People wait in line at a Covid-19 testing site in San Marcos, Calif., on Jan. 2.
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U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned the country’s tier system of Covid-19 restrictions is probably about to get tougher as cases of the new virus variant continue to surge.
In Germany, there’s growing evidence the government will extend lockdown measures beyond Jan. 10, with Bavaria Governor Markus Soeder telling Bild am Sonntag that the curbs should continue until the end of the month.
In the U.S., the death toll from Covid-19 rose to more than 350,000, according to Johns Hopkins University data. New York became the fourth state with more than 1 million cases.
India granted emergency approval for the AstraZeneca Plc and University of Oxford virus vaccine and allowed for limited use of Covaxin, developed locally by Bharat Biotech.
Key Developments:
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Britain’s Virus Curbs Likely to Be Tightened (5:54 p.m. HK)
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the country’s tier system of Covid-19 restrictions is probably about to get tougher as cases of the new virus variant continue to surge.
Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr TV program on Sunday, Johnson warned schools in England may have to close in the weeks ahead. The government has already ordered all primary schools in London to remain shut for the start of the new term this week in an attempt to rein in a jump in hospitalizations.
Pfizer Offer Vaccines to Africa Health Workers (5:46 p.m. HK)
Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE have offered to supply Africa with 50 million Covid-19 vaccines for health workers between March and the end of this year, South Africa’s presidency said.
Still, the cost is “prohibitive,” said the presidency, speaking on behalf of the African Union. Moderna Inc. has no supplies for Africa, while AstraZeneca Plc has no supplies for the continent in 2021 and has directed the African Union to negotiate with the Serum Institute of India Ltd. South Africa has yet to conclude a direct agreement with a supplier to secure Covid-19 vaccines.
France Speeds Vaccinations, Le Parisien Says (5:41 p.m. HK)
France is accelerating Covid-19 vaccinations after a slow start, according to government spokesman Gabriel Attal.
Medical staff aged 50 and older started being vaccinated this weekend, Attal told Le Parisien newspaper in an interview published Sunday.
Germany Seen Extending Curbs Beyond Jan. 10 (4:45 p.m. HK)
There’s growing evidence Europe’s biggest economy will extend its coronavirus restrictions beyond Jan. 10.
The lockdown that has shut shops and restaurants should continue until the end of the month, Bavaria Governor Markus Soeder told Bild am Sonntag. Schools and daycare centers should also remain closed, Soeder said, echoing comments by Health Minister Jens Spahn. Angela Merkel’s government and state governors are due to discuss a possible extension of curbs on Tuesday.
Germany added 10,807 new infections in the 24 hours through Sunday morning, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. A further 342 people died.
Japan’s Suga to Lay Out Virus Plan Monday: Nikkei (4 p.m. HK)
Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will detail planned measures to stem the spread of coronavirus at a press conference on Monday, the Nikkei newspaper reported, without saying where it got the information.
The central government held off declaring a state of emergency in Tokyo and three adjacent prefectures -- Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama -- on Saturday, despite being urged to do so by local authorities.
Suga’s government is seeking parliamentary approval for an amended law that would penalize bars and restaurants that don’t comply with instructions to close early, Jiji news service reported on Sunday.
Indonesia Plans to Start Shots This Month (3:40 p.m. HK)
Indonesia is starting nationwide distribution of 3 million doses of the vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd. The Health Ministry plans to begin vaccinations no later than the third week of January, after approval from the food and drug regulator is issued, agency spokesperson Siti Nadia Tarmizi said at a briefing Sunday.
Health workers and government employees will have priority for the shots in the first quarter of 2021. The country hopes to inoculate its population of 181.5 million by March 2022.
India Approves Local Vaccine, With Limits (2:03 p.m. HK)
Shortly after India granted emergency approval for the virus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford, the country allowed limited use of Covaxin, developed by Hyderabad’s Bharat Biotech International Ltd.
The AstraZeneca shot is also being produced locally by the Serum Institute of India Ltd., the world’s largest vaccine maker by volume. “It would make every Indian proud that the two vaccines that have been given emergency use approval are made in India,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet.
Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla later said he expects a vaccine roll-out next week, according to CNBC.
U.S. Deaths Surpass 350,000 (12:51 p.m. HK)
The U.S. death toll from Covid-19 rose to more than 350,000, according to Johns Hopkins University data, and the country reported a record 299,087 new infections.
Australia Outbreak Shows Signs of Slowing (10:13 a.m. HK)
Coronavirus clusters in Australia’s two most-populous states may be coming under control. Victoria reported three new cases in the past 24 hours, health authorities said Sunday, down from 10 new infections the day before. New South Wales said it detected eight locally transmitted cases in the same period, compared with seven the day before.
The outbreak in Sydney has resulted in tighter social-distancing measures, including fines for people not wearing masks in stores, churches and on public transport, as well as in other indoor spaces.
California Nears Record Infections (9:20 a.m. HK)
People wait in line to receive a Covid-19 vaccine in Fort Myers, Florida on Dec. 30.
Photographer: Octavio Jones/Getty Images
California’s 53,341 new cases, the most since a record more than two weeks ago, prompted an urgent appeal by the health department for blood donations. The increase brings the total for the state to almost 2.35 million -- with only six countries globally having more infections.
Greater Los Angeles, the epicenter of the latest wave, added 15,701 cases, with the total exceeding 800,000. The surge in Southern California has pushed up hospitalizations and maxed out ICU capacity in the region, putting a strain on medical facilities, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a tweet.
Urgent Surgery in London to Be Canceled, Guardian Reports (4:03 a.m. HK)
The National Health Service is set to cancel urgent surgery across London in a move that could result in cancer patients waiting months for potentially lifesaving operations, the Guardian reported.
Hospitals across the capital, which has one of the highest infection rates in the country, are working at or near full capacity because of patients with Covid-19.
South African Health Officials Call for Firings Over Vaccine Delay (3:33 a.m. HK)
Some of South Africa’s leading health leaders and academics called for President Cyril Ramaphosa to fire officials responsible for the delay in procuring Covid-19 vaccines, which they said will cause thousands of deaths and economic damage. The country, the worst hit by the virus in Africa, is due to receive its first vaccines in the second quarter from the Covax initiative. Even then, the agreement will only cover 10% of the population.
New York State Surpasses 1 Million Covid-19 Cases (2:47 a.m. HK)
New York state passed 1 million Covid-19 cases, after a somber year in which more than 30,000 of its residents died from the virus.
Cases increased by 15,074, Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a tweet Saturday. That is below a record set two days ago for the entire pandemic of 16,802 daily cases. Total hospitalizations fell slightly to 7,814, as did the rate of positive tests, now 7.45% statewide. Another 128 people died.
Zimbabwe Orders Lockdown (1:51 a.m. HK)
The Zimbabwean government plans to start 30 days of lockdown regulations following an increase of coronavirus infections during the festive season, vice president Constatino Chiwenga said late Saturday.
“Gatherings are reduced to not more than 30 people at all funerals,” Chiwenga told reporters in the capital, Harare. “All other gatherings at weddings, churches, bars, bottle stores, gymnasium, restaurants are banned for 30 days.” Essential services such as hospitals, pharmacies, and supermarkets, with only essential staff are allowed to open.
U.K. Draws Plans for People to Receive Two Different Vaccines, FT Reports (12:57 a.m. HK)
The U.K. government has drawn up plans to allow people to receive two different Covid-19 vaccines as part of the two-dose treatment to protect against the coronavirus, the Financial Times reported, citing official recommendations on vaccines.
The document says that “every effort” should be made to administer the same vaccine in both shots, but that it is “reasonable” to offer a different vaccine if the original one is not available. The guidelines say exceptions should only be made for high-risk individuals or those unlikely to attend another appointment, the paper reported.
Italy Keeps Ski Resorts Closed (12:51 a.m. NY)
Ski Resort Mount Maniva in Italy remains closed to the public, in Dec. 2020.
Photographer: Stefano Nicoli/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Italy postponed the reopening of its ski resorts to Jan. 18, as measures to curb infections have been slow to show results. The government had shut the nation’s ski lifts through Jan. 6 as part of winter holiday restrictions implemented in December to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
On Saturday, health authorities reported 364 Covid-19 deaths, down from 462 a day earlier, and 11,831 new cases versus 22,211 the previous day when there were more than twice as many tests.
More than 800,000 Russians Get Vaccinated (10:20 p.m. HK)
A patient receives the Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine in Moscow, on Dec. 30, 2020.
Photographer: Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images
More than 800,000 Russians have received the Covid-19 vaccination, Tass newswire reported, citing Health Minister Mikhail Murashko. Earlier Saturday, Russia reported 26,301 daily cases, bringing the total to 3.21 million. A further 447 people died, pushing the toll above 58,000, government data showed
— With assistance by Ian Fisher, Charles Daly, Sara Marley, Vernon Silver, Stefan Nicola, Ilya Khrennikov, Godfrey Marawanyika, Desmond Kumbuka, Peter Flanagan, Stacie Sherman, Linus Chua, James Ludden, Antony Sguazzin, Jason Scott, and Tony Czuczka
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