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Vaccines won’t end pandemic quickly unless delivered equitably: Gates

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Even as the world is rushing for solutions to fight Covid-19, developing and manufacturing vaccines will not end the pandemic quickly unless they are delivered equitably, warn Bill and Melinda Gates.

According to a projection by Northeastern University, if rich countries buy up the first two billion doses of vaccine instead of making sure they are distributed equitably, then almost twice as many people could die from Covid-19.

“Researchers are very close to developing safe, effective coronavirus vaccines, but breakthrough science must be met by breakthrough generosity,” Melinda Gates said in a statement.

“We need leaders in government and the pharmaceutical industry to ensure that everyone, regardless of where they live, can access these vaccines. And we’re hopeful that will happen.”

However, according to the fourth annual Goalkeepers Report released by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on Monday the world has regressed by nearly every indicator because of Covid-19.

Because of the pandemic, extreme poverty has increased by seven per cent, said the report.

Vaccine coverage, a good proxy measure for how health systems are functioning, is dropping to levels last seen in the 1990s, setting the world back about 25 years in 25 weeks.

The report showed how economic damage has reinforced inequities and derailed achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The ripple effects of COVID-19 have stopped 20 years of progress toward these global goals, said the report.

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Covid toll in Karnataka is a worrying sign for state government

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Even though Karnataka recorded the lowest number of Covid deaths in April since the virus struck first in 2020, the state is recording a rise in the positivity rate (1.50 per cent). Five people died from the Covid infections in April as per the statistics released by the state health department. In March, the positivity rate stood around 0.53 per cent. In the first week of April it came down to 0.38 per cent, second week registered 0.56 per cent, third week it rose to 0.79 per cent and by end of April the Covid positivity rate touched 1.19 per cent.

on an average 500 persons used to succumb everyday in the peak of Covid infection, as per the data. Health experts said that the mutated Coronavirus is losing its fierce characteristics as vaccination, better treatment facilities and awareness among the people have contributed to the lesser number of Covid deaths.

During the 4th and 6th of April two deaths were reported in Bengaluru, one in Gadag district on April 8, two deaths were reported from Belagavi and Vijayapura on April 30. The first Covid case was reported in the state in March 2020 and three Covid deaths were recorded in the month. In the following month 21 people became victims to the deadly virus, and May 2020 recorded 22 deaths. The death toll recorded everyday after May crossed three digits. However, the third wave, which started in January 2

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