Overseas vaccine news
US President Joe Biden has celebrated the 50 millionth dose of a COVID-19 vaccine being delivered since he took office.
One of Mr Biden’s key campaign promises was to deliver 100 million shots in his first 100 days in office, and he said the country made it halfway there within 37 days.
“At first critics said that goal was too ambitious no one could do that. Then they said it was too small, but the bottom line though is that America will be the first country perhaps the only one to get that done. And today I’m here to report we’re halfway there. Fifty million shots in just thirty-seven days since I become President.“
In other overseas vaccine news, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the EU must prepare to vaccinate for new COVID-19 variants over the coming years after EU leaders discussed ways of stepping up inoculations.
The 27 EU leaders have agreed to keep tight restrictions on public life and free movement in place, as the bloc races against the emergence of new strains.