Headlines
• UK approves Pfizer vaccine for 12-15-year olds
• UK R0 number up to 1.0-1.2
• Employers in the US created 559,000 jobs in May
• 87% of survey respondents trust Covid vaccines in the UK
• France to allow vaccinated EU travellers from 9 June
World news
• R0 number in England is estimated to be between 1 and 1.2, higher than last week’s estimate of 1 and 1.1.
• The Pfizer vaccine has been authorised for use in 12-15-year olds in the UK.
• Japan is to deliver 1.24m doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Taiwan for free.
• Employers in the US created 559,000 jobs in May, driven by reopenings at restaurants, bars and hotels, below economists' expectations of 675,000. However, the unemployment rate fell to 5.8% from the 6.1% seen in April.
• India has ordered 300m doses of an unapproved vaccine from Indian firm Biological E, which is in Phase 3 trials.
• A survey of 68,000 people in 15 countries run by Imperial College and YouGov has found that vaccine confidence was highest in the UK, with 87% of survey respondents saying they had confidence in Covid vaccines. Israel was second with 83%, while Japan reported the lowest levels of trust at 47%. Link
• In Wales up to 30 people will be able to meet outdoors from Monday. Also, three households can form an extended household and large outdoor events such as concerts, festivals and sports matches can take place with 4,000 standing or 10,000 sitting.
• France has said it will allow Europeans who have had vaccinations into the country without a PCR test from 9 June.
• Serbia will start full production of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine today.
• Imperial College London’s Professor Neil Ferguson says the Indian (Delta) variant is anywhere between 30% and 100% more transmissible than the previously dominant Kent (Alpha) variant.
• A cruise ship has arrived in Venice, Italy, for the first time in 17 months.
• Puerto Rico is to reopen bars and clubs on 7 June for the first time since the pandemic began.
• Cyprus has reopened border checkpoints this morning, easing movement between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot populations.
• The US territory of Guam has followed other US states by offering prize money for those who get their vaccine.
