Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul><li>The US, UK, European Union, India and other countries are currently mulling over the approval of COVID-19 vaccines for the masses amid growing concerns over allergic reactions.</li><li>Data shows that more than 1.9 million people in the US have received a Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine dose, but only ten cases of anaphylaxis are under investigation. </li><li>Only one case of anaphylaxis has been reported after receiving Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. </li></ul>More than 1.9 million people in the US have gotten a COVID-19 vaccine dose, and the European Union (EU) has put its program to vaccinate 450 million across the continent into gear. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="79989056" title="COVID-19 vaccination campaign begins in Germany, Greece, Sweden, and other European nations" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> In the US, all eyes are on Pfizer and Moderna. Meanwhile, in the UK, the Pfizer vaccine has been administered to more than 600,000 citizens. All eyes are on the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine’s pending approval. As countries rush to make the vaccine available, there are growing concerns around the reported adverse allergic reactions. Allergic reactions to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine was the first to roll out. It also has the most reports of severe allergic reactions compared to the only other vaccine which has approval so far, Moderna. Federal agencies in the US <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/index.html">are investigating</a> at least ten cases of people who suffered anaphylaxis — a severe allergic reaction — after receiving Pfizer’s vaccine. In Alaska, two cases reported tongue swelling, hoarse voice and difficulty breathing within ten minutes of taking the first dose. At least two health care workers in Britain have also experienced severe allergic reactions after receiving the Pfizer vaccine earlier this month. They are understood to have suffered an ‘anaphylactoid’ reaction, which involves skin rashes, breathlessness and sometimes a drop in blood pressure. This is different from anaphylaxis reactions, which can be fatal if immediate medical aid isn’t administered. The UK has advised that anyone with a history of anaphylaxis to medicine or food shouldn’t get the vaccine. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) officials have discussed some cases. Still, they have not determined whether an ingredient in the vaccine caused allergic responses. However, some <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/scientists-eye-potential-culprit-for-covid-19-vaccine-allergic-reactions-11608901200">researchers believe</a> that polyethylene glycol (PEG) could be responsible. Allergic reactions to Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine The first case of an extreme adverse side-effect to Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine was reported last week. A doctor in Boston said he developed a severe allergic reaction to the vaccine within minutes of administration. He has a prior history of being allergic to shellfish. David Kibbe, the spokesman for Boston Medical Centre, confirmed the allergic reaction. “He was taken to the Emergency Department, evaluated, treated, observed and discharged. He is doing well today” Kibbe said in a statement. Moderna’s spokesman, Ray Jordan, communicated that the company will not comment on individual cases but that the company’s medical safety team is looking into the issue. To battle the overload of misinformation around the COVID-19 pandemic and the upcoming vaccine, the CDC will be launching a <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations">new portal on the agency website</a> with information on reactions to COVID-19 vaccines starting this week. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/indian-space-startup-skyroot-aerospace-successfully-test-fires-first-solid-rocket-propulsion-stage-demonstrator-called-kalam-5/articleshow/79988975.cms">India’s first-ever privately designed and developed rocket is a step closer to becoming a reality in 2021</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/jack-ma-ant-group-asked-to-overhaul-its-business-model-by-china-central-bank/articleshow/79987683.cms">China's central bank wants Jack Ma's Ant Group to overhaul its business model</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/top-10-most-expensive-natural-disasters-of-2020-in-the-world/slidelist/79986294.cms">Cyclone Amphan was the most expensive cyclone of 2020 and the fourth most expensive natural disaster overall</a>

COVID-19 vaccines and their extreme allergic reactions are far and few between — these are some of the side effects to watch out for

Hey COVID vaccine sceptics ⁠— healthcare experts answer some of the worrying questions

Nearly 4.5 million (44,49,552) beneficiaries have received COVID-19 vaccine shots in merely 19 days, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday. India became the fastest country in the world to reach the 4 million COVID-19 vaccination mark, achieving this feat in 18 days. "Many other countries have had a head start of almost 65 days. India launched the countrywide COVID-19 vaccination drive on January 16. The number of beneficiaries being vaccinated every day has also shown a progressive increase," the ministry said. In a span of 24 hours, 3,10,604 people were vaccinated across 8,041 sessions, it said, adding that 84,617 sessions have been conducted so far. India's COVID-19 active caseload has dropped to 1.55 lakh (1,55,025) and comprises just 1.44 per cent of the total infections. The day-on-day change in the number of active cases over the last few weeks depicts the consistent decline in active cases. India's Daily Positivity Rate is 1.82 per cent, as of today, it said. "India has maintained the daily positivity rate below 2 per cent in last few weeks (19 days)," the ministry said. The total recoveries have surged to 1,04,80,455. "The difference in new recoveries outnumbering new cases has also improved the recovery rate to 97.13 per cent. The total recovered cases are 67.6 times the active cases," the ministry highlighted. It said 86.04 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in six states and union territories. At 7,030, Maharashtra has reported the maximum number of single day recoveries while 6,380 people recovered in Kerala in a span of 24 hours followed by 533 in Tamil Nadu. The ministry said that 84.67 per cent of the new cases too are from six states and UTs. Kerala continues to report the highest daily new cases at 6,356. It is followed by Maharashtra with 2,992, while Tamil Nadu reported 514 new cases. Six states and UTs also account for 71.03 per cent of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties at 30 followed by Kerala (20). West Bengal and Chhattisgarh reported 7 casualties each. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/isro-will-transform-in-2021-as-india-pumps-big-money-to-draw-in-startups-for-the-second-space-age/articleshow/80683054.cms">ISRO will transform in 2021 as India pumps big money to draw in startups for the 'second space age'</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/news/new-citizenship-law-pulls-india-down-in-the-democracy-rankings-and-2021-is-not-looking-better/articleshow/80671194.cms">New citizenship law pulls India down in the democracy rankings — and 2021 is not looking better</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/bank-unions-strongly-oppose-divestment-bad-bank-and-fdi-in-insurance-with-threats-to-go-on-strike/articleshow/80668430.cms">Bank unions strongly oppose divestment, a bad bank and threaten to strike</a>

India has administered about 4.5 million COVID-19 vaccine shots in 19 days

<ul><li>The final results of Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine show that it's 95% effective. </li><li>The only significant side effect, with a frequency of over 2%, was fatigue. </li><li>The company plans to file for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) with the US’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) within the next few days. </li></ul>The COVID-19 vaccine being developed by Pfizer and BioNtech is 95% effective according to its <a href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-conclude-phase-3-study-covid-19-vaccine">final analysis</a>. Even in adults over the age of 65 years, the efficacy was observed at 94%. “No serious safety concerns were observed in the COVID-19 vaccine trial,” said the <a href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-conclude-phase-3-study-covid-19-vaccine">press note</a> issued by both companies. The phase 3 study only showed mild to moderate side effects that cleared up quickly. “The only significant side effect than that 2% in frequency was fatigue at 3.7%,” the study highlighted. How does the vaccine work? With a 95% efficacy rate, those who get the vaccine will be protected within 28 days of the first dose — and there is only a two-dose schedule. This is far more effective than the threshold laid out by the White House coronavirus advisor Anthony Fauci, who has previously stated that a vaccine that is 50% to 60% effective would be acceptable. When will the vaccine be able for the public? Now that the vaccine is ready for market as soon as it gets the required permissions, Pfizer and BioNTech plan to make up to 50 million doses before the end of the year and another 1.3 billion in 2021. According to the company, the vaccine’s efficacy is consistent across different ages, races and ethnicities. In light of the success, Pfizer plans to file for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) for the vaccine with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) within the next few days. It claims it has met all the safety data milestones required by the authorities. Why India shouldn’t rejoice just yet A year since the first COVID-19 case was detected, the success of a possible vaccine provides a ray of hope after the last seven grueling months of the pandemic. However, the Pfizer vaccine may not be suited for use in India since it requires storage at minus 70 degrees Celsius. According to the Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/indian-covid-vaccines-can-survive-in-warmer-temperatures-pfizers-says-aiims-director/articleshow/79172255.cms">Randeep Guleria</a>, the Pfizer vaccine’s requirement of a lower storage temperature is something that India’s cold storage infrastructure may not be able to support for the population of 1.3 billion. However, Pfizer believes its expertise and existing cold-chain infrastructure will be enough to distribute the vaccine around the world in specially designed and temperature controlled thermal shippers that use dry ice. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/lakshmi-vilas-bank-customers-have-withdrawn-10000-crore-since-rbis-moratorium-was-announced-last-night/articleshow/79281857.cms">Lakshmi Vilas Bank customers have withdrawn ₹10,000 crore since RBI's moratorium was announced last night</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/capgemini-hr-head-explains-why-the-french-it-major-is-going-crazy-hiring-in-india-and-around-the-world/articleshow/79277396.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Capgemini HR head explains why the French IT major is going crazy hiring in India and around the world</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/indiamart-and-justdial-in-legal-battle-over-copyright-violations/articleshow/79275178.cms">IndiaMart and JD Mart gear up for a legal battle over copyright infringement — even as Justdial calls IndiaMart’s allegations ‘baseless’</a>

Pfizer's new COVID-19 vaccine is 95% effective and the only severe side-effect to worry about is fatigue, according to the final results

The analysis of the additional data and information submitted by Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech is still being conducted by regulator Central Drug Standard Control Organisation's (CDSCO) Subject Expert Committee and their next meeting will be held on January 1. The Subject Expert Committee met on Wednesday to consider the Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) request of Pfizer, SII and Bharat Biotech Private Ltd. Further time was requested on behalf of Pfizer, while the additional data and information presented by the SII and Bharat Biotech was perused and analysed by the SEC. "The analysis of the additional data and information is going on. SEC will convene again on 1st January 2021 (Friday)," the Centre said in a statement. America's Pfizer was the first one to apply for the accelarated approval on December 4, followed by the SII and Bharat Biotech who applied on December 6 and 7, respectively. On December 9, the Subject Expert Committee had asked the SII and Bharat Biotech to submit more data and information to get approval. The expert panel had then recommended the SII to submit outcome of the assessment of UK regulatoe for grant of emergency use approval, the updated safety data of the Phase 2/3 clinical trial and immunogenicity data from the clinical trials in UK and India. Bharat Biotech was recommended to present the safety and efficacy data from the ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial in the country for further consideration. Their applications were reviewed again earlier on Wednesday, hours after the UK accepted the recommendation of the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to authorise Oxford University-AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine, named Covishield, for emergency use. The authorization was significant for India as the Pune-based SII had tied up with the company to conduct clinical trials and manufacture the vaccine. Besides, Bharat Biotech is developing country's indigenous coronavirus vaccine - Covaxin - in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research. The Central government plans to vaccinate nearly 30 crore people in the first phase of drive. It will be offered to one crore healthcare workers, along with 2 crore frontline and essential workers and 27 crore elderly, mostly above the age of 50 years with co-morbidities. Covishield uses a replication-deficient chimpanzee viral vector based on a weakened version of a common cold virus that causes infections in chimpanzees and contains the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein. After vaccination, the surface spike protein is produced, priming the immune system to attack the coronavirus if it later infects the body. The vaccine can be stored, transported and handled at normal refrigerated conditions at two to eight degrees Celsius for at least six months and administered within existing healthcare settings. Its interim analysis for efficacy showed that the vaccine was 70.4 per cent effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 occurring more than 14 days after receiving two doses of the vaccine. The SII has already made 40 to 50 million doses of the shot. "We have 40-50 million doses of Covishield stockpiled. We will be producing around 300 million doses by July 2021," its CEO Adar Poonawalla had recently said. Besides this, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is India's indigenous vaccine and is being developed in collaboration with the ICMR's National Institute of Virology. The indigenous, inactivated vaccine is developed and manufactured in Bharat Biotech's BSL-3 (Bio-Safety Level 3) high containment facility SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/income-tax/news/income-tax-returns-filing-deadline-extended-to-january-10/articleshow/80029154.cms">Relief for taxpayers: Deadline to file income tax returns extended further to January 10</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/uk-approves-oxford-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-for-emergency-use/articleshow/80023778.cms">UK approves Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/google-is-testing-a-shortcut-feature-for-tiktok-and-instagram-videos/articleshow/80021865.cms">Google is testing a shortcut feature for TikTok and Instagram videos</a>.

India continues to mull over SII and Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine candidates

<ul><li>The Indian government is set to role out the second phase of <keyword id="10820295" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-19-vaccination-from-march-1">COVID-19 vaccination from March 1</keyword>.</li><li><keyword id="20566" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="senior-citizens">Senior citizens</keyword> above the age of 60 years and those over 45 years old with comorbidities will be eligible for the vaccine. </li><li>The vaccine doses will be given free of cost at government hospitals and will also be available at private clinics, but the price tag for private distribution is yet to be decided.</li></ul>The Indian government announced today that COVID-19 vaccine doses for senior citizens will be available starting March 1. This includes anyone who is above 60 years of age and people above 45 years of age with comorbidities. “The COVID-19 vaccine will be available across 10,000 government facilities and many private hospitals,” said Union Minister Prakash Javadekar during the cabinet briefing. While the vaccine will be given free of cost at government hospitals, the cost of the vaccine at private hospitals is yet to be decided by the Health Ministry. According to Javadekar, the benchmark for this will be decided within the next two to three days after consulting with the vaccine manufacturers. This comes after the first phase of COVID-19 vaccine drive, which was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/covid-19-vaccination-in-india-health-ministry-releases-list-of-potential-side-effects/articleshow/80278217.cms">initiated on January 15</a>, has been completed. According to Javadekar, over 1.07 crore people were vaccinated during this time — most of them frontline workers. Among them, around 14 lakh have gotten the second dose as well. As the vaccination reaches out to the masses, the world’s largest vaccine maker Serum Institute of India (SII) has been asked to focus on India’s needs, tweeted its CEO Adar Poonawalla. <div type="twitter" handle="adarpoonawalla" handlename="Adar Poonawalla" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1302181254746509313/Kn1fTCv6_normal.jpg" favoritecount="28398" retweetcount="2609" status="Dear countries &amp; governments, as you await #COVISHIELD supplies, I humbly request you to please be patient,… https://t.co/tQQsGkPtVW" createdat="1613882072000" id="1363346341275967488"></div> Those opting for the COVID-19 vaccine will either receive SII’s Covishield or Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin. The potential, but mild, side effects of the vaccines include headache, fatigue, myalgia (pain in muscle), injection site tenderness, malaise (weakness), pyrexia, chills, arthralgia, and nausea, according to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/covid-19-vaccination-in-india-health-ministry-releases-list-of-potential-side-effects/articleshow/80278217.cms">Health Ministry. </a> SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/news/covid-19-vaccines-in-india-are-at-risk-of-expiring-while-anxious-senior-citizens-wait-for-their-turn/articleshow/81127178.cms">COVID-19 vaccines in India are at risk of expiring while anxious senior citizens wait for their turn</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/indian-government-wants-its-it-hardware-industry-to-be-as-globally-successful-as-tcs-hcl-tech-and-infosys-announces-pli-scheme-worth-7250-crore/articleshow/81189588.cms">Indian government wants its IT hardware industry to be as globally successful as TCS, HCL Tech and Infosys — announces PLI scheme worth ₹7,250 crore</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/nse-halts-trading-after-data-glitches-stop-nifty50-and-bank-nifty-from-updating/articleshow/81186539.cms">India’s largest stock exchange halts trading after data glitches stop Nifty50 and Bank Nifty from updating</a>

COVID-19 vaccination for senior citizens to start from March 1 in India — will be free at government hospitals

Global pharma major Pfizer on Thursday said it remains committed to engaging with the Indian government to explore opportunities to make Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine available in the country. The UK on Wednesday became the first country to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19 with the UK regulator Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)granting a temporary authorisation for its emergency use. "Right now we are in discussions with many governments around the world and remain committed to engaging with the Government of India and explore opportunities to make this vaccine available for use in the country," a Pfizer spokesperson said in a statement. Pfizer is committed to ensuring everyone has the opportunity to have access to the vaccine, and is working closely with governments, it added. "During this pandemic phase, Pfizer will supply this vaccine only through government contracts based on agreements with respective government authorities and following regulatory authorisation or approval," the statement said. The UK regulator, MHRA has granted a temporary authorisation for emergency use of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. This constitutes the first Emergency Use Authorisation following a worldwide phase 3 trial of a vaccine to help fight the pandemic, Pfizer said on Wednesday. "As we anticipate further authorizations and approvals, we are focused on moving with the same level of urgency to safely supply a high-quality vaccine around the world," Pfizer Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla said on Wednesday. In November, NITI Aayog member (Health) V K Paul, who also heads the National Task Force on COVID-19, had said the arrival of the <keyword id="9655003" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="pfizer-vaccine">Pfizer vaccine</keyword> in the country might take some months. "The arrangement of cold-chains for storing the vaccine developed by Pfizer at a low temperature of minus 70 degrees Celsius is a big challenge and it will not be easy for any nation. But then, if at all it has to be obtained, we are examining what we need to do...and will work out a strategy," he had said. Currently in India, Pune-based Serum Institute of India has said that it will apply for emergency use licensure for AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine in two weeks. Phase-3 clinical trial of the indigenously-developed vaccine candidate of Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is also underway. While vaccine candidate of Zydus Cadila has completed the phase-2 clinical trial, pharma major Dr Reddy's Laboratories has started the combined phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, in India. Another domestic firm Biological E Ltd has also started early phase 1 and 2 human trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/india-may-reportedly-block-wikipedia-if-the-site-doesnt-delete-the-map-showing-aksai-chin-as-a-part-of-china/articleshow/79541391.cms">India may reportedly block Wikipedia if the site doesn't delete the map showing Aksai Chin as a part of China</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/geo-tagged-bottles-in-the-ganges-river-show-how-plastic-pollution-can-travel-thousands-of-kilometres-in-just-a-few-months/articleshow/79540173.cms">Geo-tagged bottles in the Ganges river show how plastic pollution can travel thousands of kilometres in just a few months</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/trump-h1-b-visa-restrictions-scrapped-by-us-court-spells-good-news-for-indian-and-american-it-companies-alike/articleshow/79531053.cms">Trump's H-1B visa restrictions scrapped by US court spells good news for Indian and American IT companies alike</a>

Pfizer claims its committed to making its COVID-19 vaccine available in India and engaging with the government

An 87-year-old Indian-origin man from the north east of England will become one of the first people in the world to get a vaccine against COVID-19 when he receives his Pfizer/BioNTech jab at a hospital in Newcastle on Tuesday. Hari Shukla from Tyne and Wear said he feels it is his duty to receive his first of the two-dose vaccine, a moment UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed as a "huge step forward" as Tuesday was dubbed "V-Day" or Vaccine Day in the UK. "I'm so pleased we are hopefully coming towards the end of this pandemic and I am delighted to be doing my bit by having the vaccine, I feel it is my duty to do so and do whatever I can to help," said Shukla. "Having been in contact with the NHS (National Health Service), I know how hard they all work and the greatest respect for them - they have a heart of gold and I am grateful for everything they have done to keep us safe during the pandemic," he said. Shukla was notified by the NHS based on the criteria set by the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation as part of a phased rollout plan based on those at the highest risk of death from the deadly virus. People aged 80 and over, care home workers as well as NHS workers who are at higher risk will be first in line to receive the "life-saving jab". "Today marks a huge step forward in the UK's fight against coronavirus, as we begin delivering the vaccine to the first patients across the whole country. I am immensely proud of the scientists who developed the vaccine, members of the public who took part in trials, and the NHS who have worked tirelessly to prepare for rollout," said Johnson. However, the UK PM struck a note of caution to warn that mass vaccination will take time and urged the public to remain "clear-eyed" and continue to follow the lockdown rules over the winter months ahead. The NHS said it is undertaking the biggest and most highly anticipated immunisation campaign in history at 50 hospital hubs, with more starting vaccinations over the coming weeks and months as the programme ramps up after the first set of doses arrived from <keyword id="44612" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pfizer">Pfizer</keyword>'s manufacturing site in Belgium. "We will look back on today, V-day, as a key moment in our fight back against this terrible disease, and I am proud our health services across the United Kingdom are about to embark on our largest ever vaccination programme," said UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock. "With over-80s and frontline health and care staff receiving their vaccinations from today, the whole country will breathe a collective sigh of relief as our most vulnerable loved ones start to be given protection from the virus. Now's the time to sit tight and remain patient until you get notified by the NHS that it's time for your vaccination," he said, adding that the light at the end of the tunnel is visible but there is still a long way to go. Since the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine got the green light from the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) last week, the NHS said its workers have been working around the clock to manage the large-scale logistical challenge of deploying the vaccine. "Coronavirus is the greatest health challenge in NHS history, taking loved ones from us and disrupting every part of our lives," said Sir Simon Stevens, NHS Chief Executive. "The deployment of this vaccine marks a decisive turning point in the battle with the pandemic. NHS vaccination programmes which have successfully helped overcome tuberculosis, polio, and smallpox, now turn their focus to coronavirus. NHS staff are proud to be leading the way as the first health service in the world to begin vaccination with this COVID jab," he said. The Pfizer/BionTech formula is an mRNA vaccine that uses a tiny fragment of genetic code from the pandemic virus to teach the body how to fight Covid-19 and build immunity. It is delivered in two doses of 21 days apart and, according to experts, it has shown a strong immunity response kicking in after seven days of the second dose. The MHRA has stressed it has been cleared for mass rollout only after "rigorous" safety tests despite the process being speeded up due to the urgency of finding an effective vaccine against a pandemic which has wreaked havoc around the world. NHS national medical director, Professor Stephen Powis, has warned that the roll out of a vaccine will be a "marathon" not a sprint. The Pfizer vaccine needs to be stored at -70C before being thawed out and can only be moved four times within that cold chain before being used. General Practitioners (GPs) and other primary care staff have also been put on standby to start delivering the jab on a phased basis. Vaccination centres treating large numbers of patients in sporting venues and conference centres will subsequently start up when further supplies of vaccine come on stream, with a bulk of the rollout expected in the early part of the New Year.

India-origin man will be among the first to get Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in UK

The <keyword id="8624004" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine</keyword> developed by teams at the University of Oxford has been shown to trigger a robust immune response in healthy adults aged 56-69 and those over 70 years of age. The findings published in 'Lancet' on Thursday based on 560 healthy adult volunteers shows that the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine is "safe and well tolerated" with a lower reactogenicity profile in older adults than in younger adults, meaning the older age groups could build immunity to the disease. "These findings are encouraging because older individuals are at disproportionate risk of severe COVID-19 and so any vaccine adopted for use against SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19] must be effective in older adults," the researchers note. The team is also testing whether the vaccine stops people developing COVID-19 in larger Phase 3 trials and early results from this crucial stage are expected in the coming weeks. "We were pleased to see that our vaccine was not only well tolerated in older adults, but also stimulated similar immune responses to those seen in younger volunteers," said Dr Maheshi Ramasamy, an investigator at the Oxford Vaccine Group. "The next step will be to see if this translates into protection from the disease itself," she said. This means there are now four promising vaccines on the horizon after Pfizer-BioNTech, Sputnik and Moderna already reporting good preliminary data from Phase 3 trials. The UK has already ordered 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine, being manufactured by pharma major AstraZeneca. The vaccine also has a tie-up with the Serum Institute of India. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/wipro-ceo-delaportes-new-plan-could-allow-company-to-catch-up-to-to-tcs-infosys-hcl-tech-and-others/articleshow/79299467.cms">Wipro CEO Delaporte’s new plan could give the Indian IT services giant the edge it needs to catch up to its peers, according to analysts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/spicejet-shares-gain-over-15-after-american-air-regulator-gives-boeings-737-max-clearance/articleshow/79299146.cms">SpiceJet shares gain over 15% after FAA Boeing’s 737 Max clearance — DGCA says will take some time before making a decision</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/zomato-is-being-pulled-apart-in-a-polarised-india-for-pushing-advertising-money-to-backing-a-partisan-news-outfit/articleshow/79296969.cms">Zomato is being pulled apart in a polarised India⁠ for pushing advertising money to back a partisan news outfit</a>

Oxford University's COVID-19 vaccine shows safe results for senior citizens

<ul><li>The UK is the first country to approve the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for active immunisation. </li><li>The country has ordered 100 million doses of the vaccine and the vaccine is likely to start rolling out by January 4. </li><li>However, European watchdog has warned that there isn’t enough data to be giving the Oxford vaccine approval just yet. </li></ul>The Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine — also called the ‘jab’ — has been approved for mass vaccination in the UK. The country has already ordered 100 million doses of the vaccine, which are expected to start rolling out the vaccine from January 4. "The government has today accepted the recommendation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to authorise Oxford University/AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine for use," said the Health and Social Care department spokesperson. MHRA’s authorisation for the emergency supply of Oxford covid vaccine is aimed at the active immunisation of individuals 18 years or older, according to AstraZeneca. What does this mean for India? This could spell good news for India, who has been keeping its eye on the UK, with its own approval of the vaccine is pending. As compared to the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is more suited to India’s cold storage infrastructure. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Vaccine candidates and the temperatures they need to survive: </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Vaccine </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Cold chain </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Pfizer/BioNTech </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-70 degrees Celsius </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Moderna </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-20 degrees Celsius </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Oxford/AstraZeneca </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2-8 degrees </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Johnson and Johnson </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2-8 degrees </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Novavax </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2-8 degrees </td></tr></tbody></table>Source: Respective companies The Serum Institute of India (SII) is hopeful that the India variant, called COVISHIELD, will receive the required regulatory approval in ‘few days.’ "We have 40-50 million doses of Covishield stockpiled. Once we get regulatory approvals in a few days, it will be down to the government to decide how much they can take and how fast. We will be producing around 300 million doses by July 2021," said Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla during a press conference on Monday. However, officials at the European Medicines Agency (<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/oxford-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-approval-is-unthinkable-claims-european-watchdog/articleshow/80022921.cms">EMA</a>) have warned that giving the vaccine approval at this stage is ‘unthinkable’. "The data we have at the moment is not even enough to give the AstraZeneca vaccine a conditional authorisation," they told Belgian newspaper het Nieuwsblad. "We need additional data about the quality of the vaccine. And after that, the company has to formally apply.” As of now, AstraZeneca recommends two doses administered with a gap of between four to 12 weeks. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/india-detects-14-new-cases-of-uk-covid-19-strain-putting-the-tally-at-20/articleshow/80020163.cms">India detects 14 new cases of mutated COVID-19 strain in UK returnees, putting the tally at 20</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/three-anil-ambani-companies-accused-of-fraud-ten-times-more-than-vijay-mallya/articleshow/80002892.cms">Three Anil Ambani companies have reportedly been accused of fraud by banks⁠ — the amount at stake is nearly ten times more than what Mallya owed</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/new-strain-of-uk-covid-19-virus-is-a-lot-more-contagious-warns-indias-health-ministry/articleshow/80011618.cms">The new strain of COVID-19 is a lot more contagious, warns India's Health Ministry</a>

UK approves Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

Australia on Monday began the local production of a <keyword id="8904563" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-19-vaccine">Covid-19 vaccine</keyword> candidate developed by the University of Oxford, with roughly 30 million doses planned to be manufactured. Despite still undergoing clinical trials, the vaccine, which was co-developed by pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, is considered one of the more promising vaccines globally, reports Xinhua news agency. Australian biotech firm CSL has agreements with AstraZeneca and the government to begin pre-emptive production of the vaccine, for release during the first half of 2021 should remaining tests prove successful. "We are undertaking these manufacturing activities at-risk and in parallel with the clinical trials and approvals processes in recognition of the significant urgency of the Covid-19 pandemic," CSL's Chief Scientific Officer Andrew Nash said. It is expected the vaccine will require a two-dose per person regime meaning it could be effectively administered to 15 million people. However, it will not be released for use until the development process is reviewed and approved by Australia's government regulatory authority, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Production will take place at CSL's bioreactor facility in the State of Victoria, with the manufacturing process beginning by thawing vials containing vaccine cells which had been frozen under liquid nitrogen. "After growing in the bioreactors, the vaccine is then filtered and purified leaving just the antigen, or vaccine product. It is then ready for final formulation and filling into dosage vials," the company said in a statement. CSL had already manufactured several doses of another Covid-19 vaccine candidate developed by Australia's University of Queensland (UQ), which it is holding in readiness to progress to Phase 2b/3 clinical trials. Further trials on the UQ vaccine candidate are due pending the release and review of Phase 1 clinical trial data. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/kamala-harris-indian-ancestral-village-celebrates-her-victory-as-she-becomes-vice-president-of-the-united-states/articleshow/79117206.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Kamala Harris' Indian ancestral village celebrates her victory as she becomes Vice President of the United States</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/hyperloop-pod-carries-two-humans-through-a-tube-at-over-160-kmph-for-the-first-time-ever/articleshow/79121765.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Hyperloop pod carries two humans through a tube at over 160 kmph for the first time ever</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/top-cyber-espionage-groups-that-have-india-in-their-crosshairs/slidelist/79120867.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Top cyber espionage groups that have India in their crosshairs</a>

Australia begins production of Oxford-developed Covid-19 vaccine

<ul><li><keyword id="44612" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pfizer">Pfizer</keyword> and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine is 90% effective in those who haven’t been infected by coronavirus before. </li><li>This is higher than the efficacy target laid out by White House coronavirus advisor Anthony Fauci of 50% to 60%</li><li>At this level, the COVID-19 vaccine will give people protection within 28 days of the first dose, the latest trial shows.</li></ul>The COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and German biotech firm BioNTech is getting closer to becoming a reality. The latest data from their late-stage vaccine trial shows that their COVID-19 vaccine is <a href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-announce-vaccine-candidate-against">90% more effective</a> in preventing an infection if a person has never come in contact with it before. This means that those who get the vaccine will be protected within 28 days of the first dose — and there is only a two-dose schedule. This is far more effective than the threshold laid out by the White House coronavirus advisor Anthony Fauci, who has previously stated that a vaccine that is 50% to 60% effective would be acceptable. However, the efficacy of the final vaccine may vary as more results continue to pour in. “The first set of results from our Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent COVID-19,” said Pfizer chairman and CEO <a href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-announce-vaccine-candidate-against">Albert Bourla</a> in a statement. The current findings are based on an interim analysis conducted after 94 participants contracted the virus and will continue until 164 cases have occurred. If the data holds up, it could mean a milestone for the world, which has been scrambling to find a cure for COVID-19 for nearly a year now. Current projections forecast that Pfizer and BioTech are poised to produce up to 50 million doses of their vaccine in 2020, and another 1.3 billion in 2021. The complete data from the phase 3 trial, which kicked off back in July, will be submitted for scientific peer-review and subsequent submission. After they have two months of data has been compiled, which is currently on track for the third week of November, the companies plan to submit for emergency use authorization to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration soon SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/apple-has-frozen-any-new-business-deals-with-primary-iphone-manufacturer-in-china-pegatron-due-to-labour-abuse-allegations/articleshow/79129137.cms">Apple’s new 5G iPhones could reportedly be manufactured by a company within Mainland China for the very first time</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/pubg-mobile-could-return-to-india-riding-on-microsofts-azure-cloud-service/articleshow/79127963.cms">PUBG Mobile could return to India riding on Microsoft’s Azure cloud service</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/top-cyber-espionage-groups-that-have-india-in-their-crosshairs/slidelist/79120867.cms">Top cyber espionage groups that have India in their crosshairs</a>

You Searched For "vaccine covid 19" and got 12 results

COVID-19 vaccines and their extreme allergic reactions are far and few between — these are some of the side effects to watch out for

BI India Bureau

Hey COVID vaccine sceptics ⁠— healthcare experts answer some of the worrying questions

Kavita Majumdar

India has administered about 4.5 million COVID-19 vaccine shots in 19 days

PTI

Pfizer's new COVID-19 vaccine is 95% effective and the only severe side-effect to worry about is fatigue, according to the final results

Prabhjote Gill

India continues to mull over SII and Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine candidates

IANS

COVID-19 vaccination for senior citizens to start from March 1 in India — will be free at government hospitals

Prabhjote Gill

Pfizer claims its committed to making its COVID-19 vaccine available in India and engaging with the government

PTI

India-origin man will be among the first to get Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in UK

PTI

Oxford University's COVID-19 vaccine shows safe results for senior citizens

PTI

UK approves Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

Prabhjote Gill

Australia begins production of Oxford-developed Covid-19 vaccine

IANS

Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is 90% effective in preventing coronavirus in those who haven’t been infected ever before, shows data from latest trials

Prabhjote Gill

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides