New Delhi: The coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate countries with the latest count being more than 16,85,16,614 cases and 34,99,464 deaths so far.
ThePrint brings you some stories from around the world on the pandemic to keep you updated.
Social media influencers in France apparently received bizarre offers to mar Pfizer’s image and Poland lottery rewards for those getting vaccinated.
Social influencers in France receive mysterious offer to tarnish Pfizer’s image
A London-based agency called Fazze reportedly offered USD 2,450 to social media influencers to make fake claims that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine caused more deaths than any other vaccine, reports South China Morning Post.
People, who were contacted by the agency for the campaign and believed to be knowledgeable individuals in the health and science fields, said they had received an email from an apparently UK-based communications agency offering them “a partnership” on behalf of a client with “a colossal budget” but who wanted to remain anonymous and also to keep any deal secret.
However, later it was found out that the address of the agency was fake while the LinkedIn profiles of all the employees, including the CEO of the company, showed the agency operates out of Moscow.
France has administered at least 3,28,00,945 doses of Covid vaccines to date and has reported over 59,17,397 infections and 1,08,879 coronavirus-related deaths.
Also read: Can a dog tell if you have Covid? Yes, according to a new study
Get vaccinated and win lottery, Poland style
Poland will launch a lottery with prizes of as much as 1 million zlotys (USD 273,000) to encourage people to get the Covid-19 jab, reports Reuters.
Every 2,000th person participating in the lottery will take home 500 zlotys, with two participants winning one million zlotys and a hybrid car.
Michal Dworczyk, the minister in charge of the country’s vaccination programme, said at a news conference, “Although 69% of Poles have declared they want to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, the biggest challenge was making sure they do it.”
Municipalities will also be encouraged to compete to get the highest vaccination rates. The first 500 to reach a goal of 75 per cent vaccination rate will be awarded 100,000 zlotys by the government.
Poland has registered 28,67,187 Covid-19 infections and 73,096 deaths.
South Koreans don’t need to mask up if they have taken one shot
South Koreans who have received at least one Covid-19 shot are no longer required to wear masks outdoors, reports Reuters.
The move is meant to encourage older citizens to get the jab as the government aims to immunise at least 70 per cent of its 52 million people by September. Currently, just 7.7 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated.
The country will begin vaccinating the general public aged between 65 and 74 years from Thursday in more than 12,000 clinics. Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol had said more than 60 per cent of people in this age group had already signed up for vaccination.
South Korea has reported 707 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, taking the total tally to 1,37,682 infections, with 1,940 deaths.
Britain worried about variant B.1.617.2 being more transmissible
A Covid-19 variant first detected in India is spreading fast in Britain putting pressure on the government to shorten people’s wait for second doses of vaccines, reports The New York Times.
Government scientists have called the variant B.1.617.2 more transmissible than the variant that hit Britain during the winter season.
However, various experts believe the consequence would not be as drastic as the one witnessed during the last surge as more than four out of every five people in England above 65 years of age have been given both doses of a coronavirus vaccine. This may drive down hospitalisations and deaths in the country.
However, local officials in eight areas of the country where the variant has spread so far, criticised the government Tuesday for not doing enough to ensure new, stricter guidelines on social distancing in those areas.
The United Kingdom has recorded 44,67,310 cases and 1,27,739 deaths.
What else we are reading:
U.S. signals in no rush to send COVID-19 shots to Taiwan: Reuters
Lebanon launches ‘vaccine marathon’ to fight Astrazeneca rumors: Arab News
Also read: Another novel coronavirus detected in humans, and it likely came from dogs