Health & Science

• Thursday, March 4th 2021 - 18:21 UTC

  Uruguay: Pepe Mujica says the pandemic helped Lacalle Pou’s government

  

  The former Uruguayan president José “Pepe” Mujica criticized the government of Luis Lacalle Pou and assured that the Covid-19 pandemic “helped” to improve his image. ”The pandemic is white (in reference to the color of the ruling party)“ and ”brought a big help“ to the government, said the former president in a radial interview on Wednesday. ”He has no responsibility, but he positioned himself well in the situation and knew how to take advantage of it”, he assured.

• Thursday, March 4th 2021 - 08:47 UTC

  White House financial support for Merck and Johnson & Johnson to speed vaccine production

  

  White House senior adviser Andy Slavitt told reporters on Tuesday that the federal government is planning to spend US$100 million to help the joint partnership between Merck & Co and rival Johnson & Johnson accelerate vaccine production.

• Thursday, March 4th 2021 - 08:34 UTC

  Elimination of masks, “Neanderthal thinking”, Biden tell state governors

  

  US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that decisions to end the required wearing of masks, as is happening in several states, including Texas, amounted to “Neanderthal thinking” given the rising death toll from the coronavirus pandemic.

• Thursday, March 4th 2021 - 07:07 UTC

  Argentina and the IMF: Another Default in the Works?

  

  By Arturo Porzecanski (*) The following was published in the Americas Quarterly, a contribution from a leading emerging-market economist writes. The seeds for the latest chapter in Argentina’s long history of confrontations with the International Monetary Fund were planted about a year ago, on the eve of the global pandemic.

• Wednesday, March 3rd 2021 - 08:56 UTC

  Merck & Co to the rescue of Johnson & Johnson single shot Covid-19 vaccine

  

  Merck & Co will help make rival Johnson & Johnson's single-shot Covid-19 vaccine in a partnership set to be announced on Tuesday by US President Joe Biden, a White House official said. J&J's vaccine production has been slower than promised.

• Wednesday, March 3rd 2021 - 08:08 UTC

  The great Pele received his first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, “unforgettable day”

  

  The great Brazilian football star Pele received his first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday, calling it an “unforgettable day.” The 80-year-old Brazilian football great posted the news on his social media channels along with a picture of himself receiving the shot in his right arm.

• Tuesday, March 2nd 2021 - 09:31 UTC

  EU will formally propose a digital vaccination passport by end of March

  

  European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU executive would propose a digital vaccination passport later this month, she said on Monday. Members of the bloc will then decide whether to press ahead with the scheme to allow each other to recognize citizens' proof of vaccination.

• Tuesday, March 2nd 2021 - 08:56 UTC

  After all Americans have been vaccinated, US willing to discuss the issue with Mexico

  

  Reuters – The Joe Biden administration downplayed the prospect of sharing coronavirus vaccines with Mexico, arguing it is focused on getting its own population protected against a pandemic that has killed more than 500,000 Americans.

• Tuesday, March 2nd 2021 - 08:55 UTC

  UK officials tracking one of six individuals affected with a Covid-19 Manaus variant

  

  U.K. health officials are anxious to trace one of six individuals infected with a more contagious variant of the coronavirus, initially identified in Brazil. Up to six cases of the new strain — dubbed P.1 and considered a “variant of concern” by global health experts — have been detected in the U.K., with three cases in Scotland and three in England.

• Tuesday, March 2nd 2021 - 08:53 UTC

  WHO warns it is unrealistic to think the pandemic will be done by end of the year

  

  The World Health Organization warned on Monday that it is unrealistic to think the world will be done with the Covid-19 pandemic by the end of the year. WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan said it might however be possible to take the tragedy out of the coronavirus crisis by reducing hospitalizations and deaths.