The pandemic has killed more than 2 million people around the world.
In France, the hypothesis of a third confinement is still brandished by the authorities, while the European Union asks everyone to limit their trips.
Read also: Sixth dose of Pfizer vaccine: how the good news became a trap
In France, the threat of a third confinement still looms
The specter of a third reconfinement still hangs over France in the face of new, more contagious variants of the virus, while the executive has defended its much maligned vaccination campaign.
If the situation worsens, in particular with a development of the “
English variant
” of the virus, which is much more contagious, “
we could have to take harsher measures, it could go as far as confinement if the situation were to require it
”, repeated the Minister of Health Olivier Véran at the "20 hours" of TF1.
But "
we are not there today
", assured the Minister, wishing "to
give a chance to work
" to the curfew now advanced to 6 pm throughout the territory and which has allowed a drop in the incidence. epidemic in the 15 departments where the measure was applied from the beginning of January.
France requests 72-hour PCR test from European travelers, EU calls for travel restrictions
France will from Sunday ask for a negative PCR test of less than 72 hours from travelers coming from European Union countries.
Read also: Covid-19: a negative PCR test will be mandatory for all European travelers arriving in France
The European Union has called for avoiding non-essential travel between the countries of the bloc to face the threat of new variants of the coronavirus, deeming the health situation "
very serious
", at the end of a summit of Twenty-Seven by videoconference Thursday.
The United States returns to the WHO
Taking the exact opposite view of Donald Trump, the new American administration made its big comeback Thursday to the WHO, assuring it of its financial support and saluting its role as a leader in the fight against the pandemic.
At the same time, Joe Biden promised a mobilization as "
in time of war
" in the face of Covid-19.
By signing a series of ten executive orders, he announced that anyone arriving by plane in the United States should test negative on arrival and "
observe quarantine
."
He also made it compulsory to wear a mask in federal buildings.
Japan wants to toughen its measures
The Japanese government on Friday approved two bills aimed at strengthening the effectiveness of restrictive measures to fight the coronavirus, which would, if adopted as is, allow the imposition of fines and even prison terms on the refractory.
Just six months before the scheduled opening of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, postponed last year, part of Japan, including its capital, is living at the time of the state of emergency declared in early January in the face of the sharp upsurge in Covid-19 cases.
But, unlike the measures taken in other countries, the authorities' appeals to the population to limit their outings and to bars and restaurants to close earlier in the evening do not, for the moment, be accompanied by any sanction in the event of non-compliance. respect.
Tokyo Olympics this summer, ensures the IOC but no carnival in Rio this year
President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach is confident that the Tokyo Olympics will go ahead as planned this summer.
“
There is no plan B,
” he said.
Eighty percent of Japanese are opposed to hosting the Olympics this year, according to a poll.
The mayor of Rio de Janeiro has meanwhile announced that his city is giving up organizing its famous Carnival in 2021, which samba schools still hoped to be able to celebrate in July.
Moscow relaxes measures,
Madrid suspends vaccination of healthcare workers
The mayor of Moscow eases measures against the coronavirus on Friday, arguing the success of the vaccination campaign, now extended to the entire population: colleges, kindergartens, sports schools, museums and libraries will notably reopen.
The region of Madrid has announced for its part to temporarily suspend the administration of vaccines against Covid-19 to healthcare staff, citing a lack of doses for which it considers the Spanish government responsible.
More than 60 countries vaccinate
More than 54 million doses of the antiCovid-19 vaccine have been administered in at least 63 countries or territories, according to a count made by AFP from official sources on Thursday.
But access to vaccines is very uneven, 12 countries concentrating more than 90% of the doses injected.
Israel is by far the most advanced: more than a quarter of its population has already received at least one dose.
More than two million dead
The pandemic has killed more than 2.075 million people worldwide and more than 96.8 million cases of contamination have been diagnosed, according to a report established Thursday by AFP from official sources.
The United States is the country with the most deaths (409,667), followed by Brazil (214,147), India (152,869), Mexico (144,371) and the United Kingdom (93,290).
These figures are globally underestimated.
They are based on daily reports from national health authorities, without including reassessments based on statistical bases.
