(Reuters) – Protest erupted in Australia’s Melbourne after virus worries shut down construction sites, while the United States plans to reopen in November to air travellers from 33 countries who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
DEATHS AND INFECTIONS
* Eikon users, see COVID-19: MacroVitals https://apac1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/cms/?navid=1592404098 for a case tracker and summary of news
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 expects to get its first Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine doses from next month, filled and finished in India by a partner of the U.S. drugmaker, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
* Hundreds of people demonstrated in locked-down Melbourne after authorities shut down construction sites in the city for two weeks saying the movement of workers was spreading the coronavirus into regional areas.
AMERICAS
* Shortages of masks and gloves that marked the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic have spread to a host of other items needed at medical facilities in the United States, from exam tables and heart defibrillators to crutches and IV poles.
* Argentina is expected to begin rolling out an economic stimulus package from Tuesday, as center-left President Alberto Fernandez tries to try to rev up growth and claw back support after a bruising primary election defeat a week ago.
* 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.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS
* Pfizer and BioNTech SE said their COVID-19 vaccine induced a robust immune response in children aged 5 to 11, and they plan to ask for regulatory authorization as soon as possible to use the shot in that age range in the United States, Europe and elsewhere.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
* Global stock markets grappled with contagion fears on Tuesday, sparked by troubles at China Evergrande as growing risks the property giant could default on its massive debt pile prompted investors to flee riskier assets.[MKTS/GLOB]
* Australia’s central bank is concerned the spread of the Delta variant could slow the economy’s recovery once lockdowns start to ease, although it still expects strong growth to resume next year.
(Compiled by Devika Syamnath and Krishna Chandra Eluri; Editing by Anil D’Silva and Arun Koyyur)
