Covid-19 Vaccination drive: India to pick 300m first
Curfew, new curbs come into force in France, UK
India yesterday began to identify about 300 million people who would be given Covid-19 vaccine first when it is ready as millions of Europeans faced tough new coronavirus restrictions due to spiraling second wave of infections.
Globally the novel coronavirus has killed at least 1,105,691 people since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to a tally prepared by AFP. At least 39,368,710 cases have been registered.
On Friday, 6,118 new deaths and 403,629 new cases were recorded worldwide.
The Times of India said that frontline health and sanitation workers, police officials and elderly people with co-morbidities will get the vaccine on priority. The plan, which is still in the draft stage, aims to cover 23% of the population in the first phase. The final plan is likely to be ready by end October-November, the report said. The selected individuals will be given an estimated 600 million doses.
In France, about 20 million people in Paris and several other French cities were facing the start of a 9 pm-6 am curfew after the country on Thursday saw a new high of 30,000 cases in 24 hours. The move will last at least a month.
In Britain, restrictions are being ramped up with bans on indoor meetings between members of different households in London and several other English cities.
About 28 million people -- half of the population of England -- are now subject to tight social restrictions.
Elsewhere in Europe, Poland, the Czech Republic and Belgium all announced daily record caseloads.