The World Health Organization has granted approval for emergency use to India’s government-backed Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin
India’s vaccine was approved for use within India back in January while the third phase of clinical trials was still under way, sparking some concern and criticism.
The company that produces the vaccine, Bharat Biotech, has since published data suggesting 78% efficacy against the COVID-19 vaccine.
The WHO stated in a tweet it believed the benefits far outweighed the risks associated with the jab
The WHO said in a tweet it believed the benefits far outweighed the risks
“200 percent safe”
Some experts had pointed to a fast-track approval and incomplete data, but the firm’s chairman, Dr Krishna Ella, stated the vaccine was “200% safe”.
The expert panel World Health Organizations, which authorises emergency approvals, had asked for more data last month while examining the application Bharat Biotech had filed in July.
The approval comes as a major relief to the tens of millions of Indians who have already received the jab.
India has administered more than 105 million Covaxin doses so far – and a fillip for Bharat Biotech.
Few countries have recognised Covaxin and India hopes the WHO approval will change that.
How that will play out on travel restrictions for vaccinated Indians remains unclear.
Covishield is basically the Indian-made version of Astrazeneca and remains the most popular jab in the country, accounting for most of India’s 810 million jabs.
The vaccine has been approved by the WHO but the UK recognised the jab only after a refusal to do so sparked anger in India.
Anthony Lucas is reporter, presenter and social media producer with ticker News. Anthony holds a Bachelor of Professional Communication, with a major in Journalism from RMIT University as well as a Diploma of Arts and Entertainment journalism from Collarts. He’s previously worked for 9 News, ONE FM Radio and Southern Cross Austerio’s Hit Radio Network.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified in Washington D.C. on Thursday.
The hours-long fiery hearing on Capitol Hill was incredibly tense as Chew was grilled by both Republicans and Democrats.
With bipartisan support, both parties are pushing for a nationwide ban on the app which the FBI has said threatens the national security of the United States.
TikTok says it has 150 million America users – almost half the country.
The CEO gave testimony to try and reassure lawmakers and Americans that TikTok is not an agent of the Chinese Communist Party, but critics aren’t convinced.
Chew was bombarded with questions from representatives from both sides of the aisle about the company’s ties to the CCP, security, data storage, well-being, and mental health.
Many lawmakers are growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of answers from the company.
Congress is now weighing a nationwide ban on the popular social media platform amid concerns that it is used to harvest Americans’ information and harm children online.
Protestors blocked a terminal at an airport and sat on train tracks
The ongoing nationwide protests in France over plans by the government to raise the retirement age by two years saw another day of disruption – events which President Emmanuel Macron has recently compared to the storming of the U.S. Capitol by Donald Trump supporters two years ago.
Protestors blocked a terminal at Paris’s Charles De Gaulle airport.
Protesters also sat on train tracks, and reportedly triggered a brief fire in the yard of a police station in once city.
Protests have been mostly peaceful, but tear gas has been used against them on occasions.
The plan is to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.
For comparison, the U.S. is slowly raising its retirement age to 67 and the UK plans to go to 68.
Polls have long shown that a majority of voters in France oppose the move.
Macron earlier in the week said he was standing firm on the law and that it would come into effect by the end of the year.
The government says the change is needed to keep pension budgets from running a deficit – failure would create an annual deficit of about $14 billion by 2030.
The move prompted Republicans in Congress to interfere with the course of justice
Manhattan prosecutors say Donald Trump has misled people to expect he would be arrested, prompting Republicans in Congress to interfere with the course of justice.
A probe is currently under way into his alleged hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.