Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Monday
U.S. FDA grants full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for people 16 and up
The latest:
- U.S. regulators give full approval of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for people 16 and older.
- Companies are implementing vaccine mandates. Can employees reject them?
- Employers hope to breathe easier and limit COVID-19 infections by improving ventilation.
- How do Canada's political parties plan to prepare the country for future pandemics?
- P.E.I. releases its back-to-school plan, as does Nova Scotia.
The head of the World Health Organization has called for a two-month moratorium on administering booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines as a means of reducing global vaccine inequality and preventing the emergence of new coronavirus variants.
WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters on Monday that he was "really disappointed" with the scope of vaccine donations worldwide. He called on countries offering third vaccine doses to forward what they would use for booster shots to other countries so they can increase their vaccination coverage.
Those whose immune system is compromised should get a booster shot, though they represent only a small percentage of the population, he added.
The United States announced last week it plans to make COVID-19 vaccine booster shots widely available starting on Sept. 20 as infections rise from the coronavirus delta variant.
Tedros said that vaccine injustice and vaccine nationalism increase the risk of more contagious variants like the delta variant emerging.
.- From The Associated Press and Reuters, last updated at 9 a.m. ET
What's happening in Canada
- How international students heading to Canada are navigating pandemic travel.
- As Canada prepares to vote, what can be learned from N.L's pandemic election?
- B.C. announces new COVID-19 vaccine card that will be required for wide-range of public activities.
- N.S. targets Sept.15 to begin Phase 5, tightens N.B. border
- Active cases in Alberta now at the highest point since May 29.
- Ontario epidemiologist resigns from provincial science table, citing lack of transparency.
- Quebec's official Opposition leader calls for mandatory vaccinations in several sectors.
- Eager to socialize, CEGEP students say in-person classes outweigh risk of delta variant.
- Toronto to close 4 city-run COVID-19 mass vaccination clinics as it bolsters mobile teams.
- After months apart because of COVID-19, watch the moment 2 friends reunite.
What's happening around the world
As of Monday evening, more than 212.4 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. The reported global death toll stood at more than 4.4 million.
In the Asia-Pacific region, Indonesia will start reopening restaurants, malls and places of worship in some areas including the capital Jakarta, as vaccinations rise and new cases have fallen sharply from their peak.
China reported no new locally transmitted cases Monday for the first time since July.
In contrast, Vietnam's largest metropolis, Ho Chi Minh City, began a stricter lockdown on Monday in an attempt to curb its worst coronavirus outbreak, a day before U.S Vice-President Kamala Harris arrives in the country on a state visit. Since a wave of infections began at the end of April, Vietnam has reported 344,000 cases, with Ho Chi Minh City and neighbouring Binh Duong accounting for most of them.
New Zealand's government, meanwhile, said it's extending a strict nationwide lockdown until at least Friday as it tries to extinguish a growing coronavirus outbreak. Health officials reported 41 new local infections of the fast-spreading delta variant Tuesday, the highest number of COVID-19 cases in New Zealand since April of last year.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says lockdowns are not a sustainable way to live. He says states must open their borders once vaccination rates reach 80 per cent of the population aged 16 years and older.
In the Americas, the U.S. gave full approval to Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, a milestone that may help lift public confidence in the shots as the country battles the most contagious coronavirus mutant yet.
The vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner, BioNTech, now carries the strongest endorsement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which has never before had so much evidence to judge a shot's safety.
"If you're one of the millions of Americans who has said that they will not get the shot until it has full and final approval by the FDA, it has happened," U.S. President Joe Biden said from the White House on Monday. "The moment you've been waiting for is here. It is time for you to go get your vaccination. Get it today."
More than 200 million Pfizer doses have already been administered in the U.S. — and hundreds of millions more worldwide — since emergency use began in December.
Today, FDA approved the first COVID-19 vaccine for the prevention of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. <a href="https://t.co/iOqsxXV1fj">https://t.co/iOqsxXV1fj</a>
—@US_FDAThe Pentagon said Monday that it will require service members to receive the COVID-19 vaccine now that the Pfizer vaccine has received full approval. Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said guidance is being developed, and a timeline will be provided in the coming days.
The Biden administration is also working on offering vaccines to refugees from Afghanistan, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.
In the Middle East, hard-hit Iran was still struggling with an uptick in COVID-19 cases and deaths, reporting on Monday that 610 additional people had died over 24 hours, according to the country's Health Ministry.
Oman, meanwhile, will allow anyone holding a vaccine certificate to travel to the country beginning Sept. 1, the civil aviation authority said.
In Africa, Egypt's health minister said the country's first case of the delta variant was detected last month. The country plans to vaccinate all 4.5 million of its state employees in August and September as it seeks to accelerate vaccinations ahead of a likely fourth wave.
In Europe, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said "everything points at no new nationwide shutdown will be necessary" because of the high number of people vaccinated in the country. Getting the shot in Denmark is voluntary and is available to people aged 12 years and older.
But in France, health authorities said on Monday that the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 and those treated in intensive care units stood at the highest levels in more than two months, as the delta variant put a renewed strain on the health system. The daily new infections increased by 5,166 over 24 hours but were down by 11.4 per cent from last Monday.
- From The Associated Press, Reuters and CBC News, last updated at 5:30 p.m. ET
With files from Reuters and CBC News
