Moderna Signs Deal on Variant-Adapted COVID Shots for World’s Poorest

A bottle containing the new Moderna Spikevax mRNA COVID 19 vaccine stands ready to be drawn into syringes at the centre of the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), that opened for the public to get the forth booster dose againt COVID, in Geneva, Switzerland, 10 October 2022. (EPA)
A bottle containing the new Moderna Spikevax mRNA COVID 19 vaccine stands ready to be drawn into syringes at the centre of the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), that opened for the public to get the forth booster dose againt COVID, in Geneva, Switzerland, 10 October 2022. (EPA)
TT

Moderna Signs Deal on Variant-Adapted COVID Shots for World’s Poorest

A bottle containing the new Moderna Spikevax mRNA COVID 19 vaccine stands ready to be drawn into syringes at the centre of the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), that opened for the public to get the forth booster dose againt COVID, in Geneva, Switzerland, 10 October 2022. (EPA)
A bottle containing the new Moderna Spikevax mRNA COVID 19 vaccine stands ready to be drawn into syringes at the centre of the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), that opened for the public to get the forth booster dose againt COVID, in Geneva, Switzerland, 10 October 2022. (EPA)

Moderna Inc has agreed to provide its new variant-adapted COVID-19 vaccine to the global scheme aiming to deliver shots to the world's poorest people.

The biotech company and vaccine alliance GAVI will cancel their existing supply deal for vaccines based on the original coronavirus strain. Instead, Moderna will supply up to 100 million doses of its new, variant-adapted vaccines at its lowest available price from 2023.

GAVI leads the COVAX initiative alongside the World Health Organization and other global bodies. The scheme has delivered 1.79 billion doses of COVID vaccine to 146 countries, including nearly 186 million doses of Moderna's original shot.

While at first the initiative struggled for shots as wealthy countries snapped up limited supply, this year it has had a glut of the original vaccines, prompting negotiations to try to better align supply with demand.

Moderna's bivalent COVID vaccine, containing both the original coronavirus strain and the BA.1 Omicron variant, has had approval from regulators worldwide.

GAVI chief executive Seth Berkley said the new agreement was a "critical step for equitable access" to allow lower income countries to use the modified vaccines as they see fit.

Many wealthier countries have started using the vaccine in booster campaigns.

Negotiations with other vaccine manufacturers to adjust supply agreements are going on, GAVI said.



Jeddah Astronomy Society: Blue Moon Supermoon to Light up the Sky on Monday

The Jeddah Astronomy Society (JAS) announced on Sunday that the first "supermoon" of 2024 will be visible around the world on Monday. (SPA)
The Jeddah Astronomy Society (JAS) announced on Sunday that the first "supermoon" of 2024 will be visible around the world on Monday. (SPA)
TT

Jeddah Astronomy Society: Blue Moon Supermoon to Light up the Sky on Monday

The Jeddah Astronomy Society (JAS) announced on Sunday that the first "supermoon" of 2024 will be visible around the world on Monday. (SPA)
The Jeddah Astronomy Society (JAS) announced on Sunday that the first "supermoon" of 2024 will be visible around the world on Monday. (SPA)

The Jeddah Astronomy Society (JAS) announced on Sunday that the first "supermoon" of 2024 will be visible worldwide on Monday.

This rare event occurs when the full moon is closer to Earth than usual, making it look larger and brighter.

JAS’s Director Majed Abu Zahra said this "supermoon", also called "seasonal blue moon", occurs roughly once every 2.5 years.

The "seasonal blue moon" is the third full moon out of four during the current season, occurring between the summer solstice and autumn equinox.

Abu Zahra clarified that despite the name, the moon will not appear blue, but will look like a regular full moon.

The term "supermoon" describes a full or new moon that happens when the moon is within 90% of its closest distance to Earth. In this case, the distance between the moon and Earth's centers will be 361,969 kilometers, Abu Zahra explained.

The supermoon will rise in the southeast after sunset and may initially appear orange-tinted due to dust and particles in the atmosphere scattering the reflected sunlight. However, as it moves higher in the sky, it will appear the usual silvery-white and remain visible all night until sunrise on Tuesday.

While the supermoon may seem larger and brighter than an average full moon, Abu Zahra said that most observers are unlikely to notice a significant difference due to potential obstructions, such as clouds or street lights. He added that assessing its apparent size can be challenging when the moon is high in the sky.

The supermoon will have minimal impact on our planet, causing slightly higher and lower tides due to the moon's gravitational pull, a normal monthly occurrence during full moons. This extra pull from the supermoon will not result in unusual weather or geological activity.

This is an ideal time of the month to observe the brightly lit lunar surface, as the landscape appears flattened with short shadows due to the sun fully illuminating the moon's face.