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The Canadian border reopens to fully vaccinated U.S. citizens on Aug. 9, but negative PCR tests will still be required before crossing. A polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, test is a real-time diagnostic test conducted via a nasal or throat swab and can detect SARS-CoV-2. "Regardless of whether you're Canadian or American or any other nationality, and regardless of whether you're fully vaccinated or not, it's mandatory for everybody ages 5 and up to have a valid PCR test, or the equivalent, within 72 hours before arriving," said a Canadian border agent. (Rahal, 7/20)

The total number of excess deaths in India during the pandemic is likely more than than 3 million and could be as high as 4.9 million, according to a study released Tuesday. The number is almost 10 times the country's official death toll, making it "arguably India’s worst human tragedy," said the research team, who includes a former chief economic adviser to the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Gonzalez, 7/20)

The French government, which last week introduced some of Europe’s toughest measures against COVID-19, has been forced to row back on some restrictions following a pushback from industries and street protests. Among the new rules, French President Emmanuel Macron sought to turbo-drive vaccinations by making proof of vaccination or immunity mandatory to enter cafés, restaurants and a range of other venues this summer. (Caulcutt, 7/20)

U.K. leader Boris Johnson’s pandemic strategy descended into disarray after his own ministers said the public could ignore orders to isolate at home. Two business ministers -- Paul Scully and Gerry Grimstone -- made the point that there is no legal requirement for people to self-isolate if they are “pinged” by the National Health Service’s contact tracing smart-phone app and told to quarantine. The technology uses Bluetooth to identify people who have are at risk because they’ve come into close contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19. But the app has been at the center of a storm this week, after businesses and employers complained staff shortages were pushing them to the brink, with an estimated 1.73 million people across the country isolating. (Ross, 7/20)

Three million doses of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine donated by the United States arrived in Guatemala on Tuesday. The air shipment landed in Guatemala City, bringing to 4.5 million the number of doses that the United States has given Guatemala so far. (7/21)