New Delhi: The novel coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate countries across the world — the latest count being over 6.8 crore cases and more than 15 lakh deaths.
The federal government in Australia has confirmed that prisoners and people with ‘severe’ obesity will be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccine. Businesses in Hong Kong are facing new social distancing norms and expecting a ‘fatal blow’. Over 38,000 healthcare workers are asking people in Turkey to exercise caution and not increase their workload by getting infected.
ThePrint brings you the most important global stories on the coronavirus pandemic and why they matter.
Prisoners & the obese priority groups for vaccine in Australia
The federal government in Australia has confirmed that prisoners and people with ‘severe’ obesity will be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccine, reports The Age.
Australia plans to vaccinate its population in March. “But with initial supplies likely to be limited, and people able to pay to jump the queue, it may take many months for everyone to receive a jab,” says the report.
Australia has recorded 27,992 cases of Covid-19 and 908 deaths, so far.
Also read: Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has 70% efficacy against Covid, interim results in Lancet reveal
Turkey’s frontline healthcare workers plead for ‘public caution’
Over 38,000 healthcare workers are asking the public in Turkey to exercise caution and not increase their workload by getting infected, reports The Daily Sabah.
“The unprecedented circumstances separated many healthcare workers from their families and loved ones, confining them to hospitals in case they infected others due to their heightened exposure to the virus through their work,” says the report.
In Istanbul, only 5,667 healthcare workers cater to the city of a population touching nearly a million.
Turkey has recorded 8,93,630 cases of Covid-19 and 15,314 deaths till date.
222 Saudi establishments fined for breaking Covid norms
As many as 222 establishments in Saudi Arabia have been fined for violating coronavirus safety and social conditioning measures, reports Arab News.
The Saudi Food and Drug Authority conducted inspections last week and found that temperature testing, face mask rules were being violated.
Saudi Arabia has recorded 3,59,115 cases of Covid-19 and 5,989 deaths.
Hong Kong businesses brace for ‘fatal blow’ amid fourth wave
Firms in Hong Kong are facing new social distancing measures and expecting a ‘fatal blow’ to businesses, reports South China Morning Post.
Eateries, beauty and massage parlours, gyms have asked for immediate financial assistance from the government.
“The city’s unemployment rate has remained at a 16-year high of 6.4 per cent, with about 2,57,800 people out of jobs,” says the report.
Hong Kong has recorded 7,076 cases of Covid-19 and 112 deaths.
Covid-led recession likely to push 2 million UK families into poverty
The number of people living under poverty is expected to double in the UK owing to the coronavirus pandemic. An estimated two million families will struggle to feed themselves and stay warm, reports The Guardian.
This estimate was calculated by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), which described an “increasing, intensifying” level of poverty in Britain.
“Cuts in social security rates over the past decade, together with design flaws in universal credit and disability benefits…were driving sharp rises in extreme poverty even before Covid struck,” the report said.
UK has recorded 17,50,241 cases of Covid-19 and 62,033 deaths, so far.
Royal Caribbean returns to Singapore after guest tests positive
The Royal Caribbean has reduced its timing of the cruise and returned to Singapore after an elderly passenger tested positive for Covid-19, reports The Straits Times.
The cruise had 1,680 guests and 1,148 crew members on board. It arrived in Singapore at 8 am Wednesday after three days of a “cruise to nowhere”.
“The ship has isolated all guests and crew who had close contact with the guest. All of them tested negative for the coronavirus,” says the report.
What else we are reading:
Nine out of 10 in poor nations to miss out on inoculation as west buys up Covid vaccines: The Guardian
Blunders eroded US confidence in early vaccine front-runner: The New York Times
Also read: Vaccines are great news, but that doesn’t mean we can ignore therapeutics