Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Mexico President Says He Has Covid, Mild Symptoms
Bloomberg: Mexico’s President, Who Downplayed Virus, Has Covid-19
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he tested positive for Covid-19, after a weekend trip that took him to two states amid a record climb in the nation’s cases and deaths in the past week. The 67-year-old president announced his diagnosis in a tweet late Sunday, saying his symptoms were mild and that he’s receiving treatment. He’s also expected to stay on top of the country’s affairs, and will take a scheduled call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Monday. The peso was little changed against the dollar in Asia trading. “As always, I am optimistic,” he said. “We will all move forward.” (De Haldevang, 1/25)
FiercePharma: Sorry, Europe: AstraZeneca Follows Pfizer/BioNTech In Cutting Back EU Vaccine Delivery Plans
As AstraZeneca nears European authorization for its highly anticipated COVID-19 vaccine, the drugmaker has notified officials that initial shipments will come in lighter than originally expected. Two German-language publications, Bild and oe24, report that AZ notified EU officials this week that its first-quarter deliveries will come in lower than originally expected. An AstraZeneca spokesperson attributed the dip to "reduced yields at a manufacturing site within our European supply chain." (Sagonowsky, 1/22)
Reuters: Japan Likely To Hit COVID-19 Herd Immunity In October, Months After Olympics: Researcher
Japan is likely to achieve herd immunity to COVID-19 through mass inoculations only months after the planned Tokyo Olympics, even though it has locked in the biggest quantity of vaccines in Asia, according to a London-based forecaster. That would be a blow to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga who has pledged to have enough shots for the populace by the middle of 2021, as it trails most major economies in starting COVID-19 inoculations. (Swift, 1/25)
AP: China Tackles Pandemic With Mass Construction Once Again
A sprawling quarantine center is more than 4,000 rooms is being thrown up in northern China in response to a COVID-19 outbreak in Shijiazhuang, a city of more than 10 million people in Hebei province. Satellite images from the European Space Agency show dramatic changes over 10 days in an area where there had been only flat land before construction started on Jan. 13. (1/25)
The Washington Post: Canada Coronavirus: Montreal, Toronto Vaccinate Homeless
Amid worrying new outbreaks of covid-19 and pressure from advocates, Montreal this month began vaccinating some of the city's homeless, members of a group that is chronically neglected around the world and acutely vulnerable to the coronavirus. Nearly 400 homeless people and 206 staff members who work with them have been vaccinated since the program got underway Jan. 15, Mylène Drouin, Montreal's public health director, told reporters Friday. More doses will be rolled out to the city's shelters in the coming days. (Coletta, 1/24)
In other global news —
AP: Argentina's Abortion Law Enters Force Under Watchful Eyes
Argentina’s groundbreaking abortion law went into force Sunday under the watchful eyes of women’s groups and government officials, who hope to ensure its full implementation despite opposition from some conservative and church groups. Argentina became the largest nation in Latin America to legalize elective abortion after its Senate on Dec. 30 passed a law guaranteeing the procedure up to the 14th week of pregnancy and beyond that in cases of rape or when a woman’s health is at risk. (Calatrava, 1/24)
