Category: General Interest

According to a recent study, the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine probably also protects against the B.1.351 virus variant first identified in South Africa – although the number of antibodies formed against it is probably lower. This was reported by a research team in the “New England Journal of Medicine”. They had tested in the laboratory to what extent viruses with different mutations can be neutralized with the blood serum of vaccinated persons. In the variant, the number of neutralizing antibodies was lower, and the neutralization rate of the vaccine was reduced by…

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The FFP2 mask requirement can now also be ordered by local authorities for certain outdoor areas. A spokesman for Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Green Party) confirmed today that a corresponding decree, which previously allowed the ordering of mouth-nose protection outdoors, was adapted accordingly in February. In view of the further increasing number of new infections, the Minister spoke on Thursday of a “risk phase until Easter”. A duty also in the free one FFP2 mask to carry, exists at present already on outdoor markets, so Anschober on the edge of…

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According to insiders, the European Union is waiting for ten million doses of Pfizer/BioNTech’s Corona vaccine that were actually due in December. This means that about a third of the deliveries expected so far are still outstanding, the Reuters news agency learned from EU representatives on Wednesday. The EU Commission, meanwhile, negotiated a deal to supply up to 300 million doses from Pfizer’s rival Moderna. So far, Pfizer has delivered about 28 million doses of the vaccine to the EU. That is about 10 million doses less than Pfizer promised,…

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The number of new corona infections reported worldwide fell 16 percent last week to 2.7 million. The number of reported deaths also fell within a week, by 10 percent to 81,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced Tuesday evening in Geneva, based on Sunday’s figures. WHO: Worldwide decrease in new coronavirus infectionsA double-digit percentage decline in new coronavirus cases was recorded in five of six WHO regions, with only the eastern Mediterranean seeing a seven percent increase. In Africa and the Western Pacific, case numbers declined by 20 percent last…

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A total of 536 positive results were recorded at schools on Monday and yesterday in a total of 1.3 million “nose-picking” self-tests across Austria. This was reported by the Ministry of Education to APA. Affected are 364 students and 172 teachers. This week, for the first time, the tests were on children’s timetables across Austria after the end of the semester break in seven provinces. Those who wanted to take part in the face-to-face classes had to test themselves at the beginning of the school day. Most positive results in…

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The Corona pandemic also has an impact on the liturgy on Ash Wednesday, with which Lent begins in the Catholic Church: so this year the ash rite is administered “without the usual Ash Wednesday prayer and without touching”, as determined by the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship worldwide. This year, therefore, the faithful will not receive an ash cross on the forehead, but the ashes will be scattered on the head. “This form, which is common in other countries, reminds us in a very sober, realistic and obvious way of…

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Nursing training instead of unemployment: with this approach, the city wants to combat the glaring shortage of nurses on the one hand and the high unemployment rate on the other. The city is therefore now paying 4,100 unemployed Viennese a 400-euro bonus per month for training – in addition to unemployment benefits. By 2030, Vienna will need 9100 additional nurses. This is the result of a study by the umbrella organization of Viennese social institutions. On the other hand, 154,688 people in the capital did not have a job in…

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U.S. pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson has applied for approval of its coronavirus vaccine in the European Union (EU). The Amsterdam-based European Medicines Agency (EMA) said Tuesday it has received an application for “conditional marketing authorization” from Johnson & Johnson’s European subsidiary. So far, vaccines from Biontech/Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca have been approved in the EU. Johnson & Johnson had already filed for emergency approval of its vaccine in the U.S. nearly two weeks ago. If the company manages to secure approval, experts say it will significantly simplify the vaccination…

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Med-Uni Graz, in collaboration with Stanford University in California and AGES, has produced the first-ever study on the risk of re-infection with coronavirus. The result: one illness probably provides 91 percent protection against reinfection. The study is based on national infection data. The results were published in the “European Journal of Clinical Investigation,” Med-Uni Graz announced. However, the results should still be interpreted with caution. More than 100 million people worldwide and more than 400,000 people in Austria have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 so far. In prevention efforts, the question…

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