As daily COVID-19 cases cross&nbsp;the 36,000 mark and active cases&nbsp;near&nbsp;the 300,000&nbsp;mark, Tamil Nadu government has intensified the prevailing lockdown and extended it upto May 31.

In order to permit the people to prepare for the lockdown, the government has permitted all shops to remain open until 9 pm on Saturday and from 6 am to 9 pm on&nbsp;May 23. Outstation buses will be permitted to operate on May 22&nbsp;and 23 . According to the Tamil Nadu government, the COVID-19 second wave is expected to peak by the end of May or early June.

As per the latest guidelines which will come into effect on May 24, essentials such as milk, drinking water, newspapers will be available. Allopathy and traditional medicine shops will also remain open. In addition, vegetables and fruits would be sold in vehicles operated by the respective civic bodies across all districts including Chennai. E-commerce services, too&nbsp;can operate between 8 am and 6 pm.

Besides this, transportation of agricultural goods and produce, movement of essential goods, other cargo will be permitted. Also, hotels will function and provide only takeaway service between 6-10 am, 12 noon-3 pm and 6-9 pm, during which the online food delivery services can also function.&nbsp;

Fuel stations, ATMs, media industry,&nbsp;continuous process industries, industries manufacturing essential commodities, medical equipment can continue to function. Only the essential department in the Secretariat and District Administration will function. For emergencies such as death or medical reasons, inter-district travel will be permitted based on e-registration&nbsp;

As daily COVID-19 cases cross the 36,000 mark and active cases near the 300,000 mark, Tamil Nadu government has intensified the prevailing lockdown and extended it upto May 31.

As daily COVID-19 cases cross the 36,000 mark and active cases near the 300,000 mark, Tamil Nadu government has intensified the prevailing lockdown and extended it upto May 31. In order to permit the people to prepare for the lockdown, the government has permitted all shops to remain open until 9 pm on Saturday and from 6 am to 9 pm on May 23. Outstation buses will be permitted to operate on May 22 and 23 . According to the Tamil Nadu government, the COVID-19 second wave is expected to peak by the end of May or early June. As per the latest guidelines which will come into effect on May 24, essentials such as milk, drinking water, newspapers will be available. Allopathy and traditional medicine shops will also remain open. In addition, vegetables and fruits would be sold in vehicles operated by the respective civic bodies across all districts including Chennai. E-commerce services, too can operate between 8 am and 6 pm. Besides this, transportation of agricultural goods and produce, movement of essential goods, other cargo will be permitted. Also, hotels will function and provide only takeaway service between 6-10 am, 12 noon-3 pm and 6-9 pm, during which the online food delivery services can also function. Fuel stations, ATMs, media industry, continuous process industries, industries manufacturing essential commodities, medical equipment can continue to function. Only the essential department in the Secretariat and District Administration will function. For emergencies such as death or medical reasons, inter-district travel will be permitted based on e-registration

Tamil Nadu’s ongoing lockdown extended until May 31. New guidelines inside

Bangladesh sent the second consignment of assistance to India&nbsp;earlier this week to help with the second wave of&nbsp;Covid pandemic.&nbsp;The consignment included two&nbsp;trucks&nbsp;containing 2,672 boxes of medicines and protective equipment.

The assistance was handed over by Bangladesh's Deputy High Commissioner Toufique Hasan in Kolkata to the Indian Red Cross Society.&nbsp;The consignment contains 18&nbsp;kinds of Covid-related supplies which include antibiotics, paracetamols, different kind of injections/vials, hand sanitisers, etc.

In the first week of May, Bangladesh sent India&nbsp;10,000 vials of remdesivir. They were handed over at the Indian border port of Petrapole by&nbsp;Deputy High Commissioner&nbsp;Hasan. The&nbsp;10,000&nbsp;injections were manufactured by Bangladesh's biggest pharma company BEXIMCO Pharmaceuticals and were sent after "instruction of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh", the Bangladeshi foreign ministry in a release had said.&nbsp;

The entire consignment of remdesivir&nbsp;has been direct to India's&nbsp; northeastern states of Meghalaya, Manipur, Sikkim, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and institutes like the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences and North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS).&nbsp;

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina recently wrote a letter to Indian PM Modi conveying her condolences in the backdrop of the Covid crisis in the country. She "expressed her sympathy for the Indian people and reiterated Bangladesh's support to stand by her closest neighboyr India during their critical time and expressed readiness to offer support in every possible way", Bangladesh foreign ministry said.

Amid the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in India, 42 countries have pledged support to New Delhi. Assistance from 20 countries has already reached. The aid includes oxygen-producing equipments, ventilators, oxygen cylinders.

In India's neighbourhood, Mauritius, Bangladesh, and Bhutan have reached out.&nbsp;Bhutan&nbsp;will be supplying 40 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen to Assam via a&nbsp;new plant from Motanga Industrial Estate in eastern&nbsp;Bhutan's Samdrup Jongkhar district.&nbsp;Mauritius had also sent 200 oxygen concentrators.

Bangladesh sent the second consignment of assistance to India earlier this week to help with the second wave of Covid pandemic. The consignment included two trucks containing 2,672 boxes of medicines and protective equipment.

Bangladesh sent the second consignment of assistance to India earlier this week to help with the second wave of Covid pandemic. The consignment included two trucks containing 2,672 boxes of medicines and protective equipment. The assistance was handed over by Bangladesh's Deputy High Commissioner Toufique Hasan in Kolkata to the Indian Red Cross Society. The consignment contains 18 kinds of Covid-related supplies which include antibiotics, paracetamols, different kind of injections/vials, hand sanitisers, etc. In the first week of May, Bangladesh sent India 10,000 vials of remdesivir. They were handed over at the Indian border port of Petrapole by Deputy High Commissioner Hasan. The 10,000 injections were manufactured by Bangladesh's biggest pharma company BEXIMCO Pharmaceuticals and were sent after "instruction of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh", the Bangladeshi foreign ministry in a release had said. The entire consignment of remdesivir has been direct to India's northeastern states of Meghalaya, Manipur, Sikkim, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and institutes like the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences and North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS). Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina recently wrote a letter to Indian PM Modi conveying her condolences in the backdrop of the Covid crisis in the country. She "expressed her sympathy for the Indian people and reiterated Bangladesh's support to stand by her closest neighboyr India during their critical time and expressed readiness to offer support in every possible way", Bangladesh foreign ministry said. Amid the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in India, 42 countries have pledged support to New Delhi. Assistance from 20 countries has already reached. The aid includes oxygen-producing equipments, ventilators, oxygen cylinders. In India's neighbourhood, Mauritius, Bangladesh, and Bhutan have reached out. Bhutan will be supplying 40 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen to Assam via a new plant from Motanga Industrial Estate in eastern Bhutan's Samdrup Jongkhar district. Mauritius had also sent 200 oxygen concentrators.

Covid crisis: Bangladesh sends second consignment of aid to India

The United Kingdom will review&nbsp;its "traffic light system" which includes countries listed on the Covid travel "red list" on&nbsp;June 28. Further&nbsp;reviews will also take place on July 31,&nbsp;October 1.

More than 40 countries have been listed on&nbsp;UK's travel red list, making it difficult for travellers from these countries&nbsp;to&nbsp;enter the western European country. The includes five&nbsp;countries from South Asia - India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Maldives, and Nepal. The red, amber and green list rules for COVID-19 is a system put in place by London&nbsp;to&nbsp;deal with international incoming passengers amid the pandemic. If a country is on the red list, then travellers have&nbsp;to&nbsp;undergo 10 days in quarantine and two&nbsp;Covid tests.

India was put on the red list in April as COVID-19 cases surged, which also&nbsp;led&nbsp;to&nbsp;the postponement of&nbsp;UK&nbsp;PM Boris Johnson's India visit for the second time in a row. He was&nbsp;the&nbsp;first to visit India in January. Indian PM Modi has also cancelled his visit&nbsp;to&nbsp;UK&nbsp;next month for the G7 meet due&nbsp;to&nbsp;the pandemic.

UK&nbsp;reviews&nbsp;its lists every three weeks. The "check point"&nbsp;review&nbsp;on 28 June, 2021 will take into account the domestic and international Covid situation and if current measures can be rolled back. The green watchlist and amber watchlist will be published on a three-weekly basis&nbsp;to&nbsp;provide an indication as&nbsp;to&nbsp;travellers from which countries can enter the country.

The United Kingdom will review its "traffic light system" which includes countries listed on the Covid travel "red list" on June 28. Further reviews will also take place on July 31, October 1.

The United Kingdom will review its "traffic light system" which includes countries listed on the Covid travel "red list" on June 28. Further reviews will also take place on July 31, October 1. More than 40 countries have been listed on UK's travel red list, making it difficult for travellers from these countries to enter the western European country. The includes five countries from South Asia - India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Maldives, and Nepal. The red, amber and green list rules for COVID-19 is a system put in place by London to deal with international incoming passengers amid the pandemic. If a country is on the red list, then travellers have to undergo 10 days in quarantine and two Covid tests. India was put on the red list in April as COVID-19 cases surged, which also led to the postponement of UK PM Boris Johnson's India visit for the second time in a row. He was the first to visit India in January. Indian PM Modi has also cancelled his visit to UK next month for the G7 meet due to the pandemic. UK reviews its lists every three weeks. The "check point" review on 28 June, 2021 will take into account the domestic and international Covid situation and if current measures can be rolled back. The green watchlist and amber watchlist will be published on a three-weekly basis to provide an indication as to travellers from which countries can enter the country.

UK to review its travel 'red list' in June which bars travel from countries including India

India's Biological E. will produce the Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 vaccine alongside its own candidate, its managing director told Reuters on Tuesday, which could boost the country's overall supplies amid a shortage.

"The infrastructure and plants are completely separate for both the products and we will be producing both independent of each other," Mahima Datla said in a text message, declining to give any timeline or other details.

She told Reuters in February that Biological E. was looking to contract-manufacture about 600 million doses of the J&amp;J vaccine annually. India's government, however, did not factor in any production of J&amp;J this year in the country in a list of likely vaccine output released last week.

J&amp;J confirmed to Reuters it was working with Biological E. on manufacturing its vaccine.

"We believe Biological E. will be an important part of our global COVID-19 vaccine supply network, where multiple manufacturing sites are involved in the production of our vaccine across different facilities, sometimes in different countries and continents, before the vaccine can be distributed," a J&amp;J India spokesperson said in an email.

J&amp;J said last month it had sought permission to conduct a local clinical trial in India for its single-dose vaccine.

Biological E., based in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, also plans to produce 75 million to 80 million doses of its own vaccine a month from August. The drug has been developed with Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Dynavax Technologies Corp.

The United States said in March it would finance Biological E.'s efforts to produce at least 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2022.

Reuters reported on Tuesday that India was unlikely to resume major exports of COVID-19 vaccines until at least October as it diverts shots for domestic use, a longer-than-expected delay set to worsen supply shortages from the global COVAX initiative.

India's Biological E. will produce the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine alongside its own candidate, its managing director told Reuters on Tuesday, which could boost the country's overall supplies amid a shortage.

India's Biological E. will produce the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine alongside its own candidate, its managing director told Reuters on Tuesday, which could boost the country's overall supplies amid a shortage. "The infrastructure and plants are completely separate for both the products and we will be producing both independent of each other," Mahima Datla said in a text message, declining to give any timeline or other details. She told Reuters in February that Biological E. was looking to contract-manufacture about 600 million doses of the J&J vaccine annually. India's government, however, did not factor in any production of J&J this year in the country in a list of likely vaccine output released last week. J&J confirmed to Reuters it was working with Biological E. on manufacturing its vaccine. "We believe Biological E. will be an important part of our global COVID-19 vaccine supply network, where multiple manufacturing sites are involved in the production of our vaccine across different facilities, sometimes in different countries and continents, before the vaccine can be distributed," a J&J India spokesperson said in an email. J&J said last month it had sought permission to conduct a local clinical trial in India for its single-dose vaccine. Biological E., based in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, also plans to produce 75 million to 80 million doses of its own vaccine a month from August. The drug has been developed with Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Dynavax Technologies Corp. The United States said in March it would finance Biological E.'s efforts to produce at least 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2022. Reuters reported on Tuesday that India was unlikely to resume major exports of COVID-19 vaccines until at least October as it diverts shots for domestic use, a longer-than-expected delay set to worsen supply shortages from the global COVAX initiative.

India's Biological E. to produce J&J COVID-19 vaccine

Coronavirus is known to cause complications especially among the old, and spreads easily in places where a lot of people are constantly coming in contact with each other. It becomes dangerous when a low-risk asymptomatic patient transmits it to others who may have underlying health conditions.

Now, an investigation from Canada sheds light on how quickly and mercilessly the virus can take hold of a place if left unchecked.&nbsp; According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), at least 192 care home residents in Vancouver, Canada died of COVID-19. The report alleges that the care facilities deliberately withheld data about the pandemic.

Reportedly, the care facilities failed to officially declare the outbreaks on their premises after a worker first got infected. Now, the tally of infected has touched 1,000, SCMP reported. The report adds that Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) and Fraser Health deliberately withheld data about its inability to actively manage the outbreak.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/covid-19-canadas-largest-province-halts-astrazeneca-first-doses-over-blood-clot-384495" hreflang="en">COVID-19: Canada's largest province halts AstraZeneca first doses&nbsp;over blood clot</a>

The data was reportedly only revealed after “freedom of information” requests were lodged with the authorities. Ontario, Canada’s most populous province recently extended its stay-at-home orders to June 2 after a surge took over the region.

Experts believe the province reopened prematurely and new variants that are more infectious may also be behind the increased number of cases. The country has reported 1,328,582 Cold infections and 24,948 deaths since the pandemic began.

In the last few weeks, the average number of cases in the country have declined. The largest surge in the country was witnessed on April 17.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/canadas-ontario-province-to-send-3000-ventilators-to-india-amid-covid-crisis-382606" hreflang="en">Canada's Ontario province to send 3,000 ventilators to India amid Covid crisis</a>

Coronavirus is known to cause complications especially among the old, and spreads easily in places where a lot of people are constantly coming in contact with each other.

Coronavirus is known to cause complications especially among the old, and spreads easily in places where a lot of people are constantly coming in contact with each other. It becomes dangerous when a low-risk asymptomatic patient transmits it to others who may have underlying health conditions. Now, an investigation from Canada sheds light on how quickly and mercilessly the virus can take hold of a place if left unchecked. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), at least 192 care home residents in Vancouver, Canada died of COVID-19. The report alleges that the care facilities deliberately withheld data about the pandemic. Reportedly, the care facilities failed to officially declare the outbreaks on their premises after a worker first got infected. Now, the tally of infected has touched 1,000, SCMP reported. The report adds that Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) and Fraser Health deliberately withheld data about its inability to actively manage the outbreak. Also read: COVID-19: Canada's largest province halts AstraZeneca first doses over blood clot The data was reportedly only revealed after “freedom of information” requests were lodged with the authorities. Ontario, Canada’s most populous province recently extended its stay-at-home orders to June 2 after a surge took over the region. Experts believe the province reopened prematurely and new variants that are more infectious may also be behind the increased number of cases. The country has reported 1,328,582 Cold infections and 24,948 deaths since the pandemic began. In the last few weeks, the average number of cases in the country have declined. The largest surge in the country was witnessed on April 17. Also read: Canada's Ontario province to send 3,000 ventilators to India amid Covid crisis

Canadian care homes failed to report Covid outbreaks, killing 192 patients: Report

Countries across the globe are racing against time to inoculate their populations. While many questions remain about vaccines, one thing is for sure - that they work. Countries with a higher rate of vaccination are opening up quicker than others and are reporting fewer cases as well.

Now, a new study from the United Kingdom shows how even a single jab of Covid vaccines can help create antibodies in the body. According to the study undertaken in England and Wales, over 90 per cent of the recipients of the first dose who received the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccines were able to produce antibodies.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/llama-antibodies-could-help-fight-covid-19-coronavirus-cure-world-news-297667/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The findings took into account 8,517 people who had received either of the jabs in England or Wales. 96.42 per cent people who had received the AstraZeneca (known as Covishield in many countries) and Pfizer shots were able to develop antibodies within 28-34 days after getting the first dose.

The number rose highly for those who received the second jab. Turns out, 99.08 per cent of those who received the second dose developed antibodies within seven to 14 days. According to researchers from the University College London (UCL), both vaccines were effective at creating antibodies needed to fight the virus.

Also read: P<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/pandemic-can-leave-long-term-effect-on-kids-mental-health-study-385473" hreflang="en">andemic can leave long-term effect on kids' mental health: Study</a>

The study assessed 13,232 antibody samples given by 8,517 people who participated in the trial. None of them had antibodies before receiving the vaccine, and those who had antibodies were excluded from the trial.

Even though both the vaccines are highly effective, people who had received the Pfizer/BioNTech shot produced antibodies quicker than those who received AstraZeneca/Oxford shot. But four weeks after receiving the shot, most people showed the same levels of antibodies in their system.

The first dose created the least antibodies among older populations, who are the most susceptible to developing complications from the virus. But after the second dose, all age groups reported uniformity in terms of antibody levels created by the vaccines.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/ai-software-successfully-predicts-patients-susceptible-to-severe-covid-19-384589" hreflang="en">AI software successfully predicts patients susceptible to severe COVID-19</a>

Countries across the globe are racing against time to inoculate their populations. While many questions remain about vaccines, one thing is for sure - that they work.

Countries across the globe are racing against time to inoculate their populations. While many questions remain about vaccines, one thing is for sure - that they work. Countries with a higher rate of vaccination are opening up quicker than others and are reporting fewer cases as well. Now, a new study from the United Kingdom shows how even a single jab of Covid vaccines can help create antibodies in the body. According to the study undertaken in England and Wales, over 90 per cent of the recipients of the first dose who received the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccines were able to produce antibodies. The findings took into account 8,517 people who had received either of the jabs in England or Wales. 96.42 per cent people who had received the AstraZeneca (known as Covishield in many countries) and Pfizer shots were able to develop antibodies within 28-34 days after getting the first dose. The number rose highly for those who received the second jab. Turns out, 99.08 per cent of those who received the second dose developed antibodies within seven to 14 days. According to researchers from the University College London (UCL), both vaccines were effective at creating antibodies needed to fight the virus. Also read: Pandemic can leave long-term effect on kids' mental health: Study The study assessed 13,232 antibody samples given by 8,517 people who participated in the trial. None of them had antibodies before receiving the vaccine, and those who had antibodies were excluded from the trial. Even though both the vaccines are highly effective, people who had received the Pfizer/BioNTech shot produced antibodies quicker than those who received AstraZeneca/Oxford shot. But four weeks after receiving the shot, most people showed the same levels of antibodies in their system. The first dose created the least antibodies among older populations, who are the most susceptible to developing complications from the virus. But after the second dose, all age groups reported uniformity in terms of antibody levels created by the vaccines. Also read: AI software successfully predicts patients susceptible to severe COVID-19

First dose of Covid vaccines created antibodies in over 96% people in UK, new study finds

The first batch of the Indian made anti-Covid drug called “2-DG” or “2-deoxy-D-glucose” was released for medical use on Monday. Touted as a wonder drug to help ailing patients while reducing the dependency on supplementary oxygen, it is believed that the medicines could immensely take the load off India’s strained healthcare system and could also help limit the fatalities in rural areas which have been ravaged in the ongoing second wave of COVID-19.

Here’s what we know so far

How was it created?

The formulation of the drug was cleared for emergency medical use by India’s national drug regulator - Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on May 1 to treat Covid patients with moderate to severe infections.

2-DG was created by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a lab which functions under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The lab collaborated with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), as stated in the Defence Ministry’s release from earlier in May.

What does it do?

Based on clinical data, it appears that the constituent molecules of the 2-DG accentuate the recovery of patients that are witnessing moderate to severe symptoms of COVID-19, especially ones who have undergone hospitalisation and are heavily dependent on oxygen support.&nbsp;

According to available trial data, the drug gathers all cells that are infected with the virus. Then, it prevents further viral multiplication of the virus and halts the production go energy, effectively limiting the spread of the disease. The drug is being touted as a magic cure for its ability to accumulate infected cells in an infected person.

How much data do we have?

The clinical trials for 2-DG began in summer 2020, when India witnessing its first wave of COVID-19. According to the INMAS-DRDO trials, the molecule in the drug effectively fights COVID-19 and stops the growth of the virus. The phase 2 trials for 2-DG began in May 2020 among COVID-19 patients. The trials were undertaken for 110 patients between May and October in 2020.

According to trials, the first part of the phase 2 trials was conducted in six hospitals, while the second part was done at 11 hospitals. Phase 3 trials began in November 2020. Between December 2020 and March 2021, 220 patients underwent trials from 27 hospitals spread across Delhi, West Bengal, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

What’s the proof?

According to government data, 2-DG was not only safe among Covid patients, but in fact helped improve the recovery. The trial data says the patients who received 2-DG recovered quicker than those who received standard treatments.

Phase 3 trials showed that 2-DG recipients were off supplementary oxygen (42 per cent as opposed to 31 per cent who were receiving standard care) by the third day of being administered the drug.

If this works out well, the drug could change the route of treatments being commissioned in India right now.

The first batch of the Indian made anti-Covid drug called “2-DG” or “2-deoxy-D-glucose” was released for medical use on Monday. Touted as a wonder drug to help ailing patients while reducing the dependency on supplementary oxygen, it is believed that the medicines could immensely take the load off India’s strained healthcare system and could also help limit the fatalities in rural areas which have been ravaged in the ongoing second wave of COVID-19.

The first batch of the Indian made anti-Covid drug called “2-DG” or “2-deoxy-D-glucose” was released for medical use on Monday. Touted as a wonder drug to help ailing patients while reducing the dependency on supplementary oxygen, it is believed that the medicines could immensely take the load off India’s strained healthcare system and could also help limit the fatalities in rural areas which have been ravaged in the ongoing second wave of COVID-19. Here’s what we know so far How was it created? The formulation of the drug was cleared for emergency medical use by India’s national drug regulator - Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on May 1 to treat Covid patients with moderate to severe infections. 2-DG was created by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a lab which functions under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The lab collaborated with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), as stated in the Defence Ministry’s release from earlier in May. What does it do? Based on clinical data, it appears that the constituent molecules of the 2-DG accentuate the recovery of patients that are witnessing moderate to severe symptoms of COVID-19, especially ones who have undergone hospitalisation and are heavily dependent on oxygen support. According to available trial data, the drug gathers all cells that are infected with the virus. Then, it prevents further viral multiplication of the virus and halts the production go energy, effectively limiting the spread of the disease. The drug is being touted as a magic cure for its ability to accumulate infected cells in an infected person. How much data do we have? The clinical trials for 2-DG began in summer 2020, when India witnessing its first wave of COVID-19. According to the INMAS-DRDO trials, the molecule in the drug effectively fights COVID-19 and stops the growth of the virus. The phase 2 trials for 2-DG began in May 2020 among COVID-19 patients. The trials were undertaken for 110 patients between May and October in 2020. According to trials, the first part of the phase 2 trials was conducted in six hospitals, while the second part was done at 11 hospitals. Phase 3 trials began in November 2020. Between December 2020 and March 2021, 220 patients underwent trials from 27 hospitals spread across Delhi, West Bengal, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. What’s the proof? According to government data, 2-DG was not only safe among Covid patients, but in fact helped improve the recovery. The trial data says the patients who received 2-DG recovered quicker than those who received standard treatments. Phase 3 trials showed that 2-DG recipients were off supplementary oxygen (42 per cent as opposed to 31 per cent who were receiving standard care) by the third day of being administered the drug. If this works out well, the drug could change the route of treatments being commissioned in India right now.

Explainer: What is 2-DG, India's new anti-Covid drug? How does it work?

India`s tally of coronavirus infections reached nearly 24.7 million on Sunday, increasing&nbsp;by 311,170 new cases over the last 24 hours, while deaths rose by 4,077. 
 
The South Asian nation`s tally stands at 24.68 million with the death toll at 270,284, health ministry data showed.

India reported 311,170 new COVID-19 cases and 362,437 recoveries in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry informed on Sunday.

While new cases continued to decrease, 4,077 Covid-related deaths were reported across the country, a slight increase from yesterday`s figure (3,890).

326,098 new COVID cases were reported on Saturday. The total positive cases in the country stands at 2,46,84,077, including 2,07,95,335 recoveries and 36,18,458 active cases.

The death toll, meanwhile, stands at 2,70,284.A total of 18,22,20,164 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered across the country so far. A total of 31,48,50,143 samples have been tested for COVID-19 up to May 15.

Of these, 18,32,950 samples were tested on Saturday, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said.

India`s tally of coronavirus infections reached nearly 24.7 million on Sunday, increasing by 311,170 new cases over the last 24 hours, while deaths rose by 4,077.

India`s tally of coronavirus infections reached nearly 24.7 million on Sunday, increasing by 311,170 new cases over the last 24 hours, while deaths rose by 4,077. The South Asian nation`s tally stands at 24.68 million with the death toll at 270,284, health ministry data showed. India reported 311,170 new COVID-19 cases and 362,437 recoveries in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry informed on Sunday. While new cases continued to decrease, 4,077 Covid-related deaths were reported across the country, a slight increase from yesterday`s figure (3,890). 326,098 new COVID cases were reported on Saturday. The total positive cases in the country stands at 2,46,84,077, including 2,07,95,335 recoveries and 36,18,458 active cases. The death toll, meanwhile, stands at 2,70,284.A total of 18,22,20,164 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered across the country so far. A total of 31,48,50,143 samples have been tested for COVID-19 up to May 15. Of these, 18,32,950 samples were tested on Saturday, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said.

India adds 311,170 daily coronavirus infections to nearly 24.7 million

Taiwan urged citizens to not hoard items and to avoid panic buying as new restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 come into force in the country. The island nation is currently witnessing a spike in Covid infections, prompting authorities to raise alert level in the capital city of Taipei and its surrounding areas on Saturday.

A two-week period of restrictions has been put into place, shutting many venues and limiting gatherings. Taiwan has witnessed relatively low infections with only 1,475 cases since the pandemic began. But recent cases have scared people in the country, which has remain largely untouched from the virus and the restrictions it brings including lockdowns.

On Saturday, the country’s president, premier and the economy ministry wrote on Facebook to discourage people from panic buying supplies, especially instant noodles and toilet paper.

"After more than a year of preparation, the country's anti-pandemic materials, civilian goods and raw materials are sufficient, and the stores are also operating as usual to replenish goods," President Tsai Ing-wen said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/political-gain-taiwan-condemns-chinas-vaccine-diplomacy-with-its-diplomatic-ally-honduras-384496" hreflang="en">'Political gain': Taiwan condemns China's vaccine diplomacy with its diplomatic ally Honduras</a>

Carrefour, a French supermarket chain announced that it was limiting the purchase cap on items like masks and noodles in its Taiwan stores, urging people to buy only what they need.

The country’s economy ministry showed pictures of warehouses stocked with boxes of instant noodles, in a message to people that supplies were available in the country “like a mountain”. They added that there is enough stock of toilet paper and canned food as weed.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/taiwan-fights-to-attend-who-meeting-as-china-denies-entry-384144" hreflang="en">Taiwan fights to attend WHO meeting as China denies entry</a>

On his Facebook page, Su Tseng-chang made a similar appeal. Earlier in the year, he urged people to calm down when toilet paper was flying off the shelves. He said people “only have one butth*le”. The government has not ordered a lockdown yet, but has urged people to stay indoors as much as possible.

Taiwan urged citizens to not hoard items and to avoid panic buying as new restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 come into force in the country. The island nation is currently witnessing a spike in Covid infections, prompting authorities to raise alert level in the capital city of Taipei and its surrounding areas on Saturday.

Taiwan urged citizens to not hoard items and to avoid panic buying as new restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 come into force in the country. The island nation is currently witnessing a spike in Covid infections, prompting authorities to raise alert level in the capital city of Taipei and its surrounding areas on Saturday. A two-week period of restrictions has been put into place, shutting many venues and limiting gatherings. Taiwan has witnessed relatively low infections with only 1,475 cases since the pandemic began. But recent cases have scared people in the country, which has remain largely untouched from the virus and the restrictions it brings including lockdowns. On Saturday, the country’s president, premier and the economy ministry wrote on Facebook to discourage people from panic buying supplies, especially instant noodles and toilet paper. "After more than a year of preparation, the country's anti-pandemic materials, civilian goods and raw materials are sufficient, and the stores are also operating as usual to replenish goods," President Tsai Ing-wen said. Also read: 'Political gain': Taiwan condemns China's vaccine diplomacy with its diplomatic ally Honduras Carrefour, a French supermarket chain announced that it was limiting the purchase cap on items like masks and noodles in its Taiwan stores, urging people to buy only what they need. The country’s economy ministry showed pictures of warehouses stocked with boxes of instant noodles, in a message to people that supplies were available in the country “like a mountain”. They added that there is enough stock of toilet paper and canned food as weed. Also read: Taiwan fights to attend WHO meeting as China denies entry On his Facebook page, Su Tseng-chang made a similar appeal. Earlier in the year, he urged people to calm down when toilet paper was flying off the shelves. He said people “only have one butth*le”. The government has not ordered a lockdown yet, but has urged people to stay indoors as much as possible.

Taiwan discourages people from panic buying as Covid restrictions come into force

AstraZeneca went from being the world’s best bet against COVID-19 to an embattled vaccine. First, the company was hit by shortages and was accused of over-promising doses.

Then came the blood clots. One by one, countries started abandoning them. Instead of fighting these controversies, the company is adding to them. AstraZeneca is offering a big fat bonus to its CEO Pascal Soriot while big pharma is being dragged through the streets. They have been condemned for not sharing vaccine formulas, their profits are being called loot.

In the midst of this, AstraZeneca has offered a bumper bonus to its top boss. The bonus in question is 250 per cent of his base salary. Last year, it was 200 per cent. But in the middle of a pharma crunch, they have bumped it up by 50 per cent. 1.8 million dollars is Soriot’s base salary. 250 per cent of that is Soriot's maximum annual bonus.

The real money comes from share bonuses which was 550 per cent of his base salary last year. This year, it has been raised to 650 per cent. There is no guarantee that Soriot will get all of this, for it depends on whether he hits the company's targets.

Now let's assume that AstraZeneca has a cracking year with great vaccine sales, no controversies and good sentiments in Wall Street. If this happens, Pascal Soriot could take home more than 20 million dollars in 2021. The median income of employees at AstraZeneca is 95,000 dollars. Their CEO earns 267 times more than that. And AstraZeneca is not the only one. This is what CEOs at other pharma giants take home.

Pfizer pays their top boss 21 million dollars. Johnson and Johnson pays 23 million and Moderna pays 13 million. CEOs have always taken home the lion's share - that's how capitalism is built.

Was it right to clear this bonus in the middle of a pandemic?

Soriot has done wonders at AstraZeneca - the share prices have tripled under him and the company is now valued at 100 billion dollars. But even shareholders were split on the decision to offer him a bonus. They gathered for the annual company meeting in Cambridge.

40 per cent of investors opposed the bonus including some big names in fund management like Aviva investors and Standard Life Aberdeen. But a majority backed the move. So Soriot is getting a big cheque this year. The debate around his salary will continue but AstraZeneca has bigger worries.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/covid-19-canadas-largest-province-halts-astrazeneca-first-doses-over-blood-clot-384495" hreflang="en">COVID-19: Canada's largest province halts AstraZeneca first doses&nbsp;over blood clot</a>

More and more countries have stopped using their vaccine. The latest are Brazil and Slovakia. In Brazil, pregnant women will not be given the AstraZeneca jab. They say it could possibly trigger strokes. Only one instance has been reported so far in Brazil. Slovakia is saying something similar and have linked a 47-year-old woman's death to the vaccine.

Canada's largest province, Ontario will also stop using AstraZeneca on account of blood clots. In Europe, most of the countries have resumed the rollout. A few like Denmark and Norway have opted against it.

The European Union has filed a second lawsuit which could possibly lead to some big fines. Over-promising shots has come back to haunt them. On top of all this, there is pressure on the company to share its formulas.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/following-a-death-brazil-suspends-use-of-astrazeneca-vaccine-for-pregnant-women-384407" hreflang="en">Following a death, Brazil suspends use of AstraZeneca vaccine for pregnant women</a>

There was a small protest at the AstraZeneca campus in the UK. Their vaccine is cheap, easy to store and effective. So it could hold the key to vaccinating the developing world. But AstraZeneca doesn't agree. They keep talking about selling their vaccines at cost which means they are not profiting from their jab.

There is no denying that AstraZeneca is a game changer and it is probably the most important vaccine in the world because the likes of Pfizer are never going to focus on Africa and Latin America.

AstraZeneca went from being the world’s best bet against COVID-19 to an embattled vaccine. First, the company was hit by shortages and was accused of over-promising doses.

AstraZeneca went from being the world’s best bet against COVID-19 to an embattled vaccine. First, the company was hit by shortages and was accused of over-promising doses. Then came the blood clots. One by one, countries started abandoning them. Instead of fighting these controversies, the company is adding to them. AstraZeneca is offering a big fat bonus to its CEO Pascal Soriot while big pharma is being dragged through the streets. They have been condemned for not sharing vaccine formulas, their profits are being called loot. In the midst of this, AstraZeneca has offered a bumper bonus to its top boss. The bonus in question is 250 per cent of his base salary. Last year, it was 200 per cent. But in the middle of a pharma crunch, they have bumped it up by 50 per cent. 1.8 million dollars is Soriot’s base salary. 250 per cent of that is Soriot's maximum annual bonus. The real money comes from share bonuses which was 550 per cent of his base salary last year. This year, it has been raised to 650 per cent. There is no guarantee that Soriot will get all of this, for it depends on whether he hits the company's targets. Now let's assume that AstraZeneca has a cracking year with great vaccine sales, no controversies and good sentiments in Wall Street. If this happens, Pascal Soriot could take home more than 20 million dollars in 2021. The median income of employees at AstraZeneca is 95,000 dollars. Their CEO earns 267 times more than that. And AstraZeneca is not the only one. This is what CEOs at other pharma giants take home. Pfizer pays their top boss 21 million dollars. Johnson and Johnson pays 23 million and Moderna pays 13 million. CEOs have always taken home the lion's share - that's how capitalism is built. Was it right to clear this bonus in the middle of a pandemic? Soriot has done wonders at AstraZeneca - the share prices have tripled under him and the company is now valued at 100 billion dollars. But even shareholders were split on the decision to offer him a bonus. They gathered for the annual company meeting in Cambridge. 40 per cent of investors opposed the bonus including some big names in fund management like Aviva investors and Standard Life Aberdeen. But a majority backed the move. So Soriot is getting a big cheque this year. The debate around his salary will continue but AstraZeneca has bigger worries. Also read: COVID-19: Canada's largest province halts AstraZeneca first doses over blood clot More and more countries have stopped using their vaccine. The latest are Brazil and Slovakia. In Brazil, pregnant women will not be given the AstraZeneca jab. They say it could possibly trigger strokes. Only one instance has been reported so far in Brazil. Slovakia is saying something similar and have linked a 47-year-old woman's death to the vaccine. Canada's largest province, Ontario will also stop using AstraZeneca on account of blood clots. In Europe, most of the countries have resumed the rollout. A few like Denmark and Norway have opted against it. The European Union has filed a second lawsuit which could possibly lead to some big fines. Over-promising shots has come back to haunt them. On top of all this, there is pressure on the company to share its formulas. Also read: Following a death, Brazil suspends use of AstraZeneca vaccine for pregnant women There was a small protest at the AstraZeneca campus in the UK. Their vaccine is cheap, easy to store and effective. So it could hold the key to vaccinating the developing world. But AstraZeneca doesn't agree. They keep talking about selling their vaccines at cost which means they are not profiting from their jab. There is no denying that AstraZeneca is a game changer and it is probably the most important vaccine in the world because the likes of Pfizer are never going to focus on Africa and Latin America.

Why offering a fat bonus to its CEO sets the wrong tone for AstraZeneca

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday said that it was reviewing COVID-19 data from Seychelles, the world’s most vaccinated country. A third of people who tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week were fully vaccinated, sparking fears of COVID-19 reinfection among the inoculation.

The African country’s ministry and the WHO said that the majority of those who had tested positive recently had not actually not been vaccinated against Covid, or had only received one dose.

In addition, the WHO asserted how none who died had received both the doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Most people who required treatment for critical cases were actually unvaccinated. The World Health Organization is currently tracking the situation in the country, which has a population of less than 100,000 with daily cases on the lower end of hundreds.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/do-covid-vaccines-work-worlds-most-vaccinated-nation-seychelles-raises-concerns-384240" hreflang="en">Do Covid vaccines work? World's most-vaccinated nation Seychelles raises concerns</a>

According to the WHO, their teams are continuing to review the data to better understand the trends of infection. The seven-day average of positive Covid cases jumped from 120 on April 30 to 314 on May 8, as per the country’s health ministry. Two thirds of the positive cases have been reported among those who had come in contact with others testing positive.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/seychelles-imposes-covid-19-curbs-despite-being-worlds-most-vaccinated-nation-382969" hreflang="en">Seychelles imposes COVID-19 curbs despite being world's most vaccinated nation</a>

At least 37 per cent of those who had tested positive had received both doses of a vaccine. 57 per cent of the fully vaccinated had received the vaccine from Chinese maker Sinopharm while 43 per cent had received the AstraZeneca shots.

According to the WHO, nearly 60 per cent of the country’s population has received two doses of either of these vaccines. The ministry said that 80 per cent of people who needed hospital treatment were not vaccinated and had co-morbidities.

(With inputs from agencies)

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday said that it was reviewing COVID-19 data from Seychelles, the world’s most vaccinated country. A third of people who tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week were fully vaccinated, sparking fears of COVID-19 reinfection among the inoculation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday said that it was reviewing COVID-19 data from Seychelles, the world’s most vaccinated country. A third of people who tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week were fully vaccinated, sparking fears of COVID-19 reinfection among the inoculation. The African country’s ministry and the WHO said that the majority of those who had tested positive recently had not actually not been vaccinated against Covid, or had only received one dose. In addition, the WHO asserted how none who died had received both the doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Most people who required treatment for critical cases were actually unvaccinated. The World Health Organization is currently tracking the situation in the country, which has a population of less than 100,000 with daily cases on the lower end of hundreds. Also read: Do Covid vaccines work? World's most-vaccinated nation Seychelles raises concerns According to the WHO, their teams are continuing to review the data to better understand the trends of infection. The seven-day average of positive Covid cases jumped from 120 on April 30 to 314 on May 8, as per the country’s health ministry. Two thirds of the positive cases have been reported among those who had come in contact with others testing positive. Also read: Seychelles imposes COVID-19 curbs despite being world's most vaccinated nation At least 37 per cent of those who had tested positive had received both doses of a vaccine. 57 per cent of the fully vaccinated had received the vaccine from Chinese maker Sinopharm while 43 per cent had received the AstraZeneca shots. According to the WHO, nearly 60 per cent of the country’s population has received two doses of either of these vaccines. The ministry said that 80 per cent of people who needed hospital treatment were not vaccinated and had co-morbidities. (With inputs from agencies)

WHO reviewing situation in Seychelles after vaccinated people test Covid positive

A computer programme was recently trained to predict the severity of COVID-19 infections among patients by analysing chest X-rays. The artificial intelligence software analysed thousands of X-rays to predict which Covid patients would end up developing severe complications in the next four days. These predictions were 80 per cent accurate!

The programme was developed by New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine. It analyses hundreds of GB of data from over 5,224 X-rays of 2,943 severely sick Covid patients. The study based on the programme was published on Digital Medicine and cited a “pressing need” to devise ways that may assist in predicting severe cases of Covid among patients.

Doctors still don’t understand why the health of many patients suddenly deteriorates after catching COVID-19. They are then put on intensive life support, increasing the chances of fatality.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/covid-antibodies-last-8-months-after-infection-study-384470" hreflang="en">Covid antibodies last 8 months after infection: Study&nbsp;</a>

The NYU team fed information corresponding to X-ray data to the software which included the age, race, gender of patients. In addition, it included information like weight, body temperature, and blood immune cell levels.

From this they developed mathematical models which learned from examples to deduce who would require a mechanical ventilator and how many patients survived (2,405) the disease as opposed to those (538) who succumbed.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/risk-for-erectile-dysfunction-six-fold-higher-in-men-with-covid-19-384317" hreflang="en">Risk for erectile dysfunction six-fold higher in men with COVID-19</a>

From March 3 to June 28, 2020 the researchers tested the ability of the software to correctly predict the severity of the virus on 770 chest X-rays from patients admitted in the emergency room at NYU hospitals. The software was able to correct predicted four out of five patients who required intensive care and ventilator assistance and died within four days of admission.

ANI quoted study’s co-lead researcher Farah Shamout as saying as that emergency room doctors are in dire need of such tools that may help them predict who is likely to fall sick in the aftermath of developing COVID-19.

This way, “health care providers can monitor them more closely and intervene earlier," Shamout said.

(With inputs from agencies)

A computer programme was recently trained to predict the severity of COVID-19 infections among patients by analysing chest X-rays. The artificial intelligence software analysed thousands of X-rays to predict which Covid patients would end up developing severe complications in the next four days.

A computer programme was recently trained to predict the severity of COVID-19 infections among patients by analysing chest X-rays. The artificial intelligence software analysed thousands of X-rays to predict which Covid patients would end up developing severe complications in the next four days. These predictions were 80 per cent accurate! The programme was developed by New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine. It analyses hundreds of GB of data from over 5,224 X-rays of 2,943 severely sick Covid patients. The study based on the programme was published on Digital Medicine and cited a “pressing need” to devise ways that may assist in predicting severe cases of Covid among patients. Doctors still don’t understand why the health of many patients suddenly deteriorates after catching COVID-19. They are then put on intensive life support, increasing the chances of fatality. Also read: Covid antibodies last 8 months after infection: Study The NYU team fed information corresponding to X-ray data to the software which included the age, race, gender of patients. In addition, it included information like weight, body temperature, and blood immune cell levels. From this they developed mathematical models which learned from examples to deduce who would require a mechanical ventilator and how many patients survived (2,405) the disease as opposed to those (538) who succumbed. Also read: Risk for erectile dysfunction six-fold higher in men with COVID-19 From March 3 to June 28, 2020 the researchers tested the ability of the software to correctly predict the severity of the virus on 770 chest X-rays from patients admitted in the emergency room at NYU hospitals. The software was able to correct predicted four out of five patients who required intensive care and ventilator assistance and died within four days of admission. ANI quoted study’s co-lead researcher Farah Shamout as saying as that emergency room doctors are in dire need of such tools that may help them predict who is likely to fall sick in the aftermath of developing COVID-19. This way, “health care providers can monitor them more closely and intervene earlier," Shamout said. (With inputs from agencies)

AI software successfully predicts patients susceptible to severe COVID-19

Bars, restaurants, cinemas and fitness centers will be allowed to welcome guests indoors from June 9, Belgian broadcaster VRT reported on Tuesday. 
 
The Belgian government is meeting on Tuesday to discuss further easing of restrictions imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus, including allowing Belgians to meet more people inside, attend large festivals in the summer, and travel abroad. 
&nbsp;

(More details awaited)

Bars, restaurants, cinemas and fitness centers will be allowed to welcome guests indoors from June 9, Belgian broadcaster VRT reported on Tuesday. The Belgian government is meeting on Tuesday to discuss further easing of restrictions imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus, including allowing Belgians to meet more people inside, attend large festivals in the summer, and travel abroad.

Bars, restaurants, cinemas and fitness centers will be allowed to welcome guests indoors from June 9, Belgian broadcaster VRT reported on Tuesday. The Belgian government is meeting on Tuesday to discuss further easing of restrictions imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus, including allowing Belgians to meet more people inside, attend large festivals in the summer, and travel abroad. (More details awaited)

Dine out, work out, see a movie: Belgium to ease lockdown on June 9

The World Health Organization on Monday said that the world is currently witnessing a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases and fatalities. The largest drop was reported in the Americas and Europe, which were the hardest hit regions in the world during the first wave.

"But it’s an unacceptably high plateau, with more than 5.4 million reported COVID-19 cases and almost 90,000 deaths last week," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a briefing.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/coronavirus-pandemic-a-long-way-from-over-says-who-chief-tedros-adhanom-377200/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Currently, a second wave is ravaging South Asia with India reporting more than 300,000 daily cases over the last two weeks. Earlier on the same day, Dr David Nabarro, special envoy on COVID-19 for the World Health Organization (WHO) said that people should maintain social distancing and keep using face masks.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/covid-19-cant-keep-on-mothballing-ourselves-says-who-official-384089" hreflang="en">COVID-19: Can't keep on mothballing ourselves, says WHO official</a>

“I’m pleased with the reality that people are being quite cautious, perhaps even a little bit afraid, of what this virus might bring”, Dr Nabarro said. “But I think, at the same time, we’ve got to get on with life, and we can’t go on mothballing ourselves forever”, he added.

“So, finding a way to restart, despite this fear, is what I think we will have to do," he also said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/who-approves-chinas-sinopharm-covid-19-vaccine-for-emergency-use-383545" hreflang="en">WHO approves China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use</a>

The official added that a "very vigilant posture" must be maintained in the coming months. He also said that variants will appear for sure. He added, "at the same time, we have to get on with life so in our getting on with life, we have to just be on the lookout for new spikes of disease and deal with them when they come."

(With inputs from agencies)

The World Health Organization on Monday said that the world is currently witnessing a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases and fatalities. The largest drop was reported in the Americas and Europe, which were the hardest hit regions in the world during the first wave.

The World Health Organization on Monday said that the world is currently witnessing a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases and fatalities. The largest drop was reported in the Americas and Europe, which were the hardest hit regions in the world during the first wave. "But it’s an unacceptably high plateau, with more than 5.4 million reported COVID-19 cases and almost 90,000 deaths last week," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a briefing. Currently, a second wave is ravaging South Asia with India reporting more than 300,000 daily cases over the last two weeks. Earlier on the same day, Dr David Nabarro, special envoy on COVID-19 for the World Health Organization (WHO) said that people should maintain social distancing and keep using face masks. Also read: COVID-19: Can't keep on mothballing ourselves, says WHO official “I’m pleased with the reality that people are being quite cautious, perhaps even a little bit afraid, of what this virus might bring”, Dr Nabarro said. “But I think, at the same time, we’ve got to get on with life, and we can’t go on mothballing ourselves forever”, he added. “So, finding a way to restart, despite this fear, is what I think we will have to do," he also said. Also read: WHO approves China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use The official added that a "very vigilant posture" must be maintained in the coming months. He also said that variants will appear for sure. He added, "at the same time, we have to get on with life so in our getting on with life, we have to just be on the lookout for new spikes of disease and deal with them when they come." (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19 cases plateauing worldwide, says World Health Organization

In a series of uncanny events to happen in the post-Covid world, a tale unheard of has come to light. A question common across social media platforms in regard to vaccines is whether two doses are enough, whether doses of different companies may be mixed and how effective a single dose is.

But an Italian woman may have become the perfect candidate to answer all vaccine questions henceforth.&nbsp;A 23-year-old Italian lady recently made headlines in the country for receiving six doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine... all at once!

The woman had erroneously received the&nbsp;doses, news agency AGI reported Monday. Fortunately, the woman did not suffer any adverse side effects after receiving six full doses of the vaccine. Soon after she received the unprecedented amounts of vaccine, fluids and paracetamol were used to ensure her well-being.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/eu-seals-deal-for-more-18-billion-pfizerbiontech-covid-vaccine-doses-383700" hreflang="en">EU seals deal for more 1.8 billion Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine doses</a>

The mistake occurred after a nurse mistakenly injected one whole vial of the vaccine instead of the dose, which is equivalent to six doses of the vaccine. No such cases of overdose have been known before. The most overdose for the Pfizer reported so far is estimated at four doses.

AFP reported that the country’s medicine regulator has been informed of the incident. Many countries have reported overdoses of the Pfizer vaccine, including Israel, Australia, United States, and Germany.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/pfizer-biontech-seek-approval-for-covid-vaccine-for-teens-383535" hreflang="en">Pfizer, BioNTech seek approval for Covid vaccine for teens</a>

Pfizer on Monday announced that "there is no evidence that an adaptation of BioNTech's current COVID-19 vaccine against key identified emerging variants is necessary."

The vaccine is currently being administered in 90 countries around the world. Soon, the company will start producing vaccines in Singapore, which it has identified as its headquarters for the Southeast Asian region.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a series of uncanny events to happen in the post-Covid world, a tale unheard of has come to light. A question common across social media platforms in regard to vaccines is whether two doses are enough, whether doses of different companies may be mixed and how effective a single dose is.

In a series of uncanny events to happen in the post-Covid world, a tale unheard of has come to light. A question common across social media platforms in regard to vaccines is whether two doses are enough, whether doses of different companies may be mixed and how effective a single dose is. But an Italian woman may have become the perfect candidate to answer all vaccine questions henceforth. A 23-year-old Italian lady recently made headlines in the country for receiving six doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine... all at once! The woman had erroneously received the doses, news agency AGI reported Monday. Fortunately, the woman did not suffer any adverse side effects after receiving six full doses of the vaccine. Soon after she received the unprecedented amounts of vaccine, fluids and paracetamol were used to ensure her well-being. Also read: EU seals deal for more 1.8 billion Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine doses The mistake occurred after a nurse mistakenly injected one whole vial of the vaccine instead of the dose, which is equivalent to six doses of the vaccine. No such cases of overdose have been known before. The most overdose for the Pfizer reported so far is estimated at four doses. AFP reported that the country’s medicine regulator has been informed of the incident. Many countries have reported overdoses of the Pfizer vaccine, including Israel, Australia, United States, and Germany. Also read: Pfizer, BioNTech seek approval for Covid vaccine for teens Pfizer on Monday announced that "there is no evidence that an adaptation of BioNTech's current COVID-19 vaccine against key identified emerging variants is necessary." The vaccine is currently being administered in 90 countries around the world. Soon, the company will start producing vaccines in Singapore, which it has identified as its headquarters for the Southeast Asian region. (With inputs from agencies)

An Italian woman received six doses of Pfizer Covid vaccine. What happened next?

When new inventions emerge, divides within society become more apparent. For instance, the television or the cell phone was owned only by a select few. The same thing is now happening with vaccines.

In the United States, if you received a single shot Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine, you’re a one-doser. If you received Moderna, you part of the middle class. And if you got the Pfizer shots, you are the real deal - a double-dosed Pfizer elite, as evident on social media. In memes across social media, Pfizer is made to look like the rich man's jab. One user called it decadent and luxurious. Of course, this is all hogwash. The best vaccine is the vaccine you get.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-pfizers-bumper-profit-from-vaccine-sales-383086">Watch |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-pfizers-bumper-profit-from-vaccine-sales-383086/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

How did Pfizer build&nbsp;this brand?

Pfizer is a pharmaceutical&nbsp;veteran and the company was founded way back in 1849. Almost a century later, they had their biggest breakthrough. They successfully mass-produced penicillin. Today, they are among the leading pharmaceutical&nbsp; giants in the world. Last year, they reported $9.6 billion in profits, way before the vaccine rollout.

Pfizer's first quarter report logged&nbsp;$3.5 billion in revenue. Nearly a quarter of all revenue came from the jabs. Pfizer didn't actually publish profit data, but said that it would be in the high 20 per cent range, around $900 million in three months pre-tax.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/canada-becomes-first-country-to-authorise-pfizer-covid-vaccine-for-kids-age-12-and-up-383033" hreflang="en">Canada becomes first country to authorise Pfizer Covid vaccine for kids age 12 and up</a>

So Pfizer is saving lives and getting rich doing it. But who is Pfizer selling to? Apparently, the world's rich. They are planning to produce 2.5 billion doses this year out of which only 40 million will go to Covax, just 2 per cent of their total output. In contrast, the much smaller Moderna are giving 500 million.

Pfizer is earning money by selling to the rich and by signing opaque deals with different price tags in each country. Some reports say the US is paying $19.5 per dose while Israel is paying $30.

What about India?

Pfizer is watching India closely. They recently donated medicines worth $70 million to India. It is being called Pfizer's largest humanitarian effort in history, and the company is in talks with the Indian government to seek speedy approval of vaccines.

Pfizer was the first to seek emergency approval for its vaccine in India last year. But in February, they pulled out. India wanted a small local safety trial but Pfizer was unwilling.

During the ongoing second wave, India continues to face vaccine shortages so regulations were relaxed. All foreign jabs approved by major regulators were fast-tracked with one condition: They had to organise a domestic trial within 30 days of approval.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/business-economy/pfizer-raises-2021-sales-forecast-for-covid-vaccines-to-26-billion-382891" hreflang="en">Pfizer raises 2021 sales forecast for Covid vaccines to $26 billion</a>

A Pfizer spokesperson was asked whether the company had sought a waiver for domestic trials. She replied that Pfizer's application was backed by overseas trial data and added that the jab was already endorsed by all major regulators.

Assuming the jab is cleared, two worries still remain - cost and storage. Pfizer has promised to deliver its vaccine at low cost to India. Pfizer jabs are stored at minus 70 degree celsius and India does not have the infrastructure for this.

The company says they could deliver the shots in specially designed containers right to the vaccination centres. And the shelf life of Pfizer vaccines can be extended by days through dry ice. So if and when the Pfizer jabs arrive, they will have to fly off the shelves. It would be much easier if Pfizer shared their formulas with Indian producers but they are big on patents.

Pfizer successfully mass-produced penicillin during World War 2. Thousands of allied soldiers lived because of Pfizer. Today, that same company is making millions from a crisis and&nbsp;India is Pfizer's shot at redemption.

When new inventions emerge, divides within society become more apparent. For instance, the television or the cell phone was owned only by a select few. The same thing is now happening with vaccines.

When new inventions emerge, divides within society become more apparent. For instance, the television or the cell phone was owned only by a select few. The same thing is now happening with vaccines. In the United States, if you received a single shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you’re a one-doser. If you received Moderna, you part of the middle class. And if you got the Pfizer shots, you are the real deal - a double-dosed Pfizer elite, as evident on social media. In memes across social media, Pfizer is made to look like the rich man's jab. One user called it decadent and luxurious. Of course, this is all hogwash. The best vaccine is the vaccine you get. Watch | How did Pfizer build this brand? Pfizer is a pharmaceutical veteran and the company was founded way back in 1849. Almost a century later, they had their biggest breakthrough. They successfully mass-produced penicillin. Today, they are among the leading pharmaceutical giants in the world. Last year, they reported $9.6 billion in profits, way before the vaccine rollout. Pfizer's first quarter report logged $3.5 billion in revenue. Nearly a quarter of all revenue came from the jabs. Pfizer didn't actually publish profit data, but said that it would be in the high 20 per cent range, around $900 million in three months pre-tax. Also read: Canada becomes first country to authorise Pfizer Covid vaccine for kids age 12 and up So Pfizer is saving lives and getting rich doing it. But who is Pfizer selling to? Apparently, the world's rich. They are planning to produce 2.5 billion doses this year out of which only 40 million will go to Covax, just 2 per cent of their total output. In contrast, the much smaller Moderna are giving 500 million. Pfizer is earning money by selling to the rich and by signing opaque deals with different price tags in each country. Some reports say the US is paying $19.5 per dose while Israel is paying $30. What about India? Pfizer is watching India closely. They recently donated medicines worth $70 million to India. It is being called Pfizer's largest humanitarian effort in history, and the company is in talks with the Indian government to seek speedy approval of vaccines. Pfizer was the first to seek emergency approval for its vaccine in India last year. But in February, they pulled out. India wanted a small local safety trial but Pfizer was unwilling. During the ongoing second wave, India continues to face vaccine shortages so regulations were relaxed. All foreign jabs approved by major regulators were fast-tracked with one condition: They had to organise a domestic trial within 30 days of approval. Also read: Pfizer raises 2021 sales forecast for Covid vaccines to $26 billion A Pfizer spokesperson was asked whether the company had sought a waiver for domestic trials. She replied that Pfizer's application was backed by overseas trial data and added that the jab was already endorsed by all major regulators. Assuming the jab is cleared, two worries still remain - cost and storage. Pfizer has promised to deliver its vaccine at low cost to India. Pfizer jabs are stored at minus 70 degree celsius and India does not have the infrastructure for this. The company says they could deliver the shots in specially designed containers right to the vaccination centres. And the shelf life of Pfizer vaccines can be extended by days through dry ice. So if and when the Pfizer jabs arrive, they will have to fly off the shelves. It would be much easier if Pfizer shared their formulas with Indian producers but they are big on patents. Pfizer successfully mass-produced penicillin during World War 2. Thousands of allied soldiers lived because of Pfizer. Today, that same company is making millions from a crisis and India is Pfizer's shot at redemption.

COVID-19: Why India is Pfizer's shot at redemption

Employees of a pharmaceutical company have been arrested in Indonesia for allegedly reusing nasal swab kits intended for Covid testing. According to local police, at least 9,000 passengers may have been tested with the swabs which were reportedly washed and reused.

Given the risks of catching the virus owing to this, the state-owned company Kimia Farma is now facing a lawsuit on behalf of the travellers. Most countries undertake nasal swab testing at airports to limit the transmission of the virus which is now wreaking havoc across Asia.

The police were reported by BBC as saying that the scam had been going on since December 2020 at the Kualanamu airport in Medan, North Sumatra. It is mandatory for passengers to carry Covid negative reports before flying. In the absence of this, the airport offers swab testing on the site to passengers. The authorities had been using antigen rapid test kits supplied by Kimia Farma.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/china-refutes-reports-that-said-it-used-covid-19-anal-swabs-on-us-diplomats-366176" hreflang="en">China refutes reports that said it used Covid-19 anal swabs on US diplomats</a>

Suspicion began after passengers reported that they were getting false positive test results. Due to this, police sent an undercover officer to pose as a passenger last week, local media reported. He was swabbed and reported positive, after which officers raided the test site. They found that the test kit used on the police officer was recycled.

Just a week back, five employees of Kimia Farma were arrested for being accused of washing nasal swabs and repackaging them for sale.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/china-deploys-anal-swabs-to-test-for-coronavirus-359649" hreflang="en">China deploys anal swabs to test for coronavirus</a>

Authorities have taken into account reports 23 witnesses to estimate that a profit of $124,800 (1.88 billion rupiah) may have been made through this scam. They believe the money was used to construct a lavish house for one of the suspects.

Since the revelation, Kimia Farma has fired the staff involved in the scam with promises to tighten internal regulations.

Employees of a pharmaceutical company have been arrested in Indonesia for allegedly reusing nasal swab kits intended for Covid testing. According to local police, at least 9,000 passengers may have been tested with the swabs which were reportedly washed and reused.

Employees of a pharmaceutical company have been arrested in Indonesia for allegedly reusing nasal swab kits intended for Covid testing. According to local police, at least 9,000 passengers may have been tested with the swabs which were reportedly washed and reused. Given the risks of catching the virus owing to this, the state-owned company Kimia Farma is now facing a lawsuit on behalf of the travellers. Most countries undertake nasal swab testing at airports to limit the transmission of the virus which is now wreaking havoc across Asia. The police were reported by BBC as saying that the scam had been going on since December 2020 at the Kualanamu airport in Medan, North Sumatra. It is mandatory for passengers to carry Covid negative reports before flying. In the absence of this, the airport offers swab testing on the site to passengers. The authorities had been using antigen rapid test kits supplied by Kimia Farma. Also read: China refutes reports that said it used Covid-19 anal swabs on US diplomats Suspicion began after passengers reported that they were getting false positive test results. Due to this, police sent an undercover officer to pose as a passenger last week, local media reported. He was swabbed and reported positive, after which officers raided the test site. They found that the test kit used on the police officer was recycled. Just a week back, five employees of Kimia Farma were arrested for being accused of washing nasal swabs and repackaging them for sale. Also read: China deploys anal swabs to test for coronavirus Authorities have taken into account reports 23 witnesses to estimate that a profit of $124,800 (1.88 billion rupiah) may have been made through this scam. They believe the money was used to construct a lavish house for one of the suspects. Since the revelation, Kimia Farma has fired the staff involved in the scam with promises to tighten internal regulations.

Indonesia: Reused COVID-19 nasal swabs scam busted at airport

Parts of Germany are eyeing a loosening of lockdown restrictions as the number of new cases fell nationwide on Wednesday, though infection rates remain high in some of the 16 federal states. 
 
Confirmed new coronavirus cases in Germany rose on Wednesday by 18,034 to 3,451,550, but that 24-hour figure was 4,000 lower than a week ago, and the seven-day incidence per 100,000 people dropped to 132 from 141 on Tuesday, the lowest in three weeks. 
 
Legislation passed last month enabled the federal government to impose night-time curfews in areas where cases exceed 100 per 100,000 residents on three consecutive days, and even stricter curbs where cases go above 165 per 100,000. 
 
Three of Germany`s states are now under the key threshold of 100 cases per 100,000 - Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein - while three others are getting close - Berlin, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. 
 
The southern state of Bavaria said on Tuesday it would allow outdoor dining to resume from May 10 in areas where the incidence is under 100, and allow the tourism sector to reopen from May 21, when that part of the country has school holidays. 
 
The state of Lower Saxony has also agreed easing the rules for restaurants, tourism and retail for areas under 100. 
 
Health Minister Jens Spahn called on the states to give priority to opening outdoor activities so as not to risk a new wave of infections. 
 
On Tuesday, Germany`s cabinet agreed to ease restrictions on people who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19, a decree which could come into effect at the weekend. 
 
After a sluggish start, the pace of vaccinations has been picking up in Germany and the number of people with coronavirus needing intensive care treatment in hospital has begun to fall.

Parts of Germany are eyeing a loosening of lockdown restrictions as the number of new cases fell nationwide on Wednesday, though infection rates remain high in some of the 16 federal states.

Parts of Germany are eyeing a loosening of lockdown restrictions as the number of new cases fell nationwide on Wednesday, though infection rates remain high in some of the 16 federal states. Confirmed new coronavirus cases in Germany rose on Wednesday by 18,034 to 3,451,550, but that 24-hour figure was 4,000 lower than a week ago, and the seven-day incidence per 100,000 people dropped to 132 from 141 on Tuesday, the lowest in three weeks. Legislation passed last month enabled the federal government to impose night-time curfews in areas where cases exceed 100 per 100,000 residents on three consecutive days, and even stricter curbs where cases go above 165 per 100,000. Three of Germany`s states are now under the key threshold of 100 cases per 100,000 - Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein - while three others are getting close - Berlin, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The southern state of Bavaria said on Tuesday it would allow outdoor dining to resume from May 10 in areas where the incidence is under 100, and allow the tourism sector to reopen from May 21, when that part of the country has school holidays. The state of Lower Saxony has also agreed easing the rules for restaurants, tourism and retail for areas under 100. Health Minister Jens Spahn called on the states to give priority to opening outdoor activities so as not to risk a new wave of infections. On Tuesday, Germany`s cabinet agreed to ease restrictions on people who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19, a decree which could come into effect at the weekend. After a sluggish start, the pace of vaccinations has been picking up in Germany and the number of people with coronavirus needing intensive care treatment in hospital has begun to fall.

Germany looks to loosening lockdown as COVID-19 cases fall

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Monday addressed the nation and appealed to the international community to help Nepal in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

During the address, he also announced the temporary suspension of domestic and international flights until May 14.&nbsp;

"Since we are living in an interconnected and interlinked world, a pandemic like this spares no one and no one is safe. I would like to request our neighbours, friendly countries and international organisations to help us with vaccines, diagnostic equipment and kits, oxygen therapy, critical care medicines and critical care furniture to support our ongoing efforts to combat the pandemic," the prime minister said in English at the end of the speech.&nbsp;

Nepali authorities have been struggling to contain the rapid rise of virus cases.

"We are of the view that vaccines and critical care medicines are global goods and everyone should have access to it,” he added.&nbsp;

The prime minister also urged the people to extend support in the government’s effort in following the prohibitory orders to contain the spread of the deadly virus.&nbsp;

He also requested people to be cautious as the daily coronavirus is rising in the country.&nbsp;

As of Monday, as many as 41 districts out of the total 77 have been placed under prohibitory orders.

Oli's address to the nation came amid a political crisis. He had decided to seek a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives next week on May 10, as he is facing a crisis inside his party, Nepal Communist Party-Unified Marxist-Leninist.&nbsp;

Nepal Monday reported 7,448 new coronavirus cases with 37 fatalities in the last 24 hours.&nbsp;

The total tally of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 3,43,418.&nbsp;

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Monday addressed the nation and appealed to the international community to help Nepal in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. During the address, he also announced the temporary suspension of domestic and international flights until May 14.

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Monday addressed the nation and appealed to the international community to help Nepal in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. During the address, he also announced the temporary suspension of domestic and international flights until May 14. "Since we are living in an interconnected and interlinked world, a pandemic like this spares no one and no one is safe. I would like to request our neighbours, friendly countries and international organisations to help us with vaccines, diagnostic equipment and kits, oxygen therapy, critical care medicines and critical care furniture to support our ongoing efforts to combat the pandemic," the prime minister said in English at the end of the speech. Nepali authorities have been struggling to contain the rapid rise of virus cases. "We are of the view that vaccines and critical care medicines are global goods and everyone should have access to it,” he added. The prime minister also urged the people to extend support in the government’s effort in following the prohibitory orders to contain the spread of the deadly virus. He also requested people to be cautious as the daily coronavirus is rising in the country. As of Monday, as many as 41 districts out of the total 77 have been placed under prohibitory orders. Oli's address to the nation came amid a political crisis. He had decided to seek a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives next week on May 10, as he is facing a crisis inside his party, Nepal Communist Party-Unified Marxist-Leninist. Nepal Monday reported 7,448 new coronavirus cases with 37 fatalities in the last 24 hours. The total tally of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 3,43,418.

Nepal seeks international help to fight COVID-19 pandemic

For over a week now, the COVID-19 pandemic’s curve has touched a new global high, with the global average hovering above 800,000 each day. India is mostly driving the surge but the entire developing world is struggling. Brazil has become another hotspot where 400,000 people have died.

Out of these, 100,000 died in just 37 days during March-April. Last week, Turkey entered its first nationwide lockdown and currently has the highest infection rate in Europe.

Iran is now reporting its highest-ever numbers. In the last seven days, over 20,000 new cases have been reported everyday on average. The average death rate in the country is over 400.

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&nbsp;

But the biggest victims of this pandemic are children even though kids aren’t the most susceptible category. They usually experience mild infections and the death rate in this age group remains low. But this pandemic is putting them at risk of deadly, but preventable diseases.

According to a recent assessment from the World Health Organization (WHO), 60 immunisation campaigns have been postponed in 50 countries. Out of these, 20 are African countries. People are missing out on important vaccinations for diseases like measles, yellow fever and polio, putting 228 million people at risk. Most of these are children who require vaccines.

Kids may not be at risk of a severe infections but that doesn't mean they can't catch the infection. Moreover, infected children can become carriers of disease and infect their families and friends. That's why the world needs a universal vaccination programme for children in this pandemic.

COVID-19 vaccines for kids are on their way. Makers have been filing for approvals around the world. They are not making different vaccines but trials are underway to understand if existing vaccinations can work. In late March, Pfizer began a trial to test its vaccines on kids between the ages of six months to 11 years.

Pfizer has already&nbsp;filed a request with the European drug regulator for older children and wants the existing permissions to be extended to include 12 to 15 year olds. A similar request has been filed before the American regulator as well. Israel is closely watching this assessment as it plans to open its vaccinations to adolescents.

Moderna is conducting two trials in the United States and Canada. The first one is on 3,000 children aged between 12 to 17. The second trial began recently where children under 12 and babies as young as six months will be given a shot, same as adults.The kids in these trials will be given two doses but those below 12 years will be given reduced quantities of the vaccine.

Johnson &amp; Johnson has started similar trials for kids aged 12-17 and participants are being enrolled in Spain and United Kingdom. The vaccine maker plans to extend this trial to the US, the Netherlands, Canada, Brazil and Argentina.

AstraZeneca started its own trial in the United Kingdom earlier this year. But last month the trial was halted after cases of rare blood clots emerged.

India doesn't figure in any of these lists because the developed world gets the first mover advantage. But India recently eased the rules to approve vaccines. New Delhi will green-light a shot if it’s approved by regulators in USA, Europe, Britain, Japan or the WHO. Currently, India's vaccination campaign is struggling.

All adults can now take the shots but even before&nbsp;the drive began, 20 states declared&nbsp;they do not have enough doses for everyone. The inoculation for all adults began on Saturday but only 86,000 aged between 18-44 got a shot.

At this rate, the kids may have to wait several months to get a shot. The current surge has sparked fears of a third wave. The health minister of Maharashtra is anticipating one in July or August. Maharashtra is India's biggest hotspot and is one of the worst affected states. Whenever cases have spiked in Maharashtra, the virus has managed to make its way to other states.

The first wave hit the most vulnerable, the second wave is impacting the youth. The virus has left no section of the Indian population untouched. Now, India must protect its children from the virus.

For over a week now, the COVID-19 pandemic’s curve has touched a new global high, with the global average hovering above 800,000 each day. India is mostly driving the surge but the entire developing world is struggling.

For over a week now, the COVID-19 pandemic’s curve has touched a new global high, with the global average hovering above 800,000 each day. India is mostly driving the surge but the entire developing world is struggling. Brazil has become another hotspot where 400,000 people have died. Out of these, 100,000 died in just 37 days during March-April. Last week, Turkey entered its first nationwide lockdown and currently has the highest infection rate in Europe. Iran is now reporting its highest-ever numbers. In the last seven days, over 20,000 new cases have been reported everyday on average. The average death rate in the country is over 400. × But the biggest victims of this pandemic are children even though kids aren’t the most susceptible category. They usually experience mild infections and the death rate in this age group remains low. But this pandemic is putting them at risk of deadly, but preventable diseases. According to a recent assessment from the World Health Organization (WHO), 60 immunisation campaigns have been postponed in 50 countries. Out of these, 20 are African countries. People are missing out on important vaccinations for diseases like measles, yellow fever and polio, putting 228 million people at risk. Most of these are children who require vaccines. Kids may not be at risk of a severe infections but that doesn't mean they can't catch the infection. Moreover, infected children can become carriers of disease and infect their families and friends. That's why the world needs a universal vaccination programme for children in this pandemic. COVID-19 vaccines for kids are on their way. Makers have been filing for approvals around the world. They are not making different vaccines but trials are underway to understand if existing vaccinations can work. In late March, Pfizer began a trial to test its vaccines on kids between the ages of six months to 11 years. Pfizer has already filed a request with the European drug regulator for older children and wants the existing permissions to be extended to include 12 to 15 year olds. A similar request has been filed before the American regulator as well. Israel is closely watching this assessment as it plans to open its vaccinations to adolescents. Moderna is conducting two trials in the United States and Canada. The first one is on 3,000 children aged between 12 to 17. The second trial began recently where children under 12 and babies as young as six months will be given a shot, same as adults.The kids in these trials will be given two doses but those below 12 years will be given reduced quantities of the vaccine. Johnson & Johnson has started similar trials for kids aged 12-17 and participants are being enrolled in Spain and United Kingdom. The vaccine maker plans to extend this trial to the US, the Netherlands, Canada, Brazil and Argentina. AstraZeneca started its own trial in the United Kingdom earlier this year. But last month the trial was halted after cases of rare blood clots emerged. India doesn't figure in any of these lists because the developed world gets the first mover advantage. But India recently eased the rules to approve vaccines. New Delhi will green-light a shot if it’s approved by regulators in USA, Europe, Britain, Japan or the WHO. Currently, India's vaccination campaign is struggling. All adults can now take the shots but even before the drive began, 20 states declared they do not have enough doses for everyone. The inoculation for all adults began on Saturday but only 86,000 aged between 18-44 got a shot. At this rate, the kids may have to wait several months to get a shot. The current surge has sparked fears of a third wave. The health minister of Maharashtra is anticipating one in July or August. Maharashtra is India's biggest hotspot and is one of the worst affected states. Whenever cases have spiked in Maharashtra, the virus has managed to make its way to other states. The first wave hit the most vulnerable, the second wave is impacting the youth. The virus has left no section of the Indian population untouched. Now, India must protect its children from the virus.

Why kids are the biggest victims of Covid pandemic

More than 600 million people worldwide have been at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19 — meaning that more than 7 billion still have not. It is a striking achievement in the shadow of a staggering challenge.

Half of all the doses delivered so far have gone into the arms of people in countries with one-seventh of the world’s people, primarily the United States and European nations. Dozens of countries, particularly in Africa, have barely started their inoculation campaigns.

As wealthy countries envision the pandemic retreating within months — while poorer ones face the prospect of years of suffering — frustration has people around the world asking why more vaccine isn’t available.

Nationalism and government actions do much to help explain the stark inequity between the world's haves and have-nots. So, for that matter, does government inaction. And the power of the pharmaceutical companies, which at times seem to hold all the cards, cannot be ignored.

But much of it comes down to sheer logistics.

Immunising most of humanity in short order is a monumental task, one never attempted before, and one that experts say the world wasn’t ready to confront. They note that things have already moved with unprecedented speed. A year and a half ago, the disease was unknown, and the first vaccine authorisations came less than six months ago.

But there is a long way to go. Here is a look at the reasons for the vaccine shortfall.

Global capacity is limited.

There are only so many factories around the world that make vaccines and only so many people trained in making them — and they were busy before the pandemic. Likewise, production capacity for biological raw materials, cell culture media, specialised filters, pumps, tubing, preservatives, glass vials and rubber stoppers is also limited.

“We’re not suddenly stopping making every other vaccine,” said Sarah Schiffling, an expert on pharmaceutical supply chains and humanitarian relief at Liverpool John Moores University in Britain. “We’re adding this on top. We’re basically doubling output. Supply chains of this magnitude usually take years to accomplish.”

The world’s largest vaccine maker, the Serum Institute of India, is making the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, and projects output of 1 billion doses this year, in addition to the roughly 1.5 billion doses it makes annually for other diseases. But it has taken months to ramp up to that pace.

With heavy investment from governments, businesses have overhauled factories, built new ones from the ground up and trained new employees, an effort that started last year and is still far from complete.

Wealthy nations could do more for the poor.

The world’s richer countries have pledged more than $6 billion to Covax, the global effort to supply vaccines to the developing world at little or no cost.

But some of the pledges have not been fulfilled as yet. And in any case they amount to a small fraction of what the wealthy nations have spent on themselves, and a small fraction of the global need.

The Covax campaign also lost some ground when concerns emerged that the AstraZeneca shot — which was expected to be the backbone of the effort — might be tied to very rare but serious side effects. That led to some public wariness over using it.

Many public health advocates have called for Western governments to force drugmakers to share their own patented processes with the rest of the world. No vaccine producer has done so voluntarily, and no government has indicated that it will move in that direction.

Given the world’s limited production capacity, and how recently developed the vaccines are, patent sharing might not have significantly increased the supply at this moment. But down the road, as capacity expands, it could become a major factor.

The Biden administration has announced financial support for an Indian company, Biological E, to ramp up mass production of the Johnson &amp; Johnson shot for people in other parts of the world. And the administration said that it would send up to 60 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine — which the United States has bought but isn’t using — to other countries.

But the United States remains well behind China and Russia in such “vaccine diplomacy.”

Governments could put more pressure on pharmaceutical companies.

The United States and other developed countries invested billions of dollars in vaccine development and expansion of manufacturing, and they have spent billions more on the resulting shots. The U.S. government also controls a crucial patent on a process used in vaccine making, and its National Institutes of Health helped develop the Moderna vaccine.

All of that gives governments tremendous power to compel companies to work across boundaries, corporate as well as national, but they have been reluctant to use it. In the United States, that has started to change since President Joe Biden took office in January.

“The government has huge leverage, the most over Moderna,” said Tinglong Dai, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University’s business school who specialises in health care management.

Patents are one area where governments could be more aggressive about using their clout. But in the short run, Dai said, what would have had the greatest impact was if officials had acted earlier and more forcefully to insist that firms that develop vaccines make deals with their competitors to step up mass production.

Producing vaccines is tricky. New ones are trickier.

Even with an established product and stable demand, vaccine making is an exacting process. With a new shot, new production lines and mounting global expectations, it gets harder.

Both AstraZeneca and Johnson &amp; Johnson, two of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, have run into serious production problems with their COVID-19 vaccines — object lessons in the challenges of scaling up in a hurry from nothing to hundreds of millions of doses.

Adding to the difficulty, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots are built on a snippet of the coronavirus’s genetic code called messenger RNA, or mRNA. Until last year, that process had never been used in a mass-produced vaccine. It calls for different equipment, materials, techniques and expertise than standard vaccines.

The mRNA vaccines encase the genetic material in “lipid nanoparticles,” microscopic bubbles of fat. Few facilities in the world have any experience mass-producing anything comparable. The vaccines also require ultracold temperatures, which experts say limits their use — at least for now — to wealthier countries.

More than 600 million people worldwide have been at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19 — meaning that more than 7 billion still have not. It is a striking achievement in the shadow of a staggering challenge.

More than 600 million people worldwide have been at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19 — meaning that more than 7 billion still have not. It is a striking achievement in the shadow of a staggering challenge. Half of all the doses delivered so far have gone into the arms of people in countries with one-seventh of the world’s people, primarily the United States and European nations. Dozens of countries, particularly in Africa, have barely started their inoculation campaigns. As wealthy countries envision the pandemic retreating within months — while poorer ones face the prospect of years of suffering — frustration has people around the world asking why more vaccine isn’t available. Nationalism and government actions do much to help explain the stark inequity between the world's haves and have-nots. So, for that matter, does government inaction. And the power of the pharmaceutical companies, which at times seem to hold all the cards, cannot be ignored. But much of it comes down to sheer logistics. Immunising most of humanity in short order is a monumental task, one never attempted before, and one that experts say the world wasn’t ready to confront. They note that things have already moved with unprecedented speed. A year and a half ago, the disease was unknown, and the first vaccine authorisations came less than six months ago. But there is a long way to go. Here is a look at the reasons for the vaccine shortfall. Global capacity is limited. There are only so many factories around the world that make vaccines and only so many people trained in making them — and they were busy before the pandemic. Likewise, production capacity for biological raw materials, cell culture media, specialised filters, pumps, tubing, preservatives, glass vials and rubber stoppers is also limited. “We’re not suddenly stopping making every other vaccine,” said Sarah Schiffling, an expert on pharmaceutical supply chains and humanitarian relief at Liverpool John Moores University in Britain. “We’re adding this on top. We’re basically doubling output. Supply chains of this magnitude usually take years to accomplish.” The world’s largest vaccine maker, the Serum Institute of India, is making the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, and projects output of 1 billion doses this year, in addition to the roughly 1.5 billion doses it makes annually for other diseases. But it has taken months to ramp up to that pace. With heavy investment from governments, businesses have overhauled factories, built new ones from the ground up and trained new employees, an effort that started last year and is still far from complete. Wealthy nations could do more for the poor. The world’s richer countries have pledged more than $6 billion to Covax, the global effort to supply vaccines to the developing world at little or no cost. But some of the pledges have not been fulfilled as yet. And in any case they amount to a small fraction of what the wealthy nations have spent on themselves, and a small fraction of the global need. The Covax campaign also lost some ground when concerns emerged that the AstraZeneca shot — which was expected to be the backbone of the effort — might be tied to very rare but serious side effects. That led to some public wariness over using it. Many public health advocates have called for Western governments to force drugmakers to share their own patented processes with the rest of the world. No vaccine producer has done so voluntarily, and no government has indicated that it will move in that direction. Given the world’s limited production capacity, and how recently developed the vaccines are, patent sharing might not have significantly increased the supply at this moment. But down the road, as capacity expands, it could become a major factor. The Biden administration has announced financial support for an Indian company, Biological E, to ramp up mass production of the Johnson & Johnson shot for people in other parts of the world. And the administration said that it would send up to 60 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine — which the United States has bought but isn’t using — to other countries. But the United States remains well behind China and Russia in such “vaccine diplomacy.” Governments could put more pressure on pharmaceutical companies. The United States and other developed countries invested billions of dollars in vaccine development and expansion of manufacturing, and they have spent billions more on the resulting shots. The U.S. government also controls a crucial patent on a process used in vaccine making, and its National Institutes of Health helped develop the Moderna vaccine. All of that gives governments tremendous power to compel companies to work across boundaries, corporate as well as national, but they have been reluctant to use it. In the United States, that has started to change since President Joe Biden took office in January. “The government has huge leverage, the most over Moderna,” said Tinglong Dai, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University’s business school who specialises in health care management. Patents are one area where governments could be more aggressive about using their clout. But in the short run, Dai said, what would have had the greatest impact was if officials had acted earlier and more forcefully to insist that firms that develop vaccines make deals with their competitors to step up mass production. Producing vaccines is tricky. New ones are trickier. Even with an established product and stable demand, vaccine making is an exacting process. With a new shot, new production lines and mounting global expectations, it gets harder. Both AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, two of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, have run into serious production problems with their COVID-19 vaccines — object lessons in the challenges of scaling up in a hurry from nothing to hundreds of millions of doses. Adding to the difficulty, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots are built on a snippet of the coronavirus’s genetic code called messenger RNA, or mRNA. Until last year, that process had never been used in a mass-produced vaccine. It calls for different equipment, materials, techniques and expertise than standard vaccines. The mRNA vaccines encase the genetic material in “lipid nanoparticles,” microscopic bubbles of fat. Few facilities in the world have any experience mass-producing anything comparable. The vaccines also require ultracold temperatures, which experts say limits their use — at least for now — to wealthier countries.

What would it take to vaccinate the whole world? Let’s take a look.

The B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus, also known as the double mutant, is fast replacing the N440K variant in south India, scientists at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) said on Tuesday.

Former CCMB director Rakesh Mishra said the double mutant is now a dominant variant in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and now Telangana.

After an exhaustive analysis of 5,000 variants earlier this year, the CCMB had found that N440K is spreading a lot more in the southern states compared to the other variants. But B.1.617 is fast replacing N440K, including in Kerala, Divya Tej Sowpati, a scientist with the CCMB, said.

"Lineages with #N440K are NOT the dominant ones in the second wave of #Covid19inIndia. While N440K was indeed a mutation of concern in South India during and after the first wave, current data shows that it is essentially replaced by new VoCs such as #B1617 and #B117. "In KL, though not much data is available on GISAID, we can see that B.1.1.7 is increasing at present, whereas N440K is present in &lt;20% of the genomes."

"Also, it is important to remember that just because a variant behaves a certain way in cell cultures (with no competition, and in controlled settings), it does not mean it will behave the same way in humans, or in a complicated pandemic scenario," Sowpati tweeted.

The B.1.617 variant harbours 15 lineage defining mutations. B.1.617, initially termed as the double mutant, has three new spike protein mutations. Two mutations -- E484Q and L452R -- are in the area important for antibody-based neutralisation.

The third mutation, P681R, allows the virus to enter cells a little better. "When comparing the data from MH, in MH we can see that the increase in B.1.617 is seen in Feb rather than Mar 2021, and again we observe a reduction in proportion of lineages with N440K," Sowpati tweeted.

At a webinar last month, Sujeet Singh, the Director of the National Centre for Disease Control, said in Maharashtra, the B.1.617 variant was found in proportions of over 50 per cent in many cities, while the UK variant was found in 28 per cent samples in the second week of March.

The B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus, also known as the double mutant, is fast replacing the N440K variant in south India, scientists at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) said on Tuesday.

The B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus, also known as the double mutant, is fast replacing the N440K variant in south India, scientists at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) said on Tuesday. Former CCMB director Rakesh Mishra said the double mutant is now a dominant variant in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and now Telangana. After an exhaustive analysis of 5,000 variants earlier this year, the CCMB had found that N440K is spreading a lot more in the southern states compared to the other variants. But B.1.617 is fast replacing N440K, including in Kerala, Divya Tej Sowpati, a scientist with the CCMB, said. "Lineages with #N440K are NOT the dominant ones in the second wave of #Covid19inIndia. While N440K was indeed a mutation of concern in South India during and after the first wave, current data shows that it is essentially replaced by new VoCs such as #B1617 and #B117. "In KL, though not much data is available on GISAID, we can see that B.1.1.7 is increasing at present, whereas N440K is present in <20% of the genomes." "Also, it is important to remember that just because a variant behaves a certain way in cell cultures (with no competition, and in controlled settings), it does not mean it will behave the same way in humans, or in a complicated pandemic scenario," Sowpati tweeted. The B.1.617 variant harbours 15 lineage defining mutations. B.1.617, initially termed as the double mutant, has three new spike protein mutations. Two mutations -- E484Q and L452R -- are in the area important for antibody-based neutralisation. The third mutation, P681R, allows the virus to enter cells a little better. "When comparing the data from MH, in MH we can see that the increase in B.1.617 is seen in Feb rather than Mar 2021, and again we observe a reduction in proportion of lineages with N440K," Sowpati tweeted. At a webinar last month, Sujeet Singh, the Director of the National Centre for Disease Control, said in Maharashtra, the B.1.617 variant was found in proportions of over 50 per cent in many cities, while the UK variant was found in 28 per cent samples in the second week of March.

Double mutant Covid strain now highly prevalent in south India

Nepal on Tuesday alone reported 7,660 new cases of COVID-19 infection while another 55 succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours.Owing to the increasing number of coronavirus cases, the local administration of Kathmandu Valley has extended the prohibitory orders by another week.

The prohibitory order that was imposed since April 29, would now remain in place until midnight of May 12. "Food shops and groceries will be allowed to operate only between 7 AM and 9AM from tomorrow onwards. All kinds of private and public vehicles should remain off the road.Banks and financial institutions and government offices will be run by only one-fourth of total staff," Kali Prasad Parajuli, Chief District Officer of Kathmandu said in a statement.

A meeting of chief district officers (CDOs) of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur districts was held on Tuesday afternoon and it has was decided to extend the ongoing restriction orders by another week owing to the rising number of coronavirus cases in recent days.

Ministry of Health and Population on Tuesday evening announced the number of infection in the nation has increased by 7,660 in the last 24 hours taking the total number of infected to 351,005.

Along with record-high deaths of 55 that have been recorded onTuesday taking the death toll to 3,417. "Since last few days the number of dead bodies has increased and we have started cremating bodies in the open ground to expedite the cremation. With an aim to not hold the body in the crematorium hallway for long, we have started cremating them in the open ground just next to it," said Pradeep Dhakal, Member Secretary at Pashupati Area Development Trust which looks after the only crematorium in Kathmandu told ANI.

The Himalayan nation is now bearing the brunt of the second wave of infection which is expected to peak in June. Nepal`s Health Minister Hridayesh Tripathi earlier on April 5 while addressing the Parliament had informed that the nation expects the cases of COVID-19 to peak in the coming month.

Nepal currently has&nbsp;55,520 COVID-19 patients in home isolation as hospitals already have run out of beds; another 4,278 in institutional isolations, 616 in ICUs and 179 on ventilators across the country. Kathmandu Valley alone witnessed 3,893 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. Of them, 2,779 were detected in Kathmandu district, 513 in Bhaktapur and 601 in Lalitpur districts.Sixteen districts across the country added more than 100 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.&nbsp;

Nepal on Tuesday alone reported 7,660 new cases of COVID-19 infection while another 55 succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours.Owing to the increasing number of coronavirus cases, the local administration of Kathmandu Valley has extended the prohibitory orders by another week.

Nepal on Tuesday alone reported 7,660 new cases of COVID-19 infection while another 55 succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours.Owing to the increasing number of coronavirus cases, the local administration of Kathmandu Valley has extended the prohibitory orders by another week. The prohibitory order that was imposed since April 29, would now remain in place until midnight of May 12. "Food shops and groceries will be allowed to operate only between 7 AM and 9AM from tomorrow onwards. All kinds of private and public vehicles should remain off the road.Banks and financial institutions and government offices will be run by only one-fourth of total staff," Kali Prasad Parajuli, Chief District Officer of Kathmandu said in a statement. A meeting of chief district officers (CDOs) of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur districts was held on Tuesday afternoon and it has was decided to extend the ongoing restriction orders by another week owing to the rising number of coronavirus cases in recent days. Ministry of Health and Population on Tuesday evening announced the number of infection in the nation has increased by 7,660 in the last 24 hours taking the total number of infected to 351,005. Along with record-high deaths of 55 that have been recorded onTuesday taking the death toll to 3,417. "Since last few days the number of dead bodies has increased and we have started cremating bodies in the open ground to expedite the cremation. With an aim to not hold the body in the crematorium hallway for long, we have started cremating them in the open ground just next to it," said Pradeep Dhakal, Member Secretary at Pashupati Area Development Trust which looks after the only crematorium in Kathmandu told ANI. The Himalayan nation is now bearing the brunt of the second wave of infection which is expected to peak in June. Nepal`s Health Minister Hridayesh Tripathi earlier on April 5 while addressing the Parliament had informed that the nation expects the cases of COVID-19 to peak in the coming month. Nepal currently has 55,520 COVID-19 patients in home isolation as hospitals already have run out of beds; another 4,278 in institutional isolations, 616 in ICUs and 179 on ventilators across the country. Kathmandu Valley alone witnessed 3,893 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. Of them, 2,779 were detected in Kathmandu district, 513 in Bhaktapur and 601 in Lalitpur districts.Sixteen districts across the country added more than 100 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.

Prohibitory orders in Kathmandu extended by a week amid COVID-19 surge

A group of US lawmakers are urging the Biden administration to quickly release the country’s supply of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to India and other countries where the pandemic is wreaking havoc. The Democrats stressed on the importance of time in a joint letter addressed to the Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Health Secretary Xavier Becerra.

In the letter, the four signatories mentioned how&nbsp;without assistance, new mutations that may evade vaccines could sprout up in India and then spill over to other countries in the world, including the United States.

The signatories are Carolyn Maloney, chairperson of the House Oversight Committee; James Clyburn, chair of the House subcommittee on COVID-19; Raja Krishnamoorthi, Indian American chair of the House subcommittee on economic policy; and Stephen Lynch, chair of the House subcommittee on national security.

In addition to urging an expedited response to India’s crisis, the lawmakers have urged the Biden administration to reverse President Donald Trump’s decision to not waive intellectual property rights on vaccines.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/india-covid-crisis-us-to-redirect-20-million-doses-of-astrazeneca-vaccines-send-raw-material-to-manufacture-500000-doses-381387" hreflang="en">India Covid crisis: US to redirect 20 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, send raw material to manufacture 500,000 doses</a>

India and South Africa had led the proposal in favour of temporarily waiving IPR on vaccines at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to ensure all countries have access to vaccines.

Biden administration has approved sending supplies and vaccines to India, but there have been delays in shipping while the country awaits the approval of country’s food and drug regulator to send AstraZeneca vaccines to India.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-to-export-up-to-60-million-astrazeneca-covid-vaccine-doses-380640" hreflang="en">US to export up to 60 million AstraZeneca Covid vaccine doses</a>

On April 26, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki had said that the AZ doses will need quality clearance from the FDA before being shipped out to India and other countries. “This is being done in the context of the FDA’s ongoing review of all doses made at the plant where these AstraZeneca doses were produced”, she said.

(With inputs from agencies)

A group of US lawmakers are urging the Biden administration to quickly release the country’s supply of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to India and other countries where the pandemic is wreaking havoc.

A group of US lawmakers are urging the Biden administration to quickly release the country’s supply of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to India and other countries where the pandemic is wreaking havoc. The Democrats stressed on the importance of time in a joint letter addressed to the Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Health Secretary Xavier Becerra. In the letter, the four signatories mentioned how without assistance, new mutations that may evade vaccines could sprout up in India and then spill over to other countries in the world, including the United States. The signatories are Carolyn Maloney, chairperson of the House Oversight Committee; James Clyburn, chair of the House subcommittee on COVID-19; Raja Krishnamoorthi, Indian American chair of the House subcommittee on economic policy; and Stephen Lynch, chair of the House subcommittee on national security. In addition to urging an expedited response to India’s crisis, the lawmakers have urged the Biden administration to reverse President Donald Trump’s decision to not waive intellectual property rights on vaccines. Also read: India Covid crisis: US to redirect 20 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, send raw material to manufacture 500,000 doses India and South Africa had led the proposal in favour of temporarily waiving IPR on vaccines at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to ensure all countries have access to vaccines. Biden administration has approved sending supplies and vaccines to India, but there have been delays in shipping while the country awaits the approval of country’s food and drug regulator to send AstraZeneca vaccines to India. Also read: US to export up to 60 million AstraZeneca Covid vaccine doses On April 26, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki had said that the AZ doses will need quality clearance from the FDA before being shipped out to India and other countries. “This is being done in the context of the FDA’s ongoing review of all doses made at the plant where these AstraZeneca doses were produced”, she said. (With inputs from agencies)

US lawmakers urge Biden to prioritise sending AstraZeneca vaccines to India

Thousands of doctors in the United Kingdom are planning to leave the country’s National Health Service owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new survey has revealed. The survey was undertaken by the British Medical Association and took into account 5,521 doctors working in the NHS.

The survey found that 31.9 per cent doctors said that their career goals had changed over the last year while adding that they were more likely to retire early. According to the study, a quarter doctors are planning to take a career break while a fifth are considering leaving the NHS to pursue a career in other fields.

The survey cited working conditions including long hours, increasing demand and unpleasant working conditions which have played a prominent role in the outlook shared by medical professionals in the country.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/strawberries-and-cream-wimbledon-thanks-londons-nhs-and-front-line-workers-for-their-efforts-310250" hreflang="en">'Strawberries and cream': Wimbledon thanks London's NHS and front-line workers for their efforts!</a>

At least 25 per cent people are planning to take a career break, while 21 per cent want to leave the NHS to pursue something else. 17 per cent showed interest in working in a different country and 15 per cent showed interested in becoming a locus.

Half of the respondents were cited by The Guardian as saying that they are likely to reduce their working hours as the pandemic eases in the country.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/new-zealand-fires-nine-border-workers-who-refused-coronavirus-vaccines-382562" hreflang="en">New Zealand fires nine border workers who refused coronavirus vaccines</a>

45 per cent doctors cited workload while personal wellbeing was cited by 43 per cent medical professionals working in the NHS. In addition 29 per cent took pay into consideration while 22 per cent attributed their decision to the working conditions. Out of the respondents, 22 per cent blamed the culture in their workplace.

Critics fear that the doctors leaving the NHS in bulk would make it really difficult to manage the backlog of cases that currently plague the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. The Guardian estimates that 4.7 million patients are on the waiting list for treatment, the highest number ever.

Thousands of doctors in the United Kingdom are planning to leave the country’s National Health Service owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new survey has revealed.

Thousands of doctors in the United Kingdom are planning to leave the country’s National Health Service owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new survey has revealed. The survey was undertaken by the British Medical Association and took into account 5,521 doctors working in the NHS. The survey found that 31.9 per cent doctors said that their career goals had changed over the last year while adding that they were more likely to retire early. According to the study, a quarter doctors are planning to take a career break while a fifth are considering leaving the NHS to pursue a career in other fields. The survey cited working conditions including long hours, increasing demand and unpleasant working conditions which have played a prominent role in the outlook shared by medical professionals in the country. Also read: 'Strawberries and cream': Wimbledon thanks London's NHS and front-line workers for their efforts! At least 25 per cent people are planning to take a career break, while 21 per cent want to leave the NHS to pursue something else. 17 per cent showed interest in working in a different country and 15 per cent showed interested in becoming a locus. Half of the respondents were cited by The Guardian as saying that they are likely to reduce their working hours as the pandemic eases in the country. Also read: New Zealand fires nine border workers who refused coronavirus vaccines 45 per cent doctors cited workload while personal wellbeing was cited by 43 per cent medical professionals working in the NHS. In addition 29 per cent took pay into consideration while 22 per cent attributed their decision to the working conditions. Out of the respondents, 22 per cent blamed the culture in their workplace. Critics fear that the doctors leaving the NHS in bulk would make it really difficult to manage the backlog of cases that currently plague the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. The Guardian estimates that 4.7 million patients are on the waiting list for treatment, the highest number ever.

Thousands of doctors planning to leave UK's National Health Service after Covid pandemic, survey reveals

Cambodia registered a record 841 new coronavirus cases on Monday but Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered the end to a blanket lockdown in the capital Phnom Penh and said there would be only be lockdowns in areas where infections have surged. 
 
The Southeast Asian nation has recorded one of the world`s smallest COVID-19 caseloads, but infections have climbed from about 500 in late February to 15,361 now, with a total 106 deaths. 
 
It reported 730 new cases on Sunday and a second highest daily record of 841 on Monday. 
 
Authorities put Phnom Penh and the nearby town of Takhmau, where most of the cases have been recorded, under a hard lockdown on April 15. 
 
"The Royal Government has issued a decision to end the lockdown ... from May 6, 2021, replacing it with new measures aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19," Hun Sen said on Facebook. 
 
Under the lockdown, authorities declared some districts "red zones", banning people from leaving their homes, prompting anger among residents and human rights groups over inadequate aid distribution. 
 
The World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Cambodia, Li Ailan, warned on Sunday against easing COVID-19 curbs too soon. 
 
"Relaxing #COVID19 measures too fast and too soon means a possible surge," Ailan said in a tweet.

Cambodia registered a record 841 new coronavirus cases on Monday but Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered the end to a blanket lockdown in the capital Phnom Penh and said there would be only be lockdowns in areas where infections have surged.

Cambodia registered a record 841 new coronavirus cases on Monday but Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered the end to a blanket lockdown in the capital Phnom Penh and said there would be only be lockdowns in areas where infections have surged. The Southeast Asian nation has recorded one of the world`s smallest COVID-19 caseloads, but infections have climbed from about 500 in late February to 15,361 now, with a total 106 deaths. It reported 730 new cases on Sunday and a second highest daily record of 841 on Monday. Authorities put Phnom Penh and the nearby town of Takhmau, where most of the cases have been recorded, under a hard lockdown on April 15. "The Royal Government has issued a decision to end the lockdown ... from May 6, 2021, replacing it with new measures aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19," Hun Sen said on Facebook. Under the lockdown, authorities declared some districts "red zones", banning people from leaving their homes, prompting anger among residents and human rights groups over inadequate aid distribution. The World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Cambodia, Li Ailan, warned on Sunday against easing COVID-19 curbs too soon. "Relaxing #COVID19 measures too fast and too soon means a possible surge," Ailan said in a tweet.

Cambodian capital to end blanket COVID-19 lockdown despite surge

A team of Israeli researchers have identified a link between coronavirus and stroke victims, especially in healthy young people, media reports said. 
 
The global study led by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem involved at least 136 medical centres in 32 countries, i24news.tv reported. 
 
Of the 380 patients who suffered stroke while suffering from Covid-19, nearly 38 per cent were asymptomatic to the coronavirus, and had no recognisable symptoms from the virus such as cough or fever. The diagnosis came only after they were admitted to the hospital for stroke. 
 
The study, published in the journal `Stroke`, led researchers to fear that the virus may increase the risk of stroke, even in people without chronic conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes. 
 
Of the 432 patients, 323 had acute ischemic stroke, 91 had intracranial hemorrhage, and 18 had cerebral venous or sinus thrombosis. 
 
The younger patients with ischemic strokes had no known existence of the types of aclassical` risk factors that contribute to the onset of stroke such as vascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes or smoking, the report said. 
 
"This study further strengthened our understanding of the link between coronavirus and stroke in young patients," said Ronen Leker, a professor from the varsity. 
 
"In the future, we recommend performing PCR tests routinely on all young stroke patients, especially those who have had a stroke, especially in those with no known pathologies," Leker added.

A team of Israeli researchers have identified a link between coronavirus and stroke victims, especially in healthy young people, media reports said. The global study led by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem involved at least 136 medical centres in 32 countries, i24news.

A team of Israeli researchers have identified a link between coronavirus and stroke victims, especially in healthy young people, media reports said. The global study led by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem involved at least 136 medical centres in 32 countries, i24news.tv reported. Of the 380 patients who suffered stroke while suffering from Covid-19, nearly 38 per cent were asymptomatic to the coronavirus, and had no recognisable symptoms from the virus such as cough or fever. The diagnosis came only after they were admitted to the hospital for stroke. The study, published in the journal `Stroke`, led researchers to fear that the virus may increase the risk of stroke, even in people without chronic conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes. Of the 432 patients, 323 had acute ischemic stroke, 91 had intracranial hemorrhage, and 18 had cerebral venous or sinus thrombosis. The younger patients with ischemic strokes had no known existence of the types of aclassical` risk factors that contribute to the onset of stroke such as vascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes or smoking, the report said. "This study further strengthened our understanding of the link between coronavirus and stroke in young patients," said Ronen Leker, a professor from the varsity. "In the future, we recommend performing PCR tests routinely on all young stroke patients, especially those who have had a stroke, especially in those with no known pathologies," Leker added.

Strokes in young adults linked to COVID-19: Study

New Zealand’s customs agency has reportedly fired nine employees who refused to get COVID-19 jabs.&nbsp; All frontline workers at borders were required to get vaccinated by the end of April.

But in February, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had said that that her government would not make vaccines compulsory for frontline workers. Ardern had also said that those who declined the vaccines would be shifted to roles that don’t require much contact with others.

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The nine employees were in a fixed term employment at the maritime border and The Guardian reported that no other roles were available for them. But no other work could be found to redeploy the nine workers who were in fixed term employment at the maritime border, Jacinda Funnell, Customs’ deputy chief executive for people and capability, said.

“We regret that these individuals have had to leave employment, and understand what a difficult situation this is for them,” Jacinda Funnell, Customs’ Deputy Chief Executive for People and Capability said in a statement.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/new-zealands-ardern-says-differences-with-china-becoming-harder-to-reconcile-382404" hreflang="en">New Zealand's Ardern says differences with China becoming harder to reconcile&nbsp;</a>

Funnell added that 95 per cent of Customs’ workers at the frontline had received the first dose of the vaccine, while 85 per cent had received both the doses.

An order by the country’s Ministry of Health required under the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act made it a legal obligation for anyone deployed at borders to get inoculated before May 1. According to Funnell there exist limited roles for people who have refused vaccinations so far.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/new-zealand-australia-travel-bubble-faces-disruption-due-to-fresh-covid-cases-382361" hreflang="en">New Zealand-Australia travel bubble faces disruption due to fresh Covid cases</a>

In April, the New Zealand Defence Force reportedly threatened for fire employees who did not want to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Currently, New Zealand is exploring ways to restart old ways of life, including travel bubbles with countries it deems for travel. The people does not require people to quarantine after arrival.

New Zealand’s customs agency has reportedly fired nine employees who refused to get COVID-19 jabs. All frontline workers at borders were required to get vaccinated by the end of April.

New Zealand’s customs agency has reportedly fired nine employees who refused to get COVID-19 jabs. All frontline workers at borders were required to get vaccinated by the end of April. But in February, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had said that that her government would not make vaccines compulsory for frontline workers. Ardern had also said that those who declined the vaccines would be shifted to roles that don’t require much contact with others. The nine employees were in a fixed term employment at the maritime border and The Guardian reported that no other roles were available for them. But no other work could be found to redeploy the nine workers who were in fixed term employment at the maritime border, Jacinda Funnell, Customs’ deputy chief executive for people and capability, said. “We regret that these individuals have had to leave employment, and understand what a difficult situation this is for them,” Jacinda Funnell, Customs’ Deputy Chief Executive for People and Capability said in a statement. Also read: New Zealand's Ardern says differences with China becoming harder to reconcile Funnell added that 95 per cent of Customs’ workers at the frontline had received the first dose of the vaccine, while 85 per cent had received both the doses. An order by the country’s Ministry of Health required under the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act made it a legal obligation for anyone deployed at borders to get inoculated before May 1. According to Funnell there exist limited roles for people who have refused vaccinations so far. Also read: New Zealand-Australia travel bubble faces disruption due to fresh Covid cases In April, the New Zealand Defence Force reportedly threatened for fire employees who did not want to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Currently, New Zealand is exploring ways to restart old ways of life, including travel bubbles with countries it deems for travel. The people does not require people to quarantine after arrival.

New Zealand fires nine border workers who refused coronavirus vaccines

One in two people globally witnessed a drop in their income due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, new research from Gallup shows. People in low-income countries remained the hardest hit by job losses and cuts to working hours.

US-based polling company Gallup surveyed 300,000 people in 117 countries and found that half the people who were employed now earn less than they earlier did owing to the pandemic. This implies that 1.6 billion working adults across the world witnessed dips in their income.

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“Worldwide, these percentages ranged from a high of 76% in Thailand to a low of 10% in Switzerland,” researchers announced in a statement.

Massive income drops were reported in Bolivia, Kenya, Myanmar, Indonesia, Uganda, Honduras and Ecuador where over 70 per cent people claimed that they were now taking home less income than before the pandemic. In the United States, the number stood at 34 per cent.

Women were among the worst hit due to the pandemic, who are generally overrepresented in low paying sectors like food, tourism and retail. A study done by Oxfam, the international charity group said that the pandemic cost women $800 billion in income losses around the world.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/women-lost-nearly-800-billion-in-income-due-to-coronavirus-pandemic-381418" hreflang="en">Women lost nearly $800 billion in income due to coronavirus pandemic</a>

In 57 countries including Zimbabwe, the Philippines, India, Kenya, El Salvador, Bangladesh, over 65 per cent people said that they were forced to stop working at one point during the pandemic. The Gallup poll found that over 50 per cent of people had to temporarily stop working. This figure amounts for over 1.7 billion adults worldwide.

Countries that reported the least change among people who were already working were mostly develop high-income nations like Austria, Switzerland and Germany. Less than one out of 10 people in these countries said that they had to temporarily stop working due to the pandemic. In the US, 39 per cent people had to stop working due to the pandemic.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/coronavirus-pandemic-reduced-worldwide-income-by-about-10-per-cent-ilo-329962" hreflang="en">Coronavirus pandemic reduced worldwide income by about 10 per cent: ILO</a>

According to the poll, one in three people across the world lost their job due to the pandemic implying over one billion people globally were left unemployed due to the pandemic.

But this figure varies from country to country. Lower income countries like the Philippines, Kenya and Zimbabwe reported that 60 per cent people their jobs while 13 per cent people in the United States reported the same. In Switzerland, the number remained as low as 3 per cent.

(With inputs from agencies)

One in two people globally witnessed a drop in their income due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, new research from Gallup shows. People in low-income countries remained the hardest hit by job losses and cuts to working hours.

One in two people globally witnessed a drop in their income due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, new research from Gallup shows. People in low-income countries remained the hardest hit by job losses and cuts to working hours. US-based polling company Gallup surveyed 300,000 people in 117 countries and found that half the people who were employed now earn less than they earlier did owing to the pandemic. This implies that 1.6 billion working adults across the world witnessed dips in their income. “Worldwide, these percentages ranged from a high of 76% in Thailand to a low of 10% in Switzerland,” researchers announced in a statement. Massive income drops were reported in Bolivia, Kenya, Myanmar, Indonesia, Uganda, Honduras and Ecuador where over 70 per cent people claimed that they were now taking home less income than before the pandemic. In the United States, the number stood at 34 per cent. Women were among the worst hit due to the pandemic, who are generally overrepresented in low paying sectors like food, tourism and retail. A study done by Oxfam, the international charity group said that the pandemic cost women $800 billion in income losses around the world. Also read: Women lost nearly $800 billion in income due to coronavirus pandemic In 57 countries including Zimbabwe, the Philippines, India, Kenya, El Salvador, Bangladesh, over 65 per cent people said that they were forced to stop working at one point during the pandemic. The Gallup poll found that over 50 per cent of people had to temporarily stop working. This figure amounts for over 1.7 billion adults worldwide. Countries that reported the least change among people who were already working were mostly develop high-income nations like Austria, Switzerland and Germany. Less than one out of 10 people in these countries said that they had to temporarily stop working due to the pandemic. In the US, 39 per cent people had to stop working due to the pandemic. Also read: Coronavirus pandemic reduced worldwide income by about 10 per cent: ILO According to the poll, one in three people across the world lost their job due to the pandemic implying over one billion people globally were left unemployed due to the pandemic. But this figure varies from country to country. Lower income countries like the Philippines, Kenya and Zimbabwe reported that 60 per cent people their jobs while 13 per cent people in the United States reported the same. In Switzerland, the number remained as low as 3 per cent. (With inputs from agencies)

One in two people witnessed dip in income due to COVID-19 pandemic: Poll

Indonesia on Monday recorded the first case of the variant of COVID-19 which was first spotted in India. The country’s health ministry urged people to avoid travel during as the holy month of Ramzan nears its end.

Last month, Indonesia stopped issuing visas for foreigners who had been in India in the previous two weeks. The variant from India is known as B.1.617. Two cases of the mutant were found in Jakarta. The health minister, Budi Gunadi Sadikin added that they’ve also found cases of the variant first found in South Africa in Bali.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/covaxin-can-fight-against-double-mutant-variant-found-in-india-study-381115/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We need to contain these cases, while there are still only a few of them," Budi Gunadi Sadikin said during a virtual conference.

Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country and the authorities have banned the ceremonial visits marked among relatives on the Eid al-Fitr festival.&nbsp; "Do not return to your hometown. Do not go on holiday in your hometown. Be patient," Doni Monardo, the head of Indonesia's COVID-19 task force added during the conference.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/uganda-detects-first-case-of-covid-variant-first-found-in-india-381772" hreflang="en">Uganda detects first case of Covid variant first found in India</a>

Even then, many people could be seen leaving their homes to escape the deadlines set by the government.

Currently, scientists are trying to ascertain the scale of the spread of variant from India and whether it is responsible for the devastating surge in cases. Now, the variant has been spotted in at least 17 countries including the United Kingdom, Iran, and Switzerland. Owing to this, many countries have stopped travel to and from India.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/france-reports-first-cases-of-coronavirus-variant-first-detected-in-india-381537" hreflang="en">France reports first cases of coronavirus variant first detected in India</a>

So far, Indonesia has reported more than 1.67 million cases of COVID-19. The country has also reported 45,700 deaths. But the cases have continued to decline since January. The positivity rate in the country is averaging 12 per cent every month. The World Health Organization considers positivity rates above 5 per cent dangerous.

(With inputs from agencies)

Indonesia on Monday recorded the first case of the variant of COVID-19 which was first spotted in India. The country’s health ministry urged people to avoid travel during as the holy month of Ramzan nears its end.

Indonesia on Monday recorded the first case of the variant of COVID-19 which was first spotted in India. The country’s health ministry urged people to avoid travel during as the holy month of Ramzan nears its end. Last month, Indonesia stopped issuing visas for foreigners who had been in India in the previous two weeks. The variant from India is known as B.1.617. Two cases of the mutant were found in Jakarta. The health minister, Budi Gunadi Sadikin added that they’ve also found cases of the variant first found in South Africa in Bali. "We need to contain these cases, while there are still only a few of them," Budi Gunadi Sadikin said during a virtual conference. Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country and the authorities have banned the ceremonial visits marked among relatives on the Eid al-Fitr festival. "Do not return to your hometown. Do not go on holiday in your hometown. Be patient," Doni Monardo, the head of Indonesia's COVID-19 task force added during the conference. Also read: Uganda detects first case of Covid variant first found in India Even then, many people could be seen leaving their homes to escape the deadlines set by the government. Currently, scientists are trying to ascertain the scale of the spread of variant from India and whether it is responsible for the devastating surge in cases. Now, the variant has been spotted in at least 17 countries including the United Kingdom, Iran, and Switzerland. Owing to this, many countries have stopped travel to and from India. Also read: France reports first cases of coronavirus variant first detected in India So far, Indonesia has reported more than 1.67 million cases of COVID-19. The country has also reported 45,700 deaths. But the cases have continued to decline since January. The positivity rate in the country is averaging 12 per cent every month. The World Health Organization considers positivity rates above 5 per cent dangerous. (With inputs from agencies)

Indonesia detects two cases of Covid variant first found in India

A new investigation conducted by scientists has found the probability of individuals experiencing side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. King’s College London found that one out of four individuals experience mild, short-lived side effects after taking the vaccines.

These symptoms include cerebral pain, tiredness and tenderness. Most of these were reported among people who took the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs. Researchers also found that most side effects peaked within 24 hours after vaccination and lasted for 1-2 days on average.

The study was published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases on Saturday is the first large scale study attempting to understand the prevalence of side effects based on data from UK’s vaccination programme.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/influenza-has-virtually-disappeared-worldwide-during-the-covid-pandemic-381544" hreflang="en">Influenza has virtually disappeared worldwide during the Covid pandemic</a>

The data was sourced from the ZOE COVID Symptom Study mobile application and took into account the experiences of 627,383 users who had received the jabs and self-reported side effects after receiving one or both the doses of Pfizer vaccine or single dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine between December 8, 2020 and March 10, 2021.

Results suggested that there were fewer instances of side effects in real life than during trials.

In addition, the study tracked the rate of infection among people post-inoculation. It was found that the rates of infection dropped between 12-21 days after the first dose of Pfizer (58 per cent) and AstraZeneca (39 percent). In 21 days, the drop in infection for Pfizer and AstraZeneca was 69 per cent and 60 per cent respectively.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/young-people-who-recovered-from-covid-19-face-risk-of-reinfection-study-381384" hreflang="en">Young people who recovered from COVID-19 face risk of reinfection: Study</a>

Out of the vaccination people mentioned above, 25.4 per cent reported systemic side effects which show up as a result of the vaccine. 66.2 per cent reported local side effects which happen at the site of the injection.

(With inputs from agencies)

A new investigation conducted by scientists has found the probability of individuals experiencing side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. King’s College London found that one out of four individuals experience mild, short-lived side effects after taking the vaccines.

A new investigation conducted by scientists has found the probability of individuals experiencing side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. King’s College London found that one out of four individuals experience mild, short-lived side effects after taking the vaccines. These symptoms include cerebral pain, tiredness and tenderness. Most of these were reported among people who took the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs. Researchers also found that most side effects peaked within 24 hours after vaccination and lasted for 1-2 days on average. The study was published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases on Saturday is the first large scale study attempting to understand the prevalence of side effects based on data from UK’s vaccination programme. Also read: Influenza has virtually disappeared worldwide during the Covid pandemic The data was sourced from the ZOE COVID Symptom Study mobile application and took into account the experiences of 627,383 users who had received the jabs and self-reported side effects after receiving one or both the doses of Pfizer vaccine or single dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine between December 8, 2020 and March 10, 2021. Results suggested that there were fewer instances of side effects in real life than during trials. In addition, the study tracked the rate of infection among people post-inoculation. It was found that the rates of infection dropped between 12-21 days after the first dose of Pfizer (58 per cent) and AstraZeneca (39 percent). In 21 days, the drop in infection for Pfizer and AstraZeneca was 69 per cent and 60 per cent respectively. Also read: Young people who recovered from COVID-19 face risk of reinfection: Study Out of the vaccination people mentioned above, 25.4 per cent reported systemic side effects which show up as a result of the vaccine. 66.2 per cent reported local side effects which happen at the site of the injection. (With inputs from agencies)

One in four people experience side effects after Covid vaccines, large-scale study finds

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