COVID-19 vaccines made by AstraZeneca NSE -0.48 % and the Pfizer-BioNTech alliance remain broadly effective against Delta and Kappa variants of the COVID-19 causing virus, which were first identified in India, according to a scientific study, underpinning a continued push to deliver the shots. The study by Oxford University researchers, published in the journal Cell, investigated the ability of antibodies in the blood from people, who were vaccinated with the two-shot regimens, to neutralize the highly contagious Delta and Kappa variants, a statement said. Read:Bangladesh to get $ 940 mln ADB loans for procuring Covid vaccine "There is no evidence of widespread escape suggesting that the current generation of vaccines will provide protection against the B.1.617 lineage," the paper said, referring to the Delta and Kappa variants by a commonly used code. However, the concentration of neutralising antibodies in the blood was somewhat reduced, which may lead to some breakthrough infections, they cautioned. Last week, an analysis by the Public Health England (PHE) showed that vaccines made by Pfizer Inc and AstraZeneca offer high protection of more than 90% against hospitalization from the Delta variant. "We are encouraged to see the non-clinical results published from Oxford and these data, alongside the recent early real-world analysis from Public Health England, provide us with a positive indication that our vaccine can have significant impact against the Delta variant," AstraZeneca executive Mene Pangalos said in a separate statement. Read: Bangladesh to get fair share of vaccines: US Congresswoman The Delta variant is becoming the globally dominant version of the disease, the World Health Organization's chief scientist said on Friday. The Oxford researchers also analysed the likelihood of reinfection in people who had previously had COVID-19. Looking at the ability of antibodies in their blood samples to neutralize the variants, the risk of reinfection with the Delta variant appeared particularly high in individuals previously infected by the Beta and Gamma lineages that emerged in South Africa and Brazil, respectively. By contrast, previous infection with the Alpha, or B117, variant first detected in Britain, conferred "reasonable" cross-protection against all variants of concern, lending itself as a template that next-generation vaccines could be molded on. Read: Countries like Bangladesh need support for vaccine production: FM "B117 might be a candidate for new variant vaccines to provide the broadest protection," the researchers said. This article was first published in The Economic Times

The European Medicines Agency has authorized Johnson & Johnson’s one-dose coronavirus vaccine, giving the European Union’s 27 nations a fourth licensed vaccine to try to curb the pandemic amid a stalled vaccination drive in the bloc

Confirming a drop in the number of Covid-19 cases globally for the fifth consecutive week, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has cautioned against complacency saying "the fire is not out" yet.

Malaysia is expected to receive the first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine on Feb 26, said Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

The European Union lashed out Monday at pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, accusing it of failing to guarantee delivery of coronavirus vaccines without valid explanation, and threatened to impose tight export controls within days on COVID-19 vaccines made in the bloc.

Doctors, nurses and the elderly rolled up their sleeves across the European Union to receive the first doses of the coronavirus vaccine Sunday in a symbolic show of unity and moment of hope for a continent confronting its worst health care crisis in a century.

Germany, Hungary and Slovakia began giving out their first coronavirus vaccine shots on Saturday only hours after receiving their first shipments, upsetting the European Union’s plans for a coordinated rollout Sunday across the bloc’s 27 nations.

The route out of the pandemic now seems far longer and rougher for poorer countries while Americans, Britons and Canadians are rolling up their sleeves to receive Covid-19 shots.

The world has finally got two Covid-19 vaccines, which are said to be highly effective. Will the people of Bangladesh have access to those as fast as they expect? Experts say challenges are there!

Following the breakthroughs in the race to deliver a coronavirus vaccine reported by Pfizer-BioNTech and then Moderna, the University of Oxford expects to release data on the efficacy of its own candidate in the coming weeks, with the latest trial results published in The Lancet suggesting it produces a strong immune response in older adults.