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GLOBAL ROUNDUP: Australia and El Salvador approve fourth vaccine doses, and other news from around the world

El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, announced on Facebook last week that the country would make a fourth dose of the coronavirus vaccine available to its entire population.

“Just like the other doses,” he wrote in his post, “this one is totally volunteer and available to all Salvadorans and foreigners over the age of 12.”

Residents can apply to receive the shot 90 days after receiving their third vaccine.

In Australia, where the potential for a seasonal case surge is about two months away, the government will make a fourth vaccine dose available to vulnerable people starting in April, officials said on Friday. Those eligible for a fourth dose include people over 65, nursing home residents and people with severely compromised immune systems.

Australia continues to ease social distancing and travel restrictions. On Friday, officials said that as of April 17 international travelers would no longer be required to show a negative coronavirus test result to enter the country.

In other developments around the world:

  • Germany’s health minister, Karl Lauterbach, called on people over 70 and those who have pre-existing health conditions to get a fourth Covid vaccine shot at a news conference on Friday morning. Noting that only 10 percent of those who fit the criteria have gotten the shot, Mr. Lauterbach said: “The fourth vaccination makes a difference just one week after vaccination.” This week, the health authorities registered more than 1.5 million infections, a number not seen since the beginning of the pandemic two years ago. Nearly all federal rules governing social distancing, mask use and test requirements expired last Sunday. German states have until April 2 to come up with their own rules.

  • Poland will drop nearly all its remaining pandemic precautions and restrictions next week. Starting Monday, people in Poland will no longer have to wear masks in most indoor public spaces, The Associated Press reported on Thursday, citing the country’s health minister, Adam Niedzielski. Masks will still be required in medical facilities. New case reports in Poland have fallen to a relatively low daily average of 24 per 100,000 people, but the country’s vaccination rate is among the lowest in the European Union, with 59 percent of the population fully vaccinated.

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