The new Covid-19 strain that emerged in the U.K. is possibly already in the U.S., Germany, France and Switzerland, officials in those countries said. Ireland imposed new restrictions to stem an “extraordinary growth” in cases, and said the nation should act on the assumption that the new variant has arrived.
Pfizer Inc.’s partner BioNTech SE is exploring options to boost vaccine production, and its chief executive officer said its shot will probably work against the new virus strain. Taiwan reported the first locally transmitted infection since April, ending what was the world’s longest stretch without a domestic case.
