• The World Economic Forum announces that economic and political consequences of the pandemic could persist for years, warning that “ “If lessons from this crisis only inform decision-makers how to better prepare for the next pandemic — rather than enhancing risk processes capabilities and culture — the world will be again planning for the last crisis rather than anticipating the next.” Source
• In the US, coronavirus cases surpass 24 million and 400,000 people have died from COVID-19. Sources 1,2
• California’s Department of Public Health has announced that a coronavirus variant, L452R, first discovered in May 2020, is spreading across the state. Virologists are investigating whether it is more transmissible than older versions of the virus, and its potential impact on the performance of vaccines. Source
• Sinovac says it has begun to submit data for WHO pre-qualification of CoronaVac. Source
• Thailand purchases two million doses of Sinovac’s CoronaVac. Source
• Azerbaijan launches a vaccination campaign, starting with healthcare workers who will be given Sinovac’s CoronaVac; the country has ordered four million doses to cover 40% of its population. Source
• China announces that it will donate 800,000 doses of CoronaVac to Myanmar and the Philippines, where President Duterte threatened to end the Visiting Forces Agreement with the US unless it immediately delivered 20 million vaccine doses. Source
• Mexico – which has received enough coronavirus vaccine for half of its healthcare workers – got only half of the doses it expected from Pfizer, making it impossible for the country to give everyone a second dose on schedule. Shipments to the country, which has ordered 34.4 million doses, will resume on 15 February. President López Obrador announced that the government already has, or is making agreements to purchase vaccines from AstraZeneca, Russia, and China. Source
