• Reporters from India’s local newspapers are uncovering evidence that the official death toll is vastly underreported. The Dainik Bhaskar sent 30 journalists along the river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh state and published their photographs of over 2,000 bodies spread across an area of 1,140 kilometers (708 miles) – where the government claimed 300 daily deaths. “The Revered River probably wants us to share her grief,” the report reads. “That’s why, the bodies that are sought to be hidden, our Holy Mother Ganga has unearthed.” Source
• Italy’s national health institute publishes a study with data from seven million people who got a first dose of coronavirus vaccine (29% received the AstraZeneca vaccine and the rest received thePfizer/BioNTech vaccine). Fourteen days after the first dose, infections decreased by 80 percent, hospitalizations by 90 percent, and death by 95 percent. Source
• The phase I trial of CoVepiT, a coronavirus vaccine developed by OSE Therapeutics is launched. The vaccine makers say that it is “variant-proof”, since it targets 11 proteins with a low risk of mutations. Source
• Coronavirus outbreaks continue in Thailand’s prisons; Thonburi Remand Prison, which already reported 1,219 cases, confirms an additional 1,104 cases, adding to 1,219 cases found in three prisons yesterday, 506 cases confirmed in Klong Prem prison on Friday, and 2,835 cases reported in two prisons on Wednesday. Those who are experiencing symptoms are being treated with favipiravir, and viral load testing is underway to identify prisoners with COVID-19. Source
• US CDC head Dr. Rochelle Walensky appears on Fox News to clarify the agency’s masking guidelines, saying “If you are vaccinated, we are saying you are safe, you can take up your mask and you are not at risk of severe disease or hospitalization from Covid-19. If you are not vaccinated, you are not safe. Please go get vaccinated or continue to wear your mask.” Source