A mixed vaccination of first AstraZeneca and then a Pfizer COVID-19 shot boosted neutralizing antibody levels by six times compared with two AstraZeneca doses, a study from South Korea showed. The study involved 499 medical workers – 100 receiving mixed doses, 200 taking two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech shot, and …
Read More »France shocks US to end 25-game Olympic basketball win streak
France’s 83-76 victory was the first Olympic men’s basketball loss for Team USA since 2004. The US men’s basketball team has been defeated 83-76 by France, losing at the Olympics for the first time since 2004 and for just the sixth time in the history of the tournament. The French …
Read More »Europe tightens borders, implements stricter quarantine amid Delta variant fears
Countries across Europe have begun to tighten borders and implement stricter quarantine requirements as governments seek to prevent the spread of COVID-19 across the continent as the fast-spreading Delta variant continues to paralyze nations. Authorities in Malta have barred entry to unvaccinated travelers, while Germany has targeted people arriving from …
Read More »Some Americans may need COVID-19 booster vaccine shots: Fauci
Top US infectious disease official Anthony Fauci said on Sunday that Americans who are immune-compromised may end up needing COVID-19 vaccine booster shots. “Those who are transplant patients, cancer chemotherapy, auto-immune diseases, that are on immunosuppressant regimens, those are the kind of individuals that if there’s going to be a …
Read More »France: Macron Calls for Unity After Anti-Vaccine Protests
French President Emmanuel Macron appealed for national unity and mass vaccination to fight the resurgent coronavirus and lashed out at those fueling anti-vaccine sentiment and protests. About 160,000 people protested around France on Saturday against a special COVID-19 pass for restaurants and mandatory vaccinations for health workers. Many marchers shouted …
Read More »Merkel aide warns virus surge in Germany may mean curbs for unvaccinated
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief of staff said on Sunday he fears the number of new coronavirus cases in Germany could soar to 100,000 a day in about two months unless many more people get vaccinated and those who refuse may face restrictions. His suggestion quickly hit resistance from several senior …
Read More »Greek police clash with protesters in rally against mandatory vaccinations
Greek police used teargas and water cannon to disperse people who had gathered in central Athens on Saturday to protest against mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations. More than 4,000 people rallied outside the Greek parliament for a third time this month to oppose mandatory inoculations for some workers, such as healthcare and …
Read More »Iran to register Cov-Iran Barekat vaccine in WHO
An assistant professor of Pasteur Institute of Iran (IPI) announced on Sat. that Iran is getting prepared to register the Iranian-made coronavirus vaccine, ‘COVIran Barekat’ in WHO. According to Dr. Asghar Abdoli, described that Iran needs to initially submit all the required documents about its homemade vaccine to WHO. Then, …
Read More »Two Planes With Humanitarian Supplies Leave Russia for Cuba
Two Russian military aircraft have been sent to deliver food and personal protective equipment to Cuba, the Russian Defence Ministry said Saturday. “At Supreme Commander of the Russian Armed Forces Vladimir Putin’s request, military transport aircraft are delivering humanitarian aid to Cuba. Two An-124 Ruslan aircraft of the Russian Defence …
Read More »7653 new cases and 8001 recoveries of COVID-19 reported in Iraq
Iraq recorded, on Saturday 7653 new cases of Covid-19 to take its total to 1,543,501, the health ministry said. It reported 65 deaths to take its coronavirus death toll to 18,232. It also reported 8,001 recoveries to take its total to 1,402,537 (90.9%). The COVID-19 intensive care patients count to …
Read More »Arrests as anti-lockdown protesters clash with police in Sydney (Videos, Photos)
Thousands take to the streets of the Australian city to protest against lockdown restrictions amid a surge in cases. Thousands of anti-lockdown activists marched through major Australian cities on Saturday, following an extension of Covid-19 restrictions. Multiple people were arrested and dozens charged with offenses after brawls broke out. Protesters …
Read More »Bali hit by ‘oxygen crisis’ as Indonesia’s COVID struggles rise
Bali, along with the main island of Java and 15 other regions, is under tight COVID-19 restrictions as cases and deaths surge in the archipelago nation. The Indonesian island of Bali is running out of oxygen for its COVID-19 patients as infections surge, the chief of its health agency has …
Read More »Drug Overdose Deaths in US Reach Record High in 2020 Amid COVID-19 Lockdowns
The US is in the midst of a drug overdose epidemic as a fresh report claimed that the number of people who died from an overdose in 2020 rose by almost 30% year-on-year to more than 93,000, and experts said that the isolation and mental health pressures caused by the …
Read More »Moderna’s Covid-19 jab given green light by EU drugs regulator for use in adolescents
The EU’s medicines regulator has given its backing for Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine to be administered to minors aged between 12 and 17, citing positive results in trials involving 3,732 participants. In a statement on Friday, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) gave its recommendation for the Spikevax Covid-19 shot to be …
Read More »US top diplomat Antony Blinken to visit India, Kuwait next week
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to India next week, the State Department said on Friday, in the top US diplomat’s first visit to the world’s largest democracy and an important US ally in Asia. Blinken will also visit Kuwait and meet senior officials there at the end …
Read More »Athletes parade in empty stadium as Tokyo Games open in shadow of pandemic (Video, Pictures)
Olympic organisers on Friday thanked medical workers at a Tokyo 2020 opening ceremony overshadowed by the coronavirus, as athletes from across the world paraded into an almost empty stadium, for the first time their smiles hidden behind masks. Normally a star-studded display teeming with celebrities, the ceremony was shorn of …
Read More »Iraq reported 8905 new COVID19 cases today
Iraq recorded, on Friday 8905 new cases of Covid-19 to take its total to 1,535,848, the health ministry said. It reported 66 deaths to take its coronavirus death toll to 18,167. It also reported 8,205 recoveries to take its total to 1,394,536 (90.8%). The COVID-19 intensive care patients count to …
Read More »Spacing Pfizer COVID shots boosts antibody levels after initial drop -study
A longer gap between doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine leads to higher overall antibody levels than a shorter gap, a British study found on Friday, but there is a sharp drop in antibody levels after the first dose. The study might help inform vaccination strategies against the Delta variant, which …
Read More »New COVID-19 variant likely during this year’s winter months: French expert
The French government’s top advisor on COVID-19 warned Friday that a new variant of the disease would “probably” emerge in the winter months this year. The country is currently battling an unprecedented spike in new cases caused by the more infectious Delta variant, which was first recorded in India. “We …
Read More »Philippines orders children back indoors amid fears of virus surge
The Philippines sent millions of children back into lockdown Friday as hospitals prepared for a surge in coronavirus cases fueled by the highly contagious Delta variant ravaging neighboring countries. Nearly half of the 47 cases of the more virulent strain detected so far were locally acquired, the health department said, …
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