Russia - Serbia relations Covid 19 vaccine: Russians flock to Serbia for Western-made COVID-19 vaccines

When Russian regulators approved the country's own coronavirus vaccine, it was a moment of national pride, and the Pavlov family was among those who rushed to take the injection. But international health authorities have not yet given their blessing to the Sputnik V shot.

So when the family from Rostov-on-Don wanted to visit the West, they looked for a vaccine that would allow them to travel freely — a quest that brought them to Serbia, where hundreds of Russian citizens have flocked in recent weeks to receive Western-approved COVID-19 shots.

Read more at: Russians flock to Serbia for Western-made COVID-19 vaccines | Euronews

EU: Once lagging, Europe catches up to the U.S. in COVID-19 vaccinations

Despite a sluggish start, the European Union’s COVID-19 vaccination drive has caught up to that of the United States, where the slowdown of the country’s once-vaunted campaign has contributed to the virus’s deadly comeback.

Now the EU has surpassed the U.S. by that same measure, with some 60% of the bloc’s residents receiving at least one dose, versus less than 58% of Americans.

Read more at: Once lagging, Europe catches up to the U.S. in COVID-19 vaccinations

Austria: GPs start coronavirus vaccinations in Vienna - but there's a catch

As of Monday, April 12th, GPs are allowed to carry out coronavirus vaccinations in Vienna. However, due to restrictions imposed by delivery delays, they will be unable to do so at their GP surgeries. Instead, they will need to administer vaccinations off site.

Read more at: GPs start coronavirus vaccinations in Vienna - but there's a catch - The Local

Canada: Coronavirus variants are testing the limits of what we once thought was safe in Canada

The rapid spread of more contagious coronavirus variants across Canada is driving a devastating third wave in much of the country and increasing the level of risk in situations previously thought to be relatively safe from COVID-19.

Experts say the risk of exposure is higher in everyday situations and the margin of error is lower for what we can and can't do safely until more Canadians are vaccinated.

"The things that you've gotten away with previously, and that you've put into your mindset that were safe … it wasn't that they were safe, it's that you got lucky," said Erin Bromage, a biology professor and immunologist at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth who studies infectious diseases.

Read more at:Coronavirus variants are testing the limits of what we once thought was safe in Canada | CBC News

EU missed March vaccination target for priority groups - by Elena Sánchez Nicolás

The European Union failed to reach its target of having at least 80 percent of the elderly (aged 80 and above) and 80 percent of healthcare professionals vaccinated against Covid-19 by the end of March.

Data released by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, an EU agency, showed that vaccination rates have sped up in many members states, but figures are still far below that 80-percent goal.

Read more at https://euobserver.com/coronavirus/151449

EU: In Europe Union, vaccines from Russia and China are now under study - by Loveday Morris

As the European Union's vaccination program stumbles, Russia and China are poised to fill the gap — with Moscow opening talks to produce vaccines in the heart of Europe and both building political cachet as they supply those scrambling for shots on the bloc's fringes.

Vaccines produced in Russia and China are already on the program in parts of the Balkans and Eastern Europe outside the European Union.

Speaking to the Atlantic Council on Thursday, Macron called China’s vaccine efforts a “clear diplomatic success” which is “a little bit humiliating for us.” He and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have expressed their openness to using vaccines from Moscow and Beijing if E.U. regulatory approval is granted.

Read more at: In Europe Union, vaccines from Russia and China are now under study - The Washington Post

The Netherlands: Back-of-the-pack Dutch Rutte Government under fire for slow coronavirus vaccine rollout – by Eline Schaart

The Dutch government's vaccine strategy has been flawed, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Tuesday as he admitted watching on with frustration as other countries' citizens were given a jab against the coronavirus.

“Because the government's approach was not agile enough, vaccination will start later than in other European countries,” Rutte said during a debate in parliament.

The Netherlands will only vaccinate its first citizen, a care home nurse, on Wednesday — making it one of the last countries in the EU to begin giving coronavirus vaccines.

read more at: Back-of-the-pack Dutch under fire for slow coronavirus vaccine rollout – POLITICO