Omicron live updates: Follow the latest Covid-19 news here
Moderna said it had signed agreements for $18.5 billion (£13.6bn) worth of Covid-19 vaccines for this year, along with options for a further $3.5bn (£2.5bn), including booster shots.
The pharmaceutical company in last November said the total product sales for 2022 could reach $22bn.
This was slightly higher than the average analyst estimate of $17bn, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
The company said it had shipped 807 million vaccine doses in 2021.
Previously, it had said it would deliver between 700 million and 800 million doses.
The advance purchase agreements for 2022 are up from $17bn worth of commitments it had announced last year.
Analysts were expecting $19.3bn in Moderna Covid vaccine sales for 2022, according to a Bloomberg survey of analyst estimates.
After the figures were released in a statement by the drug giant on Monday, Moderna shares were up 0.2 per cent in pre-market trading in New York.
In January 2021, Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine was approved for use by the UK medicines regulator.
Last November, as a wave of Omicron crashed on to UK society, Moderna warned the highly transmissible variant could evade protection offered by its vaccine and others on the market.
The Moderna coronavirus vaccine is one of four approved for use in the UK and one of three on offer.
The AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines are also being put into people’s arms while the Janssen vaccine is not yet available in Britain, despite receiving approval.
The latest data available on UK vaccine orders show there are 77 million Moderna shots on order.
This is markedly less than the 189 million Pfizer doses and 100 million AstraZeneca shots that have been ordered, according to government data from December.
About 132 million shots of a Covid vaccine were administered to people in Britain in 2021.
Last October the Moderna vaccine was suspended for young people in Sweden, Norway and Finland as a precaution following reports of rare side effects.
Some people who had received the vaccine had developed myocarditis and pericarditis.
Myocarditis is a rare side effect of all mRNA vaccines, and is more commonly found in boys and young men compared with other sections of the population.
Data suggested it was more likely to occur after a second dose of Moderna had been administered, as opposed to a Pfizer shot.
This seems to apply regardless of which vaccine was given as the first dose.
Addressing a conference on Monday, Stephane Bancel. the chief executive of Moderna, said people aged 50 and above, those who were immuno-compromised or in other high-risk groups might require an annual booster of a Covid vaccine to acquire adequate protection against the virus.
The company said it was on track to invest between $2.5bn and $3bn in research and development this year.
Within a month it should have designated a country in which it would open a vaccine facility, it said.
Match info:
Portugal 1
Ronaldo (4')
Morocco 0
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Porsche Macan T: The Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec
Top speed: 232kph
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
On sale: May or June
Price: From Dh259,900
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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How England have scored their set-piece goals in Russia
Three Penalties
v Panama, Group Stage (Harry Kane)
v Panama, Group Stage (Kane)
v Colombia, Last 16 (Kane)
Four Corners
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via John Stones header, from Ashley Young corner)
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via Harry Maguire header, from Kieran Trippier corner)
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, header, from Trippier corner)
v Sweden, Quarter-Final (Maguire, header, from Young corner)
One Free-Kick
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, via Jordan Henderson, Kane header, and Raheem Sterling, from Tripper free-kick)
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
More coverage from the Future Forum
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
The Lowdown
Kesari
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Anubhav Singh
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
