"COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis" 14th May 2021
Overnight News RoundUp
Vaccinated Americans can go maskless in most places: CDC
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took a significant step in moving the United States beyond the COVID-19 pandemic by easing indoor and outdoor mask wearing guidelines for fully vaccinated people on Thursday.
- The new guidance allows those have been immunised to go mask-free in most places, the CDC announced, crediting data showing the real-world effectiveness of the vaccines that are being administered across the U.S. The CDC also no longer recommends that fully vaccinated people wear masks outdoors in crowds.
- 'Anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activity, large or small, without worrying about physical distancing,' said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.
- 'We have all longed for this moment where we can get back to some semblance of normalcy, based on a continual downward trajectory pacing the scientific data on the performance of our vaccine, and our understanding of how the virus spread,' she added.
- The CDC is still calling for masks to be worn in crowded setting such as healthcare facilities, public transportation, aeroplanes, airports, prisons and homeless shelters.
- The CDC said fully vaccinated people should also still wear masks where required by federal, state, local, tribal or territorial laws, and abide by such rules and regulations, including from local businesses and workplace guidance.
- The guidance states that those who are unvaccinated or have not been fully vaccinated - those who have received only one shot of the two-shot immunization or have not reached the end of the two-week post vaccination waiting period - still must wear masks.
- 'Look, we've gotten this far. Please protect yourself until you get to the finish line,' President Joe Biden said after the CDC announcement. 'As great as this announcement is today, we don't want to let up.'
Vaccinated Americans can go maskless in most places: CDC
Vaccinated Americans can go maskless in most places: CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) took a significant step in moving the United States beyond the COVID-19 pandemic by easing indoor and outdoor mask-wearing guidelines for fully vaccinated people on Thursday. The new guidance allows those who have been immunised to go mask-free in most places, the CDC announced, crediting data showing the real-world effectiveness of the vaccines that are being administered across the US. The CDC also no longer recommends that fully vaccinated people wear masks outdoors in crowds.
CDC’s U-Turn Puts Business in ‘Damned If You Do’ (Or Don’t) Bind
CDC’s U-Turn Puts Business in ‘Damned If You Do’ (Or Don’t) Bind
Companies are rushing to assess their mask policies after a sudden announcement by U.S. officials put newly relaxed federal guidelines in conflict with the rules at many businesses. Home Depot Inc. and TJX Cos. said they don’t immediately plan to change their policies advising face coverings be worn inside their stores, while Macy’s Inc., Levi Strauss & Co. and Gap Inc. said they’re reviewing the new guidance. The National Restaurant Association is also looking at the recommendations and is evaluating its Covid-19 operating guidance and best practices for restaurants, while some banks are indicating they’ll continue to require face coverings -- at least for now.
WTO can show ‘relevance’ with vaccine waiver, US trade rep says
WTO can show ‘relevance’ with vaccine waiver, US trade rep says
United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai said on Thursday that World Trade Organization negotiations over intellectual property waivers for COVID-19 vaccines are a chance for the deeply divided trade body to make itself relevant to the world’s needs. Tai, speaking to the House Ways and Means Committee, said she was committed to entering negotiations that take into account concerns from all sides, including drug companies.
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy Says Covid-19 Vaccine Waiver Is a Step to Increase Global Supply
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy Says Covid-19 Vaccine Waiver Is a Step to Increase Global Supply
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said the world is in a race to stop Covid-19 variants like the one spreading through India, saying that a temporary waiver of intellectual property rights for vaccines was one step toward increasing supply and that booster shots might also be needed. Dr. Murthy said during The Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything Festival that the three vaccines used in the U.S. have so far proven to be effective against severe infection and death when it comes to variants like the more transmissible B.1.1.7 variant first identified in the U.K. But he said more research was needed to determine the level of protection those vaccines offer against B.1.617, which originated in India and was classified this week by the World Health Organization as a global “variant of concern.”
Double world's coronavirus vaccine production, pleads U.N. chief
Double world's coronavirus vaccine production, pleads U.N. chief
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Wednesday for the need to double the capacity of COVID-19 vaccine production and for fairer redistribution of the shots in the developing world, which faces new waves of the coronavirus. Many countries are experiencing shortages of the vaccine, especially India, worsening a dire second wave of infections that has left hospitals and morgues overflowing while families scramble for increasingly scarce medicines and oxygen. At the same time, the European Union has reserved a surplus of the vaccines.
When will COVID-19 vaccines be widely available globally?
When will COVID-19 vaccines be widely available globally?
When will COVID-19 vaccines be widely available globally? Experts say it could be 2023 or later before the shots are widely available in some countries. The United States, Israel and the United Kingdom are among the nations where about half or more of the population has gotten at least one shot. In some countries, including South Africa, Pakistan and Venezuela, less than 1% of people have been vaccinated. In nearly a dozen countries — mostly in Africa — there have been no jabs at all. The differences reflect a mix of factors including purchasing power, domestic production capacity, access to raw materials and global intellectual property laws. The U.S. has supported waiving intellectual property protection for the vaccines. But it’s not clear whether there will be global agreement on the issue and, if so, whether that would help speed up production.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine seeks to incentivize coronavirus vaccines with chance to win $1 million
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine seeks to incentivize coronavirus vaccines with chance to win $1 million
As demand for the coronavirus vaccine plateaus, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is giving state residents a shot to win $1 million. The Republican governor announced Wednesday night that vaccinated adults will be eligible to enter a lottery that will pay out $1 million each to five winners beginning May 26. Separately, DeWine is offering five vaccinated teenagers full-ride scholarships to the state’s public universities, which includes all four years of tuition, room, board and textbooks. “I know that some may say, ‘DeWine, you’re crazy! This million-dollar drawing idea of yours is a waste of money.’ But truly, the real waste at this point in the pandemic — when the vaccine is readily available to anyone who wants it — is a life lost to covid-19,” DeWine said in a statewide address.
COVID-19 vaccination drive again exposes India’s digital divide
COVID-19 vaccination drive again exposes India’s digital divide
For anyone aged between 18 and 44, getting a slot in India’s expanded vaccination drive – already plagued by shortages and political squabbles – has been like buying tickets for a rock concert where popular bands sell out in minutes. The expansion came with restrictions, including only online registrations for the 18-44-year-olds, locking out up to half of India’s population, particularly in poor and rural areas, who do not have smartphones or internet access. A report by The Indian Express newspaper on Thursday said 85 percent of those who got vaccinated since May 1 belong to just seven of the 28 states, raising “critical questions on vaccine equity”.
Pediatricians primed to lead Covid vaccination efforts as kids become eligible
Pediatricians primed to lead Covid vaccination efforts as kids become eligible
Now that both the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have green-lighted Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use in kids ages 12 to 15, pediatricians will soon find themselves on the front lines of the country's vaccination efforts, playing an essential role in communicating to parents the safety and importance of getting their kids the shot.
That's a tall order for pediatricians who say they're facing skyrocketing vaccine hesitancy among families.
As pediatricians, we say please don’t use precious coronavirus vaccines on healthy children
As pediatricians, we say please don’t use precious coronavirus vaccines on healthy children
In March, three months after its coronavirus vaccine was authorized in the United States and Europe, Pfizer and BioNTech reported the successful results of a trial in adolescents. The companies also initiated studies in children as young as 6 months old. Vaccine maker Moderna has also performed studies in adolescents and younger children. On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration granted authorization of Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds. An application for children ages 2 to 11 may be forthcoming in September.
New Zealand sets out plans to reconnect with post-pandemic world
New Zealand sets out plans to reconnect with post-pandemic world
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said her government will explore more travel “bubbles” and lead trade delegations later this year to reconnect with a post-pandemic world. With a majority of New Zealand’s essential workers vaccinated against COVID-19 and inoculation for the wider population set to start in July, Ardern said on Thursday that her government was now ready to rebuild contact with the rest of the world. Ardern’s plan for a partial and phased reopening comes after more than a year of a tough border closure, which has helped New Zealand – a Pacific nation of five million people – eliminate the coronavirus within its borders. The first step in New Zealand’s re-opening was a “travel bubble” with Australia, which began last month. Ardern said her government will also allow quarantine free travel with South Pacific’s Cook Islands on Monday.
'Covid Zero' Havens Find Reopening Harder Than Containing Virus
'Covid Zero' Havens Find Reopening Harder Than Containing Virus
A smattering of places, mainly across the Asia Pacific region, have posted breathtaking victories in the battle against Covid-19 by effectively wiping it out within their borders. Now they face a fresh test: rejoining the rest of the world, which is still awash in the pathogen. In some ways, the success of “Covid Zero” locations is becoming a straitjacket. As cities like New York and London return to in-person dealmaking and business as usual -- tolerating hundreds of daily cases as vaccination gathers pace -- financial hubs like Singapore and Hong Kong risk being left behind as they maintain stringent border curbs and try to stamp out single-digit flareups.
Brazil to pause production of AstraZeneca vaccine due to lack of ingredients
Brazil to pause production of AstraZeneca vaccine due to lack of ingredients
Brazil's Fiocruz biomedical institute said on Thursday it would interrupt production of the AstraZeneca AZN.L vaccine for certain days next week due to a lack of ingredients, until new supplies arrive on May 22. Fiocruz, a government-backed center in Rio de Janeiro, said on Twitter that production based on current supplies would allow it to continue delivering vaccines through the first week of June, with additional supplies to sustain production beyond that.
Japan's coronavirus vaccine booking system crashes
Japan's coronavirus vaccine booking system crashes
Technical problems derailed Japan’s coronavirus vaccination booking system on Wednesday, compounding frustration over the government’s handling of new outbreaks of infections and an inoculation drive that critics say has been woefully slow. The online system to book a vaccine crashed in many places including parts of Tokyo and the western city of Minoh because of a global problem with U.S. cloud computing vendor Salesforce.com Inc, public broadcaster NHK reported. Salesforce chief technology officer Parker Harris said on Twitter that the company was experiencing a “major disruption”, later updating to say services had been mostly restored.
Thousands of Cambodians go hungry in strict lockdown zones
Thousands of Cambodians go hungry in strict lockdown zones
Tens of thousands of Cambodians are going hungry under the country’s strict lockdown as Covid cases continue to rise amid criticism from human rights groups that the government and the UN are being too slow to act. The south-east Asian country had recorded one of the world’s smallest coronavirus caseloads, but infections have climbed from about 500 in late February to 20,695 this week, with 136 deaths. A three-week blanket lockdown in the capital, Phnom Penh, was lifted last week but more than 150,000 people are still living in designated red zones in cities across Cambodia, forbidden from leaving their homes other than for specific medical reasons. Many have been living under the country’s most restrictive lockdown measures since mid-April and have not been able to work or get food, medicine and other necessities for weeks.
COVID-19: Delaying second dose of coronavirus vaccine could cut deaths by up to 20%, study suggests
COVID-19: Delaying second dose of coronavirus vaccine could cut deaths by up to 20%, study suggests
Delaying the second dose of a COVID vaccine so more people can get a first dose could cut deaths by up to 20%, a study suggests. The UK chose to use this strategy at the start of its rollout in December, with most people getting their second dose around 12 weeks after their first. That's despite a recommended interval of three weeks for the Pfizer jab and four to 12 weeks for the AstraZeneca vaccine. The peer-reviewed paper, published in the British Medical Journal, used a simulation model to test a daily rollout rate of 0.1%, 0.3% and 1% of the population.
Researchers found estimated deaths per 100,000 people fell from 442 to 402, 241 to 204, and 86 to 50 respectively - comparing standard dosing with a delayed strategy.
New study finds delaying the second dose of vaccine can save lives
New study finds delaying the second dose of vaccine can save lives
Researchers measured the health outcomes of individuals who waited more than three weeks to get their second shot. For vaccines with an efficacy rate of more than 70 percent, cumulative mortalities fell. This could help countries struggling to rollout the vaccines in a timely manner.
Coronavirus: Over-50s and vulnerable in Indian variant hotspots will get second jabs rushed through
Coronavirus: Over-50s and vulnerable in Indian variant hotspots will get second jabs rushed through
Older people living in areas of high infection to be offered second dose of the vaccine early to protect them. The JCVI also been asked to examine the case for 'targeted vaccinations' of all over-17s in the worst-hit areas. Surge testing for the new coronavirus variant will also be deployed in areas where it is now spreading rapidly. Boris Johnson said he was 'anxious' about variant and refused to rule out local lockdowns to try to contain it. Government sources played down the risk that outbreaks of the 'variant of concern' could derail June 21 plans
The ancestor of SARS-CoV-2’s Wuhan strain was circulating in late October 2019
The ancestor of SARS-CoV-2’s Wuhan strain was circulating in late October 2019
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported in a case from Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and subsequently became the cause of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that is ravaging the world today. A new study in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution tracks its variants all over the world since the onset of the pandemic. Genomic sequencing has occurred using hundreds of thousands of viral genomic samples. The researchers used the best of these sequences to reveal how the virus has mutated and changed in different periods and regions of the pandemic.
Covid-19: Fever, chills, and aches more common when AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines are mixed, early data show
Covid-19: Fever, chills, and aches more common when AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines are mixed, early data show
Mixing doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca and the Pfizer BioNTech covid-19 vaccine leads to more frequent mild to moderate reactions compared with standard dosing schedules, researchers have reported. Researchers running the University of Oxford led Com-COV study—which is investigating the reactogenicity and immunogenicity from mixing doses of the two vaccines—reported their preliminary results in a peer reviewed research letter in the Lancet. Matthew Snape, associate professor in paediatrics and vaccinology at the University of Oxford and chief investigator on the trial, said, “While this is a secondary part of what we are trying to explore through these studies, it is important that we inform people about these data, especially as these mixed doses schedules are being considered in several countries. “The results from this study suggest that mixed dose schedules could result in an increase in work absences the day after immunisation, and this is important to consider when planning immunisation of healthcare workers.”
Mixing Covid-19 vaccines may lead to increased symptoms, study suggests
Mixing Covid-19 vaccines may lead to increased symptoms, study suggests
Mixing coronavirus vaccines increased the frequency of mild to moderate symptoms in those who received different jabs for the first and second dose, preliminary data suggests. The Com-Cov study was launched in February to investigate alternating doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca and Pfizer Covid-19 jabs, with either being given as the first dose, and then the other as the second.
Period changes could be a harmless side effect of the Covid vaccine
Period changes could be a harmless side effect of the Covid vaccine
A survey has been launched to probe whether or not menstrual changes could be a side effect of the Covid-19 vaccine. The survey, started last month, came after Dr Kate Clancy, a medical anthropologist, shared on Twitter her experience of an unusually heavy period following the Moderna jab. Her post was met with dozens of similar accounts in response and one woman claimed she had not stopped bleeding since she got her second Pfizer vaccine back in January.
COVID-19: Delaying second dose of coronavirus vaccine could cut deaths by up to 20%, study suggests
COVID-19: Delaying second dose of coronavirus vaccine could cut deaths by up to 20%, study suggests
Delaying the second dose of a COVID vaccine so more people can get a first dose could cut deaths by up to 20%, a study suggests. The UK chose to use this strategy at the start of its rollout in December, with most people getting their second dose around 12 weeks after their first. That's despite a recommended interval of three weeks for the Pfizer jab and four to 12 weeks for the AstraZeneca vaccine. The peer-reviewed paper, published in the British Medical Journal, used a simulation model to test a daily rollout rate of 0.1%, 0.3% and 1% of the population.
Researchers found estimated deaths per 100,000 people fell from 442 to 402, 241 to 204, and 86 to 50 respectively - comparing standard dosing with a delayed strategy.
CureVac-GSK coronavirus variant vaccine generates good immune response in rats
CureVac-GSK coronavirus variant vaccine generates good immune response in rats
A second-generation COVID-19 vaccine developed by CureVac and GlaxoSmithKline, designed to protect against coronavirus variants, produced a high level of immune response in a trial in rats, the companies said on Thursday. CureVac in February said it would team up with GlaxoSmithKline on a COVID-19 vaccine aimed at targeting several variants with one shot. The shot uses messenger RNA technology, similar to successful vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, and clinical trials of the shot in humans are expected to start in the third quarter of this year. The mRNA "backbone" of the shot differs from CureVac's first COVID-19 vaccine candidate, and it is designed to work well at lower doses.
Biotech company pushing to begin Australian production of mRNA coronavirus vaccines
Biotech company pushing to begin Australian production of mRNA coronavirus vaccines
An international biotech company says it could manufacture mRNA COVID-19 vaccines — including Pfizer's — in Australia, but would need support and investment from the federal government. BioCina last year purchased Pfizer's former manufacturing plant at Thebarton in Adelaide's west and said it had the capability to develop key ingredients for coranavirus vaccines. "We already have a really good facility in Thebarton that is commercially approved to manufacture microbial products," BioCina's chief executive Ian Wisenberg told ABC Radio Adelaide.
LA Times owner offers $210million to create new Covid vaccines in South Africa
LA Times owner offers $210million to create new Covid vaccines in South Africa
A US billionaire has announced he will offer 3bn South African rand (£152m) to South Africa, where he was born, to help create coronavirus vaccines. The New York Times reports that Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong, who owns The Los Angeles Times, said on Wednesday that his business and philanthropic foundation would donate the money. The money will be used to send the technology for producing vaccines and biological therapies to get ahead of the pandemic and make shots that will combat the new variants of the disease. “Our goal and our commitment is to come back to South Africa and transfer this kind of technology,” Dr Soon-Shiong reportedly said at an international meeting on the equitable distribution of coronavirus vaccines. Referring to South Africa, he said, “Not only do we have the science, we have the human capital and the capacity and the desire.”
Covid-19: Fever, chills, and aches more common when AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines are mixed, early data show
Covid-19: Fever, chills, and aches more common when AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines are mixed, early data show
Mixing doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca and the Pfizer BioNTech covid-19 vaccine leads to more frequent mild to moderate reactions compared with standard dosing schedules, researchers have reported. Researchers running the University of Oxford led Com-COV study—which is investigating the reactogenicity and immunogenicity from mixing doses of the two vaccines—reported their preliminary results in a peer reviewed research letter in the Lancet. Matthew Snape, associate professor in paediatrics and vaccinology at the University of Oxford and chief investigator on the trial, said, “While this is a secondary part of what we are trying to explore through these studies, it is important that we inform people about these data, especially as these mixed doses schedules are being considered in several countries. “The results from this study suggest that mixed dose schedules could result in an increase in work absences the day after immunisation, and this is important to consider when planning immunisation of healthcare workers.”
Blood Expert Says He Found Why Some Covid-19 Vaccines Trigger Rare Clots
Blood Expert Says He Found Why Some Covid-19 Vaccines Trigger Rare Clots
Scientists world-wide are racing to understand why Covid-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson are causing rare but potentially deadly blood clots. Determining the connection would help patients, doctors and health agencies better assess any risks posed by the vaccines and safely calibrate their use. In recent weeks, the U.S., the Canadian province of Ontario and several European countries including Norway and Denmark either paused or completely halted rollouts involving these vaccines. “Understanding the cause is of highest importance for the next-generation vaccines, because [the novel] coronavirus will stay with us and vaccination will likely become seasonal,” said Eric van Gorp, a professor at Erasmus University in the Netherlands who heads a group of scientists studying the condition.
Indian states turn to anti-parasitic drug to fight COVID-19 against WHO advice
Indian states turn to anti-parasitic drug to fight COVID-19 against WHO advice
At least two Indian states have said they plan to dose their populations with the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin to protect against severe COVID-19 infections as their hospitals are overrun with patients in critical condition. The move by the coastal state of Goa and northern state of Uttarakhand, come despite the World Health Organization and others warning against such measures. "The current evidence on the use of ivermectin to treat COVID-19 patients is inconclusive," WHO said in a statement in late March. "Until more data is available, WHO recommends that the drug only be used within clinical trials."
S.Africa's COVID-19 death toll much higher than official tally - report
S.Africa's COVID-19 death toll much higher than official tally - report
A South African report into excess deaths over the past year suggests more than 133,000 people in the country have died from COVID-19, far more than the official tally of nearly 55,000. The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) has been monitoring excess deaths since May 2020. In its latest report, published on Wednesday, the SAMRC said South Africa had seen 157,000 excess deaths in the past 12 months and estimated that 85% of them were caused by COVID-19, which means just over 133,000 people have died from the disease.
COVID cases across India being traced to weeks-long Kumbh Mela
COVID cases across India being traced to weeks-long Kumbh Mela
As a second wave of the coronavirus began in India in early April, millions of Hindus congregated at Haridwar, a Himalayan city in Uttarakhand state, to take a holy dip in the Ganges. When the devotees returned home in crowded buses and trains, they spread the infection in villages and towns, prompting officials in some states to track and quarantine them. But many did not turn up for coronavirus tests, despite officials making public announcements urging devotees to report and be screened.
Thai prisoners at ‘grave risk’ amid record surge in COVID cases
Thai prisoners at ‘grave risk’ amid record surge in COVID cases
Thailand has posted a record jump in COVID-19 cases following a spike in infections at the country’s overcrowded prisons and detention facilities that has affected several young activists held on charges of insulting the monarchy. Health authorities on Thursday reported a total of 4,887 cases in a new daily record for Thailand since the pandemic began.
As India’s Covid Crisis Rages, Nearby Countries Brace for the Worst
As India’s Covid Crisis Rages, Nearby Countries Brace for the Worst
Most of Nepal is under lockdown, its hospitals overwhelmed. Bangladesh suspended vaccination sign-ups after promised supplies were cut off. Sri Lanka’s hopes of a tourism-led economic revival have collapsed. As India battles a horrific surge of the coronavirus, the effects have spilled over to its neighbors. Most nearby countries have sealed their borders. Several that had been counting on Indian-made vaccines are pleading with China and Russia instead. The question is whether that will be enough, in a region that shares many of the risk factors that made India so vulnerable: densely populated cities, heavy air pollution, fragile health care systems and large populations of poor workers who must weigh the threat of the virus against the possibility of starvation.
COVID-19 kills more than 4,000 Indians amid clamour for vaccines
COVID-19 kills more than 4,000 Indians amid clamour for vaccines
India recorded more than 4,000 COVID-19 deaths for a second straight day on Thursday as infections stayed below 400,000, and extended the interval between doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to up to 16 weeks amid a dire shortage of shots in the country. Experts remain unsure when numbers will peak and concern is growing about the transmissibility of the variant that is driving infections in India and spreading worldwide. Bhramar Mukherjee, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan, said most models had predicted a peak this week and that the country could be seeing signs of that trend.
Top scientists question the need for COVID-19 booster shots
Top scientists question the need for COVID-19 booster shots
Vaccine makers Moderna Inc and Pfizer Inc, with its German partner BioNTech, have been vocal in their view that the world will soon need COVID-19 booster shots to maintain high levels of immunity. What is less clear, however, is who should make that decision - and based on what evidence.
Wealthy nations once lauded as successes lag in vaccinations
Wealthy nations once lauded as successes lag in vaccinations
Some wealthy nations that were most praised last year for controlling the coronavirus are now lagging far behind in getting their people vaccinated — and some, especially in Asia, are seeing COVID-19 cases grow. In Japan, South Korea and New Zealand, the vaccination rates are languishing in the single figures. That is in sharp contrast to the U.S., where nearly half of all people have gotten at least one shot, and Britain and Israel, where rates are even higher. Not only do those three Pacific countries rank worst among all developed nations in vaccinating against COVID-19, they also rank below many developing countries such as Brazil and India, according to national figures and the online scientific publication Our World in Data. Australia, which isn’t providing a full breakdown of its vaccination numbers, is also performing comparatively poorly, as are several other places initially considered standout successes in battling the virus, including Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan.