The situation in India worsens; it turns out that the authorities did not take care of the vaccine until March. The European Union will consider the conditions for opening its external borders. In France, lockdown restrictions are eased for the first time in many months. This and other news about the pandemic situation around the world is in our roundup.
According to Johns Hopkins University, the total number of COVID-19 cases worldwide since the beginning of the pandemic is nearly 153 million, with 3.2 million deaths. The daily number of new cases has been breaking records for more than a week, with more than 800,000 cases per day. Almost half of this indicator is accounted for by India, where almost 402 thousand infected people were detected last Saturday (latest data available). In total, there are almost 20 million cases in the country, with 219 thousand deaths. However, experts are confident that these data do not reflect the reality, since the statistics are mainly collected from patients who come to the attention of health care providers, while thousands die in India without receiving medical assistance.
Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party lost the elections in the key state of West Bengal. The head of the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, the Indian Serum Institute, Adar Poonawalla, accused the Narendra Modi government of creating a catastrophic shortage of vaccines to immunize its own people in India. In an interview with the UK’s Financial Times, Punawala said that his institute had not received any requests from Indian authorities for large batches of vaccine doses until March, when the country had already been hit by the second wave of infections.
The Narendra Modi government is losing popularity in the country because of the pandemic situation. Modi is accused of neglecting the vaccination campaign. According to him, only 21 million doses have been ordered so far, which is extremely low in relation to the population. According to the expert, the shortage will continue until June, when a significant increase in production is planned, up to 100 million doses per month. The Serum Institute, which produces most of the AstraZeneca drug, also plans to expand exports to other countries.
On Monday, the European Commission discussed the issue of opening the external borders of the EU. It is proposed to allow entry to tourists who have been fully vaccinated with one of the vaccines approved within the bloc. COVID statistics in the country of departure will also be taken into account.
The French government has announced long-awaited relaxations, although infection statistics in the country remain high. Students of all ages have returned to school in France since Monday. Authorities have begun a gradual lifting of the third nationwide lockdown. Residents of the country can now travel 10 kilometers or more from their homes. Later in May, the government plans to reduce the duration of the curfew, which will begin at 9 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. Open terraces of cafes and restaurants are getting ready to return to work. Fans will soon be able to attend sporting events. At the moment, the number of daily cases in France is about 25,000 people. This is one of the worst indicators in Europe, but the authorities admit that people are tired of the restrictions.
Britain is slowly returning to its normal rhythm of life. On Monday, the strict lockdown in Wales was lifted. Residents of the kingdom are already thinking about their summer vacations. We explain quickly, simply, and clearly what happened, why it matters, and what happens next. Episodes End of story: Podcast Advertising. It is expected that after May 17, the British government will lift the ban on travel abroad for holidays. At the moment, it is only possible to leave the country with a valid reason and confirmation. Once the restrictions are lifted, a traffic light system will be introduced, with countries placed on a green, yellow or red list depending on their epidemiological situation. Vaccination statistics and the presence of strains of concern in a particular country will be taken into account. This week, the authorities are preparing to present a green list. British citizens returning from these countries will not have to undergo a two-week quarantine. However, they will also need to have travel restrictions lifted. For example, it is believed that Gibraltar, Iceland, and Israel will be among the “green” countries. However, Gibraltar and Israel are not yet ready to accept tourists, and Iceland will only accept those who have been fully vaccinated. The situation is expected to change significantly by July, when school vacations begin around the world, and governments will introduce additional relaxations.
A concert in support of universal immunization was held at Los Angeles’ main stadium, featuring Hollywood and pop music stars. Thousands of fully vaccinated spectators were allowed into the stadium. Actors Ben Affleck and Sean Penn, singers Jennifer Lopez and Selena Gomez, legendary AC/DC singer Brian Johnson, Prince Harry and other celebrities took to the stage to urge governments to speed up immunization and make it equally accessible worldwide. Jennifer Lopez took the stage with her mother, Guadalupe Rodriguez, and told the audience that last year she spent Christmas away from her mother for the first time in her life because of the pandemic. The singer said their reunion was possible thanks to the vaccine.
Jennifer Lopez with her mother Guadalupe Rodriguez on stage at a stadium in Los Angeles. “The virus knows no borders, and the availability of vaccination should not depend on geography,” said Prince Harry from the stage, expressing his solidarity with the people of India. Pope Francis, Presidents Joe Biden, Justin Trudeau and Emmanuel Macron, and Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan also sent their video messages to the concert organizers. The television version of the concert will air on May 8 on American television and on YouTube. The event was organized by activists from Global Citizen, an organization dedicated to fighting vaccine misinformation. According to the organizers, the funds raised by the concert far exceeded expectations. The initial goal was to raise funds to purchase 10 million doses of vaccine for poor countries, but the amount exceeded $53 million.
Meanwhile, scandalous news comes from Japan, where the Summer Olympics, postponed last year, are scheduled to open on July 23. Only a few of the 78,000 volunteers will be vaccinated by that date, while the rest are being offered to wear two medical masks and to sanitize their hands more often as additional protection. There is also a severe shortage of vaccines in Japan, and the Tokyo authorities have been criticized not only domestically but also by international sports organizations for their lack of preparedness for an event as large as the Olympics.