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 UK cut off over fears about new COVID strain
The United Kingdom stood shut off from the rest of Europe on Monday
after allies cut transport ties over fears of a new coronavirus
strain, sowing chaos for families, truckers and supermarkets just
days before the Brexit cliff edge.
France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland,
Ireland, Belgium, Israel and Canada were among those that shut off
travel ties after Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that a highly
infectious new strain of the virus was a danger to the country.
Johnson will chair an emergency response meeting on Monday to
discuss international travel, in particular the flow of freight in
and out of Britain. EU officials are due to hold a meeting at 1000
GMT on coordinating their response.
France shut its border to arrivals of people and trucks from the
United Kingdom, closing off one of the most important trade arteries
with mainland Europe, a step Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said
was surprising.
Australia detects new UK strain; HK, India cancel Britain flights
Australia said on Monday it had detected cases of the new
fast-spreading coronavirus strain identified in the United Kingdom,
while Hong Kong and India said they would suspend flights from
Britain.
Two travellers from the United Kingdom to Australia's New South
Wales state were found carrying the mutated variant of the virus
that Britain has said could be up to 70% more infectious. Both are
in hotel quarantine, and the recent spike in infections in Sydney is
not linked to this, authorities said.
The new strain has prompted Britain's European neighbours and
several others including Canada and Iran to close their doors to
travellers from the country.
Much is unknown about the strain, but experts said current vaccines
should still be effective against it.
U.S. Congress reaches deal on COVID-19 aid package
U.S. congressional leaders reached agreement on Sunday on a $900
billion package to provide the first new aid in months to an economy
and individuals battered by the surging coronavirus pandemic, with
votes likely on Monday.
The package would be the second-largest economic stimulus in U.S.
history, following a $2.3 trillion aid bill passed in March. It
comes as the pandemic accelerates, infecting more than 214,000
people in the country each day. More than 317,000 Americans have
already died.
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 The package would give $600
direct payments to individuals and boost
unemployment payments by $300 a week. It also
includes billions for small businesses, food
assistance, vaccine distribution, transit and
healthcare. It extends a moratorium on
foreclosures and provides $25 billion in rental
aid. EU agreed 15.50 euros per
dose for Pfizer vaccine - document
The European Union has agreed to pay 15.50 euros ($18.90) per dose
for the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, an
internal EU document reviewed by Reuters shows.
The price, which is confidential and was negotiated for atotal of
300 million doses, is slightly lower than the $19.50per shot the
United States agreed to pay for a first shipment of100 million doses
of the same vaccine, in line with what Reutersreported in November.
The EU document dated Nov. 18 was circulated internallyafter the EU
announced its supply deal with Pfizer and itsGerman partner BioNTech
on Nov. 11.
The EU drug regulator is expected to decide on Monday onapproval for
the Pfizer vaccine after the shot was authorised inseveral
countries, including Britain and the United States.
S.Korea's capital to ban gatherings larger than four as coronavirus
deaths rise
South Korea's capital Seoul and surrounding areas banned gatherings
of more than four people over the Christmas and New Year holidays as
the country recorded its highest daily death toll from the
coronavirus on Monday.
 The national government has resisted calls to impose a strict
national lockdown but the governments of Seoul, Gyeonggi Province
and Incheon city ordered unprecedented restrictions on gatherings
from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3.
"We cannot overcome the current crisis without reducing cluster
infections that are spreading through private gatherings with
families, friends and colleagues," Seoul acting mayor Seo Jung-hyup
said at a briefing.
"This is the last chance to break the spread."
(Compiled by Karishma Singh and Alex Richardson; Editing by Stephen
Coates)
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