COVID-19: Here's a quick look at the latest updates on lockdowns, restrictions

Haryana, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana and Sikkim were among the states that extended restrictions on May 30 by another on-two weeks.

Moneycontrol News

May 31, 2021 / 01:12 PM IST

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on May 30 said that the current lockdown restrictions will continue in the state, with some easing. (Image: AP)

While several states are continuing COVID-induced lockdowns and other restrictions, a few have begun gradual easing of curbs.

Haryana, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana and Sikkim were among the states that extended restrictions on May 30 by another on-two weeks. Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir eased the restrictions with areas with fewer active COVID-19 cases.

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While shops have been permitted to open for more hours, at some places malls have also been allowed to function on certain conditions, PTI reported. However, education institutions will continue to remain closed.

Also read - Maharashtra lockdown extended until June 15 with some relaxations: Check what's allowed, what's not

COVID-19 Vaccine

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a vaccine work?

A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

How many types of vaccines are there?

There are broadly four types of vaccine — one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine.

What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind?

Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time.

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