Many countries have been struggling to keep up with the pace of people receiving their first vaccine doses against the CCP virus.
Israel is now leading the world in having the most people inoculated against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus per capita, with currently more than 30 percent of the countries’ population having administered at least their first COVID-19 vaccine dose, amounting to over 2.8 million of its 9.3 million citizens.
The fight seems long from over, however, as the Middle Eastern country is reporting a surge of the more infectious variants currently overwhelming its hospitals.
Biden, Yellen Call for Swift Action on CCP Virus Relief Package
President Joe Biden on Friday pushed Congress to act quickly on a proposed economic relief package as the White House attempted to gain bipartisan support for the $1.9 trillion measure.“The choice couldn’t be clearer. We have learned from past crises that the risk is not doing too much. The risk is not doing enough. And this is a time to act now,” Biden said during a meeting with advisers as well as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, according to The Hill.
“There is an overwhelming consensus among economists—left, right, and center—that this is a unique moment in this crisis, and the cost of inaction is high and is growing every day,” Biden added.
Chinese-Made Vaccines Met With Skepticism Internationally
As COVID-19 continues to spread across the globe, the Chinese regime has been stepping up efforts in exporting its vaccines to other nations, consistently pursuing “vaccine diplomacy.” However, China-made vaccines have encountered global resistance due to the lack of transparent data on their efficacy.On Jan. 20, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying claimed at a press briefing that at least 40 countries expressed an interest in introducing China-made COVID-19 vaccines. She also said that some foreign leaders had already received Chinese shots, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
A number of middle- and low-income countries and regions have said they will purchase Chinese vaccines, attracted to their lower prices compared to those manufactured by European and American drug companies.
In an October 2020 Chinese BBC report, biochemistry professor Jin Dong-Yan at the University of Hong Kong’s medical school said that he was worried about the safety of unverified Chinese vaccines.
Personal Data Stolen From Dutch Track-and-Trace Program
Personal information of a large number of people who participated in the Netherlands’ CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus track-and-trace program has been leaked, the Dutch health authorities (GGD) said on Friday.The GGD confirmed a media report that data had been stolen and apologized for what it said were two separate leaks. It said in a statement it did not know how many people were affected by the data theft, but they could number in the thousands.
Lawmaker Urges NY AG, DOJ to Subpoena Cuomo’s Office Over Handling of Pandemic
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) is demanding answers after a new report revealed New York state health officials underreported COVID-19-related nursing home deaths by as much as 50 percent in some places.Stefanik is now urging New York Attorney General Letitia James and the Justice Department to issue subpoenas to the administration of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, for documentation and communications related to his handling of the CCP virus pandemic.
Johnson & Johnson: 1-Dose Prevents Virus
Johnson & Johnson says its vaccine appears to protect against COVID-19 with just one shot. It’s not as strong as some two-shot rivals but still potentially helpful for a world in dire need of more doses. Results released Friday show the single-shot vaccine was 66 percent effective overall at preventing moderate to severe illness, and much more protective against the most serious symptoms.These are preliminary findings from a study of 44,000 volunteers that is ongoing. Researchers tracked illnesses starting 28 days after vaccination—about the time when, if participants were getting a two-dose variety instead, they would have needed another shot.
Draconian Lockdown Measures in Northern Chinese City Causes Food Shortage Crisis and Tragedies
Amid the latest COVID-19 outbreak in northern China, a food shortage crisis and tragic incidents have been reported in Tonghua City, Jilin Province after local authorities abruptly locked down communities on Jan. 18 to curb the spread of the CCP virus. The harsh lockdown measures have contributed to violence and suicides, according to residents who spoke with The Epoch Times.WHO Team in Wuhan Visits Hospital That Treated Early Cases
A World Health Organization-led team of experts investigating the origins of COVID-19 on Friday visited a hospital in the Chinese city of Wuhan that was one of the first to treat patients in the early days of the outbreak.The hospital visit was the team’s first in the field after two weeks in quarantine, and a WHO spokeswoman said the group’s contacts in Wuhan will be limited to visits organized by their Chinese hosts due to health restrictions.
Trudeau to Announce New Measures to Restrict Travel Abroad
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce today new measures aimed at further restricting international travel as more infectious variants of the CCP virus that causes COVID-19 spread around the globe.Trudeau has urged Canadians for weeks not to take any non-essential trips outside the country. For those who do, he has warned that the federal government could impose restrictions at any time that would make it harder for them to return.
Lorenz Duchamps, Jack Phillips, Frank Yue, Rita Li, Janita Kan, Reuters, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
