At Least Half Of Humanity Is Now Fully Vaccinated

The Washington Post: Global Coronavirus Vaccine Rollout: Half The World Is Now Fully Vaccinated 
About a year after wealthier nations began rolling out coronavirus vaccines, more than half the world’s population has been fully vaccinated — a logistical feat without precedent in human history. But the global rollout remains uneven, with poor countries reporting much lower vaccination rates than rich countries. Public health experts have been warning that vaccine inequity is helping prolong the pandemic, as the focus of those seeking to speed up global vaccine coverage begins to shift from resolving a shortfall of supply to distributing doses and persuading people to get them. (Timsit, 2/10)

In other global covid news —

Politico: U.S.-Brokered J&J Vaccine Deal For Refugees In Thailand Is Delayed 
The Covid vaccine doses the Biden administration and COVAX promised Thailand for refugees living in the country have yet to be delivered, according to three people with direct knowledge of the situation. In November, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. government had helped broker a deal to send millions of Johnson & Johnson doses to Thailand. The shots would be dispensed through COVAX’s humanitarian buffer, which specifically facilitates immunizations for people experiencing humanitarian emergencies because of conflict or who live in areas inaccessible to governments. (Banco, 2/10)

Reuters: Australians Told To Get COVID Boosters To Be Considered Fully Vaccinated
Australian residents will need to receive booster shots to be considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19, although authorities said foreign travellers will continue to need only two shots to enter the country. Australia's national cabinet late on Thursday endorsed the revised guidance from the country's vaccination advisory group to classify "up-to-date" inoculations as including boosters. (2/10)

Reuters: Macron Refused Russian COVID Test In Putin Trip Over DNA Theft Fears - Sources
French President Emmanuel Macron refused a Kremlin request that he take a Russian COVID-19 test when he arrived to see President Vladimir Putin this week, to prevent Russia getting hold of Macron's DNA, two sources in Macron's entourage told Reuters. As a result, the visiting French head of state was kept at a distance from the Russian leader during lengthy talks on the Ukraine crisis in Moscow. (Rose, 2/11)

NPR: Prince Charles Has Tested Positive For COVID A Second Time
Prince Charles tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday morning, Clarence House announced on Twitter. It said the 73-year-old is self-isolating but did not elaborate on his condition. "HRH is deeply disappointed not to be able to attend today's events in Winchester and will look to reschedule his visit as soon as possible," the palace added. Prince Charles was due in the Hampshire city to unveil a statue of 13th-century Jewish businesswoman Licoricia of Winchester, according to the BBC. The moneylender and single parent helped fund the construction of Westminster Abbey and bankroll three English kings, and was murdered in 1277. (Treisman, 2/10)

NPR: The Hamsters Of Hong Kong Offer A Cautionary COVID Tale
Hamsters can infect people with the coronavirus, which then goes on to spread among the human population — that's the assertion in a new study about the events of mid-January, when Hong Kong announced that at least three cases of COVID-19 were linked to hamsters in a pet store. The discovery was documented in a preprint study for The Lancet uploaded on Jan. 28 but not peer-reviewed or published yet. The study adds to previous research showing transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19, from minks to humans on farms in Denmark. (Schreiber, 2/10)