COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 13 October

COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 13 October

This daily round-up brings you a selection of the latest news and updates on the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, as well as tips and tools to help you stay informed and protected.

Top stories: US to lift Canadian and Mexican land border restrictions; Japan working on starting booster shots by year-end; South Korea to donate vaccine doses to Viet Nam and Thailand.





1. How COVID-19 is affecting the globe

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have passed 238.7 million globally, according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed deaths stands at more than 4.86 million. More than 6.54 billion vaccination doses have been administered globally, according to Our World in Data.

South Korea has launched a panel to debate a strategy on how to 'live with COVID-19' in the long-term.

Scientists at the US Food and Drug Administration said that Moderna has not met all the agency's criteria to support the use of a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine.

Ukraine has reported its second-highest daily death toll from COVID-19: 471, close to the record of 481 on 7 April.

Panama has approved a booster dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for high-risk people - including healthcare workers and those aged over 55.