Paris (AFP)

New reports, new measures and highlights: an update on the latest developments in the Covid-19 pandemic around the world.

- Vaccine: the United Kingdom tries to reassure -

The British Medicines Agency assured Friday that its swift decision to authorize the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19 in the United Kingdom, a first in the Western world, met all safety standards, after criticism of the speed of the process.

Immunologist Anthony Fauci, member of the White House crisis cell on the new coronavirus, estimated Thursday that the British independent authority had "rushed this approval", before apologizing.

- Defiance in France -

The closer the vaccination against Covid-19 is, the less the French seem to want to be vaccinated: only half of those questioned in November intend to do so, against two-thirds in July, according to official figures released by Public Health France .

The vaccination campaign in France should begin with residents of retirement homes in early January, before gradually extending to the entire population.

- More than 1.5 million deaths worldwide -

The pandemic has killed more than 1.5 million people worldwide since the end of December, for more than 65.2 million cases, according to a count made by AFP from reports provided by the authorities, Friday at 11 a.m. GMT.

The United States is the country with the most deaths since the start of the pandemic (276,401).

More than 210,000 cases were recorded there Thursday in a single day, an all-time high since the start of the pandemic.

The United States is followed by Brazil (175,270 dead), India (139,188), Mexico (108,173) and the United Kingdom (60,113).

- Russian vaccine produced in Kazakhstan -

Kazakhstan will start producing Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19 on December 22, authorities in the country, which is also developing its own vaccine, said.

The launch of mass vaccinations of the Kazakh population is scheduled from early 2021. The Russian vaccine, which its creators claim 95% effective, must also be produced in other countries including India, China, Brazil and South Korea, according to Russian authorities.

More than 100,000 people, according to them, have already been vaccinated in Russia.

- Freestyle skiing and snowboarding: Worlds canceled -

The Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding Worlds scheduled for Yanqing (China) from February 18 to 28, 2021 at the site of the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, have been canceled due to restrictions imposed by China in the face of the pandemic.

The International Ski Federation is looking for a new venue for this competition, as well as for the World Cups in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping and Nordic combined scheduled in China in early 2021 and all canceled.

- Gatherings prohibited in California-

The governor of California announced Thursday that gatherings and non-essential activities will be banned in all areas where the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to overwhelm hospital services.

- Quebec: Christmas gatherings canceled -

The Premier of Quebec, François Legault, announced Thursday that he was overturning his decision to allow Quebecers to gather for four days at Christmas, citing the sharp increase in the cases of Covid-19 in this Canadian province.

burs-paj / cds / cac

© 2020 AFP