The EU said drugmaker AstraZeneca had “surprisingly” reduced the amount of doses it plans to deliver to the block. Top EU officials have not uttered words criticizing the company.
“The European Union has funded the development of the vaccine and its production in advance and wants to see the return,” European Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said on Monday. The EU has said that AstraZeneca did not provide sufficient explanations for the delays and is now demanding to know to what doses the company produced and to whom it was sold.
The company said production was hampered by a manufacturing problem. “Although there is no scheduled delay for the start of shipping our vaccine if we receive approval in Europe, the initial volumes will be lower than originally expected due to lower yields at a manufacturing site in our European supply chain,” he said. AstraZeneca said in a statement. .
The delays have a significant impact in countries across the bloc. The Italian government has been forced to revise its vaccination plan for Covid-19 due to the reduced vaccine supply of Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
Yet European countries and other rich countries are still on the winning side of the world’s struggle to obtain enough vaccines for all.
While US President Joe Biden said yesterday that he expects the United States to vaccinate 1.5 million people a day soon, there are countries that have not been able to get doses at all.
The rollout of vaccines has seen a sharp light on global income disparities, and the Middle East is a microcosm of the problem. While the oil-rich Arab Gulf countries were one of the first in the world to receive a vaccine, war-torn countries such as Yemen and Syria have to contend with vague timelines and complicated deployment plans, despite being among the worst hit. is caused by the virus. .
Delayed access to vaccines is likely to exacerbate this inequality, as countries that succeed in immunizing most of their populations will be able to reopen their economies, while those countries at the back of the line will be trapped in perpetual lockdown.
YOU ASKED. WE ANSWER.
Q: Is it true that vaccinated people can still become infected?
A: Yes, but the chances are very, very small. Trials have shown that the vaccines Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are approximately 95% effective, which means that some vaccines were still infected. This may be because it takes a while before the immunity kicks in. No vaccine is 100% effective and coronavirus vaccine manufacturers are still evaluating whether the shots are protected against all infections, or just those that cause symptoms.
But there are some positive signs. New data from Israel shows that only about 0.01% of 128,600 people who received two doses of Pfizer vaccine tested positive for the coronavirus after their second shot – and the patients had only a mild illness, according to preliminary data of an Israeli health care system. .
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Send us your questions for the President Biden Covid-19 team and we will try to answer them. Dr. Anthony Fauci, dr. Rochelle Walensky and dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith joins Anderson Cooper and dr. Sanjay Gupta for a CNN City Hall.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TODAY
UK fears it will take much longer to defeat the new variant
People in the UK have been living under lock and key for the past three weeks, hoping that their sacrifice will bring the country’s latest coronavirus boom – caused by the new, more contagious variant of the virus – under control.
But despite the harsh restrictions, the case numbers are not falling as fast as experts had hoped. Deaths continue to rise and public health experts are beginning to warn people that the country will be in this fight in the long run. The government is now considering further restrictions on travel to and from the UK, and will make an announcement later today on the use of hotel quarantine on travelers, according to vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi.
Xi Jinping speaks out on coronavirus collaboration as China continues to push disinformation
China has been praised for its “vaccine diplomacy”, which invests promising shots for developing countries and invests in vaccine candidates who do not need expensive refrigerators to be effective. But as questions have been raised about the efficacy of one of the vaccines, the country’s state media has reacted aggressively, targeting not only critics but also other vaccines, in an apparent attempt to break down their reputation in the name of defending the Chinese shots, James Griffiths reported.
How One City Missed Warning After Warning Until Its Health System Collapsed
Manaus, an isolated city in the heart of the Brazilian rainforest, is witnessing its second coronavirus wave, a shock to many who thought the first wave was so widespread that herd immunity should result. The health care system in the capital and largest city in the Brazilian state of Amazonas has now collapsed under pressure. That means wagering in line to buy an oxygen tank – only to find out there’s nothing left. Or rushing to the hospital with a sick spouse or parent – only to see that there are no beds available. Natalie Gallón and Marcia Reverdosa reported.
ON OUR RADAR
- Biden will reinstate coronavirus-related travel restrictions that Trump has lifted.
- The Pentagon is considering using thousands of troops to help Biden achieve his vaccination goal.
- Tom Brady’s father has revealed his ‘life and death’ battle with Covid-19.
- Merck stops developing its Covid-19 vaccine candidates.
- New Zealand borders may remain closed for most of the year.
- Google Maps will soon show Covid-19 vaccination sites, starting in four states: Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
BO-WENK
It’s an overall sprint to get Americans vaccinated. While preparing to take your chances, here are 10 actions that experts suggest to do – and avoid.
- DO: Get your vaccine if it’s your turn.
- DO NOT: Let information about vaccines cloud your judgment.
- DO: Get vaccinated if you already have Covid-19.
- DO NOT: Take a chance if you currently have Covid-19 or have been exposed.
- DO: Take the chance, even if you still have Covid-19 symptoms months later.
- DO NOT: Get another type of vaccine within 14 days after the Covid-19 shot.
- DO: Tell staff about the vaccine about allergies or allergic reactions in the past.
- DO NOT: Drive away before waiting 15 to 30 minutes.
- DO: Get your second survey within the recommended time frame.
- DO: Keep wearing masks and practice social distance after your shots.
TODAY’S PODCAST
“If politics wants to change the findings of science, you just have to say no. The line has not been clear over the past year, and the line must be very clear going forward.” – Richard Besser, former acting director of the CDC
With a new administration in the White House and a new director at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is high hope that the CDC can now send the public out of this pandemic more effectively. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, talks to Besser about the challenges ahead. Listen now.
