The battle for vaccines continues in Europe – Italy has blocked AstraZeneca’s export to Australia because of an acute shortage. Israel, Austria and Denmark are working together to develop a vaccine that is resistant to virus mutations. Primates have been vaccinated at the San Diego Zoo, zoologists are concerned about the lives of gorillas. This and other news about the development of the situation with the coronavirus in the world – in our summary.
According to Johns Hopkins University, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of people infected worldwide reached 115.6 million, with nearly 2.6 million deaths. The country with the worst statistics remains the USA, with 28.8 million infected and 520.3 thousand deaths. U.S. President Joe Biden called the decision by Texas and Mississippi officials to lift the mask requirement “Neanderthal thinking.” Both states are traditionally Republican: the governors represent the Republican Party, and the residents make up the “red” electorate. In the last election, the states voted for Donald Trump. Biden called the governors’ decision a mistake. He said strict precautions are still needed despite the ongoing vaccination campaign. Texas and Mississippi have also announced the full reopening of all categories of businesses. Several other states, mostly Republican, are implementing relief measures, although not on such a large scale.
The Italian government has blocked the shipment of a batch of AstraZeneca vaccines destined for Australia. We are talking about 250,000 doses produced in one of AstraZeneca’s factories in Italy. Italy became the first EU country to implement a new measure that allows the European Union to block vaccine exports outside the bloc if the manufacturer has not previously fulfilled its obligations to European customers.
The AstraZeneca vaccine is shipped to Australia in containers like this one. Australian authorities said the loss of one party would not significantly affect the course of the vaccination campaign, but they asked the European Commission, which supported Italy’s actions, to review the decision. By the end of March, AstraZeneca will only be able to supply 40% of the volume originally planned for the first quarter of 2021 to the European Union. Pfizer is also experiencing significant delays. The vaccination program developed by the European Commission has been criticized for poor organization and missed deadlines. Brussels claims the blame lies with non-compliant suppliers. EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said in an interview with Politico that European Union countries can use Russian and Chinese coronavirus vaccines if they deem it necessary. However, the European regulatory authority has not yet approved these drugs. But in Brussels, there is a recognition of the need to find ways to speed up the vaccination process in Europe. The Czech Republic and Hungary have already agreed to accept the Russian vaccine. Denmark has followed France and Germany in approving the use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine in the over-65 age group. The Danish government based its decision on recent studies conducted in Scotland, which showed that the vaccine is effective in all age groups.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (right) and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (left) met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel. The parties discussed the joint development of a vaccine against Covid-19. We explain quickly, simply, and clearly what happened, why it matters, and what happens next. The number of episodes should remain the same. The end of the story: Promotional Podcasts. Denmark, Austria and Israel have agreed to work together on future COVID-19 vaccines. Scientists from these three countries believe that new developments should be started as soon as possible, as existing vaccines will soon become ineffective due to mutations in the virus. Negotiations for the alliance took place yesterday in Tel Aviv. The European Union as a whole has no objection to its members taking part in the project, but France insists that it be based on the existing EU strategy.
The French region closest to the English Channel, Pas-de-Calais, is introducing a so-called “weekend lockdown”. It is unclear how many consecutive weeks this measure will be in place, but according to local authorities, it is currently necessary due to the recent increase in cases. France has long had strict restrictions in place, ranging from complete lockdowns to curfews. Currently, strict quarantine measures have been lifted almost nationwide, except in Dunkirk, east of Calais, and Nice on the French Riviera. Bars, restaurants and resorts remain closed throughout the country. The French government expects two-thirds of the country’s adult population, about 30 million people, to have been vaccinated by the summer.
Germany will remain under lockdown until at least the end of March. Authorities are concerned that only two of the 16 states have reached the minimum infection rate of 50 people per 100,000. Berlin set this goal several months ago, but has not been able to get the situation under control.
UK authorities have finally found the sixth person who brought the “Brazilian” strain of coronavirus to the UK. Last week, authorities recorded six cases of infection with the new strain, which was first identified in Brazil. Five carriers were immediately identified, but the sixth person took a coronavirus test, which came back positive, but did not provide her data to medical staff. Scientists believe the Brazilian strain is more contagious. Concerns have been raised that vaccines against it may not be as effective. But Stephen Powis, chief medical officer of the UK’s National Health Service, says existing vaccines can be quickly adapted to new coronavirus mutations. On Monday, the first stage of the lifting of quarantine restrictions in the UK will begin: schools will be able to welcome pupils again. Children over the age of 11 will gradually return to their desks. In many secondary schools, students will be required to wear masks during classes.
Students in British secondary schools will now have to wear masks at all times. Previously, this was only required when moving around the school building. Many parents are unhappy, and local online petitions against masks in classrooms have appeared in several cities. As one of the measures to combat the coronavirus, the schools promise to ventilate the premises regularly. The United Kingdom is the European country hardest hit by the pandemic. It is at the bottom of the list of countries with the highest number of cases – 4.2 million people, a figure only slightly lower than Russia. In terms of the number of deaths, Britain also ranks fifth in the world – 124.2 thousand people.
The Cypriot authorities have announced that their resorts will open in May to British tourists who can prove they have been vaccinated. British tourism is particularly important to the island, as it is the biggest earner for the Cypriot tourism industry. During the 2020 holiday season, Cyprus suffered significant losses due to the absence of tourism at its usual level. From 1 May, vaccinated British citizens will be able to fly freely to Cyprus. Last year there were many difficulties and additional costs involved. For example, the minimum cost of a COVID test, without which one could not board the plane, was £200 (about $280) for an adult. However, not everyone who was willing to pay was able to get on the plane on time, as the queues at private laboratories in the UK were booked weeks in advance. The Cypriot decision is good news for Britons who are already thinking about their summer vacations, but there are two problems: first, travel restrictions will still be in place in Britain in early May, and second, there are doubts that the authorities will be able to complete the vaccination by May. At present, the vaccine is being administered to citizens over the age of 50.
Portugal has made a similar statement, with authorities saying they are ready to welcome British tourists from May. To enter Portugal, tourists from the UK will need to test negative for coronavirus or prove they have immunity. At the same time, Portugal did not explain what could serve as such evidence – whether it should be a certificate of the presence of antibodies in the blood or a vaccination certificate. Portugal is on the UK’s “red list”. This means that those returning from this country must spend ten days in a quarantine hotel at their own expense. The earliest date for international flights to resume from the UK is May 17. Home Secretary Priti Patel said it was too early for Britons to consider holidays abroad.
Four orangutans at the San Diego Zoo, among others, received two doses of the vaccine. Several primates, including four orangutans, five baboons and several gorillas, have been vaccinated at the San Diego Zoo. The experimental vaccine for animals was urgently created after a coronavirus outbreak was detected among the zoo’s gorillas in January. Then eight individuals fell ill, and it was the first case of Covid-19 among primates in the world. All of the gorillas survived and are recovering, according to the San Diego Zoo press office. But the very fact that gorillas are affected by the disease worries zoologists. The world’s gorilla population has declined significantly in recent decades, and gorillas are now classified as critically endangered.