Biden’s ‘Tough Call’; Global Cases Top 150 Million: Virus Update

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President Joe Biden said it will be a “tough call” on whether to order U.S. troops to get vaccinated. Los Angeles will close the mass vaccination site at Dodgers Stadium by the end of May as demand for shots falls across the region.

Global cases of the coronavirus topped 150 million, with India remaining at the epicenter of the pandemic after reporting record new infections Friday.

France said it found initial cases of the variant first detected in India and extended anti-Covid shots to all adults starting June 15. Pfizer and BioNTech sought authorization for their Covid-19 shot to be used in children aged 12 to 15 in the EU.

Key Developments

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CDC Probes Vaccine Anxiety (11:06 a.m. NY)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigated 64 cases of anxiety-related events, including 17 instances of fainting, among people who received Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine at five mass vaccination sites in different states over the span of a few days. A total of 64 people of 8,624 people who received J&J’s shot at the sites between April 7 and 9 experienced some anxiety-related event, such as light-headedness or dizziness, excessive sweating, nausea or vomiting or low blood pressure.

Most people recovered within the 15 minutes of observation. Some were transported to the hospital for follow up and were released that day. J&J’s single dose option may attract more people who are afraid of needles or have a history of fainting following vaccination, the CDC said. About one-quarter of the people involved said they experienced similar symptoms after receiving other shots.

Australia Bars India Travelers (10:48 a.m. NY)

Australia will bar any travelers who have been in India within 14 days of their arrival date, Health Minister Greg Hunt said in a statement. The pause begins Monday and will be reconsidered on May 15.

WHO Reviews More Vaccines (10:17 a.m. NY)

A World Health Organization expert group convened to discuss the Sinopharm and Moderna vaccines, and will meet to discuss Sinovac next week, Mariangela Simao, WHO assistant director-general for drug access, vaccines and pharmaceuticals, said at a briefing. A final assessment could be published by the end of next week, she added. The WHO is still receiving data on the Sputnik V vaccine.

Dodgers Stadium to Stop Shots (10:03 a.m. NY)

Los Angeles will close the mass vaccination site at Dodgers Stadium by the end of May as demand for shots falls across the region. Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a statement doses will be shifted across the city, expanding no-appointment vaccinations and mobile clinics. The stadium is one of the largest vaccination sites in the U.S.

Argentina Keeps Covid Measures (8:45 a.m. NY)

Argentina will maintain limits on circulation and social gatherings until May 15 due to a Covid-19 spike in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, President Alberto Fernandez said in a televised message.

Norway Lengthens Dose Timing (8:31 a.m. NY)

Norway lengthened the interval between the first and second doses for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines so that people aged 18 to 44 can be offered a shot sooner. The gap has been increased to as long as 12 weeks for all age groups under 65, from the current six weeks.

Biden’s ‘Tough Call’ on Troops (7:25 a.m NY)

President Joe Biden said in an NBC News interview that it will be a “tough call” on whether to order U.S. troops to get vaccinated for Covid-19.

“It is a tough call whether they should require that for the military because they are in such close proximity with other military personnel,” Biden said.

Shot Approval Sought for Ages 12-15 (7:05 p.m. HK)

BioNTech and Pfizer submitted a request to expand conditional marketing authorization of their vaccine in the European Union to 12-15 year-olds.

France to Expands Eligibility (7:01 p.m. HK)

France will allow all adults to get vaccinated against the coronavirus from June 15, President Emmanuel Macron said in a tweet.

Starting this weekend, all “vulnerable” adults, and from May 15, all those above 50, will be entitled to get vaccination.

Singapore Tightens Curbs (6:54 p.m. HK)

Singapore will reinstate some social distancing controls and tighten borders with countries that are seeing a persistent rise in coronavirus cases to stem a virus spread in the city.

The government will allow fewer people at malls and large stores, and close campsites for two weeks from May 1, according to a statement from the health ministry Friday.

Malaysian King Concerned (6:42 p.m. HK)

Malaysia’s King expressed concern over the increase in the number of Covid infections in the country, Bernama reported, citing a statement from the palace. The King called on people to be disciplined in complying with the protocols and movement restriction rules set by the government.

Vaccine Delays Hit EU Economy (6:10 p.m. HK)

The euro zone tipped into a double-dip recession in the first quarter, highlighting the cost of slow coronavirus vaccinations that have left the economy lagging far behind the U.S.

Hong Kong Test Requirement (5:20 p.m. HK)

Hong Kong will require all foreign domestic helpers to get a Covid test by May 9 to prevent the spread of a highly-transmissible variant in the community, Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan said at a briefing.

Exemption will be offered to those who have already been tested Friday or have been fully vaccinated with two vaccine doses at least 14 days ago.

Indonesia Vaccine Talks (5:10 p.m. HK)

Indonesia is in talks to get an additional 90m-100m doses of the vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech. The additional supply will add to the current deal for 140 million doses, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, spokeswoman for the country’s Covid-19 task force, said in a Friday briefing.

More Flights Out of India (5:01 p.m. HK)

International and domestic airlines are adding flights out of India to bring home residents and citizens as the nation’s coronavirus outbreak goes from bad to worse. Air India Ltd. plans to increase its weekly frequency of flights to the U.S. to 32 starting May 11, up from the current 29.

Korean Air Lines Co. and Asiana Airlines Inc. meanwhile are planning to charter flights from India to help South Koreans there wanting to return.

Sweden Postpones Vaccine Goal (4:39 p.m. HK)

Sweden’s government has decided to postpone its vaccination target, following the decision to pause the use of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine, health minister Lena Hallengren said at a press conference. All adults are to be offered at least one dose of vaccine before Sept. 5, a three-week delay from the previous target of Aug. 15.

Call for New Probe Into Covid Origin (4 p.m. HK)

The World Health Organization should convene another investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic that looks beyond animal sources, a group of scientists said in an open letter. The signatories proposed specific steps on what any new probe should take into account.

Paris Among Worst-Affected (3:44 p.m. HK)

The Paris region is one of the worst-affected areas in Europe, according to the European Centre for Disease Control. The country had 653 new cases per 100,000 people in 14 days, about double the level of both Italy and Spain. Sweden is the only western European country with more cases per-capita.

Astra to Seek U.S. Clearance (3:09 p.m. HK)

AstraZeneca Plc confirmed it will apply for U.S. emergency authorization of its Covid-19 vaccine in the first half of 2021 after it missed an original target this month that raised questions over whether the company would pursue the clearance at all.

Hungary Eases Further (2:11 p.m. HK)

Hungary is set to continue easing lockdown restrictions this weekend after reaching a government-set goal of 4 million people, roughly half its population, having received at least a first vaccine shot.

Hotels will be able to take guests while cinemas, restaurants and other services will be allowed to open indoor areas for holders of the country’s coronavirus immunity card, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on state radio.

Italy Hits Vaccine Record (2:05 p.m. HK)

Italy administered almost 500,000 vaccine doses on Thursday, meeting a key target set by Prime Minister Mario Draghi in his effort to accelerate the country’s inoculation campaign.

Hospitals and vaccination centers gave out 497,993 shots, according to provisional data released by a government spokesman. Draghi had pledged to reach the half-million mark by April, as a faster vaccination campaign is a key condition for the easing of Covid-19 restrictions that started on Monday.

France Finds India Variant Cases (2:03 p.m. HK)

The first three cases of the coronavirus variant first detected in India have been identified in metropolitan France, the health ministry said late on Thursday in a statement. All three individuals returned from India and tested positive this month.

India Virus Data Appeal (1:24 p.m. HK)

Indian scientists and medical researchers are asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow them access to data that could help study, predict, and curb the spread of the coronavirus.

While the Indian Council of Medical Research has granular data on all residents who’ve been tested so far, it restricts access and this database must be opened to outside experts as well, almost 300 scientists from research and teaching institutions requested in an online appeal.

“The ICMR database is inaccessible to anyone outside of the government and perhaps also to many within the government,” they wrote. “While new pandemics can have unpredictable features, our inability to adequately manage the spread of infections has, to a large extent, resulted from epidemiological data not being systematically collected and released in a timely manner to the scientific community.”

Hong Kong Quarantines Building as Variant Case Found (12:40 p.m. HK)

Hong Kong will quarantine residents of a roughly 400-unit apartment building for 21 days after a person was found with what the government called the first local untraceable infection with Covid-19 variants, escalating a controversial policy that’s one of the world’s strictest.

The infected person was a 39-year-old domestic helper living in a building in the Caribbean Coast complex in the Tung Chung neighborhood, the government said. A 10-month-old baby who lived with her was also infected, it said.

The building was locked down starting Thursday night. All residents were required to take Covid tests, and will be taken to serve their three-week quarantine in government centers even if they test negative.

Record India Cases (11:46 a.m. HK)

India added a record 386,452 coronavirus cases in a day, according to government data. Deaths rose by 3,498. The country’s total cases increased to 18.8 million.

Brazil Passes 400,000 Deaths (7:01 a.m. HK)

Brazil recorded more Covid-19 deaths in the first four months of the year than in all of 2020, breaching the 400,000 mark as it grapples with a shortage of shots that’s threatening mass vaccinations.

The Health Ministry reported 3,001 deaths on Thursday, pushing the total to 401,186 since the pandemic started a little over a year ago. It’s the second highest tally globally, trailing only the U.S. Cases rose by 69,389 in the past 24 hours, pushing the toll to 14.6 million, behind India and the U.S.

BioNTech CEO Confident Vaccine Works Against India Strain (6:20 a.m. HK)

BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin is “confident” the company’s Covid-19 vaccine with Pfizer will be effective against a variant of the virus first identified in India, CNBC said.

Sahin said BioNTech has tested its two-dose vaccine against similar “double mutants” and felt assured the shot will still be protective. The company is evaluating the strain and the data will be available in the coming weeks, he said on CNBC.

— With assistance by Ian Fisher, Corinne Gretler, Sunil Kesur, and Angelica LaVito