COVID 19 India LIVE Updates: Oral pill for coronavirus could be ready by year-end, says Pfizer CEO

COVAX, the global alliance to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, urgently needs 20 million doses to cover interruptions in supply triggered by increased demands for jabs in India, which is the main supplier of the AstraZeneca vaccines, the World Health Organisation said on Monday.

Read the full story here: Urgent need for 20 million vaccines to cover supply interruption triggered by rising demand in India: WHO 

In view of the pandemic situation in the country, the Delhi government has launched an online portal through which people from all over the world will be able to help Delhi in its fight against Corona pandemic.

Read the full story here: Delhi govt launches online portal seeking people support globally to fight pandemic

Twelve states have started vaccinating those in age group of 18-44 years against COVID-19 from May 1: Govt

Falling oxygen saturation, excessive fatigue are warning signs that indicate COVID patient in home isolation needs hospitalisation: Govt 

One CT scan equal to 300-400 chest X-rays, no need of it in mild COVID-19. Repeated scans in younger age group can increase cancer risk: Govt. (PTI)

Are you maintaining a distance of two-metres with your colleagues at work, co-passengers in public transport? You may still be at risk of contracting the Covid infection, says a study.

Read the full story here: Social distancing not enough to cut Covid risk indoors: Study

Single day rise of 3,68,147 COVID-19 infections, 3,417 fatalities push India's tally of cases to 1,99,25,604, death toll to 2,18,959: Government.

The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to revisit its COVID-19 vaccine pricing policy, saying it would prima facie result in a detriment to the right to public health.

UP Lockdown Extended: The Uttar Pradesh government has extended the coronavirus-induced curfew in the entire state till May 6.

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Global pharma major Pfizer is sending its medicines worth USD 70 million (over Rs 510 crore), from its distribution centres in the US, Europe and Asia, that have been identified as part of India's COVID-19 treatment protocol, the company's Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla said on Monday. "We are deeply concerned by the critical COVID-19 situation in India, and our hearts go out to you, your loved ones and all the people of India," he said in a mail sent to Pfizer India employees that he has shared on his linkedin post.

"We are committed to being a partner in India's fight against this disease and are quickly working to mobilize the largest humanitarian relief effort in our company's history," Bourla said.

The daily COVID-19 cases in India showed a slight dip with 3,68,147 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day, taking the total tally of cases to 1,99,25,604, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday. The death toll increased to 2,18,959 with 3,417 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

 The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 151.7 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.18 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University. In its latest update on Sunday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 151,774,770 and 3,188,331, respectively.

The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 32,389,652 and 576,719, respectively, according to the CSSE. In terms of infections, India follows in second place with 19,164,969 cases.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 29,01,42,339 samples have been tested up to May 1, 2021 for Covid-19, of these 18,04,954 samples were tested on Saturday.

The health ministry said that a total of 15,68,16,031 people have been vaccinated so far in the country, including 18,26,219 people administered vaccines in the last 24 hours.

A day after recording over four lakh cases of corona infections, India on Sunday recorded 3,92,488 new Covid-19 cases and 3,689 fatalities, highest daily death toll due to infections, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. It is the 11th day in a row when India recorded more than 3 lakh cases while over 3,000 casualties have been reported for the past five days.

India's total tally of Covid-19 cases now stands at 1,95,57,457, the highest since the pandemic started in 2020, with 33,49,644 active cases and 2,15,542 deaths so far. According to MoHFW, 3,07,865 people have been discharged in the last 24 hours after getting cured, taking the total recoveries to 1,59,92,271.

A single dose of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines against Covid may boost immunity against the coronavirus variants, only in people who were previously infected with the deadly virus, a study has found, highlighing the importance of a second dose. In people who have not previously been infected and have so far only received one dose of vaccine, the immune response to variants of concern may be insufficient, said the team of researchers at Imperial College London, Queen Mary University of London and University College London.

The study, published in the journal Science, looked at immune responses in UK healthcare workers at Barts and Royal Free hospitals following their first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. People who had previously had mild or asymptomatic infection had significantly enhanced protection against the UK and South Africa variants, after a single dose of the mRNA vaccine. In those without prior Covid-19, the immune response was less strong after a first dose, potentially leaving them at risk from variants.

-IANS

Taking to their official Twitter handle, the Ministry Of Health shared safety guidelines alongside a tweet reading, "Be wise and follow COVID Appropriate Behaviours everywhere, everytime. Share this information and help us to help you. Remember, Safai, Dawai, Kadai, Jeetenge corona se ladai.  #Unite2FightCorona"

An oral drug for treating COVID-19 could be ready next year, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla has said.

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