ISTANBUL Turkey has lifted almost all pandemic restrictions for businesses and events, and also lifted Sunday and nighttime curfews.A circular from the interior ministry states that restaurants and weddings do not have to limit the number of guests, but they must still adhere to social distancing guidelines. Only hookah shops remain closed.Music can be performed indoors or outdoors, but must stop by midnight. There is no nighttime curfew.Turkey's vaccination drive is moving at a rapid pace, with more than 50 million doses. Only 18% of Turkey's 84 million people have been fully vaccinated by Sinovac and Pfizer. Coronavirus infections have hovered around a seven day average of approximately 5,500 cases.___READ MORE ABOUT THE PANDEMICBritain has nearly 28,000 cases per day, the highest level since JanuaryLow global vaccine rates for the Delta coronavirus strain of Delta coronavirusWHO challenges West to recognize Chinese vaccinationsBiden fails to deliver 80 million vaccine doses globally; White House points out local obstacles___You can find more coverage of APs pandemics at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus–pandemic or https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus–vaccine___HERE'S WHAT ELSE HAPPENS:LONDON The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has stated that unspecified additional precautions will be required to limit the spread of the pandemic in the coming weeks. He also expressed confidence that the remaining restrictions on social contacts can be lifted by July 19.Infections in the U.K. have increased sharply over recent weeks. Government figures showed another 27,989 cases on Thursday. This is the highest level recorded since January.Johnson believes life will return to the way it was before COVID. This is despite the fact that vaccines have been shown to reduce deaths from contagious delta infections.On Thursday, 67% of U.K. residents had received at least one dose of vaccines while 49% had received two. Daily virus-related deaths remained low at 22. This brings the total number of confirmed deaths to 128,162.Continue the story___WASHINGTON President Joe Biden failed to deliver 80 million coronavirus vaccines to the rest of world by June 30th.According to the White House, logistical and regulatory obstacles have slowed down U.S. vaccination diplomacy. Biden's administration had previously announced that about 50 countries and organizations would be eligible for a portion of the COVID-19 excess vaccine doses.An Associated Press tally indicates that the U.S. has sent less than 24,000,000 doses to 10 countries. According to the White House, more doses will be shipped in the days ahead.___COPENHAGEN (Danemark) Denmark Denmark has donated 2 million doses AstraZeneca vaccines to Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, as well as an additional 1 million doses to the COVAX program.Jeppe Kofod, Foreign Minister, stated that the Balkan countries were suffering from a severe vaccine shortage. He was happy to help his close partners with this crucial weapon against the pandemic.Flemming Moeller, Denmark's Foreign Aid Minister, says that the donation to COVAX was made to North Africa and Bhutan. This is an initiative that allows countries to access coronavirus vaccines regardless their wealth.The AstraZeneca vaccines were donated by the Scandinavian country to Kenya. They also pledged to provide doses to Ukraine.___NEW YORK A new alarming variant of coronavirus is using low global vaccination rates in an effort to reduce pandemic restrictions.This adds urgency to the need to increase arms and slow down its rapid spread. The highly contagious delta variant is still protected by the majority of vaccines used in Western countries. This mutation was first discovered in India, and is now being spread to more than 90 countries.The World Health Organization warned that the pandemic could be delayed by the combination of easy-to-spread strains and insufficiently immunized people.The delta variant can take advantage of any country's armor chinks.It is even more important to spread vaccination because the virus we have in circulation is actually more transmissible that the original wild type. Dr. Rochelle Walsky, director at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stated.Some parts of Europe have reinstituted travel quarantines. Several Australian cities are currently in outbreak-sparked lockdowns. Just as Japan prepares for the Tokyo Olympics and other countries, some foreign athletes are infected.___MOSCOW - Russian health authorities launched booster coronavirus shots to those who were immunized over six months ago. This was in response to an increase in deaths and new infections.Moscow's health authorities began offering booster shots on Thursday with both the two-shot Sputnik V and one-shot Sputnik Light vaccines. Other Russian regions also offer booster shots.This move comes after Russia has seen a spike in infections with over 20,000 COVID-19-related infections every day since last Thursday. This is more than twice the average for early June.It registered 672 deaths on Thursday, which is the highest daily death rate since the outbreak of the pandemic.___JAKARTA (Indonesia) Thousands of Indonesians gathered at a sports venue to receive a COVID-19 shot in a mass vaccination event.Local authorities set out to immunise 25,000 people at the stadium in Bekasi outside Jakarta. This is part of an effort to drastically increase the nation's virus fight, as hospitals are filled with sick patients.This event is part of an effort by the FDA to distribute 1 million doses daily in July and 2,000,000 in August.President Joko Widodo also announced new community restrictions, mobilization of National Police and other resources to fight the rising infections. These actions follow a Red Cross warning that Indonesia is at the brink of a COVID-19 disaster and that it urgently requires more medical care, testing, and vaccinations.___HELSINKI Estonia's prime minister claims that a failure in operation at a cold storage facility containing tens to thousands of COVID-19 vaccination doses caused damage of almost 3 million euros ($3.6million) to the Baltic country.Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister, says that approximately 250,000 doses coronavirus vaccine (including vaccine for minors) are not usable.Kallas states that claims for damages were made against both the insurance company as well as (cold storage equipment) suppliers. An independent audit will also be done.Estonian media reported that the alarm system for cold storages failed to detect a significant temperature change during the Midsummer bank holiday last week. Only one member of staff noticed the problem when he entered the storage. A large number of AstraZenecas coronavirus vaccination doses were unusable.Kallas states that Estonian authorities will conduct 24-hour surveillance on cold storages containing vaccines.Estonia, a nation of 1.3million people, has administered at least one dose of vaccines to 51.3% of its adult population.___BELGRADE (Serbia) -- Serbia's health officials have confirmed that no one has been infected with the coronavirus within the last 24 hours, the first in nine months.According to authorities, there have been 81 new infections over the past day. This is among the lowest number of newly registered cases.The decrease in infections has led to the relaxation of certain measures. This includes full bars, nightclubs, and wedding parties.According to the Serbian government health ministry, the virus' more contagious delta variant has been detected in two people in Serbia who were previously abroad. Doctors warn people to be vigilant.Serbia has vaccinated 37% of its population of 7,000,000 people. China's Sinopharm vaccines, Pfizer and AstraZeneca, as well as Russia's Sputnik V, have been used a majority in Serbia.Since the outbreak of the pandemic, more than 7000 people have died from the coronavirus.___GENEVA: The World Health Organization has stated that any coronavirus vaccines it has approved for emergency use should also be recognized by other countries when they open their borders.This move could make it difficult for Western countries to accept two Chinese vaccines. The U.N. has licensed them, but most European and North American nations have not.Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca have approved vaccines. The WHO has also approved two Chinese vaccines, Sinovac and Sinopharm.The European Union stated in May that in its effort to restore travel across Europe it would only accept people who have received shots licensed by European Medicines Agency. This does not include Chinese vaccines. It is up to the individual countries to decide whether they want to allow people to enter their country who have been vaccinated with other vaccines, such as Russia's Sputnik V.Many developing countries have been using Chinese-made vaccines, despite the fact that most Western countries have relied heavily on vaccines manufactured in Europe and the U.S. The head of China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention admitted this year that the effectiveness of its own shots was low. Many countries, such as the Seychelles and Bahrain have seen COVID-19 rises despite having relatively high levels.___NAIROBI (Kenya) The African Union special Envoy is leading efforts to procure COVID-19 vaccinations for the continent. This blasting Europe comes as Africa struggles with a third wave of infected.Strive Masiyiwa claims that not one dose or one vial has left a European factory in Africa.Masiyiwa also attacked Thursday's global COVAX effort for vaccine distribution to low- and middle-income countries. COVAX was accused of withholding critical information, including the fact that key donors have not fulfilled funding pledges.Africa's 1.3 billion inhabitants are now under the attack of a third wave infection. The Africa CDC describes it as extremely aggressive.___KUALA LUMPUR Malaysia Malaysia will impose a curfew throughout Selangor and Kuala Lumpur where coronavirus cases are still high despite a nationwide lockdown since June 1.The decision was made by Defense Minister Ismail Sabri due to the dense population, rising infectivity rates in Selangor or Kuala Lumpur as well as the spreading of more aggressive Covid-19 varieties. Malaysia had 6,988 new infections Thursday. Selangor and Kuala Lumpur accounted for almost 60%.Ismail has declared that no one may leave their home under the Enhance Movement Control Order, which will be in effect from Saturday through Sunday. Ismail states that only one household member can shop for groceries within a 10-kilometer radius. There is a curfew after eight p.m.He said that only those services are essential and that factories that produce food, medicine and masks are allowed to operate. Ismail claims that vaccinations will be increased in affected areas.The number of daily cases has fallen from more than 9,000 at May's end to a low of 6,000. They have risen to over 6,000 this week. Only 10% of the nation's 33 million inhabitants have been vaccinated.___BERLIN German officials claim that it was completely irresponsible for European soccer's governing body to allow around 40,000 people to view England's European Championship match against Germany at London's Wembley Stadium.The largest crowd in Britain for Tuesday's second round match between England and England, which was won 2-0 by England, was witnessed since March 2020 when the pandemic started. This happened as the more contagious Delta variant of the pandemic is causing a sharp increase in COVID-19 new cases in the U.K.When asked about Thursday's capacity decision and the possibility of more people attending the final at Wembley on Thursday, Horst Seehofer, German Interior Minister, replied: "I think this UEFA situation is completely irresponsible."Seehofer, also responsible for sport, said: I have the suspicion this is about again commerce, and commerce should not outshine protection of the population from infection.He asked UEFA to not push the issue on local health authorities. A sports association should clearly state that they don't want it this way, and are reducing spectators.___GENEVA: The head of the World Health Organizations Europe Office says there has been a 10 week drop in COVID-19 incidences in the region. However, he warns that a new wave is possible if people are not more disciplined and vaccinated.Dr. Hans Kluge cited Thursday's 10% increase in infections due to increased mixing, travel and loosening of social restrictions.He said that 63 percent of the people living in the region have not had their first vaccination jab.Kluge advises people who wish to travel and meet over the summer that they should keep up with life-saving measures like wearing masks. WHO Europe recommends that people get double-jab vaccinations to maximize their effectiveness.Senior WHO Europe emergency officer Dr. Catherine Smallwood warned governments against lifting social distancing in the face of increased transmission. She advised governments against lifting social distancing measures amid increased transmission.___
