Around 96% of NBA players vaccinated against Covid-19: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Monday that around 96 percent of players in the league have now been vaccinated against Covid-19 despite union opposition to a league-wide mandate.Speaking to reporters on the eve of the new NBA season, which tips off on Tuesday, Silver said the number of vaccinated players had increased and was expected to go higher after the season starts. “Roughly 96 percent of our players are vaccinated, and that number will likely tick up a bit when the season starts,” Silver told reporters.
Mexico’s confirmed coronavirus death toll rises to 284,477
US FDA to allow mixing and matching of Covid-19 boosters
The US Food and Drug Administration is planning to allow mixing and matching of booster shots of Covid-19 vaccines in the country, the New York Times reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the agency’s plans. Read full story
Surge in UK cases sparks call for probe into Delta+ mutation
Former US FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb called for “urgent research” into a mutation of the Delta variant — or Delta plus — following a surge in Covid cases in the UK. “We need urgent research to figure out if this Delta plus is more transmissible, has partial immune evasion,” he said in a tweet. The UK reported the highest daily jump in new cases on Sunday since mid-July. The Delta plus strain includes the K417N mutation, also harbored by the Beta variant that’s associated with an increased risk of reinfection
AZ-mRNA vax combo highly effective: Lancet study
People who received a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca (AZ) Covid-19 vaccine followed by an mRNA vaccine shot had a lower risk of infection compared to those immunised with both doses of the AZ preventive, according to a nationwide study in Sweden. Read full story
Colin Powell, first Black US Secretary Of State, dies Of Covid-19
Colin Powell, who in four decades of public life served as the nation’s top soldier, diplomat and national security adviser, and whose speech at the UN in 2003 helped pave the way for the US to go to war in Iraq, died on Monday. He was 84. Read full story
Assam reports 298 new Covid-19 cases, 7 deaths
Assam reported a total of 298 fresh Covid-19 infections, 266 recoveries, and seven deaths in the last 24 hours.According to the state’s health department, the cumulative caseload has now reached 6,06,766 including 2,114 active cases. The state has logged 5,97,348 recoveries so far. The death toll in the state is 5,957. Assam today recorded a positivity rate of 0.73 per cent. The recovery rate is at 98.45 per cent while the case fatality rate is 0.98 per cent.In the last 24 hours, 41,043 tests were conducted to detect the presence of the virus in the population. Since the onset of the pandemic last year, a total of 2,42,02,721 tests have been conducted in the state.
Delhi gets first kid-friendly vaccination center
“We’ve kept toys, electronic & musical items for kids in the post-vaccination room to keep them engage. This is a first vaccination center with this concept,” said Dr Sameer Bhati, Director Star Imaging & Path Labs
Doctors ‘botch abortion, try to show fatality as Covid death’, booked
WHO had stated on October 5, after its Strategic Advisory Group of Experts held a meeting on Covaxin’s EUL application, that the WHO and an independent group of experts were “scheduled to meet next week to carry out the risk/benefit assessment and come to a final decision whether to grant EUL to Covaxin” after the company had submitted additional information on September 27
WHO said while Covaxin’s manufacturer, Bharat Biotech, has been submitting data on a rolling basis and its experts have reviewed this data, it is “expecting one additional piece of information from the company today”
The statements came a day after WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said the UN agency’s technical advisory group (TAG) would meet on October 26 to consider EUL for Covaxin
The WHO said on Monday it was “aware that many people are waiting for WHO’s recommendation for Covaxin to be included in the Covid-19 emergency use listing (EUL)” but that it “cannot cut corners”.
US administers 408.3 mln doses of Covid-19 vaccines: CDC
The United States has administered 408,265,959 doses of Covid-19 vaccines as of Sunday morning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The figures are up from the 407,446,961 vaccine doses the CDC said had gone into arms by Oct. 16. The agency said 218,805,579 people had received at least one dose while 189,141,481 people were fully vaccinated as of 6 a.m. ET Sunday. The CDC tally includes two-dose vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech , and Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine. Over 10.5 million people have received a booster dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine since Aug. 13, when the U.S. authorized a third dose of the vaccines for those with compromised immune systems. The authorization for booster shots has since been broadened to a wider population.
Primary classes to reopen in Karnataka from Oct 25
Karnataka government has decided to permit Classes 1 to 5 to reopen from October 25, with strictly adherence to Covid-19 appropriate behaviour and standard operating procedures, state Primary and secondary Education Minister B.C. Nagesh announced on Monday. He said that the decision has been taken as per the recommendation of the expert commitee on Covid-19 and as per the wishes of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Latvia announces four weeks of lockdown as Covid-19 cases spike
Latvia announced a Covid-19 lockdown from Oct. 21 until Nov. 15 to try to slow a spike in infections in one of the least vaccinated European Union countries. “Latvia is world number 1 in infections rate”, Health Minister Daniels Pavluts told reporters on Monday evening after an emergency meeting by the government. Shops, restaurants, schools and entertainment will be closed, and only essential services available, he said. The lockdown will then be eased only for the vaccinated, he added. “Our health system is in danger”, Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said, blaming low vaccination rates in his country for the spike in hospitalisations.
Britain reports highest number of new cases since mid-July
Government data showed there were 49,156 new cases of coronavirus, up from 45,140 on Sunday, and the highest daily total since July 17.
Antibodies found in 76.3% people in Haryana, says Anil Vij
Antibodies against the Covid-19 infection were found in 76.3% of people in the third round of sero-survey in Haryana, Health Minister Anil Vij said on Monday. He also released a report of the third survey, which was conducted in September, and that found the sero-positivity rate to be 78.1% in urban areas and 75.1% in rural areas.
South Africa’s health products regulator on Monday said it would not approve Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine due to concerns it could increase the risk of HIV infection among men.
Over 98 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses administered so far, says govt
Around 96% of NBA players vaccinated against Covid-19: NBA Commissioner Adam SilverNBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Monday that around 96 percent of players in the league have now been vaccinated against Covid-19 despite union opposition to a league-wide mandate.Speaking to reporters on the eve of the new NBA season, which tips off on Tuesday, Silver said the number of vaccinated players had increased and was expected to go higher after the season starts. “Roughly 96 percent of our players are vaccinated, and that number will likely tick up a bit when the season starts,” Silver told reporters.Mexico’s confirmed coronavirus death toll rises to 284,477US FDA to allow mixing and matching of Covid-19 boostersThe US Food and Drug Administration is planning to allow mixing and matching of booster shots of Covid-19 vaccines in the country, the New York Times reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the agency’s plans. Read full storySurge in UK cases sparks call for probe into Delta+ mutationFormer US FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb called for “urgent research” into a mutation of the Delta variant — or Delta plus — following a surge in Covid cases in the UK. “We need urgent research to figure out if this Delta plus is more transmissible, has partial immune evasion,” he said in a tweet. The UK reported the highest daily jump in new cases on Sunday since mid-July. The Delta plus strain includes the K417N mutation, also harbored by the Beta variant that’s associated with an increased risk of reinfectionAZ-mRNA vax combo highly effective: Lancet studyPeople who received a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca (AZ) Covid-19 vaccine followed by an mRNA vaccine shot had a lower risk of infection compared to those immunised with both doses of the AZ preventive, according to a nationwide study in Sweden. Read full storyColin Powell, first Black US Secretary Of State, dies Of Covid-19Colin Powell, who in four decades of public life served as the nation’s top soldier, diplomat and national security adviser, and whose speech at the UN in 2003 helped pave the way for the US to go to war in Iraq, died on Monday. He was 84. Read full storyAssam reports 298 new Covid-19 cases, 7 deathsAssam reported a total of 298 fresh Covid-19 infections, 266 recoveries, and seven deaths in the last 24 hours.According to the state’s health department, the cumulative caseload has now reached 6,06,766 including 2,114 active cases. The state has logged 5,97,348 recoveries so far. The death toll in the state is 5,957. Assam today recorded a positivity rate of 0.73 per cent. The recovery rate is at 98.45 per cent while the case fatality rate is 0.98 per cent.In the last 24 hours, 41,043 tests were conducted to detect the presence of the virus in the population. Since the onset of the pandemic last year, a total of 2,42,02,721 tests have been conducted in the state.Delhi gets first kid-friendly vaccination center”We’ve kept toys, electronic & musical items for kids in the post-vaccination room to keep them engage. This is a first vaccination center with this concept,” said Dr Sameer Bhati, Director Star Imaging & Path LabsDoctors ‘botch abortion, try to show fatality as Covid death’, bookedWHO had stated on October 5, after its Strategic Advisory Group of Experts held a meeting on Covaxin’s EUL application, that the WHO and an independent group of experts were “scheduled to meet next week to carry out the risk/benefit assessment and come to a final decision whether to grant EUL to Covaxin” after the company had submitted additional information on September 27WHO said while Covaxin’s manufacturer, Bharat Biotech, has been submitting data on a rolling basis and its experts have reviewed this data, it is “expecting one additional piece of information from the company today”The statements came a day after WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said the UN agency’s technical advisory group (TAG) would meet on October 26 to consider EUL for CovaxinThe WHO said on Monday it was “aware that many people are waiting for WHO’s recommendation for Covaxin to be included in the Covid-19 emergency use listing (EUL)” but that it “cannot cut corners”.US administers 408.3 mln doses of Covid-19 vaccines: CDCThe United States has administered 408,265,959 doses of Covid-19 vaccines as of Sunday morning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The figures are up from the 407,446,961 vaccine doses the CDC said had gone into arms by Oct. 16. The agency said 218,805,579 people had received at least one dose while 189,141,481 people were fully vaccinated as of 6 a.m. ET Sunday. The CDC tally includes two-dose vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech , and Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine. Over 10.5 million people have received a booster dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine since Aug. 13, when the U.S. authorized a third dose of the vaccines for those with compromised immune systems. The authorization for booster shots has since been broadened to a wider population.Primary classes to reopen in Karnataka from Oct 25Karnataka government has decided to permit Classes 1 to 5 to reopen from October 25, with strictly adherence to Covid-19 appropriate behaviour and standard operating procedures, state Primary and secondary Education Minister B.C. Nagesh announced on Monday. He said that the decision has been taken as per the recommendation of the expert commitee on Covid-19 and as per the wishes of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.Latvia announces four weeks of lockdown as Covid-19 cases spikeLatvia announced a Covid-19 lockdown from Oct. 21 until Nov. 15 to try to slow a spike in infections in one of the least vaccinated European Union countries. “Latvia is world number 1 in infections rate”, Health Minister Daniels Pavluts told reporters on Monday evening after an emergency meeting by the government. Shops, restaurants, schools and entertainment will be closed, and only essential services available, he said. The lockdown will then be eased only for the vaccinated, he added. “Our health system is in danger”, Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said, blaming low vaccination rates in his country for the spike in hospitalisations.Britain reports highest number of new cases since mid-JulyGovernment data showed there were 49,156 new cases of coronavirus, up from 45,140 on Sunday, and the highest daily total since July 17.Antibodies found in 76.3% people in Haryana, says Anil VijAntibodies against the Covid-19 infection were found in 76.3% of people in the third round of sero-survey in Haryana, Health Minister Anil Vij said on Monday. He also released a report of the third survey, which was conducted in September, and that found the sero-positivity rate to be 78.1% in urban areas and 75.1% in rural areas.South Africa’s health products regulator on Monday said it would not approve Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine due to concerns it could increase the risk of HIV infection among men.Over 98 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses administered so far, says govt