The EU said pharmacist AstraZeneca had “surprisingly” reduced the number of doses it intends to deliver to the block. Senior EU officials did not utter words criticizing the company.
“The European Union has previously funded the development of the vaccine and its production and wants to see the return,” European Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said yesterday. The EU said AstraZeneca did not provide sufficient explanations for the delays and now demands to know how many doses the company has produced and to whom they have been sold.
The company said production had been hampered by a manufacturing problem. “While there is no expected delay in the start of shipments of our vaccine if we receive approval in Europe, the initial volumes will be lower than originally expected due to reduced yields in a manufacturing center of our European supply chain, “AstraZeneca said in a statement. .
Delays have a real impact in countries across the bloc. The Italian government was forced to revise its vaccination plan against Covid-19 due to the reduced supply of vaccines from Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
Still, European countries and other rich nations continue to win the global struggle to get enough vaccines for everyone.
While U.S. 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 yet to get any dose.
Vaccine deployment has shed strong light on global income disparities and the Middle East is a microcosm of this problem. Although the oil-rich Arab nations of the Gulf were the first in the world to receive a vaccine, war-ravaged countries, such as Yemen and Syria, have to struggle with inaccurate deadlines and complex distribution plans for deployment, despite being among those most affected by the virus.
Delayed access to vaccines is likely to exacerbate this inequality, as countries that manage to vaccinate most of their populations will be able to reopen their economies, while those behind the line will be trapped in permanent closures.
YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED.
Q: Is it true that vaccinated people can still get infected?
A: Yes, but the chances are very, very small. In the trials, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines were shown to be approximately 95% effective, meaning that some vaccinated people were still infected. This may be because it takes a while to start immunity. In addition, no vaccine is 100% effective and coronavirus vaccine manufacturers are still evaluating whether the traits protect against all infections or only those that cause symptoms.
But there are some positive signs. New Israeli data show that only 0.01% of the 128,600 people who received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine tested positive for coronavirus after the second shot, and that patients only had a mild illness, according to preliminary data of an Israeli health system. .
Submit your questions here. Are you a healthcare worker fighting Covid-19? Send us a message on WhatsApp about the challenges you face: +1 347-322-0415.
Send us your questions for President Biden’s Covid-19 team and we’ll try to get them answered.. Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Rochelle Walensky and Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith join Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta for a CNN City Hall this Wednesday at 8 p.m. (ET).
WHAT’S IMPORTANT TODAY
The UK fears it will take much longer to overcome the new variant
People in the UK have been locked up for three weeks, hoping their sacrifice will control the country’s latest wave of coronavirus, caused by the new most contagious variant of the virus.
But despite the harsh restrictions, cases are not dwindling as quickly as experts expected. Deaths continue to rise and public health experts are beginning to warn people that the country will be in this battle in the long run. The government is now considering other restrictions on travel to and from the UK and is scheduled to make an announcement later today on the use of hotel quarantine on travelers, according to vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi.
Xi Jinping promotes coronavirus cooperation while China persists with boost of vaccine misinformation
China has been praised for its “vaccine diplomacy,” promising firings in developing countries and investing in vaccine candidates that do not require expensive refrigerated storage to be effective. But as questions have been raised about the effectiveness of one of these vaccines, the country’s state media have reacted aggressively and targeted not only critics but also other vaccines, in particular. an apparent effort to topple his reputation on behalf of Chinese gun defense James Griffiths reports.
How a city lost notice after warning until the health system collapsed
Manaus, an isolated city in the core of the Brazilian rainforest, is witnessing its second wave of coronavirus, a shock to many who thought its first wave was so widespread that herd immunity must be the result. The health care system of the capital and largest city in the Brazilian state of Amazonas has now collapsed under pressure. That means waiting hours in line to buy an oxygen tank, only to find none. Or running from hospital to hospital with a sick spouse or father, only to find that no beds are available. Natalie Gallón and Marcia Reverdosa report.
ON OUR RADAR
- Biden will reinstate the coronavirus-related travel restrictions that Trump lifted.
- The Pentagon is weighing in on deploying thousands of troops to help Biden achieve its vaccination goal.
- Tom Brady’s father has revealed his battle against life and death with Covid-19.
- Merck halts development of its Covid-19 vaccine candidates.
- New Zealand’s borders can remain closed most of the year.
- Google Maps will soon show vaccination sites against Covid-19, starting with four states: Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
SUPERIOR COUNCIL
It’s a complete sprint to vaccinate Americans. As you prepare to get your shot, here are 10 actions that experts suggest you do and avoid.
- DO: Get the vaccine when it’s your turn.
- NO: Let vaccine misinformation wrap around your judgment.
- DO: Get vaccinated if you already have Covid-19.
- NO: Take a photo if you currently have Covid-19 or if you are exposed.
- DO: Get the vaccine even if you still have symptoms of Covid-19 months later.
- NO: Get another type of vaccine within 14 days of shooting Covid-19.
- DO: Inform vaccine staff of any past allergies or allergic reactions.
- NO: Leave before your 15 to 30 minute wait is over.
- DO: Get your second vaccine within the recommended time.
- DO: Continue wearing masks and practicing social distancing after your shots.
TODAY’S PODCAST
“If politics wants to change the conclusions of science, that’s where you just say no. That line didn’t become clear this past year and that line should be very clear in the future.” – Dr. Richard Besser, former acting director of CDC
With a new administration in the White House and a new director in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is high hope that the CDC can now target the public more effectively toward this pandemic. CNN’s chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, talks to Besser about the challenges ahead. Listen now.
