(Reuters) – The United States will reopen in November to air travellers from 33 countries including China, India, Brazil and most of Europe who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the White House said on Monday, easing tough pandemic-related restrictions that started early last year.
DEATHS AND INFECTIONS
EUROPE
* Greece will make a COVID-19 booster vaccine available to doctors and other medical staff in the coming weeks, Health Ministry experts said.
* The European Union welcomed the United States’ announcement it will re-open its doors to European travellers vaccinated against COVID-19 in November, rolling back restrictions in place since early last year.
ASIA-PACIFIC
* India will resume exports of vaccines in the October quarter, prioritising the global vaccine-sharing platform COVAX and neighbouring countries first as supplies rise, the health minister said.
AMERICAS
* U.S. regulators are expected to authorize a third booster shot of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for older and some high-risk Americans early this week in time for the government to roll them out by Friday as hoped.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* The first world fair to be held in the Middle East, Expo 2020 Dubai, opens its doors to exhibitors from almost 200 countries on Oct. 1 after being delayed for a year by the pandemic.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS
* Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE said on Monday their COVID-19 vaccine induced a robust immune response in 5- to 11-year-olds, and they plan to ask for regulatory authorization as soon as possible to use the shot in children in that age range in the United States, Europe and elsewhere.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
* World stocks sold off sharply on Monday while safe-haven assets gained as troubles at property group China Evergrande fed concerns about spillover risks to the economy, sparking fresh investor worries ahead of a busy week of central bank meetings.[MKTS/GLOB]
(Compiled by Krishna Chandra Eluri, Federico Maccioni and Sarah Morland; Editing by Giles Elgood, Marguerita Choy and Anil D’Silva)
