Moderna said it is also testing a 3rd dose of its existing vaccine in a clinical study & plans to test a booster that will combine it with the South Africa-specific vaccine.
Development comes amid talks the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology is holding with Moderna to manufacture the American biotech firm’s vaccine in India.
Moderna tests show vaccine produced antibodies against UK strain at levels comparable with older forms of virus. But against the South Africa variant, antibodies produced were six-fold lower.
The mRNA technology never won approval before the Covid pandemic in any drug or vaccine. But Hungarian biochemist Katalin Karikó never gave up on her research either.
Shots are rolling out from Pfizer and Moderna, focused at first on healthcare workers around the country who have been battling the virus on the front lines in hospitals.
A few travel agencies are already formulating tour packages for Indians who want to travel to the UK and avail the recently-approved Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine.
With Pfizer, Moderna as well as developers of Sputnik V and CoronaVac citing over 90% efficacy of their vaccines, the world finally has a reason to hope 2021 will be different.
While bond yields tend to fall amid low inflation & interest rate cuts, market experts say they’ve been rising due to concerns over tax collections, fiscal deficit & potential impact of US tariffs.
It is one of the most advanced long-range air defence and anti-missile radars. It has been acquired under an about USD 145-million deal signed in 2020.
In its toughest time in decades because of floods, Punjab would’ve expected PM Modi to visit. If he has the time for a Bihar tour, why not a short visit to next-door Punjab?
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