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Japan

Japan begins COVID-19 vaccination drive amid Olympic worries

The late rollout will make it impossible to reach so-called "herd immunity" against the virus before the Olympics begin in July, experts say.

World News

AstraZeneca vaccine gets emergency approval from WHO

The green light for the AstraZeneca vaccine is only the second one the U.N. health agency has issued after authorizing the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in December.

World News

Europe disease prevention agency backs COVID-19 vaccine certificates

The ECDC ruled out so-called 'vaccine passports' that would allow holders to ignore rules on quarantine and testing.

United Kingdom

15m in the UK have had their first COVID jab - how about wider Europe?

The British government says the majority of the top four most vulnerable groups have had or been offered a first dose. But other European countries are doing better in terms of full vaccinations.

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United Kingdom

Oxford/AstraZeneca to begin COVID vaccine trials on children

Pfizer and Moderna began trialling their vaccines on children as young as 12 last year, while AstraZeneca will be expanding the age group further.

France

French authorities back single jab for people who have had COVID-19

France's High Authority for Health said that as people who have previously contracted COVID-19 retain "an immune memory", a single dose of vaccine "will thus act as a booster."

World

Portugal urged to extend its national COVID-19 lockdown until Easter

A study suggested that sticking with the lockdown, and keeping schools closed, through the end of March would bring down the number of COVID-19 intensive care unit patients to around 300.

World News

Six ex-Soviet states get €40m to help their COVID-19 vaccine rollout

The joint €40 million programme will involve Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova.

World

Holidays in UK and Europe: is it worth making plans?

Sean Tipton, a spokesman for travel association ABTA, says he thinks things are slowly improving.

Europe News

Von der Leyen defends EU vaccine plan but admits mistakes over Ireland

Speaking before the European Parliament, the President of the European Commission said the EU's common vaccine strategy was the right thing to do in the name of European solidarity.

United Kingdom

COVID-19: England & Wales saw second-highest weekly deaths in January

The Office for National Statistics revealed that 8,433 deaths registered in the week ending January 29 mentioned "novel coronavirus (COVID-19)" — the second-highest weekly figure since the beginning of the pandemic.

World

Cloth masks factories pushed to make safer surgical masks in Portugal

Companies in Portugal were quick to start making cloth masks when the pandemic began last year. Now new regulations have come into place in some of their biggest markets, driving business towards safer surgical masks.

World News

COVID-19: Ukraine set to launch coronavirus vaccination programme

The EU called on member states to help Ukraine as it plans its vaccinations programme.

World News

WHO: Vaccine manufacturers will have to adjust vaccines to variants

The emergence of new coronavirus variants means vaccine manufacturers need to be ready to adjust vaccines to the "evolution of the virus", the WHO chief said.

My Europe Series

What is COVAX and is it helping poor countries get access to vaccines?

Experts have criticised rich countries for buying up COVID-19 vaccine doses as poor countries are left without vaccines in a trend that has continued months after first doses became available.

World

COVID round-up: UK hits 12 million jabs; Hungary approves Sputnik V

As the EU starts to rollout the AstraZeneca vaccine, there's concern over its effectiveness on new coronavirus variants.

South Africa

South Africa halts AstraZeneca vaccine push over effectiveness fears

A study has suggested that the vaccine is only 22% effective against moderate forms of the virus.

United Kingdom

UK churches combat covid vaccine mistrust

Church groups in the UK launch a campaign to combat mistrust and increase covid vaccine take-up in black and minority ethnic communities

World News

COVID vaccinations: UK races ahead as much of EU awaits first doses

While the UK ponders a possible vaccine surplus, many people in Europe are wondering when they are going to receive their first doses.

United Kingdom

How worried should you be about new COVID-19 variants?

Professor Danny Altmann, a professor of immunology at Imperial College London, explains why new coronavirus variants have emerged.