April 6, 2021, 6:57 AM GMT+8Updated on April 7, 2021, 5:08 AM GMT+8
U.K.'s Johnson Eases Lockdown, Shops and Pubs to Reopen
U.S. President Joe Biden said he wants all American adults to be eligible for a coronavirus vaccine by April 19, two weeks earlier than his previous goal. California is aiming to fully reopen its economy on June 15.
In the European Union, most member states will have enough supplies to immunize the majority of people by the end of June, sooner than the bloc’s official target, according to an internal memo seen by Bloomberg. The projections provide some hope that the EU’s vaccination campaign will improve after a lackluster start.
Antibodies to the Covid-19 virus persist for at least six months after patients receive the second dose of Moderna Inc.’s vaccine, according to a new analysis of lab results from 33 healthy adults in the drugmaker’s phase one trial.
Key Developments:
Global Tracker: Cases pass 132.1 million; deaths exceed 2.8 million
Vaccine Tracker: More than 684 million shots given worldwide
Day of 4 million vaccines signals sharp turnaround for U.S.
The Future of Travel in the Covid-19 Era
How pandemics change the course of history: Stephen Mihm
Why the mutated coronavirus variants are so worrisome: QuickTake
Brazil Hits 4,000 Daily Deaths (5:05 p.m. NY)
Brazil reported more than 4,000 Covid-19 daily deaths for the first time as the pandemic continues to rage across the vast nation.
The Health Ministry registered 4,195 fatalities on Tuesday, bringing the total since the virus first arrived to 336,947. It’s the second highest tally globally, trailing only the U.S.
“If Brazil keeps the current pace, the country will probably reach 5,000 daily deaths in April,” said Christovam Barcellos, a researcher at Fiocruz.
Biden Urges Vaccination for All Adults Early (4:51 p.m. NY)
President Joe Biden said he wants all American adults eligible for a coronavirus vaccine by April 19, two weeks earlier than his previous goal.
All but two states are already set to meet that goal, with only Oregon and Hawaii having planned to have opened up vaccines to all non-minors on May 1.
Biden said there will be no more confusing restrictions. But the president added it’s not time to celebrate yet and the fight against the virus isn’t over because new variants are still spreading quickly.
“The pandemic remains dangerous,” Biden said.
Brown, Northeastern Will Require Vaccination (3:55 p.m. NY)
Brown University and Northeastern University on Tuesday joined a group of U.S. universities that will require students to get a Covid-19 vaccine in order to return to campus in the fall. Both schools will allow religious and medical exemptions.
Other schools have made similar vaccination requirements. Rutgers announced in March that students planning to attend the fall semester must be fully vaccinated, while Cornell said Friday it intends to require that students get vaccinated.
Carnival Threatens to Move Ships Abroad (3:30 p.m. NY)
Carnival Corp., the largest cruise operator, is threatening to move some of its business away from U.S. ports as the federal government continues to restrict voyages over the Covid-19 pandemic.
Vaccinations in Astra’s Children’s Study Paused (3 p.m. NY)
Vaccinations of children in a study of the Covid-19 shot developed by AstraZeneca Plc and the University of Oxford have been paused while the U.K.’s drug regulator investigates rare cases of blood clots in adults.
The vaccine researchers are awaiting the results of a review by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, the U.K.’s drug watchdog, “before further vaccinations,” the university said in an emailed statement. No safety issues have arisen in the children’s trial, he said.
California Sets June 15 for Reopening (2:30 p.m. NY)
California officials plan to fully reopen the economy on June 15 -- if the pandemic continues to abate -- after driving down coronavirus case loads in the most populous U.S. state.
Capacity limits on restaurants, movie theaters and other businesses will be lifted, Secretary of Health and Human Services Mark Ghaly said on a conference call with reporters Tuesday.
Governor Gavin Newsom has been slowly easing restrictions under California’s current tier-based system after a winter virus surge spurred renewed lockdowns. The state’s outbreak has dramatically improved, with average daily cases falling to about 2,000 from more than 40,000 in January. Its test positivity rate is at 1.6%, the lowest in the U.S.