As India battles the second wave of the Covid pandemic, US President Joe Bidn has said that his "intention" is to send vaccines to the country.

The development comes a&nbsp;day after the United States announced it will make&nbsp;60 million doses of AstraZeneca Covid vaccine available to other countries within two&nbsp;months.&nbsp;Before any AstraZeneca doses can be shipped from the United States, US FDA needs to give its nod.

Recalling his talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, President Biden said,&nbsp;"I spoke at length with PM Modi, we are sending immediately a whole series of help that it (India) needs including providing for those Remdesivir and other drugs that are able to deal" with the disease and help recovery."&nbsp;

On vaccines, he said, "we are sending actual mechanical parts that are needed for the machinery they have to build a vaccine", adding, "I have also discussed with him (PM Modi) when we will be able to send actual vaccines to India which will be my intention to do".

The&nbsp;United States has approved&nbsp;three&nbsp;vaccines so far, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson &amp; Johnson. And while AstraZeneca is being used in many parts of the world, it has not been authorised for use in the US yet. But despite no authorisation yet, the country still has stockpiled the vaccine doses as part of its strategy to be ready for a range of scenarios.&nbsp;

Biden said,&nbsp;"I think we will be in a position to share vaccines as well as knowhow with other countries who are in real need. That is the hope and expectations."

In the backdrop of the Covid crisis in India, the US over the weekend announced assistance including&nbsp;providing raw material for Indian manufactures to produce the Covishield vaccine. Other than that, the US will send therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators, and Personal Protective Equipment.

The president also lauded India's support of last year, saying, "when we were in a bind at the very beginning, India helped us." In 2020, India had sent HCQ to the US when it was battling the Covid pandemic.

As India battles the second wave of the Covid pandemic, US President Joe Bidn has said that his "intention" is to send vaccines to the country. The development comes a day after the United States announced it will make 60 million doses of AstraZeneca Covid vaccine available to other countries within two months.

As India battles the second wave of the Covid pandemic, US President Joe Bidn has said that his "intention" is to send vaccines to the country. The development comes a day after the United States announced it will make 60 million doses of AstraZeneca Covid vaccine available to other countries within two months. Before any AstraZeneca doses can be shipped from the United States, US FDA needs to give its nod. Recalling his talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, President Biden said, "I spoke at length with PM Modi, we are sending immediately a whole series of help that it (India) needs including providing for those Remdesivir and other drugs that are able to deal" with the disease and help recovery." On vaccines, he said, "we are sending actual mechanical parts that are needed for the machinery they have to build a vaccine", adding, "I have also discussed with him (PM Modi) when we will be able to send actual vaccines to India which will be my intention to do". The United States has approved three vaccines so far, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. And while AstraZeneca is being used in many parts of the world, it has not been authorised for use in the US yet. But despite no authorisation yet, the country still has stockpiled the vaccine doses as part of its strategy to be ready for a range of scenarios. Biden said, "I think we will be in a position to share vaccines as well as knowhow with other countries who are in real need. That is the hope and expectations." In the backdrop of the Covid crisis in India, the US over the weekend announced assistance including providing raw material for Indian manufactures to produce the Covishield vaccine. Other than that, the US will send therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators, and Personal Protective Equipment. The president also lauded India's support of last year, saying, "when we were in a bind at the very beginning, India helped us." In 2020, India had sent HCQ to the US when it was battling the Covid pandemic.

Intend to send COVID-19 vaccines to India, says US President Joe Biden

After refusing to sell vaccine raw materials, the US is now trying to undo the damage.&nbsp; President Joe Biden spoke to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night and promised to send emergency assistance. This includes oxygen supplies, vaccine materials and medicines. On Monday, an Air India flight picked up oxygen concentrators from New York. &nbsp;

This is a welcome shift. Remember, America was reluctant to help. It changed, after it was slammed the world over. Not only for refusing to help India, but also for hoarding vaccines. &nbsp;

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America wants to send up to 60,000,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to different countries. When will that happen? After American regulators check the safety of the shots. It could take weeks and even months. So, there are no clear timelines. The world is not America's priority. So, why is it sharing vaccines at all? Because it's got too many of them, more than 550,000,000 excess doses.&nbsp;

That's what you call hoarding. Countries like China and India exported more than 40 per cent of their supplies. Even the European Union had shared 42 per cent of its supplies. What about the United States? It exported zero shots. What about the United Kingdom? Again, zero. &nbsp;

Countries like the US and the UK represent the global elite. The rich, who booked millions of doses well in advance. Now, they have extra vaccines, enough to inoculate their population three times and in some cases, five times. But they haven't shared anything with the world and they are making sure this system does not change.&nbsp;

They won't share vaccines, or patents. Life-saving drugs have been locked in patents. &nbsp;

Reports say during the phone call, Prime Minister Modi pressed President Biden about this. India has been pushing for a waiver on vaccine patents at the World Trade Organisation. The US and the UK have aggressively blocked this proposal, backing them are the European Union and Japan.&nbsp;

After the phone call, a senior official of the Biden administration was asked if America will relent. Will the United States back a patent waiver? Team Biden said it has nothing to share on this front.

And it's not just governments&nbsp;who are putting patents over lives. Even individuals, who make up the global elite, are championing the cause of big pharma. The likes of Bill Gates, the billionaire philanthropist, believes vaccine formulas should not be shared with the developing world. On Sunday, Bill Gates was asked if it would be helpful for intellectual property protections to be lifted. He responded with an emphatic no. &nbsp;

Because he fears that lifting patent rights even temporarily could comprise the safety of vaccines. Gates believes in keeping the circle tight, that ideas like moving production from a Johnson &amp; Johnson factory to a facility in India are novel and they only happen 'because of our grants and expertise'.&nbsp;

“There's only so many vaccine factories in the world and people are very serious about the safety of vaccines. So, moving something that had never been done, moving a vaccine, say, from a (Johnson &amp; Johnson) factory into a factory in India, it's novel, it's only because of our grants and expertise that can happen at all,” said Gates, who was toeing the line of big pharma. &nbsp;

According to a report, every vaccine maker has its own secret recipes and supply chains, and they insist that no other approach is possible. &nbsp;

This is exactly why the world is lagging behind in the global vaccination drive. It's because the supplies have been limited by design. Only a few companies are being allowed to make vaccines right now. More than one billion shots have been administered so far. 87 per cent of these have gone to rich countries. One in four people in wealthy countries have got a jab. What about the poor countries? Just one in 500 have got a shot in these nations. &nbsp;

According to a report, only 0.2 per cent of the doses made so far have been dispensed to low-income countries. This is not just a question of inequity. This strategy will come back to bite the rich, because at this rate, the pandemic will take years to end. And if it doesn't end in the poor countries, it won't end in the rich ones either as this virus mutates and jumps borders. &nbsp;

Around 185,00,000 doses are being administered daily around the world. At this pace, it would take at least 19 more months to inoculate 75 per cent of the world population, which means extending this pandemic for at least two more years. If the world wants to end this pandemic, it must end vaccine patents first.&nbsp;

After refusing to sell vaccine raw materials, the US is now trying to undo the damage. President Joe Biden spoke to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night and promised to send emergency assistance.

After refusing to sell vaccine raw materials, the US is now trying to undo the damage. President Joe Biden spoke to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night and promised to send emergency assistance. This includes oxygen supplies, vaccine materials and medicines. On Monday, an Air India flight picked up oxygen concentrators from New York. This is a welcome shift. Remember, America was reluctant to help. It changed, after it was slammed the world over. Not only for refusing to help India, but also for hoarding vaccines. America wants to send up to 60,000,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to different countries. When will that happen? After American regulators check the safety of the shots. It could take weeks and even months. So, there are no clear timelines. The world is not America's priority. So, why is it sharing vaccines at all? Because it's got too many of them, more than 550,000,000 excess doses. That's what you call hoarding. Countries like China and India exported more than 40 per cent of their supplies. Even the European Union had shared 42 per cent of its supplies. What about the United States? It exported zero shots. What about the United Kingdom? Again, zero. Countries like the US and the UK represent the global elite. The rich, who booked millions of doses well in advance. Now, they have extra vaccines, enough to inoculate their population three times and in some cases, five times. But they haven't shared anything with the world and they are making sure this system does not change. They won't share vaccines, or patents. Life-saving drugs have been locked in patents. Reports say during the phone call, Prime Minister Modi pressed President Biden about this. India has been pushing for a waiver on vaccine patents at the World Trade Organisation. The US and the UK have aggressively blocked this proposal, backing them are the European Union and Japan. After the phone call, a senior official of the Biden administration was asked if America will relent. Will the United States back a patent waiver? Team Biden said it has nothing to share on this front. And it's not just governments who are putting patents over lives. Even individuals, who make up the global elite, are championing the cause of big pharma. The likes of Bill Gates, the billionaire philanthropist, believes vaccine formulas should not be shared with the developing world. On Sunday, Bill Gates was asked if it would be helpful for intellectual property protections to be lifted. He responded with an emphatic no. Because he fears that lifting patent rights even temporarily could comprise the safety of vaccines. Gates believes in keeping the circle tight, that ideas like moving production from a Johnson & Johnson factory to a facility in India are novel and they only happen 'because of our grants and expertise'. “There's only so many vaccine factories in the world and people are very serious about the safety of vaccines. So, moving something that had never been done, moving a vaccine, say, from a (Johnson & Johnson) factory into a factory in India, it's novel, it's only because of our grants and expertise that can happen at all,” said Gates, who was toeing the line of big pharma. According to a report, every vaccine maker has its own secret recipes and supply chains, and they insist that no other approach is possible. This is exactly why the world is lagging behind in the global vaccination drive. It's because the supplies have been limited by design. Only a few companies are being allowed to make vaccines right now. More than one billion shots have been administered so far. 87 per cent of these have gone to rich countries. One in four people in wealthy countries have got a jab. What about the poor countries? Just one in 500 have got a shot in these nations. According to a report, only 0.2 per cent of the doses made so far have been dispensed to low-income countries. This is not just a question of inequity. This strategy will come back to bite the rich, because at this rate, the pandemic will take years to end. And if it doesn't end in the poor countries, it won't end in the rich ones either as this virus mutates and jumps borders. Around 185,00,000 doses are being administered daily around the world. At this pace, it would take at least 19 more months to inoculate 75 per cent of the world population, which means extending this pandemic for at least two more years. If the world wants to end this pandemic, it must end vaccine patents first.

Will rich countries share vaccines or patents? 

The central government on Monday asked the Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech to lower prices of their COVID-19 vaccines amid criticism from various states, who objected to profiteering during such a major crisis.&nbsp;

The issue of vaccine pricing was discussed at a meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba.&nbsp;Now, the two companies are expected to come up with revised pricing for their vaccines.&nbsp;

The Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech has fixed the price of its COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, at Rs 600 per dose for state governments and at Rs 1,200 per dose for private hospitals.&nbsp;

The Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's largest vaccine maker in terms of volume, has announced a price of Rs 400 per dose for its COVID-19 vaccine, 'Covishield', for state governments and Rs 600 per dose for private hospitals.&nbsp;

Both vaccines are available to the central government at a rate of Rs 150 per dose.&nbsp;

Many states have objected to different prices of the vaccines, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal saying this is not time for profiteering.&nbsp;

India has announced expansion of its COVID-19 vaccination drive by allowing its large 18-plus population to get inoculated from May 1. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

The central government on Monday asked the Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech to lower prices of their COVID-19 vaccines amid criticism from various states, who objected to profiteering during such a major crisis.

The central government on Monday asked the Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech to lower prices of their COVID-19 vaccines amid criticism from various states, who objected to profiteering during such a major crisis. The issue of vaccine pricing was discussed at a meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba. Now, the two companies are expected to come up with revised pricing for their vaccines. The Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech has fixed the price of its COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, at Rs 600 per dose for state governments and at Rs 1,200 per dose for private hospitals. The Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's largest vaccine maker in terms of volume, has announced a price of Rs 400 per dose for its COVID-19 vaccine, 'Covishield', for state governments and Rs 600 per dose for private hospitals. Both vaccines are available to the central government at a rate of Rs 150 per dose. Many states have objected to different prices of the vaccines, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal saying this is not time for profiteering. India has announced expansion of its COVID-19 vaccination drive by allowing its large 18-plus population to get inoculated from May 1. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian Govt asks Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech to lower price of COVID-19 vaccines: Official sources  

The Biden administration has come under criticism from several quarters, including from members and supporters of the Democratic party, for not releasing surplus COVID-19 vaccines to India when the country is experiencing its worst-ever public health crisis.&nbsp;

Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi urged the Biden administration to release doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to countries currently experiencing the deadly surge in COVID-19 cases. &nbsp;

"We are currently sitting on close to 40 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the US stockpile, a stockpile which we're not using and which we've already opened to combat COVID-19 in Mexico and Canada," he said.&nbsp;

To curb the spread of this virus internationally and to protect public health and the international economy, the US needs to get these vaccines out the door now, he said.&nbsp;

"I respectfully but strongly call on the Biden administration to release millions of AstraZeneca vaccine doses to countries hardest hit by the spread of COVID-19, including India, Argentina, and potentially others, he added.&nbsp;

Indian-American Congressman from California Ro Khanna said that the leadership of the influential Congressional India Caucus will discuss with the government officials and the Indian envoy in the US to send urgent health supplies to help India fight its battle against coronavirus.&nbsp;

"The US-India caucus leadership will be discussing with government officials and Indian Ambassador on a bipartisan basis to send AZ vaccines we will never use, PPE, oxygen and other immediate aid. Time is of the essence to mobilise," Khanna said on Sunday.&nbsp;

India logged a record of 3,49,691 new coronavirus infections in a day on Sunday, taking its total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,69,60,172. The death toll increased to 1,92,311 with a record 2,767 daily new fatalities, according to the official data.&nbsp;

The Biden administration has come under criticism from several quarters, including from members and supporters of the Democratic party, for not releasing surplus COVID-19 vaccines to India when the country is experiencing its worst-ever public health crisis.

The Biden administration has come under criticism from several quarters, including from members and supporters of the Democratic party, for not releasing surplus COVID-19 vaccines to India when the country is experiencing its worst-ever public health crisis. Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi urged the Biden administration to release doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to countries currently experiencing the deadly surge in COVID-19 cases. "We are currently sitting on close to 40 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the US stockpile, a stockpile which we're not using and which we've already opened to combat COVID-19 in Mexico and Canada," he said. To curb the spread of this virus internationally and to protect public health and the international economy, the US needs to get these vaccines out the door now, he said. "I respectfully but strongly call on the Biden administration to release millions of AstraZeneca vaccine doses to countries hardest hit by the spread of COVID-19, including India, Argentina, and potentially others, he added. Indian-American Congressman from California Ro Khanna said that the leadership of the influential Congressional India Caucus will discuss with the government officials and the Indian envoy in the US to send urgent health supplies to help India fight its battle against coronavirus. "The US-India caucus leadership will be discussing with government officials and Indian Ambassador on a bipartisan basis to send AZ vaccines we will never use, PPE, oxygen and other immediate aid. Time is of the essence to mobilise," Khanna said on Sunday. India logged a record of 3,49,691 new coronavirus infections in a day on Sunday, taking its total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,69,60,172. The death toll increased to 1,92,311 with a record 2,767 daily new fatalities, according to the official data.

Biden admin criticised for not releasing surplus COVID-19 vaccines to India  

India’s vaccines can fight off the double mutation, but the numbers are still rising. India set a double record on Tuesday with almost 300,000 new cases and more than 2,000 deaths in 24 hours.&nbsp;

There were 825,000 cases reported globally and 300,000 of them came from India, almost 36% of the global caseload. So, what's India's exit route here?&nbsp;

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Simple, vaccines. On May 1, India will begin vaccinating all adults, but are we ready for this phase? &nbsp;

State governments can buy Covishield at Rs 400 per dose, which is around five US dollars. Private hospitals will have to pay Rs 600 per dose, which is around eight US dollars.&nbsp;

Vaccine makers will divide their output in two parts, one half goes to the central govt and the second half will be sold to states and in the open market. So, hospitals and state govts can buy directly and distribute any way they like.&nbsp;

Either sell or give the shots for free. If you are 45 plus, you can still get vaccinated free of cost but only at government facilities. If you are in the 18 to 45 category, you will have to visit a private hospital. They will charge you more than Rs 600, which depends on where the government caps the price. And these are the prices for Covishield. Bharat Biotech and Sputnik are yet to announce their rates. Chances are they will be somewhere between Rs 700 and Rs 1,000 per dose. Somewhere in the 10 US dollar range.&nbsp;

India is also expanding capacity as the government has granted 610 million dollars to the two vaccine makers, Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech. Bharat Biotech is expanding output to 700 million doses per year, which means around 60 million shots of Covaxin per month.&nbsp;

Covaxin's biggest market is still India, but it is being studied around the world including in the US and Europe. &nbsp;

Serum Institute is producing 70 million doses of Covishield per week and with additional funds, they are hoping to produce 100 million doses by the end of May. And if everything goes to plan, Sputnik shipments should also start arriving by then.&nbsp;

Two doses of a vaccine, that's the accepted norm, but if you have recovered from the coronavirus, you may need only one shot. &nbsp;

According to a new study, recovered patients could do with a single shot to build immunity as the body remembers the virus and one shot may be enough to jolt that memory.&nbsp;

In February, Israel recommended a single shot for recovered patients and so far, their rollout has been flawless. &nbsp;

The hysteria about the vaccine side effects is cooling down as people have started realising that side effects are rare, but natural. &nbsp;

Johnson and Johnson jab has got a clean chit from the European Union. They have listed blood clots as a rare side effect. So, the benefits continue to outweigh the risks.&nbsp;

Most European countries have resumed use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine. Mexico's president took the jab on live television. Confidence in AstraZeneca is slowly building up, but in the United States, women are reporting an unusual side effect. They are complaining of heavier and off-cycle periods after getting the jab. Vaccines are known to disrupt menstrual cycles. So, your body will course-correct itself in time. &nbsp;

States are accusing each other of looting oxygen cylinders. In the national capital, three hospitals were down to just a few hours of oxygen and in the middle of this shortage, some states are hoarding. So, the central government has stepped in. It is planning to restructure oxygen allocation to states.&nbsp;

India has enough capacity for this crisis but there are too many bottlenecks. Like there may be oxygen, but not enough cryogenic tankers to transport it, and there is a limit to what these new oxygen trains can do.&nbsp;

Mistakes like in Nashik, where oxygen started leaking while oxygen tankers were filling up the local hospital's stock, should not happen as 22 patients died because they couldn't get oxygen. &nbsp;

India’s vaccines can fight off the double mutation, but the numbers are still rising. India set a double record on Tuesday with almost 300,000 new cases and more than 2,000 deaths in 24 hours.

India’s vaccines can fight off the double mutation, but the numbers are still rising. India set a double record on Tuesday with almost 300,000 new cases and more than 2,000 deaths in 24 hours. There were 825,000 cases reported globally and 300,000 of them came from India, almost 36% of the global caseload. So, what's India's exit route here? Simple, vaccines. On May 1, India will begin vaccinating all adults, but are we ready for this phase? State governments can buy Covishield at Rs 400 per dose, which is around five US dollars. Private hospitals will have to pay Rs 600 per dose, which is around eight US dollars. Vaccine makers will divide their output in two parts, one half goes to the central govt and the second half will be sold to states and in the open market. So, hospitals and state govts can buy directly and distribute any way they like. Either sell or give the shots for free. If you are 45 plus, you can still get vaccinated free of cost but only at government facilities. If you are in the 18 to 45 category, you will have to visit a private hospital. They will charge you more than Rs 600, which depends on where the government caps the price. And these are the prices for Covishield. Bharat Biotech and Sputnik are yet to announce their rates. Chances are they will be somewhere between Rs 700 and Rs 1,000 per dose. Somewhere in the 10 US dollar range. India is also expanding capacity as the government has granted 610 million dollars to the two vaccine makers, Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech. Bharat Biotech is expanding output to 700 million doses per year, which means around 60 million shots of Covaxin per month. Covaxin's biggest market is still India, but it is being studied around the world including in the US and Europe. Serum Institute is producing 70 million doses of Covishield per week and with additional funds, they are hoping to produce 100 million doses by the end of May. And if everything goes to plan, Sputnik shipments should also start arriving by then. Two doses of a vaccine, that's the accepted norm, but if you have recovered from the coronavirus, you may need only one shot. According to a new study, recovered patients could do with a single shot to build immunity as the body remembers the virus and one shot may be enough to jolt that memory. In February, Israel recommended a single shot for recovered patients and so far, their rollout has been flawless. The hysteria about the vaccine side effects is cooling down as people have started realising that side effects are rare, but natural. Johnson and Johnson jab has got a clean chit from the European Union. They have listed blood clots as a rare side effect. So, the benefits continue to outweigh the risks. Most European countries have resumed use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine. Mexico's president took the jab on live television. Confidence in AstraZeneca is slowly building up, but in the United States, women are reporting an unusual side effect. They are complaining of heavier and off-cycle periods after getting the jab. Vaccines are known to disrupt menstrual cycles. So, your body will course-correct itself in time. States are accusing each other of looting oxygen cylinders. In the national capital, three hospitals were down to just a few hours of oxygen and in the middle of this shortage, some states are hoarding. So, the central government has stepped in. It is planning to restructure oxygen allocation to states. India has enough capacity for this crisis but there are too many bottlenecks. Like there may be oxygen, but not enough cryogenic tankers to transport it, and there is a limit to what these new oxygen trains can do. Mistakes like in Nashik, where oxygen started leaking while oxygen tankers were filling up the local hospital's stock, should not happen as 22 patients died because they couldn't get oxygen.

Vaccines only hope as India’s fight with Covid-19 gets intense  

Moderna&nbsp;Inc said on Tuesday that its COVID-19 vaccine still showed strong protection against the illness six months after people received their second shot, with efficacy of more than 90 percent against all cases of COVID-19 and more than 95 percent against severe COVID-19.

The vaccine maker, which will be updating investors on the progress of its vaccines at an event on Wednesday, said the six-month follow-up of its original late-stage study of the vaccine showed that vaccine efficacy remained consistent with its previous updates.

The company has also started testing new versions of the vaccine that target a concerning new variant of the coronavirus, which was first identified in South Africa and is known as B.1.351.

It said both versions of the vaccine that it is testing, including a multivalent vaccine that combines the newly designed vaccine with the previous one, increased neutralising antibody titres against variants of concerns in mice, with the multivalent providing the broadest level of immunity.

The company in March began testing three approaches to boosting the vaccine in order to protect against new variants.

Moderna's vaccine is authorised or approved for use in more than 40 countries. It uses messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, which contains instructions for human cells to make proteins that mimic part of the coronavirus.

The instructions spur the immune system into action, turning the body into a virus-zapping vaccine factory. No actual virus is contained in the vaccines.

The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company said that as of Monday it has delivered about 132 million doses globally, including 117 million doses for the United States. The company said it is on track to supply the nation with 300 million doses of the vaccine by the end of July.

Moderna&nbsp;said its supply chain outside the United States was established about a quarter behind the U.S. supply chain and continues to ramp up.

The company said its average US&nbsp;selling price in the first quarter was around $15.40 per dose excluding a roughly $1 billion payment from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, which is part of the US&nbsp;Department of Health and Human Services.

Outside the United States, prices ranged from $22 to $37 per dose, it said.

Moderna Inc said on Tuesday that its COVID-19 vaccine still showed strong protection against the illness six months after people received their second shot, with efficacy of more than 90 percent against all cases of COVID-19 and more than 95 percent against severe COVID-19.

Moderna Inc said on Tuesday that its COVID-19 vaccine still showed strong protection against the illness six months after people received their second shot, with efficacy of more than 90 percent against all cases of COVID-19 and more than 95 percent against severe COVID-19. The vaccine maker, which will be updating investors on the progress of its vaccines at an event on Wednesday, said the six-month follow-up of its original late-stage study of the vaccine showed that vaccine efficacy remained consistent with its previous updates. The company has also started testing new versions of the vaccine that target a concerning new variant of the coronavirus, which was first identified in South Africa and is known as B.1.351. It said both versions of the vaccine that it is testing, including a multivalent vaccine that combines the newly designed vaccine with the previous one, increased neutralising antibody titres against variants of concerns in mice, with the multivalent providing the broadest level of immunity. The company in March began testing three approaches to boosting the vaccine in order to protect against new variants. Moderna's vaccine is authorised or approved for use in more than 40 countries. It uses messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, which contains instructions for human cells to make proteins that mimic part of the coronavirus. The instructions spur the immune system into action, turning the body into a virus-zapping vaccine factory. No actual virus is contained in the vaccines. The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company said that as of Monday it has delivered about 132 million doses globally, including 117 million doses for the United States. The company said it is on track to supply the nation with 300 million doses of the vaccine by the end of July. Moderna said its supply chain outside the United States was established about a quarter behind the U.S. supply chain and continues to ramp up. The company said its average US selling price in the first quarter was around $15.40 per dose excluding a roughly $1 billion payment from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, which is part of the US Department of Health and Human Services. Outside the United States, prices ranged from $22 to $37 per dose, it said.

Moderna says protection from its COVID-19 vaccine still strong six months on

The European Commission has decided against renewing coronavirus vaccine contracts next year with AstraZeneca and Johnson &amp; Johnson in view of the recent concerns surrounding the jabs made by the companies.

Italian newspaper La Stampa on Wednesday revealed the big move, citing a source in the Italian Health Ministry. According to the newspaper, the EU Commission is in agreement with the leaders of many EU countries to not renew the vaccine contracts for companies that have produced viral vector vaccines.

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The contracts are valid for 2021 and will not be renewed for 2022. The EU is reportedly shifting is focus to vaccines that have been developed using the mRNA (messenger RNA) technology - the ones made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/botswana-is-probing-link-between-two-deaths-and-astrazeneca-covid-shots-377230" hreflang="en">Botswana is probing link between two deaths and AstraZeneca Covid shots</a>

An EU official told Reuters on Tuesday that they are awaiting a clarification from Johnson &amp; Johnson about the “completely unexpected” delay in delivery of vaccines to the bloc which has been hit hard.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/australia-orders-more-alternatives-for-astrazeneca-vaccine-setting-back-its-rollout-376500" hreflang="en">Australia orders more alternatives for AstraZeneca vaccine setting back its rollout</a>

Both the vaccines developed by AstraZeneca and Johnson &amp; Johnson have come under the scrutiny of health regulators after instances of blood clots were reported. Even though very rare, the clots have led to deaths, prompting many countries to halt the usage of these vaccines.

(With inputs from agencies)

The European Commission has decided against renewing coronavirus vaccine contracts next year with AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson in view of the recent concerns surrounding the jabs made by the companies.

The European Commission has decided against renewing coronavirus vaccine contracts next year with AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson in view of the recent concerns surrounding the jabs made by the companies. Italian newspaper La Stampa on Wednesday revealed the big move, citing a source in the Italian Health Ministry. According to the newspaper, the EU Commission is in agreement with the leaders of many EU countries to not renew the vaccine contracts for companies that have produced viral vector vaccines. The contracts are valid for 2021 and will not be renewed for 2022. The EU is reportedly shifting is focus to vaccines that have been developed using the mRNA (messenger RNA) technology - the ones made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Also read: Botswana is probing link between two deaths and AstraZeneca Covid shots An EU official told Reuters on Tuesday that they are awaiting a clarification from Johnson & Johnson about the “completely unexpected” delay in delivery of vaccines to the bloc which has been hit hard. Also read: Australia orders more alternatives for AstraZeneca vaccine setting back its rollout Both the vaccines developed by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson have come under the scrutiny of health regulators after instances of blood clots were reported. Even though very rare, the clots have led to deaths, prompting many countries to halt the usage of these vaccines. (With inputs from agencies)

Blood clot row: European Commission to not renew AstraZeneca, J&J COVID-19 vaccine contracts, says report

The World Bank Group will have committed $2 billion in financing by the end of April for Covid-19 vaccines in some 40 developing countries, World Bank Managing Director of Operations Axel van&nbsp;Trotsenburg&nbsp;said on Friday.&nbsp;

The $2 billion is part of a pool of some $12 billion that the World Bank has made available overall for vaccine development, distribution and production in low-and middle-income countries, van&nbsp;Trotsenburg&nbsp;told a World Bank forum.&nbsp;

David Malpass, the World Bank's president, said in separate remarks to the lender's development committee that the bank expects this to expand to $4 billion worth of commitments in 50 countries by mid-year.&nbsp;

But public health officials at the same forum warned that a race between the coronavirus and the vaccines meant to stop it could be lost if the pace of vaccinations in the developing world did not pick up.&nbsp;&nbsp;

World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that existing vaccines could be rendered ineffective if the virus continues to spread and mutate.&nbsp;

"Even those countries who have high coverage of vaccines will not be secure because the new variants that may not be stopped by the vaccines we have, will invade the countries that may have even 100% coverage in a few months," he said.&nbsp;

Tedros called for more political will to boost production of Covid-19 vaccines and share supplies, including through stalled intellectual property waiver on vaccines through the World Trade Organization.&nbsp;

The WTO's Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property, or TRIPS waiver was the "elephant in the room" holding back vaccine production, Tedros said, adding that it was meant for emergencies such as the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

"We haven't seen any emergency like this in our lifetime. If we cannot use it now, then when are we going to use it?" Tedros asked. "The mother of all these bottlenecks is lack of political will."&nbsp;

The World Bank Group will have committed $2 billion in financing by the end of April for Covid-19 vaccines in some 40 developing countries, World Bank Managing Director of Operations Axel van Trotsenburg said on Friday.

The World Bank Group will have committed $2 billion in financing by the end of April for Covid-19 vaccines in some 40 developing countries, World Bank Managing Director of Operations Axel van Trotsenburg said on Friday. The $2 billion is part of a pool of some $12 billion that the World Bank has made available overall for vaccine development, distribution and production in low-and middle-income countries, van Trotsenburg told a World Bank forum. David Malpass, the World Bank's president, said in separate remarks to the lender's development committee that the bank expects this to expand to $4 billion worth of commitments in 50 countries by mid-year. But public health officials at the same forum warned that a race between the coronavirus and the vaccines meant to stop it could be lost if the pace of vaccinations in the developing world did not pick up. World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that existing vaccines could be rendered ineffective if the virus continues to spread and mutate. "Even those countries who have high coverage of vaccines will not be secure because the new variants that may not be stopped by the vaccines we have, will invade the countries that may have even 100% coverage in a few months," he said. Tedros called for more political will to boost production of Covid-19 vaccines and share supplies, including through stalled intellectual property waiver on vaccines through the World Trade Organization. The WTO's Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property, or TRIPS waiver was the "elephant in the room" holding back vaccine production, Tedros said, adding that it was meant for emergencies such as the coronavirus pandemic. "We haven't seen any emergency like this in our lifetime. If we cannot use it now, then when are we going to use it?" Tedros asked. "The mother of all these bottlenecks is lack of political will."

World Bank says to commit $2 billion to vaccines in developing countries by end-April 

Brazil is now widely viewed as the epicentre of the pandemic, with the highest number of daily deaths of any nation.&nbsp;

“We have people dying because of lack of oxygen, people are literally suffocating. The situation is completely out of control,” said journalist Patricia Campos Mello.

Campos Mello comments came after Brazil registered on Tuesday a daily record tally of Covid deaths, recording more than 3,700 deaths, according to data from Brazil’s health ministry.

Patricia Campos Mello, a reporter for Folha de Sao Paulo, had sued President Jair Bolsonaro after he made remarks that questioned her credibility.

The Covid-19 death toll spiralled out of control in Brazil in March, more than doubling the country's previous monthly record.

Brazil reported 66,573 people had died of Covid-19 in March -- more than twice as many fatalities as the country's second-deadliest month of the pandemic, July 2020.

The virus has killed more than 2.8 million people since it emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. And though the world is looking to vaccines to end the upheaval Covid-19 has brought, rollouts are off to a sputtering start in many countries.

That includes Brazil, where health experts say the explosion of cases is partly driven by a local variant of the virus known as P1, which can re-infect people who have had the original strain and is believed to be more contagious.

"Never in Brazilian history have we seen a single event kill so many people" in one month, said Doctor Miguel Nicolelis, former pandemic response coordinator for Brazil's impoverished northeast.

With the southern hemisphere winter approaching and the virus spreading fast, Brazil is facing "a perfect storm," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Brazil is now widely viewed as the epicentre of the pandemic, with the highest number of daily deaths of any nation. “We have people dying because of lack of oxygen, people are literally suffocating.

Brazil is now widely viewed as the epicentre of the pandemic, with the highest number of daily deaths of any nation. “We have people dying because of lack of oxygen, people are literally suffocating. The situation is completely out of control,” said journalist Patricia Campos Mello. Campos Mello comments came after Brazil registered on Tuesday a daily record tally of Covid deaths, recording more than 3,700 deaths, according to data from Brazil’s health ministry. Patricia Campos Mello, a reporter for Folha de Sao Paulo, had sued President Jair Bolsonaro after he made remarks that questioned her credibility. The Covid-19 death toll spiralled out of control in Brazil in March, more than doubling the country's previous monthly record. Brazil reported 66,573 people had died of Covid-19 in March -- more than twice as many fatalities as the country's second-deadliest month of the pandemic, July 2020. The virus has killed more than 2.8 million people since it emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. And though the world is looking to vaccines to end the upheaval Covid-19 has brought, rollouts are off to a sputtering start in many countries. That includes Brazil, where health experts say the explosion of cases is partly driven by a local variant of the virus known as P1, which can re-infect people who have had the original strain and is believed to be more contagious. "Never in Brazilian history have we seen a single event kill so many people" in one month, said Doctor Miguel Nicolelis, former pandemic response coordinator for Brazil's impoverished northeast. With the southern hemisphere winter approaching and the virus spreading fast, Brazil is facing "a perfect storm," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Covid in Brazil 'out of control', says the journalist who sued Bolsonaro for derogatory remarks

Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo has resigned amid rising criticism over what is perceived to be diplomatic failure to secure coronavirus vaccines as the country is grappling with supply shortages, Sputnik reported citing local media.

According to Brazil`s O Globo newspaper, the minister had notified his staff about the decision and sent a letter of resignation to president Jair Bolsonaro, saying he does not want to create problems for the government. There has been no official confirmation of the fact yet.

The Brazilian parliament has earlier accused Araujo of making political choices that sabotaged Brazil`s vaccine procurement efforts. The news speculated that the former minister`s strong affinity with former US President Donald Trump and harsh remarks against China were part of the reason why the country had little success in securing vaccine shipments.

Brazil is currently facing the biggest crisis since the start of the pandemic. On Saturday, the country registered an all-time high of 3,650 deaths and 100,158 infections. Brazil is now second only to the US in terms of coronavirus cases and fatalities, with a total of over 12.5 million registered infections and over 312,000 confirmed coronavirus-related deaths.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo has resigned amid rising criticism over what is perceived to be diplomatic failure to secure coronavirus vaccines as the country is grappling with supply shortages, Sputnik reported citing local media.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo has resigned amid rising criticism over what is perceived to be diplomatic failure to secure coronavirus vaccines as the country is grappling with supply shortages, Sputnik reported citing local media. According to Brazil`s O Globo newspaper, the minister had notified his staff about the decision and sent a letter of resignation to president Jair Bolsonaro, saying he does not want to create problems for the government. There has been no official confirmation of the fact yet. The Brazilian parliament has earlier accused Araujo of making political choices that sabotaged Brazil`s vaccine procurement efforts. The news speculated that the former minister`s strong affinity with former US President Donald Trump and harsh remarks against China were part of the reason why the country had little success in securing vaccine shipments. Brazil is currently facing the biggest crisis since the start of the pandemic. On Saturday, the country registered an all-time high of 3,650 deaths and 100,158 infections. Brazil is now second only to the US in terms of coronavirus cases and fatalities, with a total of over 12.5 million registered infections and over 312,000 confirmed coronavirus-related deaths.

Brazilian foreign minister resigns after criticism over vaccine shortage: Report

Following China, the European Union, and other countries, Japan is set to issue digital health certificates to people receiving vaccines against COVID-19.

Many countries have adopted a “digital passport” for those who have been inoculated against coronavirus, and now Japan is one of them, as reported by Reuters. The certificate is available on a smartphone application, as is the norm with every country now.

A person may be required to show the certificate while flying in and out of the country, and according to reports the digital certificates need to be shown while boarding a plane, or while checking into a hotel, or going into a restaurant - among many other things.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/european-union-mulls-vaccination-passports-to-bring-back-tourists-366038" hreflang="en">European Union mulls 'vaccination passports' to bring back tourists</a>

The application also focuses on foreigners staying in Japan, and many who may be returning to their home countries. Over 500 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been rolled out by health officials around the world so far.

A tally by AFP revealed on Friday that while the world was witnessing record vaccinations, Europe was facing slowdowns due to issues over hoarding and supply.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/china-launches-digital-certificate-precursor-to-virus-passport-369104" hreflang="en">China launches digital certificate, precursor to 'virus passport'</a>

Even with mass inoculations underway, the pandemic continues to surge in Europe and Latin America. Brazil, alone has passed 300,000 deaths, while Mexico has registered 200,000 fatalities.

Vaccines are not being rolled out at the same pace across the globe. For instance, the US accounts for over a quarter of all vaccinations. Less developed nations are considerably behind western countries.

Following China, the European Union, and other countries, Japan is set to issue digital health certificates to people receiving vaccines against COVID-19. Many countries have adopted a “digital passport” for those who have been inoculated against coronavirus, and now Japan is one of them, as reported by Reuters.

Following China, the European Union, and other countries, Japan is set to issue digital health certificates to people receiving vaccines against COVID-19. Many countries have adopted a “digital passport” for those who have been inoculated against coronavirus, and now Japan is one of them, as reported by Reuters. The certificate is available on a smartphone application, as is the norm with every country now. A person may be required to show the certificate while flying in and out of the country, and according to reports the digital certificates need to be shown while boarding a plane, or while checking into a hotel, or going into a restaurant - among many other things. Also read: European Union mulls 'vaccination passports' to bring back tourists The application also focuses on foreigners staying in Japan, and many who may be returning to their home countries. Over 500 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been rolled out by health officials around the world so far. A tally by AFP revealed on Friday that while the world was witnessing record vaccinations, Europe was facing slowdowns due to issues over hoarding and supply. Also read: China launches digital certificate, precursor to 'virus passport' Even with mass inoculations underway, the pandemic continues to surge in Europe and Latin America. Brazil, alone has passed 300,000 deaths, while Mexico has registered 200,000 fatalities. Vaccines are not being rolled out at the same pace across the globe. For instance, the US accounts for over a quarter of all vaccinations. Less developed nations are considerably behind western countries.

Following China and EU, Japan set to issue digital vaccine passports

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday handed over a representational key of 109 life-saving ambulances to his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka.&nbsp;

During the delegation-level meeting, he also handed over a representational item to Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina as a symbol of India's gift of 1.2 million Covid vaccine doses.&nbsp;

"Relationship going from strength to strength! Prime Minister @narendramodi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina discussed the progress achieved in areas of health, trade, connectivity, energy, developmental cooperation and many more," wrote the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Twitter.&nbsp;

"Reiterating the highest priority India attaches to Bangladesh under India's #NeighbourhoodFirst Policy! Prime Minister @narendramodi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are together for a bilateral meeting," the spokesperson wrote earlier.&nbsp;

Hasina presented a gold and a silver coin released on the occasion of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to PM Modi. She also handed over a silver coin released on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's Independence.&nbsp;

Along with that, an exchange of MoUs between India and Bangladesh also took place in the presence of the two leaders. Earlier today, the Prime Minister visited Orakandi Temple and addressed a gathering. "Both India and Bangladesh want to see the world progressing through their own progress. Both the nations want to see stability, love, and peace in the world instead of instability, terror and unrest," he said. &nbsp;

After delegation-level talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also called on Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid.&nbsp;

The Prime Minister, who arrived in Bangladesh on Friday, is on a two-day visit to the neighbouring country. He also offered prayers at the Orakandi Temple located at Kashiani Upazila in the Gopalganj district of Bangladesh. &nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also offered prayers at the Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple. Dedicated to Goddess Kali, Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple is a famous Hindu temple located in Ishwaripur, a village in Shyam Nagar, Upazila of Satkhira. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths, scattered across India and neighbouring countries. &nbsp;

The Prime Minister also informed that the Indian government will undertake the construction work of a multi-purpose community hall at Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple. &nbsp;

After that, he paid tribute to Bangladesh's 'Father of the Nation' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Mausoleum Complex, Tungipara. He signed the visitors' book and also planted samples at the complex. PM Modi was accompanied by his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina during his visit to the complex.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with several community leaders, including representatives of minorities in Bangladesh, mukhtijoddhas, friends of India and youth icons on the first day of his visit.&nbsp;

The Prime Minister received a warm welcome from the Indian diaspora as he marked his first foreign visit since the Covid-19 outbreak. Soon after he arrived in Dhaka, he visited the National Martyrs' Memorial (Jatiyo Sriti Shoudho), the National monument of Bangladesh to pay tributes to the valour and the sacrifice of those who gave their lives in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. He also planted a sapling of Arjun tree at the memorial premises and signed the visitor's book in the monument, MEA informed.&nbsp;

PM Modi's visit comes as Bangladesh is celebrating its 50th Independence Day and the centennial birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday handed over a representational key of 109 life-saving ambulances to his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka. During the delegation-level meeting, he also handed over a representational item to Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina as a symbol of India's gift of 1.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday handed over a representational key of 109 life-saving ambulances to his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka. During the delegation-level meeting, he also handed over a representational item to Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina as a symbol of India's gift of 1.2 million Covid vaccine doses. "Relationship going from strength to strength! Prime Minister @narendramodi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina discussed the progress achieved in areas of health, trade, connectivity, energy, developmental cooperation and many more," wrote the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Twitter. "Reiterating the highest priority India attaches to Bangladesh under India's #NeighbourhoodFirst Policy! Prime Minister @narendramodi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are together for a bilateral meeting," the spokesperson wrote earlier. Hasina presented a gold and a silver coin released on the occasion of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to PM Modi. She also handed over a silver coin released on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's Independence. Along with that, an exchange of MoUs between India and Bangladesh also took place in the presence of the two leaders. Earlier today, the Prime Minister visited Orakandi Temple and addressed a gathering. "Both India and Bangladesh want to see the world progressing through their own progress. Both the nations want to see stability, love, and peace in the world instead of instability, terror and unrest," he said. After delegation-level talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also called on Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid. The Prime Minister, who arrived in Bangladesh on Friday, is on a two-day visit to the neighbouring country. He also offered prayers at the Orakandi Temple located at Kashiani Upazila in the Gopalganj district of Bangladesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also offered prayers at the Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple. Dedicated to Goddess Kali, Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple is a famous Hindu temple located in Ishwaripur, a village in Shyam Nagar, Upazila of Satkhira. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths, scattered across India and neighbouring countries. The Prime Minister also informed that the Indian government will undertake the construction work of a multi-purpose community hall at Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple. After that, he paid tribute to Bangladesh's 'Father of the Nation' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Mausoleum Complex, Tungipara. He signed the visitors' book and also planted samples at the complex. PM Modi was accompanied by his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina during his visit to the complex. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with several community leaders, including representatives of minorities in Bangladesh, mukhtijoddhas, friends of India and youth icons on the first day of his visit. The Prime Minister received a warm welcome from the Indian diaspora as he marked his first foreign visit since the Covid-19 outbreak. Soon after he arrived in Dhaka, he visited the National Martyrs' Memorial (Jatiyo Sriti Shoudho), the National monument of Bangladesh to pay tributes to the valour and the sacrifice of those who gave their lives in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. He also planted a sapling of Arjun tree at the memorial premises and signed the visitor's book in the monument, MEA informed. PM Modi's visit comes as Bangladesh is celebrating its 50th Independence Day and the centennial birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. (With inputs from agencies)

After exchanging MoUs, PM Modi hands over Covid-19 vaccines to Bangladesh  

Over 500 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been rolled out by health officials around the world so far. A tally by AFP revealed on Friday that while the world was witnessing record vaccinations, Europe was facing slowdowns due to issues over hoarding and supply.

Even with mass inoculations underway, the pandemic continues to surge in Europe and Latin America. Brazil, alone has passed 300,000 deaths, while Mexico has registered 200,000 fatalities.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/eu-vaccines-summit-members-highlight-disparity-in-vaccine-supply-across-eu-373236/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Vaccines are not being rolled out at the same pace across the globe. For instance, the US accounts for over a quarter of all vaccinations. Less developed nations are considerably behind western countries.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/who-warns-of-counterfeit-covid-19-vaccines-373542" hreflang="en">WHO warns of counterfeit COVID-19 vaccines</a>

EU countries are embroiled in spats over the vaccines. Recently, French President Macros accused Russia and China of trying to gain influence through vaccines, calling it a “new type of world war”. At the same time, Germany claims that it&nbsp;would be okay using Sputnik V if it received approval from European regulators.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/france-hits-out-at-uk-over-blackmail-of-coronavirus-vaccine-deliveries-373428" hreflang="en">France hits out at UK over 'blackmail' of coronavirus vaccine deliveries</a>

The virus has killed over 2.7 million people after emerging in China in 2019. Out of the 508 million vaccinations, 133 million were undertaken in the US and 91 million in India.

But even then, over half a million cases of the virus were recorded in the last seven days.

Over 500 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been rolled out by health officials around the world so far. A tally by AFP revealed on Friday that while the world was witnessing record vaccinations, Europe was facing slowdowns due to issues over hoarding and supply.

Over 500 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been rolled out by health officials around the world so far. A tally by AFP revealed on Friday that while the world was witnessing record vaccinations, Europe was facing slowdowns due to issues over hoarding and supply. Even with mass inoculations underway, the pandemic continues to surge in Europe and Latin America. Brazil, alone has passed 300,000 deaths, while Mexico has registered 200,000 fatalities. Vaccines are not being rolled out at the same pace across the globe. For instance, the US accounts for over a quarter of all vaccinations. Less developed nations are considerably behind western countries. Also read: WHO warns of counterfeit COVID-19 vaccines EU countries are embroiled in spats over the vaccines. Recently, French President Macros accused Russia and China of trying to gain influence through vaccines, calling it a “new type of world war”. At the same time, Germany claims that it would be okay using Sputnik V if it received approval from European regulators. Also read: France hits out at UK over 'blackmail' of coronavirus vaccine deliveries The virus has killed over 2.7 million people after emerging in China in 2019. Out of the 508 million vaccinations, 133 million were undertaken in the US and 91 million in India. But even then, over half a million cases of the virus were recorded in the last seven days.

Global vaccinations cross 500 million but cases continue to surge

Even as Americans across the country hunt for a lifesaving shot in a bid to get back to a semblance of pre-pandemic normalcy, more than a quarter of members of Congress, just a phone call away from receiving a coronavirus vaccine, have turned it down.

Lawmakers who have continued to meet in person during the pandemic, often in violation of public health advice, have had access to the Pfizer vaccine since late December. But in the House, about 25% of lawmakers have not received a vaccination, the top Republican wrote this week to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, citing data from the Office of the Attending Physician. It is unclear how many senators have been vaccinated, although a handful of Republicans have said they do not intend to get one.

The hesitance around receiving the vaccine mirrors a broader trend across the United States, where there are differing degrees of opposition to being inoculated against the coronavirus, but polling suggests that Republicans are far more skeptical. Because vaccinations are confidential health information, there is no breakdown of which lawmakers have received one or what their party affiliations are. But in recent weeks, several Republicans have publicly rejected the idea of being vaccinated.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a former ophthalmologist, said he was “going with the science on this one” in refusing a vaccine.

“I have not chosen to be vaccinated because I got it naturally,” Paul, who tested positive for the virus last March, recently told reporters. (The science says the opposite; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people get vaccinated even if they have already had the coronavirus.)

“I had COVID,” said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis. “I think that probably provides me the best immunity possible actually having the disease.”

The reluctance is just the latest barrier that Congress is confronting as leaders consider how to begin reinstating a sense of normalcy on Capitol Hill, where partisanship has become inextricably tied to health decisions and offices amount to their own fiefs, each with their own rules and perceptions of risk. It is emerging at a time when many aides on Capitol Hill — some of whom work for lawmakers who expect them to show up in person to the office — are themselves struggling to find a vaccine dose amid uneven policies about who should get one.

Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters Friday that the House should be aiming for “100%” of members to be vaccinated but lamented that she could not force anyone to accept a shot. If Republicans refused, she said, it would simply take longer to get the House back to normal, as members of that party have been pushing to do.

“You can’t tell anybody to do anything, least of all around here,” Pelosi said. “The more people who get vaccinated, the shorter time we have to stay separated on the floor.”

Lawmakers appear to have varying rationales for declining the vaccine, with some in both parties feeling uneasy about obtaining one at a time when many of their constituents are unable to do so. But Republicans have been particularly vocal in expressing misgivings about the vaccine and other virus precautions.

Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, a first-term Republican who has styled herself in former President Donald Trump’s image and proudly carries her pistol through the halls of Congress, has said it is “not the proper role of government to force injections of any kind in anyone.”

On Thursday, Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., a former obstetrician-gynecologist, stood maskless in the Senate basement and read Dr. Seuss’ “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” aloud in an apparent attempt to call attention to his argument that people who have been vaccinated should not have to wear masks.

His choice of children’s book also reflected how many Republicans have taken to deriding coronavirus precautions as part of what they call liberal hysteria run amok. Marshall appeared to be tying them to a recent decision by author Theodor Geisel’s estate to stop selling works he wrote that include racist material, which conservatives complained was a symptom of “cancel culture.”

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who tested positive for the coronavirus in October, has taken to wearing a mesh mask to demonstrate his disdain for the safety measure.

Some Democrats and Republicans have publicly and privately said they were uncomfortable about the optics of getting vaccinated before their constituents could and would refrain from it until access was more widespread.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., argued on Twitter that lawmakers “are not more important” than teachers and other front-line workers and should not be able to skip the line.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., became an unwitting example of the political downside of accepting the shot after he posted a photograph on Twitter of himself getting one in December, a move intended to bolster public confidence in the vaccine. Instead, critics on Twitter piled on, accusing him of playing down the threat of the virus only to rush to protect himself before others had the chance.

“There were some genuine internal struggles by some members of Congress who had the vaccination,” said Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., an emergency medicine physician. “Guilt of being vaccinated when others in their district weren’t able to get vaccinated.”

Even ensuring that lawmakers’ aides have access to the vaccine has been a charged proposition. Members of Congress were initially told that only two staff members from each office could receive the jab, setting off an uncomfortable round of actuarial calculations and decisions.

One office sent around a Google document to gauge interest; others wrestled with whether to prioritize vaccinating lower-level aides who had been working from home but had health conditions that made them more vulnerable to the virus, or more senior aides who wanted to come in to the office.

This week, the Capitol physician announced a significant expansion of vaccine availability, saying that each member’s office would be able to obtain shots for six aides. That prompted a flood of calls from hopeful congressional staff members, with multiple aides reporting listening to hold music — a medley of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Hail to the Chief” on repeat — for one to two hours as they waited to schedule their appointments.

The scattershot approach reflects the lack of consistent procedures for protecting Congress from the coronavirus, a challenge that has persisted throughout the pandemic. While Democratic leaders in the House have imposed a series of strict guidelines governing the use of masks on the floor and have pivoted to proxy voting and remote hearings, there are no requirements for how each office should function.

Dr. Brian Monahan, the attending physician, urged lawmakers in a memo late last month to continue teleworking, saying remote work would “continue indefinitely for significant numbers of staff” and pleading with lawmakers to avoid in-person meetings whenever possible.

But congressional offices have largely patched together a case-by-case set of rules guiding their transitions back to work. While many Republican offices have brought staff back, Democratic offices have largely maintained skeleton crews, and some aides returning to the Capitol complex said they were appalled to see staff from neighboring offices walking through the halls without masks.

House Republicans, who have been impatient to return to work as normal, argue that because lawmakers have been granted the special dispensations afforded to essential workers, they should be required to show up to perform their jobs in person.

They have been particularly alarmed by what they see as bipartisan abuse of telework that they fear could become the new status quo. Lawmakers in recent weeks have appeared remotely during hearings from trains, boats and, in one case, an automobile they were operating on what appeared to be a freeway; a group of Republicans used proxy voting to cast their votes from the Conservative Political Action Conference in Florida.

Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the No. 2 House Republican, said that the report that 75% of all House members had been vaccinated was an argument for a return to normalcy and that “there is a strong desire to get back to a regular schedule here on the floor.”

Democratic leaders are not so convinced. Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the No. 2 House Democrat, told reporters this week that leaders wanted to be careful not to “put the cart before the horse” and return to normal operations before it was fully safe. He pointed to variants of the virus spreading around the world and suggested that even if most lawmakers were vaccinated, they could still pose a risk to the thousands of staff who work in the Capitol complex who may not be.

“At some point in time, it will come to an end, but I don’t know the timeline and I don’t think anyone knows the timeline,” Hoyer said. “What we don’t want to risk is that happening, a third sort of surge of the virus and its mutations, its variants.”

Marissa Baker, a professor at the University of Washington’s public health school who specializes in occupational health, said that Congress was a particularly difficult workplace to protect because of the large number of in-person interactions across the nation that constitute lawmakers’ routines.

“It’s not really a light switch where we can pretend it's 2019 again,” Baker said. “It needs to be considered more as a gradual return to baseline.”

Ruiz said a “hybrid model” would most likely persist for some time.

“We’re not going to be back to normal, where we’re taking public meetings in our office, where people are touring the Capitol — like the hustle and bustle of Capitol Hill was prior to the pandemic — for a very long time,” he said.

Even as Americans across the country hunt for a lifesaving shot in a bid to get back to a semblance of pre-pandemic normalcy, more than a quarter of members of Congress, just a phone call away from receiving a coronavirus vaccine, have turned it down.

Even as Americans across the country hunt for a lifesaving shot in a bid to get back to a semblance of pre-pandemic normalcy, more than a quarter of members of Congress, just a phone call away from receiving a coronavirus vaccine, have turned it down. Lawmakers who have continued to meet in person during the pandemic, often in violation of public health advice, have had access to the Pfizer vaccine since late December. But in the House, about 25% of lawmakers have not received a vaccination, the top Republican wrote this week to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, citing data from the Office of the Attending Physician. It is unclear how many senators have been vaccinated, although a handful of Republicans have said they do not intend to get one. The hesitance around receiving the vaccine mirrors a broader trend across the United States, where there are differing degrees of opposition to being inoculated against the coronavirus, but polling suggests that Republicans are far more skeptical. Because vaccinations are confidential health information, there is no breakdown of which lawmakers have received one or what their party affiliations are. But in recent weeks, several Republicans have publicly rejected the idea of being vaccinated. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a former ophthalmologist, said he was “going with the science on this one” in refusing a vaccine. “I have not chosen to be vaccinated because I got it naturally,” Paul, who tested positive for the virus last March, recently told reporters. (The science says the opposite; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people get vaccinated even if they have already had the coronavirus.) “I had COVID,” said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis. “I think that probably provides me the best immunity possible actually having the disease.” The reluctance is just the latest barrier that Congress is confronting as leaders consider how to begin reinstating a sense of normalcy on Capitol Hill, where partisanship has become inextricably tied to health decisions and offices amount to their own fiefs, each with their own rules and perceptions of risk. It is emerging at a time when many aides on Capitol Hill — some of whom work for lawmakers who expect them to show up in person to the office — are themselves struggling to find a vaccine dose amid uneven policies about who should get one. Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters Friday that the House should be aiming for “100%” of members to be vaccinated but lamented that she could not force anyone to accept a shot. If Republicans refused, she said, it would simply take longer to get the House back to normal, as members of that party have been pushing to do. “You can’t tell anybody to do anything, least of all around here,” Pelosi said. “The more people who get vaccinated, the shorter time we have to stay separated on the floor.” Lawmakers appear to have varying rationales for declining the vaccine, with some in both parties feeling uneasy about obtaining one at a time when many of their constituents are unable to do so. But Republicans have been particularly vocal in expressing misgivings about the vaccine and other virus precautions. Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, a first-term Republican who has styled herself in former President Donald Trump’s image and proudly carries her pistol through the halls of Congress, has said it is “not the proper role of government to force injections of any kind in anyone.” On Thursday, Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., a former obstetrician-gynecologist, stood maskless in the Senate basement and read Dr. Seuss’ “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” aloud in an apparent attempt to call attention to his argument that people who have been vaccinated should not have to wear masks. His choice of children’s book also reflected how many Republicans have taken to deriding coronavirus precautions as part of what they call liberal hysteria run amok. Marshall appeared to be tying them to a recent decision by author Theodor Geisel’s estate to stop selling works he wrote that include racist material, which conservatives complained was a symptom of “cancel culture.” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who tested positive for the coronavirus in October, has taken to wearing a mesh mask to demonstrate his disdain for the safety measure. Some Democrats and Republicans have publicly and privately said they were uncomfortable about the optics of getting vaccinated before their constituents could and would refrain from it until access was more widespread. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., argued on Twitter that lawmakers “are not more important” than teachers and other front-line workers and should not be able to skip the line. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., became an unwitting example of the political downside of accepting the shot after he posted a photograph on Twitter of himself getting one in December, a move intended to bolster public confidence in the vaccine. Instead, critics on Twitter piled on, accusing him of playing down the threat of the virus only to rush to protect himself before others had the chance. “There were some genuine internal struggles by some members of Congress who had the vaccination,” said Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., an emergency medicine physician. “Guilt of being vaccinated when others in their district weren’t able to get vaccinated.” Even ensuring that lawmakers’ aides have access to the vaccine has been a charged proposition. Members of Congress were initially told that only two staff members from each office could receive the jab, setting off an uncomfortable round of actuarial calculations and decisions. One office sent around a Google document to gauge interest; others wrestled with whether to prioritize vaccinating lower-level aides who had been working from home but had health conditions that made them more vulnerable to the virus, or more senior aides who wanted to come in to the office. This week, the Capitol physician announced a significant expansion of vaccine availability, saying that each member’s office would be able to obtain shots for six aides. That prompted a flood of calls from hopeful congressional staff members, with multiple aides reporting listening to hold music — a medley of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Hail to the Chief” on repeat — for one to two hours as they waited to schedule their appointments. The scattershot approach reflects the lack of consistent procedures for protecting Congress from the coronavirus, a challenge that has persisted throughout the pandemic. While Democratic leaders in the House have imposed a series of strict guidelines governing the use of masks on the floor and have pivoted to proxy voting and remote hearings, there are no requirements for how each office should function. Dr. Brian Monahan, the attending physician, urged lawmakers in a memo late last month to continue teleworking, saying remote work would “continue indefinitely for significant numbers of staff” and pleading with lawmakers to avoid in-person meetings whenever possible. But congressional offices have largely patched together a case-by-case set of rules guiding their transitions back to work. While many Republican offices have brought staff back, Democratic offices have largely maintained skeleton crews, and some aides returning to the Capitol complex said they were appalled to see staff from neighboring offices walking through the halls without masks. House Republicans, who have been impatient to return to work as normal, argue that because lawmakers have been granted the special dispensations afforded to essential workers, they should be required to show up to perform their jobs in person. They have been particularly alarmed by what they see as bipartisan abuse of telework that they fear could become the new status quo. Lawmakers in recent weeks have appeared remotely during hearings from trains, boats and, in one case, an automobile they were operating on what appeared to be a freeway; a group of Republicans used proxy voting to cast their votes from the Conservative Political Action Conference in Florida. Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the No. 2 House Republican, said that the report that 75% of all House members had been vaccinated was an argument for a return to normalcy and that “there is a strong desire to get back to a regular schedule here on the floor.” Democratic leaders are not so convinced. Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the No. 2 House Democrat, told reporters this week that leaders wanted to be careful not to “put the cart before the horse” and return to normal operations before it was fully safe. He pointed to variants of the virus spreading around the world and suggested that even if most lawmakers were vaccinated, they could still pose a risk to the thousands of staff who work in the Capitol complex who may not be. “At some point in time, it will come to an end, but I don’t know the timeline and I don’t think anyone knows the timeline,” Hoyer said. “What we don’t want to risk is that happening, a third sort of surge of the virus and its mutations, its variants.” Marissa Baker, a professor at the University of Washington’s public health school who specializes in occupational health, said that Congress was a particularly difficult workplace to protect because of the large number of in-person interactions across the nation that constitute lawmakers’ routines. “It’s not really a light switch where we can pretend it's 2019 again,” Baker said. “It needs to be considered more as a gradual return to baseline.” Ruiz said a “hybrid model” would most likely persist for some time. “We’re not going to be back to normal, where we’re taking public meetings in our office, where people are touring the Capitol — like the hustle and bustle of Capitol Hill was prior to the pandemic — for a very long time,” he said.

As Republicans shun vaccines, Congress toils to return to normal

Australia will not halt the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, country’s Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Tuesday. Many European countries recently banned the vaccine amid reports of serious side-effects.

According to Frydenberg, the European medical regulator, and the World Health Organization (WHO) had both earlier confirmed the efficacy and safety of AstraZeneca’s vaccine.

"So we will continue to proceed with the vaccine rollout of AstraZeneca," Frydenberg told Sky News.

Recently, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Cyprus suspended the use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine after reports of bleeding, blood clots, and a low platelet count. WHO earlier urged people not to panic, adding that nobody had died from vaccines.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/several-countries-halt-astrazeneca-jab-does-the-vaccine-cause-blood-clots-370731" hreflang="en">Several countries halt AstraZeneca jab: Does the vaccine cause blood clots?</a>

Australia will inoculate a majority of its 25 million people with the AstraZeneca shot. Authorities have secured 54 million doses so far, with 50 million set to be produced locally starting the end of March.

The country kicked off its vaccination drive in February, way behind many other countries, and began using the AstraZeneca vaccine last week. The country has been praised for how it handled the pandemic, with just 909 deaths and 29,100 cases recorded across the nation.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/astrazeneca-finds-no-evidence-of-blood-clotting-risk-as-countries-restrict-use-of-its-vaccine-370461" hreflang="en">AstraZeneca finds no evidence of blood clotting risk as countries restrict use of its vaccine</a>

By early April, the Australian government intends to ramp up vaccinations to a million a week, when locally made AstraZeneca vaccines will be rolled out.

AstraZeneca&nbsp;on Sunday claimed that its vaccine has shown no evidence of increased risks of blood clots. The company conducted a review of data among people who received the vaccine to ascertain its safety.

The review took into account&nbsp;17 million people in the United Kingdom and the European Union, and comes in the middle of many countries suspending use of its vaccines amid concerns of clotting issues.

Australia will not halt the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, country’s Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Tuesday. Many European countries recently banned the vaccine amid reports of serious side-effects.

Australia will not halt the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, country’s Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Tuesday. Many European countries recently banned the vaccine amid reports of serious side-effects. According to Frydenberg, the European medical regulator, and the World Health Organization (WHO) had both earlier confirmed the efficacy and safety of AstraZeneca’s vaccine. "So we will continue to proceed with the vaccine rollout of AstraZeneca," Frydenberg told Sky News. Recently, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Cyprus suspended the use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine after reports of bleeding, blood clots, and a low platelet count. WHO earlier urged people not to panic, adding that nobody had died from vaccines. Also read: Several countries halt AstraZeneca jab: Does the vaccine cause blood clots? Australia will inoculate a majority of its 25 million people with the AstraZeneca shot. Authorities have secured 54 million doses so far, with 50 million set to be produced locally starting the end of March. The country kicked off its vaccination drive in February, way behind many other countries, and began using the AstraZeneca vaccine last week. The country has been praised for how it handled the pandemic, with just 909 deaths and 29,100 cases recorded across the nation. Also read: AstraZeneca finds no evidence of blood clotting risk as countries restrict use of its vaccine By early April, the Australian government intends to ramp up vaccinations to a million a week, when locally made AstraZeneca vaccines will be rolled out. AstraZeneca on Sunday claimed that its vaccine has shown no evidence of increased risks of blood clots. The company conducted a review of data among people who received the vaccine to ascertain its safety. The review took into account 17 million people in the United Kingdom and the European Union, and comes in the middle of many countries suspending use of its vaccines amid concerns of clotting issues.

Australia to continue using AstraZeneca vaccine despite upheaval in Europe

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently added three new side effects that could be caused after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Globally, over 283 million vaccine doses of coronavirus have been administered, while more than 60 million people have received the full two-dose regimen.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-cdc-recommends-wearing-double-mask-can-help-reduce-covid-19-transmission-363047/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The most common side effects after coronavirus vaccination include pain at the site of injection, and short-term flu-like symptoms, which are most visible after the second dose. Even then, vaccines have been known to limit hospitalisations among serious cases.

A few days ago, scientists said that the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines include benign skin issues like rashes and redness, which were especially observed among people who received Moderna jab, especially after the first dose.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/cdc-traces-covid-outbreaks-in-gyms-urging-stricter-precautions-368608" hreflang="en">CDC traces COVID outbreaks in gyms, urging stricter precautions</a>

On Friday, the CDC made a few changes to its vaccine guidelines after adding three new side effects.&nbsp;Earlier, the government body listed six potential serious reactions to the vaccine - pain, swelling, fever, chills, headache, and tiredness. Now, the agency has listed three more effects of vaccination - redness, muscle pain, and nausea. The CDC also warned against mistaking pain at the site of injection as indicative of muscle pain.

Vaccinations began three months ago, in North America, Europe, and Israel among other countries. Side effects so far have remained minimal.

But is it bad news? 
Simply put - no! Side effects imply that the vaccine is working against the virus, and is in the process of developing immunity. Antibodies appear among recipients two weeks after the first shot, and complete protection kicks off two weeks after the second injection.

However, the CDC has also advised people to keep in touch with their doctors in case side effects persists.&nbsp;

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently added three new side effects that could be caused after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently added three new side effects that could be caused after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Globally, over 283 million vaccine doses of coronavirus have been administered, while more than 60 million people have received the full two-dose regimen. The most common side effects after coronavirus vaccination include pain at the site of injection, and short-term flu-like symptoms, which are most visible after the second dose. Even then, vaccines have been known to limit hospitalisations among serious cases. A few days ago, scientists said that the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines include benign skin issues like rashes and redness, which were especially observed among people who received Moderna jab, especially after the first dose. Also read: CDC traces COVID outbreaks in gyms, urging stricter precautions On Friday, the CDC made a few changes to its vaccine guidelines after adding three new side effects. Earlier, the government body listed six potential serious reactions to the vaccine - pain, swelling, fever, chills, headache, and tiredness. Now, the agency has listed three more effects of vaccination - redness, muscle pain, and nausea. The CDC also warned against mistaking pain at the site of injection as indicative of muscle pain. Vaccinations began three months ago, in North America, Europe, and Israel among other countries. Side effects so far have remained minimal. But is it bad news? Simply put - no! Side effects imply that the vaccine is working against the virus, and is in the process of developing immunity. Antibodies appear among recipients two weeks after the first shot, and complete protection kicks off two weeks after the second injection. However, the CDC has also advised people to keep in touch with their doctors in case side effects persists.

What are three new post-vaccination side effects added by CDC?

Austria and Denmark, chafing at the slow rollout of Covid-19 vaccines in the European Union, have broken ranks with Brussels to form an alliance with Israel to produce second-generation vaccines against mutations of the coronavirus.&nbsp;

The move by the two EU member states comes amid rising anger over delays in ordering, approving and distributing vaccines that have left the 27-member bloc trailing far behind Israel's world-beating vaccination campaign.&nbsp;

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said while the principle that the EU procures vaccines for member states was correct, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had been too slow to approve them and lambasted pharmaceutical companies' supply bottlenecks.&nbsp;

"We must therefore prepare for further mutations and should no longer be dependent only on the EU for the production of second-generation vaccines," the conservative chancellor said in a statement on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Danish Prime Minister Danish Mette Frederiksen was also critical of the EU's vaccine programme.&nbsp;

“I don’t think it can stand alone, because we need to increase capacity. That is why we are now fortunate to start a partnership with Israel," she told reporters on Monday.&nbsp;

When asked if Denmark and Austria wanted to take unilateral action in obtaining vaccines, Frederiksen said: “You can call it that.”&nbsp;

Kurz and Frederiksen are due to travel to Israel this week to see Israel's rapid vaccine roll-out up close.&nbsp;

A growing number of EU countries have placed side orders for doses of vaccines from Russia and China, even though the EMA is yet to rule on whether they are both safe and effective.&nbsp;

Slovakia on Monday ordered two million doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. It expects half to arrive this month as it looks to step up vaccinations amid a surge in Covid-19 infections and deaths.&nbsp;

Austria and Denmark, chafing at the slow rollout of Covid-19 vaccines in the European Union, have broken ranks with Brussels to form an alliance with Israel to produce second-generation vaccines against mutations of the coronavirus.

Austria and Denmark, chafing at the slow rollout of Covid-19 vaccines in the European Union, have broken ranks with Brussels to form an alliance with Israel to produce second-generation vaccines against mutations of the coronavirus. The move by the two EU member states comes amid rising anger over delays in ordering, approving and distributing vaccines that have left the 27-member bloc trailing far behind Israel's world-beating vaccination campaign. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said while the principle that the EU procures vaccines for member states was correct, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had been too slow to approve them and lambasted pharmaceutical companies' supply bottlenecks. "We must therefore prepare for further mutations and should no longer be dependent only on the EU for the production of second-generation vaccines," the conservative chancellor said in a statement on Tuesday. Danish Prime Minister Danish Mette Frederiksen was also critical of the EU's vaccine programme. “I don’t think it can stand alone, because we need to increase capacity. That is why we are now fortunate to start a partnership with Israel," she told reporters on Monday. When asked if Denmark and Austria wanted to take unilateral action in obtaining vaccines, Frederiksen said: “You can call it that.” Kurz and Frederiksen are due to travel to Israel this week to see Israel's rapid vaccine roll-out up close. A growing number of EU countries have placed side orders for doses of vaccines from Russia and China, even though the EMA is yet to rule on whether they are both safe and effective. Slovakia on Monday ordered two million doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. It expects half to arrive this month as it looks to step up vaccinations amid a surge in Covid-19 infections and deaths.

Austria, Denmark break ranks with EU to produce vaccines with Israel

Vaccines are emerging as the new power tool in West Asia. As Israel inoculates more than half of its population, Palestine's vaccine plan is struggling with a funding gap. On the West Asia Post, Ghadi Francis looks at how vaccines are the new currency of choice in West Asia. For more such stories, keep watching the West Asia post with Ghadi Francis every Friday at 8:30 PM IST, only on WION.

The West Asia Post | Vaccines: New currency of choice in West Asia?

Mark Lewis was desperate to find monkeys. Millions of human lives, all over the world, were at stake.

Lewis, the chief executive of Bioqual, was responsible for providing lab monkeys to pharmaceutical companies like Moderna and Johnson &amp; Johnson, which needed the animals to develop their COVID-19 vaccines. But as the coronavirus swept across the United States last year, there were few of the specially bred monkeys to be found anywhere in the world.

Unable to furnish scientists with monkeys, which can cost more than $10,000 each, about a dozen companies were left scrambling for research animals at the height of the pandemic.

“We lost work because we couldn’t supply the animals in the time frame,” Lewis said.

The world needs monkeys, whose DNA closely resembles that of humans, to develop COVID-19 vaccines. But a global shortage, resulting from the unexpected demand caused by the pandemic, has been exacerbated by a recent ban on the sale of wildlife from China, the leading supplier of the lab animals.

The latest shortage has revived talk about creating a strategic monkey reserve in the United States, an emergency stockpile similar to those maintained by the government for oil and grain.

As new variants of the coronavirus threaten to make the current batch of vaccines obsolete, scientists are racing to find new sources of monkeys, and the United States is reassessing its reliance on China, a rival with its own biotech ambitions.

The pandemic has underscored how much China controls the supply of lifesaving goods, including masks and drugs, that the United States needs in a crisis.

American scientists have searched private and government-funded facilities in Southeast Asia as well as Mauritius, a tiny island nation off southeast Africa, for stocks of their preferred test subjects, rhesus macaques and cynomolgus macaques, also known as long-tailed macaques.

But no country can make up for what China previously supplied. Before the pandemic, China provided over 60% of the 33,818 primates, mostly cynomolgus macaques, imported into the United States in 2019, according to analyst estimates based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The United States has as many 25,000 lab monkeys — predominantly pink-faced rhesus macaques — at its seven primate centers. About 600 to 800 of those animals have been subject to coronavirus research since the pandemic began.

Scientists say monkeys are the ideal specimens for researching coronavirus vaccines before they are tested on humans. The primates share more than 90% of our DNA, and their similar biology means they can be tested with nasal swabs and have their lungs scanned. Scientists say it is almost impossible to find a substitute to test COVID-19 vaccines in, although drugs such as dexamethasone, the steroid that was used to treat former President Donald Trump, has been tested in hamsters.

The shortage has led a growing number of American scientists to call on the government to ensure a constant supply of the animals.

Skip Bohm, associate director and chief veterinary medical officer at the Tulane National Primate Research Center outside New Orleans, said the discussion for a strategic monkey reserve started about 10 years ago among the directors of the national primate research centers. But a stockpile was never created because of the amount of money and time needed to build a breeding program.

“Our idea was sort of like the strategic oil reserve, in that there’s lots and lots of fuel somewhere that is only tapped in an emergency,” Bohm said.

But as new variants of the virus are discovered, potentially restarting the race for a vaccine, scientists say the government needs to take action on the stockpile immediately.

“The strategic monkey reserve is exactly what we needed to deal with COVID, and we just didn’t have it,” said Keith Reeves, a principal investigator at the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Harvard Medical School.

But a robust strategic reserve might still be unable to meet the skyrocketing demand for lab animals, as researchers in China have learned. Even with a government-controlled stockpile of about 45,000 monkeys, researchers in China say they are also grappling with a shortage.

Researchers often collect hundreds of specimens from a single monkey, whose tissues can be frozen for years and studied over long periods. The scientists say they make the most of each animal, but monkeys infected with COVID-19 cannot be returned to live among other healthy animals and must be eventually euthanized.

The United States maintains seven national primate research centers, where the animals, when not undergoing research, live in colonies with access to the outdoors and enrichment activities. The facilities are affiliated with research universities and funded by the National Institutes of Health. Animal welfare activists have long accused the centers of abuse, including separating babies from their mothers.

Matthew R. Bailey, president of the National Association for Biomedical Research, said he was preparing to raise the monkey shortage with the Biden administration. He said China’s decision to halt exports at the beginning of the pandemic was “likely a prudent emergency move,” but he suggested that China could restart exports given what is now known about how the virus is spread.

China’s Foreign Ministry said the ban was not targeted at specific species or countries.

“Once the international situation improves and the conditions for imports and exports are met,” the ministry said in a statement, “China will actively consider resuming import and export approval and other related work.”

Mark Lewis was desperate to find monkeys. Millions of human lives, all over the world, were at stake. Lewis, the chief executive of Bioqual, was responsible for providing lab monkeys to pharmaceutical companies like Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, which needed the animals to develop their COVID-19 vaccines.

Mark Lewis was desperate to find monkeys. Millions of human lives, all over the world, were at stake. Lewis, the chief executive of Bioqual, was responsible for providing lab monkeys to pharmaceutical companies like Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, which needed the animals to develop their COVID-19 vaccines. But as the coronavirus swept across the United States last year, there were few of the specially bred monkeys to be found anywhere in the world. Unable to furnish scientists with monkeys, which can cost more than $10,000 each, about a dozen companies were left scrambling for research animals at the height of the pandemic. “We lost work because we couldn’t supply the animals in the time frame,” Lewis said. The world needs monkeys, whose DNA closely resembles that of humans, to develop COVID-19 vaccines. But a global shortage, resulting from the unexpected demand caused by the pandemic, has been exacerbated by a recent ban on the sale of wildlife from China, the leading supplier of the lab animals. The latest shortage has revived talk about creating a strategic monkey reserve in the United States, an emergency stockpile similar to those maintained by the government for oil and grain. As new variants of the coronavirus threaten to make the current batch of vaccines obsolete, scientists are racing to find new sources of monkeys, and the United States is reassessing its reliance on China, a rival with its own biotech ambitions. The pandemic has underscored how much China controls the supply of lifesaving goods, including masks and drugs, that the United States needs in a crisis. American scientists have searched private and government-funded facilities in Southeast Asia as well as Mauritius, a tiny island nation off southeast Africa, for stocks of their preferred test subjects, rhesus macaques and cynomolgus macaques, also known as long-tailed macaques. But no country can make up for what China previously supplied. Before the pandemic, China provided over 60% of the 33,818 primates, mostly cynomolgus macaques, imported into the United States in 2019, according to analyst estimates based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The United States has as many 25,000 lab monkeys — predominantly pink-faced rhesus macaques — at its seven primate centers. About 600 to 800 of those animals have been subject to coronavirus research since the pandemic began. Scientists say monkeys are the ideal specimens for researching coronavirus vaccines before they are tested on humans. The primates share more than 90% of our DNA, and their similar biology means they can be tested with nasal swabs and have their lungs scanned. Scientists say it is almost impossible to find a substitute to test COVID-19 vaccines in, although drugs such as dexamethasone, the steroid that was used to treat former President Donald Trump, has been tested in hamsters. The shortage has led a growing number of American scientists to call on the government to ensure a constant supply of the animals. Skip Bohm, associate director and chief veterinary medical officer at the Tulane National Primate Research Center outside New Orleans, said the discussion for a strategic monkey reserve started about 10 years ago among the directors of the national primate research centers. But a stockpile was never created because of the amount of money and time needed to build a breeding program. “Our idea was sort of like the strategic oil reserve, in that there’s lots and lots of fuel somewhere that is only tapped in an emergency,” Bohm said. But as new variants of the virus are discovered, potentially restarting the race for a vaccine, scientists say the government needs to take action on the stockpile immediately. “The strategic monkey reserve is exactly what we needed to deal with COVID, and we just didn’t have it,” said Keith Reeves, a principal investigator at the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Harvard Medical School. But a robust strategic reserve might still be unable to meet the skyrocketing demand for lab animals, as researchers in China have learned. Even with a government-controlled stockpile of about 45,000 monkeys, researchers in China say they are also grappling with a shortage. Researchers often collect hundreds of specimens from a single monkey, whose tissues can be frozen for years and studied over long periods. The scientists say they make the most of each animal, but monkeys infected with COVID-19 cannot be returned to live among other healthy animals and must be eventually euthanized. The United States maintains seven national primate research centers, where the animals, when not undergoing research, live in colonies with access to the outdoors and enrichment activities. The facilities are affiliated with research universities and funded by the National Institutes of Health. Animal welfare activists have long accused the centers of abuse, including separating babies from their mothers. Matthew R. Bailey, president of the National Association for Biomedical Research, said he was preparing to raise the monkey shortage with the Biden administration. He said China’s decision to halt exports at the beginning of the pandemic was “likely a prudent emergency move,” but he suggested that China could restart exports given what is now known about how the virus is spread. China’s Foreign Ministry said the ban was not targeted at specific species or countries. “Once the international situation improves and the conditions for imports and exports are met,” the ministry said in a statement, “China will actively consider resuming import and export approval and other related work.”

Future vaccines depend on test subjects in short supply: Monkeys

Crises differ between countries according to the different viewpoints and ideologies of each country, whether these policies are designed and planned to reach a goal. The crisis may be also a recent emergency, as is the case in the "Covid 19" pandemic, which hit many countries without warning. The crisis may have limited features with one party in a country, as happened in Greece, the economic collapse and the crisis that was threatening the euro area.&nbsp;

Crises may be unilateral, bilateral, or multilateral, as is case with the liberation of Kuwait war in 1991. Crises may be outside the control of the state due to natural disasters such as volcanoes and hurricanes.

The crisis is defined as a period of tension and a turning point from one situation to another, and it needs a quick decision to stop this decline or collapse as it affects the various relevant entities as it is the case with political, economic, natural, social, military and security crises.

Crises of all kinds are a major part of political, social and human life of all degrees. This leads everyone to seriously think about how to move the crisis and reach the best results. This what was call shifting from negative to positive? This shift requires wise leadership and exemplary leaders.

The diplomatic strategy enjoys widespread interest among the leading elites and formal and informal institutions because of their close relationship with many international politics. The strategy is used today in various fields of life. The strategy is thus the goals set by the head of state or senior officials to reach results of a specific nature. They put in place tools to achieve such a strategy.

Diplomatic strategy is one of the most important tools for decision-makers and their future vision of the country's foreign policy in dealing with its regional and international environment. This policy depends mainly on national interests and how to strengthen and sustain the internal fabric of the country and develop it in the best way possible through its tools - diplomatic missions of various degrees.

Recently, the Sultanate received 100,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from India where the medicine was produced at Serum Institute. Oman’s Minister of Health has thanked the government of India for delivering 100,000 vaccines at no charge, to help with the country’s coronavirus vaccination drive. The doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were produced by the Serum Institute of India, having undergone clinical trials to ensure they were safe to use on humans.

The deep historical ties between the Sultanate and India span thousands of years. Late Sultan Qaboos laid the foundations of a solid diplomatic strategy between the two countries, as they share the same concept of strategy and objectives. The two countries diplomacies are based on quiet diplomacy away from foreign interference in the regional and international environment. The first Indian ambassador to the Sultanate arrived in 1973 and the Sultanate opened an embassy in New Delhi in 1972.

It is well known that India is a country with an ancient history and civilization for thousands of years and it is an advanced industrial country in all fields.&nbsp;

There have been flourishing old trade and cultural relations hundreds of years ago linking the two friendly peoples outside the scope of international protocols and frameworks of diplomatic systems. In terms of diplomacy and politics, the Sultanate’s government-supported India’s position to have permanent membership in the UN Security Council.&nbsp;

India has been an important trading partner for Oman since the beginning of its strong ties and ties. Sultan Haitham bin Tariq emphasized the foreign policy approach, as His Majesty said, “We will externally follow the line drawn by Sultan Qaboos. This positive and distinguished step by the friendly Republic of India did not come out of a vacuum, but rather came with the concerted views and efforts of the head of the two countries.

The Omani people and government will record this generous gesture and step by India in golden letters. The gesture will remain in history as an example of love and respect between the two friendly countries and peoples at various governmental and popular levels. It also reflects the keenness of both countries to remain beside each other at will and woe. I hope that this initiative will be an example to be followed in resolving international crises. I hope this will deter unfriendly countries to stop weaving conspiracies here and there to serve causes that will not serve humanity.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Crises differ between countries according to the different viewpoints and ideologies of each country, whether these policies are designed and planned to reach a goal.

Crises differ between countries according to the different viewpoints and ideologies of each country, whether these policies are designed and planned to reach a goal. The crisis may be also a recent emergency, as is the case in the "Covid 19" pandemic, which hit many countries without warning. The crisis may have limited features with one party in a country, as happened in Greece, the economic collapse and the crisis that was threatening the euro area. Crises may be unilateral, bilateral, or multilateral, as is case with the liberation of Kuwait war in 1991. Crises may be outside the control of the state due to natural disasters such as volcanoes and hurricanes. The crisis is defined as a period of tension and a turning point from one situation to another, and it needs a quick decision to stop this decline or collapse as it affects the various relevant entities as it is the case with political, economic, natural, social, military and security crises. Crises of all kinds are a major part of political, social and human life of all degrees. This leads everyone to seriously think about how to move the crisis and reach the best results. This what was call shifting from negative to positive? This shift requires wise leadership and exemplary leaders. The diplomatic strategy enjoys widespread interest among the leading elites and formal and informal institutions because of their close relationship with many international politics. The strategy is used today in various fields of life. The strategy is thus the goals set by the head of state or senior officials to reach results of a specific nature. They put in place tools to achieve such a strategy. Diplomatic strategy is one of the most important tools for decision-makers and their future vision of the country's foreign policy in dealing with its regional and international environment. This policy depends mainly on national interests and how to strengthen and sustain the internal fabric of the country and develop it in the best way possible through its tools - diplomatic missions of various degrees. Recently, the Sultanate received 100,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from India where the medicine was produced at Serum Institute. Oman’s Minister of Health has thanked the government of India for delivering 100,000 vaccines at no charge, to help with the country’s coronavirus vaccination drive. The doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were produced by the Serum Institute of India, having undergone clinical trials to ensure they were safe to use on humans. The deep historical ties between the Sultanate and India span thousands of years. Late Sultan Qaboos laid the foundations of a solid diplomatic strategy between the two countries, as they share the same concept of strategy and objectives. The two countries diplomacies are based on quiet diplomacy away from foreign interference in the regional and international environment. The first Indian ambassador to the Sultanate arrived in 1973 and the Sultanate opened an embassy in New Delhi in 1972. It is well known that India is a country with an ancient history and civilization for thousands of years and it is an advanced industrial country in all fields. There have been flourishing old trade and cultural relations hundreds of years ago linking the two friendly peoples outside the scope of international protocols and frameworks of diplomatic systems. In terms of diplomacy and politics, the Sultanate’s government-supported India’s position to have permanent membership in the UN Security Council. India has been an important trading partner for Oman since the beginning of its strong ties and ties. Sultan Haitham bin Tariq emphasized the foreign policy approach, as His Majesty said, “We will externally follow the line drawn by Sultan Qaboos. This positive and distinguished step by the friendly Republic of India did not come out of a vacuum, but rather came with the concerted views and efforts of the head of the two countries. The Omani people and government will record this generous gesture and step by India in golden letters. The gesture will remain in history as an example of love and respect between the two friendly countries and peoples at various governmental and popular levels. It also reflects the keenness of both countries to remain beside each other at will and woe. I hope that this initiative will be an example to be followed in resolving international crises. I hope this will deter unfriendly countries to stop weaving conspiracies here and there to serve causes that will not serve humanity. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Opinion: Oman will record India sending vaccines in golden letter

In the West,&nbsp;people are refusing to take jabs,&nbsp;but in&nbsp;Africa,&nbsp;there aren't medicines,&nbsp;let alone vaccines.&nbsp;

There are talks&nbsp;about global cooperation, but&nbsp;this is the end result.&nbsp;It is&nbsp;a logistical nightmare.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This whole pandemic has been a learning curve.&nbsp;The lessons learnt in the last&nbsp;year&nbsp;should help us prevent the next pandemic&nbsp;if countries are willing to learn.&nbsp;

Right now,&nbsp;this is a world of vaccine haves and have nots.&nbsp;In the United States,&nbsp;doses are&nbsp;getting&nbsp;wasted&nbsp;in refrigerators.&nbsp;In Japan,&nbsp;they don't have enough syringes.&nbsp;

It's a complete breakdown&nbsp;in terms of&nbsp;global cooperation and planning.&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

Earlier,&nbsp;multilateral and regional groupings have failed to boost cooperation&nbsp;but on Thursday,&nbsp;Saarc&nbsp;workshop was South Asia's chance to&nbsp;make the&nbsp;right amends.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The virtual meeting was convened by India&nbsp;and around&nbsp;10 of&nbsp;India's&nbsp;neighbours&nbsp;participated along with&nbsp;Saarc&nbsp;members.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the meeting&nbsp;and&nbsp;talked about promoting best Covid&nbsp;practises&nbsp;and the need for South&nbsp;Asian&nbsp;unity.&nbsp;

Some proposals laid out&nbsp;were&nbsp;a visa regime for medical workers,&nbsp;a regional air ambulance for health contingencies,&nbsp;and most importantly,&nbsp;sharing vaccine efficiency data.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The only issue is that&nbsp;getting everyone onboard&nbsp;in this political climate will be next to impossible.&nbsp;

Politicisation&nbsp;of the pandemic&nbsp;has been happening. Now,&nbsp;even vaccine approvals and purchases are political.&nbsp;Venezuela will only use Russia's&nbsp;Sputnik.&nbsp;Iran will let its people die before using&nbsp;US&nbsp;jabs.&nbsp;Pakistan is at the mercy of Chinese doses.&nbsp;Add to this,&nbsp;a breakdown in supply chains&nbsp;and we have a full-blown crisis.&nbsp;

More than 180 million Americans have been inoculated&nbsp;and&nbsp;in Africa,&nbsp;the jabs haven't even arrived&nbsp;yet.&nbsp;At this rate,&nbsp;it will be 2023 before large parts of the continent are inoculated.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Meanwhile,&nbsp;the world's most powerful fighting force is turning out to be anti-vaccine.&nbsp;Almost one-third of&nbsp;US&nbsp;servicemen are refusing to take the jab.&nbsp;The reason is unclear.&nbsp;Some reports say the troops are falling for internet&nbsp;rumours.&nbsp;Either way,&nbsp;it's a dangerous prospect.&nbsp; 
US&nbsp;troops travel the world.&nbsp;They eat, sleep and train in close quarters.&nbsp;It's a virus cluster waiting to emerge.&nbsp;So,&nbsp;the Pentagon leadership is scrambling to find a solution.&nbsp;

Maj&nbsp;Gen Jeff Taliaferro, joint chiefs of staff vice director for operations,&nbsp;"We believe that, of course, the vaccine is the right thing to do.&nbsp;It's clearly safe for service members and we need to continue to educate our force and help them understand the benefits and ensure there's leadership involvement in the discussion of the benefits of the of the vaccine."&nbsp;

Across the Atlantic,&nbsp;Britain is falling back on some desperate tactics.&nbsp;They have approved a new clinical trial.&nbsp;One that will deliberately expose healthy people to the Wuhan virus.&nbsp;It's a first during this outbreak.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
During a vaccine trial,&nbsp;normally&nbsp;people are&nbsp;given an experimental jab&nbsp;but at no point,&nbsp;they&nbsp;are infected on purpose.&nbsp;In this case,&nbsp;volunteers are being infected in a controlled environment.&nbsp;

It is&nbsp;to understand the minimum virus load needed to trigger the infection&nbsp;and understanding how the virus transmits.&nbsp;

90 volunteers have been roped in&nbsp;for it.&nbsp;All&nbsp;are&nbsp;aged between 18 and 30.&nbsp;They&nbsp;will&nbsp;be paid 88 pounds per day&nbsp;as&nbsp;the&nbsp;cost of putting their lives on the line.&nbsp;

Human challenge trials have been done before&nbsp;as&nbsp;they can be helpful in understanding more about a disease.&nbsp;But the fact that the UK&nbsp;is&nbsp;doing this now just goes to show how dire the situation is.&nbsp;

The world would do well to take a leaf from India's playbook,&nbsp;cooperation,&nbsp;solidarity,&nbsp;and&nbsp;neighbourhood&nbsp;first.&nbsp;These have been the pillars of India's pandemic response.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In the West, people are refusing to take jabs, but in Africa, there aren't medicines, let alone vaccines. There are talks about global cooperation, but this is the end result.

In the West, people are refusing to take jabs, but in Africa, there aren't medicines, let alone vaccines. There are talks about global cooperation, but this is the end result. It is a logistical nightmare. This whole pandemic has been a learning curve. The lessons learnt in the last year should help us prevent the next pandemic if countries are willing to learn. Right now, this is a world of vaccine haves and have nots. In the United States, doses are getting wasted in refrigerators. In Japan, they don't have enough syringes. It's a complete breakdown in terms of global cooperation and planning. × Earlier, multilateral and regional groupings have failed to boost cooperation but on Thursday, Saarc workshop was South Asia's chance to make the right amends. The virtual meeting was convened by India and around 10 of India's neighbours participated along with Saarc members. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the meeting and talked about promoting best Covid practises and the need for South Asian unity. Some proposals laid out were a visa regime for medical workers, a regional air ambulance for health contingencies, and most importantly, sharing vaccine efficiency data. The only issue is that getting everyone onboard in this political climate will be next to impossible. Politicisation of the pandemic has been happening. Now, even vaccine approvals and purchases are political. Venezuela will only use Russia's Sputnik. Iran will let its people die before using US jabs. Pakistan is at the mercy of Chinese doses. Add to this, a breakdown in supply chains and we have a full-blown crisis. More than 180 million Americans have been inoculated and in Africa, the jabs haven't even arrived yet. At this rate, it will be 2023 before large parts of the continent are inoculated. Meanwhile, the world's most powerful fighting force is turning out to be anti-vaccine. Almost one-third of US servicemen are refusing to take the jab. The reason is unclear. Some reports say the troops are falling for internet rumours. Either way, it's a dangerous prospect. US troops travel the world. They eat, sleep and train in close quarters. It's a virus cluster waiting to emerge. So, the Pentagon leadership is scrambling to find a solution. Maj Gen Jeff Taliaferro, joint chiefs of staff vice director for operations, "We believe that, of course, the vaccine is the right thing to do. It's clearly safe for service members and we need to continue to educate our force and help them understand the benefits and ensure there's leadership involvement in the discussion of the benefits of the of the vaccine." Across the Atlantic, Britain is falling back on some desperate tactics. They have approved a new clinical trial. One that will deliberately expose healthy people to the Wuhan virus. It's a first during this outbreak. During a vaccine trial, normally people are given an experimental jab but at no point, they are infected on purpose. In this case, volunteers are being infected in a controlled environment. It is to understand the minimum virus load needed to trigger the infection and understanding how the virus transmits. 90 volunteers have been roped in for it. All are aged between 18 and 30. They will be paid 88 pounds per day as the cost of putting their lives on the line. Human challenge trials have been done before as they can be helpful in understanding more about a disease. But the fact that the UK is doing this now just goes to show how dire the situation is. The world would do well to take a leaf from India's playbook, cooperation, solidarity, and neighbourhood first. These have been the pillars of India's pandemic response.

The story of vaccine haves and have nots

An Israeli bar doubled as a COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Thursday (February 18), with free drinks given to those who got the shots. More than 43% percent of Israel's 9 million population have received at least one dose of Pfizer Inc's vaccine, the Health Ministry says. But officials worry that turnout may wane and hold back Israeli plans to begin reopening the economy.

Jab but no tab: Israeli bar offers free drinks with vaccines

Some of the world's wealthiest countries are promising to share coronavirus vaccines with the poorest, but details of when and how many remain scarce as leaders of the Group of Seven economic powers hold their first meeting of 2021 on Friday.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain, which holds the G-7 presidency this year, is meeting virtually with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan and the United States to discuss international challenges, chief among them the pandemic that has killed almost 2.5 million people around the world.&nbsp;

Wealthy nations have snapped up hundreds of millions of doses of vaccines against the virus, while some countries in the developing world have little or none.&nbsp;

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Johnson, whose country has had almost 120,000 coronavirus deaths, will promise to give the majority of any future surplus vaccines to the UN-backed COVAX effort to vaccinate the world's most vulnerable people, and will encourage other G-7 countries to do the same, the British government said.&nbsp;

But Foreign Office Minister James Cleverly said it was difficult to say with any kind of certainty when or how much Britain could donate.&nbsp;

We're not really able to give with certainty either a timescale or the numbers involved, he told the BBC.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-story-of-vaccine-haves-and-have-nots-364633">The story of vaccine haves and have nots</a>

Anti-poverty group the One Campaign said Britain's promise was not enough.&nbsp;

The virus won't wait on us to be ready before it mutates, so we need to get these vaccines around the world as quickly as possible, said Romilly Greenhill, the group's UK director.&nbsp;

French President Emmanuel Macron gave a firmer target, saying Europe and the US should allocate up to five per cent of their current Covid-19 vaccine supplies to the poorest countries very fast, so that people on the ground see it happening.&nbsp;

Some of the world's wealthiest countries are promising to share coronavirus vaccines with the poorest, but details of when and how many remain scarce as leaders of the Group of Seven economic powers hold their first meeting of 2021 on Friday.

Some of the world's wealthiest countries are promising to share coronavirus vaccines with the poorest, but details of when and how many remain scarce as leaders of the Group of Seven economic powers hold their first meeting of 2021 on Friday. Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain, which holds the G-7 presidency this year, is meeting virtually with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan and the United States to discuss international challenges, chief among them the pandemic that has killed almost 2.5 million people around the world. Wealthy nations have snapped up hundreds of millions of doses of vaccines against the virus, while some countries in the developing world have little or none. × Johnson, whose country has had almost 120,000 coronavirus deaths, will promise to give the majority of any future surplus vaccines to the UN-backed COVAX effort to vaccinate the world's most vulnerable people, and will encourage other G-7 countries to do the same, the British government said. But Foreign Office Minister James Cleverly said it was difficult to say with any kind of certainty when or how much Britain could donate. We're not really able to give with certainty either a timescale or the numbers involved, he told the BBC. Also Read: The story of vaccine haves and have nots Anti-poverty group the One Campaign said Britain's promise was not enough. The virus won't wait on us to be ready before it mutates, so we need to get these vaccines around the world as quickly as possible, said Romilly Greenhill, the group's UK director. French President Emmanuel Macron gave a firmer target, saying Europe and the US should allocate up to five per cent of their current Covid-19 vaccine supplies to the poorest countries very fast, so that people on the ground see it happening.

Britain vows to ‘share’ vaccines with poor nations as G-7 meets

Vaccine rollout has begin for medical staff at a Tokyo Medical center in Japan. President of Tokyo medical center ,Kazuhiro took the first vaccine jab to encourage others to do the same. Health workers are the first ones to get vaccinated , there are around 100 centers administered by health ministry for vaccinating 40000 medical workers first.

Mass vaccination drive begins in Japan

South Africa’s Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize on Tuesday clarified that the country has not returned the AstraZeneca vaccines to the Serum Institute of India (SII).

“I would like to clarify a few media reports that said we have returned the vaccines to India. We have not returned the Astra Zeneca vaccines to India,” Mkhize said at the parliament during the state of the nation address debate.&nbsp;

''The AstraZeneca doses we purchased have been offered to the African Union platform, of which we are part of, and the AU will distribute to those countries who have already expressed interest in acquiring the stock'', the minister said.&nbsp;

He reiterated,&nbsp;“I also wish to once again put it on record that the vaccines have not expired and that the expiry date of April 31 was established through our quality control processes - a wrong impression was created that the vaccines have expired - this is simply not true.”&nbsp;

Mkhize said that South Africa has managed to successfully secure 9 million doses of the Johnson&amp;Johnson vaccine, with the delivery of the first batch of 80,000 on course and the vaccination due to begin this week.

An additional 500,000 doses are expected to arrive over the next four weeks, supplemented by another 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine that is expected to be received at the end of March 2021, he added.&nbsp;

"As&nbsp; [the] government we are actively engaging manufacturers and suppliers of the COVID-19 vaccines through different but interrelated channels'', Mkhize said.

South Africa’s Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize on Tuesday clarified that the country has not returned the AstraZeneca vaccines to the Serum Institute of India (SII).

South Africa’s Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize on Tuesday clarified that the country has not returned the AstraZeneca vaccines to the Serum Institute of India (SII). “I would like to clarify a few media reports that said we have returned the vaccines to India. We have not returned the Astra Zeneca vaccines to India,” Mkhize said at the parliament during the state of the nation address debate. ''The AstraZeneca doses we purchased have been offered to the African Union platform, of which we are part of, and the AU will distribute to those countries who have already expressed interest in acquiring the stock'', the minister said. He reiterated, “I also wish to once again put it on record that the vaccines have not expired and that the expiry date of April 31 was established through our quality control processes - a wrong impression was created that the vaccines have expired - this is simply not true.” Mkhize said that South Africa has managed to successfully secure 9 million doses of the Johnson&Johnson vaccine, with the delivery of the first batch of 80,000 on course and the vaccination due to begin this week. An additional 500,000 doses are expected to arrive over the next four weeks, supplemented by another 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine that is expected to be received at the end of March 2021, he added. "As [the] government we are actively engaging manufacturers and suppliers of the COVID-19 vaccines through different but interrelated channels'', Mkhize said.

South Africa did not return AstraZeneca vaccines to India, says country's health minister

Tribal leaders and advocates claim medical teams working to immunise Brazil’s remote indigenous villages against the coronavirus have encountered fierce resistance in some communities where evangelical missionaries are stoking fears of the vaccine.&nbsp;

On the São Francisco reservation in the state of Amazonas, Jamamadi villagers sent health workers packing with bows and arrows when they visited by helicopter this month, said Claudemir da Silva, an Apurinã leader representing indigenous communities on the Purus river, a tributary of the Xingú.&nbsp;

“It’s not happening in all villages, just in those that have missionaries or evangelical chapels where pastors are convincing the people not to receive the vaccine, that they will turn into an alligator and other crazy ideas,” he said by phone.&nbsp;

That has added to fears that Covid-19 could roar through Brazil’s more than 800,000 indigenous people, whose communal living and often precarious healthcare make them a priority in the national immunisation programme.&nbsp;

Tribal leaders blame Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and some of his avid supporters in the evangelical community for stoking skepticism about coronavirus vaccines, despite a national death toll that lags only the United States.&nbsp;

“Religious fundamentalists and evangelical missionaries are preaching against the vaccine,” said Dinamam Tuxá, a leader of APIB, Brazil’s largest indigenous organization.&nbsp;

The Association of Brazilian Anthropologists denounced unspecified religious groups in a statement on Tuesday for spreading false conspiracy theories to 'sabotage' the vaccination of indigenous people.&nbsp;

Many pastors of Brazil’s urban evangelical megachurches are urging followers to get vaccinated, but they say missionaries in remote territories have not gotten the message.&nbsp;

“Unfortunately, some pastors, who lack wisdom, are spreading misinformation to our indigenous brethren,” said Pastor Mario Jorge Conceição of the Assembly of God Traditional Church in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas state.

Tribal leaders and advocates claim medical teams working to immunise Brazil’s remote indigenous villages against the coronavirus have encountered fierce resistance in some communities where evangelical missionaries are stoking fears of the vaccine.

Tribal leaders and advocates claim medical teams working to immunise Brazil’s remote indigenous villages against the coronavirus have encountered fierce resistance in some communities where evangelical missionaries are stoking fears of the vaccine. On the São Francisco reservation in the state of Amazonas, Jamamadi villagers sent health workers packing with bows and arrows when they visited by helicopter this month, said Claudemir da Silva, an Apurinã leader representing indigenous communities on the Purus river, a tributary of the Xingú. “It’s not happening in all villages, just in those that have missionaries or evangelical chapels where pastors are convincing the people not to receive the vaccine, that they will turn into an alligator and other crazy ideas,” he said by phone. That has added to fears that Covid-19 could roar through Brazil’s more than 800,000 indigenous people, whose communal living and often precarious healthcare make them a priority in the national immunisation programme. Tribal leaders blame Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and some of his avid supporters in the evangelical community for stoking skepticism about coronavirus vaccines, despite a national death toll that lags only the United States. “Religious fundamentalists and evangelical missionaries are preaching against the vaccine,” said Dinamam Tuxá, a leader of APIB, Brazil’s largest indigenous organization. The Association of Brazilian Anthropologists denounced unspecified religious groups in a statement on Tuesday for spreading false conspiracy theories to 'sabotage' the vaccination of indigenous people. Many pastors of Brazil’s urban evangelical megachurches are urging followers to get vaccinated, but they say missionaries in remote territories have not gotten the message. “Unfortunately, some pastors, who lack wisdom, are spreading misinformation to our indigenous brethren,” said Pastor Mario Jorge Conceição of the Assembly of God Traditional Church in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas state.

Missionaries stoking fears of vaccines in Amazon villages, say tribal leaders

Just two days after receiving 300,000 vaccine doses from state-owned Chinese company Sinopharm, Peru began its coronavirus immunization programme on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The country has been hard hit by a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping Latin America.&nbsp;

It has recorded around 1.2 million cases and more than 42,000 deaths from Covid-19 among its population of 33 million.&nbsp;

Hospitals are overrun with almost 13,800 Covid patients while they have also reported a lack of oxygen to treat those with breathing problems.&nbsp;

Healthcare workers at several hospitals in the capital Lima were the first to receive the vaccine on Tuesday morning.&nbsp;

Armed forces airplanes left the capital to take vaccines to the worst-hit regions of the country, such as the jungle area of Huanuco, some 350 kilometers (220 miles) northeast of Lima.&nbsp;

Peru will receive another 700,000 doses of the Chinese vaccine on Sunday. It has agreed to purchase 38 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine and another 20 million of the Pfizer/BioNTech one.&nbsp;

Other deals have been made to purchase 14 million AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccines and 13.2 million Covax jabs.&nbsp;

Authorities are yet to announce when immunization of the wider population will begin, but the country plans to vaccinate 26 million people.&nbsp;

The government of President Francisco Sagasti has received harsh criticism over the delays in unrolling an immunization programme compared to neighbours Chile and Bolivia.&nbsp;

Sagasti himself was vaccinated on Tuesday evening at a Lima hospital.&nbsp;

"Don't be afraid of the vaccine," he said, adding that he hoped all "Peruvians are vaccinated this year."&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Argentina announced it has approved the emergency use of the Indian-made Covishield vaccine.&nbsp;

The Covishield vaccine is essentially the same as the British developed AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine that previously received approval in late December.&nbsp;

Argentina has also approved the use of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, having already received 820,000 doses.&nbsp;

It began its immunization programme on December 29 and has so far only used the Sputnik V vaccine.

Just two days after receiving 300,000 vaccine doses from state-owned Chinese company Sinopharm, Peru began its coronavirus immunization programme on Tuesday. The country has been hard hit by a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping Latin America.

Just two days after receiving 300,000 vaccine doses from state-owned Chinese company Sinopharm, Peru began its coronavirus immunization programme on Tuesday. The country has been hard hit by a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping Latin America. It has recorded around 1.2 million cases and more than 42,000 deaths from Covid-19 among its population of 33 million. Hospitals are overrun with almost 13,800 Covid patients while they have also reported a lack of oxygen to treat those with breathing problems. Healthcare workers at several hospitals in the capital Lima were the first to receive the vaccine on Tuesday morning. Armed forces airplanes left the capital to take vaccines to the worst-hit regions of the country, such as the jungle area of Huanuco, some 350 kilometers (220 miles) northeast of Lima. Peru will receive another 700,000 doses of the Chinese vaccine on Sunday. It has agreed to purchase 38 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine and another 20 million of the Pfizer/BioNTech one. Other deals have been made to purchase 14 million AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccines and 13.2 million Covax jabs. Authorities are yet to announce when immunization of the wider population will begin, but the country plans to vaccinate 26 million people. The government of President Francisco Sagasti has received harsh criticism over the delays in unrolling an immunization programme compared to neighbours Chile and Bolivia. Sagasti himself was vaccinated on Tuesday evening at a Lima hospital. "Don't be afraid of the vaccine," he said, adding that he hoped all "Peruvians are vaccinated this year." Meanwhile, Argentina announced it has approved the emergency use of the Indian-made Covishield vaccine. The Covishield vaccine is essentially the same as the British developed AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine that previously received approval in late December. Argentina has also approved the use of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, having already received 820,000 doses. It began its immunization programme on December 29 and has so far only used the Sputnik V vaccine.

Peru begins Covid inoculation, Argentina approves Covishield vaccine

German start-up Wingcopter has joined the race to offer COVID-19 vaccine distribution by air, pointing to its experience in remote areas like the South Pacific Ocean nation of Vanuatu. Wingcopter says its drones set a world record with a maximum speed of 240 km/h (149 MPH) and that one battery charge lasts for "more than 100 km," or 62 miles while carrying a weight of up to 6 kg (13.2 pounds).

Now drone will distribute COVID-19 vaccine by air in remote areas

New COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations appear to be on a downward trajectory in the United States as the Biden administration remains confident that it can hit its target of 100 million vaccines in 100 days, the White House Coronavirus Task Force said on Wednesday (February 3).

CDC Director Walensky says COVID variants threaten to reverse positive trends

South Africa welcomed its first batch of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII) on Monday. President Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy Vice President David Mabuza, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, Indian High Commissioner to South Africa, Jaideep Sarkar received the first consignment of one million jabs of the vaccine.

South Africa welcomes its first batch of coronavirus vaccine from India

The European Union failed to make a breakthrough in crisis talks with AstraZeneca on Wednesday and demanded the drugmaker spell out how it would supply the bloc with reserved doses of COVID-19 vaccine from plants in Europe and Britain.

European Union demands AstraZeneca plan to break vaccine deadlock

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