In Europe there are signs the second wave may have peaked, and according to the professor leading the latest UK trials, multiple vaccines could be used to boost the immune response to coronavirus. Professor Saul Faust, chief investigator for the Janssen phase-three trial, said different responses brought about by vaccines could work together to shield people from the disease. Speaking about the importance of manufacturing more than one coronavirus vaccine, Prof Faust said, "Over time we'll learn how to use those vaccines together. It could be that giving one vaccine and then another gives you an even better and longer immune response."

Matt Hancock has said it is "too early" to determine whether England's second national lockdown would end after December 2.  "We've seen in the last week that there is still a very high number of cases but we do absolutely want to come out of this national lockdown. That is our goal, everybody has a part to play in making that happen of course, following the social distancing rules and isolating when you need to, which is the critical thing." He said one of the main goals now was to use the mass rapid testing roll-out to find those who are asymptomatic with the virus. He added: "If we've learnt anything since the beginning of 2020, it's that this is an incredibly infectious and scary virus and you can't take it too seriously.

Countries across the Asia-Pacific region reported record new coronavirus numbers and fresh outbreaks on Monday, with Japan facing mounting pressure to reimpose a state of emergency and South Korea warning it was at a "critical crossroads". The resurgence of the virus in Asia comes as travel restrictions are gradually being eased in the region. It will dampen prospects for broader reopening that would boost the recovery underway in economies such as Japan.

A sudden coronavirus cluster emerged in the Australian city of Adelaide on Monday after seven months without a significant outbreak there, with the virus again escaping from the country's hotel quarantine system. Fearful of case numbers spiralling, authorities snapped back a swathe of coronavirus restrictions and suspended international flights into Adelaide. "No effort will be spared to slow and stop the spread of the powerful cluster," South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said.