What you need to know about the coronavirus right now
July 5 (Reuters) - Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:
England eyes freedom: PM Johnson to set out lockdown easing
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out plans for the final step of easing a coronavirus lockdown in England on Monday, including guidance on social distancing, face coverings and working from home.
After imposing the most onerous restrictions in Britain's peacetime history to battle the novel coronavirus, Johnson is preparing to lift most restrictions in England on July 19, with a final decision due on July 12.
Johnson is expected to say that people will learn to live with COVID as they do already with flu, meaning that hospitalisations, serious illness and deaths will continue but at a much lower level than before widespread vaccination.
Euro zone business activity soars as lockdowns lifted
Euro zone businesses expanded activity at the fastest rate in 15 years in June as the easing of more coronavirus restrictions brought life back to the bloc's dominant service industry, a survey showed on Monday.
But that surge in growth has come at a cost as inflationary pressures mounted due to labour shortages and disruptions to supply chains caused by the pandemic.
Luxembourg's premier admitted to hospital after positive COVID test - RTL
Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel was admitted to hospital on Sunday following a positive COVID-19 test at the end of June, according to the local broadcaster RTL.
Bettel took part in a two-day EU summit in Brussels at the end of June, where participants included French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and other European leaders.
S.Korea in talks to make up to 1 bln doses of mRNA vaccine
South Korea is in talks with mRNA vaccine makers including Pfizer and Moderna to produce COVID-19 shots in the country and is ready to offer the capacity to make up to 1 billion doses immediately, a senior government official said.
The plan, if agreed, would help ease tight global supply of COVID-19 vaccines, particularly in Asia which lags North America and Europe in vaccine rollouts, and take South Korea closer to its ambition of becoming a major vaccine manufacturing centre.
Next two days "critical" in Sydney's struggle to quell Delta
Australian authorities trying to stamp out an outbreak in Sydney of the highly infectious Delta variant of COVID-19 said on Monday that the next two days would be "absolutely critical" in deciding whether to extend a stay-home order beyond July 9.
At least 300 people have been infected since the first case was reported in the beachfront Bondi suburb of Australia's largest city on June 16.
As cases abate, Taiwan eyes easing of restrictions
Taiwan's cabinet said on Monday that with COVID-19 cases abating there is room to ease restrictions, and ministries and officials should make preparations for doing so, as the island begins emerging from the worst of its pandemic.
Taiwan enacted curbs on gatherings, including closing entertainment venues and limiting restaurants to take out service, in May amid a spike in domestic cases after months of no or few community transmissions. (Compiled by Kevin Liffey; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
