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Senegal and Rwanda have signed an agreement with German company BioNTech for the construction of its first start-to-finish factories to make messenger RNA vaccines in Africa. BioNTech, which developed the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, said Tuesday that construction will start in mid-2022. It is working with the Institut Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal’s capital, and the Rwandan government, a statement said. (Petesch, 10/26)

Moderna on Tuesday said it will make up to 110 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine available to African countries, which local officials called a breakthrough on the world’s least vaccinated continent. The announcement said Moderna is prepared to deliver the first 15 million doses by the end of this year, with 35 million in the first quarter of 2022 and up to 60 million in the second quarter. It says “all doses are offered at Moderna’s lowest tiered price.” (Anna, 10/26)

The U.K. reported its highest daily death toll from coronavirus since the beginning of March, adding to fears that tighter restrictions might be needed this winter. The number of people hospitalized is also at the highest since that period. Steadily increasing hospitalization and death rates have put pressure on the government to enact its “Plan B,” which could include mandatory face coverings and a recommendation to work from home. (Capel, 10/26)

Chinese organizers have confirmed participants in next year’s Winter Olympics will be strictly isolated from the general population and could face expulsion for violating COVID-19 restrictions. Vice mayor and Beijing 2022 organizing committee official Zhang Jiandong told reporters Wednesday that those taking part in the games beginning Feb. 4 must remain in a “closed loop” for training, competing, transport, dining and accommodation. (10/27)

Though flu cases are still low in Europe, an unusually early spike in Croatia is a sign that the 2021-22 flu season could be severe for older people, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said today. The ECDC said the main subtype detected in the region over the past month is influenza A H3N2, which is known for disproportionately affecting older people and has been linked to lower vaccine effectiveness. It said the early signals suggest the season could be severe for older people but noted the timing of flu circulation may vary among countries. (10/26)

The World Health Organization approved a cervical cancer vaccine from China’s Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise Co., broadening access in developing countries to a scarce shot that prevents one of the most common causes of cancer. The inoculation was developed by Wantai’s vaccine subsidiary Xiamen Innovax Biotech Co. and works against the two highest-risk types of human papillomavirus, a sexually-transmitted virus that can cause cervical cancer. It received a stamp of approval from the WHO, known as a prequalification, which is widely recognized by developing nations as proof of a product’s safety and efficacy. (10/26)