The United States has distributed more than 100 million doses since the launch of coronavirus vaccines began late last year, reaching the milestone as soon as Johnson & Johnson started shipping their first shipments. 102.4 million doses were delivered on Tuesday, compared to 96.4 million the previous day, according to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Ireland recorded its lowest daily coronavirus case count since mid-December, fueling hopes of recovery. The National Health Emergency Team said that only 359 new cases of Covid-19 were reported on March 2, a sudden fall since the previous weeks, when the numbers ranged from a minimum of 556 cases on February 9 to a maximum of just over 1,000.
Northern Ireland has devised a cautious plan to ease its nine-week blockade that is likely to keep the region’s non-essential outlets, drink bars and leisure industries closed for longer than those in England. The provincial government emphasized that earlier flexibilization would be focus on families and outdoor activities and locations.
The Canadian economy grew at a faster rate than expected at the end of last year, despite new restrictions on coronavirus, as activity was driven by companies that stocked. Canada’s gross domestic product expanded at an annualized rate of 9.6 percent in the fourth quarter, Statistics Canada said on Tuesday.
A help request sign is affixed to the door of a Target store in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. © AP
Target sales increase in 2020 in more than all Previous 11 years combined, the latest sign of how the US retail chain has moved forward in the pandemic. The company, which operates 1,900 stores, produced $ 93.6 billion in revenue for the year through the end of January – an increase of $ 15.5 billion, or 19.3% on a comparable basis.
The director of the Oxford Vaccine Group said it was “disappointing in some ways” that some countries in Europe have been slow to offer the coronavirus vaccine developed with AstraZeneca for all age groups, as recently released data confirmed that it was highly effective in preventing hospitalization.
UK engineering group Weir experienced a drop in its annual pre-tax profit last year as the rise in commodity prices offset a previous slowdown in orders caused by the pandemic. Profit before statutory taxes fell 3 percent to £ 184 million in 2020, despite a severe contraction in the construction sector in the first half. Revenue fell 4 percent to £ 1.9 billion.
The world’s largest hedge fund manager, Man Group, increased its dividends despite falling profits as it resisted volatile markets during the pandemic. The London-based group increased its annual payment for 2020 by 8 percent over the previous year. The boost came despite a 42% annual drop in pre-tax profits to $ 179 million.