• Colombia grants emergency use authorization for the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine; it has purchased 10 million doses. Source
• Less than a week after ordering an additional 100 million coronavirus vaccine doses from Pfizer/BioNTech, the EU seeks an agreement to purchase 100 million more doses, with an option to purchase up to 200 million more (which could total 600 million doses). Source
• India’s Serum Institute – which has 70 million doses ready for distribution in the country – says it has made an oral agreement with national officials for 100 million doses of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for 200 rupees ($2.74) per dose; it plans to sell vaccine doses on the private market for 1,000 rupees ($13.68) within a few months. Source
• WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus voices disappointment at China’s refusal to allow a team of international researchers into Wuhan to investigate the origins of SARS-CoV-2. Source
• A report of in-flight coronavirus transmissions during an 18-hour journey from Dubai to Auckland raises questions about the safety of air travel; five of seven passengers who later tested positive tested negative less than 72 hours before their journey. Researchers drew their conclusion from genome sequencing t match the viruses, seating plans and the dates of disease onset. Notably, two of the passengers were not wearing masks during the flight, as they were not required at the time. Source
• Denmark imposes additional measures to prevent the spread of the B. 1.1. 7 coronavirus variant, including limiting social gatherings and restricting non-essential appointments. Source
