(Bloomberg) — AstraZeneca Plc won’t seek a U.S. license for its Covid-19 vaccine until the autumn at the earliest, according to its chief executive officer, falling further behind rivals that secured emergency authorizations for their shots.
The organizing committee for the Tokyo Olympics found 24 new cases related to the event while Australia’s track and field team is in isolation after exposure to a confirmed infection. The Japanese city found a third consecutive record of new cases on Thursday.
South Africa is ramping up its vaccination program even as a study found more than half the country’s population say they are unlikely to get immunized.
Key Developments:
- Global Tracker: Cases top 195 million; deaths surpass 4.18 million
- Vaccine Tracker: More than 3.98 billion doses administered
- Delta’s spread is testing even aggressive ‘Covid zero’ defenses
- What makes delta the most disruptive virus variant: QuickTake
- Londoners are on the move, but not to the office yet
South Africa to Boost Vaccination Target (5:39 p.m. HK)
South Africa is aiming to boost its vaccinations to 420,000 doses a day by the end of August and wants to get 30 million people vaccinated with at least a first shot by October, according to B4SA, a business organization that’s working with the government.
Vaccinations, which were at 194,000 Wednesday with more than 7 million doses administered to date, will slow over the next two weeks because of supply constraints, the organization said. South Africa had previously set a target of 300,000 doses a day.
President Cyril Ramaphosa will promote vaccines after a survey found more than half of the country’s population say they are unlikely to get immunized against Covid-19.
J&J Sees No Need for Booster Shot (5:07 p.m. HK)
Johnson & Johnson said there is currently no evidence that a booster dose has to be administered following receipt of its single-shot vaccine, WirtschaftsWoche reports, citing the company. It will re-examine the need for further doses once more data are available.
Italy to Continue U.K. Quarantine Rule (4:50 p.m. HK)
Italy will continue to require that arrivals from the U.K. quarantine for five days beyond July 31, even if they are vaccinated, a government spokesperson told Bloomberg.
It comes as the British government announced on Wednesday that it will recognize from Aug. 2 vaccination certificates issued in the European Union and ditch quarantine for most European arrivals.
Astra to File for U.S. License This Autumn (4:50 p.m. HK)
AstraZeneca plans to file an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the next two to three months, Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot said in a Bloomberg TV interview Thursday. Astra hopes to get approval “relatively quickly,” he added.
Covid Hits Europe’s Soccer Market (3:56 p.m. HK)
The European soccer market contracted for the first time since the financial crisis in the 2019/2020 season, as the coronavirus pandemic disrupted some of the region’s biggest competitions. Revenue fell 13% to 25.2 billion euros ($29.9 billion) as matches were postponed or canceled amid social distancing measures, according to a report from Deloitte.
Burundi Capitulates on Vaccines (3:56 p.m. HK)
Burundi will allow the World Bank to arrange for Covid-19 vaccines to be delivered in the country, leaving Eritrea as the sole nation on the continent resisting the shots. The east Africa nation has registered only 6,715 cases and nine deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
Tokyo Finds Record Case Tally (3:51 p.m. HK)
Tokyo found a third consecutive record daily coronavirus case tally of 3,865 on Thursday. The data were released after organizers of the Tokyo Olympics found 24 new cases related to the event, three among them athletes.
Beijing Adds Another Local Case (2:42 p.m. HK)
Beijing reported its second confirmed local case since Wednesday, breaking a six month streak of zero community infections in the Chinese capital. The two people, a couple, had returned from a trip to the central province of Hunan.
Israel Advises Booster Shots (2:25 p.m.)
A committee advising Israel’s Health Ministry on the pandemic recommended giving seniors a third dose of vaccine to help control the recent uptick in cases.
The “vast majority” of the committee was in agreement, although opinions differed over the minimum age for eligibility, ranging between 60 and 70 years old, according to a statement from the ministry on Thursday. The ministry’s director-general, Nachman Ash, will make a final decision on the booster shot in the coming days, the ministry said.
Australian Track Team Isolates (12:58 p.m. HK)
Australia’s Olympic track and field team has gone into isolation as a precaution after an athlete may have been exposed to a confirmed case from a rival team, Channel Seven news in Australia reported Thursday. The move comes after U.S. officials said pole vaulter Sam Kendricks had tested positive to Covid-19 and won’t compete in the Games.
Thailand Cuts GDP Growth Forecast (12:26 p.m. HK)
Thailand’s Ministry of Finance cut its forecast for economic growth in 2021 to 1.3% from 2.3%, as the country battles political tensions and surging infections that have dimmed prospects for a tourism revival. The economy contracted 6.1% last year, the most in more than two decades.
Germany Demands Fair U.S. Travel Rules (12 p.m. HK)
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government charged President Joe Biden’s administration with hampering German business interests by continuing to restrict European travelers from entering the U.S.
The rules have caused tensions because the European Union has opened its doors to Americans, and it’s time for the U.S. to do the same, according to Peter Beyer, the transatlantic coordinator for Merkel’s government. England has also dropped some of its rules with visitors from the U.S. who have received two shots no longer required to self-isolate.
Sydney Tightens Curbs (9:26 a.m. HK)
Sydney’s delta-outbreak cases reached a new peak even as the city nears the end of its fifth week under strict stay-at-home orders, triggering authorities to implement further restrictions and penalties to enforce compliance.
New South Wales, Australia’s biggest state economy, recorded 239 new cases Thursday — the highest tally since this outbreak started in Sydney in mid-June.
Disney to Mandate Masks at Theme Parks (9:23 a.m. HK)
Walt Disney Co. is requiring masks again at its theme parks in Florida and California, a response to surging cases of the new delta variant, joining other companies in reinstating mask mandates after new guidance from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Vietnam Outbreak Seen Lasting Months (9:09 a.m. HK)
Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding provinces estimate it may take months to contain the region’s worst Covid-19 outbreak, the government website reported, citing Deputy Premier Vu Duc Dam.
Eleven of 12 Mekong Delta provinces followed Ho Chi Minh City by imposing night curfews, Tuoi Tre newspaper reported. Multiple localities, including Ho Chi Minh City, have put in place stay-home orders.
Twitter Closes Offices Again (8:32 a.m. HK)
Twitter Inc. is closing its newly reopened offices in San Francisco and New York and indefinitely postponing other reopening plans, the New York Times reported.
Twitter made no announcement about when it would allow employees to return and the decision was made after the company considered the latest advice from the CDC, the newspaper said.
Lyft Postpones Office Return Date (6:08 a.m. HK)
Lyft Inc. postponed the date for employees to return to most of its offices by six months, saying in an email to staff on Wednesday that it now expects employees to return on Feb. 2. Offices will remain open for employees who want to come in, and company will require those currently working there to be vaccinated started Aug. 2.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2021 Bloomberg L.P.
