Category:

Pandemic

Latest

Asia supercharges vaccination efforts after slow start, U.S. lags

Sep 16, 2021 | , , , ,

While each country’s inoculation strategies differ, Asia’s momentum reflects pent-up demand for the shots as a means to ease lockdowns, said Paul Griffin, an infectious disease expert at the University of Queensland in northeast Australia.

Australia is giving priority supplies to its largest cities, which are in lockdown to contain a third wave of infections fuelled by the Delta variant. It expects to have enough to complete vaccinations of those older than 12 by mid-October. read more

Japan has overcome initial logistics hurdles to give about a million shots a day since mid-June, as urgency has grown after Delta unleashed an unprecedented wave of infections and serious cases in August.

Unvaccinated children suffering Covid-19 impact, Americas health agency warn

Sep 16, 2021 | , , ,

So far, the only vaccine approved by the WHO for adolescents is the Pfizer Inc shot, while Moderna Inc has asked for emergency use approval of its vaccine for 12-15-year-olds, according to PAHO Assistant Director Jarbas Barbosa.

He said China’s Sinovac Biotech and Sinopharm have also requested WHO approval or the use of their vaccines for adolescents and children from 3 to 17 years old.

WHO recommends two doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine within 21-28 days

Jan 6, 2021 | , , , ,

“We deliberated and came out with the following recommendation: two doses of this (Pfizer) vaccine within 21-28 days,” Alejandro Cravioto, chairman of WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), told an online news briefing.

More than 85 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and around 1.85 million have died, according to a Reuters tally.

read more

Global economy expected to expand by 4% in 2021: World Bank

Jan 6, 2021 | , , , ,

“While the global economy appears to have entered a subdued recovery, policy makers face formidable challenges – in public health, debt management, budget policies, central banking and structural reforms – as they try to ensure that this still fragile global recovery gains traction and sets a foundation for robust growth,” said World Bank President David Malpass .

“To overcome the impacts of the pandemic and counter the investment headwind, there needs to be a major push to improve business environments, increase labour and product market flexibility, and strengthen transparency and governance,” he said.

read more

India’s services sector loses more steam in December, job cuts resume

Jan 6, 2021 | , , ,

Job market conditions darkened, slipping back into contraction, although the pace of job shedding remained minimal.

“Given the damaging impact of the pandemic on the service economy, some companies are facing financial difficulties, which is preventing staff hiring. December saw the ninth round of job shedding in ten months,” said Pollyanna De Lima, economics associate director at IHS Markit

read more

World risks ‘moral catastrophe’ if COVID shots delayed in Africa, its CDC chief says

Jan 5, 2021 | , , , ,

Cases of the new coronavirus increased by nearly 19% since last week and deaths increased by 26%, according to Africa CDC data. Africa has recorded 2.7 million coronavirus infections and 64,000 deaths as of Thursday, it says.

South Africa, where a new variant of the virus has been detected, recorded 82,000 cases in the past week, he said.

read more

Approval of COVID vaccine lends strength to optimism on health, eco fronts: FinMin report

Jan 5, 2021 | , , ,

India, the report said, ”has been successful in bending the COVID-curve till now, with reducing weekly/daily infections, rising recovery rate (now at around 95 per cent) and one of the world’s lowest case fatality rates”. The downside risk, however, remains due to the spread of the UK variant and fatigue from social distancing guidelines, it said, adding the emphasis on continued observation of ‘COVID appropriate’ behaviour with the due exercise of caution and surveillance needs to be sustained.

read more