(I)The Chronology (January-June 2021) Coronavirus Update January 1
(1) The World Health Organization (WHO) granted emergency validation to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on December 31, 2020, for countries worldwide to approve its import and distribution. The PfizerBioNTech vaccine was the first to receive “emergency validation” since the pandemic emerged. (2) China granted “conditional” market approval to a Sinopharm vaccine on December 31, 2020.
January 2
Vietnam reports the first imported case of the new coronavirus variant that spreads rapidly in the UK, according to the Ministry of Health. A variant is known as “VOC 202012/01.” The country records 1,474 confirmed cases with 35 deaths so far.
January 6
China denies entry to the WHO expert team at the last minute. The team has a mission to trace the origins of the coronavirus. WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says that he is very disappointed.
January 9
More than 9 million doses of Chinese Covid-19 vaccines have been administered in China, according to the National Health Commission (NHC). The vaccines are free to the public. The NHC also tells the press conference that China is ready to receive an investigation on the origins of Covid-19 by a WHO expert team. However, the specific time is being determined.
January 10
(1) Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) reports 10,298 confirmed cases with 67 deaths in the country. Thailand ranks 129th in the global list of most confirmed cases. (2) The NHC has received a report of 87,536 confirmed cases in China's mainland. The death toll is at 4,634.
3 The Chronology
