Anthony Fauci, the top infectious diseases expert in the US, spoke on Thursday of a “liberating feeling” of being able to speak scientific truth about the coronavirus without fear of “repercussions” from Donald Trump. The Guardian’s David Smith and Julian Borger report that Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, endured a tortuous relationship with the former president and was increasingly sidelined from public briefings. But the 80-year-old returned to the White House podium on Thursday after Joe Biden released a national Covid-19 strategy and signed 10 executive orders to combat a pandemic that has now claimed more than 400,000 lives in the US. “One of the things that we’re going to do is to be completely transparent, open and honest,” Fauci told reporters. “If things go wrong, not point fingers, but to correct them. And to make everything we do be based on science and evidence. “That was literally a conversation I had 15 minutes ago with the president and he has said that multiple times.” Asked if he would like to amend or clarify anything he said during the Trump presidency, Fauci insisted he had always been candid, noting wryly. “That’s why I got in trouble sometimes”: In the UK, the union representing firefighters hampered efforts to deploy the emergency service into potentially life-saving scenarios during the coronavirus pandemic with outdated and unnecessary practices, independent inspectors have said in a damning report. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) asked firefighters not to volunteer to support the NHS test-and-trace system and the Covid-19 vaccination programme, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services said: South African cabinet minister dies of coronavirus South Africa’s president announced on Thursday that Jackson Mthembu had died from the coronavirus, becoming the first cabinet minister to succumb to the disease, AP reports. The 62-year-old Mthembu in recent months had been a central figure in communicating to the public the South African government’s response to Covid. In announcing the death Thursday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called Mthembu “an exemplary leader.” He tested positive on 11 January. Mthembu’s death comes as South Africa battles a second wave of the coronavirus that may be driven in part by a new variant of the coronavirus. South African leaders paid trubute to Mthembu on Twitter, with former public protector Thuli Madonsela saying he “epitomised human decency.” More on South Africa being charged twice what EU countries are paying for the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, from AFP. AstraZeneca France told AFP in November that its shots would be capped at 2.5 euros (around $3) per dose “to provide vaccines to the widest population, with as fair access as possible”. The pharmaceutical giant did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the health ministry’s price quote. South Africa’s AstraZeneca vaccine order is part of 20 million secured doses to be delivered in the first half of 2021. The WHO-backed Covax facility is expected to provide shots for 10 percent of the population between April and June. Other vaccines will be provided via the African Union and bilateral contracts with suppliers that have not yet been disclosed. Around 2,000 South Africans participated in Trials for the AstraZeneca vaccine in 2020. EU introduces "dark red" travel zones for hotspot areas Reuters reportsa that Covid hotspots the European Union will be labelled “dark red” zones, and travellers from those areas will be required to take a test before departure and undergo quarantine, citing the chief of the bloc’s executive. “A dark red zone would show that in this zone, the virus is circulating at a very high level,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told a news conference after a meeting of EU leaders. “Persons travelling from dark red areas could be required to do a test before departure, as well as to undergo quarantine after arrival.” This system would apply to travel within the EU, she said. Von der Leyen said that with infections rising and contagious variants of the virus spreading fast, non-essential travel should be “strongly discouraged” within the EU but essential workers and goods must be able to cross borders smoothly. France introduces mandatory PCR tests for arrivals French President Emmanuel Macron told his European Union counterparts France would make PCR tests compulsory for all travellers into France from Sunday, including from fellow EU countries, his office said on Thursday. Reuters: Cross-border workers and land transportation will be exempt from that obligation, the French presidency added. The test will have to be carried out no later than 72 hours before departure, it said after a video summit of EU leaders. South Africa to pay 2.5 times more than EU for virus vaccine South Africa will buy doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine at a price 2.5 times higher than most European countries, the health ministry said Thursday. The continent’s worst virus-hit country has ordered at least 1.5 million shots of the vaccine from the Serum Institute of India, expected in January and February, AFP reports. A senior health official on Thursday told AFP those doses would cost $5.25 (4.32 euros) each - nearly 2.5 times the amount paid by most European countries. “The National Department of Health confirms that the price $5.25 is what was quoted to us,” deputy director-general of health Anban Pillay said via text message, without explaining the price difference. European Union (EU) members will pay just 1.78 euros ($2.16) for AstraZeneca’s shots, according to information leaked by a Belgian minister on Twitter last month. Bilateral deals between wealthier governments and coronavirus vaccine manufacturers have raised concern over price hikes and lack of supply for low- and middle-income countries. The World Health Organization last year warned against “vaccine nationalism” and “price gouging” once a successful shot was found. Hello and welcome to today’s live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic with me, Helen Sullivan. I’m on Twitter @helenrsullivan and email at helen.sullivan@theguardian.com. South Africa will buy doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine at a price 2.5 times higher than most European countries, the health ministry said Thursday. The continent’s worst virus-hit country has ordered at least 1.5 million shots of the vaccine from the Serum Institute of India, expected in January and February. A senior health official on Thursday told AFP those doses would cost $5.25 (4.32 euros) each - nearly 2.5 times the amount paid by most European countries. Meanwhile French President Emmanuel Macron told his European Union counterparts France would make PCR tests compulsory for all travellers into France from Sunday, including from fellow EU countries. Here are the key developments from the last few hours: Biden warns Covid will ‘get worse before it gets better’ as he unveils strategy. Joe Biden began his first full day as president confronting a host of major crises facing his fledgling administration, starting with a flurry of actions to address his most pressing challenge: the raging Covid-19 pandemic. At a White House event on Thursday afternoon, Biden unveiled a new “wartime” strategy to combat the coronavirus, vowing “help is on the way.” PM Johnson raises fears of lockdown in England continuing into summertime. Boris Johnson raised fears that tough Covid restrictions could continue well into the spring and beyond as ministers refused to be drawn on plans for any potential easing of lockdown. France to recommend wearing of surgical masks in public. The French government will recommend that people wear surgical masks in public because fabric masks do not provide enough protection from Covid-19 transmission, health minister Olivier Véran said. No way to hold Rio carnival in July, the city’s mayor says. It will not be possible to host carnival celebrations in July, Rio de Janeiro’s new mayor has said, as Brazil’s second wave of coronavirus infections spreads, and with vaccine supplies still scarce. Hungary breaks ranks with EU to license Russian vaccine. Hungary has licensed Russia’s coronavirus vaccine, breaking ranks with other EU countries and ignoring calls to stick to a common European vaccine policy. Portugal bans all UK flights to tackle rapid spread of new Covid-19 variant. Portuguese prime minister António Costa said all flights to and from Britain will be suspended from Saturday onwards as Portugal scrambles to tackle the rapid spread of the new variant of the coronavirus. Austrian mayors who got leftover Covid vaccines accused of ‘queue-jumping’. Local government officials in Austria have been accused of jumping the queue for Covid-19 vaccinations at care homes for elderly people, prompting a clarification of guidelines for handling leftover doses. Pfizer cuts vaccine deliveries to some EU countries in half. Pfizer has slashed in half the volume of Covid vaccines it will deliver to some EU countries this week, government officials said, as frustration over the US drugmaker’s unexpected cut in supplies grows. Spanish tennis player Paula Badosa tests positive to Covid-19 at Australian Open. Spanish tennis player Paula Badosa has become the first player to test positive to Covid-19 while in hard quarantine ahead of the Australian Open.