Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News and translation of external news on disease control, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, CCP.
News (1)
Video Screenshots of unveiling the first protein subunit vaccine in public in Asia on 23 August 2021
News (4)
KMT Committee
member: How can the people compare with the head of state?
Editor : Zhang Yongling
President Tsai
Ing-wen also went to the National Taiwan University Medical College Gymnasium
for vaccination at 7.30 am. After the injection, she revealed nothing
more than a gesture of praise, but Kuomintang legislator Li Dewei believed ,
Even if Tsai Ing-wen and Vice President Lai Qingde receive the Medigen jab
(MVC-COV1901), should the public bet on this? To put it bluntly, he asked, “The
head of the government has an exclusive medical team, do we have it?"
Li Dewei’s
Facebook post pointed out that President Tsai has completed MVC-COV1901
vaccination and the live broadcast through social media is clear but there are
many rumours about it being vaccinated with imported vaccines of other brands. He
questioned, “Because of this, should the people take a gamble? In fact, there
is no reason at all. Please imagine that the government has a dedicated medical
team in the capital, do we have it?”
He said that if
MVC-COV1901 failed to protect Tsai Ing-wen and Lai Qingde, the country’s most
elite medical staff will treat them carefully, provide the most advanced
equipment and the fastest care. If there were any adverse reaction, how do the
people cope with it?
"Recognize the reality!" Li Dewei
bluntly said that even if the same vaccine is administered, the people's
ability to bear risks cannot be compared with that of the heads of state and deputy
heads of state. Everyone should make the most reasonable decision based on the
disclosed vaccine information and their own conditions, not who to vaccinate
whom. Do not vaccinate simply based on reference.
He added, “The
worst thing about our government is that it’s unwilling to provide the people
with complete information.” Li Dewei criticized MVC-COV1901’s protection,
quality control standards, and the first dose of antibodies being unknown. The
government did not tell the people anythin, but In addition, everyone from
substitute teachers, tuition teachers, school catering workers, military
personnel to recruits and Chunghwa Post employees, "all occupations that
have to bend for five buckets of rice or obey orders have been overtly and
secretly forced to vaccinate with MVC."
Expected data of MVC-COV1901 reveals that it is a good vaccine. Li says it should be "MVC save the people" but now it is completely opposite to "all the people to save MVC." In the future, if the political parties take turns, the wave of vaccine turmoil from last year to this year must be liquidated and found that none of the officials or related persons who should be responsible or who should be in jail can escape, so as to return the truth to the whole people and comfort the dead and injured.
Three different mRNA vaccines which
may have reduced side effects when administered are being developed in
partnership with Singapore's involvement in their clinical trials including Duke-NUS
Medical School, Singapore and SingHealth’s Investigational Medicine Unit.
Developed by American company
Arcturus Therapeutics, the three vaccine candidates can be given at a much
lower dose than the mRNA vaccines now available - such as those by Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine (Comirnaty) and Moderna - because of the "self-amplifying" mRNA technology they
use.
Each dose of the Arcturus vaccine contains five micrograms of vaccine, compared to 30 mcg in Comirnaty and 100 mcg in the Moderna vaccine.
The first vaccine, known as ARCT-021, targets SARS-CoV-2, and was developed together with the Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore. Local phase two trials, administered by SingHealth's Investigational Medicine Unit, are still ongoing.
The two newer vaccines - ARCT-154 and ARCT-165 - target the four
variants of concern, Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta.
The local clinical trials will evaluate the vaccines' safety and immune response against the variants, and as possible booster shots for people who have received Comirnaty, said Associate Professor Jenny Low, the unit's deputy clinical and scientific director.
Arcturus' chief executive Joseph
Payne told The Straits Times that while both vaccines have shown effectiveness
against the variants when tested on primates.
ARCT-154 shows a stronger response
to Covi72, while ARCT-165 had a bias for Covi51.
Payne added that ARCT-154 is also undergoing clinical trials in Vietnam, in parallel with the trials conducted here. The trials here will also evaluate the vaccine as a booster jab. The data for both trials will be pooled in November 2021.
After vaccinating
with MVC-COV1901 "slightly drunk floating feeling", he was addicted and
shouted for 1 more dose!
Editor : Cai
Minggen
President Tsai
Ing-wen went to the National Taiwan University Hospital to complete the
vaccination early in the morning. There were also a flood of appointments at
injection stations around the country. Many people were curious about how their
bodies would react after vaccinating with MVC-COV1901.
Illustrator Xie
Lisheng said that there was no feeling at the moment of the injection, but
there was a "slightly drunken and floating feeling just after
drinking." After an hour, he slowly receded, making him "want to have
another one dose."
After receiving
MVC-COV1901 this morning, Xie Lisheng shared on his Facebook page that he did
not feel at all at the moment of the injection, not even a tingling sensation,
but when he waited at the scene, there was a kind of " the slight
drunkenness and floating feeling just right after drinking.” This feeling
continued after half an hour. It made him want to “another dose.” After an
hour, the feeling gradually faded. Everything was normal.
“Just for the
charming slightly addicted to linger." Xie Lisheng mentioned that today he
was able to "float" with the president and tens of thousands of
people. When he thought about it, he started to float again, and he was already
looking forward to the next dose. He also shouted to the anti-MVC people, “Thank
you, let me have a smooth vaccination today without queuing, so that I can
enjoy such a pleasant injection experience.”
After the post
was exposed, it aroused the resonance of netizens. Many people who had the same
feeling left a message saying "Slightly drunk feeling +1", "One
more one", "I am floating." After more than 2 hours, the feeling
is getting higher and higher", "I thought it was because I didn't eat
breakfast to dizzy, so many people have it", "I thought it was my
illusion, it turned out to be really a little drunk.", Some people also
joked, "Did you hit the sorghum" and "It feels great to be shot
by a high-end blower." The post sparked heated discussion.
However, there are also other pro-MVC netizens who think that “I don’t feel anything after I’ve finished vaccinating”, “There’s no feeling after I’ve finished vaccinating, but there’s no feeling of loss, but it’s cold and cold where I’ve been vaccinated.” After vaccinating, it will be like “being stamped", "The MVC condition is in good condition after vaccinating," "There will be a small numbness in the hand at the beginning, and it will be normal after rest."
Ref:
news.tvbs.com.tw/life/1570984
News (22)
Addressing potential infections in the community and rejecting UB-612
Reporter : Isabel van Burgen, The Epoch Times PREMIUM
The United States has a “moral obligation” to ensure the evacuation of Afghani allied personnel, including interpreters, from Kabul, says former Afghani interpreter Ahmadullah Sediqi, as President Joe Biden’s self-imposed Aug. 31 deadline to leave Afghanistan looms.
Canada-based Sediqi, who served as an interpreter for U.S. forces in Afghanistan for four years, came to the United States in 2014 under the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, which was created to protect Afghan allies who risked their lives helping U.S. troops in the country. He now works with the non-profit No One Left Behind as a SIV Ambassador to help other interpreters with their SIV process.
With time running out ahead of Biden’s deadline to withdraw the remaining U.S. troops from Afghanistan, and the president facing growing criticism amid reported chaos and occasional violence outside Kabul’s international airport, vulnerable Afghans who fear a vengeful crackdown by the Taliban terrorist group are voicing desperate pleas not to be left behind.
Sediqi told NTD’s The Nation Speaks that the United States has a moral obligation to offer safe refuge to Afghanis who assisted the United States and its allies in Afghanistan.
“It’s not only the interpreters, but their families, their siblings, their parents [who] are still waiting in Afghanistan. I’m here, but my family, my siblings are in Afghanistan,” he said. “It’s our moral legal duty to help those who have risked their lives alongside the U.S. forces.”
The Pentagon has said that the U.S. military will fly up to 30,000 people out of Kabul, including embassy personnel, U.S. citizens, Afghan SIV applicants, and other at-risk individuals.
Of that total, 8,000 will be transported to a third country for visa processing, with the other 22,000 headed for the United States. Advocates estimate that there are between 50,000 to 80,000 Afghans and their family members applying for SIVs and evacuation, of which the Biden administration thus far has evacuated only a fraction.
Since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul on Aug. 15, Sediqi said he has been constantly receiving messages from Afghani interpreters who are “so worried” and asking for help to flee the country.
“The current situation is scary,” he said, noting that he was informed recently that two interpreters were killed by the Islamic extremist group. “The Taliban are extremist and they are the same people that they were in 1996. They don’t want to leave anybody. When they catch you, they will kill you.”
The former Afghani interpreter warned that the Taliban “most likely” have access to various biometric databases and can therefore easily identify SIV applicants.
Sediqi said that he’s aware of thousands of people waiting outside the international airport in Kabul, hoping to leave the country.
“You might have watched all these on social media … kids are waiting, women are waiting. They’re under the sun and don’t have anything to eat or drink, but they’re trying to get out,” he said.
In a stern message for the U.S. president, Sediqi urged that Biden take “immediate action” to ensure that “the way that the United States leaves Afghanistan does not become a permanent stain on his legacy and on America’s legacy.”
“With due respect for the division … we cannot leave Afghanistan in this situation,” he said. “We have had great partners in the past 20 years. That’s why we asked the international communities and the United States especially to watch over Afghanistan, to watch over these fundamentalists.”
“If we don’t watch over them, they will be a big threat to the United States and the international communities in the future,” he added.
Biden has defended his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan. He admitted, however, that the Afghan government fell more quickly than expected, suggesting that they lacked a fighting spirit.
Meanwhile, after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled Kabul as the Taliban took over the capital, the country’s Vice President Amrullah Saleh has remained in the country to fulfil his duty as the “caretaker president,” Saleh said on Twitter, as outlined in the country’s constitution.
He has since vowed, together with the son of former anti-Soviet Mujahideen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, to resist the Taliban from the Panjshir valley.
Remnants of Afghan government forces and other militia groups have gathered there, including Defense Minister General Bismillah Mohammadi, declaring the valley the last free citadel in Afghanistan.
Massoud said America and its democratic allies were a free Afghanistan’s “only remaining hope” in an op’ed published in The Washington Post on August 18. “There is still much that you can do to aid the cause of freedom,” he wrote. “[W]e need more weapons, more ammunition and more supplies.”
Over at the White House on Sunday, Biden said that evacuation efforts have “a long way to go” and that “a lot could still go wrong.” The president added that there have been “discussions among” those in the White House “and the military” to potentially extend the evacuation operation past August 31.
The Epoch Times has reached out to the White House for comment.
News (30)
FDA grants full approval to Pfizer for Comirnaty, which could encourage people to get vaccinated
Reporter : Mary Kekatos, Daily Mail
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine for those aged 16 and older on Monday.
The two-dose immunization was the first to receive emergency use authorization from federal regulators in December 2020 and will now be first to be licensed.
Full approval by the FDA could push more Americans to get the COVID-19 vaccine because it might reduce their fears about the safety of the shot.
It may also lead to more vaccine mandates with businesses feeling more comfortable requiring workers to get a jab that has full authorization.
Pfizer said on Monday the vaccine will continue to be available for 12-to-15-year-olds and as third doses for immunocompromised people under emergency use only.
President Joe Biden shared the news on Twitter and encouraged Americans to keep rolling up their sleeves.
The FDA has officially approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. While all three COVID vaccines have met FDA's strict standards for emergency use, this FDA approval should give added confidence that this vaccine is safe and effective,' he wrote.
'If you're not vaccinated yet, now is the time.'
News (32)
Afghan refugees not allowed to board evacuation flights from 23 August 2021
Reporter : Jennifer Smith, Daily Mail
US officials have ordered troops to only allow American citizens, Green Card holders and other foreign nationals through the gates of Kabul airport to board evacuation flights, leaving tens of thousands of vulnerable Afghan refugees stranded outside while the Taliban tightens its grip, CNN has reported.
Troops have been processing both Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans like translators or others who helped in the war, and most of the US evacuation flights have been full of Afghan nationals so far.
There are around 20,000 people at the airport right now waiting to board flights and the majority do not seem to have any kind of paperwork.
Thirty-three C-17 jets are on the way to the airport that could carry 600 passengers each - 19,800 total - out of the dangerous city, but CNN cites an unnamed official who said the policy was changing to only allow US citizens, foreign citizens from other NATO countries, or Green Card holders through the gates.
No one from the White House, State Department or Pentagon has been able to give a number for how many American citizens remain in Afghanistan.
It is unclear if or when the US will start flying Afghans out again.
Biden had said he was confidant he would be able to rescue all remaining US citizens by August 31 and that he would do his best to get as many vulnerable Afghans out as possible, but there has been no promise the US will stay past the deadline to save Afghan refugees once all Americans are out.
Between Sunday morning and Monday morning, 10,400 people were removed from Kabul on 28 US flights, an average of 371 passengers per plane on flights that can hold 600.
Other NATO flights evacuated another 5,900 people.
News (33)
Myanmar's ousted MPs condemn ASEAN for inviting Junta to Parliamentary Summit
Source : The Irrawaddy
On Saturday, representatives from ASEAN’s parliaments convened for the 42nd assembly in Brunei. The meeting lasts until Wednesday.
The Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Union Parliament) or CRPH was formed mostly by NLD lawmakers after the military coup in February. In April they formed the shadow National Unity Government (NUG), claiming to be the legitimate civilian government of Myanmar. Since their formation, both the CRPH and NUG have received huge popular support at home but struggle to gain international recognition despite engaging with other countries, including the US.
It is not the first time ASEAN has refused to recognize Myanmar’s democratic representatives. In April, the NUG’s representative was not invited to ASEAN’s special summit on Myanmar. Instead, the junta leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, attended the meeting where ASEAN set out five points to resolve Myanmar’s turmoil.
The CRPH on Sunday said the AIPA president, who also is the speaker of the Brunei Legislative Council, ignored its letter of nomination and approved the junta’s representative as an observer at the meeting. Last month, Myanmar’s junta revoked the 2020 election results and Min Aung Hlaing installed himself as prime minister earlier this month.
The CRPH said the APIA’s action “has steered the ASEAN parliamentary family on an undemocratic and unrepresentative course … choosing dictatorship over democracy … cowardice over political principles”.
The CRPH asked other ASEAN parliamentary delegates at this week’s assembly to call for the inclusion of Myanmar’s delegation.
ASEAN’s recognition is seen as important to establish the NUG’s legitimacy. ASEAN is yet to officially recognized the regime.
The CRPH said the exclusion of Myanmar’s delegation “will grievously impugn AIPA’s parliamentary independence and its standing among the global family of parliaments”.
Myanmar’s people condemned ASEAN online. “We have no trust in you,” said a comment.
Another said: “ASEAN is under influence and is biased. It should respect democracy and the elected government.”
Early this month, ASEAN appointed Brunei’s deputy foreign affairs minister, Erywan Yusof, as a special envoy to Myanmar. However, there is little hope ASEAN will work effectively to resolve the crisis.
News (34)
Brunei detects 314 new covid cases on 22 August 2021
Source : Borneo Bulletin
Brunei has on 22 August 2021 detected 314 new confirmed covid cases, the highest number recorded in a day.
With the latest cases, the national tally of confirmed cases has increased to 1,769. Among the new cases were four newly identified clusters as well as 141 cases of unknown source of infection.
Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar revealed these details at the daily press conference on 22 August.
Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah also participated.
Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham said the four new clusters that have been identified are 17 new cases related to Case 1056 reported on 19 August 2021. This cluster is known as the Samima Cluster. In addition, five new cases are related to Case 1328 reported on 20 August 2021.
This cluster is now known as the 1328 Cluster.
Three new cases are related to a few previous cases including Case 650 reported on August 15, 2021. This cluster is now known as the Jaya Hypermart Cluster.
One new case is related to Case 362 reported on 8 August 2021 and Case 415 reported on 10 August 2021. This cluster is now known as the 362 Cluster.
There are also new cases for the current active clusters, the minister said. He added that there are 34 cases for Chung Hua KB Cluster, 21 cases for Immigration Cluster, 17 cases for Cluster Champion 7 – BT, and two cases for Cluster Champion 7 – Platform under The Champion 7 and surrounding vessels cluster.
He added 14 new cases for the BSP HQ Cluster (Block M), 12 cases for Al-Faalah/Freda-Radin Cluster, 10 cases for ABCi Cluster, nine cases for IBTE KB Cluster, nine cases for The Mall Cluster, five cases for Total Cluster, three cases for SKH Cluster, two cases for 477 Cluster, one case for Dragon Boat Cluster, one case for 583 Cluster, and one case for PA Cluster were also recorded.
Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham said six import cases were also recorded, with one case arriving in Brunei on 9 August 2021 on board Singapore Airlines flight SQ148 from Bangkok and one case arriving in Brunei on 9 August 2021 on board Singapore Airlines flight SQ148 from Amsterdam. Meanwhile four cases arrived in Brunei on 9 August 2021 on board Royal Brunei Airlines flight BI004 from London.
The cases in the active clusters are individuals under quarantine and were found to be in contact with several confirmed cases. Contact tracing for all new cases is undergoing. All identified close contacts are required to undergo mandatory quarantine and RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 virus test.
News (35)
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