Live Updates: UK Gov Accepts Recommendation to Offer COVID-19 Vaccines for Children Aged 12 to 15

Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth responded to the latest development by praising the work of scientists on the frontlines, pointing out that while "children may not have been the face of this crisis... they have been amongst its bigget victims."

Leading medical experts have warned against using COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to rebuild immunity against more transmissible virus strains in the wider population, in an opinion piece out Monday.

The authors of the article in The Lancet medical journal, including scientists from the World Health Organisation, said that vaccines are working well against severe disease from all the main variants and the Delta mutation.

"Current evidence does not, therefore, appear to show a need for boosting in the general population, in which efficacy against severe disease remains high," they concluded.

The scientists stressed that, in addition to depleting the much in demand vaccine stock, there were risks associated with using boosters too soon or too frequently, such as immune-mediated side effects linked to both mRNA and adenovirus-vector vaccines.

"If unnecessary boosting causes significant adverse reactions, there could be implications for vaccine acceptance that go beyond COVID-19 vaccines. Thus, widespread boosting should be undertaken only if there is clear evidence that it is appropriate," they said.

The article's authors said a broader use of booster shots might ultimately be needed once immunity begins to wane, but the decision on when to use them should be guided by reliable science more than by politics.

Just over half the US population supports the idea that everyone must have compulsory evidence of vaccination against the COVID-19 vaccine before participating in any work, shopping, social or other activities outside their homes, a new poll reported on Monday.

Just over half of those polled, 51 percent believed that demanding proof of vaccination was "an acceptable way to increase the vaccination rate," the poll, which was conducted by the SSRS research company for CNN, reported. However, almost as many, 49 percent, said it was "an unacceptable infringement on personal rights," the poll said.

Just under three-quarters of the respondents, 73% said they had already received at least one vaccination shot against the COVID-19 virus, SSRS found.

However, of the remaining 27% who had not yet received even one vaccination shot, while a large majority of 82% was determined not to get one, the poll also reported.

The poll was conducted from 3 August to 7 September with a representative sample of 2,119 respondents and had an error margin of 3 percent, CNN said.

Russia will resume air traffic with Spain, Iraq, Kenya and Slovakia from 21 September, the government said on Monday, citing the COVID-19 response centre.

"Over the past day, 18,178 COVID-19 cases were confirmed across 85 Russian regions, including 1,366 cases (7.5%) without clinical symptoms," the centre said, adding that the rate of increase fell to 0.25%.

Moscow has the highest number of new cases with 2,022 daily infections, up from 1,592 the day before. The Russian capital was followed by St. Petersburg with 805 cases, down from 1,597, and the Moscow region with 758 cases, up from 718.

The response centre reported 719 new deaths linked to the coronavirus, down from 788 the day before, raising the country's death toll to 193,468.

In the same 24 hours, 12,469 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals across the country, down from 14,497 the day before, bringing the total to 6,402,126.

The Directorate General of Health of Portugal lifted on Monday a mask mandate in public spaces.

"[We] no longer recommend a universal use of masks outside, but [masks] can be used voluntarily," the Directorate General of Health said.

The use of masks is still recommended in crowded places. The National Association of Health Workers insists on the continuation of mandatory use of masks in all public places, both inside and outside.

The announcement comes as Portugal gradually lifts some coronavirus-related restrictions. Since August 23, there are no limits on the use of public transport, cultural events are allowed to operate at 75% capacity.

Portugal has the world's ninth highest vaccination rate, with 79% of the population fully vaccinated, while 86% have received at least one vaccine shot.

Brazil received over 5 million doses of Pfizer vaccines, the largest one-day delivery since the supplies began in April, Brazilian broadcaster GloboNews reported.

Four planes landed on Sunday at Viracopos airport in Sao Paulo, carrying 5.1 million Pfizer doses, bringing the total of vaccines delivered to Brazil to 72.5 million doses. By the end of September, Pfizer is to complete its 100 million shots shipment to Brazil as agreed in March 2021. Under the second agreement between the Brazilian government and Pfizer, reached in May, the company is set to send another 100 million vaccines from October to December.

In Brazil, 65% of the population have received at least one dose of a vaccine, with 34% fully vaccinated. The progress of the immunization campaign resulted in a 30% drop in COVID-19 related deaths compared with the fatality rate two weeks earlier.