Health & Science

• Tuesday, January 12th 2021 - 08:16 UTC

  Beijing announces WHO team will arrive on Thursday to investigate origin of Covid-19 pandemic

  

  The World Health Organization (WHO) will send experts to China on Thursday and work with Chinese peers to investigate the origin of COVID-19, said China's National Health Commission (NHC).

• Monday, January 11th 2021 - 09:45 UTC

  Rich Argentines fly to Miami to get the Covid vaccinations: Florida residents complain

  

  Residents of foreign countries have obtained COVID vaccinations in Florida, taking advantage of the state’s loose rules on who can get a shot. The list includes a prominent Argentine lawyer, business leaders, and Canadians whose home countries restrict vaccines to first-responders, medical personnel, and a few other groups.

• Monday, January 11th 2021 - 09:40 UTC

  Covid-19: Brazil reduces to zero import tariffs for syringes and needles

  

  Brazil has reduced import taxes and tariffs to zero for products used to combat Covid-19, including syringes and needles classified under codes 9018.31.11, 9018.31.19, 9018.31.90, 9018.32.19, and 9018.39.10 of the Mercosur Common Nomenclature. The products are included in the list of temporary tariff reductions covered by Gecex (Executive Management Committee of the Chamber of Foreign Trade), Resolution 17, from 17 March 2020.

• Monday, January 11th 2021 - 09:01 UTC

  Japan detects a new coronavirus variant in travelers from Brazil's Amazon

  

  A new coronavirus variant has been detected in four travelers from Brazil's Amazonas state, Japan's Health Ministry said on Sunday the latest new mutation of the virus discovered.

• Saturday, January 9th 2021 - 23:55 UTC

  Gibraltar receives first consignment of Pfizer vaccine; inoculation begins Sunday

  

  British Overseas Territory Gibraltar received on Saturday the first consignment of the COVID-19 vaccine supplied by the UK. The vaccine supplied is the Pfizer BioNTech, which has been given to the vast majority of people that have received a COVID-19 vaccination in the U.K.

• Saturday, January 9th 2021 - 09:58 UTC

  Falklands has established a Vaccination Plan Group; Gibraltar first OT to receive the Pfizer vaccine

  

  The Falkland Islands government, FIG, has established a vaccination planning group, although there is not a delivery date for the Covid 19 doses to be sent from the United Kingdom.

• Saturday, January 9th 2021 - 09:58 UTC

  WHO chief accuses wealthy nations of monopolizing Covid-19 vaccine production

  

  The head of the World Health Organization said on Friday there is a “clear problem” that low- and middle-income countries are not yet receiving supplies of COVID-19 vaccines and urged countries to stop striking bilateral deals with manufacturers.

• Friday, January 8th 2021 - 08:42 UTC

  China Biotech vaccine tested 78% effective in Brazil trial, but doubts remain

  

  A coronavirus vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech was 78% effective in a late-stage Brazilian trial with no severe COVID-19 cases, researchers said on Thursday, although a lack of data details stirred calls for more transparency.

• Thursday, January 7th 2021 - 09:49 UTC

  Uruguay extends closure of frontier until the end of January; concern with clandestine partying

  

  Uruguay announced on Wednesday a raft of new measures to help contain the growing number of Covid-19 positive cases which if sustained could strain hospital and sanitary capacities.

• Wednesday, January 6th 2021 - 09:29 UTC

  France to cull 600,000 ducks to contain an avian influenza virus

  

  France is to cull around 600,000 poultry birds as it tries to contain an avian influenza virus that is spreading among duck flocks in the southwest of the country, the farm ministry said on Tuesday.