Trends - COVID19 - Business Recorder

World

Retired doctors and more syringes: Biden lays out plan to get America vaccinated

Under Biden’s plan, federal disaster-relief workers would set up thousands of vaccination centers, where retired doctors would administer shots to teachers, grocery store workers, people over 65 years old and other groups who do not currently qualify.
Biden said his team has identified companies that are ready to be activated under the law, which enables the president to order businesses to produce items necessary for national defense.

Published 16 Jan, 2021 03:47pm

Business & Finance

COVID-19 pressures U.S. retail sales; manufacturing shines

The ebbing economic momentum, which appears to have spilled over into the new year, could persuade the U.S. Congress to agree to President-elect Joe Biden’s ambitious $1.9 trillion fiscal stimulus plan.

Published 16 Jan, 2021 02:15pm

Pakistan

Lockdown imposed in more areas of Peshawar

On Friday, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) said that at 13.62 %, Peshwar has the second-highest positivity rate of COVID-19 cases in the country.
During the past 24 hours, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 277 new cases and 11 deaths from the virus.

Updated 16 Jan, 2021 06:12pm

World

23 people die in Norway after receiving first dose of Pfizer vaccine

Results suggest that common side effects may have contributed to severe reactions in frail, elderly people.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health said that it has updated the coronavirus vaccination guide with more detailed advice on vaccinating the elderly who are frail.

Published 16 Jan, 2021 11:32am

Pakistan

Pakistan reports 2,793 COVID-19 recoveries in 24 hours

So far, 472,099 people have recovered from the virus.
2,432 people also tested positive for the virus.

Updated 16 Jan, 2021 11:02am

Technology

COVID-19, network upgrade fuel Pakistan’s Telecom sector growth in 2020: PTA

A surge in demand for telecom services due to lockdown resulted in significant growth not only in the subscriber base also in the usage of telecom services.
In the last five years, total broadband subscription in the country grew by 175pc.

Published 16 Jan, 2021 10:38am

World

Spain reports record 40,197 COVID-19 cases

Earlier in the week the ministry had rebuffed a request by the region's government to enforce a stay-at-home rule within its borders.

Published 16 Jan, 2021 12:54am

World

French coronavirus death toll rises to nearly 70,000

The health ministry also reported 21,271 new confirmed COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, after 21,228 on Thursday and 19,814 last Friday.

Published 16 Jan, 2021 12:41am

Markets

Oil drops over 2pc on China lockdowns, U.S. stimulus concerns

Both benchmarks, which hit their highest in nearly a year earlier in the week, were are heading for their first weekly declines in three weeks.

Published 16 Jan, 2021 12:37am

World

Britain tightens borders to keep out new COVID-19 variants

Britain has already felt the effects of mutations in the virus, after a variant first discovered in England has proved to be more transmissible.

Updated 16 Jan, 2021 12:37am

World

WHO committee against vaccination proof for foreign travel

"Given that the impact of vaccines in reducing transmission is yet unknown, and the current availability of vaccines is too limited, the committee recommended that countries do not require proof of vaccination from incoming travellers,"

Published 16 Jan, 2021 12:09am

Pakistan

LHC issues notice to govt on plea against re-opening of schools

He also pointed out that COVID-19 cases were rising in the country at present and it was bound to rise further with the opening of the schools.

Published 16 Jan, 2021 12:07am

World

WHO wants Covid jabs in all countries within 100 days

"I want to see vaccination under way in every country in the next 100 days so that health workers and those at high risk are protected first,"

Published 15 Jan, 2021 11:58pm

Pakistan

Medical professionals are national heroes: Governor Punjab

The Governor Punjab said the government was using all its resources for public welfare and was working on initiatives that would provide long term solutions to the problems.

Published 15 Jan, 2021 11:48pm

Pakistan

9th to 12th grade classes to resume from Jan 18; decides NCOC

However, the NCOC would further review on January 20, whether the institutions be opened across the board or a differentiated approach be adopted from February 1.

Published 15 Jan, 2021 11:29pm

Pakistan

PM Imran Khan terms new labour inspection regime as good initiative for economy

He said this while presiding over a meeting held regarding start of new labour inspection regime in Punjab here.

Published 15 Jan, 2021 11:20pm

World

Covid vaccine papers leaked, 'manipulated': EU regulator

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) revealed in December that it had been targeted in a major cyber attack that illegally accessed information relating to the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna jabs.

Published 15 Jan, 2021 09:31pm

World

Lebanese parliament approves law paving way for vaccine deal

Lebanon said in mid-December it was expecting to sign a deal for supplies of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine and hoped to receive the first batch eight weeks after that.
The law includes a clause that points to the Lebanese health ministry as the only entity responsible for compensation.

Published 15 Jan, 2021 09:00pm

World

European vaccine shipments fall short as Turkey, China race ahead

About a third of EU governments cite 'insufficient' doses.
Pfizer says there will be 'temporary impact' on shipments.
Biden seeks to reverse Trump's 'dismal failure' on COVID-19.

Published 15 Jan, 2021 08:49pm

Business & Finance

Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine could be cleared for use in minors before March

Based on clinical data we have obtained and regulatory procedures we are filing to National Medical Products Administration.
The vaccine being developed by CNBG's Beijing unit was the first in China to be approved for general public use in late December.

Published 15 Jan, 2021 08:38pm

World

Brazil retail sales surprisingly fall in November, first fall in seven months

Retail activity had rebounded to record levels in October from the depths of the COVID-19 crisis earlier last year.
It is common for consumers, when there is a drop in income or purchasing power, to buy fewer non-essential products and to choose cheaper brands.

Published 15 Jan, 2021 08:01pm

World

Global death toll nears 2 million as WHO battles new virus strains

Adding to the run of terrible milestones, Germany, Europe's biggest economy, hit two million infections.
Many countries are doubling down on virus restrictions, with vaccination drives still in their infancy.

Published 15 Jan, 2021 06:33pm

Business & Finance

France says pharma giant Sanofi could make rivals' Covid vaccines

The world has been scrambling to develop and produce enough anti-Covid vaccines, with innoculation drives hampered by limited stocks of doses and logistical constraints.
France had high hopes that its national champion Sanofi would contribute to a first wave of coronavirus inoculation.

Published 15 Jan, 2021 06:31pm

Business & Finance

Pfizer vaccine deliveries delayed in Europe: Oslo

It is not immediately clear how long it will take for Pfizer to attain maximum production capacity, which will rise from 1.3 to 2 billion doses annually.
The FHI provided no detailed numbers on deliveries to Europe as a whole, but said Norway would next week receive 36,075 doses.

Published 15 Jan, 2021 06:26pm

World

Nepal approves AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use

Conditional permission has been granted for emergency use authorization of COVISHIELD vaccine against COVID-19 in Nepal.
Nepal has reported 266,816 cases and 1,948 deaths from COVID-19.

Published 15 Jan, 2021 05:57pm

World

Russia to reopen schools as COVID-19 case tally passes 3.5 million

All schools are now reopening apart from 10 of them that have been specially quarantined.
We can assume that the infection peak has already passed.

Published 15 Jan, 2021 05:54pm

World

South Africa's mining industry to support COVID-19 vaccine rollout

Mining industry to aid government in vaccine rollout.
Sibanye has potential to vaccinate 18,000 people per day.
Vaccinating all mineworkers could cost around $3.36 mln.

Published 15 Jan, 2021 05:40pm

World

EU drug regulator says emails on evaluation process of COVID-19 vaccines leaked online

The European Medicines Agency did not provide more details but was sharply critical on the impact of the breach.
"Some of the correspondence has been manipulated by the perpetrators prior to publication in a way which could undermine trust in vaccines,"

Published 15 Jan, 2021 05:33pm

World

Some US nursing home residents face delays for COVID-19 vaccines despite extreme risk

Fewer than 10% of doses allocated to those Arkansas seniors have been administered, according to the state health department.
"This is not acceptable," said Thompson. "We're seeing a failure in deployment by CVS and Walgreens."

Published 15 Jan, 2021 05:13pm

Pakistan

CAA imposes fine on Turkish Airlines for violating COVID-19 SOPs

The airline allowed two passengers to board its flight TK0584 from Istanbul to Lahore without proof of negative RT-PCR test.
Both countries are listed as a Category B countries by Pakistan, which means that inbound passengers landing in Pakistan have to get a PCR test at least 96 hours before traveling.

Updated 15 Jan, 2021 05:08pm