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Chinese regulators have approved a coronavirus vaccine developed by state-owned pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm, officials announced Thursday.
Sinopharm said yesterday its coronavirus vaccine is 79.34% effective, citing interim analysis of Phase 3 clinical trials.
Though few details were provided, the company said the vaccine met the standards of the World Health Organization and China’s own regulator, the National Medical Products Administration.
Some COVID-19 isolation centres located inside Karu and Asokoro general hospitals had earlier been closed following reduction in the number of patients.
Ahead of a possible second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, the Nigerian government has ordered the reopening of all isolation and treatment centres in the country.
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, made this known at a Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19briefing on Thursday.
He said the move was to prepare the country for a possible second wave of the pandemic which some European countries are already battling with.
He said everyone had a role to play in the effort to prevent explosive spread of the infection in the country.
“We are seeing the increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the last few days, which we have frequently alluded to in recent times. This rightly suggests that we may just be on the verge of a second wave of this pandemic.
To prepare ourselves, I have directed that all Isolation and Treatment Centres, which were hiterto closed due to reduced patient load, to be prepared for reopening and the staff complement put on alert,” he said.
Countries across Europe are seeing a resurgence in COVID-19 cases after successfully slowing outbreaks early in the year, declaring more cases each day now than they were during the first wave earlier in the pandemic.
England, Portugal and Hungary are among nations in a second lockdown as the new wave of infections sweeps through, shattering efforts and responses to keep the contagion at bay.
Cases in the U.S. are also smashing new records with over 15 million infections thus far.
Mr Ehanire urged the public to continue to adhere to all non-pharmaceutical measures to limit the spread of the virus.
“Until vaccines are available, our best bet is still the appropriate use of face masks, physical distancing, hand sanitizers and observance of respiratory hygiene, for prevention and control,” he said.
He advised strongly against throwing caution to the wind during the upcoming Yuletide
“We must not forget that Covid will not take a holiday. Please endeavour to protect yourselves and others and still obey the measures at Christmas,” he said.
In his remarks, the chairman of the PTF, Boss Mustapha, said the team was fully aware of the global race and discussions around the vaccine.
He said technical machinery had been set up to ascertain the most effective, safe and prudent vaccine for Nigerians.
“One assurance we wish to give is that any vaccine that will be approved for Nigeria will be endorsed by the WHO and must be certified safe for Nigerians to use by our research and scientific bodies,” he said.
US President Donald Trump’s 14-year-old son Barron contracted coronavirus but has since tested negative, First Lady Melania Trump revealed.
Mrs Trump said her “fear came true” when Barron tested positive for Covid-19.
But, she said, “luckily he is a strong teenager and exhibited no symptoms”.
Both the president and first lady also tested positive for coronavirus – as well as other White House staff – but have since recovered.
Later at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Mr Trump said: “He [Barron] had it for such a short period of time.
“I don’t even think he knew he had it because they’re young and their immune systems are strong and they fight it off.”
He added: “Barron is beautiful and he is free.”
The president cited his son’s recovery as a reason why American schools should reopen as soon as possible, a move opposed by teachers’ unions who fear their members could be infected by students.
He told the crowd: “Barron’s tested positive. Within, like, two seconds it was Barron is just fine now. He’s tested negative, right?
“Because it happens. People have it and it goes. Get the kids back to school.”
Opinion polls suggest Mr Trump is trailing his Democratic White House challenger Joe Biden barely three weeks before the election.
Mrs Trump revealed Barron’s positive test result in an essay entitled “My Personal Experience with Covid-19”, published on the White House website.
After she and the president received their positive results two weeks ago, she said “naturally, my mind went immediately to our son”.
Mrs Trump said it was a “great relief” when Barron initially tested negative, but was concerned he would later test positive for the virus. “My fear came true when he was tested again and it came up positive,” she said, adding that Barron exhibited no symptoms.
“In one way I was glad the three of us went through this at the same time so we could take care of one another and spend time together,” she wrote.
The first lady also reflected on her own diagnosis. She said she experienced a “roller coaster of symptoms”, including body aches, a cough and fatigue.
“I chose to go a more natural route in terms of medicine, opting more for vitamins and healthy food,” she wrote.
In her statement, Mrs Trump also said the “most impactful part” of her recovery was “the opportunity to reflect on many things – family, friendships, my work, and staying true to who you are”.
Mrs Trump said she would be resuming her duties as soon as she could.
While Mrs Trump remained in the White House, President Trump spent three days at Maryland’s Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after his own Covid-19 diagnosis. He received a number of different drug treatments, including dexamethasone, a steroid, antiviral treatment remdesivir and monoclonal antibody therapy.
He returned to the campaign trail on Monday, telling supporters he felt “powerful”.
His personal doctor said on Sunday that he was no longer a Covid transmission risk to others.
An event at the White House on 26 September, for the unveiling of Mr Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, was thought to be the root of the localised outbreak of coronavirus.
The White House press secretary, former Trump counsellor Kellyanne Conway and two senators were among the people around the president who tested positive for the virus. On 2 October, hours after the first couple announced they had tested positive, Mrs Trump’s chief of staff Stephanie Grisham told US media that Barron had tested negative.
The US has recorded more than 7.8 million coronavirus cases and 216,000 deaths, according to data collated by Johns Hopkins University.