Category: World News

From March 1, restrictions on entry into the EU will also be lifted for people who have been protected with a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO). That’s according to a non-binding recommendation agreed by EU states on Tuesday (February 22). Until now, restrictions on non-essential entry were only waived for people who had been vaccinated with an EU-approved preparation. The WHO list also includes the two Chinese vaccines, Sinopharm and Sinovac. However, the individual EU states can demand further requirements from persons who have received a vaccine…

Read More

According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 424 million people have tested positive for the virus worldwide. More than 5.8 million infected people have died. More than 10.3 billion vaccine doses have been administered so far. The latest developmentsThe Czech Republic is abolishing almost all remaining Corona protections in the next few weeks. From March 1, for example, significant events and celebrations will be allowed without limits on participants, Health Minister Vlastimil Valek announced Wednesday (February 23). On March 13, the general obligation to wear masks indoors will be abolished,…

Read More

Following several other northern European countries, Iceland also lifted all Corona restrictions. Domestic measures and restrictions on the entry will fall away on Friday, the Icelandic government announced Wednesday in the capital Reykjavik. “We are getting our normal life back,” Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir said. Those showing symptoms, however, will still be asked to stay home. Wearing mouth-nose protection when in contact with at-risk groups is also still recommended. Denmark had already lifted virtually all current Corona restrictions in February. Sweden and Norway followed suit a few days later. The…

Read More

Italy will start administering the fourth dose of the Covid 19 vaccine to frail patients on March 1. The Ministry of Health decided this in Rome after the Medicines Agency (AIFA) gave the green light for the vaccination of the fourth dose over the weekend. Health Minister Roberto Speranza did not rule out the possibility that the entire population could receive the “fourth prick” in the fall. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s government is working to ease Corona‘s restrictions in stages. “Businesses and families need to be able to plan.…

Read More

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced the abolition of the last CoV measures in England. “The pandemic is not over yet, but thanks to the incredible vaccination campaign, we are one step closer to returning to normality and finally giving people back their freedom,” Johnson said today. Health experts and the opposition criticized the removal of protections as premature. Johnson plans to lay out his specific strategy in Parliament later today. His government, responsible for CoV measures in England, had already abolished most of the restrictions, such as the…

Read More

According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 422 million people have tested positive for the virus worldwide. More than 5.8 million infected people have died. More than 10.3 billion vaccine doses have been administered so far. The latest developmentsPolice in Canada’s capital Ottawa on Saturday (Feb. 19) finished clearing a weeks-long blockade over the government’s Corona policy. There had been arrests of protesters in military fatigues carrying smoke candles and firecrackers in backpacks, police said. According to a report in the New York Times, truck windows were also smashed by…

Read More

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the variant BA.2 of Omicron, which can be transmitted even more quickly, has increased noticeably in Germany, according to initial findings. The proportion of Corona cases examined in a random sample has recently risen to 14.9 percent, the RKI stated in its weekly report on Thursday evening. This figure refers to the week ending Feb. 6 – for the week before, the RKI gives the proportion at 10.4 percent. Although there is not yet sufficient data to assess the characteristics of the subtype…

Read More

New Corona infections and seven-day incidence in Germany decline slightly, but levels remain high. One day after the Corona opening decisions by the federal and state governments, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported 235,626 new cases within 24 hours on Thursday. That’s 12,236 fewer cases than a week ago Thursday when 247,862 new infections were reported. The national seven-day incidence rate dropped to 1385.1 from 1401.0 the previous day. It indicates how many people are infected per 100,000 population in a week. Two hundred sixty-one more people died in connection…

Read More

Data from Israel suggest a slight additional benefit of the fourth dose of vaccine in protecting against Omicron infection. The fourth dose of an mRNA vaccine restored antibody levels among healthcare workers similar to those seen shortly after the booster. Still, breakthrough infections were expected, according to a paper not yet reviewed by external experts. The effectiveness of the fourth dose in terms of protection against infection with the Omicron variant is reported by researchers to be 11 percent (Moderna) to 30 percent (Biontech) compared to triple vaccinated individuals. Because…

Read More