Health & Science

• Wednesday, January 6th 2021 - 08:51 UTC

  China has yet to authorize scientists' visit to Wunan as promised; WHO chief “very disappointed”

  

  The head of the World Health Organization said on Tuesday he was “very disappointed” that China has still not authorized the entry of a team of international experts to examine the origins of the coronavirus.

• Tuesday, January 5th 2021 - 09:55 UTC

  Brazil diplomatic push to guarantee shipment of India made AstraZeneca vaccine

  

  Brazil made a diplomatic push on Monday to guarantee an Indian-made shipment of British drugmaker AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, hoping to avoid export restrictions that could delay immunizations during the world's second-deadliest outbreak.

• Tuesday, January 5th 2021 - 09:30 UTC

  UK becomes first country to roll out the Oxford vaccine; but Johnson also orders new lockdown in England

  

  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday ordered England into a new national lockdown to contain a surge in COVID-19 cases that threatens to overwhelm parts of the health system before a vaccine program reaches a critical mass.

• Tuesday, January 5th 2021 - 09:17 UTC

  China suspends imports from pork plant in southern Brazil

  

  China has suspended imports from a Brazilian pork plant operated by privately-owned Aurora Alimentos over coronavirus concerns, according to a statement from meat trade group on Monday, in the latest suspension since the health crisis began.

• Tuesday, January 5th 2021 - 09:13 UTC

  Sao Paulo state confirms the first two cases of infections with the new strain

  

  The government of Sao Paulo, the largest state in Brazil, confirmed on Monday two cases of people infected by the new strain of coronavirus, the same that has been putting parts of the UK in lockdown since the end of December.

• Monday, January 4th 2021 - 05:36 UTC

  Brazil health regulator approves import of 2 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine

  

  Brazil's health regulator Anvisa said over the weekend it had approved the import of 2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, although the jab is not yet approved for use in the country.

• Monday, January 4th 2021 - 05:03 UTC

  China calls on meat processors to tighten sanitary measures before exporting

  

  China’s meat importers and processors have asked exporters in countries with Covid-19 outbreaks to step up disinfection procedures before shipping them to the Asian country.

• Friday, January 1st 2021 - 22:35 UTC

  WHO Director General New Year message: COVID-19 one year later

  

  As people around the world celebrated New Year's Eve 12 months ago, a new global threat emerged. Since that moment, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken so many lives and caused massive disruption to families, societies and economies all over the world.

• Friday, January 1st 2021 - 22:14 UTC

  WHO issues emergency use validation for the Pfizer vaccines and emphasizes need for equitable global access

  

  The World Health Organization (WHO) listed the Comirnaty COVID-19 mRNA vaccine for emergency use, making the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine the first to receive emergency validation from WHO since the outbreak began a year ago.

• Friday, January 1st 2021 - 21:59 UTC

  Reflections about very busy times in Chile: “2020, a year like no other”

  

  From the repatriation of British tourists stranded in Chile to the preparations for the UK’s exit from the EU, Ambassador Ian Duddy, speaks about this year's work.