💉 BREAKING - EU medicines agency is assessing the J&J single-dose COVID vax, after pharma firm applied for approval. Decision due mid-March under "accelerated timetable"
Commission has 200m doses on order, with option for 200m more. Latest data from US trials shows 72% efficacy vs moderate/severe infection, 85% vs hospitalisation/death
Could be a real game-changer this one. Touted as a covid-manager rather than covid-tamer. Lower efficacy but easier to get people jabbed due to the single-dose
Something to be happy about
*decision due mid-March IF there's enough data etc. EMA has delayed before, could again. But there's a landing zone
Oh and on the variants, J&J has this to say: "Protection Against Severe Disease Across Geographies, Ages, and Multiple Virus Variants" including the South Africa strain
So more good news
Good news in 3s: J&J esimates that the jab is good for two years at -20°C, at least three months of which can be at temperatures of 2-8°C
🇮🇪 News for language nerds (the best kind of people)
Big case this week at European Court of Justice. 🧵:
The court will on Thursday hear its first case ever filed in the Irish language. It’s to do with labelling of veterinary medicines, but could signal a bigger shift in proceedings than that suggests /.
Cases can be filed in any of the EU’s 24 official languages. Irish has had that status since Ireland joined in 1973, but no plaintiffs have availed themselves of that option. Until now.../
Absolute slap in the face to @Eurostar as Boris Johnson heads to Brussels by plane
*and the climate, obvz
Reminder that Eurostar is in trouble. Massively scaled back services because of travel restrictions and pure lack of demand. It's on the ropes. Doubt Boris cares
'Oh the 8 o'clock train was too early for him, wah'
Get stuffed
🌱 Latest raft of #EUCO conclusions include the 55% emissions target. LOADS of language on member states being at different starting points, having the exclusive right to decide on energy mixes and preserving competitiveness
If there's a budget compromise, there will be a climate deal. (neck on block time). There was just about enough for a deal in October and enough massaging has been done now for it to get over the line if the MFF/RoL are sorted
ETS expansion, carbon border tax and a green finance bond standard also get a look-in. These are in-depth conclusions, not just a "the Council agrees to 55%."
Evidence tat it's going/gone mainstream (imho)
- Look up 'fudge' in the Hungarian and Polish dictionaries;
- Decide whether this is a red wine or hard spirits occasion;
- Download plenty of pictures of leaders for no particular reason, mind your own business 👀
*it's 'koholmány' and 'banialuki' apparently
You're a multilingual lot. 1) are those two translations good? 2) any decent words for 'crap compromise' that also has a culinary double-meaning in your languages?