Two doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine may be around 85% to 90% effective against symptomatic disease, Public Health England (PHE) said on Thursday, while cautioning that it did not yet have enough data to be conclusive.more
An army of internet trolls operating in the Netherlands is spreading false information about the coronavirus on social media. However, the police are helpless, explaining that they "cannot punish people for disinformation," inform the Dutch media.more
European Union legislators and member countries found a compromise Thursday for launching COVID-19 certificates before the height of the summer holiday season, a move aimed at boosting travel and tourism following the restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic.more
UK holidaymakers heading to Portugal who fail to wear a face mask on the beach, do not comply with social distancing, or play sport on busy sands could face a fine of up to €100 (£86), it has been reported.more
In May 2021, the world saw a reassuring decline in new cases of coronavirus infection, but the number of cases is still very high overall, with global statistics masking huge differences between countries and regions, reports The Conversation.more
Demand is returning fast in Britain for apartments and other city-centre property, which buyers had avoided during the coronavirus pandemic in favour of big houses in rural locations, a survey showed on Thursday.more
New York State adopts federal guidelines for people fully vaccinated against Covid-19. However, City Health Commissioner Dr. David Chokshi still recommends wearing face masks indoors.more
Several Italian regions insist on vaccinating tourists against Covid-19 with a second dose in locations where they will be on vacation, local press reports. The regional authorities want to do so despite the opposition of the pandemic commissioner, General Francesco Figliuolo.more
Prince William has confirmed he has had the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine. The Duke of Cambridge, 38, posted a photo on social media on Thursday morning, confirming he had the first dose on Tuesday.more
Flights from India are continuing to land in the UK despite surging cases of the variant first found in the country. Three planes potentially packed with passengers touched down at Heathrow Airport from Mumbai and Delhi early this morning - 26 days after India was slapped on the red list.more
Slovakia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivan Korczok, announced today that his country will join Central European countries that recognize each other's national vaccination certificates when they cross the border. However, he admitted that there is no uniform confirmation of vaccination in Slovakia so far.more
The rising number of infections with the Indian coronavirus variant in the UK does not necessarily translate into higher hospitalizations and deaths, said Health Minister Matt Hancock, arguing that the government's strategy was effective.more
A Government minister has hinted that more holiday destinations could be added to England’s ‘green list’, in a boost for those hoping for summer getaways.more
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned people should not be holidaying in amber list countries, after a minister said people could go and visit friends.more
Now that holidays abroad have not been strongly discouraged since May 15, many people in the Netherlands want to book a summer holiday as soon as possible. Research shows that more than half of the holidaymakers opt for a holiday in their own country.more
A nurse who cared for Boris Johnson when he was in intensive care with Covid has quit the NHS and criticised the government's handling of the pandemic and nurses' pay.more
In Italy, there was a second case of mistakenly administering four doses of Pfizer instead of one in a matter of days, Ansa said. It happened again in Tuscany, and a quadruple dose was given to a 67-year-old woman in good health.more
Austria will resign from vaccination with AstraZeneca, informed Health Minister Wolfgang Mueckstein. "We will probably vaccinate with this preparation until the beginning of June, and then the end. We will give up AstraZeneka" - he added in an interview for Puls 24 television.more
The bosses of British Airways and London's Heathrow Airport urged the UK government on Monday to open up more routes for travel, including to the United States, and to simplify the testing hurdles needed to fly.more
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that there is currently nothing to determine that due to the emergence of the Indian variant of the coronavirus, plans to lift the restrictions in June must be abandoned.more
