News LIVE: Panel recommends evaluation of Covid vaccines, SKM meet today

Amid growing concerns over the new Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, a parliamentary committee has recommended that the efficacy of Coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines must be evaluated and concerns with regards to the new strain developing immunoescape mechanism critically addressed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to kickstart the poll campaign for the upcoming Uttarakhand assembly elections by addressing a rally in Dehradun on Saturday. The Prime Minister will reach Dehradun’s Parade Ground, the rally venue at 12.30 pm, Pradesh BJP general secretary Kuldip Kumar said. Soon after his arrival, he will inaugurate seven developmental projects and lay foundation stones of 11 others, all totalling worth over Rs 18,000 crore after which he will start his address around 1 pm.

A crucial meeting of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) will be held at the Singhu border on Saturday to decide on the future course of the agitation. Farmer leaders said any decision on whether to send five names to the Centre for a panel on MSP will be taken in the meeting as they have not yet received any formal communication from the government.