Sunday, May 23, 2021

2 doses of either Pfizer, Astra jabs effective vs India variant. Inquirer Newsletter May 24, 2021

FINAL TOUCHES The P12.5-million repair of Masjid Disomangcop, one of the mosques seized by militants during the May 23, 2017 and destroyed in the ensuing firefight, is all but complete for final turnover to Marawi City leaders. Divina M. Suson

Board Talk

Sustainability matters

In my years as head of engineering for the SM malls, I had come to realize that it pays to think beyond the monetary bottom line when one wants to do the right thing. Most of my career in property development has been about innovating and striking a balance between people, planet and profit. —Story by Hans T. Sy

Regions

COA: 5 Pampanga water districts losing revenues under private firm

The Commission on Audit (COA) advised five local water districts here to renegotiate their respective joint venture agreements (JVA) with a private water company to address their declining income and correct provisions in the contracts that are disadvantageous to the government. —Story by Jun A. Malig

Newsletter / Join us

Has this been forwarded by a friend? Subscribe now to the Philippine Daily Inquirer Newsletter and get your latest news and important updates on COVID-19.

Listen here

Banner Story

2 doses of either Pfizer, Astra jabs effective vs India variant

A double dose of COVID-19 vaccines is almost as effective against the fast-spreading variant of the coronavirus first identified in India as it is against Britain’s dominant strain, English health officials said on Saturday.

Britain’s Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the data was groundbreaking and he was increasingly hopeful that the government would be able to lift more COVID restrictions next month.

A study by Public Health England (PHE) found the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 88 percent effective against symptomatic disease from the B.1.617.2 variant, a sublineage of the India variant, two weeks after the second dose.

That compared with 93 percent effectiveness against the B.1.1.7 “Kent” strain, which is Britain’s dominant COVID variant.

Two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were 60 percent effective against symptomatic disease from the India variant compared with 66 percent effectiveness against the Kent variant, PHE said.

“I’m increasingly confident that we’re on track for the road map, because this data shows that the vaccine, after two doses, works just as effectively (against the India variant),” Hancock told broadcasters.

Under the government’s plans, a lifting of remaining coronavirus restrictions is due to take place from June 21.

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

Data published on Saturday showed new COVID cases reported in Britain rose by 10.5 percent in the seven days to May 22 although it remained a fraction of levels seen earlier this year.

First dose 33% effectivePrime Minister Boris Johnson this month ordered an acceleration of remaining second doses to the over 50s and people who are clinically vulnerable. —REPORTS FROM REUTERS AND AFP

Editorial

‘Medium’ risk for money laundering

Money laundering remains a serious threat to the Philippines, and one sector particularly vulnerable to cybercriminals is the local capital market. According to an assessment report released last week by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the capital market is at 'medium' risk of being exploited for money laundering, especially as the rise of digitalization has made it easier for criminals to avoid detection and conceal their financial pipeline.

Read full story: opinion.inquirer.net