<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106932163-1629794577944-gettyimages-1234731483-AFP_9LA466.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-411673" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106932163-1629794577944-gettyimages-1234731483-AFP_9LA466.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106932163-1629794577944-gettyimages-1234731483-AFP_9LA466-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106932163-1629794577944-gettyimages-1234731483-AFP_9LA466-160x90.jpeg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>A health worker vaccinates a man in Abidjan on August 17, 2021 during a roll-out of vaccinations against Ebola on August 17, 2021, after the country recorded its first known case of the disease since 1994. (Photo by Issouf SANOGO / AFP) (Photo by ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP via Getty Images) ISSOUF SANOGO | AFP | Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



African countries have been “shortchanged” with regard to its access to Covid-19 vaccines, the president of African Development Bank said.



“Africa [has] for sure been shortchanged,&nbsp;if I can use that term, regarding access to vaccines globally,” Akinwumi&nbsp;Adesina told CNBC’s&nbsp;“Squawk Box Asia”&nbsp;on Tuesday.



“The vaccines are not getting here in time, in the right quantity and the right price,” he said, adding that saving lives is “all about timing.”



Only 2.48% of the continent has been fully vaccinated as of Aug. 23, according to Our World in Data, far behind other continents.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"> Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/world-bank-readies-covid-19-vaccine-funds-for-around-30-african-countries/">World Bank readies COVID-19 vaccine funds for around 30 African countries</a></h3>



In comparison, vaccination rates stand at 25.31% in Asia and 27.1% in South America, while Europe and North America’s inoculation rates are both above 40%, statistics in Our World in Data showed.



“If there’s any lesson … that we have learned from this, it is that Africa should not depend on the rest of the world for supplying it with critical vaccines, and also therapeutics,” he said.



The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said&nbsp;countries in the continent have received 123.4 million vaccines as of Aug. 18.&nbsp;The shots have been secured through bilateral agreements, the global Covax alliance that seeks to provide vaccines to poorer countries and the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT) —&nbsp;a 10-member group that sources for vaccines for Africa.



Through AVATT, the African Union has procured 400 million vaccines for delivery over the next year or so, enough to inoculate a third of the population, said Adesina.



But that still falls far short of Africa’s population of more than 1.2 billion people.



Africa “should not be dependent on others, it should be self-sufficient,” he said.



To that end, the African Development Bank wants to invest in primary, secondary and tertiary health-care infrastructure, Adesina said. It also hopes to put $3 billion toward the pharmaceutical sector so that Africa can have vaccines and medicine for itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-economic-effect"><a></a>Economic effect</h2>



The pandemic has had a “very dramatic impact” on Africa, Adesina said, adding that GDP growth fell, fiscal deficits doubled and debt-to-GDP ratios increased in 2020.



But he said he expects growth to hit 3.4% this year, after contracting 2.1% in 2020.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/africa-demands-local-production-of-covid-vaccines/">Africa demands local production of COVID vaccines</a></h3>



“Africa still has fantastic fundamentals,” he said, pointing to rapid urbanization, good potential for consumer spending, and a large, young population.



The African Continental Free Trade Area is also “too big to ignore,” the bank president said.



According to the World Bank, the AFCFTA as it’s called,&nbsp;is the largest free trade area in the world measured by the number of countries participating.&nbsp;It seeks to&nbsp;connect over a billion people in 55 countries that have a combined GDP of $2.5 trillion.



“I expect Africa will rebound after this particular pandemic,” he said. “The fundamentals remain very strong.”

106932163-1629794577944-gettyimages-1234731483-AFP_9LA466

Africa has been shortchanged on Covid vaccines, African Development Bank says

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106913619-16267937592020-01-29t000000z_1387970559_rc2spe9j1gzp_rtrmadp_0_china-health-who.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-411664" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106913619-16267937592020-01-29t000000z_1387970559_rc2spe9j1gzp_rtrmadp_0_china-health-who.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106913619-16267937592020-01-29t000000z_1387970559_rc2spe9j1gzp_rtrmadp_0_china-health-who-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106913619-16267937592020-01-29t000000z_1387970559_rc2spe9j1gzp_rtrmadp_0_china-health-who-160x90.jpeg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>RT: Maria Van Kerkhove, Head a.i. Emerging Diseases and Zoonosis at the World Health Organization (WHO), speaks during a news conference on the situation of the coronavirus at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, January 29, 2020. Denis Balibouse | Reuters</figcaption></figure>



A top World Health Organization official said Tuesday that misinformation about Covid-19 and vaccines is keeping people from getting the shots, driving an increase in cases around the world.



“In the last four weeks or so, the amount of misinformation that is out there seems to be getting worse, and I think that’s really confusing for the general public,” Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead on Covid, said during a Q&amp;A livestreamed on the organization’s social media channels.



Misinformation has become another risk factor that is “really allowing the virus to thrive,” she said.



Public health leaders have blamed conspiracy theories and misinformation for growing distrust of the vaccines around the world — so much so that in July U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy&nbsp;declared Covid misinformation a “serious public threat.” 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-more-calls-to-tackle-vaccine-hesitancy-as-african-union-drops-astrazeneca">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/24/who-says-covid-misinformation-is-a-major-factor-driving-pandemic-around-the-world.html">Calls to tackle vaccine hesitancy as African Union drops AstraZeneca</a></h3>



Misinformation has become a growing problem in the outbreak, fueling vaccine hesitancy among a wary public, health officials say. They hope that the Food and Drug Administration’s formal approval of&nbsp;Pfizer’s Covid vaccine, which was announced Monday, will help push some people who have been on the fence about getting immunized to get the shots.



Three in 10 unvaccinated Americans said they would be more likely to get the vaccine once it is FDA-approved, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey conducted July 15-27. Some medical experts worry that some unvaccinated Americans used the lack of full FDA approval as a credible explanation for their hesitancy and will now look for other reasons to refuse to get the vaccine.



Most unvaccinated Americans think the Covid vaccines are more of a threat to their health than contracting the virus itself, according to Kaiser’s&nbsp;data. Americans least likely to receive a Covid-19 vaccine are mostly white, Republican and less likely to have a college degree, according to Kaiser’s data.



Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said misinformation about the vaccine is “one of the biggest challenges that we still face in getting the public vaccinated.”



“We’ve heard false claims that the Covid-19 vaccine causes infertility, contains microchips and causes Covid-19,” Marks said. “And worse, we’ve heard false claims that thousands of people have died from the vaccine. Let me be clear: These claims are simply not true.”



Misinformation about alternative treatments for Covid-19 has gone so far that the FDA and the Mississippi State Health Department put out advisories over the weekend to warn Americans not to ingest animal de-wormer Ivermectin.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/here-are-7-of-the-biggest-coronavirus-vaccine-myths-busted-by-experts/">Here are 7 of the biggest coronavirus vaccine myths busted by experts</a></h3>



The director of the WHO’s Latin America branch, the Pan American Health Organization, made a personal appeal to residents of Caribbean countries to&nbsp;“wake up” from the slumber of misinformation&nbsp;spreading throughout the islands and get vaccinated.



Misinformation has plagued public school board meetings across the country as school districts weigh mask and vaccine mandates for children and staff returning for the upcoming school year. Parents and community residents have shown up to public school board meetings to lambast education and public health officials for considering mask mandates, and videos of residents citing unproven and false claims about Covid and vaccines have gone viral on social media.



Vaccination could help us get Covid&nbsp;under control&nbsp;by the spring, according to the chief medical advisor to the president, Dr. Anthony Fauci.



“I would like to appeal to the people in the country who are not vaccinated to realize that we have the capability among ourselves to essentially cut down the time frame to getting to the end of this pandemic,” Fauci said during a press briefing Tuesday.&nbsp;“Get vaccinated and the time frame will be truncated dramatically.”

106913619-16267937592020-01-29t000000z_1387970559_rc2spe9j1gzp_rtrmadp_0_china-health-who

WHO says Covid misinformation is a major factor driving pandemic around the world

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229877394-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-392963" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229877394-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229877394-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229877394-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229877394-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229877394-scaled.jpg 2048w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229877394-1110x740.jpg 1110w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>NETHERLANDS &#8211; 2020/11/29: In this photo illustration, a man holds a syringe with a fake Covid-19 vaccine with the Pfizer logo in the background. (Photo Illustration by Robin Utrecht/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



The Food and Drug Administration on Monday granted full approval to Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine – becoming the first in the U.S. to win the coveted designation and giving even more businesses, schools and universities greater confidence to adopt vaccine mandates.



Up until now, the mRNA vaccine, which will be marketed as Comirnaty, was on the U.S. market under an emergency use authorization that was granted by the FDA in December. Since then, more than 204 million of the Pfizer shots have been administered, according to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.



Federal health officials had been under mounting pressure from the scientific community and advocacy groups to fully approve Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine ever since the drugmakers submitted their application to the agency in early May. The companies submitted a Biologics License Application, which secures full approval, to the FDA on May 7 for patients age 16 and up.



FDA scientists evaluated “hundreds of thousands of pages” of vaccine data from 40,000 trial participants, according to the U.S. agency. The vaccine was found to be 91% effective in preventing Covid – slightly lower than the 95% efficacy rate trial data showed when the shot was authorized late last year and before the delta variant took hold in the U.S.&nbsp;



Pfizer’s vaccine met the agency’s “high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality,” acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said in a statement. “While millions of people have already safely received COVID-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated.”



The FDA held a media briefing Monday morning to discuss the approval.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-more-u-s-fda-gearing-up-for-rapid-review-of-potential-covid-19-booster-shots">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/u-s-fda-gearing-up-for-rapid-review-of-potential-covid-19-booster-shots/">U.S. FDA gearing up for rapid review of potential COVID-19 booster shots</a></h3>



Although more than 60% of the total U.S. population has had at least one dose of a Covid vaccine, many Americans say they are still hesitant about getting vaccinated, even as the highly contagious delta variant spreads. Full approval may convince some Americans that the shots are safe, doctors and epidemiologists say. In fact, a survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation found 3 in 10 unvaccinated adults said they would be more likely to get vaccinated if one of the vaccines receives full approval.



Full approval is “more psychological than anything else,” said Dr. Paul Offit, a voting member of the agency’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee. “I mean you already have more than 320 million doses administered that are out there. The vaccines already have an enormous safety and efficacy profile.”



U.S. approval is also likely to spur a new wave of vaccine mandates from corporate America. Major companies – from Walt Disney to Walmart – have already told some or all of their employees that they must get fully vaccinated against Covid this fall. Still, some private businesses may have felt hesitant about requiring the shots, before full approval, even though they had the legal authority to do so, said Dorit Reiss, a professor of law at UC Hastings College of the Law.



The Pentagon said it would make vaccinations mandatory for service members “no later” than the middle of September, or sooner if the FDA grants full approval earlier.



“You’re going to see the empowerment of local enterprises, giving mandates that could be colleges, universities, places of business, a whole variety and I strongly support that,” White House chief medical officer Dr. Anthony Fauci said Aug 8, when asked about full approval of the vaccines. “The time has come. &#8230; We’ve got to go the extra step to get people vaccinated.”



Pfizer’s shot is the first Covid vaccine to receive full regulatory approval in the U.S. Federal regulators had previously said they would work as quickly as possible to clear Pfizer’s vaccines.



The vaccine is still under emergency use authorization for children 12 to 15 as the company continues to collect data. Dr. Peter Marks, the FDA’s top vaccine regulator, said Monday the agency would move as “swiftly” as possible on approving the shot for kids under 12 once the company submits the data.



“Currently, there are still trials ongoing and so the agency has to wait for the company to submit the data for those trials,” he said during a briefing. “We certainly want to make sure that we get it right.”



Marks also addressed misinformation about the shot, including that it contains microchips and causes infertility.



“We’ve heard false claims that the Covid-19 vaccine causes infertility, contains microchips and causes Covid-19. And worse, we’ve heard false claims that thousands of people have died from the vaccine,” he said. “Let me be clear: these claims are simply not true.”



Standard vaccine reviews generally take several months to a year or more to determine whether they are safe and effective for use in the general public. But due to the pandemic, which has killed more than 628,000 Americans, the FDA permitted the use of the shots under an EUA.



In a public health emergency, the manufacturing and approval of vaccines can be streamlined through emergency authorizations. Former Health Secretary Alex Azar declared a public health emergency on Jan. 31, 2020. The health emergency has been renewed several times, most recently in late July. The FDA allowed the use of the shots with just two months of safety data under an EUA. It’s not the same as a Biologic License Application, or a request for full approval, which requires at least six months of data.



Before granting full approval, FDA scientists must painstakingly look through the companies’ clinical trial data, including for any discrepancies or safety concerns, said Offit, who is also director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/pfizer-submits-data-to-fda-for-authorization-of-covid-vaccine-booster-shot-for-general-population/">Pfizer submits data to FDA for authorization of Covid vaccine booster shot for general population</a></h3>



It’s a lot of data, Offit said. He previously said when Merck submitted its data from its 70,000-person rotavirus vaccine trial, the pages that were generated could have exceeded the height of the Sears Tower — a 1,450-foot skyscraper in Chicago that’s now known as Willis Tower.



“The FDA will do what it thinks it needs to do to make sure that the American public is safe,” he said.



Full approval is also very beneficial to companies that submit an application, former FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said in a phone interview in May.



With it, Pfizer and BioNTech are now able to market the shots directly to U.S. consumers. Companies can’t promote their products under an EUA, he said. It also allows the shot to stay on the market once the pandemic is over and the U.S. is no longer considered in an “emergency.”



“The vaccines will still have to be administered under the supervision of a professional who’s qualified,” Califf said. “It’s not like they can send the vaccines to people’s homes. However, they can advertise on TV and promote their products under the watchful eye of the FDA.”



Pfizer and BioNTech have said they expect to generate billions from the vaccine. Under full approval, the companies could also decide to charge more for the vaccines, health experts say.



The companies have already raised the price of their vaccine in the European Union, according to the Financial Times. They are now charging $23 per dose, up from their previous price of $18.40, according to the report.



Pfizer and BioNTech also plan to ask the FDA to approve a third dose as a booster shot following full approval. Last week, the Biden administration said it was preparing to offer booster shots to all eligible Americans beginning the week of Sept. 20.



– CNBC’s Rich Mendez contributed to this report.

In this photo illustration, a man holds a syringe with a

FDA grants full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid shot, clearing path to more vaccine mandates

Gymshark: He built a billion dollar fitnesswear brand in his 20s | CNBC Make It

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106929876-1629304059932-Pay_Pal-26.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-411619" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106929876-1629304059932-Pay_Pal-26.jpg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106929876-1629304059932-Pay_Pal-26-300x169.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106929876-1629304059932-Pay_Pal-26-160x90.jpg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>PayPal has launched its cryptocurrency service in the U.K. PayPal</figcaption></figure>



LONDON — PayPal is launching its cryptocurrency service in the U.K.



The U.S. online payments giant said Monday it would let British customers buy, hold and sell digital currencies, starting this week.



It marks the the first international expansion of PayPal’s crypto product, which first launched in the U.S. in October last year.



“It has been doing really well in the U.S.,” Jose Fernandez da Ponte, PayPal’s general manager for blockchain, crypto and digital currencies, told CNBC. “We expect it’s going to do well in the U.K.”



PayPal’s crypto feature lets customers buy or sell <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/quotes/btc=x/">bitcoin</a>, <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/quotes/bch=x/">bitcoin cash</a>, <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/quotes/eth=x/">ethereum</a> or <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/quotes/ltc=x/">litecoin</a> with as little as £1. Users can also track crypto prices in real-time, and find educational content on the market.



Like the U.S. version of the product, PayPal is relying on Paxos, a New York-regulated digital currency company, to enable crypto buying and selling in the U.K. PayPal said it has engaged with relevant U.K. regulators to launch the service.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/more-than-90-million-in-cryptocurrency-stolen-after-a-top-japanese-exchange-is-hacked/">More than $90 million in cryptocurrency stolen after a top Japanese exchange is hacked</a></h3>



A spokesperson for the Financial Conduct Authority, Britain’s financial services watchdog, was not immediately available for comment on the announcement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-growing-adoption"><a></a>Growing adoption</h2>



PayPal’s crypto service is similar to one from U.K. fintech firm Revolut. As is the case with Revolut, PayPal users can’t move their crypto holdings outside the app. Although Revolut recently started testing a feature that lets users withdraw bitcoin to their own personal wallets.



PayPal says its foray into crypto is about making it easier for people to participate in the market. “The tokens and coins have been around for a while but you had to be a relatively sophisticated user to be able to access that,” da Ponte said. “Having that on a platform like ours makes a really good entry point.”



The payments processor is one of many large finance companies taking a leap into the mostly unregulated world of cryptocurrencies. Despite ongoing concerns about price volatility, consumer protection and potential money laundering in the industry, major firms including Mastercard, Tesla and Facebook have been warming to crypto lately.



Bitcoin, the world’s biggest digital currency, hit a record high of nearly $65,000 in April before tumbling below $30,000 in July as Chinese regulators extended a crackdown on the market. It has since recovered to a price of $48,400.



While PayPal started with crypto trading, the company is betting digital currencies will take a greater role in e-commerce in the long run. Earlier this year, PayPal started letting U.S. consumers use crypto to pay at millions of its online merchants globally. The firm also expanded crypto buying and selling to Venmo, its popular mobile wallet.



“We definitely have ambitions to continue to expand the product range in the U.S., the U.K. and other markets,” da Ponte said.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/meme-coins-or-digital-gold-blockchain-analyst-weighs-in-on-where-crypto-markets-are-headed/">Meme coins or digital gold? Blockchain analyst weighs in on where crypto markets are headed</a></h3>



“We are very deliberate about starting with initial functionality, and then we’ll see where the market is going to take us. Different markets have different appetite for products.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a></a>‘Britcoin’</h2>



The launch of PayPal’s crypto service in the U.K. also comes as regulators become increasingly wary about the rise of digital currencies. In June, the FCA banned the British subsidiary of Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, citing a failure to meet money-laundering requirements.



“It makes sense that, as there is increased consumer interest and increased volume, the regulators are putting more attention into this space,” da Ponte said, adding that PayPal has built “strong regulatory relations.”



Meanwhile, central banks are exploring the potential issuance of their own digital currencies, as cash use in a number of developed countries dwindles rapidly. In April, the U.K. Treasury and Bank of England said they would evaluate the potential launch of a digital version of the British pound, dubbed “Britcoin” by the U.K. press.



Da Ponte said central bank digital currencies, or CBDCs, were a “fantastic prospect” but it would take policymakers some time to iron out the key issues involved.

106929876-1629304059932-Pay_Pal-26

PayPal launches its cryptocurrency service in the UK

Why Bill Gates Is Buying Up U.S. Farmland

Can The U.S. Cement Industry Keep Up With The $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill?

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106930253-1629367715182-gettyimages-1234739851-porzycki-internet210817_npTeY-1.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-411591" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106930253-1629367715182-gettyimages-1234739851-porzycki-internet210817_npTeY-1.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106930253-1629367715182-gettyimages-1234739851-porzycki-internet210817_npTeY-1-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106930253-1629367715182-gettyimages-1234739851-porzycki-internet210817_npTeY-1-160x90.jpeg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>An illustration showing physical bitcoins alongside binary code displayed on a laptop. Jakub Porzycki | NurPhoto via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Liquid said Thursday it has been hit by a cyberattack that saw hackers make off&nbsp;with a reported $97 million&nbsp;worth of digital coins.



Liquid said some of its digital currency wallets had been “compromised,” and that hackers were transferring the assets to four different wallets.



“We are currently investigating and will provide regular updates,” Liquid tweeted. “In the meantime deposits and withdrawals will be suspended.”



Liquid did not provide an estimate for the loss. It says it is regulated by Japan’s Financial Services Agency. The watchdog was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-more-hackers-who-infected-200-000-machines-have-only-made-50-000-worth-of-bitcoin"> Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2017/hackers-made-50000-worth-bitcoin/">Hackers who infected 200,000 machines have only made $50,000 worth of bitcoin</a></h3>



Elliptic, a blockchain analytics company, said its analysis showed that about $97 million in cryptocurrencies have been obtained by the hackers.



Of the total haul, $45 million in tokens were being converted to <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/quotes/eth=x/">ethereum</a> through decentralized exchanges — blockchain-based platforms that require no intermediaries — like Uniswap and SushiSwap, Elliptic said.



“This enables the hacker to avoid having these assets frozen — as is possible with many Ethereum tokens,” Elliptic said in a blog post.



Liquid did not provide an estimate for the loss. It says it is regulated by Japan’s Financial Services Agency. The watchdog was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.



Elliptic, a blockchain analytics company, said its analysis showed that about $97 million in cryptocurrencies have been obtained by the hackers.



Of the total haul, $45 million in tokens were being converted to ethereum through decentralized exchanges — blockchain-based platforms that require no intermediaries — like Uniswap and SushiSwap, Elliptic said.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/ethereum-hits-new-record-high-above-3400-extending-its-more-than-300-rally-this-year/">Ethereum hits new record high above $3,400, extending its more than 300% rally this year</a></h3>



“This enables the hacker to avoid having these assets frozen — as is possible with many Ethereum tokens,” Elliptic said in a blog post.



Liquid ranks among the top 20 crypto exchanges globally by daily trading volumes, processing more than $133 million of transactions in the last 24 hours, according to CoinMarketCap data.



It’s the second major crypto heist to take place in little over a week. On Aug. 10, hackers stole more than $600 million of digital tokens from Poly Network, a so-called decentralized finance firm.



In an unusual turn of events, the hackers opened a dialogue with the organization they attacked and gave back nearly all of the funds. However, more than $200 million remains locked in an account that requires a password from the hacker.

106930253-1629367715182-gettyimages-1234739851-porzycki-internet210817_npTeY-1

More than $90 million in cryptocurrency stolen after a top Japanese exchange is hacked

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106907103-1625597281111-gettyimages-1233700528-porzycki-binancep210628_npNRz-1.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-411538" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106907103-1625597281111-gettyimages-1233700528-porzycki-binancep210628_npNRz-1.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106907103-1625597281111-gettyimages-1233700528-porzycki-binancep210628_npNRz-1-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106907103-1625597281111-gettyimages-1233700528-porzycki-binancep210628_npNRz-1-160x90.jpeg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>The logo of cryptocurrency exchange Binance displayed on a phone screen. Jakub Porzycki | NurPhoto via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



When Canadian cryptocurrency trader Fawaz Ahmed saw the price of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/quotes/eth=x/">ethereum</a>&nbsp;dropping, he knew it was time to get out. Unfortunately for him, he couldn’t.



Ahmed was trading on Binance, the world’s largest digital currency exchange by trading volume. And on May 19, Binance experienced a major outage which meant that, for about an hour, he was unable to exit his position.



That day,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/quotes/btc=x/">bitcoin</a>&nbsp;and ethereum posted their biggest one-day drops since March 2020, with the entire crypto market losing roughly $1 trillion in value. When prices fell below a certain point, Ahmed’s position got wiped out. His personal losses came to about $6 million.



“This loss was not fair,” Ahmed, a 33-year-old who trades full-time, told CNBC. “This is something which was out of my control.”



Binance’s customer service team gave Ahmed an “absurdly” low offer of compensation, he said.



Ahmed is one of hundreds of investors expected to take part in arbitration proceedings against Binance, seeking damages for the money they lost when the cryptocurrency exchange went offline.



Binance was not immediately available for comment at the time of publication.



Binance has experienced several outages over the years in times of heightened volatility for virtual currencies. That can be costly for traders, especially when prices are plunging.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/binance-ceo-says-compliance-is-a-journey-as-worlds-largest-crypto-exchange-faces-growing-crackdown/">Binance CEO says ‘compliance is a journey’ as world’s largest crypto exchange faces growing crackdown</a></h3>



And those losses can balloon to millions of dollars when investors make risky bets using leverage, or borrowed money, to augment trades — which, on Binance, is something users do often.



Binance recently cut the maximum leverage customers can take on futures — financial derivatives that oblige investors to buy an asset at an agreed-upon time at a later date — to 20 times from a previous limit of 125 times.



Binance wasn’t the only crypto exchange to face disruption to its service on May 19.&nbsp;Coinbase&nbsp;users were also&nbsp;temporarily unable to access its site. Bitcoin&nbsp;plunged as much as 30%&nbsp;to nearly $30,000 that day. It has since recovered to $45,790.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-no-headquarters"><a></a>No headquarters</h2>



Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, Binance’s boss, has previously said the exchange has no official headquarters. That makes it extremely difficult for investors to figure out how, and where, to take the company to court.



A group of crypto traders hopes to change that. With the help of Liti Capital, a little-known private equity firm providing litigation financing, nearly 1,000 people are expected to join arbitration proceedings in Hong Kong to seek damages from Binance.



“This is a landmark case for the industry,” David Kay, chief investment officer of Liti Capital, told CNBC.



Binance is “the first company that has ever grown to any size in any industry — much less the financial industry — where there is no regulation,” he said. “They have no home, they have no headquarters, they have no office.”



“The only place where Binance has said they have jurisdiction is in a Hong Kong international arbitration court,” Kay added. “This will be the largest consumer international arbitration in history.”



Kay said that Liti Capital began working on the Binance case after receiving a call from Aija Lejniece, an independent lawyer working with a group of crypto traders in France. Lejniece specializes in international arbitration cases.



Binance’s terms of use say that any legal dispute must be resolved through arbitration at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre. Arbitration proceedings, unlike class action lawsuits, aim to settle disputes out of court.



The format makes it harder for the average consumer to make a claim, Kay said, as claimants have to pay arbitration fees and additional costs — for instance, traveling to Hong Kong. Individually, that could set each claimant back an estimated $65,000. To cover those costs, Liti Capital has promised to provide a minimum of $5 million in funding.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="ore: Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, is launching an NFT marketplace">Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, is launching an NFT marketplace</a></h3>



White &amp; Case, a New York-based law firm, has been hired to represent the claimants. Abby Cohen Smutny and Darryl Lew, two White &amp; Case partners based in Washington, D.C., will serve as their lawyers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a></a>Crypto crackdown</h2>



Crypto, a nascent industry, is still largely unregulated. While some firms in the space, like Coinbase, have sought to build rapport with regulators, Binance and many others operate mainly outside the purview of established rules.



That hasn’t gone unnoticed by regulators, who are racing to catch up with new innovations in financial services. Two main concerns with crypto are a lack of protections for consumers and the risk of money laundering and other illicit activity.



Binance, in particular, has attracted attention from authorities in multiple countries. Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority recently banned the firm’s U.K. subsidiary after finding it failed to meet anti-money laundering requirements. Meanwhile, financial watchdogs in Japan, Canada and Italy have issued warnings saying Binance does not have the authority to operate in the countries.



To add to Binance’s woes, the company lost its U.S. chief Brian Brooks, who was formerly acting head of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, a U.S. banking regulator.



The company, which was founded by Zhao in China four years ago, recently said it was pivoting to become a regulated institution, with plans to obtain licenses in multiple jurisdictions and set up regional headquarters. Zhao has said he is willing to step down from the exchange to hand the baton to someone with more regulatory experience.

106907103-1625597281111-gettyimages-1233700528-porzycki-binancep210628_npNRz-1

Cryptocurrency traders seek damages from Binance after a major outage cost them millions

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="546" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/51008793946_8a23be8a2d_k-820x546.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-410559" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/51008793946_8a23be8a2d_k-820x546.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/51008793946_8a23be8a2d_k-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/51008793946_8a23be8a2d_k-120x80.jpg 120w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/51008793946_8a23be8a2d_k-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/51008793946_8a23be8a2d_k-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/51008793946_8a23be8a2d_k.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>Close-up of physical coins of Bitcoin, Litecoin and Ethereum in a wallet full of FIAT money coins.
Photo: via Flickr</figcaption></figure>



Wild swings in cryptocurrencies will eventually drive <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/quotes/btc=x/">bitcoin</a> investors to return to gold, says the executive chairman of gold mining firm Evolution Mining.



Jake Klein said bitcoin still has a “long way to go” before it demonstrates the kind of “longevity and security” that gold has proven to offer investors over the last 70 years.&nbsp;



Cryptocurrencies are “running a massive amount of speculative money,” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” on Thursday.



“I think that the volatility in the crypto space is going to ultimately lead to people coming back to gold,” Klein said.



Gold prices fell last week, and analysts say they will likely drop further. Hedge fund manager David Neuhauser told CNBC earlier this week that the decline in gold prices is a “massive buying opportunity” for investors now.



Still, Klein said the two can coexist — there are opportunities for gold to “sit alongside” bitcoin, as opposed to bitcoin posing a threat to the precious metal.



Bullish investors view bitcoin as digital gold and a hedge against inflation, expecting the cryptocurrency to appreciate over time.



American investor Tyler Winklevoss, who founded Winklevoss Capital Management as well as Gemini cryptocurrency exchange, said last year that “bitcoin is gold 2.0” — and that it will disrupt gold.



Billionaire investor Kevin O’Leary said in April that “bitcoin will always be the ‘gold.’ <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/quotes/eth=x/">Ethereum</a> will always be the ‘silver.’”



However, there are also other investors who disagree.



Hedge fund manager Ray Dalio, despite owning an undisclosed amount of bitcoin, said earlier this month: “If you put a gun to my head, and you said, I can only have one, I would choose gold.”



<a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/crypto-market-tops-2-trillion-for-the-first-time-in-nearly-3-months-as-bitcoin-rallies/">Bitcoin topped $48,000</a> over the weekend – the highest level since May. As of Thursday morning during Asia hours, however, it pared some gains to last trade above $44,000, according to CoinDesk data.



The weekend spike followed a sell-off in June and July, when <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/90-billion-wiped-off-crypto-market-as-bitcoin-drops-below-30000-for-first-time-in-nearly-a-month/">bitcoin fell below $30,000</a>.



Gold prices have also been swinging between gains and losses this year. From levels above $1,900 in January, prices fell to above $1,700 in March.



In June, the precious metal spiked to nearly $1,900 again, before paring gains to trade above $1,700 in August.



— CNBC’s Arjun Kharpal and Jade Scipioni contributed to this report.

51008793946_8a23be8a2d_k

Bitcoin volatility will drive investors back to gold, says mining firm chairman

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106910593-1626253221629-gettyimages-83781196-aa19b85a-38be-43ab-8727-5b1a7a5aae1e.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-411490" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106910593-1626253221629-gettyimages-83781196-aa19b85a-38be-43ab-8727-5b1a7a5aae1e.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106910593-1626253221629-gettyimages-83781196-aa19b85a-38be-43ab-8727-5b1a7a5aae1e-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106910593-1626253221629-gettyimages-83781196-aa19b85a-38be-43ab-8727-5b1a7a5aae1e-160x90.jpeg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>China’s national flag Russell Monk | The Image Bank | Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



GUANGZHOU, China — China’s market regulator issued draft rules on Tuesday aimed at stopping unfair competition on the internet, as Beijing continues its broad crack down on the country’s technology sector.



The rules published by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) cover a wide range of areas from prohibitions on the way companies can use data to stamping out fake product reviews.



Chinese listed technology stocks in Hong Kong fell sharply on that news. Gaming giant Tencent was 3.5% lower in late morning trade, while e-commerce giant Alibaba fell 2.5%.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-more-naspers-offshoot-prosus-reports-earnings-boost-from-tencent-stake">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/naspers-offshoot-prosus-reports-earnings-boost-from-tencent-stake/">Naspers offshoot Prosus reports earnings boost from Tencent stake</a></h3>



SAMR’s latest rules continue Beijing’s regulatory assault on China’s technology giants.



Here are some of the other key rules outlined:



<ul><li>Operators should not provide false data, such as the number of clicks on a piece of content;</li><li>Operators should not conceal negative reviews and only promote positive reviews;</li><li>Internet platforms should not use data, algorithms and other technical means to influence user choices, or other methods to carry out so-called traffic hijacking. This is where a company looks to redirect a user to their own website or service while they’re browsing another;</li><li>Operators should not use data and algorithms to collect and analyze competitors’ trading information.</li></ul>



SAMR said it could hire third-party institutions to audit data if an operator falls foul of the rules.



The regulator is seeking public opinion on the new rules until Sept. 15. They have not yet come into effect.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="e: Tencent bans nose picking, spanking and other ‘violations’ on its WeChat livestreaming service">Tencent bans nose picking, spanking and other ‘violations’ on its WeChat livestreaming service</a></h3>



However, SAMR’s draft rules highlight the market regulator’s push to tighten the laws around antitrust and competition. Earlier this year, the authority promulgated antitrust guidelines for the so-called platform economy.



The regulator has also been taking action against China’s technology giants.



Alibaba was slapped with a $2.8 billion fine in April as a result of an anti-monopoly probe, and SAMR is currently investigating food delivery firm Meituan for “suspected monopolistic practices.”



And last month, the SAMR blocked Tencent’s plan to merge video game streaming sites Huya and DouYu on antitrust concerns.



—&nbsp;CNBC’s Iris Wang contributed to this story.

106910593-1626253221629-gettyimages-83781196-aa19b85a-38be-43ab-8727-5b1a7a5aae1e

China seeks to tighten rules on unfair internet competition, sending tech shares lower

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106928219-1629130755312-gettyimages-1234311531-sindeyev-notitle210729_np12K.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-411485" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106928219-1629130755312-gettyimages-1234311531-sindeyev-notitle210729_np12K.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106928219-1629130755312-gettyimages-1234311531-sindeyev-notitle210729_np12K-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106928219-1629130755312-gettyimages-1234311531-sindeyev-notitle210729_np12K-160x90.jpeg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>A visual representation of bitcoin. STR | NurPhoto via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



LONDON — Bitpanda, a European cryptocurrency trading platform, has raised $263 million in a fresh round of funding valuing the company at $4.1 billion.



That’s more than three times the $1.2 billion Bitpanda was worth in its last private financing round five months ago. The latest cash injection brings the company’s total raised to nearly $500 million.



The investment was led by Valar Ventures, the venture capital firm co-founded by U.S. tech billionaire Peter Thiel. It’s the third time Valar has backed Bitpanda since its first major funding round, announced in September.



“I don’t like to do fundraising,” Eric Demuth, Bitpanda’s CEO and co-founder, told CNBC. “It’s very time-consuming.”



“When you have partners you have a close connection with, and they have deep pockets, you don’t have to do the whole roadshow,” Demuth said. Valar “wanted to double down and we wanted to stay with them,” he added. “It was quite an easy process.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106928243-1629132342420-Bitpanda_co-founders.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-411486" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106928243-1629132342420-Bitpanda_co-founders.jpg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106928243-1629132342420-Bitpanda_co-founders-300x169.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106928243-1629132342420-Bitpanda_co-founders-160x90.jpg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>From left to right, Bitpanda co-founders Christian Trummer, Paul Klanschek and Eric Demuth. Bitpanda</figcaption></figure>



British billionaire hedge fund manager Alan Howard and REDO Ventures also invested in Bitpanda’s latest round, along with existing investors LeadBlock Partners and Jump Capital.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-bitpanda"><a></a>What is Bitpanda?</h2>



Founded in 2014, Bitpanda is a Vienna-based brokerage firm that lets people buy and sell cryptocurrencies and precious metals. The company also began testing a service this year that lets users trade stocks around the clock.



“By the end of the year, I think you’ll have a really good offering for stocks,” Demuth said.



Bitpanda is one of many online brokers in Europe attracting growing interest from investors, thanks in part to the “meme stock” trading frenzy. Retail traders piled into unloved stocks like GameStop and AMC, taking inspiration from a popular Reddit forum. That boosted trading volumes at digital platforms such as Robinhood.



Bitpanda’s competitors include Revolut, Trade Republic and eToro.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/jpmorgan-puts-key-dealmakers-in-charge-of-spac-unit-to-lure-emea-clients-memo/">JPMorgan puts key dealmakers in charge of SPAC unit to lure EMEA clients – memo</a></h3>



One way the company hopes to differentiate from rivals is by licensing its technology to banks and fintech companies. It declined to name any clients but said several big firms were already implementing the system and will be able offer crypto and stock trading in a matter of months.



Bitpanda makes its money from the spread between what someone is willing to pay for an asset and the price at which that asset is sold. The start-up has been profitable for five years, Demuth said.



Profitability is a rarity in fintech, with many venture-backed companies in the space racking up heavy losses. Revolut, which was last valued at $33 billion, lost £167.8 million ($232.3 million) in 2020, up 57% from a year earlier.



Demuth said a number of fintech companies are raising money at lofty valuations out of “hype” and a “fear of missing out.”



“I’m very skeptical about this,” he said. “Many companies, especially in the fintech area, are purely based on a combination of hype and growth. But the growth is mostly paid, so you have a product that is for free and you are simply buying your customers.”



Bitpanda didn’t provide a breakdown of how much money it makes each year, but said revenues were on track to rise sevenfold in 2021. The platform now has more than 3 million users.



The firm only operates in Europe, with offices in Vienna, Berlin, London, Paris, Barcelona, Milan and Krakow. It plans to use the money to expand in key markets like France, Spain, Italy and Portugal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a></a>Crypto mania</h2>



The boost in Bitpanda’s valuation comes at a time of great momentum for the nascent cryptocurrency industry.



Digital currency investors have been on a wild ride this year, with the prices of bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies hitting record highs in April and May before tumbling sharply in the weeks that followed.



More recently, bitcoin and smaller digital coin ether have made a strong comeback, pushing the entire crypto market across the $2 trillion mark for the first time in three months.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/prosus-to-buy-shares-in-parent-naspers-as-valuations-lag-tencent-stake-2/">Prosus to buy shares in parent Naspers as valuations lag Tencent stake</a></h3>



The main headwind for crypto lately has been the threat of regulation. China has cracked down on speculative investing in digital assets, while the recently approved U.S. infrastructure bill includes a provision that crypto advocates say may harm the industry.



Europe has been slower to regulate the crypto industry than its global peers, Demuth said. But he is encouraged by new EU rules aimed at bringing the sector under regulatory supervision.



“From the drafts I’ve seen so far, it looks like it will not have a bad impact,” he said. “Of course, they can always mess it up at the last minute.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a></a>IPO? Anything but a SPAC</h2>



Fintech has birthed a number of multibillion-dollar public companies lately, with the likes of Coinbase, Robinhood and Affirm all listing this year. In Europe, Wise — the British fintech formerly known as TransferWise — went public in a rare direct listing in London.



While Bitpanda has no immediate plans to go public, Demuth said he “really liked” how Wise listed. Instead of hiring investment banks to underwrite its offering, Wise listed directly on the London market without raising any money.



Bitpanda’s CEO insisted nothing has been decided yet, but firmly ruled out merging with a special-purpose acquisition company, or SPAC. SPACs are blank-check companies that list with the aim of taking another company public.



“Bad examples of IPO are the SPAC mania,” Demuth said.



Last month, U.S. digital currency company Circle said it planned to go public in a $4.5 billion SPAC deal.

106928219-1629130755312-gettyimages-1234311531-sindeyev-notitle210729_np12K

Peter Thiel-backed crypto broker Bitpanda triples valuation in five months to $4.1 billion

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="461" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106843911-16140302242021-02-22t201519z_231587328_rc2wxl98dvc9_rtrmadp_0_health-coronavirus-usa-820x461.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-411479" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106843911-16140302242021-02-22t201519z_231587328_rc2wxl98dvc9_rtrmadp_0_health-coronavirus-usa-820x461.jpeg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106843911-16140302242021-02-22t201519z_231587328_rc2wxl98dvc9_rtrmadp_0_health-coronavirus-usa-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106843911-16140302242021-02-22t201519z_231587328_rc2wxl98dvc9_rtrmadp_0_health-coronavirus-usa-160x90.jpeg 160w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106843911-16140302242021-02-22t201519z_231587328_rc2wxl98dvc9_rtrmadp_0_health-coronavirus-usa-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106843911-16140302242021-02-22t201519z_231587328_rc2wxl98dvc9_rtrmadp_0_health-coronavirus-usa-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106843911-16140302242021-02-22t201519z_231587328_rc2wxl98dvc9_rtrmadp_0_health-coronavirus-usa.jpeg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>Photo: via CNBC</figcaption></figure>



Pfizer and BioNTech said Monday they have submitted early stage clinical trial data to the Food and Drug Administration as part of their U.S. application seeking authorization of a Covid vaccine booster for everyone 16 and older — not just people with weak immune systems.



In a phase one trial, a booster dose of the vaccine generated “significantly higher neutralizing antibodies” against the original coronavirus strain as well as the beta and delta variants, the companies said in a press release. Participants in the trial received a third shot of the two-dose vaccine about eight to nine months after receiving their second shot, they said.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-more-u-s-fda-gearing-up-for-rapid-review-of-potential-covid-19-booster-shots">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/u-s-fda-gearing-up-for-rapid-review-of-potential-covid-19-booster-shots/">U.S. FDA gearing up for rapid review of potential COVID-19 booster shots</a></h3>



“The data we’ve seen to date suggest a third dose of our vaccine elicits antibody levels that significantly exceed those seen after the two-dose primary schedule,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement. “We are pleased to submit these data to the FDA as we continue working together to address the evolving challenges of this pandemic.”



The companies said late-stage trial results evaluating the third dose are expected shortly and will also be submitted to the FDA and other regulatory authorities worldwide.



The announcement from the drugmakers comes after federal health officials Friday approved administering Covid booster shots of Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccines to Americans with weakened immune systems, which includes cancer and HIV patients and people who have had organ transplants.



U.S. new data suggests immune-compromised individuals don’t produce an adequate immune response after receiving two doses of a Covid vaccine.



Pfizer’s latest data looks at the booster’s safety and immune response in people with otherwise healthy immune systems.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/fda-advisory-panel-to-review-johnson-johnson-covid-19-vaccine-with-thumbs-up-expected/">FDA advisory panel to review Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 vaccine with thumbs up expected</a></h3>



Federal health officials aren’t recommending booster doses for the general public at this time, but White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci has said everyone will “likely” need a booster shot at some point .



Covid vaccine makers, including Pfizer and Moderna, have repeatedly contended that everyone will eventually need a booster shot and potentially extra doses every year, just like for the seasonal flu.



Pfizer has cited data out of Israel, where country officials said last month the two-dose vaccine was just 39% effective against getting the disease, blaming the drop in performance on the highly contagious delta variant. When Pfizer submitted its original application to the FDA in December, it said its shots were about 95% effective in preventing Covid infections.



The vaccine is still considered highly effective against severe disease, hospitalizations and deaths, according to Israeli health officials.

106843911-16140302242021-02-22t201519z_231587328_rc2wxl98dvc9_rtrmadp_0_health-coronavirus-usa

Pfizer submits data to FDA for authorization of Covid vaccine booster shot for general population

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911087-16263029762021-07-12t182451z_1049474836_rc26jo9ua1af_rtrmadp_0_fintech-crypto-flows.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-411455" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911087-16263029762021-07-12t182451z_1049474836_rc26jo9ua1af_rtrmadp_0_fintech-crypto-flows.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911087-16263029762021-07-12t182451z_1049474836_rc26jo9ua1af_rtrmadp_0_fintech-crypto-flows-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911087-16263029762021-07-12t182451z_1049474836_rc26jo9ua1af_rtrmadp_0_fintech-crypto-flows-160x90.jpeg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>Dado Ruvic | Reuters</figcaption></figure>



<a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/quotes/btc=x/">Bitcoin</a> topped $48,000 over the weekend, its highest level since mid-May but pared some of those gains on Monday.



On Saturday, the digital coin hit $48,126.47, its highest level since May 17, according to Coindesk data. Around 2:49 a.m. ET on Monday, bitcoin was trading at $47,442.40



The bitcoin recovery comes after it sold off heavily in June and July, even <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/90-billion-wiped-off-crypto-market-as-bitcoin-drops-below-30000-for-first-time-in-nearly-a-month/">dropping below $30,000</a> following a record high of over $64,000 in April.



“I do believe this (bitcoin’s rise) is the result of massive accumulation” when bitcoin was trading around $29,000 to $30,000, according to Vijay Ayyar, head of business development at cryptocurrency exchange Luno.



Bitcoin’s rise helped push the value of the entire cryptocurrency market above $2 trillion on Saturday for the first time since mid-May, according to data from CoinMarketCap which tracks the prices of digital coins.



The crypto market has faced a number of headwinds over the summer. One of the biggest was the renewed regulatory scrutiny on the industry from authorities in China which has forced bitcoin mining operations to shut down and move elsewhere. That was one of the biggest reasons for bitcoin dropping below the $30,000 level.



Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate passed a massive infrastructure bill last week without any of the proposed amendments on crypto tax reporting that had delayed its passage. That was seen as a blow for the crypto community, but some said it showed the U.S. government was taking the industry seriously.



These “fundamental regulatory roadblocks” have “clipped the market’s wings” in the near term, said Jehan Chu, founder of cryptocurrency-focused venture capital and trading firm Kenetic Capital.



He said that while bitcoin may surge to $55,000, investors should expect a “significant pullback to sub-$30k levels, resetting the stage for a long steady march” to $100,000 in 2022.



More negative news came this month after <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/12/poly-network-hacker-behind-600-million-crypto-heist-did-it-for-fun.html">hackers stole $600 million</a> in one of the biggest cryptocurrency heists in history. But in a bizarre turn of the events, the hackers eventually returned nearly all of the stolen money.



This didn’t seem to faze the bitcoin bulls.



Luno’s Ayyar said that bitcoin is approaching resistance levels between $48,000 and $50,000.



“I wouldn’t expect bitcoin to run through in one shot,” Ayyar said, adding that if it does break that level of support, then the digital coin is “definitely looking to go back to all-time highs.”

106911087-16263029762021-07-12t182451z_1049474836_rc26jo9ua1af_rtrmadp_0_fintech-crypto-flows

Crypto market tops $2 trillion for the first time in nearly 3 months as bitcoin rallies

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106925952-1628769806824-gettyimages-1234570376-pitton-notitle210807_npXkx.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-411443" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106925952-1628769806824-gettyimages-1234570376-pitton-notitle210807_npXkx.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106925952-1628769806824-gettyimages-1234570376-pitton-notitle210807_npXkx-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106925952-1628769806824-gettyimages-1234570376-pitton-notitle210807_npXkx-160x90.jpeg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Toulouse against France’s mandatory health pass on July 12th 2021. More than 234,000 people demonstrated across France against the pass which will be mandatory for entry to a wide array of public venues such as cafes, theaters, concerts hall, cinemas, shopping malls, public transportation, public swimming pools, and even hospitals unless there’s a critical situation. NurPhoto | NurPhoto | Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



LONDON — The divide between the vaccinated and unvaccinated when it comes to Covid-19 is likely to become even deeper, with officials in the U.S. and Europe planning, or introducing, an increasing number of restrictions on people who haven’t gotten a Covid shot.



Almost all governments around the world have so far resisted making Covid vaccination mandatory for their citizens, although many have introduced forms of Covid vaccination certificates, passes or passports that allow the immunized bearer more freedoms and work opportunities than unvaccinated people.



Aspects of daily life are increasingly complicated for anyone who is not vaccinated against Covid, and there is a rising sense of anger and injustice among those who reject the vaccine.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vaccine-fault-lines"><a></a>Vaccine fault lines</h2>



Despite protests among groups against such moves, the freedom to travel, work, socialize and engage in leisure activities is increasingly determined by our Covid vaccination status.



Nationally the U.S. has ruled out making Covid vaccination mandatory, rejecting the concept of vaccination passports back in April due to concerns over privacy and citizens’ rights. But some states are moving toward more restrictions for unvaccinated people.



Covid vaccinations are now mandatory for New York City’s municipal workers, and from mid-September proof of inoculation will be required from employees and customers of indoor eateries, gyms and entertainment centers. Meanwhile, workers in health care facilities in California will be required to provide proof that they’ve been fully vaccinated against Covid from October. On Monday, the Pentagon said it plans to make Covid vaccination mandatory for military service members no later than mid-September.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/blood-clots-associated-with-astrazeneca-vaccine-are-rare-but-devastating-study-says/">Blood clots associated with AstraZeneca vaccine are ‘rare but devastating,’ study says</a></h3>



France, Greece and the U.K. are among European countries mandating vaccinations for health professionals or home care staff. In China, some local governments have reportedly said students will not be allowed back to school in September unless their entire family is fully vaccinated. In Australia, some states in lockdown are allowing only vaccinated people back to work and have said restrictions will be lifted only when a majority of people are immunized.



A large number of European countries now require travelers to show they are fully vaccinated, provide proof of a negative Covid test, or show that they have recovered from a recent infection. Otherwise, they must quarantine.



“I ask all those who have been vaccinated to encourage their friends, acquaintances and family members to also get vaccinated,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday, shortly after new measures were announced in that country.&nbsp;“This is not only a protection for us, but also for others who cannot be vaccinated — children or people with previous illnesses.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blackmail-and-dictatorship"><a></a>‘Blackmail’ and ‘dictatorship’</h2>



There are many individuals who are unhappy about the trend toward differentiating between the vaccinated and unvaccinated. Marco De Matteo, a young Neapolitan man who is a travel enthusiast, is angry about the situation in Italy where a “green pass” has been introduced, likening the situation to a “health and economic dictatorship.”



“Those in power are limiting, by law, individuals’ freedom and dignity,” he said. “The imposition of the green pass in the world of work, both in the public and in the private sector &#8230; is breaking society apart,” he told CNBC.



The pass is a digital or paper certificate that shows if someone has received at least one shot of a vaccine, has tested negative or has recently recovered from the coronavirus. The pass is now needed for any Italian citizen to access indoor bars and restaurants, cinemas, museums or gyms and will soon be required for travel and some jobs, such as teachers. Those who refuse will be suspended.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106925954-1628770083288-gettyimages-1234547209-AFP_9KQ7C8.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-411444" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106925954-1628770083288-gettyimages-1234547209-AFP_9KQ7C8.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106925954-1628770083288-gettyimages-1234547209-AFP_9KQ7C8-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106925954-1628770083288-gettyimages-1234547209-AFP_9KQ7C8-160x90.jpeg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>Members of the ‘No Vax’ take part in a demonstration against the introduction of a mandatory “green pass” in the aim to limit the spread of the Covid-19, at the Piazza del Popolo in central Rome on August 7, 2021. ALBERTO PIZZOLI | AFP | Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



De Matteo, and many others who are also concerned about encroachment on civil liberties, recognizes the need to protect the health of the community. But he says that for him “there are many doubts both about the nature of the virus and about the vaccine.” He also regrets negative stereotypes attributed to people that object to Covid vaccines.



“In Italy, many people are organizing peaceful demonstrations — people from all walks of life and economic backgrounds who care about everyone’s freedom, dignity and health — but they are labeled as conspiracy theorists,” he said.



Vaccine skepticism and outright anti-vaccination sentiment have become rife since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, coinciding with disinformation and misinformation on social media that can ultimately endanger lives. Clinical trials, peer-reviewed by international medical journals, have shown that vaccination reduces the spread of the virus and contributes to reducing deaths and severe illness.



Medical professionals, such as Dr. Scott Gottlieb, have repeatedly spoken of the benefits of vaccination. Gottlieb, a former Food and Drug Administration commissioner, also told CNBC last month that people who have previously been infected with the coronavirus would still benefit from receiving Covid vaccines.



French yoga teacher Amel Lamloum told CNBC back in January that she didn’t see the advantages of having the Covid vaccine, given her young age (30) and good health.



Speaking to CNBC again Thursday, Lamloum said she still had not received the vaccine and was even more reluctant to do so now, given what she saw as “blackmail” by the French government to do so.



“I really think society has changed and that there is no justice anymore,” she said, adding that she no longer trusted the government and had prepared herself to adjust how she lived.



“Many, many people will not get the vaccine, for sure, and we will have to live in a side society and we are ready for it, we are ready for everything.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a></a>Why the reluctance?</h2>



For millions of people who have been happy and willing to receive a Covid vaccine, the rollout of vaccination programs has offered protection against a highly transmissible virus. It’s also allowed a return to much-missed freedoms, from seeing loved-ones and socializing to shopping and traveling.



But others across the U.S. and Europe see vaccination programs with ambivalence or worse.



Some have been critical of the speed of Covid vaccine development, distrusting clinical data on the efficacy and long-term safety credentials of Covid vaccines. Others have questioned why they need a shot when Covid can be a mild or asymptomatic illness for many people, especially the young.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/who-says-it-urgently-needs-7-7-billion-to-help-poorer-nations-survive-delta-covid-variant/">WHO says it urgently needs $7.7 billion to help poorer nations survive delta Covid variant</a></h3>



Public bodies like the World Health Organization have repeatedly reaffirmed the importance of vaccinating as many people as possible against Covid to curb the spread of the disease and allow a return to a normal societal functioning. Covid vaccines have been proven in extensive clinical trials involving hundreds of thousands of people to be safe and highly effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death.



What’s less certain for experts is how long immunity lasts and whether future Covid variants could undermine vaccine efficacy. Many governments are weighing up the merits of booster vaccines too but for now, the main priority is to encourage vaccine uptake among the completely unvaccinated.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a></a>Who is most vaccine resistant?</h2>



Public confidence in vaccines, or the flipside of vaccine hesitancy, differs wildly from country to country and is often informed by the public’s trust in government and health care systems. France, for example, is renowned for a high rate of vaccine hesitancy, while vaccine uptake in the U.K. has traditionally been high.



One survey showed vaccine opposition highest in Russia, followed by the U.S., according to a global poll of 15 countries carried out by data intelligence company Morning Consult in July and August. With 43,054 interviews conducted in the U.S. alone, the percentage of people unwilling or uncertain about getting a Covid vaccine stood at 30%.



Young adults have a lower vaccine rate in every country that was tracked except in China, the poll also found, although that data could also reflect the speed and breadth of vaccination programs; some young adults are yet to be fully vaccinated in a number of countries polled.



Adults in the U.S. appear to be the most consistent when it comes to vaccine skepticism; the share of vaccine skeptics in the U.S. has remained at 30% for the past four weeks, Morning Consult said, and that share has only fallen by 4 percentage points since it began tracking in mid-April.



“Over that same time period, in the other 14 countries tracked, the share of skeptics has dropped by an average of 13 points, more than triple the decline in skepticism seen in the U.S.. No other country has seen a smaller decline,” Morning Consult noted.



The top reasons given for uncertainty over vaccines were concerns over side effects and worries that clinical trials had been conducted too fast.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a></a>Europe curbs</h2>



Back in Europe, parts of the leisure sector are being affected directly by the new rules. In Belgium, for instance, some soccer clubs are opening separate spectator stands for those who are unvaccinated. In the U.K., only the fully vaccinated will soon be able to enter a nightclub.



A number of countries have gone further, introducing types of Covid vaccination “passes” or “passports” at the national level, prompting criticism from some quarters.



France has introduced a “health pass,” meaning that individuals have to prove they are fully vaccinated, recently tested negative, or have recently recovered from the virus if they want to access cafes, restaurants, cinemas, museums and theaters. The pass has proved controversial, stoking protests attracting thousands of people who say the pass restricts civil liberties.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106925928-1628767702160-gettyimages-1234349556-3051506.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-411445" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106925928-1628767702160-gettyimages-1234349556-3051506.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106925928-1628767702160-gettyimages-1234349556-3051506-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106925928-1628767702160-gettyimages-1234349556-3051506-160x90.jpeg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>Charleroi, one of the Belgian soccer clubs introducing separate stands for unvaccinated fans. VIRGINIE LEFOUR | AFP | Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



Germany looks to be heading in a similar direction, aiming to encourage vaccine uptake by ending free, government-paid Covid tests while requiring anyone who’s not fully vaccinated (excluding children) to present a negative Covid test in order to access indoor spaces and events.



“Tests are therefore becoming a prerequisite, for example, for access to hospitals, old people’s and nursing homes, indoor catering, events and celebrations, but also for visits to the hairdresser or the cosmetic studio. The same applies to indoor sports or accommodation, for example in hotels and guest houses,” the government said on Tuesday.



Disclosure: Scott Gottlieb is a CNBC contributor and is a member of the boards of Pfizer, genetic testing start-up Tempus, health-care tech company Aetion Inc. and biotech company Illumina. He also serves as co-chair of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ and Royal Caribbean’s “Healthy Sail Panel.”

106925952-1628769806824-gettyimages-1234570376-pitton-notitle210807_npXkx

‘Breaking society apart’: Unvaccinated people are angry as they face more Covid restrictions

How The U.S. Military Plans To Replace The Iconic Humvee On Future Frontlines

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106921772-1628084601228-gettyimages-1234445243-AFP_9JW2F6.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-411416" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106921772-1628084601228-gettyimages-1234445243-AFP_9JW2F6.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106921772-1628084601228-gettyimages-1234445243-AFP_9JW2F6-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106921772-1628084601228-gettyimages-1234445243-AFP_9JW2F6-160x90.jpeg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>A paramedic prepares doses of AstraZeneca vaccine for patients at a walk-in COVID-19 clinic inside a Buddhist temple in the Smithfield suburb of Sydney on August 4, 2021. Saeed Khan | AFP | Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



A new study has given more details about the “rare but devastating” blood clotting complications associated with the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.



In a peer-reviewed paper published Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine, scientists from the Massachusetts Medical Society analyzed the first 220 cases of the condition reported in the United Kingdom.



The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine — now one of the most widely used Covid vaccines in the world — was rolled out in the U.K. in January, making it the first country to administer the shot.



A very small number of people who have been inoculated with the AstraZeneca vaccine have suffered blood clots. The condition, described by health authorities as “extremely rare,” is characterized by blood clots accompanied by low platelet levels.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/african-union-drops-astrazeneca-vaccine-which-covax-will-supply/">African Union drops AstraZeneca vaccine, which COVAX will supply</a></h3>



The Massachusetts Medical Society’s study used data from 294 patients who presented to U.K. hospitals between March 22 and June 6. Of those, 170 definite and 50 probable cases of the rare clotting — which scientists referred to as vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis — were identified.



All of those patients had been given their first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot, and went to the hospital with symptoms between five and 48 days after their vaccination. The median time between patients receiving their vaccination and going to the hospital was 14 days, the findings showed.



The overall mortality rate for VITT in the study was 22%.



Researchers also found that 41% of patients presenting with VITT had no diagnosed underlying health issues. Of those who reported a past or current illness, the study found that no conditions or medications were prevalent that “would be unexpected in the general population.”



“Against the backdrop of a successful vaccination program in the United Kingdom, VITT has emerged as a rare but devastating complication,” the study’s authors said in their report. “We have found that it often affects young, otherwise healthy vaccine recipients and that it is associated with a high mortality.”



“In our cohort, 85% of the patients were younger than 60 years of age, despite the predominance of (Oxford/AstraZeneca) vaccination in older adults,” scientists noted.



As a precaution, the U.K. has been offering people under the age of 40 an alternative to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine since May.



People identified as having suffered with VITT were aged between 18 and 79, with the median age being 48, the study showed.



Up to and including July 28, an estimated 24.8 million first doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine had been administered in the U.K., with an estimated 23.6 million second doses received.



As of July 28, government figures show that for every million first or unknown doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot, 14.9 people developed rare blood clotting with low platelet levels. That fell to 1.8 cases per million following a second dose of the vaccine.



The overall case fatality rate for that period was 18%, the government data showed, with 73 deaths. Six of those occurred after the second dose.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/nigeria-to-limit-first-doses-of-astrazeneca-due-to-supply-concerns/">Nigeria to limit first doses of AstraZeneca due to supply concerns</a></h3>



At the end of last month, AstraZeneca published a study which found the rate of VITT after the first dose of its vaccine was 8.1 per million, which decreased to 2.3 per million after a second dose.



Up until July 28, 411 suspected cases of VITT had been reported in the U.K., according to official data.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-vs-risks"><a></a>Benefits vs. risks</h2>



In a statement on Thursday, AstraZeneca said the research published in the New England Journal of Medicine was drawn from “a small sample size.”



“Recent real-world evidence drawn from millions of individuals shows that AstraZeneca’s vaccine has a comparable safety profile with other vaccines and that incidences of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia are extremely rare and treatable,” said a spokesperson.



The spokesperson added that there was “a far greater risk” of rare blood clotting events through contracting Covid-19.



&nbsp;“Vaccines remain&nbsp;the&nbsp;most effective protection against Covid-19&nbsp;and are the best route out of this pandemic,” they said.



Both the U.K. and the EU’s medicines regulators have identified possible links between the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and rare blood clots.



In April, the company said it would comply with regulatory requests in the U.K. and Europe to update its Covid vaccine labels. However, it stressed the WHO had said “a causal relationship is considered plausible but is not confirmed.”



The U.K.’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has consistently said that the benefits of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine continue to outweigh the risks for the vast majority of people.



Multiple health authorities, including the WHO, the European Medicines Agency and the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis have agreed that the benefits of administering the vaccine outweigh the risks.

CNBC

Africa has been shortchanged on Covid vaccines, African Development Bank says

WHO says Covid misinformation is a major factor driving pandemic around the world

FDA grants full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid shot, clearing path to more vaccine mandates

Gymshark: He built a billion dollar fitnesswear brand in his 20s | CNBC Make It

PayPal launches its cryptocurrency service in the UK

Why Bill Gates Is Buying Up U.S. Farmland

Can The U.S. Cement Industry Keep Up With The $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill?

More than $90 million in cryptocurrency stolen after a top Japanese exchange is hacked

Cryptocurrency traders seek damages from Binance after a major outage cost them millions

Bitcoin volatility will drive investors back to gold, says mining firm chairman

China seeks to tighten rules on unfair internet competition, sending tech shares lower

Peter Thiel-backed crypto broker Bitpanda triples valuation in five months to $4.1 billion

Pfizer submits data to FDA for authorization of Covid vaccine booster shot for general population

Crypto market tops $2 trillion for the first time in nearly 3 months as bitcoin rallies

‘Breaking society apart’: Unvaccinated people are angry as they face more Covid restrictions

How The U.S. Military Plans To Replace The Iconic Humvee On Future Frontlines

Blood clots associated with AstraZeneca vaccine are ‘rare but devastating,’ study says

News Tips

Advertise With Us

CNBC

Africa has been shortchanged on Covid vaccines, African Development Bank says

WHO says Covid misinformation is a major factor driving pandemic around the world

FDA grants full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid shot, clearing path to more vaccine mandates

Gymshark: He built a billion dollar fitnesswear brand in his 20s | CNBC Make It

PayPal launches its cryptocurrency service in the UK

Why Bill Gates Is Buying Up U.S. Farmland

Can The U.S. Cement Industry Keep Up With The $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill?

More than $90 million in cryptocurrency stolen after a top Japanese exchange is hacked

Cryptocurrency traders seek damages from Binance after a major outage cost them millions

Bitcoin volatility will drive investors back to gold, says mining firm chairman

China seeks to tighten rules on unfair internet competition, sending tech shares lower

Peter Thiel-backed crypto broker Bitpanda triples valuation in five months to $4.1 billion

Pfizer submits data to FDA for authorization of Covid vaccine booster shot for general population

Crypto market tops $2 trillion for the first time in nearly 3 months as bitcoin rallies

‘Breaking society apart’: Unvaccinated people are angry as they face more Covid restrictions

How The U.S. Military Plans To Replace The Iconic Humvee On Future Frontlines

Blood clots associated with AstraZeneca vaccine are ‘rare but devastating,’ study says

News Tips

Advertise With Us

Newsletters