Vaccines almost certainly less effective against Covid variant found in India: UK expert
SECTIONS
Last Updated: May 15, 2021, 04:26 PM IST
Share
Synopsis It was important to approach the easing of lockdown in England with utmost caution as it remains unclear exactly how much more transmissible the variant detected in India is, an expert said.
Reuters The vaccines may be less effective against mild disease but we don t think they re less effective against severe disease. But in combination with being less effective against mild disease, they re almost certainly less effective against transmission, an expert said.
The vaccines being administered to protect against COVID-19 are almost certainly less effective against preventing the transmission of the B1.617.2 variant first identified in India, a leading UK scientist who advises the country s vaccination programme said on Saturday.
London, May 15
The vaccines being administered to protect against COVID-19 are “almost certainly less effective” against preventing the transmission of the B1.617.2 variant first identified in India, a leading UK scientist who advises the country’s vaccination programme said on Saturday.
Professor Anthony Harnden, from the University of Oxford who is the deputy chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said it was important to approach the easing of lockdown in England with “utmost caution” as it remains unclear exactly how much more transmissible the variant detected in India is.
But he reiterated that there is no evidence so far of increased severity of illness or that the particular mutation of the coronavirus evades the vaccine.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday announced a full and independent public inquiry into his government s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, set to begin in the first half of 2022. In a statement to members of Parliament during the weekly Prime Minister s Questions (PMQs) session in the House of Commons, Johnson said the inquiry will be able to take oral evidence under oath and put the government s response to the crisis last year under the microscope. The move follows calls from the Opposition for such a probe, with demands for it to include consultation with families affected by the pandemic over the past year.
UK PM Boris Johnson announces public inquiry into his government s COVID pandemic handling
The move follows calls from the Opposition for such a probe, with demands for it to include consultation with families affected by the pandemic over the past year.
Share Via Email
| A+A A- By PTI
LONDON: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday announced a full and independent public inquiry into his government s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, set to begin in the first half of 2022.
In a statement to members of Parliament during the weekly Prime Minister s Questions (PMQs) session in the House of Commons, Johnson said the inquiry will be able to take oral evidence under oath and put the government s response to the crisis last year under the microscope.
UK sends 3 oxygen generators, 1,000 ventilators to India aboard the world s largest cargo plane
The massive Antonov 124 aircraft is expected to land in Delhi at 0800 IST on Sunday morning after which the Indian Red Cross will help transfer the supplies to hospitals
PTI | May 8, 2021 | Updated 09:38 IST
The world s largest cargo plane left Belfast in Northern Ireland on Friday, carrying three 18-tonne oxygen generators and 1,000 ventilators as part of the UK s latest response to India s Covid-19 crisis, the British government said.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), which has funded to supplies, said airport staff worked through the night to load the life-saving kit aboard the massive Antonov 124 aircraft, which is expected to land in Delhi at 0800 IST on Sunday morning after which the Indian Red Cross will help transfer them to hospitals. Each of the three oxygen generation units the size of 40 foot freight containers produces 500 litres of oxygen per minute