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Coronavirus live: Greece to allow tourists with vaccines, antibodies or negative tests; Palestinian ICUs at capacity Coronavirus live: Greece to allow tourists with vaccines, antibodies or negative tests; Palestinian ICUs at capacity
(32 minutes later)
Greece aim to reopen to holidaymakers from mid-May; Palestinian hospitals overfull with Covid patients, prime minister saysGreece aim to reopen to holidaymakers from mid-May; Palestinian hospitals overfull with Covid patients, prime minister says
Spain’s Amadeus is launching a feature allowing people to upload documents such as Covid vaccination certificates onto an airline app or website, as the travel industry scrambles for ways to get planes flying again.
Reuters reports:
Turkey has today recorded 13,755 new cases of coronavirus, health ministry data showed, the highest level since 6 January, more than week after president Tayyip Erdogan announced an easing of measures to curb the pandemic.
The total number of cases rose to 2,807,387 and the data also showed 66 people died due to Covid-19 in the same period, raising the toll to 29,160. On Monday last week, Erdogan announced the partial opening of cafes, restaurants and schools, as well as an easing of weekend lockdowns among measures which he called a “controlled normalisation”.
Germany has temporarily suspended financial assistance to some companies suffering under lockdown measures to contain the coronavirus after identifying several cases of suspected fraud, the economy ministry has said.
Reuters reports:
The UK government has accused EU chief Charles Michel of spreading falsehoods after he claimed the UK imposed an “outright ban” on coronavirus vaccine exports.The UK government has accused EU chief Charles Michel of spreading falsehoods after he claimed the UK imposed an “outright ban” on coronavirus vaccine exports.
PA reports that the European Council president accused Britain and the US of imposing bans on the movement of jabs as he sought to defend the bloc against allegations of “vaccine nationalism”.PA reports that the European Council president accused Britain and the US of imposing bans on the movement of jabs as he sought to defend the bloc against allegations of “vaccine nationalism”.
In the latest display of post-Brexit turbulence, the government struck back to refute his comments and insist the UK has “not blocked the export of a single Covid-19 vaccine”.In the latest display of post-Brexit turbulence, the government struck back to refute his comments and insist the UK has “not blocked the export of a single Covid-19 vaccine”.
Michel, in a newsletter, said he was “shocked” when he heard allegations of vaccine nationalism levelled at the EU, saying:Michel, in a newsletter, said he was “shocked” when he heard allegations of vaccine nationalism levelled at the EU, saying:
But the UK government denied his claims.But the UK government denied his claims.
After initially being anxious about what was feared could be a “PR nightmare” over inoculating prisoners Tennessee, US, officials have said some inmates were receiving a Covid vaccine — but only those who qualify as part of other groups the state has prioritised, AP reports.After initially being anxious about what was feared could be a “PR nightmare” over inoculating prisoners Tennessee, US, officials have said some inmates were receiving a Covid vaccine — but only those who qualify as part of other groups the state has prioritised, AP reports.
The Department of Correction has ordered 2,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and 980 doses of the Moderna vaccine to be distributed to inmates who are 65 and older or have health conditions that put them in groups already given priority status by the state, department spokesperson Dorinda Carter said in an email.The Department of Correction has ordered 2,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and 980 doses of the Moderna vaccine to be distributed to inmates who are 65 and older or have health conditions that put them in groups already given priority status by the state, department spokesperson Dorinda Carter said in an email.
“We anticipate receiving additional doses soon and will order more doses, as needed,” Carter said. “The vaccine will be administered first to older inmates and those with health risks.” He added that the state had begun vaccinating inmates today.“We anticipate receiving additional doses soon and will order more doses, as needed,” Carter said. “The vaccine will be administered first to older inmates and those with health risks.” He added that the state had begun vaccinating inmates today.
Palestinian hospitals are overfull and intensive-care units operating at 100% capacity with coronavirus patients in some areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has said.Palestinian hospitals are overfull and intensive-care units operating at 100% capacity with coronavirus patients in some areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has said.
Reuters reports:Reuters reports:
Students and pro-democracy supporters demonstrated in Algeria today in contravention of lockdown as a revived protest movement enters its third week of rallies.Students and pro-democracy supporters demonstrated in Algeria today in contravention of lockdown as a revived protest movement enters its third week of rallies.
AFP reports:AFP reports:
The Czech and Hungarian prime ministers will visit Israel this week to gain know-how on Covid-19 vaccinations and vaccine production, the Czech government has said.The Czech and Hungarian prime ministers will visit Israel this week to gain know-how on Covid-19 vaccinations and vaccine production, the Czech government has said.
AFP reports:AFP reports:
Spain has again extended its ban on arrivals from Britain, Brazil and South Africa until the end of March to avoid the spread of new coronavirus strains.Spain has again extended its ban on arrivals from Britain, Brazil and South Africa until the end of March to avoid the spread of new coronavirus strains.
Only legal residents or nationals of Spain and the neighbouring micro-state of Andorra are currently allowed in on flights from these countries.Only legal residents or nationals of Spain and the neighbouring micro-state of Andorra are currently allowed in on flights from these countries.
The restriction on arrivals from Britain was imposed at the end of December to halt the spread of the highly contagious Covid-19 variant discovered there in November. The Brazil and South Africa arrivals ban came into effect on 3 February.The restriction on arrivals from Britain was imposed at the end of December to halt the spread of the highly contagious Covid-19 variant discovered there in November. The Brazil and South Africa arrivals ban came into effect on 3 February.
The only exceptions are for passengers in transit who cannot leave the airport nor remain there longer than 24 hours. It is the sixth time the ban on British arrivals has been extended.The only exceptions are for passengers in transit who cannot leave the airport nor remain there longer than 24 hours. It is the sixth time the ban on British arrivals has been extended.
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History has acquired the vial that contained the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine administered in the US, as part of its plans to document the global pandemic and “this extraordinary period we were going through”.The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History has acquired the vial that contained the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine administered in the US, as part of its plans to document the global pandemic and “this extraordinary period we were going through”.
One in four women and girls around the world have been physically or sexually assaulted by a husband or male partner, according to the largest study yet of the prevalence of violence against women.
The report, conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN partners, found that domestic violence started young, with a quarter of 15- to 19-year-old girls and young women estimated to have been abused at least once in their lives. The highest rates were found to be among 30- to 39-year-olds.
Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, has announced some limited relaxations to outdoor mixing in Scotland, in particular for teenagers, as she told the public that “we cannot afford to take our foot off the brake too soon” if the country is to enjoy a “much more normal summer”.
The president of the European council has warned the EU should not allow itself to be misled by regimes with “less desirable values than ours” and that the bloc would not use vaccines “for propaganda purposes”.
In comments that, paradoxically, meet the definition of propaganda – using information to promote a political point of view – Charles Michel criticised Russia and China’s values and defended Europe’s much-criticised Covid-19 inoculation strategy by stressing Brussels was also sharing jabs with the world.
“We should not let ourselves be misled by China and Russia, both regimes with less desirable values than ours, as they organise highly limited but widely publicised operations to supply vaccines to others,” the European Council president said.
“Without Europe, it would not have been possible to develop and produce several types of vaccines in less than one year.”
He said the EU was “actively promoting its values” by investing early in Covid-19 vaccine development and being the prime driver of the also Covax facility, which has faced criticism for a sluggish rollout that only began recently, to deliver doses to poorer countries.
EU officials believe Russia and China are trying to score political points and expand influence by rushing to deliver their vaccines before they were rigorously vetted by regulators, AFP reports.
Michel’s blunt comments came as the EU’s 27 member states struggle to achieve lift-off with a plan to immunise 70 percent of adults by mid-September. Much of the initial delivery shortfall was down to AstraZeneca failing to meet its supply schedule to the bloc.
Some member states, among them Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, are increasingly looking to vaccines not authorised by the EU’s medicine regulator, the EMA, to fill the gap, in particular Russia’s Sputnik V jab and ones from China.
But the EU executive has indicated it is unwilling to add it to its vaccines portfolio, which is projected to deliver 2.6 billion doses over this year and next.
Bosnia has reported a record number of daily deaths from Covid today with the capital Sarajevo going into lockdown next weekend for the first time since last May in an attempt to combat spiking infections.
It comes as the Balkan country said it was “justifiably unhappy” after failing to yet to receive any of the promised vaccines from the EU-backed Covax scheme (see 12:18pm).
The Balkan country of 3.3 million, where inoculations using the Russian Sputnik V vaccine have begun only in its Serb autonomous region, reported 1,251 new cases and 48 deaths from Covid today, health authorities said.
Sarajevo, which has seen a daily average of 456 new coronavirus cases over the past week, will be partially shut down next weekend for the first time in almost 10 months as hospital capacities have been overstretched, authorities said. Only food shops, pharmacies and gas stations will stay open.
Italy has recorded 100,000 coronavirus deaths, a year after it became the first western country to impose a total lockdown and as it braces for a third wave of the pandemic.
Among those who have died in recent days are Monique Forciniti, a 55-year-old school cook from Pistoia in Tuscany and Stefano Limongi, the 34-year-old owner of a sushi bar in Rome.
Italy’s recently appointed prime minister, Mario Draghi, said that passing the “terrible threshold” of 100,000 deaths was something “we would never have imagined a year ago”.
On 9 March 2020, his predecessor, Giuseppe Conte, imposed unprecedented national restrictions as the pandemic took hold. At the time, Italy had registered 463 Covid-19 deaths and 9,172 infections.
One year on, the number of deaths on Monday rose to 100,103 – the highest in Europe after the UK – while the total number of infections since the onset of the pandemic last week eclipsed 3 million.
“A year ago, this was something that none of us doctors had ever experienced and of course, we hoped and imagined, like everyone else, that it would end quickly,” said Saverio Chiaravalle, the vice-president of the doctors’ order in the Lombardy province of Varese and a close friend of Roberto Stella, the president of the order who was the first medic in Italy to die from the virus.
Sudan has launched a coronavirus vaccination rollout, giving priority to medical workers, state news agency Suna said.
Healthcare workers at Jabra isolation hospital in the capital. Khartoum. started to get their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, the agency said, adding that the first phase of the rollout will be expanded from 15 March to 15 May to include people aged 45 or older with chronic conditions.
The first phase will cover 3.5% of the country’s population. Sudan became the first country in the Middle East and North Africa to benefit from Covax facility vaccines when it received 828,000 doses of the AstraZeneca shot on 3 March.
Sudan says it expects to receive the remainder of a total 3.4m doses through Covax, a vaccine-sharing programme co-led by the World Health Organization, in the second quarter of this year.
It aims to cover 20% of its population of 44 million through Covax by September, health ministry officials said.
Here is footage of Thailand’s prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, finishing his weekly news conference by spraying alcohol disinfectant on the front row of journalists.
He walked away from lectern after evading a question about a possible cabinet reshuffle.
Japan has decided to stage this summer’s Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics without overseas spectators due to public concern about Covid-19, the Kyodo news agency has said, citing officials with knowledge of the matter.
The Tokyo 2020 games organising committee said a decision would be made by the end of March.
The Olympics, postponed by a year because of the pandemic, are scheduled to take place from 23 July to 8 August and the Paralympics from 24 August to 5 September.
Kyodo said the government had concluded that welcoming fans from abroad would not be possible given public concern about the coronavirus and the detection of more contagious variants in many countries, Kyodo cited the officials as saying.
After yet more bad news this today for the EU in the form of Johnson & Johnson’s statement about supplies of its vaccine, Ireland’s taoiseach has also been voicing disappointment “with some of the issues” with vaccine supply.
The comments of Michael Martin followed reports of a shortfall in the expected supply of vaccines to Ireland by the end of March.
The impact of the vaccines had been very positive in terms of protecting the most vulnerable, Martin told reporters on the way into a cabinet meeting in Dublin.
Those who are most vulnerable are getting vaccinated and that will have an impact, RTE quoted him as saying.
“So, when we come to the week before the fifth of April, we will examine the situation,” he added.
People who are vaccinated against Covid-19, have antibodies or test negative can travel to Greece this summer, tourism minister Harry Theocharis has said.
Tourism is a major income earner for Greece, which has led calls for an EU-wide vaccination certificate to help unlock travel.
The industry accounts for about a fifth of the Greek economy and employs one in five workers, but arrivals collapsed last year because of the pandemic.
Greece is aiming to kick off its vital summer season by mid-May, said Theocharis as he addressed the ITB Berlin trade show from the Athens Acropolis Museum, home to sculptures from Greek antiquity.
“Greece is ready with a complete protocol for summer 2021,” he said. “Tourists will be welcome if before travel they are either vaccinated, or have antibodies, or test negative. All tourists will be subject to random testing.”
He said the authorities would prioritise the vaccination of people working in the hospitality sector once the most vulnerable were vaccinated, and were mandating the frequent testing of employees.