Wuhan (Novel) Corona Virus -looming pandemy of deadly pneumonia? - Pandemy ongoing!

(March 9, 2021) China to support WHO on setting up vaccination mutual recognition platform
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday once again expressed practical and ethical concerns
over using a vaccination passport as a certificate for international travel,
while China on the same day launched its version of a health code for people who travel abroad.

The certificate includes nucleic acid test and serum antibody results, vaccine inoculation and other information.
It has an encrypted code that allows authorities to verify the holder's personal information,
according to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Israel wants to be the first country to sign an agreement
on mutual recognition of vaccines with China, Israeli Ambassador Irit Ben-Abba Vitale said in an interview with Chinese media on Monday.
globaltimes.cn/page/202103/1217876.shtml

(March 9, 2021) Baxter Biopharma Solutions Enters Sterile Manufacturing Agreement for Novavax’ COVID-19 Vaccine
Baxter BioPharma Solutions has entered into an agreement to provide sterile manufacturing services for NVX-CoV2373,
Novavax’ COVID-19 recombinant nanoparticle vaccine candidate with Matrix-M adjuvant.
Baxter BioPharma Solutions is a contract manufacturing organization (CMO)
that specializes in parenteral (injectable) pharmaceuticals, including vaccines.
The agreement is expected to advance commercial-scale manufacturing
essential for the vaccine’s production and distribution in the UK and European markets.
Baxter’s manufacturing services for NVX-CoV2373 will take place at its state-of-the-art facility in Halle/Westfalen, Germany.
contractpharma.com/content-microsite/covid-19/2021-03-09/baxter-inks-sterile-manufacturing-deal-for-novavax-covid-19-vaccine?widget=listSection

(March 9, 2021) Baxter to make Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in US
Baxter announced that its Baxter BioPharma Solutions business will make Moderna‘s COVID-19 vaccine
at its fill/finish sterile manufacturing facilities in Bloomington, Ind.
The plan — announced yesterday — is for Baxter to make 60–90 million doses of the Moderna vaccine in 2021.
Baxter’s 600,000 ft2, 700-employee campus in Bloomington has capabilities
and expertise in parenteral delivery systems and clinical and commercial vaccine manufacturing
— including preventive and seasonal vaccines for global markets.
pharmaceuticalprocessingworld.com/baxter-to-make-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-in-us/

(March 2, 2021) No jab, no Hajj: Saudi says all Muslims will need to have Covid vaccine before they can perform annual pilgrimage to Mecca
Health authorities in Saudi Arabia have said that any Muslim wanting to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca
will first need to be provide proof that they’ve been vaccinated against Covid-19.
Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry confirmed the decision in a statement on Tuesday,
saying that vaccination would be “the main condition for participation,”
after Health Minister Tawfiq Al Rabiah said “compulsory vaccination” would be required for all pilgrims.
The kingdom began its vaccination program on December 17,
with the Moderna, Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs being approved for use.
rt.com/news/516961-saudi-hajj-vaccine-mandatory/

(March 7, 2021) Austria suspends use of batch of Covid jab after death of nurse
Authorities in Austria have stopped vaccinations with a batch of AstraZeneca's inoculation
against the coronavirus, after one person died and another became seriously ill after receiving their jabs.
A 49-year-old woman died as a result of severe coagulation disorders, an illness related to the blood’s ability to clot.
The woman was admitted to the intensive care unit of Vienna General Hospital last weekend
after initially being treated at a hospital in Lower Austria. A day after being admitted, the woman died.
Meanwhile, a 35-year-old female developed a pulmonary embolism and is now recovering.
A pulmonary embolism is a lung disease that is caused by a dislodged blood clot.
Several local news organization reported that both women were nurses working at the local hospital.
thelocal.at/20210307/austria-suspends-use-of-batch-of-covid-jab-after-death-of-nurse/

(March 11, 2021) Denmark suspends use of AstraZeneca COVID vaccine
The Danish Health Authority on Thursday halted the use of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine for 14 days.
It follows reports of "serious cases of blood clots among vaccinated people," a statement read.
However, the authority stopped short of saying there was a direct link between the vaccine and the blood clots, "at the time being."
Shortly after Denmark's announcement, Iceland and Norway both halted the rollout of the vaccine.
Italy also moved to ban a batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine following reports "of some serious adverse effects.
dw.com/en/denmark-suspends-use-of-astrazeneca-covid-vaccine/a-56835406

(March 10, 2021) The EMA covid-19 data leak, and what it tells us about mRNA instability
The BMJ has reviewed the documents, which show that regulators had major concerns
over unexpectedly low quantities of intact mRNA in batches of the vaccine developed for commercial production.

In short, commercial manufacturing was not producing vaccines to the specifications expected,
and regulators were unsure of the implications. EMA responded by filing two “major objections” with Pfizer,
along with a host of other questions it wanted addressed. The email identified “a significant difference in % RNA integrity/truncated species”
between the clinical batches and proposed commercial batches—from around 78% to 55%.

The root cause was unknown and the impact of this loss of RNA integrity
on safety and efficacy of the vaccine was “yet to be defined,” the email said.
It is an issue relevant not just to Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine but also to those produced by Moderna, CureVac, and others,
as well as a “second generation” mRNA vaccine being pursued by Imperial College London.
bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n627

..
The BMJ asked Pfizer, Moderna, and CureVac, as well as several regulators, what percentage mRNA integrity
they consider acceptable for vaccines against covid-19. None offered any specifics.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the UK’s medicines regulator,
acknowledged the lack of a specified percentage RNA integrity, but declined to provide further detail.
“The specification limit acceptance criteria are commercially confidential,” the agency said in an email.

bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n627

(March 13, 2021) Mastercard and ICC to explore interoperability of digital health credentials
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Mastercard are partnering
to explore the possibility of making their digital health pass solutions interoperable.
Mastercard explained that the interoperability isn’t just between different health credentials
but also between other technologies such as passports or identity and tickets.
ICC and Mastercard are part of ID2020’s Good Health Pass Collaborative.
The initiative is also backed by the Airports Council International, Hyperledger, IBM, the Covid Credentials Initiative, and others.

Meanwhile, blockchain health credentials are also being developed for motives beyond travel.
IBM developed a Digital Health Pass for companies to verify employee health status,
and the State of New York is piloting the blockchain health certificate app
to show proof of vaccination or negative test results.
Big Blue was also recently awarded a project for German health certificates alongside local firms.
ledgerinsights.com/mastercard-icc-explore-interoperability-digital-health-credentials-blockchain/

Whitney Webb
@_whitneywebb

Mar 13
Heard back from Patreon, and it turns out I am not being deplatformed for "medical misinformation"
(apparently why the example part of the original email was left blank), but because my reports **might** dissuade
my audience from taking "preventative measures to fight" COVID-19.

twitter.com/_whitneywebb/status/1370554129072934917

(March 9, 2021) Rockefeller Foundation launches an Action Plan for creating a National Genomic Surveillance System in US
The Rockefeller Foundation has released “Accelerating National Genomic Surveillance,” an action plan
for creating a national genomic surveillance system in the United States
based on a February 2021 convening of several dozen scientists, lab administrators,
public health officials, representatives from the private sector, and entrepreneurs.
In addition, the Foundation released a companion document, “Implementation Framework: Toward a National Genomic Surveillance Network,”
which identifies key barriers to realizing a robust national genomic surveillance system and outlines practical opportunities to reduce these barriers.
news.fundsforngos.org/united-states/rockefeller-foundation-launches-an-action-plan-for-creating-a-national-genomic-surveillance-system-in-us/

(March 10, 2021) Rockefeller Foundation appoints Rick Bright as senior vice president of Pandemic Prevention and Response
Dr. Rick Bright has been appointed the Rockefeller Foundation
as senior vice president of Pandemic Prevention and Response,
with responsibilities including leading pandemic prevention institute development.

Immunologist Rick Bright, who was removed as director of the federal Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) in April 2020
by the Trump administration after he pushed back against investing in the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19,
will lead a new private effort to improve defenses against pandemics, both present and future.
The Rockefeller Foundation today announced Bright will be its senior vice president for pandemic prevention and response,
leading efforts “to avert future pandemics by identifying and responding to the earliest alerts of a disease outbreak and stopping it in the first 100 days.”
homelandprepnews.com/stories/64929-rockefeller-foundation-appoints-rick-bright-as-senior-vice-president-of-pandemic-prevention-and-response/
sciencemag.org/news/2021/03/health-official-ousted-trump-lead-private-coronavirus-tracking-effort

(March 15, 2021) Germany Joins Growing List of Countries to Suspend Astra Vaccine
Germany suspended use of AstraZeneca Plc’s Covid-19 vaccine amid a growing
health scare that’s creating yet another delay for the European Union’s inoculation campaign.
Germany joins about a dozen places, including Northern Italy, the Netherlands and Ireland,
that have halted use of the product amid reports of serious blood clotting.
bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-15/germany-is-latest-country-to-halt-use-of-astrazeneca-covid-shot

(March 15, 2021) Quad Members Join Forces to Produce 1 Billion Vaccines for Indo-Pacific Countries
On March 12th, leaders of the Quad’s member countries came together in a virtual meet to discuss the strategy to counter China’s influence
in the Indo-Pacific region. The decisions included grouping 4 nations’ manufacturing, financing, and distribution capability
to deliver 1 billion vaccines to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) by the end of 2022.

The Quad, short for Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, is an informal forum formed by Japan, the United States, Australia, and India in 2007.
They have previously joined forces to tackle the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in 2004. In 2017, the Quad was used as a tool to combat China by the Trump’s administration.
The Quad has held an annual meeting ever since with a minister’s meeting in 2019 and one in Japan the following year.

Each country in the Quad has a different role in pushing the goal of 1 billion vaccines.
The United States will work with a vaccine manufacturer in India, Biological E, to increase the manufacturing capacity
and support the “last-mile” vaccination with more than 100 million to reach immunization.
Japan will provide loans to the Indian government to expand manufacturing power
to export vaccines to lower-, middle-income or vaccine-lacking countries in the Indo-Pacific region.
geneonline.news/en/quad-members-join-forces-to-produce-1-billion-vaccines-for-indo-pacific-countries/

(March 16, 2021) What is J&J Covid vaccine that India’s Bio E will make with US help, the challenges it faces
New Delhi: Under the new vaccine partnership unveiled at the first Quad Summit Friday,
the four-country grouping of India, US, Australia and Japan decided to pool resources and capabilities to roll out 1 billion doses
of Covid-19 vaccines by 2022 as they make efforts to boost post-pandemic recovery.
As part of the plan, the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)
will financially assist Hyderabad-based drug maker Biological E
to produce doses of the Covid-19 vaccines developed in the US, including the Johnson & Johnson candidate.
theprint.in/health/what-is-jj-covid-vaccine-that-indias-bio-e-will-make-with-us-help-the-challenges-it-faces/622292/

(March 16, 2021) Moderna Begins Testing Covid Vaccine in Babies and Children
The drug company Moderna has begun a study that will test its Covid vaccine in children under 12, including babies as young as six months,
the company said on Tuesday. Moderna declined to say how many had already signed up or received the first shots,
according to a spokeswoman, Colleen Hussey. Each child in Moderna’s study will receive two shots, 28 days apart.
The study will have two parts. In the first, children aged 2 years
to less than 12 may receive two doses of 50 or 100 micrograms each.
Those under 2 years may receive two shots of 25, 50 or 100 micrograms.
nytimes.com/2021/03/16/health/moderna-covid-vaccine-children.html

(March 17, 2021) Biden to put $12B toward COVID testing
The Biden administration today pledged $10 billion for school COVID-19 screenings
and $2.25 billion for screenings and diagnostic testing among underserved populations.
The money is part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act that Biden signed into law last week.
The Department of Health and Human Services will divvy up the $10 billion among the states
to fund screening tests of teachers, staff and students
to help schools to reopen safely for in-person instruction.
massdevice.com/biden-to-put-12b-toward-covid-testing/

(March 18, 2021) President Magufuli dead at 61
A corporate coup has removed Tanzania’s “Covid denying president”, and nobody should be surprised.
The official cause of death is rumoured to be a heart attack,
but some are implying it may have been due to the virus.
If what happened in Burundi last summer is any guide,
the Tanzanian Covid approach will be totally reversed within a day or two of the President dying.
As the Council on Foreign Relations reported, only last week:
”a bold figure within the ruling party could capitalize on the current episode to begin to reverse course.”
off-guardian.org/2021/03/18/discuss-president-magufuli-dead-at-61/

(March 19, 2021) FUJIFILM and Sana Biotechnology ink agreement to develop iPSC-derived cell therapies
FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics and Sana Biotechnology, a company focused on creating and delivering engineered cells as medicines,
announced that Sana has been granted a non-exclusive right to use FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics’ iPSC platform
for the development of commercial cell therapies. As a treatment modality, cell therapies have the potential to augment, repair, or replace human biology,

including organs, tissues and cells. Under the agreement, FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics grants Sana a non-exclusive license
under intellectual property rights owned or controlled by FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics, and will provide iPSC cell lines
(including research-grade and/or Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-grade iPSC lines) to Sana.

Sana may use the iPSC cell lines, and exercise the licensed intellectual property rights, for the research and development,
and with respect to GMP-grade cell lines, clinical and commercial manufacture, and commercialization, of cell therapies derived from such lines.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=136218&sid=2

(February 25, 2021) Study explores individual differences of SARS-CoV-2 infection in ACE2-expressing stem cells
Human iPSCs are not infected by SARS-CoV-2 since they express the viral entry receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) at low levels.
These cells do have high levels of the coronavirus receptor CD147 and of the serine protease TMPRSS2.
In order to render them susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, the iPSCs were engineered with the relevant genes, inserted by adenovirus vectors (Ad),
with almost 100% efficiency. These genes encoded human ACE2 and TMPRSS2 at over-expressing levels, leading to massive infection by the virus.
TMPRSS2 overexpression alone was inadequate to produce this effect.
news-medical.net/news/20210225/Study-explores-individual-differences-of-SARS-CoV-2-infection-in-ACE2-expressing-stem-cells.aspx

(March 10, 2021) Doctors, healthcare workers to be punished for anti-vax COVID claims
Doctors, nurses and pharmacists who spread COVID anti-vaccination claims will face harsh penalties,
including being stripped of their ability to practise, by the medical watchdog.
The national medical boards and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulatory Agency (AHPRA)
released a joint directive warning healthcare practitioners that they risk regulatory action if they spout
false or deceptive misinformation to patients or on social media that could undermine
the national vaccination program as the AstraZeneca vaccine rollout begins.
smh.com.au/national/doctors-healthcare-workers-to-be-punished-for-anti-vax-covid-claims-20210310-p579dk.html

European Medicines Agency (EMA) 2021 Funding
For 2021, the total budget of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) amounts to €385.9 million.
Around 86% of the Agency's budget derives from fees (from Pharma industry) and charges
and 14% from the European Union (EU) contribution for public-health issues and less than 1% from other sources.
Of the total budget in 2021:

approximately €330.4 million will come from fees (from Pharma industry) and charges levied for regulatory services;
approximately €55.4 million are expected in income from the EU,
mainly to support the policies for orphan and paediatric medicines, advanced therapies and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

The Agency charges a fee for processing applications from companies that want to bring a medicine to the market.
It also charges fees for services related to the marketing of medicines in the EU in areas such as scientific advice, inspections and the establishment of maximum residue limits.
ema.europa.eu/en/about-us/how-we-work/governance-documents/funding#fees-from-industry-section

(March 16, 2021) Future Planet Invests in Vaccitech’s Series B Financing
Future Planet Capital has invested in a $168m Series B financing announced today by Vaccitech Ltd. Future Planet
joins other leading investors including M&G Investment Management, Tencent, Gilead Sciences,
Monaco Constitutional Reserve Fund and fellow existing investor, Oxford Sciences Innovation.
Vaccitech is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development
of novel immunotherapeutics and vaccines for the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases and cancer; in 2020 it co-invented
a COVID-19 vaccine candidate with the University of Oxford, AZD1222, which is known as the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca.
bio-itworld.com/pressreleases/2021/03/19/future-planet-invests-in-vaccitech-s-series-b-financing

(March 17, 2021) Daiichi Sankyo begins manufacture of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine in Japan
Daiichi Sankyo Company, Ltd announced on March 12, 2021, that it has started manufacturing the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (AZD1222) in Japan.
The marketing approval application for AZD1222 in Japan was submitted by AstraZeneca K.K. on February 5, 2021.
Daiichi Sankyo is using undiluted solutions provided by AstraZeneca to manufacture AZD1222 in Japan, including the vial filling and packaging,
in accordance with the outsourcing agreement to manufacture AZD1222, which was concluded with AstraZeneca in February 2021.
biospectrumasia.com/news/37/17784/daiichi-sankyo-begins-manufacture-of-the-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-in-japan-.html

(March 18, 2021) Walmart partners with Commons Project, Clear to launch digital COVID-19 vaccine records
Customers at Walmart and Sam's Clubs may soon be able to verify that they have received a COVID-19 vaccine by showing an app on their smartphones.
The retail giant announced Wednesday that it will provide access to digital health records, including vaccination information,
to people who receive their shots at Walmart and Sam's Clubs. Walmart is working with The Commons Project and Clear,
an identity management platform, to make the digital health records available.

The records will be available via the organizations' app called the Health Pass by Clear, as well as the CommonHealth and CommonPass apps.
Walmart will use the open and interoperable SMART Health Cards standard being developed under the Vaccination Credential Initiative,
which is co-chaired by the Commons Project Foundation. The Vaccination Credential Initiative is a cross-industry coalition
that includes health IT heavy hitters Epic, Cerner and Change Healthcare along with tech giants and healthcare companies
Mayo Clinic, Microsoft, Cigna's Evernorth, Salesforce, and the Carin Alliance.

The CommonPass mobile app, created by the Commons Project Foundation and the World Economic Forum
is being used by United Airlines and other airlines on some international flights.
fiercehealthcare.com/tech/walmart-partners-commons-project-clear-to-launch-digital-covid-19-vaccine-records

(March 19, 2021) CEPI, HKU expand partnership for intranasal COVID-19 vaccine candidate
CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the University of Hong Kong (HKU) have announced
an expanded partnership to further the development of HKU’s intranasal COVID-19 vaccine
candidate, based on a live-attenuated influenza virus.
CEPI recently launched a five-year plan to tackle epidemics and pandemics,
which includes an urgent programme of vaccine R&D to strengthen our defences against COVID-19.

This expanded partnership with HKU is the second of CEPI’s next-generation vaccine investments,
which are designed to develop vaccines that are easier to deliver,
and address the needs of a diverse range of populations and settings.
It is unique in the CEPI portfolio in that is delivered intranasally,
which could potentially reduce transmission of the virus by stimulating a mucosal response in vaccinated people.
biospectrumasia.com/news/37/17801/cepi-hku-expand-partnership-for-intranasal-covid-19-vaccine-candidate.html

(March 22, 2021) Australia approves CSL - Seqirus to manufacture AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved manufacture of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine (ChAdOx1-S) in Australia.
This follows on from the 16 February 2021 approval by TGA of the overseas-manufactured AstraZeneca vaccine.
The vaccine is being manufactured at two sites in suburban Melbourne.
CSL-Behring Australia in Broadmeadows are manufacturing the active raw vaccine material,
while the final vaccine doses are being manufactured, vials filled and packaged at Seqirus in Parkville (a CSL company).
biospectrumasia.com/news/37/17808/australia-approves-csl-seqirus-to-manufacture-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine.html

(March 26, 2021) New York launches nation's first 'vaccine passport'
New York has become the first state to launch a “vaccine passport”
that can be used to get into certain venues. Called an Excelsior Pass,
the passport will be available on a phone app in the form of a QR code
that can be scanned to prove the owner has been vaccinated,

USA Today reported on Friday. Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is reportedly expected
to announce the new initiative on Friday. The pass will be used at entertainment venues
and can allow for increased crowd sizes for events such as weddings.

It is not clear if vaccine passports will be developed around the country
or accepted by many Americans, as some are still unwilling to get the coronavirus vaccine.
thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/545121-new-york-launches-first-in-nation-vaccine-passport

(March 26, 2021) Amazon receives FDA authorization for its own COVID-19 test and employee screening program
According to agency documents, workers in the retail giant’s offices, warehouses and fulfillment centers may be automatically assigned regular testing appointments,
typically every two weeks, though individuals can voluntarily elect whether to participate. The nasal swab tests
will be approved under a standing-order prescription from a contracted healthcare provider, the FDA said,
and administered in-person, under supervision via a telehealth link,
or self-performed while unsupervised at home or at work, with samples being mailed to laboratories for analysis.

In addition, people who test negative will be continuously tested
n pools of up to five samples. The molecular diagnostic and collection kit
were developed by an Amazon subsidiary, dubbed STS Lab Holdco.
fiercebiotech.com/medtech/amazon-receives-fda-authorization-for-its-own-covid-19-test-and-employee-screening-program

(March 26, 2021) Six fully-vaccinated patients have died of Covid-19
Superintendent of Public Health Professor Charmaine Gauci confirmed
that six individuals who had received both jabs against Covid-19 have died of the virus.
Public health chief Gauci made this announcement during her weekly Covid-19 health briefing.
Answering questions posed by the media, Gauci remarked that those who received the vaccine
are protected against the virus - however, that protection is not 100% from the virus.
Malta currently has three vaccines at its disposal: the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the Moderna vaccine, and the AstraZeneca vaccine.
independent.com.mt/articles/2021-03-26/local-news/Six-fully-vaccinated-patients-have-died-of-Covid-19-6736232093

(March 29, 2021) Pfizer Demands South African Ministers Personally Sign Vaccine Pact
Pfizer Inc. is demanding that South Africa’s health and finance ministers
personally sign a Covid-19 vaccine-supply agreement so that it is indemnified
from any claims made against it in the country regarding the shot.

The demand is contained in a March 24 letter from South Africa’s Health Minister Zweli Mkhize
to his finance counterpart Tito Mboweni, seen by Bloomberg and confirmed by the National Treasury.
Pfizer was not satisfied by assurances that the signature of the country’s health director general was sufficient to guarantee the indemnity, Mkhize said.
bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-29/pfizer-demands-s-african-ministers-personally-sign-vaccine-pact

(January 28, 2021) Coronavirus: Germany recommends AstraZeneca vaccine for under-65s only
dw.com/en/coronavirus-germany-recommends-astrazeneca-vaccine-for-under-65s-only/a-56371850

(March 2, 2021) Pressured European officials are trying to drum up support for the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine
cnbc.com/2021/03/02/eu-tries-to-drum-up-support-for-unpopular-astrazeneca-shot.html

(March 4, 2021) Germany says AstraZeneca vaccine OK for over-65's after all
dw.com/en/germany-says-astrazeneca-vaccine-ok-for-over-65s-after-all/a-56771381

(March 15, 2021) Germany Joins Growing List of Countries to Suspend Astra Vaccine
bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-15/germany-is-latest-country-to-halt-use-of-astrazeneca-covid-shot

(March 30, 2021) AstraZeneca vaccine fears: Germany bans Oxford jab for everyone under 60
"On the basis of the currently available, but still limited, evidence
and taking into account the current pandemic situation,
the Stiko recommends using the Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca for people over the age of 60," said the body.
They added that inoculation of AstraZeneca jabs to anyone under the age of 60 remained at the "discretion" of doctors across the country.
The decision was taken after Berlin's state hospital groups Charite and Vivantes stopped giving women under the age of 60 shots of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine,
German daily Tagesspiegel reported on its website, citing a spokeswoman for the hospitals.
express.co.uk/news/politics/1416758/AstraZeneca-vaccine-Berlin-hospital-women-under-55-safety-concerns-stop-using-EU

(March 30, 2021) We’ve won our lawsuit over Matt Hancock’s £23m NHS data deal with Palantir
For a year, we’ve been fighting legal battles over the British government’s secretive NHS data deals
with controversial ‘spy tech’ firm Palantir. Today, we can announce an important victory.
Back in December, after we had spent months on legal efforts to get transparency,
the government snuck through a massive £23m, two-year deal with Palantir, a CIA-backed data firm.
They contracted Palantir to process our sensitive health data.

We raised objections: the initial deals were framed as a short-term, emergency COVID response,
but the new contract revealed mission creep well beyond the pandemic.
Government lawyers insisted that citizens have no right to a say in major NHS contracts with big tech.
But we believed the public does have those rights. So we sued.

Facing our lawsuit, the government has finally caved.
They’ve pressed pause, committing not to extend Palantir’s contract beyond COVID without consulting the public.
It’s a major U-turn at a critical moment. The NHS, with its unique trove of structured health data, is powerfully attractive to tech corporations.
The NHS datastore is the largest pool of private health data in NHS history, and that raises questions too important to be settled in secret deals.
opendemocracy.net/en/ournhs/weve-won-our-lawsuit-over-matt-hancocks-23m-nhs-data-deal-with-palantir/?utm_source=webpushr&utm_medium=push&utm_campaign

(March 30, 2021) WHO & leaders of 23 countries advocate global treaty to tackle future Covid-style health emergencies
Leaders of 23 countries and the World Health Organization (WHO) have backed the idea of creating a global treaty
that would bolster international cooperation in case of future health emergencies like the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

While the exact wording of the proposed treaty is still to be determined, the group urged the world to form a mechanism
that would provide tools for a uniform response to global health emergencies.
The piece also strikes something of an environmentalist tone, advocating a “One Health” approach
that would connect “the health of humans, animals and our planet.”

The opinion piece has been signed by the leaders of
Fiji, Portugal, Romania, the UK, Rwanda, Kenya, France, Germany, Greece, Korea, Chile, Costa Rica,Albania, South Africa,
Trinidad and Tobago, the Netherlands, Tunisia, Senegal, Spain, Norway, Serbia, Indonesia, and Ukraine.
rt.com/news/519577-who-covid-pandemic-treaty/

(March 29, 2021) Japan, Estonia and New York State digital health pass plans revealed
Japan is joining the EU, China, and other countries around the world in issuing digital vaccination certificates to inoculated individuals
to support their return to previously normal activities, including international travel, Nikkei reports.
The standards will be determined with reference to the EU’s vaccine certificates and the World Economic Forum’s CommonPass.

Estonia is also planning to launch its digital vaccine certificate in April,
ERR News writes, in collaboration with enterprise blockchain provider Guardtime.
Estonia’s health pass will also be integrated with the EU’s system when it is launched in June.

Lithuania is planning to release its digital health certificate by the summer,
and a report has indicated Latvia’s will also be ready in April.
Finland has already begun issuing digital health passes.

New York has launched a digital identity-based health credential, Excelsior Pass,
which allows people to gather in larger groups and access event venues, according to USA Today.
Vaccination data is populated from the state registry, and pre-approved testing companies.
The Vaccine Credential Initiative, which includes Microsoft, the Mayo Clinic, Oracle, Walmart, CVS and Salesforce,
is set to issue its standards for vaccine passports next month.

Israel’s ‘Green Passes,’ meanwhile, are being spoofed, prompting interest in stronger authentication of the person holding the digital health pass.
Pangea’s COVID-19 access control system now confirms the validity of Green Pass COVID vaccination credentials with face biometrics, CTech reports.
biometricupdate.com/202103/japan-estonia-and-new-york-state-digital-health-pass-plans-revealed