Britain Says Delay in Serum Institute Vaccines Contributing to Supply Squeeze

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Britain is facing a squeeze on supply of COVID-19 vaccines next month in part due to a delay in a shipment from India’s Serum Institute that is making AstraZeneca’s shot, health minister Matt Hancock said on Thursday.

British health officials warned on Wednesday that the world’s fastest big economy roll-out of the vaccine would face a significant reduction in supplies from March 29, without initially specifying where the problems were.

“We have a delay in a scheduled arrival from the Serum Institute of India,” Hancock told lawmakers.

Britain is rolling out vaccines made by Pfizer and AstraZeneca, with 10 million doses of the 100 million ordered from AstraZeneca coming from the Serum Institute.

A spokesman for the Serum Institute said it had delivered 5 million doses to the UK a few weeks ago.

“And we will try to supply more later, based on the current situation and requirement for the Government immunisation programme in India,” he said.

Pfizer Inc and AstraZeneca Plc said their delivery schedules had not been impacted.

Hancock added that, separately, a batch of 1.7 million vaccine doses had been delayed as it had to be retested, without specifying the manufacturer.

“Events like this are to be expected in the manual in a manufacturing endeavour of this complexity,” Hancock said.

Hancock denied rumours that the delays would see no adults receive a first dose of the vaccine in April, but said it was important to make sure there was enough vaccine to give people a second dose within 12 weeks of their first.

He also said that Britain was on target to offer everyone over 50 a vaccine by mid-April, and a shot to all adults by the end of July.

Earlier, housing minister Robert Jenrick said that supplies would pick up again in May.

Britain is on track to have given a first shot to half of all adults in the next few days, making it one of the fastest countries to roll out a vaccine.

So far 25.27 million people in the United Kingdom have had a vaccine, around 48% of adults.

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Mark Zuckerberg announces new Facebook tools to help people get vaccinated

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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced that the company will be launching a global campaign to help people get vaccinated amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “We’ve already connected over 2 billion people to authoritative Covid-19 information. Now that many countries are moving towards vaccinations for all adults, we’re working on tools to make it easier for everyone to get vaccinated as well,” Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post.

Facebook will be using all three major platforms – Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp to take the initiative further. Here’s what the company plans on doing.

Facebook vaccination tool

Facebook will be launching a new tool on the platform that will show users where and when they can go to get vaccinated. The tool will also provide users with a link to make an appointment. The tool will be visible in the COVID Information Center which will be visible in the Facebook News Feed. While the tool is limited to the US for now, Facebook says it will be supported in 71 different languages. It plans to expand to other countries as vaccines are available more widely. In India, vaccination is available for all citizens above 60 and those who are above 45 but suffering from comorbidity.

COVID News Center on Instagram

Facebook will also be bringing its COVID News Center to Instagram, allowing more people access to the COVID-related news update centre which will now also show vaccination-related information.

WhatsApp chatbots to help register for vaccines

Zuckerberg also mentioned in his post that the company will be working with health authorities and governments to expand their WhatsApp chatbots to help people register for vaccines. “More than 3 billion messages related to Covid have already been sent by governments, nonprofits and international organisations to citizens through official WhatsApp chatbots, so this update will help with the vaccination effort as well,” the post said.

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Pfizer Wants to Make Vaccine in India if Faster Clearance, Export Freedom Assured: Report

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Pfizer Inc has told the Indian government it wants to produce its coronavirus vaccine locally if assured of faster regulatory clearance and freedom on pricing and exports, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The U.S. company pulled an application last month seeking emergency approval for its product in India after the drug regulator declined its request to skip a small local safety trial. That has kept its vaccine, developed with Germany’s BioNTech SE, out of one of the world’s biggest drug markets.

Pfizer was the first company to apply for emergency use authorisation in India, proposing to import doses from its U.S. and European facilities instead of producing locally.

“U.S. companies want to produce vaccines in India under joint ventures,” said one of the sources, citing Pfizer and fellow U.S. drugmaker Moderna Inc.

“They want faster approvals for clinical trials and emergency authorisation use. They fear the government will introduce price control policies.”

Another source confirmed Pfizer was interested in manufacturing in India but Reuters could not find a second confirmation on Moderna.

The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment. India’s health ministry directed Reuters to the foreign ministry, which did not immediately respond to emailed queries.

While withdrawing its application in early February, Pfizer said it would again seek emergency use approval to launch its COVID-19 vaccine in India, potentially a market of 1.35 billion people, and would provide more data as it becomes available.

On the government’s demand to manufacture in India, the company earlier told Reuters: “Once the pandemic supply phase is over and we enter a phase of regular supplies, Pfizer will evaluate all additional opportunities available.”

A Indian official told Reuters in January the government had held discussions with Pfizer and Moderna – both of which have reported more than 90% efficacy for their vaccines – to make the shots in India given its large pharmaceuticals capacity.

The Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine maker, is already bulk-manufacturing the Oxford University/AstraZeneca product and plans to start producing the Novavax Inc shot from next month.

India’s government has not allowed it to sell on the higher-priced private market, however, and is also controlling exports. Pfizer and Moderna, whose shots are more expensive than the AstraZeneca one being used in India’s immunisation campaign, are not comfortable with strict price and export restrictions, one of the sources said.

This week, Reuters reported that leaders of the Quad alliance  Australia, Japan, India, and the United States plan to announce financing agreements to increase India’s vaccine manufacturing capacity at their first meeting on Friday.

The initiative will mainly involve the production of the Novavax and Johnson & Johnson shots for supplying to regions including Southeast Asia, where their common rival China is making gains.

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Covaxin Phase-2 trials show vaccine safe, induces immune response, says Lancet study

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The vaccine showed better reactogenicity and safety outcomes, and enhanced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses compared with the Phase-1 trial

India’s first indigenous vaccine against COVID-19, Covaxin, is safe and generates immune response without any serious side effects, according to the interim results of the Phase-2 trials published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal.

The authors of the study noted that the Phase-2 results did not asses the efficacy of the vaccine codenamed BBV152.

Developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, the vaccine has been granted emergency use authorisation in clinical trial mode by the Indian government.

Covaxin had initially raised concerns among experts over its emergency approval by India’s drug regulator.

 

The latest study comes a week after Bharat Biotech announced that the vaccine has shown 81% efficacy in the third phase of clinical trials, the results of which are yet to be published.

The Phase-2 trial to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of BBV152 vaccine was conducted in healthy adults and adolescents aged 12-65 years at nine hospitals across nine states in India. Two intramuscular doses of vaccine were administered on day 0 and day 28.

The primary outcome was assessed in all participants who had received both doses of the vaccine. Safety was assessed in participants who received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Between September 5 and 12, last year, 921 potential participants were screened, 380 of whom were enrolled.

In the Phase-1 trial, published in the same journal last month, BBV152 induced high neutralising antibody responses that remained elevated in all participants three months after the second vaccination.

In the Phase-2 trial, BBV152 showed better reactogenicity and safety outcomes, and enhanced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses — two main mechanisms within the adaptive immune system — compared with the Phase-1 trial.

Adaptive immunity occurs after exposure to an antigen either from a pathogen or a vaccination.

Reactogenicity refers to the property of a vaccine of being able to produce common, adverse reactions, especially excessive immunological responses and associated signs and symptoms, including fever and sore arm at the injection site.

Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine developed by chemically treating novel coronavirus samples to make them incapable of reproduction. This process leaves the viral proteins, including the spike protein of the coronavirus, which it uses to enter the human cells, intact.

Given as two doses, three weeks apart, the viral proteins in the vaccine activate the immune system and prepare people for future infections with the actual infectious virus.

“The results reported in this study do not permit efficacy assessments. The evaluation of safety outcomes requires extensive Phase-3 clinical trials,” the authors of the study said. “We were unable to assess other immune responses in convalescent serum samples due to the low quantity.”

Even though direct comparisons between the Phase-1 and Phase-2 trials cannot be made, the reactogenicity assessments reported in this study were substantially better in the Phase-2 trial than the Phase-1 trial and other trials with a placebo group, according to the authors.

Also, the proportion of participants reporting adverse events in the Phase-2 trial were lower than in the Phase-1 trial, they noted. “This study enrolled a small number of participants aged 12–18 years and 55–65 years. Follow-on studies are required to establish immunogenicity in children and in those aged 65 years and older,” the authors added.

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Bahrain limits F1 tickets to vaccinated and COVID recovered | Racing News – Times of India

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Fans will be allowed to attend Formula One‘s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix this month if they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have recovered from the virus, organisers said on Thursday.
The race at the Sakhir circuit is scheduled for March 28.
Organisers said there would be health screening on entry and masks would have to be worn at all times. There will be no ‘Paddock Club’ hospitality or corporate lounges.
Bahrain hosted two races in November and December last season, with only health workers in the grandstands.
The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) has offered vaccinations to teams and personnel attending March 12-14 testing and the race but they are not expected to take up the offer.
“Formula One, as a UK-based organisation, has no plans to be vaccinated as a travelling group ahead of the already established rollout of vaccines through the health system in the UK,” an F1 spokesman said.

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Aarogya Setu App Can be Used to Register for COVID-19 Vaccine Apart from Co-WIN Portal: Here’s How

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COVID-19 vaccine registration via CoWIN dashboard on Aarogya Setu app

COVID-19 vaccine registration via CoWIN dashboard on Aarogya Setu app

The government had previously announced that a dedicated Co-WIN app would be rolled out to ensure the same registration process. However, the app that is currently available on Google Play Store is accessible to administrators and not eligible beneficiaries.

  • News18.com
  • Last Updated: March 2, 2021, 17:36 IST

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The second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination process has begun in India for citizens above the age of 60 or those above 45 with co-morbidities. Aside from the Co-WIN web portal, citizens can also use the Aarogya Setu app to register for the vaccine. The government had previously announced that a dedicated Co-WIN app would be rolled out to ensure the same registration process. However, the app that is currently available on Google Play Store is accessible to administrators and not eligible beneficiaries. On the other hand, Aarogya Setu is free to download via Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

To register for the COVID-19 vaccine in India via Aarogya Setu, users will need to find the section ‘Cowin‘ within the app for Android or iOS. Select the ‘Vaccination’ option and then tap on ‘Register Now.’ Citizens will first need to register via their 10-digit mobile number and enter the OTP. In the second stage of registration, select the type of Photo ID proof such as Aadhaar, PAN, Driver’s license, and more. You will also need to provide basic information such as gender and date of birth. If you’re above 45 years with co-morbidities, select the check box and carry relevant documents at the time of vaccination.






After this, you will see a page where you can add up to four beneficiaries with the same mobile number. Select the vaccination centre by entering the pin code, book the time slot, and select Proceed. Eligible citizens also have the option to re-schedule or cancel the appointment.

ALSO READ: How to Register for COVID-19 Vaccine via Co-WIN: A Step-by-Step Guide, In Photos

Many private hospitals have received certification to act as COVID-19 vaccine centres where they cannot charge more than Rs 250 per shot. COVID-19 vaccines are free of cost in government hospitals. Citizens who are not tech-savvy or do not own a smartphone can call the centre number — 1507. It appears that the Aarogya Setu app, similar to the Co-WIN platform, does not allow citizens to choose which COVID-19 vaccine they want. Users are also advised to keep the app updated in case the CoWIN dashboard is still unavailable.


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Covid-19 Vaccine Supplies from India Have Reached at Least Six African Nations: Official

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COVID vaccine supplies from India have landed in at least six African nations and millions of doses are committed for UN health workers and peacekeepers on a grant basis, a top official said on Monday. Addressing the ‘Namaskar Africa’ virtual event hosted by industry body Ficci, Rahul Chhabra — Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs — also urged Indian firms to leverage the advantages presented by the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) that came into effect from January 1 this year.

He said the agreement provides various opportunities to Indian companies. “I hope Ficci members are able to grab the enormity of the change that has come about in Africa and make the mostof it, be the first movers and take advantage of this Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement,” he said.

AfCFTA aims at establishing a free trade regime across the continent. Chhabra also said that vaccine supplies have already gone out and at least six African countries have received them, including Seychelles, Mauritius, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt and South Africa.

According to him, India is working with its partner nations and the vaccine supplies are beginning to roll out, adding that streamlining of processes and waiting for approvals from the partner countries led to hold up of a few days. “We were just streamlining the processes and waiting for approvals from our partner countries,” he said, adding that the government did not want a situation where after the vaccines land, countries do not have storage facilities, there is a lack of approvals and have not got their vaccination centres up and operational.



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Explained: Here’s When CO-WIN App Will Launch, How to Register for COVID-19 Vaccine in India

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The government has announced that the COVID-19 vaccine tracking and registration app Co-WIN will also go live in India on March 1, the same day when the second phase of inoculation drive starts in the country for people above 60 years of age and those over 45 with co-morbidities. The second phase starts less than a month after the government commenced its vaccination programme for frontline health workers and select beneficiaries on January 16. The vaccination process in India is being monitored via the Co-WIN app and portal, available only to administrators and beneficiaries. Citizens who have received the two vaccine shots to date can get the COVID-19 vaccine certificate via the Co-WIN portal and Aarogya Setu app.

Currently, some details about the vaccination drive via Co-WIN remains unclear, and we’ll get a better picture once the app is available for all users. Meanwhile, News18 also spoke to RS Sharma, chairman of the Co-Win panel, to understand the government’s plan on the next phase of vaccination drive and its modalities.

How to register for the COVID-19 vaccine in India: RS Sharma, in the interview, said that eligible beneficiaries would be able to self-register from March 1 or March 2. Citizens can use portals such as the Co-WIN app, Aarogya Setu app or Co-WIN website (cowin.gov.in) for registration. Notably, there’s also a provision where people will have a walk-in system till the time the registration system is used by more and more people.

What is required for COVID-19 registration: The government explains that citizens will need to register on the Co-WIN app via their mobile number, following which they would receive an OTP. After registering on the app, users would need to provide information such as name, age, gender, and an identity document that needs to be carried to the vaccine centre. The Co-WIN app can register as many as four family members. As mentioned, the existing Aarogya Setu would also seemingly get the same benefits. Recently, the app got a dedicated CoWIN section that provides statistics and access to links where beneficiaries can receive certificates.

All about the Co-WIN app: The development over the COVID-19 vaccine tracker and registration, the Co-WIN app was announced last year. The government had then explained that citizens who are not frontline health workers would be able to register for the vaccine via the ‘Registration Module’ within the app. The admins via the ‘Administrator module’ will then track the information provided by citizens of India. The Vaccination module of the Co-WIN app will verify the beneficiary details and update vaccination status. The ‘Beneficiary Acknowledgement Module’ will send an SMS to beneficiaries and also generate QR-based certificates after one completes the vaccination process. Lastly, the Report Module will prepare reports of how many vaccine sessions have been conducted, how many people have attended those, how many people have dropped out etc.

Other details you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine in India: RS Sharma has told NDTV that the Co-WIN app will not allow citizens to choose which vaccine they will get. They can choose the date and COVID-19 vaccine centre. Additionally, people aged above 45 years will have to upload a medical certificate mentioning their co-morbid conditions. The government is yet to specify the conditions that would be included in the over-45 age group with comorbidities.

Many private hospitals have also received certification to act as COVID-19 vaccine centres where they cannot charge more than Rs 250 per shot. COVID-19 vaccines are free of cost in government hospitals. Citizens who are not tech-savvy or do not own a smartphone can call the centre number — 1507. As mentioned, they can walk-in to the nearest centre and if there’s a vacancy.



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