Three vaccine holdouts imperil the world

Here's the latest news from the global pandemic. Biden renews virus origin probe that's so far come up empty Ditched Olympics could wipe out most of Japan's 2021 growth U.K.'s Johnson faces challenge to authority after Cummings salvo Three vaccine holdouts imperil the world While the world scrambles to secure Covid-19 vaccines, three African countries have done nothing to procure them. Some nations such as Burkina Faso and Chad have yet to vaccinate any of their citizens, and other countries including Turkmenistan and North Korea have been slow to do so. But at least they have accepted the need for inoculations. Tanzania, Burundi and Eritrea so far haven't even done that. That's not just a threat to the 75 million people who live in those countries. It's also a threat to the world. If the virus is allowed to continue to circulate in pockets of population anywhere, it's likely to mutate. When people travel, they carry it with them, and those mutations can sometimes evade antibodies produced in reaction to vaccines more easily than earlier versions of the virus. Already, tests on travelers from Tanzania who arrived in Angola have found what South African genome-sequencing institute Krisp described as the most mutated variant yet. Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan has promised a change in approach but has yet to take action. Photographer: -/AFP/Getty Images Highly infectious strains first identified in other parts of the world, including South Africa and India, have rapidly spread across the globe, disrupting travel and threatening the efficacy of vaccine programs. "This virus views antibodies as bait. It sees them and it transforms," Patrick Soon-Shiong, a U.S. biotech billionaire developing a Covid-19 vaccine, said in an interview with Bloomberg. Both Tanzania and Burundi had presidents, John Magufuli and Pierre Nkurunziza, who died in the last year of what was speculated to be Covid-19. While Burundi's new president, Evariste Ndayishimiye, declared the virus the country's "biggest enemy" last year, he has yet to act on getting vaccines for his people. Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan has promised a change in approach, but she is yet to take concrete action. Her nation hasn't released infection statistics for a year. Eritrea has been silent. As Phionah Atuhebwe, the World Health Organization's new vaccines introduction medical officer for Africa, says, "We can only continue with advocacy." And in the meantime, the rest of the world pays the price.—Antony Sguazzin Track the vaccines When Will Life Return to Normal? While the best vaccines are thought to be 95% effective, it takes a coordinated campaign to stop a pandemic. At the current pace of 29.8 million a day, it would take another year to achieve a high level of global immunity. The rate, however, is steadily increasing, and new vaccines by additional manufacturers are coming to market. Read more here. Syringes at a Covid-19 mass vaccination site. Photographer: Eric Thayer/Bloomberg   What you should read Covid Orphans Are at Risk of Exploitation in India Worries that good Samaritans are playing into the hands of child traffickers. People Hired in Pandemic Are More Likely to Quit A lack of bonding with colleagues has reduced engagement, says a study. Anti-Vaxxers Vs Scientists: Seychelles's Mysteries Cases in world's most vaccinated nation rising; misinformation is spreading. Taiwan Pressured to Work With China for Shots It's a politically unpalatable option for officials struggling with an outbreak.  Sinopharm Publishes Awaited Shot Study Details Prestigious U.S. medical journal provides first detailed look at Chinese shot. Know someone else who would like this newsletter? Have them sign up here. Have any questions, concerns, or news tips on Covid-19 news? Get in touch or help us cover the story. Like this newsletter? Subscribe for unlimited access to trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and gain expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close. Follow Us Get the newsletter You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Coronavirus Daily newsletter. Unsubscribe | Bloomberg.com | Contact Us Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022