Posts Tagged ‘Pandemic’
IMF’s global financial system cyberattack wargame a signal of what is to come?
Israel on Thursday led a 10-country simulation of a major cyberattack on the global financial system in an attempt to increase cooperation that could help to minimise any potential damage to financial markets and banks. The simulated “war game”, as Israel’s Finance Ministry called it and planned over the past year, evolved over 10 days,…
Read More[ TIME ] China, Isolated From the World, Is Now the Last Major Country Still Pursuing a ‘Zero COVID’ Strategy
Now, with the rise of the delta variant and the proliferation of vaccines, only one is still holding fast to that goal of eliminating Covid-19: China. With New Zealand preparing to shift away from the zero-tolerance strategy, China’s isolation is complete, raising the stakes on how long it can stick to a playbook that requires closed borders,…
Read More[ AsiaOne / Straits Times ] Singapore inks deal for Merck antiviral pill to treat Covid-19 and its variants
The Republic has inked a supply and purchase agreement for an antiviral pill to treat Covid-19 that is said to be effective against all known variants of the virus, including the Delta variant. The drug was developed by pharmaceutical firm Merck in the United States and Canada, together with Miami-based Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. Merck is known as…
Read MoreREGEN-COV monoclonal antibody therapy delivery will arrive in Singapore next month
According the Lianhe Zaobao, Singapore largest chinese newspaper/media outlet, a spokesman from the National Center for Infectious Diseases of Singapore (NCID) had confirmed to the Associated Press that the monoclonal antibody cocktail, casirivimab and imdevimab, developed by US drugmaker Regeneron and Swiss pharmaceutical company, Roche, will be expected to arrive in the island state next…
Read MoreSingapore to donate 60,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Batam, Indonesia
According the Antara News, the Batam Mayor Muhammad Rudi announced that Singapore government plans to provide 60,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to the Singapore’s neighbouring island of Batam, a major city of Riau Islands, Indonesia. According to the Mayor, Singapore’s requirement for reopening of the Batam-Singapore border depends on Batam reaching 80% vaccination of…
Read More[ SCMP ] Singapore residents who took Sinovac turn to Pfizer to up their antibody counts, amid debate on booster shots
Even after receiving her second dose of the Sinovac vaccine last month, Soh, a 43-year-old Singaporean, was unsure about her immunity levels. So she went to get an antibody test – and the result took her by surprise. Her antibody count stood at 140, a figure her doctor said was about 10 times lower than what someone…
Read More[ Insider Asia ] North Korea rejects almost 3 million doses of Sinovac vaccine, saying it should be given to countries that need it more
North Korea has rejected about 3 million doses of China’s Sinovac Biotech vaccine, asking for them to be sent to countries that need them more. The isolated kingdom had also previously rejected almost 2 million AstraZeneca vaccines due to the potential of rare but severe blood clots. The country has so far reported zero cases…
Read More[ The Independent ] New Covid-19 variant with multiple mutations sparking concerns
South African scientists have identified a new coronavirus variant – its number of mutations sparking concerns. First identified in the South African provinces of Mpumalanga and Gauteng, the variant, called C.1.2, is more highly mutated than others flagged by the World Health Organization (WHO). Since being identified, the variant has spread to most South African provinces and…
Read More[ BBC ] Pfizer becomes first Covid vaccine to gain full FDA approva
Pfizer’s two-dose Covid-19 vaccine has received full approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – the first jab to be licensed in the nation. The vaccine had initially been given emergency use authorisation. Its two jabs, three weeks apart, are now fully approved for those aged 16 and older. In a statement, the…
Read More[ Reuters ] Indonesia, Thailand consider booster shots amid doubts over Sinovac vaccine
But the challenges facing Southeast Asia are much bigger. Many countries in the region rely heavily on Chinese vaccines due to tight supplies of Western products, and have low vaccination rates of less than 10%. They are also battling a record-breaking surge in new cases and deaths, led by the highly contagious Delta variant, while…
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