Tag: vaccine

Vaccine Warriors Converge at Times Square in a Show of Unity and Resolve

Times Square turned into a battleground of hope and unity on Sunday as thousands of vaccine advocates, healthcare workers, and concerned citizens gathered to champion the cause of global immunization in the face of ongoing challenges. The event, dubbed “The Vaccine War at Times Square,” was a resounding display of solidarity as participants stressed the importance of vaccination in the battle against infectious diseases.
In-Depth Coverage:
The Vaccine War at Times Square: Uniting for Global Immunization
The iconic Times Square, usually known for its dazzling billboards and Broadway lights, was transformed into a sea of supporters clad in masks and vaccine-themed apparel. Their mission: to raise awareness about the critical need for vaccinations amid the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and other preventable diseases.
The event featured a series of speeches by healthcare experts, including Dr. Sarah Mitchell, a prominent epidemiologist, who highlighted the crucial role vaccines play in public health:
“Vaccines are our most potent weapon against infectious diseases. They have saved countless lives throughout history and continue to be our best hope for ending the pandemic.”
Dr. Mitchell’s words resonated with the crowd, underscoring the importance of science-based vaccination campaigns.
Healthcare workers were also at the forefront of the gathering, sharing their experiences battling the pandemic and delivering vaccines to communities in need. Nurse Maria Rodriguez, who has been administering vaccines since the early days of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, shared her perspective:
“Every jab represents a step toward ending the suffering caused by this virus. We’re here to encourage everyone to get vaccinated and protect themselves and their loved ones.”
The event wasn’t limited to healthcare professionals. Families, young adults, and even celebrities joined in the demonstration of unity. Actor and activist John Harris, a fervent supporter of vaccine equity, emphasized:
“Vaccines don’t discriminate. They’re a tool for everyone to stay healthy and safe. Let’s get vaccinated to protect our communities and the world.”
In addition to speeches, the event featured booths providing information on vaccines, their effectiveness, and where to get vaccinated. Participants were also encouraged to share their vaccination stories on social media using the hashtag #VaccineWarriors, fostering a sense of camaraderie beyond Times Square.

September 6, 2023
Baidu’s AI tool enhances Covid mRNA vaccine response by 128x

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Beijing: A team of researchers from Chinese Internet giant Baidu has developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm that can rapidly design highly stable Covid-19 mRNA vaccine sequences that were previously unattainable.
The algorithm, named LinearDesign, represents a major leap in both stability and efficacy for vaccine sequences, achieving a 128-fold increase in the Covid-19 vaccine’s antibody response. LinearDesign takes a mere 11 minutes to generate the most stable mRNA sequence that encodes Spike protein
“This research can apply mRNA medicine encoding to a wider range of therapeutic proteins, such as monoclonal antibodies and anti-cancer drugs, promising broad applications and far-reaching impact,” said Dr He Zhang, Staff Software Engineer at Baidu Research.

The study appeared in the scientific journal Nature.
LinearDesign borrows techniques from computational linguistics to design mRNA sequences with more-intricate shapes and structures than those used in current vaccines, Nature reported.
This enables the genetic material to persist for longer than usual. The more stable the mRNA that’s delivered to a person’s cells, the more antigens are produced by the protein-making machinery in that person’s body.
This, in turn, leads to a rise in protective antibodies, theoretically leaving immunised individuals better equipped to fend off infectious diseases, the report said.
mRNA, or Messenger RNA, has emerged as a revolutionary technology for vaccine development and potential treatments against cancer and other diseases. With numerous advantages in safety, efficacy, and production, mRNA has been swiftly adopted in the process of Covid-19 vaccine development.

However, the natural instability of mRNA results in insufficient protein expression that weakens a vaccine’s capacity to stimulate strong immune responses. This instability also poses challenges for storing and transporting mRNA vaccines, especially in developing countries where resources are often limited.
The sequences designed by LinearDesign exhibited significantly improved results compared to existing vaccine sequences. For Covid-19 mRNA vaccine sequences, the algorithm achieved up to a five-fold increase in stability (mRNA half-life), a three-fold increase in protein expression levels (within 48 hours), and an incredible 128-fold increase in antibody response.
“The vaccines designed through our method may offer better protection with the same dosage, and potentially provide equal protection with a smaller dose, leading to fewer side effects. This will greatly reduce the vaccine research and development costs for biopharmaceutical companies while improving the outcomes,” Dr Zhang added.
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#Baidus #tool #enhances #Covid #mRNA #vaccine #response #128x
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 3, 2023
Florida surgeon general altered key findings in study on Covid-19 vaccine safety

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Researchers with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and University of Florida, who viewed Ladapo’s edits on the study and have followed the issue closely, criticized the surgeon general for making the changes. One said it appears Ladapo altered the study out of political — not scientific — concerns.
“I think it’s a lie,” Matt Hitchings, an assistant professor of biostatistics at the University of Florida, said of Ladapo’s assertion that the Covid-19 vaccine causes cardiac death in young men. “To say this — based on what we’ve seen, and how this analysis was made — it’s a lie.”

Ladapo used the final document in October to bolster disputed claims that Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines were dangerous to young men.
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Jenny Kane/AP Photo
The newly released draft of the eight-page study, provided by the Florida Department of Health, indicates that it initially stated that there was no significant risk associated with the Covid-19 vaccines for young men. But “Dr. L’s Edits,” as the document is titled, reveal that Ladapo replaced that language to say that men between 18 and 39 years old are at high risk of heart illness from two Covid vaccines that use mRNA technology.
“Results from the stratified analysis for cardiac related death following vaccination suggests mRNA vaccination may be driving the increased risk in males, especially among males aged 18-39,” Ladapo wrote in the draft. “The risk associated with mRNA vaccination should be weighed against the risk associated with COVID-19 infection.”
In a statement to POLITICO, Ladapo said revisions and refinements are a normal part of assessing surveillance data and that he has the appropriate expertise and training to make those decisions.
“To say that I ‘removed an analysis’ for a particular outcome is an implicit denial of the fact that the public has been the recipient of biased data and interpretations since the beginning of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine campaign,” he said. “I have never been afraid of disagreement with peers or media.”
He also said that he determined the study was worthwhile since “the federal government and Big Pharma continue to misrepresent risks associated with these vaccines.”
The DeSantis administration referred questions to Florida’s Department of Health.

Ladapo, a Harvard-trained doctor who held professorships at UCLA and NYU, specializes in cardiovascular diseases and gained attention nationally during the pandemic after he authored op-eds in the Wall Street Journal and USA Today questioning the safety of Covid-19 vaccines and the effectiveness of mask-wearing and lockdowns.
He was also a supporter of hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug that former President Donald Trump often praised as a treatment for Covid. The FDA later withdrew emergency authorization for its use.
Ladapo was picked by DeSantis in September 2021 to become the state’s surgeon general as DeSantis waged war against President Joe Biden’s Covid-related restrictions and ordered the state to ban mask-wearing requirements in schools and employer-issued vaccine mandates.
Ladapo drew criticism in part because he was affiliated with the conservative America’s Frontline Doctors, a group founded to fight Covid restrictions by anti-vaccine advocate Simone Gold. Ladapo devoted an entire chapter to his friendship with Gold in a memoir he published last year titled “Transcend Fear.”
Yet the researchers who viewed a copy of the edits said Ladapo removed an important analysis that would have contradicted his recommendation. Daniel Salmon, director of the Institute for Vaccine Safety at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, called Ladapo’s changes “really troubling.”
“He took out stuff that didn’t support his position,” Salmon said. “That’s really a problem.”
Hitchings chastised the integrity of Ladapo’s study after it was released last fall but is now much more critical.
“What’s clear from the previous analysis, and even more clear from Dr. L’s edits, is that absolutely there was a political motivation behind the final analysis that was produced,” Hitchings said. “Key information was withheld from the public that would have allowed them or other experts to interpret this in context.”
Ladapo’s edits also shed new light on an anonymous internal complaint he faced last year. The complaint, which the Florida Department of Health’s inspector general investigated, accused Ladapo of “scientific fraud” for allegedly manipulating the final draft of the study.
The inspector general stopped probing the complaint after the anonymous person failed to respond to emails. In a previous interview with POLITICO, Ladapo said the accusations were “factually false.”
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( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

April 24, 2023
Telangana starts administering booster doses of Covid vaccine

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Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Wednesday commenced administering booster doses as a precautionary measure in view of increase in Covid-19 cases.
The state government has arranged 5 lakh doses of Corbevax, manufactured by Hyderabad-based Biological E.
The state government has made all arrangements to administer the vaccines to all the eligible citizens at government Covid vaccine centres like primary health centres and urban primary health centres.

Director of Public Health and Family Welfare G. Srinivasa Rao said the doses have been arranged in view of the rise in Covid cases in many countries around the world as well in some states within the country.
Corbevax can be administered as a precautionary dose to those beneficiaries who have taken Covaxin or Covishield as first and second dose. The government of India has already approved Corbevax for heterologous administration.
The director of public health appealed to people to use this opportunity and ensure that all the left out
The state government had last month written to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to provide additional Covid booster shots for the state. However, with the Centre asking the states to directly procure Covid vaccines and booster shots from the open market, the Telangana government had decided to procure 15 lakh does from Hyderabad-based Biological E to resume vaccination.
Telangana is witnessing an increase in Covid cases for the last few days. The daily count has almost doubled in the last one week.

On Tuesday, the state recorded 52 cases, up from 41 the previous day. The number of active cases has also gone up from 269 to 281.
Hyderabad logged 21 new Covid cases on Tuesday. The state’s Covid recovery rate remained at 99.48 per cent.
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#Telangana #starts #administering #booster #doses #Covid #vaccine
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 19, 2023
Oxford University, SII tie-up delivers ‘high efficacy’ malaria vaccine

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London: A University of Oxford developed and Serum Institute of India (SII) manufactured and scaled up “high efficacy” malaria vaccine has been licensed for use in Ghana by Africa’s Food and Drugs Authority, the university announced here on Thursday.
The R21/Matrix-M vaccine, leveraging Novavax’s adjuvant technology, has been approved for use in children aged 5 to 36 months the age group at the highest risk of death from malaria. It marks the first regulatory clearance for the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine for use in any country.
“This marks a culmination of 30 years of malaria vaccine research at Oxford with the design and provision of a high efficacy vaccine that can be supplied at adequate scale to the countries who need it most,” said Professor Adrian Hill, Chief investigator of the programme and Director of the Oxford University’s Jenner Institute at the Nuffield Department of Medicine.

“As with the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, our partnership with the Serum Institute of India has been key to successful very large-scale manufacturing and rapid development,” he said.
The R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine is a low-dose vaccine that can be manufactured at a mass scale and modest cost, enabling as many as hundreds of millions of doses to be supplied to African countries which are suffering a significant malaria burden.
“Malaria is a life-threatening disease that disproportionately affects the most vulnerable populations in our society and remains a leading cause of death in childhood. Developing a vaccine to greatly impact this huge disease burden has been extraordinarily difficult,” said Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute of India.
“The licensure of the R21/Matrix-M Malaria Vaccine for use in Ghana is a significant milestone in our efforts to combat malaria around the world. We remain steadfast in our commitment to scaling up production of the vaccine to meet the needs of countries with high malaria burden and to support global efforts towards saving lives,” he said.
The R21/Matrix-M vaccine was initially designed and developed at the University of Oxford and has undergone clinical trials in the UK, Thailand, and several African countries, including an ongoing Phase III trial in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali and Tanzania that has enrolled 4,800 children. Results from these trials are expected to be reported later this year.

The vaccine contains Novavax’s Matrix-M, a saponin-based adjuvant that enhances the immune system response, making it more potent and more durable. The Matrix-M adjuvant stimulates the entry of antigen-presenting cells at the injection site and enhances antigen presentation in local lymph nodes. This technology has also been used in Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine and is a key component of other development-stage vaccines.
John C Jacobs, President and Chief Executive Officer, Novavax said: “We’re thrilled that Novavax’s Matrix-M adjuvant has contributed to the success of this promising and much-needed malaria vaccine.
“It is our intention to unlock the potential of our adjuvant, both in the near term and over time, to continue to improve public health.”
Meanwhile, SII is said to have already established potential manufacturing capacities of more than 200 million doses annually. The scientists behind the project see this as a critical step towards reducing over half a million malaria-related deaths annually and improving the health outcomes of millions of people in Africa and beyond.
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#Oxford #University #SII #tieup #delivers #high #efficacy #malaria #vaccine
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 13, 2023
Vaccine tycoon Poonawala longing for 8 years to occupy his ‘palatial’ Mumbai home

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Mumbai: Billionaire vaccines tycoon Cyrus Poonawala is keen to move into his palatial Mumbai home which has been stuck in bureaucratic hassles for the past eight years.
As per certain media reports, Poonawala, 81, the Chairman of Serum Institute of India Ltd (SII) had bought the property from the US Government, which was running its Mumbai Consulate there till 2011.
The US government had purchased it in 1957 on a 999-year lease from the last ruler of Wankaner, Maharana Raj Shri Pratapsinhji Saheb of the Jhala Dynasty.

Wankaner was a princely state (located in modern-day Gujarat, near Morbi) founded in 1620, and the last Maharana built his luxurious royal Mumbai home in 1933.
The sprawling property spread over two acres on the Arabian Sea shore with a built-up area of around 50,000 sq. feet, known as Wankaner House, was renamed ‘Lincoln House’, and the US Consulate functioned there till November 2011.
A few years after the Mumbai mission moved to a bigger premises in the Bandra Kurla Complex, the US government and Poonawala struck a deal of around Rs 750 crore for the property in the posh Breach Candy area of south Mumbai.
Later, it transpired that the ownership of the land was unclear with both the Maharashtra government and the Ministry of Defence staking claim, and the deal was kept on hold, and the Indian and US governments are attempting to iron out the differences.
A miffed Poonawala told a foreign publication that “the government of India is not providing any rationale for holding it up”, and suspects that it doesn’t want the huge amount (around $120 million) to go to the US.

Although officials are not ready to comment, the green signal is probably stuck owing to a technicality pertaining to the notice of the sale within a specified time-frame on the transfer of the lease rights.
Until the deal is cleared – probably by the PMO – Poonawala will continue to live in his Pune home and long to possess and occupy the palatial house worth a fortune in Mumbai.
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#Vaccine #tycoon #Poonawala #longing #years #occupy #palatial #Mumbai #home
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 3, 2023
British Indian medic backs legal review of COVID vaccine in South Africa High Court

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London: Leading UK-based Indian-origin consultant cardiologist Aseem Malhotra is among a group of international experts backing an approach to the High Court of South Africa, calling for an urgent judicial review of Pfizer’s mRNA COVID vaccine products which he fears may be “harmful”.
Lawyers representing the human rights group Freedom Alliance of South Africa (FASA) say the show cause notice was filed on Monday at the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Pretoria, along with real-world data analysis, which is claimed to show an association with increasing death from both COVID and non-COVID causes in the vaccinated compared to the unvaccinated.
FASA has approached the court to review and set aside the authorisation of Pfizer’s vaccine products on the basis that the authorisation was “unlawful”.
If successful, this could result in the removal of COVID mRNA vaccines from the South African market and also have global implications.
“Having critically appraised the literature and the Pfizer trial data, the evidence is unequivocal,” Malhotra said.
“For the overwhelming majority of people, the Pfizer COVID mRNA vaccine is significantly more harmful than beneficial and likely should never have been approved to be administered to a single human being,” said Malhotra, who himself took two doses of the Pfizer vaccine and is now backing the show cause notice.
“It is alarming to me that the local regulators are encouraging the vaccination of young children in the circumstances. The rollout of the Pfizer vaccine products should, in my opinion, be halted pending a full investigation into how we got this so very wrong. That is, without question, the responsible and ethical move,” he said.
The FASA case, among the first of its kind, is being handled by advocate Erin-Dianne Richards, briefed by Daniel Eloff of Hurter Spies Incorporated in South Africa and is supported by leading medical and scientific professionals from around the world.

Malhotra, among the supporters, believes the case is “factually, medically and scientifically sound”.
Dr Herman Edeling, a specialist neurosurgeon with over 40 years of experience, notes in the founding affidavit that the mRNA vaccine administered as Comirnaty in South Africa should “never have been branded as safe’ and effective’”.
“The applicants in this application call on Pfizer to explain their conduct; they call on the South African regulators and government to hold Pfizer to account and to act in the best interests of the South African public, and they humbly request this Honourable Court to come to their aid in achieving these calls in the interests of the health of the South African public,” said Edeling.
While the notice of the motion was recorded by the South African court registrar on Monday, FASA hopes to announce a date of hearing in due course.
Pfizer’s media office has been approached for a response and it is yet to comment on this development.
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#British #Indian #medic #backs #legal #review #COVID #vaccine #South #Africa #High #Court
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 29, 2023
Hyderabad-based IIL get DCGI nod for Measles-Rubella vaccine

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Hyderabad: The vaccine makers based in Hyderabad, Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), have received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) and Telangana State Drug Control Administration (TSDCA) for manufacturing its Measles-Rubella (MR) Vaccine.
As an outcome of the Indo-Vietnam partnership, the product has been in the works for more than six years and for which IIL is collaborating with Vietnam’s Center for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals, also known as Polyvac.
Vietnam under Polyvac will supply the Measles vaccine to Indian Immunologicals while the Rubella vaccine will be produced by IIL to manufacture a combined MR vaccine.
The live attenuated MR vaccine is an addition to the list of several other vaccines that IIL supplies to the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) of India.
“The MR vaccine of IIL has been proven through extensive human clinical trials to be immunogenic and safe for people of 9 months to 49 years,” stated a press release.
Managing director of IIL, Dr K Anand Kumar, while speaking on the occasion said, “We started with humble beginnings with Polyvac in 2016 and worked tirelessly throughout including the tough Covid-19 period.”
“Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine is listed in the UIP of India and is an important vaccine for our country,” added the MD.

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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 28, 2023
Mandaviya unveils ‘India’s Vaccine Growth Story’ at World Book Fair

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New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday released a book titled “India’s Vaccine Growth Story – From Cowpox to Vaccine Maitri” at the World Book Fair here at Pragati Maidan.
The book authored by Sajjan Singh Yadav, Additional Secretary, Union Finance Ministry, elaborates on India’s achievement in developing, producing and distributing Covid-19 vaccines.
Speaking on the occasion, Mandaviya said that India administered 2.2 billion doses as a part of the world’s largest Covid vaccination drive without any shortages across the nation, which resulted in saving 3.4 million lives.
The minister also highlighted that when other countries were struggling with vaccine hesitancy, India set an exemplary pro-vaccination Covid management model.
“It gives me immense pleasure to see research, manufacturing and vaccine drive has been portrayed in comprehensive fashion that recounts not just the pandemic crisis but also delves into vaccine history, that can be traced 2500 years back,” Mandaviya added.
He urged writers to come to fore, stating that “research-based documentation is a medium that can bring to light India’s heritage, illustrating to the world possibilities and solutions, as India’s Covid-19 trajectory has done, leaning on our traditional roots and heritage”.
“Our heritage reflects our knowledge and science that have stood the test of time, and proven exemplary in times of crisis,” he added.
In the book, the author has also delved upon future challenges that may emerge for vaccinology and new vistas for the growth of Indian vaccine industry in a candid manner.

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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 4, 2023
Gujarat: PHCs under probe for fake Covid vaccine certificates

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Junagadh: Junagadh District Collector Rachit Raj has ordered an inquiry into issuance of fake Covid vaccine certifices in the names of actors and crickters to meet targets.
A five-member committee headed by the Deputy Development Officer will submit its report within a fortnight and recommend action.
The Collector told the media that he learned that paramedics “vaccinated some celebrities” in order to meet their vaccination targets. An inquiry will be conducted, and those responsible will have to face action.
Four certificates are in circulation on social media, one is issued in the name of Jaya Bachchan, her age is shown as 23; and the vaccination certificate is issued by Mendapara Primary Health Center.
From the same centre, another certificate has been issued in the name of cricketer Mohammad Kaif, his age is shown as just 22 years old.
Juhi Chavla is 44 years old, according to the Motipara Primary Health Centre, where she received a COVID dose during a vaccination drive. Mahima Chaudhary, on the other hand, is older than Jaya Bachchan, being 57-year-old, according to Prempara sub-health centre.
The District Collector has excluded Junagadh District Chief Medical Officer from the committee, as scam is committed by the team reporting to him.

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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 23, 2023