The White House announced Tuesday new measures to increase the rate of vaccinations against COVID-19, including distributing vaccines to select pharmacies across the country. “Building on last week’s announcement, the Biden-Harris Administration will increase overall, weekly vaccine supply to states, Tribes, and territories to 10.5-million doses nationwide beginning this week,” a statement from the White House said, noting that this constitutes a 22% increase in vaccine supply since President Joe Biden took office January 20. The statement also said the federal government would reimburse states and territories for supplies like masks and …

Britain has launched an emergency program of door-to-door testing in several parts of the country, following the discovery of numerous cases of the coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa. Scientists say the variant could be more resistant to vaccines, as Henry Ridgwell reports from London. Camera: Henry Ridgwell      …

Nigerian authorities are pledging to provide more protection for health care workers following an increase in COVID-19 cases among the group.   Chikwe Ihekweazu, director-general of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, said Monday the positive coronavirus test of 75 health care workers in the past week is worrisome.   Ihkekweazu is urging health care personnel to exercise caution and suspect COVID-19 in every case until it is ruled out.  He warned that even then the risk of infection still exists.      Ihekweazu also said the NCDC will soon make …

South Africa’s president delivered a rare shot of good news to people in the continent’s coronavirus hotspot: the nation’s second wave appears to be abating, and the government will soon launch a vaccination campaign for health workers. The Monday address, delivered live on national television, was a departure from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s usual tone. For nearly a year, Ramaphosa has the been the bearer of grim news, talking of deaths, rising caseloads and burdened hospitals, of lockdowns and restrictions and of endless reminders, like a chiding father, reminding people to wear …

Nigerian authorities are pledging to provide more protection for healthcare workers following an increase in COVID-19 cases among the group.   Chikwe Ihekweazu, director-general of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control  Ihekweazu, said Monday the positive coronavirus test of 75 healthcare workers in the past week is worrisome.   Ihkekweazu is urging healthcare personnel to exercise caution and suspect COVID-19 in every case until it is ruled out.  He warned even then, the risk of infection still exits.      Ihekweazu also said the NCDC will soon make available rapid …

The head of the Tokyo Olympics expressed confidence Tuesday the event will go forward this year despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori said discussions should be about how and not whether the Olympics will happen. “We will hold the Olympics, regardless of how the coronavirus [situation] looks,” Mori said. The Summer Games were originally scheduled to begin in July 2020, but organizers postponed the event for one year.  The new start date is July 23. FILE – A man wearing a protective mask to help curb the spread of the coronavirus …

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said medical regulators will begin testing the integrity of the country’s first batch of AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 before vaccinating front line healthcare workers. He made the comment during a national address late Monday, hours after he and other dignitaries accepted 1.2 million doses of vaccine that arrived at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport Monday afternoon. President Ramaphosa said after healthcare workers get their shots the country aims to vaccinate essential workers, people over 60 years of age, people with co-morbidities and those living in places such as nursing homes. The remainder of the adult population will get their shots in the third phase of the vaccination program. South Africa is the African nation hardest hit by the …