Latest News Live Updates: India began its COVID-19 vaccination drive on January 16
India added 14,545 coronavirus cases on Friday, placing its overall number at 1.06 crore cases, the Health Ministry’s data showed. The number of fresh infections reported on Sunday were 4 per cent lower than on Thursday.
Nearly 10.5 lakh beneficiaries have received anti-coronavirus shots under the countrywide COVID-19 vaccination exercise as on date, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday. In a span of 24 hours, 2,37,050 people were vaccinated across 4,049 sessions. A total of 18,167 sessions have been conducted so far. On the testing front too, India continues to register growing numbers, the ministry said.
India began its COVID-19 vaccination drive on January 16. The country is also undertaking contractual supplies of coronavirus vaccines to Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Brazil, Morocco, Bangladesh and Myanmar, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.
MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that India has so far sent consignments of coronavirus vaccines under grant assistance to Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Seychelles.
Here are the LIVE Updates:
New York state runs out of Covid-19 vaccines: Governor
New York state was to run out of coronavirus vaccines on Friday, Governor Andrew Cuomo said, increasing pressure on President Joe Biden’s administration to speed up deliveries.
“NYS will use up our first dose vaccine allocations today. But our next allocation is coming throughout the week,” Cuomo wrote on Twitter.
“Providers should ONLY schedule appointments for allocations they know they’ll receive. We want to avoid all cancelations,” he added.
Biden took office this week with a pledge to reenergize America’s faltering vaccination program.
Spain records 42,885 new COVID-19 cases, regions tightening curbs
The Spanish Health Ministry on Friday reported 42,885 new COVID-19 cases and 400 deaths in a 24-hour period. The increases lift the country’s total number of cases to 2,499,560 and the deaths to 55,441 since the pandemic began.
Spain’s 17 Autonomous Regions continue to tighten restrictions in a bid to slow the rise in cases. The Madrid region announced Friday that it was bringing forward its nighttime curfew by an hour to between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Bars, restaurants and non-essential businesses will now have to close at 9 p.m., while the number of people allowed to sit at the same table is reduced from 6 to 4. All meetings between non-cohabitants in homes will be prohibited until at least Feb. 8.
Florida to require proof of residence for Covid vaccines
Florida will require proof of residence for those getting a Covid shot in a push to thwart so-called “vaccine tourism,” a move experts say could also leave thousands of undocumented immigrants, homeless and low-income people in the lurch.
The decision came after residents of other states and even people from abroad were reportedly arriving in Florida — which currently vaccinates anyone over age 65 — with an aim of gaining easier access to immunization.
While the state has administered more than 1.3 million doses, the process has been slow and chaotic.
In a public advisory issued Thursday, Florida’s Surgeon General Scott Rivkees indicated that applicants must show proof of residence — such as driver’s license, utility bill or letter from a bank — in order to be immunized.
