<ul><li>The Serum Institute of India (SII) has launched India’s first and only <keyword id="10507934" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="indigenous-pneumonia-vaccine">indigenous pneumonia vaccine</keyword> at $3 per dose, which is around ₹220, for the government. </li><li>For private purchase, the vaccine will cost about $10 — around ₹735 — which is still at least 50% cheaper than GSK and Pfizer’s pneumonia vaccines.</li><li>All four doses required to immunise a child against pneumonia from SII would cost less than ₹3,200, which is cheaper than a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine at ₹3,600. </li></ul>The Serum Institute of India (SII) has launched India’s <keyword id="10507932" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="first-homegrown-pneumonia">first homegrown pneumonia</keyword> vaccine called Pneumosil. CEO Adar Poonawalla Roughly stated that SII’s pneumococcal conjugate vaccine will cost the government around $3 dose, which is approximately ₹220. "It is the first vaccine made in India to protect children against the pneumonia disease in India. It is also the most affordable vaccine for pneumonia, in the whole world," he said. SII’s <keyword id="1240147" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pneumonia-vaccine">pneumonia vaccine</keyword> versus GSK and Pfizer Each child has to be given four doses — at 6 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks followed by a booster dose at nine months — of the vaccine for full protection. The cumulative four doses of SII’s pneumonia vaccine at ₹ 1,200 would cost less than a <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/serums-pneumococcal-vaccine-once-approved-could-be-cheaper-option-in-the-private-market/article30502005.ece">single dose</a> from its competitors. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup></colgroup><col /><col /><col /><tbody><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;">Company </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;">Serotypes </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;">Price per dose </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;">GSK </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;">10 </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;">₹1,600 </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 </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;">13 </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;">₹3,600 </td></tr></tbody></table>Source: Reports Even in the private market, the vaccine will cost around $10 per dose, around ₹735. That’s still at least 50% cheaper than GSK and the whole process would still cost less than a single dose of Pfizer’s pneumonia vaccine. "We hope to achieve 70% to 80% coverage over the next two to three years," said Poonawalla. He explained that the company has multiple strategies planned for the private market and government avenues as well to help spread the vaccine across the country as far as possible. The vaccine is critical for a country like India, which saw the highest number of children under five years of age die due to pneumonia in 2019 — second only to Nigeria. According to the United Nations, the total death toll is pegged at 127,000. According to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, the vaccine symbolises that India is well equipped to handle any health crisis, including the current COVID-19 pandemic. “This is symbolic that India can make any vaccine in an affordable way without compromising on safety and quality,” he said. 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>

SII launches India's first indigenous pneumonia vaccine at $3 per dose

New Delhi, Dec 28 (IANS) Pune-based Serum Institute of India, the largest vaccine manufacturer in the world by doses, on Monday announced the launch of India's first indigenously developed pneumococcal vaccine -- Pneumosil -- in the presence of Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. Pneumosil has been developed through collaboration spanning over a decade among the Serum Institute, PATH and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This significant milestone is aimed at improving pneumococcal conjugate vaccine affordability and enabling sustainable access for low-and middle-income countries. The vaccine will provide effective and long-lasting protection for children against pneumococcal diseases. The vaccine makes the Serum Institute the world's third supplier of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) under the pneumococcal Advance Market Commitment (AMC), and the first developing country vaccine manufacturer to access the global PCV market. In his address on the occasion, Harsh Vardhan said: "It is a significant milestone for the country's public health care which will ensure that children are protected better against pneumococcal disease with an affordable and high-quality vaccine." About the launch of Pneumosil, Serum Institute's CEO Adar Poonawalla said: "Over the years, our constant endeavour has been to provide high quality vaccines with regular supplies which ensures excellent immunisation coverage to children and families worldwide. With that thought, we have developed this PCV with a unique composition based on the serotype prevalence in India." "This makes our PCV an ideal choice for protecting our children from pneumococcal disease. While the vaccine itself is of the highest quality and grade available, vaccine accessibility is of utmost importance as well, and to ensure ease of access by making it available at an affordable price. With the best PCV, we hope to bring down the mortality rate significantly while also making our country self-sufficient with a robust public health care system," he added. Pneumococcal disease is a significant contributor to the under-five mortality rate worldwide. Annually, India witnesses an estimated 71 per cent of pneumonia deaths and 57 per cent of severe pneumonia cases. Every year nearly 67,800 children under 5 years of age die India from pneumococcal diseases in 2018. Recognising its widespread fatality, WHO recommends the inclusion of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) in routine childhood immunisation programs in all countries. Following this, Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccines (PCV) work directly to reduce the incidence of pneumococcal pneumonia by preventing Streptococcus pneumonia. Serum Institute is also the pharma company that is testing and producing the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine candidate in India. The vaccine is the frontrunner in the race to find the silver bullet. --IANS aka/vd

India's first fully indigenous pneumococcal vaccine launched

<ul><li><keyword id="95879" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Serum-Institute-of-India">Serum Institute of India</keyword> (SII) to accelerate the manufacture and delivery of up to 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for India and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).</li><li>The collaboration will provide upfront capital to SII to help them increase manufacturing capacity now so that, once a vaccine, or vaccines, gains regulatory approval and WHO prequalification, doses can be produced at scale for distribution to India and LMIC as part of the Gavi COVAX AMC mechanism as early as the first half of 2021.</li><li>The funding will support at-risk manufacturing by SII for candidate vaccines from AstraZeneca and Novavax, which will be available for procurement if they are successful in attaining full licensure and WHO Prequalification.</li></ul> Serum Institute of India (SII), the worlds largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, has entered into a new landmark partnership with Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance and the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation, to accelerate the manufacture and delivery of up to 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for India and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The collaboration will provide upfront capital to SII to help them increase manufacturing capacity now so that, once a vaccine, or vaccines, gains regulatory approval and WHO prequalification, doses can be produced at scale for distribution to India and LMIC as part of the Gavi COVAX AMC mechanism as early as the first half of 2021. The funding will support at-risk manufacturing by SII for candidate vaccines from AstraZeneca and Novavax, which will be available for procurement if they are successful in attaining full licensure and WHO Prequalification. SII has set an affordable ceiling price of $3 per dose. The arrangement also provides an option to secure additional doses if the vaccines pillar of the ACT Accelerator sees a need for it. "In an attempt to make our fight against COVID-19 stronger and all-embracing; SII has partnered with Gavi and the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation to advance the manufacturing and delivery of up to 100 million doses of future COVID vaccines for India and low and middle income countries in 2021," said Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India. "The rampant spread of the virus has rendered the entire world in an unimaginable halt of uncertainty. And to ensure maximum immunization coverage and contain the pandemic, it is important to make sure that the most remote and poorest countries of the world have access to affordable cure and preventive measures. Through this association, we seek to ramp up our constant efforts to save the lives of millions of people from this dreadful disease." SII shares a long history of successful partnerships with Gavi and pharmaceutical companies to manufacture vaccines that protect against meningitis, severe diarrhoea, pneumonia and measles. This collaboration further underscores India's proven-track record in developing safe and quality vaccines. Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology said, "India has a proven track record of manufacturing safe and cost-effective vaccines not only for India, but for the world. Over the last decade, Government of India has encouraged innovation, and supported the Indian vaccine industry to manufacture high quality, affordable indigenous tools and products to benefit India and the world. We are very happy to see SII enter this global partnership to respond to the global health crisis posed by Covid-19." Balram Bhargava, Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), commented, "India's has demonstrated consistent capability in delivering on low-cost and high-quality medical research, while also maintaining technical and scientific rigour. ICMR is deeply supportive of our cutting edge vaccine research and manufacturing prowess, of which SII is one prominent example. This partnership signifies yet another step in India's efforts to bolster the fight against this global pandemic." The Gavi Covax AMC, which is currently seeking at least US$ 2 billion in initial seed funding, will meet at least part of the cost of procurement for the vaccine doses. Last week the Gavi Board agreed the final list of 92 countries that will be supported by the AMC. Under the new collaboration, AstraZeneca's candidate vaccine, if successful, will be available to 57 Gavi-eligible countries. Novavax's candidate, if successful, will be available to all 92 countries supported by the AMC The collaboration between Gavi, SII, and the Gates Foundation supports the efforts of the ACT Accelerator's vaccines pillar, also known as COVAX, co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the World Health Organization (WHO), to accelerate the development of COVID-19 vaccines and ensure rapid, global access to them. Decisions around investment in manufacturing are taken in close collaboration between these three lead organisations of the COVAX pillar. Under the COVAX umbrella, Gavi is leading the COVAX Facility, which provides governments with the opportunity to benefit from a large portfolio of COVID-19 candidate vaccines using a range of technology platforms, produced by more manufacturers across the world, with a bigger market to provide security of demand. The Facility is reinforced by the AMC which provides funding for vaccines for lower income countries. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/the-beirut-explosion-created-a-huge-mushroom-cloud-and-visible-blast-wave-but-nuclear-weapons-experts-say-it-wasnt-an-atomic-blast-heres-why-/articleshow/77362144.cms">The Beirut explosion created a huge mushroom cloud and visible blast wave, but nuclear weapons experts say it wasn't an atomic bomb. Here's why.</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/microsoft-for-startups-lathika-pai-says-entrepreneurs-pitching-for-investments-need-to-have-this-one-question-answered-in-their-pitch-decks/articleshow/77352935.cms">Microsoft for Startups’ Lathika Pai says entrepreneurs pitching for investments need to have this one question answered in their pitch decks</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/linkedin-tcs-disney-hotstar-zee-and-other-companies-hiring-right-now-in-india/slidelist/77352775.cms">LinkedIn, TCS, Disney+ Hotstar, Zee and other companies hiring right now in India</a>

Serum Institute of India to produce 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for less than ₹250 a dose

Hyderabad, Sep 11 (IANS) Vaccine maker Bharat Biotech on Friday announced that the animal trials of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate Covaxin were successful. It said the results demonstrated the protective efficacy of the vaccine in a live viral challenge model. "Bharat Biotech proudly announces the animal study results of COVAXIN - These results demonstrate the protective efficacy in a live viral challenge model," tweeted the Hyderabad-based firm. It said the data from the study on primates substantiate the immunogenicity of the vaccine candidate. According to a detailed statement attached to the tweet, Bharat Biotech developed and assessed the protective efficacy and immunogenicity of an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (BBV152) or Covaxin in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulata). Twenty macaques were divided into four groups of five animals each. "One group was administered a placebo while three groups were immunised with three different vaccine candidates at 0 and 14 days. All the macaques were challenged with SARS-CoV-2 14 days after the second dose. The protective response was observed with increasing SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG and neutralising antibody titres from third week post-immunisation," it said. "Viral clearance was observed from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, nasal swab, throat swab, and lung tissues at 7 days post-infection in the vaccinated groups. No evidence of pneumonia was observed by histopathological examination in vaccinated groups, unlike the placebo group which showed features of interstitial pneumonia and localisation of viral antigen in the alveolar epithelium and macrophages by immunohistochemistry." "To summarize, the vaccine candidate was found to generate robust immune responses. Thus, preventing infection and disease in the primates upon high amounts of exposure to live SARS-CoV-2 virus," it added. The vaccine is being evaluated in Phase-I clinical trials in India. The vaccine maker early this month received approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation to conduct the Phase-II trials. Bharat Biotech had announced on June 29 that it successfully developed Covaxin in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV). The SARS-CoV-2 strain was isolated in NIV, Pune and transferred to Bharat Biotech. The indigenous, inactivated vaccine candidate has been developed and manufactured in Bharat Biotech's high containment facility located in Genome Valley, Hyderabad. --IANS ms/vd

Animal study proved Covid vaccine's efficacy: Bharat Biotech

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cost-of-inequity-how-inequity-persists-in-american-daily-life-2021-6"></a><div type="image" title="Leslie2" height="2688" width="3583" msid="83989123" hostid="261"></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Leslie, 22, and her family were hit hard by the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> pandemic.</li><li>Her dad was hospitalized, her grandmother died, and her mom's business went under.</li><li>Their story is one of too many left by a pandemic that disproportionately hit communities of color.</li></ul>In Marietta, <keyword id="6385073" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="georgia">Georgia</keyword>, Leslie watched the pandemic unfold up close.Her dad, Ricardo, came home for the weekend in late June 2020. Ricardo helped build the framing for new Zaxby's locations and often worked out of state. The current gig for the fast-food chain was in Florida.Georgia Gov. <keyword id="7609698" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="brian-kemp">Brian Kemp</keyword> had extended the state's public-health emergency at the end of May 2020 <a href="https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2020/05/28/georgia-governor-says-bars-nightclubs-allowed-to-reopen-june-1/">while allowing clubs and bars to reopen</a>. It preceded a<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/georgia-coronavirus-cases.html"> surge</a> in cases.That weekend, one of Ricardo's coworkers who'd carpooled with him to Georgia went to a club. On the two-hour drive back to Florida, the worker was coughing.Within a few days, Ricardo called Yolanda, his wife and Leslie's mom, and said he had a fever. He worked while sick for the rest of the week, feeling as if he couldn't leave the job."And then he came home, and he was, honestly, in denial that he had COVID," Leslie said.(We're not using the family members' last names at their request, but their identities are known to Insider.)They all got <a href="https://www.cobbanddouglaspublichealth.com/">free testing</a> at a nearby park on July 2.Ricardo's fever didn't go away, and he spent the next few days in bed. On July 4, he had a coughing fit and panic attack. He was yelling for help and struggling to breathe. Fireworks went off while the paramedics took Leslie's dad away in an ambulance.That night, the family got their results back from the health department. All were negative except for Ricardo.Leslie's family is close. Ricardo, 48, met Yolanda, 46, in their hometown of González, Mexico. Leslie, the older of two siblings, age 22, acts as quarterback, scheduling appointments and translating. They talk to their extended family members around the clock, sharing their homes with grandma Adelina in shifts.In the span of a month, the virus would take a lot, including the family business and the family matriarch. Almost a year later, Ricardo still can't lift heavy objects.<h2>Health disparities in the US have been laid bare</h2>The family's experience mirrors what thousands have faced during the pandemic. Read more:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-cityblock-built-1-billion-business-sickest-patients-2021-1"> Inside Cityblock's meteoric rise: How a Google spinoff built a $1 billion business and convinced Silicon Valley to bet on healthcare for the sickest patients</a>People of color can be <a href="https://www.apmresearchlab.org/covid/deaths-by-race#age">more at risk of getting sick</a> because of where they live, like a crowded house, or where they work. They may work essential jobs in construction or service, unable to avoid the virus. And the US <keyword id="6354525" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="healthcare">healthcare</keyword> system has a <a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/2018/sep/focus-reducing-racial-disparities-health-care-confronting-racism">long history</a> of racial disparities."This crisis has unveiled the inequities that are really baked into our system and how structural racism contributes to worse health outcomes for people of color," Dr. Laurie Zephyrin, a healthcare delivery reform expert at The Commonwealth Fund, said.People who identify as Hispanic or Latino account for more than a quarter of COVID-19 cases, far great than their share of the population, f<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/racial-ethnic-disparities/increased-risk-illness.html">ederal data shows</a>. Throughout the crisis, Black people have been<a href="https://www.apmresearchlab.org/covid/deaths-by-race#age"> twice as likely to die</a> from the virus than white people. For Indigenous Americans, it's<a href="https://www.apmresearchlab.org/covid/deaths-by-race#age"> over three times</a> as high.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meet-dr-lisa-fitzpatrick-a-top-biden-health-adviser-2020-8">This doctor is helping Biden prepare for a White House victory. Her focus on a $238 billion problem could shape healthcare's future.</a><h2>Mixed messages and misdiagnoses</h2>Before Ricardo was admitted to the hospital, Yolanda put his phone and charger in his jacket pocket, in a plastic bag. So he could write short texts, like "Hi I'm okay," Leslie said.The messages were as much a source of fear as comfort.A couple of days after Ricardo received a plasma transfer to help combat the infection, he said he couldn't breathe and no one would listen. Yolanda cried to Leslie, saying that Ricardo was dying."That happened a lot," Leslie said. "Like my dad legit felt like it was it. And he would text my mom and say 'I love you. Please tell my kids I love them.'"For his 28-day stay, Leslie said the hospital called just once. Instead, information came from Leslie's efforts, dialing memorized numbers while her mom tried to decipher the texts of a very sick person.<div type="image" title="hospital" height="3360" width="4481" msid="83989124" hostid="261"></div>The doctors thought he had pneumonia, but it turned out to be a pulmonary edema, a condition marked by excess fluid in the lungs. They treated him for diabetes, with insulin and a diet, even though he didn't have diabetes, a test would later show, Leslie said. The chances for a misdiagnosis increase when you're<a href="https://www.improvediagnosis.org/dxiq-column/why-the-color-of-your-skin-can-affect-the-quality-of-your-diagnosis/"> not white</a>. Ricardo started to deteriorate. About five days into his hospital stay, he was transferred to the ICU. <h2>It's difficult to measure the economic toll of COVID-19</h2>Meanwhile, the expenses were adding up.Leslie saw bills for physical therapy, $1,479; pharmacy, $7,190; and ICU, $71,554, she said. The family doesn't have health insurance, and no one explained that a lot of the costs would be forgiven. It ended up being $4,145, discounted down from $216,850, after relief provided by the CARES Act, Leslie said. They set up a payment plan to slowly pay it back. Leslie said it felt doable.<div type="image" title="Leslie4" height="1592" width="827" msid="83989125" hostid="261"></div>Yolanda had COVID-19, a test from July 7 confirmed. The home she shared with Leslie and her siblings, Ricardo Jr., 19, and Giselle, 12, started to feel like a scene from the film "Contagion." Everyone kept to their rooms. Leslie would cook and leave meals at everyone's door, knocking on the wall once she was six feet away. To keep up, she withdrew from a couple of classes she was taking that summer at Georgia State University, extending her time there by another semester and $1,400.Yolanda and her sister Irma ran a boutique. Without parties, there wasn't much demand for dresses and alterations. They applied for a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program, but since they didn't really have employees, the government gave them just $1,400. Behind on rent, they gave it straight to the landlord, who gave them until the end of July to leave. PPP didn't prioritize underserved markets, such as businesses owned by women or people of color, despite its intent, according to a <a href="https://www.sba.gov/document/report-20-14-flash-report-small-business-administrations-implementation-paycheck-protection-program-requirements">review of the loans by the Office of the Inspector General</a>. More than <a href="https://www.chicagobusiness.com/equity/pandemic-inspired-small-business-loans-expose-inequities-must-be-fixed">71% of the money</a> went to white-owned businesses. July was not an easy month for Leslie's family to empty out a whole store.Despite a big sale, they were left with a lot of merchandise and nowhere to keep it, Leslie said. Colorful quinceañera dresses were tucked away in an abandoned storage unit and the shed behind their house. Now they're running alterations out of Irma's house, as they did before the business started, in 2016.<h2>Then the head of the family died</h2>Respiratory therapy was starting to help Ricardo when Yolanda's mom died. Adelina, mother of 13 children, passed away on July 16 in González from the coronavirus. She'd returned to Mexio with family, and stopped to visit Ricardo while he was sick.<div type="image" title="Leslie1" height="1241" width="828" msid="83989128" hostid="261"></div>When she learned of her grandmother's death, Leslie packed her bags, thinking she would help with the arrangements.She had imagined her grandma's wake before, with scores of family and friends celebrating for 24 hours, a Mexican tradition. But no arrangements would be made."The morgue came, literally bagged her, put her in the coffin, and buried her," Leslie said. "All in the matter of an hour, she was in the ground." The doctor told Leslie not to tell Ricardo the news because he was just starting to get a little better. He found out three days later from Facebook anyway.Leslie broadcast the family's nine days of prayer on Facebook from the driveway, and Ricardo joined in. She said it was almost like they were all together. <div type="image" title="Leslie3" height="2268" width="3023" msid="83989129" hostid="261"></div><h2>The family is recovering and might take the vaccines </h2>Ricardo returned home on July 31. He was 45 pounds lighter, with a beard and an oxygen tank. The family bought him a walker and a shower chair, and they celebrated tiny victories. He walked two steps, then four, then five. Then he walked to the front door and sat on the rocking chair.Ricardo went back to work over the winter months. They recently went to the beach for his birthday. Leslie got a job as a bilingual nanny in July.Ricardo and Ricardo Jr. are soon getting their second dose of the vaccine. The family has been nervous to get vaccinated because people around them were saying scary things about the shots. But so far her dad and brother have reacted well, she said. Georgia's vaccine rollout has been one of the<a href="https://www.gpb.org/news/2021/03/12/georgia-today-behind-georgias-sluggish-vaccine-rollout"> slowest</a> because of an uneven rollout, communication issues, tech problems, and<a href="https://www.govtech.com/em/Why-Georgia-Ranks-Near-the-Bottom-in-Vaccination-Rate-of-Adults-.html"> more</a>.Leslie said, "I'm thinking we're going to get it."

The family business, the matriarch, and a $4,145 close call: The cost of COVID-19 is much worse for some American families

<ul><li>The accounts of three Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group entities have reportedly been flagged as fraudulent by three banks, including India’s largest lender, the <keyword id="6354731" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="state-bank-of-india">State Bank of India</keyword> (<keyword id="13222" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="SBI">SBI</keyword>).</li><li><keyword id="46907" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-communications">Reliance Communications</keyword>, Reliance Infratel, and Reliance Telecom owe lenders ₹86,188 crore.</li><li>This is ten times more than the debt garnered by former billionaires Vijay Mallya and <keyword id="571991" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirav-Modi">Nirav Modi</keyword>.</li></ul> India’s infamous fallen billionaire, Anil Ambani, may have claimed that his ‘net worth is zero’ but Indian banks aren’t buying it. In the midst of Reliance Communications’ bankruptcy resolution process, three Indian banks — the State Bank of India (SBI), <keyword id="63524" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Bank-of-India">Union Bank of India</keyword> (UBI) and the Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) — are classifying the company’s accounts and the accounts of its units as fraudulent. Sources told the <a href="https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/reliance-communications-resolution-may-hit-a-bump-as-banks-mark-its-account-as-fraud/79985386">Economic Times</a> that the three banks, which includes India’s largest lender, are looking to launch a deeper probe into the transactions from the account of three Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group entities — Reliance Communications, Reliance Infratel and Reliance Telecom. However, the Delhi High Court has directed Union Bank of India and Indian Overseas Bank to maintain the status quo in a matter pertaining to the classification of accounts as fraudulent until the next hearing on January 13. SBI and the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group declined to comment on the issue at the time of writing this article. "It is being falsely and mischievously stated in a section of social media that RCOM Group of companies owe Rs. 86,188 crore to Indian banks and financial institutions. have put out this statement," Reliance Communications told IANS two days later on December 30. The company asserts that as per figures certified by the Resolution Professional appointed by the lenders, the Reliance Communications' group owed ₹26,000 crore to Indian banks and financial institutions as on the date of filing before the NCLT. The Resolution Plans unanimously agreed by the lenders are at various stages of approval before the NCLT, and upon implementation thereof, the lenders are likely to recover at least 70% of their dues, with potential subsequent upside. <div type="image" title="anil ambani mukesh ambani_edited" msid="80003179" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Anil Ambani (R) with brother Mukesh Ambani (L)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Reliance Communications’ owes nearly ten times more money than Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi The accusation of fraud puts Reliance Communications’ resolution plan at risk. According to the company’s official website, it owes ₹49,193 crore in dues. In addition to that, Reliance Telecom owes ₹24,306.27 crore and Reliance Infratel owes ₹12,687.65 crore. Cumulatively, <a href="https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/nclt-okays-jio-s-proposal-for-reliance-infratel-11607041042489.html">this adds up to ₹86,188 crore</a> — while still excluding the ₹28,837 that’s owed in spectrum dues. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup></colgroup><col /><col /><tbody><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;">Company </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;">Debt </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;">Reliance Communications </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;">₹ 49,193 crore </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;">Reliance Telecom </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;">₹ 24,306.27 crore </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;">Reliance Infratel </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;">₹ 12,687.65 crore </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;">TOTAL </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;">₹ 86,188 crore </td></tr></tbody></table> This is ten times more than what another fallen billionaire, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/this-is-how-much-vijay-mallya-owes-to-different-banks-in-india/articleshow/58243382.cms">Vijay Mallya</a>, owed Indian banks, with debt amounting to ₹9,000 crore. Compared to <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/pnb-hasnt-recovered-any-money-from-nirav-modi-mehul-choksi-rti-reply/article32904133.ece">Nirav Modi</a>, who owes at ₹7,409.07 crore, Reliance Communications’ debt is even more than a ten-fold hike. <div type="image" title="vijay mallya_edited" msid="80003173" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Vijay Mallya&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Bankruptcy resolution hangs in the balance These allegations come nearly a year after a forensic audit unearthed questionable transactions worth ₹5,500 crore in the three Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group entities. At the time, the probe found three suspicious large entries buried between hundreds of thousands of other transactions between May 2017 and March 2018, which indicated fund diversion. However, the reclassification of Reliance Communication and affiliated companies’ accounts comes at a time when the bankruptcy resolution was finally moving along. The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) gave its approval to the resolution plan on December 5 after at least 11 months of negotiations. This opens up the path for Anil Ambani’s brother, Mukesh Ambani, to pick the company’s tower and fibre assets for his own telecom enterprise, Reliance Jio. The total consideration is pegged at around ₹20,000 to ₹23,000 crore to be paid over the next seven years. Meanwhile, Reliance Communications and Reliance Telecom Infrastructure will go to the UV Asset Reconstruction Company. Update: Article was updated on December 30 to reflect Reliance Communications' statement to IANS. 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