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Photographer: Eva Marie Uzcategui / Bloomberg
Photographer: Eva Marie Uzcategui / Bloomberg
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Vaccinations in the US and UK are expected to start next week, while vaccinations in Russia are underway to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 1.5 million people across the world .
Vaccinations in the United States could begin as early as Friday, with the Food and Drug Administration ready to vote on the emergency use authorization of the Pfizer Inc./BioNtech SE shot the day before, an FDA adviser told NBC News. California set another record for infections and now more than half the state faces new restrictions, as New York’s outbreak has continued to worsen. Deaths across the United States are on the rise.
The UK plans to start vaccinations during the week of December 14, as authorities around the world take another step forward in the fight against the pandemic. Moscow started the beatings on Saturday. Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany can keep spending high next year to help cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus.
Key developments:
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Infections in South Korea are higher (8:42 a.m. HK)
South Korea reported 631 coronavirus cases in 24 hours compared to 583 a day earlier, according to data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency website.
Of that total, 253 cases were in Seoul and 176 in Gyeonggi Province. The total number of deaths increased from 5 to 545.
UK gears up for ‘historic moment’ with vaccine rollout (8:01 a.m. HK)
The UK will become the first Western country to deploy a Covid-19 vaccine after regulators approved Pfizer-BioNTech’s shot on Wednesday. The government bought 40 million doses from companies, enough to inoculate 20 million people on the two-dose schedule. Vaccines will be given in order of priority, with the first vaccines going to people in nursing homes, including workers, and people over 80 years of age.
“This coming week will be a historic moment as we begin vaccination against Covid-19,” Matt Hancock, Britain’s Health Secretary, said in a statement. “We are doing everything we can to make sure that we can overcome the significant challenges associated with vaccinating nursing home residents.
The plan foresees that more than 1,000 centers across the country will provide the shot over the next few weeks with the first shot expected to be delivered on Tuesday.
Over Half of California Facing New Borders (7:42 a.m. HK)
Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley will be slapped with the state stay-at-home order after their ICU capacity drops below the 15% threshold for more curbs.
ICU capacity in the San Joaquin Valley, a relatively rural area of the central region of the state that includes Fresno, fell to 8.6%. In Southern California, which has more than half of the state’s population in an area that includes Los Angeles and San Diego, the ratio has fallen to 12.5%. Under the order, a list of areas including bars, wineries, hair salons and personal care services would be closed.
California added a record 25,068 new cases, bringing the total to 1.3 million. It also reported 209 new deaths for a total death toll of 19,791.
Soaring infections in Brazil (5:11 p.m. NY)
Brazil reported 43,209 new cases at the end of a fourth week during a strong resurgence of the virus, according to data from the Ministry of Health. Infections have more than doubled in the past month to reach levels near the last peak in August. 664 other people died.
The country now has a total of 6,577,177 total cases, the most after the United States and India, and 176,628 deaths.
New York State Reports Over 10,000 Cases (4:01 PM NY)
New York state has reported 10,761 new cases, its second consecutive day above 10,000 – the highest level since the outbreak peaked in April.
Total hospitalizations increased by nearly 100 to 4,318. The rate of positive tests statewide, which rose rapidly, fell slightly to 5%, although it increased over 11% in a Westchester County hot spot just north of town. 69 other people died.
Covid shootings in the United States could begin Friday, doctor says (2:21 p.m. NY)
A Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE could be used by Friday if the Food and Drug Administration approves an emergency use authorization, said James Hildreth, a member of the FDA’s vaccine advisory committee , at NBC News.
The panel is expected to vote on the issue after reviewing vaccine data at a meeting on Thursday.
“If the FDA commissioner decides to give his approval, the EUA, on voting day, as early as Friday next week, we could see vaccinations roll out across the country,” Hildreth said at The Weekend Today ”from NBC.
New Jersey reports more than 5,000 cases (2:17 p.m. NY)
New Jersey has reported 5,367 new cases, the second time this week more than 5,000. The state’s infections are at the highest level since the start of the pandemic. Total hospitalizations decreased slightly and 53 more deaths were reported.
Drop in new cases in France and drop in hospitalizations (1:56 p.m. NY)
Confirmed cases of the coronavirus reported by France rose from 12,923 on Saturday to 2.28 million. The seven-day average of new cases increased 0.5% to 10,397, increasing for the first time in more than two weeks.
The rate of positive Covid-19 tests remained at 10.7% for a third day, after three weeks of decline. Hospitalizations and intensive care patients for Covid-19 continued to fall from their peak in mid-November. Deaths linked to the virus increased from 214 to 54,981.
The government began easing some lockdowns a week ago, allowing non-essential stores to reopen.
Italy’s epidemic continues to ease (12:40 p.m. NY)
Italy reported 21,052 new cases on Saturday, confirming the downward trend from last week. Daily deaths fell to 662 from 814 on Friday.
Health Minister Roberto Speranza told SkyTg24 television on Saturday that strict anti-Covid measures were needed to prevent a further rise in cases of the virus that would overwhelm hospitals and cause a further rise in deaths.
Asked about the vaccine distribution, he said the timing will depend on the European Medicines Agency and that the Italian government plans to administer the vaccine on a voluntary basis once it becomes available.
Germany can keep spending, says Merkel (6:15 p.m. HK)
Germany may continue to spend “big bucks” next year to help the economy deal with coronavirus turmoil, Chancellor Angela Merkel said ahead of a parliamentary vote on the federal budget next week.
“We were able to deploy significant sums in 2020 and we will be able to do so in 2021 because we have managed our finances well in recent years,” said Merkel. Debt-financed stimulus measures were needed this year to avert much more costly bankruptcies and job losses, she said.
Germany will spend up to 6 billion euros ($ 7.3 billion) to vaccinate its population against the coronavirus.
“It’s a lot of money,” Health Minister Jens Spahn said at a conference in Berlin on Saturday. Still, the cost of “not mastering it is higher,” he said.
Russia begins vaccinations as cases hit record (4:23 p.m. HK)
Moscow on Saturday began widespread vaccination of frontline workers and other high-risk people, following an order from Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. More than 5,000 people registered on Friday in the first five hours of registration, the mayor of Moscow said on his blog. The Kremlin has resisted a broad lockdown, putting the onus of imposing restrictions on regional governments.
Russia reported a record 28,782 cases in the past day, the government’s virus response center said on Saturday. This brings the total to 2.4 million, the fourth in the world.
– With the help of Reed Stevenson and Ian Fisher
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