UK to remove all countries from COVID travel red list on Wednesday

The British government will remove all 11 countries from its COVID-19 travel red list from Wednesday because there is now community transmission of Omicron in Britain, Health Secretary Sajid Javid told parliament.

The new Omicron variant was first detected in southern Africa and Hong Kong. The British government added 11 African countries to its red list from late November, meaning that entry for flights from those nations was restricted to UK citizens or residents who then had to quarantine in a hotel.

Dec 14, 2021 9:45 PM

Delhi reports 45 fresh coronavirus cases, zero deaths

Delhi logged 45 fresh coronavirus cases at a positivity rate of 0.09 per cent and zero deaths due to the infection, according to data shared by the health department here on Tuesday. Delhi has recorded two deaths due to COVID-19 so far in December. It had logged seven deaths due to the viral disease in November, four in October and five in September.

Dec 14, 2021 9:08 PM

Maharashtra reports 8 more cases of Omicron

Dec 14, 2021 7:30 PM

Normalisation of international flights will depend on Omicron situation: Scindia

Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that the normalisation of international flight services will depend on the Omicron scenario.

On November 26, aviation regulator DGCA decided to restart scheduled commercial international flights to and from India from December 15. However, the decision was put on hold in less than a week in the wake of the emergence of Omicron, the new COVID variant. Last week, the watchdog said the flights will remain suspended till January 31.

Dec 14, 2021 6:59 PM

Over 6 crore people inoculated with both doses of COVID-19 vaccine in UP

Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday crossed a significant landmark with more than six crore people receiving both the doses of COVID-19 vaccine so far, officials said here. A total of 6,00,98,784 people have got both the doses of vaccines till date in the state while a combined total of 17,94,01,151 doses have been administered so far

Dec 14, 2021 6:39 PM

Starting Dec 20th, all international travelers from 'at-risk' countries, arriving at airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad will have to compulsorily prebook an RT-PCR test.

Dec 14, 2021 6:02 PM

Pfizer vaccine protecting against hospitalisation in South Africa Omicron wave

Two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine appear to have given 70% protection against hospitalisation in South Africa in recent weeks, according to a major real-world study which suggests weaker efficacy against the new Omicron variant. The study released on Tuesday by South Africa's largest private health insurance administrator, Discovery Health, was based on more than 211,000 positive COVID-19 test results. Around 78,000 of those results from Nov. 15 to Dec. 7 were attributed to Omicron.

Dec 14, 2021 5:32 PM

Covishield production capacity 250-275 mn doses a month, Covaxin 50-60 mn: MoS Health

The current vaccine production capacity of Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, is approximately 250-275 million doses per month while it is about 50-60 million doses per month for Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday. Both companies have achieved close to 90 per cent of present production capacity, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written reply.

Dec 14, 2021 5:17 PM

Universal coverage of COVID-19 vaccine foremost priority: VK Paul

COVID-19 Task Force chief V K Paul on Tuesday said the foremost priority right now is to make sure that there is universal coverage of the vaccine and no one is left behind. Addressing an event organised by industry body CII, Paul said the pandemic is still ongoing, and globally there are 3.6 billion people who are not vaccinated. "We need 7.2 billion doses together, and with the current rate of production, it is well within our grasp. "It is possible for us to deliver the vaccine," Paul, who is also a Niti Aayog member, said. Also speaking at the event, Ashok Bajpai, group head of operational strategy IHH Healthcare, said that in the second wave of COVID-19, there was time for the population to be vaccinated. Hence, there is a lot of confidence that the healthcare system will not be overwhelmed, he added.

Dec 14, 2021 4:48 PM

48.7 pc beneficiaries to receive Covid vaccine doses in India women: Govt

Women accounted for 48.7 percent of the beneficiaries who received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in the country till December 8, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday. In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on whether the number of women getting vaccinated against the coronavirus in the country was low due to a lack of awareness, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said at the beginning of the nationwide Covid inoculation programme, pregnancy and lactation were contraindications for vaccination. On the basis of a review of the available scientific evidence, recommendations of domain knowledge experts and stakeholder consultation, the Ministry of Health approved vaccination of lactating women on May 19 and of pregnant women on July 2. "As on December 8, 2021, 48.70 percent of the total Covid vaccine doses were administered to women, which approximates to the estimated proportion of women in the country's population, which is 48 percent," the minister said.

Dec 14, 2021 4:31 PM

After Kareena contracts COVID-19, BMC to test all guests who attended party

The Mumbai civic body on Tuesday prepared a list of guests present at a party attended by actor Kareena Kapoor Khan, who has contracted COVID-19, and their immediate contacts for testing all of them, an official said. The personalities have been also asked to remain isolated at home and avoid any exposure to other people until the RT-PCR results are out. We have to seal the building of Kareena Kapoor Khan, which has been a standard practice of the civic body, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's Additional Commissioner (western suburbs) Suresh Kakani said. Khan had attended a party at the residence of filmmaker Karan Johar. As per BMC officials, four persons who attended the dinner party have so far tested positive for coronavirus.

Dec 14, 2021 4:15 PM

British PM Johnson faces rebellion in parliament over COVID measures

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a large rebellion among his Conservative lawmakers on Tuesday in a parliamentary vote over new restrictions to try to curb the spread of the new Omicron coronavirus variant. The measures, including ordering people to work from home, to wear masks in public places, and use COVID-19 passes to enter some venues, are expected to be approved by parliament but with Johnson relying on the opposition Labour Party for votes. It's yet another blow to a prime minister already under pressure over reported parties in his Downing Street office last year when such gatherings were banned, a pricey refurbishment of his apartment and the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Dec 14, 2021 3:59 PM

Person on Israeli PM's flight from UAE tests COVID positive

A person who was on Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's flight back from the United Arab Emirates has tested positive for COVID-19, the prime minister's office said on Tuesday. Bennett returned to Israel on Monday from a historic two-day trip to the Gulf Arab state, the first by an Israeli leader to the country, which recently normalised ties with Israel. He was in a three-day quarantine on Tuesday as per Health Ministry regulations, which require all returning travellers, even those vaccinated, to self-isolate. He was expected to take a coronavirus test on Wednesday, also in line with health regulations, and then end his quarantine if he tests negative, the prime minister's office said. Bennett's office did not specify who the person was who tested positive. Bennett was meant to be accompanied by a phalanx of Israeli and foreign journalists and a sizeable entourage on the visit.

Dec 14, 2021 3:29 PM

India likely to see large number of Omicron cases: Dr Gagandeep Kang

India is likely to see a large number of cases of COVID-19 variant Omicron, noted virologist and microbiologist Dr Gagandeep Kang said. She said Omicron variant can cause re-infection and "it will become increasingly difficult to stop the spread after a certain point". Pointing to data from South Africa where the variant was first detected, Dr Kang said reinfections were being seen even in those who were vaccinated. She said reports from the UK also indicated that protection is negligible even after two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Dec 14, 2021 3:06 PM

Over 55 percent of India's adult population fully COVID-19 vaccinated now

Over 55 percent of India's adult population has received both doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday. According to Health Ministry officials, 55.52 percent of the eligible population has been fully vaccinated with 87 percent people receiving the first dose of the vaccine. In a tweet, Mandaviya said that with over 55 percent of the eligible population fully vaccinated now, India has achieved another milestone in its fight against Covid. PM Narendra Modii's 'Har Ghar Dastak' campaign has further strengthened the nation's collective fight against COVID-19. With the administration of 66,98,601 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 133.88 crore, according to provisional reports till 7 am.

This has been achieved through 1,40,27,706 sessions, the ministry said.

Dec 14, 2021 2:51 PM

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