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Fake COVID-19 vaccination cards worry US college officials
Requiring vaccinations to attend class at colleges and universities has become a contentious political issue in some states. Public colleges in at least 13 states including Ohio, Utah, Tennessee and Florida cannot legally require COVID-19 vaccinations due to state legislation, but private institutions in those same states can.
Economic impact of 2nd COVID-19 wave likely to be muted; visible signs of eco rejuvenation: FinMin
The latest Monthly Economic Review, released by the finance ministry, said the ”robust recovery in tax collections cushions the fisc towards meeting the budgeted support to the economy”.
It also said the recent sero-prevalence results signify that India can reduce the likelihood of severe illness due to COVID-19 if the country sustains the momentum of the vaccination programme.
”Having antibodies reduces the probability of acquiring serious illnesses, as is borne by studies. So, any subsequent waves are expected to be mild in terms of severity of disease,” the ministry said in the report.
COVID-19 caseload in India breaches 80-lakh mark with 49,881 new cases
The world’s second most populous nation also has the second highest tally of infections after the United States, which has recorded 8.8 million
The COVID-19 case fatality rate has further declined to 1.49 per cent.
There are 603687 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprises 7.5 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.
Fare limits to remain in place for another three months Puri
“Even though we are extending it by three months, if by the time we reach the end of the year, and if we find that there is a very appreciable movement in the situation and we are reaching pre-COVID levels, I would absolutely have no hesitation if my colleagues (aviation ministry officials) want us to not utilise the price band for the full three months period,” Puri added.
Under pressure, WHO plans COVID-19 vaccine insurance scheme for poor nations
The scheme is being set up by the promoters of the COVAX vaccine facility, which is co-led by the WHO and GAVI, a global vaccine alliance, a COVAX document published on Thursday said. COVAX aims to distribute at least 2 billion effective shots around the world by the end of next year.
The scheme could foot the bill for 92 low-income countries, mostly in Africa and South-East Asia, meaning their governments would face little or no costs from claims brought by patients, should anything go unexpectedly wrong after a COVAX-distributed vaccine is administered.
Swiss Re joins global coalition to better predict & prevent outbreak and pandemics, to harness data and analytics
The Trinity Challenge aims to develop ideas and tools for tackling the three stages of infectious disease emergencies – identification, response and recovery.
By becoming a member of The Trinity Challenge, Swiss Re is joining leaders across the academic, non-profit and private sectors including Google, Microsoft and Facebook, GlaxoSmithKline, McKinsey & Company, the Gates Foundation, the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London.
India’s high use of antigen tests risks underestimating COVID-19 spread, says diagnostician
As a consequence of the reduced accuracy, India’s high use of antigen tests compared with a global use of around 10%, risked underestimating the spread of coronavirus, according to Arokiaswamy Velumani, founder of Thyrocare Technologies Ltd, one of India’s top-three diagnostic chains.
India”s COVID-19 caseload crosses 80 lakh
he Union Health Ministry data updated at Wednesday 8 am showed a single-day increase of 43,893 infections, taking the country”s COVID-19 tally of cases to 79,90,322, while the death toll climbed to 1,20,010 with 508 people succumbing to the disease during the same period.
Delhi nearing third peak, situation worrisome in WB, Kerala: NITI Aayog
“Countries with much better economies, health and infrastructure systems are succumbing to the pandemic, which is a lesson for India. We are fortunate that our journey is in another direction where the cases are showing a downward trend. Recoveries are soaring, and active cases are falling,” he added.
EU warns not enough COVID vaccines for all in Europe until 2022
Given a likely limited supply, the Commission has for months urged EU governments to devise vaccination plans that would prioritise vulnerable and essential groups, such as healthcare workers, the elderly or people with chronic diseases.
But apart from a consensus on inoculating doctors and nurses, “there is no common line on other groups,” the Commission official said at the internal meeting this week.
Epidemic & Pandemic insurance contracts less ambiguous in Asia:Peak Re CEO
“Specifically, when you look at COVID-19, this part of the world is going through its fifth epidemic this century, and this century is only 20 years old. There are much less problems on the wordings side in respect of pandemics in Asia,” Franz-Josef Hahn, chief executive officer, Peak Re said.
Looking ahead to January 1, 2021 renewals,Hahn highlighted that the period represents a chance for reinsurers to “correct pricing” – a move he believes necessary for the development of a “sustainable” marketplace. Otherwise, [the marketplace] is not going to go any further and no capacity will be provided any longer,” .
UK Vaccine Taskforce Chair says early COVID-19 vaccines may be imperfect – The Lancet
“However, we do not know that we will ever have a vaccine at all. It is important to guard against complacency and over-optimism”, UK Vaccine Taskforce Chair Kate Bingham wrote in a piece published in The Lancet medical journal.
“The first generation of vaccines is likely to be imperfect, and we should be prepared that they might not prevent infection but rather reduce symptoms, and, even then, might not work for everyone or for long,” she added.