Dr Rochelle Walensky pleads with Americans to remain vigilant about taking precautions to limit spread of coronavirus

• Mayorkas blames Trump for border woes as Republicans attack Biden
• US trial finds AstraZeneca Covid vaccine is 79% effective
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7.06pm GMT

Kamala Harris also told reporters that she plans to visit the US-Mexican border at some point, although she will not be doing so today.

“We were left with a very challenging situation. Let’s get these kids out of [Customs and Border Protection] custody and get them into [Health and Human Services] custody,” the vice-president said, per a pool report.

6.51pm GMT

Kamala Harris is visiting a coronavirus vaccination site in Jacksonville, Florida, as part of the “Help is Here” tour to advertise the benefits of the relief bill.

After landing in Jacksonville, the vice-president took a few questions from reporters about the pandemic and the situation at the US-Mexican border.

Biden heads to Pennsylvania in push to sell US Covid relief plan to nation, while Kamala Harris visits Colorado

• Deb Haaland confirmed as first Indigenous US cabinet secretary
• Republicans try to derail Covid aid publicity blitz with focus on border
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4.33pm GMT

This may not be overtly party political but there is no doubt it’s political. The trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, accused of murdering George Floyd last May, continues with jury selection and legal arguments.

Ex-officer on trial for George Floyd's death asks to show jury an earlier arrest https://t.co/UJzU8Vw1kQ pic.twitter.com/QiuOk37jkF

In the arrest of May 6, 2019, a panicking Floyd swallowed several opioid pain-killer pills as police approached. Eric Nelson, Chauvin’s lead lawyer, has argued that the main cause of Floyd’s death a year later, which was ruled a homicide, was the opioid fentanyl found in his blood at autopsy.

“The similarities are incredible, it’s the exact same behavior in two incidents almost exactly one year apart,” Nelson told the court before the resumption of jury selection, noting Floyd called out for his “mama” in both arrests, according to video footage.

4.02pm GMT

More on the coronavirus, as federal leaders and officials warn the country not to relax at what we all hope is the eleventh hour of the main thrust of the pandemic.

The Associated Press reports from North Carolina:

Duke University saw nearly as many cases of the coronavirus last week as it did during the entire fall semester, according to data released today.

The vast majority of the 231 new cases reported from March 8 through Sunday occurred within the university’s undergraduate student population.

welp this was a surprise to no one, given the recent disaffiliation of many fraternities from Duke into their own council, in response to being told to wait until fall 2021 for rush. And instead hold in person parties/rush events and why is Greek life still a thing?? https://t.co/SA1kgZWMh6

There's a strong reaction among Duke students after off-campus fraternity activities led to increased COVID-19 cases and a new stay-in-place order.​ https://t.co/mO0jdOpSxd