Pfizer, AstraZeneca jabs work against Indian variant
By: ONA
London: The Pfizer and AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines are highly effective against the variant identified in India after two doses, a study has found.
Two jabs of either vaccine give a similar level of protection against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant as they do for the Kent one.
However, both vaccines were only 33% effective against the Indian variant three weeks after the first dose. This compared with 50% effectiveness against the Kent variant.
Public Health England (PHE), which ran the study, said the vaccines are likely to be even more effective at preventing hospital admission and deaths.
UN Security Council welcomes announcement of ceasefire in Gaza
By: Xinhua
UNITED NATIONS: United Nations Security Council on Saturday welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza.
Through a press statement, the council welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire beginning May 21 and recognized the important role Egypt, other regional countries, the UN, the Middle East Quartet and other international partners played in this regard.
The council called for the full adherence to the ceasefire and mourned the loss of civilian lives resulting from the violence.
The members of the Security Council stressed the immediate need for humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly in Gaza, and supported the secretary-general s call for the international community to work with the United Nations on developing an integrated, robust package of support for a swift, sustainable reconstruction and recovery.