UK vaccination studies find significant drop in infections

Research conducted in the United Kingdom showed that COVID-19 infections in adults of all ages fell by 65% after a first dose of the BioNTech-Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine. 

This included a drop in symptomatic infections by 74% and a drop in infections with no reported symptoms by 57%.

The research was conducted when the B1.1.7 variant was dominant in Britain, and found the vaccination to be just as effective in elderly people and those with underlying health conditions as it was in the young and healthy.

"These real-world findings are extremely promising," said Health Minister James Bethell.

The data came from two studies that are part of the COVID-19 Infection Survey. This is a collaboration between Oxford University, the government's health department, and the Office of National Statistics.

Both studies were published online, and have yet to be peer reviewed.

Here's a roundup of the latest coronavirus news from elsewhere in Europe and the rest of the world: 

Europe

European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde has said Europe's monetary authority plans to keep interest rates and coronavirus stimulus unchanged. She urged EU members to get their coronavirus recovery fund operational with haste.

Germany's Health Minister Jens Spahn on Friday refuted media reports that vaccines would be available to everyone in Germany starting June. He said that Germany might stop prioritizing certain groups in June but that "does not mean that we can give everyone an appointment within a week."

According to the minister, 22.2% of people in Germany have received a first dose of vaccine, while 7% had received both vaccinations needed for maximum protection from COVID-19. More than half a million people were being vaccinated each day, he said. 

The UK has added India to a travel ban list amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. UK citizens and residents are now required to self-isolate in quarantine hotels upon arrival from India. 

In Russia, President Vladimir Putin said he would sign a proposal by the head of Russia's health watchdog to introduce a non-working period in early May to prevent a surge in COVID-19 infections.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova, 6.8 million people in Russia have received both shots of a coronavirus vaccine and 11.1 million received the first one as of Friday.

Americas

In the United States, health officials are investigating the death of a woman in her 50s who developed a rare blood clot after receiving Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine in Oregon, the state's health authorities said. 

In Texas, a woman who received the J&J vaccine has been hospitalized after showing symptoms similar to those of six people who recently suffered blood clots after taking the jab, the Austin American-Statesman newspaper reported.  

Canada announced on Thursday it was banning all flights from India and Pakistan for 30 days due to the growing wave of COVID-19 cases in that region.

There are than 1 million people of Indian descent who live in Canada, and there are 100,000 Canadians with Pakistani ancestry. Canada does not have any direct flights from Brazil, where cases are also surging.

The South African variant of the virus has led to a surge of infections in Cuba, which reported a record 1,207 new coronavirus cases on Thursday. 

While the country did a good job of containing infections in the beginning, an easing of travel in November followed by year-end social gatherings led to an increase in the number of infections.

Asia

India reported a new global record of daily COVID-19 infections, with 330,000 new cases and 2,000 deaths reported in the past 24 hours.

Indonesia announced it would no longer issue visas for travelers who have recently been to India to prevent the spread of different coronavirus variants, Reuters cited a top official as saying. Indonesians arriving from India will have to self-isolate. 

Japan has declared a third state of emergency for Tokyo and three western urban prefectures, due to worries of trying to control an outbreak before the Tokyo Olympic Games to be held this year. 

Measures are to include shutdown orders for bars, department stores, malls and theme parks, as well as theaters and museums. Restaurants that do not serve alcohol and public transportation services are asked to close early. Schools will stay open, but universities are asked to return to online classes.

South Korea will allow public access to two coronavirus self-test kits for the first time amid a nationwide rise in infection, Reuters reported. The drug companies producing the kits said Seoul granted them approval on condition that they provide further clinical trial data on self-testing within three months. 

At least one person at the Mount Everest base camp has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. The number of mountain climbers aiming to tackle Everest this spring is approaching the record set in 2019.

Oceania

In Australia, the west coast city of Perth is going into a three-day lockdown and making masks compulsory after a returned traveler was infected with COVID-19 while in hotel quarantine.

The 54-year-old man arrived in the city of 2 million people on April 3 on a flight from China. He went into mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine.

"I know this is hard to take and I wish we didn't need to be doing this. But we can't take any chances with the virus, we just can't,'' Premier Mark McGowan said on Friday. 

Australia mostly allows entry of citizens and residents returning from abroad. Travelers are required to undergo two weeks of hotel quarantine at their own expense. 

Its snap lockdowns and tightened border control has helped the country keep its coronavirus infections relatively low. 

Middle East

Israel and Bahrain will recognize each other's coronavirus vaccination certificates. The agreement drops the quarantine requirement and other COVID restrictions for vaccinated travelers between the two countries. 

Israel has had one of the most successful vaccination campaigns in the world, allowing it to ease coronavirus measures. But it remains cautiously closed off to international travelers. 

fb,tg/rt (AFP, AP, Reuters)