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Coronavirus live news: France may impose regional lockdowns; South Korea starts vaccinations Coronavirus live news: France may impose regional lockdowns; South Korea starts vaccinations
(32 minutes later)
French PM says worrying Covid spread in 20 areas; global death toll passes 2.5m; Brazil death toll passes 250,000. Follow latest updatesFrench PM says worrying Covid spread in 20 areas; global death toll passes 2.5m; Brazil death toll passes 250,000. Follow latest updates
Let’s take a look at what the British papers are covering this morning, and the Queen’s Covid jab is spread across almost all of them. The Telegraph and the Mail both focus on the Queen saying not having the jab is selfish.
The Sun and the Metro both print a play on words with: “Right as reign” and “One is not immune”, respectively.
The Mirror has “Do one’s duty” and the Express leads with “Queen’s shock message: do your duty … get the jab!”
The Times says “Vaccination passports ‘will be here by summer’”.
The Guardian meanwhile has (School) “Heads tell of despair at mask and test rules”. You can read the full story on England’s headteachers fearing that the reopening of schools could be undermined because parents will not consent to Covid testing for their children and because guidance on the wearing of face masks in classes is unenforceable.
The front page also has a large picture Lady Gaga who has offered a reward of $500,000 for the return of her stolen dogs.
The former British prime minister, Tony Blair, says the length of the Covid outbreak could have been cut by three months if they had collaborated on vaccines, testing and drugs.
Blair, who was Labour PM from 2997 to 2007, urged the UK to take the lead in developing a new “health security infrastructure” that would ensure countries coordinate better in identifying emerging new threats as well as developing, testing and manufacturing vaccines and treatments.
“Had there been global coordination a year ago, I think we could have shaved at least three months off this virus,” Blair told the Guardian in an interview.
The report, The New Necessary, published by his Institute for Global Change, argues that in future, with the right international coordination and investment, the creation of a new vaccine could be achieved in as little as 100 days.
“The time that it’s taken for us to identify the virus, to develop a vaccine and to get it into production and distribution has been roughly, 15 months. And the result of that has been that the world has suffered a huge, catastrophic economic event as well as a health event,” he said.
You can read the full story here.
The coronavirus has had wide-ranging impacts on people’s lives all over the world, but this story from North Korea is more than a little unusual, as Justin McCurry reports, from Tokyo.The coronavirus has had wide-ranging impacts on people’s lives all over the world, but this story from North Korea is more than a little unusual, as Justin McCurry reports, from Tokyo.
In normal times, most diplomats can expect to end a foreign posting with an official – if not always fond – farewell from their hosts and a comfortable journey back to their native country.In normal times, most diplomats can expect to end a foreign posting with an official – if not always fond – farewell from their hosts and a comfortable journey back to their native country.
But for one group of Russian envoys and their families, the coronavirus pandemic meant there was only one way home – under their own steam on a hand-pushed rail trolley.But for one group of Russian envoys and their families, the coronavirus pandemic meant there was only one way home – under their own steam on a hand-pushed rail trolley.
A video clip shows some members of the group smiling and shouting for the camera as they push the trolley over the a bridge spanning the Tumen river, which divides North Korea and Russia.A video clip shows some members of the group smiling and shouting for the camera as they push the trolley over the a bridge spanning the Tumen river, which divides North Korea and Russia.
A still image captures the trolley, loaded down with suitcases, as it makes it way through the wintry North Korean countryside.A still image captures the trolley, loaded down with suitcases, as it makes it way through the wintry North Korean countryside.
A more conventional exit from North Korea has not been possible since the country closed its land borders and banned international air travel early on in the pandemic.A more conventional exit from North Korea has not been possible since the country closed its land borders and banned international air travel early on in the pandemic.
The country continues to insist – to widespread scepticism – that it has not recorded a single case of Covid-19, although it has reportedly quarantined tens of thousands of people in an attempt to prevent an outbreak.The country continues to insist – to widespread scepticism – that it has not recorded a single case of Covid-19, although it has reportedly quarantined tens of thousands of people in an attempt to prevent an outbreak.
“Since the borders have been closed for more than a year and passenger traffic has been stopped, it took a long and difficult journey to get home,” Russia’s foreign ministry said in a post on social media.“Since the borders have been closed for more than a year and passenger traffic has been stopped, it took a long and difficult journey to get home,” Russia’s foreign ministry said in a post on social media.
The group of eight, including a three-year-old child, travelled 32 hours by train and two hours by bus from the North Korean capital Pyongyang to reach the Russian border on Thursday, the foreign ministry added.The group of eight, including a three-year-old child, travelled 32 hours by train and two hours by bus from the North Korean capital Pyongyang to reach the Russian border on Thursday, the foreign ministry added.
The ministry name-checked the embassy’s third secretary, Vladislav Sorokin, as the trolley’s “engine” after he pushed it for more than a kilometre.The ministry name-checked the embassy’s third secretary, Vladislav Sorokin, as the trolley’s “engine” after he pushed it for more than a kilometre.
The group used the trolley to cover the short, final leg of the journey across the border and were greeted by officials on the Russian side before travelling by bus to Vladivostok airport.The group used the trolley to cover the short, final leg of the journey across the border and were greeted by officials on the Russian side before travelling by bus to Vladivostok airport.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 9,997 to 2,424,684, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Friday.The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 9,997 to 2,424,684, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Friday.
The reported death toll rose by 394 to 69,519, the tally showed.The reported death toll rose by 394 to 69,519, the tally showed.
Global deaths from the coronavirus pandemic have passed 2.5m, according to Johns Hopkins University data, and global infections are just under 113m.Global deaths from the coronavirus pandemic have passed 2.5m, according to Johns Hopkins University data, and global infections are just under 113m.
The Japanese government is poised to end its coronavirus state of emergency in five prefectures on Friday, a week earlier than scheduled, after a dramatic fall in new cases across the country.The Japanese government is poised to end its coronavirus state of emergency in five prefectures on Friday, a week earlier than scheduled, after a dramatic fall in new cases across the country.
Emergency measures, including requests for bars and restaurants to close at 8 pm, are expected to be lifted in Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Aichi and Gifu prefectures, the Kyodo news agency cited government sources as saying. But they will remain in place in Tokyo and the neighbouring prefectures of Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba.Emergency measures, including requests for bars and restaurants to close at 8 pm, are expected to be lifted in Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Aichi and Gifu prefectures, the Kyodo news agency cited government sources as saying. But they will remain in place in Tokyo and the neighbouring prefectures of Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba.
Officials will make a decision on Fukuoka’s possible exit from the state of emergency after reviewing the availability of hospital beds in the south-western prefecture, Kyodo said.Officials will make a decision on Fukuoka’s possible exit from the state of emergency after reviewing the availability of hospital beds in the south-western prefecture, Kyodo said.
The state of emergency - Japan’s second since the start of the pandemic - began in 11 of the country’s 47 prefectures on 7 January and was extended for another month until 7 March. Tochigi, north of Tokyo, has already been withdrawn.The state of emergency - Japan’s second since the start of the pandemic - began in 11 of the country’s 47 prefectures on 7 January and was extended for another month until 7 March. Tochigi, north of Tokyo, has already been withdrawn.
While Japanese authorities do not have the legal powers to impose restrictions on businesses or individuals, requests to shorten opening hours and avoid non-essential outings appear to be paying off. Companies have been encouraged to adopt remote working, and attendance at large events such as concerts and sports fixtures has been capped at 5,000.While Japanese authorities do not have the legal powers to impose restrictions on businesses or individuals, requests to shorten opening hours and avoid non-essential outings appear to be paying off. Companies have been encouraged to adopt remote working, and attendance at large events such as concerts and sports fixtures has been capped at 5,000.
Japan recorded 1,065 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, according to public broadcaster NHK, well below the daily peak of almost 8,000 on 8 January. Seventy-four deaths were attributed to the virus on the same day, down from a high of 121 in early February.Japan recorded 1,065 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, according to public broadcaster NHK, well below the daily peak of almost 8,000 on 8 January. Seventy-four deaths were attributed to the virus on the same day, down from a high of 121 in early February.
The government is hoping to lift the state of emergency in the remaining four prefectures as planned on 7 March, NHK added.The government is hoping to lift the state of emergency in the remaining four prefectures as planned on 7 March, NHK added.
Health experts said the lifting of most restrictions should not be taken as a sign that life is returning to normal. “There is a danger it could send the wrong message that everything is all right now,” Toshio Nakagawa, head of the Japan Medical Association, said on Thursday.Health experts said the lifting of most restrictions should not be taken as a sign that life is returning to normal. “There is a danger it could send the wrong message that everything is all right now,” Toshio Nakagawa, head of the Japan Medical Association, said on Thursday.
In the US, Joe Biden has hailed the 50m coronavirus vaccine doses given since he took office, but warned that the country must not relax.In the US, Joe Biden has hailed the 50m coronavirus vaccine doses given since he took office, but warned that the country must not relax.
“We’re halfway there: 50 million shots in 37 days,” Biden said, referring to his ambition of 100m doses in his first 100 days as president. “That’s weeks ahead of schedule.”“We’re halfway there: 50 million shots in 37 days,” Biden said, referring to his ambition of 100m doses in his first 100 days as president. “That’s weeks ahead of schedule.”
But Biden warned that variants could continue to spread, leading to more cases and hospitalisations. He appealed to Americans to keep up with social distancing measures and wear face coverings.But Biden warned that variants could continue to spread, leading to more cases and hospitalisations. He appealed to Americans to keep up with social distancing measures and wear face coverings.
“This is not the time to relax,” he said.“This is not the time to relax,” he said.
Biden admitted he could not say when the country would return to normalcy.Biden admitted he could not say when the country would return to normalcy.
“I can’t give you a date,” the president said.“I can’t give you a date,” the president said.
“I can only promise we will work as hard as we can to make that day come as soon as possible.”“I can only promise we will work as hard as we can to make that day come as soon as possible.”
You can read our full story here.You can read our full story here.
France and Germany have agreed to require coronavirus tests for workers commuting across their shared border.France and Germany have agreed to require coronavirus tests for workers commuting across their shared border.
“Border closures are not on the agenda for now,” Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters in Berlin after a video summit of EU leaders.“Border closures are not on the agenda for now,” Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters in Berlin after a video summit of EU leaders.
France’s hard-hit Moselle department was striking its own deals with Germany’s neighbouring Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate regions, Merkel said.France’s hard-hit Moselle department was striking its own deals with Germany’s neighbouring Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate regions, Merkel said.
Covid-19, including the more dangerous South African variant, is spreading faster in the eastern Moselle region than elsewhere in France.Covid-19, including the more dangerous South African variant, is spreading faster in the eastern Moselle region than elsewhere in France.
But she added that the case of Germany’s borders with the Czech Republic and Austria’s Tyrol region, which have been closed, was “very different”.But she added that the case of Germany’s borders with the Czech Republic and Austria’s Tyrol region, which have been closed, was “very different”.
“It was the relevant German regional authorities who asked us” to block crossings, Merkel said.“It was the relevant German regional authorities who asked us” to block crossings, Merkel said.
Closing the French-German border in spring 2020 during the first pandemic wave created tensions between the two countries, even at the level of local populations.Closing the French-German border in spring 2020 during the first pandemic wave created tensions between the two countries, even at the level of local populations.
In Australia, the state of Victoria will start easing it’s restrictions after authorities deemed new locally acquired cases detected for the first time in a week in the state will not pose any public health risk. The state’s capital, Melbourne, had the longest lockdown in the world in 2020 – 110 days – and recently renewed some restrictions after cases discovered from hotel quarantine.In Australia, the state of Victoria will start easing it’s restrictions after authorities deemed new locally acquired cases detected for the first time in a week in the state will not pose any public health risk. The state’s capital, Melbourne, had the longest lockdown in the world in 2020 – 110 days – and recently renewed some restrictions after cases discovered from hotel quarantine.
Permitted outdoor gatherings will now be increased to 100 people and households will be able to host up to 30 guests from 11.59pm on Friday night, though masks will remain mandatory in public transport, indoor shopping centres and supermarkets.Permitted outdoor gatherings will now be increased to 100 people and households will be able to host up to 30 guests from 11.59pm on Friday night, though masks will remain mandatory in public transport, indoor shopping centres and supermarkets.
Crowds of up to 50% capacity will be allowed into the 100,000-seat Melbourne Cricket Ground when the Australian Football League season starts, the highest permitted threshold in almost a year since all sports were suspended.Crowds of up to 50% capacity will be allowed into the 100,000-seat Melbourne Cricket Ground when the Australian Football League season starts, the highest permitted threshold in almost a year since all sports were suspended.
“It’s been a hard slog, but Victorians are doing what they do best as we work to beat this virus, staying the course and looking out for each other,” the premier, Daniel Andrews said.“It’s been a hard slog, but Victorians are doing what they do best as we work to beat this virus, staying the course and looking out for each other,” the premier, Daniel Andrews said.
Nationally, Australia has been reporting zero or low single-digit cases for the last several weeks after quashing outbreaks over the Christmas period through snap lockdowns and speedy contact tracing.Nationally, Australia has been reporting zero or low single-digit cases for the last several weeks after quashing outbreaks over the Christmas period through snap lockdowns and speedy contact tracing.
As I mentioned earlier, the first AstraZeneca jabs began in South Korea today, with nursing home workers and some patients at facilities across the country receiving doses.As I mentioned earlier, the first AstraZeneca jabs began in South Korea today, with nursing home workers and some patients at facilities across the country receiving doses.
Amid the rollout, the prime minister Chung Sye-kyun said authorities would extend social distancing rules by two weeks nationwide, including a ban on private gatherings larger than four people, to blunt a coronavirus surge.Amid the rollout, the prime minister Chung Sye-kyun said authorities would extend social distancing rules by two weeks nationwide, including a ban on private gatherings larger than four people, to blunt a coronavirus surge.
Chung warned against large outbreaks before the general public begins to receive the vaccine.Chung warned against large outbreaks before the general public begins to receive the vaccine.
“Sporadic cluster infections continue in our everyday life, such as in workplaces, hospitals, and family gatherings,” Chung told a government meeting on Friday. “We have a long way to go to herd immunity.”“Sporadic cluster infections continue in our everyday life, such as in workplaces, hospitals, and family gatherings,” Chung told a government meeting on Friday. “We have a long way to go to herd immunity.”
Despite a tourism-dependent economy devastated by coronavirus shutdowns, Vanuatu’s Covid-19 vaccination programme will not inoculate most of its population until the end of 2023.
According to the ministry of health’s national deployment and vaccination plan, the first shots will be administered in April this year, but only the most vulnerable 20% of the population will get a jab in the first phase.
First to be immunised will be health workers, border control, immigration and quarantine workers, followed by public transport drivers and other key potential vectors. They will be followed by people aged 55 and older, and those over 35 with pre-existing health conditions that put them at greater risk.
The majority of Vanuatu’s population of 307,000, living across more than 60 islands, will not be immunised until 2023.
Government budget figures for the vaccine rollout forecast approximately 60,000 people being inoculated in 2021, just under 97,000 in 2022, and 161,000 in 2023.
You can read the full story here.
New Zealand has reported one new community case of Covid-19, though the infected person has been in quarantine since February 23.
The latest Auckland outbreak, now a dozen people strong, has seen Australia declare the city a “hotspot” and close its borders to New Zealand citizens. Air New Zealand has halted all flights to Australia until Sunday, pending review.
A KFC in south Auckland where an infected person worked has now been closed for deep-cleaning, and anyone who visited the restaurant between 3.30pm on 22 February and 12.30pm on 23 of February is being asked to self-isolate for 14 days.
Auckland remains at level one, with health authorities saying the recent outbreak can be managed by contacts of the cluster staying at home, rather than a city-wide lockdown.
In Britain, the Queen has said her Covid vaccine “didn’t hurt at all” and urged those wary of receiving the vaccine to “think about other people”.
The 94-year-old was vaccinated along with her husband Prince Philip in January, telling health officials leading the rollout in a video call that she now felt “protected”.
“It was very quick, and I’ve had lots of letters from people who have been very surprised by how easy it was to get the vaccine. And the jab - it didn’t hurt at all,” she said.
“Once you’ve had the vaccine you have a feeling of, you know, you’re protected, which is I think very important.
“It is obviously difficult for people if they’ve never had a vaccine... but they ought to think about other people rather than themselves.”
More than 18 million people across Britain have now been jabbed as part of the vaccination drive that is seen as crucial in tackling one of the world’s worst outbreaks, which has claimed more than 122,000 lives.
You can read our full story here or click on the video below.
The European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, has warned against virus fatigue in member states and said that three variants – from the UK, South Africa and Brazil, were present in a number of states (all states, 14 states and 7 states, respectively).
At a virtual summit, she reassured EU leaders over vaccine distribution, saying she would ban vaccines from leaving the EU if suppliers filed to deliver again.
“If companies don’t fulfil their contractual obligations, yet do export, the commission may decide to make a move under the export regime,” Von der Leyen told the heads of state.
She said around 95% of exports were done by Pfizer and the rest by Moderna, but “both of them are honouring their contracts so that’s fine with us”.
She said there was “room for improvement” on the fulfilment of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine and the EU had “a very close eye on that”.
You can read our full story here, and see an except of what she said below.
Mainland China reported six new Covid cases had been identified on Thursday, down from seven cases a day earlier.
In its daily statement, the National Health Commission said on Friday that all of the new cases were imported infections originating from overseas. The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed cases, fell to six from nine cases a day earlier.
The total number of confirmed Covid cases in mainland China now stands at 89,877, according to official figures, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,636.
Israel has stopped its plan to distribute surplus coronavirus vaccines as authorities examined whether it was in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s authority to order the move, the justice ministry said Thursday.
AFP reports that on Tuesday, Netanyahu said Israel would send a “limited quantity” of vaccines to the Palestinians and several countries, including two that have announced plans to boost their diplomatic presence in Jerusalem.
But late on Thursday, the justice ministry said that following requests from the public to look into the issue, “the attorney general was examining the claim that vaccines were transferred to foreign countries without authority.”
The defence minister, Benny Gantz, had said earlier on Thursday that while the decision to give vaccines to the Palestinian Authority followed “due process” and was in Israel’s medical interests, “supplying vaccines to other countries was never broached in relevant forums.”
Gantz, who like Netanyahu is facing election in March, said the issue must be first discussed by the security cabinet, claiming the policy was pushed through without the required consultation making it “against the law.”
While many countries are struggling with vaccine supply, Israel has avoided shortages since launching inoculations in December.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu said the vaccines to be given were “symbolic numbers” of surpluses that “wouldn’t come at the expense of even one vaccine of an Israeli citizen,” and bore diplomatic weight.
Most countries maintain embassies in Tel Aviv, pending a resolution of the conflict with the Palestinians, who claim east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.
But Netanyahu, who describes Jerusalem as the Jewish state’s “undivided capital”, cheers nations that conduct diplomacy with Israel from the disputed city.
The Bosnian government on Thursday denounced delays in the global Covax vaccine scheme, as infections worsen in the country which has received very few inoculation doses.
The government said it had been informed that Pfizer is seeking further consultations on the cooling chain and administrative procedures for delivering the vaccines. (The Pfizer jabs must be kept supercooled in transit and storage to remain effective.)
But the Bosnian authorities have dismissed what they see as a pretext for delaying the delivery until April of doses due to arrive in the first quarter of the year.
So far Bosnia has received just 2,000 doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, which it ordered directly.
“It’s not true that Bosnia lacks the capacity to take charge of the vaccine. It’s just an excuse,” said Milorad Dodik, the current holder of Bosnia’s rotating tripartite presidency.
After meeting with other national leaders he evoked the possibility of suing the Covax management for damages “if the agreed deadlines are not respected”.
South Korea has launched its vaccine campaign, with the first jabs of the AstraZeneca’s injection going to nursing home workers and patients across the country.
Authorities will on Saturday begin administering 117,000 doses of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine to around 55,000 healthcare workers in coronavirus treatment facilities.
France will impose measures including weekend lockdowns in Paris and 19 other regions from the start of March if signs of the coronavirus accelerating persist, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday.
Castex said a new nationwide lockdown was not on the agenda, but said French citizens needed to be in a state of heightened alert to make sure they contain the spread of the virus while vaccines are rolled out.
“The country’s health situation has deteriorated over the past few days. We should only resort to a lockdown when we have no other choice,” he said in a televised address.
“We must do all that we can to delay it, to give time to the vaccination campaign to yield its effects,” Castex added.
The prime minister said the spread was worrying in 20 French departments - the country’s administrative regions - including Paris and the surrounding region.
He said those regions would now be subject to heightened scrutiny by public health officials.
If a week from now it was determined that infection rates were still rising in those regions, measures will be put in place, from March 6, similar to those in force in the cities of Nice and Dunkirk.
There, local authorities have imposed stay-at-home orders at weekends, stepped up checks at airports, cracked down on people gathering in public places and tightened rules on wearing masks outside.
France reported 25,403 additional new cases over the last 24 hours, versus 22,501 a week ago.
Despite that, Castex said there were reasons to believe life in France could back to normal “in the coming months” thanks to the ongoing vaccination campaign.
Hello and welcome to our continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, with me, Alison Rourke.
Before we kick off, here’s a summary of the top points so far:
The French prime minister, Jean Castex, has warned the government will impose new Covid measures, including weekend lockdowns in Paris and 19 other regions, from the start of March if signs of the coronavirus accelerating persist
South Korea has launched its vaccination campaign. The first injections of the AstraZeneca’s vaccine were given to nursing home workers and patients across the country.
The Queen has said that getting her Covid shot did not hurt at all and urged those hesitant about getting the jab to “think about other people rather than themselves”. In the extraordinary intervention, the 94-year-old monarch, whose private health matters are rarely discussed publicly, marks a significant endorsement of the UK’s vaccination programme and furthers efforts by the government, NHS and other members of the royal family to address vaccine hesitancy across the country.
One year after the first confirmed case of the coronavirus in Brazil, the country passed 250,000 Covid-19 deaths, with the virus still spreading freely as a national vaccination drive struggles to gain momentum. The country is facing a new stage of the pandemic with variants of the virus that are three times more contagious, the health minister Eduardo Pazuello said. Among them a new variant from Amazonas state, which has caused international alarm and has been identified in at least 17 Brazilian states, in addition to variants first identified in the UK and South Africa.
Israel is to put on hold its programme to send Covid vaccines abroad amid legal scrutiny, according to Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz, following criticism at home and abroad of so-called vaccine diplomacy after it planned to send token amounts of jabs to foreign allies rather than Palestinians .
Amid criticism from members of the European parliament, AstraZeneca boss Pascal Soriot said he hoped to meet its “best efforts” commitments on the number of Covid vaccines the company could deliver in the second quarter, after big cuts in the first three months of the year.
The African Union is backing calls for drugmakers to waive some intellectual property rights on Covid-19 medicines and vaccines to speed up their rollout to poor countries, but a pharmaceutical industry association claims managing the complex logistics of rolling out vaccines was what was slowing down jabs – although lower yields are hitting supply.
Four out of five of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine doses delivered to EU countries are yet to be used on a patient, as the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, admitted to an “acceptance problem” among Europeans being offered the jab.
Bahrain became the first nation to authorise Johnson & Johnson’s new single-dose coronavirus vaccine for emergency use, the government announced.
Cyprus is to reopen high schools, gyms, pools, dance academies and art galleries on Monday in a further, incremental easing of the country’s second nationwide Covid-19 lockdown.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals said that an independent panel found the company’s Covid antibody cocktail to have “clear clinical efficacy” in reducing the rates of hospitalisation and deaths in patients .
China denied that it subjected US diplomats to Covid-19 anal swab tests following reports from Washington that some of its personnel were being made to undergo the procedure.
The world’s largest brewer, AB InBev, reported that its annual profits were cut by half last year as bars and pubs closed around the world due to the pandemic, though it still made almost $4bn net profit as “consumers rapidly adjusted to the new reality by shifting to in-home consumption occasions”.