TOP HEADLINES

- France's President Emmanuel Macron has unveiled the country's four-stage gradual easing of lockdown restrictions in an anticipated schedule published on Thursday by the regional daily press. In stage two from May 19, the nightly curfew will be moved from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and then to 11 p.m. on June 9 for stage three, when indoor venues will also reopen, before being completely lifted on June 30 for the final stage of reopening. Foreign tourists with a "health pass" will also be allowed in the country from June 9.

- U.S. pharmaceutical firm Moderna said on Thursday it is increasing global production of its COVID-19 vaccine, expecting to make up to 3 billion doses in 2022 – double its previous forecast. It also raised its supply forecast for 2021 to between 800 million and 1 billion doses.

- India's COVID-19 troubles continue, with Thursday's daily death toll reaching a record 3,645 fatalities and new cases hitting a global record of more than 379,000 – passing a total of 18 million cases, amid a shortage of hospital beds and medical oxygen. The government said it will open vaccinations to all adults from Saturday. It had previously limited shots to the over-45s and certain other groups.

- International aid is beginning to arrive to the COVID-19-stricken country. Germany also said on Thursday it will send 120 ventilators to India on Saturday, followed by a mobile oxygen production facility next week. India said it is prioritizing the imports of oxygen, adding that 40 countries had pledged their support, with close to 550 oxygen-generating plants from all over the world set to contribute.

- Britain's medicines regulator on Thursday said there had been a further 41 reports of rare blood clots after doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, but that the benefits of the shot continued to outweigh the risks for the majority of people. In its weekly update on side effects of vaccines, the MHRA said there were a total of 209 clots with low platelet counts following vaccination with the Vaxzevria shot, compared with a total of 168 reported last week.

- German pharmaceutical company BioNTech expects results by September from trials testing the COVID-19 vaccine that it and its U.S. partner Pfizer have developed for babies as young as six months old, according to German news organization Der Spiegel. 

- BioNTech also said on Thursday it is about to file an authorization request in the EU for the use of its COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 15, making possible an approval from June. It had already asked U.S. regulators this month to approve emergency use of the vaccine for adolescents.

- Members of the European Parliament voted in favor of a European health certificate to allow travel within the EU, but introduced amendments to the proposed text which has gone through tough negotiations before the adoption of the certificate that Brussels wants operational before the end of June.

- In Hungary, the government has authorized its foreign minister to make bilateral agreements about recognizing COVID-19 vaccine certificates, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas said on Thursday. Separately, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has said Orban discussed anti-pandemic cooperation with Chinese President Xi Jinping over the phone on Thursday.

- Italy on Thursday extended COVID-19 restrictions already in place on travelers from other European countries for 15 days, the health ministry said, adding that it had also imposed a ban on people coming from Sri Lanka. People entering Italy from other European countries face five days of quarantine and mandatory testing both before arrival and at the end of their isolation period.

- Total global spending on COVID-19 vaccines is projected to reach $157 billion by 2025, driven by mass-vaccination programs that are under way and "booster shots" expected every two years, according to a report by U.S. health data company IQVIA released on Thursday.
 

AROUND EUROPE

Ross Cullen in Paris

On Friday, France's president will outline the government's strategy for easing current COVID-19 restrictions. Emmanuel Macron will present "perspectives" on a "progressive exit" from the national "braking measures," which are in force. The president will detail the plan in an interview with regional newspapers. 

The 10 kilometer travel limit is set to be removed on May 3 and secondary schools will restart classes, but more details are anticipated on the planned reopening of terraces for cafes and restaurants, which is likely to be in mid-May. 

The nationwide curfew, which currently runs from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. every night, could be relaxed in May and removed entirely in June. Macron could also give more details on plans for a digital health passport for international travel or for entry to sports stadiums and concert halls.

Guy Henderson in London

The UK is "on track" for a further easing of lockdown restrictions from May 17, said Health Minister Matt Hancock. That will mean pubs can open indoors for groups of up to two households and up to 30 people will be able to gather in outdoor settings.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam said Britain was now "at, or close to, the bottom levels" of coronavirus cases and the balance of "competing forces" of restrictions easing versus the continued vaccine roll-out would determine what happened to case numbers from here. Van-Tam also said he expects "bumps in the road" in the fall and winter.

The UK has secured an additional 60 million doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine for booster shots in order to protect the progress already made, later in the year. Experts have warned a third wave is likely but could be far less significant than previous ones.

Variants represent the largest threat to the UK's vaccine program, said Hancock. That is at least partly why the government continues to send aid – including oxygen – to India, which is suffering a record number of cases and deaths and where a potentially vaccine-resistant strain of the virus has been detected.

Penelope Liersch in Budapest

Hungary's COVID-19 death toll doesn't seem to be decreasing, with each daily total over 180 this week. Up to 186 people have died from the virus in the past 24 hours. 

The number of hospitalizations and ventilated patients is, however, declining, with just over 5,500 people in hospital. New infections recorded in the past 24 hours are the highest this week at just over 2,580, but the data have improved compared with last week.

A record 96,000 people were vaccinated in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of people who have had at least one dose to more than 3.8 million. Many sectors of the economy will be allowed to reopen once 4 million vaccines are recorded, with pools, gyms and restaurants able to serve people indoors as long as they have a vaccination certificate.

Toni Waterman in Brussels

European lawmakers have overwhelmingly voted in favor of so-called vaccine passports. In a 540 to 119 vote – with 31 abstentions – MEPs laid out their negotiating position. The "EU COVID-19 certificate," as the parliament is now calling it, must void discrimination against those not yet vaccinated and be "universal, accessible, timely" and testing must be free. Holders of the pass should also not be subject to additional travel restrictions, such as quarantine or self-isolation, according to the parliament.

COVID-19 passports are seen as the key to unlocking the lucrative summer holiday season. The European Commission has set a June goal of getting them into operation.

Belgium

Belgium, which at times during the pandemic registered the highest COVID-19 infection and death rate, now has something to be proud of on the vaccination front. The country is currently ranked fourth in having administered the most first doses in the EU and the EEA. 

According to the ECDC vaccine tracker, 29.9 percent of adults in Belgium have received at least one dose, above the European average of 26.5 percent. Only Hungary, Malta and Finland rank higher. But when it comes to full vaccination, Belgium ranks among the worst performers. Just 8.2 percent of the population has received a second dose, below the average of 9.7 percent.

Supply shortfalls meant Belgium's immunization program got off to a slow start, but it's now picking up pace. Some 900,000 jabs are expected to be delivered next week.

FROM OUR GLOBAL COLLEAGUES

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Cover image: /Prakash Singh/AFP