Covid-19 Pandemic: Live Updates and News for March 24, 2021

Photographer: Christophe Archambault / AFP / Getty Images

AstraZeneca Plc said it would be informed within 48 hours of the recent results of the trial of the vaccine in the final phase, which responds to criticism from a US science agency. Millions more doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine are expected to be released after U.S. regulators paved the way for a contract manufacturer to help manufacture it.

The head of the World Health Organization calls recent increases in deaths and cases “really worrying trends.” Pfizer Inc. said that the safety testing of a new pill for the coronavirus that can be used with the first sign of disease has begun testing.

Citigroup Inc. excluded internal video calls on Fridays and encouraged vacations in an effort to combat workplace distress caused by the pandemic.

Important developments:

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Chicago reports an increase in business (16:50 NY)

Chicago sees an increase in several of its Covid-19 stats.

The city’s daily falls, positivity and related emergency room visits have increased over the past few weeks. The city sees about 350 cases per day, compared to an average of about 270 to 280 per day for the last few weeks.

San Francisco to open offices, some bars (16:40 NY)

San Francisco will open offices, outdoor bars and indoor recreational facilities as it moves to the orange level of California, the second least restrictive level of the state.

According to the new guidelines, non-essential offices can open at 25% capacity from Wednesday, while already open indoor businesses, including restaurants and shops, can expand the capacity to 50%. The city also plans to allow outdoor concerts, theater performances and festivals for to Mayor London Breed said 50 people on April 1st.

Santa Clara County, home to many of Silicon Valley’s major employers, also moved to the Orange Plain with Marin County, a wealthy area north of San Francisco. The majority of California’s provinces – representing 83% of the population – are in the red or second most restricted level of the state for economic activity.

NY Assembly Speaker Heastie Has Covid-19 (15:05 NY)

According to the statement from his office, Carl Heastie, the speaker of the New York State, tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday. The Democrat said he felt under the weather and was experiencing “extremely mild symptoms”.

Its positive test results come amid negotiations over the state’s $ 193 billion spending plan for fiscal 2022, which begins on April 1. Heastie said he plans to stay in Albany and work from his home.

The Judicial Committee of the Assembly held its first meeting on Tuesday to discuss its indictment of Governor Andrew Cuomo. Heastie is not on the committee, but orders him to begin the investigation.

Dutch Lockdown is expanded (14:45 NY)

The exclusion in the Netherlands, including a night clock, is being extended until April 20. The move comes after infections rose 16% last week compared to the previous week.

However, the Dutch government decided to postpone the start time of the evening clock by one hour in order to retain the support of the Dutch public for the long-term, strict measures. The advice not to travel abroad was extended until 15 May.

J&J Partner Catalent Approved to Make Vaccine (13:47 NY)

Millions of doses of Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine are expected to be released after US regulators paved the way for contract maker Catalent Inc. to help manufacture it.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a Catalent institution in Bloomington, Indiana, to make the single-dose vaccine’s active ingredient.

Norway bans alcohol before Easter (13:45 NY)

Norway tightens national restrictions before the Easter holiday period in an effort to stem a third wave of contagion caused by more contagious variants. The new measures include a ban on serving alcohol in restaurants and pubs across the country and a recommendation that people should keep at least 2 meters apart.

EU releases of export curbs (11:52 am NY)

The European Union will abolish a list of more than 90 countries that are currently exempt from vaccine export authorization and will apply potential restrictions to pharmaceutical companies that fulfill their contracts with the bloc.

The European Commission will review the transparency and authorization mechanism of the vaccine. The controversial instrument, launched in January, is aimed at helping EU governments investigate export requests for vaccines, with the option of rejecting them in certain cases.

Texas, Georgia Open Vaccinations for Adults (23:15 NY)

Texas and Georgia have joined a growing list of U.S. states that are opening up vaccines to all adults. Georgia will host the shots from Thursday.

Pfizer launches human trials of Covid Pill (11:05 NY)

Pfizer Inc. said that the human safety testing of a new pill to treat the coronavirus that can be used during the first sign of illness.

If it succeeds in trials, the pill can be prescribed early in an infection to prevent virus replication before patients become very ill. The drug binds to an enzyme called a protease to prevent the virus from recurring. Protease inhibitory drugs have been successful in treating other types of viruses, including HIV and hepatitis C.

The new protease inhibitor is the second type of drug that Pfizer has brought to human trials to treat Covid-19. Pfizer is testing another that is given intravenously to virus patients admitted to the hospital.

NYC Municipal Workers Return on May 3 (10:30 a.m. NY)

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has said about 80,000 city workers will return to their offices by May 3, a promise he made in his state of the nation address in January.

The city has administered more than 3.4 million vaccines and expects a “big boost” in supply in early April, the mayor said. All New Yorkers 50 and older are eligible to receive their Covid-19 shots.

Portugal reaffirms vaccine target (9:44 am NY)

Portuguese Health Minister Marta Temido has reaffirmed that by the end of March the country will reach a target of administering a vaccine dose to at least 80% of people over 80. “If we have access to more vaccines, we will obviously have the chance to vaccinate more people,” Temido told reporters.

WHO’s Tedros sees ‘truly worrying trends’ (9:18 am NY)

The director general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the recent increase in deaths and cases in Covid-19 was ‘really worrying trends’.

Talk to a World Trade Organization virtual event, Tedros called on countries to renounce intellectual property rights for vaccines as a “medium to long-term solution” to help developing countries produce their own shots.

Fauci: Astra probably has a very good vaccine (08:47 NY)

“The fact is that it is most likely a very good vaccine,” Anthony Fauci, the leading American expert in infectious diseases, said about the Astra shot in a “Good Morning America” ​​interview.

Astra earlier said it would release within 48 hours the latest results of the final trial of the shot, responding to criticism from a U.S. science agency that the drugmaker’s analysis contained old information.

India Accelerates Vaccine Amid Second Wave (08:40 NY)

Government of India has launched one of the largest coronavirus vaccination campaigns for anyone over 45, while the country is struggling with a revival of the case amid tensions over delayed vaccine supplies to other countries.

World is too optimistic about Covid: Farrar (08:28 NY)

“This pandemic is nearing its end,” said Jeremy Farrar, an infectious disease specialist and director of Wellcome, the British research foundation, at a conference. “I think there is too much optimism that there will be a single magic bullet that can solve it all.”

After one year, the world remains closer to the start of the pandemic than to the conclusion as new waves take place around the world, Farrar said.

In a separate presentation, Fauci sounded a more positive tone. He said people should remain cautiously optimistic about the outlook, even if the US falls plateau after recent declines.