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 Europe reviewing Russia's COVID-19 vaccine
Europe's medicines regulator said on Thursday it has started a
review of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine developed by Russia's
Gamaleya Institute for possible approval in the region, in a major
sign of confidence in the shot.
The human medicines committee of the European Medicines Agency will
review data from ongoing vaccine trials until there is enough
clinical data for approval.
Sputnik V was almost 92% effective in fighting COVID-19, based on
peer-reviewed late-stage trial results published in the Lancet
medical journal last month.
Germany agrees easing of curbs
Chancellor Angela Merkel and German state leaders agreed on
Wednesday a phased easing of coronavirus curbs but added an
"emergency brake" to let authorities re-impose restrictions if case
numbers slip out of control.
With elections looming, Merkel and the regional leaders have faced
growing pressure to set out plans to restore normal activities after
four months of lockdown.
However, daily cases are creeping up again and only around 5% of the
population has received a first vaccine shot.
Biden says 'big mistake' for states to lift mask mandates
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Wednesday decisions to end the
required wearing of masks - such as those by the governors of Texas
and Mississippi - amounted to "Neanderthal thinking", given the
rising death toll from the coronavirus pandemic.
Asked if he had a message for Texas and Mississippi, Biden told
reporters, "I think it's a big mistake. Look, I hope everybody's
realized by now, these masks make a difference."
Cases in the United States remain above 50,000 a day, even after the
government has distributed more than 100 million doses of vaccine,
putting shots into more than 50 million arms, according to federal
data.
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 Raging pandemic shuts down Sao
Paulo
Brazil set a daily record for COVID-19 deaths
for a second straight day on Wednesday, as a
resurgence of the virus led the state of Sao
Paulo to shutter businesses and the government
to try to close vaccine deals with Pfizer and
Janssen. With a new variant from
the Amazon spurring more infections, 1,910 people died of the virus
in the past 24 hours, health ministry data shows. In a year,
Brazil's death toll has nearly topped 260,000, the world's second
worst after the United States.
A sputtering vaccination campaign has also put pressure on Health
Minister Eduardo Pazuello, who said on Wednesday he was close to an
agreement with Pfizer, effectively overcoming a dispute over
liability clauses.
Thailand to allow tourists to quarantine in resorts
Thailand's tourism minister said on Thursday he would propose a plan
for foreigners to spend quarantine in popular tourist areas,
including beach resorts, in a bid to help revive the struggling
tourism sector.
The economy suffered its biggest contraction in more than two
decades last year, as tourism slumped due to the pandemic.
The hotel quarantine plan is expected to start in April or May in
the provinces of Phuket, Krabi, Surat Thani, Chonburi and Chiang
Mai, the minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, told reporters.
(Compiled by Linda Noakes; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
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