Mande says current talks are scientific, and once CSIR’s Hyderabad-based CCMB understands Moderna’s mRNA technology, it can produce the vaccine ‘within weeks’.
As of 25 January 2021, only about 56% of people eligible to get the shot have stepped forward in a nation with the world’s second-worst Covid-19 outbreak.
Most AEFIs reported were minor, such as fever or pain at the injection site. Only 11 people needed to be hospitalised, across six states and capital Delhi.
Novel coronavirus is a pathogen of a ‘mucosal’ organ, different to ‘systemic’ organs. Current vaccines are systemic, and can only reduce disease severity.
Several institutes and experts advocate see this as an efficacy trial that could help boost confidence in vaccines, especially Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin that is in phase-3 trials.
Poland PM Donald Tusk highlighted that the ‘Trump pill’ will serve as a much-needed wake-up call for Europe to make painful but necessary structural changes.
Donald Trump has been vocal about India’s high import tariffs and has threatened retaliation. Simultaneously, his tough stand on China could see Chinese goods flood India.
The Chinese aircraft has uncanny similarities to the American F-35 jet. There are claims that China copied the design. Cyber theft of F-35 design data was reported in 2009.
While we talk much about our military, we don’t put our national wallet where our mouth is. Nobody is saying we should double our defence spending, but current declining trend must be reversed.
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