Pfizer vaccine approved in Europe // New coronavirus strain: Only citizens and residents can fly from UK to Portugal
Portuguese news in English on December 21, 2020.
By the numbers
Not since October 20 have so few new cases been confirmed in one day and we haven’t seen so few deaths (although 57 is still a lot) since early November. The other indicators seem to be slowly tracking in the right direction as well, as you can see in the graph below. Nationally, the 14-day per capita infection rate has dipped just below 500 by my calculations, also for the first time since early November. It’s not all good news though, the risk of exposure is still considered very high and it’s more than a month since there were so many extra covid-19 patients in hospital and intensive care from one day to another.
Pfizer vaccine approved in Europe
Pfizer’s covid-19 vaccine today becomes the first to be approved for use in Europe, opening the door for vaccinations in Portugal and the other 26 countries in the European Union, Público reports. The European Commission should approve the vaccine rollout later today, after the European Medicines Agency recommended a “conditional marketing authorisation”. An assessment report should be available on the EMA website within days, with clinical trial data from Pfizer and partner BioNTech to follow. The agency has an easy-to-understand FAQs page for the vaccine, which is called Comirnaty and will be given by two injections at least 21 days apart. Francisco Ramos, coordinator of Portugal’s national vaccine taskforce, says vaccinations will start across the EU on December 27, 28 and 29, Público reports. He says if all goes well it will be possible to achieve herd immunity (60–70% vaccinated) by summer and argues wealthier countries in Europe and around the world, including Portugal, should buy more dose than they need and help distribute them to poorer countries. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted on Saturday to authorise the Moderna vaccine, which the EMA expects to announce a decision about on January 6.
New coronavirus strain: Only citizens and residents can fly from UK to Portugal
Portugal has joined several other European countries in placing severe restrictions on travel from the UK in response to a new strain of the coronavirus, Público reports. The move, which means only Portuguese citizens and residents with proof of a negative covid-19 test can fly into the country, came into force at midnight, just four hours after it was announced and has no specified end date. Anyone without a test will be tested in the airport on arrival and must stay in isolation (it’s not specified where) until given the all clear by health authorities. Many European countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Belgium, have taken similar steps.
What do we know about the new strain?
There is no shortage written about this strain in English-speaking media (and many other languages as well) so I won’t go into too much detail. But in brief, the UK government has partly blamed an increase in cases in England’s south on a new strain of the coronavirus. Viruses mutate all the time and thousands of SARS-CoV-2 variants have already been found, the vast majority of which don’t have any real effect. Countries are reacting to this new strain, N501Y, with caution after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, citing modelling from the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group, said it appeared to be as much as 70% more contagious. It’s not believed to be more deadly. The Guardian reports European experts are reacting cautiously, saying much more data are needed to draw firm conclusions about whether the new variant is spreading faster. “The question is: is this virus being boosted by a coming new wave in the region concerned [south-east England], or is this virus responsible for creating this wave in the first place? That’s an important difference,” leading German virologist Christian Drosten said. MIT Technology Review has a deeper look here and Nature has a good explanation of virus mutations from back in September, if you’re interested.
Not yet detected in Portugal
Portugal’s Doctor Ricardo Jorge National Health Institute is yet to identify the new strain circulating in Portugal, Público reports. Of course, that doesn’t mean that it’s not here, just that none of the samples sent to INSA for genomic sequencing have been exposed to the new strain. For its part, the World Health Organisation told the BBC in English, there was no evidence to suggest the new variant would react differently to vaccines. While viruses can mutate significantly enough to outgrow protections offered by vaccines (this is why you need a new flu vaccine every year, it’s still too early to know whether that could be the case here.
The European Union’s 27 member nations are meeting today to discuss the new starin and coordinate a response, Público reports. According to the BBC, no decisions are expected there until tomorrow.
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In brief
Young musician Gastão Reis found dead after Lisbon building collapse Five people were injured in the explosion, thought to have been caused by a gas leak, including the bass player’s father. (Blitz)
First three months of return to classroom learning given "very positive" grade. One positive above all others was that schools didn’t have to shut again. (Diário de Notícias)
On a lighter note
It’s called the “Christmas Star”, even though it’s not really a star, or even a single “it”. Tonight, just after sunset, Jupiter and Saturn will appear closer together in the night sky than any time since 1226, Diário de Notícias reports. Given the time of year, the planetary dance, which will appear as one “star” to the naked eye, is drawing obvious comparisons to the Christmas Star or Star of Bethlehem said to have guided the three wise men to Jesus. Oh, it’s also the winter solstice today, which is another fun coincidence. Pedro Garcia from the Santana Astronomical Observatory in the Azores says the phenomena will be better observed with a telescope but can be seen with the naked eye in a sky with very little noise pollution and clear weather. He says the planets should be closest about 6.30pm (on the continent) in roughly the same location as where the sun sets, but recommends watching from as early as 4.30pm.
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