Ramallah also worried by delay in getting doses, with first major AstraZeneca shipment due in March and other suppliers possibly taking months more

PA ambassador to Russia says he expects 'technical issue' holding up delivery of shots to be resolved soon, and the first delivery to arrive by mid-February

PA requests Israeli permission to bring in 5,000 doses on Tuesday to vaccinate hospital workers; bulk of shots for Palestinian population expected over next few months

Moscow continues to resist imposing lockdown; excess death rates suggest true toll of the pandemic is far higher than authorities will admit

Initial 800,000 doses slated to begin to be given to people over 80 who are hospitalized or already have appointments scheduled, in West's first major inoculation campaign

Moscow rolls out coronavirus inoculation at 70 centers; WHO warns that shots alone won't end global crisis

Russian Direct Investment Fund vows two-shot jab will be cheaper for foreign governments than those by Pfizer, Moderna, and free to its citizens

But announcement by health ministry and researchers doesn't specify number of patients used to arrive at that conclusion

British drug group and Oxford university say inoculation averages 70% efficacy and caused no hospitalizations, days after Israel announces talks to purchase inoculations

Positive test level hits 2.8% and transmission rate at 1.06; health minister backs opening schools for all grades, but says other eased restrictions would then have to wait