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U.S. well being consultants attempt to ease Covid vaccine fears as AstraZeneca’s shot faces overview in Europe

U.S. health experts try to ease Covid vaccine fears as AstraZeneca's shot faces review in Europe

A photo illustration of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in the Copes pharmacy in Streatham on February 4, 2021 in London, England.

Dan Kitwood | Getty Images

Medical experts in the US are trying to allay fears that Covid-19 vaccines may be unsafe after several European countries suspended AstraZeneca’s shot after reports of blood clots in some recipients.

On Tuesday, Sweden, Latvia and Lithuania became the youngest countries to join a growing list of nations to stop using the AstraZeneca Oxford shot because of blood clot problems. Germany, France, Italy and Spain said Monday they would also stop administering the shot.

The European Medicines Agency, which assesses drug safety for the EU, convened a meeting on Thursday to review the results. So far it has been claimed that the benefits of the shot in preventing hospitalizations and death still “outweigh the risk of side effects.” The World Health Organization agreed and on Wednesday urged countries to keep using AstraZeneca’s shots.

Without the results of the upcoming European Medicines Agency meeting, it’s hard to tell if the vaccines are causing the reported blood clots, US medical experts told CNBC, but the drug giant already has a PR mess on its hands. Some doctors in the US fear that European nations are reacting prematurely to political pressure and safety concerns, and extensive efforts will be required to restore confidence in the vaccine when it is approved online.

“This vaccine is now a problem,” said Dr. William Schaffner, epidemiologist and professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University, told CNBC in a telephone interview.

“I think if the vaccine is cleared – not guilty – there will have to be a significant public relations effort in Europe and around the world to restore confidence in this vaccine,” he said.

No red flags in the US

While the AstraZeneca vaccine has not yet been approved for use in the U.S., White House Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anthony Fauci informed lawmakers on Wednesday that there will likely be enough safety and efficacy data to get dosing approval in April.

When asked if the suspension of AstraZeneca in European countries could create anxiety among Americans taking other vaccines, Fauci reiterated that the shots will undergo rigorous clinical trials and verified by an independent safety oversight body before they become widespread.

“The whole process is both transparent and independent and we are explaining this to people and taking the time to address their hesitation without being confrontational,” Fauci told lawmakers during a hearing with the House Committee on Energy and Trade.

This isn’t the first time Fauci has stressed the safety of the current vaccines amid AstraZeneca’s suspension. The infectious disease expert told MSNBC in an interview on Tuesday that scientists in the US are carefully examining the side effects of vaccine recipients, even after they have been authorized and used.

For example, medical experts were concerned about reports of severe allergic reactions – or anaphylaxis – in people vaccinated with Pfizer and Moderna’s shock. However, these cases seem rare, he said, even though the nation has distributed at least one shot to 73 million adult Americans – more than 28% of the population.

“So far there are no safety signals that turn out to be red flags and you need to monitor these things very carefully,” said Fauci of the vaccines currently in use in the US

Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, told Reuters in an interview published Monday that he was “fairly reassured” by statements from European regulators that the problems might arise randomly.

“I was a bit surprised that so many countries decided to stop vaccine administration, especially at a time when the disease is so incredibly threatening even in most of those countries,” Collins later told CNN on Wednesday and added that he has no access to the “primary data that may have led to an alert”.

More data needed

Unwanted medical problems like blood clots occur regardless of whether people are vaccinated or not. The problem scientists are now trying to determine is whether the vaccines were the culprit, Schaffner said.

“We knew in the beginning when we started vaccinating that since we are targeting older adults, medical events would only occur every day in this population, even without vaccines,” Schaffner told CNBC.

“It is possible that if you were vaccinated on Monday, certain medical events could occur on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday,” he said. “The question is, did the vaccine speed up, fail, or cause these events?”

For its part, AstraZeneca said in a statement on Sunday that of the more than 17 million people in the EU and UK who have received a dose of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, fewer than 40 cases of blood clots have been reported to date Week.

The pharmaceutical company said that 15 events involving deep vein thrombosis and 22 events involving pulmonary embolism were reported among those vaccinated in the EU and the United Kingdom. These numbers suggest that adverse events occur less often than expected in the general population, not higher.

“I don’t think this is real, but I am very concerned because this is the vaccine we all count on worldwide,” said Dr. Carlos del Rio, a professor of medicine at Emory University’s medical school, told CNBC in a telephone interview, he added that the shot costs less than its competitors. However, Del Rio noted that without the data it is difficult to determine whether the suspensions are appropriate.

“This requires extensive damage control,” said del Rio.

Politics could be the problem

There are some concerns that the issue with AstraZeneca’s vaccine could be more political. A dangerous time also comes: some European nations are battling another wave of new Covid-19 infections, even when vaccines are used.

So far, the introduction of vaccines in the EU has been slow compared to other countries such as the US and UK

“It is a major concern that Europe just doesn’t have that many people vaccinated,” said Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, former Covid advisor to President Joe Biden, told CNBC on Tuesday. “It’s another reason we need to be concerned about the Covid situation in other countries, not just the US.

The suspensions follow a public dispute between the EU and AstraZeneca in January when the drug company said it was forced to cut its initial dose supply for the block. Several European countries also initially declined to recommend the shot to residents over 65 as there was insufficient evidence that it was effective before that decision was reversed.

“It may be that … governments are trying to respond to people’s concerns about the vaccine, not necessarily the data,” said Emanuel, a bioethicist and oncologist who served as vice provost on global initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania acts.

“Actions don’t necessarily follow data. They follow more emotional responses to things like this,” he said.

– CNBC’s Sam Meredith, Holly Ellyatt and Silvia Amaro contributed to this report.

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Business

Fauci says Europe Covid surge is warning as U.S. lifts restrictions

Biden Covid team holds press briefing as U.S. daily cases begin to level off

WASHINGTON – The White House Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anthony Fauci, warned heads of state on Sunday that the nation’s fight against coronavirus was still “not in the end zone” and urged Americans to abide by public health measures as Europeans see new spikes in infection experience.

“When I hear how I withdraw completely from measures in the area of ​​public health and say no more masks, nothing like that, it is a risky business,” said Fauci during an interview with “Meet the Press”.

“Don’t spike the ball on the five-yard line. Wait until you get to the end zone. We’re not in the end zone yet,” he said, adding that early public health withdrawals are adding to the pandemic could extend.

On Fox News, Fauci stated that the recent surge in cases across Europe was due in part to a loosening of security measures.

“If you see the level flattening out at a high level, there is always the risk of another increase, and unfortunately that’s exactly what is happening in Europe right now,” said Fauci on Fox News Sunday.

“They [Europeans] thought they were home free and they weren’t and now they’re seeing an increase, “he added.” If you wait just a bit longer to give the vaccination program a chance to increase protection in the community, then pulling back is much less risky. “

Fauci’s comments come as Europe stumbles upon vaccine administration and some countries report a third wave of the highly infectious disease.

“Eastern Europe looks very bad right now, Italy looks bad, but I think the US is in a very different situation,” said Dr. Scott Gottlieb during an interview on CBS’s Sunday program “Face the Nation”.

“I think we are in a different situation than Europe because of the vaccine immunity we are getting into the population,” added the former Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

The U.S. administered 107 million vaccines on Sunday afternoon, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 27 percent of adults have received at least one dose so far.

According to a CNBC analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University, new infections with Covid in the US continued to decline, down 11% on Saturday compared to the previous week. However, according to the data, infections remain high, averaging more than 50,000 per day. In the US, an average of more than 1,400 people still die from the virus each day.

As the trends in the US are improving compared to the winter increase, Europe is now facing a new wave of infections. Italy, Germany, Poland and Hungary have reported severe peaks, and the Czech Republic and Slovakia have some of the highest death rates in the world.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi locks the majority of the country on Easter weekend to curb the spread of the virus. Some regions of the country will be subject to stricter public health measures as of Monday.

German health officials have announced that the country is experiencing a third wave of the virus.

The rise in infections occurs as Europe struggles with the introduction of vaccines. Several European countries discontinued the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine after recipients reported blood clots. At least nine countries around the world, including Ireland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland, have stopped using the vaccine for safety reasons.

Last week, the World Health Organization said it had carefully examined the matter and determined that “the results and any changes to our current recommendations will be communicated to the public immediately”.

Continue reading: The WHO is investigating reports of blood clots in people who received the vaccine against AstraZeneca Covid

AstraZeneca said in a statement Friday that there is “no evidence” that the vaccine causes an increased risk of developing blood clots.

Last week, in his first prime-time address, President Joe Biden urged Americans to remain vigilant about the disease by following public health measures. Biden also set a goal for Americans to gather in small groups to celebrate July Fourth.

When asked if the July fourth goal was realistic, Gottlieb told CBS that he expected much of the country to look better before that holiday.

“I think when we get into April the situation will look better across the country, but there will be pockets with breakouts and there will be pockets in which some of these variations are more common,” said Gottlieb.

“Overall, I think the nation is still doing well,” he added.

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Health

J&J’s one-shot Covid vaccine accredited by Europe

J&J's one-shot Covid vaccine approved by Europe

Crystal Jones, 52, head of the Athens City Department of Health, loads syringes of the vaccine on the first day of Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine.

SOPA pictures | LightRocket | Getty Images

The European Medicines Agency on Thursday recommended approval of the one-off coronavirus vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson, which may add another weapon to the armory used to fight Covid-19.

The vaccine will now be sent to the EU Commission for approval later on Thursday.

The vaccine has the added benefit of only requiring a single dose and can be stored in most standard refrigerators at temperatures of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius (or about 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit), making transportation and storage easier and cheaper makes.

Once delivery begins, the shot could add a lot to Europe’s difficult vaccination program and is the fourth to be approved by the EMA. Two-dose vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca, and Oxford University have also been approved.

While easier to distribute, the vaccine has been found not to be as effective as the Pfizer and Moderna shots in preventing Covid infection. However, the data shows that it offers an adequate level of protection: data from clinical trials from the United States have shown that J & J’s vaccine is 72% effective against moderate to severe Covid (although it has been found to be less effective in studies elsewhere which gives it an overall efficacy of 66% protection) compared to about 95% for the other two vaccines.

The speed at which the EU can introduce the J&J vaccine is not yet clear. The EU has ordered 200 million cans of the shot, with an option for an additional 200 million, Johnson & Johnson said in a statement last October.

However, it was reported on Wednesday that, like other vaccine suppliers in the EU (Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca), delivery of the J&J vaccine to the block may be slower than expected.

An unnamed EU official told Reuters that Johnson & Johnson had told the EU it was facing supply issues that could complicate plans to deliver 55 million doses of its vaccine to the block in the second quarter of the year. CNBC has contacted J&J for additional comments on the report and has yet to receive a response.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, said on Wednesday that it had not been informed of any delays from J&J.

Another delay in vaccine supply would exacerbate the already lethargic introduction of vaccines in the EU, which has faced issues due to a slower ordering process than the UK and US, slower deliveries, bureaucracy and hesitant vaccines.

In the US, J&J has signed a contract with the US government to supply 100 million cans by the end of June. On Wednesday, the Biden government announced plans to buy an additional 100 million cans. The announcement came as the White House is working to ramp up production of the vaccine after learning earlier this year that the company had fallen behind in production.

Last week, Biden announced that pharmaceutical company Merck would help manufacture J & J’s Covid vaccine. Under the terms of the agreement, Merck will deploy two facilities in the US for J & J’s vaccine. One will make the vaccine and the other will provide “fill-finish” services when the vaccine is put into vials.

– CNBC’s Berkeley Lovelace Jr. contributed to this story.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect the correct approval process within the EU.

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Health

Russia’s Sputnik vaccine is luring Jap Europe, worrying the EU

Russia’s Sputnik vaccine is luring Eastern Europe, worrying the EU

A medical worker holds a syringe with the Gam-COVID-Vac (Sputnik V) Covid-19 vaccine in his hand.

Alexander Reka | TASS | Getty Images

While the European Union struggles to push coronavirus vaccine rollout in the block of 27, Russia’s Covid shot is proving enticing to its friends in Eastern Europe, creating yet another potential rift in the region.

The Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and Slovakia have all expressed an interest in the procurement and use of the Russian vaccine “Sputnik V”, which could undermine an EU-wide approach to the approval and administration of coronavirus vaccines.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Sunday that his country could use the Sputnik V vaccine without the approval of the EU Medicines Agency, the European Medicines Agency.

It comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz received a call last Friday in which they discussed “possible deliveries of the Russian Sputnik-V vaccine to Austria and its possible joint production,” the Kremlin said and found that Austria had initiated the call. Austria has so far stated that it would not bypass the EMA when approving the vaccine.

Hungary, a country within the EU that has close ties to Brussels and whose leader Viktor Orban is considered a close ally of Putin, has shown no such hesitation. It was the first European country to bypass the EMA to approve and purchase the Sputnik V vaccine in January.

According to the Moscow Times, the country expects 2 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine to be administered over the next three months. Hungary also approved China’s Sinopharm vaccine last month, which again goes against the grain when it comes to EU vaccine approval.

On Monday, Slovakia became the second European country to announce that it had purchased the Sputnik V vaccine, which secured 2 million doses of the shot. However, the Slovak Minister of Health said it will not be given immediately as it still needs the green light from the country’s national drug regulator.

A Slovak Army plane carrying doses of the Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus (Covid-19) stands on the tarmac when it arrives from Moscow at Kosice International Airport, Slovakia, on March 1, 2021.

PETER LAZAR | AFP | Getty Images

What’s happening?

The linchpin for the Russian vaccine is widespread frustration with the slow adoption of EU vaccines. The bloc’s decision to jointly buy vaccines has hampered it, and its orders came later than in other countries, including the UK and US

Manufacturing problems and bureaucracy – and hesitation in some countries about vaccines – were also stumbling blocks to adoption.

Nonetheless, the move by some Eastern European countries to unilaterally support Russia’s vaccine will exacerbate problems in Brussels as it undermines the EU’s desire for a unified approach and a sense of equity in the distribution of vaccines.

There were also concerns specifically about Sputnik V, although subsequent data have confirmed the vaccine’s effectiveness and credibility.

The vaccine was approved by the Russian health authority in August last year, ahead of the completion of clinical trials, causing skepticism among experts that it may not meet strict safety and efficacy standards. Some experts argued that the Kremlin is keen to win the race to develop a Covid vaccine.

However, an interim analysis of the Phase 3 clinical trials with 20 participants published in The Lancet in early February found the vaccine to be 91.6% effective against symptomatic Covid-19 infections.

In a companion article in the Lancet, Ian Jones, Professor of Virology at the University of Reading, England noted that “the development of the Sputnik V vaccine has been criticized for undue urgency. However, the result reported here is clear and scientific. The principle of vaccination is demonstrated which means another vaccine can now join the fight to reduce the incidence of Covid-19. “

However, the Gamaleya National Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow, which developed the vaccine, has not yet submitted an application to the EMA for marketing authorization for the vaccine, the EU Medicines Agency said in early February.

A woman receives the second component of the Gam-COVID-Vac (Sputnik V) COVID-19 vaccine.

Valentin Sprinchak | TASS | Getty Images

RDIF, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund that backed the development of Sputnik V, announced to CNBC on Monday that it had requested the EU Drugs Agency for an ongoing vaccine review in mid-February. However, the EMA has not confirmed this and CNBC has asked the EMA for a comment.

Political theater

The European Commission already warned Hungary, albeit indirectly, against the use of the Russian vaccine before the EMA approved it. As early as November, a spokesman for the Commission told Reuters: “The question is whether a Member State would like to give its citizens a vaccine that has not been tested by the EMA.” Public confidence in vaccination could be damaged.

“This is where the approval process and confidence in vaccines meet. When our citizens start questioning the safety of a vaccine, it will be much more difficult to get a sufficient proportion of vaccines if it has not undergone rigorous scientific evaluation. to demonstrate its safety and effectiveness to the population, “said the spokesman, reported Reuters.

However, the decision of Hungary to proceed alone with the vaccine against Sputnik V does not surprise the EU observers. The country’s right-wing leader, Viktor Orban – a “strong man” like Russia’s Putin – has had several disputes with the EU executive in recent years, particularly over signs of the government’s increasing authoritarianism. The erosion of the independence of the judiciary and freedom of the press in Hungary is of particular concern to the EU. However, the Hungarian government rejects such criticism.

Gustav Gressel, Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told CNBC on Monday that Hungary’s actions were “part of Orban’s campaign to promote a” decadent, declining EU “and the future of Hungary in the east with Russia and China.” said it had been going on for some time.

Daragh McDowell, head of Europe and chief analyst for Russia at Verisk Maplecroft, described the geopolitics surrounding Sputnik V and the EU as “political theater more than anything”.

“For Hungary and Austria there is an element of foreign policy signaling here, as both Kurz and Orban generally had a closer relationship with Putin than their European counterparts. In the case of the Czech Republic, the impetus seems to have been more towards the government “Take action” in the face of a rapid surge in the number of cases in February, “he said.

There are also doubts as to whether Russia will be able to mass-produce and ship its Sputnik V vaccine to Europe.

“While the Sputnik vaccine appears to be an effective vaccine in principle, Russia is having great difficulty getting mass production right … enough Sputnik vaccine is still not being made,” Gressel said. McDowell noted that “the question is whether Sputnik V can make a noticeable difference, given regulatory issues and existing logistical issues, and whether the vaccine can be made in sufficient numbers either by Russian manufacturers or under license.”

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World News

Asia enjoying ‘catch up’ to Europe in electrical car market: Fitch

Asia playing 'catch up' to Europe in electric vehicle market: Fitch

The employees will work in the Tesla Gigafactory in Shanghai, East China on November 20, 2020.

Ding Ting | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images

China is the largest player in the Asian electric vehicle market – but the region still lags behind Europe, according to an analyst from research firm Fitch Solutions.

Asia is falling behind Because European governments are taking strong measures to stimulate the growth of the sector, Anna-Marie Baisden, head of automotive research at Fitch Solutions, said in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia”.

“The region is catching up. When we talk about the Asian EV market, we mostly talk about China, which still accounts for around 90% of sales,” said Baisden.

“But there are a lot of supportive measures that have been put in place in Europe, especially the EU, in response to the coronavirus over the past year … both on the infrastructure side and nationally in terms of incentives,” she said.

A report from Cairn Energy Research Advisors, a consulting firm with a focus on the battery and electric vehicle industry, forecast last year that sales of electric vehicles will increase in 2021. It is coming Countries around the world are pushing for new programs to encourage consumers to buy battery-powered vehicles.

The report also said that The largest growth in sales for this sector is coming from Europe, mainly as EU governments are working to reduce carbon emissions.

Challenges for Japan and India

Baisden said the weak acceptance of electric vehicles in Asia – mainly in countries like Japan and India – was due to a combination of factors.

While there is demand in Japan, “we are still waiting for concrete incentive plans,” she pointed out. “We learned in January that there are plans to create financial incentives for purchasing at the local level, particularly with the goal of having all electric car sales by 2030.”

In India, the electric vehicle sector is likely to receive a boost from Elon Musk’s electric car maker Tesla.

It has a much lower median income than the other Asian markets. There’s a lot of potential there, but it really comes down to India’s demographics.

Anna-Marie Baisden

Head of Automotive Research, Fitch Solutions

According to Reuters, the US company founded Tesla Motors India and Energy Private Limited in February, based in the tech center of Bengaluru in Karnataka.

While the largest economy in South Asia offers tremendous growth potential in the electric vehicle market, the country’s demographics could pose a serious challenge, according to Baisden.

“The supporting guidelines are in place and manufacturers are starting to move in that direction with locally produced cars. But the demographics are different,” noted Baisden.

“It has a much lower median income than the other Asian markets. There is a lot of potential there, but it really comes down to India’s demographics,” she added.

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World News

Biden says U.S. and Europe should push again in opposition to China’s financial abuses

Biden says U.S. and Europe must push back against China's economic abuses

President Joe Biden said Friday that the US and its international partners must hold China accountable for explaining its economic practices.

“We must defend ourselves against the abuses and coercions of the Chinese government, which undermine the foundations of the international economic system,” said Biden in a speech at the Munich Security Conference, which was practically delivered by the White House.

“Everyone has to play by the same rules,” he said at the annual international policy meeting.

Biden’s appearance, his debut to an international audience since taking office as president, came as his administration tried to maintain a tough stance on China as it moved away from former President Donald Trump’s militant relationship with Beijing.

The Trump administration sought to reshape trade relations between the US and China, with an emphasis on encouraging Beijing to buy US goods while addressing issues such as intellectual property protection and forced technology transfers.

After reaching the first “phase” of a deal, Trump canceled an additional round of trade talks with China in 2020, to which he attributed the full spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump’s “America First” policies also alienated some European leaders long allied with the United States. Biden has made it clear that he intends to improve relations with America’s international partners.

“I know that the last few years have strained and tested our transatlantic relationship. But the United States is determined to reconnect with Europe,” said Biden at the beginning of his speech on Friday.

Before making his presentation, Biden met with leaders of the G7, the group of nations that includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the US, to develop a global response to the Covid pandemic discuss.

In a joint statement following that meeting, the G7 vowed to “work together and work with others to make 2021 a turning point for multilateralism”.

The G7 statement also announced that member states would allocate US $ 7.5 billion to COVAX, an international initiative aimed at improving access to Covid vaccines. The White House said Thursday that the US would pledge $ 4 billion to global vaccination efforts through 2022.

According to the statement, the G7 meeting also touched China. “With the aim of promoting a fair and mutually beneficial global economic system for all people, we will work with others, especially with G20 countries, including large economies like China,” it said.

Biden went on in his speech.

“US and European companies are required to publicly announce corporate governance structures … and to adhere to rules to prevent corruption and monopoly practices. Chinese companies should adhere to the same standard,” said the president.

“We have to stand up for the democratic values ​​that make it possible to achieve all of this and defend ourselves against those who would monopolize and normalize oppression,” said Biden.

The Chinese embassy in the United States did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request to comment on Biden’s speech.

The President noted that “in this way we too can counter the threat from Russia”, which seeks to “weaken the European project and our NATO alliance”.

“The challenges with Russia may be different from those with China, but they are just as real,” said Biden.

“It’s not about playing East against West. It’s not about we want a conflict. We want a future in which all nations can freely determine their own path without the threat of violence or coercion,” said Biden. “We cannot and must not return to the reflexive opposition and rigid blocks of the Cold War.”

Read the full G7 joint statement:

“We, the leaders of the Group of Seven, met today and decided to work together to beat and rebuild COVID-19 better. Because of our strengths and values ​​as democratic, open economies and societies, we will work together and work with others. ” Make 2021 a turning point for multilateralism and create a recovery that promotes the health and prosperity of our people and our planet.

“We will step up collaboration on the health response to COVID-19. The dedication of key workers everywhere represents the best of humankind, while the rapid discovery of vaccines shows the power of human ingenuity. Working with and collaboratively strengthening the World Health Organization (WHO ) and support their leading and coordinating role, we will: Accelerate the global development and use of vaccines, work with industry to increase production capacity, including through voluntary licensing, improve the exchange of information, for example in the sequencing of new variants, and promote transparent and responsible practices and trust in vaccines. We reaffirm our support for all pillars of access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A), its COVAX facility and affordable and equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics a and diagnostics, reflecting the role of comprehensive vaccination as a global public good. Today, with increased financial commitments of over $ 4 billion for ACT-A and COVAX, co. G7 support comes to $ 7.5 billion. We invite all partners, including the G20 and international financial institutions, to join us in increasing support for ACT-A, including providing developing countries with access to WHO-approved vaccines through the COVAX facility.

“COVID-19 shows that the world needs stronger defense against future risks to global health security. We will work with the WHO, the G20 and others, particularly at the Global Health Summit in Rome, on the global health and health security architecture pandemic preparedness, including through health funding and rapid response mechanisms, strengthening the One Health approach and universal health coverage, and exploring the potential value of a global health contract.

“We have provided more than $ 6 trillion in unprecedented support to our economies in the G7 over the past year. We will continue to support our economies in protecting jobs and supporting a strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive recovery. We reaffirm our support for high-risk countries, our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals and our partnership with Africa, including support for a stable recovery, and we will work together through the G20 and the international financial institutions to increase support for countries’ responses by examining all available tools, including through full and transparent implementation of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative and Common Framework.

“The recovery from COVID-19 needs to get better for everyone. With UNFCCC COP26 and CBD COP15 in mind, we will focus our plans on our global ambitions for climate change and reversing biodiversity loss. We will make progress in containment, adaptation and funding in line with the Paris Agreement and providing a green transformation and clean energy transition that will reduce emissions and create good jobs on the way to net zero by no later than 2050. We strive to align our economies in this way that no geographic region or person, regardless of gender or ethnicity, will be left behind. We will: Promote open economies and societies that promote global economic resilience, Use the free flow digital economy with confidence, participate in a modernized, freer and g More honest rules-based multilateral trade system that reflects our values ​​and delivers balanced growth with a reformed World Trade Organization at its center and a consensus-based international solution that seeks taxation by mid-2021 under the OECD. With the aim of supporting a fair and mutually beneficial global economic system for all people, we will work with others, especially G20 countries, including large economies like China. As leaders, we will deliberate on collective approaches to address non-market strategies and practices, and we will work with others to address important global issues that affect all countries.

“We resolve to agree concrete actions on these priorities at the G7 UK summit in June, and we support Japan’s commitment to safely host the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer as a symbol of world unity Overcoming COVID-19. “

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Business

Ford says it would part out gasoline-powered automobiles in Europe.

Ford says it will phase out gasoline-powered vehicles in Europe.

Ford Motor was the youngest automaker to accelerate the transition to electric cars, and said on Wednesday that its European division will soon begin phasing out production gasoline-powered vehicles. The company will only offer electric and plug-in hybrid models until 2026.

The plan is part of an offer to achieve constant profits in Europe, where Ford has had problems for several years, and to meet increasingly stringent emissions standards in the European Union.

“We have successfully restructured Ford of Europe and returned to profitability in the fourth quarter of 2020,” said Stuart Rowley, President of Ford of Europe, in a statement. “Now we are storming into a fully electric future.”

Ford and other automakers are moving faster with electric vehicles in Europe than in the US. Last year, the European Union began to impose fines on automakers for not complying with carbon dioxide emissions limits, forcing them to sell more electric cars.

Ford said it plans to spend $ 1 billion on the overhaul of its main European facility in Cologne to manufacture electric vehicles. The first new model is slated to go into production in 2023, Ford said.

All Ford of Europe vans and commercial vehicles will be electric or plug-in hybrids by 2024, and two years later the entire range of vehicles will be electric or plug-in hybrids.

Last month General Motors announced that it would only produce electric vehicles until 2035, but GM nearly pulled out of Europe after selling its Opel division to Frances Peugeot SA in 2017. Peugeot recently teamed up with Fiat Chrysler and is now known as Stellantis.

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World News

Trump getting ready to carry Europe, UK, Brazil Covid-19 journey restrictions Jan. 26

Trump preparing to lift Europe, UK, Brazil Covid-19 travel restrictions Jan. 26

A traveler leaves a test center at Heathrow Airport in London on January 17, 2021.

Hollie Adams | Getty Images News | Getty Images

The Trump administration plans to lift travel restrictions on Covid-19 for most foreign visitors from Europe, the UK and Brazil later this month, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The White House set the rules at the beginning of the pandemic to contain the spread of the virus. Last week, the U.S. said overseas travelers, including U.S. citizens, would need to test negative for Covid-19 before flying. This requirement will go into effect Jan. 26 if the Trump administration plans to lift the travel ban previously reported by Reuters.

Airlines have repeatedly urged the U.S. government to use pre-flight tests to lift travel bans, which have contributed to a sharp drop in demand for air travel.

This is the latest news. Check for updates again.

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World News

Europe Welcomes Biden, however Gained’t Look forward to Him

Europe Welcomes Biden, but Won’t Wait for Him

As a politician facing the mid-term congressional election, Biden will be like a laser focus on the pandemic, reopening the economy, unemployment, infrastructure, healthcare and an economic stimulus in his first year. Said Kupchan. “There will be a lot less time, energy and money for foreign policy.”

Sophia Besch and Luigi Scazzieri from the Center for European Reforms argue in a new paper that “many Europeans want to forget about Trump’s presidency that ever took place”. But they add: “Europe cannot look any further to the US for important questions about what its interests are and how to pursue them.”

This is especially true for defense, which is where most European leaders agree that more needs to be spent.

The German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer claims that the Europeans cannot replace America as a security service provider, as can the Central and Eastern European heads of state and government. Others, however, notably French President Emmanuel Macron and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell Fontelles, argue that Europeans cannot be sure of America’s reliability.

Mr Biden’s victory should not distract or discourage Europeans from an aim of more independent defense and more strategic autonomy, they say, even in the context of NATO.

There are certain issues such as terrorism, instability in North Africa and migration that Europeans feel they need to be able to act more effectively on themselves.

“Where we Europeans have to pay attention to our expectations of the Americans is in our neighborhood,” said Nathalie Tocci, director of the Italian Institute for International Affairs. On issues such as Belarus, Ukraine and the Balkans, “coordination with the US is important, but we cannot expect the US to step up its engagement,” she said.

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Health

Pfizer to briefly scale back Covid vaccine deliveries to Europe

Pfizer to temporarily reduce Covid vaccine deliveries to Europe

A picture taken on January 15, 2021 shows a pharmacist holding a vial of undiluted Pfizer BioNTech vaccine for Covid-19 with gloved hands, which is stored at -70 ° in a super freezer at Le Mans hospital in northwestern France became country runs a vaccination campaign to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Jean-Francois Monier | AFP | Getty Images

LONDON – Pfizer will temporarily reduce the number of doses of its coronavirus vaccine shipped to Europe.

The Norwegian Public Health Institute received a message from Pfizer “shortly before 10 a.m.” on Friday, according to a statement by the agency published shortly thereafter. The NIPH statement said supplies of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine would be reduced from next week “and for an upcoming period”.

“In week 3, Pfizer predicted 43,875 doses of vaccine. Now we appear to be receiving 36,075 doses,” the statement said.

NIPH said the temporary reduction in shipments was “related to an upgrade in production capacity”. “The temporary reduction will affect all European countries,” he added.

Pfizer later confirmed the interruption in supplies in a statement. “As part of normal productivity improvements to increase capacity, we need to make changes to the process and facility that require additional regulatory approvals,” he said.

Pfizer added that while this would “temporarily affect shipments from late January to early February, it will significantly increase the doses available to patients in late February and March”.

Meanwhile, Pfizer said there could be fluctuations in orders and shipping schedules at its facility in Puurs, Belgium, “in the near future”.

Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Tuesday that he was confident of “dramatically increasing” production of the vaccine this year, with the goal of producing up to 2 billion doses.

Bourla also said that Pfizer currently has more doses of its vaccine available than are being used.

The European Union announced last week that it was doubling its inventory of Pfizer BioNTech vaccines.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said the deal would allow the EU to buy an additional 300 million cans on top of its existing inventory. The EU executive has already been criticized for not buying more of the vaccine.

Rollouts have been slow in many EU countries including France, Germany and the Netherlands, and this latest news is likely to weigh on vaccination programs in those countries. Canada has also confirmed that its deliveries will be delayed, but said it was hoped that this would not affect its vaccination program.