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- With criminal charges ruled out, investigation into dozens of deaths at CHSLD Herron begins.
The head of a major association of drug makers said they are now producing 1.5 billion coronavirus vaccine doses per month, so wealthy governments that used to stockpile doses “no longer need to do that.”
The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) says increased production could help offset the gap in access to COVID-19 doses that has left developing countries far behind in vaccination rates.
Thomas Queenie, director general of the IFPMA, said 7.5 billion doses have been produced so far and cited forecasts from an independent consultant that 12 billion doses will be available worldwide by the end of the year – and nearly double that by June 2022.
At these production rates, the wealthy G7 countries could adequately vaccinate their populations – including boosters for those in need – and still have enough to donate 1.2 billion doses to other countries.
“The news should be a game changer in terms of fairness in vaccines,” he said. “We cannot ignore the fact that only six percent of the adult population in Africa has received full vaccination so far, while in many Western countries, the proportion is more than 70 percent.”
Critics have criticized the industry for allegedly turning a profit on people, and major manufacturers such as Pfizer and Moderna have reported skyrocketing revenue and profits behind sales of their mRNA vaccines.
The World Health Organization has repeatedly called on governments and manufacturers to do more to ensure vaccines are evenly distributed, insisting that the pandemic could worsen and exacerbate – as with the emergence of new variants – if large parts of the world remain unvaccinated.
The World Health Organization has also praised the industry’s rapid development and release of COVID-19 vaccines that have helped save lives.
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has called on the industry to distribute more through the UN-backed COVAX program led by Gavi – rather than striking bilateral distribution deals with individual countries.
“The main challenges to the global response to COVID-19 are now no longer about making enough vaccines, they are about making sure those vaccines that are manufactured reach those who need them most,” Gavi said in a statement.
— From The Associated Press, last updated at 2 p.m. ET
What’s happening all over Canada
There are strong layers of protection to stop transmission of COVID-19 from international travelers entering Canada, but the country should also focus on vaccinating Canadians most at risk, says Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist in Toronto. (Daryl Dick/The Canadian Press) 1:32
- COVID-19 exposure notices have been issued for two Air North flights between Whitehorse and Vancouver.
The government’s plan to keep unvaccinated people off domestic flights could have a more profound impact in northern Canada, where travel can be a necessity and even a lifesaver. 2:07
What is happening around the world
As of Tuesday evening, more than 221.7 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. The reported global death toll has reached more than 4.5 million.
in a Europe, the United Kingdom reported the largest daily rise in coronavirus deaths in six months, at a time when new infections are expected to rise further as children return to school. Government figures on Tuesday show 209 new coronavirus-related deaths, while the weekly total is up 39 percent from the previous week.
Finland will lift all remaining restrictions related to the coronavirus after at least 80 percent of people over the age of 12 are vaccinated. Prime Minister Sanna Marin says that target will likely be reached in October, at which time “we will open [Finnish] community and keeping it open.”
About 53 percent of Finland’s population over the age of 12 has received doses of the vaccine and more than 72 percent have received one.
In the AmericasIn Idaho, public health leaders have activated “Standards of Crisis Care” for the state’s northern hospitals because there are more COVID-19 patients than institutions can handle.
They warned residents that they might not get the care they would normally expect if they needed to be hospitalized. Idaho has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the United States.
in a AsiaSir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi’s prime minister, is increasing oxygen storage capacity by 50 per cent, laying a one-kilometre pipeline that takes gas directly to COVID-19 intensive care units and is installing equipment to keep oxygen flow high, all in an effort to To treat covid-19 patients.
The private hospital’s medical director, Dr Satendra Katoch, says the facility wants to “prepare for the worst”, as India prepares for the fall festival season and a possible third wave of COVID-19.
in another place, Hong Kong Leader Carrie Lam said Tuesday that some residents from China and the former Portuguese colony of Macau will be allowed to enter the city without being quarantined from September 15.
She said the government will allow up to 2,000 residents from both places to enter the financial center each day, subject to certain requirements, such as a negative COVID-19 test before arrival.
Visitors will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon returning to the mainland or Macau.
The recent surge in COVID-19 cases is pushing intensive care units to the brink in the United States and killing 1,500 people a day as the end of summer approaches and officials plan to release booster vaccines later in September. 1:50
In the Asia Pacific The French overseas region of New Caledonia has reported its first three confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus.
The remote Pacific archipelago has been, until now, free of coronavirus. So far, more than 30 percent of New Caledonia’s population of about 270,000 has been vaccinated against the disease.
in a AfricaRivers State Governor Nisom Wake said in a speech on Monday that the oil hub in Nigeria’s Delta region may need a new COVID-19 lockdown.
The state capital, Port Harcourt, is the gateway to the oil-producing region. The total confirmed COVID-19 cases of 10,809 in the state makes it the third most affected country in Africa by population, after Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja.
–— From The Associated Press and Reuters, last updated at 6:30 p.m. ET
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