>> Viruses: vaccines for all in the United States, confinement in New Delhi
>> Washington extends break for Johnson & Johnson, EU steps up with Pfizer-BioNTech
>> COVID: new pitfalls in the fight, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine paused
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A volunteer prepares doses of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19 at the Parc des Expositions in Marseille on April 19.
Photo: AFP / VNA / CVN |
The EMA, which has its headquarters in Amsterdam, is due to give on Tuesday April 20, a priori at 3:00 p.m. GMT, a “virtual press conference on the conclusions about the safety assessment” of this single-dose vaccine.
This decision is all the more important as several European countries, including France, are counting on this vaccine to speed up their immunization campaign.
However, the uncertainty on the viability of the vaccine remains unresolved, while the American health authorities recommended last Tuesday, April 13. “pause” in the use of Johnson & Johnson to investigate the occurrence of severe cases of blood clots in several people in the United States.
However, its use should be re-authorized, possibly accompanied by “restrictions”, and a decision should be made public by Friday, said Sunday (April 18) White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci.
“I think that (the vaccination) will resume, perhaps with restrictions. I’m not sure what it will be, if it will be related to age or gender, or if it will just be accompanied by a warning “, he said.
In India, where the situation is made difficult in the face of a second massive wave that threatens to overwhelm hospitals, the capital New Delhi has been confined for a week since Monday evening, April 19.
“Delhi’s health system is at breaking point”the head of government of the capital, Arvind Kejriwal, said on television. “If we do not impose containment now, we are facing an even greater catastrophe.”
Insufficient stocks
However, the ambition of the Indian authorities to vaccinate the entire adult population of the country is hampered by insufficient vaccine stocks.
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Map showing the number of active cases per 100,000 population by Indian state, according to Indian health authorities as of April 19.
Photo: AFP / VNA / CVN |
India recorded Monday, April 19 a new record of contaminations: 273,810 cases over 24 hours, exceeding the mark of 200,000 for the fifth day in a row.
In the United States, the huge vaccination campaign continues at a rapid pace despite the suspension on Tuesday April 20 of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Some 50.4% of Americans over 18 have been able to benefit from at least one dose of the vaccine, and 32.5% are fully vaccinated, including seniors 65 and over, the main agency said Sunday (April 18). the country’s federal public health authority.
In total, more than 131.2 million people have received at least one injection all adults have been allowed since Monday April 19 to be vaccinated.
“We have enough vaccines, you must be protected and protect your neighbors and your family”, President Joe Biden said in a video uploaded by the White House. “So please get vaccinated.”
Due to the outbreak of the epidemic, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson canceled his official visit to India, scheduled for the end of April. Entry into the UK is now prohibited for travelers coming from India, with the exception of UK residents who will have to observe a quarantine.
Exasperated public opinions
The situation remains precarious in Europe, although some countries, pressed by exasperated public opinion, have loosened health restrictions somewhat this week. This is the case to varying degrees in Switzerland, Belgium, Slovenia, Slovakia, Monaco, Portugal and Denmark.
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People stroll through the Colombo shopping center in Lisbon on April 19.
Photo: AFP / VNA / CVN |
Portugal thus entered Monday April 19 in the third phase of a gradual deconfinement started a month ago, with the reopening of shopping centers, the interior of cafes and restaurants, theaters, high schools and universities. .
In Slovakia, a four-month confinement ended Monday, April 19, to the delight of the population who took to the streets en masse.
Two doses
In Greece, the mandatory seven-day quarantine is lifted for travelers resident in the EU, UK, US, Israel, Serbia and the United Arab Emirates, if they have received two doses of the vaccine or have a negative coronavirus test.
Cautious easing also in the Pacific with the entry into force on Monday April 19 of the “bubble” allowing nationals of Australia and New Zealand to travel without quarantine between the two countries, both of which have a good record in the face of the pandemic. Several other Asia-Pacific countries are working on similar projects to “bubble”.
For its part and despite still very high mortality figures and a variant “Brazilian” very contagious, Rio de Janeiro reopened its bars and restaurants in early April and did the same with its beaches on Monday, April 19.
The epidemic has killed more than 374,600 people in just over a year in total in Brazil, which has 212 million inhabitants, a toll largely undervalued according to experts.
The pandemic has killed more than 3 million people worldwide (at least 3,020,765 deaths), according to a report established by AFP from official sources Monday, April 19 at 10:00 GMT.
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