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New Zealand’s Vaccine Plan; Global Passport Push: Virus Update
(Bloomberg) — The European Union will propose a certificate that could ease travel for those who have taken vaccines, while U.S. airlines are urging the Biden administration to develop virus passports as infections spread at the slowest pace since the pandemic began. Brazil reported a record number of Covid-19 deaths, while New Zealand, a world leader in its pandemic response, released plans for a targeted rollout of vaccines. China extended its stretch without local infections, and Los Angeles schools are set to progressively open under a tentative deal. BioNTech SE may be able to produce 3 billion doses of its Covid-19 vaccine with partner Pfizer Inc. next year. The shot has shown a high ability in lab experiments to neutralize strains first detected in Brazil, the U.K. and South Africa.Key Developments:Global Tracker: Cases pass 117.5 million; deaths top 2.6 millionVaccine Tracker: More than 319 million shots given worldwideU.S. Spotlight: Death forecast drops as pandemic indicators improveVaccine success brings a despised president back from the brinkAfrica can save the world from a never-ending pandemicHow the pandemic darkens the picture on women’s pay: QuickTakeSubscribe to a daily update on the virus from Bloomberg’s Prognosis team here. Click CVID on the terminal for global data on cases and deaths.L.A. Reaches Tentative Deal to Open Schools (12:45 p.m. HK)The Los Angeles Unified school district and United Teachers Los Angeles reached a tentative deal on how to reopen schools for in-person instruction over the next few weeks. They plan a hybrid model combining online and in-person instruction, with a progressive reopening. All students and staff will be tested for Covid-19 before returning, and other rules include requiring masks and social distancing for students, staff and visitors. Cathay Pacific Has Record $2.8 Billion Loss (12:40 p.m. HK)Underscoring the continued economic damage from travel lockdowns, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. had a net loss of HK$21.65 billion ($2.8 billion) for 2020, a period the carrier called the “most challenging 12 months” of its more than 70-year history. With the pandemic continuing to hit travel, the Hong Kong airline is maintaining executive pay cuts and other cash-preservation measures.Push for Vaccine Passports Grows in EU, U.S. (11:30 a.m. HK)There’s growing impetus for vaccine passports. The European Union will propose a certificate that may ease travel for those who have taken EU-approved vaccines or others, like the Chinese and Russian shots, that have had emergency national authorizations. The “EU Covid Card/digital green certificate” will show if holders have had a vaccine and which one; the results of any test; and details on whether they have recovered from an infection, a person familiar with the draft regulation said.U.S. airlines, joined by travel groups and labor, separately wrote to the Biden administration saying the U.S. “must be a leader” in global efforts to introduce health credentials that can be used for travel.China has also announced a digital vaccine passport. A health certificate showing a person’s vaccination status links to a program on China’s most widely-used messaging app WeChat. Outbound travelers can use the certificate, which is only issued to Chinese nationals who have had nucleic-acid tests and Covid vaccines, to prove their health status. It’s unclear if any countries have yet recognized the certification.What Are Vaccine Passports and How Would They Work?: QuickTakeAlaska Allows Shots for Those 16 and Older (11:10 a.m. HK)Alaska will allow everyone living and working in the state aged 16 and older to get a vaccine, the state’s health department said, making it the first place in the U.S. where the immunization is so widely available. Alaska leads the U.S. in vaccination rates, with more than a quarter of the population having had at least one Covid-19 shot and 16% being fully inoculated. It also has the third-smallest population, with fewer than 750,000 people.China Extends Stretch Without Local Infections (10:40 a.m. HK)China reported five new infections today, but all were imported. The last time the country had a local transmission was Feb. 6, underscoring the success of a stringent strategy that includes border curbs, mass testing and hard lockdowns on anywhere with Covid-19 cases. Those tough measures included the likes of January’s full lockdown of Tonghua, a city of 2 million people in Jilin province, in which residents were banned from leaving their homes.The action successfully curbed a winter flare-up in China which at times saw more than 100 people a day infected. Infections subsequently declined even as many families braved the pandemic to gather during lunar new year holidays in the middle of February.At the ongoing National People’s Congress in Beijing, delegates have continued to wear masks, though President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang appeared without masks on Friday.Mexico’s Death Toll Reaches 191,789 (10:30 a.m. HK)Mexico had a further 866 Covid-19 deaths, bringing the total to 191,789, according to the Health Ministry. Some 26% of general hospital beds are occupied, and 30% of beds with ventilators are occupied, it said. Mexico has administered 3,100,868 vaccine doses. with 605,801 people having received a second dose.Separately, El Financiero reported that Health Ministry official Ruy Lopez Ridaura confirmed that eight Mexican states received Sinovac’s vaccine at between 11 and 12 degrees Celsius, when it should be kept between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius. Lopez Ridaura said the vaccine can be kept up to 25 degrees for more than a week without losing its potency, and at that temperature it wouldn’t begin to lose effectiveness until day 14, the report said.New Zealand Releases Vaccine Rollout Plans (9:08 a.m. HK)New Zealand, which tops Bloomberg’s Covid Resilience Ranking of the economies which best-handled the pandemic, will have a targeted rollout of vaccines over the next three-to-four months to reach 2 million people in the most at-risk groups. Those in South Auckland aged over 65 or with underlying conditions will get shots from the end of this month.The country has already started inoculating border and managed isolation facility workers and their families, along with 480,000 frontline workers and people living in high-risk settings. From May, shots will go to 1.7 million people who are at higher risk.“The rest of the population will be able to be vaccinated from July onwards and our plan is to have as many people as possible vaccinated by the end of the year,” Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said in a statement. “Every New Zealander will be able to get a vaccine and the vaccine will be free.”San Francisco Backs Hazard Pay for Grocery Workers (8:55 a.m. HK)Workers in chain groceries and pharmacies in San Francisco may be eligible for an extra $5 per hour in pandemic-related hazard pay under an emergency measure the city’s Board of Supervisors approved Tuesday, Bloomberg Law reported. The bill will take effect immediately if signed as expected by the mayor.U.K. Panel Questions Test-and-Trace Costs (8:35 a.m. HK)The U.K.’s coronavirus test-and-trace program has failed to demonstrate it has contributed to a fall in infection rates, despite its “unimaginable” 22 billion-pound ($30.6 billion) cost so far, the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee said in a report.Parliament’s spending watchdog said the program had failed to deliver on its “central promise” to prevent a second national lockdown in England — or a third.“British taxpayers cannot be treated by government like an ATM machine,” committee Chair Meg Hillier said in a statement. “Despite the unimaginable resources thrown at this project, test-and-trace cannot point to a measurable difference to the progress of the pandemic.”Britain May Cut Air Passenger Duty on Domestic Flights (8:30 a.m. HK)The British government will launch a consultation to reform the levy for internal U.K. flights, the Department for Transport said. This could mean a “return leg exemption” so passengers only pay for their outward flight, or a new lower domestic rate.The proposal is part of a review aimed at exploring how transport can better connect all parts of the U.K., after the collapse of Flybe at the start of the pandemic.Brazil Covid Deaths Hit a Record (5:13 p.m. NY)Brazil reported a record number of deaths from coronavirus as the country rushes to seal new vaccine deals.The Health Ministry said 1,972 died from Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, pushing the total to 268,370. Confirmed cases increased by 70,764, to 11,122,429. Brazil trails only the U.S. in number of deaths globally, and ranks third in infections.Hospitals across the country are reaching capacity, as a combination of year-end and carnival gatherings and a new, more contagious variant contribute to a spike of infections even as the virus recedes in most of the world. At the same time, a short supply of vaccines is slowing a mass immunization campaign in the country of 212 million.BioNTech Sees Boost in Vaccine Production (4:23 p.m. NY)BioNTech could have capacity to make 3 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccine with U.S. partner Pfizer next year, the German company’s chief executive officer said, making their pioneering shot far more widely available around the world.“In principle, we could further increase manufacturing capacity,” BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin said Tuesday in an interview with Bloomberg TV.Pfizer and BioNTech have committed to make 2 billion doses of their two-shot vaccine this year. Pfizer promised to ship two-thirds of the U.S.’s 300 million-dose order by the end of May. In the European Union, the partners have promised to ship at least 500 million doses this year, with an option for an additional 100 million doses.Texas Capital to Defy Governor on Masks (3:37 p.m. NY)When the Texas mask mandate lifts tomorrow, the state capital of Austin plans to continue requiring face coverings, directly contradicting Governor Greg Abbott’s move to reopen the second-largest U.S. state. Officials in bigger cities such as Houston have expressed displeasure with Abbott’s order but so far have stopped short of open defiance.U.S. Vaccine Shipments to Rise Next Week (2:10 p.m. NY)Pfizer and Moderna vaccine shipments to U.S. states, tribes and territories will rise next week to 15.8 million doses, from 15.2 million a week earlier, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.Shipments to pharmacies will rise to 2.7 million from 2.4 million a week earlier.N.Y. Lowers Vaccine Eligibility to 60 (11:10 a.m. NY)New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said he would lower the age for vaccine eligibility to age 60 starting Wednesday as the state ramps up its vaccine campaign.The governor said the state will also open up vaccine eligibility to public employees and nonprofit emergency workers as of March 17. Public-facing building workers will also be eligible, he said in a Tuesday virus briefing.No Overseas Fans at Tokyo Olympics: Kyodo (8:37 a.m. NY)The Japanese government decided to exclude overseas spectators from attending the Tokyo Olympics, Kyodo reported, citing officials with knowledge of the matter. The government concluded that fans from abroad aren’t possible given concerns about the virus and different variants detected in other countries.Latvia Offers to Take Patients From Estonia (7:38 a.m. NY)Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins on Tuesday offered to take in some of neighboring Estonia’s Covid patients after its prime minister announced a lockdown and tighter restrictions to control the spread of the British strain and rising cases.German Industry Resolves Testing Spat (7:30 a.m. NY)Germany’s leading industry associations have resolved a spat with Chancellor Angela Merkel over Covid-19 tests and issued an appeal to companies to help expand rapid- and self-testing of employees.“Until a vaccination offer can be made to all citizens, we want to support the testing strategy of the federal and state governments with all our energy,” four of the biggest industry lobbies, which represent more than 90% of Germany’s workers, said in a joint statement coordinated with Merkel’s administration.Merkel last week canceled a video call with business leaders because she wanted more substantial proposals on testing workers than those initially on the table.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.
