BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AFP) — Slovakia, a country suffering the world’s highest mortality rate from Covid-19, has received a donation of 15,000 coronavirus vaccine doses from France, Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic said on Sunday. Matovic described the Oxford-AstraZeneca doses as a “very kind and useful gift” and a “great gesture of friendship”, at a news conference with French Ambassador Christophe Leonzi, local press agency TASR reported. Speaking in Bojnice, western Slovakia, the premier added that […]
Tag: vaccine
Japan extends virus state of emergency in Tokyo area
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan extended a virus state of emergency in the Tokyo area by two weeks on Friday, less than five months before the pandemic-postponed Tokyo Olympics. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced the decision, which affects the capital and three nearby regions, and warned people against holding traditional spring picnics under cherry blossom trees. “I ask you all to refrain from eating in large groups — even at graduation ceremonies, enrollment ceremonies, welcome […]
Denmark approves AstraZeneca vaccine for over-65s
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AFP) — Following several other European countries, Danish health officials on Friday approved the use of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine for people over 65, citing evidence from a study on the vaccine in Scotland. Until now, the Scandinavian country has argued there was insufficient evidence for the effectiveness of the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company’s vaccine to recommend to people over the age of 65. “The results from Scotland are pleasing. They show a strongly […]
Pennsylvania to use J&J’s single dose Covid vaccine for teachers, school staff
https://youtu.be/daovqk-0geU Teachers and school employees in Pennsylvania are next in line to receive the one-dose Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in Pennsylvania. In Swarthmore, EBC bureau chief Maila Simbulan has the story. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and the COVID-19 vaccine Task Force announced a plan to vaccinate the state’s Pre-K to 12 teachers and other school staff. Watch it in this Eagle News America report. (Eagle News Service)
New and more contagious “Super-CoVid” variants possibly driving Covid-19 surge in NCR
by Emily Manuel Contributor, Eagle News (Eagle News) — In a virtual press conference held on March 3, 2021, the OCTA Research Team, an independent and inter-disciplinary Philippine-based research group, shared its latest report which highlights a sharp rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in some local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region (NCR), including: Pasay, Quezon City, Manila, Makati, Malabon, Taguig, Paranaque, and Navotas. This surge is possibly being driven by […]
Germany, Belgium to recommend AstraZeneca jab for seniors
BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — Germany will soon authorize the AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine for people over the age of 65, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday, the same day Belgium authorized its rollout to seniors. The countries — both criticized for the slow pace of their inoculation drives — had previously said there was insufficient data about the effect of the vaccine on older age groups. But both Merkel and the Belgian health minister said recent studies […]
Africa virus fight boosted as jabs reach Nigeria, Angola
by Louise DEWAST with AFP Africa bureaus ABUJA, Nigeria (AFP) — Millions of coronavirus shots from the global Covax scheme has arrived in Nigeria, Angola and Kenya, as African countries ramp up their vaccine rollouts. Richer countries have surged ahead with vaccinations but many poorer countries are still awaiting deliveries, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to warn that the crisis cannot end unless everyone can inoculate their populations. The Covax facility, run by the […]
Covax details rollout of 238 million vaccine doses
GENEVA, United States (AFP) — Pakistan, Nigeria and Indonesia will be among the biggest recipients of free Covid-19 vaccines before June — more than 10 million doses each — the Covax scheme announced Tuesday. Some 238.2 million doses will be distributed around the world by the end of May through the program aimed at boosting access to coronavirus jabs in poorer nations. Though vaccination campaigns have gathered pace globally, the majority of injections have been […]
In Pasay City where South African variant has been detected, health workers find hope in vaccines
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zxKJGBSpkw&feature=youtu.be (Eagle News) — The vaccination against COVID-19 started in Pasay City on Tuesday, March 2, the same day that the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the presence of the highly infectious South African variant in the country, including three cases in Pasay City. Many health care workers received the Sinovac vaccines, and expressed hope that they can now have some protection against a deadly disease that had so far claimed more than 200 […]
Freezer firm to launch probe after Japan vaccines spoiled
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan said Tuesday an investigation would be launched after more than 1,000 coronavirus vaccine doses had to be thrown out when a freezer storing them malfunctioned. A medical institution reported that 172 vials of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which must be kept between -80 and -60 degrees centigrade, were rendered useless after the freezer breakdown over the weekend, Japan’s health ministry said, wasting up to 1,032 doses. Japan began its inoculation program […]
Novavax hopes to file for US vaccine approval in 2nd quarter of 2021
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US biotech company Novavax said Monday it hopes to file for British approval of its Covid-19 vaccine at the start of the second quarter of 2021, and to do the same soon after in the United States. The company has no assurance that US authorities will agree to consider the request, which currently is based on results from Phase 3 clinical trials led in the Britain. Similar trials are still […]
Colombia becomes first country in Americas to receive Covax shots
BOGOTA, Colombia (AFP) — Colombia became the first country in the Americas Monday to receive a delivery of coronavirus vaccines through the global Covax scheme that aims to ensure poorer countries are not left behind in the global immunization drive. “Today is a very important milestone,” said Colombia President Ivan Duque. With more than 50 million confirmed cases and over 1.2 million deaths, countries of the Americas have experienced the worst impact of the Covid-19 […]





