Coronavirus Vaccine

US Health Secy removes members of committee advising CDC on vaccine usage

US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has vowed to replace all 17 members of the committee with his picks, according to a press statement shared by the Department of Health and Human Services

New mRNA vaccine is more effective, less costly to develop, shows study

The lessons learned from this study could inform more efficient vaccine development for other constantly evolving RNA viruses with pandemic potential, said senior author Suresh Kuchipudi

Covid booster jab not needed, say experts; high-risk groups need protection

Public health experts recommend a risk-based Covid response focused on the elderly and immunocompromised instead of mass booster vaccination campaigns

NB.1.8.1 Covid-19 variant makes up 10% cases globally: Should you worry?

Fatigue, cough and a runny nose may be more than a cold as NB.1.8.1 spreads-here's how serious it is, how it spreads, and what vaccines still protect against

Covid-19 cases rising again: Should you wear a mask again? Experts say yes

As India reports over 4,300 active Covid-19 cases, experts urge precaution with masks, boosters, and hygiene amid rising sub-variants and health alerts

India crosses 4K active Covid cases, records 5 deaths in last 24 hours

India's active Covid-19 cases reach 4,026 with Kerala having the highest caseload; five deaths reported on Monday including two in Maharashtra

Active Covid-19 cases in India rise to 3,758; 2 deaths reported in 24 hours

State-wise, after Kerala (1,400), the highest active caseloads are in Maharashtra (485), Delhi (436), Gujarat (320), Karnataka (238), West Bengal (287), Tamil Nadu (199), and Uttar Pradesh (149)

US FDA approves Moderna's new lower-dose Covid-19 vaccine 'mNexspike'

The US approved a new COVID-19 vaccine made by Moderna late Friday but with limits on who can use it not a replacement for the company's existing shot, but a second option. The new vaccine, mNexspike, is a step toward next-generation coronavirus vaccines. It's made in a way that allows for a lower dose a fifth of the dose of its current COVID-19 vaccine, Spikevax by refining its immune target. The approval adds an important new tool to help protect people at high risk of severe disease from COVID-19, Stephane Bancel, Moderna's CEO, said in a statement Saturday. The Food and Drug Administration approved the new vaccine for use in all adults 65 and older, and for people age 12 to 64 who have a least one health condition that puts them at increased risk from the coronavirus. That's the same limit that the FDA set in licensing another COVID-19 vaccine option from competitor Novavax. Those restrictions are a departure from how the US has handled COVID-19 vaccines until now, reflecti

Covid vaccines not recommended for children, pregnant women: US health secy

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday announced that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women. In a 58-second video posted on the social media site X, Kennedy said he removed COVID-19 shots from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations for those groups. No one from the CDC was in the video, and CDC officials referred questions about the announcement to Kennedy and the US Department of Health and Human Services. US health officials, following recommendations by infectious disease experts, have been urging annual COVID-19 boosters for all Americans ages 6 months and older. A CDC advisory panel is set to meets in June to make recommendations about the fall shots. Among its options are suggesting shots for high-risk groups but still giving lower-risk people the choice to get vaccinated. But Kennedy, a leading anti-vaccine advocate before becoming health secretary, decided not to wait. He said that annual ...

Datanomics: Rising Covid cases put spotlight on India's healthcare system

Without urgent boosts in investment, experts warn India will struggle to meet both everyday and emergency health demands

Govt issues fresh Covid advisory; Delhi hospitals told to test, train staff

With new Covid sub variants detected, Centre asks hospitals to ensure bed, oxygen, and vaccine readiness, conduct genome sequencing, and report ILI/SARI cases on health portals

NB.1.8.1, LF.7 variants of Covid detected in India: INSACOG data

One case of the newly emerging COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1 and four instances of the LF.7 type have been detected in India, according to INSACOG data. As of May 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies LF.7 and NB.1.8 subvariants as Variants Under Monitoring, not as Variants of Concern or Variants of Interest. But these are the variants that are reportedly driving the rise in Covid cases in China and parts of Asia. According to data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), one case of NB.1.8.1 was identified in April in Tamil Nadu and four cases of LF.7 were detected in Gujarat in May. In India, the most common variant remains JN.1, comprising 53 per cent of samples tested, followed by BA.2 (26 per cent) and other Omicron sublineages (20 per cent). Though WHO's preliminary risk assessment classifies NB.1.8.1 as posing a low public health risk globally, its spike protein mutations such as A435S, V445H, and T478I suggest increased transmissibility and immun

FDA may change Covid-19 booster rules from 2025: What it means for you

The US Food and Drug Administration may limit Covid-19 boosters shots to high-risk groups from 2025; Pfizer reviewing proposal as agency seeks new trials, clearer risk labels for younger males

India's Covid-19 response must go beyond vaccines, follow global practices

Several advanced countries are offering annual Covid-19 booster doses, especially to vulnerable groups

Covid-19 cases cross 250 mark in India: Should you worry about JN.1 variant?

Doctors explain what the Covid JN.1 variant is, its symptoms, vaccine protection, testing options, and what precautions Indians should take amid rising cases in Asia

US FDA approves Novavax Covid vaccine with added conditions for use

According to the approval letter, the license restricts the use of the vaccine called Nuvaxovid to individuals aged 65 and older, and those between 12 and 64

Covid-19 plot twist: China claims virus may have emerged from the US

The US not only botched its own response to Covid-19; it also obstructed and sabotaged international cooperation in various ways, allege a white paper released by China

New study finds repeated Covid-19 vaccines are safe for your metabolism

A 16-month Australian study finds no adverse impact of repeated Covid vaccinations on metabolism, inflammation, or cardiovascular markers

FDA review of Novavax Covid-19 vaccine sparks uncertainty about other shots

The Trump administration's effort to impose new requirements on Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine -- the nation's only traditional protein-based option for the coronavirus -- is sowing uncertainty about updates to other vaccines, too. Novavax said on Monday that the Food and Drug Administration was asking the company to run a new clinical trial of its vaccine after the agency grants full approval. The company said it had responded and that it believed its shot remains "approvable". But a weekend post on social media by FDA Commissioner Marty Makary suggested the prospect of needing a new trial before the shots' yearly strain update -- something unlikely to be possible before fall. That's raised questions about whether other vaccines will be caught in the turmoil. "I don't think because there's a strain change that this is a new product," said Dr Jesse Goodman of Georgetown University, a former FDA vaccine chief. If that's the new policy, "you'd always be doing clinical trials and you'd nev

New bat virus HKU5-CoV-2 sparks pandemic fears - Is it the next COVID-19?

China has discovered a new coronavirus in bats that can enter the human body like Covid-19. The new virus, HKU5-CoV, hasn't been detected in humans yet but has been identified in a laboratory