EMA REVIEWING CHINA’S SINOVAC COVID-19 VACCINE
Europe’s medicines watchdog said on Tuesday it has started reviewing China’s Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine, a process that could lead to approval for the European market.
Made by Sinovac’s Beijingbased Life Sciences unit, the vaccine by the Chinese biotech firm is the second shot developed outside the West after Russia’s Sputnik V to be considered for European use by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
The EMA’S human medicines committee’s “decision to start the rolling review is based on preliminary results from laboratory studies (non-clinical data) and clinical studies,” the Amsterdam-based agency said.
“Studies suggest the vaccine triggers the production of antibodies that target SARS-COV-2, and may help protect against the disease,” it said.
THE HAGUE:
to receive 700 MT per day in light of the present medical infrastructure... Even 590 MTS per day has not been delivered for a single day,” said the judges, while going on to point to specific parts of the order.
In hearings that took place last week, the HC also pulled up the Delhi government for not preparing for the crisis by arranging for adequate number of cryogenic tankers, which emerged as one of the bottlenecks in expediting supplies.
The court was hearing a plea by lawyer-petitioner Rakesh Malhotra, who, along with several hospitals, had sought directions to the Centre and the Delhi government for better facilities and continuous supply of oxygen in the hospitals and nursing homes of the city.
During the proceedings, the court also asked the Centre to divert unutilised tankers to Delhi from states such as Maharashtra where the situation appeared to be improving.
“If the need for oxygen and tankers has depleted in Maharashtra, they could be diverted to Delhi. This is not a permanent arrangement. Whenever the need arises again, you can send them back,” the Delhi high court said, acknowledging a suggestion from the amicus curiae, senior advocate Rajshekhar Rao.
ASG Sharma assured the bench that the central government was already exploring the option and it would be done soon.
The court also asked the Centre to seek the help of IITS and IIMS while also suggesting that the suppliers should be added to the Empowered Group of the Centre to take their opinion on the allocation plan of oxygen supply.
It is unclear when Delhi’s situation will stabilise but some enhancements for oxygen capacity have begun taking shape.
The Union government in a statement said the installation of two medical oxygen plants funded by the Pmcares fund will be completed by Tuesday night, and oxygen supply to patients will begin from Wednesday.
The plants were being installed at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital.
Prime Minister. Work the phones on #COVID19INDIA or this,” TMC MP Derek O’brien tweeted. TMC won 213 seats and BJP 77 of the 292 assembly constituencies whose results were announced on Sunday. Hours later, reports of violence started pouring in.
Office of the BJP candidate in Uttar Howrah was allegedly ransacked. At Basirhat in North 24 Parganas, a BJP party office was allegedly set on fire. In Bardhaman Uttar, around 200-300 houses and rice mills were allegedly set ablaze. At Birbhum near Bolpur, a BJP worker’s resort was allegedly ransacked. Violence was also reported from Azimganj in Murshidabad district.
“At around 4 am, some people arrived in front of my house on motor cycles and started hurling bombs and bricks. Throughout the day I could see unidentified men coming and going on motor cycles. They were bursting crackers just to scare my family and build the tension. I have informed the local police,” said Gobardhan Das, who was fielded from Purbasthali Uttar by the BJP.
In Kolkata, Nadda met the families of some BJP workers who were allegedly attacked. “I had heard of such violence when the country of partitioned. I have never seen such intolerance after any elections after independence,” Nadda said soon after landing at the Kolkata airport.
The BJP’S state unit compiled a list of 237 incidents of post-poll violence since Sunday in which BJP workers and supporters were allegedly attacked, their houses and properties damaged, and women raped. “The situation in Bengal is unbelievable. We have never witnessed such scenes in India’s electoral history. Bengal is burning,” said party spokesperson Sambit Patra.
The TMC rejected the allegations and said the violence was the result of BJP infighting. “TMC is not associated with such violence. Our leader Mamata Banerjee has already urged for peace and our main concern is to tackle the Covid-19 crisis. While on one hand BJP is spreading lies using fake pictures, infighting has started with the party between the old timers and newcomers. The violence could due to that,” said Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson.
The BJP released pictures of at least two party workers who were allegedly killed by TMC workers. A picture of a woman with her face covered was also shared, alleging she was gangraped at Nanur in Birbhum.
West Bengal Police, however, dismissed the charges. In a tweet, the police said that allegations, of two women being gangraped at Nanur in Birbhum, were fake.
The National Human Rights Commission took suo motu cognisance of the matter and requested its DIG (investigation) to constitute a team to conduct an on-the-spot fact finding investigation and to submit a report within two weeks.
In Delhi, senior advocate and BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia moved the apex court, demanding a CBI probe. Indic Collective, a registered trust, also approached the top court, seeking a declaration that the constitutional
As Dr Anurag Agarwal, director, CSIR-IGIB, put it, “Universal immunisation is desirable as a future but impractical at the moment.”
And the second is safety and efficacy data.
“There aren’t enough published results to establish safety and efficacy among children which is important to include in the vaccination drive. Pfizer is testing till 12 years. We should do children as well; that day may come but it will depend on vac