US declares USD 41 million to India as additional Covid-19 assistance

The US has announced an additional 41 million assistance to help India respond to the Covid19 pandemic and strengthen the countryrsquos preparedness for the future health emergencies taking the total aid to more than 200 millionIn April and May India struggled with the second wave of the Covid19 pandemic with more than 300000 daily new cases Hospitals were reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and bedsldquoIndia came to the assistance of the United States during this countryrsquos time of need and now the United States stands with the people of India as they continue to battle the Covid19 pandemicrdquo the US Agency for International Development said on MondayUSAID announced an additional 41 million in support to help India respond to the Covid19 pandemic and strengthen the countryrsquos preparedness for Covid19 and future health emergenciesUSAIDrsquos assistance will support access to Covid19 testing pandemicrelated mental health services timely referrals to medical services and access to healthcare in remote areas the independent agency of the US federal government primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance saidThrough this additional funding USAID will continue to partner with India to strengthen healthcare supply chains and electronic health information systems support its vaccination efforts and mobilize and coordinate private sector relief it said USAID has contributed more than 200 mn for Indiarsquos Covid19 relief and response efforts since the pandemic began including more than 50 mn in emergency supplies and training for more than 214000 frontline health workers on infection prevention and control benefitting more than 42 mn Indians according to a media releaseChinese vaccine safe for children adolescents LancetTwo doses of the Chinamade Covid19 vaccine CoronaVac are safe and produce a strong antibody response among children and adolescents aged 317 years according to a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal The phase 12 trial on 550 young people found that over 96 per cent of children and adolescents who received two doses of the vaccine by Sinovac developed antibodies against SARSCoV2 the virus that causes Covid19 Most reactions were mild or moderate with pain at the injection site the most commonly reported symptom the researchers saidSputnik V vaccine records 978 pc efficacy in UAEThe Russian Direct Investment Fund RDIF on Tuesday announced that the efficacy of its Covid19 vaccine Sputnik V in the United Arab Emirates UAE was confirmed at 978 per cent among over 81000 peopleAustralia offers all adults AstraZenecaAustralia is offering AstraZeneca to all adults in a bid to rapidly ramp up sluggish vaccination rates as more of the country on Tuesday locked down against the spread of Covid19 The government late Monday agreed to indemnify doctors who administer the AstraZeneca vaccine that has been blamed for at least two fatalities from a rare blood clot complication in Australia since April154960No of new cases reported globally in the past 24 hours181007816Total no of cases worldwide3927222Total no of deaths worldwideThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever