• After coronavirus cases increased by 52 percent from November to December, Nigeria’s CDC reports that a new coronavirus variant – separate from those found in Britain and the UK – has emerged in the country. John Nkengasong, director of the Africa CDC, said additional research is needed to learn more about the variant. Source
• After pressure from a coalition of international rights groups, the U.S. grants an exemption to its sanctions on Iran, allowing it to buy 17 million coronavirus vaccine doses, as the country begins trials of a domestically produced candidate. Source
• In the US, one million people have received coronavirus vaccines. Source
• Serbia begins vaccinating its residents with 875 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine as it expects shipments of vaccines from China (Sinopharm) and Russia (Sputnik V). Source
