Pfizer's vaccine was found to 88 per cent effective against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant two weeks after the second dose. AFP
Pfizer's vaccine was found to 88 per cent effective against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant two weeks after the second dose. AFP
Pfizer's vaccine was found to 88 per cent effective against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant two weeks after the second dose. AFP
Pfizer's vaccine was found to 88 per cent effective against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant two weeks after the second dose. AFP

Covid vaccines work well against Indian variant


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  • Arabic

Two shots of a Covid vaccine work almost as well against the Indian variant as they do against the dominant UK strain of the virus, a new study published shows.

Britain’s Health Secretary Matt Hancock called the data groundbreaking and expressed hope stage 4 of England’s Covid roadmap could proceed without hitch on June 21.

According to figures from Public Health England, 22,071,497 people in the UK had been fully vaccinated against the virus on May 21.

With these figures showing that the UK is delivering a seven-day average of 337,000 second doses, many millions more Britons are on track to receive dose number two by June 21, when more Covid restrictions will be lifted.

The PHE research found the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 88 per cent effective against symptomatic disease from the B.1.617.2 Indian, or "double mutant", variant two weeks after the second dose.

That compared with 93 per cent effectiveness against the B.1.1.7, or Kent strain, which is Britain’s dominant Covid variant.

Two doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine were 60 per cent effective against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant compared with 66 per cent effectiveness against the Kent variant, PHE said.

Britain has rushed out Europe’s fastest vaccination programme but it has faced a new challenge from the spread of the variant first found in India.

Data published on Saturday showed new coronavirus cases reported in Britain rose by 10.5 per cent in the seven days to May 22, although they were still a fraction of levels seen earlier this year.

The Indian variant itself represents a fraction of these cases, but data from genome sequencers the Wellcome Sanger Institute showed it is accelerating exponentially in the UK.

With vaccines now shown to be effective against the double mutant, the race between vaccine and variant is well and truly on. Mr Hancock said it further proved getting both doses of the vaccine was vital.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier in May ordered an acceleration of remaining second doses to the over-50s and people who are clinically vulnerable.

PHE said one dose of both vaccines was 33 per cent effective against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant B.1.617.2 after three weeks, lower than its 50 per cent effectiveness against the Kent variant B.1.1.7.

Concern about rising cases in Britain of the variant first found in India prompted Germany to say on Friday that anyone entering the country from the United Kingdom would have to quarantine for two weeks on arrival.

Coronavirus around the world - in pictures

THE SPECS

      

 

Engine: 1.5-litre

 

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

 

Power: 110 horsepower 

 

Torque: 147Nm 

 

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Company profile

Company name: Suraasa

Started: 2018

Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker

Based: India, UAE and the UK

Industry: EdTech

Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding

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Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

Asia Cup Qualifier

Final
UAE v Hong Kong

TV:
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The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

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  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

Fines for littering

In Dubai:

Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro

Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle. 
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle

In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches 

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

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Fifa Club World Cup quarter-final

Kashima Antlers 3 (Nagaki 49’, Serginho 69’, Abe 84’)
Guadalajara 2 (Zaldivar 03’, Pulido 90')

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Thank You for Banking with Us

Director: Laila Abbas

Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum

Rating: 4/5

GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

2.0

Director: S Shankar

Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films

Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey

Rating: 3.5/5 stars