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 New Zealand reports first death linked to Pfizer vaccine
New Zealand on Monday reported what authorities said was the
country's first recorded death linked to the Pfizer COVID-19
vaccine. The information was released by the health ministry
following a review by an independent COVID-19 vaccine safety
monitoring board of the death of a woman after receiving the
vaccine. The ministry's statement did not give the woman's age.
The board considered that the woman's death was due to myocarditis,
which is known to be a rare side effect of the Pfizer COVID-19
vaccine, the statement said. Myocarditis is an inflammation of the
heart muscle that can limit the organ's ability to pump blood and
can cause changes in heartbeat rhythms.
A weary Australia plans reopening as death toll hits 1,000
As Australia's COVID-19 deaths exceed 1,000, a grim toll but modest
by global standards, a country that has used relentless lockdowns
now faces perhaps its biggest health policy challenge of the
pandemic - how to reopen. Australia plans to start easing
restrictions once 70% of those aged 16 and over are fully
vaccinated, expected late in the year. After 80% comes a gradual
reopening of international travel, according to the
government-backed plan modelled by the Melbourne-based Doherty
Institute.
The lesson for Australia is that mask-wearing should not be
discarded as restrictions ease and that classrooms should be better
ventilated to protect students from the airborne virus, said
epidemiologist Raina MacIntyre.
More data needed, Japan says on mixed use of vaccines
Japan's top government spokesman, Katsunobu Kato, said on Monday
there was not enough data yet to actively promote the mixed use of
COVID-19 vaccines, and that further information was needed before
reaching any decision on the matter.
The comment comes after Taro Kono, minister in charge of Japan's
vaccination programme, said on Sunday Japan is looking into the
possibility of mixing shots of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine with
those developed by other drugmakers in a bid to speed up its vaccine
rollout.
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 Fauci backs vaccine mandate for
U.S. schoolchildren
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious
disease expert, said on Sunday he supports
COVID-19 vaccine mandates for children attending
schools as the highly contagious Delta variant
continues to fuel a surge in cases in the
nation. Currently, children
under 12 are not eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. But Fauci,
in a separate interview on ABC's "This Week" program, said there
should be enough data by early October for the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration to consider whether the shot is safe for children
under that age. Thailand to allow local flights in
COVID-risk areas
Thailand will allow some domestic flights to and from Bangkok and
other high risk areas for COVID-19 to resume from Sept. 1, the
country's aviation authority said Sunday, to help boost economic
activity. Local flights can fly at up to 75% capacity and passengers
will have to follow travel conditions at destinations such as
presenting proof of vaccinations and COVID-19 testing results, the
Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand said in a statement.
The announcement follows the easing of tough curbs in 29 high-risk
provinces from next month, including allowing more provincial travel
and the reopening of shopping malls, as the government tries to
revive a struggling economy hit by the outbreak.
(Compiled by Karishma Singh; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
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