"coronavirus-vaccine"

According to the WHO's statistics, as of Wednesday, at least 2.6 million people have died of Covid-19 worldwide.

Modi has taken Covaxin, India's homegrown vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech.

India's daily new cases continue to rise and 1,15,736 new cases were registered in a span of 24 hours.

The US is the worst-hit nation as it has more than 30,846,300 confirmed cases and over 556,500 deaths.

The health minister urged the Centre to give priority to Maharashtra, since the coronavirus cases were more in the state and the overall death toll was over 50,000.

Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala account for 60 per cent of the cumulative vaccine doses given till now.

The chief minister also asked people to take all precaution as COVID-19 cases are rising again.

A study on mice suggests these drugs might lower production of antibodies, which block the virus from infecting cells.

The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers getting inoculated and vaccination of the frontline workers started from February 2.

Investigators said the vaccine was effective across all ages, including older people — which previous studies in other countries had failed to establish.

The move paved the way for more than a dozen European countries, which had suspended use of the shot over the past week, to begin using it again.

Born on September 3, 1920, Kamla Das was administered the vaccine at BLK Hospital in Delhi.

The cumulative number of healthcare and frontline workers who have received both the doses of Covid-19 vaccine is 2,29,539.

Diplomats from all the foreign missions here, including those from India, have been invited to take the Chinese vaccine.

“We have our freedoms and we have to live by that and I agree with that also. But it is a great vaccine. It is a safe vaccine and it is something that works," he said.

A total of 3,29,47,432 vaccine doses have been administered through 5,55,984 sessions, as per the provisional report till Tuesday 7 am.

Germany, France, Italy and Spain were among countries that suspended use of the vaccine on Monday.

Germany, France, Italy and Spain joined the growing list of mostly European countries — starting with Denmark last week — that temporarily halted use of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

"Safety is of paramount importance and the Company is continually monitoring the safety of its vaccine," the company said in a statement on Sunday.

Earlier on Sunday, Ireland suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine as new information emerged on blood clotting incidents in Norway.