• One year ago Wuhan went into lockdown.
• Globally, more than 60.3 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have been administered. Source
• The US FDA announces that ‘modest delays’ in coronavirus vaccine scheduling – “if absolutely necessary” – are not expected to decrease protection against COVID-19, although the agency has not evaluated data on delaying second doses. Source
• India reports that it has vaccinated more than 1.5 million people. Source
• A study commissioned by the International Chamber of Commerce says that if high-income countries continue to monopolize the supply of coronavirus vaccines, the global economy could lose more than nine trillion dollars; even if developing countries are able to vaccinate half of their populations by the end of the year, losses could reach 3.8 trillion dollars – with high-income countries absorbing half of the loss. Source
• The UK reports the world’s highest per capita death rate from coronavirus, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson says that the B.1.1.7 variant may cause higher mortality than earlier versions of the coronavirus – a theory based on preliminary evidence. In contrast, Dr. Francis Collins, head of the US National Institutes of Health says that higher death rates may be due to an overwhelmed health care system rather than the variant. Source
• The US FDA approves specific syringes which are necessary to extract an extra dose from vials of the Pfizer/BioNtech coronavirus vaccine, after the company insists that the extra doses must be included as part of previous supply commitments. Source
• Sweden’s Prime Minister, Stefan Loven, says the national coronavirus strategy was inadequate and that he is taking “…full responsibility for the strategy that we have.” Source
• Hong Kong imposes its first lockdown, targeting coronavirus ‘hot spots.’ Source
• Panama confirms the first case of a coronavirus variant identified in South Africa, found in a traveler from Zimbabwe. Source
