Elderly people may have to be kept isolated until the end of the year to protect them from the coronavirus, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has said. “Without a vaccine, we have to limit as much as possible contact with the elderly,” she told the Germany daily Bild. “I know it’s difficult and that isolation is a burden, but it is a question of life or death, we have to remain disciplined and patient.” “Children and young people will enjoy more freedom of movement earlier than elderly people and those with pre-existing medical conditions,” she said. She said she hoped that a European laboratory will develop a vaccine towards the end of the year. To ensure that people can be quickly vaccinated, authorities are already in talks with producers on gearing up for world production, she added. In these extraordinary times, the Guardian’s editorial independence has never been more important. Because no one sets our agenda, or edits our editor, we can keep delivering quality, trustworthy, fact-checked journalism each and every day. Free from commercial or political bias, we can report fearlessly on world events and challenge those in power. Your support protects the Guardian’s independence. We believe every one of us deserves equal access to accurate news and calm explanation. No matter how unpredictable the future feels, we will remain with you, delivering high quality news so we can all make critical decisions about our lives, health and security – based on fact, not fiction. Support the Guardian from as little as $1 – and it only takes a minute. Thank you. In Australia more than a thousand people will land on home soil after weeks stranded abroad, AAP reports. Long-stuck travellers flown from Peru, Uruguay, India and Nepal will trickle through Sydney and Melbourne on Sunday before being shuttled to hotels for two weeks of quarantine. Nearly 100 of them spent weeks stranded on an Antarctic cruise ship off the coast of Uruguay while another 63 left Kathmandu on a Canadian government-backed flight. “Thanks also to (the) Canadian High Commission in New Delhi and Canadian Govt. To do what you did remotely ... hats off,” Australian Ambassador to Nepal Peter Budd tweeted on Saturday night. Puerto Rico, which has reported more than 780 cases of Covid-19, and at least 42 deaths, will continue its lockdown until at least 3 May. Governor Wanda Vázquez announced on Saturday that people must stay indoors from (pm to 5am, and only leave their house outside those hours to buy food or medicine or go to the bank. Non-essential businesses will remain closed. However, she lifted all license plate restrictions and said hardware stores and car repair shops can operate once a week on a limited schedule. Everyone is still required to wear a face mask to enter any business as Health Secretary Lorenzo González warned that the peak of cases is not expected until early May. Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has approved an extension of the kingdom’s curfew until further notice, the state news agency (SPA) reported early on Sunday. The country has been under a 7pm to 6am curfew since 23 March, due to the rate at which the coronavirus is currently spreading. The capital Riyadh, and other big cities, were plcaed under a 24-hour curfew last week. The Pope has urged people not to “yield to fear” in his Easter address. “Easter offers a message of hope in peoples darkest hour,” Pope Francis said at a late-night vigil Mass Saturday in St. Peters Basilica. The public was barred because of the pandemic, and around the world Catholics followed his service and other Masses on television or online. “Do not be afraid, do not yield to fear: This is the message of hope,” said the Pope. “It is addressed to us, today. These are the words that God repeats to us this very night.” He encouraged people to be “messengers of life in a time of death,” again condemning the arms trade and urging those better off to help the poor. Hello, welcome to the Guardian’s continuing international coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Thanks to Molly Blackall and other colleagues in London for taking us through the last day. This is Helen Davidson, in Sydney, to take you through from here. If you would like to follow the Australia-focused blog you can find it here. For US-specific updates, head over the the US blog here. Here’s a quick summary of the latest international developments. The global death toll has reached 108,281, according to the Johns Hopkins university tracker. For the first time in history, all 50 US states are now under disaster declarations, after Wyoming became the final state to announce. Pope Francis has urged people not to “yield to fear” at his Easter address. The event was scaled back due to coronavirus, with just two dozen attendees, a smaller choir, and no processions or baptisms. British prime minister Boris Johnson has said he owes his life to the NHS. He has been in hospital since Sunday night, and had spent three nights in intensive care. British opposition parties and senior Conservatives have united in calling on the British government to reopen Parliament. Seven African states have called on authorities to explain allegations of mistreatment of Africans in Guangzhou city. Many report having been evicted, tested for coronavirus several times without being given results and being shunned and discriminated against in public. The Kremlin have warned that Moscow’s hospitals are under strain after a “huge influx” of coronavirus cases. The World Health Organisation have warned that Belarus must take further action to combat coronavirus, as they enter a new phase of infection. Belarus are still hosting football games, and their President, Alexander Lukashenko, has downplayed restrictive measures. In recent weeks, he has said that drinking vodka and bathing in saunas could help fight the virus.