San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
EU threatens to ban export of vaccines
The European Union’s executive arm is increasing its pressure on pharmaceutical companies to speed up their vaccine delivery to the continent as virus numbers are rising again in many member countries. The European Commission said Saturday that AstraZeneca in particular could face export bans to countries outside the EU if it didn’t quickly deliver the promised amount of vaccines to the 27nation bloc.
“We have the possibility to ban planned exports,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“This is a message to AstraZeneca: You fulfill your part of the deal toward Europe before you start to deliver to other countries,” von der Leyen said in an interview with German media group Funke.
Von der Leyen said the contract between the EU and AstraZeneca clearly regulates how much vaccines the EU gets from AstraZeneca’s plants inside the EU and in Britain. However, von der Leyen added, “we didn’t get anything from the Brits while we are delivering vaccines to them.”
AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine is one of three vaccines that’s approved in the EU. However, its usage has been overshadowed by several problems, including a slow start, recurring delivery problems and a temporary ban for several days last week in many of the bloc’s countries after reports of blood clots in some recipients of the vaccine.
GERMANY
Clashes erupt at protests
Protesters in the German city of Kassel clashed with police Saturday over coronavirus measures, with officers using water cannons, pepper spray and batons against people trying to break through barriers, the German news agency dpa reported.
Around 20,000 people rallied in Kassel where there were also several scuffles with counterprotesters. The marchers gathered despite a court ban, and most did not comply with pandemic hygiene measures such as wearing face masks.
Various groups, most of them farright opponents of government regulations to fight the pandemic, had called for protests Saturday in cities across Germany.
Virus infections have surged again in Germany and the government is set to decide this week on what steps to take. Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday that Germany will have to apply an “emergency brake” to reverse some recent relaxations of restrictions.
PAKISTAN
Leader infected with virus
Prime Minister Imran Khan has tested positive for the coronavirus, two days after he received his first vaccine dose. Dr. Faisal Sultan, Khan’s special assistant on health, said Saturday the prime minister has quarantined himself at his home in the Islamabad suburbs.
There has been a spike in the coronavirus in the capital and in eastern and northern Pakistan where authorities have reported 42 new deaths and 3,876 new infections in the past 24 hours nationwide, taking the total deaths to 13,799 and total infected cases to more than 623,000.
Since February, Pakistan has been using a COVID19 vaccine donated by neighboring China. Health workers have been vaccinated and now older people are receiving inoculations. GREECE
Ancient sites to reopen
The government has announced plans to reopen the Acropolis in Athens and other ancient sites nationwide and provide free weekly rapid tests for COVID19 for all residents as it prepares to restart the tourism season in midMay. The measures were announced despite an ongoing surge in infections, with private hospital space being used by the staterun health service to cope with treatment demand.
On Saturday, a weekend curfew was relaxed. On Monday, a series of other measures take effect, including a limited opening of salons and ancient sites for people on brief outings. Museums will remain closed.
“What we are talking about are pressurerelease valves. This is to help people comply with restrictions that have been in effect for such a long time,” said Akis Skertsos, a deputy minister for government coordination.
Virus controls have been in effect since early November. WASHINGTON STATE
Vaccine rollout expanding
Restaurant workers and people with two or more underlying medical conditions are among the groups in Washington state that will be able to receive coronavirus vaccinations starting on March 31.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced the broad expansion of eligibility shortly after grocery store workers, law enforcement and agricultural workers became eligible for vaccination, along with pregnant women and people with a disability that puts them at high risk for severe COVID19 illness.
About 3 million of the state’s more than 7.6 million residents are already eligible for the vaccine. The next phase that takes effect at the end of the month will add 2 million more people.