Category:

Non-Life

Latest

Peak will come, virus can again emerge: Govt

NITI Aayog member (health) Dr V K Paul said it is the nature of the disease that it will ultimately go to villages.

This epidemiology is well known, Paul said as he urged people to follow COVID appropriate behaviour and embrace vaccination.
So peak will come, the virus can again emerge, we know. So preparations have to be made at country level in collaboration with states, infrastructure has to be ramped up, containment measures have to be implemented and COVID appropriate behaviour has to be followed, he said.

read more

Mixing AstraZeneca and Pfizer shots triggers more fatigue, headaches: Study

Researchers and public health officials are examining strategies such as blending two different shots as many low- and middle-income nations try to figure out how to cope with vaccine scarcity. Assurance that mismatched shots are still safe and effective would make it easier for governments to manage their stockpiles and provide more insight into a combination that’s already used in some countries.

read more

Gap between two doses of Covishield extended to 12-16 weeks: Govt

the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI)  has suggested no change for the dosage interval for Covaxin, the ministry said.

“Based on the available real-life evidences, particularly from the UK, the COVID-19 Working Group agreed for increasing the dosing interval to 12-16 weeks between two doses of Covishield vaccine. No change in interval of Covaxin vaccine doses was recommended,” the ministry said.

The present gap between two doses of Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, is 6-8 weeks.

read more

Human catastrophe unfolding in India, Nepal a warning; S Asia must bolster health system: Amnesty

“Governments across South Asia must immediately address healthcare shortages and urgently strengthen their healthcare systems to respond to the rapid surge of COVID-19 cases in the region. Extremely low vaccination rates across South Asia have also left the region highly vulnerable, with pressing action needed at the global level to ensure more equitable access to vaccines,” a statement from the Amnesty said.

It also said that South Asia, home to a quarter of the world”s population, is fast becoming the new global epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic.

read more

COVID-19 kills more than 4,000 Indians amid clamour for vaccines

Two states – Karnataka, which includes tech hub Bengaluru, and Maharashtra, which includes Mumbai – have announced they will temporarily suspend vaccination for people aged 18-44 years as they prioritize those over 45 who need their second dose.

Maharashtra also announced that curbs on movement would be extended until the end of the month in a bid to break the chain of infections. Mostly rural Bihar in the east extended curbs until May 25.

read more

Remote work leads to massive surge in hacking globally: Report

Among Financial and insurance industries, 83 per cent of data compromised in breaches was personal data, while in Professional, Scientific and Technical services industries only 49 per cent was personal.

“As the number of companies switching business-critical functions to the cloud increases, the potential threat to their operations may become more pronounced, as malicious actors look to exploit human vulnerabilities and leverage an increased dependency on digital infrastructures” said Tami Erwin, CEO, Verizon Business, in a statement. .

read more

Colonial Pipeline has cyber insurance policy, paid hackers nearly $5 Million in ransom

The cover was for at least $15 million.

Cyber insurance typically covers ransom payments and insurers often provide staff to negotiate with the hackers, in addition to IT and public relations services.

Swiss Re CEO Christian Mumenthaler argues that the private insurance market is simply not large enough to offer full cyber protection to vulnerable organisations, due to the systemic nature of cyber risk.

He observed that the cyber insurance market is currently worth around $5.5 billion in premium, compared to “gigantic” yearly losses that extend into the hundreds of billions of dollars.

read more

Adani and other Australian coal miners flag finance, insurance difficulties

The withdrawal of global insurers risks making even some ancillary business unviable, said contractor BMD Constructions Pty Ltd, which is building a section of a 210 km (130 mile) rail line to service Adani’s Carmichael mine in northern Queensland state, which is due to start operating this year.

The coal miners argued that Australia’s high-energy coal offers a comparatively lower emissions alternative to export markets compared with coal from other regions. They say coal also provides billions of dollars to government coffers and supports regional jobs.

read more