15th Oct 2020 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=117 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

AlJazeera Zambia moved closer to becoming the first African nation to default on its dollar bonds since the onset of the coronavirus making it a test case for nations worldwide battling to meet obligations to a range of lenders from bondholders to Chinese state banks. Holders of Zambias 3 billion of Eurobonds will vote next week on the countrys request for a sixmonth interestpayment holiday. A core croup of creditors have already rejected the proposal prompting Zambia to say Tuesday it wont be able to service its 3 billion of Eurobonds unless it gets the relief. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2020/10/14/bbwill-zambia-be-first-african-nation-to-default-during-pandemic 14th Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

AlJazeera The World Bank has approved 12bn in financing to help developing countries buy and distribute coronavirus vaccines tests and treatments. The 12bn envelope is part of a wider World Bank Group package of up to 160bn to help developing countries fight the COVID19 pandemic the bank said in a statement late on Tuesday. Its implementation will be in support of efforts being led by the World Health Organization and COVAX and will offer recipient countries a number of options with regards to acquiring and delivering vaccines. The World Bank said its new funding would help signal to the research and pharmaceutical industry that citizens in developing countries also need access to safe and effective COVID19 vaccines. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/14/world-bank-approves-a-12b-aid-package-for-covid-19-vaccine 14th Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

BuzzFeed News As the Trump administration signals a willingness to build herd immunity by purposely allowing the coronavirus to spread major scientific organizations are denouncing a plan they say would be lifethreatening and practically impossible. That plan laid out by three scientists in a controversial document called the Great Barrington Declaration calls for only protecting vulnerable people and letting everyone else get infected with COVID19. The authors discussed the strategy in a meeting with two top White House officials last week. This week the head of the World Health Organization and more than a dozen groups representing thousands of infectious disease and public health experts fiercely pushed back in a series of formal denouncements. Never in the history of public health has herd immunity been used as a strategy for responding to an outbreak let alone a pandemic. It is scientifically and ethically problematic WHO DirectorGeneral Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniemlee/herd-immunity-great-barrington-backlash-letter 14th Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

AlJazeera The Group of 20 nations representing the worlds biggest economies have agreed to extend the suspension of debt payments by an additional six months to support the most vulnerable countries in their fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The G20 says the extension will provide ongoing relief for the 14bn in debt payments that would have come due at the end of the year otherwise. Wednesdays decision gives developing nations until the end of June 2021 to focus spending on health care and emergency stimulus programs rather than debt repayments. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/14/g20-suspends-poor-countries-debt-payments-for-another-6-months 14th Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

The Guardian Healthy young people may have to wait until 2022 to be vaccinated against coronavirus according to the World Health Organizations chief scientist who says health workers and those at highest risks be prioritised. It comes as Germany recorded its highest daily number of infections since the start of the pandemic. Soumya Swaminathan indicated that despite the many vaccine trials being undertaken speedy mass shots were unlikely and organising who would given access first in the event of a safe vaccine being discovered was still being worked on. Most people agree its starting with healthcare workers and frontline workers but even there you need to define which of them are at highest risk and then the elderly and so on Swaminathan said. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/15/global-covid-report-young-and-healthy-may-not-get-vaccine-until-2022-who-says 15th Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Jordan has built up record wheat reserves while Egypt the worlds top buyer of the grain took the unusual step of tapping international markets during its local harvest and has boosted purchases by more than 50 since April. Taiwan said it will boost strategic food stockpiles and China has been buying to feed its growing hog herd. The early purchases underscore how nations are trying to protect themselves on concerns the coronavirus will disrupt port operations and wreak havoc on global trade. The pandemic has already upset domestic farmtofork supply chains that provided just enough inventory to meet demand with empty store shelves across the world leading consumers to change their shopping habits. Covid19 has forced consumers to shift from justintime inventory management to a more conservative approach which was labeled justincase said Bank of America Corp. analysts led by Francsico Blanch head of global commodities. The result is that consumers are holding more inventory as a precaution against future supply disruptions. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-14/a-just-in-case-world-is-rushing-to-hoard-food-as-prices-rally 14th Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

AlJazeera Qatar has extended strict quarantine rules requiring travellers to isolate for up to 14 days upon their arrival in the country local media reported on Tuesday. For all arrivals including nationals residents and visa holders quarantine requirements are now extended for all arrival dates up to 31 December 2020 The Peninsula newspaper reported quoting the Discover Qatar website. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/13/qatar-extends-quarantine-rules-for-travellers-to-december-31 15th Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

AlJazeera President Emmanuel Macron has ordered a nighttime curfew for Paris and eight other French cities to contain the rising spread of the coronavirus in the country. In a televised interview on Wednesday Macron said residents of those cities would not be allowed outdoors between 9pm 1900 GMT and 6am 0400 GMT from Saturday for at least four weeks except for essential reasons. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/14/we-have-to-act-frances-macron-orders-curfews-to-contain-covid 14th Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

Yahoo! News France is to reboot its StopCovid contact tracing app which has proved a failure since going live four months ago while coronavirus infections across the country continue to hit record highs. In an interview with France Info this week Prime Minister Jean Castex revealed the government was working on a new version of the tracking tool to be rolled out during school holidays on 22 October. Mocked on social networks StopCovid has been downloaded 2.6 million times since June a paltry figure compared to 18 million downloads for similar apps in Britain and Germany. And it has managed to identify just a handful of potential contact cases. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/reboot-way-frances-failed-coronavirus-165118469.html 14th Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

The Guardian Regional Victoria has now moved to step three of the states roadmap out of lockdown. Stage three restrictions were previously in effect across all of regional Victoria from Thursday 6 August. Metropolitan Melbourne entered stage four from Sunday 2 August. Step three has relaxed some restrictions on visitors with the government introducing the idea of a household bubble to allow people to visit each other again. Similar to dining out entertainment venues and events that are predominantly outdoors are now open. All students in regional Victoria will now be expected to return to onsite learning. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/oct/14/coronavirus-victoria-stage-step-3-restrictions-lockdown-victorian-regional-vic-covid-19-rules-stage-three-explained-what-you-need-to-know 14th Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

Reuters Australia Several coronavirus clusters have emerged in Australias two most populous states officials said on Wednesday prompting the biggest New South Wales NSW to delay easing some restrictions. The NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she was concerned the state was on the cusp of another major community transmission after 11 new cases were locally acquired and a cluster appeared in the southwest Sydney suburb of Lakemba. She said the easing of some social restrictions involving restaurants and weddings would now be put on hold. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-australia/coronavirus-spikes-in-two-australian-states-easing-restrictions-delayed-idUSKBN26Z0CT 14th Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

The New York Times On a call convened Monday by the White House two senior administration officials both speaking anonymously because they were not authorized to give their names cited an October 4 petition titled The Great Barrington Declaration which argues against lockdowns and calls for a reopening of businesses and schools. Current lockdown policies are producing devastating effects on short and longterm public health the declaration states adding The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk. We call this Focused Protection. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/world/white-house-embraces-a-declaration-from-scientists-that-opposes-lockdowns-and-relies-on-herd-immunity.html 15th Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

The Age In Australia an antilockdown campaigner who was arrested last month over a reposting on social media of a planned mass gathering is part of another challenge to the legal basis of Victorias coronavirus pandemic restrictions. A Supreme Court writ filed on Wednesday afternoon lists as plaintiffs Kerry Cotterill and Tony Pecora and as defendants the states most senior health department bureaucrats Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton and Deputy Public Health Commander Finn Romanes. The challenge is at least the 11th case brought before the courts over the COVID19 pandemic in Victoria and argues that the Chief Health Officers stayathome orders burdens individuals freedom of political communication implied in Australias Constitution. https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/anti-lockdown-campaigner-part-of-fresh-legal-challenge-to-covid-19-restrictions-20201014-p5656r.html 14th Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

Sky News Australia The Herald Sun Business Columnist Terry McCrann says it is clear travel bans made sense at the beginning of coronavirus until people got a sense of what was happening but now it is clear lockdowns are catastrophic disasters. This characterization that its lives versus money that people who argue against lockdowns are promoting money over lives is now showing to be conclusively wrong Mr McCrann told Sky News host Peta Credlin. https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6200459941001 14th Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

Sky News Australia In Australia the Andrews governments taxpayer funded inquiry into the bungled hotel quarantine program has blown out to nearly 6 million. In some cases it is estimated per day 30000 is spent on each minister department and official. Rule of Law Institute of Australia vicepresident Chris Merritt said on top of the expense there was a big issue regarding whether the lockdowns were declared for an improper purpose. If they were theyre unlawful. Mr Merritt said if the government locked down the state because it knew it was unable to implement an effective contact tracing system then there could be major legal issues. https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6200317534001 14th Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

Huffington Post UK New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters swiftly shut down a man asking him whether Covid19 was a real threat during a campaign event. The questioner began making a lengthy speech related to Covid19 during a New Zealand First rally organized by Peters who is the head of the political party and acts as deputy prime minister via a coalition government with Prime Minister Jacinda Arderns Labour Party. Wheres your evidence that there is a virus that causes the disease the man asked. Weve got someone who obviously got an education in America Peters said. 220000 people have died in the United States. There are 8 million cases today. Weve got 79000 cases probably today in India and here is somebody who gets up and says The Earth is flat. Sorry sunshine wrong place. https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/new-zealand-deputy-pm-roasts-covid-denier_uk_5f86b957c5b681f7da1d3efe 14th Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

Daily Mail A New Zealand politician ridiculed a man for suggesting that the coronavirus does not exist comparing it to saying the Earth is flat. Deputy prime minister Winston Peters poured scorn on the audience member at a campaign event ahead of Saturdays general election joking that he had obviously got an education in America because of his accent. The man who was holding a sheet of notes drew sceptical looks from the audience as he asked Wheres your evidence that there is a virus that causes the disease. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8838501/amp/New-Zealand-politician-ridicules-Covid-19-denier.html 14th Oct 2020

Continued Lockdown

CTV News Even before the pandemic Israel had one of the largest income gaps and poverty rates among developed economies with a few high earners mostly in the lucrative hightech sector while many Israelis barely get by as civil servants in service industries or as small business owners. Those gaps have widened as the second nationwide lockdown imposed last month dealt a new blow to an economy already hit hard by the first round of restrictions. The fallout from the pandemic has also deepened longsimmering divisions among Israeli Jews pitting a largely secular majority against a powerful ultraOrthodox minority. Much public anger has turned toward ultraOrthodox leaders whose communities have flouted public safety rules sent coronavirus rates skyrocketing and vociferously resisted calls for targeted lockdowns. https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-lockdown-2-0-deepens-divisions-in-israel-1.5144269 14th Oct 2020

Continued Lockdown

BBC The number of under18s getting NHS help for mental health issues in England nearly halved in the first two months of lockdown. Young people who werent able to get support say they felt like they didnt really matter. The number of people in England referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services CAMHS dropped 47 in April and May compared with last year. Charities worry a drop like this could happen again if we see a second spike and further lockdowns around the UK. https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-54529217 14th Oct 2020

Continued Lockdown

The New Indian Express The period of the general quarantine to prevent the spread of COVID19 in Israel has been extended until October 18 the prime minister and the health minister said in a joint statement. Earlier Israel imposed strict norms of nationwide quarantine until the end of the fall holidays October 11 and then the period was extended until October 14. According to these norms many workplaces are closed with the exception of vital and continuous production lines only grocery stores and pharmacies continue to work. https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2020/oct/14/covid-19-lockdown-in-israel-extended-till-october-18-2210192.html 14th Oct 2020

Continued Lockdown

The Australian Melbourne beauty salons have lost 80 to 95 per cent of their income in sweeping devastation to the sector since the COVID19 pandemic started industry experts say. Salon owners are now pleading with the Victorian government to reopen from Sunday saying changes are needed for the sake of all of our wellbeing. We understood when we were asked to close down on the 25th of March however to still be closed down is now destroying the lives of over 45000 team members it is obliterating our industry Australian Hair and Beauty Association board member Sia Psicharis said. https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/melbourne-beauty-salons-devastated-urge-easing-of-lockdown/news-story/e53bd2ce8b62f594b5ee3b42d5787be1 14th Oct 2020

Continued Lockdown

Daily Mail In Melbourne a small business owner who reopened his clothing store despite the risk of fines in has urged others to do the same after overwhelming support from the community. Harry Hutchinson announced on Monday he was at his wits end and was reopening his store despite the risk of a 10000 fine for breaking lockdown rules. The decision has proved to be profitable so far with Mr Hutchinson telling Daily Mail Australia his stock has been flying off the shelves. Mr Hutchinson said his store reopening had inspired others in Berwick to open their doors and he urged others to follow suit. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8837817/Business-owner-opens-Melbourne-clothing-store-despite-risk-10-000-fine-Dan-Andrews-lockdown.html 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Independent A blood test could help to pinpoint which coronavirus patients are most susceptible to falling critically ill a new study has suggested. Researchers at the University of Southampton found that patients who have high levels of some cytokines a group of proteins released into the blood in response to an infection are at an increased risk of serious illness. This is because cytokines can if they are overproduced lead to hyperinflammation an immune system response that sometimes proves fatal. If scientists conclusively work out which proteins are responsible for hyperinflammation among coronavirus patients drugs could be used to block them according to the studys researchers. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-blood-test-cytokines-hyperinflammation-study-b1039848.html 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that COVID19 vaccines may not be initially recommended for children when they become available. Children who rarely have severe COVID19 symptoms have not yet been tested for any experimental coronavirus vaccine. The CDC said so far early clinical trials have only included nonpregnant adults noting the recommended groups could change in the future as clinical trials expand to recruit more people. Pfizer has said it will enroll children who are capable of passing on the virus to highrisk groups as young as 12 in its large latestage COVID19 vaccine trial while AstraZeneca has said a subgroup of patients in a large trial will test children between five to 12. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vaccine-children-idUSKBN26Z2IP 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

U.S. News & World Report Theres more evidence that blood type may affect a persons risk for COVID19 and severe illness from the disease. The findings are reported in a pair of studies published Oct. 14 in the journal Blood Advances. The findings suggest that people with A B or AB blood may be more likely to be infected with COVID19 than people with type O blood. Infection rates were similar among people with types A B and AB blood. https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2020-10-14/your-blood-type-may-predict-your-risk-for-severe-covid-19 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

YAHOO! Russia has granted regulatory approval to a second COVID19 vaccine according to its register of authorised medicines. A delighted President Vladimir Putin announced the news at a government meeting on Wednesday. The jab was developed by the Vector Institute in Siberia and completed earlystage human trials last month. However results have not been published yet and a largescale trial known as Phase III has not yet begun. We need to increase production of the first and second vaccine Putin said in comments broadcast on state TV. We are continuing to cooperate with our foreign partners and will promote our vaccine abroad. The peptidebased vaccine named EpiVacCorona is the second to be licensed for use in Russia. There has been a placebocontrolled trial on 100 volunteers between 18 and 60 in Novosibirsk. https://news.yahoo.com/putin-says-russia-approves-second-123532603.html 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Eli Lilly Co LLY.N on Wednesday said other trials of its experimental coronavirus antibody therapy remain on track after a governmentrun study testing the treatment in hospitalized COVID19 patients was paused due to safety concerns. Lilly said on Tuesday that an independent safety monitoring board requested a pause in the trial called ACTIV3 due to a potential safety issue. The National Institutes of Health NIH which is collaborating with Lilly on the trial said the advisory board paused the trial after seeing a difference in clinical status between patients on Lillys drug on those who received a placebo without providing further detail. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-eli-lilly-antibody/eli-lilly-says-other-covid-19-antibody-drug-trials-ongoing-after-study-halted-for-safety-concern-idUKKBN26Z21O 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

CNN I recovered from Covid19 back in April. I was fortunate My symptoms while nasty were minor compared to others. I had the hacking dry cough and I was fatigued to the point where I would spend many hours on the sofa. But I never had breathing difficulties nor required hospital treatment. Whenever the question of catching it again has come up since I airily and hubristically said Oh Ive had it and have antibodies to prove it. At least I did until Friday when my third antibody test came back negative. I was in shock. Even though its not clear antibodies do actually offer immunity I had treated my previous AB positive tests as a shield I could wave crying Been there. Done that. Im OK. Rightly or wrongly. Now my precious protection had vanished. https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/14/health/quest-covid-recovery-antibodies-intl/index.html 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

BBC YouTube has pledged to delete misleading claims about coronavirus vaccines as part of a fresh effort to tackle Covid19 misinformation. It said any videos that contradict expert consensus from local health authorities such as the NHS or World Health Organization will be removed. It follows an announcement by Facebook that it would ban ads that discourage people from getting vaccinated. However that restriction will not apply to unpaid posts or comments. YouTube had already banned medically unsubstantiated claims relating to coronavirus on its platform. But it is now explicitly expanding the policy to include content relating to vaccines. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54541517 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

CNN William Haseltine Chair and President of ACCESS Health International said he is extremely concerned that the President is being advised by people who speak of herd immunity. Haseltine went on to say that if the virus is allowed to spread as the Trump Administration is allegedly advocating we are looking at two to six million Americans dead not just this year but every year. This is an unmitigated disaster for our country to have people at the highest levels of our government countermanding our best public health officials Haseltine said. We know this epidemic can be put under control. Other countries have done it. We are doing the opposite. https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-10-14-20-intl/h_571c71aa21a9a2a0d0aadd95af67a022 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

News-Medical.Net A team of scientists from Italy has recently conducted a study to investigate the incidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 SARSCoV2 infection among students attending Italian schools after reopening after COVID19 lockdown. The findings reveal that the transmission of SARSCoV2 is low among younger students. The study is published on the medRxiv preprint server. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20201012/Italian-research-shows-low-transmission-of-SARS-CoV-2-within-schools.aspx 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Forbes As you can see Nabarro said We in the World Health Organization do not advocate lockdowns as the primary means of control of this virus. Note the word primary here. He did not say do not advocate lockdowns as a means of control of this virus. Nabarro continued by saying The only time we believe a lockdown is justified is to buy you time to reorganize regroup rebalance your resources protect your health workers who are exhausted but by and large wed rather not do it. Note the words rather not do it as opposed to should not do it or will not do it. Nabarro went on to describe how lockdowns just have one consequence that you must never ever belittle and that is making poor people an awful lot poorer. He added Look whats happened to smallholder farmers all over the world. Look whats happening to poverty levels. It seems that we may well have a doubling of world poverty by next year. We may well have at least a doubling of child malnutrition. So basically Nabarro was pointing out the potentially serious negative consequences of lockdowns. That of course makes sense. So where exactly was the reversal of the WHOs position Did Nabarro actually admit something new Not really. Again pay attention to the words primary and rather not do it. Nabarro really never said that lockdowns should not be used at all and that everything should be opened now and kept open forever. https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2020/10/13/who-warning-about-covid-19-coronavirus-lockdowns-is-taken-out-of-context/ 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian In July it all looked possible. Englands 12week lockdown had reduced the number of positive cases. We could have continued to crush the R value and built the infrastructure capable of snuffing out local outbreaks. But instead the government chose privatised call centres over community contact tracers. Our testing system divorced from primary care was too slow to identify cases. Those who did test positive were often uncertain about what should happen next. And in the absence of financial support many households did not comply with isolation. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/14/circuit-breaker-england-test-and-trace-reform-lockdown-sage 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

YAHOO! To get through the COVID19 pandemic we need good information. One hugely important statistic is how many people have died from the disease in various countries. But its notoriously difficult to compare deaths in this way each nation reports and counts deaths due to COVID19 differently. A more promising approach is to measure excess deaths. The idea is pretty simple. You estimate how many deaths from any cause there would have been if there had been no pandemic. Then you count how many deaths there actually were. The difference between those numbers is the excess deaths. This is exactly what a major new study published in Nature Medicine has done for 21 countries. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/coronavirus-excess-deaths-why-england-092404714.html 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

POLITICO A new study from Imperial College London looking at both the direct and indirect deaths caused by the pandemic puts England and Wales at the top of the ranks for per capita mortality along with Spain. The findings published Wednesday in the journal Nature Medicine studied the first wave of the COVID19 pandemic in 21 industrialized countries mainly in central and western Europe as well as Australia and New Zealand. https://www.politico.eu/article/spain-england-and-wales-top-the-list-for-coronavirus-deaths-in-new-study/amp/ 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Lancet 1503 cases were detected over the study period including 95 63 hospital admissions and 22 15 COVID19 deaths. The estimated case infection rate per million people per day peaked at 85 95 CI 7694 during the 10day period of rapid response escalation declining to 32 2837 in the start of lockdown and progressively thereafter. 1034 69 cases were imported or import related tending to be younger adults of European ethnicity and of higher socioeconomic status. 702 47 cases were linked to 34 outbreaks. Severe outcomes were associated with locally acquired infection crude odds ratio OR 232 95 CI 140382 compared with imported older age adjusted OR ranging from 272 140530 for 5064 year olds to 825 2592631 for people aged 80 years compared with 2034 year olds aged residential care residency adjusted OR 386 159935 and Pacific peoples adjusted OR 276 114668 and Asian 215 110420 ethnicities relative to European or other. Times from illness onset to notification and isolation progressively decreased and testing increased over the study period with few disparities and increasing coverage of females Mori Pacific peoples and lower socioeconomic groups. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(20)30225-5/fulltext 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

France24 Countries struggling to contain a second wave of COVID19 are turning to faster cheaper but less accurate tests to avoid delays and shortages that have hampered efforts to quickly diagnose and trace those infected.Germany where infections jumped by 4122 on Tuesday to a total of 329453 cases has gotten nine million socalled antigen tests a month that can give a result in minutes and cost around 7.75 each. This would in theory cover more than 10 of the population. The United States and Canada also buy millions of tests as does Italy whose recent tender for five million tests attracted bids from 35 companies. Switzerland where new cases of COVID19 are at record levels is considering adding the tests to its national screening strategy. The German Robert Koch Institute RKI now recommends antigen testing to supplement existing molecular polymerase chain reaction PCR tests which have become the standard for the assessment of active infections but which have also suffered from shortages because the pandemic has overwhelmed laboratories and exceeded the production capacity of manufacturers. https://www.fr24news.com/a/2020/10/countries-turn-to-rapid-antigen-testing-to-contain-second-wave-of-covid-19.html 14th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Evening Standard The number of newly reported coronavirus cases in Germany has passed 5000 for the first time since midApril as officials weigh the possible rollout of new measures to contain the pandemic. The countrys disease control agency the Robert Koch Institute said on Wednesday that a further 5132 infections and 43 deaths from Covid19 were recorded over the past day. The development came as German Chancellor Angela Merkel was set to meet with the governors of the countrys 16 states to discuss which measures to take in response to the growing case load. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/germany-coronavirus-reported-infections-april-level-a4570601.html 14th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

CNBC Germanys growth prospects for 2020 are looking increasingly bleak with the countrys leading economic research institutes downgrading GDP forecasts for 2020 and beyond. Publishing a joint economic forecast Wednesday Germanys leading economists warned that the coronavirus pandemic is leaving what they called substantial marks on the German economy. The impact of the virus is more persistent than assumed in spring. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/14/germanys-2020-growth-forecasts-are-downgraded.html 14th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Tougher measures will be imposed in Portugal from Thursday onwards to contain record levels of coronavirus cases including stricter limits on gatherings and heavier penalties for rulebreaking establishments. Prime Minister Antonio Costa will also submit a proposal to parliament to make face masks compulsory in crowded outdoor spaces and use of the governments tracing app compulsory for some workforces. I know many people are tired of the restrictions Costa told a news conference on Wednesday. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-portugal/portugal-imposes-tougher-covid-19-measures-as-virus-spreads-idUKKBN26Z24L 14th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Sydney Morning Herald European nations are closing schools cancelling operations and enlisting legions of student medics as overwhelmed authorities face the nightmare scenario of a COVID19 resurgence at the onset of winter. With new cases hitting about 100000 a day Europe has by a wide margin overtaken the United States where more than 51000 COVID19 infections are reported on average every day. Most European governments eased lockdowns over the summer to start reviving economies already battered by the pandemics first wave but the return of normal activity from packed restaurants to new university terms has fuelled a sharp spike in cases all over the continent. Bars and pubs were among the first to shut or face earlier closing in the new lockdowns but now the surging infection rates are also testing governments resolve to keep schools and nonCOVID medical care going. https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/russia-poland-and-iran-hit-new-respective-coronavirus-records-20201014-p5657a.html 14th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Local Switzerland The Swiss government will hold a crisis summit on Thursday to discuss what steps can be taken to avoid a second lockdown. The Swiss government has called a crisis meeting to determine how a second lockdown can be avoided. President Simonetta Sommaruga Health Minister Alain Berset Economics Minister Guy Parmelin President of the Conference of the Cantonal Governments Christian Rathgeb Lukas Engelberger and Christoph Brutschin top health and economics directors will attend the meeting. In calling for the crisis summit Sommaruga is hoping to avoid an economically and socially destructive second lockdown reports Swiss tabloid Blick. https://www.thelocal.ch/20201013/switzerland-calls-crisis-summit-to-avoid-second-lockdown-am 14th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Local Italy Italy has reported over 7000 new cases of coronavirus in a day for the first time ever as scientific experts warned of pressure on hospitals and said a circuit breaker lockdown may be necessary by Christmas. Italys health authorities on Wednesday reported 7332 new cases within the past 24 hours a figure that exceeds the record high of 6557 seen on March 21st. https://www.thelocal.it/20201014/covid-19-italy-reports-record-number-of-new-cases-as-health-experts-suggest-christmas-lockdown 14th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

ABC News Coronavirus infections are surging again in the region of northern Italy where the pandemic first took hold in Europe renewing pressure on hospitals and health care workers. At Milans San Paolo Hospital a ward dedicated to COVID19 patients and outfitted with breathing machines reopened over the weekend a sign that the city and the surrounding Lombardy region is entering another emergency phase of the pandemic. The region was the hardest hit area of Italy in the spring when Italy spent weeks with the worlds highest reported virusrelated death toll before being overtaken by the United States. For the medical personnel in Lombardy who fought the virus the first time around the longpredicted rebound came too soon. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/virus-surges-anew-milan-hospitals-pressure-73608694 14th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Associated Press Governments across Europe are ratcheting up restrictions to try to beat back a resurgence of the coronavirus that has sent new confirmed infections on the continent to their highest weekly level since the start of the pandemic. The World Health Organization said Tuesday there were more than 700000 new COVID19 cases reported in Europe last week a jump of 34 from the previous week. Britain France Russia and Spain accounted for more than half of the new infections. The increasing caseload is partly the result of more testing but the U.N. health agency noted that deaths were also up 16 last week from the week before. Doctors are warning that while many of the new cases are in younger people who tend to have milder symptoms the virus could again start spreading widely among older people resulting in more serious illnesses. https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-pandemics-geneva-france-europe-40521fb6080e35bc4aae4144bf3652bc 14th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

YAHOO! Megha Mogare a chauffeur in Mumbai has been out of work since March when the Indian government introduced one of the worlds strictest lockdowns in reaction to the coronavirus pandemic. Mogare lives in the poor neighbourhood of Dharavi. Often described as one of Asias largest slums it is a labyrinth of small cramped lanes and home to one million residents. Earning just 15000 rupees 268 Cdn a month before the pandemic struck it was always a struggle for the 56yearold to make ends meet let alone build up enough savings to see him through a crisis. The situation now is so bad I cant run my own house he said. Ive had to take out loans. https://ca.news.yahoo.com/why-complacency-lifting-restrictions-could-080000751.html 14th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Malaysias royal palace postponed from Wednesday all meetings for two weeks because of new coronavirus curbs a palace official said likely putting off a decision on a bid by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to form a new government. Anwar had on Tuesday met King AlSultan Abdullah to try to prove he had a convincing parliamentary majority to form a government sparking a fresh bout of political wrangling just months after Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin took office. The king was scheduled to meet leaders of main political parties to verify Anwars claim but a twoweek partial lockdown took effect from Wednesday in the capital Kuala Lumpur and neighbouring state of Selangor. https://www.reuters.com/article/malaysia-politics/update-1-malaysian-royal-palace-postpones-meetings-due-to-coronavirus-curbs-idUSL4N2H51S3 14th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters UK The Dutch government announced a new round of measures to slow the spread of coronavirus on Tuesday including limits on the size of social gatherings and a ban on the sale of alcohol in the evening. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the measures will go into effect from Wednesday. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-netherlands-measur/netherlands-pm-partial-lockdown-needed-to-slow-coronavirus-spread-idUKKBN26Y2NS 14th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters The Netherlands will return to a partial lockdown on Wednesday Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said closing bars and restaurants as it battles to control the coronavirus in one of Europes major hotspots. Today we are announcing new and sturdy measures and in fact we are going to a partial lockdown Rutte said in a televised news conference. He said public gatherings of more than four people would be prohibited and alcohol sales in the evening would also be banned. Schools were to remain open and public transport would keep running in contrast to measures imposed during a partial lockdown earlier this year. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-netherlands/dutch-return-to-partial-lockdown-as-covid-19-cases-soar-idUKKBN26Y115 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

The Guardian International Monetary Fund says its too early to end government support scheme as pandemic drives up to 90m people into extreme poverty Britains economy faces a double risk to recovery from a disorderly Brexit as the coronavirus pandemic drags down growth the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has warned. On the eve of a critical EU leaders summit in Brussels the influential Parisbased thinktank said the Covid crisis would further complicate a disorderly Brexit as companies were less prepared for the end of the transition period having diverted attention away from leaving the EU. It warned that failure to secure a free trade agreement before the UK leaves the Brexit transition period at the end of December would leave the economy 6.5 lower in the next few years than would have been the case if existing arrangements with the EU had been maintained. https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2020/oct/14/markets-edgy-covid-19-restrictions-tighten-oil-growth-ftse-imf-business-live?page=with:block-5f86cce08f080db3080ba52a 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

Metro The prime minister is reportedly considering a short circuit breaker lockdown if his threetier system fails as pressure mounts on him to take drastic action over the halfterm break. Sir Keir Starmer and experts are urging Boris Johnson to go further than his latest measures by introducing a fortnight of nationwide curbs with scientists estimating the move could save around 7800 lives by the end of the year. The temporary lockdown would see most businesses including pubs and restaurants close if the threetier restrictions coming into effect today fail to bring down the spiralling infection rate a Government source told The Telegraph. https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/14/two-week-uk-circuit-breaker-lockdown-will-be-considered-if-strict-tier-system-fails-13418211/?ico=more_text_links 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

CNN The city of Liverpool in northern England is part of the first area to go under the UKs new strictest set of Covid19 restrictions. CNNs Salma Abdelaziz reports https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2020/10/14/uk-liverpool-coronavirus-covid-19-tier-3-lockdown-abdelaziz-pkg-intl-hnk-vpx.cnn 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

The Guardian Northern Ireland is to close schools pubs and restaurants as part of new restrictions to try to contain exploding rates of Covid19 infection. Arlene Foster the first minister announced the partial lockdown on Wednesday at a special sitting of the Stormont assembly in response to what has become a pandemic hotspot. The new rules take effect from Friday and are to last four weeks with the exception of schools which will shut for two weeks. The hospitality sector will close apart from deliveries and takeaways. Offlicences and supermarkets cannot sell alcohol after 8pm. There will be no indoor sport or organised contact sport involving mixing of households other than at elite level. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/oct/14/coronavirus-northern-ireland-to-be-put-under-partial-lockdown 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

Reuters British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday resisted a short lockdown for all of England but said he ruled nothing out in the face of calls to shut the country down for two weeks as a circuit breaker in order to save lives. With cases rapidly rising the British government opted this week for a threetier system of local measures. The Liverpool area in the northwest became the first part of the country in the highest category requiring bars gyms and other businesses to shut perhaps for months. Johnson said he would stick to this localised approach responding to opposition leader Keir Starmers demand for a temporary national lockdown. The whole point is to seize this moment now to avoid the misery of another national lockdown Johnson told parliament. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-britain/uk-pm-johnson-resists-national-lockdown-but-rules-nothing-out-idUSKBN26Z0OD 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

Reuters The Spanish region of Catalonia which includes the city of Barcelona ordered bars and restaurants to close for 15 days from Thursday night onwards and limited the numbers of people allowed in shops to try to curb a surge in coronavirus cases. With close to 900000 registered cases and more than 33000 deaths Spain has become the pandemics hotspot in Western Europe. The capital Madrid and nearby suburbs were put on partial lockdown last week. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-spain/spanish-catalonia-region-orders-bars-restaurants-shutdown-for-15-days-idUSKBN26Z1SG 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

Zee News The Netherlands returned to a partial lockdown on Wednesday October 14 2020 following Dutch Prime Minister Mark Ruttes announcement on Tuesday evening to close bars and restaurants in order to control the coronavirus in one of Europes major hotspots. Today we are announcing new and sturdy measures and in fact we are going to a partial lockdown Rutte said in a televised news conference. He said public gatherings of more than four people would be prohibited and alcohol sales in the evening would also be banned. Schools were to remain open and public transport would keep running in contrast to measures imposed during a partial lockdown earlier this year. https://zeenews.india.com/world/netherlands-goes-into-partial-lockdown-to-contain-coronavirus-spread-2317348.html 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

CBS News More European countries have decided to reimpose nationwide lockdown measures to counter fastrising coronavirus infection rates. Northern Ireland announced Wednesday that it would become the first among the United Kingdoms four nations to try a socalled circuit breaker lockdown. The tactic will see pubs and restaurants closed for all but takeout service all schools closed and many other businesses greatly restricted for a short defined period to try and break the cycle of spiraling infections. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-second-wave-europe-lockdowns/ 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

Asia Times As Europe imposed new restrictions to try to stall a surging second wave of the novel coronavirus hopes for vaccines to rapidly provide relief suffered a blow Tuesday with the suspension of two clinical trials in the United States. China meanwhile rushed to test an entire city of nine million within days after a minor coronavirus outbreak in the sprawling country and Europe struggled to tackle a new surge of infections. The virus is still spreading rapidly worldwide with more than one million deaths and 37 million infections. Many nations that suppressed their first outbreaks now face a second wave. https://asiatimes.com/2020/10/lockdowns-from-china-to-europe-as-trials-stumble/ 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

News24 As Europe imposed new restrictions to try to stall a surging second wave of the novel coronavirus hopes for vaccines to rapidly provide relief suffered a blow on Tuesday with the suspension of two clinical trials in the United States. China meanwhile rushed to test an entire city of nine million within days after a minor coronavirus outbreak in the sprawling country a far cry from the struggle in Europe to tackle surging infections with tough new steps including partial lockdowns https://www.news24.com/news24/world/news/new-lockdowns-from-china-to-europe-as-coronavirus-trials-stumble-20201014 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

The Independent Sir Keir Starmer has called for a two to threeweek national lockdown accusing the prime minister of no longer following the scientific advice. The Labour leaders intervention came after it emerged Boris Johnson dismissed a recommendation for the measure from government scientists three weeks ago. Heres a look at how other countries have attempted a socalled circuitbreaker in their fight against Covid19. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-circuit-breaker-lockdown-uk-singapore-israel-new-zealand-keir-starmer-b1032283.html 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

Manchester Evening News Just 24 hours after Boris Johnson unveiled his latest plans to crub the spread of coronavirus the Labour Party has called for circuit breaker lockdown. Sir Keir Starmer called for a two to threeweek national lockdown on Tuesday that accusing the Prime Minister of no longer following the scientific advice. His comments come after it emerged on Monday evening that scientists advising the government recommended the country be put into a twoweek circuit break lockdown three weeks ago. Documents released on Monday night prior to the PM appearing from Downing Street for his press conference show that the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies SAGE were urging the Prime Minister to go further than the threetiered system. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/heres-how-circuit-breaker-lockdowns-19099854 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

The Guardian Keir Starmer called for a twoto threeweek national circuit breaker lockdown across England to prevent the NHS being overwhelmed urging Boris Johnson to act in a dramatic escalation of his criticism of the governments approach. Starmer pushed the PM to heed the advice of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies Sage after it was revealed late on Monday that the governments scientific advisers called for a fortnightlong lockdown as long ago as 21 September warning that a failure to do so risked a very large epidemic with catastrophic consequences https://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2020/oct/13/keir-starmer-calls-for-circuit-breaker-lockdown-for-england-video 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

Reuters UK For one gym owner in the northwest of England Prime Minister Boris Johnsons latest COVID19 lockdown is a step too far. To save his business he is defying the governments command to close along with dozens of other gyms in the area. Governments across the world have imposed some of the most severe restrictions in peacetime history to tackle the coronavirus to varying degrees of success. The virus has killed more than a million people and Europe is deep in a second wave. The measures have also pushed many companies and in some cases whole sectors out of business. Some feel ignored and are starting to push back against the rules. Were supposed to be closed but we are open Chris EllerbyHemmings 36 owner of EmpoweredFit Gym in Greasby near Liverpool told Reuters. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-gym/some-british-gyms-defy-pm-johnsons-covid-19-lockdown-idUKKBN26Z16Q 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

Reuters UK British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday resisted a short lockdown for all of England but said he ruled nothing out in the face of calls to shut the country down for two weeks as a circuit breaker in order to save lives. With cases rapidly rising the British government opted this week for a threetier system of local measures. The Liverpool area in the northwest became the first part of the country in the highest category requiring bars gyms and other businesses to shut perhaps for months. Johnson said he would stick to this localised approach responding to opposition leader Keir Starmers demand for a temporary national lockdown. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain/uk-not-heading-for-a-national-lockdown-yet-minister-says-idUKKBN26Z0OI?il=0 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

Reuters UK Northern Ireland announced the strictest COVID19 restrictions seen in the United Kingdom since early summer on Wednesday closing schools for two weeks restaurants for four weeks and leading Ireland to respond by tightening curbs in bordering counties. The Britishruled region of Northern Ireland has become one of Europes biggest COVID19 hotspots in recent weeks. Its health minister described the situation last Friday as becoming graver by the hour. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-nireland-restauran-idUKKBN26Z1A0 14th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

BBC French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a nighttime curfew in Paris and eight other cities to try to curb the rapid spread of coronavirus. The measure from 2100 to 0600 will come into effect from Saturday and last for at least four weeks Mr Macron said in a televised interview. A public health emergency has also been declared. Meanwhile Germany announced that bars and restaurants in higherrisk areas must close early. Chancellor Angela Merkel announced tightened restrictions on Wednesday as the country recorded more than 5000 new infections for the first time since April. In areas where infections exceed 50 per 100000 inhabitants bars and restaurants must close their doors by 2300. Private gatherings will be limited to 10 people from two households. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54535358 14th Oct 2020