The White House said that US President Joe Biden decided to impose mandatory vaccinations or weekly periodic checks for workers in companies with 100 or more employees, as part of strengthening efforts to contain the mutated Delta from the Corona virus.

This decision will affect about 80 million people, and will be added to other measures imposed on employees of federal institutions, and new measures imposed on workers in hospitals that receive federal health care compensation.

Biden expressed his regret that what he described as a specific minority of Americans prevented the entire United States from overcoming the Corona pandemic because of their refusal to receive the vaccine, as he put it.

Biden is scheduled to deliver a speech detailing measures to combat the highly contagious delta mutated virus, which causes Covid-19, in an effort to restore the rapidly declining political momentum.


third dose

In another development, British vaccinologist Sarah Gilbert said that she does not support the widespread campaign to vaccinate with a third booster dose in the United Kingdom, explaining that the immunity between the two fully vaccinated continues well.

The British scientist - who is behind the development of the "AstraZeneca-Oxford" vaccine against the Corona virus - suggested distributing additional doses to countries that did not achieve high levels of vaccination, pointing in the same context to the need to give the third booster dose to the elderly only.

For its part, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in Britain announced that the vaccines "Pfizer" (Pfizer) and AstraZeneca are safe for use as booster doses, but the Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunization has not yet given its guidance to ministers in the country in this regard.

Vaccine efficiency

Meanwhile, the director of the European branch of the World Health Organization, Hans Kluge, seemed more pessimistic today, Friday, about the ability of the high rate of vaccination alone to stop the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic, due to the emergence of mutantes that reduced the possibility of forming group immunity.

With the possibility that the disease will remain rampant in the long term without being able to eradicate it, Kluge called during a press conference for a "contest to adapt our strategies on vaccination", especially on the issue of booster doses.

And last May, the UN health official confirmed that "the epidemic will end when we vaccinate a minimum of 70%" of the world's population.

When asked whether this goal is still valid or whether it should be raised, Klug indicated that the new highly infectious mutant - especially the delta mutant - changed the data.

He explained that when he made the statement months ago, "no more transmissible mutants had appeared," although the delta mutant, which was first detected in India, was widespread during that period.

Kluge pointed out today that achieving a very high vaccination level is still very essential "to relieve pressure on our health systems, and they urgently need to treat other diseases different from Covid-19."

According to epidemiological experts, it seems that the formation of group immunity only through vaccines has become a distant prospect, but vaccination is still essential to contain the outbreak of the epidemic.

Biotech seeks to vaccinate children

For its part, the German company BioNTech announced today, Friday, that it is seeking approval to vaccinate children under 12 years of age with the “Pfizer-BioNTech” vaccine against the Corona virus.

"We will present the results of our study among children aged 5 to 11 years to officials around the world in the coming weeks, and we will apply for a license for our vaccine for this age group, here also at Europe".

She explained that the vaccine is the same currently used for other age groups, but its dose will be adjusted for the younger age group.

Preliminary results of studies conducted by the German pharmaceutical company showed that the use of a lower dose of the vaccine is safe and effective for the 5-11 age group, and the company has already begun preparations for production.

"It looks good, and everything is going according to plan," said her husband and also co-founder Ugur Sahin.

If the European Medicines Agency grants its approval, Germany can start vaccinations for the mentioned age group in mid-October, according to the German magazine.


UAE lifts some restrictions

In the context of Corona developments, the UAE said today, Friday, that residents who received a full vaccination with one of the vaccines approved by the World Health Organization can return to the country, starting from this September 12, from countries from which the arrivals were previously suspended.

Dubai is scheduled to open the World Expo 2020 on October 1, after it was postponed a year due to the pandemic.

The countries from which residents can travel to the UAE from September 12 are: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Namibia, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Liberia, South Africa, Nigeria and Afghanistan.

Denmark lifts all restrictions

As part of the return to normalcy, Denmark today completely turns the page on restrictions aimed at combating the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic, as the wearing of masks and the health permit are no longer imposed, life has returned to offices, and tens of thousands of people have resumed attending musical performances.

"We are definitely ahead in Denmark because we don't have any restrictions anymore, we have moved to the other side of the epidemic thanks to vaccination," said Ulrik Orom Petersen, an employee in the advertising department of the live Nation music company.

Tomorrow, Saturday, the company organizing the concerts is preparing a musical show that has sold out and will be attended by 50,000 people, and this is a precedent in Europe, where health restrictions are still imposed.

Denmark has had no difficulties convincing its population to receive the vaccine, and as a result, 73% of the population of 5.8 million are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and 96% of people over the age of 65 are also.

Health Minister Magnus Heunick confirmed in late August that the government "will not hesitate to act quickly if the epidemic threatens again the basic functions of society."

Entry to Danish territory requires the presentation of a health passport and/or a negative result examination, and the wearing of masks is still mandatory at airports.

The World Health Organization considers that the health situation in the world is still sensitive and requires caution.