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

The Indian Council of Medical Research Director General Dr Rajiv Bahl on Monday criticised a recently published study on the long-term safety analysis of the <keyword id="9485939" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="covaxin" source="Orion">Covaxin</keyword> in adults and adolescents for its poor methodology and design, and clarified the article misleadingly and erroneously "acknowledges" <keyword id="19918794" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ICMR" source="keywords">ICMR</keyword>. Dr Bahl said the study had no control arm of unvaccinated individuals for comparing the rates of events between the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. Hence, the reported events in the study cannot be linked or attributed to COVID-19 vaccination. He added that the ICMR is not associated with the study and has not provided any financial or technical support for the research. The ICMR DG has written a letter to the authors of the paper and Editor of the journal to immediately remove the acknowledgement to ICMR and publish an erratum. A research paper, titled 'Long-Term Safety Analysis of the BBVl52 <keyword id="21730391" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus-vaccine" source="keywords">Coronavirus Vaccine</keyword> in Adolescents and Adults: Findings from a l-Year Prospective Study in North India' stated that nearly one-third of the 926 participants in the study who received Bharat Biotech's anti-Covid vaccine Covaxin reported 'adverse events of special interest,' or AESI. Dr Bahl said that ICMR was acknowledged for research support without any prior approval of or intimation to ICMR, which is inappropriate and unacceptable. He stated that ICMR cannot be associated with this poorly designed study which purports to present a "safety analysis" of Covaxin due to several critical flaws. He said the study does not even provide background rates of observed events in the population, making it impossible to assess the change in incidence of observed events in the post-vaccination period. Baseline information of study participants is missing. The study tool used is inconsistent with 'Adverse Events of Special Interest (AESI)' as defined in the reference provided in the paper for AESI. The method of data collection has a high risk of bias, he said. Study participants were contacted telephonically one year after vaccination and their responses were recorded without any confirmation with clinical records or by physician examination, he pointed out. Dr Bahl also noted that similar acknowledgements to ICMR have been made in previous papers without permission, raising concerns about the authors' practices. "The authors have been urged to immediately rectify the acknowledgment to ICMR and publish an erratum. Additionally, they are asked to address the methodological concerns raised. Failure to do so may prompt ICMR to consider legal and administrative action," he said. The Editor has been asked to retract the paper which implicitly makes conclusions on <keyword id="21495684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccine-safety" source="keywords">vaccine safety</keyword> which are not supported by evidence. The study, conducted by researchers from the Banaras Hindu University from January 2022 to August 2023, stated that nearly 50 per cent of 926 study participants in the study complained of infections during the follow-up period, predominated by viral upper respiratory tract infections. Serious AESI, which included stroke and Guillain-Barre syndrome, were reported in one per cent of individuals, the study, which looked at long-term safety of the BBV152 (Covaxin) vaccine in adolescents and adults, claimed. The study involved 635 adolescents and 291 adults, who received the BBV152 vaccine.

BHU study on Covaxin side effects poorly designed, critically flawed: ICMR Director General

<keyword id="19910149" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="AstraZeneca" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="AstraZeneca" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="AstraZeneca">AstraZeneca</keyword> made headlines on Tuesday as it initiated the global withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine. This decision comes weeks after the pharmaceutical giant acknowledged the vaccine's potential to trigger a rare side effect known as <keyword id="21475609" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Thrombosis-with-Thrombocytopenia-Syndrome" source="keywords">Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome</keyword> (TTS). Previously, AstraZeneca had admitted in court filings that its vaccine could lead to side effects like <keyword id="21303970" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="blood-clots" source="keywords">blood clots</keyword> and low blood platelet counts. However, the company has now attributed its <keyword id="21572759" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccine-withdrawal" source="Orion">vaccine withdrawal</keyword> not to the aforementioned side effects, but to an "oversupply of updated vaccines" since the pandemic. The company also announced its decision to revoke the vaccine Vaxzevria's marketing authorisations within Europe, noting that the oversupply has reduced the demand for Vaxzevria, which is no longer being produced or distributed. According to The Telegraph, AstraZeneca had submitted its application to withdraw the vaccine on March 5, and the withdrawal became effective on May 7. AstraZeneca collaborated with the University of Oxford to develop the Vaxzevria vaccine, while also partnering with the <keyword id="19897707" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Serum-Institute-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Serum Institute of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Serum Institute of India">Serum Institute of India</keyword> (SII), the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, to supply the Covishield vaccine to the Indian government. The UK-based pharma company is currently facing <keyword id="19982808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="legal-action" source="keywords">legal action</keyword> alleging that its vaccine has caused deaths and severe harm to a few of those who received it. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The lawsuits against AstraZeneca" comment="subhead" text="The lawsuits against AstraZeneca">The lawsuits against AstraZeneca</cmsannotation> Families of individuals affected by adverse vaccine reactions continue to pursue legal recourse against AstraZeneca and the Serum Institute of India. <keyword id="21513237" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="venugopalan-govindan" source="keywords">Venugopalan Govindan</keyword>, whose daughter Karunya passed away after receiving the Covishield vaccine, expressed his grief and criticised various parties for his daughter's death. He highlighted alleged negligence in responding to early warning signs and cited missed opportunities to prevent tragedies like his daughter's passing. Eight families across India have joined forces to seek justice, emphasising their collective determination to hold accountable those they deem responsible for the tragic loss of their loved ones. Their shared resolve underscores their commitment to achieving justice and preventing similar tragedies from occurring again, he added. In the UK, <keyword id="21472612" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jamie-scott" source="keywords">Jamie Scott</keyword> took legal action last year after suffering from a blood clot and brain bleed following his vaccination in April 2021. AstraZeneca initially denied a causal link between the vaccine and this particular side-effect, but later admitted in court documents that the vaccine could cause TTS in very rare cases. As many as 51 cases have reportedly been filed against AstraZeneca in the British High Court, with affected individuals and families seeking compensation totaling an estimated £100 million. (With inputs from multiple agencies)

AstraZeneca continues to face legal action even after withdrawing its COVID vaccine! Know all about it here

Legendary <keyword id="19918921" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hollywood-actor" source="keywords">Hollywood actor</keyword> <keyword id="20740436" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Al-Pacino" source="keywords">Al Pacino</keyword>, known for his iconic roles in The Godfather trilogy and Scarface, recently opened up about a terrifying moment during the <keyword id="19897423" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-19" source="keywords">COVID-19</keyword> pandemic when he thought he had "experienced death." The 84-year-old actor, in an interview with <keyword id="20038431" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="People-magazine" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="People magazine" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="People magazine">People magazine</keyword>, recounted how he fainted while battling the virus in 2020 and was left questioning his very existence when a nurse attending to him couldn’t detect a pulse. Pacino revealed that it was his "great assistant" Michael Quinn who quickly acted, summoning paramedics to his <keyword id="19914983" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Los-Angeles" source="keywords">Los Angeles</keyword> home. "He got the people coming, because the nurse that was taking care of me said, 'I don't feel a pulse on this guy,'" Pacino recalled, describing the scene as something straight out of a movie. For a brief moment, the actor believed he had passed away. "I thought I experienced death," Pacino said, "because how did all those people gather together? There was an ambulance in front of my house, six paramedics in my living room, and two of my doctors in space suits. I opened my eyes and thought, 'What happened to me?'" But despite the dramatic circumstances, Pacino doesn’t seem too shaken by the ordeal. "Everybody thought I was dead. I didn't," he said. "If I was dead, I fainted. And when I came to, it was all gone." Quoting Shakespeare's famous line from Hamlet—“To be, or not to be”—Pacino mused on the fragility of life but admitted the experience didn’t leave any lasting change on how he lives. When asked whether the health scare had any effect on his outlook, Pacino simply responded, "Not at all." Pacino, who has lived a life filled with memorable roles, fame, and critical acclaim, seems to be taking this near-brush with death in stride. In fact, he’s keeping busy, with his upcoming memoir *Sonny Boy* on the horizon and a role in <keyword id="19920478" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Johnny-Depp" source="keywords">Johnny Depp</keyword>'s directorial project *Modi - Three Days on the Wing of Madness*, which is set for a December 5 release. While many may see such a health scare as a turning point, Pacino remains remarkably unchanged by it. His outlook on life and death, much like his characters on screen, is marked by a sense of calm amidst the chaos. Whether fainting during a pandemic or standing before the camera, Pacino's resilient spirit continues to define him as one of Hollywood's most enduring stars.

'I thought I experienced death': Al Pacino talks about battling Covid-19

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Amy Steel's netball career ended in 2016 after a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wet-bulb-temperatures-spot-stages-of-heat-stroke-and-intervene-2022-7">heat-related illness</a> during a game.</li><li>Eight years later, Steel continues to feel the long-term health issues.</li></ul>The stadium felt stifling even before the game started. Players were grabbing pieces of ice to cool themselves down. After 30 minutes of play, Amy Steel thought she'd be subbed out. Instead, she hit the court again after half-time.While walking through the stadium's parking lot after the game, she collapsed. Eight years later, she hasn't fully recovered from her <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/body-bags-ice-treat-summer-heat-stroke-patients-2024-6">heat-related illness</a>.Steel spent over a decade as a professional netball player — a version of basketball popular in Australia, England, and other countries — but her career ended that day in 2016.Instead of hours of intense workouts, she can only walk or do light yoga. When her heart rate and body <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/heat-related-injuries-workers-rise-2024-7">temperature start to rise</a>, "my body sort of rebels against that, and it's all starts to shut down," Steel told Business Insider.When the body temperature reaches 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/conditions-symptoms/heat-stroke">heat stroke can become deadly</a>. For those who recover from the immediate danger, the <a target="_blank" href="https://news.ufl.edu/2022/07/heatstrokes-long-term-damage-to-the-body/">effects</a> on their hearts, kidneys, and immune systems can be long-lasting.<h2 id="c92a7b4a-0f4d-4eb3-a09a-b771b18bf933">Steel showed some serious signs of heat stroke</h2><div type="image" title="Amy Steel holds a netball on the court about to pass" height="1500" width="2250" msid="112819004" hostid="261" sizebytes="216972"></div>Steel's professional netball career started at age 15. She traveled around Australia and to other countries, <a target="_blank" href="https://diamonds.netball.com.au/player/amy-steel">competing</a> in championship games. "I had some really special career moments," she said.She would train for five hours a day, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wnba-players-money-salaries-side-jobs-wage-gap-2023-12">balancing early morning</a> and evening practices with a <a target="_blank" href="https://greensportsblog.com/the-gsb-interview-amy-steel-netballer-climate-analyst-and-climate-activist/">job</a> in accounting.The day Steel collapsed in 2016, the weather was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/brutal-heat-in-australia-by-2040-will-change-the-shape-of-summer-sport-20210224-p575fu.html">over</a> 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Steel's team was playing a preseason game in Shepparton, about 100 miles north of Melbourne. Officials took <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/climate-change-rising-temperatures-test-human-limits-2023-7">humidity and temperature readings</a> in the stadium and deemed it safe to play. However, Steel said the readings were done before the room was packed with spectators and sweaty athletes.Unlike basketball, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/australian-boys-netball-team-abused-crowd-and-called-a-farce-2021-9">netball has no dribbling</a> and instead of a hoop with a backboard, there's a ring. But both are cardio-intense sports.After the game, before her collapse, Steel noticed the ice bath she sat in felt hot. She tried to take a shower but couldn't figure out how to work the taps — mental confusion is a red flag for heat stroke."One of the main things that's critical with heat stroke is you start to see cognitive impairment," said Lacy Alexander, a kinesiology professor at Penn State University who wasn't involved in treating Steel. The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/weather-in-summer-heat-impact-on-health-2018-7">brain is sensitive</a> to high temperatures. When it gets too hot, "you start to get that cooking of brain and neural tissue," she said.<h2 id="9ea47a1e-4dd8-4784-b759-b9d084990d12">The long-term effects of heat stroke can be debilitating</h2><div type="image" title="Amy Steel feeds a baby kangroo from a bottle in a bag around her neck" height="876" width="1000" msid="112819006" hostid="261" sizebytes="113232"></div>Alexander said restricted blood flow to the gut during heat stroke can release bacteria into the bloodstream. This can cause a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cytokine-storm-severe-coronavirus-case-death-2020-5">cytokine storm</a>, similar to the way some people's immune systems overreact to COVID-19."You see this really huge response of the immune system to severe heat-related events," she said. This kind of overreaction can trigger a series of other illnesses long after a heat stroke.Following her collapse and hospitalization, Steel, for example, developed tonsilitis though she'd had her tonsils removed. A bout of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mono-shot-possible-cure-ms-2023-3">glandular fever</a> she'd had in childhood <a target="_blank" href="https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/netball/thunderbirds-defender-amy-steel-sidelined-for-at-least-a-month-of-anz-championship/news-story/64ee5457170c030f5b132c0abc98e79c">reappeared</a>. And her kidneys showed markers of inflammation for two years after she was first hospitalized.Steel still struggles with fatigue. "I will quite regularly have to have, at a bare minimum, two sleeps to get through to the end of the day," she said.Once while out driving on a hot day, Steel found herself drifting into oncoming traffic. When the temperature is in the mid-80s, she starts to feel cognitive effects from the heat.Researchers aren't completely sure what causes this sensitivity, but Alexander said heat shock proteins, which help <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9345296/">protect</a> cells from stress, can become dysregulated. "This is potentially one reason that may put certain individuals at an increased propensity for not doing well in the heat in the future," she said.With climate change <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/world-hottest-year-ever-history-climate-crisis-2024-1">increasing temperatures worldwide</a>, Steel wants other athletes to be aware of some of the long-term effects of heat-related illnesses."It's certainly been quite debilitating and really life-changing in terms of being an elite athlete and really at my peak fitness to then having to basically rest for a bulk of the day," Steel said.

A heat stroke ended this pro-athlete's career and 8 years later she's still feeling its effects

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This week the FDA approved an updated version of a COVID-19 vaccine from Novavax.</li><li>This shot is effective at preventing infection with Omicron strains of the virus.</li></ul>On October 3, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the use of a new,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-authorizes-updated-novavax-covid-19-vaccine-formulated-better-protect-against-currently"> updated vaccine from Novavax</a> against COVID-19 variants.The protein-based Novavax vaccine will join the ranks of the recently <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/new-covid-vaccine-booster-when-available-vaccine-cdc-fda-2023-9">updated mRNA vaccines</a> from Pfizer and Moderna.According to the FDA, the Novavax vaccine helps protect against the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/xbb15-omicron-new-covid-variant-what-to-know-2023-1">XBB.1.5 Omicron variant</a>, also known as the "Kraken" variant, for people aged 12 and older.The vaccine will be available at major vaccination locations soon, including Costco, CVS Pharmacy and Rite Aid, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2023/10/03/fda-authorizes-novavax-covid-vaccine/71032299007/">USA Today</a> reported.Here's what you need to know about the new shot.<h2>This shot uses a different technology than the mRNA vaccines</h2>Pfizer and Moderna's shots use<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biotech-pivots-to-rna-research-after-covid-19-vaccines-2021-9"> mRNA</a> to instruct the body to manufacture a version of the COVID-19 spike protein that the immune system can learn how to fight. But the new Novavax vaccine works differently.It's a <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/novavax-s-protein-based-covid-vaccine-induces-broadly-neutralizing-responses-against-xbb-subvariants-1032572592">protein-based vaccine</a>, which means it directly gives the body the proteins that are needed to recognize and combat the SARS-CoV-2 virus.Many other <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/what-are-protein-subunit-vaccines-and-how-could-they-be-used-against-covid-19">common vaccines</a> are protein-based vaccines, including vaccines for hepatitis B, pneumonia, and whooping cough.<h2>The Novavax vaccine seems to work as well as the other vaccines</h2>Although protein and mRNA vaccines work differently, they are both effective at preventing COVID-19 infection and severe illness.These updated vaccines are even more protective against newer COVID-19 variants, like the XBB.1.5 variant, which skyrocketed in January 2023.They may also be effective against other descendants of the Omicron variant, like EG.5, also known as "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/new-covid-variant-eris-symptoms-transmission-2023-8">Eris</a>," which is currently the <a target="_blank" href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions">dominant strain</a> in the US. But they haven't been tested against all the currently circulating sub-variants.For healthy people, both types of vaccine will produce a similar immune response.John Moore, a virologist at Cornell University's Weill Cornell Medicine in New York told USA Today that the body produces a similar amount of neutralizing antibodies regardless of the types of vaccines.Moore also told USA Today that those who experienced a sore arm or headache after receiving previous mRNA boosters may fare better with the Novavax shot.It's also OK to mix-and-match vaccines; if you got an mRNA vaccine the first time, it's alright to get the Novavax vaccine now.

A new COVID shot is more effective against current variants &mdash; and may have fewer side effects

Emerging evidence suggests that <keyword id="8952494" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-virus" source="Orion">Covid virus</keyword> can have lasting effects on nearly every organ and organ system of the body weeks, months and potentially years after infection, an updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (<keyword id="6379474" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cdc" source="Orion">CDC</keyword>) guidance for certifying deaths due to coronavirus disease has revealed. In the acute phase, clinical manifestations and complications of Covid-19 of varying degrees have been documented, including death. However, patients who recover from the acute phase of the infection can still suffer long-term effects, commonly referred to as "long <keyword id="8764262" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid" source="Orion">Covid</keyword>". Now, the expanded CDC guidance suggests that documented serious post-Covid conditions include cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, renal, endocrine, haematological, and gastrointestinal complications as well as death. "For decedents, who had a previous SARSCoV-2 infection and were diagnosed with a post-Covid condition, the certifier may consider the possibility that the death was due to long-term complications of Covid-19, even if the original infection occurred months or years before death," according to the updated Vital Statistics Reporting Guidance. In some cases, survival from Covid can be complicated by pre-existing chronic conditions, especially those that result in diminished lung capacity, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma. These medical conditions do not cause Covid-19, but can increase the risk of contracting a respiratory infection and death, said the CDC guidance. Long Covid has also been associated with reduced brain oxygen levels, worse performance on cognitive tests and increased psychiatric symptoms such as depression and anxiety, according to new research from the University of Waterloo in Canada. At least 65 million people are thought to have long Covid, according to a latest review of 200 Covid-19 studies published in Nature Reviews Microbiology journal. The US-based researchers estimate that the condition is present in 10 per cent of more than 651 million Covid-19 cases that have been documented worldwide. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/noise-and-fire-boltt-entered-in-top-five-in-global-smartwatch-shipments/articleshow/98171390.cms">These two Indian brands have together sold more smartwatches than Samsung in 2022</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/four-out-of-five-wireless-earbuds-sold-in-india-in-2022-were-from-an-indian-company/articleshow/98141414.cms">Four out of five wireless earbuds sold in India in 2022 were from an Indian company</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/how-to-compare-your-tax-liability-in-old-and-new-tax-regimes/articleshow/98116217.cms">How to compare your tax liability in old and new tax regimes</a>

Covid virus can have lasting effects on nearly every organ for years: CDC

People exposed to higher levels of <keyword id="55910" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="Orion">air pollution</keyword> before the pandemic are likely to have lower antibody responses to Covid-19 vaccines, suggests a study. In particular, exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and blank carbon (BC) was associated with about a 10 per cent decrease in IgM and IgG antibody responses in people without prior infection, said researchers from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), and the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) in Spain. The fact that previous infections lead to higher vaccine responses could explain why the effect of pollutants was only observed in people without a prior infection. However, the role of long-term exposure to air pollution on hybrid immunity (infection plus vaccination) deserves further investigation, the researchers warned, in the study published in Environmental Health Perspectives. "Air pollution can induce chronic inflammation, which has been associated with a negative effect on vaccine efficacy," said Carlota Dobano, researcher from ISGlobal. "Our findings are consistent with evidence that persistent organic pollutants reduce vaccine responses in children," she added. Air pollutants have been shown to affect immune responses. Previously it has been linked to adverse health outcomes, including lung cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, and diabetes. The team analysed data from 927 participants (aged 40 to 65 years), who answered questionnaires and gave blood samples in the summer of 2020 (right after the first lockdown) and in 2021 (after the start of Covid-19 vaccination). All had received one or two doses of the main Covid-19 vaccines administered in Spain (made by AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Moderna). The research team measured IgM, IgG and IgA antibodies to five viral antigens (three of them on the Spike protein contained in the vaccine). Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) was estimated for each participant based on his or her address before the pandemic. The results show that in uninfected individuals, pre-pandemic exposure to PM2.5, NO2 and BC was associated with a 5 per cent to 10 per cent reduction in vaccine-induced Spike antibodies. The decrease in antibodies was shown both for early IgM responses and late responses measured by IgG. The IgG response after the first dose peaked later in participants exposed to higher air pollution levels, and lower IgG levels persisted for several months after vaccination. Results were similar for the three vaccines. The study did not look at whether the reduction in antibody responses led to an increased risk of breakthrough infections and their severity. However, the findings add to the growing body of evidence on the adverse effects of air pollution even at the relatively low levels observed in Western Europe, the researchers said, while calling for stricter air pollution limits. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ipl-2023-to-drive-fantasy-sports-companies-to-2900-3100-crore-revenue/articleshow/99285556.cms">IPL 2023 to drive fantasy sports companies to ₹2,900-3,100 crore revenue, fueled by Tier-2 cities and exciting prizes</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-makes-it-easier-for-users-to-delete-their-account-and-data-from-applications/articleshow/99289621.cms">Google makes it easier for users to delete their account and data from applications</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/9-out-10-tvs-sold-in-india-in-2022-were-smart-tvs-and-nearly-all-of-these-tvs-are-assembled-locally/articleshow/99262205.cms">9 out 10 TVs sold in India in 2022 were smart TVs, and nearly all of these TVs are assembled locally</a>

Air pollution can affect your Covid vaccine efficacy: Study

US pharma giant Pfizer's new bivalent mRNA-based <keyword id="8764262" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="covid" source="Orion">Covid</keyword> booster vaccine has shown to be highly effective in reducing hospitalisation and deaths, particularly in vulnerable patients aged 65 years and above, according to a study published in The <keyword id="667497" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="lancet-infectious-diseases" source="Orion">Lancet Infectious Diseases</keyword>. The bivalent mRNA-vaccines contain elements from both the original wild type Covid strain and an updated component from the <keyword id="1609796" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="omicron" source="Orion">Omicron</keyword> strain. These vaccines were designed to help improve vaccine-induced immunity against the Omicron variant and subsequent sub variants; and have replaced older style monovalent boosters used in the US, Israel, and other countries since September 2022. To probe the novel vaccine's effectiveness, a team of Israeli researchers in a study looked at 569,519 people aged 65 years and above between September 27, 2022, and January 25, 2023. Of these, 134,215 participants received a bivalent mRNA booster vaccination during the study period. The team found that those who received the bivalent booster dose had a 72 per cent lower risk of Covid related hospitalisation and a 68 per cent lower risk of Covid related death. "Bivalent mRNA booster vaccination in adults aged 65 years or older is an effective and essential tool to reduce their risk of hospitalisation and death due to Covid-19. Vaccination remains the primary tool for avoiding severe Covid-19," explains Dr. <keyword id="13478821" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ronen-arbel" source="Orion">Ronen Arbel</keyword>, Community Medical Services Division, Clalit Health Services, Tel Aviv, Israel. "Our findings highlight the importance of new types of vaccines containing different variants of SARS-CoV-2, which are likely to induce broader immune responses and provide enhanced protection against severe outcomes," <keyword id="15336655" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="arbel" source="Orion">Arbel</keyword> said. However, the team acknowledged some limitations of their study, including the low numbers of hospitalisations and deaths, and that use of only the Pfizer bivalent vaccine means that generalisation of the results to other bivalent vaccines should be done with caution. Also, the study was not a direct comparison between bivalent and monovalent vaccines, since both were not administered at the same time in Israel during the study period. They also note adverse events are outside the scope of the study, but said that "preliminary short-term safety results published by the CDC have shown a comprehensive safety profile for the bivalent booster and reassured that adverse events reported after a bivalent booster dose are consistent with those reported after monovalent doses." "Our results suggest that the bivalent mRNA vaccine booster dose is associated with a reduced risk of severe Covid-19 outcomes in adults aged 65 years or older. Our findings highlight the importance of bivalent booster vaccination in populations at high risk of severe Covid-19 and the necessity to increase efforts to encourage eligible people to be vaccinated," the researchers said. The findings will also be presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology &amp; Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2023) to be held in Copenhagen between April 15 and 18. SEE ALSO:

Pfizer's new bivalent mRNA Covid booster vax highly effective: Lancet

<keyword id="19895045" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Singapore" source="keywords">Singapore</keyword> is seeing a new <keyword id="21710881" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Covid-19-wave" source="keywords">COVID-19 wave</keyword> as the authorities recorded more than 25,900 cases from May 5 to 11 even as <keyword id="19962428" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Health-Minister" source="keywords">Health Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19895083" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ong-Ye-Kung" source="keywords">Ong Ye Kung</keyword> on Saturday advised the wearing of masks again. "We are at the beginning part of the wave where it is steadily rising," said Ong. "So, I would say the wave should peak in the next two to four weeks, which means between mid- and end of June," The Straits Times newspaper quoted the minister as saying. The Ministry of Health (MOH) said the estimated number of COVID-19 cases in the week of May 5 to 11 rose to 25,900 cases, compared with 13,700 cases in the previous week. The average daily COVID-19 hospitalisations rose to about 250 from 181 the week before. The average daily intensive care unit (ICU) cases remained low at three cases, compared with two cases in the previous week. The MOH said that to protect hospital bed capacity, public hospitals have been asked to reduce their non-urgent elective surgery cases and move suitable patients to transitional care facilities or back home through Mobile Inpatient Care@Home, an alternative inpatient care delivery model that offers clinically suitable patients the option of being hospitalised in their own homes instead of a hospital ward. Ong urged those who are at greatest risk of severe disease, including individuals aged 60 years and above, medically vulnerable individuals and residents of aged care facilities, to receive an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if they have not done so in the last 12 months. Ong said that if the number of COVID-19 cases doubles one time, Singapore will have 500 patients in its healthcare system, which is what Singapore can handle. However, if the number of cases doubles a second time, there will be 1,000 patients, and "that will be a considerable burden on the hospital system", he pointed out. "One thousand beds is equivalent to one regional hospital," Ong said. "So, I think the healthcare system has to brace ourselves for what is to come." There are no plans for any form of social restrictions or any other mandatory kind of measures for now, as COVID-19 is treated as an endemic disease in Singapore, he said, adding that imposing additional measures would be a last resort. Ong said that with Singapore being a transport and communications hub, it will be one of the cities to get a wave of COVID-19 earlier than others. "So, COVID-19 is just something that we have to live with. Every year, we should expect one or two waves," he said. Globally, the predominant COVID-19 variants are still JN.1 and its sub-lineages, including KP.1 and KP.2. Currently, KP.1 and KP.2 account for over two-thirds of cases in Singapore. As of May 3, the World Health Organisation has classified KP.2 as a variant under monitoring. There are currently no indications, globally or locally, that KP.1 and KP.2 are more transmissible or cause more severe disease than other circulating variants, the MOH said. However, members of the public are urged to stay updated with vaccinations to protect themselves against current and emerging virus strains. The MOH said that to date, about 80 per cent of the local population have completed their initial or additional dose, but have not received a dose within the last year. The ministry added that since COVID-19 vaccination started in 2020 to 2021, the vaccines have consistently been proven to be safe and effective in protecting individuals from severe illness. Billions of doses have been administered globally, and safety monitoring internationally has shown that the vaccine is safe, it said. There have also been no long-term safety concerns with COVID-19 vaccination, and adverse effects from vaccines, including the mRNA vaccines, have all been observed to occur shortly after vaccination, the ministry added. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/motorola-edge-50-fusion-vs-oneplus-nord-ce-4-price-specs-and-features-compared/slidelist/110197390.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/motorola-edge-50-fusion-vs-oneplus-nord-ce-4-price-specs-and-features-compared/slidelist/110197390.cms" target="_blank">Motorola Edge 50 Fusion vs OnePlus Nord CE 4 – price, specs and features compared</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/iqoo-z9x-5g-with-120hz-display-6000mah-launched-starting-at-12999/slidelist/110176453.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/iqoo-z9x-5g-with-120hz-display-6000mah-launched-starting-at-12999/slidelist/110176453.cms" target="_blank">iQOO Z9x 5G with 120Hz display, 6000mAh launched starting at ₹12,999</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/woman-loses-54-lakh-in-work-from-home-scam-heres-what-it-is-and-how-to-protect-yourself/articleshow/110166963.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/woman-loses-54-lakh-in-work-from-home-scam-heres-what-it-is-and-how-to-protect-yourself/articleshow/110166963.cms" target="_blank">Woman loses ₹54 lakh in work-from-home scam! Here's what it is and how to protect yourself</a>

Singapore seeing new COVID-19 wave, minister advises wearing of masks

The pharmaceutical giant <keyword id="19910149" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AstraZeneca" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="AstraZeneca" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="AstraZeneca">AstraZeneca</keyword>'s <keyword id="20040659" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-19-vaccine" source="keywords">COVID-19 vaccine</keyword> is being withdrawn worldwide after the company acknowledged for the first time in court documents that it can cause a rare and dangerous side effect, according to a report in the British Newspaper 'The Telegraph'. AstraZeneca has announced that the <keyword id="19959412" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccine" source="keywords">vaccine</keyword> was being removed from markets for commercial reasons. It further said that the vaccine was no longer being made or supplied, having been superseded by updated vaccines that fight new variants. The application to withdraw the vaccine was made on March 5 and came into effect on May 7. The vaccine can be no longer used in the European Union following the company's decision to withdraw its "marketing authorisation." Similar applications will be submitted in the UK and other nations in the coming months that have given a go-ahead to the vaccine, known as Vaxzevria. In recent months, Vaxzevria has come under scrutiny over a very rare side effect, which causes blood clots and low blood platelet counts. In court documents, AstraZeneca in the High Court in February admitted that the vaccine "can, in very rare cases, cause <keyword id="20218859" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="TTS" source="keywords">TTS</keyword>". TTS which stands for <keyword id="21475609" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Thrombosis-with-Thrombocytopenia-Syndrome" source="keywords">Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome</keyword> has been associated with at least 81 deaths in the UK and hundreds of serious injuries. More than 50 alleged victims and grieving relatives have filed a lawsuit against AstraZeneca in a High Court case. AstraZeneca has insisted that the decision to withdraw the vaccine is not related to the case or admission that it can cause TTS and termed the timing a pure coincidence, according to The Telegraph report. "We are incredibly proud of the role Vaxzevria played in ending the global pandemic. According to independent estimates, over 6.5 million lives were saved in the first year of use alone and over three billion doses were supplied globally. Our efforts have been recognised by governments around the world and are widely regarded as being a critical component of ending the global pandemic," The Telegraph quoted AstraZeneca as saying. In a statement, the pharmaceutical giant said, "As multiple, variant Covid-19 vaccines have since been developed, there is a surplus of available updated vaccines", adding that it has led to a decline in demand for Vaxzevria, which is no longer being manufactured or supplied, The Telegraph reported. It further announced its decision to initiate the withdrawal of the marketing authorisations for Vaxzevria within Europe. The company said, "We will now work with regulators and our partners to align on a clear path forward to conclude this chapter and significant contribution to the Covid-19 pandemic." Last week, AstraZeneca reiterated its commitment to patient safety while emphasising the vaccine's overall safety profile. An AstraZeneca spokesperson had stated, "Our sympathy goes out to anyone who has lost loved ones or reported health problems. Patient safety is our highest priority, and regulatory authorities have clear and stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines." This comes in the wake of a recent admission by AstraZeneca, the pharmaceutical company, that its <keyword id="19896627" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid" source="keywords">Covid</keyword> vaccine Covishield and Vaxzevria "can, in very rare cases, cause Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS)." Despite these rare occurrences, the pharmaceutical company maintained that extensive clinical trial data and real-world evidence consistently support the vaccine's safety and efficacy. Regulatory agencies worldwide continue to assert that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks of such extremely rare side effects. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/aadhar-housing-finance-ipo-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/109919298.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/aadhar-housing-finance-ipo-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/109919298.cms" target="_blank">Aadhar Housing Finance IPO – Price band to risk factors, all you need to know</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/webstories/top-selling-cars-in-india-in-april-2024-tata-punch-continues-to-dominate/slidelist/109909744.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/webstories/top-selling-cars-in-india-in-april-2024-tata-punch-continues-to-dominate/slidelist/109909744.cms" target="_blank">Top-selling cars in India in April 2024 – Tata Punch continues to dominate</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/worldwide-tablet-shipments-grow-in-q1-2024-after-two-years-of-decline/articleshow/109876390.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/worldwide-tablet-shipments-grow-in-q1-2024-after-two-years-of-decline/articleshow/109876390.cms" target="_blank">Worldwide tablet shipments grow in Q1 2024 after two years of decline</a>

AstraZeneca withdraws COVID-19 vaccine worldwide, cites commercial reasons

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A new study found that teen girls' brains aged faster during the pandemic.</li><li>Researchers measured cortical thinning, a natural process that can be accelerated by stress.</li></ul>This week, a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2403200121">new scientific paper</a> sent a ripple through the world of child psychology.Researchers at the University of Washington published brain scans of teenagers taken three years apart, in 2018 and 2021.The team expected significant findings, since the second scans were taken after all of the kids had their lives suddenly upended and socially stunted by COVID lockdowns.They hypothesized that girls would be more impacted, because they're more reliant on peer relationships for emotional support than teen boys. But "we didn't expect it to be as dramatic a difference," lead author Dr. Neva Corrigan told Business Insider.The average acceleration for teen girls was 4.2 years, compared to 1.4 for boys.While more research is needed, the study offers a glimpse into the effects the pandemic had on brain development. It comes at a time when teen girls have seen a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cdc-report-teen-girls-alarming-rates-sadness-hopelessness-sexual-violence-2023-2">sharp rise in sadness and hopelessness</a>, often attributed to social media use.<h2 id="c81b7065-67f7-4f59-9455-c4636815bed5">Isolation may have played a role</h2>The original intention of the study was to track typical adolescent brain development, Corrigan, who specializes in MRI data acquisition and analysis, told BI. In 2018, her team took MRI data from 160 adolescents ages 9, 11, 13, 15, and 17, and planned to follow up at a later date.But after the pandemic, "we realized that we could no longer call this typical development," Corrigan said. "These kids had undergone a huge change in their lives." Her team knew they had a unique opportunity to examine how aspects of the pandemic, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/public-teacher-homeschool-own-kids-2024-5">remote learning</a>, affected the brain.In 2021, about 130 of the subjects returned for more testing. The team measured cortical thinning, a natural process that usually begins in late childhood and is believed to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3791607/">improve cognitive performance</a>.The age acceleration was more than double the size in teen girls, and the regions most impacted were all related to social cognition, such as facial recognition and language comprehension.Because females generally rely more on <a target="_blank" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17328705/">relationships for emotional support</a> than males, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modern-loneliness">loneliness</a> during the pandemic could have caused teen girls more stress, speeding up their cortical thinning.<h2 id="ca6c015e-1e33-410a-957c-fdee9576f795">Cortical thinning isn't always negative</h2>Corrigan said there's a lot we still don't know about cortical thinning, such as whether it's reversible.However, she said past studies have shown that accelerated cortical thinning can put people at higher risk for neurodegenerative disorders in old age, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.It can also increase the odds of developing psychiatric disorders such as depression or anxiety.At the same time, quicker brain aging isn't necessarily all bad. It's believed that the cortex thins to reduce the effect the environment has on brain development, Corrigan said. If the brain is less vulnerable to external stressors, "that could make these kids a little bit more resilient to stress," she said.<h2 id="47b59dfa-19bd-494b-98ab-6151b36b2682">There are still many unknowns</h2>Bradley S. Peterson, a pediatric psychiatrist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles who wasn't part of the study, told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/09/health/teen-brains-pandemic-girls.html">The New York Times</a> that it had some limitations. One was that the data came from different subsets of the group, rather than measuring each individual's brain changes.The study also didn't track the participants' individual habits, so it can't confirm if other elements of the pandemic, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/surgeon-general-social-media-warning-label-mental-health-crisis-children-2024-6">increased screen time</a>, contributed to quicker cortical thinning.Corrigan said the biggest takeaway for parents is to be mindful of the potential risks of their teens developing anxiety or depression. "Perhaps they can help stave that off by talking to their kids and providing emotional support for them."

You Searched For "covid effect" and got 11 results

BHU study on Covaxin side effects poorly designed, critically flawed: ICMR Director General

PTI

AstraZeneca continues to face legal action even after withdrawing its COVID vaccine! Know all about it here

Kunal Kambli

'I thought I experienced death': Al Pacino talks about battling Covid-19

BI India Bureau

A heat stroke ended this pro-athlete's career and 8 years later she's still feeling its effects

Jenny McGrath

A new COVID shot is more effective against current variants and may have fewer side effects

Kate Hull

Covid virus can have lasting effects on nearly every organ for years: CDC

IANS

Air pollution can affect your Covid vaccine efficacy: Study

IANS

Pfizer's new bivalent mRNA Covid booster vax highly effective: Lancet

IANS

Singapore seeing new COVID-19 wave, minister advises wearing of masks

PTI

AstraZeneca withdraws COVID-19 vaccine worldwide, cites commercial reasons

ANI

Brain scans show teen girls aged 4 years faster than boys during COVID lockdowns. We asked the researcher what that means long-term.

Julia Pugachevsky

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides