{"id":98187,"date":"2021-02-07T13:40:47","date_gmt":"2021-02-07T13:40:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bcpdt.org.uk\/news\/?p=98187"},"modified":"2023-05-30T23:59:26","modified_gmt":"2023-05-30T22:59:26","slug":"coronavirus-live-herd-immunity-no-longer-a-goal-amid-concern-over-south-african-variants-resistance-to-vaccine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bcpdt.org.uk\/news\/2021\/02\/07\/coronavirus-live-herd-immunity-no-longer-a-goal-amid-concern-over-south-african-variants-resistance-to-vaccine\/","title":{"rendered":"Hungary approves Sputnik V jab \u2013 as it happened"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A dose of Oxford\/AstraZeneca\u2019s Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, at Infectious Diseases Hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><!-- GUARDIAN WATERMARK --><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2021\/feb\/07\/coronavirus-covid-vaccine-variant-pandemic-uk-us-europe-australia-africa-asia\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/image.guardian.co.uk\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2010\/03\/01\/poweredbyguardian.png\" alt=\"Powered by Guardian.co.uk\" width=\"140\" height=\"45\" \/>This article titled &#8220;Hungary approves Sputnik V jab \u2013 as it happened&#8221; was written by Clea Skopeliti (now); Archie Bland and Rebecca Ratcliffe (earlier), for theguardian.com on Sunday 7th February 2021 23.58 UTC<\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"block-60207eae8f0898d76fa12c0d\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 11.58pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>We\u2019ve launched a new blog at the link below \u2013 head there for the latest: <\/p>\n<aside class=\"element element-rich-link\">\n<p> <span>Related: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2021\/feb\/08\/coronavirus-live-news-biden-warns-herd-immunity-difficult-by-end-of-summer-south-africa-suspends-oxford-vaccine\">Coronavirus live news: Biden says herd immunity &#8216;difficult&#8217; by end summer; South Africa suspends Oxford vaccine<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/aside><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-602077cc8f0898d76fa12bc9\" class=\"block is-summary\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 11.34pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">Summary<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<ul>\n<li>Relaxations of coronavirus restrictions were enacted in <strong>Israel<\/strong> and <strong>Jordan<\/strong>, with barbershops and some other businesses opening in Israel and pupils returning to school in Jordan.<\/li>\n<li><strong>South Africa<\/strong> will suspend use of the<strong> Oxford\/AstraZeneca<\/strong> jab in its vaccination programme while scientists advise on the best way to proceed, the country\u2019s health minister said on Sunday in comments reported by Reuters. It will now instead offer vaccines developed by <strong>Johnson &amp; Johnson <\/strong>and<strong> Pfizer<\/strong> in the coming weeks while experts consider how the AstraZeneca shot can be deployed.<\/li>\n<li>More than 12 million people in the <strong>UK<\/strong> have now received a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to government data up to and including 6 February, when 549,078 were vaccinated.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Afghanistan<\/strong> received its first batch of AstraZeneca\u2019s vaccines from India\u2019s Serum Institute on Sunday.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hungary<\/strong> has approved <strong>Russia<\/strong>\u2019s coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V, with 40,000 doses of the jab ready to be rolled out.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Greek<\/strong> prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is facing mounting anger over claims he attended a meal that exceeded the limits on gatherings on the very day health restrictions had been tightened to thwart transmission of the virus.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Chicago<\/strong>\u2019s school district has reached an agreement with its teachers\u2019 union about a Covid safety plan, the city\u2019s mayor has said, signalling an end to months of negotiations.<\/li>\n<li>The government of <strong>Montserrat<\/strong> imposed a 14-day lockdown on Sunday after four coronavirus cases were confirmed on the Caribbean island with less than 5,000 residents.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That\u2019s all from me for tonight, I\u2019ll be handing over to the team in Australia shortly. I\u2019ll post a link here when the new blog is up. Thanks for reading along and writing in!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-602070008f0862592e4b40a6\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 10.56pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Leading vaccine scientists are calling for a rethink of the goals of vaccination programmes, saying that herd immunity through vaccination is unlikely to be possible because of the emergence of variants like that in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/southafrica\">South Africa<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The comments came as the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca acknowledged that their vaccine <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2021\/feb\/07\/oxford-covid-jab-less-effective-against-south-african-variant-study-finds\">will not protect people against mild to moderate Covid illness<\/a> caused by the South African variant. The Oxford vaccine is the mainstay of the UK\u2019s immunisation programme and vitally important around the world because of its low cost and ease of use.<\/p>\n<p>Read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/profile\/sarahboseley\">Sarah Boseley<\/a>\u2019s report <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2021\/feb\/07\/scientists-call-for-rethink-as-doubts-grow-about-achieving-herd-immunity\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-602068cb8f0862592e4b406d\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 10.28pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Police arrested two people and fined more than 50 during a raid on a gym in <strong>Merseyside,<\/strong> northwest England, on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>Officers responded to a tip-off that Prophecy Performance Centre on Gaskill Road in Speke had been been opening in breach of the national lockdown.<\/p>\n<p>A 24-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment and are being questioned by police, PA media reported.<\/p>\n<p>Some 52 people were issued with fixed penalty notices.<\/p>\n<p>The site was also breaking fire safety rules as all of the fire doors were padlocked shut, the force said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-6020638f8f086521535493ac\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 10.03pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>Brazil<\/strong> has reported 26,845 new cases of the coronavirus, and 522 further deaths, according to the country\u2019s health ministry.<\/p>\n<p>The South American country has now registered 9,524,640 cases since the pandemic began, while the official death toll has risen to 231,534, Reuters reported citing ministry data, in the world\u2019s third-worst outbreak outside the United States and India and the second-deadliest.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 10.08pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-60205e478f0865215354937d\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.46pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>President Joe Biden said that it will be difficult for the <strong>United States<\/strong> to reach herd immunity \u2013 defined as at least 75% of the population inoculated against the virus \u2013 by the end of this summer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe idea that this can be done and we can get to herd immunity much before the end of next \u2013 this summer, is \u2013 is very difficult,\u201d Biden told CBS news in an interview.<\/p>\n<p>As of Sunday morning the United States has administered 41,210,937 doses of Covid-19 vaccines and distributed 59,307,800 doses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-60205b2d8f08652153549366\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.32pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>The government of <strong>Montserrat<\/strong> imposed a 14-day lockdown on Sunday after four coronavirus cases were confirmed on the Caribbean island with less than 5,000 residents.<\/p>\n<p>Schools will be shut and people must work remotely where possible, while essential retail will remain open, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ms\/2021\/02\/07\/14-day-lockdown-on-montserrat-starting-600p-m-today-sunday-february-7-2021\/\">government announced<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The country\u2019s vaccination programme will continue and individuals are advised to attend to their clinic based on their pre-arranged appointments. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-602055ef8f08652153549331\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.18pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>Tanzania<\/strong> has no plans for a national vaccination programme, with the east African country\u2019s government claiming the nation is \u201cCovid-19 free\u201d despite little testing being carried out.<\/p>\n<p>The World Health Organization\u2019s Africa chief last week urged Tanzania to share its data on infections as the country\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.africanews.com\/2021\/01\/27\/president-magufuli-warns-tanzanians-against-covid-19-vaccines\/\">president cast doubt<\/a> on global vaccination efforts and its health ministry said it had no plans to accept Covid-19 vaccines.<\/p>\n<p>The government has refused to publish official coronavirus data on the coronavirus since May last year, when the case total was just over 500. In June, President John Magufuli declared that the virus had been \u201celiminated thanks to God\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Magufuli has consistently claimed the pandemic has been exaggerated, even as hospitals in Dar es Salaam struggled to cope with the influx of coronavirus patients.<\/p>\n<p>The WHO has expressed concern over the government\u2019s Covid-19 strategy.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-602054ce8f0862592e4b3f79\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.01pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>The <strong>United States <\/strong>has administered 41,210,937 doses of coronavirus vaccines as of Sunday morning and distributed 59,307,800 doses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>The tally includes doses by both the Moderna and Pfizer\/BioNTech candidates.<\/p>\n<p>The agency said 31,579,100 people had received one or more doses while 9,147,185 people have got the second dose as of Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>A total of 4,839,144 vaccine doses have been administered in long-term care facilities, the agency said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-602042618f0898d76fa129d4\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 8.26pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<figure class=\"element element-embed\" data-alt=\"Cumulative Covid-19 vaccination doses administered per 100 people\"><figcaption>\n    Cumulative Covid-19 vaccination doses administered per 100 people<br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-602044ed8f0862592e4b3ed6\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 7.55pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>More from <strong>South Africa<\/strong>, after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2021\/feb\/07\/coronavirus-covid-vaccine-variant-pandemic-uk-us-europe-australia-africa-asia?page=with:block-60203c3a8f0898d76fa12983#block-60203c3a8f0898d76fa12983\">health authorities decided to suspend use of the AstraZeneca vaccine<\/a> following research showing it was less effective against the variant originating in the country.<\/p>\n<p>The government had planned to administer the AstraZeneca jab to healthcare workers soon, after receiving 1 million doses produced by the Serum Institute of India on Monday. <\/p>\n<p>It will now instead offer vaccines developed by Johnson &amp; Johnson and Pfizer in the coming weeks while experts consider how the AstraZeneca shot can be deployed, according to Reuters.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<p>\u201cWhat does that mean for our vaccination programme which we said will start in February? The answer is it will proceed,\u201d Mkhize told an online news briefing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFrom next week for the next four weeks we expect that there will be J&amp;J vaccines, there will be Pfizer vaccines. So what will be available to the health workers will be those vaccines.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe AstraZeneca vaccine will remain with us &#8230; up until the scientists give us clear indications as to what we need to do,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-60203b958f0898d76fa1297c\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 7.48pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>An emotional reunion between a married couple divided for a year by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2021\/feb\/03\/mps-call-for-ban-care-home-visits-england-illegal-covid\">care home lockdown rules<\/a> has highlighted the pain of separation still faced by thousands of people, Richard Booth writes.<\/p>\n<p>Stanley Harbour, 83, and his wife Mavis Harbour, 81, embraced at the Lever Edge care home in <strong>Great Lever<\/strong>, <strong>Bolton<\/strong> in a moment captured on film by care workers who had laid out flowers and champagne flutes to mark the moment.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-video\" data-canonical-url=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=c1y9SsEZ4wU\">\n  <\/figure>\n<p>Full story by the Guardian\u2019s social affairs correspondent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk-news\/2021\/feb\/07\/couple-reunited-after-year-apart-under-care-home-lockdown-rules\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-6020386e8f08652153549216\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 7.33pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>Chicago<\/strong>\u2019s school district has reached an agreement with its teachers\u2019 union about a Covid safety plan, the city\u2019s mayor has said, signalling an end to months of negotiations.<\/p>\n<p>Chicago Public Schools, the third largest school district in the United States, and the Chicago Teachers Union, which represents 28,000 educators, have been locked in talks for months over a gradual reopening of schools, Reuters wrote, with teachers demanding stronger safety protocols to prevent the spread of the virus in classrooms.<\/p>\n<p>The district cancelled in-person classes for nearly 70,000 students on Monday after teachers threatened to stay away from classrooms until an agreement was reached.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"82561eca5324eeefccaf7e736d63d4150944f2af\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/82561eca5324eeefccaf7e736d63d4150944f2af\/0_159_3500_2101\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"English Language Program teacher Marlon Henriquez and bilingual teacher at Pilsen Community Academy Daniela Lugo prepare for a car caravan of supporters of the Chicago Teachers Union, U.S., January 30, 2021.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">English Language Program teacher Marlon Henriquez and bilingual teacher at Pilsen Community Academy Daniela Lugo prepare for a car caravan of supporters of the Chicago Teachers Union, U.S., January 30, 2021.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Eileen Meslar\/Reuters<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 7.39pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-60203c3a8f0898d76fa12983\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 7.17pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">South Africa suspends use of Oxford vaccine<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>South Africa<\/strong> will suspend use of the Oxford\/AstraZeneca jab in its vaccination programme while scientists advise on the best way to proceed, the country\u2019s health minister said on Sunday in comments reported by Reuters.<\/p>\n<p>Zweli Mkhize was speaking after trial data showed the AstraZeneca vaccine offered only limited protection against mild disease caused by the 501Y.V2 coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers have warned that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2021\/feb\/07\/covid-vaccine-booster-variants-emerge-minister\">vaccines\u2019 focus needs to shift from population immunity<\/a> to protecting individuals from hospitalisation and death.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese findings recalibrate thinking about how to approach the pandemic virus and shift the focus from the goal of herd immunity against transmission to the protection of all at-risk individuals in population against severe disease,\u201d said Prof Shabir Madhi from the University of the Witwatersrand, who led the Oxford\/AstraZeneca trial in South Africa. The data will be published in the coming days.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 7.18pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-602036e68f0898d76fa12959\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 7.00pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>France<\/strong> recorded 19,175 new confirmed Covid-19 infections on Sunday compared with 20,586 the previous day and marking a fourth daily fall, health ministry data showed. <\/p>\n<p>Today\u2019s daily figure is in line with last Sunday\u2019s, where 19,235 new cases were added to the tally. <\/p>\n<p>However, the number of patients treated in hospital for the disease rose to 27,694 from 27,369 the previous day, breaking a four-day decline, the data showed.<\/p>\n<p>The number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care also rose, to 3,272 from 3,225 the day before.<\/p>\n<p>A further 171 people died in France\u2019s hospitals and nursing homes, taking the country\u2019s death toll to 78,965.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-602032128f086521535491d4\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 6.45pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>In the <strong>UK<\/strong>, police have handed out fines worth a total of nearly \u00a330,000 to people who breached lockdown by gathering at a pop-up shisha bar. <\/p>\n<p>West Midlands Police (WMP) said officers found 36 people crammed above a food shop in <strong>Birmingham<\/strong> on Saturday night, where the floor had been turned into an open plan shisha lounge, with beer and soft drinks on offer, card games being played and football on the TV, PA reported.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone at the bar received an \u00a3800 fine under the recently introduced penalty for gatherings of more than 15.<\/p>\n<p>WMP Assistant Chief Constable Mark Payne said: \u201cSadly some people are still not getting the message that we are in a pandemic which has killed thousands of people, and continues to kill hundreds daily. Our officers are working long hours in really difficult circumstances to keep people safe, and blatant breaches such as these are really disheartening to see.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOfficers are having to go home to their families after breaking up large gatherings such as this, not knowing if they have contracted coronavirus while trying to protect others. We know that most people are sticking to the rules and we\u2019re genuinely grateful for that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-602031778f086521535491cf\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 6.30pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>More from <strong>Greece<\/strong>, where the prime minister is facing mounting anger over claims he attended a meal that exceeded the limits on gatherings on the very day health restrictions had been tightened to thwart transmission of the virus, <strong>Helena Smith<\/strong> writes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[He] ought to say a very big sorry to the Greek people,\u201d said Nasos Iliopoulos, the spokesman for the main opposition party, Syriza, as criticism of the incident grew. \u201cIt\u2019s even worse when it has happened on the day that the government has asked citizens to remain indoors from 6pm.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/kyriakos-mitsotakis\">Kyriakos Mitsotakis<\/a> found himself in the line of fire after he and his entourage were filmed enjoying lunch on the terrace of the harbour-front home of an MP in Ikaria. Media reports described as many as 40 people gathering \u2013 far in excess of the limit of nine people congregating at any one time.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"element element-rich-link\">\n<p> <span>Related: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2021\/feb\/07\/greek-prime-minister-criticised-for-lunch-with-up-to-40-people\">Greek prime minister criticised for lunch with up to 40 people<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/aside><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 11.32pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-602030038f086521535491af\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 6.23pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>The capital of <strong>Cyprus<\/strong>, <strong>Nicosia<\/strong>, is using its theatre, which is closed due to the pandemic, to hold blood donation sessions.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"51e7d98fa90866551bfc8a70c6e112159b4785dc\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/51e7d98fa90866551bfc8a70c6e112159b4785dc\/0_333_5000_3001\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"A health worker prepares a man to give blood, inside the Nicosia municipality theater in central capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021. The Blood donation organized by the Blood Bank of the Ministry of Health are held in theaters closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">A health worker prepares a man to give blood, inside the Nicosia municipality theater in central capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021. The Blood donation organized by the Blood Bank of the Ministry of Health are held in theaters closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Petros Karadjias\/AP<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 6.25pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-60202d4d8f0862592e4b3dc5\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 6.13pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>Greece<\/strong> reported 733 new cases of the coronavirus on Sunday, taking the country\u2019s cumulative total to 163,946.<\/p>\n<p>The country\u2019s health authorities also announced there had been 21 more deaths, bringing the death toll to 5,972. <\/p>\n<p>There are 262 patients on ventilators.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this week, Greece tightened coronavirus restrictions for 10 days in three high-risk areas of the country in a bid to bring down Covid-19 levels after a recent spike in infection numbers.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"12f58dbaaa727a7b52cae5dd0659e2913eaae96e\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/12f58dbaaa727a7b52cae5dd0659e2913eaae96e\/0_429_4128_2477\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Greeks enjoying the splendid weather in Athens this weekend as the government tightens curbs to stem the spread of coronavirus.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Greeks enjoying the splendid weather in Athens this weekend as the government tightens curbs to stem the spread of coronavirus.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Helena Smith<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 6.45pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-60202a8a8f08652153549162\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 6.00pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>Northern Ireland<\/strong> reported a further 334 positive cases of the coronavirus on Sunday, as well as nine deaths.<\/p>\n<p>There are 585 Covid-positive inpatients in hospital, PA wrote, 66 of whom are in intensive care.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-602024f48f0862592e4b3d51\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"profile\/jedidajah-otte\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 5.39pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>My colleague Jedidajah Otte has been speaking to people in the UK who have received the Oxford vaccine, following a study showing it offers less protection against South African variant:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<p>Alan Moss, 69, from <strong>Burnham<\/strong> near <strong>Slough<\/strong>, was pleased when he received the Oxford\/AstraZeneca jab last Friday. <\/p>\n<p>Reacting to the news that the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2021\/feb\/07\/covid-vaccine-booster-variants-emerge-minister\">vaccine won\u2019t stop people becoming ill if they contract the South African variant of Covid-19<\/a>, he said: \u201cThe whole thing has been a bit of a rollercoaster, and I suppose you shouldn\u2019t get over the moon about getting the jab, nor should we be too panicked when such news emerge.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s no surprise &#8211; viruses mutate into variants. I work from home and don\u2019t travel much, and will continue taking precautions. But what I\u2019m yet to see is: is it true that the Oxford vaccine will at least keep you out of hospital [if you contract the South African variant]?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Moss believes the news has amplified the importance of tighter borders in the UK, and that if this doesn\u2019t happen soon, further lockdowns will be inevitable.<\/p>\n<p>He added: \u201cThe question is now: Is the government ready to do more to contain new variants? We still haven\u2019t closed our borders, what are they waiting for? The government has to stay ahead of the curve, so it should be really enforcing quarantine. Why wait until 15 February? If we don\u2019t act fast, I fear there will be yet another lockdown, or more, on loop.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 5.42pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-60201ed98f0898d76fa12817\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 5.21pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">Hungary approves Sputnik V vaccine<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>Hungary<\/strong> has approved <strong>Russia<\/strong>\u2019s coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V, with 40,000 doses of the jab ready to be rolled out.<\/p>\n<p>Official testing has been completed \u201cand the vaccine may be administered\u201d, Miklos Kasler, AFP reported a health minister as announcing.<\/p>\n<p>The doses are the first batch of a total order of two million to be supplied over three months.<\/p>\n<p>The government announced on Tuesday that it had already received 40,000 doses of Sputnik V \u2013 the first country to do so within the European Union. It is also the first member state to have reached a deal with the Chinese laboratory Sinopharm, announcing an order of five million doses of its jab. <\/p>\n<p>Hungary has been critical of the EU\u2019s slow vaccine procurement process.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 9.53pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-602019a68f08652153549062\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 4.56pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>Afghanistan<\/strong> received its first batch of AstraZeneca\u2019s vaccines from India\u2019s Serum Institute on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p><strong>India<\/strong> has sent half a million doses to <strong>Kabul<\/strong> as part of a program by <strong>New Delhi<\/strong> to distribute the vaccine to neighbouring countries, AFP reported.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe received 500,000 doses of vaccines for Covid-19 patients from the government of India,\u201d Afghanistan\u2019s acting health minister Wahid Majrooh told reporters at Kabul airport as he received the consignment.<\/p>\n<p>In accordance with WHO guidance, Afghanistan will prioritise health workers and elderly citizens with underlying conditions in its rollout of the vaccine.<\/p>\n<p>Majrooh said Kabul plans to ultimately cover 60% of the population and was working with international agencies like the World Bank, Asian Development and the European Union to procure more jabs.<\/p>\n<p>Recent months have seen a fall in new infections, but the country was hit hard by the virus last year. A health ministry survey last August found that 10 million people \u2013 nearly a third of the country\u2019s population \u2013 had been infected with the coronavirus.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 4.59pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-602015298f08652153549019\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 4.35pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>Venetians<\/strong> have celebrated a very different carnival this year, without the usual crowds of tourists, AFP reported.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s totally surreal,\u201d said 47-year-old carnival-goer Chiara Ragazzon, an office worker. \u201cWhat hits me most is the silence. You\u2019ve always been able to hear music during the carnival, people having fun. But Venice in the fog &#8211; it\u2019s still a magical place.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ragazzon and her husband had ventured into Venice from their home around 50 kilometres (30 miles) away.<\/p>\n<p>Italy relaxed its coronavirus restrictions on Monday, allowing greater freedoms in most regions.<\/p>\n<p>Venice is among the areas now under a lower-risk \u201cyellow\u201d category &#8211; but residents are still not allowed to travel outside the region.<\/p>\n<p>A short walk from St Mark\u2019s Square, Hamid Seddighi, dressed in paint-splattered overalls, was making a carnival mask in his workshop, moulding and smoothing it with delicate precision.<\/p>\n<p>His store, Ca\u2019 de Sol, sells masks made from papier mache, lace and iron, bedecked with Swarovski crystals. But his creations have been piling up without takers.<\/p>\n<p>The pandemic has pushed his revenues down 70 percent &#8211; mainly due to the lack of foreign tourists, his main clientele.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was love at first sight for me and these masks,\u201d said the 63-year-old, who moved to Italy from Iran. \u201cI\u2019ve been making them for 35 years. But it\u2019s tragic &#8211; I have only sold two for the carnival.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"42c2ab9733abfac03be8563a51c919b5312b69ec\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/42c2ab9733abfac03be8563a51c919b5312b69ec\/0_4_3500_2101\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"People wear carnival masks and costumes in St. Mark\u2019s Square to celebrate Venice\u2019s annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">People wear carnival masks and costumes in St. Mark\u2019s Square to celebrate Venice\u2019s annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Manuel Silvestri\/Reuters<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"78e878f6e56a8d689ec014c67e747d35abe2671a\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/78e878f6e56a8d689ec014c67e747d35abe2671a\/0_193_3500_2101\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"The owner of a mask artisan shop wearing a costume steps outside to celebrate Venice\u2019s annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS\/Manuel Silvestri\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">The owner of a mask artisan shop wearing a costume steps outside to celebrate Venice\u2019s annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Manuel Silvestri\/Reuters<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"bbef57d535dc86792f0f244b3742a8932960cf1a\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/bbef57d535dc86792f0f244b3742a8932960cf1a\/0_91_3500_2100\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"People wear carnival masks by the Bridge of Sighs to celebrate Venice\u2019s annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS\/Manuel Silvestri TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">People wear carnival masks by the Bridge of Sighs to celebrate Venice\u2019s annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Manuel Silvestri\/Reuters<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 4.48pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-602010d08f08652153548fd2\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 4.12pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>More than 12 million people in the <strong>UK<\/strong> have now received a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to government data up to and including 6 February, when 549,078 were vaccinated.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>First dose: 12,014,288<\/li>\n<li>Second dose: 511,447<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 5.38pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-60200f948f0862592e4b3c1b\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 4.06pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">UK reports 15,845 new cases, 373 deaths<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>A further 15,845 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in the <strong>UK<\/strong>, taking the total to 3,945,680, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.data.gov.uk\/\">government figures<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This compares to 21,088 last Sunday. <\/p>\n<p>The number of deaths within 28 days of a positive test rose by 373, bringing the UK death toll to 112,465. There were 587 last Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>New cases have decreased by 24.3% in the last seven days, while deaths have fallen by 23.3%.<\/p>\n<p>Sunday\u2019s figures tend to be lower because of reporting delays over the weekend.<\/p>\n<p>This is Clea Skopeliti picking up the blog for the evening. If you have any suggestions for our coronavirus coverage, you can DM me on <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/cleaskopeliti\">Twitter<\/a>. Thanks in advance.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 4.18pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-60200c498f0862592e4b3bf7\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 4.02pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">Summary of latest events<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Here are some of the key developments of the last few hours, from the UK and around the world:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A further 410 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in <strong>England<\/strong>, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 75,767, NHS England said on Sunday.<\/li>\n<li>In <strong>Scotland<\/strong>, 584 new cases of coronavirus were recorded along with a further seven deaths from the disease. There were also a further 461 cases of coronavirus in <strong>Wales <\/strong>and 28 deaths.<\/li>\n<li>Relaxations of coronavirus restrictions were enacted in <strong>Israel<\/strong> and <strong>Jordan<\/strong>, with barbershops and some other businesses opening in Israel and pupils returning to school in Jordan.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Austria<\/strong> tightened border controls to all neighbouring countries, saying non-essential travel should be prevented during the pandemic.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>UK <\/strong>has no plans to introduce vaccine passports, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/video\/2021\/feb\/07\/nadhim-zahawi-uk-has-no-plans-to-introduce-covid-vaccine-passports-video\">vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said<\/a>, arguing that such a measure would be discriminatory.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Kate Bingham<\/strong>, former Chair of the UK Government\u2019s Vaccine Taskforce, gave a wide-ranging interview to two European newspapers, saying that Brexit was not the reason for the relative success of the UK\u2019s approach compared to the EU\u2019s but adding that \u201cto get 27 countries all to agree is very difficult\u201d.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>United Arab Emirates<\/strong> will temporarily only vaccinate residents and citizens who are elderly or who have certain health conditions, following a spike in infections over the past weeks, state media said on Sunday.<\/li>\n<li>Researchers told the Guardian that herd immunity can no longer be the goal for Covid vaccines following the news that the <strong>Oxford University\/AstraZeneca vaccine<\/strong> does not stop people with the South African variant becoming mildly or moderately ill.<\/li>\n<li><strong>European Central Bank<\/strong> (ECB) chief Christine Lagarde rejected calls to cancel debts run up by eurozone members to buttress their economies during the Covid-19 crisis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That\u2019s it from me. My colleague Clea Skopeliti will pick up our coverage shortly.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 4.04pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-60200d458f0862592e4b3c02\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 3.55pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">410 more deaths in English hospitals<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>A further 410 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 75,767, NHS England said on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>Patients were aged between 28 and 100. All except nine, aged between 42 and 79, had known underlying health conditions. The deaths were between April 19 2020 and February 6, with the majority being on or after February 3. <\/p>\n<p>There were 29 other deaths reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-6020082e8f0898d76fa126e3\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 3.35pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>In <strong>Jordan<\/strong>, too, some relaxations are underway, with thousands of students there going back to classrooms on Sunday after almost a year of closures due to the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am very happy to see my friends and teacher again,\u201d AFP quoted seven-year-old Mecca as saying at a girls\u2019 school in Jabal Amman, in the centre of the Jordanian capital.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was bored at home. Being at school is better,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"f70f8f2f88756bcdc3a6195c9ae72a7401d14c10\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/f70f8f2f88756bcdc3a6195c9ae72a7401d14c10\/0_134_3500_2100\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Jordanian pupils get on a bus to return home after attending class for the first time in nearly a year on Sunday.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Jordanian pupils get on a bus to return home after attending class for the first time in nearly a year on Sunday.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Khalil Mazraawi\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Schools and universities in the country have been shut since mid-March due to the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>Kindergarten and early elementary school levels, as well as students in their final year of high school, went back to classrooms on Sunday, the first day of the school week in Jordan, while Christian schools will reopen for those students on Monday.<\/p>\n<p>The UN agency for Palestinian refugees also reopened its schools on Sunday for 28,000 students.<\/p>\n<p>An education ministry spokesman said more than 773,000 students were going back to the classroom this week.<\/p>\n<p>The government decided to reopen schools after a drop in the number of Covid-19 cases over the past four weeks.<\/p>\n<p>Another 1.4 million students across the country will return gradually until March 7, according to the education and health ministries.<\/p>\n<p>Bassam Hijjawi, from the national epidemics committee, said Sunday that the gradual return to schools would take place within \u201ca strict health protocol\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>He said all students were required to wear masks and observe physical distancing in the classroom, with two square metres provided for each desk.<\/p>\n<p>Jordan has officially registered a total of 333,855 coronavirus infections and 4,369 deaths.<\/p>\n<p>Vaccinations began in January and so far more than 40,000 people have received a first injection.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-6020071a8f08652153548f54\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 3.31pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>In<strong> Israel,<\/strong> barbershops and some other businesses reopened on Sunday as the country began easing its third coronavirus lockdown amid an aggressive vaccination campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Early Friday, the government announced it was lifting some restrictions imposed since December, when the country saw a rise in Covid-19 infections.<\/p>\n<p>Jerusalem barber Eli Aroas was among those re-opening on Sunday morning, the start of the working week.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI slowly notified all my customers that we are back at work,\u201d the Jerusalem barber told AFP.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"d582ef7759e70c5efe1e8c909c5d142a1570e3f3\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/d582ef7759e70c5efe1e8c909c5d142a1570e3f3\/0_448_6720_4032\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"People out in the sun at the port of Tel Aviv on Sunday.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">People out in the sun at the port of Tel Aviv on Sunday.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Abir Sultan\/EPA<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cWe have a working schedule and orders, and we hope this would be the end of all this saga.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While shops were not formally permitted to open, many small stores were making transactions with clients standing outside.<\/p>\n<p>Since December, more than 3.4 million out of Israel\u2019s nine-million population have received a coronavirus vaccine jab in what is seen as the world\u2019s fastest per-capita vaccination campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the inoculations, Israel has been registering a daily average of 6,500 new Covid-19 cases, down from around 8,000 in mid-January.<\/p>\n<p>A strict nationwide lockdown in force since December 27 has been extended four times to combat the infection rate, but January was the deadliest month yet, with more than 1,000 Covid fatalities.<\/p>\n<p>But as of Sunday, Israelis were no longer restricted to within one kilometre (1000 yards) of their homes.<\/p>\n<p>Hair and beauty salons are allowed to have one person providing a service to one client, while and nature reserves and national parks reopened.<\/p>\n<p>Hotels remain shuttered and restaurants will be allowed to cater only for takeaways, while guesthouses can host members of the same nuclear family only.<\/p>\n<p>A suspension of international flights will remain in place until February 20, along with the closure of Israel\u2019s land borders.<\/p>\n<p>Israelis stranded abroad will be able to return on special flights.<\/p>\n<p>The cabinet was due to meet later Sunday to plan the further relaxing of limitations, especially the educational system, set to reopen Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n<p>Israel has registered a total of more than 687,000 cases of Covid-19, including over 5,000 deaths.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601ffdf28f08652153548ed8\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 2.54pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>Austria<\/strong> said on Sunday it was tightening border controls to all neighbouring countries, saying non-essential travel should be prevented during the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>The move to tighten border controls comes as the country is gearing up to cautiously loosen some restrictions this coming week, including letting non-essential shops and schools reopen.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe border controls are meant to break the chain of infection which through new virus mutations has grown more dangerous,\u201d Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said in a statement reported by Reuters. \u201cDuring the pandemic, travel should be kept to an absolute minimum.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"9c35855dd7f96c1336547b7d556e16fb26cf66f7\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/9c35855dd7f96c1336547b7d556e16fb26cf66f7\/0_116_3500_2101\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Austrian police performs a health control check at the Austrian-Italian border station in Brenner, Austria in December.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Austrian police performs a health control check at the Austrian-Italian border station in Brenner, Austria in December.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Leonhard F\u00f6ger\/Reuters<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The interior ministry said that it had been in contact with German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer over the new border measures and that talks with ministers in other countries were to follow. Austria shares borders with Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia.<\/p>\n<p>Austria reported 1,317 new infections on Sunday, bringing the total to 420,644 since the outset of the pandemic. Twenty-two people died, raising the country\u2019s total COVID-19 fatalities to 7,906, according to official figures. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601ff9ea8f0862592e4b3b09\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 2.45pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">Former UK vaccine chief: &#8216;we had a clear focus on being quick&#8217;<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Katie Bingham, former Chair of the UK Government\u2019s Vaccine Taskforce, has given a joint interview to two European newspapers, Die Welt and La Repubblica, setting out the approach she took in her widely lauded management of the British programme.<\/p>\n<p>You can read the transcript in full (in English) on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.repubblica.it\/cronaca\/2021\/02\/07\/news\/kate_bingham_interview_vaccines_covid_astrazeneca_uk_coronavirus_johnson-286384093\/?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar\">La Repubblica<\/a>. Here are some highlights:<\/p>\n<p><strong>How her professional background informed the process and criteria for candidates<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<p>We had a very clear focus on being quick and securing the most promising vaccines for the UK as soon as possible. That was my number one priority and what we did. I\u2019m a venture capitalist in my whole job, I\u2019ve spent all my life building companies, developing new pharmaceuticals. So my whole job has always been: look at science, look at data, and then decide what the risks are&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>&#8230;We focused, first of all, on what could get into clinic first and then we looked at the data. Now, of course, all the different companies have different types of data. None of the models were comparable and that reduced the list probably to 20. Then we probably did really deep diligence on a dozen, maybe something like that. And then we had to make decisions. That was the basis, the judgment of the team that not only what was the immunogenicity and safety data like, but just as importantly, what was the ability to supply like?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"1a4f0ae937db33cdf53b90b9dcbbe156dfc07d89\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/1a4f0ae937db33cdf53b90b9dcbbe156dfc07d89\/0_0_3500_2101\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Kate Bingham, then chair of the Government\u2019s Vaccine Taskforce, with a plaster on her arm after an injection as part of the Novavax trial in October.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Kate Bingham, then chair of the Government\u2019s Vaccine Taskforce, with a plaster on her arm after an injection as part of the Novavax trial in October.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Kirsty O\u2019Connor\/PA<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>On available budget for the project<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<p>Well, they asked me what I thought we needed to spend, and the answer was I didn\u2019t know when they first asked me. So we went in and obviously started doing the work and doing the due diligence. Many of the pharma companies said that they would do it on a non profit basis&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>&#8230;The government didn\u2019t say to me \u201cyou have a blank check\u201d. We had to prepare a business case to secure an overall framework budget from which we would then make recommendations, for example \u201cwe suggest you sign this contract for these vaccines\u201d. We weren\u2019t choosing vaccines on the basis of being cheap. We were choosing on the basis of vaccines being effective and available quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>On personal relationships and the UK\u2019s offer to pharmaceutical firms<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<p>Being quick and nimble was definitely important. The fact that I\u2019ve been in the industry for 30 years and the team that I work with have been in the industry at least as long, if not longer, meant that we had connections very broadly across the industry. So that meant I could just pick up the phone and speak directly to a company. With one company we had our first meeting on a Thursday and we had a follow up meeting on Saturday, and would agree the rough outline of a deal the following week.<\/p>\n<p>So we had to make ourselves good customers to make people want to supply to the UK because there was going to be limited amount of vaccine initially. Our goal was to do whatever we could do to encourage the companies to talk to us. That meant we had a sort of \u201cUK offer\u201d, as it were, which is if the company needed support in the scale of the manufacturing and fill finish and if we could offer that, we offered it and if the company needed us to help with running the clinical trials, we did that, too.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>On the difference between UK and EU approaches and whether Brexit helped<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<p>The UK had a very strategic approach, which was to secure vaccines quickly. And the European approach seems to be more sort of a more typical procurement approach, which was more about making sure you got the best value for money for your vaccines. It wasn\u2019t related to Brexit and is not related to people being better or more experienced&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>&#8230;Indemnification [of pharmaceutical companies] was definitely a matter that all the governments, including the UK, were uncomfortable about. But if they\/we wanted to secure the vaccines, they\/we were going to have to give indemnity. So I think probably the difference is that we just got to that position maybe sooner than others. I can completely understand that if you could get 27 countries all to agree is very difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Lots more to chew over in that interview &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.welt.de\/politik\/ausland\/article225865185\/Kate-Bingham-Former-UK-vaccines-chief-says-yes-to-Russian-jab-if-data-is-good.html\">here it is again<\/a>, this link to the (identical) Die Welt version.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 3.36pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601ff7658f08652153548e74\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 2.22pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>More from Scotland, where 584 new cases of coronavirus have been recorded along with a further seven deaths from the disease.<\/p>\n<p>The latest figures published by the Scottish Government showed that 6.9% of those tested for the virus were confirmed as having Covid-19. Meanwhile 1,710 people are in hospital with recently confirmed coronavirus, a reduction of 19 from the previous day.<\/p>\n<p>That includes 108 people in intensive care, with this total having fallen by nine in the past 24 hours.<\/p>\n<p>A total of 839,266 people have received their first dose of the Covid vaccine, an increase of 52,389 from the previous day (see figures in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2021\/feb\/07\/coronavirus-covid-vaccine-variant-pandemic-uk-us-europe-australia-africa-asia?page=with:block-601fea228f08652153548dee#block-601fea228f08652153548dee\">previous post<\/a>). There are now 10,582 Scots who have had both doses of the vaccine, an increase of 250.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fefbb8f08652153548e20\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 1.54pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>In <strong>Scotland<\/strong>, health secretary Jeane Freeman says that the government aims to have every adult vaccinated \u201cin the summer\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-scotland-55970550\">an interview with BBC Scotland<\/a>, Freeman said: \u201cOur ambition is to get through all those 4.5m adults, 18 and over, in the summer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt this point it is not very sensible to give specific dates because there are a number of unknowns, partly what the JCVI [Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation] tell us and partly about supplies.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"ac3371df8215c0eaebc3ec2b1e02775db7b734fd\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/ac3371df8215c0eaebc3ec2b1e02775db7b734fd\/0_162_5278_3168\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Vaccinations underway with the assistance of military personnel in Edinburgh.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Vaccinations underway with the assistance of military personnel in Edinburgh.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Getty Images<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cBut what is the case, is that our infrastructure to do that is there, and we have the vaccinators, we have the support staff, we have the local and the regional centres able to do it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs fast as we get supplies we will be vaccinating.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The official target for adult vaccinations to be complete is September. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.scot\/news\/vaccine-programme-exceeds-expectations\/\">So far<\/a> 786,427 have received a first jab, including 93% of over-80s living in the community, 99% of older adult care home residents, and 272,365 frontline health and social care workers.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fea228f08652153548dee\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 1.28pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">Surge testing underway to monitor coronavirus variant, DHSC says<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>In the <strong>UK<\/strong>, \u2018surge testing\u2019 is being deployed in several areas where cases of coronavirus variants have been found, the Department of Health and Social Care said in a tweet.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-tweet\" data-canonical-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DHSCgovuk\/status\/1358403891134488582\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Additional surge testing and sequencing is being deployed to targeted areas where coronavirus (<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#COVID19<\/a>) variants have been found. <\/p>\n<p>These include:<br \/>\u25b6\ufe0fa specific area around Worcestershire (WR3)<br \/>\u25b6\ufe0fan area in Sefton (PR9)<br \/>\u25b6\ufe0fareas in Bristol and South Gloucestershire<\/p>\n<p>More info \u2b07\ufe0f<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DHSCgovuk\/status\/1358403891134488582?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 7, 2021<\/a>\n   <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The DHSC highlighted areas in Worcestershire (WR3), Sefton (PR9), and in Bristol and South Gloucestershire.<\/p>\n<p>A gov.uk release said that \u201csurge testing is in addition to existing extensive testing, and in combination with following the lockdown rules and remembering hands-face-space, will help to monitor and suppress the spread of the virus.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bristol council set out the plans <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BristolCouncil\/status\/1358132200852619268\">on Twitter last night<\/a>, saying that the steps \u201cwill allow public health agencies to investigate cases of the mutated variant of COVID-19\u201d. Sefton council also <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/seftoncouncil\/status\/1357257948121202688\">flagged the plans<\/a> on February 4, while the first day of the measures in Worcestershire led to queues at testing centres yesterday. In Worcestershire, Councillor Tony Miller said just one case of the new variant had been recorded in the area:<\/p>\n<aside class=\"element element-rich-link\">\n<p> <span>Related: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2021\/feb\/06\/worcestershire-begins-surge-testing-for-south-african-covid-variant\">Worcestershire begins surge testing for South African Covid variant<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/aside><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 1.30pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fe4b28f0862592e4b3a08\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 1.05pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Kate Connolly has reported on vaccine passport plans and associated fears around transmission and social unrest.<\/p>\n<p>In the <strong>UK<\/strong>, minister Nadhim Zahawi ruled out such a plan this morning. But Connolly reports:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<p>The impact [of decisions over vaccine passports] range from the speed at which economies can open to when grandparents and grandchildren can hug again, but it is causing growing unease among decision makers who warn there is a danger of dividing societies already under huge strain due to pandemic restraints.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Connolly reports caution in <strong>Germany<\/strong> even as some private companies move ahead. But there are more aggressive moves in other countries including <strong>Denmark<\/strong>, <strong>Sweden<\/strong>, <strong>Israel<\/strong>, <strong>Greece<\/strong>, and the <strong>United States<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Read the story here:<\/p>\n<aside class=\"element element-rich-link\">\n<p> <span>Related: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2021\/feb\/07\/freedom-and-fairness-covid-vaccine-passport-plans-cause-global-unease\">Freedom and fairness: Covid vaccine passport plans cause global unease<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/aside><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 1.17pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fdfa28f0898d76fa124fd\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 12.40pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>In <strong>Mexico<\/strong>, a disastrous vaccination programme launch meant that millions of over 60s who tried to register were met by an error message for days on end, David Agren reports:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<p>Human rights groups also raised concerns that many people, including migrants from other countries and internal migrants, do not have an official ID number. \u201cHealth is a human right that cannot be denied to anyone for any reason, including their nationality or immigration status,\u201d said Erika Guevara-Rosas, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/americas\">Americas<\/a> director at Amnesty International&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s no strategy,\u201d said Xavier Tello, a healthcare analyst. \u201cIt\u2019s been nothing but a series of random plans.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Read the story here:<\/p>\n<aside class=\"element element-rich-link\">\n<p> <span>Related: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development\/2021\/feb\/07\/mexico-covid-vaccine-program-website\">\u2018It feels like a placebo\u2019: Mexico\u2019s vaccine program sees disastrous launch<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/aside><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fd81f8f08652153548d2b\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 12.09pm <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">461 more cases in Wales<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>There have been a further 461 cases of coronavirus in <strong>Wales<\/strong>, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 196,060. Public Health Wales reported another 28 deaths, taking the total in Wales since the start of the pandemic to 4,989.<\/p>\n<p>Public Health Wales said a total of 589,622 first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine had now been given. The agency said 2,606 second doses were also given.<\/p>\n<p>In total, 85.3% of those over 80 have received their first dose of the vaccine, along with 78.4% of care home residents and 81.9% of care home staff.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 12.14pm GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fd4c08f0862592e4b397d\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 11.56am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>The United Arab Emirates will temporarily only vaccinate residents and citizens who are elderly or who have certain health conditions, state media said on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>The temporary policy change was made following a spike in infections over the past weeks \u201cto ensure acquired community immunity and contain the disease\u201d, state news agency WAM said, quoting the health ministry.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"12031f334c09f1df4c5999d0d5c3fa98375f8754\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/12031f334c09f1df4c5999d0d5c3fa98375f8754\/0_184_4000_2400\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"A woman receives a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Zabeel Health Center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">A woman receives a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Zabeel Health Center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Ali Haider\/EPA<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A Reuters report said that for the next four to six weeks authorities will try to vaccinate as many elderly people and people with certain diseases as possible. Some other appointments will also be available for other population segments, it added.<\/p>\n<p>The move came as daily infections tripled in around six weeks to hit a record 3,977 on Feb. 3 in the UAE. The Gulf state has not given a breakdown for each emirate.<\/p>\n<p>A vaccine developed by China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) had been made available to all adults in the Gulf state.<\/p>\n<p>Dubai has also made the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines available to citizens and residents of the emirate, with priority given to the eldery, those with chronic diseases and frontline workers.<br \/>The healthy ministry reported 3,093 new cases on Sunday. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fd0da8f0898d76fa12471\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"profile\/sarahboseley\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 11.44am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">Herd immunity not the goal after South African variant vaccine news, researchers say<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Herd immunity can no longer be the goal for Covid vaccines, researchers have said, following the news that the Oxford University\/AstraZeneca vaccine does not stop people with the South African variant becoming mildly or moderately ill.<\/p>\n<p>Oxford and AZ have carried out a small study, in 2,000 younger people in South Africa, to see whether the vaccine protects against the variant. According to the scientists involved who have not yet published it, they did not get severe disease or end up in hospital or die &#8211; although because they were young, with an average age of 31, they would be less likely to anyway. But being vaccinated did not stop them getting Covid, albeit more mildly.<\/p>\n<p>Prof Shabir Madhi from the University of the Witwatersrand, and chief investigator of the study in South Africa pointed out that the recent data from trials of the new Janssen vaccine (which is not yet approved) showed that it still protected people against serious disease even though the efficacy was reduced when it came to milder illness.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese findings recalibrate thinking about how to approach the pandemic virus and shift the focus from the goal of herd immunity against transmission to the protection of all at risk individuals in the population against severe disease,\u201d Madhi said.<\/p>\n<p>Andrew Pollard, Professor of Paediatric Infection and Immunity, and Chief Investigator on the Oxford vaccine trial, said the goal must be to stop people ending up in hospital and dying.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis study confirms that the pandemic coronavirus will find ways to continue to spread in vaccinated populations, as expected, but, taken with the promising results from other studies in South Africa using a similar viral vector, vaccines may continue to ease the toll on health care systems by preventing severe disease,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Like other vaccine developers, Oxford and AstraZeneca are now working on tweaked vaccines that will prove tougher against the variant from South Africa.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEfforts are underway to develop a new generation of vaccines that will allow protection to be redirected to emerging variants as booster jabs, if it turns out that it is necessary to do so,\u201d said Sarah Gilbert, Professor of Vaccinology at Oxford.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are working with AstraZeneca to optimise the pipeline required for a strain change should one become necessary. This is the same issue that is faced by all of the vaccine developers, and we will continue to monitor the emergence of new variants that arise in readiness for a future strain change.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 11.45am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fc9788f0862592e4b3914\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 11.08am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">Coronavirus debt cancellation &#8216;unthinkable&#8217;, says ECB chief Lagarde<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>European Central Bank<\/strong> (ECB) chief Christine Lagarde on Sunday rejected calls to cancel debts run up by eurozone members to buttress their economies during the Covid-19 crisis.<\/p>\n<p>The ECB has taken unprecedented steps to cushion the economic blow from the pandemic in the 19-nation euro area, launching a massive bond-buying scheme that has so far totalled 1.85 trillion euros (.2 trillion).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCancelling that debt is unthinkable,\u201d Lagarde told France\u2019s Le Journal du Dimanche weekly, in comments reported by AFP.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt would be a violation of the European treaty which strictly forbids monetary financing of states,\u201d she said, calling it one of the \u201cfounding pillars\u201d of the euro single currency.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image element--thumbnail\" data-media-id=\"be18a05a2b4d0e0874cf393c7b131e8dc49e6ba6\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/be18a05a2b4d0e0874cf393c7b131e8dc49e6ba6\/1461_38_1135_1418\/800.jpg\" alt=\"Christine Lagarde.\" width=\"800\" height=\"1000\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Christine Lagarde.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach\/Reuters<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Lagarde was reacting to a call Friday by more than 100 economists for the ECB to further boost the economic recovery of eurozone members by forgiving their debts.<\/p>\n<p>In the letter published in several leading European newspapers, the economists noted that a quarter of the public debt of nations that use the euro &#8211; 2.5 trillion euros (.0 trillion) &#8211; was now held by the ECB.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn other words, we owe ourselves 25 percent of our debt and, if we are to reimburse that amount, we must find it elsewhere, either by borrowing it again to \u2018roll the debt\u2019 instead of borrowing to invest, or by raising taxes, or by cutting expenses,\u201d they wrote.<\/p>\n<p>The economists proposed instead that the ECB forgive the debts in exchange for the countries pledging to spend an equivalent amount on greening their economies and on social projects.<\/p>\n<p>Lagarde, a former French finance minister, admitted that \u201call eurozone countries will emerge from this crisis with high levels of debt.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But, she said, \u201cthere is no doubt that they will be able to pay it back.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fc7158f08652153548c85\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 11.03am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Reuters reports that <strong>India<\/strong> has approved the shipment of COVID-19 vaccine to Cambodia and plans to supply Mongolia and Pacific Island states, officials said on Sunday, as supplies arrived in Afghanistan &#8211; action the news agency characterises as part of the country\u2019s widening vaccine diplomacy.<\/p>\n<p>The Reuters report goes on: <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<p>Seeking to steal a march over rival Asian giant China, which has also promised to deliver shots, Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u2019s government has been giving nearby countries millions of doses of the locally made AstraZeneca PLC vaccine, even as its domestic immunisation programme has just begun.<\/p>\n<p>Modi is using India\u2019s strength as the world\u2019s biggest maker of vaccines for various diseases to improve regional ties and push back against China\u2019s political and economic dominance.<\/p>\n<p>New Delhi has approved 100,000 doses for Cambodia on an urgent basis following a request to Modi from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, India\u2019s envoy to Phnom Penh said.<\/p>\n<p>Cambodia is an important ally of China, which is expected to provide a million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, mainly developed by state firm Sinopharm.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe supply has been assured through the Serum Institute of India despite innumerable competing requests from partner countries and our commitment to our domestic population,\u201d said Ambassador Devyani Khobragade.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"7318679d11f75df82b8349ea958154714b0d2061\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/7318679d11f75df82b8349ea958154714b0d2061\/0_0_3500_2625\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Diplomats and officials posing next to cartons of a Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine from India to Myanmar at Yangon International Airport.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Diplomats and officials posing next to cartons of a Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine from India to Myanmar at Yangon International Airport.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Embassy of India, Yangon\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<p>India has given doses to Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives to help them get started with frontline workers as part of its Vaccine Friendship initiative.<\/p>\n<p>On Sunday it sent 500,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Afghanistan, the first to arrive in the war-ravaged country, which is still waiting for emergency approval from the World Health Organization to administer them.<\/p>\n<p>India has invested millions of dollars in Afghanistan over the years in an expansive effort seen as pushing back against arch rival Pakistan\u2019s influence in the country. \u201cThe vaccines are being provided on a grant basis,\u201d a government source said.<\/p>\n<p>So far, India had supplied 15.6 million doses of the vaccine to 17 countries either through donations or commercial contracts, said foreign ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava.<\/p>\n<p>Consignments will be sent to Mongolia, Caribbean countries and Pacific Island states in the coming weeks, he said. \u201cExternal supplies are an ongoing process, depending on availability and domestic requirement,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>India, which has the world\u2019s second-highest caseload of coronavirus, plans to immunise 300 million people by August. It vaccinated about 3 million healthcare workers in the first two weeks of the campaign that began on Jan. 16 and will need to step up the pace to meet the summer target. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 11.04am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fc2268f0898d76fa123e9\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 10.37am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>My colleague Larry Elliott has interviewed Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey for the Observer. Bailey suggests in the interview that the end of lockdown could result in a significant increase in consumer spending in the <strong>UK<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Elliott writes:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<p>Threadneedle Street is monitoring what households do with an estimated \u00a3125bn in extra savings they have accumulated since the start of the pandemic. The Bank expects only 5% of the total to be spent, but Bailey said it could be more.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe risk is on the upside \u2013 that after you lock people up for this long they go for it.\u201d He added: \u201cOne interesting question is how much that desire to spend comes up against a supply side that doesn\u2019t recover immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>You can read the rest of the piece here:<\/p>\n<aside class=\"element element-rich-link\">\n<p> <span>Related: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business\/2021\/feb\/07\/britons-set-for-a-post-covid-spending-binge-says-bank-chief\">Britons set for a post-Covid spending binge, says Bank chief<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/aside><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fbe398f0898d76fa123b9\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 10.21am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>AP reports on how the pandemic has disrupted carnival plans in <strong>Rio de Janeiro<\/strong>, with the city\u2019s Sambadrome instead being used for immunizations:<\/p>\n<p>In a normal year, Rio de Janeiro\u2019s Sambadrome would be preparing for its great moment of the year: the world\u2019s most famous Carnival parade.<\/p>\n<p>But a week before what should be the start of Carnival, the pandemic has replaced pageantry, with the great celebration put on hold until next year as Rio struggles to quash a rise in COVID-19 cases.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"5f5874ad8ee05410fa95f87326da932b36710df0\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/5f5874ad8ee05410fa95f87326da932b36710df0\/0_225_3400_2041\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Maria de Lourdes, 101, receives a dose of China\u2019s Sinovac Biotech COVID-19 vaccine at a drive-through vaccination site in the Sambadrome, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Maria de Lourdes, 101, receives a dose of China\u2019s Sinovac Biotech COVID-19 vaccine at a drive-through vaccination site in the Sambadrome, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Bruna Prado\/AP<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Rio mayor\u2019s office opened a drive-through immunization station Saturday at the Sambadrome, where a line of cars queued up on a broad avenue built for floats.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is usually a place of pleasure. Today it is too, because we are exercising an act of citizenship and we are opening the Sambadrome to vaccinate, \u201c said Paulo Roberto Machado, a 68-year-old nurse who teaches at the Veiga de Almeida University.<\/p>\n<p>Rio\u2019s city government officially suspended Carnival and warns it will have no tolerance for those who try to celebrate with open street parades or clandestine parties, saying it is monitoring social media to detect any.<\/p>\n<p>Rio mayor Eduardo Paes, who often participates in the parade at the Sambadrome, asked citizens not to be \u201cidiots\u201d by ignoring the rules and buying tickets to parties that will not be allowed. \u201cIt\u2019s a cat-and-mouse game looking to punish those who want party\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n<p>The cancellation has created a deep economic hole for many businesses that depend on the crowds.<\/p>\n<p>Rio\u2019s hotel occupancy rate normally reaches about 80% in the hot summer months and 100% during Carnival. It\u2019s now at roughly 50-60%, according to Alfredo Lopes, the president of Rio\u2019s Hospitality Workers Union.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fbcb58f0898d76fa123af\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 10.17am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Turning now to <strong>Malaysia<\/strong>, health authorities reported 3,731 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, raising the total number of infections so far to 242,452.<\/p>\n<p>Reuters said there were also 15 new deaths reported, taking the cumulative fatalities to 872.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fbbf08f0862592e4b388a\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 10.10am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Marr cites figures from the Border Force suggesting that only one in four passengers are being checked. \u201cThere\u2019s much greater policing of our borders and ports, airports, and of course quarantining and the passenger locator form,\u201d Zahawi says. Marr says the last figure available shows 70% are still not being checked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe quarantine and the compliance with quarantine has been high,\u201d says Zahawi, saying that test and trace also plays a role. Marr says 29% of those supposed to quarantine have left the house and suggests the rules are not tough enough. Zahawi says that 45,000 fines have been issued to people breaking quarantine rules and hardship funds are also available. He adds: \u201cThe thing that\u2019s really important is that our capability now in terms of testing is&#8230; much increased and that will make a huge difference to the outcome for this country.\u201d And after Zahawi proclaims the effectiveness of the vaccine infrastructure, that\u2019s it.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 10.12am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fbaf18f0862592e4b3880\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 10.06am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Zahawi says that a decision on whether frontline workers who come into contact with the virus more frequently will be made after consultation with the JCVI [Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation]. \u201cThe JCVI will look at all the evidence, all the data and I\u2019m sure will advise us accordingly,\u201d he says. \u201cA lot of teachers, a lot of police officers\u201d will be covered in higher risk groups already prioritised for vaccines in any case, he adds.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-atom\">\n<div><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>He again says that the government is not considering vaccine passports which he says would be \u201cdiscriminatory\u201d. He adds: \u201cOf course you have the evidence that you\u2019ve been vaccinated held by your GP and if other countries require you to show proof of that evidence that is obviously up to those countries&#8230; but we have no plan to introduce a vaccine passport.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 11.46am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fb97b8f0898d76fa1238c\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 10.02am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">Expect annual shots to deal with virus variants, says Zahawi<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Zahawi says that people should expect \u201can annual, or booster in the autumn and then annual &#8211; in the way we do with flu vaccinations, where you look at what variant in virus is spreading around the world, you rapidly produce a variant of vaccine and then begin to vaccinate and protect the nation\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>On whether the South African variant could become dominant and lead to restrictions until a new vaccine arrives, he says \u201call [the vaccines] have some effect on both the UK variant and South African variant\u201d. He says more data will be available by mid-February that will help decide the pace of relaxation of lockdowns.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fb8e48f0898d76fa12388\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.56am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>On surge testing and whether it is too late to deal with the South African strain, Zahawi says \u201cI don\u2019t agree with that\u201d and notes the efficacy of the vaccine rollout so far. \u201cThe surge testing is exactly what we have to do&#8230; as well as of course continuing to do gene sequencing of all the different variants.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fb82c8f0862592e4b3870\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.53am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi now follows his appearance on Sky with an interview with Marr. He says that the strategy on the South African variant is to \u201ccontinue to rollout the current two vaccines&#8230; as rapidly as possible to protect the top nine cohorts\u201d which account for 99% of mortality. Meanwhile he highlights a \u201chyperlocal, granular surge in testing tracing and then isolating\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>He also says that deals are being done to manufacture new versions of vaccines rapidly in the UK as and when they are needed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 9.54am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fb78b8f0862592e4b3868\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.51am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>On French president Macron\u2019s claim that the Oxford vaccine was only \u201cquasi-effective\u201d among over-65s and the decision by some European governments not to give the vaccine to over 65s, she says more data will be provided once the US trial has reached a conclusion. \u201cIn Europe they do have other vaccines that are available and so they\u2019re able to decide if they want to to use different vaccines in different age groups,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n<p>She says it is \u201cvery unlikely\u201d that vaccines would be completely ineffective against future variants.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fb6c88f0898d76fa12378\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.47am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Gilbert says that a new version of the vaccine which could provide broader protection should be available in the autumn. She says that in the interim \u201cwe\u2019re going to need to keep a really close eye on the spread of the South African variant in the UK\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>She also says that work is being done on a version of the vaccine to take on the Brazilian variant which is not yet in circulation in the UK.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 9.47am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fb5298f08652153548bf2\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.45am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Sarah Gilbert, lead researcher on the Oxford vaccine, tells Marr that new data sets provide \u201creally good news\u201d on the efficacy, highlighting data released this week showing that a delay to 12 weeks for the second dose does not lead to a reduction in efficacy and in fact leads to higher antibody levels and a higher efficacy. <\/p>\n<p>She also reiterates that the vaccine is equally effective against the UK variant.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image element--thumbnail\" data-media-id=\"b29b469a7d5e136edc45544a820132dc7d40e3ae\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/b29b469a7d5e136edc45544a820132dc7d40e3ae\/868_407_898_1122\/800.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah Gilbert.\" width=\"800\" height=\"1000\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Sarah Gilbert.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: John Cairns\/University of Oxford\/PA<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Asked about efficacy against the South African variant, she says that \u201cthere will be more data to come out on this shortly\u201d. On reports that the Oxford vaccine is less effective against mild to moderate disease caused by the South African variant, she says other studies show that \u201cwe may not be reducing the total number of cases but there\u2019s still protection against deaths, hospitalisations and severe disease\u201d. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaybe we won\u2019t be reducing the number of cases as much, but we still won\u2019t be seeing the deaths, the hospitalisations and the severe disease, and that\u2019s really important for healthcare systems.\u201d She says it is not yet possible to say how effective the Oxford vaccine will be against the South African variant in older groups.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fb45d8f0898d76fa1236d\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.38am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Miliband is asked about a Mail on Sunday story on shadow attorney general Charlie Falconer saying that Covid \u201cis a gift that keeps on giving\u201d. The peer said he was referring to changes in the law triggered by the crisis. <\/p>\n<p>Miliband says \u201che shouldn\u2019t have said it. He was talking in the context of lawyers and the way the law was changing but it was a very poor choice of words. I\u2019ve spoken to Charlie this morning, he\u2019s very very sorry and apologises for what he said and it shows we\u2019ve got to be careful with our words.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fb2808f0898d76fa12361\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.31am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>On the BBC, Andrew Marr has been speaking to Ed Miliband, shadow secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image element--thumbnail\" data-media-id=\"200222576e9798becb976502901f678fb1ef062a\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/200222576e9798becb976502901f678fb1ef062a\/685_221_640_801\/400.jpg\" alt=\"Ed Miliband.\" width=\"400\" height=\"500\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Ed Miliband.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Aaron Chown\/PA<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>He says that Labour sees the criteria for lifting lockdown as similar to the government\u2019s &#8211; infection rates, hospitalisations, and the rollout of the vaccine. \u201cI don\u2019t think the government should rush on this,\u201d he adds. \u201cDon\u2019t stop and start, don\u2019t exit too quickly, do this cautiously and judiciously and by the way have a quarantine system that works.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He suggests vaccine passports \u201cmay be necessary\u201d and that we should be \u201copen\u201d to the prospect but that there are \u201ccomplicated issues\u201d to do with how it would be deployed. He says that the government\u2019s quarantine system covers just 5% of arrivals and is not effective. \u201cWe\u2019re five or six weeks on from the South African variant being discovered, we still don\u2019t have a quarantine system in place,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 9.32am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fb20a8f0898d76fa1235d\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.26am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Finally, he is asked how long people should expect to wait for restrictions to ease. He says that the PM will come to parliament on February 22 and talk about reopening schools on 8 March if all goes well, before the gradual reopening of the economy. But he does not set out any further timeline.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fb0cb8f0862592e4b3836\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.24am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">UK not considering vaccine passports, says Zahawi<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Ridge asks whether the UK is considering the introduction of vaccine passports. \u201cNo we\u2019re not,\u201d he says. \u201cOne, we don\u2019t know the impact of vaccines on transmission. Two, it would be discriminatory and I think the thing to do is to make sure that people come forward to be vaccinated because they want to rather than it being made in some way mandatory through a passport.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 10.13am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601faf5d8f0862592e4b382b\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.18am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>On testing, Zahawi says that staff at companies with more than 50 employees will now get rapid tests. \u201cWe need to be really forensic because of these new variants to go after them very rapidly and isolate them and isolate those who have the new variant,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fae848f08652153548bcb\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.13am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Zahawi is asked whether it is correct, as a leaked letter said this week, that the vast majority of adults will have received a jab by the end of May. <\/p>\n<p>He stops short of saying so, noting that \u201cthe limiting factor is vaccine supply, vaccine supply remains finite.\u201d But he says that on Saturday at one point the rate reached 979 jabs a minute. \u201cThe deployment infrastructure can do the volumes that we\u2019ll get through,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m confident that we\u2019ll meet our mid-February target of the top four cohorts,\u201d he says, adding that he is also confident that the first nine most vulnerable cohorts will be reached by the end of May.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fae198f08652153548bc5\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.09am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Zahawi says that social media companies are doing \u201cquite a bit\u201d to challenge anti-vaccine propaganda but that a cross-government unit is working with the companies to remove disinformation. \u201cWe can always do more,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601facdb8f0898d76fa12333\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.07am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">Vaccines minister &#8220;very concerned&#8221; by vaccine hesitation among minority groups<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi is now appearing on Sky News. On the variety in vaccination rates among different ethnic groups, he says that he is \u201cvery concerned\u201d. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image element--thumbnail\" data-media-id=\"4b7035d85ec5010e79e645b75465d8bff23bb9d7\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/4b7035d85ec5010e79e645b75465d8bff23bb9d7\/183_0_238_298\/238.jpg\" alt=\"Nadhim Zahawi.\" width=\"238\" height=\"298\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Nadhim Zahawi.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: ITV\/PA<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Noting that overall vaccine acceptance is very high at 85%, he says that \u201cthe 15% who are vaccine hesitant skew heavily towards BAME communities, especially Afro-Caribbean and Black communities, and of course other Asian and BAME communities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He adds: \u201cThe NHS throughout the whole deployment programme we have a standing daily equalities section that we go through and make sure we\u2019re targeting both with a national message and then the local message, hyperlocal message, and engaging with those faith leaders, community leaders.\u201d He notes a \u00a323m award to local government to meet that challenge.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 9.08am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fac0a8f0862592e4b380f\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 9.01am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>On the easing of lockdown, Burnham says that the early March date for schools to return feels \u201cabout right\u201d but adds: \u201clet\u2019s not have a return to the tiers we had before. We don\u2019t believe they worked. The better approach we think would be a phased national release from lockdown.\u201d He says that the tiers were \u201cdivisive\u201d and \u201ccreated a lot of confusion\u201d, noting that in the north-west \u201cwhat happened is you give people incentive to travel from one part of the region to another\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601faaec8f0898d76fa1232a\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 8.57am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Andy Burnham, the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, is appearing now to argue that life expectancy rates in different areas should be a factor in vaccine distribution across the UK. \u201cI\u2019m not saying diverge completely from the phase set out by ages put forth by the JCVI [Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation],\u201d he tells Ridge. \u201cBut I am saying put greater supplies of the vaccine into those areas where life expectancy is lowest and allow greater flexibility for people to be called earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Burnham says that the approach should stick to the JCVI\u2019s advice but that groups like teachers in areas with lower life expectancy or where more people are out of work should be considered for priority.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 8.59am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601faa508f0862592e4b3804\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 8.54am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Nabarro says that he can\u2019t rule out the theory that the virus escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan, although he\u2019s careful to note that that is because all theories have to be carefully considered to reach the right conclusion about the origins of the coronavirus. \u201cI can\u2019t rule anything out, and I know the team on the spot&#8230; aren\u2019t ruling anything out either,\u201d he says. \u201cAll options are on the table and everything will be looked at.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fa8b08f0862592e4b37f3\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 8.51am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Nabarro says that the outcome of the UK\u2019s decision against WHO advice to delay the second dose of vaccines in order to roll out a first dose more broadly, shown by data so far to have provided a good level of protection, was \u201cwonderful\u201d. He praises the UK\u2019s \u201cbravery\u201d and adds: \u201cThat\u2019s how we\u2019re doing Covid at the moment &#8211; we\u2019re all learning together.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re really really benefiting from the willingness of UK scientists and UK leaders to tell us very precisely what they\u2019re doing differently and why they\u2019re doing differently,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe UK\u2019s approach so far at least has been vindicated,\u201d he says. \u201cYes, I think this is a great lesson for the rest of the world &#8211; thank you, thank you British scientists.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He says the WHO\u2019s initial position had been based on manufacturers\u2019 advice and would not change unless an advisory committee of experts changed its view. \u201cWe\u2019ve never had this speed of advancement, doing and learning at the same time, in my professional life,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fa6278f0862592e4b37e9\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 8.43am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">UK should provide vaccines to other countries, WHO envoy says<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Dr David Nabarro, WHO Special Envoy on COVID-19, is on Sky News\u2019 Sophy Ridge on Sunday, making the case for a more equitable distribution of vaccines around the world. He says it is \u201ctotally understandable\u201d that the UK has secured large quantities of vaccine doses but that the government should start distributing supplies to developing countries once the most vulnerable have been vaccinated. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think we should,\u201d he says, in response to Ridge\u2019s question about whether vaccines should begin to be diverted once over-50s have been vaccinated (he does not specify whether this would be after one or two doses). <\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image element--thumbnail\" data-media-id=\"7fb8f2eab36b60741e00ffd109c56fb9b9617b33\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/7fb8f2eab36b60741e00ffd109c56fb9b9617b33\/323_952_1104_1381\/799.jpg\" alt=\"David Nabarro.\" width=\"799\" height=\"1000\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">David Nabarro.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Pierre Albouy\/Reuters<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cOf course each prime minister, each group of MPs has to form their own decisions &#8211; but it\u2019s really a question of what makes sense economically, what makes sense for society, and how we all want to be remembered in 10 or 20 years time. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo we want to be remembered as a world where those who had the cash could afford to vaccinate their whole populations, and those that didn\u2019t have the cash had to cope with a possibly quite dramatically increasing death rate among their health workers? I don\u2019t think so. I don\u2019t think that\u2019s how any individual really wants to be seen when they look at themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He calls for a national and global debate about what priorities should be.<\/p>\n<p>He also praises the conduct of the public and health workers across the globe, saying that numbers are coming down \u201cbecause of people\u2019s actions, because of the actions of health personnel. We just have to sometimes stop for a bit and say, we are doing amazingly&#8230; in the end it\u2019s our self-discipline that\u2019s going to get this pandemic well-contained.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 8.44am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fa5118f0862592e4b37dd\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 8.34am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>Afghanistan<\/strong> received 500,000 doses of AztraZeneca\u2019s COVID-19 vaccine from India on Sunday, the first to arrive in the country, which is still waiting for emergency approval from the World Health Organisation before it can use them.<\/p>\n<p>Reuters reported that Ghulam Dastagir Nazari, head of the immunisation program at the health ministry, said the doses would be stored in Kabul until the emergency authorisation was received, which it hoped would happen in a week.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"e41755017f8b7491e6ca3a83cc75c9486d34fb68\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/e41755017f8b7491e6ca3a83cc75c9486d34fb68\/0_224_6720_4032\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"A patient is connected to oxygen tank in the intensive care unit ward for COVID-19 patients at the Afghan-Japan Communicable Disease Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">A patient is connected to oxygen tank in the intensive care unit ward for COVID-19 patients at the Afghan-Japan Communicable Disease Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Rahmat Gul\/AP<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The vaccines were produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII), which is producing the AstraZenecca\/Oxford University vaccine for mid- and low-income countries.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe (WHO) certification process is underway and hopefully it will be done in a week and we will start the vaccination process in all 34 provinces,\u201d said Nazari.<\/p>\n<p>Health workers, security force members, teachers and government employees would receive the vaccine first, he said. Nazari said China also planned to send 200,000 doses of the vaccine.<\/p>\n<p>Afghan health officials have also said that the international COVAX programme aimed at improving access to the COVID-19 vaccine for developing countries would provide vaccines to cover 20% of the country\u2019s 38 million population.<\/p>\n<p>Afghanistan has had 55,335 COVID-19 cases and 2,410 deaths from the disease, according to the health ministry.<\/p>\n<p>A regional WHO official told Reuters this week that they were looking at the production sites for the AstraZeneca vaccine and hoped to make the decision on emergency use within weeks.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fa2b68f0898d76fa122ef\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 8.21am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Our colleagues at the Observer have reported that detailed analysis of government data shows that the rate at which cases of Covid-19 have fallen since the start of the year is dramatically lower in the <strong>UK<\/strong>\u2019s poorest regions than in wealthier areas.<\/p>\n<p>The report cites figures, verified by the House of Commons library and compiled by Labour from official statistics, which show that the number of cases of Covid infection per 100,000 people remained markedly higher in the last full week of January in many poorer parliamentary constituencies than in more affluent ones.<\/p>\n<p>You can read the full story here:<\/p>\n<aside class=\"element element-rich-link\">\n<p> <span>Related: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2021\/feb\/06\/fall-in-covid-cases-slower-in-poor-regions\">Fall in Covid cases slower in poor regions<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/aside><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 8.21am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601fa10d8f0898d76fa122e9\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 8.18am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Good morning, and welcome to our live coverage of the latest coronavirus news this Sunday. <\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m Archie Bland, picking up from Rebecca Ratcliffe, and beginning in <strong>Russia<\/strong>, where 16,048 new coronavirus cases and 432 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours, against 16,627 cases and 497 deaths the previous day. Those figures continue a downward trajectory on both fronts.<\/p>\n<p>In <strong>Australia<\/strong>, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2021\/feb\/07\/coronavirus-covid-vaccine-variant-pandemic-uk-us-europe-australia-africa-asia?page=with:block-601f860f8f0898d76fa12295#block-601f860f8f0898d76fa12295\">reported earlier<\/a>, no new local coronavirus cases were reported for a third consecutive day on Sunday, making it 17 days out of 19 with no cases of community transmission across the country. But in <strong>Mexico <\/strong>&#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2021\/feb\/07\/coronavirus-covid-vaccine-variant-pandemic-uk-us-europe-australia-africa-asia?page=with:block-601f423d8f0898d76fa120a4#block-601f423d8f0898d76fa120a4\">also reported earlier<\/a> &#8211; there were 1,496 new confirmed deaths, bringing the country\u2019s total to 165,786.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll bring you the latest updates as they happen, including coverage of the Sunday morning political shows in the <strong>UK<\/strong>, where vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi and shadow business secretary Ed Miliband are due to appear.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f9e398f0862592e4b37c4\" class=\"block is-summary\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 8.11am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">Summary<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>AstraZeneca<\/strong> has reportedly said its vaccine developed with the University of Oxford appeared to offer only limited protection against mild disease caused by the South African Covid variant, based on early data from a trial. The study was relatively small, with 2,000 participants.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/strong> said it had distributed 59,304,600 doses of Covid vaccines in the US and that 39,037,964 doses had been administered as of Saturday morning.<\/li>\n<li>Doctors in <strong>England<\/strong> will be paid an additional \u00a310 every time they vaccinate a vulnerable patient who cannot leave their home. Regular rapid-result coronavirus testing is also to be made available more widely to people who are continuing to travel to work during the lockdown.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Australia<\/strong> plans to introduce vaccination certificates for Covid. The government said vaccines will be mandatory for some. It reported no new local coronavirus cases for a third day on Sunday, as tennis players geared up for the first grand slam of the year in Melbourne on Monday.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That\u2019s all from me, I\u2019m now handing over to my colleague in London, Archie Bland.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f920e8f0862592e4b379d\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"profile\/lauraspinney\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 7.11am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>A 8.30am on Tuesday 26 January the waiting room of the emergency department at the Lariboisi\u00e8re hospital in <strong>Paris<\/strong> was still empty, festooned with signs reading \u201cemergency department on strike\u201d that predate the pandemic but have been left pointedly in place.<\/p>\n<p>There were no shrieking sirens, nobody dressed in PPE. It was and continues to be calm, but the calm may not last.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the 6pm-6am curfew that has been in place since 16 January, the proportion of Covid-19 infections accounted for by the so-called UK variant is increasing exponentially in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/france\">France<\/a> \u2013 by 50% a week.<\/p>\n<p>Though that proportion is still low, at about 14%, the scientific committee advising the government expects the more transmissible UK variant to become dominant in the viral population by early March, if not sooner \u2013 and it has not ruled out a third lockdown to try to slow its progress, as has already been imposed in the UK, Ireland and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2021\/jan\/28\/portugal-facing-worst-moment-of-covid-so-far-says-pm\">Portugal<\/a>.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"element element-rich-link\">\n<p> <span>Related: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2021\/feb\/07\/another-wave-is-possible-paris-braces-for-uk-covid-variant\">&#8216;Another wave is possible&#8217;: Paris braces for UK Covid variant<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/aside><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f860f8f0898d76fa12295\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"profile\/elias-visontay\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 6.19am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>Australia<\/strong>\u2019s top medical experts are to consider a national proposal to test returned travellers two days after exiting their fortnight of hotel quarantine as the federal government reveals its plan for proof-of-vaccination certificates.<\/p>\n<p>Measures to further tighten Australia\u2019s firm containment dominated political discussion on Sunday, while Australia recorded its third consecutive day of no new locally acquired cases of Covid-19.<\/p>\n<p>At the weekend <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/australia-news\/new-south-wales\">New South Wales<\/a> Health began day 16 testing, with Victorian health authorities keen to implement the additional post-quarantine test and ask the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee to nationalise the scheme.<\/p>\n<p>South Australia will also consider adopting the extra test, with the state\u2019s premier, Steven Marshall, saying his government will look at the measure \u201cvery carefully\u201d.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"element element-rich-link\">\n<p> <span>Related: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/australia-news\/2021\/feb\/07\/day-16-test-health-experts-weigh-proposal-for-post-quarantine-coronavirus-check\">Day 16 test: health experts weigh proposal for post-quarantine coronavirus check<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/aside><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f79e88f0898d76fa12235\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 5.31am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Almost all the close and casual contacts of a coronavirus case that sparked a five-day lockdown for parts of<strong> Western Australia<\/strong> have tested negative for the virus, Australian Associated Press reported.<\/p>\n<p>Authorities have identified 528 people linked in some way to the case of a security guard at a quarantine hotel. So far 522 have tested negative with just six waiting on test results.<\/p>\n<p>They were among 5,264 people checked for Covid-19 on Saturday, with no new cases reported. Health Minister Roger Cook said officials were continuing to hunt for more contacts, but believed WA was \u201cin a good place\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cObviously when you had someone in the community for a number of days who was Covid-positive with the UK strain, we were looking at a very dangerous situation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Lockdown will be lifted on Friday, but a range of restrictions will remain for Perth and Peel until 12.01am on 14 February.<\/p>\n<p>All residents, including teachers and high school students, must continue to wear masks while outside their homes except for during vigorous outdoor exercise. A 20-person limit will be imposed on all private indoor gatherings, while a four square metre rule and a cap of 150 attendees will apply to hospitality and retail venues and weddings.<\/p>\n<p>Restaurants, pubs and bars can only have seated service and only essential travel is permitted in and out of the combined restricted zone. Western Australia will also keep its border restrictions in place for both NSW and Victoria.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f702e8f0862592e4b36e1\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 4.44am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in <strong>Germany<\/strong> increased by 8,616 to 2,284,010, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Sunday. The reported death toll rose by 231 to 61,517.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f6a958f0898d76fa121bb\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 4.22am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">Australian Open grand slam begins tomorrow<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>Australia<\/strong> reported no new local coronavirus cases for a third day on Sunday, as tennis players geared up for the first grand slam of the year in Melbourne on Monday, Reuters reported.<\/p>\n<p>The Australian Open will have a reduced attendance of 30,000 fans a day, about 50% lower than usual because of Covid-19 protocols. The public health protocols which have been credited with making Australia one of the most successful nations in battling the virus forced players into a two-week hotel quarantine when they arrived in Melbourne in January.<\/p>\n<p>On Sunday players were finishing warm-up tournaments with Danii Medvedev firing Russia to an ATP Cup win and world No 1 Ash Barty beating Spain\u2019s Garbine Muguruza to win the Yarra Valley Classic.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"31361a130ddb371a7472f662bcafe1e993ac9fdc\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/31361a130ddb371a7472f662bcafe1e993ac9fdc\/0_91_5568_3341\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Asl Barty wins the Yarra Valley Classic on Sunday.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Ash Barty wins the Yarra Valley Classic on Sunday.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Dave Hunt\/AAP<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>More than 500 staff and players tested negative on Friday in retesting required after a worker at their quarantine hotel caught the virus.<\/p>\n<p>Nearly 1,200 close contacts of the infected worker have tested negative to the virus, health officials said. <\/p>\n<p>There were also no new local coronavirus cases reported in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia, where there had been infections in past weeks.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-tweet\" data-canonical-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GregHuntMP\/status\/1358236582172450819\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Thankfully a 3rd consecutive day of zero cases nationally, with 17 of the last 19 days at zero cases of community transmission Australia wide. Sadly the world has now passed 105 m Covid cases and 2.3m lives lost.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Greg Hunt (@GregHuntMP) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GregHuntMP\/status\/1358236582172450819?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 7, 2021<\/a>\n   <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 5.02am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f63a48f0862592e4b3677\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 3.54am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Regular rapid-result coronavirus testing is to be made available more widely to people who are continuing to travel to work during the lockdown in <strong>England<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>PA Media reported that officials hope to \u201cnormalise\u201d testing in the workplace and ensure the safety of those who cannot work from home by identifying asymptomatic carriers of Covid-19.<\/p>\n<p>Ministers will offer access to lateral flow tests \u2013 which can produce results in less than 30 minutes \u2013 to businesses with more than 50 employees. Only firms employing 250-plus staff previously qualified.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 4.00am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f5fc58f0862592e4b365e\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 3.35am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>A first shipment of 88 litres of active ingredients to make AstraZeneca\u2019s Covid-19 vaccine in <strong>Brazil<\/strong> arrived from China on Saturday, essential input to speed the country\u2019s troubled vaccination program, Reuters has reported.<\/p>\n<p>With those supplies flown into Rio de Janeiro on a cargo plane, the Fiocruz biomedical centre can begin filling and finishing 2.8m doses. The federally funded centre expects to receive more ingredients this month to make a total of 15m shots of the vaccine developed with Oxford University.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"ac4218981d9f866248fa256fd66b875400c81eaf\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/ac4218981d9f866248fa256fd66b875400c81eaf\/0_236_5568_3341\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Brazil\u2019s president Jair Bolsonaro says Covid is a \u2018little flu\u2019.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Brazil\u2019s president Jair Bolsonaro says Covid is a \u2018little flu\u2019.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Evaristo Sa\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Fiocruz production line, originally scheduled to start producing in December, has sat idle due to delays getting the first shipment of supplies from China.<\/p>\n<p>President Jair Bolsonaro, who says he will not take any Covid-19 vaccine, is under pressure after a slow and patchy vaccine rollout in Brazil, which is facing a second wave of infections.<\/p>\n<p>Bolsonaro referred to the virus as a \u201clittle flu\u201d but his government faces mounting criticism over its handling of the world\u2019s second-deadliest coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 231,000 Brazilians.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 3.43am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f56c18f0862592e4b361e\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 2.58am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">Doctors in England paid extra to vaccinate vulnerable patients at home<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Doctors in <strong>England<\/strong> will be paid an additional \u00a310 every time they vaccinate a vulnerable person who cannot leave their home, PA Media has reported.<\/p>\n<p>Ministers are striving to meet their target of inoculating all those aged 70 and over, along with frontline health workers, by 15 February.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"c7e156ef9802f5ddf647056365481416b13b90eb\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/c7e156ef9802f5ddf647056365481416b13b90eb\/0_354_5304_3182\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Doctors in England will be paid extra if they vaccinate elderly or vulnerable patients in their own home.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Doctors in England will be paid extra if they vaccinate elderly or vulnerable patients in their own home.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Chris McGrath\/Getty Images<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Health secretary Matt Hancock<\/strong> said the extra cash would allow GPs to reach the \u201cmost vulnerable people who might not be able to leave their homes\u201d, such as the elderly and those who are shielding.<\/p>\n<p>The government aims to have offered a first dose jab to all over-50s and the most clinically vulnerable by early May, but the Telegraph reported that Whitehall sources believed the pace of vaccinations meant the target could be achieved by April.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 8.25am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f49b48f0898d76fa120cd\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 2.01am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>A second round of accommodation vouchers designed to help the tourism sector during the Covid-19 pandemic has provided a m boost to the <strong>South Australian<\/strong> economy, AAP reports.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Premier Steven Marshall<\/strong> said the vouchers generated 36,000 bookings, bringing cash to the state\u2019s regions and the Adelaide CBD.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAcross round one and two of the vouchers, we\u2019ve created more than 60,000 bookings, worth more than m, getting people booking up the CBD and regions, and spending in our restaurants, cafes, bars and experiences around them,\u201d he said on Sunday.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"fc26eda498e75d131bd0017146b020a1c3615b21\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/fc26eda498e75d131bd0017146b020a1c3615b21\/737_795_4605_2763\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Great State Vouchers have contributed more than m to the South Australian economy.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Great State Vouchers have contributed more than m to the South Australian economy.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Kelly Barnes\/AAP<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cWe will now take away any lessons we have learned from the second round of the Great State Vouchers, talk to the industry and gear up for round three.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>South Australian Tourism Commission chief executive Rodney Harrex said the voucher scheme had resulted in some regional venues breaking occupancy records.<\/p>\n<p>He said there had been a particularly strong interest in vouchers for CBD accommodation in the second round.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 2.06am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f47d48f086521535488f2\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 2.00am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">More than 39 million Americans receive Covid vaccine<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>The <strong>US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/strong> said it had distributed 59,304,600 doses of Covid vaccines in the US and that 39,037,964 doses had been administered as of Saturday morning.<\/p>\n<p>The tallies are for both Moderna and Pfizer\/BioNTech vaccines as at 6am, it said. According to its tally posted on Friday, the agency had administered 36,819,212 doses of the vaccines and distributed 58,380,300 doses.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"77d3cee649d586944996fb88d13bf9a0e6b77add\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/77d3cee649d586944996fb88d13bf9a0e6b77add\/0_46_6000_3600\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"A woman prepares to receive a coronavirus vaccine from a member of the national guard in Bowie, Maryland, on Saturday.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">A woman prepares to receive a coronavirus vaccine from a member of the national guard in Bowie, Maryland, on Saturday.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Sarah Silbiger\/Getty Images<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The agency said 30,250,964 people had received one or more doses, while 8,317,180 people had got the second dose as of Saturday. A total of 4,628,962 doses of vaccine have been administered in long-term care facilities, the agency said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 2.43am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f449f8f0862592e4b3599\" class=\"block is-summary\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 1.47am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">Australia to introduce Covid vaccination certificates<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Here is a bit more detail on the news that the <strong>Australian<\/strong> government plans to introduce vaccination certificates for Covid-19.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Government services minister Stuart Robert<\/strong> said an immunisation history statement, available through the government\u2019s MyGov or Medicare sites and apps, would display proof of Covid-19 immunisation status. Hard copies will also be available. <\/p>\n<p>Last week prime minister Scott Morrison said that although Covid vaccines are largely voluntary, some people may be required to get one. The exact circumstances are yet to be announced.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"b1cf32c48463edd8a1f2813cff16989f432a512d\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/b1cf32c48463edd8a1f2813cff16989f432a512d\/868_149_2610_1567\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Government services minister Stuart Robert\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Government services minister Stuart Robert<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Mike Bowers\/The Guardian<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Employer groups including the Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia have asked for clarity about whether they can require employees to get a vaccine, after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/politics\/federal\/bosses-have-the-power-to-force-employees-to-take-the-vaccine-experts-20210101-p56r64.html\">several employment law experts argued they could<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Australia\u2019s Covid vaccination policy states:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<p>While the Australian government strongly supports immunisation and will run a strong campaign to encourage vaccination, it is not mandatory and individuals may choose not to vaccinate. There may however, be circumstances where the Australian government and other governments may introduce border entry or re-entry requirements that are conditional on proof of vaccination.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Australia\u2019s vaccination campaign is expected to begin in weeks.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 2.45am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f43bd8f086521535488d6\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 1.38am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">South Australia to consider boosting quarantine testing<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>South Australia <\/strong>will consider adding an extra Covid-19 test for Australians returning from overseas to bolster the security of the hotel quarantine system, Australian Associated Press has reported.<\/p>\n<p>At the moment, anyone forced into quarantine in SA is tested on days one, five and 12. But New South Wales has introduced a test on day 16 which while not mandatory is highly recommended.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"2e999942fc447e255f2733ba59789f0ff02409c5\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/2e999942fc447e255f2733ba59789f0ff02409c5\/0_421_4500_2700\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"South Australian premier Steven Marshall\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">South Australian premier Steven Marshall<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: David Mariuz\/EPA<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s designed to pick up cases that might have developed at the tail end of the 14-day period. Premier Steven Marshall said South Australia would continue to follow the best medical advice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re learning more and more about this disease every single day that goes past,\u201d he said on Sunday. \u201cWe\u2019re getting more information in from other states; we\u2019re getting information in from overseas.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ll look at that very carefully. If we need to do that in South Australia, that\u2019s what we\u2019ll do.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 1.45am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f42c98f0898d76fa120a6\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 1.32am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>Mainland China<\/strong> reported 11 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, down from 12 cases a day earlier and the lowest daily increase since mid-December, the national health authority said on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>The National Health Commission said only one of the new cases was locally transmitted and it was identified in China\u2019s north-eastern Jilin province.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"f0df8a275949c5aa5bf06e18770fc66ddc5e4855\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/f0df8a275949c5aa5bf06e18770fc66ddc5e4855\/0_117_6720_4032\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"A snow statue in Jilin province with a face mask and a sign reading: \u2018Wear masks to prevent novel conoravirus.\u2019\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">A snow statue in Jilin province with a face mask and a sign reading: \u2018Wear masks to prevent novel conoravirus.\u2019<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed cases, stood at 13, including 11 imported cases.<\/p>\n<p>The total number of confirmed cases in mainland China stands at 89,692, and the death toll remains unchanged at 4,636.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 2.46am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f423d8f0898d76fa120a4\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 1.29am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p><strong>Mexico<\/strong>\u2019s health ministry reported 1,496 new confirmed deaths from Covid-19 on Saturday, bringing the country\u2019s total to 165,786.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 1.30am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f3ce38f0862592e4b3543\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 1.28am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">The Carnival is over<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>In a normal year, <strong>Rio de Janeiro<\/strong><strong>\u2019s<\/strong> Sambadrome would preparing for its great moment of the year: the world\u2019s most famous Carnival parade. But a week before what should be the start of Carnival, the pandemic has replaced pageantry, Associated Press reports.<\/p>\n<p>The Rio mayor\u2019s office opened a drive-through immunisation station Saturday at the Sambadrome, where a line of cars queued on a broad avenue built for floats.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is usually a place of pleasure. Today it is too, because we are exercising an act of citizenship and we are opening the Sambadrome to vaccinate,\u201d said Paulo Roberto Machado, a 68-year-old nurse who teaches at the Veiga de Almeida University.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"cc5b079022f69ba0031e6467cc0490852c7439e9\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/cc5b079022f69ba0031e6467cc0490852c7439e9\/0_254_5364_3218\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"The Sambadrome Marques de Sapucai in Rio in 2020 ...\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">The Sambadrome Marques de Sapucai in Rio in 2020 &#8230;<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Carl de Souza\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"ceb76daeefaa21d3e87bf61da42c9a2940c938dd\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/ceb76daeefaa21d3e87bf61da42c9a2940c938dd\/0_212_5000_3001\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"... and in 2021.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">&#8230; and in 2021.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Ant\u00f3nio Lacerda\/EPA<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Machado has taken part in 40 years of Carnival parades here, but on Saturday he was coordinating 20 volunteer nursing and medical students vaccinating people over 90.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe vaccine represents the hope of better days, of returning to normality, to what we did before,\u201d Machado said.<\/p>\n<p>Rio\u2019s city government officially suspended Carnival and warns it will have no tolerance for those who try to celebrate with open street parades or clandestine parties, saying it is monitoring social media to detect any.<\/p>\n<p>Rio\u2019s hotel occupancy rate normally reaches about 80% in the hot summer months and 100% during Carnival. It\u2019s now at roughly 50-60%, according to Alfredo Lopes, the president of Rio\u2019s Hospitality Workers Union.<\/p>\n<p>The pandemic has hit hard in Rio, where the authorities have counted more than 17,600 deaths from Covid, the most of any city in Brazil, topping even Sao Paulo, which has nearly twice its population.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 2.19am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f3c6e8f0862592e4b353c\" class=\"block is-key-event\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 1.26am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">Oxford Covid jab less effective against South African variant, study finds<\/h2>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Here is a bit more detail on the study that suggests <strong>AstraZeneca<\/strong> does not offer protection against mild disease caused by the South African variant of Covid-19.<\/p>\n<p>The so-called British, South African and Brazilian variants, which appear to spread more swiftly than others, are among the strains causing most concern to public health experts.<\/p>\n<p>The Financial Times has reported the findings of a study from South Africa\u2019s University of the Witwatersrand and Oxford University. \u201cIn this small phase I\/II trial, early data has shown limited efficacy against mild disease primarily due to the B.1.351 South African variant,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business\/astrazeneca\">AstraZeneca<\/a> told the newspaper.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"cb9e4c877b7cc458748117708bacee88923e7a34\">\n   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/cb9e4c877b7cc458748117708bacee88923e7a34\/0_0_3500_2100\/1000.jpg\" alt=\"A study suggests the AstraZeneca vaccine does not offer protection against mild disease caused by the South African variant.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\"><figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">A study suggests the AstraZeneca vaccine does not offer protection against mild disease caused by the South African variant.<\/span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Marc O\u2019Sullivan\/PA<\/span><br \/>\n   <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>None of the more than 2,000 trial participants had been hospitalised or died, according to the report: \u201cHowever, we have not been able to properly ascertain its effect against severe disease and hospitalisation given that subjects were predominantly young healthy adults.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The company said it believed its vaccine could protect against severe disease, given that the neutralising antibody activity was equivalent to that of other Covid vaccines that have demonstrated protection against severe disease.<\/p>\n<p>While thousands of individual changes have arisen as the virus mutates, only a tiny minority are likely to be important or change the virus in an appreciable way, according to the British Medical Journal.<\/p>\n<p>On Friday Oxford said the vaccine had similar efficacy against the British coronavirus variant as it does to the previously circulating variants. <\/p>\n<aside class=\"element element-rich-link\">\n<p> <span>Related: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2021\/feb\/07\/oxford-covid-jab-less-effective-against-south-african-variant-study-finds\">Oxford Covid jab less effective against South African variant, study finds<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/aside><\/div>\n<p class=\"block-time updated-time\">Updated at 2.52am GMT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-601f38198f0865215354886f\" class=\"block\" data-block-contributor=\"\">\n<p class=\"block-time published-time\"> 1.26am <span class=\"timezone\">GMT<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"block-elements\">\n<p>Hello, Rebecca Ratcliffe here in Bangkok bringing you the latest global Covid-19 developments.<\/p>\n<p>A quick update:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business\/astrazeneca\">AstraZeneca<\/a><\/strong> has reportedly said its vaccine developed with the University of Oxford appeared to offer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2021\/feb\/06\/coronavirus-live-news-greece-astrazeneca-vaccine-under-65s-melbourne-lebanon-covid-19-uk-europe?page=with:block-601f19af8f0865215354874a#block-601f19af8f0865215354874a\">only limited protection against mild disease caused by the South African<strong> <\/strong>Covid variant<\/a>, based on early data from a trial. The study was relatively small, with 2,000 participants and the results have not been peer reviewed.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>Australian<\/strong> state of <strong>Victoria<\/strong> has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2021\/feb\/06\/coronavirus-live-news-greece-astrazeneca-vaccine-under-65s-melbourne-lebanon-covid-19-uk-europe?page=with:block-601f0e928f086521535486d5#block-601f0e928f086521535486d5\">recorded another day without locally acquired cases<\/a>, after nearly 15,000 tests were conducted. <\/li>\n<li>The <strong>UK <\/strong>government said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2021\/feb\/06\/coronavirus-live-news-greece-astrazeneca-vaccine-under-65s-melbourne-lebanon-covid-19-uk-europe?page=with:block-601ebeba8f0898d76fa11af9#block-601ebeba8f0898d76fa11af9\">a further 828 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Saturday<\/a>, bringing the UK total to 112,092. <br \/>A total of 10,302,620 vaccinations have taken place in England, as of 5 February.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>Netherlands<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2021\/feb\/06\/coronavirus-live-news-greece-astrazeneca-vaccine-under-65s-melbourne-lebanon-covid-19-uk-europe?page=with:block-601eaa028f0862592e4b2e78#block-601eaa028f0862592e4b2e78\">surpassed a million confirmed Covid infections since the start of the pandemic<\/a>.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2021\/feb\/06\/coronavirus-live-news-greece-astrazeneca-vaccine-under-65s-melbourne-lebanon-covid-19-uk-europe?page=with:block-601eaa028f0862592e4b2e78#block-601eaa028f0862592e4b2e78\"><br \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Hospitals in <strong>France<\/strong> treated 27,369 people for the disease on Saturday, down 245 from the previous day, marking the fourth consecutive daily fall in Covid-19 hospital numbers. <\/li>\n<li>The number of Covid patients requiring intensive care in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/portugal\"><strong>Portugal<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s struggling hospitals also dipped on Saturday from the previous day\u2019s record high, as the country reported fewer daily deaths and new infections.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>guardian.co.uk &#169; Guardian News &amp; Media Limited 2010<\/p>\n<p>Published via the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.guardian.co.uk\/open-platform\/news-feed-wordpress-plugin\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Guardian plugin page\" rel=\"noopener\">Guardian News Feed<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.org\/extend\/plugins\/the-guardian-news-feed\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Wordress plugin page\" rel=\"noopener\">plugin<\/a> for WordPress.<\/p>\n<p><!-- END GUARDIAN WATERMARK --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2021\/feb\/07\/coronavirus-covid-vaccine-variant-pandemic-uk-us-europe-australia-africa-asia?page=with:block-601fd0da8f0898d76fa12471#block-601fd0da8f0898d76fa12471\">Researchers say<\/a> approach to pandemic needs to shift after news Oxford\/ AstraZeneca jab does not stop mild or moderate illness with variant<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2021\/feb\/06\/coronavirus-live-news-greece-astrazeneca-vaccine-under-65s-melbourne-lebanon-covid-19-uk-europe?page=with:block-601f19af8f0865215354874a#block-601f19af8f0865215354874a\">Oxford vaccine less effective against South Africa variant<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2021\/feb\/07\/when-will-britains-covid-lockdown-be-lifted-three-scenarios\">When will Britain\u2019s Covid lockdown be lifted? Three scenarios<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2021\/feb\/07\/freedom-and-fairness-covid-vaccine-passport-plans-cause-global-unease\">Freedom and fairness: vaccine passport plans cause global unease<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2021\/feb\/07\/another-wave-is-possible-paris-braces-for-uk-covid-variant\">\u2018Another wave is possible\u2019: Paris braces for UK variant<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development\/2021\/feb\/07\/mexico-covid-vaccine-program-website\">Mexico\u2019s vaccine program sees disastrous launch<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":98188,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_10220698900476085_349663338397715":"","twitter_1370559253_1370559253":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[638,61,384,821,632,636,642,102,637,822,641,809,5,639,640,519,65,487,103],"class_list":["post-98187","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-archie-bland","tag-article","tag-australia-news","tag-clea-skopeliti","tag-coronavirus","tag-coronavirus-live","tag-elias-visontay","tag-europe","tag-infectious-diseases","tag-jedidajah-otte","tag-laura-spinney","tag-minute-by-minute","tag-news","tag-rebecca-ratcliffe","tag-sarah-boseley","tag-scotland","tag-uk-news","tag-us-news","tag-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bcpdt.org.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98187","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bcpdt.org.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bcpdt.org.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcpdt.org.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcpdt.org.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98187"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcpdt.org.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98187\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcpdt.org.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/98188"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bcpdt.org.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcpdt.org.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcpdt.org.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}