"Connecting Communities for COVID19 News" 19th Apr 2021
Isolation Tips
Young adults' coping strategies against loneliness during the COVID-19-related quarantine in Greece
COVID-19 and the related quarantine disrupted young adults’ academic and professional life, daily routine and socio-emotional well-being. This cross-sectional study focused on the emotional and behavioural responses of a young adult population during the COVID-19-related quarantine in April 2020, in Greece. The study was conducted through an online survey. A total of 1559 young adults, aged 18-30 years, completed Steele’s Social Responsibility Motivation Scale and the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, and answered questions about compliance with instructions, quarantine-related behaviours and coping strategies. According to the results, participants displayed a relatively high sense of social responsibility and a trend towards moderate feeling of loneliness; young women reported significantly higher levels of loneliness than men.
Loneliness won't end when the pandemic ends
In 2018, nearly half of Americans reported sometimes or always feeling alone. Recent findings suggest that during the pandemic, over one in three Americans face "serious loneliness." The "loneliness epidemic," as some experts call it, was a problem well before Covid-19. And while physical reunion is now in sight, it'll take more than dinner parties to reach the marrow of a complicated and deeply cultural problem. There is a distinction between loneliness and the social isolation that Covid-19 has required over the past year. While isolation is more quantitative and objective -- the reality of fewer social contacts -- loneliness is a feeling. "Loneliness is thought to be more of a subjective, distressing feeling," Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University, told CNN. "It's often defined as the discrepancy between one's actual and desired level of connection." And because loneliness is a feeling, it varies widely.
Hygiene Helpers
As mask mandates end, Oregon bucks trend with permanent rule
As states around the country lift COVID-19 restrictions, Oregon is poised to go the opposite direction — and many residents are fuming about it. A top health official is considering indefinitely extending rules requiring masks and social distancing in all businesses in the state. The proposal would keep the rules in place until they are “no longer necessary to address the effects of the pandemic in the workplace.” Michael Wood, administrator of the state’s department of Occupational Safety and Health, said the move is necessary to address a technicality in state law that requires a “permanent” rule to keep current restrictions from expiring.
Amid hesitancy, Louisiana gets creative in vaccine outreach
Brass bands playing at a 24-hour drive-thru coronavirus vaccine event. Doses delivered to commercial fishermen minutes from the docks. Pop-up immunization clinics at a Buddhist temple, homeless shelters, truck stops and casinos, with shots available at night or on weekends. And now, door-to-door outreach getting underway in neighborhoods where few people have gotten vaccinated.
Louisiana is making a full-court press to get shots in arms, with aggressive — and sometimes creative — outreach to make it as easy as possible to get vaccinated. The effort comes as vaccine supplies are surging but demand is not.
Africa's solar-powered way to keep vaccines cool
Ghana-headquartered PEG Africa is trialing it's solar-powered fridges and freezers in Senegalese and Ivorian fishing communities. They use the "Koolboks" to store fish, but PEG Africa's CEO say it could be a useful tool in the continent's vaccination campaign. Nneka Chile has more.
All about your coronavirus vaccine card (and what to do if you lose it)
There are various ways to document that you received a coronavirus vaccine. Some people have snapped selfies proudly displaying the Band-Aid on their upper arm. Some vaccination sites are handing out stickers. But the official form of documentation is the small white vaccination record card issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which you receive after your first shot. “You do want to make sure you keep it safe,” says Kelly Moore, deputy director of the Immunization Action Coalition. “You do want to make a copy of it and keep that on file, not because it’s the only record, but because it’s the one that you control.”
India: Vaccine exclusion fears over digital ID, face recognition
Millions of vulnerable people are at risk of missing out on COVID-19 vaccines as India uses its national digital identity for registration and pilots facial recognition technology at inoculation centres, rights groups and experts said. Amid a surge in coronavirus cases, authorities are testing a facial recognition system based on the Aadhaar ID for authentication in the eastern state of Jharkhand, and plan to roll it out nationwide, a senior official said last week.
Guatemala blocks travel from Brazil, UK and South Africa in new COVID measure
Guatemala will restrict entry to visitors who have recently been to Brazil, the United Kingdom and South Africa in an effort to control a jump in coronavirus cases, President Alejandro Giammattei said on Friday.
The measure will go into effect on Saturday and last through April 30, applying to tourists who have been to those countries within the prior two weeks, Giammattei said in a public address.
He noted that Guatemala had registered 5,813 new COVID-19 infections in the last five days, bringing the total in the Central American country to 210,667 confirmed cases.
Community Activities
New book captures Waltham Forest community kindness during Covid
Waltham Forest Community Hub (WFCH) came together to create a book featuring stories of local kindness during lockdown. Here, the creators and designers describe making the book. “As soon as we had 100 simple acts of kindness, we were ready to work on publishing the book – but we were very aware that we haven’t captured everyone and everything. I hope that more similar projects will manifest – as the legacy of a crisis like this can teach us about the importance of community.”
Celebrities make a stand for COVID vaccines on TV special
President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama and a slew of celebrities including Billy Crystal, Jennifer Hudson and Lin-Manuel Miranda are part of a special aimed at boosting COVID-19 vaccination rates. “Roll Up Your Sleeves,” airing at 7 p.m. EDT Sunday on NBC, will feature Matthew McConaughey interviewing Dr. Anthony Fauci to help separate “fact from fiction” about the vaccines, the network said. Biden will make a direct appeal in support of the effort, while Obama will be joined by basketball greats Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal to reinforce the role of vaccines in allowing Americans to get their lives back on track.
Qatar Seeks Covid-19 Vaccinations for All World Cup Visitors
Qatar said it’s in talks with coronavirus vaccine makers to ensure all 2022 soccer World Cup visitors are vaccinated. “Right now there are programs under development to provide vaccination to all the attendees of the World Cup,” Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Friday during a virtual conference. “We will be able, hopefully, to host a Covid-free event.” The Gulf state has seen a resurgence in Covid-19 cases despite pushing ahead with its inoculation program, forcing a lockdown to be reimposed. Qatar has administered 1.2 million jabs - enough for 21.6% of its people, according to Bloomberg’s vaccine tracker. Qatar, one of the richest countries on the planet per capita, is spending hundreds of billions of dollars on infrastructure construction ahead of the FIFA event, fueling an oversupply in property.
Police ramp up patrols in crackdown on first weekend of new lockdown freedoms
Police forces across the country have upped their patrols this weekend as people enjoy their new freedoms from the coronavirus lockdown. It comes as thousands of drinkers packed out pubs and streets last night as they enjoyed the first Friday evening where they go for a drink out with friends. An astonishing five million pints and 500,000 bottles of wine were thought to have been drunk on ‘Fab Friday’ – the biggest night out across the country for six months.
Brazil: Battling Bolsonaro’s COVID misinformation
How leading media outlets in Brazil have joined forces to take on Bolsonaro and his COVID denial.Some of Brazil’s biggest media companies have come together to combat COVID-19 misinformation – a lot of which is coming from President Jair Bolsonaro’s office.
Working Remotely
Remote work policies are here to stay, shaping the future of office space
The pandemic has ushered in a new normal for many American workers: working from home. While many jobs cannot be performed from home — including jobs in manufacturing, health care and hospitality — more than 70 percent of American workers were working from home last December, according to a Pew Research study. And 54 percent of American workers would like to continue to work from home after the coronavirus pandemic ends, the study said. The result is what may be a permanent shift to more remote work for a variety of companies.
How remote work sentiment differs across generations
New data finds there is a generational divide when it comes to feelings toward remote work. Further subdivisions related to a person’s position within the work hierarchy, with the lower paid struggling more. The study surveyed 1,000 U.S.-based full-time enterprise employees working remotely and found that many (4 in 5) senior employees feel they are more productive and enjoy the remote work environment, compared to only half of junior employees. As businesses settle into a more permanent remote work set up (and the social and cultural changes that come with this), they need to ensure all employees of all circumstances have what they need to get their work done. While working remotely has benefitted the top, workers struggle at home too.
The pros and cons of working remotely
A great debate is raging in organizations over whether employees will return to their offices or continue to work remotely once COVID-19 is under control and most people are vaccinated. Gartner’s recent survey finds that about 70% of employees wish to continue some form of remote work. Twitter and Facebook have already given their employees permission to work remotely on a permanent basis. On the other hand, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon calls remote work an “aberration,” urging employees to return to the office to collaborate on ideas. Harvard Business School's Tsedal Neeley has written a timely, well-researched book called Remote Work Revolution that demonstrates how to make remote work most effective, taking on issues like building trust, productivity, working in agile teams, and leading virtually.
Regulators keep watchful eye on remote workers
For financial services workers, lockdowns have brought freedom from commuting and office dress codes. But the basic protocols of finance work have remained unchanged. So, in March 2020, when employees began to handle sensitive transactions, client data and communications outside company premises, financial institutions suddenly had to adapt their oversight systems. They had to ensure that market abuse, anti-fraud, data privacy and conduct regulations were all adhered to, under remote working.
Virtual Classrooms
Primary school pupils learned 'little or nothing' from online lessons during lockdown and lost a fifth of the progress they would have made in the classroom, study finds
Primary school pupils learned 'little or nothing' from online lessons during lockdown and lost a fifth of the progress they would have made in the classroom, a study has found. The report from Oxford University says that while remote teaching was often of a high quality, youngsters' education still suffered. Lower levels of learning were even greater in families from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Mumbai colleges all set to upgrade tech for another online academic year
In Mumbai, while last year the virtual classroom system was forcefully thrown at the institutes, this time colleges are already busy preparing for the 2021-22 academic year, and the idea is to enhance the system which is already in place rather than make do with the routine. “Technology is so advanced now, we have started the process of upgrading our software to make it more fool-proof and avoid hacking in any way possible,” said Ashok Wadia, principal. He added that while their college was one of the handful of institutes that managed to train their teachers on how to conduct virtual classes last year, this year they have put together a platform exclusively for their teaching staff in order to ensure better team building among the staff.
Public Policies
France to impose 10-day quarantine for travellers coming from Brazil
France will order a strict 10-day quarantine for all travellers coming from Brazil starting April 24, the prime minister's office said on Saturday, in a bid to prevent the spread of a coronavirus variant first found in the South American county. France decided this week to suspend all flights to and from Brazil. The measure will be extended until April 23, the prime minister's office said in the same statement. Starting April 24, only people residing in France or holding a French or European Union passport will be allowed to fly to the country.
Canada's Ontario to expand use of AstraZeneca COVID vaccine as epidemic rages
The Canadian province of Ontario will begin offering AstraZeneca's (AZN.L) COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday to people turning 40 or older this year, according to a government source. The change will broaden access to vaccines as a third wave of infections threatens to overwhelm hospitals in Canada's most-populous province, and should make it easier to use doses that in some cases have been accumulating at pharmacies. The change will be announced on Monday and go into effect across the province on Tuesday, according to the source. The vaccine has already been distributed to pharmacies but currently can only be given to people turning 55 or older this year.
Brazil warns women to delay pregnancy amid Covid-19 surge
Brazil has warned women to delay getting pregnant until the worst of the pandemic passes, saying the virus variant that is devastating the South American country appears to affect expectant mothers more than earlier versions of the coronavirus.
The recommendation comes as Brazil continues to be one of the global epicenters of the pandemic, with more Brazilians dying of the virus each day than anywhere else in the world. Hospitals are buckling under the strain and stocks of drugs needed for intubating severely ill patients are running perilously low, with Brazil turning to international partners for help with emergency supplies.
Northern Ireland accelerates lockdown exit plans
Northern Ireland will open outdoor dining from the end of April and hotels from late May, the British region's government said, in an acceleration of its lockdown exit plans that will see it reopen its economy far faster than neighbouring Ireland. All retail, outdoor restaurant and bar services and gyms will open on April 30, the Northern Ireland Executive said after earlier indicating they would open later in May.
Indoor dining and hotels will follow suit on May 24, subject to COVID-19 infection rates, the executive said in a statement.
Biden administration to invest $1.7bn to fight COVID-19 variants
The United States will invest $1.7bn to help states and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fight COVID-19 variants that are spreading rapidly across the US. The investment is part of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion “American Rescue Plan” and will improve detection, monitoring and mitigation of these variants by scaling up genomic sequencing efforts, the White House said on Friday. “The original strain of COVID-19 comprises only about half of all cases in America today. New and potentially dangerous strains of the virus make up the other half,” the White House said in a statement. In early February, US laboratories were sequencing about 8,000 COVID-19 strains per week. Since then the administration has invested nearly $200m to increase genomic sequencing to 29,000 samples per week – an effort that will get a boost with the new funding.
Senators urge Biden to back temporary WTO waiver of IP rights to speed vaccine access
Bernie Sanders and nine other Democratic senators urged President Joe Biden on Friday to back a temporary patent waiver for COVID-19 vaccines that would allow countries to manufacture treatments locally and accelerate the global vaccination effort. World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonko-Iweala on Wednesday urged WTO member to address inequitable access to vaccines, with low-income countries administering just 0.2% of 700 million global doses. She urged WTO members to advance negotiations on a proposal by India and South Africa and backed by over 80 WTO members that would temporarily waive the intellectual property (IP) rights of pharmaceutical companies. The issue will be discussed by WTO members in early May.
Denmark speeds up reopening of economy as new virus cases ease
Denmark said on Friday it would reopen the economy sooner than expected as COVID-19 infections decrease, allowing indoor service at restaurants and cafes and football fans to cheer from the stands from April 21, weeks earlier than originally planned. Denmark has avoided a third wave of the COVID-19 epidemic after imposing wide lockdown measures in December, which slowed the epidemic considerably to between 500-700 daily infections from several thousands in December. Most of the planned reopening schemes are contingent on the use of a so-called "corona-passport", which shows whether the holder has been vaccinated, has previously been infected or has taken a test within the last 72 hours.
India’s COVID vaccine maker urges Biden to lift exports embargo
The Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s biggest vaccine maker, has urged President Joe Biden to lift an embargo by the United States on the exports of raw materials that is hurting its production of COVID-19 shots. “Respected @POTUS, if we are to truly unite in beating this virus, on behalf of the vaccine industry outside the U.S., I humbly request you to lift the embargo of raw material exports out of the US so that vaccine production can ramp up,” SII Chief Executive Adar Poonawalla said in a tweet on Friday.
Uzbekistan imposes new COVID-19 restrictions from April 18
Uzbekistan will introduce new restrictions on public events, catering and transport services starting from April 18 amid surging COVID-19 infections, the state news agency UzA reported on Saturday. According to the country's special commission on combating COVID-19,
Merkel says lockdowns, curfews vital to break Germany's third wave
German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged lawmakers on Friday to approve new powers that would allow her to force coronavirus lockdowns and curfews on areas with high infection rates, saying a majority of Germans were in favour of stricter measures. "The third wave of the pandemic has our country firmly in its grip," said Merkel, whose speech in parliament was interrupted by heckling from lawmakers of the far-right Alternative for Germany party opposed to lockdowns. "Intensive care workers are sending one distress call after the other. Who are we to ignore their pleas?" Merkel said.
Maintaining Services
Cambodia uses wedding halls for COVID patients as cases surge
Cambodia began setting up thousands of hospital beds in two wedding party halls on Sunday to cope with an influx of COVID-19 patients in a country that up until recently had largely managed to contain infections. Cambodia also reported a daily record 618 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, its health ministry said, in a spike in infections following an outbreak first detected in late February. The new numbers took the overall tally to 6,389. Cambodia until recently had one of the world's lowest numbers of infections. It has reported 43 deaths, all in the past two months.
Half of US adults have received at least one COVID-19 shot
Half of all adults in the U.S. have received at least one COVID-19 shot, the government announced Sunday, marking another milestone in the nation’s largest-ever vaccination campaign but leaving more work to do to convince skeptical Americans to roll up their sleeves. Almost 130 million people 18 or older have received at least one dose of a vaccine, or 50.4% of the total adult population, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Almost 84 million adults, or about 32.5% of the population, have been fully vaccinated. The U.S. cleared the 50% mark just a day after the reported global death toll from the coronavirus topped a staggering 3 million, according to totals compiled by Johns Hopkins University, though the actual number is believed to be significantly higher.
'Dire need of beds, oxygen': India's capital under siege from COVID-19
India’s capital New Delhi recorded 25,500 coronavirus cases in a 24-hour period, with about one in three people tested returning a positive result, its chief minister said, urging the federal government to provide more hospital beds to tackle the crisis. Less than 100 critical care beds were available in the city of more than 20 million people, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday, as social media was flooded with people complaining about lack of beds, oxygen cylinders and drugs.
"The bigger worry is that in last 24 hours positivity rate has increased to around 30% from 24% ... The cases are rising very rapidly. The beds are filling fast," Kejriwal told a news briefing.
UK delivers more than 600,000 vaccines in 24 hours
More than 600,000 first and second doses of coronavirus vaccine were administered in Britain in the space of 24 hours, according to data released on Saturday. Official figures showed that 119,306 first doses were given on Friday, and 485,421 second doses. The data also showed a further 35 people had died from the virus within 28 days of a positive test, and 2,206 people had tested positive. In the last seven days, daily deaths were down 29% from the previous week, while cases were down 6.5%.
Pfizer halts corona vaccine shipments to Israel after failure to pay
Pfizer has halted shipments of coronavirus vaccines to Israel in outrage over the country failing to transfer payment for the last 2.5 million doses it supplied to the country, The Jerusalem Post has learned. Senior officials at Pfizer have said they are concerned that the government-in-transition will not pay up and the company does not want to be taken advantage of. They said that they do not understand how such a situation can occur in an organized country.
India: Oxygen shortage in Maharashtra as COVID cases soar
As Maharashtra, India’s richest state, grapples with ferociously rising COVID-19 cases, patients such as Pawar are struggling to find hospital beds and oxygen support. The state’s daily oxygen usage has touched 1,500 metric tonnes, according to Health Minister Rajesh Tope. This is much more than its daily production of 1,250 tonnes. While other states are contributing to plug the shortfall, transportation by road takes time. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has now requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to deploy the National Disaster Management Authority to airlift oxygen for rapid movement.
‘Staff have been treated like cannon fodder’: NHS bosses issue stark warning on future of health service
Hundreds of senior NHS managers have voiced their fears for the future of the health service amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis without a significant pay rise to help retain staff on the front line. A survey of more than 800 senior NHS managers has revealed the extreme pressure some have been working under, with many working 20 or more hours of unpaid extra hours each week. More than 90 per cent backed a significant pay rise for NHS staff to try and head off a feared exodus of nurses, doctors and other staff leaving the NHS after the pandemic. This would help shore up the service as it faces the daunting task of tackling record waiting lists now totalling 4.7 million patients.
Alaska to offer tourists COVID-19 vaccines starting June 1
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said Friday that COVID-19 vaccines would be made available at key airports in the state starting June 1, in unveiling plans aimed at bolstering the state’s pandemic-battered tourist industry. Dunleavy, a Republican, outlined plans for a national marketing campaign aimed at luring tourists using federal aid money and said the vaccine offering is “probably another good reason to come to the state of Alaska in the summer.” Dunleavy and other state leaders have been pushing to allow large cruise ships to return to Alaska after COVID-19 restrictions kept them away last year, hitting hard businesses and communities, particularly in southeast Alaska, that rely heavily on summer tourism.
India pledges massive boost in vaccine output as COVID-19 cases surge
India pledged on Friday to raise monthly production of its own COVID-19 vaccine about tenfold to nearly 100 million doses by September, as immunisations have slowed in the country despite a surge in new infections. After donating and selling tens of millions vaccine doses abroad, India has suddenly found itself short of Covaxin, its only domestically made shot. The government is now trying to raise production at manufacturer Bharat Biotech, and fast-track imports of other vaccines.
England's COVID-19 epidemic estimated to be shrinking more quickly - health ministry
The COVID-19 epidemic in England is estimated to be shrinking more quickly compared to last week, the health ministry said on Friday, adding that the closely watch reproduction "R" number might also be lower. The daily growth rate of COVID-19 infections was estimated between -6% and -1%, down from -4% and 0% last week. The estimated range for the R number was 0.7 to 1.0, meaning on average, every 10 people infected will infect between 7 and 10 other people. Last week it was estimated at 0.8 to 1.0
Pregnant women in UK told to have Pfizer or Moderna vaccines
Pregnant women in Britain should get a COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer (PFE.N) or Moderna (MRNA.O) because there is more real-world data to show they are safe, the British public body that advises on vaccinations said on Friday. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation(JCVI) said around 90,000 pregnant women had been vaccinated in the United States, mainly with the two American vaccines, without any safety concerns being raised. "Based on these data, the JCVI advises that it is preferable for pregnant women in the UK to be offered the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines where available," it said. "There is no evidence to suggest that other vaccines are unsafe for pregnant women, but more research is needed."
Thailand to close schools, bars after surge in COVID-19 cases
Thailand will close close schools, bars and massage parlours, as well as ban alcohol sales in restaurants, for at least two weeks starting from Sunday after a jump in COVID-19 cases, a senior official said. Activities involving more than 50 people will also be prohibited, Thailand's coronavirus taskforce spokesman, Taweesin Wisanuyothin, said, adding that 18 provinces including Bangkok had been labelled as red zones with the rest of the country categorised as orange zones.
Healthcare Innovations
New UK challenge trial studies if people can catch coronavirus again
British scientists on Monday launched a trial which will deliberately expose participants who have already had COVID-19 to the coronavirus again to examine immune responses and see if people get reinfected. In February, Britain became the first country in the world to give the go-ahead for so-called "challenge trials" in humans, in which volunteers are deliberately exposed to COVID-19 to advance research into the disease caused by the coronavirus. The study launched on Monday differs from the one announced in February as it seeks to reinfect people who have previously had COVID-19 in an effort to deepen understanding about immunity, rather than infecting people for the first time.
South African variant may 'break through' Pfizer vaccine protection, but vaccine highly effective, Israeli study says
The coronavirus variant discovered in South Africa can break through the protection provided by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine to some extent, a real-world data study in Israel found. However, the variant's prevalence in Israel is very low and the vaccine remains highly effective. The study was released on the medRxiv pre-print site on April 9 and has not been peer reviewed. It compared almost 400 people who had tested positive for COVID-19, after they received one or two doses of the vaccine, against the same number of unvaccinated patients with the disease. It matched age and gender, among other characteristics.
Doctors hone in on cause of blood clots potentially linked with Covid-19 vaccines
Doctors say they are honing in on the cause of blood clots that may be linked with certain coronavirus vaccines, and add their findings have important implications for how to treat the condition, regardless of whether vaccines cause it.
The Covid-19 Plasma Boom Is Over. What Did We Learn From It?
Scott Cohen was on a ventilator struggling for his life with Covid-19 last April when his brothers pleaded with Plainview Hospital on Long Island to infuse him with the blood plasma of a recovered patient. The experimental treatment was hard to get but was gaining attention at a time when doctors had little else. After an online petition drew 18,000 signatures, the hospital gave Mr. Cohen, a retired Nassau County medic, an infusion of the pale yellow stuff that some called “liquid gold.” In those terrifying early months of the pandemic, the idea that antibody-rich plasma could save lives took on a life of its own before there was evidence that it worked.
COVID-19: Indian variant could 'scupper' easing of UK coronavirus lockdown rules, warns expert
The Indian coronavirus mutation could "scupper" the UK's march to freedom, a leading scientist has warned. It comes despite the lockdown and vaccine programme leading to cases falling to a seven-month low. COVID-19 infections across the UK dropped to the lowest level since the autumn, according to the latest figures.
China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine 67% effective in preventing symptomatic infection - Chile govt report
China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine was 67% effective in preventing symptomatic infection, data from a huge real-world study inChile has shown, a potential boost for the jab which has come under scrutiny over its level of protection against the virus.
The CoronaVac vaccine was 85% effective in preventing hospitalizations and 80% effective in preventing deaths, the Chilean government said in a report, adding that the data should prove a "game changer" from the vaccine more widely. Rodrigo Yanez, Chile's vice trade minister who forged a deal with Sinovac to host the drug's clinical trial and buy 60 million doses of the drug over three years, said the results showed Chile had made "the right bet".
Pregnant women should be offered Covid-19 vaccine in their age group
Pregnant women should be offered vaccination against Covid-19 at the same time as everyone else, government scientists said this afternoon in a shift from their earlier stance.Expectant mothers should
