Portugal records 234 Covid-linked deaths, it’s latest record high; tens of thousands to be ordered to stay at home in Hong Kong * German lockdown to continue despite drop in infection rate * South Africa paying more than double EU price for Oxford vaccine * WHO platform for pharmaceutical firms unused since pandemic began * Fauci describes ‘liberating feeling’ of no longer working under Trump * UK coronavirus – latest updates 3.02pm GMT The European Ombudsman is investigating the secrecy with which the EUROPEAN UNION’s executive is handling Covid-19 vaccine supply contracts, Reuters reports. _The EU has spent about €2.5bn (£2.2bn) on down payments to secure nearly 2.3bn doses of Covid-19 candidates and approved vaccines from six companies. The pricing, delivery terms and other key clauses are confidential._ _The bloc’s commission, which co-leads talks with vaccine makers along with representatives from EU states, has said that confidentiality is important to allow the EU to strike better deals with companies. The commission was not immediately available for comment on the investigation._ 3.00pm GMT ESTONIA, LATVIA AND LITHUANIA have joined other EUROPEAN UNION MEMBERS in calling for the bloc’s drugs regulator to move quickly in approving AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine, Reuters reports. _ The European Medicines Agency said last week it would review the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Britain’s Oxford University this month under an accelerated timeline. _ _The prime ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania said they supported calls already made by by Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece and Denmark for the vaccine to be approved._ Continue reading...
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