Australia relieved after EU drug regulator backs AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
March 19, 2021, 11:33 am

Australia relieved after EU drug regulator backs AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

A woman receives a dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Thamesmead, London, Britain. (Reuters)

Australia on Friday welcomed the European drug regulator’s decision to back the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine after a safety investigation as authorities ramp up the country’s immunization drive next week.

Germany, France and other European nations decided to resume using AstraZeneca doses on Thursday following the European Medicines Agency’s findings that the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks.

More than a dozen countries in Europe had temporarily suspended their immunization drive after reports of rare blood clots in some people who received the doses.

“I think this is a very important piece of global, medical news. What we see is the European Medicines Agency has made the same conclusions as the Australian (medicines regulator) ... it’s great news,” Health Minister Greg Hunt told Sky News.

Australia did not halt its nationwide inoculation with the AstraZeneca vaccine despite the pause in Europe, saying there was no evidence the doses caused any serious side-effects.

The majority of Australia’s 25 million people will be administered the AstraZeneca vaccine. Authorities have secured nearly 54 million doses, with 50 million to be produced locally from the end of March.

Australia from Monday will move to the second phase of its vaccination program that would see nearly six million people getting their first dose of either the Pfizer/BioNTech or the AstraZeneca vaccine over the next few weeks.

About a quarter of a million people have received their first vaccine dose as of Friday.

Australia has been reporting zero or low single-digit cases for the last few weeks. New South Wales, the country’s most populous state, reported no new locally-acquired cases for the second straight day.

Australia has reported over 29,100 cases and 909 deaths since the pandemic began.

source: Reuters

Image source: Reuters

Levant

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”