Covid stay information: Pfizer expects medical knowledge for beneath 5s in April; Italy to mandate vaccines for over 50s

Australian prime minister Scott Morrison is holding a press convention, at which he’s given extra particulars on the case of the world’s No.1 ranked male tennis participant, Novak Djokovic, who is because of be deported after his visa was rejected. Morrison advised reporters:

On the problem of Mr Djokovic, guidelines are guidelines. And there aren’t any particular instances, guidelines are guidelines. It’s what I mentioned yesterday, that’s the coverage of the federal government … stronger border safety insurance policies, and notably in relation to the pandemic.

He additionally mentioned Djokovic couldn’t show the medical exemption he claimed he had:

It’s on them to have the proof to indicate why they might not must be vaccinated. He was unable to furnish that proof to Border Power officers on the airport final evening and they’re the principles and it occurs on many events and that’s what has now occurred.

He additionally denied that Djokovic had been subjected to harassment (Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić claimed earlier that he was).

For extra on Morrison and Djokovic, head over to our Australian stay information weblog, the place Tory Shepherd has extra:

Pfizer Inc expects the newest outcomes from a medical trial for youths beneath the age of 5 of the Covid-19 vaccine it developed with Germany’s BioNTech SE by April, a high firm scientist has mentioned in response to Reuters.

“The research has been amended to present a 3rd dose to everyone who’s lower than 5 at the very least eight weeks after their final vaccination,” Dr Alejandra Gurtman, a Pfizer vaccine researcher mentioned at a gathering of the US Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

She mentioned the corporate goals to have knowledge for the age group by the tip of March or the start of April.

In December, Pfizer mentioned it was altering the design of the trial as a result of kids between the ages of two and 4 who got two 3-microgram doses of the vaccine didn’t have the identical immune response {that a} bigger dose of the vaccine generated in older kids.

Gurtman additionally mentioned the corporate was finding out a 3rd dose of its vaccine in kids ages 5 to 11, six months after their second dose.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is authorised in the USA for individuals aged 5 and older. On Wednesday, ACIP backed booster pictures of the vaccine for ages 12 to fifteen.

Good morning and welcome to the Guardian’s rolling protection of the coronavirus pandemic with me, Helen Livingstone.

Pfizer has mentioned it expects the newest outcomes from its Covid vaccine medical trial for kids beneath the age of 5 – which is able to embrace booster pictures – by April. Dr Alejandra Gurtman, a Pfizer vaccine researcher, mentioned the corporate might even have knowledge for the age group by the tip of March.

Italy has made it obligatory for individuals aged 50 or extra to be vaccinated towards Covid-19 because the nation scrambles to ease strain on hospitals and cut back deaths amid a dramatic surge in infections.

Novak Djokovic’s makes an attempt to compete on the Australian Open this month are over after the No 1-ranked male tennis participant was advised his visa has been rejected. He is because of be flown out of Melbourne on Thursday amid a spiralling outcry over his controversial “medical exemption” agreed by the match’s organisers.

Right here’s what else has been taking place over the previous 24 hours:

• Report rises in every day Covid instances have been reported in at the very least seven nations on Wednesday because the Omicron variant continues to unfold. They have been: France – 332,252; Portugal – 39,570; Turkey – 66,467; Italy – 189,109; Sweden – 17,320; the Netherlands – 24,000 and Israel – 11,978.
• The French parliament suspended debate on a brand new Covid regulation as opposition lawmakers demanded explanations from President Emmanuel Macron about feedback wherein he mentioned he needed to “piss off” unvaccinated individuals.
• This yr’s Grammy awards, set to happen on 31 January, have been postponed on account of the pandemic. In an announcement, organisers mentioned: “The well being and security of these in our music group, the stay viewers and the lots of of people that work tirelessly to supply our present stays our high precedence.”
• Germany is contemplating shortening self-isolation durations over fears that important companies might grind to a halt, in response to well being ministry plan. Staff in important sectors, akin to hospitals or electrical energy suppliers, would be capable to finish their isolation after 5 days, offered they get a destructive PCR check, beneath the draft proposals.
• The Czech authorities has shortened the quarantine interval for Covid optimistic individuals from seven days to 5. The federal government additionally accepted blanket testing in firms, efficient from 17 January.
• The president of Poland has examined optimistic for coronavirus for a second time, after a number of individuals round him have been contaminated. Andrzej Duda beforehand caught Covid in October 2020.
• Mozambique president Filipe Nyusi’s PCR outcomes got here again destructive for Covid-19 after Nyusi and his spouse Isaura examined optimistic through speedy assessments days earlier, the president’s workplace mentioned on Wednesday.
• Pre-departure assessments for individuals travelling to England are to be scrapped. Boris Johnson introduced that the requirement could be lifted from 4am on Friday, together with the necessity for travellers to self-isolate on arrival till they obtain a destructive PCR check end result.
• The president of Israel, Isaac Herzog, has turn into the primary world chief to get a fourth Covid jab. On Monday Israel turned the primary nation on the planet to embark on a fourth Covid-19 vaccination marketing campaign beginning with these over 60.