The Latest: El Salvador to donate vaccine to Honduran towns

The Latest: El Salvador to donate vaccine to Honduran towns

The president of El Salvador says he will donate coronavirus vaccines to seven towns in Honduras even though his own country’s vaccination effort is still struggling

By The Associated Press

May 10, 2021, 11:50 PM

• 11 min read

Gov. Gavin Newsom is applauded by Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf as he takes the stage during a news conference held at Unity Council career center in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland, Calif., on Monday, May 10, 2021. (Jessica Christian/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

SAN SALVADOR El Salvador — The president of El Salvador says he will donate coronavirus vaccines to seven towns in Honduras even though his own country’s vaccination effort is still struggling.

El Salvador has administered about 1.25 million shots, not nearly enough for the country’s 6.5 million people.

But President Nayib Bukele was apparently touched by appeals from mayors of seven towns in neighboring Honduras who asked El Salvador for help, claiming their own government has abandoned them. He said Monday the donations will not affect El Salvador’s vaccination drive.

Bukele has been known for staking out populist positions in the past.

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THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

— In coastal Senegal, beginning of the fishing season renews hope for industry ravaged by COVID-19

— While wealthier nations stockpile vaccines, some of the poorest countries have yet to receive any, even for medical staff

— Joyful reunions among vaccinated parents and children marked this year’s Mother’s Day

— Concert advocating vaccine equity pulls in $302 million, exceeding its goal

Follow more of AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have established a travel corridor for tourists who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The Gulf sheikhdoms jointly announced Monday that fully vaccinated travelers will be able to fly between the two countries without having to undergo mandatory quarantines.

The deal starts with Eid al-Fitr, one of Islam’s biggest holidays, at the end of this week. Travelers must demonstrate their vaccine status with approved COVID-19 health pass apps.

Similar quarantine-free travel bubbles are in effect elsewhere in the world, like Australia and New Zealand.

Daily infection rates in the UAE and Bahrain are similar, hovering around 1,500 infections per day — still far above last year’s levels.

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LANSING, Mich. — Michigan has passed a 55% coronavirus vaccination rate, a benchmark that will lead to the easing of in-office work restrictions in two weeks.

Employers currently must prohibit onsite work if an employee’s job can feasibly be done remotely. With Monday’s announcement, state officials say they anticipate lifting the rule May 24.

Under the state’s pandemic system, when the vaccination rate reaches 60%, sports stadiums, banquet halls, conference centers and funeral homes will be allowed to raise their capacity to 25% of normal — and gyms will go to 50%. Restaurants and bars will no longer have an 11 p.m. curfew.

After 65%, all limits on indoor capacity will be lifted. At 70%, the state will rescind its mask and gatherings rules.

Authorities, however, can delay easing restrictions in any area with a high infection rate.

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JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi will stop accepting supplemental unemployment benefits for pandemic relief from the federal government next month.

Gov. Tate Reeves said Monday that the weekly supplement of $300 per person was intended to help people “who are unemployed through no fault of their own” because of the coronavirus pandemic. He says that conversations with small business owners and employees indicate the aid is no longer needed.

Reeves says Mississippi will opt out of the additional federal unemployment benefits June 12, the earliest date allowed by federal law. Without the federal supplement, the maximum weekly unemployment benefit in Mississippi is $235.

The governor also says he has told the Department of Employment Security to resume requiring that a person document they are looking for a job in order to receive unemployment benefits.

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