Doctors in India fear that the second wave of the epidemic could prove even more deadly. Pfizer may be ineffective against South African strain, new lockdown in India, Greece prepares to welcome tourists, Australia and New Zealand have opened air travel without mandatory quarantine. This and other news is in our roundup.
The number of deaths due to coronavirus infection has exceeded 3 million worldwide, while the number of infected individuals is 141.5 million. The United States continues to lead in both categories, with 31.6 million and 567.2 thousand cases, respectively. The situation continues to deteriorate in India, where the number of cases has exceeded 15 million – the second highest number after the United States.
Research conducted in Israel has shown that the Pfizer vaccine may be ineffective against the South African strain. The scientists admit that they came to this conclusion by accident, as their original work had a completely different purpose – to determine the likelihood of reinfection after vaccination. During the research, a comparative analysis of indicators was conducted for 400 people who had contracted Covid-19 after receiving at least one dose of the vaccine, and the same number of unvaccinated individuals. And since in Israel only the Pfizer vaccine is used, the details of the interaction of this specific vaccine with different strains were in the foreground.
On Monday, British scientists began a similar study in which volunteers who have recovered from coronavirus will be re-infected. In February, Britain became the first country in the world to approve such human experiments.
As of Monday, a six-day lockdown was announced in Delhi due to a new record number of daily cases – 273.8 thousand people in the past 24 hours. This is the fifth consecutive day that the number of new cases has exceeded 200 thousand.
In India, it is simply impossible to avoid crowds due to the large population. Even the Covid-19 testing centers have queues. “We explain quickly, simply, and clearly what happened, why it matters, and what will happen next.” “эпизоды” means “episodes” in English. End of story: Podcast Advertising Hospitals across India are running out of beds, oxygen and basic medicines. In Delhi in particular, there are no seats left in the hospital corridors for new patients.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has canceled his planned visit to India next week. Hong Kong announced it will suspend flights from India, Pakistan and the Philippines for two weeks starting Tuesday.
U.S. officials mark an important milestone in the vaccination campaign: at least half of the U.S. adult population has received at least one dose of the vaccine – about 130 million people over the age of 18. In neighboring Canada, the province of Ontario has seen a sharp increase in cases of the disease. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it was a very alarming development. Additional hospital equipment and medical personnel are being sent to the province.
After a week of record infection rates, Thai authorities are reporting a slight decline in the statistics. In the past 24 hours, only 1390 people have been infected in the country, which local doctors say is cause for optimism. Recently, daily numbers have not dropped below 1700 people.
At the peak of the next wave of infections, Thai authorities have prepared dozens of field hospitals to treat hundreds of people. The period since mid-March has been the most challenging, with one-third of all cases in the country since the start of the pandemic. Authorities believe that improvements have been made due to bans on mass gatherings and inter-island travel.
Television stations in Australia and New Zealand are broadcasting footage of emotional reunions of family members separated by the pandemic. On Monday, New Zealand opened its borders to flights from its neighbor without the need for quarantine. Australia has been allowing New Zealanders to enter for some time, but now the channel has started working in the opposite direction.
In anticipation of the summer holiday season, Greece announced that EU, UK and US citizens who are fully vaccinated or have a negative test taken within a certain number of hours before travel will be exempt from the mandatory week-long quarantine.
In Portugal, gyms have reopened after a long hiatus. Meanwhile, a Greek cargo ship returning from Egypt was quarantined off the coast of Crete after 10 crew members tested positive for coronavirus and one sailor died. The ship’s crew consists of 13 Filipinos and nine Greeks. Restaurants, shopping centers, schools and universities in Portugal will reopen on Monday. Authorities emphasize that with the easing of restrictions, it is especially important to strictly adhere to social distancing rules and other epidemiological norms. Violations will be punished with heavy fines. Portugal currently has the lowest infection rate in the European Union.
Cafes and restaurants have opened in Lausanne. At the moment only outdoor service is available. Switzerland is also lifting a number of restrictions. Restaurants and cafes are serving customers on open terraces again, some sports facilities have reopened, and students can return to face-to-face classes as of Monday. However, the country’s authorities say that these relaxations are not due to a significant improvement in the situation, but are a calculated risk that the government deemed appropriate to take in order to normalize life in the country. In Slovenia, much of the service sector is returning to work, including restaurants and beauty salons. In Montenegro, students returned to their desks on Monday.