• Nasir Hussain Shah said that the use of masks is very important and everyone must wear mask.

• The nerve center of the country in fight against COVID-19 took to twitter to announce the vaccination drive for aged 40-49 individuals

• The NCOC has recommended a ban on all commercial and chartered incoming flights from May 05 to May 20.
• The decision will be reviewed again on May 18.

• The board of Brazilian health regulator on Monday rejected importing Sputnik V after technical staff warned of flaws in its development along with incomplete data regarding the vaccine's safety and efficacy.
• A crucial issue for the Brazilian regulator was the risk of other viruses used to make the vaccine reproducing in patients, which an Anvisa expert had called a "serious" defect.

• Shares fell nearly 2% to $75.70 before the opening bell as the health crisis also led to a roughly $600 million drop in first-quarter sales.
• Sales of Merck's Gardasil, a vaccine to prevent cancers caused by the human papillomavirus virus, tumbled 16.4% to $917 million in the first quarter, hurt by lower demand in the United States and Europe.

• BoE policy decision and new forecasts due on May 6.
• Growth outlook seen brightening as economy reopens.
• Pace of bond purchases must slow to meet end-of-year target.

• Over 400 pilots and 700 other aircrew members have received the first dose of a Corona vaccine.
• They are expected to receive their second dose by mid-May.

• Masks are widely worn in Thailand but the order to make them mandatory comes just a few days after Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha was fined $190 for failing to wear one during a meeting.

* Parks, gyms, cinemas, bars, restaurants, day-care centres and schools have been closed in Bangkok, the outbreak epicentre, and non-essential travel from the capital is being discouraged.

• "FC Goa would like to inform (everyone) that the club's foreign contingent including the Head Coach and foreign staff have been advised to travel back home immediately," the club said in a statement.
• India's daily COVID-19 cases continued to soar on Thursday, passing 18 million after another world record daily infection tally.

• "We are watching with total disbelief...What is happening in India cannot be ignored by our continent," he told reporters.
• The AU will convene a meeting with all African ministers of health on May 8, Nkengasong said, to "put everybody on alert".

• The NCOC has approved the import of 6,000 metric tons of oxygen and 5,000 cylinders
• The decision-making body on the COVID situation also decided to restrict international flights to Pakistan from May 5 to May 20

• The second plane of PIA with more doses will reach Pakistan today afternoon while the third flight is expected to land at midnight
• So far some 2.1 million people had been vaccinated in the country

• "However, there is continuing uncertainty for our economy and for many of our customers as a result of Covid-19," she added.

• “Align with the decision of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) regarding the COVID-19 situation and subsequent reduction in banking hours by the State Bank of Pakistan, PSX has also revised its market at office timing keeping in view the smooth clearing and settlement within the reduced banking hours,” stated the bourse.

• Biden said Monday that the United States would also ship overseas up to 60 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses that have already been manufactured, but it remained unclear how many would go to India.

• The twin spending bills face lengthy paths to approval in Congress, where Biden's Democrats control both the House of Representatives and Senate but only by the barest of margins.

• The surging influence of Big Tech has led to calls for increased regulation, higher taxes and stronger antitrust enforcement to foster more competition.

• The country, which is experiencing a relentless new wave of infections.

• If people aren't sure that the vaccine they are receiving is the same that was studied in trials, then "I can imagine that some people might have their reservations about getting that vaccine at all," said Rasmussen.