SERUM Institute of India (SII) Chairman Cyrus Poonawalla has revealed that he has taken a third Covid booster shot, along with thousands of other SII employees, amid many countries, including the UK, preparing to start offering booster doses.
Bating for the booster dose while speaking at a press conference after receiving India’s prestigious Lokmanya Tilak award last week, SII Chairman said since antibodies go down after six months, it is important to take the third dose.
"After six months, the antibodies go down and that is why I have taken the third dose. We have given the third dose to our seven to eight thousand SII employees,” he said.
The statement came at a time when many countries are preparing to offer Covid booster shots.
Israel has already been offering a booster shot to people over 60 since July and has recently started offering it to 40+ people too.
The U.S. government said on Wednesday (18) it plans to make Covid booster shots widely available starting on Sept. 20 as infections are rising in the country from the Delta variant, citing data indicating diminishing protection from the vaccines over time.
While earlier it was reported that a third dose will be offered to 50+ Britons in September, the latest update on the matter suggests that the UK government is considering limiting third doses only to the most vulnerable.
Britain had been planning for a Covid-19 vaccine booster programme, and health secretary Sajid Javid said he expected the programme to begin in early September, pending final advice from officials.
Oxford vaccine chief Andrew Pollard, however, has claimed that booster shots for Covid-19 vaccines are not currently needed by Britain and the doses should be given to other countries. He also added that decisions on whether to give boosters “should be scientifically driven”.
Earlier this month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) also raised an objection to countries considering Covid booster shots, calling for a halt on the third jabs of the Covid vaccine until at least the end of September.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)