Portrait of the week: Europe’s vaccine wars, a beached walrus and Sturgeon survives

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The nation was surprised to learn that from 29 March there would be a dearth of vaccine for a month. More than half the adult population had been vaccinated once, and more than 4 per cent twice. In one day 589,675 people received their first vaccine, including Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, and the next day 752,308 first doses were given. But five million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from India were delayed and the EU was making hostile noises about banning exports to Britain. The government considered making vaccination compulsory for people working in care homes, a quarter of whom had not been vaccinated. Commenting on rising numbers with coronavirus on the Continent, the Prime Minister said: ‘When a wave hits our friends, I’m afraid it washes up on our shores as well.’ Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, said that it was ‘too early to tell’ when holidays abroad would be allowed.