EU takes steps toward normality

But WHO calls coronavirus strain raging in India a 'variant of concern' for world

Schools and stores reopened in parts of Europe on Monday, easing out of months of COVID-19 lockdowns, but the devastating outbreak raged on across the South Asian subcontinent and health experts declared the virus mutation in India a "variant of concern".

The World Health Organization in Geneva said the B.1.617 variant spreading in India appears to be more contagious.

"As such, we are classifying this as a variant of concern at the global level," the agency's COVID-19 lead Maria Van Kerkhove said.

The pandemic has killed close to 3.3 million people worldwide by Monday, according to the WHO, upending normal life and causing global economic chaos.

As the United States on Monday authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 15, the head of the European Medicines Agency said the jab could soon be approved for those in that age group in the European Union as well, perhaps as early as this month.

Rapid vaccination programs have allowed a number of wealthy nations to start taking steps toward normality.

Ireland on Monday lifted domestic travel restrictions and began a phased reopening of nonessential retailers, while Greece opened nursery, elementary and middle schools ahead of kicking off the tourist season from Friday.

Tourism might get a shot in the arm from the European Union, which said it was "fully on track" to ensure a COVID health pass would be ready in June to boost travel.

The United Kingdom, which has the highest COVID-19 death toll in Europe, announced the reopening of indoor seating in pubs and restaurants in England from next week.

"This unlocking amounts to a very considerable step on the road back to normality," Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.

The latest easing of restrictions came as England reported no daily virus deaths for the first time in over a year following a successful vaccination campaign.

Spain, which at the weekend lifted a six-month state of emergency and allowed travel between regions, sounded a note of caution after joyful crowds celebrated in the streets mask-less and without observing social distancing.

"The end of the state of emergency does not mean the end of restrictions. Far from it. The virus threat still exists," Justice Minister Juan Carlos Campo wrote in El Pais, urging Spaniards to behave responsibly.

Meanwhile, the EU has not renewed its order for supplies of the AstraZeneca vaccine beyond June when the contract ends, a top official has said.

"We did not renew the order after June. We'll see what happens," European Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton told France Inter radio.

Two weeks ago, the European Commission launched legal proceedings against AstraZeneca over vaccine delivery delays.

Delivery delay

Breton said failure to deliver the vaccines agreed in a contract was "essentially" the reason why the EU had a slower start to its vaccination campaign in the earlier part of the year, Euronews reported.

In its legal case, the commission said AstraZeneca did not have a "reliable" plan to ensure timely deliveries.

The latest remarks came after the EU signed a deal with Pfizer and BioNTech, with a contract extension for a potential 1.8 billion doses of their vaccine through to 2023, Reuters news agency reported.

In India, the country's coronavirus crisis showed scant sign of easing on Tuesday, with a seven-day average of new cases at a record high amid the WHO's warning that the country's variant of the virus poses a global concern.

India's coronavirus cases rose by 329,942 from the previous day, while deaths from the disease increased by 3,876, according to the Health Ministry. India's total coronavirus infections are now at more than 22.9 million, while total fatalities rose to 249,992.

India leads the world in the daily average number of new deaths reported, accounting for one in every three deaths reported worldwide each day, according to a Reuters tally.

The seven-day average of new cases is at a record high of 390,995.

But BioNTech on Monday sought to allay fears around the mutation in India, saying that "to date, there is no evidence" that the jab needs to be adapted to fight the emerging variants.

Agencies and Jonathan Powell in London contributed to this story.