People jabbed with Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine to get AstraZeneca as second dose: Thailand health ministry - CNA

BANGKOK: Thailand is planning to combine the Sinovac and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines in its national inoculation programme to boost public immunity against the coronavirus variants, the Public Health Ministry announced on Monday (Jul 12). 

“The National Communicable Disease Committee approved the alternation of vaccines, with Sinovac being the first dose and AstraZeneca the second. They’ll be administered about three to four weeks apart,” said Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

Thai health authorities believe the combination of COVID-19 vaccines in such order will increase public immunity against the coronavirus, particularly the highly-contagious Delta variant, which was first identified in India.

“This is believed to provide better protection against the Delta variant as the immunity will quickly increase to a level that is close to what two doses of AstraZeneca can produce. Moreover, it’d take less time to boost the immunity this way,” said Dr Opas Kankawinpong, director-general of the Disease Control Department.

After getting the first shot of AstraZeneca, he added, it usually takes approximately 12 weeks before the second one can be administered. However, with the vaccine alternation, Dr Opas said the interval can be shortened.

As for those who have already received their first shot of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine, they will get their second jab from AstraZeneca three to four weeks later.

“If the first dose is from AstraZeneca, the same is still recommended for the second dose, not the alternation,” Dr Opas said.

READ: Thailand starts tighter coronavirus lockdown around Bangkok

Data from the health ministry showed 12.57 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Thailand since February.

The country is battling its worst wave of infections, with the daily case numbers remaining in the thousands for several weeks. According to the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), most infections were reported in Bangkok and nearby provinces.

On Monday, Thailand reported 8,656 new cases and 4,420 of them were in Bangkok and its vicinity. The high concentration of infections in these provinces has led the government to impose lockdown measures starting from Monday, including a curfew between 9pm and 4am and temporary closure of department stores.

Besides the adjustment in the national vaccination programme, the National Communicable Disease Committee also agreed to give medical personnel and health workers in the frontline a third shot of COVID-19 vaccine to boost their immunity at least three and four weeks after their second jab. The third shot would either come from AstraZeneca or Pfizer.

“Vaccination against COVID-19 will help minimise severe illness and deaths, slow down the transmission and enable hospitals and health service centres to accommodate patients,” said Mr Anutin.

The health minister also expressed concern over the COVID-19 situation in Bangkok and its nearby provinces, citing a gradual increase in the transmission of the disease caused by the Delta variant and its tendency to spread to other parts of Thailand.

“We estimated that we could have close to 10,000 infected patients per day or about 100,000 cases in two weeks,” he added.

According to Mr Anutin, members of the public will have access to antigen test kits in the near future, which will enable them to conduct COVID-19 self-tests at home and reduce the risk of infection.

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2021-07-12 10:41:15Z
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Jose Mourinho questions why Raheem Sterling and more experienced players did not step up for penalty ahead of Bukayo Saka - Yahoo Singapore News

(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Jose Mourinho has questioned why Raheem Sterling and other more experienced England players did not step up to take a penalty ahead of Bukayo Saka.

Saka missed the decisive penalty as England suffered a heartbreaking shootout defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 Final at Wembley.

The 19-year-old Arsenal midfielder was selected by Gareth Southgate to take England’s fifth penalty and had his effort saved by Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

“For Saka to have the destiny of a country on his shoulders, I think it is too much for a kid to have everything on his shoulders in this moment,” Mourinho told TalkSport.

“But I do not know if I have to ask that question to Gareth or not. Because many times what happens is that players who should be there, they are not there. Players who should be there, they run away from responsibility.

“Gareth is such an honest guy and a protective coach that I do not believe he would ever say Player A or Player B ran away or told me they were not ready to [take a penalty].

“I do not know in this case, but I do not think it matters if you are a great penalty taker or not. In this situation, where was Sterling? Where was [John] Stones? Where was Luke Shaw? 

“And why did [Jordan] Henderson or [Kyle] Walker not stay on the pitch? In reality it is very hard for [Marcus] Rashford and [Jadon] Sancho to come and take a penalty after one touch of the ball.”

Watch: Gary Neville criticises Boris Johnson after racist abuse of England players

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2021-07-12 07:06:12Z
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Australia's Covid-19 outbreak grows despite Sydney lockdown , Australia/NZ News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

SYDNEY (REUTERS) - The prospect of an extended lockdown in Sydney loomed on Monday (July 12) as Australian health officials reported yet another record daily rise in Covid-19 cases for the year, fuelled by the highly infectious Delta variant.  

New South Wales state reported 112 new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases, almost all of them in Sydney, despite the country’s biggest city entering its third week of lockdown. Case numbers have been at record levels for at least three days.   

There was, however, a glimmer of light as the number of newly-infected people who were out in the community while infectious dropped to 34 from 45 on Sunday. 

State Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the progress of that figure in coming days would determine whether Sydney lockdown, due to end on Friday, would be extended.  

"That’s the number we need to get as close to zero as possible," Ms  Berejiklian said during her daily televised briefing.  "It is really up to us. The health expert advice will be based on what those numbers look like. I can’t be clearer than that."

Ms Berejiklian said a majority of Monday’s cases were family members or close friends of already infected persons, and pleaded with residents to comply with lockdown rules, which were tightened over the weekend. 

Schools in Sydney, home to a fifth of Australia’s 25 million population, are closed, public gatherings are limited to two people and residents may only leave home for essential business, including work and grocery shopping. 

Australia has previously successfully suppressed sporadic flare-ups of infections through snap lockdowns, speedy contact tracing and tough social distancing rules.

With a total of around 31,200 cases and 911 deaths since the pandemic began, it has fared better than many other developed economies.

However, the Delta variant  fuelled Sydney outbreak has spiralled quickly.

Total infections are nearing 700 since the first was detected in mid-June. Sixty-three people are in hospital, with 18 in intensive care, officials said, while a woman in her 90s became the first Covid-19 fatality for the country this year.

The Sydney outbreak has put Australia’s sluggish vaccine rollout under the microscope. Only around 11 per cent of Australia’s adult population of just over 20.5 million have been fully vaccinated.

Critics have pointed to confusing public advice as well as vaccine shortages. 

Official federal health guidance recommends the locally-produced AstraZeneca vaccine be restricted to people aged over 60 because of blood clot concerns, while the imported Pfizer vaccine is currently limited to people aged 40 to 60 due to supply constraints. 

However, New South Wales officials on Monday said the state’s vaccination centres and pharmacies would be authorised to give the AstraZeneca vaccine to anyone over 40.

The federal government, meanwhile, has said anyone under 40 who wants to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine can do so following consultation with their doctor. 

Lieutenant-General John Frewen, head of the Covid-19 vaccination taskforce, on Monday defended a newly-released advertisement showing a youthful-looking intubated woman in a hospital bed struggling to breathe and urging people to get vaccinated. 

"The conditions in Sydney right now we felt warranted that commercial," Lt-Gen Frewen said. "It is absolutely confronting and we didn’t use it lightly."

The federal government doubled its order for Pfizer shots in April to 40 million, enough for four-fifths of the population. 

It has so far received around 4.4 million doses, the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported.

From next week, it will receive weekly shipments of around one million doses. 

Australia has also ordered 10 million doses of the Moderna vaccine, with the first million due to be delivered in September. 

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2021-07-12 03:54:30Z
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Football: Italy win Euro 2020 final on penalties to wreck England's party - CNA

LONDON: Italy wrecked England's Euro 2020 party at Wembley on Sunday (Jul 11), winning the final on penalties to plunge the host nation into despair and prolong their 55-year wait to win a major title.

Roberto Mancini's men recovered from the shock of conceding the quickest goal ever in a European Championship final to equalise and held their nerve to claim a 3-2 shootout victory.

It is the second time Italy have been crowned European champions and comes after the embarrassment of failing even to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The partisan crowd was whipped up to a state of fever pitch by rousing renditions of Three Lions and Sweet Caroline before kick-off.

Both teams took the knee before the whistle in a display of solidarity against racial injustice before England raced out of the blocks.

Gareth Southgate's team were ahead in just the second minute when defender Luke Shaw finished cooly at the back post after an inviting cross from the recalled Kieran Trippier.

Luke Shaw celebrates after scoring the opening goal for England. (Photo: AFP/Andy Rain)

It was the fastest goal ever in a European Championship final and stunned a disbelieving crowd of more than 67,000, mostly decked out in red and white.

In steady rain, the crowd provided a relentless wall of noise as the home side repelled Italy's attacks and threatened to increase their lead.

England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made a fine one-handed save from Federico Chiesa's effort to preserve his side's advantage with about half an hour to go.

READ: Southgate pays for caution as history slips from England's grasp in Euro 2020 final

But minutes later they were level when Leonardo Bonucci scrambled the ball into the net from close range after England's defence failed to clear.

Italy were now dictating play and their supporters found their full voice behind the goal they were attacking.

With four minutes remaining of normal time a pitch invader stopped the action and stewards struggled to catch him adding to a sense of chaos at the stadium after ticketless fans earlier forced their way in.

Normal time finished goalless despite a flurry of substitutions and the sides were still locked at 1-1 after extra time.

Pickford saved spot-kicks from Andrea Belotti and Jorginho but Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka all failed to find the net.

Bukayo Saka (C) is comforted after missing the crucial penalty. (Photo: AFP/Paul Ellis)

FAN FRENZY

The atmosphere around the stadium was frenzied in the build-up to the match with supporters draped in England colours downing pints of beer and chanting anthems.

But as the start neared, the climate became tense, with thousands crammed into the pedestrianised Wembley Way, strewn with broken glass.

Fans - with few signs of mask-wearing despite surging coronavirus infections in Britain - threw cans of beer, flares and traffic cones into the air.

Footage posted on social media showed hundreds of supporters battling to get past lines of stewards and police, trying to force their way through security cordons and scaling walls.

Another video appeared to show violent clashes between fans inside Wembley itself.

Police said in a statement that a "breach of security... resulted in a small number of people getting into the stadium without a ticket" but the number appeared to swell the official crowd significantly.

Italy had been arguably the team of the tournament heading into the final, sweeping through the group stage with a perfect record before knocking out Austria, top-ranked Belgium and Spain to reach the final.

Italy's goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma makes a save against England's Jadon Sancho during penalty shootout of the Euro 2020 soccer championship final match between England and Italy at Wembley Stadium in London, on Jul 11, 2021. (Photo: Paul Ellis/Pool via AP)

Revitalised since Mancini took over after their failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, the Azzurri were on a remarkable 33-match unbeaten run before the final.

The four-time world champions' lone European Championship triumph came in 1968. They were beaten finalists in 2000 and 2012.

Southgate has revolutionised English football since taking charge in 2016, leading his team to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, where they were beaten by Croatia but they fell just short at Wembley.

British authorities had warned of the dangers of large gatherings ahead of Sunday's final, fearful of the highly transmissible Delta coronavirus variant that is firing outbreaks across the world.

Health experts have expressed concerns about Euro 2020 events becoming super-spreaders throughout the tournament, especially in Britain and Russia.

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2021-07-11 22:30:00Z
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Italy win Euro 2020, beat England in penalty shootout - Yahoo Singapore News

LONDON (AP) — Italian soccer’s redemption story is complete. England’s painful half-century wait for a major title goes on.

And it just had to be because of a penalty shootout.

Italy won the European Championship for the second time by beating England 3-2 on penalties on Sunday. The match finished 1-1 after extra time at Wembley Stadium, which was filled mostly with English fans hoping to celebrate the team's first international trophy since the 1966 World Cup.

Instead, just utter dejection again — they know the feeling so well — after Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italy's imposing goalkeeper, dived to his left and saved the decisive spot kick by 19-year-old Londoner Bukayo Saka, one of the youngest players in England's squad.

It was England's third straight failure from the penalty spot in the shootout, with Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho — players brought on late in extra time seemingly as specialist penalty-takers — also missing.

As Saka and Sancho cried, Donnarumma was mobbed by his teammates as they sprinted toward him from the halfway line after the second penalty shootout in a European Championship final.

They then headed to the other end of the field and ran as one, diving to the ground in front of the Italian fans who have witnessed a rebirth of their national team.

It was less than four years ago that Italy plunged to the lowest moment of its soccer history by failing to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in six decades. Now, they are the best team in Europe and on a national-record 34-match unbeaten run under Roberto Mancini, their suave coach who has won an international trophy in the first attempt to add to the country's other European title — in 1968 — and its four World Cups.

For England, it's the latest heartache in shootouts at major tournaments, after defeats in 1990, 1996, 1998, 2004, 2006 and 2012. They ended that losing streak by beating Colombia on penalties in the round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup, but the pain has quickly returned.

“The boys couldn’t have given more," England captain Harry Kane said. "Penalties are the worst feeling in the world when you lose. It’s been a fantastic tournament — we should be proud, hold our heads up high. It’s going to hurt now, it’s going to hurt for a while.”

It had all started so well for England, too, with Luke Shaw scoring the fastest goal in a European Championship final by meeting a cross from opposite wing back Kieran Trippier with a half-volley that went in off the post in the second minute.

It was Shaw’s first goal for England and it prompted a fist-pump between David Beckham and Tom Cruise in the VIP box amid an explosion of joy around Wembley, which had at least 67,000 fans inside. Maybe more, given dozens of ticketless England fans managed to barge their way past stewards and police and into the stadium in unsettling scenes before kickoff.

That was the only time Italy’s famously robust defense was really opened up in the entire 120 minutes.

Indeed, after Shaw's goal, England barely saw the ball for the rest of the game.

Italy’s midfielders dominated possession, as widely predicted before the match, and England simply resorted to dropping deep and getting nine or even all 10 outfield players behind the ball. It was reminiscent of the 2018 World Cup semifinals, when England also scored early against Croatia then spent most of the game chasing its opponent’s midfield before losing in extra time.

Italy's equalizer was merited and Leonardo Bonucci was the unlikely scorer. He put the ball in from close range after a right-wing corner was flicked on to Marco Verratti, whose stooping header was tipped onto the post by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

England managed to hold on for extra time — the way three of the last six European finals went — and actually had the better of the final stages.

Just not the shootout, again.

After the misses of Rashford — he stuttered up to the ball and then hit the post — and Sancho, whose shot was saved by Donnarumma again down to his left, Jorginho had the chance to win it for Italy.

Incredibly, the midfielder who converted the decisive penalty in a shootout win over Spain in the semifinals also failed to score as Pickford tipped the effort off the post.

Instead, it was Donnarumma who made the crucial saves and within minutes he had also been named player of the tournament, the first goalkeeper to be so honored.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

___

Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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2021-07-11 22:03:20Z
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Hundreds of Thai medical workers infected with COVID-19 despite Sinovac vaccinations - CNA

BANGKOK: Thailand's health ministry said on Sunday (Jul 11) more than 600 medical workers who received two doses of China's Sinovac vaccine have been infected with COVID-19, as authorities weigh giving booster doses to raise immunity.

Of the 677,348 medical personnel who received two doses of Sinovac, 618 became infected, health ministry data from April to July showed. A nurse has died and another medical worker is in critical condition.

READ: 'Fight for vaccine': Thais snap up COVID-19 shots in seconds via e-commerce sale

An expert panel has recommended a third dose to trigger immunity for medical workers who are at risk, senior health official Sopon Iamsirithawon, told a news briefing on Sunday.

"This will be a different vaccine, either viral vector AstraZeneca or an mRNA vaccine, which Thailand will be receiving in the near term," he said, adding that the recommendation will be considered on Monday.

READ: Bangkok and 9 provinces in lockdown from Jul 12 as COVID-19 cases surge, curfew imposed from 9pm onwards

The announcement comes as the Southeast Asian country reported a record high of 9,418 community infections on Sunday. On Saturday authorities reported a record of 91 new daily coronavirus fatalities.

Thailand has reported a total of 336,371 confirmed infections and 2,711 fatalities since the pandemic began last year.

The majority of Thailand's medical and frontline workers were given Sinovac's shots after February with the viral vector vaccine from AstraZeneca arriving in June.

Thailand is expecting a donation of 1.5 million Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines from the United States later this month and has ordered 20 million doses that will be delivered after October.

Neighbouring Indonesia, which has also heavily relied on Sinovac, said on Friday it would give the Moderna vaccine as boosters to medical workers.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and its developments

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2021-07-11 11:11:18Z
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Hundreds of Thai medical workers infected despite Sinovac Covid-19 vaccinations - The Straits Times

BANGKOK (REUTERS) - Thailand's Health Ministry said on Sunday (July 11) that more than 600 medical workers who received two doses of China's Sinovac vaccine have been infected with Covid-19, as the authorities weigh giving booster doses to raise immunity.

Of the 677,348 medical personnel who received two doses of Sinovac, 618 became infected, Health Ministry data from April to July showed. A nurse has died and another medical worker is in critical condition.

An expert panel has recommended a third dose to trigger immunity for medical workers who are at risk, senior health official Sopon Iamsirithawon told a news briefing on Sunday.

"This will be a different vaccine, either viral vector AstraZeneca or an mRNA vaccine, which Thailand will be receiving in the near term," he said, adding that the recommendation will be considered on Monday.

The announcement comes as the South-east Asian country reported a record high of 9,418 community infections on Sunday.

On Saturday, the authorities reported a record of 91 new daily coronavirus deaths.

Thailand has reported a total of 336,371 confirmed infections and 2,711 deaths since the pandemic began last year.

The majority of Thailand's medical and front-line workers were given Sinovac's shots after February, with the viral vector vaccine from AstraZeneca arriving in June.

Thailand is expecting a donation of 1.5 million Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines from the United States later this month and has ordered 20 million doses that will be delivered after October.

Neighbouring Indonesia, which has also heavily relied on Sinovac, said on Friday it would give the Moderna vaccine as boosters to medical workers.

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2021-07-11 09:22:58Z
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