Coronavirus

UPDATED: EU proposes booster jab for summer 2022 travel

BRUSSELS, Nov 25 (Reuters) - European Union residents will need to have COVID-19 vaccine booster jabs if they want to travel to another country in the bloc next summer, according…

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German COVID-19 deaths pass 100,000 mark as fourth wave takes hold

BERLIN, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Germany crossed the sombre threshold of 100,000 COVID-19-related deaths on Thursday with a surge in new infections posing a challenge for the new government. Since…

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Dutch hospitals postpone chemotherapy, organ transplants due to COVID-19 surge

AMSTERDAM, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Some Dutch hospitals have halted chemotherapy treatments and organ transplants to free up intensive care beds for a surging number of COVID-19 patients, an official…

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Greek PM says EU should make COVID booster shot a condition for free travel

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis proposed that the EU’s executive arm make having a booster shot against COVID-19 a condition for some Europeans to travel freely across the bloc, amid…

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UPDATED: French Health Minister Veran: COVID face masks to become compulsory again indoors

PARIS, Nov 25 (Reuters) - French Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Thursday that COVID-19 face masks will become compulsory again in many places and notably indoors to help contain…

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Italy introduces fresh restrictions on anti-vaccine holdouts

Italy tightened the screws on people still unwilling to take an anti-COVID jab, sharply restricting access to an array of services and making vaccines mandatory for a wider group of…

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COVID cases break records in Europe

Coronavirus infections broke records in parts of Europe on Wednesday, with the continent once again the epicentre of a pandemic that has prompted new curbs on movement and seen health…

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Biden administration seeks to reinstate workplace COVID vaccine rule

The Biden administration asked a federal appeals court to lift a court-ordered stay on a sweeping workplace COVID-19 vaccine rule to avoid serious harm to public health, or alternatively to…

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France plans tighter social distancing rules, booster ramp-up to fight COVID wave

PARIS, Nov 24 (Reuters) - The French government will announce new COVID-19 containment measures on Thursday as the infection rate surges nationwide, government spokesman Gabriel Attal said on Wednesday. Attal…

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Italy set to tighten COVID-19 rules amid fourth wave

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi's government looks set to tighten the rules for Italy's COVID-19 Green Pass health certificate as the fourth wave of coronavirus contagion hits the nation. Draghi's…

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Canada gives full approval to J&J’s single-shot COVID-19 vaccine

Nov 24 (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson said on Wednesday Canada gave full approval to its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine for people aged 18 years and older, making it the first…

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Czech Republic reports record daily rise in COVID-19 cases

PRAGUE, Nov 24 (Reuters) - The Czech Republic reported its highest daily rise in new COVID-19 infections on Wednesday, with cases surpassing 25,000 for the first time and putting further…

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Sweden says it will extend COVID-19 boosters to all adults

STOCKHOLM, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Sweden will begin gradually rolling out COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to all adult Swedes following the surge in cases elsewhere in Europe, government and health…

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Fall in COVID-19 testing worries Indian authorities

NEW DELHI, Nov 24 (Reuters) - An alarming fall in testing for COVID-19 threatens to undermine India's efforts to contain the pandemic, the federal health ministry said on Wednesday in…

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Children at lower risk from COVID, vaccines should go to poor – WHO

GENEVA, Nov 24 (Reuters) - As children and adolescents are at lower risk of severe COVID-19 disease, countries should prioritise sharing vaccine doses with the COVAX programme to bring urgently…

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Russia to register Sputnik M COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 12-17

MOSCOW, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Russia's health ministry will register a new Sputnik M vaccine for use for children aged 12-17 later on Wednesday, with shots expected to be available…

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Slovakia’s COVID cases rise by record as government prepares lockdown

Slovakia reported its highest daily rise in new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, just ahead of a government meeting likely to agree a short-term lockdown to quell the world's fastest surge…

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EU’s health agency says vaccine boosters should be considered for all adults

BRUSSELS, Nov 24 (Reuters) - The head of the European Union's public health agency Andrea Ammon said on Wednesday that COVID-19 vaccine boosters should be considered for all adults, with…

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Bigger use of masks in Europe over winter would ‘save about 160,000 lives’

Robb Butler, executive director for WHO Europe, told Sky News that a study issued last week in the BMJ suggested 53% of transmission was prevented by mask use. He said…

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Hungary reports record daily COVID-19 cases

BUDAPEST, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Hungary reported a record 12,637 new daily COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 1.045 million with 33,519 deaths, a government tally showed on Wednesday. Hungary,…

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Spain’s regions seek tighter restrictions as COVID-19 cases tick up

Spain’s Catalonia region plans to demand proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test for entry to bars, restaurants and stadiums, while other regions are pushing for similar restrictions to…

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Total COVID deaths in Europe could exceed 2.2 million by March -WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) said a further 700,000 people could die from COVID-19 in Europe by March, taking the total to above 2.2 million, as it urged people to…

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Global licence deal to provide COVID antibody test tech free to poorer countries – WHO

A global licence for serological technology that detects COVID-19 antibodies will be provided royalty-free to poor and middle-income countries under a first of its kind agreement to boost production, the World Health Organisation…

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Germany considers more COVID-19 curbs as U.S. advises against travel there

Germany's health minister called on Tuesday for further restrictions to contain a "dramatic" surge in coronavirus cases as the country's infection rate hit a record high and the United States…

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Covid patients in ICU almost all unvaccinated – Oxford scientist

Covid-19 is no longer a disease of the vaccinated, the head of the Oxford jab programme has said. According to Prof Sir Andrew Pollard, even though coronavirus case numbers remain…

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Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine trial data shows long-term efficacy in adolescents

Pfizer Inc said on Monday its COVID-19 vaccine provided strong long-term protection against the virus in a late-stage study conducted among adolescents aged 12 to 15 years. A two-dose series of…

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Czechs, Slovaks target unvaccinated people, talk of full lockdown intensifies

The Czech Republic and Slovakia banned unvaccinated people from hotels, pubs, hairdressers and most public events from Monday after COVID-19 cases filled hospital intensive-care wards, and were mulling harsher steps…

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India has no COVID vaccine booster plan yet as natural infection rate high -sources

NEW DELHI, Nov 22 (Reuters) - India is not considering authorising booster COVID-19 doses yet as many in the country have been naturally infected and the government believes two doses…

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Marines on track for worst vaccination record in U.S. military

The U.S. Marine Corps is set to have the worst vaccination record among military branches, with thousands of active-duty personnel set to miss the service's Nov. 28 deadline to be…

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Italian ICU doctors make urgent appeal for people to get vaccinated

Italy's intensive-care doctors on Monday made an appeal for everyone who can to get vaccinated for COVID-19 following a recent upswing in contagion, saying the nation's ICUs risk getting overwhelmed…

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Germany’s Merkel urges tougher measures to battle 4th wave of COVID

BERLIN, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Germany's acting Chancellor Angela Merkel told leaders of her conservative party that measures being taken to stop the spread of the coronavirus in Europe's biggest…

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World must bolster WHO and agree pandemic treaty, expert panel says

GENEVA, Nov 22 (Reuters) - The World Health Organisation (WHO) must be strengthened with more funding and greater ability to investigate pandemics through a new treaty, an independent panel said…

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Kenya to introduce Covid passport for end of December

Kenyans will have to prove they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 to gain access to government services, public transport and public places such as national parks, bars and restaurants under…

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EU says decision on J&J COVID-19 vaccine booster dose ‘within weeks’

Nov 22 (Reuters) - The European Union's drug regulator said on Monday it was evaluating data on booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine by Johnson & Johnson and a decision…

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Hungarians line up for shots as COVID surges across Europe

BUDAPEST, Nov 22 (Reuters) - People were lining up for COVID-19 shots outside Budapest's main hospitals on Monday as Hungary for the first time offered vaccinations without prior registration amid…

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UPDATED: Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine shows long-term efficacy in trial in adolescents

Nov 22 (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc said on Monday its COVID-19 vaccine provided strong long-term protection against the virus in a late-stage study conducted among adolescents aged 12 to 15…

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New Zealand to end tough COVID curbs, adopt new virus-fighting system next week

WELLINGTON, Nov 22 (Reuters) - New Zealand will adopt a new system of living with the virus from Dec. 3, which will end tough coronavirus measures and allow businesses to…

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Ski resorts in northern Italy reopen amid COVID-19 worries

Ski resorts in northern Italy are reopening for the winter season after prolonged shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, although a recent rise in infections is spreading worries over possible…

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UPDATED: Fourth national COVID-19 lockdown begins in Austria

Austria entered its fourth national lockdown on Monday after tens of thousands of people, many of them far-right supporters, protested in Vienna against renewed curbs on movement as Europe again…

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Misuse of antibiotics in pandemic building resistant bacteria, health agency warns

Overuse of antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs during the coronavirus pandemic is helping bacteria develop resistance that will render these important medicines ineffective over time, the Pan American Health Organization…

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35,000 people demonstrate in Brussels against coronavirus measures

Brussels (dpa) - Around 35,000 people took to the streets of Brussels on Sunday to protest against stricter coronavirus measures and in particular the coronavirus pass, according to police. According to a report…

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Masks, social distancing still worthwhile

Mask wearing and physical distancing are tied to reductions in the spread of COVID-19 and should be continued, according to researchers who reviewed 72 previous studies. When they analyzed results…

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Vaccine passports would allow infections to be missed

“Vaccine passports” that exempt vaccinated people from regular COVID-19 testing would allow many infections to be missed, Israeli data suggest. Researchers analyzed infection rates in citizens returning to Israel through…

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Breakthrough COVID-19 raises risk of health problems, death

COVID-19 is generally less severe in vaccinated patients but that does not mean breakthrough infections will be benign, a large study shows. Researchers analyzed data collected by the U.S. Veterans…

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EXPLAINER-All U.S. adults qualify for COVID-19 boosters; which is best?

CHICAGO, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday expanded availability of COVID-19 booster shots to all American adults, hoping to preserve vaccine protection…

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Spain’s SEAT asks unvaccinated workers to eat separately in Barcelona canteen

Volkswagen's Spanish car maker SEAT has recommended unvaccinated and vaccinated employees sit separately in its canteen at its plant outside Barcelona to protect workers and ensure operational activity, the company…

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Vietnam’s resort island welcomes first tourists after nearly 2 yrs

HANOI, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Two hundred vaccinated foreign tourists arrived in Vietnam's beach-fringed island of Phu Quoc on Saturday, the first wave of visitors to the country in nearly…

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Facing new COVID wave, Dutch delay care for cancer, heart patients

Dutch healthcare officials said they have begun delaying operations for some cancer and heart patients to free up space in intensive care units during a record wave of COVID-19 infections.…

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Photo Story: Demonstration against coronavirus measures in Vienna

People take part in a demonstration against the measures of the Austrian government to slow down the ongoing pandemic of the COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus at the…

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Germany holds onto Biontech jabs as its Moderna stock risks expiry- report

Germany’s government will limit shipments of the Biontech/PfizerCOVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks to push the use of its stock of Moderna vaccines before it expires, a health official was…

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Czechs report highest daily coronavirus cases since pandemic start

PRAGUE, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The Czech Republic reported 22,936 new coronavirus cases for Friday, its biggest daily tally since the pandemic began, health ministry data showed on Saturday. Earlier…

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China has given 76.3% of population complete COVID-19 vaccine doses

BEIJING, Nov 20 (Reuters) - China had given 76.3% of its population complete COVID-19 vaccine doses by Nov. 19, Wu Liangyou, an official at the National Health Commission (NHC) said…

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EU advises on Merck COVID pill as reviews rival from Pfizer

The European Union's drug regulator has issued advice on using Merck's COVID-19 pill for adults and began a review of a rival tablet from Pfizer to help member states decide…

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U.S. expands COVID-19 booster eligibility to all adults

U.S. regulators expanded eligibility for booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines to all adults, allowing millions more Americans to get additional protection against the virus amid a recent rise in infections.…

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COVID-19 ‘boosters-for-all’ discussion moves to CDC

Nov 19 (Reuters) - More U.S. adults could be eligible for a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if a panel of experts meets as planned on Friday and recommends…

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FACTBOX-Europe starts reimposing COVID-19 restrictions

Nov 19 (Reuters) - Germany warned it may have to move to a full COVID-19 lockdown after Austria said it would become the first country in western Europe to reimpose…

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Russia’s daily COVID-19 deaths reach new record high

MOSCOW, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Russia on Friday reported 1,254 coronavirus-related deaths in the last 24 hours, a record daily high that follows a surge in cases. The government coronavirus…

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