Europe crossed 75 million coronavirus cases on December 3, according to a Reuters tally, as the region braces for the new Omicron variant at a time when hospitals in some countries are already strained by the current surge.
Germany decided on December 2 to bar the unvaccinated from all but the most essential business and the United States prepared further travel restrictions as the world scrambled to curb the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a third dose of Covid-19 vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna for people with compromised immune systems.
Drugmakers Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna are expected to reap billions of dollars from Covid-19 booster shots in a market that could rival the $6 billion in annual sales for flu vaccines for years to come, analysts and healthcare investors say.
The Euro 2020 soccer tournament was blamed for a surge in coronavirus cases as fans have flocked to stadiums, bars and spectator zones across Europe to watch the action while the pandemic still raged.
U.S. drugmaker Merck & Co. joined Gilead Sciences Inc. on April 27 in lending support to India as the world’s second-most populous country scrambles to address drug shortages and bring a raging new wave of Covid-19 cases under control.
European countries prepared on April 21 to resume deliveries of Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine and speed up the rollout after Europe’s drug regulator backed the shot.
Fewer Europeans trust the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine after several countries reported side effects, such as blood clots, an opinion poll by YouGov showed on March 22, even though scientific studies have found it is safe and effective.
Confidence in Covid-19 vaccines is growing, with people’s willingness to have the shots increasing as they are rolled out across the world and concerns about possible side effects are fading, a 14-country survey showed on March 5.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca is effective across all age groups, after Germany recommended the shot be given only to under-65s.