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TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan has set a purpose to vaccinate 60% of its inhabitants with a COVID-19 vaccine, or 15 million folks, a well being official stated Tuesday.
Taiwan has signed an settlement with COVAX to buy a COVID-19 vaccine, however can also be actively in talks with vaccine corporations who’ve candidates in part 3 trials for a possible bilateral settlement as effectively, stated Jing-Hui Yang, a deputy director on the Central Epidemic Command Middle. COVAX, a world plan to distribute vaccines equally, has not but began sending out shipments of vaccines.
The island will prioritize frontline well being staff and important personnel to obtain the vaccine first, Yang stated. In a while, the immunization marketing campaign will goal the aged in addition to those that have present persistent sicknesses.
Officers anticipate the vaccines to reach early subsequent yr. Nonetheless, an immunization marketing campaign will take time, and won’t be completed in only a month or two, Yang warned.
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THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:
— COVID-19 vaccine shipments start in historic US effort
— Tens of hundreds of latest youngster brides are being married off as their households wrestle amid the pandemic’s financial fallout
— London and close by areas can be positioned underneath the best degree of restrictions beginning Wednesday
— AP PHOTOS: Italian well being staff nonetheless underneath monumental pressure. One says “Christmas I can be right here. Identical to I had Easter right here, identical to August right here, identical to daily.”
— Scientists deal with bats for clues to stop subsequent pandemic
— After 110,000 virus deaths, U.S. nursing properties face vaccine fears
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Comply with AP’s protection at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has reported one other new 880 circumstances of the coronavirus because it slipped deeper into its worst wave of the pandemic but.
That introduced the nation’s caseload to 44,364 on Tuesday, which was the thirty eighth consecutive day of triple-digit every day will increase. Greater than 10,000 infections have been reported within the final 15 days alone, largely from the densely populated Seoul metropolitan space the place well being staff are struggling to stem transmissions tied to varied locations, together with hospitals, long-term care amenities, eating places, church buildings and colleges.
The demise toll was at 600 after 13 COVID-19 sufferers died up to now 24 hours. The Korea Illness Management and Prevention Company stated 205 amongst 11,205 lively sufferers have been in severe or vital situation as fears develop over attainable shortages in intensive-care models.
Critics say the nation’s viral resurgence underscores the chance of encouraging financial exercise when vaccines are at the least months away. The federal government had lowered social distancing restrictions to the bottom tier in October out of considerations about sluggish development charges regardless of consultants warning of a viral surge throughout winter when folks spend longer hours indoors.
The federal government restored some restrictions over the previous weeks, reminiscent of shutting down nightclubs, halting in-person faculty lessons and requiring eating places to supply solely deliveries and take-outs after 9 p.m.
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice grew to become one of many first high elected officers within the nation to obtain a coronavirus shot on Monday night, regardless that the state’s rollout is meant to prioritize giving the extremely sought-after vaccines to well being care staff and other people in long-term care facilities.
The 69-year-old Republican governor stated he wished to show confidence within the vaccine’s security.
“It’s as secure as might be,” Justice stated on the statehouse room the place he hosts common information conferences. Carrying a masks, he obtained a jab in his proper arm from a state pharmacy board official and promptly obtained an adhesive bandage — and a sticker. 4 different high state officers, together with the well being officer and head of the Nationwide Guard, subsequent rolled up their sleeves and likewise obtained photographs dwell on digital camera.
“Don’t hesitate, you’ve acquired to get this vaccine,” Justice added.
Many different governors are ready for well being care staff, sufferers and emergency responders first.
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DES MOINES, Iowa — The state of Iowa is returning $21 million of federal coronavirus help cash it deliberate to spend on upgrading state info know-how programs, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds stated Monday.
Reynolds stated in an announcement she has directed the Iowa Division of Administration to return the cash to the state’s virus reduction fund by Friday.
The funds have been initially allotted for funds associated to the state’s contract with Workday, a cloud-based human assets, finance, and planning system being applied to modernize the state’s IT infrastructure. Of the allocation, $4.45 million had already been spent.
Reynolds stated U.S. Treasury officers initially assured the state the Workday mission was an allowable expense however has now decided the funds weren’t allowed expenditures underneath the federal Coronavirus Support, Reduction, and Financial Safety Act.
Reynolds stated the state has spent all however $47.3 million of the $1.25 billion Iowa obtained from the federal virus reduction fund, which have to be allotted by Dec. 30.
She confirmed the cash can be allotted by the deadline however stated an prolonged deadline could be useful to “enable time to make use of the funds to create extra packages and assist different wants amongst Iowans.”
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CAIRO – Egypt on Monday reported its highest every day confirmed circumstances in months, with 511 new circumstances. The Well being Ministry additionally added 23 fatalities to its demise tally from COVID-19, the illness attributable to the virus.
The rise got here amid repeated warnings by the federal government a couple of second wave within the pandemic. Authorities have been urging folks to stay to preventive measures participle face masks and social distancing.
Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous nation with greater than 100 million folks, has reported greater than 122,086 confirmed circumstances, together with 6,943 deaths.
Nevertheless, the precise numbers of COVID-19 circumstances, like elsewhere on the planet, are considered far greater, partly because of restricted testing.
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OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma Metropolis emergency room nurse has grow to be the primary individual within the state to be vaccinated with Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine.
Hannah White, 31, laughed earlier than the vaccination and once more afterward as she hugged the one that injected her at Integris Baptist Medical Middle whereas displaying no response because the needle entered her arm.
“I don’t have any burning on the website, I’ve no ache. I didn’t really feel it,” White stated, and inspired others to obtain the vaccination as they grow to be eligible primarily based on the state’s four-phase plan.
The primary 33,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrived Monday within the state, in line with state well being commissioner Dr. Lance Frye.
The plan developed by the state well being division requires frontline healthcare staff to be the primary vaccinated. Lengthy-term care suppliers and residents, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and pharmacy workers who will administer the vaccine in long-term care amenities are additionally to be among the many first inoculated.
White was the primary of 10 Integris workers who every volunteered to obtain the vaccine, stated hospital CEO Timothy Pehrson. “
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Rep. Karen Bass of California, who beforehand labored in a hospital as a doctor assistant, stated the vaccine distribution ought to be concentrated within the areas which were hardest hit by the pandemic.
“Let’s take Alabama, for instance,” she informed the AP on Monday. “It will be a travesty if in Alabama the vaccine have been distributed equally. It must be distributed equitably, as a result of you might have excessive disproportionate an infection and demise charge in sure communities.”
Bass, who’s Black, stated its necessary for folks to know {that a} Black lady scientist was central to the vaccine’s growth.
“Having trusted messengers from neighborhood organizations, from the religion neighborhood, from the medical neighborhood speaking to folks within the African American neighborhood is the best way to extend the utilization of the vaccine,” she stated.
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WASHINGTON — Well being and Human Companies Secretary Alex Azar and Surgeon Normal Jerome Adams confused the vaccine’s security and effectiveness, whereas elevating problems with social fairness.
The officers spoke Monday at a George Washington College Hospital occasion Monday to launch the vaccination of well being care staff within the nation’s capital.
Adams, who’s Black, stated it might be a tragedy if the disparate influence of COVID-19 on communities of shade acquired worse due to hesitancy to get the vaccine. “We all know that lack of belief is a serious trigger for reluctance, particularly in communities of shade,” stated Adams.
Azar stated the vaccines convey hope, however “all of that hope doesn’t matter if we don’t bridge to that time” the place widespread vaccination places and finish to the pandemic. So he referred to as on People to double down on training accountable behaviors reminiscent of avoiding journey and gatherings, sustaining social distance, sporting masks and washing their palms continuously.
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TORONTO — Canada has administered its first doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
5 front-line staff in Ontario are among the many first Canadians to obtain the vaccine at considered one of Toronto’s hospitals.
Three private assist staff, a registered nurse, and a registered sensible nurse who work on the Rekai Centre nursing residence are among the many first to obtain it.
Ontario obtained 6,000 doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine Sunday night time and plans to present them to about 2,500 health-care staff.
Residents of two long-term care properties Quebec would be the first to obtain the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in that province.
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PARIS — Restaurant and bar house owners, hoteliers, waitresses, and different employers and staff from France’s world-famous catering and repair industries have protested in Paris for the precise to work once more throughout the pandemic.
The federal government has indicated that eating places and bars may be allowed to reopen from Jan. 20 if infections don’t surge anew.
However the economic system minister stated Monday that he couldn’t assure that that date would maintain.
About 1,000 folks protested in Paris, pleading for extra monetary help and the precise to reopen eateries and watering holes which were compelled to shut to curb infections.
Amongst them, retired chef Michel Solignac fretted that the restaurant that he spent a long time creating earlier than handing it over to his son might go underneath if they’ll’t reopen quickly.
“Now we have to cling on,” he stated. “Psychologically, I don’t understand how I’d react if I used to be obliged to close down. It actually would harm.”
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LONDON — Britain’s well being secretary says London and surrounding areas can be positioned underneath the best degree of coronavirus restrictions beginning Wednesday as infections rise quickly within the capital.
Matt Hancock stated Monday {that a} new variant of the virus could also be accountable. He added that the federal government should take swift motion after seeing “very sharp, exponential rises” in Better London and close by Kent and Essex. He stated that in some areas, circumstances are doubling each seven days.
He informed lawmakers that the surge of COVID-19 circumstances in southern England could also be related to a brand new variant of coronavirus. He didn’t present particulars in regards to the virus variant, however confused there was nothing to counsel it was extra more likely to trigger severe illness, or that it wouldn’t reply to a vaccine.
“We’ve presently recognized over 1,000 circumstances with this variant predominantly within the south of England though circumstances have been recognized in practically 60 completely different native authority areas,” he stated. “And numbers are rising quickly.”
Hancock stated officers are assessing the brand new strand of the virus, and that the World Well being Group has been notified.
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TAMPA, Fla. — A 31-year-old nurse at Tampa Normal Hospital rolled up her left shirt sleeve on Monday and have become one of many first folks in Florida to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine.
The vaccination was held throughout a information convention on the hospital, with Gov. Ron DeSantis wanting on. “This can be a actually, actually important milestone by way of combatting the coronavirus pandemic,” he stated of vaccinations getting underway in Florida.
Florida joined different states throughout the nation to begin administering the vaccination.
Earlier Monday, DeSantis and others watched as a FedEx truck pulled as much as the hospital with the Pfizer vaccine, which was simply authorised by the FDA for emergency use final week. The governor signed for the cargo and watched because the vaccines have been positioned in a deep freeze storage unit, at a temperature of minus 79 levels. The hospital obtained 3,900 vials on Monday. Every vial has 5 doses.
“That is 20,000 doses of hope,” stated John Couris, president and chief govt officer, Tampa Normal Hospital. — This entry has been corrected to indicate that the nurse in Tampa was among the many first to be vaccinated in Florida, however not the primary.
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NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana administered its first coronavirus vaccines Monday at a New Orleans space hospital.
Employees on the facility who frequently encounter COVID-19 sufferers acquired the vaccine as Gov. John Bel Edwards watched the immunizations.
Dr. Leonardo Seoane, chief tutorial officer for Ochsner Well being, was one of many first workers to get vaccinated. A Cuban American, Seoane referred to as it “a privilege” and urged “all of my Hispanic brothers and sisters to do it. It’s OK.”
Louisiana’s first shipments of an estimated 39,000 Pfizer vaccines this week all will go on to hospitals to manage. Different hospitals round Louisiana anticipate to obtain their first doses later within the week. Edwards traveled to Jefferson Parish to see the vaccines being administered in individual.
“Right now is the start of the tip as a result of I simply noticed some photographs going into arms right here,” the Democratic governor stated within the livestreamed video.
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SAN DIEGO — A San Diego strip membership remains to be open regardless of a vow from California’s lawyer normal vowing to take authorized motion if it doesn’t near adjust to the state’s stay-at-home order that was issued earlier this month.
The lawyer for Pacers Showgirls Worldwide stated Monday {that a} courtroom order issued final month makes it clear the enterprise is protected against restrictions issued by San Diego County and state officers.
A listening to within the case is scheduled for Wednesday. The decide is predicted to determine whether or not the preliminary injunction the issued final month permitting two strip golf equipment to stay open extends to the brand new stay-at-home order.
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NEW YORK — Coronavirus vaccinations have begun in New York.
A nurse at Lengthy Island Jewish Medical Middle in Queens acquired what Gov. Andrew Cuomo referred to as the primary shot given within the state’s marketing campaign to vaccinate entrance line well being care staff.
“I really feel hopeful right this moment. Relieved,” stated vital care nurse Sandra Lindsay after getting a shot within the arm.
The pinnacle of the hospital system, Michael Dowling, stood over Lindsay as a physician, Michelle Chester, administered the dose. Cuomo watched through a livestream.
All 4 applauded after the shot was given. “That is the sunshine on the finish of the tunnel. Nevertheless it’s a protracted tunnel,” Cuomo stated.
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TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas well being care staff have begun receiving the primary of the state’s coronavirus vaccines amid an ongoing fall surge in circumstances that has left hospitals confused.
Spokeswoman Roz Hutchinson stated Monday that 5 workers of the Through Christi Ascension well being care system obtained photographs at its St. Francis hospital in Wichita, together with a vital care nurse, a housekeeper for a COVID-19 unit and a respiratory therapist.
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BELGRADE, Serbia — Serbia has tightened border entry guidelines forward of Christmas and New Yr holidays fearing additional surge in new coronavirus infections when hundreds arrive from overseas.
Epidemiologists stated Monday that beginning subsequent week international residents coming to Serbia will want a unfavourable check for the virus whereas Serbia’s residents must self-isolate for ten days upon arrival or present the unfavourable check.
The measure goals to stop extra rise in infections within the Balkan nation whose well being system is already struggling underneath the burden of hundreds of every day new circumstances.
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