NCOC distributes 314,500 COVID-19 vaccine doses

ISLAMABAD, FEB 20: So far a total of 314,500 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been distributed among the provinces and regions by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC).

As per the NCOC, 118,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been distributed in Punjab, 121,000 in Sindh, 28,000 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 16,000 in Balochistan, 15,500 in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 11,000 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and 5,000 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Meanwhile, the process of the vaccine administration to the Frontline healthcare workers is in progress across the Country.

The NCOC simultaneously initiated the National Immunization Drive against COVID-19 across the Country on February 3, 2021.

Since February 15, the registering of Citizens aged 65 and above has also started in Pakistan for the vaccination against Coronavirus. Their vaccination will start next month.

It’s worth noting that China gifted Pakistan 500,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine which arrived from Beijing through a special flight on February 1.

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COURTESY dndnews

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WHO recommends AstraZeneca’s corona vaccine for the elderly

 

GENEVA, FEB 11: World Health Organization (WHO) experts now also recommend AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for people over 65 years of age.

The 15 members of the WHO’s vaccine expert group have had an extraordinary meeting to reconsider the advice previously given about the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Several countries, including Norway, do not recommend that the AstraZeneca vaccine be given to anyone over the age of 65 due to a lack of evidence of efficacy.

“When we look at the totality of the evidence, the WHO recommends the use of the vaccine for people aged 65 and older,” the expert group said in a statement.

Another question that has been raised is the vaccine’s effect on new virus mutations. A study suggesting a limited effect on the South African mutation has received much attention.

South Africa decided this weekend to stop using the vaccine completely.

The WHO nevertheless recommends the use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, even in countries where mutations of the coronavirus circulate.

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COURTESY norwaytoday

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WHO is frustrated over the slow corona vaccination process in Europe

 

GENEVA, FEB 8: The World Health Organization (WHO) is asking Europe and the pharmaceutical industry to speed up the vaccination against COVID-19.

In the EU, only 2.5% of the population has received the first dose of corona vaccine, and the WHO is far from happy with the pace.

“We must work together to speed up the vaccination,” the UN organization’s European head Hans Kluge noted.

Conflicts between pharmaceutical companies and the EU, as well as logistical problems, have led to delays in vaccination. 

So far, the EU has approved the vaccines for Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca.

In an interview with AFP, Kluge expressed concern about the new virus mutations. He said he wasn’t sure if the vaccines countered all of them.

“That is the big question. I’m worried,” he noted.

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COURTESY norwaytoday

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Norway’s health institute refuses to rank different corona vaccines

 

OSLO, FEB 4: The National Institute of Public Health (FHI) will not rank the different vaccines, even if the corona vaccine from AstraZeneca really does reduce the spread of infection, FHI director Camilla Stoltenberg noted.

“The vaccines can be compared according to several dimensions, but today there has been news that we will examine more thoroughly,” she said, referring to the news that the AstraZeneca vaccine significantly reduces the spread of infection.

“If it is true, it is very good news,” Stoltenberg noted.

“But we have no basis for ranking the vaccines… It will be important for us to go into more detail and say something about each of their properties,” she added.

She also pointed out that the AstraZeneca vaccine’s effectiveness is not bad at all compared to regular flu vaccines.

According to a study conducted at the University of Oxford in the UK, a single dose of AstraZeneca vaccine provides 76% protection for up to 90 days and reduces the risk of infecting others by 67%.

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COURTESY norwaytoday

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NORWAY SPECIAL REPORT: Oslo to start vaccinating people from next week

 

OSLO, FEB 2: Oslo Municipality has almost finished the vaccination of nursing home residents when it comes to the first dose. That means that the vaccination of the 75-84 age group can begin shortly.

The latest figures from the Municipality show that residents of the nursing homes are now mostly vaccinated with the first dose. 

Residents in care homes have also been offered the first dose and will also be fully vaccinated this week.

It also appears that the vaccination with the first dose of other people in the age group over 85 years will be completed during the week.

Thus, everything is ready for the next large age group between 75 and 84.

A race

Oslo’s Vice Mayor for Health Robert Steen (AP) states that the vaccination of the aforementioned age group will start next week.

“Some residents in this group can probably get the vaccine this week as well,” he said.

In total, there are around 25,000 people in the 75-84 age group in Oslo.

“There is now a race between the mutated virus and the vaccines. I breathe a little easier after each cohort gets vaccinated. 

“An enormous effort is being made in Oslo now, among those who are getting vaccinated, those who work with infection control, and all Oslo people who keep their distance and keep the infection down,” he said.

However, he added that not everyone between the ages of 75 and 84 should expect a phone call next week. 

The pace will vary somewhat from district to district.

Over 90% have said “yes”

All in all, there are now 14,953 people in Oslo who have received the first vaccine dose, according to figures from the vaccine register Sysvak. Out of these, 2,762 people also received the second dose.

More than 90% of those who have been offered a vaccine in Oslo so far have said “yes.”

The vaccination has largely taken place according to plan, although some nursing home residents still have to be vaccinated, partly due to outbreaks and quarantine and partly because new residents have arrived.

The Norwegian Directorate of Health estimates that vaccination of nursing home residents alone will halve mortality from COVID-19.

To date, 64% of the registered deaths in Norway have been in the group of those over 80 years of age.

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COURTESY norway today

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