People under 60 who received their first AstraZeneca dose will get a different shot for their second inoculation. Meanwhile, South Korea reported its highest case count in three months. Follow DW for the latest.
In Germany, people under 60 who have been given a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will receive a different shot for their second dose, authorities said on Tuesday. Germany announced on March 30 that it would no longer offer the two-dose AstraZeneca vaccine to people aged under 60 due to concerns over a possible link to rare cases of blood clots.
"The solution that has now been found offers good protection for people," Bavarian lawmaker Klaus Holetschek, who chaired the Tuesday evening meeting, told German news agency DPA.
The second jab would be with either the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine or the Moderna vaccine, which were good alternatives "especially in the third wave" of the pandemic, Holetschek said.
The new policy is in line with recommendations released last week by Germany's vaccine commission, which also recommended the second injection be given 12 weeks after the initial AstraZeneca dose.
Here's a round-up of some of the main coronavirus-related stories around the world on Wednesday.
Germany's Robert Koch Institute reported 21,693 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday and 342 deaths related to the coronavirus, with the seven-day incidence rate rising to 153.2 per 100,000 people from 140.9 on the previous day.
As lockdowns start to lift in London, legendary front man for the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger along with drummer and Foo Fighters founder Dave Grohl have released a surprise pandemic rock anthem entitled "Eazy Sleazy" on social media.
"It's a song about eventually coming out of lockdown, with some much needed optimism," Jagger said in a statement Tuesday.
Next-generation rock legend Grohl has been fairly active more generally during the pandemic, with the remote relationship he struck up with aspiring young drummer Nandi Bushell in Britain becoming one of the feel-good lockdown stories of 2020.
The Australian state of Queensland said on Wednesday that it would relax its measures starting at 6 a.m. on Thursday, lifting limitations on hospital visits and a requirement to carry a mask at all times in public, among other restrictions. People are still encouraged to wear masks in crowded spaces.
Australia and Oceania as a whole has weathered the pandemic comparatively well to date. The state of Queensland has registered just over 1,500 cases and seven deaths to date, across a population of 5 million. Norway, with a comparable population, has logged more than 100,000 cases and 688 deaths.
Mainland China reported 12 new cases on Wednesday for the previous day, up from nine on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the leader of Hong Kong's executive, Carrie Lam, on Wednesday said that vaccinated residents would soon be allowed to form "vaccination bubbles," enabling them to socialize with fewer restrictions. The port city is trying to encourage its residents to get inoculated, with only 8% of the population vaccinated since Hong Kong began issuing shots in February.
South Korea reported 731 new cases, as the country strains to increase its testing and vaccination programs to contain COVID-19. The country's health authority said it would consider authorizing the use of self-administered quick tests, despite their comparatively low accuracy, in a bid to keep the numbers in check.
Holding the postponed Tokyo Olympics this summer will be "really difficult," following a spike in infections across Japan, the head of the Tokyo Medical Association warned.
"If infections spread further, in reality it would be difficult to hold the Olympics in its regular form with athletes coming from various countries, even if the Games are held with no spectators," the Sports Hochi daily quoted Haruo Ozaki as saying at a Tuesday press conference.
"From my position as the head of medical workers, I have to say that holding the Games is really difficult," he said. The comments come as Tokyo marks 100 days until the virus-postponed 2020 Olympics open on July 23.
India reached a record number of 184,372 new infections in the last 24 hours, health ministry data showed on Wednesday. The country's nationwide tally of infections is 13.9 million, with data showing deaths rose by 1,027, for a total of 172,085. The nation has been grappling with a shortage in vaccines amid the latest surge in new cases.
For the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Saudi Arabia is allowing a limited number vaccinated mask-clad worshipers into the Grand Mosque in Mecca for the Umrah pilgrimage.
According to the country's ministry dedicated to the annual pilgrimage, people who have either received two vaccine doses, or their first dose within the past 14 days, or who have had and recovered from COVID-19, are eligible. Permitted visitor numbers are drastically reduced, however, to enable people to maintain their distance.
mb, msh, lc/aw (AP, Reuters, dpa)