�������ýҕ�l

With the Olympic flame at its heart, the role of the torch relay is "to arouse joy and excitement for the Games" across the host nation. That's the message Tokyo 2020 officials put out on Thursday. But, they warned, be careful how you express your joy — and definitely don't get too excited. "We ask that spectators refrain from cheering and shouting,” Yukihiko Nunomura, a senior member of organizing committee, said at a news conference, explaining that spectators will be expected to wear masks. “Please cheer by clapping your hands,” he added. (Denyer, 2/25)

The torch relay for the postponed Tokyo Olympics is to start in a month, which should be a sign that the troubled Olympics are on track to begin on July 23.It was at this stage at the start of the torch relay just under a year ago — just after the Olympic flame arrived from Greece — that the Olympics were postponed because of the coronavirus. (Wade, 2/25)

India is struggling to convince its health and front-line workers to take a homegrown COVID-19 vaccine controversially approved without late-stage efficacy data, government data showed dashboard.cowin.gov.in on Thursday, days ahead of a wider roll-out. The country has the world’s second-highest number of COVID-19 infections after the United States, with cases recently surging as mask wearing declines and states have eased social distancing measures. A lack of confidence in a homegrown vaccine country could prevent India from meeting its target of vaccinating 300 million of its 1.35 billion people by August. (Das and Mitra, 2/24)

France’s privacy watchdog said it’s investigating the leak of sensitive health data on half a million people and said the companies involved could face heavy penalties if they don’t come forward with details of the breaches. The leaks were of “particularly significant magnitude and severity,” the CNIL said in a statement. Hackers may have infiltrated software made by Dedalus France that was used by medical testing laboratories, according to press reports. The privacy watchdog cited media reporting on the incidents and said the companies should have notified it of the breaches within 72 hours. It said the individuals affected should also be informed. It was unclear if the victims had been informed as the CNIL reacted to the leaks. (Fouquet, 2/24)

Middle-income countries have gained greater access to a variety of needed cardiovascular medicines, but remain unable to close the gap with wealthy nations, according to a recent analysis of sales data in dozens of countries. (Silverman, 2/23)