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Tag: vaccine

  • Nigerians will get Covid-19 vaccination by January – FG

    Nigerians will get Covid-19 vaccination by January – FG

    The Federal Government has assured that Nigerians will receive the coronavirus vaccine by January 2021.

    The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, made the revelation at the end of Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

    He said a technical working group in the ministry is working on which vaccine will best suit Nigeria, considering that the country has no -80 degrees freezers.

    “A technical working group is working on the question on vaccine. We have signed up with the World Health Organisation and the GAVI Alliance (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) for access to vaccines immediately they are available,” Ehanire said.

    “But you know that these vaccines are new and are in packets and the producers are not giving any indemnity. These countries where these vaccines are manufactured, have of course, given themselves the priority to serve themselves, serve their own citizens first and we hope that the pressure from the World Health Organisation and GAVI will be able to get reserves for other countries that are not manufacturing and they will be able to attend to what will signed up to.

    “We signed up for advanced market participation in COVAX. So, if we will be able to get our own, I think it will be in January. But there are two types of vaccines. There are those that have to be in ultra deep freezers – the MRA type of vaccines. That is the freezer that must give you Minus 80 percent type of degree.

    “There is another type that has to be in the deep freezer of Minus 20 degree which is a deep freezer and there is another type that can be in minus two degree refrigerators. This is the regular refrigerator. The one that will be in regulator refrigerators is easy. We have them here.

    “The one that will be in Minus 20 refrigerators is also going to be possible because we also have the freezers here but the one that will be in ultra cold freezers, we hardly have ultra cold freezers in this country and to receive and store in those ultra cold freezers will require that you purchase the ultra cold freezers.

    “So, we are working on the cost. Which one shall we get first? Obviously the one we can afford. Remember that we have 200 million citizens. We need to have a way to be able to get enough to be able to take care of our citizens. So, that means we must be able to get the vaccines that work well, with good cost of storage and cost of delivery. That is the one we will like to get as soon as they are available.”

    Ehanire also said council approved setting up of modern and comprehensive cancer treatment centers in Maiduguri and to improve NAFDAC’s mobility, approved the purchase of more vehicles for them as well as some specialized pain killers in order to make them more available for use in the country.

  • BREAKING: U.S. administers first COVID-19 vaccine

    BREAKING: U.S. administers first COVID-19 vaccine

    The United States of America (USA) has administered the first Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the development on Monday.

    “First Vaccine Administered. Congratulations USA! Congratulations WORLD,” Trump tweeted.

    The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has not been approved or licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

    But it has been authorized for emergency use by FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to prevent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for use in individuals 16 years of age and older.

    A healthcare worker in New York City was the first person in the US to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

    Nurse Sandra Lindsay received the shot at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens.

    “I feel great … It didn’t feel any different from taking any other vaccine,” Lindsay said shortly after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

  • U.S. begins distribution of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine

    U.S. begins distribution of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine

    The United States on Sunday began nationwide distribution of the Pfizer/BioNTech Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine barely two days after its approval for emergency use.

    The move marks the start of a historic vaccination campaign aimed at checking a raging virus that is killing no fewer than 2,000 Americans daily.

    Officials say the government is aiming to inoculate no fewer than 100 million or 30 per cent of the country’s population by the end of March, 2021.

    According to Reuters, trucks loaded with the first shipment left the Pfizer factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Sunday evening under tight security.

    Hospitals are reportedly preparing to administer the first shots, first to high-risk health care workers, nursing home residents and staff.

    The Federal Government is coordinating the distribution of the vaccine to 600 locations nationwide under its Operation Warp Speed programme.

    Director of the programme, Dr Moncef Slaoui, told Fox News that the country was targeting the delivery of 40 million vaccine doses, enough for 20 million people, by the end of December.

    However, there are challenges, including widespread hesitancy by members of the public based on the fear that the vaccine would alter deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).

    Noting that the government was “very concerned” about the public reluctance, Slaoui said it was important that Americans took the vaccine.

    Among experts trying to allay the public fear is Dr Onyema Ogbuagu, a Nigerian-American infectious disease researcher at Yale University, U.S.

    Ogbuagu told participants in a virtual forum on COVID-19 on Saturday that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine would be the “final nail on the coffin” for the virus.

    “I want to be very clear on this, messenger mRNA vaccine does not enter the nucleus.

    “They don’t incorporate into the host DNA and so there should be no concerns about it altering human genomes.

    “It does not alter DNA; it doesn’t make you a zombie; it doesn’t alter your genetic makeup and we don’t expect any interference with that,” he said.

  • Okonjo-Iweala assures Nigeria access to COVID-19 vaccine

    Okonjo-Iweala assures Nigeria access to COVID-19 vaccine

    Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has assured Nigeria and other African countries of access to COVID-19 vaccines as from the end of January through the first quarter of 2021.

    A statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday quoted Okonjo-Iweala after a closed-door meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama in Abuja.

    “As long as one person has it in the world, no one is safe. And that is why poorer countries, lower-middle-income countries like Nigeria, need to get it as quickly as possible”, she was quoted as saying.

    Okonjo-Iweala is currently the African Union Special Envoy on mobilising international economic support for the continental fight against COVID-19. She is also Nigeria’s candidate for the Office of the Director-General of the World Trade Organization.

    She disclosed that the international initiative involved the World Health Organization, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), GAVI and the international community, to get vaccines delivered to developing and poorer countries, in an affordable manner and quickly.

    According to her, the Pfizer vaccine and the AstraZeneca were presently being negotiated so that poor countries don’t have to stand in a queue behind rich countries.

    The former finance minister described Africans as blessed, for not having the same incidence rate of COVID-19 like other continents, but warned African nations against complacency.

    Okonjo-Iweala recalled that a platform called the COVAX facility had been developed with 186 countries on board, saying that the side interested in serving the poor countries had 92 countries, for which resources have been raised to try and get the vaccines to them quickly.

    “So, the Pfizer vaccine, the AstraZeneca, those are being negotiated now so that poor countries don’t have to stand in line behind rich countries.

    “So, we hope they are starting by the end of January. We will be able to reach these countries, including most of the African countries, Nigeria included, will be able to get access to some of these vaccines.

    “Initially, it will be for frontline health workers, followed by some other target groups – older people, those with underlying conditions and then, from there, the rest of the population. I think the COVAX facility can cover maybe 20-23 per cent of the population by the end of next year,” Okonjo-Iweala said.

  • VIDEO: British grandma first in world to get Pfizer vaccine outside trial

    VIDEO: British grandma first in world to get Pfizer vaccine outside trial

    Margaret Keenan, a 90-year-old grandmother, on Tuesday became the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine shot outside of trial as Britain began vaccinating its population.

    Britain began rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech on Tuesday, the first Western country to start vaccinating its general population in what was hailed as a decisive watershed in defeating the coronavirus.

    “I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against Covid-19,” said Keenan, as she received the jab from a nurse originally from the Philippines in front of a photographer and TV crew.

    “It’s the best early birthday present I could wish for because it means I can finally look forward to spending time with my family and friends in the New Year after being on my own for most of the year.’’

    Keenan, known as Maggie to her friends, is a former jewelry shop assistant who only retired four years ago. She has a daughter, a son and four grandchildren.

    Video footage shows her wearing a medical mask along with a blue t-shirt and cardigan while she receives the shot from nurse May Parsons.

    UK’s Johnson thanks health workers after COVID vaccine launch

    Parsons, who has worked in Britain’s National Health Service for 24 years, said the last few months had been tough on everyone but it felt like there was now light at the end of the tunnel.

    Britain is the worst-hit European country from COVID-19, with over 61,000 deaths, though Prime Minister Boris Johnson hopes to turn the tide against the disease by rolling out the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine ahead of the United States or European Union.

    The mass inoculation would fuel hope that the world may be turning a corner in the fight against a pandemic that has crushed economies and killed more than 1.5 million.

    however, the ultra-cold storage and tricky logistics would limit its use for now.

    British Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Stephen Powis, medical director for NHS England, said they both found it very emotional watching the vaccine programme roll out.

    The BBC also carried an interview with another elderly lady who would receive the vaccine, very upset after she lost her husband from COVID-19 earlier.

    Britain has ordered 40 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech shot. As each person requires two doses, that is enough to vaccinate 20 million people in the country of 67 million.

    About 800,000 doses are expected to be available within the first week, with care home residents and carers, the over 80s and some health service workers the top priority to get them.

  • South Korea to buy 44 million COVID-19 vaccine doses

    South Korea to buy 44 million COVID-19 vaccine doses

    South Korea said on Tuesday that it had signed deals to provide Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines for 44 million people in 2021 but it would not hurry inoculation to allow more time to observe potential side effects.

    South Korea’s Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said the government had arranged to buy 20 million doses each from AstraZeneca Plc, Pfizer Inc, and Moderna Inc, and another four million doses from Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen, enough to cover up to 34 million people.

    The country’s cautious approach comes as the country battles surging coronavirus cases that health authorities say threatened to overwhelm the medical system, even as other countries are moving ahead to grant emergency use approval for the vaccines in a bid to contain virus transmission.

    Britain would start rolling out Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday, and the United States and India have also begun regulatory reviews on some vaccine candidates.

    Park said additional doses for 10 million people would be procured through the World Health Organisation’s global vaccine project, known as COVAX.

    He said in spite of the current surge in cases, South Korea’s relative success in tamping down previous waves meant the government did not need to rush a vaccine.

    “We don’t see the need to hurriedly begin vaccination without ensuring that the vaccines’ risks have been verified,” he said.

    Shipments of the vaccine would begin no later than March 2021, but authorities would observe how the vaccines worked in other countries for several months to ensure safety, while widespread vaccination was likely to begin in the second half of 2021.

    “We had initially planned to secure vaccines for 30 million people but decided to purchase more, as there is uncertainty over the success of the vaccine candidates and the competition is intense among countries for early purchases,” Park said.

    The government allocated an additional 1.3 trillion won ($1.2 billion) to the 2021 budget for the purchase of the vaccines.

    The first vaccines would likely go to medical workers, elderly and medically vulnerable people, and social workers.

  • Indian minister tests positive after getting COVID-19 vaccine trial dose

    Indian minister tests positive after getting COVID-19 vaccine trial dose

    Health Minister of the northern Indian state of Haryana Anil Vij, who was given a trial dose of a Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine in November, tested positive for the virus on Saturday.

    Vij, who is the holding charge of several ministries including health, said on Twitter that he had contracted the virus.

    He urged people, who came in contact with him in recent days to undergo a test.

    “I have been tested COVID-19 positive.

    “I am admitted in civil hospital Ambala cantonment.

    “All those who have come in close contact to me are advised to get themselves tested for COVID-19,” Vij wrote.

    In November, 67-year-old Vij was administered a trial dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as part of the third phase trial of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

    He had earlier announced that he would be the first volunteer in his state for the vaccine.

    Haryana state has so far reported 240,841 cases of COVID-19 and 2,539 related deaths.

    On Saturday morning, the federal health ministry said the number of COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 9,608,211 and the death toll has risen to 139,700.

    India is in the grip of the ongoing COVID-19 and globally it is the second worst-hit country by the pandemic.

  • Japan passes law to make COVID-19 vaccines free for residents

    Japan passes law to make COVID-19 vaccines free for residents

    Japan enacted a law on Wednesday to cover the cost of vaccination against COVID-19 for residents.

    Amid rising hopes for the early arrival of vaccines, following recent progress and a resurgence of infections in Japan, the country’s House of Councilors unanimously passed a bill to revise the current vaccination law.

    The revision came as Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has promised to secure COVID-19 vaccines for all residents in Japan in the first half of next year.

    Japan has made deals with U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc., U.S. firm Moderna Inc. and Britain’s AstraZeneca Plc to acquire sufficient vaccines for 145 million people following successful development.

    The government has set aside a budget of 671.4 billion yen (6.4 billion dollars) for the particular purpose, according to local media.

    The revised bill does not clarify whether the law will allow foreign residents in Japan to get free vaccination.

    Although the law strongly suggests people to be inoculated, the government will allow individuals to refuse if the vaccines have not been proved sufficiently safe by the time of approval.

  • Interpol raises alarm of COVID-19 vaccine threat

    Interpol raises alarm of COVID-19 vaccine threat

    The Interpol global police co-ordination agency on Wednesday warned that organised criminal networks could be targeting COVID-19 vaccines, and could look to sell fake shots.

    Interpol, with headquarters in France, said it had issued a global alert to law enforcement agencies across its 194 member countries.

    This was to alert them to prepare for organised crime networks targeting COVID-19 vaccines, both physically and online.

    “As governments are preparing to roll out vaccines, criminal organisations are planning to infiltrate or disrupt supply chains.

    “Criminal networks will also be targeting unsuspecting members of the public via fake websites and false cures, which could pose a significant risk to their health, even their lives,’’ said Interpol secretary general Juergen Stock.

  • UK approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for use from next week

    UK approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for use from next week

    The United Kingdom (UK) regulator, the Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has granted a temporary authorization for emergency use for the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine produced by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech.

    This constitutes the first Emergency Use Authorization following a worldwide Phase 3 trial of the vaccine to help fight the pandemic.

    Pfizer and BioNTech are anticipating further regulatory decisions across the globe in the coming days and weeks and are ready to deliver vaccine doses following potential regulatory authorizations or approvals.

    The distribution of the vaccine in the U.K. will be prioritized according to the populations identified in guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

    “Today’s Emergency Use Authorization in the U.K. marks a historic moment in the fight against COVID-19.

    “This authorization is a goal we have been working toward since we first declared that science will win, and we applaud the MHRA for their ability to conduct a careful assessment and take timely action to help protect the people of the U.K.

    “As we anticipate further authorizations and approvals, we are focused on moving with the same level of urgency to safely supply a high-quality vaccine around the world. With thousands of people becoming infected, every day matters in the collective race to end this devastating pandemic,” said Albert Bourla, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Pfizer.

    “The Emergency Use Authorization in the U.K. will mark the first time citizens outside of the trials will have the opportunity to be immunized against COVID-19,” said Ugur Sahin, M.D., CEO and Co-founder of BioNTech.

    “We believe that the roll-out of the vaccination program in the U.K. will reduce the number of people in the high-risk population being hospitalized. Our aim is to bring a safe and effective vaccine upon approval to the people who need it. The data submitted to regulatory agencies around the world are the result of a scientifically rigorous and highly ethical research and development program.”

    The MHRA’s decision is based on a rolling submission, including data from the Phase 3 clinical study, which demonstrated a vaccine efficacy rate of 95% (p<0.0001) in participants without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection (first primary objective) and also in participants with and without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection (second primary objective), in each case measured from 7 days after the second dose.

    The first primary objective analysis is based on 170 cases of COVID-19, as specified in the study protocol. Efficacy was consistent across age, gender, race and ethnicity demographics, with an observed efficacy in adults age 65 and over of more than 94%.

    In the trial, BNT162b2 was generally well tolerated with no serious safety concerns reported by the Data Monitoring Committee to date. Today’s decision also is based on a review of Pfizer’s and BioNTech’s Chemistry, Manufacturing and Control (CMC) data for BNT162b2.

    In July 2020, Pfizer and BioNTech announced an agreement with the U.K. to supply 30 million doses of the BNT162b2 mRNA-based vaccine, once authorized for emergency use. That agreement was increased to 40 million doses in early October.

    The delivery of the 40 million doses will occur throughout 2020 and 2021, in stages, to ensure an equitable allocation of vaccines across the geographies with executed contracts. Now that the vaccine is authorized in the U.K., the companies will take immediate action to begin the delivery of vaccine doses. The first doses are expected to arrive in the U.K. in the coming days, with complete delivery fulfilment expected in 2021.

    The companies have filed a request for Emergency Use Authorization with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and have submitted the final Conditional Marketing Authorization Application (CA) following rolling submissions with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and several other regulatory agencies around the world.