To a growing chorus of U.S. politicians and scientists, she is the key to whether the world will ever learn if the virus behind the devastating COVID-19 pandemic escaped from a Chinese lab. To the Chinese government and public, she is a hero of the country’s success in curbing the epidemic and a victim of malicious conspiracy theories.

Shi Zhengli, a top Chinese virologist, is once again at the centre of clashing narratives about her research on coronaviruses at a state lab in Wuhan, the city where the pandemic first emerged.

The idea that the virus may have escaped from a lab had long been widely dismissed by scientists as implausible and shunned by others for its connection with former President Donald Trump. But fresh scrutiny from the Biden administration and calls for greater candour from prominent scientists have brought the theory back to the fore.

Scientists generally agree that there is still no direct evidence to support the lab leak theory. But more of them now say that the hypothesis was dismissed too hastily, without a thorough investigation, and they point to a range of unsettling questions.

Some scientists say Shi conducted risky experiments with bat coronaviruses in labs that were not safe enough. Others want clarity on reports, citing U.S. intelligence, suggesting that there were early infections of COVID-19 among several employees of the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Shi has denied these accusations and now finds herself defending the reputation of her lab and, by extension, that of her country. Reached on her cellphone last week, Shi said at first that she preferred not to speak directly with reporters, citing her institute’s policies. Yet she could barely contain her frustration.

“How on earth can I offer up evidence for something where there is no evidence?” she said, her voice rising in anger during the brief, unscheduled conversation. “I don’t know how the world has come to this, constantly pouring filth on an innocent scientist,” she wrote in a text message.

In a rare interview over email, she denounced the suspicions as baseless, including the allegations that several of her colleagues may have been ill before the outbreak emerged.

The speculation boils down to one central question: Did Shi’s lab hold any source of the new coronavirus before the pandemic erupted? Shi’s answer is an emphatic no.

But China’s refusal to allow an independent investigation into her lab, or to share data on its research, make it difficult to validate Shi’s claims and has only fueled nagging suspicions about how the pandemic could have taken hold in the same city that hosts an institute known for its work on bat coronaviruses.

Those in favor of the natural origins hypothesis, though, have pointed to Wuhan’s role as a major transportation hub as well as a recent study that showed that just before the pandemic hit, the city’s markets were selling many animal species capable of harboring dangerous pathogens that could jump to humans.

The Chinese government has given no appearance of holding Shi under suspicion. Despite the international scrutiny, she seems to have been able to continue her research and give lectures in China.

The stakes in this debate extend into how scientists study infectious diseases. Some scientists have cited the lab leak scenario in pushing for greater scrutiny of “gain of function” experiments that, broadly defined, are intended to make pathogens more powerful to better understand their behaviour and risks.

Many scientists say they want the hunt for the virus’ origins to transcend politics, borders and individual scientific achievements.

“This has nothing to do with fault or guilt,” said David Relman, a microbiologist at Stanford University and co-author of a recent letter in the journal Science, signed by 18 scientists, that called for a transparent investigation into all viable scenarios, including a lab leak.

The letter urged labs and health agencies to open their records to the public.

“It’s just bigger than anyone scientist or institute or any one country — anybody anywhere who has data of this sort needs to put it out there,” Relman said.

‘Transparency matters.’

Many virologists maintain that the coronavirus most likely jumped from an animal to a human in a setting outside a lab. But without direct proof of a natural spillover, more scientists and politicians have called for a full investigation into the lab leak theory.

Proponents of a lab investigation say that researchers at Shi’s institute could have collected — or contracted — the new coronavirus from the wild, such as in a bat cave. Or the scientists may have created it, by accident or by design. Either way, the virus could then have leaked from the laboratory, perhaps by infecting a worker.

China has sought to influence investigations into the virus’ origin, while promoting its own unproven allegations.

Beijing agreed to allow a team of World Health Organization experts to visit China but limited their access. When the WHO team said in a report in March that a lab leak was extremely unlikely, its conclusion was seen as hasty. Even the head of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said: “I do not believe that this assessment was extensive enough.”

Last month, President Joe Biden ordered intelligence agencies to investigate the origin question, including the lab theory. On Sunday, the leaders of the world’s wealthiest large democracies, at the Group of 7 summit, urged China to be part of a new investigation into the origins of the coronavirus. Biden told reporters that he and other leaders had discussed access to labs in China.

“Transparency matters across the board,” Biden said.

‘Scientists have a motherland.’

In less polarized times, Shi was a symbol of China’s scientific progress, the “Bat Woman” at the forefront of research into emerging viruses.

She led expeditions into caves to collect samples from bats and guano, to learn how viruses jump from animals to humans. In 2019, she was among 109 scientists elected to the American Academy of Microbiology for her contributions to the field.

“She’s a stellar scientist — extremely careful, with a rigorous work ethic,” said Dr. Robert C. Gallo, director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology employs nearly 300 people and is home to one of only two Chinese labs that have been given the highest security designation, Biosafety Level 4. Shi leads the institute’s work on emerging infectious diseases, and over the years, her group has collected over 10,000 bat samples from around China.

Under China’s centralized approach to scientific research, the institute answers to the Communist Party, which wants scientists to serve national goals.

“Science has no borders, but scientists have a motherland,” Xi Jinping, the country’s leader, said in a speech to scientists last year.

Shi herself, though, does not belong to the Communist Party, according to official Chinese media reports, which is unusual for state employees of her status. She built her career at the institute, starting as a research assistant in 1990 and working her way up the ranks.

Shi, 57, obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Montpellier in France in 2000 and started studying bats in 2004 after the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, which killed more than 700 people around the world. In 2011, she made a breakthrough when she found bats in a cave in southwestern China that carried coronaviruses that were similar to the virus that causes SARS.

“In all the work we do, if just once you can prevent the outbreak of an illness, then what we’ve done will be very meaningful,” she told CCTV, China’s state broadcaster, in 2017.

But some of her most notable findings have since drawn the heaviest scrutiny. In recent years, Shi began experimenting on bat coronaviruses by genetically modifying them to see how they behave.

In 2017, she and her colleagues at the Wuhan lab published a paper about an experiment in which they created new hybrid bat coronaviruses by mixing and matching parts of several existing ones — including at least one that was nearly transmissible to humans — in order to study their ability to infect and replicate in human cells.

Proponents of this type of research say it helps society prepare for future outbreaks. Critics say the risks of creating dangerous new pathogens may outweigh potential benefits.

The picture has been complicated by new questions about whether U.S. government funding that went to Shi’s work supported controversial gain-of-function research. The Wuhan institute received around $600,000 in grant money from the U.S. government, through an American nonprofit called EcoHealth Alliance. The National Institutes of Health said it had not approved funding for the nonprofit to conduct gain-of-function research on coronaviruses that would have made them more infectious or lethal.

Shi, in an emailed response to questions, argued that her experiments differed from gain-of-function work because she did not set out to make a virus more dangerous but to understand how it might jump across species.

“My lab has never conducted or cooperated in conducting GOF experiments that enhance the virulence of viruses,” she said.

‘Speculation rooted in utter distrust.’

Concerns have centred not only on what experiments Shi conducted but also on the conditions under which she did them.

Some of Shi’s experiments on bat viruses were done in Biosafety Level 2 labs, where security is lower than in other labs at the institute. That has raised questions about whether a dangerous pathogen could have slipped out.

Ralph Baric, a University of North Carolina expert in coronaviruses who signed the open letter in Science, said that although a natural origin of the virus was likely, he supported a review of what level of biosafety precautions were taken in studying bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan institute. Baric conducted NIH-approved gain-of-function research at his lab using the information on viral genetic sequences provided by Shi.

Shi said that bat viruses in China could be studied in BSL-2 labs because there was no evidence that they directly infected humans, a view supported by some other scientists.

She also rejected recent reports that three researchers from her institute had sought treatment at a hospital in November 2019 for flulike symptoms, before the first COVID-19 cases were reported.

“The Wuhan Institute of Virology has not come across such cases,” she wrote. “If possible, can you provide the names of the three to help us check?”

As for samples that the lab held, Shi has maintained that the closest bat virus she had in her lab, which she shared publicly, was only 96% identical to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 — a vast difference by genomic standards. She rejects speculation that her lab had worked on other viruses in secret.

Shi’s research on a group of miners in Yunnan province who suffered severe respiratory disease in 2012 has also drawn questions. The miners had worked in the same cave where Shi’s team later discovered the bat virus that is close to SARS-CoV-2. Shi said that her lab did not detect bat SARS-like coronaviruses in the miners’ samples and that she would publish more details in a scientific journal soon; her critics say she has withheld information.

“This issue is too important not to come forward with everything you have and in a timely and transparent manner,” said Alina Chan, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard who also signed the Science letter.

Many scientists and officials say China should share employees’ medical records and the lab’s logs of its experiments and its viral sequence database to evaluate Shi’s claims.

Shi said she and the institute had been open with the WHO and with the global scientific community.

“This is no longer a question of science,” she said on the phone. “It is speculation rooted in utter distrust.”

‘I have nothing to fear.’

The pandemic was a moment that Shi and her team had long braced for. For years, she had warned of the risks of a coronavirus outbreak, building up a stock of knowledge about these pathogens.

In January 2020, as Shi and her team worked frantically, they were exhausted but also excited, said Wang Linfa, a virologist at the Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School who was in Wuhan with Shi at the time.

“All the experiences, reagents and the bat samples in the freezer were finally being used in a significant way globally,” said Wang, Shi’s collaborator and friend for 17 years.

Shi published some of the most important early papers on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, which scientists around the world have relied on.

But soon, the speculation about Shi and her lab began to swirl. Shi, who is known among friends for being blunt, was baffled and angry — and sometimes let it show.

In an interview with Science magazine in July, she said that Trump owed her an apology for claiming the virus came from her lab. On social media, she said people who raised similar questions should “shut your stinky mouths.”

Shi said what she saw as the politicization of the question had sapped her of any enthusiasm for investigating the origins of the virus. She has instead focused on COVID vaccines and the features of the new virus, and over time, she said, has calmed down.

“I’m sure that I did nothing wrong,” she wrote. “So I have nothing to fear.”

To a growing chorus of U.S. politicians and scientists, she is the key to whether the world will ever learn if the virus behind the devastating COVID-19 pandemic escaped from a Chinese lab.

To a growing chorus of U.S. politicians and scientists, she is the key to whether the world will ever learn if the virus behind the devastating COVID-19 pandemic escaped from a Chinese lab. To the Chinese government and public, she is a hero of the country’s success in curbing the epidemic and a victim of malicious conspiracy theories. Shi Zhengli, a top Chinese virologist, is once again at the centre of clashing narratives about her research on coronaviruses at a state lab in Wuhan, the city where the pandemic first emerged. The idea that the virus may have escaped from a lab had long been widely dismissed by scientists as implausible and shunned by others for its connection with former President Donald Trump. But fresh scrutiny from the Biden administration and calls for greater candour from prominent scientists have brought the theory back to the fore. Scientists generally agree that there is still no direct evidence to support the lab leak theory. But more of them now say that the hypothesis was dismissed too hastily, without a thorough investigation, and they point to a range of unsettling questions. Some scientists say Shi conducted risky experiments with bat coronaviruses in labs that were not safe enough. Others want clarity on reports, citing U.S. intelligence, suggesting that there were early infections of COVID-19 among several employees of the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Shi has denied these accusations and now finds herself defending the reputation of her lab and, by extension, that of her country. Reached on her cellphone last week, Shi said at first that she preferred not to speak directly with reporters, citing her institute’s policies. Yet she could barely contain her frustration. “How on earth can I offer up evidence for something where there is no evidence?” she said, her voice rising in anger during the brief, unscheduled conversation. “I don’t know how the world has come to this, constantly pouring filth on an innocent scientist,” she wrote in a text message. In a rare interview over email, she denounced the suspicions as baseless, including the allegations that several of her colleagues may have been ill before the outbreak emerged. The speculation boils down to one central question: Did Shi’s lab hold any source of the new coronavirus before the pandemic erupted? Shi’s answer is an emphatic no. But China’s refusal to allow an independent investigation into her lab, or to share data on its research, make it difficult to validate Shi’s claims and has only fueled nagging suspicions about how the pandemic could have taken hold in the same city that hosts an institute known for its work on bat coronaviruses. Those in favor of the natural origins hypothesis, though, have pointed to Wuhan’s role as a major transportation hub as well as a recent study that showed that just before the pandemic hit, the city’s markets were selling many animal species capable of harboring dangerous pathogens that could jump to humans. The Chinese government has given no appearance of holding Shi under suspicion. Despite the international scrutiny, she seems to have been able to continue her research and give lectures in China. The stakes in this debate extend into how scientists study infectious diseases. Some scientists have cited the lab leak scenario in pushing for greater scrutiny of “gain of function” experiments that, broadly defined, are intended to make pathogens more powerful to better understand their behaviour and risks. Many scientists say they want the hunt for the virus’ origins to transcend politics, borders and individual scientific achievements. “This has nothing to do with fault or guilt,” said David Relman, a microbiologist at Stanford University and co-author of a recent letter in the journal Science, signed by 18 scientists, that called for a transparent investigation into all viable scenarios, including a lab leak. The letter urged labs and health agencies to open their records to the public. “It’s just bigger than anyone scientist or institute or any one country — anybody anywhere who has data of this sort needs to put it out there,” Relman said. ‘Transparency matters.’ Many virologists maintain that the coronavirus most likely jumped from an animal to a human in a setting outside a lab. But without direct proof of a natural spillover, more scientists and politicians have called for a full investigation into the lab leak theory. Proponents of a lab investigation say that researchers at Shi’s institute could have collected — or contracted — the new coronavirus from the wild, such as in a bat cave. Or the scientists may have created it, by accident or by design. Either way, the virus could then have leaked from the laboratory, perhaps by infecting a worker. China has sought to influence investigations into the virus’ origin, while promoting its own unproven allegations. Beijing agreed to allow a team of World Health Organization experts to visit China but limited their access. When the WHO team said in a report in March that a lab leak was extremely unlikely, its conclusion was seen as hasty. Even the head of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said: “I do not believe that this assessment was extensive enough.” Last month, President Joe Biden ordered intelligence agencies to investigate the origin question, including the lab theory. On Sunday, the leaders of the world’s wealthiest large democracies, at the Group of 7 summit, urged China to be part of a new investigation into the origins of the coronavirus. Biden told reporters that he and other leaders had discussed access to labs in China. “Transparency matters across the board,” Biden said. ‘Scientists have a motherland.’ In less polarized times, Shi was a symbol of China’s scientific progress, the “Bat Woman” at the forefront of research into emerging viruses. She led expeditions into caves to collect samples from bats and guano, to learn how viruses jump from animals to humans. In 2019, she was among 109 scientists elected to the American Academy of Microbiology for her contributions to the field. “She’s a stellar scientist — extremely careful, with a rigorous work ethic,” said Dr. Robert C. Gallo, director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The Wuhan Institute of Virology employs nearly 300 people and is home to one of only two Chinese labs that have been given the highest security designation, Biosafety Level 4. Shi leads the institute’s work on emerging infectious diseases, and over the years, her group has collected over 10,000 bat samples from around China. Under China’s centralized approach to scientific research, the institute answers to the Communist Party, which wants scientists to serve national goals. “Science has no borders, but scientists have a motherland,” Xi Jinping, the country’s leader, said in a speech to scientists last year. Shi herself, though, does not belong to the Communist Party, according to official Chinese media reports, which is unusual for state employees of her status. She built her career at the institute, starting as a research assistant in 1990 and working her way up the ranks. Shi, 57, obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Montpellier in France in 2000 and started studying bats in 2004 after the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, which killed more than 700 people around the world. In 2011, she made a breakthrough when she found bats in a cave in southwestern China that carried coronaviruses that were similar to the virus that causes SARS. “In all the work we do, if just once you can prevent the outbreak of an illness, then what we’ve done will be very meaningful,” she told CCTV, China’s state broadcaster, in 2017. But some of her most notable findings have since drawn the heaviest scrutiny. In recent years, Shi began experimenting on bat coronaviruses by genetically modifying them to see how they behave. In 2017, she and her colleagues at the Wuhan lab published a paper about an experiment in which they created new hybrid bat coronaviruses by mixing and matching parts of several existing ones — including at least one that was nearly transmissible to humans — in order to study their ability to infect and replicate in human cells. Proponents of this type of research say it helps society prepare for future outbreaks. Critics say the risks of creating dangerous new pathogens may outweigh potential benefits. The picture has been complicated by new questions about whether U.S. government funding that went to Shi’s work supported controversial gain-of-function research. The Wuhan institute received around $600,000 in grant money from the U.S. government, through an American nonprofit called EcoHealth Alliance. The National Institutes of Health said it had not approved funding for the nonprofit to conduct gain-of-function research on coronaviruses that would have made them more infectious or lethal. Shi, in an emailed response to questions, argued that her experiments differed from gain-of-function work because she did not set out to make a virus more dangerous but to understand how it might jump across species. “My lab has never conducted or cooperated in conducting GOF experiments that enhance the virulence of viruses,” she said. ‘Speculation rooted in utter distrust.’ Concerns have centred not only on what experiments Shi conducted but also on the conditions under which she did them. Some of Shi’s experiments on bat viruses were done in Biosafety Level 2 labs, where security is lower than in other labs at the institute. That has raised questions about whether a dangerous pathogen could have slipped out. Ralph Baric, a University of North Carolina expert in coronaviruses who signed the open letter in Science, said that although a natural origin of the virus was likely, he supported a review of what level of biosafety precautions were taken in studying bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan institute. Baric conducted NIH-approved gain-of-function research at his lab using the information on viral genetic sequences provided by Shi. Shi said that bat viruses in China could be studied in BSL-2 labs because there was no evidence that they directly infected humans, a view supported by some other scientists. She also rejected recent reports that three researchers from her institute had sought treatment at a hospital in November 2019 for flulike symptoms, before the first COVID-19 cases were reported. “The Wuhan Institute of Virology has not come across such cases,” she wrote. “If possible, can you provide the names of the three to help us check?” As for samples that the lab held, Shi has maintained that the closest bat virus she had in her lab, which she shared publicly, was only 96% identical to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 — a vast difference by genomic standards. She rejects speculation that her lab had worked on other viruses in secret. Shi’s research on a group of miners in Yunnan province who suffered severe respiratory disease in 2012 has also drawn questions. The miners had worked in the same cave where Shi’s team later discovered the bat virus that is close to SARS-CoV-2. Shi said that her lab did not detect bat SARS-like coronaviruses in the miners’ samples and that she would publish more details in a scientific journal soon; her critics say she has withheld information. “This issue is too important not to come forward with everything you have and in a timely and transparent manner,” said Alina Chan, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard who also signed the Science letter. Many scientists and officials say China should share employees’ medical records and the lab’s logs of its experiments and its viral sequence database to evaluate Shi’s claims. Shi said she and the institute had been open with the WHO and with the global scientific community. “This is no longer a question of science,” she said on the phone. “It is speculation rooted in utter distrust.” ‘I have nothing to fear.’ The pandemic was a moment that Shi and her team had long braced for. For years, she had warned of the risks of a coronavirus outbreak, building up a stock of knowledge about these pathogens. In January 2020, as Shi and her team worked frantically, they were exhausted but also excited, said Wang Linfa, a virologist at the Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School who was in Wuhan with Shi at the time. “All the experiences, reagents and the bat samples in the freezer were finally being used in a significant way globally,” said Wang, Shi’s collaborator and friend for 17 years. Shi published some of the most important early papers on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, which scientists around the world have relied on. But soon, the speculation about Shi and her lab began to swirl. Shi, who is known among friends for being blunt, was baffled and angry — and sometimes let it show. In an interview with Science magazine in July, she said that Trump owed her an apology for claiming the virus came from her lab. On social media, she said people who raised similar questions should “shut your stinky mouths.” Shi said what she saw as the politicization of the question had sapped her of any enthusiasm for investigating the origins of the virus. She has instead focused on COVID vaccines and the features of the new virus, and over time, she said, has calmed down. “I’m sure that I did nothing wrong,” she wrote. “So I have nothing to fear.”

China’s ‘bat woman,’ at the center of a pandemic storm, speaks out

The recruitment for the clinical trial of the country's first indigenously-developed COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, among children in the age group of 6-12 years will begin at the AIIMS here from Tuesday. This will be followed by the clinical trial of children in the age group of 2-6 years.

The enrolment of children volunteers aged 12-18 years at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has been completed and they have been given the first dose of Covaxin.

"The recruitment process for the clinical trial of Covaxin among children in the age group of 6-12 years will begin from Tuesday," Dr Sanjay Rai, Professor at the Centre for Community Medicine at the AIIMS, told PTI.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had granted permission for conducting the Phase 2/3 clinical trial of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin among children aged two to 18 years on May 12.

The trial is to be conducted in three parts -- 175 volunteers each in the groups aged 12-18, 6-12 and 2-6 years. In the trial, the vaccine will be given by the intramuscular route in two doses on day 0 and day 28.

Covaxin, indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), is being used in adults in the country's ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive. The clinical trials will evaluate the safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of the vaccine in children.

The government recently cautioned that even though COVID-19 has not taken a serious shape among children till now, its impact can increase among them if there is a change in the virus behaviour or epidemiology dynamics and said preparations are being strengthened to deal with any such situation.

A national expert group has been formed to review COVID-19 cases in children and approach the pandemic in a renewed way to strengthen the country's preparedness, NITI Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul had told a press conference. The group has examined signs that were not available four-five months before, he had said.

The recruitment for the clinical trial of the country's first indigenously-developed COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, among children in the age group of 6-12 years will begin at the AIIMS here from Tuesday.

The recruitment for the clinical trial of the country's first indigenously-developed COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, among children in the age group of 6-12 years will begin at the AIIMS here from Tuesday. This will be followed by the clinical trial of children in the age group of 2-6 years. The enrolment of children volunteers aged 12-18 years at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has been completed and they have been given the first dose of Covaxin. "The recruitment process for the clinical trial of Covaxin among children in the age group of 6-12 years will begin from Tuesday," Dr Sanjay Rai, Professor at the Centre for Community Medicine at the AIIMS, told PTI. The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had granted permission for conducting the Phase 2/3 clinical trial of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin among children aged two to 18 years on May 12. The trial is to be conducted in three parts -- 175 volunteers each in the groups aged 12-18, 6-12 and 2-6 years. In the trial, the vaccine will be given by the intramuscular route in two doses on day 0 and day 28. Covaxin, indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), is being used in adults in the country's ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive. The clinical trials will evaluate the safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of the vaccine in children. The government recently cautioned that even though COVID-19 has not taken a serious shape among children till now, its impact can increase among them if there is a change in the virus behaviour or epidemiology dynamics and said preparations are being strengthened to deal with any such situation. A national expert group has been formed to review COVID-19 cases in children and approach the pandemic in a renewed way to strengthen the country's preparedness, NITI Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul had told a press conference. The group has examined signs that were not available four-five months before, he had said.

Recruitment for clinical trial of Covaxin in 6-12 age group to start at AIIMS from Tuesday

Many physical acts of socialisation like hugs, handshakes, and everything in between have become less pleasant for people as coronavirus restrictions are loosened.&nbsp;

According to the Wall Street Journal, event hosts in the United States are using coloured accessories to help guests indicate their comfort level around a physical touch to foster better respect for people's 'physical touch' boundaries.&nbsp;

Aside from public events, several workplaces have begun to use the red-yellow-green system to better support individuals who work in person.&nbsp;

The red-yellow-green accessories are just one of many pandemic-era gadgets designed to make individuals feel more at ease during face-to-face gatherings. 
Other developments include custom-made directive signs that warn people to keep a safe distance from someone.&nbsp;

People visiting the functions and offices are encouraged to wear a new pandemic-era accessory: colourful wristbands or stickers that indicate whether they want others to get physically close to them or stay as far away as possible.&nbsp;

The code is shown on a plastic display sign that looks like a traffic light:

Red denotes 'no touch' with 'no exceptions' 
Yellow denotes 'elbow only' 
Green means 'Hugs welcome'

(With inputs from agencies)

Many physical acts of socialisation like hugs, handshakes, and everything in between have become less pleasant for people as coronavirus restrictions are loosened.

Many physical acts of socialisation like hugs, handshakes, and everything in between have become less pleasant for people as coronavirus restrictions are loosened. According to the Wall Street Journal, event hosts in the United States are using coloured accessories to help guests indicate their comfort level around a physical touch to foster better respect for people's 'physical touch' boundaries. Aside from public events, several workplaces have begun to use the red-yellow-green system to better support individuals who work in person. The red-yellow-green accessories are just one of many pandemic-era gadgets designed to make individuals feel more at ease during face-to-face gatherings. Other developments include custom-made directive signs that warn people to keep a safe distance from someone. People visiting the functions and offices are encouraged to wear a new pandemic-era accessory: colourful wristbands or stickers that indicate whether they want others to get physically close to them or stay as far away as possible. The code is shown on a plastic display sign that looks like a traffic light: Red denotes 'no touch' with 'no exceptions' Yellow denotes 'elbow only' Green means 'Hugs welcome' (With inputs from agencies)

The new normal: US offices and events introduce pandemic colour coding

The daily COVID-19 count in India remained below the one-lakh mark for the fourth consecutive day with the country reporting 91,702 fresh cases, while the daily positivity rate dropped to 4.49 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

With the fresh cases, the total tally of cases has climbed to 2,92,74,823.

The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,63,079 with 3,403 daily deaths, the data updated at 8 am showed

The active cases further declined to 11,21,671 comprising 3.83 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 94.93 per cent.

A net decline of 46,281 cases has been recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

Also, 20,44,131 tests were conducted on Thursday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 37,42,42,384.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 4.49 per cent . It has been less than 10 per cent for the 18th consecutive day, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate has also declined to 5.14 per cent.

Recoveries continue to outnumber daily new cases for the 29th consecutive day. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,77,90,073, while the case fatality rate has increased to 1.24 per cent, the data stated.

The daily COVID-19 count in India remained below the one-lakh mark for the fourth consecutive day with the country reporting 91,702 fresh cases, while the daily positivity rate dropped to 4.

The daily COVID-19 count in India remained below the one-lakh mark for the fourth consecutive day with the country reporting 91,702 fresh cases, while the daily positivity rate dropped to 4.49 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday. With the fresh cases, the total tally of cases has climbed to 2,92,74,823. The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,63,079 with 3,403 daily deaths, the data updated at 8 am showed The active cases further declined to 11,21,671 comprising 3.83 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 94.93 per cent. A net decline of 46,281 cases has been recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. Also, 20,44,131 tests were conducted on Thursday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 37,42,42,384. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 4.49 per cent . It has been less than 10 per cent for the 18th consecutive day, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate has also declined to 5.14 per cent. Recoveries continue to outnumber daily new cases for the 29th consecutive day. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,77,90,073, while the case fatality rate has increased to 1.24 per cent, the data stated.

India adds 3,403 Covid deaths, new cases remain below 100,000 in last 24 hours

After months of debate, WTO members on Wednesday took a first, small step towards a deal aimed at boosting the production of Covid vaccines and treatments through patent waivers or compulsory licensing deals.

After months of debate, WTO members on Wednesday took a first, small step towards a deal aimed at boosting the production of Covid vaccines and treatments through patent waivers or compulsory licensing deals. The World Trade Organization has struggled to move forward on the hotly debated issue, since all decisions at the global trade body must be reached by consensus of all 164 member states. But during a meeting on Wednesday, countries finally backed launching a process towards drafting an agreement, and "agreed on the urgency of this discussion", a Geneva-based trade official said. Views on the matter meanwhile remain far apart, the trade official said, adding that an initial report on progress in the text-based discussions was expected around July 21-22. Since October, the WTO has faced calls led by India and South Africa for the temporary removal of such intellectual property protections, in what proponents argue will boost production in developing countries of vaccines, treatments, diagnostics and other vital medical tools needed to battle Covid-19. This, they have argued, could help address the dire inequity in access to vaccines especially. That notion long met with fierce opposition from pharmaceutical giants and their host countries, which insisted patents were not the main roadblocks to scaling up production and warned the move could hamper innovation. The positions seemed to shift some last month, when Washington came out in support of a global patent waiver for Covid jabs, with other long-time opponents voicing openness to discuss the matter. But others have stuck to their guns. Also Read | We have no time to lose, conclude talks on patent waiver proposal by July-end: India to WTO members Some countries, like Switzerland, prefer a scenario in which pharmaceutical companies enter into voluntary licensing deals, as AstraZeneca has done with the Serum Institute of India (SII) to make its Covid-19 jabs. And the European Commission last Friday presented a counter-proposal to the WTO calling for a multilateral pact aimed at boosting production of Covid-19 vaccines, not by suspending patents but through compulsory licensing deals and by urging countries to remove export restrictions. That text, along with a revised proposal by India and South Africa that is backed by more than 60 countries, will form the basis for the negotiations. Addressing Wednesday's debate, US Charge d'affaires David Bisbee stressed Washington's strong belief in IP protections. "But we must do what is necessary to accelerate manufacturing and equitable distribution of vaccines," he said, insisting that "the WTO must show that it can step up in a global crisis and act efficiently to improve the lives of ordinary people." "We must all come together to find a solution expeditiously, especially as the pandemic continues to spread with new variants." Bisbee said Washington was still examining the revised proposal from India and South Africa, adding though that it appeared to mark a "relatively modest change".

WTO moves forward in Covid vaccine patent waiver talks to boost production

The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 173.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.73 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. 
 
In its latest update on Tuesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 173,538,801 and 3,734,654, respectively. 
 
The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world`s highest number of cases and deaths at 33,377,632 and 597,946, respectively, according to the CSSE. 
 
In terms of infections, India follows in second place with 28,909,975 cases. 
 
The other worst countries with over 3 million cases are Brazil (16,984,218), France (5,775,535), Turkey (5,293,627), Russia (5,076,543), the UK (4,538,399), Italy (4,233,698), Argentina (3,977,634), Germany (3,710,342), Spain (3,707,489) and Colombia (3,593,016), the CSSE figures showed. 
 
In terms of deaths, Brazil comes second with 474,414 fatalities. 
 
Nations with a death toll of over 100,000 are India (349,186), Mexico (228,838), the UK (128,841), Italy (126,588), Russia (122,073) and France (110,224).

The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 173.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.73 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. In its latest update on Tuesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 173,538,801 and 3,734,654, respectively.

The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 173.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.73 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. In its latest update on Tuesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 173,538,801 and 3,734,654, respectively. The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world`s highest number of cases and deaths at 33,377,632 and 597,946, respectively, according to the CSSE. In terms of infections, India follows in second place with 28,909,975 cases. The other worst countries with over 3 million cases are Brazil (16,984,218), France (5,775,535), Turkey (5,293,627), Russia (5,076,543), the UK (4,538,399), Italy (4,233,698), Argentina (3,977,634), Germany (3,710,342), Spain (3,707,489) and Colombia (3,593,016), the CSSE figures showed. In terms of deaths, Brazil comes second with 474,414 fatalities. Nations with a death toll of over 100,000 are India (349,186), Mexico (228,838), the UK (128,841), Italy (126,588), Russia (122,073) and France (110,224).

Global Covid-19 caseload tops 173.5 million

Lifting restrictions too quickly might be disastrous for individuals who aren't vaccinated, WHO Director Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stated, citing increased global transmission of COVID-19 variants of concern, including the Delta variant that was originally found in India.

"However, many countries do not have that option due to a lack of COVID-19 vaccines," he noted.&nbsp;

"We see two-track pandemic; many countries still face an extremely dangerous situation, while those with highest vaccination rates are starting to talk about ending restrictions, but they must be eased cautiously, with viral circulation and response capacities," he added.

The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 173.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.73 million, according to Johns Hopkins University.

In its latest update on Tuesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 173,538,801 and 3,734,654, respectively.

The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world`s highest number of cases and deaths at 33,377,632 and 597,946, respectively, according to the CSSE.

In terms of infections, India follows in second place with 28,909,975 cases.

(With inputs from agencies)

Lifting restrictions too quickly might be disastrous for individuals who aren't vaccinated, WHO Director Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stated, citing increased global transmission of COVID-19 variants of concern, including the Delta variant that was originally found in India.

Lifting restrictions too quickly might be disastrous for individuals who aren't vaccinated, WHO Director Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stated, citing increased global transmission of COVID-19 variants of concern, including the Delta variant that was originally found in India. "However, many countries do not have that option due to a lack of COVID-19 vaccines," he noted. "We see two-track pandemic; many countries still face an extremely dangerous situation, while those with highest vaccination rates are starting to talk about ending restrictions, but they must be eased cautiously, with viral circulation and response capacities," he added. The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 173.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.73 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. In its latest update on Tuesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 173,538,801 and 3,734,654, respectively. The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world`s highest number of cases and deaths at 33,377,632 and 597,946, respectively, according to the CSSE. In terms of infections, India follows in second place with 28,909,975 cases. (With inputs from agencies)

Lifting curbs too soon can be disastrous for those who aren't vaccinated: WHO

According to a serosurvey conducted by the State Government, nearly 23 % of the tested samples had IgG antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Virus, the infection that causes COVID-19. 
 
The state-wide survey was conducted in April this year, across all districts of the state, except Chennai. 
 
Based on 765 clusters, with each consisting of 30 individuals, the samples were taken at random from a village (in rural areas) or a street (in an urban area).&nbsp;

Completed under the supervision of Dr T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, this survey showed that 5316 individuals of the total 22904 participants had antibodies. While the overall seroprevalence across the state was 23%, it was found to be highest in the districts adjoining Chennai - Tiruvallur (49%), Chengalpattu (43%) and Kanchipuram (38%). The lowest seroprevalence was seen at Nagapattinam District (9%).&nbsp;

Notably, the first such state-wide serosurvey conducted in Oct-Nov 2020 had revealed 31% seropositivity, which is much higher than the latest one. Back then, 6995 samples out of 22690 were found to have developed antibodies.&nbsp;

However, the Government attributes the decrease in seroprevalence to the fact that the first survey was conducted a month after the peak of the first wave, which occurred in August. In the case of the second survey, it was conducted close to the start of the second wave in Tamil Nadu. The possibility of antibodies weaning in the five-month interval between November 2020 and April 2021 is also said to be a factor, based on studies published in International journals.&nbsp;

Other factors are that vaccination coverage till March was meant to cover only the vulnerable population (above the age of 45), whereas other age groups we unvaccinated. It was also observed that there were no variants of SARS CoV -2 during the first serosurvey, whereas several variants were detected in the community during hr subsequent survey.&nbsp;

Despite Tamil Nadu reporting more than 1/5th of India’s daily COVID-19 cases and the highest for any state in the country, the state is seeing a declining trend and an appreciable higher vaccination rate. Hence, a third sero survey is proposed to be carried out between July and August this year.

According to a serosurvey conducted by the State Government, nearly 23 % of the tested samples had IgG antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Virus, the infection that causes COVID-19.

According to a serosurvey conducted by the State Government, nearly 23 % of the tested samples had IgG antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Virus, the infection that causes COVID-19. The state-wide survey was conducted in April this year, across all districts of the state, except Chennai. Based on 765 clusters, with each consisting of 30 individuals, the samples were taken at random from a village (in rural areas) or a street (in an urban area). Completed under the supervision of Dr T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, this survey showed that 5316 individuals of the total 22904 participants had antibodies. While the overall seroprevalence across the state was 23%, it was found to be highest in the districts adjoining Chennai - Tiruvallur (49%), Chengalpattu (43%) and Kanchipuram (38%). The lowest seroprevalence was seen at Nagapattinam District (9%). Notably, the first such state-wide serosurvey conducted in Oct-Nov 2020 had revealed 31% seropositivity, which is much higher than the latest one. Back then, 6995 samples out of 22690 were found to have developed antibodies. However, the Government attributes the decrease in seroprevalence to the fact that the first survey was conducted a month after the peak of the first wave, which occurred in August. In the case of the second survey, it was conducted close to the start of the second wave in Tamil Nadu. The possibility of antibodies weaning in the five-month interval between November 2020 and April 2021 is also said to be a factor, based on studies published in International journals. Other factors are that vaccination coverage till March was meant to cover only the vulnerable population (above the age of 45), whereas other age groups we unvaccinated. It was also observed that there were no variants of SARS CoV -2 during the first serosurvey, whereas several variants were detected in the community during hr subsequent survey. Despite Tamil Nadu reporting more than 1/5th of India’s daily COVID-19 cases and the highest for any state in the country, the state is seeing a declining trend and an appreciable higher vaccination rate. Hence, a third sero survey is proposed to be carried out between July and August this year.

Tamil Nadu: COVID-19 antibodies detected in 23% samples of second sero survey; third survey from July-August

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lauded Indian scientists developing a made-in-India vaccine against COVID and boosting other measures to fight the pandemic within a year of its outbreak.

Addressing a meeting of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Society via video conferencing, he cited India's experience in the previous century to say that it used to wait for years to lay its hands on innovations achieved abroad, but its scientists are now working shoulder to shoulder with their counterparts outside.

They are working at the same quick pace, he said. Noting that the world is grappling with the biggest challenge in a century, the prime minister praised the scientific community, saying it is perhaps unprecedented that vaccines were prepared within a year.

On the occasion, Modi reiterated his call for an "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" (Self-reliant) and strong India, saying the COVID-19 crisis may have slowed its pace but our resolve remains the same.

India wants to be self-reliant in a number of sectors, ranging from agriculture to astronomy, disaster management to defence technology, vaccine to virtual reality, and biotechnology to battery technology, he asserted.

He said that India is now showing the way to the world in sustainable development and clean energy, and is playing an important role in progress in other countries with its role in software and satellite development.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lauded Indian scientists developing a made-in-India vaccine against COVID and boosting other measures to fight the pandemic within a year of its outbreak.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lauded Indian scientists developing a made-in-India vaccine against COVID and boosting other measures to fight the pandemic within a year of its outbreak. Addressing a meeting of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Society via video conferencing, he cited India's experience in the previous century to say that it used to wait for years to lay its hands on innovations achieved abroad, but its scientists are now working shoulder to shoulder with their counterparts outside. They are working at the same quick pace, he said. Noting that the world is grappling with the biggest challenge in a century, the prime minister praised the scientific community, saying it is perhaps unprecedented that vaccines were prepared within a year. On the occasion, Modi reiterated his call for an "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" (Self-reliant) and strong India, saying the COVID-19 crisis may have slowed its pace but our resolve remains the same. India wants to be self-reliant in a number of sectors, ranging from agriculture to astronomy, disaster management to defence technology, vaccine to virtual reality, and biotechnology to battery technology, he asserted. He said that India is now showing the way to the world in sustainable development and clean energy, and is playing an important role in progress in other countries with its role in software and satellite development.

PM Narendra Modi lauds Indian scientists for developing vaccine against COVID-19

India announced on Thursday 134,154 new COVID-19 infections over the past 24 hours, while deaths from the coronavirus rose by 2,887.

According to data from the health ministry, the country's total COVID-19 caseload now stands at 28.4 million, while total fatalities are at 337,989.

The death toll due to the viral disease has climbed to 3,37,989 with 2,887 more people succumbing to it, while the number of active COVID-19 cases was recorded below 2 million for the third consecutive day, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am.

Also, 21,59,873 tests were conducted on Wednesday to detect COVID-19, taking the total number of such tests conducted so far in the country to 35,37,82,648, while the daily positivity was recorded at 6.21 per cent.

It has been less than 10 per cent for 10 consecutive days now, the ministry said.

The weekly positivity rate has declined to 7.66 per cent.

The number of active cases has reduced to 17,13,413, accounting for 6.02 per cent of the total number of cases, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 92.79 per cent.

A net decline of 80,232 cases was recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours, the ministry said.

Recoveries continued to outnumber the fresh cases for the 21st day in a row.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 2,63,90,584, while the case fatality rate has gone up to 1.19 per cent, the data showed.

The country crossed the grim milestone of 20 million coronavirus cases on May 4 this year.

India announced on Thursday 134,154 new COVID-19 infections over the past 24 hours, while deaths from the coronavirus rose by 2,887. According to data from the health ministry, the country's total COVID-19 caseload now stands at 28.

India announced on Thursday 134,154 new COVID-19 infections over the past 24 hours, while deaths from the coronavirus rose by 2,887. According to data from the health ministry, the country's total COVID-19 caseload now stands at 28.4 million, while total fatalities are at 337,989. The death toll due to the viral disease has climbed to 3,37,989 with 2,887 more people succumbing to it, while the number of active COVID-19 cases was recorded below 2 million for the third consecutive day, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. Also, 21,59,873 tests were conducted on Wednesday to detect COVID-19, taking the total number of such tests conducted so far in the country to 35,37,82,648, while the daily positivity was recorded at 6.21 per cent. It has been less than 10 per cent for 10 consecutive days now, the ministry said. The weekly positivity rate has declined to 7.66 per cent. The number of active cases has reduced to 17,13,413, accounting for 6.02 per cent of the total number of cases, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 92.79 per cent. A net decline of 80,232 cases was recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours, the ministry said. Recoveries continued to outnumber the fresh cases for the 21st day in a row. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 2,63,90,584, while the case fatality rate has gone up to 1.19 per cent, the data showed. The country crossed the grim milestone of 20 million coronavirus cases on May 4 this year.

India records 2,887 more Covid fatalities; active cases below 2 million for third straight day

Chinese authorities have registered 15 new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases in Guangdong province, the National Health Commission said on Thursday. 
 
Besides, there were also nine new imported cases, according to the Commission. 
 
Of them, three were reported in Shanghai, two each in Guangdong and Sichuan, and one each in Beijing and Fujian, reports Xinhua news agency. 
 
No new suspected cases or new deaths related to Covid were reported in the mainland, it added. 
 
With the new cases, China`s overall infection tally has increased to 91,170, while the death toll stood at 4,636.

Chinese authorities have registered 15 new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases in Guangdong province, the National Health Commission said on Thursday. Besides, there were also nine new imported cases, according to the Commission.

Chinese authorities have registered 15 new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases in Guangdong province, the National Health Commission said on Thursday. Besides, there were also nine new imported cases, according to the Commission. Of them, three were reported in Shanghai, two each in Guangdong and Sichuan, and one each in Beijing and Fujian, reports Xinhua news agency. No new suspected cases or new deaths related to Covid were reported in the mainland, it added. With the new cases, China`s overall infection tally has increased to 91,170, while the death toll stood at 4,636.

China reports 15 new locally transmitted Covid cases

The coronavirus pandemic has severely affected children's rights worldwide, with young people risking a "generational catastrophe" if governments do not act, a rights group said in an annual survey Thursday.

Millions of children have missed out on education because of Covid-19 restrictions while there will be a long term impact in terms of their physical and mental health, Dutch NGO KidsRights said as it launched its annual ranking.

The survey ranks Iceland, Switzerland and Finland as best for children's rights and Chad, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone as the worst, out of a total of 182 countries.

Marc Dulleart, founder and chairman of KidsRights, said that the effects of the pandemic on children had "unfortunately exceeded our predictions at the outset last year".

"Apart from patients of the coronavirus, children have been hardest hit, not directly by the virus itself, but fundamentally failed through the deferred actions of governments around the world," he said.

"Educational recovery is the key to avoiding generational catastrophe," Dulleart added.

The group said schools for more than 168 million children have been closed for almost a full year, with one in three children worldwide unable to access remote learning while their schools were shut.

An additional 142 million kids fell into material poverty as the global economy was hit by the pandemic, while 370 million kids missed out on school meals.

KidsRights paid tribute to Manchester United and England footballer Marcus Rashford for his campaign to extend free school meals.&nbsp;

It also hailed Bangladesh for taking over a national TV channel for homeschooling and praised Belgium and Sweden for trying to keep schools open.

Meanwhile, 80 million children under the age of one could miss out on routine vaccination for other diseases because of disruption to healthcare systems, it said.

The report said there was also an "astonishing increase" in domestic violence during lockdowns, with children often the victims.&nbsp;

KidsRights included Palestine on its list for the first time, placing it in the 104th position due to a focus on healthcare despite difficult circumstances.

However, as in previous years, it gave low scores to Britain, Australia and New Zealand, due to a lack of legal protection for children relative to their wealth.

Britain and New Zealand were ranked at 169 and 168 respectively, below North Korea, Syria, Iraq, and Sudan, and just ahead of Eritrea.

Austria and Hungary also fell heavily due to discrimination.&nbsp;

The survey uses UN data to measure how countries measure up to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The coronavirus pandemic has severely affected children's rights worldwide, with young people risking a "generational catastrophe" if governments do not act, a rights group said in an annual survey Thursday.

The coronavirus pandemic has severely affected children's rights worldwide, with young people risking a "generational catastrophe" if governments do not act, a rights group said in an annual survey Thursday. Millions of children have missed out on education because of Covid-19 restrictions while there will be a long term impact in terms of their physical and mental health, Dutch NGO KidsRights said as it launched its annual ranking. The survey ranks Iceland, Switzerland and Finland as best for children's rights and Chad, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone as the worst, out of a total of 182 countries. Marc Dulleart, founder and chairman of KidsRights, said that the effects of the pandemic on children had "unfortunately exceeded our predictions at the outset last year". "Apart from patients of the coronavirus, children have been hardest hit, not directly by the virus itself, but fundamentally failed through the deferred actions of governments around the world," he said. "Educational recovery is the key to avoiding generational catastrophe," Dulleart added. The group said schools for more than 168 million children have been closed for almost a full year, with one in three children worldwide unable to access remote learning while their schools were shut. An additional 142 million kids fell into material poverty as the global economy was hit by the pandemic, while 370 million kids missed out on school meals. KidsRights paid tribute to Manchester United and England footballer Marcus Rashford for his campaign to extend free school meals. It also hailed Bangladesh for taking over a national TV channel for homeschooling and praised Belgium and Sweden for trying to keep schools open. Meanwhile, 80 million children under the age of one could miss out on routine vaccination for other diseases because of disruption to healthcare systems, it said. The report said there was also an "astonishing increase" in domestic violence during lockdowns, with children often the victims. KidsRights included Palestine on its list for the first time, placing it in the 104th position due to a focus on healthcare despite difficult circumstances. However, as in previous years, it gave low scores to Britain, Australia and New Zealand, due to a lack of legal protection for children relative to their wealth. Britain and New Zealand were ranked at 169 and 168 respectively, below North Korea, Syria, Iraq, and Sudan, and just ahead of Eritrea. Austria and Hungary also fell heavily due to discrimination. The survey uses UN data to measure how countries measure up to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Children risk 'generational catastrophe' from COVID-19: Watchdog

The attempt by some employers to bring people back into offices is clashing with workers who have embraced remote work as the new normal, as the scary effect of coronavirus pandemic recedes with global vaccination.

According to a FlexJobs poll of 2,100 employees released in April, the top perks of remote work are the lack of commutes and cost savings.

Working remotely saves at least $5,000 per year for more than a third of the respondents.

Watch: Work from Home during pandemic became uncertain for offices

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/work-from-home-during-pandemic-became-uncertain-for-offices-365345/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to global market research firm Forrester, 70 per cent of US and European companies will pivot to a hybrid work model post-pandemic and only 30 per cent of companies in the US and Europe will embrace a full return-to-office model.

Goldman Sachs plans to ask the majority of its employees in the United States and the United Kingdom to return to work in June, bucking the trend among large firms to establish a permanent hybrid model of remote and on-site employment.

While firms ranging from Google to Ford Motor Company and Citigroup Inc. have offered more freedom, several CEOs have publicly praised the value of being in offices.

Watch: 8 Tips to Make Work from Home Easy and Productive

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/8-tips-to-make-work-from-home-easy-and-productive-292277/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Some people have expressed concern about the dangers of remote work, claiming that it reduces teamwork and company culture. It doesn't work "for those who want to hustle," according to Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co. at a recent conference.

However, a large number of employees are not sure about returning to offices. The past year has demonstrated that a lot of work can be done from anywhere, without having to travel for long periods on packed trains or roadways. A few people have relocated. Others are concerned about the virus and not vaccinated coworkers.

(With inputs from agencies)

The attempt by some employers to bring people back into offices is clashing with workers who have embraced remote work as the new normal, as the scary effect of coronavirus pandemic recedes with global vaccination.

The attempt by some employers to bring people back into offices is clashing with workers who have embraced remote work as the new normal, as the scary effect of coronavirus pandemic recedes with global vaccination. According to a FlexJobs poll of 2,100 employees released in April, the top perks of remote work are the lack of commutes and cost savings. Working remotely saves at least $5,000 per year for more than a third of the respondents. Watch: Work from Home during pandemic became uncertain for offices According to global market research firm Forrester, 70 per cent of US and European companies will pivot to a hybrid work model post-pandemic and only 30 per cent of companies in the US and Europe will embrace a full return-to-office model. Goldman Sachs plans to ask the majority of its employees in the United States and the United Kingdom to return to work in June, bucking the trend among large firms to establish a permanent hybrid model of remote and on-site employment. While firms ranging from Google to Ford Motor Company and Citigroup Inc. have offered more freedom, several CEOs have publicly praised the value of being in offices. Watch: 8 Tips to Make Work from Home Easy and Productive Some people have expressed concern about the dangers of remote work, claiming that it reduces teamwork and company culture. It doesn't work "for those who want to hustle," according to Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase & Co. at a recent conference. However, a large number of employees are not sure about returning to offices. The past year has demonstrated that a lot of work can be done from anywhere, without having to travel for long periods on packed trains or roadways. A few people have relocated. Others are concerned about the virus and not vaccinated coworkers. (With inputs from agencies)

Work from home: Employees are quitting instead of returning to the office

India rose to the challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centre and State governments patiently fought the virus, said Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday.&nbsp;

While speaking at the virtual inauguration of nine oxygen plants in Ahmedabad, the Union Home Minister noted several steps taken by the government to overcome one of the largest challenges in the second wave - the ten-fold increase in oxygen demand.&nbsp;

"Under normal circumstances, the country used to produce about 1000 MT of oxygen. Within a month, the demand increased to 10,000 MT. It was a huge challenge to meet this 10-fold increase in demand, but under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centre and State rose to the challenge and started our fight against this," he said.&nbsp;

"The production of industrial oxygen was paused in plants across the country and were diverted towards medical oxygen. Cryogenic tankers were in the country were limited but we brought in from across the world and oxygen was transported in trains. About 15,000MT has been transported by train," he added.&nbsp;

He also said that after the first wave, 162 PSA plants were approved from the PM CARES fund by the Prime Minister, along with an additional 1,051 plants.

"Along with this, 100 more PSA plants were also initiated by other ministries. In the coming days, work to set up 300 more will also be started," he said.&nbsp;

Shah also lauded efforts by the armed forces, Railways and scientists.

"Thanks to their efforts, this pandemic is receding slowly and demand for oxygen has come down as well. The number of recoveries is higher than new cases," he said.&nbsp;

The nine oxygen plants inaugurated by Amit Shah will be operated by the Vallabh Youth Organization. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was also present at the virtual event.

India rose to the challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centre and State governments patiently fought the virus, said Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday.

India rose to the challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centre and State governments patiently fought the virus, said Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday. While speaking at the virtual inauguration of nine oxygen plants in Ahmedabad, the Union Home Minister noted several steps taken by the government to overcome one of the largest challenges in the second wave - the ten-fold increase in oxygen demand. "Under normal circumstances, the country used to produce about 1000 MT of oxygen. Within a month, the demand increased to 10,000 MT. It was a huge challenge to meet this 10-fold increase in demand, but under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centre and State rose to the challenge and started our fight against this," he said. "The production of industrial oxygen was paused in plants across the country and were diverted towards medical oxygen. Cryogenic tankers were in the country were limited but we brought in from across the world and oxygen was transported in trains. About 15,000MT has been transported by train," he added. He also said that after the first wave, 162 PSA plants were approved from the PM CARES fund by the Prime Minister, along with an additional 1,051 plants. "Along with this, 100 more PSA plants were also initiated by other ministries. In the coming days, work to set up 300 more will also be started," he said. Shah also lauded efforts by the armed forces, Railways and scientists. "Thanks to their efforts, this pandemic is receding slowly and demand for oxygen has come down as well. The number of recoveries is higher than new cases," he said. The nine oxygen plants inaugurated by Amit Shah will be operated by the Vallabh Youth Organization. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was also present at the virtual event.

India rose to challenges posed by COVID-19, fought patiently: Amit Shah

The Indian biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals company Serum Institute of India has applied for a regulatory licence to manufacture Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, in addition to the AstraZeneca PLC and Novavax Inc vaccines it already produces.

From June onwards, the Serum Institute expects to produce 100 million Covishield vaccines per month. Meanwhile, the SII is developing the Novavax vaccine, which is awaiting FDA approval in the United States.

India has received approximately 3 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine from Russia, making it the third and largest shipment of imported COVID-19 vaccinations. The dosage had landed at Hyderabad Airport in Telangana on a specially chartered cargo. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The Indian biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals company Serum Institute of India has applied for a regulatory licence to manufacture Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, in addition to the AstraZeneca PLC and Novavax Inc vaccines it already produces.

The Indian biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals company Serum Institute of India has applied for a regulatory licence to manufacture Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, in addition to the AstraZeneca PLC and Novavax Inc vaccines it already produces. From June onwards, the Serum Institute expects to produce 100 million Covishield vaccines per month. Meanwhile, the SII is developing the Novavax vaccine, which is awaiting FDA approval in the United States. India has received approximately 3 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine from Russia, making it the third and largest shipment of imported COVID-19 vaccinations. The dosage had landed at Hyderabad Airport in Telangana on a specially chartered cargo. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: Serum Institute of India seeks approval to make Russia's Sputnik V vaccine

India's apex drug regulator has waived the requirement of testing every batch of foreign-made COVID-19 vaccines by the Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli and post-launch bridging trials for such firms, a move that will bolster the availability of vaccines.

The decision by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) comes in the backdrop of Pfizer and Cipla putting forth similar demands during negotiations to supply imported vaccines to India.

These exemptions have been made in light of the huge vaccination requirements in India in the wake of the recent surge of COVID-19 cases and the need for increased availability of imported vaccines to meet national requirements, according to DCGI.

"It has been decided that for approval of COVID-19 vaccines in India for restricted use in an emergency situation which is already approved for restricted use by US FDA, EMA, UK MHRA, PMDA Japan or which are listed in WHO Emergency Use Listing and which are well-established vaccines from the standpoint that millions of individuals have already been vaccinated with the said vaccines, the requirement of conducting post-approval bridging clinical trials and of testing every batch of vaccine by CDL, Kasauli can be exempted, if the vaccine batch/lot has been certified and released by National Control Laboratory of the country of origin," it said.

However, scrutiny of their summary lot protocol and certificate of analysis of batch or lot shall be undertaken by CDL, Kasauli for release as per standard procedures and requirement of assessment on the first 100 beneficiaries for seven days for safety outcomes before the vaccine is rolled out for further immunization programme, the DCGI said in a notice issued on June 1.

India's apex drug regulator has waived the requirement of testing every batch of foreign-made COVID-19 vaccines by the Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli and post-launch bridging trials for such firms, a move that will bolster the availability of vaccines.

India's apex drug regulator has waived the requirement of testing every batch of foreign-made COVID-19 vaccines by the Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli and post-launch bridging trials for such firms, a move that will bolster the availability of vaccines. The decision by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) comes in the backdrop of Pfizer and Cipla putting forth similar demands during negotiations to supply imported vaccines to India. These exemptions have been made in light of the huge vaccination requirements in India in the wake of the recent surge of COVID-19 cases and the need for increased availability of imported vaccines to meet national requirements, according to DCGI. "It has been decided that for approval of COVID-19 vaccines in India for restricted use in an emergency situation which is already approved for restricted use by US FDA, EMA, UK MHRA, PMDA Japan or which are listed in WHO Emergency Use Listing and which are well-established vaccines from the standpoint that millions of individuals have already been vaccinated with the said vaccines, the requirement of conducting post-approval bridging clinical trials and of testing every batch of vaccine by CDL, Kasauli can be exempted, if the vaccine batch/lot has been certified and released by National Control Laboratory of the country of origin," it said. However, scrutiny of their summary lot protocol and certificate of analysis of batch or lot shall be undertaken by CDL, Kasauli for release as per standard procedures and requirement of assessment on the first 100 beneficiaries for seven days for safety outcomes before the vaccine is rolled out for further immunization programme, the DCGI said in a notice issued on June 1.

Indian drugs regulator DCGI eases norms for clearing foreign-made COVID-19 vaccines

Indian students bound for foreign countries to pursue higher education are left in a dilemma. This comes after the 45-day time interval between two vaccine shots in India has been increased to 12-16 weeks. Those who were due to fly abroad by end of June or July had taken their jabs in May.&nbsp;

They did so right after the Indian government opened vaccination for the 18-44 age group from May 1st.&nbsp;

But, owing to the new timelines for the second dose, the students are afraid that they may be forced to further delay their journey, as their wait for full vaccination and certification is now 2-3 months.

Canada-bound students are the most affected by this decision and elaborated their woes to WION.

They were originally due to fly out in late April or early May, ahead of the summer intake of Canadian universities.

But, their plans hit a roadblock owing to Canada’s ban on direct flights from India starting 22nd April. With India’s COVID-19 second wave having continued throughout April and May, this flight ban was further extended until June 22nd. In the case of American and European Universities, the intake of students starts in August or September.

Given the new 12-16 week interval in place, students who took their jab in May would have to wait at least until August to get their second jab, the vaccination certificate and then board their flights. This brings with it, its own set of challenges for some of the already anguished students who are taking online classes at home, despite having paid hefty fees.

“Even if we manage to convince the Public health centre to give us the second jab in 45 days, the official certificate of having taken it would be available only after the 12-16 week period. This would delay our travel plans even further” says Karan Thakkar, who is headed for Ontario.

According to the recommendations for persons entering Canada, not vaccinated and partially vaccinated persons will have to undergo a quarantine period.&nbsp;

“Once we reach Canada without getting vaccinated or with only a single shot, we’d have to shell out nearly 2000 Canadian Dollars (about Rs1.2 lakhs) for quarantine facilities. There are also doubts over whether the unvaccinated and single-shot persons will be allowed to enter” said Sajith Ahamed who is to pursue his Post graduation.

Raama Sreenivasan, a student who tweeted out the students’ emergency request for priority vaccination to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Council of ministers says there was no response as yet. “When I checked for a solution with the Cowin helpline, they directed me to the District immunization officer. But the district officer says that they can act only under instructions from the State Government” he said.

Students that spoke to WION think that the Tamil Nadu Government too must implement a strategy to provide priority jabs to students travelling abroad. They feel that since Kerala, Mumbai, Karnataka, Gujarat and Telangana have taken decisions in this regard and there is a precedent, the Tamil Nadu Government must explore this option immediately. 
 
Another issue is that Covaxin, the indigenous vaccine of Bharat Biotech has not been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), it has also been approved for international travel only in a handful of countries. The foreign travel options of those who have taken Covaxin also raises questions.&nbsp;

Indian students bound for foreign countries to pursue higher education are left in a dilemma. This comes after the 45-day time interval between two vaccine shots in India has been increased to 12-16 weeks.

Indian students bound for foreign countries to pursue higher education are left in a dilemma. This comes after the 45-day time interval between two vaccine shots in India has been increased to 12-16 weeks. Those who were due to fly abroad by end of June or July had taken their jabs in May. They did so right after the Indian government opened vaccination for the 18-44 age group from May 1st. But, owing to the new timelines for the second dose, the students are afraid that they may be forced to further delay their journey, as their wait for full vaccination and certification is now 2-3 months. Canada-bound students are the most affected by this decision and elaborated their woes to WION. They were originally due to fly out in late April or early May, ahead of the summer intake of Canadian universities. But, their plans hit a roadblock owing to Canada’s ban on direct flights from India starting 22nd April. With India’s COVID-19 second wave having continued throughout April and May, this flight ban was further extended until June 22nd. In the case of American and European Universities, the intake of students starts in August or September. Given the new 12-16 week interval in place, students who took their jab in May would have to wait at least until August to get their second jab, the vaccination certificate and then board their flights. This brings with it, its own set of challenges for some of the already anguished students who are taking online classes at home, despite having paid hefty fees. “Even if we manage to convince the Public health centre to give us the second jab in 45 days, the official certificate of having taken it would be available only after the 12-16 week period. This would delay our travel plans even further” says Karan Thakkar, who is headed for Ontario. According to the recommendations for persons entering Canada, not vaccinated and partially vaccinated persons will have to undergo a quarantine period. “Once we reach Canada without getting vaccinated or with only a single shot, we’d have to shell out nearly 2000 Canadian Dollars (about Rs1.2 lakhs) for quarantine facilities. There are also doubts over whether the unvaccinated and single-shot persons will be allowed to enter” said Sajith Ahamed who is to pursue his Post graduation. Raama Sreenivasan, a student who tweeted out the students’ emergency request for priority vaccination to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Council of ministers says there was no response as yet. “When I checked for a solution with the Cowin helpline, they directed me to the District immunization officer. But the district officer says that they can act only under instructions from the State Government” he said. Students that spoke to WION think that the Tamil Nadu Government too must implement a strategy to provide priority jabs to students travelling abroad. They feel that since Kerala, Mumbai, Karnataka, Gujarat and Telangana have taken decisions in this regard and there is a precedent, the Tamil Nadu Government must explore this option immediately. Another issue is that Covaxin, the indigenous vaccine of Bharat Biotech has not been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), it has also been approved for international travel only in a handful of countries. The foreign travel options of those who have taken Covaxin also raises questions.

Give us priority COVID-19 vaccination: Foreign-bound students to Tamil Nadu govt 

India reported 1,32,788 new coronavirus infections taking the country's tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,83,07,832, while the daily positivity rate has further dropped to 6.57 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.

The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,35,102 with 3,207 fresh deaths.

The active cases were recorded below 2 million for the second consecutive day, the data updated at 8 am showed.

Also, 20,19,773 tests were conducted on Tuesday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 35,00,57,330, while the daily positivity was recorded at 6.57 per cent.

It has been less than 10 per cent for nine consecutive days, the ministry said.

The weekly positivity rate has declined to 8.21 per cent.

The active cases have reduced to 17,93,645 comprising 6.34 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 92.48 per cent.

A net decline of 1,01,875 cases has been recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in 24 hours.

Recoveries continue to outnumber daily new cases for 20th consecutive days.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,61,79,085, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.18 per cent, the data stated.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 2 million mark on August 7, 3 million on August 23, 4 million on September 5 and 5 million on September 16.

It went past 6 million on September 28, 7 million on October 11, crossed 8 million on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

India crossed the grim milestone of 20 million on May 4.

India reported 1,32,788 new coronavirus infections taking the country's tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,83,07,832, while the daily positivity rate has further dropped to 6.

India reported 1,32,788 new coronavirus infections taking the country's tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,83,07,832, while the daily positivity rate has further dropped to 6.57 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,35,102 with 3,207 fresh deaths. The active cases were recorded below 2 million for the second consecutive day, the data updated at 8 am showed. Also, 20,19,773 tests were conducted on Tuesday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 35,00,57,330, while the daily positivity was recorded at 6.57 per cent. It has been less than 10 per cent for nine consecutive days, the ministry said. The weekly positivity rate has declined to 8.21 per cent. The active cases have reduced to 17,93,645 comprising 6.34 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 92.48 per cent. A net decline of 1,01,875 cases has been recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in 24 hours. Recoveries continue to outnumber daily new cases for 20th consecutive days. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,61,79,085, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.18 per cent, the data stated. India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 2 million mark on August 7, 3 million on August 23, 4 million on September 5 and 5 million on September 16. It went past 6 million on September 28, 7 million on October 11, crossed 8 million on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of 20 million on May 4.

India records over 1,32,788 fresh COVID-19 cases, 3,207 fatalities in the last 24 hours

In a bid to encourage Covid vaccination, the district administration here has ordered that government employees will not receive their salaries unless they are vaccinated, an official said here on Wednesday.

Chief Development Officer, Charchit Gaur said that District Magistrate Chandra Vijay Singh has issued an oral order of "no vaccination, no salary".

As per the order, if an employee does not take the Covid vaccine, the department will initiate action and stop their salary for the month of May, Gaur said.

District treasury officer and other departmental heads have been given directions to implement the order and were asked to make a list and ensure vaccination, he said.

The CDO said that the employees are trying to get themselves vaccinated in fear that their salary might be stopped.

In a bid to encourage Covid vaccination, the district administration here has ordered that government employees will not receive their salaries unless they are vaccinated, an official said here on Wednesday.

In a bid to encourage Covid vaccination, the district administration here has ordered that government employees will not receive their salaries unless they are vaccinated, an official said here on Wednesday. Chief Development Officer, Charchit Gaur said that District Magistrate Chandra Vijay Singh has issued an oral order of "no vaccination, no salary". As per the order, if an employee does not take the Covid vaccine, the department will initiate action and stop their salary for the month of May, Gaur said. District treasury officer and other departmental heads have been given directions to implement the order and were asked to make a list and ensure vaccination, he said. The CDO said that the employees are trying to get themselves vaccinated in fear that their salary might be stopped.

'No vaccination, no salary' for government employees in this Indian state

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday said "one day the COVID-19 pandemic will be behind us."

He was addressing the 74th World Health Assembly.

"But the psychological scars will remain for those who have lost loved ones, who have been stretched beyond breaking point and the millions of people of all ages confronted with months of loneliness and isolation," he further said.

"And we will still face the same vulnerabilities that allowed a small outbreak to become a global pandemic", he added.

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"And we will still face the same vulnerabilities that allowed a small outbreak to become a global pandemic"-<a href="https://twitter.com/DrTedros?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrTedros</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHA74?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WHA74</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://t.co/vnb88jAgS4">https://t.co/vnb88jAgS4</a>
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Talking about the governments' handling the pandemic he said: "The safety of the Earth’s people cannot rely solely on the goodwill of governments. Every government is responsible for, &amp; accountable to, its people. But the member States can only truly keep their people safe if they are accountable to each other at the global level".

Emphasising a Pandemic treaty and joint action he said that: "A Pandemic Treaty would foster improved sharing, trust and accountability, and provide the solid foundation on which to build other mechanisms for global health security". 
 
In closing comments to the WHO’s annual week-long high-level assembly, Tedros said that a potential international treaty will be discussed in a special session of WHO members in November.

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday said "one day the COVID-19 pandemic will be behind us." He was addressing the 74th World Health Assembly.

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday said "one day the COVID-19 pandemic will be behind us." He was addressing the 74th World Health Assembly. "But the psychological scars will remain for those who have lost loved ones, who have been stretched beyond breaking point and the millions of people of all ages confronted with months of loneliness and isolation," he further said. "And we will still face the same vulnerabilities that allowed a small outbreak to become a global pandemic", he added. "And we will still face the same vulnerabilities that allowed a small outbreak to become a global pandemic"-@DrTedros #WHA74 #COVID19 https://t.co/vnb88jAgS4 — World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 31, 2021 × Talking about the governments' handling the pandemic he said: "The safety of the Earth’s people cannot rely solely on the goodwill of governments. Every government is responsible for, & accountable to, its people. But the member States can only truly keep their people safe if they are accountable to each other at the global level". Emphasising a Pandemic treaty and joint action he said that: "A Pandemic Treaty would foster improved sharing, trust and accountability, and provide the solid foundation on which to build other mechanisms for global health security". In closing comments to the WHO’s annual week-long high-level assembly, Tedros said that a potential international treaty will be discussed in a special session of WHO members in November.

One day the pandemic will be behind us, but psychological scars will remain: WHO chief

India recorded a single-day rise of 1,27,510 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest in 51 days, taking the country's infection tally to 2,81,75,044, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday.

India's active caseload further declined and is below 2 million&nbsp;after 43 days. The active caseload further declined to 18,95,520 as active cases decreased by 1,30,572 in the last 24 hours

The daily positivity rate also declined to 6.62 per cent, remaining below the 10 per cent-mark for the seventh consecutive days, while the weekly positivity rate dropped to 8.64 per cent.

The death toll due to the virus climbed to 3,31,895 with 2,795 fatalities being recorded in a span of 24 hours.

Meanwhile, recoveries continue to outnumber the daily new cases for the 19th successive days, as India witnessed 2,55,287 recoveries in the last 24 hours, the ministry said.

The recovery tally of India has reached 2,59,47,629 and the recovery rate stands at 92.09 per cent.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, a total of 34,67,92,257 samples tested up to May 31 of which 19,25,374 samples were tested yesterday.

The Union Health Ministry has informed that nearly 21,60,46,638 vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

India recorded a single-day rise of 1,27,510 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest in 51 days, taking the country's infection tally to 2,81,75,044, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday.

India recorded a single-day rise of 1,27,510 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest in 51 days, taking the country's infection tally to 2,81,75,044, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday. India's active caseload further declined and is below 2 million after 43 days. The active caseload further declined to 18,95,520 as active cases decreased by 1,30,572 in the last 24 hours The daily positivity rate also declined to 6.62 per cent, remaining below the 10 per cent-mark for the seventh consecutive days, while the weekly positivity rate dropped to 8.64 per cent. The death toll due to the virus climbed to 3,31,895 with 2,795 fatalities being recorded in a span of 24 hours. Meanwhile, recoveries continue to outnumber the daily new cases for the 19th successive days, as India witnessed 2,55,287 recoveries in the last 24 hours, the ministry said. The recovery tally of India has reached 2,59,47,629 and the recovery rate stands at 92.09 per cent. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, a total of 34,67,92,257 samples tested up to May 31 of which 19,25,374 samples were tested yesterday. The Union Health Ministry has informed that nearly 21,60,46,638 vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

India's active COVID-19 caseload below 2 million mark, 1,27,510 new cases reported

Tamil Nadu government said on Tuesday that it would be receiving a consignment of 420,000 vaccines from the central government. The consignment is expected to land at the city airport by 5:20 pm.&nbsp;

Earlier in the day, Tamil Nadu Health Minister M&nbsp;Subramanian said that vaccination will be halted in Tamil Nadu from Tuesday evening onwards, as stocks would be exhausted. He said that vaccination would have to be halted until doses arrive on June 6th. 
&nbsp; 
Speaking at the government hospital in Chengalpet, the minister said Tamil Nadu had received about 9.6 million vaccines, of which 9.2 million were administered and the rest&nbsp; were wasted. He claimed that there was a delay from the central government in sending 175,000 doses that were due by May-end.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Subramanian said that DMK representatives in Delhi had met central ministers and officials in Delhi to seek adequate vaccines for the state. He expressed confidence that about 4.2 million vaccines would arrive in Tamil Nadu in a phased manner this month. Those vaccines would be dispatched to the districts based on the population and other requirements, he added. 
&nbsp; 
The minister said he was requesting state BJP President L&nbsp;Murugan and BJP Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan to provide support and urge the Central Government to provide adequate vaccines for Tamil Nadu. 
&nbsp; 
The DMK Government had earlier floated a global tender to procure vaccines for Tamil Nadu, which is yet to yield any results. DMK leaders and Chief Minister Stalin had written to the prime minister to permit the state government to take on lease the unused Integrated Vaccine Complex, at Chengalpet near Chennai.

The plant, which was established by the central government in 2021, has been lying idle ever since. Stalin wanted the factory to be handed over to the State Government on the lease, without any past liabilities and full operational freedom. However, questions loom over which Covid-19 vaccine would be manufactured here.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
On the issue of people queuing up for vaccines in Tamil Nadu despite the looming shortage, he said that it was heartening to see people eagerly waiting to take the shot, rather than hesitating to take the shot.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Tamil Nadu continues to witness the highest daily number of Covid-19 cases of all states in India. The daily case numbers are nearly 28,000 and active cases are a little over 300,000.

Over the last few days, the number of persons discharged following treatment has surpassed the daily cases. However, the worry remains the fatality numbers which have been hovering over 450 for more than a week. So far, 24,232 people have lost their lives to the pandemic in Tamil Nadu, with most lives lost being in May.

Tamil Nadu government said on Tuesday that it would be receiving a consignment of 420,000 vaccines from the central government. The consignment is expected to land at the city airport by 5:20 pm.

Tamil Nadu government said on Tuesday that it would be receiving a consignment of 420,000 vaccines from the central government. The consignment is expected to land at the city airport by 5:20 pm. Earlier in the day, Tamil Nadu Health Minister M Subramanian said that vaccination will be halted in Tamil Nadu from Tuesday evening onwards, as stocks would be exhausted. He said that vaccination would have to be halted until doses arrive on June 6th. Speaking at the government hospital in Chengalpet, the minister said Tamil Nadu had received about 9.6 million vaccines, of which 9.2 million were administered and the rest were wasted. He claimed that there was a delay from the central government in sending 175,000 doses that were due by May-end. Subramanian said that DMK representatives in Delhi had met central ministers and officials in Delhi to seek adequate vaccines for the state. He expressed confidence that about 4.2 million vaccines would arrive in Tamil Nadu in a phased manner this month. Those vaccines would be dispatched to the districts based on the population and other requirements, he added. The minister said he was requesting state BJP President L Murugan and BJP Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan to provide support and urge the Central Government to provide adequate vaccines for Tamil Nadu. The DMK Government had earlier floated a global tender to procure vaccines for Tamil Nadu, which is yet to yield any results. DMK leaders and Chief Minister Stalin had written to the prime minister to permit the state government to take on lease the unused Integrated Vaccine Complex, at Chengalpet near Chennai. The plant, which was established by the central government in 2021, has been lying idle ever since. Stalin wanted the factory to be handed over to the State Government on the lease, without any past liabilities and full operational freedom. However, questions loom over which Covid-19 vaccine would be manufactured here. On the issue of people queuing up for vaccines in Tamil Nadu despite the looming shortage, he said that it was heartening to see people eagerly waiting to take the shot, rather than hesitating to take the shot. Tamil Nadu continues to witness the highest daily number of Covid-19 cases of all states in India. The daily case numbers are nearly 28,000 and active cases are a little over 300,000. Over the last few days, the number of persons discharged following treatment has surpassed the daily cases. However, the worry remains the fatality numbers which have been hovering over 450 for more than a week. So far, 24,232 people have lost their lives to the pandemic in Tamil Nadu, with most lives lost being in May.

COVID-19: Tamil Nadu stops vaccination due to shortages, will receive 420,000 doses

India`s economic growth likely picked up in the January-March quarter from the previous three months, but economists have grown more pessimistic about this quarter after a harsh second wave of COVID-19 hit the country last month. 
 
The median forecast from a Reuters survey of 29 economists showed the gross domestic product in Asia`s third-largest economy grew 1.0% in the March quarter from a year earlier, up from 0.4% in the previous quarter when India began pulling out of a steep pandemic-induced recession in earlier six months. 
 
But the second wave of infections and deaths across the world`s second-hardest hit country has caused forecasters to trim their projections for the coming months. 
 
The median forecast for April-June growth is 21.6%, down from a month-earlier estimate of 23% after the resurgence prompted most industrial states to impose lockdowns, throwing millions out of work. For the fiscal year to March 2022, economists cut their median forecast to 9.8% from 10.4%. 
 
The statistics ministry is to announce the data at 1200 GMT. 
 
India has recorded 27.9 million COVID-19 infections, behind only the United States, and 325,972 deaths as of Sunday, although the rise has begun to slow. 
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s administration says the economic impact will not be as severe as last year, as lockdowns are looser this time and growth in manufacturing and exports is higher. 
 
But Arun Singh, global chief economist at Dun &amp; Bradstreet, said the downside risks to growth were intensifying as the second wave makes the return to pre-pandemic growth rates difficult. 
 
"Owing to the intensifying nature of the pandemic and the spread to the rural areas, which were largely spared in 2020, we expect growth prospects to have deteriorated for 2021/22." 
 
The central bank, which has kept monetary policy loose while boosting liquidity to the economy, said on Thursday that growth prospects will depend on how fast India can arrest infections. 
 
Modi has faced criticism for the slow pace of his four-month-old vaccination campaign, which has inoculated fewer than 4% of India`s 1.38 billion people. Analysts warn the slow rollout could pose medium-term risks to growth, especially if the country were to experience the third wave of COVID-19. 
 
The economy, which was facing a slowdown even before the pandemic, now confronts a crash of consumer demand - constituting over 55% of the economy - as household incomes and jobs have declined. 
 
Unemployment soared to a near one-year high of 14.73% in the week ending May 23, according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, a Mumbai-based private think tank. 
 
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who said on Friday that no decision has been taken for another stimulus package, has limited space due to a fall in tax collections and rising public debt.

India`s economic growth likely picked up in the January-March quarter from the previous three months, but economists have grown more pessimistic about this quarter after a harsh second wave of COVID-19 hit the country last month.

India`s economic growth likely picked up in the January-March quarter from the previous three months, but economists have grown more pessimistic about this quarter after a harsh second wave of COVID-19 hit the country last month. The median forecast from a Reuters survey of 29 economists showed the gross domestic product in Asia`s third-largest economy grew 1.0% in the March quarter from a year earlier, up from 0.4% in the previous quarter when India began pulling out of a steep pandemic-induced recession in earlier six months. But the second wave of infections and deaths across the world`s second-hardest hit country has caused forecasters to trim their projections for the coming months. The median forecast for April-June growth is 21.6%, down from a month-earlier estimate of 23% after the resurgence prompted most industrial states to impose lockdowns, throwing millions out of work. For the fiscal year to March 2022, economists cut their median forecast to 9.8% from 10.4%. The statistics ministry is to announce the data at 1200 GMT. India has recorded 27.9 million COVID-19 infections, behind only the United States, and 325,972 deaths as of Sunday, although the rise has begun to slow. Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s administration says the economic impact will not be as severe as last year, as lockdowns are looser this time and growth in manufacturing and exports is higher. But Arun Singh, global chief economist at Dun & Bradstreet, said the downside risks to growth were intensifying as the second wave makes the return to pre-pandemic growth rates difficult. "Owing to the intensifying nature of the pandemic and the spread to the rural areas, which were largely spared in 2020, we expect growth prospects to have deteriorated for 2021/22." The central bank, which has kept monetary policy loose while boosting liquidity to the economy, said on Thursday that growth prospects will depend on how fast India can arrest infections. Modi has faced criticism for the slow pace of his four-month-old vaccination campaign, which has inoculated fewer than 4% of India`s 1.38 billion people. Analysts warn the slow rollout could pose medium-term risks to growth, especially if the country were to experience the third wave of COVID-19. The economy, which was facing a slowdown even before the pandemic, now confronts a crash of consumer demand - constituting over 55% of the economy - as household incomes and jobs have declined. Unemployment soared to a near one-year high of 14.73% in the week ending May 23, according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, a Mumbai-based private think tank. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who said on Friday that no decision has been taken for another stimulus package, has limited space due to a fall in tax collections and rising public debt.

India's economy likely accelerated in Jan-Mar, before second wave of COVID-19 hit

Chile on Sunday reported a 21 per cent increase in Covid-19 cases in the last 14 days, and the government has urged Chileans to get vaccinated and continue to maintain personal protection measures to prevent the spread of the virus. 
 
"We will overcome this increase in new cases together and hand in hand with compliance with the vaccination schedule," said Minister of Health Enrique Paris, Xinhua news agency reported. 
 
Chile has been facing an increase in infections for the last few weeks despite the progress of the vaccination campaign, with 52 per cent of the target population fully immunized. 
 
Paris stated that 80 per cent of new cases "are people who have not received their full immunization". 
 
He warned that those who do not get vaccinated "are 3.23 times more likely to be hospitalized, 3.57 times more likely to enter an intensive care unit and 4.5 times more likely to die". 
 
According to the Ministry of Health, Chile registered 7,772 new cases of Covid-19 this Sunday, after exceeding 8,000 daily cases in the last two days, for a total of 1,377,507. 
 
A total of 44,928 people are in the active stage of the virus, a figure that has been on the rise compared to previous weeks, causing concern among epidemiology experts. 
 
Another 121 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 29,168. 
 
This week, the "mobility pass" implemented by the government began to take effect in the country, granting greater freedoms to people who have been fully vaccinated.

Chile on Sunday reported a 21 per cent increase in Covid-19 cases in the last 14 days, and the government has urged Chileans to get vaccinated and continue to maintain personal protection measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

Chile on Sunday reported a 21 per cent increase in Covid-19 cases in the last 14 days, and the government has urged Chileans to get vaccinated and continue to maintain personal protection measures to prevent the spread of the virus. "We will overcome this increase in new cases together and hand in hand with compliance with the vaccination schedule," said Minister of Health Enrique Paris, Xinhua news agency reported. Chile has been facing an increase in infections for the last few weeks despite the progress of the vaccination campaign, with 52 per cent of the target population fully immunized. Paris stated that 80 per cent of new cases "are people who have not received their full immunization". He warned that those who do not get vaccinated "are 3.23 times more likely to be hospitalized, 3.57 times more likely to enter an intensive care unit and 4.5 times more likely to die". According to the Ministry of Health, Chile registered 7,772 new cases of Covid-19 this Sunday, after exceeding 8,000 daily cases in the last two days, for a total of 1,377,507. A total of 44,928 people are in the active stage of the virus, a figure that has been on the rise compared to previous weeks, causing concern among epidemiology experts. Another 121 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 29,168. This week, the "mobility pass" implemented by the government began to take effect in the country, granting greater freedoms to people who have been fully vaccinated.

Chile's Covid cases increase 21% in last 2 weeks despite vaccination

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