British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca today said that a third, or "booster", dose of its Covid-19 vaccine Vaxzevria (previously AstraZeneca) "significantly" lifted antibody levels against the Omicron strain in a laboratory study.

States across India have begun imposing fresh curbs on large gatherings ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations as the number of cases of Covid-19 Omicron variant continues to go up.

Two new British studies provide some early hints that the omicron variant of the coronavirus may be milder than the delta version.

AstraZeneca Plc said on Tuesday it is working with Oxford University to produce a vaccine for the Omicron coronavirus variant, joining other

Japan has provided 704,010 more doses of AstraZeneca vaccines to Bangladesh, bringing the total number of vaccines from the east Asian country to 4.5 million.

South Africa’s noticeable drop in new COVID-19 cases in recent days may signal that the country’s dramatic omicron-driven surge has passed its peak, medical experts say.

Amidst a steady rise in cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 across India, the government has enhanced the level of warning by considering measures like night curfew and ban on large gatherings if more than 10 percent of all tests in a week turn positive or if occupancy of hospital beds breaches 40 percent capacity.

Israel announced yesterday that it will offer a fourth dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to people older than 60, amid concern about the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

People aged 60 years and above, and the frontliners can now take booster shots of Covid-19 vaccines by showing vaccine cards, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said yesterday.

One person died from Covid-19 in 24 hours till 8am today, said a press release issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Australia must move past "the heavy hand of government" and authorities must stop shutting down people's lives with COVID-19 lockdowns, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday, as daily infections in the country shot up to a new pandemic high.

Administering Covid-19 vaccine booster dose will begin across the country after updating the registration app “Surokkha”, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said today.

Texas' Harris County on Monday reported its first death related to the Omicron COVID-19 variant, a man who was unvaccinated, the county health department said.

Texas' Harris County on Monday reported its first death related to the Omicron COVID-19 variant, a man who was unvaccinated, the county health department said.

The government is procuring around 20 million Covid-19 vaccine doses from China, using funds given by the Asian Development Bank, under bilateral arrangements.

Britain refused to rule out curbs on gatherings yesterday, a day after the Netherlands imposed a  lockdown prompted by the fast-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus and as other European nations considered putting a squeeze on Christmas.

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading faster than the Delta variant and is causing infections in people already vaccinated or who have recovered from Covid-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) chief said on Monday.

Moderna Inc said on Monday that a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine appeared to be protective against the fast-spreading Omicron variant in laboratory testing and that the current version of the vaccine would continue to be Moderna’s "first line of defense against Omicron."

Two persons died from Covid-19 in 24 hours till 8:00 am today, according to a press release issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

The campaign for Covid-19 booster doses started in the country yesterday with vaccinating Runu Veronica Costa, a senior nurse at Kurmitola General Hospital.