UK to not decrease gap between jabs

National Health Service staff attend a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral in London on Monday. Pic/AFP

The UK government has ruled out plans to decrease the gaps between two doses of Covid-19 vaccinations, even as infections driven by the Delta variant are surging in the country. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation ruled out the three week gap and recommended "an interval of 8 to 12 weeks between doses of all the available Covid-19 vaccines", dashing hopes that the UK might be able to speed up the vaccination programme by closing the gaps between doses, the Financial Times reported.

The advisory body said this gap would "avoid confusion and simplify booking, and will help to ensure a good balance between achieving rapid and long-lasting protection." Last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the UK is "very likely" to ease lockdown measures on July 19. It was pushed back by four weeks from June 21 amid concern over the spread of the Delta variant.

Easing of lockdown measures could be a cause of concern as the country will not meet its target of ensuring two-thirds of adults with two jabs, FT cited people familiar with the UK vaccination programme.

Experts from the National Health Service (NHS) and scientists are concerned as only 63 per cent in the country are fully vaccinated, while more than 85 per cent received only the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

SF zoo vaccinates big cats, bears, ferrets

San Francisco Bay Area zoo is inoculating its big cats, bears and ferrets against the Coronavirus as part of a national effort to protect animal species using an experimental vaccine. Tigers Ginger and Molly were the first two animals at the Oakland Zoo to get the vaccine this week, the San Francisco Chronicle reported on Saturday.

Thai PM goes into isolation

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has been quarantined after coming in contact with a person who tested positive for Covid-19, government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said on Monday.

Vax cards must to enter Indonesia

Foreigners entering Indonesia will be required to show Covid-19 vaccination cards and negative results of PCR tests from Tuesday onwards, an official said. Foreign diplomats and ministerial-level officials are however exempted, Xinhua news agency reported.

1,84,216
No. of new cases reported globally in the past 24 hours

18,39,17,988
Total no. of cases worldwide

39,79,466
Total no. of deaths worldwide

Source: WHO/Johns Hopkins

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