Coronavirus live | Travel guidelines for international passengers to Karnataka revised

Over 11 crore people who have taken the first shot of COVID-19 vaccine have not got themselves jabbed with the second dose even after the expiry of the prescribed interval between two doses, according to government data. The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 103.99 crore, the Union Health Ministry said

After 19 months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, schools in the national capital will reopen from November 1 for all classes with 50% student strength, though classes will continue in the hybrid mode and no student will be forced to attend them offline, the Delhi Government said on Wednesday.

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The Delhi University will wait for guidelines from the city government before reopening colleges, according to a senior varsity official.

You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.

Here are the latest updates:

New Zealand to start easing COVID-19 border restrictions

New Zealand said on Thursday it would ease coronavirus border restrictions that have been in place since March 2020, and move to a system of home isolation for fully vaccinated overseas arrivals from early next year.

The country was the among the first to shut down its borders in response to the pandemic last year, and has retained these tough border restrictions – leaving many expatriate citizens and residents stranded for months. -Reuters

Travel guidelines for international passengers to Karnataka revised

The Karnataka government has revised travel guidelines to make RT-PCR reports mandatory for all international passengers coming to the State. The notification, issued on October 25, stated that those coming from abroad must submit a self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal and upload a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report. The test should have been conducted within 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey.

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Physical classes for students of Standards I to VIII from November 8

The Puducherry government has decided to resume physical classes for students of Standards I to VIII on November 8.

Announcing this at a press conference on Wednesday, Education Minister A. Namassivayam said in-person classes with COVID-19 protocols will start from November 8 in the Union Territory. Classes will be held from 9.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.

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Australia eases COVID-19 travel advisory ahead of border reopening

Australia on Thursday eased its COVID-related travel advice for several countries including the United States, Britain and Canada as it prepares to reopen its borders next week for the first time in over 18 months.

Australia will lift its outbound travel ban for fully vaccinated residents from November 1 following a strong uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, as Sydney and Melbourne, its biggest cities, look to welcome overseas travellers without quarantine. -Reuters

WHO says likely to receive clarifications from Bharat Biotech on Covaxin by weekend

The World Health Organisation on Wednesday said it expects to receive clarifications from Bharat Biotech by the end of this week on its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, and will meet on November 3 for a final risk-benefit assessment for the Emergency Use Listing.

“WHO Technical Advisory Group for Emergency Use Listing (EUL) is an independent advisory group that provides recommendations to WHO on whether a #COVID19 vaccine can be listed for emergency use under the EUL procedure,” the WHO tweeted. -PTI

1st-year UG, PG classes in Odisha to begin from Nov

Physical classes for the first-year undergraduate and post-graduate students in Odisha for the 2021-22 academic session will begin from November 1 and 15 respectively following Covid-19 protocols, The Higher Education Department said on Wednesday.

Hostels facilities would be made available to the students and coronavirus guidelines should also be followed there. -PTI

Moderna COVID-19 shot could start being used in children, teens ‘within weeks,’ CEO says

Moderna Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine could start to be used in children and teens in the United States within weeks, its chief executive said in an interview ahead of the Reuters Total Health conference, which will run virtually from November 15-18.

Moderna CEO Staphane Bancel said based on dialogue with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, he believes his company’s COVID-19 vaccine will be authorized for 12- to 17-year-olds in the next few weeks. -Reuters

‘Har Ghar Dastak’ campaign for door-to-door Covid vaccination in poor performing districts: Government

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday said ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ campaign will be launched over the next one month for door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination in poor performing districts to enthuse and motivate people towards full vaccination against the deadly infection.

“No district should be without full vaccination,” he said during a national review meeting with health ministers of various States and Union Territories (UTs), according to a statement by the Health Ministry. -PTI

Spain to give different booster to strengthen J&J vaccine

People who received a shot of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine will be offered a second dose from a different drug maker, Spain’s health authorities said on Wednesday.

Spain’s Health Ministry said that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has proven to be less effective than other vaccines. So Spaniards who have received it will now be offered a booster shot of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna vaccines once three months have passed. -AP

Mild to moderate cases in home isolation can infect only one-third contacts: WHO-MAMC study

Mild to moderate coronavirus cases under home isolation can infect only one-third contacts in seven to 10 days of exposure and thus there is no need to set up special Covid care centers for such patients, according to a study conducted over six months in Delhi.

Maulana Azad Medical College, which conducted the research with the support from the World Health Organization and the Delhi government included 109 households from Central and Northeast districts in the study conducted between December 28, 2020, and June 28. -PTI

Assam relaxes COVID-19 curbs, allows more people in weddings, funerals

The Assam government on Wednesday further relaxed COVID-related restrictions, allowing 200 people with at least one dose of vaccination to attend weddings and religious functions.

Issuing a new set of guidelines, Chief Secretary Jishnu Barua said the overall COVID-19 situation in the state has "considerably improved". -PTI

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