The developers of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine said Monday they had reached production agreements in key European countries as the EU's medical agency deliberates official approval for the Russian jab.

When Israel this month holds its fourth election in less than two years, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hope goodwill from a world-beating Covid vaccination campaign can finally secure him an elusive majority government. 

Ireland's vaccine taskforce on Sunday recommended temporarily suspending the rollout of the AstraZeneca coronavirus jab, following reports of blood clots in adults who received the shot.

Anglo/Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca on Saturday announced a fresh shortfall in planned vaccine shipments to the European Union, citing production problems and export restrictions.

The World Health Organization said there was no reason to stop using AstraZeneca's Covid-19 jab after several countries suspended rollout over blood clot fears, while the hard-hit United States exceeded 100 million doses of vaccine administered to its people.

India will carry out a deeper review of post-vaccination side effects from the AstraZeneca shot next week although no cases of blood clots have been reported so far, an official told AFP Saturday.

Italy's government on Friday announced tough new restrictions for much of the country following a fresh surge in infections of coronavirus that will see schools, restaurants, bars and museums closed.

The World Health Organization on Friday approved Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 vaccine, paving the way for an additional 500 million doses to enter the Covax global vaccine-sharing scheme.

Hailed as a cheap, easy to store not-for-profit vaccine, the AstraZeneca shot has suffered its fair share of hiccups. In the latest, blood clots suffered by some of those vaccinated prompted a number of countries to suspend use of the jab.

India will manufacture at least one billion more Covid-19 vaccine doses by the end of next year in a joint initiative announced Friday with the United States, Japan and Australia.