2 Billion Covid Shots Administered Around The Globe

Axios: 2 Billion Global Vaccinations: Where The Doses Have Gone 
The world reached a vaccination milestone this week, with 2 billion total doses now administered, according to the tracker from Our World in Data. The global rate is speeding up considerably. It took 30 days to go from 500 million doses to 1 billion, 24 days to go from 1 billion to 1.5 billion, and just 16 days to jump from 1.5 billion to 2 billion. (Lawler, 6/3)

In other global developments —

AP: Slow To Start, China Now Vaccinating At A Staggering Pace
In the span of just five days last month, China gave out 100 million shots of its COVID-19 vaccines. After a slow start, China is now doing what virtually no other country in the world can: leveraging the power and all-encompassing reach of its one-party system and a maturing domestic vaccine industry to administer shots at a staggering pace. The rollout is far from perfect, including uneven distribution, but Chinese public health leaders now say they’re hoping to inoculate 80% of the population of 1.4 billion by the end of the year. (Wu, 6/3)

The Washington Post: China’s Great Vaccine Hope, Sinopharm, Sees Reputation Darkened Amid Covid Spikes In Countries Using It
Last year, Bahrain became one of the first countries to throw support behind China’s Sinopharm vaccine, granting it emergency use approval in December — a substantial boost for Beijing’s global ambitions for the vaccine, despite doubts on the part of some scientists over lack of public safety and efficacy data. Now, the Persian Gulf country is the latest to raise doubts about the vaccine’s effectiveness. (Taylor and Schemm, 6/3)

Reuters: Chile Halts Second Dose, Ups Minimum Age For AstraZeneca Vaccine After Blood Clot Report
Chile's health ministry on Thursday said it would raise the minimum age of men approved to receive the AstraZeneca (AZN.L) COVID-19 vaccine to 45 from 18, and suspend administering second doses until authorities complete an investigation into a man who had a blood clot after his first shot. Chile, a leader in vaccinating its citizens against the virus, received its first doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine in April. Regulators initially approved the vaccine for men over 18 and women over 45. (6/3)

AP: Colombia Eases Lockdown Measures Despite 3rd Virus Peak
Colombia moved Thursday to reactivate its economy by easing several lockdown measures even though it is still fighting a third peak in the pandemic, which has been aggravated by a month of crowded antigovernment street protests. (6/4)

Also —

AP: WHO: Vaccinating Kids 'Not A High Priority' Amid Shortage
The World Health Organization’s top vaccines expert said Thursday that immunizing children against COVID-19 is not a high priority from a WHO perspective, given the extremely limited global supply of doses. During a social media session, Dr. Kate O’Brien said children should not be a focus of COVID-19 immunization programs even as increasing numbers of rich countries authorize their coronavirus shots for teenagers and children. (6/3)

Bloomberg: Prayer Is Preferred to Covid Vaccine in Namibia, Survey Shows
Almost two-thirds of Namibians believe prayer is more effective at preventing Covid-19 than a vaccine, and the majority of people in the southern African nation are concerned about the safety of the inoculations, according to a survey. Half of Namibians say they’re unlikely to try and get vaccinated even if the government says the vaccine is safe, Afrobarometer said in a study dated June 2 published on its website. Slow vaccine uptake in Namibia is “of great concern” with the threat of a third wave of infections looming, it said. (Nhongo, 6/3)

Axios: Copa América Moves To Brazil, Which Faces Its Own COVID Nightmare 
Brazil has stepped in to host this month's Copa América, but the issues that caused the former hosts to drop out are roughly as bad in Brazil. The soccer tournament — originally set for last summer in Colombia and Argentina — was delayed a year by the pandemic. It's now scheduled to begin on June 13. (Tracy and Lawler, 6/3)

Reuters: 'Mission: Impossible 7' Set Shut Down Due To Positive Covid-19 Tests
Filming in Britain on the latest "Mission: Impossible" movie, one of the biggest franchises in Hollywood, has been shut down for two weeks after some people working on the movie tested positive for the coronavirus, Paramount Pictures said on Thursday. The movie studio did not say who or how many people had tested positive but Britain's Sun newspaper said star Tom Cruise was not among them. ... The Sun newspaper, citing unnamed sources, said 14 members of the production tested positive after shooting a nightclub scene, and that Cruise, like other people working on the set, would have to self-isolate for 14 days. (6/3)