Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman got first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine today; shares image of herself getting vaccinated on Twitter

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

Notification came after government started phase 2 of inoculation drive, which will cover people aged over 60 and above 45 with co-morbidities. As many as 25 lakh potential beneficiaries registered on Co-Win portal on Monday alone

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi as the country gets ready to expand its nationwide vaccination drive against coronavirus to drive down infections. This drive is for people above the age of 60 and those above 45 with comorbidities. PM Narendra Modi was administered home-grown 'Covaxin' by Bharat Biotech. In the current phase, eligible citizens can register and book an appointment for vaccination, anytime and anywhere, using the Co-WIN 2.0 portal or through the Aarogya Setu app. Watch the video for more.Also Read: Phase 2 COVID-19 vaccination: Are you eligible and how to register?

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said those who go to government centres will be administered the vaccine free of cost

Of the nine million people in Israel, a nation with universal healthcare, nearly half have received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and a third have received both doses since the rollout began on December 19. This made the country a prime location for a real-world study into the vaccine's ability to stem the pandemic, along with its advanced data capabilities. But even as the country's economy starts opening up, there's a long way to go before pre-pandemic normalcy sets in. Watch the video for more on how Israel achieved this feat and why it still has many challenges ahead. Also Read: COVID-19 illness risk fell 95.8% after both Pfizer vaccine doses, says Israel

If you are above 45 and with comorbidities (with one or more diseases), you are eligible to get a Covid-19 jab. However, you'll have to produce a signed medical certificate, showing the severity of your illness

Vaccines will be given free of cost at govt centres. Amount people will need to pay in private hospitals will be decided by health ministryin 3-4 days, says Union minister Prakash Javadekar

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

Google on Wednesday said it would invest $15 million (around Rs 109 crore) to support small and micro enterprises in India in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic; The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to register offences against people who violate COVID-19 safety guidelines; Air pollution caused an estimated 54,000 premature deaths in the Indian capital New Delhi last year, according to a study released on Thursday. Watch this and more on News Blast.Also Read: Drug marketing firms, manufacturers to be made equally responsible for medicine quality

Patanjali had rolled out Coronil for treating novel coronavirus on June 23 in the presence of Union ministers Harsh Vardhan and Nitin Gadkari

The vaccines currently approved for emergency use in India are Covishield, from the Oxford-AstraZeneca stable manufactured by Pune's Serum Institute of India, and Covaxin, developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Institute of Virology (NIV)

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

Serum Institute has applied for registration with Health Canada with the help of Toronto-based Verity Pharmaceuticals, Adar Poonawalla said

The Reserve Bank of India projected Indian economy to grow as much as 26.2 per cent during the first half of the upcoming financial year; Drugmaker AstraZeneca PLC said on Friday it had applied for approval in Japan of its COVID-19 vaccine; Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Zomato for empowering street food vendors. Watch this and more on News Blast.Also Read: Oxford-Astrazeneca COVID-19 vaccine effective against mutant UK variant

Covid-19 vaccine: AstraZeneca applies for approval in JapanDrugmaker AstraZeneca PLC said on Friday it had applied for approval in Japan of its COVID-19 vaccine, making it the second pharmaceutical firm to do so after Pfizer Inc. The Japanese government in December signed a contract to procure 120 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, enough for 60 million people. Aviation sector showing positive signs but still in eye of storm: Airbus India presidentThe Indian aviation sector is showi...

Coronavirus vaccine: Pfizer was the first pharmaceutical company to seek EUA from Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) after its vaccine was approved in the UK and Bahrain

COVID-19 vaccination: Healthcare workers to receive second dose from Feb 13The second dose of anti-coronavirus vaccine will be administered to healthcare workers from February 13, the Centre said on Thursday, highlighting that 45 per cent of them have been inoculated so far. Addressing a press briefing, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said 45,93,427 beneficiaries have been vaccinated against COVID-19 till 1.30 PM on Thursday.Over 21% Indians already exposed to COVID-19, shows sero-sur...

Two-wheeler manufacturer Hero MotoCorp has kicked-off distribution of Harley Davidson motorcycles in India and has set up a dedicated vertical for the same; About one in four of India's 1.35 billion people may have been infected with coronavirus; The Union Budget 2021 focuses on higher capital expenditure, financial sector reforms and asset sales, which will help to stimulate growth and supply broad-based credit support, says global rating agency Moody's. Watch this and more on News Blast.Also Read: SEBI ban on Kishore Biyani, others won't sway Reliance deal, says Future Retail

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