COVID VACCINE’S BOOSTER DOSE PROVIDING STRONG IMMUNE RESPONSE: J&J

LONDON: Johnson & Johnson said on Tuesday that a booster of its one-shot coronavirus vaccine provides a stronger immune response months after people receive a first dose. J&J said in statement that an extra dose given either two months or six months after the initial shot revved up protection. The results haven’t yet been published or vetted by other scientists.

While the single-dose vaccine remains strongly effective, “a booster shot further increases protection against Covid-19 and is expected to extend the duration of protection significantly,” Dr. Paul Stoffels, J&J’S chief scientific officer, said.

J&J said it has provided the data to regulators including the US Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency and others to inform decisions about boosters.

Cashier killed for telling customer to wear mask

Germany reacted with shock on Tuesday after a 20-year-old petrol station worker was shot dead by a customer angry about being asked to put on a mask while buying beer. The killing on Saturday in the town of Idar-oberstein is believed to be the first in Germany linked to the government’s coronavirus rules.

The row started when the cashier, a student, told the customer to put on a face mask, as required in all German shops. After a brief argument, the man left. The suspect returned later, “pulled out a revolver and shot him straight in the head”, prosecutor Kai Fuhrmann said.