Sat 22 August 2020:
The coronavirus pandemic has infected over 23 million people with over 803,000 deaths from the disease.
Travellers from France to UK need to self certify they do not have virus symptoms
Travellers from France to the United Kingdom will be required to self certify that they are not suffering coronavirus symptoms or have been in contact with a confirmed case within 14 days preceding travel, the British government said on Friday.
China approves human testing for vaccine grown in insect cells
Using insect cells to grow proteins for the coronavirus vaccine – a first in China – could speed up large-scale production, the city government of Chengdu said in a notice on social media WeChat.
The vaccine, developed by West China Hospital of Sichuan University in Chengdu, has received approval from the National Medical Products Administration to enter a clinical trial, the notice said.
When tested on monkeys, the vaccine was shown to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections with no obvious side-effects, the notice added.
Saudi public sector employees to return to on-site work August 30
Saudi public sector employees will return to on-site work on Aug. 30, state TV reported, quoting the human resources ministry, further relaxing restrictions on movement taken to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
The authorities will also allow camel racing to resume, state television added, citing a decision by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
France delays launch of COVID-19 economic reboot plan to September
The French government said on Saturday it would unveil details of its 100 billion euro ($118 billion) plan to reinvigorate the economy in the first week of September, instead of next Tuesday, as it focuses on preparing the new school term.
“The recovery plan is ready, the timetable for its implementation still stands,” government spokesman Gabriel Attal said in a statement.
Schools are set to reopen on September 1, after most were closed during a two-month lockdown earlier this year to fight the coronavirus, and the government is working to ensure protective measures will be adequate, Attal said.
Coronavirus cases in India approach three million
The 69,878 new infections – the fourth straight day above 60,000 – take India’s total number of cases to 2.98 million, behind only the United States and Brazil.
COVID-19 deaths increased by 945 to 55,794, data from the federal health ministry showed.
Photo: El Salvador Anadolu Agency Photojournalist Alex Pena
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