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Science & Health

COVID 19:

The race for

a vaccine Billionaire, Bill Gates

here are more than 200 candidates care workers—who are at high risk of been registered for the first time in
Tunder development worldwide, exposure. In the US,this population is the world this morning,” Putin said
most of these in the developed world. estimated at 21 million. on state TV. “I know that it works
What not in doubt however, is that In Chine, military began getting quite effectively, it forms a stable
a vaccine is seen as a game-changer vaccinations in June. Medical immunity.”
in the battle against the coronavirus, workers and employees of state- Putin added that one of his daughters
which has killed more than 1.2 million owned companies working abroad had already taken it; he said she had a
people worldwide and pushed the were soon included in an “emergency slightly higher temperature after each
global economy to a near recession. It use” program. In September, a dose, but that: “Now she feels well.”
is a race against time. China National Biotec executive said Developed by the Moscow based
The US, for instance, is preparing 350,000 people outside clinical trials Gamaleya Institute, the vaccine has
to launch its first vaccine by mid had already received the vaccine. been named Sputnik-V a reference
November: This is according to the Early vaccinations of high-profile to the surprise 1957 launch of the
Center for Disease Control and people have become a way to show world’s first satellite by the Soviet
Prevention (CDC), which, on 31, trust in China’s medical system after Union..
October, States to start working a 2018 scandal in which children The claim of victory by Putin in the
towards being ready to give out the were exposed to faulty vaccines for global push to make an effective
COVID-19 vaccines by Nov, 15, diphtheria and tetanus. vaccine against Covid-19 came
target made public by the center. Yin Weidong, chief executive of amid suggestions that Russia has cut
According to experts, that date biopharmaceutical company Sinovac, essential corners in its development.
is aspirational - there being no told reporters last month that he was Critics say the country’s push for
vaccine approved for use yet, and one of the first to take the vaccine after a vaccine is partly due to political
there may not be one until later it passed the first two trial phases. pressure from the Kremlin, which
this year or beyond. But, in asking About 90% of Sinovac’s employees is keen to portray Russia as a global
the states to prepare for that day, have voluntarily taken the vaccine scientific force.
the CDC’s Advisory Committee on early, the company said. In the UK, Late-stage trial results
Immunization Practices, decides who This month, China National Biotec of a potential COVID-19 vaccine
would be in line to get it first. Group reportedly began offering being developed by the University
Once a COVID-19 vaccine is free vaccines to Chinese students of Oxford and AstraZeneca could
authorized by the Food and Drug planning to go abroad, according to a be presented this year as the British
Administration, ACIP will make company website that was later taken government prepares for a possible
recommendations on how the down. vaccination rollout in late December
vaccine should be used. Its guidelines Earlier on, Aug, 11, Russian President or early 2021.
will trigger the start of the vaccine Vladimir Putin announced the Over 172 countries joined the
distribution process, according to a approval of a coronavirus vaccine COVAX Facility, a mechanism
leading official at the Department of for use, claiming it as a “world designed to guarantee rapid, fair
Health and Human Services. first,” amid continued concern and and equitable access to COVID-19
Already, a consensus has formed that unanswered questions over its safety vaccines worldwide. COVAX is an
health care personnel should be first and effectiveness. initiative of the WHO and, Bill Gate’s
in line to get the vaccine-- Health “A vaccine against coronavirus has Global Vaccine Initiative.

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