OVERVIEW: International and U.S. Covid-19 briefs--AP

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Mon, 2021-03-22 18:55 — mike kraft

The Latest: Spain to offer AstraZeneca shot to adults 18-65 MADRID — Spain’s health minister said the country will resume use of the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 by extending it to adults up to 65 years of age and that authorities will consider... AP NEWS

GENEVA — A top U.N. health expert says the weekly global count of COVID-19 deaths is rising again, calling it a “worrying sign” after about six weeks of declines.

Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead on COVID-19 at the World Health Organization, says cases are rising in four of the WHO’s five regions worldwide.

Cases in Europe have increased by 12 percent in the last week, Van Kerkhove told a press conference. The rise was driven by the spread of a variant that first emerged in Britain and has spread to many other places including eastern Europe.

Southeast Asia tallied a 49 percent jump over the last week, and WHO’s Western Pacific region tallied a 29 percent rise, she said.

Meantime, the Americas and Africa registered declines.

NEW YORK — Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday that the state is expanding eligibility for the coronavirus vaccine to everyone ages 50 and above.

The governor said newly eligible people can start signing up for vaccines on 8 a.m. Tuesday.

PHOENIX — Arizona is opening coronavirus vaccine appointments to everyone 16 and older.

Gov. Doug Ducey said Monday that appointments will be available at state-run mass vaccination sites in Phoenix, Tucson and Yuma starting 8 a.m. on Wednesday. Ducey said the decision was made based on an anticipated increase in vaccine supply...

MADRID — Spain’s health minister said the country will resume use of the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 by extending it to adults up to 65 years of age and that authorities will consider vaccinating older people with the shot after new studies revealed Monday that it provides strong protection to all. ...

MADISON, Wis. — The governor of Wisconsin has signed a bill that allows dentists to administer COVID-19 vaccinations. The bill was signed the same day more than 2 million more people became eligible for shots.

The Republican-authored bill allows dentists who complete eight hours of training on vaccine protocols and record keeping to administer shots. Dentists in neighboring Minnesota and Illinois are already permitted to give the vaccine. About 3,500 dentists in Wisconsin could be enlisted to help vaccinate.

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GENEVA — The World Health Organization has a message for any countries that have stocks of AstraZeneca vaccines against COVID but are hesitant about using it: Give it to us, we have a lot of would-be takers. ...

Aylward told reporters that countries pressing ahead with a rollout of the AstraZeneca are “very keen” to receive it, including participants in the U.N.-backed COVAX program that aims to get vaccines to countries where they are most needed, whether rich or poor. ...

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