16th Oct 2020 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=118 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Yle According to a survey by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare THL last spring around 70 percent of respondents said they would take a vaccine if authorities recommended it. However many still remember more than a decade ago the serious side effects of the H1N1 swine flu vaccine Pandemrix which was found to have multiplied the risk of narcolepsy particularly among young people a situation that damaged the publics confidence in vaccines as well as health authorities. The director of the Vaccine Research Center at Tampere University Mika Rmet said the centre advises decision makers about new vaccines but does not participate in policymaking. He noted that the centre is not currently conducting its own coronavirus vaccine study. https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/finnish_expert_answers_7_questions_about_coronavirus_vaccines/11594443 16th Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

The Independent Boris Johnsons coronavirus strategy was unravelling after one of the prime ministers top medical advisers told regional leaders it would not work and a national lockdown was needed. More than half of the population of England will soon be subjected to heightened restrictions under the prime ministers threetier regional system after areas including London Essex and York were told to move to high alert status from Saturday. But Mr Johnson was forced to back down on plans to put Greater Manchester and Lancashire into the toughest curbs alongside Merseyside after civic leaders demanded more financial support for the thousands of workers whose employers would be forced to shut down. And councils in the northeast united to say that they too would reject tier 3 status. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/coronavirus-restrictions-boris-johnson-jonathan-van-tam-manchester-london-b1053195.html 16th Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

AlJazeera The World Health Organization WHO has warned of a dramatic increase in tuberculosis TB deaths in the coming years as a result of the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic and a continuing shortage of funds in its annual report on global efforts to combat the disease. The WHO said there were significant reductions in the reporting and monitoring of new TB cases in the first half of 2020 as countries imposed lockdowns to curb the spread of COVID19. Professor Achilles Kapanidis from Oxfords Department of Physics said the test would be simple extremely rapid and costeffective. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/15/tb-story-who 15th Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

AlJazeera After seven months of total blackout cinemas have reopened in several parts of India as the country reported its lowest daily increase in coronavirus deaths in 11 weeks. The reopening of movie theatres on Thursday came as Indias health ministry reported 680 deaths in the past 24 hours the lowest number in nearly three months raising the countrys death toll since the pandemic began to 111266. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/15/indian-cinemas-reopen-amid-fewest-coronavirus-deaths-in-11-weeks 15th Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

BBC France has reported a large jump in new Covid19 cases ahead of a nighttime curfew being imposed on Paris and eight other cities on Saturday. A further 30621 infections were confirmed on Thursday up from 22591 the day before. The World Health Organization WHO has warned that tough restrictions are absolutely necessary to save lives. Millions in Europe have been told they must live under strict new measures as governments battle a second wave. From Saturday socialising indoors will be banned in London as the UK capital and other areas of England will be put under a higher Covid alert. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54557549 15th Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

BBC A scientist who processed coronavirus swab samples at one of the UKs largest labs has alleged working practices were chaotic and dangerous. He highlighted overcrowded biosecure workspaces poor safety protocols and a lack of suitable PPE. The Health and Safety Executive has uncovered safety breaches at the lighthouse lab in Milton Keynes. The UK Biocentre which runs the lab said strict safety measures were in place and improvements were being made. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54552620 15th Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

The Guardian Anthony Fauci warned on Thursday that Americans should rethink their usual plans for traditional Thanksgiving gatherings citing increased coronavirus infections and hospitalizations. Fauci the most senior public health official on the White House coronavirus taskforce told ABC News that given the rise in cases in almost three dozen US states weve really got to double down on fundamental public health measures that we talk about every day because they can make a difference. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/15/anthony-fauci-coronavirus-thanksgiving-trump 15th Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

Reuters South Africa will embark on a massive public works and jobcreation drive in response to the coronavirus crisis President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday unveiling a plan to return Africas most industrialised economy to growth. South Africa was in recession before it recorded its first coronavirus infection in March with one of the worlds strictest lockdowns and a global drop in demand for its exports causing GDP to fall by more than 17 in annual terms in the AprilJune quarter when over 2 million jobs were lost. Ramaphosas government has been in talks with business and labour leaders for months trying to plot a path to recovery. https://uk.reuters.com/article/safrica-economy/update-2-south-africa-puts-public-works-jobs-at-heart-of-covid-19-recovery-plan-idUKL8N2H64HA 15th Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

CBC.ca On Tuesday India added 55342 COVID19 cases in 24 hours bringing its total number of confirmed infections to 7.17 million according to data from the countrys Ministry of Health. These daily new infections may be off their recent peaks and were the lowest numbers in almost two months but India is the second worstaffected country after the United States and it is set to have the largest caseload in a matter of weeks. Indias high number of new cases is being driven by the ongoing lifting of lockdown restrictions and complacency around following precautions to prevent the spread of the virus epidemiologists say. Restrictions have been steadily eased in recent months in an effort to revive livelihoods but they have yet to be completely lifted and the economy remains sluggish. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/india-pandemic-lockdown-numbers-1.5760164 15th Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

Kyodo News Japan is considering lowering travel advisories that it issued for all countries and regions in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic government officials said Thursday. The ministry may lower the travel advisory to Level 1 asking citizens to exercise caution or lift it completely. As for more specific travel alerts for infectious diseases 159 countries and regions are now placed at Level 3 warning against all travel. The ministry is expected to lower the alert by one level for Vietnam and some other countries that have a low number of infections according to the officials. https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/10/f084aee85cd5-urgent-japan-mulls-lowering-intl-travel-advisories-issued-over-pandemic.html 15th Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

SBS News A push to expand the intake of stranded Australians trying to get home is facing delays after Fridays scheduled National Cabinet meeting was postponed. Thousands of Australians stranded overseas could soon return home under a deal to allow people to quarantine near Darwin. The ABC reported on Thursday up to 1000 people a month would isolate at the NTs Howard Springs facility after returning home on commercial and charter flights. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/thousands-of-stranded-australians-could-get-ticket-home-under-new-darwin-quarantine-deal 15th Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

The Age Victorias COVID19 response has retreated from an undeclared ambition of eliminating the virus before Christmas to a more pragmatic and achievable aim of suppressing its spread to levels the state can live with safely. Senior epidemiologists say the governments conflicting public health message Premier Daniel Andrews talking about 10 daily cases being the new five and five being the new zero reflects the unrealistic targets it set when the road map out of lockdown was set two months ago. The overarching problem say epidemiologists is that the government was quietly pursuing an elimination strategy for the virus. The terms elimination and suppression or aggressive suppression as the national cabinet and the Victorian government have preferred can be confusing but experts say there has been a clear change in approach in recent weeks. https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/victorian-pivot-opens-path-out-of-lockdown-20201014-p5654v.html 15th Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

Daily Mail Bosnia and Herzegovina Croatia Czech Republic Germany Italy Poland Slovakia Slovenia and Switzerland all recorded record numbers of infections In addition many countries are seeing increased hospitalisations and deaths Italy recorded another 83 deaths Thursday nearly double the 43 on Wednesday Merkel lost her temper Wednesday night after state leader refused to sign off on her lockdown proposal What weve agreed is not enough to ward off disaster https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8844857/amp/Coronavirus-deaths-double-day-Italy-nine-European-nations-record-cases.html 15th Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

Byline Times This week the White House embraced the Great Barrington declaration calling for a herd immunity strategy that would allow COVID19 to spread among healthy young people while shielding the elderly and vulnerable. But the scientific evidence shows that the approach could not only lead to nearly 3 million American deaths but would create significant deaths among healthy young people while generating unprecedented economic shocks. https://bylinetimes.com/2020/10/15/how-the-white-houses-herd-immunity-strategy-would-destroy-the-us-economy/ 15th Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

Daily Mirror Donald Trump insists America will not lockdown again despite cases soaring across the country. The president does not have the power to stop individual states going into lockdown if they wish to do so to control cases. The US on Wednesday reported more than 59000 new infections as its death toll approached 217000. The spike has been driven by a resurgence of infections in the Midwest and other areas of the country. Were not doing any more he said on Fox when asked about the prospect of says of regional shutdowns. Trump continues to trail his challenger Joe Biden by as much as 17 points in the national polls. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/donald-trump-insists-not-lockdown-22852315 15th Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

The Conversation UK As COVID19 cases have risen sharply in large parts of the north of England local leaders have united to challenge government policy. Representatives from across the north have come together questioning the governments decision to impose local lockdowns in their region. They have particularly criticised central government for failing to provide enough funding to cope with the economic impacts of lockdown and the lack of financial support for people unable to work. https://theconversation.com/stronger-political-alliances-are-forming-in-northern-england-as-local-lockdown-anger-grows-147965 15th Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

The Guardian French police have searched the homes and offices of French officials including the former prime minister as part of an investigation into the governments handling of the coronavirus crisis. Current and former ministers have been targeted by at least 90 formal legal complaints from civic groups and members of the public over their response to the health emergency. Investigators targeted the home of former PM douard Philippe on Thursday as well as the current health minister Olivier Vran the former health minister Agns Buzyn the former government spokeswoman Sibeth Ndiaye and the head of Frances health authority Jrme Salomon. Salomon became known as Monsieur Covid for his daily health briefings at the height of the epidemic in March and April. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/15/french-police-search-officials-homes-coronavirus-inquiry 15th Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

bbc.co.uk French police have raided the homes of senior government and health officials as part of an investigation into their handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Health Minister Olivier Vran and the director of the national health agency Jrme Salomon are among those whose properties were searched on Thursday. The raids came after a court launched an inquiry earlier this year into the governments handling of the pandemic. It has faced criticism over shortages of equipment and slow response times. Prime Minister Jean Castex is also under investigation French media report as is his predecessor Edouard Philippe and Mr Vrans predecessor Agns Buzyn. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54535358 15th Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

Daily Mail Victoria recorded just six new coronavirus cases and no deaths on Thursday Pressure mounting to end strict lockdown as residents are desperate to get out Health authorities said 14day average must be at five for restrictions to ease Sanjeev Sabhlok resigned from Victorian Treasury department in September He has rallied online against Melbournes draconian COVID19 lockdowns He said Premier Daniel Andrews was whimsy and warned him to resign https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8841205/Victoria-records-six-coronavirus-cases-no-deaths-former-staffer-quit-lifts-lid-lockdown.html 15th Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

The New York Times This week President Trump exaggerated a position taken by the World Health Organization saying that the agency had vindicated his derision of lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic. The World Health Organization just admitted that I was right the president tweeted. Lockdowns are killing countries all over the world. The cure cannot be worse than the problem itself. Mr. Trumps message was rapidly shared by thousands online including the commentator Lou Dobbs and Representative Andy Biggs Republican of Arizona who echoed the presidents rallying cry to open up and described the closings as pseudoscientific and tyrannical. Since the early days of the pandemic the president has dismissed lockdowns as unnecessary and harmful even while the virus continued to blaze across the nation. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/14/technology/trump-coronavirus-who-lockdown.html 15th Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

heraldscotland.com If you are depressed by the prospect of a winter of lockdown limbo you might be even more depressed to consider that it could have been avoided altogether. Not by having a circuit break now or a fourtier traffic light system. Not through harsher penalties for those flouting selfisolation rules. Not even by just letting the virus rip through the population while we shield the vulnerable indoors as was last week advocated by the scientifically dubious Great Barrington Declaration. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18795149.coronavirus-arguing-lockdown-versus-herd-immunity-uks-test-trace-isolate-regime-failing/ 15th Oct 2020

Continued Lockdown

Sky News Australia Sky News host Andrew Bolt says lockdown is a disaster that causes more pain than it stops and it should now be crystal clear that fighting this virus with lockdowns is a terrible terrible terrible mistake. Mr Bolt said in Victoria 500 doctors have sent another open letter to Premier Daniel Andrews warning that the Melbourne lockdown which has been going for six weeks is causing severe harm. Anaesthetist Dr Eamonn Matthieson said I think theres been a massive collateral damage in the health and mental health spaces in particular due to the lockdowns. There are growing number a very large numbers of doctors who are gravely concerned about the impact of these lockdowns and we are calling for them to cease we believe they are disproportionate and unscientific Dr Matthias said. https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6200823417001 15th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

ITV News Scientists have developed a new rapid test for coronavirus that detects and identifies viruses in less than five minutes. The test created by researchers from Oxford Universitys department of physics is able to differentiate SarsCoV2 the virus responsible for Covid19 from negative clinical samples. It is also able to tell it apart from other viruses such as flu and seasonal human coronaviruses according to the study. Working directly on throat swabs from Covid19 patients without the need for genome extraction purification or amplification of the viruses the method starts with the rapid labelling of virus particles in the sample with short fluorescent DNA strands. https://www.itv.com/news/2020-10-15/covid-19-scientists-develop-test-for-that-can-identify-virus-in-five-minutes 15th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Daily Mail Dr Anthony Fauci made the comments on GMA on Thursday when asked about the antilockdownGreat Barrington Declaration that was published earlier this week. He made the comments on Thursday when asked about the antilockdown Great Barrington Declaration that was published earlier this week. The declaration which was written by experts at Oxford Harvard and Stanford calls for the protection of people most at risk of dying from Covid19. It argues that the rest of the population should be able to return to life as normal. Fauci said the declaration hides that fact that 30 of the population have underlying health conditions that make them more susceptible to Covid19. It comes as the United States reached its highest number of daily Covid19 infections in two months with more than 59000 cases reported on Wednesday. Deaths however continue to trend downward nationally with an average of more than 700 Americans dying per day https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8843769/Fauci-says-letting-Covid-19-spread-achieve-herd-immunity-ridiculous.html 15th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Science Magazine Success in the push to find a COVID19 vaccine at recordbreaking speed could hand the world a new problem. The first vaccine to cross the finish line might be only marginally effective yet it could become the enemy of the goodor even the greatcandidates in the wings by disrupting ongoing studies. In all likelihood the U.S. Food and Drug Administration FDA or other regulators will issue the first COVID19 vaccine approval or emergency use authorization EUA for one vaccine while many other candidates have clinical trials still underway or in the planning. At that point ongoing studies of any vaccineincluding that first onecould become unethical because half the participants would get a placebo at a time a vaccine with established efficacy will be available. Its a very vexing issue says Christine Grady who heads the bioethics department at the National Institutes of Health NIH Clinical Center which organized a grand rounds webinar on the challenges last week. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/10/early-approval-covid-19-vaccine-could-stymie-hunt-better-ones 15th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Lancet Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 SARSCoV2 has infected more than 35 million people globally with more than 1 million deaths recorded by WHO as of Oct 12 2020. As a second wave of COVID19 affects Europe and with winter approaching we need clear communication about the risks posed by COVID19 and effective strategies to combat them. Here we share our view of the current evidencebased consensus on COVID19. https://www.thelancet.com/lancet/article/s0140-6736(20)32153-x 15th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

IOL News Given the age demographics in African countries and the existing data on those the disease affects most primarily the elderly Africas population would be less susceptible to Covid19 than its counterparts in Europe and the USA. A hard lockdown was ... https://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/health/lockdown-was-not-effective-strategy-against-covid-19-in-south-africa-new-evidence-suggests-542324f6-d5e3-49a4-b930-caaac85aa5f3 15th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The New York Times Some public health researchers are seeing hints that the coronavirus pandemic might help solve a longstanding puzzle What causes premature birth Studies in Ireland and Denmark this summer showed that preterm births decreased in the spring during lockdowns to stop the spread of the virus in those countries. Anecdotally doctors around the world reported similar drops. They speculated that reduced stress on mothers cleaner air or better hygiene might have contributed. A large study from the Netherlands published on Tuesday in The Lancet Public Health has yielded even stronger evidence of an association between the lockdowns and a smaller number of early births. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/15/health/covid-premature-births-lockdown.html 15th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian Hospital doctors and public health experts have backed growing calls for a circuit breaker to stem the resurgence of Covid19 and protect the NHS as fresh signs of a cabinet split emerged. As up to 95 of intensive care beds were reported to be full in some hospitals in Liverpool half with coronavirus patients growing concerns were raised about the NHS becoming overwhelmed. This week Liverpool said it would scale back nonurgent operations. Labour backed the idea of a circuit breaker a short lockdown severing some social contact on Tuesday but cabinet ministers are understood to be split over its effectiveness and the desire to protect the economy. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/oct/15/uk-doctors-and-health-experts-back-covid-19-circuit-breaker 15th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

CNBC Europe is introducing more and more restrictive measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus and lockdowns are the next possible step. Fullscale lockdowns should be a very very last resort. Any national lockdowns must consider direct risks and collateral damage associated with the pandemic such as the mental health impact and domestic violence. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/15/lockdowns-should-be-last-resort-whos-europe-chief-says.html 15th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Birmingham Post The Birmingham scientist who has set up the citys first testing lab for coronavirus has joined a clamour for tougher restrictions saying we are at a critical moment. Prof Alan McNally director of Birmingham Universitys worldclass microbiology and infection institute previously called for pubs restaurants and gyms to shut and travel to be limited as part of lockdown moves to reduce infection spread. He is among the 80plus international scientists and researchers to sign a letter published in todays The Lancet setting out the evidence for urgent action. The letter implores the Government to do more or risk continuing misery. The signatories condemn a herd immunity approach as a dangerous fallacy unsupported by scientific evidence. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/act-now-lockdown-birmingham-scientist-19106482 15th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Newshub On March 14 Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said New Zealands strategy in fighting the COVID19 pandemic would be to go hard and go early. Despite claims from her opponents we didnt new research has found not only that we did but we went the hardest and earliest of anyone. The speed and intensity of the national response to limit the epidemic is unprecedented internationally a new study published this week in prestigious medical journal The Lancet said. It is likely this early intense response which also enabled relatively rapid easing while maintaining strict border controls prevented the burden of disease experienced in other highincome countries with slower lockdown implementation. https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/10/coronavirus-new-zealand-s-go-hard-and-go-early-covid-19-response-unprecedented-internationally-study.html 15th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Evening Standard People with blood type O may be less vulnerable to Covid19 and have a reduced likelihood of getting severely ill from the virus according to two new studies. The two independent studies carried out by researchers in Denmark and Canada and published in the journal Blood Advances found that individuals with blood types A and AB are most vulnerable to the disease. The research provides further evidence that a persons blood type may play a role in their susceptibility to coronavirus and could shed further light on why the illness proves deadly for some but others only experience mild symptoms or none at all. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/studies-coronavirus-infection-symptoms-blood-type-a4571031.html 15th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Evening Standard Scientists from the University of Oxford have developed a fiveminute coronavirus test. Researchers said the test could be used for mass testing programmes at airports and businesses. The university said it hoped to start product development of the testing device in early 2021 and have an approved device available six months afterwards. The device is able to detect the virus and distinguish it from other viruses with high accuracy the researchers said in a preprint study. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/five-minute-coronavirus-test-oxford-scientists-a4571226.html 15th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian The concept of ending the Covid pandemic through herd immunity is a dangerous fallacy unsupported by scientific evidence say 80 researchers in a warning letter published by a leading medical journal. The international signatories of the open letter in the Lancet say the interest in herd immunity comes from widespread demoralisation and diminishing trust as a result of restrictions being reimposed in many countries because of surging infections in a second wave. The suggestion that the way out is by protecting the vulnerable and allowing the virus to transmit among those less at risk is flawed they say. Uncontrolled transmission in younger people risks significant morbidity and mortality across the whole population. In addition to the human cost this would impact the workforce as a whole and overwhelm the ability of healthcare systems to provide acute and routine care. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/14/ending-covid-19-via-herd-immunity-is-a-dangerous-fallacy 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

NEJM.org The safety and immunogenicity data from this U.S. phase 1 trial of two vaccine candidates in younger and older adults added to earlier interim safety and immunogenicity data regarding BNT162b1 in younger adults from trials in Germany and the United States support the selection of BNT162b2 for advancement to a pivotal phase 23 safety and efficacy evaluation. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2027906 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Diabetes.co.uk The silent transmission of COVID19 is of huge concern as researchers have found nearly 90 of people with the condition do not have the symptoms. People who have a persistent cough high temperature and lose their sense of smell or taste are being told to stay home to protect other people and stop the spread. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2020/oct/study-shows-nearly-90-per-cent-of-people-are-asymptomatic-with-covid-19.html 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Sky News The UK may have already missed the boat for a preplanned lockdown forcing the government to introduce emergency restrictions like the ones in March a leading government scientific advisor has warned. Professor Graham Medley who sits on the Scientific Group for Emergencies SAGE told journalists that a twoweek circuit breaker lockdown could buy time to improve systems such as Test and Trace. But he said with coronavirus cases rising exponentially across the country the UK might have run out of time to act preemptively. https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-uk-may-have-missed-the-boat-for-circuit-breaker-lockdown-govt-scientist-warns-12104153 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Phys.org Lockdowns initiated to curb the spread of the coronavirus in China and Europe at the beginning of the pandemic improved air quality averting tens of thousands of deaths in regions where air pollution has a significant impact on mortality a new study shows. According to research published in The Lancet Planetary Health scientists at the University of Notre Dame found that particulate matter concentrations in China dropped by an unprecedented 29.7 percent and by 17.1 percent in parts of Europe during lockdowns that took place between Feb. 1 and March 31 in China and Feb. 21 to May 17 in Europe. Particulate matter PM2.5tiny airborne particles smaller than 110000 of an inch in diametercomes from various combustionrelated sources including industrial emissions transportation wildfires and chemical reactions of pollutants in the atmosphere. https://phys.org/news/2020-10-covid-lockdowns-averted-tens-thousands.html 14th Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Metro.co.uk China is currently in the process of testing an entire city of 9 million people for coronavirus in five days. The country which appears to have largely brought the virus under control is mass testing in Qingdao after 12 new cases broke out there linked to a hospital treating patients from abroad. Six had symptoms and six did not. As of today more than 4.2 million tests have been carried out in the northern port city with no new cases of Covid19 found among the almost 2 million sets of results received so far. China has adopted an impressive mass testing process which has been seen nowhere else in the world. https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/14/how-china-is-testing-9000000-people-for-coronavirus-in-five-days-13422178/ 14th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

BBC The number of students told to isolate following Covid19 cases at Cardiff University has quadrupled in a week. On Thursday the university said 1983 students were in isolation up from 510 this time last week. It also said a further 73 students had tested positive on Wednesday. Last week a total of 251 of its students tested positive for the virus. Of those in isolation 243 have reported symptoms and 1287 are close contacts without symptoms. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-54553439 15th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

U.S. News & World Report Pennsylvania is at the start of the fall resurgence of COVID19 the states health secretary said Wednesday but does not plan to reimpose a stayathome order or shut down businesses again in response. Wednesday marked the ninth consecutive day that Pennsylvanias daily case count surpassed 1000 and the average daily number of new confirmed cases is up by more than 50 over the past two weeks according to The COVID Tracking Project. Though some of the increased caseload is due to expanded testing the states hospitalization and test positivity rates are also rising. That indicates increased viral spread Dr. Rachel Levine said. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/pennsylvania/articles/2020-10-14/pennsylvania-confirms-fall-resurgence-of-coronavirus 15th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters The European Commission urged member nations on Thursday to step up preparations against the new surge of coronavirus infections and recommended common measures to roll out vaccines should they become available. With new cases hitting about 100000 daily Europe has by a wide margin overtaken the United States where an average of more than 51000 COVID19 infections is reported every day. Time is running out said EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides urging greater coordination in tracing infections. Everyones first priority should be to do what it takes to avoid the devastating consequences of generalised lockdowns. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-eu-vaccination/time-is-running-out-eu-warns-urging-measures-to-avoid-new-lockdowns-idUSKBN27014Y 15th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

POLITICO Germany late on Wednesday announced new restrictions on public life in an effort to combat a surge in coronavirus cases. Chancellor Angela Merkel and the premiers of the countrys 16 federal states agreed on limiting private gatherings to 15 attendees and a curfew for bars and restaurants from 11 p.m. in areas with a weekly rate of more than 35 new cases per 100000 inhabitants. https://www.politico.eu/article/coronavirus-germany-announces-tougher-restrictions/ 15th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters UK Hospitals in the Netherlands on Thursday said they would ask their German counterparts to take patients after the number of those hospitalised with coronavirus doubled in the past week to 1526. We are about to ask for the transfer of patients to hospitals in Germany again the head of the Dutch hospital association LNAZ told reporters. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-netherlands-hospit-idUKKBN270212 15th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

DW (English) Germany posted over 6000 new cases. Levels like this have not been seen since the start of the pandemic. German citizens behavior will influence how Christmas is celebrated this year warned Health Minister Jens Spahn. Germany saw a record daily increase in new coronavirus cases on Thursday reporting 6638 new infections according to data from the Robert Koch Institute the agency responsible for disease control and prevention. Germanys previous record daily increase was 6294 on March 28. The country also reported 33 new deaths bringing the total number of fatalities to 9710. https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-germany-sees-record-daily-increase-in-new-cases/a-55281550 15th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Bloomberg Italy is being removed from the UKs travel corridor in a fresh blow to holidaymakers who will have to quarantine for a fortnight on their return from the country. In a move revealed earlier by the Guardian Italy which this week recorded its highest ever daily tally of Covid19 cases is being dropped from the dwindling list of locations that UK travellers can visit without facing quarantine when they come home. Italy last week imposed new requirements meaning visitors from the UK and some other nations must provide evidence of a negative Covid test taken 72 hours before travel although some Italian airports have been providing tests on arrival. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-14/italy-wednesday-new-virus-cases-are-most-since-outbreak-began 15th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Guardian Italy is being removed from the UKs travel corridor in a fresh blow to holidaymakers who will have to quarantine for a fortnight on their return from the country. In a move revealed earlier by the Guardian Italy which this week recorded its highest ever daily tally of Covid19 cases is being dropped from the dwindling list of locations that UK travellers can visit without facing quarantine when they come home. Italy last week imposed new requirements meaning visitors from the UK and some other nations must provide evidence of a negative Covid test taken 72 hours before travel although some Italian airports have been providing tests on arrival. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/oct/15/italy-poised-to-be-removed-from-englands-travel-corridor 15th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

EL PAS in English A total of 11970 new coronavirus cases were reported by the Spanish Health Ministry on Wednesday toward the higher scale of the numbers seen over recent weeks. On Tuesday new infections came in at 7118 a figure that may have been artificially low due to underreporting over the long weekend Monday was a national holiday in Spain. In total there have been 908056 confirmed coronavirus infections in the country since the pandemic took hold. https://english.elpais.com/society/2020-10-15/spanish-health-ministry-reports-nearly-12000-new-coronavirus-infections-adds-209-victims-to-the-death-toll.html 15th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Brussels Times Following announcements of stricter measures in France and the Netherlands Belgium needs a resolute policy to manage the second wave of coronavirus infections without becoming excessive according to virologist Marc Van Ranst. After the Netherlands announced that it would go in partial lockdown from Wednesday evening and France declared the public health state of emergency calls to follow the neighbouring countries example have been rising in Belgium. https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/belgium-all-news/135848/belgium-needs-resolute-policy-to-fight-second-covid-19-wave-marc-van-ranst-france-netherlands-lockdown/ 15th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Anadolu Agency Amid the countrys coronavirus count crossing 7.3 million movie theaters along with additional activities started in several parts of the country on Thursday as part of allowing the fifth round of easing the restrictions called Unlock5. According to an Indian Health Ministry update early Thursday more than 67000 cases were registered in the last 24 hours taking the total number of infections to 7307097 with 680 additional deaths in the country. The government last month allowed opening of cinemas theaters and multiplexes with up to 50 of seating capacity as well as entertainment parks and swimming pools for training of sportspeople. The government also authorized the state governments to take a call to reopen the schools from Thursday. In the countrys financial hub Mumbai officials said the state government has allowed the metro operation and services to resume from Oct. 19. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/indias-covid-19-infections-surpass-73m-mark/2006923 15th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Guardian Its the textbook example of being caught between a rock and a hard place. The number of people being treated for Covid19 in hospital is rising fast and is currently higher than it was when the UK went into full national lockdown on 23 March. Worse is to come. Simultaneously the threat of mass unemployment looms ever larger. More workers were made redundant in the three months to August than at any time since the period when the banks almost went bust a decade ago. Worse is to come here too. Opinion is divided on what to do next. There are those who think the second wave of Covid is potentially so serious that a full national lockdown is necessary whatever the cost. Labours plan for a two or threeweek circuit breaker is really a national lockdown merely a timelimited one. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/15/britains-covid-19-strategy-jobless-people-virus-economic 15th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters UK Oil prices eased on Thursday as new restrictions to stem a surge in COVID19 infections dimmed the outlook for economic growth and fuel demand. Traders said prices pared earlier losses after the U.S. Energy Information Administration EIA reported an increase in U.S. petroleum demand last week that helped reduce crude stockpiles while distillate inventories dropped by the most since 2003 as Hurricane Delta cut oil production and shut Gulf Coast refineries. The EIA report halted the price slide which was threatening to turn into an avalanche earlier this morning said Robert Yawger director of energy futures at Mizuho in New York. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-global-oil/oil-slips-as-new-lockdown-measures-threaten-demand-recovery-idUKKBN270028?il=0 15th Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters UK France imposed curfews while other European nations are closing schools cancelling surgeries and enlisting student medics as overwhelmed authorities face the nightmare scenario of a COVID19 resurgence at the onset of winter. With new cases hitting about 100000 daily Europe has by a wide margin overtaken the United States where more than 51000 COVID19 infections are reported on average every day. As cases in France climbed rapidly President Emmanuel Macron announced night curfews for four weeks from Saturday in Paris and other major cities affecting almost onethird of the countrys 67 million people. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus/curfews-and-lockdowns-as-shaken-europe-overtakes-us-in-virus-surge-idUKKBN26Z1F8 15th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

Metro.co.uk Universities across the UK will reportedly be plunged into a twoweek lockdown before Christmas to allow students to return home to their families. The lockdown will take place from December 8 to December 22 and will involve classes being taught online only. The plans are said to be in their early stages reports the Guardian. Prime Minister Boris Johnson previously said plans are being put in place to allow students home safely for Christmas as many hundreds of students across the country have been forced to selfisolate due to soaring coronavirus cases. https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/15/students-to-be-put-into-two-week-lockdown-so-they-can-go-home-for-christmas-13425123/ 15th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

CNBC European leaders have been put in a panic by surging coronavirus infections in the region. France has declared a national state of health emergency the U.K. appearing to approach a second national lockdown and Germany introducing further rules to restrict the spread of the virus. Europe now has over 7.2 million confirmed cases of Covid19 according to the World Health Organization. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/15/europes-coronavirus-crisis-france-state-of-emergency-uk-lockdown.html 15th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

Sky News A state of emergency has been declared in France and President Emmanuel Macron has announced a curfew between 9pm and 6am for the areas worstaffected by coronavirus. IledeFrance and eight metropolitan areas including Grenoble Lille Lyon AixMarseille Saint Etienne and Toulouse will face the curfews for four weeks starting on Saturday. During the curfew hours people will not be allowed to go to restaurants or visit friends but there will be no restrictions on public transport or on people travelling within regions. https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-france-declares-state-of-emergency-as-night-time-lockdown-imposed-on-eight-cities-12104167 15th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

CNBC European leaders have been put in a panic by surging coronavirus infections in the region. France has declared a national state of health emergency the U.K. appearing to approach a second national lockdown and Germany introducing further rules to restrict the spread of the virus. Europe now has over 7.2 million confirmed cases of Covid19 according to the World Health Organization. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/15/europes-coronavirus-crisis-france-state-of-emergency-uk-lockdown.html 15th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

The Times of India Dutch people drank and danced to pumping techno music Wednesday in the final minutes before all bars restaurants and cannabis coffeeshops closed as part of a partial coronavirus lockdown. many of the revellers who flocked to terrace cafes in a main square in The Hague said they backed the measures which took effect at 10.00pm but that they wanted to party first https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/last-party-for-dutch-as-new-virus-lockdown-starts/articleshow/78673058.cms 15th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

iNews The pressure is mounting on the Government to introduce a twoweek national lockdown or circuit breaker to limit individuals contacts and thus suppress transmission of coronavirus. Such a lockdown will inevitably cause even more economic and social hardship to the country. But as unpalatable as it is and as much as I hate the idea I am reluctantly coming to the same conclusion. https://inews.co.uk/opinion/circuit-breaker-lockdown-uk-covid-meaning-buy-time-721132 15th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

Reuters London the worlds international financial capital will enter a tighter COVID19 lockdown from midnight on Friday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson seeks to tackle a swiftly accelerating second coronavirus wave. The respiratory pandemic which emerged in China last year and has killed over a million people worldwide is spreading in most parts of Britain whose official death toll of 43155 is the highest in Europe. Anger though is rising over the economic social and health costs of the biggest curtailment of freedoms since World War Two. One former government adviser warned some people would have trouble clothing their children soon. https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain/things-will-get-worse-london-goes-into-stricter-lockdown-idUSKBN2700NZ 15th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

CNN Governments across Europe are choosing between two vastly different strategies as a second wave of Covid19 arrives in force. Most are imposing limited local restrictions and keeping their economies open. But in the UK and Ireland scientific advisers have pushed for second national lockdowns despite fears of an economic shock. The crisis which hit Europe for the first time in early spring is back but this time around many people feel that locking down society is too high a price to pay. Yet most medical and economic experts CNN spoke to agree that in the long run a short lockdown is better than a constant battle to contain the pandemic. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is one of those trying to avoid a second nationwide lockdown in England. https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/15/business/lockdown-economy-johnson-uk-intl/index.html 15th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

ABC News Millions of people will be banned from mixing indoors with London due to be placed under tier 2 COVID19 restrictions from this weekend. London will move from tier 1 to tier 2 or from medium to high alert from 1201am on Saturday under the new tiered system announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier this week. Tier 2 means different households will be banned from mixing indoors including inside homes pubs and restaurants and Londoners will also be told to avoid public transport and making nonessential travel. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-15/london-tier-2-covid-19-lockdown-with-millions-banned-from-mixing/12772826 15th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

Thomson Reuters Foundation News UK changing lockdown tiers to fight fast virus spread London moves to high alert from medium on Saturday Decision on stricter lockdown of Manchester put off Concerns grow over economic hardships under lockdowns Updates with London going into stricter coronavirus lockdown https://news.trust.org/item/20201015102738-a63xe 15th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

YAHOO! Londons mayor Sadiq Khan said he expects the government will announce later on Thursday that London will shortly move to stricter lockdown restrictions. It is my expectation that the governemnt will today announce that London will shortly be moving into tier 2 or the high alert level of restrictions Khan said. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/london-move-stricter-covid-19-092011038.html 15th 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. The health department reported a record amount of daily cases on Wednesday with 1217 new infections bringing the number of cases per 100000 people in the past seven days to 356. Four more deaths were also announced. https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN26Z181 15th Oct 2020

New Lockdown

Reuters UK London the worlds international financial capital will enter a tighter COVID19 lockdown from midnight on Friday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson seeks to tackle a swiftly accelerating second coronavirus wave. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-britain/more-uk-cities-may-face-stricter-lockdown-but-at-what-cost-idUKKBN2700O3 15th Oct 2020