World Coronavirus Dispatch: Rare nerve complication with J&J vaccine

FDA adds warning on Johnson & Johnson vaccine, lockdown extensions looms in Sydney and other pandemic-related news across the globe

FDA warns of potential rare nerve complication with Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine

The US Food and Drug Administration updated the label on Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine Monday to warn of the possible increased risk of a rare neurological complication called Guillain-Barré syndrome. While the FDA said it had not established the vaccine could cause the syndrome, it noted an increase in reports of the sometimes paralyzing condition. Read more

Let's look at the global statistics

Global infections: 187,355,083

Global deaths: 4,041,027

Vaccine doses administered: 3,479,804,410

Nations with most cases: US (33,890,833), India (30,874,376), Brazil (19,106,971), France (5,875,987), Russia (5,762,211).

Source: John Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center(https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html)

Chinese vaccine producers sign COVAX agreements

Chinese vaccine producers Sinovac and Sinopharm have signed on to global vaccine sharing scheme Covax, which aims to distribute vaccines to poorer countries. The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi) said it would make 110 million doses of the vaccines available as part of the scheme. Covax has agreements with the manufacturers of 11 vaccines and plans to provide 2 billion doses across the world by early 2022. Read more

Sydney's Covid cases ease but lockdown extension still looms

Australian authorities reported a slight slowdown in new Covid-19 cases in Sydney on Tuesday, but may still extend a lockdown in the country's largest city to contain the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. Read more

Doctors warn of ‘devastating consequences’ of lifting Covid rules in England

Senior doctors have warned of “potentially devastating consequences” after Boris Johnson confirmed on Monday that he would press ahead with lifting most remaining Covid restrictions in England on 19 July. The prime minister urged “extreme caution” for the final step of the roadmap, which will mean nightclubs can reopen, social distancing rules will be abandoned and mask-wearing will no longer be legally enforceable. Read more