The European Union has done what international health officials feared and introduced export controls on coronavirus vaccines made there to help member nations vaccinate their citizens. Drug companies Pfizer and AstraZeneca are producing large batches of their vaccinations in Europe, but they have had some production issues that have seen supply fall short. And so the EU says that vaccines produced there should stay there until local contracts are fulfilled. It’s caused the first major test of the Brexit border arrangements with the EU threatening checks in Ireland. And it’s caused anxiety here in Oz with 10 million Pfizer doses and 3.8 million AstraZeneca jabs made in Europe on order. Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt yesterday said he’s been reassured that things are on track.

Also causing concern in that neck of the woods is news this morning that 100yo super-fundraiser Captain Sir Tom Moore is in hospital with COVID. He had been treated for pneumonia over the past few weeks, but he’s returned a positive test and was admitted this morning for “help with breathing”. His daughter Hannah says they hope to have him home soon.