Search

(Bloomberg) -- Former U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb called for "urgent research" into a mutation of the delta variant -- known as delta plus -- following a surge in Covid-19 cases in the U.K. "We need urgent research to figure out if this delta plus is more transmissible, has partial immune evasion", Gottlieb said in a tweet. A German paper out earlier this month found while both delta and delta plus infect lung cells more efficiently than the original coronavirus strain, delta plus doesn't appear to be significantly more dangerous than delta. [Extracted from the article]

Global Vaccines Reach 202 Million (9:46 a.m. HK) More than 202 million vaccine doses have been administered around the world, according to data compiled by the Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker, just over two months after the first shots went into arms. According to the paper, in a cabinet meeting on Monday, the newly appointed Italian government will follow the example of Boris Johnson's government and proceed with mass vaccinations using all available doses, without setting aside some for second shots. The U.S. is poised to reach 500,000 Covid-19 deaths, almost a year after the first was reported. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- The U.K. government will draft in the armed forces to help with coronavirus testing in schools as pressure builds on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to delay the return of students as a more virulent strain of the virus takes hold. The move comes as the state investigates reports that ParCare Community Health Network in Orange County improperly distributed Covid-19 vaccines to people not on the state's priority list. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- The U.K. is trying various strategies to limit the impact of record high Covid-19 cases on health care and other sectors, while attempting to stay true to a vow to avoid new lockdowns. Covid-related absences among hospital staff jumped nearly two-thirds between Dec. 26 and Dec. 31, the Times reported on Sunday, citing National Health Service figures. [Extracted from the article]

NYC Mayor Calls for Federal Help (3:56 p.m. NY) New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called on the federalgovernment to step up supplies of tests and treatments tothe city amid a spike in infections caused by the omicronvariant. Germany Looks at Next Wave, Vaccine Mandates (10:40 a.m.NY) Germany's virus cases are only a few weeks past theirpeak, but Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said thecountry is already headed for a fifth wave afterregistering a "critical number" of omicron infections. [Extracted from the article]

Pockets of Europe are being infiltrated by the new coronavirus variant, with the U.K. now reporting two infections. Highly Probable Omicron Is in Germany (6:21 p.m. HK) It's "very likely" the new coronavirus strain, omicron, has arrived in Germany, a state official said Saturday. [Extracted from the article]

The new coronavirus variant is snowballing through Europe, with the U.K. now reporting two infections. The reports come as governments from the U.S. to Britain to Australia tightened restrictions on travel from countries in southern Africa. [Extracted from the article]

The only non-military hospital in Alaska's interior moved to "crisis standards", which can lead to rationing of medical care in what is now the U.S. state hardest hit by the virus. Hong Kong Overtakes U.S. in Vaccinations (12:24 p.m. HK) Hong Kong has fully vaccinated 55.8% of its population against Covid-19, surpassing the U.S., but has yet to announce plans to reopen its borders. [Extracted from the article]

The U.K. is on pace to start a vaccine booster program this month, Javid said, with a few details still to be ironed out. Keywords: ALLTOP; BUSINESS; COS; DRG; EUROPE; GLOBALMACR; GOV; HEA; INDUSTRIES; UK; WORLD; WWTOP EN ALLTOP BUSINESS COS DRG EUROPE GLOBALMACR GOV HEA INDUSTRIES UK WORLD WWTOP QZBG87DWX2PV (Bloomberg) - The U.K. will abandon plans to call for proof of vaccination to enter certain venues, and may soon drop mandatory testing for returning travelers as part of a further easing of coronavirus restrictions to be announced this week, even as cases remain high. [Extracted from the article]

The U.K. is on pace to start a vaccine booster program this month, Javid said. Keywords: ALLTOP; BUSINESS; COS; DRG; EUROPE; GLOBALMACR; GOV; HEA; INDUSTRIES; UK; WORLD; WWTOP EN ALLTOP BUSINESS COS DRG EUROPE GLOBALMACR GOV HEA INDUSTRIES UK WORLD WWTOP QZBD4KT1UM0W (Bloomberg) - The U.K. will abandon plans to call for proof of vaccination to enter venues, and may soon drop mandatory testing for returning travelers as part of a further easing of coronavirus restrictions to be announced this week, even as cases surge. [Extracted from the article]

Italy to Decide on Compulsory Vaccine (6:58 a.m NY) Italy will decide by the end of this month whether vaccines will become mandatory for all people aged 12 and over, Public Administration Minister Renato Brunetta said. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said most of the country can exit lockdown amid sustained progress in fighting an outbreak of Covid-19's delta variant. [Extracted from the article]

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said most of the country can exit lockdown amid sustained progress in fighting an outbreak of Covid-19's delta variant. "The most likely scenario is that most people in Japan would've gotten one of the already-approved vaccines by next year", said Shizuko Ueno, the project leader for Covid vaccine development at Daiichi Sankyo. [Extracted from the article]

Key Developments Global Tracker: Cases pass 220.5 million; deaths exceed 4.5 million Vaccine Tracker: More than 5.48 billion doses administered Daiichi Sankyo's vaccine could be used mainly as a booster Delta surge means this is as good as it gets for global growth They suffered through Covid, and still don't want the vaccine One vaccine makes more antibodies than another. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said most of the country can exit lockdown amid sustained progress in fighting an outbreak of Covid-19's delta variant. [Extracted from the article]

Japan, which previously committed to giving Vietnam 3 million vaccine doses, said it will provide the nation an unspecified additional number of doses, according to a post on the Vietnam government's website. Japan to Issue Online Vaccine Certs (08:16 a.m. HK) The Japanese government will issue online Covid-19 vaccine certificates from December, Nikkei reported. The U.K. is looking at requiring vaccine passports for entry to big venues by this month, though has yet to make a decision on jabs for healthy schoolchildren. [Extracted from the article]

The U.S. is poised to reach 500,000 Covid-19 deaths, almost a year after the first was reported. The U.K. government will take a "cautious" approach to easing lockdown, with restrictions lifted every few weeks to judge the impact, despite a significant acceleration of its vaccination program, a senior minister said. [Extracted from the article]

Fauci Says U.S. Moving in "Wrong Direction" (9:47 a.m. NY) The U.S. is moving in the "wrong direction" in combating a new wave of Covid-19, and a booster vaccine shot may be needed especially for the most vulnerable, said Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert. The top U.S. infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci, warned that the nation is moving in the "wrong direction" in combating a new wave of the pandemic as vaccinations slow, and said a booster shot may be needed especially for the most vulnerable. [Extracted from the article]

Japan Reported to Issue Vaccine Travel Passes (5:56 p.m. NY) Japan intends to issue Covid-19 vaccine passports this summer to inoculated residents traveling abroad to boost travel and other economic activities, Nikkei reported. U.S. hospitalizations fell, with the share of beds filled by Covid-19 patients at the lowest level since March 2020. [Extracted from the article]

On Thursday, the Biden administration announced that it would send 25 million vaccine doses to countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America but didn't specify the breakdown by country. U.S. hospitalizations fell, with the share of beds filled by Covid-19 patients at the lowest level since March 2020. [Extracted from the article]

U.S. hospitalizations fell, with the share of beds filled by Covid-19 patients at the lowest level since the March 2020. U.K. Reported to Donate More Than 100 Million Shots (3:02 p.m. HK) The U.K. is set to donate more than 100 million Covid jabs to developing countries, the Sunday Times reported, without saying where it got the information. [Extracted from the article]

The U.S. passed the milestone of administering more than 300 million Covid-19 vaccine doses. U.S. Administers 1.1 Million Daily Shots (7:35 a.m. NY) About 1.15 million doses of vaccine were administered in the U.S. on Saturday as the total rose to more than 300 million. [Extracted from the article]

U.S. Administers 1.1 Million Daily Shots (7:35 a.m. NY) About 1.15 million doses of vaccine were administered in the U.S. on Saturday as the total rose to more than 300 million. The U.S. passed the milestone of administering more than 300 million Covid-19 vaccine doses. [Extracted from the article]

The U.S. passed the milestone of administering more than 300 million Covid-19 vaccine doses. Malaysia to Invite 3,000 People to Clinical Trials (10 a.m. HK) Malaysia's health ministry said it will invite 3,000 people to participate in clinical trials for a new Covid-19 vaccine made by Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products Co. [Extracted from the article]

U.S. Administers 1.1 Million Daily Shots (7:35 a.m. NY) About 1.15 million doses of vaccine were administered in the U.S. on Saturday as the total rose to more than 300 million. The U.S. passed the milestone of administering more than 300 million Covid-19 vaccine doses. [Extracted from the article]

The U.S. passed the milestone of administering more than 300 million Covid-19 vaccine doses. Malaysia to Invite 3,000 People to Clinical Trials (10 a.m. HK) Malaysia's health ministry said it will invite 3,000 people to participate in clinical trials for a new Covid-19 vaccine made by Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products Co. [Extracted from the article]

U.K. to Step Up Second Doses: Telegraph (4:15 a.m. HK) The U.K. will accelerate its vaccination program so it can stay on its path out of lockdown, the Telegraph reported. China Authorizes Sinovac Vaccine for Children (11:10 a.m. HK) China authorized the emergency use of Sinovac Biotech Ltd.'s coronavirus vaccine for children, becoming the first major country to grant approval for those as young as three. [Extracted from the article]

U.S. cases and deaths continue to plunge and are back to the levels just after states began imposing restrictions in March 2020, despite the still-decreasing pace of vaccinations. Australia's PM Posts on Vaccine Progress (12:15 p.m. HK) One in five Australians aged 16 and over have received their first Covid-19 vaccine dose, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a Facebook post on Saturday. [Extracted from the article]

The British pharma giant is talking with the U.K. and other governments about building facilities to bring vaccine development and production onshore before the next crisis, said Roger Connor, its vaccines chief. The spread of coronavirus in the U.S. continues to slow, with the country ending its first week since June with no days of infections exceeding 30,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg. [Extracted from the article]

The British pharma giant is talking with the U.K. and other governments about building facilities to bring vaccine development and production onshore before the next crisis, said Roger Connor, its vaccines chief. The U.K. government has pushed back on claims from the former chief aide of Prime Minister Boris Johnson that officials pursued a herd immunity strategy in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. [Extracted from the article]

A total of 24.3 million Covid vaccine doses have now been administered in Germany, or around 30 doses per 100 people. New York will resume using the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine at state-run sites "immediately", Governor Andrew Cuomo said. [Extracted from the article]

Covid-19 deaths exceeded 3 million, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt expressed condolences to family of the woman, who was inoculated before the government's April 8 announcement that the Pfizer vaccine was preferred for people under the age of 50, given concerns about blood clotting linked to the AstraZeneca dose. Dubai Expands Eligibility Criteria Vaccinations (7:59 a.m. NY) Dubai is expanding its Covid-19 vaccination eligibility criteria. [Extracted from the article]

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves is the latest Republicangovernor opposing so-called "vaccine passports" thatwould document that an individual has received theCovid-19 vaccines to gain entry into businesses. (Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden issued an Eastermessage casting vaccinations as a "moral obligation, onethat can save your life and the lives of others."Republican opposition to vaccine passports grew asMississippi's governor said they were not "a good thingto do in America.". [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden issued an Eastermessage casting vaccinations as a "moral obligation, onethat can save your life and the lives of others."Republican opposition to vaccine passports grew asMississippi's governor said they were not "a good thingto do in America." Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves is the latest Republicangovernor opposing so-called "vaccine passports" thatwould document that an individual has received theCovid-19 vaccines to gain entry into businesses. [Extracted from the article]

The U.S. added 65,237 Covid-19 cases on Friday, broadly in line with a weekly decline of more than 10% in new infections. U.K. Scientist Says Variants Won't Stop Reopening (6:00 p.m. HK) The U.K. scientist in charge of tracking strains of the Covid-19 told the Times newspaper that new variants are "very unlikely" to stop Britain getting back to normal in the summer. [Extracted from the article]

The U.S. added 65,237 Covid-19 cases on Friday, broadly in line with a weekly decline of more than 10% in new infections. U.K. Scientist Says Variants Won't Stop Reopening (6:00 p.m. HK) The U.K. scientist in charge of tracking strains of the Covid-19 told the Times newspaper that new variants are "very unlikely" to stop Britain getting back to normal in the summer. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he'll announce plans next week to lift restrictions, as the nation's vaccination program continues apace and daily cases fell below 10,000 for the first time since October. Portuguese Premier Gets Jab (10:30 a.m. NY) Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa was given his first vaccine dose in Lisbon on Monday, the premier's office said. Thailand to Get First Vaccines by End of Month (2:58 p.m. HK) Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha said the nation's first batch of Covid-19 vaccines will arrive in the last week of the month. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel wants a gradual reopening of shuttered stores and hotels next month as long as the coronavirus infection rate continues to fall in Europe's biggest economy. Hong Kong Meeting (11:49 a.m. HK) Hong Kong will hold a briefing on virus measures later Wednesday after a meeting of its expert committee on Sinovac's vaccine. NYC Surpasses 1 Million Doses (10:55 a.m. NY) New York City has surpassed 1 million vaccine doses, a major milestone but missing a goal that Mayor Bill de Blasio had hoped to reach by the end of January. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- AstraZeneca Plc's Covid vaccine showed 82% effectiveness with a three-month gap between two shots, according to a new study that bolsters the U.K.'s controversial decision to adopt an extended dosing interval. When the U.K. approved the vaccine in December, regulators signaled that they thought the discrepancy was more likely linked to the interval between shots than the dosing level. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- AstraZeneca Plc's Covid vaccine showed 82% effectiveness with a three-month gap between two shots, according to a new study that bolsters the U.K.'s controversial decision to adopt an extended dosing interval. The vaccine may also significantly reduce transmission of the virus, according to analysis of trial data by the University of Oxford, which developed the shot with the U.K. drugmaker. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- The U.K.'s third coronavirus lockdown looks set to endure as the government warned it's too early to contemplate easing restrictions. Summer Earlier, Johnson was asked if the lockdown may need to last into the summer, and did not rule it out, warning only that the new coronavirus strain is "much more contagious" and that the U.K. faces "what is unquestionably going to be a tough few weeks ahead.". [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- The U.K.'s third coronavirus lockdown looks set to endure as the government warned it's too early to contemplate easing restrictions. Summer Earlier, Johnson was asked if the lockdown may need to last into the summer, and did not rule it out, warning only that the new coronavirus strain is "much more contagious" and that the U.K. faces "what is unquestionably going to be a tough few weeks ahead.". [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- The U.K.'s third coronavirus lockdown looks set to endure as the government warned it's too early to contemplate easing restrictions. Summer Earlier, Johnson was asked if the lockdown may need to last into the summer, and did not rule it out, warning only that the new coronavirus strain is "much more contagious" and that the U.K. faces "what is unquestionably going to be a tough few weeks ahead.". [Extracted from the article]

Japan has found a variant of the coronavirus similar to strains discovered in Britain and South Africa. Japan Says It Found New Coronavirus Variant (6:32 a.m. NY) Japan's National Institute of Infectious Diseases said authorities have found a new strain of the coronavirus in four passengers arriving from Brazil. [Extracted from the article]

Japan has found a variant of the coronavirus similar to strains discovered in Britain and South Africa. Japan Weighs Approving Pfizer Vaccine for Ages 16 and Up: NHK (10:13 a.m. HK) Japan's government is considering approving Pfizer Inc.'s Covid-19 vaccine for use by individuals aged 16 and above, broadcaster NHK reported. [Extracted from the article]

The U.K. is on course to meet its target for vaccines, but faces pressure on the health service due to surging cases, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said. Pfizer and BioNTech SE, which applied for regulatory approval of their coronavirus vaccine in Japan last month, have agreed to provide 120 million doses to the country in the first half of 2021. [Extracted from the article]

The U.K. is on the road to meeting its target for vaccines, but faces pressure on the health service due to surging cases, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said. Japan's government is reportedly considering approving Pfizer Inc.'s vaccine for use by individuals aged 16 years and above, while India will kickstart one of the world's largest coronavirus inoculation campaigns on Jan. 16. Pfizer and BioNTech SE, which applied for regulatory approval of their coronavirus vaccine in Japan last month, have agreed to provide 120 million doses to the country in the first half of 2021. [Extracted from the article]

The U.K. is on course to meet its target for vaccines, but faces pressure on the health system due to surging cases, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said. Japan's government is reportedly considering approving Pfizer Inc.'s vaccine for use by individuals aged 16 years and above, while India will kickstart one of the world's largest coronavirus inoculation campaigns on Jan. 16. Pfizer and BioNTech SE, which applied for regulatory approval of their coronavirus vaccine in Japan last month, have agreed to provide 120 million doses to the country in the first half of 2021. [Extracted from the article]

U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the country is on course to meet its coronavirus vaccine target, but warned of the pressure on the health system due to a surge in cases. Japan's government is reportedly considering approving Pfizer Inc.'s vaccine for use by individuals aged 16 years and above, while India will kickstart one of the world's largest coronavirus inoculation campaigns on Jan. 16. Pfizer and BioNTech SE, which applied for regulatory approval of their coronavirus vaccine in Japan last month, have agreed to provide 120 million doses to the country in the first half of 2021. [Extracted from the article]

U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the country is on course to meet its coronavirus vaccine target, but warned of the pressure on the health system due to a surge in cases. Japan's government is reportedly considering approving Pfizer Inc.'s vaccine for use by individuals aged 16 years and above, while India will kickstart one of the world's largest coronavirus inoculation campaigns on Jan. 16. Pfizer and BioNTech SE, which applied for regulatory approval of their coronavirus vaccine in Japan last month, have agreed to provide 120 million doses to the country in the first half of 2021. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration urged that vaccines be given according to how the agency has authorized them, in a rebuke to officials attempting to alter the timing and dosage of shots. New York has case of virus variant (5:15 a.m. HK) New York State has found its first case of the U.K. variant of coronavirus, Governor Andrew Cuomo said. [Extracted from the article]

New York became the fourth state to pass 1 million total Covid-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. New York State Surpasses 1 Million Covid-19 Cases (1:47 p.m. NY) New York state passed 1 million Covid-19 cases, after a somber year in which more than 30,000 of its residents died from the virus. [Extracted from the article]