Latest updates: Pfizer vaccine 88% effective against symptomatic disease from the India variant after second dose, AstraZeneca jab 60% effective
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In Taiwan, the country’s health minister has promised to resolve a logjam with reporting positive Covid tests after abruptly raising case numbers, a move that prompted criticisms from opposition politicians.
Reuters has the story:
Taiwan is dealing with a spike in cases after months of keeping the pandemic well under control, with restrictions in place across the island to limit gatherings.
On Saturday and Sunday, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung announced a total of 570 new cases whose positive tests had not been included in previous reports due to reporting delays following the surge in cases.
The UK home secretary Priti Patel would not be drawn on whether news of the effectiveness of the vaccines used across Britain against the India variant meant that ending restrictions on 21 June was a certainty. But she dropped quite a hint.
She told Sky News:
The prime minister himself has been clear that there are key tests and key stages in the run up to 21 June. We will always continue to look at the data when it comes to the next stage of the roadmap. That is sensible, that is responsible. We should absolutely reflect on the success of the vaccine, and how that is giving people, individuals, society [and] businesses the confidence to be back out there again.
