The government ordered the culling of 17 million mink after the animals spread a mutant Covid-19 strain to humans that threatened the effectiveness of vaccines in development.
Researchers from the U.K., France and Réunion stressed the need to monitor new mutations as vaccines are rolled out, adding that the virus seems “well adapted” to spreading among humans.
The travel industry is stepping up its coronavirus protocols in anticipation of a vaccine, with trade body IATA in the final stages of developing a new “digital health pass”.