13th Nov 2020 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=139 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

South China Morning Post Millions have been tested in response to recent outbreaks and Chinese infections are well below many other countries. Lockdowns and mass testing are Chinas main weapons in the fight against the pandemic https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3109393/how-china-claimed-victory-over-coronavirus 12th Nov 2020

Lockdown Exit

ABC News Campers and caravans are on the move in South Australia as the WA hard border is set to come down early on Saturday morning. For some families its been an emotional trek to reunite with their loved ones. Newcastle couple Pete and Kim Mackie havent seen their children and grandchildren in Perth for 11 months and said theyve skipped the sightseeing through South Australia to take the direct route to be with their family. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-12/sa-campers-dash-to-be-reunited-in-western-australia/12878660 12th Nov 2020

Lockdown Exit

The Guardian There has been a shocking decline in primary school pupils levels of attainment in England after lockdown testing has revealed with younger children and those from disadvantaged backgrounds worst affected. The results provide the first detailed insight into the impact of the pandemic on academic attainment among young children and show an average decline in performance of between 5 and 15 on previous years. The biggest drop was in maths scores and overall sevenyearolds were the most impacted. The data shared exclusively with the Guardian is based on standardised tests sat by a quarter of a million pupils earlier this term. Researchers said they expected attainment to drop after more than five months out of school for most pupils but were surprised at the scale of decline. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/nov/11/england-shocking-decline-in-primary-pupils-attainment-after-lockdown 11th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

Reuters South Korea is in final talks with global drugmakers including Pfizer Inc over potential coronavirus vaccines as it seeks to secure supplies to cover 60 of its population this year health authorities said on Thursday. The government has allotted 172 billion won 116.57 million pounds to purchase an initial 60 million doses to fend off persistent COVID19 outbreaks that have pummelled Asias fourthlargest economy and upended daily life for its 52 million people. This week Pfizer said its experimental COVID19 vaccine was more than 90 effective amid a hastened global race to contain the pandemic which has killed more than 1 million people since it emerged in China late last year. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-southkorea/south-korea-in-final-talks-over-covid-19-vaccines-seeks-supplies-for-60-population-idUKKBN27S0SD 12th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

Reuters The U.S. government is partnering with regional pharmacy chains and independent community pharmacies to increase access to COVID19 vaccines whenever they are made available the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said on Thursday. The partnership will cover about 60 of pharmacies throughout the 50 U.S. states the District of Columbia Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands the U.S. health agency said. Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc CVS Health Corp Walmart Inc Kroger Co and Costco Wholesale Corp are among the companies that have so far agreed to participate the U.S. agency said in a statement. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-hhs-pharmacies-idUSL4N2HY4SW 12th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

The Independent Federal health officials have reached an agreement with pharmacies across the U.S. to distribute free coronavirus vaccines after they are approved and become available to the public. The goal eventually is to make getting a COVID19 vaccine like getting a flu shot. Thursdays agreement with major chain drug stores grocery market pharmacies and other chains and networks covers about 3 in 5 pharmacies in all 50 states and U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico. It looks ahead to a time next spring when yettobeapproved vaccines will start to become available beyond priority groups such as health care workers and nursing home residents. The vast majority of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar calling the agreement a critical step toward making sure all Americans have access to safe and effective COVID19 vaccines when they are available. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/feds-announce-covid19-vaccine-agreement-with-drug-stores-covid19-coronavirus-vaccines-pharmacies-public-pfizer-b1722032.html 12th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

Chemist+Druggist Community pharmacy teams will be among the second cohort in line to get vaccinated against COVID19 alongside other health and social care workers PSNC has claimed. The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee PSNC made the case for community pharmacy teams to receive the COVID19 vaccine alongside all other health and social care professionals and claimed that NHS England and NHS Improvement NHSEI has now confirmed to us that this will be the case the negotiator said in an update to contractors earlier this week November 10. Community Pharmacy Scotland CPS director of operations Matt Barclay told CD today November 12 that CPS understands that pharmacy teams wil be included as part of the health and social care rollout of any programme in Scotland. https://www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/news/english-pharmacy-teams-among-second-cohort-line-covid-19-vax 12th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

EL PAS in English Spain will reduce the rate of sales tax on face masks from 21 to 4 said the government on Wednesday. Finance Minister and government spokesperson Mara Jess Montero said in Congress yesterday that the Cabinet will approve a decree next week reducing the value added tax VAT on these products which are mandatory in public spaces for everyone aged six and above. The compulsory use of face masks has been in place for months as Spain continues to struggle to curb the spread of the coronavirus. On Tuesday the number of reported singleday fatalities reached 411 a number unseen since the days of the full lockdown in the spring. https://english.elpais.com/spanish_news/2020-11-12/spanish-government-to-reduce-sales-tax-on-face-masks-from-21-to-4.html 12th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

The Age Victoria has again recorded no new cases of coronavirus and no further deaths for the 13th day in a row. There are three active cases in the state and there were more than 20000 tests processed in the last day Health Minister Martin Foley said. This extraordinary figure of over 20000 shows Victorians want to stay safe and stay open by coming forward in such extraordinary numbers even with the slightest of symptoms. I would urge all Victorians to continue to do so. Mr Foley said. https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/victoria-zeroes-in-on-last-step-out-of-lockdown-20201112-p56dux.html 12th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

BBC Britains safety watchdog felt leaned on by the government to make factually incorrect statements about PPE suits bought for NHS staff earlier in the Covid19 pandemic the BBC has found. Emails reveal how the Health and Safety Executive said protective suits bought by the government in April had not been tested to the correct standard. But the emails describe political pressure to approve them for use. The government said all PPE is quality assured and only sent out if safe. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54897737 12th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

Sky News Test and Trace reached 60.4 of contacts of people who tested positive for coronavirus in the week ending 4 November latest figures show. This is slightly up on the previous weeks figure of 59.9 making it one of the lowest rates since the scheme began. Figures also show that 149253 people tested positive for coronavirus at least once in England in the same week the highest weekly number since the system was launched in May and an 8 increase on the previous week. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-test-and-trace-still-missing-four-in-10-contacts-of-those-who-tested-positive-12130691 12th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

The Guardian The governments struggling test and trace system for England was hit by huge IT issues that delayed calls to some of the most vulnerable coronavirus patients last month NHS emails show. Sources said the previously undisclosed problems led to delays of up to 48 hours in reaching potentially infected people linked to care homes and hospitals. The governments scientific advisers have said 80 of an infected persons close contacts should be reached within 24 hours to stem the spread of the disease. The IT failure happened in midOctober when the numbers of infections and people in hospital were rising exponentially across large parts of the UK. They will add to concerns that the 12bn system has failed to keep up with the second wave which it was supposed to help prevent. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/12/englands-test-and-trace-system-hit-by-huge-it-problems-last-month 12th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

Daily Mail Covid Recovery Group has formed to oppose a third national lockdown after current one ends in December. The group initially formed with 50 Tory MPs but is said to have grown to 70 with 25 more considering joining. It comes amid fears Britons could face more confusion when current lockdown comes to an end in December. Government is now looking again at Tier system and treating regions together rather than cities individually. New tougher Tier 4 for some regions that struggle to manage infection rates has been mooted for weeks https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8939965/Rebel-group-Tory-MPs-determined-oppose-extension-Covid-lockdown-grows-70.html 12th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

The Washington Post Around 930 on a quiet Sunday morning late last month a crudely made explosive device went off with a small bang and a flash in central Berlin near the building of an association of German scientific institutes. A note found nearby demanded the end to coronavirus restrictions. Just a few hours earlier molotov cocktails had been tossed at the front of the Robert Koch Institute the German federal agency responsible for controlling the virus. The incidents come against the backdrop of a growing violent undercurrent at largescale street demonstrations against coronavirus restrictions including one attended by 20000 people Saturday in Leipzig. The developments point to an increasingly radicalized movement of virus skeptics in Germany embraced by the countrys farright extremist groups and energized by global conspiracy theories notably those put forth by the U.S.born QAnon movement. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/germany-coronavirus-lockdown-protests/2020/11/12/3e9879ea-2422-11eb-9c4a-0dc6242c4814_story.html 12th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

YAHOO! The Ifop survey confirmed that the French are taking the second nationwide shutdown far less seriously than the first in MarchApril. It showed that 60 percent had flouted the rules at least once either by giving a false reason for going out on their selfsigned permission slip or by meeting up with family and friends. The figure was far higher than during the first lockdown when the proportion of rulebreakers stood at under 40 percent during the first six weeks. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/survey-shows-more-half-french-153105793.html 12th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

MercoPress Brazils national health regulator allowed clinical trials of a Chinesedeveloped Covid19 vaccine to resume on Wednesday two days after suspending them in what critics called a decision tainted by politics. The regulatory agency Anvisa said it had now received more details on the nature of the adverse incident that led it to halt final stage trials of the CoronaVac vaccine and had sufficient information to allow vaccination to resume. Public health officials had said the incident that led to the suspension a volunteer recipients death which police are investigating as a suicide had no connection with the vaccine. https://en.mercopress.com/2020/11/12/bolsonaro-s-clash-with-sao-paulo-governor-over-the-chinese-vaccine-tainted-with-politics 12th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

ABC News Dr Fauci who has headed the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984 told 7.30s Leigh Sales working with the Trump administration on the coronavirus pandemic had obviously been very stressful. I mean its just to deny that would be to deny reality he said. When you have public figures like former Trump advisor Steve Bannon calling for your beheading. Thats really kind of unusual. Thats not the kind of thing you think about when youre going through medical school to become a physician. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-11/anthony-fauci-coronavirus-vaccine-donald-trump-joe-biden/12873046 12th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

BBC Covid19 restrictions in Northern Ireland will be extended for one more week with a partial reopening of some sectors next Friday in a compromise reached by the executive. A proposal from DUP Economy Minister Diane Dodds was supported by the Ulster Unionists and Alliance. Sinn Fin voted against the move and the SDLP abstained. It means close contact services and unlicensed premises can reopen on Friday 20 November. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-54924606 12th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters on MSN.com Northern Irelands powersharing government on Thursday agreed to extend COVID19 restrictions for between one and two weeks falling short of stricter measures demanded by Irish nationalist parties. Northern Ireland in midOctober became the first part of the United Kingdom to reimpose strict COVID19 constraints closing schools for two weeks and bars and restaurants for four but the measures were due to lapse on Friday. The proBritish Democratic Unionist Party DUP has been pushing for a swift end to the restrictions to help small business owners but the rival Ulster Unionists and Irish nationalist parties Sinn Fein and the SDLP said high infection rates meant restrictions should be maintained. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/northern-ireland-parties-reach-deal-to-extend-covid-19-restrictions/ar-BB1aXs1v 12th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

CNBC Over 261 people have died in Germany which has had about 705000 total Covid19 cases so far. German Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn joins Wilfred Frost in an exclusive CNBC interview to discuss the countrys plans to combat the coronavirus pandemic as well as the relationship Germany hopes to have with Presidentelect Biden. https://www.cnbc.com/video/2020/11/11/german-health-minister-discusses-new-lockdown-restrictions-the-second-wave-will-be-stronger-than-the-first.html 12th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

CNBC It is too early to say whether Germany will extend its fourweek partial lockdown according to health minister Jens Spahn. We need patience actually because the numbers of today actually are the infections that have taken place one week or more days ago Spahn told CNBC. It will be the end of this week that we might see the results of the new lockdown light we have now he added. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/11/too-soon-to-say-if-germany-will-extend-covid-lockdown-health-minister.html 12th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

USA Today Travellers bound for Spain from countries considered highrisk areas for the coronavirus will be asked to provide proof of a negative test to visit the European country authorities said Wednesday. Starting Nov. 23 travellers to Spain will be required to submit a negative test result from within 72 hours prior to their planned departure. They will be able to do so via the internet a smartphone application or with a document before boarding a plane or boat. The proof of being virusfree before traveling will come on top of the temperature checks performed on arriving passengers at Spains airports and ports. The measure will apply to countries designated as high risk. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2020/11/12/international-travel-spain-requires-negative-covid-test-nov-23/6264271002/ 12th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

EL PAS in English On a day when the official death toll from Covid19 in Spain exceeded 40000 since the start of the pandemic authorities in several parts of the country announced new restrictions in a bid to curb the spread of the virus. The Catalan government on Thursday announced that bars and restaurants across the region will remain closed for an additional 10day period in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Food and drink establishments have been closed for a month and will remain so at least until November 23. The measure has evidenced a division of opinion among the governing partners and it has also met with criticism from all affected sectors of the economy. https://english.elpais.com/spanish_news/2020-11-12/catalonias-bars-and-restaurants-to-remain-closed-10-more-days.html 12th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters UK Restaurants bars and shopping malls will remain closed in Catalonia for at least another ten days to rein in the COVID19 pandemic regional officials said on Thursday. Unlike most other Western European countries Spain has held off on ordering a nationwide confinement to control its second wave of infection instead letting regional authorities implement their own policies. This has led to a patchwork of measures with Catalonias strictest approach contrasting with the Madrid regions decision to leave bars and restaurants open. Catalonia has Spains secondhighest number of COVID19 cases after Madrid. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-spain/spains-catalonia-to-keep-bars-restaurants-shut-another-ten-days-to-curb-covid-19-idUKKBN27S2AO 12th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

Australian Times Australias pandemic and lockdown fuelled a significant rise in domestic violence according to a new study published yesterday by the Australian Institute of Criminology. Researchers explored the relationship between social isolation time spent at home financial stress and domestic violence during the COVID19 pandemic with some startling results. The paper found that most women who were victims had not experienced violence by their partner prior to the pandemic for example. Of those who had twothirds experienced further violence during this period. https://www.australiantimes.co.uk/news/pandemic-and-lockdown-fuelled-domestic-violence-new-study-confirms/ 12th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters UK Germanys health minister said on Thursday he expects restrictions imposed to curb the coronavirus pandemic will continue through winter with life unlikely to get back to normal in December or January even if infections fall. I dont see events with more than 10 or 15 people happening this winter Jens Spahn told RBB broadcaster. Germany reported 21866 new coronavirus cases on Thursday bringing the total to 727553 and jumping back above 20000 after four days below that figure while the death toll rose by 215 to 11982 according to the Robert Koch Institute RKI for infectious diseases. Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leaders of Germanys states are due to meet on Monday to review whether partial lockdown measures imposed on Nov. 2 have been enough to slow a steep rise in new infections that risks overwhelming hospitals. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-germany/german-minister-sees-covid-19-restrictions-through-winter-idUKKBN27S1M8 12th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

Evening Standard Care home providers and relatives today called on the Government to urgently allow each resident to have a designated visitor to help tackle heartbreaking loneliness. The plan would mean that each resident has at least one designated visitor who like care home staff would be tested for Covid19 weekly and wear protective PPE allowing them to make regular visits safely. This would alleviate the isolation of residents some of whom have been denied visits for nine months. The Government agreed to pilot the approach in October but there are claims it is dragging its feet. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/call-designated-visitors-tackle-covid-care-home-loneliness-b66410.html?utm_medium=Social&amputm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1605167122 12th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Los Angeles Times Developers of Sputnik V Russias experimental COVID19 vaccine say that early interim data from a large trial suggest that the shot appears to be 92 effective but experts have raised questions about the claim. The Russian announcement Wednesday which did not include detailed information about the trial came two days after a similar announcement by Pfizer but is based on far fewer coronavirus cases. Some experts say that the data may have been rushed out in an effort to keep up with the worldwide race for a successful vaccine. Russia touted Sputnik V a twoshot vaccine as the worlds first to receive a government goahead after it was approved in early August without completing advanced testing. The move drew considerable criticism from experts who said data from tens of thousands of people were needed to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine before it is widely distributed. https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-11-12/russia-covid-19-vaccine-92-percent-effective-skeptics-wonder 12th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Daily Mail Just 13 per cent of patients given SNG001 fell ill enough to need intensive care. That was compared to 22 per cent of Covid patients who received a placebo. SNG001 uses naturallyoccurring protein interferon beta which fights viruses https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8941751/Another-Covid-19-breakthrough-researchers-inhaled-multiple-sclerosis-drug-proven-work.html 12th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Daily Mail Researchers combed through data of 18million people in 50 studies. They found higher risk of infection in Asian and black people compared to white. But only those of Asian ethnicity had higher odds of ICU or death. Although the study is the largest of its kind it still leaves questions unanswered https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8938769/Asian-people-likely-Covid-19-die-study-claims.html 12th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The BMJ Recently the Financial Times reported that there is an important limitation to pharmaceutical corporation AstraZenecas notforprofit promises on the production of their covid19 vaccine. With hundreds of other vaccines under development supported by an exceptional level of public funding this is a cause for concern. Pharmaceutical corporations must open their books make all funding and licensing agreements public and substantiate any noprofit claims with data. We know that pharma does not tend to share this information willingly so it is time for governments to take charge demand transparency and put their commitments to equitable access of covid19 vaccines into action. As someone working on innovation and access to healthcare issues for Mdecins Sans Frontires an international medical humanitarian organisation and a person living with cystic fibrosis who is at high risk of severe covid19 we can see how groundbreaking a safe effective and affordable covid19 vaccine would be in our joint global journey towards normality. https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/11/12/pharma-companies-must-open-their-books-on-the-funding-agreements-for-covid-19-vaccine-candidates/ 12th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Pharmafield News this week has largely been dominated by talk about a COVID19 vaccine and finnCaps Rude Health Life Sciences Sector Report is one of the first to focus on the implications of the early data surrounding the vaccine. The report acknowledges that the initial results are promising but warns that an overreaction in the market shouldnt diminish the need for more treatments and testing in the future. At the beginning of the week Pfizer and BioNTech announced the first interim analysis from the Phase III study of its COVID19 vaccine candidate which was found to be more than 90 effective in preventing COVID19 in participants without evidence of prior SARSCoV2 infection in the first interim efficacy analysis. https://pharmafield.co.uk/opinion/implications-of-early-covid-19-vaccine-data/ 12th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg Johns Hopkins University Professor of Nursing Jason Farley discusses the potential need for lockdowns in the United States and the makeup of Presidentelect Joe Bidens Covid task force. He speaks with Bloombergs Francine Lacqua on Bloomberg Surveillance. The Bloomberg School of Public Health is supported by Michael R. Bloomberg founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP the parent company of Bloomberg News https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2020-11-12/need-for-u-s-virus-lockdowns-to-be-determined-johns-hopkins-video 12th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The BMJ The lessons of the first and harshest lockdown in Europe have not been heeded as Italy drowns in a second wave writes Marta Paterlini In October Giulia Chiarcossi 80 called her doctors office to arrange her flu vaccination as she has done every year for the past 15 years usually getting it done straightaway. My family doctor told me to call back in November she says a little surprised. There were no flu vaccinations available. Mindful of the dangers of winter and a potential twin epidemic of covid19 and influenza the Italian Ministry of Health has for months urged regions to start administering flu vaccinations early and extend free coverage to people over 60. Chiarcossi lives in Brescia in the northern region of Lombardy one of the epicentres of the first coronavirus wave which began in February. Italys most wealthy and populous region Lombardy was until May the hardest hit region in the whole of Europe.1 https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4279 12th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Kaiser Family Foundation To counter conspiracy theories boost wellbeing Aleksandra Cichocka political psychologist at the University of Kent and affiliate of the Nicolaus Copernicus University....Those who believe conspiracy theories are less likely than those who dont to comply with public health measures. The World Health Organization has called on countries to manage the spread of false information. But how The Routledge Handbook of Conspiracy Theories concludes that it is easier to spread them than to refute them. Correcting entrenched beliefs is very difficult. So it is better to prevent falsehoods taking root than to try to weed them out. That means looking beyond their content and the platforms and algorithms that fuel their spread. We need to examine what makes people susceptible. The COVID19 pandemic created a perfect storm for vulnerability to conspiracy narratives. Uncertainty and anxiety are high. Lockdown and social distancing bring isolation. https://www.kff.org/news-summary/boosting-psychological-social-well-being-could-play-role-in-countering-conspiracy-theories-misinformation-about-covid-19-opinion-piece-says/ 12th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Sky News The scientist behind the BioNTechPfizer vaccine has told Sky News people in the UK could be vaccinated against coronavirus by the middle of next month. Speaking in his first interview with a UK broadcaster Professor Ugur Sahin cofounder of German firm BioNTech said the first vaccines could be rolled out to patients nationwide midDecember. But he said it would depend on whether the UK regulator licenses it in time adding The earliest time point for supplying vaccines will not be before the middle of December. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-biontech-founder-behind-coronavirus-vaccine-says-first-uk-patients-could-get-jab-next-month-12130523 12th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Daily Mail Researchers combed through data of 18million people in 50 studies. They found higher risk of infection in Asian and black people compared to white. But only those of Asian ethnicity had higher odds of ICU or death. Although the study is the largest of its kind it still leaves questions unanswered https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8938769/Asian-people-likely-Covid-19-die-study-claims.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailUK 12th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The Gates Foundation added another 70 million of funding on Thursday to global efforts to develop and distribute vaccines and treatments against the COVID19 pandemic saying it hoped other international donors would now also pledge more. An extra 50 million will go to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment AMC led by the GAVI vaccine alliance the foundation said and another 20 million to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations CEPI which is cofunding development of several COVID19 vaccine candidates. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-gates-funding/gates-foundation-adds-70-million-more-funding-for-covid-vaccines-for-poor-idUSKBN27S0QT?utm_medium=Social&amputm_source=twitter 12th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Serum Institute of India the worlds largest vaccine producer said on Thursday it has made 40 million doses of AstraZenecas potential COVID19 vaccine and would soon begin making Novavaxs rival shot as they both seek regulatory approval. While there are no COVID19 vaccines approved yet and trials are still under way to prove they are safe and effective leading drugmakers have been funded to begin production early to expedite deliveries as the pandemic has killed more than 1.2 million people worldwide. AstraZeneca said last week that it was holding back deliveries of its COVID19 vaccine candidate while it awaits the data from latestage clinical trials which got delayed due to a summer dip in UK coronavirus infections. Serum declined to comment on whether the 40 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were meant for global supply or only for India. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vaccine-india-idUKKBN27S0JB?taid=5facef07c2578a0001c77739&amputm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&amputm_medium=trueAnthem&amputm_source=twitter 12th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

BMJ Legal action has been launched over the UK governments award of a 75m 84m 99m contract for one million antibody tests to a business consortium alleging that the deal unlawfully bypassed safeguards protecting taxpayers money. Judicial review proceedings issued on 11 November by the Good Law Project a notforprofit legal organisation say that the government was actively involved in setting up the UK Rapid Test Consortium and gave it 10m to buy components to manufacture testing kits. The contract to purchase the AbC19 Rapid Tests was signed without a public tender and without evaluating the accuracy of the tests the action says. This the Good Law Project claim argues raises serious concerns about the maladministration of public funds. A study1 published in The BMJ this week questions the accuracy of the AbC19 test and suggests that if used in real life settings the test would result in a large number of false positive results. These conclusions contrast with an earlier not yet peer reviewed study suggesting that the test gave no false positive results. https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4427?utm_source=twitter&amputm_medium=social&amputm_term=hootsuite&amputm_content=sme&amputm_campaign=usage 12th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters So why did I volunteer to be injected with an experimental vaccine for COVID19 Thats what some of my friends wanted to know when I told them what I was doing. Who knows about the long term texted a former college roommate. Seems like a gamble. It all began in July when the British government announced it was seeking lots of volunteers for largescale clinical trials of new vaccines. Only a month before a good friend of mine here had died of COVID19 after spending weeks on a ventilator. Curious I completed an online form figuring I wasnt committing myself to anything. https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN27S0YM?utm_medium=Social&amputm_source=twitter 12th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Daily Mail A computer model analyzed 10 cities and looked at where people go during the day how long they stay and the occupancy. It found most COVID19 occur at superspreader sites such as coffee shops fullservice restaurants and gyms Keeping department stores convenience stores gas stations and pharmacies open contributed relatively few additional infections. Next they created trade off charts to determine how limited occupancy could reduce infection risk. In Chicago reopening at 100 occupancy would lead to nearly 3.5 million cases but a 20 occupancy cap would only lead to about 500000 new infections. In Los Angeles full capacity would lead to more than three million new cases but limiting occupancy reduce the number of infections by 75 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8933873/Superspreader-computer-model-shows-COVID-infections-cities-spread-restaurants-gyms.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailus 10th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters on MSN.com The Czech Republic reported 8925 new coronavirus cases for Nov. 11 Health Ministry data showed on Thursday well below a record daily tally registered a week ago as the country seeks to push down Europes highest percapita infection rate. Wednesdays tally brings the total number of infections in the country of 10.7 million since the pandemic started to 438805. A record oneday tally of 15727 cases was hit on Wednesday last week. https://www.msn.com/en-au/lifestyle/wellbeing/czech-republic-reports-8925-new-covid-19-cases/ar-BB1aVTWg 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

CNN on MSN.com A group of emergency physicians in Montana is pleading with their community to follow Covid19 restrictions warning that a surge in cases and dwindling hospital capacity in Ravalli County has the community on the brink of disaster. This is a real threat and it is getting worse daily there is no exaggeration in saying that said a letter signed by seven emergency physicians affiliated with Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital in Ravalli County. We are on the brink of disaster. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/montana-emergency-physicians-warn-covid-19-has-their-community-on-the-brink-of-disaster/ar-BB1aXxdC?bep_ref=1&ampbep_csid=21268%2520%2522%2520target 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

BBC A record 33470 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK governments latest daily figure. It is the highest daily number reported in the UK although testing capacity has increased greatly since the first wave of the epidemic. It brings the total number of cases in the UK to more than 1.29 million. Government minister Alok Sharma said rising case numbers were a reminder to us about why we are taking action to stop the spread of the virus. On Wednesday the UK became the first country in Europe to pass 50000 Covid deaths based on government figures. On Thursday a further 563 people were reported to have died within 28 days of a positive Covid test down from Wednesdays figure of 595. Other ways to measure deaths such as the number of people whose death certificates mention Covid19 have put the overall toll at more than 60000. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54908680 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters The health crisis in Italys third largest city Naples is out of control Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Thursday after a video was posted on social media showing a corpse sprawled in a hospital lavatory. The unidentified man was a suspected coronavirus sufferer who had been waiting for a test in a packed squalid hospital emergency room which was also shown in the amateur video. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-italy-idUSL8N2HW7KM 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Associated Press Dr. Luca Cabrini was certain his hospital in the heart of Lombardys lake district would reach its breaking point caring for 300 COVID19 patients. So far virus patients fill 500 beds and counting. Italy which shocked the world and itself when hospitals in the wealthy north were overwhelmed with coronavirus cases last spring is again facing a systemic crisis as confirmed positives pass the symbolic threshold of 1 million. We are very close to not keeping up. I cannot say when we will reach the limit but that day is not far off said Cabrini who runs the intensive care ward at Vareses Circolo hospital the largest in the province of 1 million people northwest of Milan. https://apnews.com/article/international-news-milan-italy-coronavirus-pandemic-51f93fa0a281f3c7db7d8cf8760cfb38 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Guardian New infections and hospital admissions have surged in Sweden as the country battles a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic that officials had hoped its lighttouch antilockdown approach would mitigate. We consider the situation extremely serious the director of health and medical care services for Stockholm Bjrn Eriksson told the state broadcaster SVT this week. We can expect noticeably more people needing hospital care over the coming weeks. Swedish hospitals were treating 1004 patients for Covid19 SVT said an increase of 60 over the previous weeks 627. Data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control suggests the rise in recent weeks may be Europes fastest. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/12/covid-infections-in-sweden-surge-dashing-hopes-of-herd-immunity 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Guardian Italy surpassed 1m confirmed coronavirus infections on Wednesday as its death toll climbed rapidly in a second wave that is wreaking havoc on hospitals. The government is biding its time on resorting to another national lockdown despite repeated calls from overwhelmed medics for such a policy. A further 623 Covidrelated deaths were registered on Wednesday the highest daily tally since early April and there were 32961 new infections. Italy is the third country in mainland Europe after Spain and France to exceed 1m cases. Italy was the first country in Europe to be hit by the pandemic and has the highest death toll on the continent at 42953. Doctors said this week there would be an additional 10000 deaths in a month unless drastic action was taken. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/11/italy-passes-1m-covid-cases-as-calls-grow-for-national-lockdown 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

EL PAS in English Spain has now exceeded 40000 official coronavirus victims since the start of the pandemic according to the latest report from the Health Ministry. Wednesdays data saw 349 Covid19related fatalities added to the overall death toll taking the total to 40105. The ministry also reported 19096 new infections a slight rise on the figure for the day before. The official number of cases confirmed by testing now exceeds 1.4 million in Spain. https://english.elpais.com/spanish_news/2020-11-12/spains-official-coronavirus-death-toll-rises-above-40000.html 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Independent The surge of new coronavirus cases appears to be slowing in Germany and France generating hopes that the two European heavyweights are beginning to regain control over the pandemic But authorities said Thursday that hospitals are crowded and are likely to face further strain in the coming weeks. Countries across Europe have implemented more or less drastic lockdown measures in recent weeks as they try to tamp down a resurgence of the pandemic with numbers of confirmed cases hitting records. They have largely overwhelmed contacttracing efforts even in Germany which was credited with handling the pandemics first cases well and is still in better shape than most of its neighbors. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/signs-of-hope-in-germany-france-but-virus-strains-hospitals-france-germany-countries-hospitals-control-b1721768.html 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

YAHOO! French Prime Minister Jean Castex will hold a press conference on Thursday evening looking at the Covid19 situation two weeks after the latest lockdown regulations. With the number of infections continuing to rise few commentators are optimistic that therell be any relaxation of restrictions. Paris centrist newspaper Le Monde has asked the prime minister what hell say at Thursdays press conference. Well see if were in a position to relax or reinforce the current regulationson the basis of the latest statistics Castex said. But while admitting that there was evidence of a slight slowdown in the number of French infections he added that this is certainly not the moment to lower our guard. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/two-weeks-lockdown-france-faces-093833925.html 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

ABC News Amara Khalid was only a month into her new job as a doctor in one of Pakistans biggest hospitals when the nations number of coronavirus cases exploded for the first time. Late one night in June she decided to record a video on her mobile phone from the back of an ambulance. I dont even want to imagine what some people are going through right now she said through thick muffling personal protective equipment PPE. In the video she sounds exhausted. So many people are dying. So many people are sick. I am just helpless. Dr Khalid is in her first year out of university. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-12/pakistans-coronavirus-outbreak-documented-by-young-doctor/12795416 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

CNN Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has claimed victory in the countrys first major state election held during the pandemic. Results from the Election Commission of India show that Modis Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party BJP and its coalition partners have returned to power after a tight race for control of the legislative assembly in Bihar the countrys third most populous state with more than 100 million people. Democracy has once again prevailed in Bihar with the blessings of the people Modi tweeted Tuesday local time as results rolled in from Bihars legislative election. I assure every citizen of Bihar that we will continue to work for the equal development of every region and for every person. https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/11/asia/bihar-india-election-coronavirus-intl-hnk/index.html 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The New York Times With coronavirus cases surging in New York and across the country Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said on Wednesday that private indoor and outdoor gatherings statewide would be limited to 10 people and that gyms bars and restaurants must close daily at 10 p.m. The restrictions will take effect Friday and Mr. Cuomo said that local governments will be responsible for enforcing them. The limit on gatherings will apply to private homes. The curfew will apply only to bars and restaurants licensed by the state liquor authority and restaurants can continue to provide takeout and delivery after 10 p.m. but only for food. Mr. Cuomo said that officials were moved to announce the new restrictions as they confronted an increase in cases. https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/11/11/world/covid-19-coronavirus-live-updates 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

SBS Aucklanders are being urged not to panic after New Zealand health authorities announced a new case of COVID19 in the community without a link to the countrys border regime. It is the first case that cannot be drawn to the countrys managed isolation MIQ facilities since August when a new cluster formed and infected 179 people killing three. COVID19 Minister Chris Hipkins said it was too soon to suggest the infected person would trigger an outbreak. Panic never helps with COVID19. Were still in the very early stages of this case investigation he said. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/new-zealand-reports-first-new-community-coronavirus-case-with-no-link-to-its-border-regime-since-august 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Daily Mail Dr. Michael Osterholm a member of Bidens COVID19 task force suggests the U.S. should go into a national four to sixweek lockdown as it awaits a vaccine to keep deaths low. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8939863/Bidens-coronavirus-advisor-says-U-S-national-lockdown-4-6-weeks.html 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

RNZ About 100000 Aucklanders who work in the citys CBD are being advised to work from home tomorrow if they can. Karyn speaks with the CEO of Business New Zealand Kirk Hope about the impact of this waiting game after a year of various lockdown alert levels on Auckland and the countrys businesses. https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/lately/audio/2018772579/new-zealand-businesses-waiting-for-workers-covid-19-tests 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

CBC.ca As Alberta doctors call for a short sharp circuit breaker lockdown to prevent the provinces healthcare system from being overwhelmed one epidemiologist says it may not be enough to curb the spread of COVID19. I think a circuit breaker is a compromise between doing nothing and doing what you need to do Raywat Deonandan an epidemiologist and associate professor at the University of Ottawa told The Currents Matt Galloway. What you need to do probably is a ... longterm suppression strategy followed by mitigation rather than the shortterm break in the system leading to a rise in the cases when you lift these efforts. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-nov-11-2020-1.5798031/alberta-doctors-are-calling-for-a-circuit-breaker-lockdown-here-s-what-that-would-mean-1.5798142 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Guardian Health authorities in New Zealand are partially shutting down the central city of Auckland on Friday asking workers in the city to stay home as they try to trace how a student became infected with Covid19. Out of an abundance of caution we are asking people who work in downtown Auckland to work from home tomorrow where possible Covid19 minister Chris Hipkins said. The number of workers in Auckland central business district instructed to stay home on Friday is 100000. If you must go into this area please use masks and social distancing while health authorities continue work to trace the source of this infection. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/12/new-zealand-investigates-mystery-covid-case-in-auckland 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Turkey on Wednesday banned smoking in crowded public places to slow a recent surge in symptomatic coronavirus patients the Interior Minister said as the government warned citizens to abide by protective measures. Daily coronavirus cases in Turkey have recently spiked with 2693 patients identified on Wednesday. Ankara only reports the number of those who show symptoms a decision which critics have said hides the true scale of the outbreak in the country. In a nationwide notice the Interior Ministry said the smoking ban aimed to ensure citizens comply with rules to wear protective masks properly in public because people were seen to lower them while smoking. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-turkey/turkey-bans-smoking-in-public-areas-amid-surge-of-covid-19-patients-idINKBN27R2QQ 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters After his 92yearold grandmother started coughing and her blood oxygen levels plummeted Varunn Kaushik took her to two top private hospitals in New Delhi on Monday. Neither took her in even after one of them found her positive for COVID19. Kaushik said several other hospitals told him and his family on the phone that they did have free beds but not in the intensive care units ICU his grandmother needed. He finally admitted her to a nonICU COVID bed in a government hospital 10 hours after leaving home. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-india-delhi/icu-beds-full-as-covid-surges-in-indian-capital-weekend-festival-a-worry-idUSKBN27S0PD 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

AP Texas on Wednesday became the first state with more than 1 million confirmed COVID19 cases and California closed in on that mark as a surge of coronavirus infections engulfs the country. In New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said all restaurants bars and gyms statewide will have to close at 10 p.m. starting Friday a major retreat in a corner of the U.S. that had seemingly brought the virus largely under control months ago. He also barred private gatherings of more than 10 people. Texas the secondmost populous state has recorded 1.02 million coronavirus cases and over 19000 deaths since the outbreak began in early March according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. California the most populous state has logged more than 995000 cases. https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-new-york-andrew-cuomo-california-texas-36ef6d694fec7cd8cdc329ed07842812 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Japan Today Japan reported Wednesday a nearrecord 1547 cases of the novel coronavirus the highest level since early August amid signs of what some health experts say is a third wave of infections as cooler temperatures arrive and people spend more time indoors without enough ventilation. The nationwide tally compiled by Kyodo News based on official information inched closer to the singleday record of 1596 logged on Aug 7 after areas with big urban populations saw a spike in the number of new cases. Tokyo confirmed 317 cases topping the 300 mark for the first time since Aug. 20 bringing its cumulative total to 33377 the highest by far among the countrys 47 prefectures. Osaka Hyogo and Saitama prefectures all reported record singleday increases since the outbreak of the virus while there has also been a rapid rise of cluster infections in northern regions such as Hokkaido a popular tourist destination. https://japantoday.com/category/national/update3-japan-sees-near-record-1-547-coronavirus-cases-in-possible-3rd-wave 12th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Independent Patients including those with the coronavirus are being kept head to toe on trolleys in accident and emergency departments in Manchester with some forced to wait up to 40 hours for a bed. The dangerous situation has sparked warnings from the president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine over the potentially lethal crowding of patients in AEs across the country this winter. Katherine Henderson said she was absolutely terrified by what was happening in some departments. She said she had warned NHS England about the dangers of crowding patients in AE but that not enough action had been taken. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/covid-nhs-hospital-a-and-e-coronavirus-manchester-b1721012.html 12th Nov 2020

New Lockdown

YAHOO! In an interview with Yahoo Finance Dr. Michael Osterholm a member of PresidentElect Joe Bidens 12person coronavirus task force floated the idea of a four to sixweek lockdown to bring the coronavirus to heel. The virus that has killed around 250000 people in the U.S. is on track to hit 150000 new cases per day by the end of the week. Sen. Sherrod Brown D. Ohio in a separate interview with Yahoo Finance said a lockdown would be the absolute last resort and suggested an array of priorities to fight the pandemic. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/a-national-coronavirus-lockdown-would-be-the-absolute-last-resort-ohio-democratic-senator-says-194150996.html 12th Nov 2020

New Lockdown

The Indian Express Large parts of Europe are in a second lockdown as a new wave of infection sweeps through the continent. Cases in the US are smashing new records. But overall numbers in India are falling for reasons not yet fully clear. What is the way forward given the cost of lockdowns In an interview to The Indian Express Professor Sunetra Gupta a proponent of herd immunity weighed in on this and related questions. https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/an-expert-explains-covid-pandemic-second-wave-what-next-7013939/ 12th Nov 2020

New Lockdown

DNA India As coronavirus cases are continuing to spike significantly in the country there are a lot of rumours doing the rounds that the government might impose another lockdown in the country in December. It is to be noted that Britain has also announced Lockdown2 after France to control the outbreak which is overwhelming the public health system. In fact the second wave also started in India. Recently AIIMS Delhi director Randeep Guleria warned that the second wave of coronavirus in India has begun. People should not leave the house unless absolutely necessary he added. Gulerias statement came at a time when the number of corona patients is increasing significantly across the country https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-is-india-heading-towards-another-lockdown-from-december-1-pib-clarifies-2856103 12th Nov 2020

New Lockdown

EU Reporter News of a possible vaccine against the coronavirus has hit the headlines across the globe. The first effective coronavirus vaccine can prevent more than 90 of people from getting COVID19 a preliminary analysis shows. The developers Pfizer and BioNTech are a joint American and German effort. But these two countries are not the only ones currently busy trying to provide a vaccine to halt the health pandemic. So too is Kazakhstan which while not quite at the same stage at Pfizer is at the forefront of such efforts. The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine has been tested on 43500 people in six countries and no safety concerns have been raised. The companies plan to apply for emergency approval to use the vaccine by the end of the month. No vaccine has gone from the drawing board to being proven highly effective in such a short period of time. https://www.eureporter.co/health/2020/11/12/romania-enters-lockdown-as-medical-workers-protest/ 12th Nov 2020

New Lockdown

Forbes In a week when most European countries saw hospitals reach nearsaturation point many nations had no choice but to implement lockdowns curfews and new travel restrictions. The U.K. reached 50000 deaths many countries moved from implementing curfews to full lockdowns Denmark and other countries restricted movement due to a Covid19 outbreak in minks and many European countries entered red lists meaning residents from those countries cannot travel without a negative PCR test. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexledsom/2020/11/12/new-eu-travel-bans-country-by-country-covid-19-restrictions-as-europe-locks-down/ 12th Nov 2020

New Lockdown

The Hill on MSN.com A top health adviser to Presidentelect Joe Biden suggested that the nation is wellpositioned financially to withstand a lockdown of more than a month in an effort to get the coronavirus pandemic under control. When you look at the personal savings rate in this country its now gone from about 8 percent to over 22 percent. We have a big pool of money out there that we could borrow. The historic low interest rates by the federal government we could pay for a package right now to cover all of the wages lost wages for individual workers for our losses to small companies to medium sized companies for city states county governments. We could do all of that said Michael Osterholm during a live event this week with Yahoo News. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/biden-covid-19-adviser-floats-plan-to-pay-for-national-lockdown-lasting-up-to-six-weeks/ar-BB1aWSHt 12th Nov 2020

New Lockdown

NBC Los Angeles Dr. Michael Osterholm a coronavirus advisor to Presidentelect Joe Biden said a nationwide lockdown would help bring the virus under control in the U.S. He said the government could borrow enough money to pay for a package that would cover lost income for individuals and governments during a shutdown. We could really watch ourselves cruising into the vaccine availability in the first and second quarter of next year while bringing back the economy long before that he said. https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/coronavirus/biden-covid-advisor-says-u-s-lockdown-of-4-to-6-weeks-could-control-pandemic-and-revive-economy/2458477/ 12th Nov 2020