The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
February 22, 2021

U.K. Eases Lockdown; Iranian Vaccine Shows Promising Results; Bolivia Health Workers Launch Strike
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is announcing an easing of
coronavirus lockdown measures starting next month, as the U.K. reports
one in three adults has received a vaccine, with early data showing a
slowdown in community spread.

Iran has said early, small-scale trials for its coronavirus vaccine
COVIran Barekat showed 90% effectiveness.

In Israel, reports emerged this weekend that officials promised to pay
for a supply of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine for Syria in order to secure
the release of an Israeli woman detained in Syria.

In Bolivia, health workers have launched a national strike over the new
health emergency law, which bans medical staff from calling strikes
during the pandemic emergency period - which workers say is
unconstitutional. This is a doctor from La Paz, Fernando Romero.

Dr. Fernando Romero: "It is inhuman to treat this sector with such
harshness, with such violence. It is an aggression by the government
against our sector with this health emergency law."



.