Coronavirus live news: US sees highest daily deaths since April; Obama, Bush and

7.29am GMT07:29

France was once home to the father of immunisation, Louis Pasteur, but it is now among the most vaccine-sceptic nations on Earth – a pressing concern as it prepares one of the biggest vaccination campaigns in its history, AFP reports.

A survey in Le Journal du Dimanche newspaper at the weekend showed only 41% of the French planned to get inoculated, compared with the 58% recorded in a recent Gallup poll in the US, where coronavirus and vaccine scepticism is also high.

Macron rejected a call from Greens leader Yannick Jadot to make the jab compulsory, saying he hoped to win over people with “conviction” and “transparency” instead.

Richard Lamette, a 65-year-old Paris-based plumber, told AFP he had no plans to get the Covid shot “until it has been well tested on the population”.

Remarking that several of his admittedly younger colleagues had contracted the virus but recovered within 10 days, he said he felt that the dangers had been “a bit exaggerated”.

“Other diseases kill far more people, like cancer and cigarettes and they don’t make as much of a fuss about them,” he argued.

7.18am GMT07:18

Tess Reidy

In the UK, the market for student rentals is as active as ever, regardless of Covid restrictions on campuses. “It may be more difficult for students this year but it’s busier than we would have thought,” says Martin Blakey, chief executive at the student housing charity Unipol. “Students are really determined to have as close as possible to a traditional uni experience, and are planning their future as they normally would.”

But finding a flatmate in a pandemic isn’t easy. Drama student Daisy Widdess*, who found a flat last week, says she is one of the lucky ones. “A lot of people have absolutely no idea who they’re going to live with. We haven’t had the chance to meet many people and the friends we have made don’t know each other. It’s a whole palaver.”

If you are feeling worried about who to live with or how to find a house, here’s what to do next:

7.02am GMT07:02

That’s it from me, Helen Sullivan, for today.

I would like to thank my tea, coffee and water vessels for their support throughout my blogging career. I look forward to working with them tomorrow:

Helen Sullivan
(@helenrsullivan)

cannot stress enough the importance of having at least four empty cups on your desk at any one time

December 3, 2020

6.58am GMT06:58

South Korea reaches deal to buy AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine candidate

South Korea has reached a deal with AstraZeneca PLC to purchase its coronavirus vaccine candidate as it seeks to secure supplies amid a resurgence of outbreaks, local media reported on Thursday.

The government has said it was in final talks with global drugmakers including AstraZeneca, Pfizer Inc and Johnson & Johnson over their experimental vaccines, and launched a preliminary review of AstraZeneca’s product in October for potential fast-track approval.

The JoongAng Ilbo newspaper said health authorities signed a contract with the Britain-based company on 27 November, and were nearing agreements with Pfizer and Johnson &…