North Korea rejected AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine over side effects, says think-tank

North Korea has rejected planned shipments of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine that were being organised under the global Covax distribution scheme due to concerns over side effects, a South Korean think-tank said on Friday (July 9). Covax has said it would provide nearly two million doses of AstraZeneca's shots to North Korea. The first batch had been...

Coronavirus: Early signs Sinovac’s jab is safe and effective in children

The Covid-19 vaccine developed by Chinese company Sinovac is safe and effective for children as young as three, early stage human trials have found, as China seeks to expand immunisation coverage. The vaccine, which gained World Health Organisation emergency use approval for adults earlier this month, has already been approved for emergency use for children above...

As Malaysia’s Covid-19 vaccination drive revs up, sceptics threaten to spoil the party

In the interior of Malaysia’s Sabah state, two thirds of which remains under forest cover, citizens are deeply sceptical about Covid-19 vaccinations. The state has experienced its fair share of trauma during the pandemic, stemming from its experience as the “ground zero” of the nationwide third wave of infections that stretches back to September. Despite having witnessed...

Malaysia PM announces $48b aid package amid extended lockdown

Malaysia Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Monday (June 28) announced a 150 billion ringgit (S$48 billion) aid package, including cash aid and wage subsidies, a day after extending a nationwide lockdown indefinitely to tackle a stubborn Covid-19 outbreak. Lockdown measures originally set to end on Monday would not be eased until daily reported cases fell below 4,000,...

Malaysia to procure 12.8m more doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

Vials with a sticker reading, "Covid-19 / Coronavirus vaccine / Injection only" and a medical syringe are seen in front of a displayed Pfizer logo in this illustration taken Oct 31, 2020.Reuters Malaysia will procure an additional 12.8 million doses of coronavirus vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer and BioNTech in a bid to ramp up its...

German researchers tie cold viruses used to deliver Covid-19 vaccine to rare blood clot risk

A new paper suggests that vaccine makers using adenovirus vectors could modify the sequence of the spike protein.Reuters German researchers on Wednesday (May 26) said that based on laboratory research, they believed they have found the cause of the rare but serious blood-clotting events among some people who received Covid-19 vaccines made by AstraZeneca and Johnson...

Olympics: Japan reassures Tokyo Games can be safe as extended state of emergency eyed

Concerns remain rife about the safety of the 2020 Olympics.Reuters Japan pledged on Thursday (May 27) to keep in close contact with Olympic stakeholders at home and abroad to ensure a safe and secure Games even as it prepared to extend a state of emergency across much of the nation, including host city Tokyo. Concerns remain rife...

Sinopharm’s 2 Covid-19 vaccines show over 70% efficacy against symptomatic cases: Study

A nurse prepares a dose of China's Sinopharm coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine at a health center in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 7, 2021.Reuters Two Covid-19 vaccines from China's Sinopharm showed more than 70 per cent efficacy against symptomatic cases, but it remains unclear how much protection they provide against severe or asymptomatic cases, according to the...

Malaysia says AstraZeneca vaccine safe, will be used for over 60s

A test tube labelled with the Vaccine is seen in front of AstraZeneca logo in this illustration taken, on Sept 9, 2020.Reuters Malaysian health authorities on Monday (April 26) said the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca is safe for use, three days after the Southeast Asian nation received its first batch of the shots bought through the...

“Big White Duel 2” Completes Filming

Travelling to China for filming two months ago, the cast and crew of Big White Duel 2 <白色強人II> finally finished their last scene. The cast had mixed emotions, feeling excited to see the project completed but also a bit sad saying goodbye to each other. Producer Marco Law (羅永賢) organized a wrap party and popped champagne bottles to celebrate. Despite...