Controversy mounts in Europe over Russian vaccine Sputnik V

China officially launched a digital passport on Tuesday to verify the health status of travelers, an initiative analyzed by the United States and Europe where the controversy over the Russian vaccine Sputnik V against covid-19 continues, which from July will be made in Italy.

The pandemic, which kills 2.6 million out of 117 million infected worldwide, it continues to make great strides in Latin America, which has recorded more than 700,000 deaths.

Beijing’s “health certificate for international travel” – a smartphone app that shows and checks vaccination history and covid tests – could help open borders. For the time being, It is not compulsory and is reserved for Chinese people.

The US and UK are considering adopting similar systems. In the European Union (EU), the idea of ​​the “green passport” will be presented by the European Commission on March 17th.

Meanwhile, Europe seeks to speed up vaccination. But, as the Sputnik V vaccine began to be examined last week by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Russia on Tuesday rejected the comments of an official of this body, that “not recommended” EU countries to authorize it in an emergency.

“It’s a bit like Russian roulette”said EMA Board Chair Christa Wirthumer-Hoche, stressing that there is insufficient data on people vaccinated.

“We ask for a public apology”the state research center Gamaleya and the Russian Sovereign Fund (RDIF) asked on Twitter.

Impatient, several EU countries have already used Sputnik V, like Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Made in italy

The Italian-Russian Chamber of Commerce announced on Tuesday that Sputnik V will be produced in Italy, an unprecedented event in the European Union.

“Ten million doses will be produced between July 1 and January 1, 2022, ”Stefano Maggi, press secretary to the president of the chamber of commerce, told AFP.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she hoped that “100 million doses per month” delivered to the EU in the second quarter.

He also warned that other EU countries could block exports vaccines against covid-19. Italy, which surpassed the 100,000 covid death mark on Monday, has already blocked the delivery of AstraZeneca vaccines to Australia.

Meanwhile, after applying nearly 305 million doses of vaccine worldwide, some countries have started to ease their restrictions.

The United Kingdom announced Tuesday the closure of field hospitals in April high to cope with the crisis. Schools reopened this week, the first step to gradually come out of the third lockout imposed in January.

Some restrictions were also lifted in Germany, which has reopened bookstores, florists and other businesses in some areas.

Israel, at the forefront of vaccination in the world, it is almost back to normal this week.

And in another display of impatience, two Prime Ministers, that of Hungary and that of the Czech Republic, announced that they would travel to Israel to study the vaccination system applied against Covid-19 and vaccine production plans.

In Latin America, Brazil and Mexico are responsible for two thirds of deaths. The South American giant, the second most grieving country after the United States, has nearly 270,000 dead and more than 11 million infections.

Peru, which accumulates more than 1.3 million infections of covid-19 and exceeds 47,800 deaths, vaccination of the elderly, military and police began Monday.

The Peruvian government has reported that nearly 11,000 minors orphaned by father or mother due to Covid-19 will receive a monthly economic pension equivalent to around $ 55 over the coming weeks.

In Finland, bars and restaurants were closed on Mondays. In the Netherlands, restrictions have been extended until March 31, including a nighttime curfew, which has caused unrest in the country.

And Spain has announced that it is extending restrictions on flights from Brazil, the United Kingdom and South Africa until March 30.

Source. AFP

PB