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A lab technician oversees filling and packaging tests for the large-scale manufacture and delivery of Oxford University’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate AZD1222, which was conducted on a high-performance aseptic vial filling line in Catalent, Anagni, Italy on September 11, 2020.

Vincenzo Pinto | AFP | Getty Images

LONDON – The coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford is expected to be approved for use in the UK in the coming days.

The Financial Times reported Sunday that government officials confirmed that the drug and health products regulator will immediately approve the vaccine, saying the announcement could be made as early as Tuesday. The Sunday Telegraph reported that approval could come as early as Monday as health care workers prepare to manage the shots.

The regulator was on the move, however, and the UK Department of Health told Reuters it should be given time to properly evaluate the data from the vaccine trials.

Cabinet Secretary Michael Gove didn’t reveal anything in media interviews Monday morning either, but said his approval could expedite the lifting of strict bans in the country that have effectively canceled Christmas celebrations for many millions.

Around 30,500 infections and 316 deaths were recorded daily in the UK on Sunday. However, these numbers could be underestimated due to delays in reporting. Cases in London and the south of England have increased, increasing pressure on hospitals. A new variant of the coronavirus in the UK is reportedly more transferable and has resulted in travel restrictions for people trying to leave the country.

The AstraZeneca shot is expected to be launched next week, if approved in the next few days, and will be added to the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, which according to government statistics has so far been administered 600,000 in the UK.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca candidate would allow the country to significantly speed up its vaccination program given its development in the UK. It’s also a lot cheaper than others and doesn’t need to be kept at extremely low temperatures.

Earlier this month, Dr. Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of the medical journal The Lancet, told CNBC that the vaccine could be used more effectively than others around the world.

“The Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine is currently the vaccine that can immunize the planet more effectively and faster than any other vaccine we have,” said Horton, adding that it is important to think about vaccine vaccination on a global scale ” Because even if we immunize a country, the threat is that you will reintroduce the virus from another country that is not protected. “

Confusion over November trial dates led to criticism of AstraZeneca in the UK. The data suggest that the vaccine may help reduce the spread of Covid-19 and prevent disease and death. The study also found an efficacy of 62% for subjects who were given two full doses, but 90% for a subgroup who were given half a dose followed by a full dose.

White House Operation Warp Speed ​​chief Moncef Slaoui and others in the US expressed concern about the age group tested, saying the 90% effectiveness was only shown for the lowest risk group, the 2,741 people counted under 55 years of age.

Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca, said the pharmaceutical company will conduct an additional global study to evaluate the effectiveness of its vaccine. Soriot told The Times newspaper this weekend that he believed subsequent data would show that his company had achieved an effectiveness rate of over 90%, on par with the others.

“We think we figured out the formula for success and figured out how to get effectiveness that is everyone else’s after two doses,” he said. “I can’t tell you more because we will publish at some point.”

He added that AstraZeneca believes the vaccine will be effective against the new strain of coronavirus, but ran tests to confirm it.

– CNBC’s Sam Meredith contributed to this article.

Two men paint graffiti by frontline workers on a wall during the coronavirus pandemic in Mumbai, India.

Imtiyaz Shaikh | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

SINGAPORE – The Covid-19 pandemic has dragged the global economy into one of the worst recessions ever, and it is not yet clear when a full recovery will occur.

Recent advances in coronavirus vaccines have brightened the economic outlook, but some economists said a potentially slow roll-out of vaccines in developing countries could hinder activity from returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Even in advanced economies, economists believe re-lockdowns in Europe to prevent infections from resurrecting could slow economic recovery.

“The vaccine discovery is a shot in the arm, but not until 2022,” Citi economists said in a report in early December. Still, there will be a “significant improvement” in the global economy in 2021, also because “it’s not difficult to be better than 2020,” they said.

Sharp decrease in activity

The rapid spread of Covid, which was first detected in China, forced many countries into months of lockdowns in 2020, which significantly reduced economic activity.

As a result, gross domestic product – the broadest measure of activity – fell to record lows in many economies.

The International Monetary Fund predicted that the global economy could contract 4.4% this year before climbing back to 5.2% in 2021. The IMF said in October the global economy had started to recover but warned of a return to pre-pandemic levels. “long, uneven and insecure.”

Travel restrictions remain in place

A key feature of coronavirus lockdowns around the world is the total or partial closure of borders, which stalled much of international travel.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, by November 1, more than 150 countries and areas had eased travel restrictions related to Covid.

However, according to the UNWTO, many restrictions remain in place to limit movement across borders. This contains:

• Open borders only to visitors of certain nationalities or from certain destinations;
• Asking visitors to submit a negative Covid test before being allowed to enter the country;
• Asking visitors to quarantine or self-isolate upon arrival.

The loss of jobs is accelerating

A major consequence of the economic slump caused by the pandemic is an increase in global job losses.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, an intergovernmental entity, said that in some countries the early impact of Covid-19 on labor markets was “ten times greater than in the early months of the 2008 global financial crisis”.

“At-risk workers bear the brunt of the crisis. Low-wage workers were key to ensuring the maintenance of essential services during the lockdown, often at significant risk of exposure to the virus while on the job,” the OECD said in a report.

“They have also suffered major job or income losses.”

The national debt is increasing

Governments have increased their spending to protect jobs and support workers. Globally, government measures to cushion the economic setback from the pandemic totaled $ 12 trillion, the IMF said in October.

Such staggering spending has pushed the world’s public debt to an all-time high – but governments shouldn’t withdraw fiscal support too soon, the fund said.

“With many workers still unemployed, small businesses struggling and 80 to 90 million people likely to find themselves in extreme poverty by 2020 as a result of the pandemic – even after additional welfare – it is too early for governments to remove the exceptional support. “said IMF.

Central banks intervene

Central banks have also helped the economy by cutting interest rates – many to record lows – to help governments manage their debts.

The US Federal Reserve, whose policies affect economies around the world, cut interest rates to near zero and pledged not to raise them until inflation exceeds its 2% target.

Central banks in advanced economies – including the Fed and the European Central Bank – have also increased their asset purchases in order to put more money into the financial system. This is also being done by an increasing number of emerging market central banks looking for ways to support their pandemic-hit economies.

Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine is pictured at Rady Children’s Hospital before being returned to the refrigerator on December 15, 2020 in San Diego, California.

Adriana Drehsler | AFP | Getty Images

The doses of the coronavirus vaccine may have been mistakenly received and distributed in parts of New York, the state’s top doctor said on Saturday.

Dr. Howard Zucker, commissioner for the state Department of Health, said his office had received reports that the ParCare Community Health Network had “fraudulently” received the vaccine and transferred it to “facilities in other parts of the state.”

The vaccine doses, allegedly diverted for “members of the public”, circumvent the state’s plan to give priority to vaccination for frontline health professionals and residents of long-term care facilities, Zucker said. New York’s first introduction of the vaccine was still limited to hospitals and nursing homes.

The ParCare Community Health Network – identified by the state as a provider in Orange County – serves offices in a number of neighborhoods in Brooklyn and the Upper East Side.

On December 16, the company offered “first come, first served” doses of the vaccine via a social media post on Facebook. The job included a registration form for the elderly, those at high risk, and those with underlying medical conditions.

A week later, ParCare posted photos of the Moderna vaccine on Twitter, saying the company had received thousands of doses.

The DOH said it would not comment beyond Zucker’s Saturday statement.

“We take this very seriously and DOH will assist the state police in a criminal investigation into the matter. Anyone who knowingly participated in this program will be held accountable to the full extent of the law,” Zucker said in a press release on Saturday.

A statement from ParCare confirmed the Ministry of Health’s investigation and ensured cooperation during the state investigation.

“In these unprecedented times, we have strived to provide critical health services and deliver COVID-19 vaccinations to those qualified under guidelines from the New York State Department of Health, which includes frontline health workers and first responders “says the statement. partially.

In late October, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a partnership with ParCare to increase the availability of rapid tests at multiple locations in Borough Park and Williamsburg.

Gal Gadot plays Wonder Woman in “Wonder Woman 1984”.

Warner bros.

“Wonder Woman 1984” hit theaters on Christmas Day and secured the highest box office opening of any domestic film since the coronavirus pandemic crippled the entertainment industry.

On Sunday, Warner Bros. announced that the film was worth $ 16.7 million in the United States and Canada. The movie’s box office hit prompted the studio to accelerate a third installment in the Wonder Woman franchise, the company said. It is written and directed by Patty Jenkins who directed the two previous films.

Internationally, the film has raised nearly $ 70 million since its debut in overseas markets last week.

The sequel to “Wonder Woman” debuted in theaters and on AT & T’s HBO Max streaming service that same day.

The company said nearly half of its subscribers watched “Wonder Woman 1984” on Christmas Day. At the beginning of December, the streaming service had around 12.6 million customers.

“Wonder Woman 1984 broke records in the first 24 hours of service and exceeded our expectations for all major ad and subscriber metrics. The interest and momentum we’re seeing suggest this is likely well beyond the weekend will continue, “said Andy Forssell, executive vice president and general manager of WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer division. “In these very difficult times, it was nice to give families the opportunity to enjoy this uplifting movie at home where going to the theater wasn’t an option.”

Private watch parties and large format screens like IMAX and Dolby were the most popular way for moviegoers to watch the movie over the vacation weekend, the company said.

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