Spain Backs IP Waivers; Japan to Extend Emergency: Virus Update
Bloomberg 52 mins ago Bloomberg News
(Bloomberg) Spain is backing a proposal to waive intellectual property rights for coronavirus vaccines, setting the stage for a tense debate when European Union leaders meet Friday. Spain’s position puts it at odds with the German government, which on Thursday opposed a U.S. call to drop patent protection for the shots.
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Japan is set to extend a virus state of emergency that includes Tokyo to the end of May. Hong Kong will shorten mandatory quarantine stays for fully vaccinated inbound travelers.
N.J. Mulls Cash Incentives; EU Splits on Waivers: Virus Update Bloomberg 24 mins ago Bloomberg News
(Bloomberg) New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said he is considering cash incentives to lure people to get vaccinated. Starting today, the state is allowing people to sit at indoor bars, eat at buffets and dance at weddings.
China’s Sinopharm won the backing of the World Health Organization for its vaccine, paving the way for a wider rollout of the shot in countries scrambling for immunizations. Two thirds of adults in the U.K. have now had their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine.
U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration will test a program to provide coronavirus vaccines directly to pharmacies, as they try to ratchet up the pace of inoculations.