Israel finds Covid-19 vaccine booster significantly lowers infection risk
A third dose of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine has significantly improved protection from infection and serious illness among people aged 60 and older in Israel compared with those who received two shots, findings published by the Health Ministry showed on Sunday.
The data were presented at a meeting of a ministry panel of vaccination experts on Thursday and uploaded to its website on Sunday, though the full details of the study were not released.
The findings were on par with separate statistics reported last week by Israel's Maccabi healthcare provider, one of several organisations administering booster shots to try to curb the Delta coronavirus variant.
Breaking down statistics from Israel's Gertner Institute and KI Institute, ministry officials said that among people aged 60 and over, the protection against infection provided from 10 days after a third dose was four times higher than after two doses.
G-7 leaders to discuss Afghanistan on Tuesday: Britain
G-7 leaders will discuss the crisis in Afghanistan on Tuesday in a virtual summit, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Sunday, a week after the Taleban retook power.
"It is vital that the international community works together to ensure safe evacuations, prevent a humanitarian crisis and support the Afghan people to secure the gains of the last 20 years," Johnson tweeted.
The United Kingdom currently occupies the chair of the grouping of wealthy nations comprising Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, and Johnson has been pushing for a meeting for the past week.
South Korea to get more Moderna Covid-19 shots in boost to vaccination effort
South Korea's health ministry said on Sunday that Moderna Inc will supply the country with 7.01 million doses of coronavirus vaccines by the first week of September, following a government request to speed up delivery.
Some 1.01 million doses are expected to arrive on Monday, the ministry said, with another 6 million to be supplied sequentially.
Moderna delivered 1.3 million doses earlier this month. It had at the time informed South Korea that it would only be able to deliver less than half the 8.5 million doses it had been due to ship in August.
Tropical Storm Henri makes landfall along the coast of Rhode Island
A somewhat subdued Tropical Storm Henri spun over Rhode Island on Sunday, but not before a drenching rainstorm submerged a star-studded concert meant to mark New York City's emergence from the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.
A light rain that turned into a downpour on Saturday night sent thousands of music fans at the free "Homecoming Concert" in Manhattan's Central Park streaming for the exits in the middle of a performance by Barry Manilow, who continued to sing for a while even after his audio was cut off.
Performers who did not get to go on because of the concert's abrupt ending included Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello and the Killers.
Lukaku strikes as Chelsea sink Arsenal, Kane back in Spurs win
Romelu Lukaku scored on his second Chelsea debut on Sunday as the club's record signing inspired a 2-0 win at troubled Arsenal, while Harry Kane made his first appearance for Tottenham this season in a 1-0 victory against Wolves.
In Sunday's other game, Mason Greenwood salvaged a 1-1 draw for Manchester United at Southampton.
Lukaku has rejoined Chelsea from Italian champions Inter Milan for £98 million (S$181.9 million) and the Belgian striker made an immediate repayment on that huge investment in the London derby at the Emirates Stadium.
