Tue, 21-Oct-2025

Pfizer Covid vaccine for under-fives effective with three doses

Pfizer

The Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine is safe and effective for children aged six months to under five years when given in three doses, according to a statement released Monday by the companies. The announcement comes as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans meetings in the coming weeks to consider authorizing Covid vaccines for the … Read more

Fiji reports 7 more COVID-19 deaths, 3rd wave death toll reaches 24

Fiji

SUVA, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) — Fiji has recorded seven new COVID-19 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths to 24 since confirmation of the third wave of the pandemic. Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Health James Fong said on Thursday that five of the new deaths confirmed overnight were fully vaccinated but had pre-existing medical … Read more

Germany must prepare for ‘massive’ new Omicron wave

Omicron wave

FRANKFURT, Dec 17, 2021 (AFP) – Germany, battered by a recent rise in Covid cases, must brace for a “massive fifth wave” due to the new Omicron variant, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said Friday. “We must prepare for a challenge that we have not yet had in this form,” Lauterbach told reporters, adding that even if the variant … Read more

Moderna sees fewer 2021 vaccine deliveries, shares drop

Moderna

NEW YORK – Moderna cut its 2021 forecast for Covid-19 vaccine deliveries on Thursday, pushing back some doses to next year and sending shares sharply lower. The biotech company, which has soared to prominence this year on the success of its coronavirus vaccine, cited longer delivery times for international shipments. Other factors concern “temporary” impacts associated … Read more

Iceland halts Moderna jabs over heart-inflammation fears

European Regulator Recommends Moderna Vaccine Shots For 12- to 17-Year-Olds

REYKJAVIK – Iceland on Friday suspended the Moderna anti-Covid vaccine, citing the slight increased risks of cardiac inflammation, going further than its Nordic neighbors which simply limited use of the jabs. “As the supply of Pfizer vaccine is sufficient in the territory … the chief epidemiologist has decided not to use the Moderna vaccine in … Read more

Moderna vaccine contamination widen in Japan

corona in japan

Moderna vaccine contamination has widened in Japan with another million doses being temporarily suspended. Previously millions of Moderna shots were suspended for use after foreign materials were found in batches. So far, two people have died following shots from affected lots. The suspension of Moderna supplies comes as Japan fights its worst wave of coronavirus … Read more

Japan quit Moderna vaccine over fears of contamination

moderna vaccine

The health ministry of Japan and drugmaker Takeda has terminated the use of 1.63 million doses of Moderna’s Covid vaccine after reports of contamination went viral. Takeda is in charge of sales and distribution of the Moderna vaccine in Japan. Takeda said it had “received reports from several vaccination centers that foreign substances have been … Read more

WHO starts shipping Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccine under COVAX program

WHO

WHO’s pandemic program aims to ship 100 million doses of the Sinovac and Sinopharm COVID-19 jabs by the end of September. Chinese vaccination will be sent mostly to African and Asian countries, in its first delivery of Chinese vaccines, a WHO document shows. The Chinese shipments will aid the spluttering global COVAX vaccine sharing program … Read more

Who is eligible for the Moderna vaccine in Pakistan? NCOC’s new guidelines

Moderna

ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) has issued new guidelines on the Moderna coronavirus vaccine.

According to the NCOC, the Moderna vaccine can now be given to the general public and students over 16 years old. The NCOC says the Moderna vaccine can also be given to pregnant women.

The process of vaccination against COVID-19 is underway across the country, in which more than 30 million people have been vaccinated so far.

Who should receive the Moderna vaccine?

The Moderna vaccine will be administered to all eligible individuals who are 18 years of age and above, including pregnant and lactating women.

Students aged 16 years and above, whose universities mandate evidence of mRNA vaccine administration, are also eligible.

Who should not receive the Moderna vaccine?

NCOC has placed certain conditions that need to be met before you can get the Moderna vaccine. The following scenarios mean you should not be getting the vaccine:

If you have had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) or an immediate allergic reaction, even if it was not severe: to any ingredient in an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (such as polyethylene glycol) or after getting the first dose of the vaccine, you should not get a second dose of either of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.

The vaccine is not recommended for persons younger than 18 years of age pending the results of further studies.

In general, persons with an immediate non-anaphylactic allergic reaction to the first dose should not receive additional doses, unless recommended after review by a health professional with specialist expertise.

Those who have experienced a mild episode of COVID-19 in the recent past can receive the vaccine once the isolation period is completed.

Those with severe COVID-19 can receive the vaccine once they become clinically stable.

Pregnant women will be given Moderna vaccine: Dr Noshin Hamid

Parliamentary Health Secretary Dr Noshin Hamid, meanwhile, says pregnant women will be administered the Moderna vaccine.

Speaking on the television program, she said that you can get vaccinated if you take just your CNIC to a vaccination centre. She said a database of all vaccinators is being created.

Dr Hamid said that a vaccination procedure is also being prepared for those who do not have an identity card and the issue of vaccine certificates is also being resolved.

The second dose of Sinophram and Sinovac vaccines will take six weeks, while the second dose of AstraZeneca will take three months, she said.

The parliamentary secretary on health said that more than 70% of the cases in Pakistan are of the Delta variant.

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European Regulator Recommends Moderna Vaccine Shots For 12- to 17-Year-Olds

European Regulator Recommends Moderna Vaccine Shots For 12- to 17-Year-Olds

The European Union’s drug regulator has recommended Moderna COVID-19 vaccine shots for children between the ages of 12 and 17. According to the British news agency Reuters, the aim is to pave the way for the use of a second vaccine for teenagers in the European bloc. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Friday … Read more

India: 400,000 Covid deaths recorded as vaccination drive slows down

India Covid

India has become the third country worldwide to cross a death toll of 400,000 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. This is a result of the country’s vaccination drive being slowed down. According to statistics provided by the health ministry, so far the total death count of the country is 400,312 – a little behind United … Read more