Most of 1.5bn global jabs given in China, US, India

PARIS: More than 1.5 billion doses of anti-covid vaccines have been injected into people’s arms around the world, six months after the vaccination drive started, according to AFP.

By Tuesday night, at least 1,500,017,337 doses had been injected in 210 countries or territories. Nearly three fifths of the total have been given in three countries: China (421.9 million), the United States (274.4 million) and India (184.4 million).

In terms of population, Israel is leading the pack: nearly six

Israelis out of 10 have been completely vaccinated with two shots. The UK follows, with 54% of its population having received at least one dose.

EU to allow tourists fully vaccinated against Covid

The EU took a step towards relaxing tourism travel for visitors from outside the bloc, with EU ambassadors agreeing on measures to allow fully vaccinated visitors in. They have also agreed on easing the criteria for nations to be considered a safe country, from which all tourists can travel. Up to now, that list included only seven nations.

Malawi destroys 20,000 expired AZ vaccine doses

Malawi has burned 20,000 doses of expired Astrazeneca vaccines. The health minister K K Chiponda presided over the incineration on Wednesday at a hospital in Lilongwe.

She said the burning of the vaccines will prevent those with a negative perception from hesitating to be vaccinated. The burned vaccines were the remainder of 102,000 doses that arrived in Malawi on March 26 with 18 days until they expired on April 13. All other doses of the shipment, donated by the African Union, were administered.