Arabnews24.ca:Monday 18 October 2021 09:07 AM: The latest:
All Ontarians vaccinated against COVID-19 can now download their enhanced certificates, which include a QR code.
The provincial government has said the scannable documents will allow for faster entry into settings that require proof of vaccination.
The enhanced system officially takes effect on Friday, but Ontarians can get their new vaccine certificates before then, and businesses can start using a new app to verify those codes.
Residents whose birthdays fall between January and April were able to download the enhanced vaccination certificate through the province's COVID-19 website on Friday, and further cohorts got access over the weekend.
Under Ontario's vaccine certificate program, only those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 — or have a valid medical exemption from a doctor — can access certain settings.
They include theatres, gyms, nightclubs and restaurant dining rooms.
-From The Canadian Press, last updated at 8:40 a.m. ET
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As of early Monday morning, more than 240.7 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University's coronavirus tracking tool. The reported global death toll stood at more than 4.8 million.
In the Americas, outside advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday unanimously recommended the agency authorize a second shot of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine for all recipients of the one-dose inoculation.
In Europe, Britain on Sunday reported 45,140 new cases of COVID-19, the highest daily number since the middle of July, and 57 new deaths within 28 days of a positive test, according to official data.
Russia, meanwhile, reported 34,303 new cases in the past 24 hours, a record-high number since the start of the pandemic, data from the state coronavirus task force showed on Sunday.
In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia's sports fans will be allowed to attend full-capacity events at all stadiums and other sports facilities starting on Sunday, the country's ministry of sports announced in a statement on Saturday.
In Africa, Egypt will mandate that public sector employees must either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or take a weekly coronavirus test to be allowed to work in government buildings after Nov. 15, a cabinet statement said on Sunday.
In the Asia-Pacific region, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that the country's biggest city, Auckland, will remain in lockdown for another two weeks as it looks to control the spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus.
-From The Associated Press and Reuters, last updated at 8:30 a.m. ET
