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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2021/nov/08/covid-news-live-us-opens-borders-to-foreign-tourists-auckland-lockdown-likely-to-end-this-month
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| Covid news live: US opens borders to foreign tourists; Auckland lockdown likely to end this month | Covid news live: US opens borders to foreign tourists; Auckland lockdown likely to end this month |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The US lifts travel restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers from the UK and EU; restrictions due to ease in New Zealand’s largest city | The US lifts travel restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers from the UK and EU; restrictions due to ease in New Zealand’s largest city |
| Indonesia plans to give booster shots to the general public after 50% of its population has been fully vaccinated, its health minister said today, which he expects to happen at the end of next month. | |
| Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, has inoculated 29% of its population of 270 million people, using a variety of vaccine brands. | |
| Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin told a parliamentary hearing the government decided on boosters at the 50% mark due to vaccine inequity concerns at home or abroad. | |
| “Issues of injustice or ethics are so high in the world, because some countries haven’t gotten a lot of first shots,” he said. | |
| Stanley Widianto reports from Jakarta that the minister’s plan prioritises the elderly and the poor who are insured by the government, while the rest of the population may have to pay for them. Many health workers have already received boosters. | |
| Hello, it is Martin Belam here in London taking over from Samantha Lock. I’ll bring you any Covid lines that come out of the early interviews in the UK media round – it is Anne-Marie Trevelyan who is appearing for the government. Here are the latest UK Covid numbers. | |
| Auckland’s near-three-month lockdown is likely to end later this month with some coronavirus restrictions eased from Tuesday, according to prime minister Jacinda Ardern. | |
| The city’s outbreak has grown to more than 4,500 cases with about 150 new infections reported each day over the past week. | |
| Ardern said the city’s improving vaccination rate among people age 12 and older meant it could continue cutting back on restrictions during an announcement on Monday. | |
| “Auckland hit 90% first dose and 80% second dose over the weekend, and it’s now a matter of weeks away from 90% double-dose,” she said. “And so while we’re getting those rates higher still, we are easing into our reopening.” | |
| From Tuesday, retail stores and malls in Auckland can reopen, along with libraries, museums and zoos. Outdoor gatherings will be increased from a maximum of 10 people to 25. | |
| Other facilities such as gyms and movie theatres will remain shut, and many Aucklanders will continue working from home. | |
| Japan recorded no daily deaths from Covid-19 for the first time in 15 months on Sunday, according to national broadcaster NHK. | Japan recorded no daily deaths from Covid-19 for the first time in 15 months on Sunday, according to national broadcaster NHK. |
| Prior to Sunday, there hadn’t been a day without a Covid-19 death since 2 August, 2020, according to a tally by the broadcaster. The latest figures from the health ministry showed three deaths on Saturday. | Prior to Sunday, there hadn’t been a day without a Covid-19 death since 2 August, 2020, according to a tally by the broadcaster. The latest figures from the health ministry showed three deaths on Saturday. |
| Covid cases and deaths have fallen dramatically throughout Japan as vaccinations have increased to cover more than 70% of the population. | Covid cases and deaths have fallen dramatically throughout Japan as vaccinations have increased to cover more than 70% of the population. |
| New daily infections peaked at more than 25,000 during an August wave driven by the infectious Delta variant. The country has had more than 18,000 deaths from the disease during the course of the pandemic. | New daily infections peaked at more than 25,000 during an August wave driven by the infectious Delta variant. The country has had more than 18,000 deaths from the disease during the course of the pandemic. |
| The government plans to start booster vaccine shots next month and is working to secure pill-based treatments for milder cases to reduce hospitalisations and gird against a possible rebound this winter. | The government plans to start booster vaccine shots next month and is working to secure pill-based treatments for milder cases to reduce hospitalisations and gird against a possible rebound this winter. |
| A very happy Monday to all and thanks for joining us for today’s live Covid coverage. | A very happy Monday to all and thanks for joining us for today’s live Covid coverage. |
| I’m Samantha Lock and I’ll be reporting to you from Sydney, Australia, to bring you all the top headlines from around the world. | I’m Samantha Lock and I’ll be reporting to you from Sydney, Australia, to bring you all the top headlines from around the world. |
| For the first time in 18 months, the US is lifting travel restrictions for those who are fully vaccinated. | |
| From today, 8 November, those travelling to the US by flight from 33 countries or through land borders with Mexico and Canada will be able to enter the country. | From today, 8 November, those travelling to the US by flight from 33 countries or through land borders with Mexico and Canada will be able to enter the country. |
| Up until now the US had restricted non-essential travel for non-US citizens from several destinations around the world, including the UK and EU. | Up until now the US had restricted non-essential travel for non-US citizens from several destinations around the world, including the UK and EU. |
| It’s also good news for those in New Zealand’s largest city of Auckland after prime minister Jacinda Ardern announced it would likely end an almost three-month lockdown later this month, with some coronavirus restrictions to be eased from Tuesday, AP reports. | It’s also good news for those in New Zealand’s largest city of Auckland after prime minister Jacinda Ardern announced it would likely end an almost three-month lockdown later this month, with some coronavirus restrictions to be eased from Tuesday, AP reports. |
| An outbreak of the delta variant has grown to more than 4,500 cases with about 150 new infections reported each day over the past week. | An outbreak of the delta variant has grown to more than 4,500 cases with about 150 new infections reported each day over the past week. |
| Summary of today’s developments | Summary of today’s developments |
| US lifts bans on travel from 33 countries from Monday, allowing in international travellers, but they must be vaccinated. The US is also reopening the land borders with Canada and Mexico for vaccinated people. | US lifts bans on travel from 33 countries from Monday, allowing in international travellers, but they must be vaccinated. The US is also reopening the land borders with Canada and Mexico for vaccinated people. |
| Germany reports 15,513 new Covid cases in the past 24 hours, a decrease from yesterday’s 23,543 reported cases, the Robert Koch Institute reports. | Germany reports 15,513 new Covid cases in the past 24 hours, a decrease from yesterday’s 23,543 reported cases, the Robert Koch Institute reports. |
| India’s daily Covid cases rose by 11,451 to reach a total of 34.37m and deaths rose by 266 for a total death toll of 461,057 the health ministry reports. | India’s daily Covid cases rose by 11,451 to reach a total of 34.37m and deaths rose by 266 for a total death toll of 461,057 the health ministry reports. |
| Russia and Ukraine hit record Covid numbers. Low vaccination rates are a major factor in the sharp rise in cases. | Russia and Ukraine hit record Covid numbers. Low vaccination rates are a major factor in the sharp rise in cases. |
| Australia will begin administering booster shots of Pfizer’s Covid vaccine from Monday amid an accelerating immunisation drive against the coronavirus. | Australia will begin administering booster shots of Pfizer’s Covid vaccine from Monday amid an accelerating immunisation drive against the coronavirus. |
| More than 10 million people have had Covid booster jabs in the UK, according to figures, as people were told to get their top-up to help prevent restrictions this Christmas. | |
| Northern Ireland’s health minister is suing Van Morrison after the singer accused him of being “very dangerous” over his handling of Covid restrictions. | Northern Ireland’s health minister is suing Van Morrison after the singer accused him of being “very dangerous” over his handling of Covid restrictions. |
| UK government could restrict travel for people who refuse Covid boosters as government sources confirmed they are looking at plans for travel restrictions on people who do not take up the booster offer. | UK government could restrict travel for people who refuse Covid boosters as government sources confirmed they are looking at plans for travel restrictions on people who do not take up the booster offer. |
| The UK will start to roll out Merck’s molnupiravir Covid-19 antiviral pill through a drug trial later this month, Dr Susan Hopkins, the chief medical adviser at the UK Health Security Agency said on Sunday. | The UK will start to roll out Merck’s molnupiravir Covid-19 antiviral pill through a drug trial later this month, Dr Susan Hopkins, the chief medical adviser at the UK Health Security Agency said on Sunday. |
| US president Joe Biden is pushing forward with an ambitious plan to require millions of private sector employees to get vaccinated by early next year, while simultaneously battling to convince workers in his own federal government to get the shot. | US president Joe Biden is pushing forward with an ambitious plan to require millions of private sector employees to get vaccinated by early next year, while simultaneously battling to convince workers in his own federal government to get the shot. |
| Analysis puts the pandemic’s death toll between 10 million and 19 million people. |