Delta Covid Cases Rise In The UK, But Full Unlocking Is Still Set For July 19
The delta variant is spreading in the U.K., causing the daily infection rate to hit highs not seen since January, but officials have signaled a full unlock is still "very likely." In other news, worries grow about European summer travel as vaccine passports start to play a role.
Bloomberg:
UK Covid Lockdown Lifting 'Very Likely' On July 19 Despite Delta: Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson’s government is preparing to lift all remaining coronavirus restrictions for England on July 19, despite the delta variant sending infections soaring to their highest daily rate since January. In his first statement to members of Parliament since taking up his new job, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he was “very confident” curbs could be lifted in three weeks as planned. “No date we choose comes with zero risk from Covid,” he said. “We have to learn to live with it.” (Ross and Ashton, 6/28)
Reuters:
'Despicable': UK's Chief Medical Adviser Harassed
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday condemned the "despicable" harassment of the government's top medical adviser, Chris Whitty, after footage emerged on social media of two men grabbing him around the head as he walked down the street. Jeering loudly and grinning at the camera, the men are seen in the film, published on Twitter, manhandling Whitty, 55, who has become one of the nation's most prominent officials because of his regular appearances at coronavirus pandemic briefings. (6/29)
The Washington Post:
Europe Faces ‘Chaos’ At Airports Without Coordinated Coronavirus Vaccine Certificate Rollout, Travel Groups Warn
Airports across Europe could face “chaos” this summer as countries struggle to coordinate the rollout of a covid-19 digital certificate for travel on the continent, industry representatives warned European Union leaders this week. The certificate, designed to show a traveler’s vaccination or infection status, will be available for all E.U. member states beginning July 1. (Cunningham, 6/29)
AP:
Hong Kong To Ban Passenger Flights From UK To Curb Virus
Hong Kong says it will ban all passenger flights from the U.K. starting Thursday as it seeks to curb the spread of new variants of the coronavirus. It said in a statement Monday that the U.K. has been classified as “extremely high risk“ because of the “recent rebound of the epidemic situation in the U.K. and the widespread delta variant virus strain there.” (Soo, 6/29)
In other global developments —
AP:
Australia Offers All Adults AstraZeneca To Speed Up Rollout
Australia is offering AstraZeneca to all adults in a bid to rapidly ramp up sluggish vaccination rates as more of the country on Tuesday locked down against the spread of COVID-19. The government late Monday agreed to indemnify doctors who administer the AstraZeneca vaccine that has been blamed for at least two fatalities from a rare blood clot complication in Australia since April. (McGuirk, 6/29)
Reuters:
India's Vaccine Shortage Eases As Inoculations Outpace New Registrations
India has administered more COVID-19 vaccine doses in the last two weeks than the number of people who signed up for shots during the period, government data showed on Tuesday, signaling improving supplies after widespread shortages. Indians struggled to book scarce inoculation slots after Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened up vaccinations to all of the country's 930-940 million adults last month without a corresponding rise in output. Many immunisation centres ran out of vaccine shots and closed temporarily. (Das, 6/29)
Reuters:
Indonesia's COVID-19 Situation Nears 'Catastrophe' - Red Cross
Indonesia's COVID-19 surge is on the edge of a "catastrophe" as the more infectious Delta variant dominates transmission and chokes hospitals in Southeast Asia's worst epidemic, the Red Cross said on Tuesday. Indonesia has reported record daily COVID-19 infections of more than 20,000 in recent days, in a new wave of infections fueled by the emergence of highly transmissible virus variants and increased mobility after the Muslim fasting month. (6/29)
Bloomberg:
Abu Dhabi Covid Rules To Restrict Public Spaces To Vaccinated People
The oil-rich capital of the United Arab Emirates plans to restrict entry to public spaces and schools to people who have been vaccinated. Access to universities, schools, nurseries, gyms and shopping centers in Abu Dhabi will be restricted from August 20, the Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee said late on Monday. The decision won’t apply to people who are exempt from taking a vaccine and to children aged 15 and under. (Nair, 6/29)
And the United States is sending Pfizer vaccines to Peru —
CNN:
US Ships First Pfizer Vaccine Doses Abroad, Donating 2 Million To Peru
The United States on Monday will begin shipping its first doses of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine abroad as part of the Biden administration's pledge to donate millions of vaccine doses to other countries, a White House official told CNN. The first of 2 million Pfizer vaccine doses will be shipped to Peru on Monday, the official said, as part of President Joe Biden's initial commitment to share 80 million doses of the US' vaccine supply with the world. Biden has since reached a deal with Pfizer to purchase and share with the world an additional 500 million doses over the next two years. (Diamond, 6/28)
