TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan on Tuesday extended a coronavirus state of emergency in several parts of the country, with less than six months to go until the pandemic-postponed Olympics. The month-long extension will cover 10 of the 11 areas currently under the measure, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said at a meeting with the taskforce guiding the government’s pandemic response. © Agence France-Presse
Tag: Virus
PHL to get 3 million COVID-19 vaccine doses this February – Galvez
Majority of vaccines this month coming from Pfizer, AstraZeneca (Eagle News) — Philippine vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez said that there will be three million vaccine doses against COVID-19 which will be coming in this February. In his report to President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, Feb. 1, Galvez said that these 3 million vaccine doses will be among the first batches of the expected 148 million vaccine doses targeted for this year by the […]
More than 100 million vaccinated worldwide
But none of 29 poorest countries has formally started vaccination drive by Jean-Philippe CHOGNOT Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — More than 100 million Covid-19 vaccines have been given around the world, an AFP tally from official sources found Tuesday. But none of the world’s 29 poorest countries has formally started mass vaccination drives, while the richest nations have given more than two-thirds of jabs administered. Israel leads the race by far, with […]
Vaccine shortfall forces EU to modify jabs strategy
by Marc BURLEIGH Agence France Presse BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — The European Commission said Monday a shortfall in deliveries from Anglo-Swedish firm AstraZeneca had forced it to recalibrate its early coronavirus vaccination strategy. The head of the Commission’s health directorate, Sandra Gallina, told MEPs the firm has been able to guarantee just 25 percent of the more than 100 million doses promised and that this was “a real issue” for the EU’s 27 countries. […]
Japan says EU export curbs delaying its Covid-19 vaccination plan
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — EU export rules are preventing Japan from finalizing its coronavirus vaccination plan, a Tokyo minister said Tuesday, after the bloc introduced a controversial new mechanism for the shipment of jabs made inside its borders. With less than six months until the pandemic-postponed Tokyo Olympics, Japan has yet to set out when it will vaccinate its population of 126 million people, although it hopes to give the first doses later in February. […]
Huge snowstorm hits US east coast, disrupting virus vaccinations
by Peter HUTCHISON Agence France Presse NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — A huge snowstorm brought chaos to the United States’ east coast Monday, canceling thousands of flights, closing schools and forcing the postponement of coronavirus vaccinations as New York City steeled itself for possibly one of its heaviest ever snowfalls. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued storm warnings from Virginia to Maine — home to tens of millions of people — as heavy […]
England to step up testing after detecting 11 S.African variant cases
by Joe JACKSON Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Health officials said Monday they will urgently increase testing in eight areas across England where nearly a dozen South African Covid-19 variant cases have been identified in the last week. The 11 cases, detected in genomic sequencing carried out on random samples of positive coronavirus results, cannot be traced back to international travel, prompting concerns of localised transmission. The move in the areas […]
S.Africa passes second wave peak as first vaccines land
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday said the country had “passed the peak” of its second coronavirus infection wave, allowing for the easing of restrictions ahead of first vaccinations this month. The country hit hardest in Africa had earlier taken delivery of its first shipment of coronavirus shots, paving the way to the first phase of inoculation. Ramaphosa said in an address to the nation that that “first good […]
Roque: 5.6 million vaccine doses from Pfizer, AstraZeneca to arrive this first quarter
Over 9.4-M vaccine doses to arrive under WHO’s COVAX Facility by second quarter (Eagle News) — Malacanang said that around 5.6 million vaccine doses from Pfizer and AstraZeneca would be arriving in the country this first quarter, with the first batches to arrive this February in preparation for the Philippines mass vaccination drive against COVID-19. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced this on Monday, Feb. 1, saying that this was the “very good news” he wanted […]
Chicago mayor says schools safe to reopen despite pandemic
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The mayor of Chicago has said the US city’s public schools are “safe” and will reopen Monday, despite teachers union calls for them to continue remote work due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “We expect all of our teachers who have not received a specific accommodation to come to school tomorrow,” Lori Lightfoot said during a press conference. “Those who do not report to work, and I hate to even […]
Saudi warns of virus restrictions as infections rise
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Saudi Arabia’s health minister warned Sunday that new coronavirus restrictions could be imposed amid an uptick in infections, as the kingdom slows the rollout of vaccines due to supply delays. “We have seen in recent days a noticeable and continuous rise in coronavirus infections,” Tawfiq al-Rabiah said in a video message, blaming “gatherings and lax enforcement of preventative measures”. “The lack of compliance will undoubtedly force us to introduce measures […]
AstraZeneca to increase EU vaccine deliveries by 30 percent: Von der Leyen
BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — AstraZeneca will increase its coronavirus vaccine deliveries to the EU by 30 percent, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Sunday as the bloc sought to claw back time lost rolling out the jabs. The British-Swedish company had announced last week that it could deliver only a quarter of the doses originally promised to the bloc for the first quarter of the year because of problems at one of its […]





