Offer of free vaccines attracts thousands to capital of Serbia

Thousands of vaccine-seekers from countries neighboring Serbia flocked to Belgrade on Saturday after Serbian authorities offered free coronavirus shots for foreigners if they show up over the weekend.

Long lines of Bosnians, Montenegrins and North Macedonians — often entire families — formed in front of the main vaccination center in the Serbian capital.

Unlike Serbia, which boasts of having an ample supply of vaccines, most of its Balkan neighbors have been struggling with shortages and have barely started mass inoculations.

Critics of populist President Aleksandar Vucic say that, with the move, he is trying to spread his influence over the region and polish the ultranationalist image he had during the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

Others say the AstraZeneca shots that are being administered to foreigners are nearing their expiration date and need to be used as soon as possible. Although more than 2 million people in the country of 7 million have received at least one shot, there is a notable decline in the interest for the inoculation, which officials link to an increasingly vocal antivaccine movement in the country.

POLAND

Curbs imposed to slow spread

A raft of new pandemic restrictions took effect in Poland on Saturday to slow the spread of infection as the central European region has emerged as a global virus hot spot.

The new controls come as Poland sees record high numbers of new COVID19 cases — more than 35,000 on Friday alone in the country of 38 million people. As of Saturday, the pandemic has taken the lives of more than 51,700 Poles.

Restrictions include the closure of nursery schools, furniture stores and beauty salons, along with limits on the number of people in churches. They will remain in place until April 9.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said the measures would require a sacrifice from Poles as they come during a period when families traditionally spend time together for Easter. But he said the steps are needed to save lives, jobs and a health sector approaching the limits of its capabilities.

TEXAS

Judge allows mask mandate

A judge is allowing the city of Austin to continue to require face coverings in local businesses weeks after Gov. Greg Abbott ended a statewide mask mandate and other COVID19 safety measures.

The ruling Friday by state District Judge Lora Livingston is at least a temporary victory for local leaders in the liberal state capital who have repeatedly clashed with Abbott over his handling of the pandemic.

Face coverings have been loosely enforced in Texas, which this month became the biggest state to drop COVID19 restrictions. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is expected to appeal the ruling.

The 3,400 patients hospitalized in Texas is the lowest number since October. On Monday, Texas will begin making all adults eligible for coronavirus vaccinations.

FLORIDA

Governor seeks cruise restart

Gov. Ron DeSantis ripped into the federal government’s continued pandemic ban on cruise ships using U.S. ports, threatening Friday to file a lawsuit if one of the state’s biggest tourism sectors is not allowed to resume operations soon.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shut down the cruise industry a year ago. DeSantis says with widespread testing and vaccines becoming more available, the danger is now no worse than air and train travel, which are open.

The CDC issued guidelines in October that require cruise ships to conduct mock voyages to test procedures and have onboard testing labs before passengers would be allowed, but no further guidance has been issued, leaving the ban effectively in place.