The interim efficacy trend of 81 per cent, analysed as per the protocol approved by the Drugs Controller General of India, puts it at par with other global front-runner vaccines, stated ICMR

Indian business tycoon and Wipro founder-chairman Azim Premji has suggested to the Centre to allow private sector participation in order to speed up the vaccination process against coronavirus. Premji added that with the involvement of the private firms and institutions in the COVID-19 vaccination drive, over 50 crore people can be inoculated within two months. Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry has directed all states and union territories to enhance the pace of vaccination amid the recent surge in COVID-19 active cases, especially in five states. Watch the video for more.Also Read: 50 crore Indians can be vaccinated in two months with help from private sector: Azim Premji

ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava further added that those taking aspirin and blood thinners can also be given these vaccines. \"There is no contraindication,\" he said

The UK strain has proven to transmit more easily than previous variants of the virus. Also, the WHO said that the South African variant--501Y.V2 'is less susceptible to antibody neutralisation' than previous variants

Dr Harsh Vardhan attributes success to \"preemptive, proactive and collaborative\" efforts taken by countries affected by global pandemic. He says despite wide disparity in epidemiological trends, world is close to defeating pandemic

Both COVID-19 vaccines being administered in India's extensive vaccination programme - Serum-Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin - have a very short shelf life of just six months

Fact sheets for recipients of Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines in US and UK clarify that the vaccines are yet to be fully approved; recipients have been asked to get help if they experience severe side effects or allergic reactions

Comprehensive contact tracing has been initiated for co-travellers, family contacts and others.  Genome sequencing on other specimens is going on, says the government

Coronavirus vaccine in India: Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India that is manufacturing Covishield had said that the company is ready to roll out its vaccine in the coming weeks

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan slammed senior Congress party leaders Shashi Tharoor and Jairam Ramesh, and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav for politicising the 'critical issue'

The ICMR head emphasised that the scientists at ICMR have been successfully able to culture the UK strain and the efficacy of Covaxin against it will be further tested in days to come

Calling it a great day for the country, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria said that initially Serum-AstraZeneca's Covishield will be administered to the people

COVID-19 vaccine in India: It would make every Indian proud that the two vaccines that have been given emergency use approval are made in India! This shows the eagerness of our scientific community to fulfil the dream of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, said PM Modi

COVID-19 vaccines in India: Oxford-AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine Covishield and Bharat Biotech's COVID vaccine Covaxin will be India's first vaccines

The SEC has recommended Covaxin for emergency use authorisation; the recommendation, along with rollout modalities, will now be taken up by the DCGI for a final decision on the matter

Coronavirus vaccine in India: Talking about the vaccine, the minister urged people not to pay heed to any rumours. He said India became free of polio disease because of the vaccine

Suffering poor financial health, Central government has not given a concrete answer on who will bear the cost of vaccinating Indians - Centre, states, or the people themselves

Earlier only four states - Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab and Assam, had carried out a two-day dry run to review the readiness of the mechanism laid out for the COVID-19 immunisation drive

Twenty-year-old pilot Samy Kramer flew his Diamond DA20 Katana light aircraft for 200km in a route laid out in the likeness of a syringe to celebrate the beginning of vaccination drive in Europe

India Stock Market Highlights Today: Global equities were bearish today as coronavirus infections increased in parts of North Asia, such as Japan and South Korea, and weighed on investor sentiment. European countries have banned flights from the UK as the British government began emergency lockdown on Sunday, over fear of new virus strain.