Moderna confirms its jab works against new variants; California eases lockdown; WHO warns rich-poor vaccine divide is growing
- Biden warns deaths will pass 600,000 before US turns corner
- EU threatens to block vaccine exports amid AstraZeneca shortfall
- France bans certain homemade Covid masks for use in public
- Health secretary fires warning at MPs calling for England lockdown easing
- See all our coronavirus coverage
Meanwhile the US state of California eased strict stay-at-home orders on Monday, allowing restaurants to reopen for outdoor dining and greater social mixing as state public health officials cited slowing rates of coronavirus infections and hospitalisations.
Reuters: the announcement marked the most tangible sign yet that California, which emerged in recent months as a leading US hotspot of the pandemic, has moved beyond the worst days of a crisis that pushed much of its healthcare system to the breaking point.
The improved outlook in California, the most populous US state with 40 million residents, came as the country as a whole surpassed the alarming milestone of 25 million known infections, with nearly 419,000 lives lost during the pandemic.
California’s stay-at-home restrictions, among the most stringent constraints on business and social life imposed anywhere in the country, were triggered in early December when available space in hospital intensive care units reached maximum capacity.
Governor Gavin Newsom said infection rates and hospital admissions have since declined dramatically. Projections show available ICU capacity climbing well above minimum thresholds over the next month.
US President Joe Biden on Monday appeared to boost his goal for coronavirus vaccinations in his first 100 days in office, suggesting that the nation could soon be vaccinating 1.5 million Americans on average per day, AP reports.
Biden signalled his increasing bullishness on the pace of vaccinations after signing an executive order to boost government purchases from US manufacturers. It was among a flurry of moves by Biden during his first full week to show he’s taking swift action to heal an ailing economy as talks with Congress over a $1.9tn stimulus package showed few signs of progress.
Biden’s new vaccination target comes after he and his aides faced criticism for the 100 million goal in his first 100 days in office. The US has exceeded a pace of 1 million doses per day over the last week.
“I think we may be able to get that to ... 1.5 million a day, rather than 1 million a day,” Biden said, “but we have to meet that goal of a million a day.”
Biden added that he expects widespread availability of the vaccines for Americans by spring, with the US “well on our way to herd immunity” necessary to end the pandemic by summer. Even so, he warned the nation was going to be “in this for a while, and could see between “600,000 and 660,000 deaths before we begin to turn the corner in a major way.”
A toll of 660,000 would be roughly equivalent to one in 500 Americans.
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