What you need to know about the coronavirus right now
01/11/2021 05:09
Nov 2 (Reuters) - Here's what you need to know about the
coronavirus right now:
Japan eases border curbs
Japan confirmed on Tuesday plans to gradually ease COVID-19
border curbs, but fell short of demands by business lobbies to
open up in line with major trading partners.
In relaxing its controls, Japan will take a phased approach,
chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters,
responding to media reports that quarantine periods for business
travellers would be cut to three days from 10.
The easing could start next Monday, while daily limits on
the numbers of border entrants would be raised to 5,000 people
later this month from 3,500, national broadcaster NHK said.
urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2RT03Z
U.S. CDC advisers to vote on vaccine in young children
The United States could begin administering Pfizer and
BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5 to 11 as soon as
Wednesday after a panel of outside experts votes on Tuesday on
how broadly the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) should recommend its use in the age group.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use
authorization of the vaccine in the age group on Friday, but CDC
Director Rochelle Walensky must make her recommendations before
it can be rolled out. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2RS0P6
Dutch weigh vaccine boosters as cases surge
Dutch health authorities are to decide on Tuesday whether to
recommend vaccine booster shots for adults, while the government
weighs a new package of restrictions, amid the latest surge in
new infections.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte is expected to announce new
measures at a press conference slated for 1800GMT.
Measures under consideration include the reintroduction of
face masks in some settings, asking those who are able to work
from home to do so more often, and broader use of the country's
proof-of-vaccination "corona pass" currently used to gain
admittance to bars and restaurants. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2RT2V1
Restrictions in Sydney to ease weeks ahead of schedule
Australia's biggest city will lift more curbs for vaccinated
residents ahead of schedule next week, while delaying freedoms
it has promised for unvaccinated Sydneysiders as officials aim
to boost inoculations.
Vaccinated people in the harbour city of around 5 million
will be allowed unlimited numbers of guests in their homes from
Nov. 8.
Pubs and clubs will also be able to accommodate more guests
and reopen dance floors, in changes that were initially planned
to come into force on Dec. 1. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2RT00Z
New Zealand seals off northern region
Authorities planned to seal off the northern tip of New
Zealand with police cordons on Tuesday, as they enforce a
lockdown in the region over fears of an undetected community
transmission of COVID-19 there.
Part of the Northland region, about 270 km (168 miles) from
the biggest city of Auckland, is to begin a level 3 lockdown
from midnight. The move follows two cases in the region that
lacked a link to any known cases. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2RT19D
Two UK COVID test makers pull devices due to new review
Two producers of COVID-19 tests in Britain said on Tuesday
they had pulled some of their tests from the market after a new
review system came into force, which has not yet granted
approval for their previously accepted products. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2RT2BH
(Compiled by Linda Noakes)