The latest on the coronavirus pandemic and vaccines

By Nectar Gan, Adam Renton, Tamara Qiblawi and Melissa Macaya, CNN

Updated 2119 GMT (0519 HKT) December 24, 2020
23 Posts
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7:37 a.m. ET, December 24, 2020

Over 567,000 Americans will have died from Covid-19 by April, key virus model predicts

From CNN Health's Jamie Gumbrecht

An update from an influential coronavirus model has upped its predictions of Covid-19 deaths in the US from 562,000 to 567,195 by April 1, 2021.

The impact of vaccines: 33,200 lives will be saved by a projected vaccine rollout, according to the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation model. A rapid rollout would save 45,000 lives.

Why masks are crucial: Mask wearing has increased to 74% in the US, but expanding mask wearing to 95% would reduce deaths by 49,000 by April 1.

If states ease coronavirus mandates, the model projects 731,000 deaths by April 1.

Even as daily deaths increase nationally, some states in the Midwest are seeing flat or declining cases or hospitalization, IHME notes.

“Daily deaths are expected to rise into mid-January and then begin declining if state governments impose mandates on gatherings, bar and restaurant openings, and other major locations for transmission,” the Institute of Health Metric and Evaluation (IHME) said.
“Daily deaths in the absence of concerted government action can reach over 5,000 by mid-February.”
7:01 a.m. ET, December 24, 2020

French Health Authority approves Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine

From Barbara Wojazer in Paris

French Health Minister Olivier Véran, right, looks at a box containing the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine while visiting a distribution center in Chanteloup-en-Brie, France, on December 22.
French Health Minister Olivier Véran, right, looks at a box containing the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine while visiting a distribution center in Chanteloup-en-Brie, France, on December 22. Geoffroy Van der Hasselt/Pool/AP

France's National Authority for Health has approved authorization for the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, according to a statement released on Thursday.

The Authority has confirmed that the vaccine “can be used for those aged 16 years old and above,” given its “satisfactory efficiency and safety profile.” 

The statement also confirmed the government’s strategy to prioritize high-risk members of the population, beginning with elderly people living in care homes. 

According to French Health Minister Olivier Véran, the vaccination process is expected to begin on Sunday in care homes across France, with vaccine deliveries expected to arrive on Saturday.

6:53 a.m. ET, December 24, 2020

French President Macron ends self-isolation

From Barbara Wojazer in Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the press in Paris on December 16.
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the press in Paris on December 16. Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images

French President Emmanuel Macron is no longer exhibiting coronavirus symptoms and will now be able to leave self-isolation, the Elysée has confirmed in a statement. 

“The President is no longer exhibiting covid symptoms,” the statement said. 

“In accordance with health protocols, the President’s self-isolation can end after seven days,” the statement added. 

Macron tested positive for coronavirus on December 17 after experiencing symptoms, but has continued to carry out his duties while in self-isolation.

According to the Elysée, President Macron “wishes happy holidays to the French people in such special times, and knows he can rely on each and every person to stand together” against the coronavirus.

6:49 a.m. ET, December 24, 2020

China suspends flights to and from the UK over new variant

Wang Wenbin, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, speaks at a briefing in Beijing on November 9.
Wang Wenbin, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, speaks at a briefing in Beijing on November 9. Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images

China has suspended flights to and from the United Kingdom due to the new coronavirus strain, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Thursday.

Speaking to reporters at the daily press briefing, Wang said:

"Considering the nature of the mutated virus and its possible impact, in order to ensure that Chinese people and people from foreign countries travel safe and sound, after much consideration, China has decided to follow the example of other countries and suspend flights to and from UK. China will closely monitor relevant developments and dynamically adjust control measures depending on the situation."

Outside the UK, this strain has been detected in countries such as Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Australia. A similar but separate variant also has been identified in South Africa.

6:39 a.m. ET, December 24, 2020

"I have not taken a day off since mid-January," says Fauci

From CNN Health's Lauren Mascarenhas

Dr. Anthony Fauci is pictured before receiving his first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine on December 22 in Bethesda, Maryland.
Dr. Anthony Fauci is pictured before receiving his first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine on December 22 in Bethesda, Maryland. Patrick Semansky/Pool/Getty Images

Dr. Anthony Fauci says he has worked 18 hours a day, seven days a week this year.

“I have not taken a day off since mid-January of this year,” Fauci told CNN Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.

Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that after months of working at this pace, the days begin to blur together.

“You just kind of have to dig deep and suck it up, because the problem itself is of such enormity that it just requires that you have to put a full effort into it,” Fauci said.

Fauci celebrates his 80th birthday Thursday, but says he will break with tradition and will not spend it with his three daughters.

“I really feel strongly that I need to practice what I preach to the country,” Fauci told CNN.

“I definitely feel sad,” Fauci said. “This is the first holiday season of Christmas and my birthday that I have not spent with my daughters since they were born.”

He said his family will make the most of it and is looking forward to better days ahead.

“Next year, hopefully at this time, we'll have a real in-person celebration with a lot of hugs, that we can't do right now,” Fauci said.

6:04 a.m. ET, December 24, 2020

Israel set to enter third coronavirus lockdown on Sunday

From CNN's Andrew Carey and Amir Tal in Jerusalem

Israel is set to go into its third lockdown Sunday as coronavirus numbers continue to climb.  

What the government describes as a "general closure" will last for two weeks and will be extended for a further fortnight if the infection rate (R) remains above 1 and if the number of new infections (N) remains above 1,000. 

Currently, the infection rate stands at 1.24, and the number of new cases has now exceeded 3,000 for several days.  

Under the new regulations -- which were announced early Thursday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Health Ministry -- people will be required to remain within one kilometer (0.5 to 0.6 miles) of their homes unless they are traveling to get a Covid-19 test or there are other exceptional circumstances. 

People will not be allowed to have guests stay over at their homes unless they are immediate family members. Public transport will be cut by 50%. Workplaces will be required to operate at 50% capacity unless they are dealing with customers face-to-face. 

Leisure and entertainment facilities will remain closed, and indoor gatherings will stay capped at a maximum of 10 people. Twenty people can gather together outdoors. 

Schools will remain open for children up to and including grade four, as well as for children in grades 11 and 12.

The new restrictions have been approved "in principle" by the government, a joint statement from the Health Ministry and Netanyahu’s office said, but will require final approval from the government before they go into effect.

5:47 a.m. ET, December 24, 2020

The pandemic forced her out of school. This is why she can’t go back

From CNN's Eliza Mackintosh

Bella, 19, began exchanging sex for cash after the pandemic dealt a blow to Kenya's economy. She did it to feed her three younger siblings and two cousins, who live together in a one-room house in a waterfront slum community in Mombasa. She became pregnant after a man paid her for unprotected sex. Her mother was so furious that she beat her.

"The pandemic played the biggest role in me getting this pregnancy right now, because if the pandemic was not here, I would have been in school. Like this washing clothes, and all that stuff, meeting that man, it wouldn't have happened," Bella told CNN.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) estimates that nearly 24 million children and adolescents, including 11 million girls and young women like Bella, may drop out of education next year due to the pandemic's economic impact alone (130 million girls were already out of school, according to the agency).

Earlier this year, UNFPA projected that lockdowns lasting at least six months could lead to an estimated 7 million additional unintended pregnancies and 31 million cases of gender-based violence, as well as 13 million child marriages and 2 million female genital mutilation cases over the next decade.

Read more about the effects of the pandemic on some of the world's most vulnerable women.

5:24 a.m. ET, December 24, 2020

Covid-19 testing of truck drivers continues at British port of Dover

From CNN’s Duarte Mendonça and Sharon Braithwaite

Members of the FFSS (French Federation of Rescue and First Aid) carry out covid-19 tests on lorry drivers close to the entrance to the Port of Dover, England, on December 24.
Members of the FFSS (French Federation of Rescue and First Aid) carry out covid-19 tests on lorry drivers close to the entrance to the Port of Dover, England, on December 24. Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images

The border between the United Kingdom and France is to remain open over Christmas to ensure that hauliers and citizens are able to continue crossing the English Channel, the UK Transport Secretary tweeted Thursday.

Thousands of truck drivers were still waiting to cross the Channel after the two countries struck a deal earlier this week. France had closed its border with the UK over fears about a new Covid-19 variant.

“...we've agreed the UK/French border at Eurotunnel, Dover & Calais WILL remain open throughout Xmas in order to help hauliers & citizens return home as soon as possible,” Grant Shapps tweeted.

Under the deal struck on Tuesday, people need proof of a negative Covid-19 test conducted in the past 72 hours. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick cautioned on Wednesday that the process of testing all those stuck in gridlock could take days. 

“There's going to be quite a lot of work to do in the next few days and this isn't going to be an issue which will be resolved immediately,” he told Sky News.

According to France’s ambassador to the UK, Catherine Colonna, 26 French firemen were sent to the port of Dover on Thursday morning to support efforts to carry out testing for truck drivers, bringing with them 10,000 coronavirus tests. 

4:07 a.m. ET, December 24, 2020

Daily Covid-19 cases and deaths hit record high in Russia

From CNN's Mary Ilyushina in Moscow

Medical workers tend to a patient with COVID-19 at the Tsivyan Scientific Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics in Novosibirsk, Russia on December 22.
Medical workers tend to a patient with COVID-19 at the Tsivyan Scientific Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics in Novosibirsk, Russia on December 22. Kirill Kukhmar/TASS (Photo by Kirill Kukhmar\TASS via Getty Images)

Russia has reported 29,935 new cases of coronavirus and 635 deaths in the past 24 hours, according to data published by the country’s coronavirus task force on Thursday. It's the highest daily increase in the country since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

As of December 24, Russia has reported a total of 2,963,688 cases with at least 53,096 fatalities.