of the disease, Cadila said in a statement to stock exchanges.

The drug, known as Pegylated Interferon alpha-2b and branded as "PegiHep" by Cadila, was originally approved for liver disease Hepatitis C and launched in India 10 years ago.

About 91 per cent of patients treated with the drug tested negative for Covid-19 in standard RT-PCR tests by day seven, compared to nearly 79 per cent who were given the standard of care, the company said citing Phase-III clinical trial data.

The news comes as daily coronavirus infections are surging to new highs in India, which has the world's third-highest caseload after the United States and Brazil. India has so far reported close to 12.5 million infections and more than 164,000 deaths.

Indian drugmaker Cadila Healthcare Ltd said on Monday it would seek local regulatory approval to treat Covid-19 patients with an already approved Hepatitis C drug, following promising interim results from a late-stage trial.

Indian drugmaker Cadila Healthcare Ltd said on Monday it would seek local regulatory approval to treat Covid-19 patients with an already approved Hepatitis C drug, following promising interim results from a late-stage trial. A single dose of the Hepatitis C drug when taken early could help Covid-19 patients recover faster and avoid complications seen in the advanced stages of the disease, Cadila said in a statement to stock exchanges. The drug, known as Pegylated Interferon alpha-2b and branded as "PegiHep" by Cadila, was originally approved for liver disease Hepatitis C and launched in India 10 years ago. About 91 per cent of patients treated with the drug tested negative for Covid-19 in standard RT-PCR tests by day seven, compared to nearly 79 per cent who were given the standard of care, the company said citing Phase-III clinical trial data. The news comes as daily coronavirus infections are surging to new highs in India, which has the world's third-highest caseload after the United States and Brazil. India has so far reported close to 12.5 million infections and more than 164,000 deaths.

India's Cadila seeks regulatory approval for Covid-19 drug

UK medicines regulator is urging people to continue taking the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, despite seven people having died from rare blood clots after getting the jab.

The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency, or MHRA, said it wasn't clear if the shots are causing the clots, and that its “rigorous review into the reports of rare and specific types of blood clots is ongoing.”

The agency said late Friday that seven people had died as a result of developing blood clots.

In total, MHRA said had identified 30 cases of rare blood clot events out of 18.1 million AstraZeneca doses administered up to and including March 24.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thirty-blood-clot-cases-found-after-use-of-astrazeneca-vaccine-uk-regulator-says-374906">Also read |&nbsp;Thirty blood clot cases found after use of AstraZeneca vaccine, UK regulator says</a>

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on Thursday said it had received no such reports of clotting events following use of the vaccine made by BioNTech SE and Pfizer Inc.

On March 18, the UK medicines regulator said that there had been five cases of a rare brain blood clot among 11 million administered shots.

On Thursday, it put the count at 22 reports of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, an extremely rare brain clotting ailment, and 8 reports of other clotting events associated with low blood platelets out of a total of 18.1 million doses given.

Some countries are restricting use of the AstraZeneca vaccine while others have resumed inoculations, as investigations into reports of rare, and sometimes severe, blood clots continue.

UK medicines regulator is urging people to continue taking the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, despite seven people having died from rare blood clots after getting the jab.

UK medicines regulator is urging people to continue taking the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, despite seven people having died from rare blood clots after getting the jab. The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency, or MHRA, said it wasn't clear if the shots are causing the clots, and that its “rigorous review into the reports of rare and specific types of blood clots is ongoing.” The agency said late Friday that seven people had died as a result of developing blood clots. In total, MHRA said had identified 30 cases of rare blood clot events out of 18.1 million AstraZeneca doses administered up to and including March 24. Also read | Thirty blood clot cases found after use of AstraZeneca vaccine, UK regulator says The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on Thursday said it had received no such reports of clotting events following use of the vaccine made by BioNTech SE and Pfizer Inc. On March 18, the UK medicines regulator said that there had been five cases of a rare brain blood clot among 11 million administered shots. On Thursday, it put the count at 22 reports of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, an extremely rare brain clotting ailment, and 8 reports of other clotting events associated with low blood platelets out of a total of 18.1 million doses given. Some countries are restricting use of the AstraZeneca vaccine while others have resumed inoculations, as investigations into reports of rare, and sometimes severe, blood clots continue.

AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine safe even after blood clot deaths, UK regulator says

In the Covid-19 intensive care unit of the Antony Private Hospital south of Paris, no bed stays free for long and medics wonder when their workload will finally peak.

As one recovered elderly patient is being wheeled out of the ward, smiling weakly, boss Jean-Pierre Deyme is on the phone arranging the next arrival and calling out instructions to staff.

Louisa Pinto, a nurse of nearly 20 years' experience, gestures to the vacated room where a cleaner is already at work, scrubbing down the mattress for the next arrival.

"The bed won't even have time to cool down," she says as the patient monitoring system beeps constantly in the background. &nbsp;

For now, everything is stable in the 20-odd beds around her where Covid-19 victims lie inanimate, in a silent battle with the virus.

Paris is going through a third wave of the pandemic which risks putting even more strain on saturated hospitals than the first wave in March and April last year.&nbsp;

"With what's coming in April, it's going to be very complicated,"&nbsp;says Pinto, a mother of three who hasn't had a holiday since last summer and like other staff will be cancelling a planned break this month.

Even with a new round of restrictions coming into force this week, Health Minister Olivier Veran predicts that infections in France will peak only in mid-April, while hospital admissions will continue climbing until the end of the month.

Alarming forecasts leaked to the French media from the Paris public hospital authority AP-HP last week showed anywhere from 2,800-4,400 people in intensive care in the Paris region by the end of April even with a strict lockdown.

In the first wave, the number peaked at 2,700.

- Staff shortages -&nbsp;

The director of the Antony hospital, Denis Chandesris, says intensive care capacity has already been increased by drastically reducing all surgery except for critical cancer, cardiological and emergency cases.

Hospitals everywhere in the region have taken similar measures, re-deploying beds and creating new wards, but they are reaching their limits.

"The difficulty is not so much beds or material, it's a question of finding medical and paramedical staff to be able to take in patients," Chandesris explained.

Last Sunday, a group of emergency care directors in Paris warned in an open letter that the situation was so bad that medics would soon have to start "triage" -- selecting patients for care based on their chances of survival.

This prospect horrifies staff -- and President Emmanuel Macron has always promised to shield hospitals and avoid the sort of scenes witnessed in Italy last March when patients piled up in corridors. &nbsp;

In a televised speech to the nation on Wednesday night, he promised to increase intensive care capacity nation-wide from 7,665 beds currently to 10,000 -- a jump of 30 percent.

"I want to thank medical students, retired people, the army health service and medical reserve volunteers. All of them will be mobilised in a larger way," he announced.&nbsp;

Opposition politicians and some experts reacted with scepticism while an Ifop poll for the Journal du Dimanche weekly found only 35 percent of French people had confidence in their government "to deal effectively with the coronavirus".

Pinto, the nurse, underlined how working in intensive care is "very technical", requiring specialised training and knowledge.

- New restrictions -&nbsp;

Macron is banking on a limited lockdown over the next month turning the rising tide of cases which have roughly doubled to 40,000 a day compared with their level a month ago.

The sharp acceleration is down to the spread of the more contagious so-called British variant which has become dominant in France.&nbsp;

New measures include nation-wide travel restrictions, which limit people to 10 kilometres (six miles) from their homes, and the closure of schools and non-essential shops.

Only a significant increase in the vaccination campaign -- which started sluggishly but is now picking up pace -- fills any of the medics at Antony Private Hospital with any hope.

After months of lacking doses, the government is promising a major rollout this month and an increase in the rate of jabbing.

Samir Taik, a taxi driver from Paris, walked out of the Antony hospital last week as the 1,000th Covid-19 patient to have benefited from oxygen therapy in the Covid-19 intensive care unit.

The 43-year-old, who enjoys boxing and sport, is still short of breath and reeling from the trauma of seeing his health deteriorate so fast.&nbsp;

He says he knows three or four people with a similar profile to him who have been hospitalised recently.

"Young people need to know that we're not talking about 80-year-olds, it's people who are 30, 40, 45-year-olds and have no health problems. The British variant is not like the old one," he told AFP.

In the Covid-19 intensive care unit of the Antony Private Hospital south of Paris, no bed stays free for long and medics wonder when their workload will finally peak.

In the Covid-19 intensive care unit of the Antony Private Hospital south of Paris, no bed stays free for long and medics wonder when their workload will finally peak. As one recovered elderly patient is being wheeled out of the ward, smiling weakly, boss Jean-Pierre Deyme is on the phone arranging the next arrival and calling out instructions to staff. Louisa Pinto, a nurse of nearly 20 years' experience, gestures to the vacated room where a cleaner is already at work, scrubbing down the mattress for the next arrival. "The bed won't even have time to cool down," she says as the patient monitoring system beeps constantly in the background. For now, everything is stable in the 20-odd beds around her where Covid-19 victims lie inanimate, in a silent battle with the virus. Paris is going through a third wave of the pandemic which risks putting even more strain on saturated hospitals than the first wave in March and April last year. "With what's coming in April, it's going to be very complicated," says Pinto, a mother of three who hasn't had a holiday since last summer and like other staff will be cancelling a planned break this month. Even with a new round of restrictions coming into force this week, Health Minister Olivier Veran predicts that infections in France will peak only in mid-April, while hospital admissions will continue climbing until the end of the month. Alarming forecasts leaked to the French media from the Paris public hospital authority AP-HP last week showed anywhere from 2,800-4,400 people in intensive care in the Paris region by the end of April even with a strict lockdown. In the first wave, the number peaked at 2,700. - Staff shortages - The director of the Antony hospital, Denis Chandesris, says intensive care capacity has already been increased by drastically reducing all surgery except for critical cancer, cardiological and emergency cases. Hospitals everywhere in the region have taken similar measures, re-deploying beds and creating new wards, but they are reaching their limits. "The difficulty is not so much beds or material, it's a question of finding medical and paramedical staff to be able to take in patients," Chandesris explained. Last Sunday, a group of emergency care directors in Paris warned in an open letter that the situation was so bad that medics would soon have to start "triage" -- selecting patients for care based on their chances of survival. This prospect horrifies staff -- and President Emmanuel Macron has always promised to shield hospitals and avoid the sort of scenes witnessed in Italy last March when patients piled up in corridors. In a televised speech to the nation on Wednesday night, he promised to increase intensive care capacity nation-wide from 7,665 beds currently to 10,000 -- a jump of 30 percent. "I want to thank medical students, retired people, the army health service and medical reserve volunteers. All of them will be mobilised in a larger way," he announced. Opposition politicians and some experts reacted with scepticism while an Ifop poll for the Journal du Dimanche weekly found only 35 percent of French people had confidence in their government "to deal effectively with the coronavirus". Pinto, the nurse, underlined how working in intensive care is "very technical", requiring specialised training and knowledge. - New restrictions - Macron is banking on a limited lockdown over the next month turning the rising tide of cases which have roughly doubled to 40,000 a day compared with their level a month ago. The sharp acceleration is down to the spread of the more contagious so-called British variant which has become dominant in France. New measures include nation-wide travel restrictions, which limit people to 10 kilometres (six miles) from their homes, and the closure of schools and non-essential shops. Only a significant increase in the vaccination campaign -- which started sluggishly but is now picking up pace -- fills any of the medics at Antony Private Hospital with any hope. After months of lacking doses, the government is promising a major rollout this month and an increase in the rate of jabbing. Samir Taik, a taxi driver from Paris, walked out of the Antony hospital last week as the 1,000th Covid-19 patient to have benefited from oxygen therapy in the Covid-19 intensive care unit. The 43-year-old, who enjoys boxing and sport, is still short of breath and reeling from the trauma of seeing his health deteriorate so fast. He says he knows three or four people with a similar profile to him who have been hospitalised recently. "Young people need to know that we're not talking about 80-year-olds, it's people who are 30, 40, 45-year-olds and have no health problems. The British variant is not like the old one," he told AFP.

Paris medics fear worst of Covid wave still to come

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is slated to set out plans for a domestic "vaccine passport" system to help the country ease itself out of lockdown.

Football cup finals, a comedy club and a cinema will be used to test vaccine passports over the next few weeks, as per plan.

The pilot venues will be unveiled on Monday by the prime minister with the NHS drawing up a system that will allow people to use an app or a paper certificate to gain access to major events and reduce social distancing measures.

Johnson, however, continues to face a mounting political backlash over the use of vaccine passports.

More than 70 British lawmakers have signalled their opposition to the introduction of so-called vaccine passports.

The system being piloted will take account of whether someone has had a vaccination, a recent negative test, or natural immunity after a positive test in the last six months

On Friday, Johnson said that a combination of immunity factors - if people have had the disease, a vaccination or had a COVID-19 test - would give businesses confidence.

Under the government’s planned “roadmap” out of the pandemic, pubs will be allowed to serve people outdoors later this month, with a further easing of restrictions in mid-May before all measures are lifted near the end of June.

Johnson suggested last month that some pubs might require customers to produce vaccine certificates. Culture minister Oliver Dowden, meanwhile, has said that such certificates could help get more people into theatres.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is slated to set out plans for a domestic "vaccine passport" system to help the country ease itself out of lockdown. Football cup finals, a comedy club and a cinema will be used to test vaccine passports over the next few weeks, as per plan.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is slated to set out plans for a domestic "vaccine passport" system to help the country ease itself out of lockdown. Football cup finals, a comedy club and a cinema will be used to test vaccine passports over the next few weeks, as per plan. The pilot venues will be unveiled on Monday by the prime minister with the NHS drawing up a system that will allow people to use an app or a paper certificate to gain access to major events and reduce social distancing measures. Johnson, however, continues to face a mounting political backlash over the use of vaccine passports. More than 70 British lawmakers have signalled their opposition to the introduction of so-called vaccine passports. The system being piloted will take account of whether someone has had a vaccination, a recent negative test, or natural immunity after a positive test in the last six months On Friday, Johnson said that a combination of immunity factors - if people have had the disease, a vaccination or had a COVID-19 test - would give businesses confidence. Under the government’s planned “roadmap” out of the pandemic, pubs will be allowed to serve people outdoors later this month, with a further easing of restrictions in mid-May before all measures are lifted near the end of June. Johnson suggested last month that some pubs might require customers to produce vaccine certificates. Culture minister Oliver Dowden, meanwhile, has said that such certificates could help get more people into theatres.

UK PM Boris Johnson to give go-ahead for trials of Covid passports

The US government has stopped a Baltimore manufacturing plant that ruined 15 million doses of Johnson &amp; Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine from making the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca Plc.

According to a report in the New York Times, AstraZeneca on Saturday said in a statement it will work with President Joe Biden's administration to find an alternative site.

J&amp;J said in a statement that it was "assuming full responsibility regarding the manufacturing of drug substance for its COVID-19 vaccine at the Emergent BioSolutions Inc. Bayview facility."

The move by the US Department of Health and Human Services' will now render the Emergent BioSolutions facility solely devoted to making the Johnson &amp; Johnson single-dose vaccine, and is meant to avoid future mix-ups, according to the newspaper report, which cites two senior federal health official

The US government's top infectious disease doctor, Antony Fauci, had earlier said the country may not need AstraZeneca's vaccine, even if it wins approval.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fauci-says-us-may-not-need-astrazeneca-covid-vaccine-374863">Also read |&nbsp;Fauci says US may not need AstraZeneca Covid vaccine</a>

AstraZeneca has been under scanner for months now for the alleged blood clotting side effects the vaccine has had on its takers.

Some countries are restricting use of the AstraZeneca vaccine while others have resumed inoculations, as investigations into reports of rare, and sometimes severe, blood clots continue.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA), probing links between the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and blood clots, have repeatedly said they found no specific risk factors, including age. They are, however, investigating further.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-medical-agency-again-backs-astrazeneca-covid-vaccine-374694">Also read |&nbsp;EU medical agency again backs AstraZeneca Covid vaccine</a>

The US government has stopped a Baltimore manufacturing plant that ruined 15 million doses of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine from making the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca Plc.

The US government has stopped a Baltimore manufacturing plant that ruined 15 million doses of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine from making the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca Plc. According to a report in the New York Times, AstraZeneca on Saturday said in a statement it will work with President Joe Biden's administration to find an alternative site. J&J said in a statement that it was "assuming full responsibility regarding the manufacturing of drug substance for its COVID-19 vaccine at the Emergent BioSolutions Inc. Bayview facility." The move by the US Department of Health and Human Services' will now render the Emergent BioSolutions facility solely devoted to making the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine, and is meant to avoid future mix-ups, according to the newspaper report, which cites two senior federal health official The US government's top infectious disease doctor, Antony Fauci, had earlier said the country may not need AstraZeneca's vaccine, even if it wins approval. Also read | Fauci says US may not need AstraZeneca Covid vaccine AstraZeneca has been under scanner for months now for the alleged blood clotting side effects the vaccine has had on its takers. Some countries are restricting use of the AstraZeneca vaccine while others have resumed inoculations, as investigations into reports of rare, and sometimes severe, blood clots continue. The European Medicines Agency (EMA), probing links between the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and blood clots, have repeatedly said they found no specific risk factors, including age. They are, however, investigating further. Also read | EU medical agency again backs AstraZeneca Covid vaccine

US stops AstraZeneca vaccine production at Baltimore plant

Eight states including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat account for 80.96 per cent of the 93,249 new daily COVID-19 cases, according to the Union Health Ministry.

India is seeing a steep intensification in the doubling time of the COVID-19 cases. As of April 4, it is 115.4 days, the ministry said on Sunday. &nbsp;

India's total active caseload has reached 6,91,597 and now comprises 5.54 per cent of the country's total infections. A net rise of 32,688 cases recorded in the total active caseload in a span of 24 hours.

Maharashtra, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Punjab cumulatively account for 76.41 per cent of the total active cases in the country, the ministry said.

Maharashtra alone accounts &nbsp;for more than half (58.19%) of the total active caseload of the country.

India saw &nbsp;93,249 new coronavirus infections being reported in a span of 24 hours, the highest single day rise so far this year, taking the nationwide COVID-19 tally of cases to 1,24,85,509 , according to the ministry data updated on Sunday morning.

Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 49,447. This is followed by Chhattisgarh with 5,818 cases while Karnataka reported 4,373 new cases.

Twelve states including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala are displaying an upward trajectory in daily new cases, the ministry said.

India's cumulative recoveries stand at &nbsp;1,16,29,289 with 60,048 recoveries being registered in a span of 24 hours.

Besides, 513 deaths were reported in a day.

Eight states account for 85.19 per cent of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (277). Punjab follows with 49 daily deaths, the ministry said.

Fourteen states and UTs have not reported any COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours.&nbsp;

These are Odisha, Assam, Puducherry, Ladakh (UT), D&amp;D &amp; D&amp;N, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Arunachal Pradesh.

On the issue of vaccination, the ministry said the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 7,59,79,651 &nbsp;(through 11,99,125 sessions).

These include 89,82,974 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the 1st dose, 53,19,641 HCWs who have taken the 2nd dose, 96,86,477 frontline workers who have received the 1st dose and 40,97,510 FLWs who have taken the 2nd dose.

Besides, 4,70,70,019 &nbsp;and 8,23,030 &nbsp;beneficiaries aged more than 45 years have been administered the 1st and 2nd dose respectively.

The cumulative vaccination figure includes over 6.5 crore (6,57,39,470) first doses, while the second dose numbers have crossed the 1 crore mark as well (1,02,40,181), the ministry said.

As on day-78 of the vaccination drive (3rd April), 27,38,972 vaccine doses were given. Out of which, 24,80,031 beneficiaries were vaccinated for 1st dose and 2,58,941 beneficiaries received their 2nd dose of vaccine.

Eight states account for 60.19 per cent of the cumulative doses given so far. Maharashtra alone accounts for 9.68 per cent of the total doses given in India.

Maharashtra has alone distributed 65,59,094 1st doses and 7,95,150 &nbsp;2nd doses.&nbsp;

Eight states including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat account for 80.96 per cent of the 93,249 new daily COVID-19 cases, according to the Union Health Ministry.

Eight states including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat account for 80.96 per cent of the 93,249 new daily COVID-19 cases, according to the Union Health Ministry. India is seeing a steep intensification in the doubling time of the COVID-19 cases. As of April 4, it is 115.4 days, the ministry said on Sunday. India's total active caseload has reached 6,91,597 and now comprises 5.54 per cent of the country's total infections. A net rise of 32,688 cases recorded in the total active caseload in a span of 24 hours. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Punjab cumulatively account for 76.41 per cent of the total active cases in the country, the ministry said. Maharashtra alone accounts for more than half (58.19%) of the total active caseload of the country. India saw 93,249 new coronavirus infections being reported in a span of 24 hours, the highest single day rise so far this year, taking the nationwide COVID-19 tally of cases to 1,24,85,509 , according to the ministry data updated on Sunday morning. Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 49,447. This is followed by Chhattisgarh with 5,818 cases while Karnataka reported 4,373 new cases. Twelve states including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala are displaying an upward trajectory in daily new cases, the ministry said. India's cumulative recoveries stand at 1,16,29,289 with 60,048 recoveries being registered in a span of 24 hours. Besides, 513 deaths were reported in a day. Eight states account for 85.19 per cent of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (277). Punjab follows with 49 daily deaths, the ministry said. Fourteen states and UTs have not reported any COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours. These are Odisha, Assam, Puducherry, Ladakh (UT), D&D & D&N, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Arunachal Pradesh. On the issue of vaccination, the ministry said the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 7,59,79,651 (through 11,99,125 sessions). These include 89,82,974 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the 1st dose, 53,19,641 HCWs who have taken the 2nd dose, 96,86,477 frontline workers who have received the 1st dose and 40,97,510 FLWs who have taken the 2nd dose. Besides, 4,70,70,019 and 8,23,030 beneficiaries aged more than 45 years have been administered the 1st and 2nd dose respectively. The cumulative vaccination figure includes over 6.5 crore (6,57,39,470) first doses, while the second dose numbers have crossed the 1 crore mark as well (1,02,40,181), the ministry said. As on day-78 of the vaccination drive (3rd April), 27,38,972 vaccine doses were given. Out of which, 24,80,031 beneficiaries were vaccinated for 1st dose and 2,58,941 beneficiaries received their 2nd dose of vaccine. Eight states account for 60.19 per cent of the cumulative doses given so far. Maharashtra alone accounts for 9.68 per cent of the total doses given in India. Maharashtra has alone distributed 65,59,094 1st doses and 7,95,150 2nd doses.

Eight states account for over 80% of new Covid cases in India

Johnson &amp; Johnson has started testing its Covid-19 vaccine on adolescents.

The young people, beginning with those aged 16 and 17, will be added to an ongoing study of the vaccine in adults that began last September, the drugmaker said Friday.&nbsp;

After initial data from the older teens is reviewed, the trial will expand to add the ones between the ages of 12 and 15.

J&amp;J says the first teens are being enrolled in the United Kingdom and Spain. Teens in the United States, Canada and the Netherlands will be added, followed by teens in Brazil and Argentina.

The study is testing the safety and efficacy of both one-dose and two-dose regimens of the vaccine, with the two-dose regimens being studied at intervals of one, two and three months after the first shot.

Johnson & Johnson has started testing its Covid-19 vaccine on adolescents. The young people, beginning with those aged 16 and 17, will be added to an ongoing study of the vaccine in adults that began last September, the drugmaker said Friday.

Johnson & Johnson has started testing its Covid-19 vaccine on adolescents. The young people, beginning with those aged 16 and 17, will be added to an ongoing study of the vaccine in adults that began last September, the drugmaker said Friday. After initial data from the older teens is reviewed, the trial will expand to add the ones between the ages of 12 and 15. J&J says the first teens are being enrolled in the United Kingdom and Spain. Teens in the United States, Canada and the Netherlands will be added, followed by teens in Brazil and Argentina. The study is testing the safety and efficacy of both one-dose and two-dose regimens of the vaccine, with the two-dose regimens being studied at intervals of one, two and three months after the first shot.

Johnson & Johnson starts testing its Covid vaccine on teens

British regulators have identified 30 cases of rare blood clot events after the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Uk's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has also said that it had received no such reports of clotting events following the use of the vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech.

UK regulators find 30 cases of blood clot events after using AstraZeneca COVID vaccine

The United States may not need AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, even if it wins US regulatory approval, Anthony Fauci has said.

The vaccine, once hailed as another milestone in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, has been dogged by questions since late last year -- for it has been found to show severe side-effects in patients. It has been authorised for use by dozens of countries, not including United States.

The nation's top infectious disease doctor, to this end, told Reuters on Thursday, that the United States has enough contracts with other vaccine makers to vaccinate its entire population, and possibly enough for booster shots in the fall.

Asked whether the United States will use the AstraZeneca vaccine doses, he said, "That's still up in the air. My general feeling is that given the contractual relationships that we have with a number of companies, that we have enough vaccine to fulfill all of our needs without invoking AstraZeneca."

Late last year, the drugmaker and Oxford University published data from an earlier trial with two different efficacy readings as a result of a dosing error. Then in March, more than a dozen countries temporarily suspended the use of AstraZeneca's vaccine after reports linked it to a rare blood clotting disorder.

The United States may not need AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, even if it wins US regulatory approval, Anthony Fauci has said. The vaccine, once hailed as another milestone in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, has been dogged by questions since late last year -- for it has been found to show severe side-effects in patients.

The United States may not need AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, even if it wins US regulatory approval, Anthony Fauci has said. The vaccine, once hailed as another milestone in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, has been dogged by questions since late last year -- for it has been found to show severe side-effects in patients. It has been authorised for use by dozens of countries, not including United States. The nation's top infectious disease doctor, to this end, told Reuters on Thursday, that the United States has enough contracts with other vaccine makers to vaccinate its entire population, and possibly enough for booster shots in the fall. Asked whether the United States will use the AstraZeneca vaccine doses, he said, "That's still up in the air. My general feeling is that given the contractual relationships that we have with a number of companies, that we have enough vaccine to fulfill all of our needs without invoking AstraZeneca." Late last year, the drugmaker and Oxford University published data from an earlier trial with two different efficacy readings as a result of a dosing error. Then in March, more than a dozen countries temporarily suspended the use of AstraZeneca's vaccine after reports linked it to a rare blood clotting disorder.

Fauci says US may not need AstraZeneca Covid vaccine

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday walked back controversial comments made by its director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, suggesting that people who are vaccinated against the coronavirus never become infected or transmit the virus to others.

The assertion called into question the precautions that the agency had urged vaccinated people to take just last month, like wearing masks and gathering only under limited circumstances with unvaccinated people.

“Dr. Walensky spoke broadly during this interview,” an agency spokesperson told The Times. “It’s possible that some people who are fully vaccinated could get COVID-19. The evidence isn’t clear whether they can spread the virus to others. We are continuing to evaluate the evidence.”

The agency was responding in part to criticism from scientists who noted that current research was far from sufficient to claim that vaccinated people cannot spread the virus.

The data suggest that “it’s much harder for vaccinated people to get infected, but don’t think for one second that they cannot get infected,” said Paul Duprex, director of the Center for Vaccine Research at the University of Pittsburgh.

In a television interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Walensky referred to data published by the CDC showing that one dose of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 80% effective at preventing infection, and two doses were 90% effective.

That certainly suggested that transmission from vaccinated people might be unlikely, but Walensky’s comments hinted that protection was complete. “Our data from the CDC today suggests that vaccinated people do not carry the virus, don’t get sick,” she said. “And that it’s not just in the clinical trials, it’s also in real-world data.”

Walensky went on to emphasize the importance of continuing to wear masks and maintain precautions, even for vaccinated people. Still, the brief comment was widely interpreted as saying that the vaccines offered complete protection against infection or transmission.

In a pandemic that regularly spawns scientific misunderstanding, experts said they were sympathetic to Walensky and her obvious desire for Americans to continue to take precautions. It was only Monday that she said rising caseloads had left her with a sense of “impending doom.”

“If Dr. Walensky had said most vaccinated people do not carry virus, we would not be having this discussion,” said John Moore, a virus expert at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York.

“What we know is the vaccines are very substantially effective against infection — there’s more and more data on that — but nothing is 100%,” he added. “It is an important public health message that needs to be gotten right.”

Misinterpretation could disrupt the agency’s urgent pleas for immunization, some experts said. As of Wednesday, 30% of Americans had received at least one dose of a vaccine and 17% were fully immunized.

“There cannot be any daylight between what the research shows — really impressive but incomplete protection — and how it is described,” said Dr. Peter Bach, director of the Center for Health Policy and Outcomes at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

“This opens the door to the skeptics who think the government is sugarcoating the science,” Bach said, “and completely undermines any remaining argument why people should keep wearing masks after being vaccinated.”

All of the coronavirus vaccines are spectacularly successful at preventing serious disease and death from COVID-19, but how well they prevent infection has been less clear.

Clinical trials of the vaccines were designed only to assess whether the vaccines prevent serious illness and death. The research from the CDC on Monday brought the welcome conclusion that the vaccines are also extremely effective at preventing infection.

The study enrolled 3,950 health care workers, emergency responders and others at high risk of infection. The participants swabbed their noses each week and sent the samples in for testing, which allowed federal researchers to track all infections, symptomatic or not. Two weeks after vaccination, the vast majority of vaccinated people remained virus-free, the study found.

Follow-up data from clinical trials support that finding. In results released by Pfizer and BioNTech on Wednesday, for example, 77 people who received the vaccine had a coronavirus infection, compared with 850 people who got a placebo.

“Clearly, some vaccinated people do get infected,” Duprex said. “We’re stopping symptoms, we’re keeping people out of hospitals. But we’re not making them completely resistant to an infection.”

The number of vaccinated people who become infected is likely to be higher among those receiving vaccines made by Johnson &amp;amp; Johnson and AstraZeneca, which have a lower efficacy, experts said. (Still, those vaccines are worth taking, because they uniformly prevent serious illness and death.)

Infection rates may also be higher among people exposed to a virus variant that can sidestep the immune system.

Cases across the country are once again on the upswing, threatening a new surge. Walensky’s comment came just a day after she made an emotional appeal to the American public to continue taking precautions.

“I am asking you to just hold on a little longer, to get vaccinated when you can, so that all of those people that we all love will still be here when this pandemic ends,” she said.

Given the rising numbers, it’s especially important that immunized people continue to protect those who have not yet been immunized against the virus, experts said.

“Vaccinated people should not be throwing away their masks at this point,” Moore said. “This pandemic is not over.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday walked back controversial comments made by its director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, suggesting that people who are vaccinated against the coronavirus never become infected or transmit the virus to others.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday walked back controversial comments made by its director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, suggesting that people who are vaccinated against the coronavirus never become infected or transmit the virus to others. The assertion called into question the precautions that the agency had urged vaccinated people to take just last month, like wearing masks and gathering only under limited circumstances with unvaccinated people. “Dr. Walensky spoke broadly during this interview,” an agency spokesperson told The Times. “It’s possible that some people who are fully vaccinated could get COVID-19. The evidence isn’t clear whether they can spread the virus to others. We are continuing to evaluate the evidence.” The agency was responding in part to criticism from scientists who noted that current research was far from sufficient to claim that vaccinated people cannot spread the virus. The data suggest that “it’s much harder for vaccinated people to get infected, but don’t think for one second that they cannot get infected,” said Paul Duprex, director of the Center for Vaccine Research at the University of Pittsburgh. In a television interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Walensky referred to data published by the CDC showing that one dose of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 80% effective at preventing infection, and two doses were 90% effective. That certainly suggested that transmission from vaccinated people might be unlikely, but Walensky’s comments hinted that protection was complete. “Our data from the CDC today suggests that vaccinated people do not carry the virus, don’t get sick,” she said. “And that it’s not just in the clinical trials, it’s also in real-world data.” Walensky went on to emphasize the importance of continuing to wear masks and maintain precautions, even for vaccinated people. Still, the brief comment was widely interpreted as saying that the vaccines offered complete protection against infection or transmission. In a pandemic that regularly spawns scientific misunderstanding, experts said they were sympathetic to Walensky and her obvious desire for Americans to continue to take precautions. It was only Monday that she said rising caseloads had left her with a sense of “impending doom.” “If Dr. Walensky had said most vaccinated people do not carry virus, we would not be having this discussion,” said John Moore, a virus expert at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. “What we know is the vaccines are very substantially effective against infection — there’s more and more data on that — but nothing is 100%,” he added. “It is an important public health message that needs to be gotten right.” Misinterpretation could disrupt the agency’s urgent pleas for immunization, some experts said. As of Wednesday, 30% of Americans had received at least one dose of a vaccine and 17% were fully immunized. “There cannot be any daylight between what the research shows — really impressive but incomplete protection — and how it is described,” said Dr. Peter Bach, director of the Center for Health Policy and Outcomes at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. “This opens the door to the skeptics who think the government is sugarcoating the science,” Bach said, “and completely undermines any remaining argument why people should keep wearing masks after being vaccinated.” All of the coronavirus vaccines are spectacularly successful at preventing serious disease and death from COVID-19, but how well they prevent infection has been less clear. Clinical trials of the vaccines were designed only to assess whether the vaccines prevent serious illness and death. The research from the CDC on Monday brought the welcome conclusion that the vaccines are also extremely effective at preventing infection. The study enrolled 3,950 health care workers, emergency responders and others at high risk of infection. The participants swabbed their noses each week and sent the samples in for testing, which allowed federal researchers to track all infections, symptomatic or not. Two weeks after vaccination, the vast majority of vaccinated people remained virus-free, the study found. Follow-up data from clinical trials support that finding. In results released by Pfizer and BioNTech on Wednesday, for example, 77 people who received the vaccine had a coronavirus infection, compared with 850 people who got a placebo. “Clearly, some vaccinated people do get infected,” Duprex said. “We’re stopping symptoms, we’re keeping people out of hospitals. But we’re not making them completely resistant to an infection.” The number of vaccinated people who become infected is likely to be higher among those receiving vaccines made by Johnson &amp; Johnson and AstraZeneca, which have a lower efficacy, experts said. (Still, those vaccines are worth taking, because they uniformly prevent serious illness and death.) Infection rates may also be higher among people exposed to a virus variant that can sidestep the immune system. Cases across the country are once again on the upswing, threatening a new surge. Walensky’s comment came just a day after she made an emotional appeal to the American public to continue taking precautions. “I am asking you to just hold on a little longer, to get vaccinated when you can, so that all of those people that we all love will still be here when this pandemic ends,” she said. Given the rising numbers, it’s especially important that immunized people continue to protect those who have not yet been immunized against the virus, experts said. “Vaccinated people should not be throwing away their masks at this point,” Moore said. “This pandemic is not over.”

Can vaccinated people spread the virus? We don’t know, scientists say

British regulators have identified 30 cases of rare blood clot events after the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has also said that it had received no such reports of clotting events following the use of the vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech.

British regulators identifies 30 blood clot cases after use of AstraZeneca jab

British regulators said they had identified 30 cases of rare blood clot events after the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, 25 more than the agency previously reported.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on Thursday said it had received no such reports of clotting events following use of the vaccine made by BioNTech SE and Pfizer Inc.

On March 18, the UK medicines regulator said that there had been five cases of a rare brain blood clot among 11 million administered shots.

On Thursday, it put the count at 22 reports of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, an extremely rare brain clotting ailment, and 8 reports of other clotting events associated with low blood platelets out of a total of 18.1 million doses given.

The health officials said they, however, still believed the benefits of the vaccine in the prevention of COVID-19 far outweigh any possible risk of blood clots.

Some countries are restricting use of the AstraZeneca vaccine while others have resumed inoculations, as investigations into reports of rare, and sometimes severe, blood clots continue.

British regulators said they had identified 30 cases of rare blood clot events after the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, 25 more than the agency previously reported.

British regulators said they had identified 30 cases of rare blood clot events after the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, 25 more than the agency previously reported. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on Thursday said it had received no such reports of clotting events following use of the vaccine made by BioNTech SE and Pfizer Inc. On March 18, the UK medicines regulator said that there had been five cases of a rare brain blood clot among 11 million administered shots. On Thursday, it put the count at 22 reports of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, an extremely rare brain clotting ailment, and 8 reports of other clotting events associated with low blood platelets out of a total of 18.1 million doses given. The health officials said they, however, still believed the benefits of the vaccine in the prevention of COVID-19 far outweigh any possible risk of blood clots. Some countries are restricting use of the AstraZeneca vaccine while others have resumed inoculations, as investigations into reports of rare, and sometimes severe, blood clots continue.

Thirty blood clot cases found after use of AstraZeneca vaccine, UK regulator says

Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Sinovac said Friday a third production line for its Covid-19 vaccine has been put into use, doubling its annual capacity of the jabs to two billion doses.

Its CoronaVac is one of four domestic vaccines given conditional approval by Chinese authorities, which helps rush emergency drugs to market.

On Wednesday, experts from the World Health Organization said an interim analysis of clinical trial data from two Chinese vaccines, including Sinovac's product, showed they demonstrated "safety and good efficacy", although more data is still needed.

"Over 200 million doses of&nbsp;CoronaVac&nbsp;have been&nbsp;delivered to over 20 countries,&nbsp;including China," said Sinovac in its latest statement.

Although Sinovac's jab has been approved by domestic regulators, it has yet to receive authorisation by what the WHO considers "a stringent regulatory authority", noted the UN health agency's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE).

Sinovac is among Chinese firms to have submitted data in applications for the WHO's emergency use listing, which opens the door for the jabs to join the global Covax programme, which aims to ensure equitable access to Covid-19 vaccinations.

Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Sinovac said Friday a third production line for its Covid-19 vaccine has been put into use, doubling its annual capacity of the jabs to two billion doses.

Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Sinovac said Friday a third production line for its Covid-19 vaccine has been put into use, doubling its annual capacity of the jabs to two billion doses. Its CoronaVac is one of four domestic vaccines given conditional approval by Chinese authorities, which helps rush emergency drugs to market. On Wednesday, experts from the World Health Organization said an interim analysis of clinical trial data from two Chinese vaccines, including Sinovac's product, showed they demonstrated "safety and good efficacy", although more data is still needed. "Over 200 million doses of CoronaVac have been delivered to over 20 countries, including China," said Sinovac in its latest statement. Although Sinovac's jab has been approved by domestic regulators, it has yet to receive authorisation by what the WHO considers "a stringent regulatory authority", noted the UN health agency's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE). Sinovac is among Chinese firms to have submitted data in applications for the WHO's emergency use listing, which opens the door for the jabs to join the global Covax programme, which aims to ensure equitable access to Covid-19 vaccinations.

China vaccine maker Sinovac doubles production capacity

The European Medicines Agency (EMA), probing links between the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and blood clots, have again found no specific risk factors, including age. They are, however, investigating further.

The EU's drug regulator on Wednesday said however that its safety committee expected to issue an "updated recommendation" on the controversial vaccine after its monthly meeting next week.

"At present the review has not identified any specific risk factors, such as age, gender or a previous medical history of clotting disorders, for these very rare events," the Amsterdam-based EMA said in a statement. "A causal link with the vaccine is not proven, but is possible and further analysis is continuing."

The EMA statement came after experts met on Monday to discuss their latest findings on the AstraZeneca vaccine. Their comments will be discussed at the safety committee's meeting next week.

The watchdog reiterated the view it gave in a keenly-anticipated statement on March 18, saying "its benefits in protecting people from Covid-19 with the associated risks of death and hospitalisation outweigh the possible risks."

Germany on Tuesday became the latest in a series of countries to advise against using the AstraZeneca jab for younger people after rare reports of clotting, despite the EMA saying it is safe.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-halts-use-of-astrazeneca-vaccine-for-elderly-amid-reports-of-rare-disorder-374381">Also read |&nbsp;Germany halts use of AstraZeneca vaccine for elderly amid reports of rare disorder</a>

EMA's chief, Emer Cooke, and the head of the agency's pharmacovigilance and epidemiology department, Peter Arlett, told an online news conference of the cases detected of the rare clotting -- cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) -- following AstraZeneca vaccine injections. They said there were 62 cases of CVST worldwide, with 44 of them in the European Economic Area (EEA) comprising the European Union and associated states Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

The figures they gave were from 9.2 million AstraZeneca jabs in the EEA region.

Cooke said that, while "at this stage of our investigations the link is possible" between rare CVST cases and the AstraZeneca vaccine, more evaluation was needed.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA), probing links between the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and blood clots, have again found no specific risk factors, including age.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA), probing links between the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and blood clots, have again found no specific risk factors, including age. They are, however, investigating further. The EU's drug regulator on Wednesday said however that its safety committee expected to issue an "updated recommendation" on the controversial vaccine after its monthly meeting next week. "At present the review has not identified any specific risk factors, such as age, gender or a previous medical history of clotting disorders, for these very rare events," the Amsterdam-based EMA said in a statement. "A causal link with the vaccine is not proven, but is possible and further analysis is continuing." The EMA statement came after experts met on Monday to discuss their latest findings on the AstraZeneca vaccine. Their comments will be discussed at the safety committee's meeting next week. The watchdog reiterated the view it gave in a keenly-anticipated statement on March 18, saying "its benefits in protecting people from Covid-19 with the associated risks of death and hospitalisation outweigh the possible risks." Germany on Tuesday became the latest in a series of countries to advise against using the AstraZeneca jab for younger people after rare reports of clotting, despite the EMA saying it is safe. Also read | Germany halts use of AstraZeneca vaccine for elderly amid reports of rare disorder EMA's chief, Emer Cooke, and the head of the agency's pharmacovigilance and epidemiology department, Peter Arlett, told an online news conference of the cases detected of the rare clotting -- cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) -- following AstraZeneca vaccine injections. They said there were 62 cases of CVST worldwide, with 44 of them in the European Economic Area (EEA) comprising the European Union and associated states Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. The figures they gave were from 9.2 million AstraZeneca jabs in the EEA region. Cooke said that, while "at this stage of our investigations the link is possible" between rare CVST cases and the AstraZeneca vaccine, more evaluation was needed.

EU medical agency again backs AstraZeneca Covid vaccine

The Canadian province of Ontario will return to a lockdown on Saturday, widening restrictions on stores, gyms, restaurants and hair salons for 28 days in an effort to get Covid-19 under control.

According to CBC News,&nbsp;the restrictions would not be as tight as the province-wide lockdown that was imposed in December.

Some regions, including the city of Toronto, are already operating under similar rules.

Canada has recorded more than 982,000 cases of coronavirus as of Wednesday, with nearly 23,000 deaths.

Ontario added 2,333 new cases of Covid-19 on March 30, bringing its total case count to 349,903, according to Public Health Ontario. More than 17,000 residents have been hospitalised because of the disease, and 7,366 have died from it.

The number of patients in intensive care also rose to 421 on Wednesday, equaling the peak reached in January, according to Radio-Canada.

Essential services will remain open with capacity limited to 50 per cent, while non-essential shops will be reduced to 25 per cent.

Gyms and hairdressers will also be closed, although schools are expected to remain open until the week beginning April 12.

Ontario joins a growing number of locations, including France and Italy, that are returning to strict limits on social interactions in an effort to slow the latest surge of the virus.

The Canadian province of Ontario will return to a lockdown on Saturday, widening restrictions on stores, gyms, restaurants and hair salons for 28 days in an effort to get Covid-19 under control.

The Canadian province of Ontario will return to a lockdown on Saturday, widening restrictions on stores, gyms, restaurants and hair salons for 28 days in an effort to get Covid-19 under control. According to CBC News, the restrictions would not be as tight as the province-wide lockdown that was imposed in December. Some regions, including the city of Toronto, are already operating under similar rules. Canada has recorded more than 982,000 cases of coronavirus as of Wednesday, with nearly 23,000 deaths. Ontario added 2,333 new cases of Covid-19 on March 30, bringing its total case count to 349,903, according to Public Health Ontario. More than 17,000 residents have been hospitalised because of the disease, and 7,366 have died from it. The number of patients in intensive care also rose to 421 on Wednesday, equaling the peak reached in January, according to Radio-Canada. Essential services will remain open with capacity limited to 50 per cent, while non-essential shops will be reduced to 25 per cent. Gyms and hairdressers will also be closed, although schools are expected to remain open until the week beginning April 12. Ontario joins a growing number of locations, including France and Italy, that are returning to strict limits on social interactions in an effort to slow the latest surge of the virus.

Canada's Ontario returns to lockdown to slow coronavirus, report says

Hong Kong will resume administering the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus jab on Monday after the pharma giant said&nbsp;a packaging flaw that temporarily halted its use did not affect its safety, officials said.

The financial hub suspended use of the German-made vaccine last month when Fosun, its China distributor, informed authorities that some vial caps were defective.&nbsp;

It was a blow to the roll-out of mass vaccination programmes against a deadly virus that has killed more than 2.7 million people around the world and hammered the global economy.

"BioNTech told us that the batch of vaccines concerned did not have quality and safety problem," Hong Kong's civil service chief Patrick Nip, who has been leading the government's cross-department anti-virus initiative, said Thursday.&nbsp;

"Administration of the BioNTech vaccines will resume on Monday," he said, adding that a new batch of 300,000 doses would arrive in the city on Friday.

Health authorities in Hong Kong had previously stressed that any defective bottles were discarded before being given out, and that they paused the programme temporarily out of an abundance of caution.&nbsp;

More than 180,000 residents who reserved Pfizer/BioNTech vaccinations were affected by the 12-day suspension, including some 30,000 people who were due to receive their second jab within the recommended 21-day window.

Citing BioNTech's own analysis, Hong Kong's health director Constance Chan said the problem in some vials had been traced to how caps reacted to the minus 70 degrees Celsius temperatures the vaccine must be kept in for storage.&nbsp;

When the vials were defrosted to be prepared for administering, she said, air sometimes leaked in.

Officials said the new batch of vaccines arriving in Hong Kong on Friday had been manufactured in another factory in Germany where over 15,000 vials were tested and no defects were found.&nbsp;

More than 460,000 residents of Hong Kong have received their first jab of coronavirus vaccines since the campaign kicked off over one month ago, accounting for about seven percent of the city's population aged 16 and above.

"It's still far from our immunity target," Nip said. "We appeal to all eligible members of the public to get vaccinated."

Authorities currently offer China's Sinovac and the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

Sinovac received fast-track approval despite not publishing peer-reviewed clinical data.

The data available points to an efficacy rate of between 50-80 percent, depending on the studies.

Pfizer says its efficacy rate is 94-95 percent.

Hong Kong will resume administering the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus jab on Monday after the pharma giant said a packaging flaw that temporarily halted its use did not affect its safety, officials said.

Hong Kong will resume administering the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus jab on Monday after the pharma giant said a packaging flaw that temporarily halted its use did not affect its safety, officials said. The financial hub suspended use of the German-made vaccine last month when Fosun, its China distributor, informed authorities that some vial caps were defective. It was a blow to the roll-out of mass vaccination programmes against a deadly virus that has killed more than 2.7 million people around the world and hammered the global economy. "BioNTech told us that the batch of vaccines concerned did not have quality and safety problem," Hong Kong's civil service chief Patrick Nip, who has been leading the government's cross-department anti-virus initiative, said Thursday. "Administration of the BioNTech vaccines will resume on Monday," he said, adding that a new batch of 300,000 doses would arrive in the city on Friday. Health authorities in Hong Kong had previously stressed that any defective bottles were discarded before being given out, and that they paused the programme temporarily out of an abundance of caution. More than 180,000 residents who reserved Pfizer/BioNTech vaccinations were affected by the 12-day suspension, including some 30,000 people who were due to receive their second jab within the recommended 21-day window. Citing BioNTech's own analysis, Hong Kong's health director Constance Chan said the problem in some vials had been traced to how caps reacted to the minus 70 degrees Celsius temperatures the vaccine must be kept in for storage. When the vials were defrosted to be prepared for administering, she said, air sometimes leaked in. Officials said the new batch of vaccines arriving in Hong Kong on Friday had been manufactured in another factory in Germany where over 15,000 vials were tested and no defects were found. More than 460,000 residents of Hong Kong have received their first jab of coronavirus vaccines since the campaign kicked off over one month ago, accounting for about seven percent of the city's population aged 16 and above. "It's still far from our immunity target," Nip said. "We appeal to all eligible members of the public to get vaccinated." Authorities currently offer China's Sinovac and the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. Sinovac received fast-track approval despite not publishing peer-reviewed clinical data. The data available points to an efficacy rate of between 50-80 percent, depending on the studies. Pfizer says its efficacy rate is 94-95 percent.

Hong Kong to resume Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine roll-out on Monday

The World Health Organization on Thursday slammed Europe's "unacceptably slow" vaccine rollout and said the region's surge in coronavirus infections was "worrying".

"Vaccines present our best way out of this pandemic... However, the rollout of these vaccines is unacceptably slow" and is "prolonging the pandemic", WHO director for Europe Hans Kluge said in a statement.

"We must speed up the process by ramping up manufacturing, reducing barriers to administering vaccines, and using every single vial we have in stock, now," he added.

The organisation said that Europe's virus situation was "more worrying than we have seen in several months."

Five weeks ago, the weekly number of new cases in Europe had dipped to under one&nbsp;million, but "last week saw increasing transmission of Covid-19 in the majority of countries in the WHO European region, with 1.6&nbsp;million new cases," it said.

The total number of deaths in Europe "is fast approaching one&nbsp;million and the total number of cases about to surpass 45&nbsp;million," it said.

The WHO's European region comprises 53 countries and territories and includes Russia and several Central Asian nations. The organisation warned that the rapid spread of the virus could increase the risk of new variants of concern developing.

"The likelihood of new variants of concern occurring increases with the rate at which the virus is replicating and spreading, so curbing transmission through basic disease control actions is crucial," Dorit Nitzan, WHO Europe's regional emergency director, said in the statement.

The World Health Organization on Thursday slammed Europe's "unacceptably slow" vaccine rollout and said the region's surge in coronavirus infections was "worrying".

The World Health Organization on Thursday slammed Europe's "unacceptably slow" vaccine rollout and said the region's surge in coronavirus infections was "worrying". "Vaccines present our best way out of this pandemic... However, the rollout of these vaccines is unacceptably slow" and is "prolonging the pandemic", WHO director for Europe Hans Kluge said in a statement. "We must speed up the process by ramping up manufacturing, reducing barriers to administering vaccines, and using every single vial we have in stock, now," he added. The organisation said that Europe's virus situation was "more worrying than we have seen in several months." Five weeks ago, the weekly number of new cases in Europe had dipped to under one million, but "last week saw increasing transmission of Covid-19 in the majority of countries in the WHO European region, with 1.6 million new cases," it said. The total number of deaths in Europe "is fast approaching one million and the total number of cases about to surpass 45 million," it said. The WHO's European region comprises 53 countries and territories and includes Russia and several Central Asian nations. The organisation warned that the rapid spread of the virus could increase the risk of new variants of concern developing. "The likelihood of new variants of concern occurring increases with the rate at which the virus is replicating and spreading, so curbing transmission through basic disease control actions is crucial," Dorit Nitzan, WHO Europe's regional emergency director, said in the statement.

Europe vaccine rollout 'unacceptably slow', case surge 'worrying': WHO

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday proposed paying for vaccines against the novel coronavirus with oil, though he provided few details about how such a scheme would work.

The crisis-stricken OPEC nation`s crude exports have plummeted to their lowest levels in decades since Washington sanctioned state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela in 2019, cutting off Venezuela`s exports to the United States and dissuading many other customers from buying Venezuelan oil as well.

Maduro said Venezuela was working to pay for vaccines from the World Health Organization`s (WHO) COVAX mechanism - which provides vaccine access to poor countries - both through Venezuelan funds frozen in overseas accounts due to sanctions, and through oil shipments.

"Venezuela has the oil vessels and has the customers who will buy our oil," Maduro said in a state television address.

"We are ready and prepared for oil for vaccines, but we will not beg anyone."

Venezuela has received vaccine doses from allies Russia and China. The government and the opposition had been in talks with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) over Venezuela`s access to vaccines through COVAX, but the government said last week it would not accept the AstraZeneca PLC vaccine, one of the main inoculations deployed by COVAX in Latin America.

Washington labels Maduro - who has overseen an economic collapse since taking office in the South American country in 2013 - a dictator who rigged his 2018 re-election and has violated human rights in crackdowns on dissent.

Maduro says Washington is seeking to oust him in a coup to control Venezuela`s oil reserves, the largest in the world by some measures.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday proposed paying for vaccines against the novel coronavirus with oil, though he provided few details about how such a scheme would work.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday proposed paying for vaccines against the novel coronavirus with oil, though he provided few details about how such a scheme would work. The crisis-stricken OPEC nation`s crude exports have plummeted to their lowest levels in decades since Washington sanctioned state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela in 2019, cutting off Venezuela`s exports to the United States and dissuading many other customers from buying Venezuelan oil as well. Maduro said Venezuela was working to pay for vaccines from the World Health Organization`s (WHO) COVAX mechanism - which provides vaccine access to poor countries - both through Venezuelan funds frozen in overseas accounts due to sanctions, and through oil shipments. "Venezuela has the oil vessels and has the customers who will buy our oil," Maduro said in a state television address. "We are ready and prepared for oil for vaccines, but we will not beg anyone." Venezuela has received vaccine doses from allies Russia and China. The government and the opposition had been in talks with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) over Venezuela`s access to vaccines through COVAX, but the government said last week it would not accept the AstraZeneca PLC vaccine, one of the main inoculations deployed by COVAX in Latin America. Washington labels Maduro - who has overseen an economic collapse since taking office in the South American country in 2013 - a dictator who rigged his 2018 re-election and has violated human rights in crackdowns on dissent. Maduro says Washington is seeking to oust him in a coup to control Venezuela`s oil reserves, the largest in the world by some measures.

Venezuela's Maduro proposes paying for coronavirus vaccines with oil

Hong Kong's government said an initial investigation by Germany's BioNTech and Fosun Industrial into its coronavirus vaccine did not show any "obvious systemic factors" during packaging after use of the vaccine was suspended in the city and neighbouring Macau this week.

Authorities on Wednesday halted the use of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by BioNTech citing defective packaging, triggering confusion in inoculation centres across the city.

The suspension came as the Asian financial hub has faced a sluggish take-up of vaccines due to dwindling confidence in China's Sinovac vaccine and fears of adverse reactions.

In a statement published late on Saturday, the city's government said the investigation results did not rule out that the situation was "caused by environmental conditions during the long-haul transport process."

It was not related to the cold-chain and logistical management of the vaccine and random testing of intact vials delivered to Hong Kong did not uncover any issue of leakage.

Both Fosun and BioNTech considered the vaccines to have no safety risks and people who have received them "do not need to worry", the government said.

The remaining part of the investigation will focus on "ascertaining the integrity of the intrinsic properties of the relevant batches of vaccine, and that the batches are safe for use."

The government said it was following up with Fosun and BioNTech to complete the investigation within a week to allow for a resumption of supplying the vaccines to the public.

The city started vaccinating residents with doses from Sinovac in February and began offering the one developed by BioNTech in March. 
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Hong Kong's government said an initial investigation by Germany's BioNTech and Fosun Industrial into its coronavirus vaccine did not show any "obvious systemic factors" during packaging after use of the vaccine was suspended in the city and neighbouring Macau this week.

Hong Kong's government said an initial investigation by Germany's BioNTech and Fosun Industrial into its coronavirus vaccine did not show any "obvious systemic factors" during packaging after use of the vaccine was suspended in the city and neighbouring Macau this week. Authorities on Wednesday halted the use of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by BioNTech citing defective packaging, triggering confusion in inoculation centres across the city. The suspension came as the Asian financial hub has faced a sluggish take-up of vaccines due to dwindling confidence in China's Sinovac vaccine and fears of adverse reactions. In a statement published late on Saturday, the city's government said the investigation results did not rule out that the situation was "caused by environmental conditions during the long-haul transport process." It was not related to the cold-chain and logistical management of the vaccine and random testing of intact vials delivered to Hong Kong did not uncover any issue of leakage. Both Fosun and BioNTech considered the vaccines to have no safety risks and people who have received them "do not need to worry", the government said. The remaining part of the investigation will focus on "ascertaining the integrity of the intrinsic properties of the relevant batches of vaccine, and that the batches are safe for use." The government said it was following up with Fosun and BioNTech to complete the investigation within a week to allow for a resumption of supplying the vaccines to the public. The city started vaccinating residents with doses from Sinovac in February and began offering the one developed by BioNTech in March.

Initial investigation of Pfizer vaccines shows no 'obvious systemic factors', Hong Kong says

China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) will need to assess results from overseas Phase III clinical trials to decide whether its two-shot COVID-19 vaccine should be followed by a booster shot, a company executive said on Sunday.

Regulators and vaccine developers are looking at whether booster doses are necessary amid concerns that emerging variants of the new coronavirus might weaken protection of vaccines designed against older strains.

Antibodies triggered by Sinopharm`s regular vaccines last about six months based on clinical trial data, Zhang Yuntao, vice president at China National Biotec Group (CNBG), an affiliate of Sinopharm, said on Sunday.

"The preliminary results so far showed that the booster vaccination can effectively increase the neutralizing antibody titer and antibody persistence, and also effectively improve the vaccine`s ability to resist mutations," Zhang said at a news conference.

"Is a booster shot needed? When will the booster be given? The answer should be based on the results of future phase III clinical studies," Zhang said.

Antibodies triggered by two COVID-19 vaccine products from Sinopharm both have "pretty good" neutralising effect on variants found in Britain and South Africa, Zhang told a news conference, citing results from lab tests using blood samples taken from clinical trial participants.

Lab testing was ongoing for variants found in Brazil and Zimbabwe, Zhang said.

China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) will need to assess results from overseas Phase III clinical trials to decide whether its two-shot COVID-19 vaccine should be followed by a booster shot, a company executive said on Sunday.

China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) will need to assess results from overseas Phase III clinical trials to decide whether its two-shot COVID-19 vaccine should be followed by a booster shot, a company executive said on Sunday. Regulators and vaccine developers are looking at whether booster doses are necessary amid concerns that emerging variants of the new coronavirus might weaken protection of vaccines designed against older strains. Antibodies triggered by Sinopharm`s regular vaccines last about six months based on clinical trial data, Zhang Yuntao, vice president at China National Biotec Group (CNBG), an affiliate of Sinopharm, said on Sunday. "The preliminary results so far showed that the booster vaccination can effectively increase the neutralizing antibody titer and antibody persistence, and also effectively improve the vaccine`s ability to resist mutations," Zhang said at a news conference. "Is a booster shot needed? When will the booster be given? The answer should be based on the results of future phase III clinical studies," Zhang said. Antibodies triggered by two COVID-19 vaccine products from Sinopharm both have "pretty good" neutralising effect on variants found in Britain and South Africa, Zhang told a news conference, citing results from lab tests using blood samples taken from clinical trial participants. Lab testing was ongoing for variants found in Brazil and Zimbabwe, Zhang said.

Sinopharm needs trial results to decide if Covid vaccine needs booster shot, exec says

European Union Chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday that AstraZeneca needed to "catch up" on its COVID vaccine deliveries and could not export the vaccines out of the EU until the commitments are fulfilled.

"I think it is clear that first of all the company has to catch up, has to honour the contract it has with the European member states, before it can engage again in exporting vaccines," she told a news conference after an EU summit dominated by the bloc's struggling vaccination rollout.

These blunt words also threaten to deepen row with Britain as it is trying to secure AstraZeneca shipments from EU. This is being done to fill an abrupt hole in the supplies.

Brussels and London have both laid claim to vaccine stocks in an AstraZeneca factory in the Netherlands.

European Commission's stance of toughening rules on vaccine exports has not been received well in the UK but a joint statement by Britain and the EU said that both sides are looking to find a "win-win" solution.

(With AFP inputs)

European Union Chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday that AstraZeneca needed to "catch up" on its COVID vaccine deliveries and could not export the vaccines out of the EU until the commitments are fulfilled.

European Union Chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday that AstraZeneca needed to "catch up" on its COVID vaccine deliveries and could not export the vaccines out of the EU until the commitments are fulfilled. "I think it is clear that first of all the company has to catch up, has to honour the contract it has with the European member states, before it can engage again in exporting vaccines," she told a news conference after an EU summit dominated by the bloc's struggling vaccination rollout. These blunt words also threaten to deepen row with Britain as it is trying to secure AstraZeneca shipments from EU. This is being done to fill an abrupt hole in the supplies. Brussels and London have both laid claim to vaccine stocks in an AstraZeneca factory in the Netherlands. European Commission's stance of toughening rules on vaccine exports has not been received well in the UK but a joint statement by Britain and the EU said that both sides are looking to find a "win-win" solution. (With AFP inputs)

EU asks AstraZeneca to 'catch up' on COVID vaccine deliveries

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