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Coronavirus developments at a glance: 3-9 April

The latest coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic from Research Professional News

UK
Prime minister Boris Johnson has ignored “overwhelming evidence” in failing to confirm that all higher education students can return to campus from 12 April, according to the University Alliance. And universities have been met with a “communications vacuum” from the government after ministers failed to outline a timeframe for the return of face-to-face teaching for all students, Universities UK has said.

US company Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine is being rolled out in Wales this week—the UK government has ordered 17 million doses of the vaccine, which was authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in January following successful clinical trials.

Europe
The European Commission has published four call topics under the EU’s new Horizon Europe R&D programme, offering €123 million in “emergency funding” for urgent research into variants of the virus causing the Covid-19 pandemic.

US
The US drugmaker Gilead has been criticised by two members of Congress over the price it is charging for an antiviral drug it developed, which has been authorised for the treatment of Covid-19 following clinical trials supported by public funding.

Africa
Conferences will return and students will have to promise to behave under a new coronavirus policy for South African universities gazetted by higher education minister Blade Nzimande on 29 March.