New Delhi: The novel coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate countries across the world — the latest count being over 9 crore cases and more than 19 lakh deaths.
Florida has decided to inoculate people aged 65 years and above for the coronavirus first. However, demand for the vaccine has ‘overwhelmed’ supply and people are ‘frustrated’. Meanwhile, even after four days of strict lockdown in Israel, the percentage of people testing positive for Covid-19 remains high. And polls conducted in France have suggested that 60 per cent of the country’s population don’t want to get vaccinated.
ThePrint brings you the most important global stories on the coronavirus pandemic and why they matter.
Vaccine rollout in Florida turns into ‘free-for-all’
Florida has decided to first inoculate people aged 65 years and older against the novel coronavirus. However, demand has ‘overwhelmed’ supply and people are ‘frustrated’, reports The New York Times.
Florida’s effort to inoculate its population has led to “long lines, confusion and disappointment”. The state “illustrates the challenges of expanding a vaccination program being developed at record speech and with limited federal assistance”, said the report.
US has recorded 2,29,17,334 cases of Covid-19 and 3,83,275 deaths.
Also read: Globe-trotters are willing to fly less after Covid to help climate, shows survey
Despite lockdown, positive cases remain high in Israel
Even after four days of strict lockdown in Israel, the percentage of people testing positive for Covid-19 remains high, reports The Jerusalem Post.
The positivity rate in the country stood at 7.4 per cent Monday morning.
Top experts have said that “they expect the number of serious cases at least to start to subside by the weekend, as more elderly and high-risk Israelis receive their second dose of the coronavirus vaccine”, said the report.
Israel has recorded 4,91,319 cases of Covid-19 and 3,671 deaths.
Vaccine scepticism in France & ‘dissatisfaction’ with politicians
Polls conducted in France have suggested that 60 per cent of the country’s population don’t want to get vaccinated. It has also been suggested that France has more number of vaccine doubters than its European neighbours, reports The Guardian.
Laurent-Henri Vignaud, a science historian, has however been quoted as saying that one shouldn’t heed to these vaccine polls. “There’s a very big difference between what the French say and what they do.”
France has recorded 27,83,256 cases of Covid-19 and 67,750 deaths.
Malaysia to ‘scale down’ Chinese New Year celebrations
In light of the increasing number of coronavirus cases, Malaysian families are opting for toned down celebrations of the Chinese New Year, reports The Straits Times.
“The year’s festivities will be simple affairs as they limit social visits, avoid large gatherings and get takeaways for the all-important reunion dinner,” said the report.
Malaysia has recorded 1,35,992 cases of Covid-19 and 551 deaths.
Over 1,78,000 people receive Covid vaccine in Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Arabia Health Ministry has said that at least 1,78,000 people have been administered with the Covid-19 vaccine, reports Arab News.
“As a testament to the success of precautionary measures, the number of confirmed cases in the Kingdom has steadily declined since peaking in mid-June last year,” said the report.
Saudi Arabia has recorded 3,63,809 cases of Covid-19 and 6,291 deaths.
What else we are reading:
Bodies stored at temporary Surrey mortuary after hospitals reach capacity: The Guardian
Covid-19 lockdowns help speed up Sydney Metro delivery: The Age
Also read: They kept the mantle up when India was down with the virus. Thank you, frontline workers