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.Rs 20L-Cr pandemic package:Barely 10% disbursed, says RTI

He pointed out that the worst-hit sectors include all industries in the manufacturing sectors, the hospitality and tourism industry, the media and affiliated sectors, and the unorganized sectors.

“Besides over 6 crore MSMEs and SMEs have shut down, resulting in more than 15-crore people losing jobs, against a handful of persons who remain unaffected by the pandemic lockdown,” Sarda pointed out.

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Covid-19 vaccines raise hope for cancer, throw open new field of medicine

Now, with one vaccine vaccine having gained U.S. clearance and the other close behind, the pandemic validation could wrench open a whole new field of medicine.

“We are now entering the age of mRNA therapeutics,” said Derrick Rossi, a former Harvard University stem-cell biologist who helped found Moderna in 2010. “The whole world has seen this. There is going to be increased investment and increased resources.”

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Historic U.S. COVID vaccine campaign launches with convoy of trucks

The federal government plans to release the nation’s first 2.9 million doses to 64 states, U.S. territories and major cities, as well as five federal agencies. Although the federal government is coordinating distribution efforts, states have the final decision over who gets the first shots. The federal government is sending the first shipments to more than 600 locations.

Companies in a range of industries are lobbying state and federal officials to give priority to their workers in the line of millions waiting for the vaccine and a return to life free from the fear of the deadly illness.

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How pandemic bonds became the world’s most controversial investment

Here’s how the pandemic bonds worked.

The World Bank would sell $320 million of debt to investors. In the event of a pandemic, that debt would be written off and the principal would accrue to the bank to be distributed to needy countries. Premiums were juicy – the safest slice of the offering paid 6.9% over the Libor benchmark rate, similar to returns typically found on junk-rated corporate bonds and far greater than the 2.2% available on 10-year U.S. government debt at the time. For the second tranche, which had looser triggers for a writeoff, premiums were a whopping 11.5%.

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PIL to control population: Can”t coerce family planning, Centre tells SC

India is witnessing a constant decline in total fertility Rate(TFR), the ministry said, adding that the fertility rate which was 3.2 at the time when National Population Policy was adopted has declined substantially to 2.2 as per the Sample Registration System, 2018.
The NHP sets out indicative, quantitative goals and objectives which includes the achievement of TFR of 2.1 by 2025.
National Health Policy 2017 provides for a policy guidance to inform, clarify, strengthen and prioritise the role of the government in shaping health systems in all its dimensions.

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Study details first artificial intelligence tool to help labs rule-out Covid-19

“Nine months into this pandemic, we now have a better understanding of how to care for patients with Covid-19,” said lead author and University of Vermont Assistant Professor Timothy Plante, M.D., M.H.S., “but there’s still a big bottleneck in Covid-19 diagnosis with PCR testing.”

PCR testing is the current standard diagnostic for Covid-19, and requires specific sampling, like a nasal swab, and specialized laboratory equipment to run.

“According to data from over 100 US hospitals, the national average turnaround time for Covid-19 tests ordered in emergency rooms is above 24 hours, far from the targeted one-hour turnaround,” Biocogniv Chief Operating Officer Tanya Kanigan, Ph.D., said.

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India readies for 600 million COVID vaccine jabs; to use standard cold storage – top government expert

“The four that I can see, including Serum, Bharat, Zydus, and Sputnik need normal cold chain. I see no problem for these vaccines,” ,V.K. Paul, who heads the group of experts on vaccine administration, told Reuters in an interview.

Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine maker, is already mass producing and stockpiling AstraZeneca’s Covishield shot, while Indian biotech players Bharat Biotech and Zydus Cadila are developing their own vaccine candidates.

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