Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
European Union Moves Up Approval Timeline For Pfizer Vaccine
Bloomberg: EU Said To Expedite Covid Vaccine For Pre-Christmas Rollout
European authorities are pushing for a compressed approval timeline for the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE, according to people familiar with the plan, which could enable a rollout on the continent before Christmas. Should the vaccine win the backing of a key drugs oversight committee on Monday, the European Commission is planning for a sign-off as soon as the same day, two people said. That would enable shipping the first shots to vaccine centers as early as Wednesday, one of the people said. (Nardelli, Kregse and Stearns, 12/16)
NPR: France's Emmanuel Macron Tests Positive For The Coronavirus
French President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for the coronavirus and will quarantine for a week, his official residence announced Thursday. Macron was tested for the virus following the onset of symptoms, though the Élysée Palace didn't immediately explain what those symptoms might include. He will isolate himself for seven days and will continue to work remotely, his residence said. (Diaz, 12/17)
The New York Times: ‘Nightmare’ Australia Housing Lockdown Called Breach Of Human Rights
The sudden lockdown this summer of nine public housing towers in Melbourne that left 3,000 people without adequate food and medication and access to fresh air during the city’s second coronavirus wave breached human rights laws, an investigation found. The report, released on Thursday by the ombudsman in the state of Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, said that the residents had been effectively placed under house arrest for 14 days in July without warning. It deprived them of essential supports, as well as access to activities like outdoor exercise, the report said. (Albeck-Ripka, 12/17)
Bloomberg: Brazil Hits 7 Million Cases With Infections Picking Up Speed
Brazil reached 7 million coronavirus cases as infections pick up pace just ahead of the holiday season. The government reported a record 70,574 new cases Wednesday, taking the total to 7,040,608. The milestone comes less than a month after Brazil hit the 6 million mark. The Latin American nation trails only the U.S. in number of cases and is third in the world in Covid-19 deaths, with 183,735. (Aragaki and Viotti Beck, 12/16)
Also —
The New York Times: In Landmark Ruling, Air Pollution Recorded As A Cause Of Death For British Girl
A 9-year-old girl who suffered a fatal asthma attack in 2013 became the first person in Britain to officially have air pollution listed as a cause of death, a British official said. The landmark ruling puts a face and a name on one of the millions of people whose deaths are hastened by air pollution across the world every year. And in Britain, legal experts said, it could open a new door to lawsuits by pollution victims or their families. (Peltier, 12/16)
The New York Times: Faced With Protests, Pakistan Says Rapists Could Be Chemically Castrated
When a top police official in the eastern city of Lahore said that a woman who was raped on a deserted highway was partly to blame for the attack, thousands of protesters swarmed city streets. Now, in response to months of protest, the government has passed a measure that says men convicted of rape can be sentenced to chemical castration. The ordinance, announced by the office of President Arif Alvi, also orders the creation of crisis centers to process rape kits within six hours of an attack, and special courts that will be required to try cases within four months. (ur-Rehman and Schmall, 12/16)
