Page 25 - Coronavirus Vaccine

Hybrid immunity may be behind difference in India-China Covid numbers

While hybrid immunity is behind India's low COVID-19 numbers, a large section of China's population may not have this protection provided by a combination of vaccination and prior infection, leading to spurt in cases there, experts say. The experts also questioned the efficacy of the vaccines available to the people in China. India has been witnessing lowest COVID-19 numbers since the beginning of the pandemic, while China has seen record numbers of the viral disease in recent days. In the last 24 hours, India reported a rise of 165 COVID-19 cases, while the count of active cases has declined to 4,345, according to the numbers shared by the Union government at 8 am on Tuesday. The daily number of cases in the country had peaked at 4,14,188 (over 4.1 lakh) on May 7, 2021. The following month, on June 10, 2021, the number of deaths increased at 6,148. On the other hand, China reported 19,903 infections in 24 hours, according to the World Health Organisation. The recent daily cases

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Covid vaccine-linked heart inflammation high in males after 2nd dose: Study

A meta-analysis of 23 studies, including 854 patients aged 12 to 20 years with mRNA vaccine-associated myopericarditis, has found that the incidence was higher in males after the second dose

Beijing city relaxes Covid-19 test norms following widespread protests

For the first time in about two years, China's capital city Beijing relaxed its norms for coronavirus test requirements on Tuesday after unprecedented public protests against President Xi Jinping's stringent zero-Covid policy rocked the country. As per the new announcement, negative nucleic acid test results are no longer required to enter shopping malls, supermarkets, commercial buildings and residential compounds. However, Beijing residents will still require a negative Covid-19 test taken within 48 hours to enter restaurants, schools, bars, internet cafes, indoor gaming stadiums, nursing homes, welfare facilities, hospitals and medical institutions. The announcement was made ahead of the memorial meeting held here by the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) for former President of the country Jiang Zemin who passed away on November 30. Beijing continues to report a high number of Covid-19 cases. On Monday, the city reported 2,260 Covid infections. The Chinese mainland on Monda

US won't agree to 2022 patent waivers for Covid tests, treatments

The US won't agree to waive intellectual-property protections for Covid-19 treatments and tests this year -- aligning with developed-nation peers and damaging prospects for a WTO accord

Maharashtra logs 22 new Covid-19 cases, zero casualty; active tally at 278

The recovery rate in the state stands at 98.17 per cent, while the fatality rate is 1.82 per cent, the official said

Lessons from Covid: Pharma firms turn attention to adult vaccination

Vaccine companies have warmed up to the idea of adult vaccines for other diseases such as pneumonia, flu and shingles as well

Woman slips into coma after AstraZeneca vaccine dose against Covid-19

Diagnosed with rare, serious condition

Singapore to see new wave of Covid-19 infections: Health Minister

Singaporeans should expect a new wave of Covid-19 infections with more people travelling and due to the upcoming year-end festivities, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said

India's Covid tally rises by 226; active caseload declines to 4,529

India logged 226 new Covid infections in a day taking the tally of cases to 4.46 crore while active caseload has declined by 68 to reach 4,529, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday. The death toll has climbed to 5,30,6278 with one fatality being reported from Odisha, data updated at 8 am stated. Active cases comprise 0.01 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has increased to 98.80 per cent, according to the health ministry website. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,38,235, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry's website, 219.93 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive. India's COVID-19 tally crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh

Keep Covid military vaccine mandate intact, says US defence chief Austin

Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said he wants to keep the military's COVID-19 vaccine mandate in place to protect the health of the troops, as Republican governors and lawmakers press to rescind it. This past week more than 20 Republican governors sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking that the administration remove the mandate, saying it has hurt the US National Guard's ability to recruit troops. Those troops are activated by governors to respond to natural disasters or unrest. Congress may consider legislation this coming week to end the mandate as a requirement to gather enough support to pass this years' defense budget, which is already two months late. Austin said he would not comment on pressure from the Hill. We lost a million people to this virus," Austin told reporters traveling with him Saturday. A million people died in the United States of America. We lost hundreds in DOD. So this mandate has kept people healthy. I'm the guy who ordered the military to require the

Covid emergency phase closer to end but Omicron transmission remains: WHO

The reason behind is that "Omicron has proved to be significantly more transmissible than its predecessor, Delta, and continues to cause significant mortality due to the intensity of transmission"

2-dose vax offers long-term protection against severe Covid in kids: Study

A two-dose experimental vaccine can provide protection against severe Covid even one year even after the jabs, researchers report

French govt calls on high-risk groups to get 2nd Covid booster shot

There is currently a subvariant that is spreading fast in France, French government spokesperson Olivier Veran underlined

Data story: India adds 275 new Covid cases; active tally sees net decline

India has added 2,083 cases in the past 7 days

Data story: India records 291 Covid cases in 24 hours; 2 new deaths

India has added 2,155 cases in the past 7 days

World's 1st intra-nasal vaccine for Covid gets CDSCO nod for emergency use

On November 28, iNCOVACC - the intra-nasal vaccine received both Primary series and Heterologous booster approval, as per Bharat Biotech

With the flu season here, should you ask for an influenza vaccine?

Demand for flu vaccine weak in India; US facing worst season in a decade

Chinese vaccine plans spark hope for end of 'zero Covid' amid protests

A campaign to vaccinate the elderly has sparked hopes China might roll back severe anti-virus controls that prompted protesters to demand President Xi Jinping resign, but the country faces daunting hurdles and up to a year of hard work before zero COVID can end. Stock markets rose after the National Health Commission on Monday announced the long-awaited campaign. A low vaccination rate is one of the biggest obstacles to ending curbs that have confined millions of people to their homes, depressed the economy and kept most visitors out of China. Health officials did not say how long it might take. A vaccination campaign will require months and China also needs to build up its hospitals and work out a long-term virus strategy, health experts and economists warn. They say zero COVID is likely to stay in place until mid-2023 and possibly as late as 2024. China is in no place right now to move away from its zero-COVID' policy toward a living with COVID' policy, said Mark Williams, chief .

Congress takes dig at PM Modi over deaths due to Covid-19 vaccines

The Congress on Wednesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "shrugging away" from its responsibility, a day after the government told the Supreme Court that it cannot be held liable to compensate for the deaths post administration of Covid vaccines. "First: No deaths due to oxygen shortage. Then: No aid to Covid victims. Now: No accountability for vaccine-related deaths. "Prime Minister Modi really knows how to shrug away responsibility. A true event manager!" the Congress said on its Twitter handle. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also took a dig, saying this government is never responsible for anything. "If there is death due to the side effects of Covid vaccine anywhere in the country, then the government is not responsible for it people are getting it as per their wish. This is Modi government's affidavit in the Supreme Court. (Well this government is never responsible for anything)," she said in a tweet in Hindi. In another tweet, she said, "Thank you M