Dr. Bruce Aylward, a senior WHO official, warned high levels of transmission give the virus more opportunity to replicate and mutate, raising the risk that another variant will emerge. New infections have increased by 20% globally over the past week with nearly 19 million total reported cases. “This pandemic is nowhere near over,” WHO Director-GeneralContinue reading “WHO says omicron won’t be last Covid variant as global cases surge by 20% in a week”
Tag Archives: Vaccine Patents
Gravitas: Omicron: Why India is preparing for a big surge – WION
India has reported its biggest surge since June 2021. The Omicron fuelled surge added 10 million new cases worldwide last week. The UK is restricting testing. Lockdown in China’s Xi’an has led to chaos. Palki Sharma brings you the 10 big developments.
Refugees lack COVID shots because drugmakers fear lawsuits, documents show
Tens of millions of migrants may be denied COVID-19 vaccines from a global programme because some major manufacturers are worried about legal risks from harmful side effects, according to officials and internal documents from Gavi, the charity operating the programme, reviewed by Reuters. Nearly two years into a pandemic that has already killed more thanContinue reading “Refugees lack COVID shots because drugmakers fear lawsuits, documents show”
State of the pandemic within Europe primarily determined by vaccination rates – DW News
Vaccination rates are very unequal around the world. There are also big differences within Europe and the European Union. Leading the pack is Portugal, where 88 percent of the total population is fully vaccinated. Spain is also doing well, at 80 percent. In Germany, just 69 percent of the population is fully vaccinated – aContinue reading “State of the pandemic within Europe primarily determined by vaccination rates – DW News”
Omicron COVID variant was in Europe before South African scientists detected and flagged it to the world
Dutch health authorities announced on Tuesday that they found the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus in cases dating back as long as 11 days, indicating that it was already spreading in western Europe before the first cases were identified in southern Africa. The RIVM health institute said it found Omicron in samples dating from November 19 and 23.Continue reading “Omicron COVID variant was in Europe before South African scientists detected and flagged it to the world”
Omicron variant: Biden makes fresh plea to Americans to get vaccinated as he puts travel restrictions on eight countries
New ban will affect eight African countries President Joe Biden announced on Friday that his administration would ban travel from eight countries beginning on Monday, as the US seeks to prevent the spread of a new Covid-19 variant dubbed “Omicron”. A statement from the White House indicated that travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi would beContinue reading “Omicron variant: Biden makes fresh plea to Americans to get vaccinated as he puts travel restrictions on eight countries”
Failure to share Covid vaccines ‘coming back to haunt us’, says Gordon Brown
Ex-PM says world was ‘forewarned’ of dangers of failing to vaccinate poorer countries amid rise of new variant ‘New variant is no surprise when rich countries are hoarding vaccines’ The failure of wealthy nations to get vaccines to the developing world is “coming back to haunt us”, Gordon Brown has warned, as experts said the emergence ofContinue reading “Failure to share Covid vaccines ‘coming back to haunt us’, says Gordon Brown”
Among the Fray 