New Zealand's biggest city has begun a snap three-day lockdown, forcing two million people to stay at home, as authorities scramble to contain the nation's first outbreak of the highly contagious variant first detected in the UK.
Photo: MRE
20:41 | Lima, Feb. 14. Foreign Affairs Minister Elizabeth Astete on Sunday night said that she has submitted her resignation to President Francisco Sagasti, after announcing that she had received a dose of the Sinopharm vaccine against COVID-19.
Via Twitter, Astete released the following statement:
After being in contact with several COVID-19 positive officials in December 2020 and January 2021, including high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, such as the Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister and the Director General of America, as well as with foreign diplomatic officials and escort personnel, I accepted the offer to receive the first dose of the Sinopharm vaccine, on January 22, 2021, from as I understood the remaining doses of the batch held by the Cayetano Heredia University.
Peru Foreign Minister Resigns Over Early Vaccination Scandal
02/15/21 AT 1:58 AM
Peru s foreign minister resigned Sunday, the second top official to step down amid a growing scandal over politicians receiving Covid-19 vaccinations well before the general public.
The South American nation has been badly hit by the pandemic, with its hospitals overwhelmed and a targeted vaccination program for health workers rolling out only from February 8.
Public resentment over officials receiving vaccinations despite there being no date for a wider immunization drive has seen at least two government officials resign.
Peruvian media said that Attorney General Zoraida Avalos had opened a preliminary investigation against ex-president Martin Vizcarra and others responsible for the early vaccination of senior officials.
Peruvian prosecutors are investigating the use of so-called "courtesy doses" of China's Sinopharm vaccine after two top government officials resigned over the weekend upon acknowledging they had taken the Chinese shot months ago, well before they were widely available in the country.