Description
Added on the 06/01/2021 13:26:22 - Copyright : Euronews EN
Patrick Achi, spokesman for the Ivory Coast government, receives the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine as the west African country begins its Covid-19 vaccination campaign. Ivory Coast received its first jabs last week -- a consignment of 504,000 doses funded by the Covax initiative for poorer countries. IMAGES N°9422TN
16 states across the US broke a grim record on Friday, reporting their highest total of people hospitalized for COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Business Insider reports that since last fall, cases of COVID-19 have surged nationwide, particularly following the end of the holiday season. Alabama, Arkansas, Maryland, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia were hit hardest. Record hospitalizations were also seen this week in Arizona, California, Delaware, and Maine. The US Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for two COVID-19 vaccines at the end of 2020. However, a slow rollout means it will be many months before all who want a vaccination are immunized.
White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Anthony Fauci says the rate of vaccinations against COVID-19 should speed up soon. Business Insider reports Fauci told ABC News' Martha Raddatz on Sunday there's no reason why the US can't immunize 1 million people per day right now. If so, it would put the country on track to meet President-elect Joe Biden's goal of vaccinating 100 million people in his first 100 days in office. Fauci said that herd immunity in around 75% to 90% of the population might be achieved by the end of summer or early fall. According to Business Insider, he explained that his estimate could vary, based on how many people choose to get vaccinated.
The White House is desperate to announce the authorization of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine. Mark Meadows has reportedly pressured FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn to announce the emergency authorization by the end of the day on Friday. Citing a report in the Washington Post, Business Insider reports that Meadows gave Hahn an ultimatum. Hahn either moves up the announcement or submit his resignation. This comes after President Donald Trump went after the agency on Twitter earlier in the morning, calling it "a big, old, slow turtle." Hahn denied the Post's report shortly after it was published, calling it "untrue." The White House declined to comment.
World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus estimates the number of deaths caused by Covid-19 to be "at least 20 million", well above the official number reported to WHO of "almost seven million deaths". SOUNDBITE
The World Health Organisation says it is 'very concerned' about the Covid situation in China amid 'increasing reports of severe disease' and urged Chinese authorities to provide 'more detailed information' of the situation on the ground during a press conference in Geneva. SOUNDBITE
|
Support : Technical 
- Content 
- Editors 
