With Europe still grappling with Covid-19, Talking Europe speaks to Christa Schweng, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

The head of the World Health Organization says rich countries are merely prolonging the pandemic by fueling vaccine inequality. "No country can boost its way out of the pandemic," he says.

Instead, mRNA vaccines use mRNA created in a laboratory to teach our cells how to make a protein—or even just a piece of a protein—that triggers an immune response inside our bodies. That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects us from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies.

The person who died was between the ages of 60 and 79, according to the Robert Koch Institute health body. Germany has also registered a spike in omicron infections in recent days.

Over 500 people were aboard the passenger ferry, which had a capacity of 310, when it caught fire in the south of Bangladesh. The blaze was put out after more than three hours, and rescue operations are still underway.

Antiviral drugs like Paxlovid could slash hospitalizations and deaths from coronavirus. Treatment would bring us a step closer to the end of the pandemic.

Bangladeshi police have arrested one of the four owners of a ferry involved in a massive fire in which at least 39 people died. Seven other people, including owners and captains of the vessel, are on the run.

Three BTS members — Suga, RM and Jin — have tested positive for COVID-19. The superstar group had recently returned to South Korea from the United States where they held their first in-person concerts since the pandemic.

Pfizer's anti-COVID treatment has already received emergency approval in the US. Now, Germany is hoping the drug will reduce the burden on intensive care units.

Children have been out of school for over a year, raising worries about students falling behind. In India this month, some states have started allowing schools to reopen. But in Delhi, many are choosing to stay away, over fears of a third wave.

US coronavirus cases on the rise: Epidemiologist Peter Chin-Hong speaks to DW

The total number of omicron cases detected in Germany rose sharply with the latest figures, which were the first to provide testing results and data from a working day after the Christmas break.