5th Jan 2021 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=170 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Washington Post China has begun a nationwide drive to vaccinate some 50 million frontline workers against the coronavirus before the Lunar New Year travel rush next month in hopes of avoiding a repeat of last years grim holiday season. Workers in a range of industries will receive their first of two vaccine shots by the middle of this month with the next shot coming two to four weeks afterward according to the national plan. The nine prioritized groups include health sector workers delivery workers people whose jobs require overseas travel public servants and utilities employees. Chinas target of vaccinating 50 million people in a month is an ambitious goal more than the populations of California and Michigan combined. In the United States where the Trump administration has touted its Operation Warp Speed to fasttrack delivery of vaccines 4.2 million people have received a first dose since distribution began on Dec. 14 https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/coronavirus-vaccine-china-lunar-new-year/2021/01/04/d9401354-4e34-11eb-a1f5-fdaf28cfca90_story.html 4th Jan 2021

Lockdown Exit

Stuff.co.nz The mutant coronavirus strain that sent large parts of England into a tier 4 lockdown earlier this month has reached New Zealand. There were 19 new cases of Covid19 within New Zealand since the New Year. Of the new cases announced on Sunday one was historical and the rest were in managed isolation. However six cases of the mutant UK strain have also been found in New Zealand the Ministry of Health confirmed. The six cases five of whom travelled from the United Kingdom and one who travelled from South Africa arrived into New Zealand between December 13 and 25. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300197445/coronavirus-new-uk-covid19-variant-reaches-nz-as-government-introduces-tougher-testing-rules-for-travellers 4th Jan 2021

Lockdown Exit

The Guardian Travellers from UK and US now required to test negative before departure and take an extra test on arrival as extra precautionary steps https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/04/new-zealand-tightens-border-again-amid-fears-over-new-covid-strain 4th Jan 2021

Lockdown Exit

Stuff.co.nz The arrival of a highlytransmissible Covid19 strain on New Zealand shores from the United Kingdom has experts warning the countrys quarantine process will be put to the test. On Sunday health authorities announced six cases of Covid19 have been found to match a newly identified variant of the disease known as B.1.1.7 which spread rapidly and caused infection rates to soar in the UK. Six people carrying the new variant thought to be 50 to 70 per cent more infectious than the regular coronavirus arrived in New Zealand between December 13 and 25. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300197723/covid19-what-you-need-to-know-about-uk-coronavirus-strain-now-in-new-zealand 4th Jan 2021

Lockdown Exit

STAT News If 2020 was defined by the explosion of the SARSCoV2 virus 2021 could be about its dwindling. But how many people will fall ill and die as that happens is dependent on our leaders individuals vaccine makers and public campaigns to encourage people to get the Covid19 shots developed with unprecedented speed. STAT News publishes its forecast regarding what to anticipate for the Covid19 pandemic in 2021 https://www.statnews.com/2021/01/04/five-key-milestones-in-the-covid19-pandemic-2021/ 4th Jan 2021

Lockdown Exit

STAT News Before the virus that causes Covid19 had a name before Covid19 itself had a name it was a medical mystery. It wasnt even clear it was a virus. All the world knew or the tiny sliver of the world that was paying attention was that a handful of cases of unexplained pneumonia had been reported in central China. That is what STAT reported on this date one year ago. The author of the story infectious disease reporter Helen Branswell has written 147 others in the hazy horrible months that have followed. We took a break recently to mark todays anniversary and look back at where weve been. Rest assured reader her wish at the end of this QA shall be granted. https://www.statnews.com/2021/01/04/how-it-started-a-qa-with-helen-branswell-one-year-after-covid-19-became-a-full-time-job/ 4th Jan 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters As Indonesia prepares to begin mass inoculations against COVID19 its plan to prioritise working age adults over the elderly aiming to reach herd immunity fast and revive the economy will be closely watched by other countries. Several countries such as the United States and Britain that have already begun vaccinations are giving priority to elderly people who are more vulnerable to the respiratory disease. The following are experts views on merits and risks of the Indonesian approach under which working age adults will be vaccinated after frontline health workers and public servants. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-indonesia-explaine/why-indonesia-is-vaccinating-its-working-population-first-not-elderly-idUSKBN2990MX 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters New York state will begin fining hospitals that do not administer allotted COVID19 vaccines within a week of receiving their supplies and will decline to provide them with further doses Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a news conference on Monday. The U.S. federal government has distributed more than 13 million vaccine doses to states and territories around the country but only around 4 million have actually been administered according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last updated on Saturday. New York Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker notified hospitals of the potential actions in a letter on Sunday Cuomo told reporters. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-vaccine-new-york-idUSL1N2JF1KC 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

ITV News Frontline NHS staff in South Tyneside and Sunderland are among the first in the region to receive the newly approved Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine. Tracy Barnett from the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trusts Community Stroke Team was the very first to be vaccinated at South Tyneside District Hospital today. https://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2021-01-04/first-nhs-staff-in-the-region-receive-the-oxford-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

The Hill China is aiming to administer the first dose of the vaccine to 50 million people before Jan. 15 and the second shot by Feb. 5. Lunar New Years festivities begin on Feb. 11. Health officials in Israel are working to secure more doses of a COVID19 vaccine as the country has inoculated a higher proportion of its population than any other country and is running low on supply. https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/532537-china-giving-covid-19-vaccine-to-50-million-in-a 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

The Times Mixed news on the Covid front this week. On the upside the first doses of the OxfordAstrazeneca vaccine have finally arrived and the additional supply will give a muchneeded boost to the UK immunisation programme. On the downside cases of infection continue to rise at an alarming rate a lastminute change to the vaccine schedule delaying second doses has caused widespread concern and many people in the toppriority groups have yet to hear when they will be vaccinated. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/coronavirus-vaccine-delaying-second-booster-jabs-is-the-right-move-p82q8vgv9 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

Pulse The BMA has said it will support GPs who honour appointments already made to administer the second dose of the Covid vaccine within three weeks of the first dose. The Government said that GPs should cancel appointments they had already made to administer the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine within three weeks because it wanted more people to receive the first dose sooner. But doctors groups have warned of the problem of cancelling second appointments for patients over 80 with the Doctors Association UK DAUK warned there was chaos ensuing. It comes as NHS England has made an additional 1000 available to the first wave primary care networks to support with administrative costs in rescheduling appointments. Pfizer initially stated that its vaccine must be taken in two doses three weeks apart. https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/coronavirus/bma-will-support-gps-who-honour-existing-appointments-for-second-dose-of-covid-vaccine/ 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

Mirror Online A top GP has warned the UK faces a disastrous waste of vaccine doses after the Governments decision to Uturn on its original inoculation plan. Downing Street has opted to delay the vital second dose of the Pfizer vaccine for the elderly from 21 days to three months. But the timing of the move was wrong according to Dame Clare Gerada. The exchairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners and a practising GP said one million people in their 80s and older would now have to be contacted in order to arrange new appointments. The rethink comes days before they were due to be vaccinated later this week which members of the Doctors Association have already called a gamble. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/gp-warns-uk-faces-disastrous-23257041 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

CNBC The U.K.s independent Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies SAGE said in a statement published Sunday that it was a very difficult and finely balanced decision but it endorsed the U.K. governments move to pursue coverage of as high a proportion of the population as possible. However it said the change of policy must be accompanied by several other measures. Germanys health ministry on Monday sought the advice of an independent vaccination commission on whether to follow in the U.K.s footsteps. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/04/uk-decision-to-delay-second-covid-vaccine-shot-endorsed-by-advisers.html 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Germany was weighing on Monday whether to allow a delay in administering a second dose of the COVID19 vaccine from BioNTech and Pfizer to make scarce supplies go further after a similar move by Britain last week. Separately Denmark approved on Monday a delay of up to six weeks between the first and second shots of the vaccine. In Berlin the health ministry was seeking the view of an independent vaccination commission on whether to delay a second shot beyond a current 42day maximum limit according to a onepage document seen by Reuters on Monday. https://uk.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-vaccines-germany/update-5-germany-mulls-delaying-second-covid-19-vaccine-shot-denmark-approves-delay-idUKL8N2JF1PQ 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

The Independent President Emmanuel Macron is under intense pressure to accelerate vaccinesceptical Frances inoculation campaign whose tortuously slow start has been denounced as a fiasco and bureaucratic sabotage. Only a few thousand French people had received the Covid19 vaccine by Monday compared with 200000 in Germany after an EUwide programme kicked off a week ago. This is the biggest fiasco we have ever seen in the health field said epidemiologist and public health expert Martin Blachier. A logistics fiasco and a communication fiasco he told LCI news channel https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/france-covid-vaccine-emmanuel-macron-b1782171.html 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

San Francisco Chronicle Houstons free COVID19 vaccination clinic was met with overwhelming response. At least 1000 people received the muchanticipated Moderna vaccine at Houstons first free public COVID19 vaccination clinic https://www.sfchronicle.com/coronavirus/article/Houston-vaccine-clinic-reservation-where-location-15844481.php 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

Daily Mail Cuomo said on Monday that his state has administered almost 300000 COVID19 vaccine doses or about 46 percent of its allocation in the last three weeks The latest CDC data however shows that New York state has administered 236941 of its 774075 distributed doses. In New York City 110241 of 443000 vaccine doses have been administered since vaccinations started three weeks ago Gov Andrew Cuomo on Monday said hospitals will be fined 100000 if they fail to use up their dose allocations by the end of the week. Facilities now also must use up their vaccine allocations within seven days going forward or risk being allowed to receive any future doses. NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio said he expects the city to administer 400000 doses per week by the end of the month with 250 new vaccine sites set to open. NYC Councilman Mark Levine has slammed the current rate of vaccine distribution saying shots need to be handed out 247 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9111445/NYC-handing-COVID-19-vaccine-shots-business-hours.html 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

CNN on MSN.com While hopes of vaccinating 20 million people by New Years Day sputtered out the US now faces staggering new challenges in the fight against Covid19. Over the past week the US has averaged 2637 coronavirus deaths every day according to Johns Hopkins University. Thats an average of one Covid19 death every 33 seconds. December was actually the deadliest month yet of this pandemic with 77572 lives lost. And deaths are likely to accelerate as new infections and hospitalizations rise. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/us-coronavirus-news-one-american-dies-from-covid-19-every-33-seconds-as-the-vaccine-rollout-hits-snags/ar-BB1crR4B 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

The Independent The federal government of US is thinking about reducing Modernas Covid19 vaccine dosages to half to some people in order to speed up the vaccine rollout amid concerns intensifying that the distribution drive is slower than expected. Moncef Slaoui head of Operation Warp Speed an initiative to accelerate coronavirus vaccine efforts said Moderna vaccines single shot to people between the age group 1855 gives identical immune response to the recommended two injections dose. He said that the officials are in discussion with Moderna and the Food and Drug Administration. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/covid-vaccine-us-dose-cut-half-moderna-b1781863.html 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

POLITICO.eu Britain administered the first dose of its newlyapproved OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine on Monday amid calls for the country to enter a third nationwide lockdown. Brian Pinker an 82yearold man from the vaccines birthplace Oxford was the first to be given the new vaccine which is being rolled out as the U.K. grapples with a surge in coronavirus cases. Didnt feel it how strange Pinker said after receiving the injection. I can now really look forward to celebrating my 48th wedding anniversary with my wife Shirley later this year. The vaccine is the second to be approved for use in the U.K. after the PfizerBioNTech jab was given the thumbsup by regulators at the end of 2020. It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces mounting calls to introduce tougher restrictions across England with opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer demanding the replacement of its current tiered system of restrictions with a more stringent national lockdown. The U.K. has registered more than 50000 new daily cases for six days in a row and Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the BBCs Today program the total number of people in hospital in England was now higher than the first peak last spring. https://www.politico.eu/article/first-uk-oxford-astrazeneca-coronavirus-vaccine-lockdown/ 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

Financial Times France is overhauling its Covid19 immunisation campaign after a cautious phased strategy aimed at placating the worlds most vaccinesceptical population fell flat in its first week. The country has only vaccinated some 350 people to date compared with the UKs 1m and Germanys 238000 although the government has received 500000 doses of the BioNTechPfizer vaccine and will get a similar amount each week in January. The situation is piling pressure on President Emmanuel Macron and risks sparking another political fight over how the government has managed the pandemic. Opposition politicians have criticised the government over how it bungled mask supplies and struggled to roll out mass testing last year. https://www.ft.com/content/b8fae463-91dd-44e3-a6fe-fce5cf8f04c2 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

National Herald Since both the Indian vaccines Covaxin and Covishield have now been officially approved for emergency use the focus is on its distribution and prioritization which are still being worked out as a work in progress due to many inherent difficulties in Indias vaccine drive against COVID19 monitoring the recipients of the vaccines and also the future uncertainties relating to the pandemic itself. The known and unknown administrative issues may also crop up during the implementation of the drive requiring great alertness and quick response. The Serum Institute of Indias SII Covishield and Bharat Biotechs Covaxin formally cleared by the Drugs Controller General of India DCGI has enabled the country to launch the vaccination drive simultaneously in most states that were part of Dry Run of January 2 to test the preparedness of our system to effectively furnish the task in https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/indias-covid-19-vaccine-drive-will-be-a-work-in-progress-with-no-final-plan-in-a-highly-fluid-situation 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

The Financial Express Travel during Covid pandemic in India In a glimmer of hope for the travel and tourism industry the winter holiday season witnessed a favourable growth as more and more people gathered the courage to step out braving the ongoing Covid pandemic. The year 2020 was nothing short of a nightmare for us and travel and tourism sector bore the brunt of Covid Pandemic and lockdown. However in a ray of hope the undaunting spirit and indelible essence of people for the travel keep the tourism sector afloat against a high tide of losses. Meanwhile the Narendra Modi government has taken an array of initiatives to provide thrust to the rich culture of tourism in India. https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/travel-tourism/covid-lockdown-disrupted-travel-sector-but-people-vaccination-to-drive-revival-of-tourism-in-india-in-2021/2163803/ 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters UK Australias most populous state New South Wales NSW on Monday reported zero local coronavirus cases for the first time in nearly three weeks as Sydney battled multiple outbreaks and authorities urged tens of thousands of people to get tested. NSW daily testing numbers have dropped to around 20000 in the last two days from a peak of about 70000 recorded on Christmas Day Dec. 25. The overwhelming majority of tests are in the state capital Sydney. The numbers are far too low... if were going to succeed in staying ahead of the COVID pandemic testing is crucial in large numbers so we can be confident of the data when were making decisions NSW Acting Premier John Barilaro told reporters. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-australia/australias-largest-state-reports-zero-covid-cases-urges-thousands-to-get-tested-idUKKBN29909Q 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

Sydney Morning Herald NSW will not lock down Sydney suburbs involved in a new growing coronavirus cluster but restrictions will remain in place on the northern beaches and there will be a new cap on the number of people allowed at the Sydney Test. Despite two new cases on the northern beaches in four days the NSW government said there was no option to lift restrictions for those living north of Narrabeen Bridge before the weekend. Victoria also indicated on Monday its strict hard border with NSW would remain for the rest of January potentially leaving thousands of people stranded in NSW for another three weeks. https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/upper-beaches-to-remain-locked-down-as-cluster-grows-in-west-20210104-p56rn8.html 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Cambodia has started reopening schools and museums as it relaxes a sixweek lockdown following a coronavirus outbreak late last year marking a contrast with some neighbouring countries that are facing new restrictions due to rising COVID19 cases. The Southeast Asian country of just over 16 million people one of the least impacted by the novel coronavirus with just 382 infections and no deaths since the beginning of the pandemic saw a rare cluster of cases in November. On Monday students wearing masks lined up for temperature checks and hand washing before being allowed to enter the Sovannaphumi primary school in the capital Phnom Penh. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-cambodia-idUSKBN2990WU 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters UK British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday ordered England into a new national lockdown to contain a surge in COVID19 cases that threatens to overwhelm parts of the health system before a vaccine programme reaches a critical mass. The announcement came just hours after the government hailed Britains success in becoming the first country to begin rolling out the vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca against COVID19. Johnson said a new more contagious variant of the coronavirus first identified in the United Kingdom and now present in many other countries was spreading at great speed and immediate action was needed to slow it down. As I speak to you tonight our hospitals are under more pressure from COVID than any time since the start of the pandemic Johnson said in a televised address to the country. https://uk.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-britain/update-4-uk-rolls-out-astrazeneca-vaccine-hails-lead-in-fight-against-coronavirus-idUKL1N2JF09J 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

Fierce Pharma Initial supplies of COVID19 vaccines are obviously limited even as drugmakers ramp up production so governments are looking for ways to stretch their stocks. For Modernas mRNA1273 that could mean reducing the dosing strength. The U.S. government is considering halving the dose of Modernas COVID19 vaccine Operation Warp Speed chief Moncef Slaoui told CBS Face the Nation Sunday. The vaccine task force is in talks with Moderna and the FDA about implementing the idea he said. We know that for the Moderna vaccine giving half of the dose to people between the ages of 18 and 55 two doses at half the dose we know it induces identical immune response to the currently authorized dose Slaoui added. Moderna declined to comment on potential ongoing regulatory discussions. https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/feds-consider-half-dose-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-as-u-k-spaces-out-pfizer-astrazeneca-shots 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

STAT News Only 23 of primary care clinicians know where theyll get a vaccine from according to a survey of more than 1400 such doctors from Dec. 11 to 15 by the Larry A. Green Center with the Primary Care Collaborative. More than three quarters dont even know where theyre getting the vaccine said Ann Greiner chief executive of the Primary Care Collaborative. These doctors should be vaccinated to fully support patients she added We really want to keep patients out of the emergency room for obvious reasons. So far a stark minority of the primary care physicians that Maxson works with at Aledade have received their vaccine most doctors are still waiting she said. Federal guidance is subject to interpretation from states the majority of which are distributing vaccines via major hospitals. And without any clear state or federal government directive on when primary care doctors should be vaccinated many independent physicians must rely on the goodwill of hospitals to receive their doses. https://www.statnews.com/2021/01/04/covid19-vaccines-primary-care-doctors-rollout/ 4th Jan 2021

Exit Strategies

STAT News In an extraordinary time British health authorities are taking extraordinary measures to beat back Covid19. But some experts say that in doing so they are also taking a serious gamble. In recent days the British have said they will stretch out the interval between the administration of the two doses required for Covid19 vaccines already in use potentially to as long as three months instead of the recommended three or four weeks. And they have said they will permit the first dose and second dose for any one person to be from different vaccine manufacturers if the matching vaccine is not available. The moves are borne of a desire to begin vaccinating as many people as quickly as possible particularly with Britain facing high levels of transmission of an apparently more infectious form of SARSCoV2 the virus that causes Covid19. https://www.statnews.com/2021/01/04/britain-takes-a-gamble-with-covid-19-vaccines-upping-the-stakes-for-the-rest-of-us/ 4th Jan 2021

Partisan Exits

Reuters Greeces Orthodox Church said on Monday it would defy a government lockdown order imposed to limit the spread of the coronavirus and open churches to the faithful during the Epiphany celebration on Jan. 6. Greece tightened coronavirus curbs for a week from Sunday and reversed an earlier decision to allow Epiphany services after hospitals struggled to deal with a flood of new cases. The Greek Orthodox Church said it had written to the government urging it to respect the agreement allowing Epiphany services to go ahead. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-greece-church/greeces-orthodox-church-defies-epiphany-lockdown-order-idUSL8N2JF3XZ 4th Jan 2021

Partisan Exits

The Guardian The Greek Orthodox church has announced it will defy government lockdown orders aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus and open places of worship to mark Epiphany this Wednesday. After an emergency session of the holy synod its governing body senior clerics said they would press ahead as planned and celebrate the baptism of Christ on 6 January. The synod does not agree with the new government measures regarding the operation of places of worship and insists on what was originally agreed with the state the ecclesiastical body said in a statement. It asks that the aforementioned decision be absolutely respected by the state without further ado taking into consideration that all the foreseen hygiene measures were upheld by clerics in thousands of churches across Greece. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/04/greek-orthodox-church-defy-lockdown-opening-epiphany 4th Jan 2021

Partisan Exits

Daily Mail Skiers from Tier 3 and 4 areas of England ignored Covid19 lockdown rules by travelling to Cairngorm Mountain blocking access to roads despite the snow resort being closed under a lockdown on the Scottish mainland. The Highlands snow resort closed following an announcement that mainland Scotland was entering Tier 4 from Boxing Day. Operators at the resort say they had seen visitors arrive from across the UK including parts of England in Tier 3 and Tier 4 despite a Government ban on all but essential travel. Blocked roads and snowy conditions at the foot of the mountain came ahead of Nicola Sturgeons announcement today that Scotland will be plunged back into a national coronavirus lockdown. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9110617/Skiers-ignore-Covid-lockdown-rules-Scotland-flock-Cairngorm-Mountain.html 4th Jan 2021

Partisan Exits

The Independent Half a dozen unions representing teachers and support staff have called on the government to pause its chaotic reopening of schools as councils across the country move to defy ministers. Local authorities in some areas of England say they will unilaterally keep their primary schools shut ignoring orders from Whitehall on public health grounds. Conservativecontrolled Essex is among local authorities to recommend the continued closure of its primary schools despite government designs that some would reopen as planned on Monday. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/schools-closed-covid-unions-teachers-councils-b1781939.html 4th Jan 2021

Continued Lockdown

Wales Online A review of the Level 4 lockdown restrictions in Wales is due to be held this week but First Minister Mark Drakeford has warned that there is not much headroom for change. The restrictions which has seen people being told to stay at home and avoid all but essential travel have been in place since Sunday December 20 and are reviewed every three weeks. All nonessential shops gyms and hospitality were also told to close. Ministers are to review restrictions this Thursday ahead of an announcement on Friday January 8. It is likely that not much will change and with the next review not for another three weeks it means the lockdown could extend to the end of January. But Mark Drakeford said in a BBC interview that it was very hard to see where the room for manoeuvre is at the moment with the NHS under huge pressure. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/coronavirus-lockdown-wales-january-drakeford-19557426 4th Jan 2021

Continued Lockdown

Bloomberg Germany is poised to extend stricter lockdown measures beyond Jan. 10 amid criticism over alleged failures in the governments fledgling vaccination program. Chancellor Angela Merkel is consulting with regional officials and health experts on Monday and Tuesday to decide on prolonging the restrictions which include closing schools and nonessential stores. She will announce the outcome of the talks at a news conference likely sometime on Tuesday afternoon in Berlin. Authorities have agreed to extend the curbs until Jan. 31 Bild newspaper reported without identifying the source of the information. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-04/germany-to-extend-lockdown-amid-criticism-over-vaccine-rollout 4th Jan 2021

Continued Lockdown

Financial Times Germany is preparing to extend its nationwide lockdown until the end of January as governments across Europe consider prolonging or strengthening restrictions to battle highly contagious mutations of coronavirus. Premature easing would set us back very far again Markus Sder the premier of Bavaria and leader of the Christian Social Union one of Germanys governing parties said on Sunday after the heads of the countrys 16 states met virtually over the weekend. The numbers are simply still far too high he added. As annoying as it is we have to stay consistent and not give up too soon again. https://www.ft.com/content/3292fc38-7945-4d7e-b8ed-582146ebe782 4th Jan 2021

Continued Lockdown

Reuters UK Austria has scrapped plans to allow anyone with a negative coronavirus test to exit lockdown a week early effectively extending strict measures and keeping restaurants and nonessential stores shut until Jan. 24 news agency APA reported on Monday. The decision came after Austrias opposition parties blocked a draft law that would have allowed an early exit from lockdown for anyone producing a negative test for the coronavirus APA cited Health Minister Rudolf Anschober as saying. https://uk.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-austria-lockdown-idUKL8N2JF28R 4th Jan 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Channel NewsAsia Singapore Germany was weighing on Monday Jan 4 whether to allow a delay in administering a second dose of the COVID19 vaccine from BioNTech and Pfizer to make scarce supplies go further after a similar move by Britain last week. Separately Denmark approved on Monday a delay of up to six weeks between the first and second shots of the vaccine. In Berlin the health ministry was seeking the view of an independent vaccination commission on whether to delay a second shot beyond a current 42day maximum limit according to a onepage document seen by Reuters on Monday. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/biontech-says-no-data-to-support-delayed-covid-19-vaccine-13892404 5th Jan 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Daily Mail On Monday Moderna Inc said it will produce a minimum of 600 million coronavirus vaccine doses in 2021. This is 20 higher that the 500 million doses the firm said it would be able to manufacture by years end. So far Moderna has distributed 18 million doses of the 200 million it has promised the federal government. The vaccine rollout in the U.S. has been very slow with just 4.2 million people receiving shots short of the 20 million the Trump administration hoped for https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-9111813/Moderna-raises-production-goal-coronavirus-vaccine-500-600-million-end-2021.html 4th Jan 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

BBC News Experts have raised concerns over Indias emergency approval of a locallyproduced coronavirus vaccine before the completion of trials. On Sunday Delhi approved the vaccine known as Covaxin as well as the global AstraZeneca Oxford jab which is also being manufactured in India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi touted the approval as a game changer. The head of Bharat Biotech which makes Covaxin defended the approval process but health experts warn it was rushed. It said that there were intense concerns arising from the absence of the efficacy data as well a lack of transparency that would raise more questions than answers and likely will not reinforce faith in our scientific decision making bodies. The statement came after Indias Drugs Controller General VG Somani insisted Covaxin was safe and provides a robust immune response. He added the vaccines had been approved for restricted use in public interest as an abundant precaution in clinical trial mode to have more options for vaccinations especially in case of infection by mutant strains. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-55526123 4th Jan 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Straits Times Indias indigenously produced Covid19 vaccine is at the centre of a controversy after it was licensed with clinical trials for effectiveness still incomplete. Covaxin was granted emergency approval on Sunday Jan 3 by the Indian drug regulator. Also getting the nod was AstraZenecaOxford Universitys Covishield to be made in India by Serum Institute the worlds largest vaccine producer by volume. The decision to approve Covaxin developed and manufactured by Hyderabadbased Bharat Biotech triggered a row. The Indian health minister said it was granted permission for restricted use in emergency situations in the larger public interest. https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/uproar-after-indias-covid-19-vaccine-is-approved-before-clinical-trials-end 4th Jan 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Independent Scientists in South Africa are urgently testing to see if the vaccines for COVID19 will be effective against the country s variant virus. The genomic studies come as Britains health minister Matt Hancock and other experts in the U.K. have said they worry that vaccines may not be effective against the South African variant. This is the most pressing question facing us right now said Dr. Richard Lessells an infectious diseases expert who is working on the countrys genomic studies of the variant. We are urgently doing experiments in the laboratory to test the variant against the blood of people with antibodies and against the blood of people who have received vaccines Lessells told The Associated Press Monday. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/south-africa-testing-whether-vaccines-work-against-variant-south-africa-covid19-vaccines-vaccines-country-b1782028.html 4th Jan 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Sydney Morning Herald Concerns over new coronavirus cases in Sydney and Melbourne look unlikely to prompt an accelerated approval and rollout of vaccines in Australia with the local regulator still waiting on further data from AstraZeneca about its vaccine. The OxfordAstraZeneca product is the only vaccine set to be made in Australia at this stage with biotechnology giant CSL set to produce 50 million doses this year subject to approvals. AstraZeneca has long hoped for approvals and rollout across the globe by the end of January however neither the Therapeutic Goods Administration TGA nor AstraZeneca have confirmed when they expect the process to be completed. The product was approved for use in the UK on December 30. https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/tga-still-waiting-for-further-data-on-astrazeneca-vaccine-20210104-p56rlj.html 4th Jan 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

CIDRAP The peerreviewed data on both the Moderna and PfizerBioNTech COVID vaccines are in demonstrating 94 to 95 protection from the disease. The phase 3 clinical trial results for the Moderna COVID19 vaccine mRNA1273 and the PfizerBioNTech COVID19 vaccine BNT162b2 or Comirnaty were published late last week in the New England Journal of Medicine NEJM. When compared with placebos Modernas vaccine showed 94.1 efficacy 95 confidence interval CI 89.3 to 96.8 and Pfizers had 95.0 efficacy 95 CI 90.3 to 97.6. Both rates are for patients who received the two intended doses. Adverse events were uncommon in both studies. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/01/peer-reviewed-data-show-high-protection-leading-covid-vaccines 4th Jan 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

CIDRAP Older age male sex and physical and cognitive impairments were linked to higher death rates from any cause in 5256 residents at 351 US nursing homes according to a study published today in JAMA Internal Medicine. Led by researchers at Brown University the cohort study involved mining the electronic health records daily infection logs and minimum data sets of resident assessments from a large chain of nursing homes in 25 states from Mar 16 to Sep 15 2020. By 30 days after their first positive COVID19 test result 1129 of the 5256 residents 21 had died from any cause. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/01/new-death-risks-noted-nursing-home-residents-covid-19 4th Jan 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Times In the coming days bar any lastminute hitches 10 renowned international scientists will check into Chinese hotel rooms for two weeks of quarantine. So will start the World Health Organisation WHO mission of foreign experts to investigate the coronavirus a year after the first reports emerged of a mystery disease sweeping the central city of Wuhan. The stakes could not be higher in the hunt for the origins of the greatest public health challenge of our era amid persistent warnings that the world needs to prepare for much more deadly pandemics. But the mystery has become even harder to solve. Beijing has delayed the arrival of the WHO team for months with a barrage of logistical demands and rules. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/scientists-cast-doubt-on-whos-china-mission-to-find-virus-origin-ftbtnbj9t?shareToken=ee6d53d9560c2351284534bd5351f4ed 3rd Jan 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Medscape The two experts state that supply constraints distribution bottlenecks and hundreds of thousands of new infections daily prompted them to change their stance on administering COVID19 vaccines according to the twodose clinical trial regimen. Furthermore they cite a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that suggests 80 to 90 efficacy for preventing SARSCoV2 infection following one dose of the Moderna vaccine. Not everyone agrees one dose is a good idea. Clinical trials with specific schedules for vaccine dosing thats the whole basis of the scientific evidence Maria Elena Bottazzi PhD associate dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston Texas told Medscape Medical News. After one dose the immune system is learning but its not ideal. Thats why you need the second dose Bottazzi said. I appreciate the urgency and the anxietybut the data support that clinical efficacy requires two doses. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/943533 4th Jan 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

ITV News Covid19 case rates have dropped in a majority of areas in Wales with the biggest falls in Neath Port Talbot Merthyr Tydfil and Blaenau Gwent. Rates have risen in parts of North Wales however with the biggest jump in Flintshire where the rate is up from 349.8 to 559.9. The figures for the seven days to December 31 are based on tests carried out in NHS Wales laboratories and those conducted on Welsh residents processed in commercial laboratories. They show that the number of new cases per 100000 people in Neath Port Talbot has dropped sharply weekonweek from 724.3 to 478.7 while in Merthyr Tydfil the rate has decreased from 901.8 to 669.7. In Blaenau Gwent the rate is down from 740.0 to 543.9. https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2021-01-04/covid-19-rates-falling-in-most-parts-of-wales-except-in-the-north 4th Jan 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

ITV News Covid19 case rates are increasing in all parts of England and the prime minister has warned there is no question tougher measures are needed to control the virus. NHS hospitals are under increasing pressure with a rising number of coronavirus patients requiring care. Most areas around the country are reporting a record number of Covid19 patients in hospital beyond the peaks seen in April. Heres a rundown of the case rate in your area and the number of Covid patients in your local hospitals. https://www.itv.com/news/2021-01-04/covid-19-the-areas-in-england-seeing-a-surge-in-cases-and-hospital-patient-numbers 4th Jan 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Financial Times Boris Johnson has put England on alert for tougher Covid19 restrictions and possible further school closures as ministers raced to deploy a vaccine ahead of a chaotic return to the classroom. The UK prime ministers plan to reopen most primary schools in England on Monday morning was in disarray with unions and some councils calling for them to remain closed and some schools shutting their doors unilaterally. In an attempt to regain control of the pandemic response ministers have now deployed more than 5000 armed forces personnel to the UKwide pandemic effort Britains biggest ever homeland operation in peacetime. https://www.ft.com/content/6abfd02c-e2c6-4ca1-944a-1b962af6dead 4th Jan 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Business Insider Saturday marked one month of more than 100000 consecutive daily coronavirus hospitalizations in the US. Those numbers likely reflect people who were infected before the Christmas holiday. Experts anticipate that hospitalizations will continue to climb meaning the pandemics worst days may still be ahead. https://www.businessinsider.com/us-daily-coronavirus-hospitalizations-record-christmas-holiday-2021-1 4th Jan 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Business Insider During the COVID19 pandemic Americans have flocked to Mexico to vacation or to settle according to multiple reports. In November more than half a million Americans traveled to Mexico The New York Times reported. The influx of Americans has been partly due to relaxed restrictions at the Mexican border While many countries require proof of a negative coronavirus test or a quarantine upon arrival Mexico does not ask for either. But the influx has contributed to a surge in COVID19 cases in the country. Mexico has recently reported new highs in daily cases. https://www.businessinsider.com/americans-escape-mexico-avoid-coronavirus-restrictions-now-surging-2021-1 4th Jan 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Olive Press Andalucia has detected 1077 new coronavirus cases on Monday. While it is 1143 fewer than the number reported on Sunday the figure represents a significant increase from last Monday when 567 cases were detected. However deaths have decreased with 10 people losing their livess to the virus in the past 24 hours four fewer than the day before. https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2021/01/04/spains-andalucia-detects-1077-covid-19-cases-monday-as-it-convenes-expert-committee-to-decide-future-of-current-restrictions/ 4th Jan 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Japan said on Monday it would consider declaring a state of emergency for the Greater Tokyo metropolitan area as coronavirus cases climb casting fresh doubt over whether it can push ahead with the Olympics and keep economic damage to a minimum. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-japan/japan-pm-says-to-consider-state-of-emergency-for-tokyo-area-idUKKBN29900Y 4th Jan 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Associated Press Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Monday a new national lockdown for England until at least midFebruary to combat a fastspreading new variant of the coronavirus even as Britain ramped up its vaccination program by becoming the first nation to start using the shot developed by Oxford University and drugmaker AstraZeneca. Johnson said people must stay at home again as they were ordered to do so in the first wave of the pandemic in March this time because the new virus variant was spreading in a frustrating and alarming way. As I speak to you tonight our hospitals are under more pressure from COVID than at any time since the start of the pandemic he said in a televised address. https://apnews.com/article/uk-1st-oxford-astrazeneca-vaccine-virus-013f538e8ec3a153a4d2e39601961472 4th Jan 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

CNBC Its been a year since the coronavirus emerged from a seafood market in Wuhan China. The coronavirus is still surging but not so much in those early countries that were forced into lockdowns at the beginning of 2020 to contain the disease. The initial vaccines which were produced and authorized in record time have been slow to roll out as the U.S. misses its yearend goal. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/31/one-year-since-covid-19-first-emerged-the-us-is-battling-a-deadly-winter-outbreak-as-vaccines-trickle-out.html 4th Jan 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Metro Boris Johnson is reportedly set to decide today whether to implement tougher Covid19 restrictions lasting for months as he faces urgent calls to introduce a national lockdown. The Governments key CovidO committee which oversees coronavirus restrictions is reportedly set to meet today to decide changes to the tier system. According to the Daily Mail a Government source last night said ministers are considering putting yet more areas of England under the strictest tier four measures. Currently 44 million people about threequarters of the country are living under the restrictions which include a strict stay at home message with only essential retail permitted to open. https://metro.co.uk/2021/01/04/boris-to-decide-today-on-nationwide-lockdown-lasting-until-april-13841955/ 4th Jan 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

iNews The Prime Minister has hinted tougher new restrictions could be implemented in England following a surge in Covid19 cases while the Health Secretary has said the Government will not rule out a new lockdown to bring the virus under control. https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/national-lockdown-covid-rules-new-full-tier-restrictions-boris-johnson-england-cases-latest-816219 4th Jan 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

CIDRAP Over the New Year weekend the United States reported that 350000 Americans had died from the novel coronavirusa grim milestone as state leaders and officials from Operation Warp Speed continue to try to roll out millions of doses of COVID19 vaccines. Though its too soon to tell how or if New Years celebrations will affect daily case totals in the last week the US reported an average of 213437 new daily COVID19 cases and 2637 virusrelated deaths according to data from Johns Hopkins University. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/01/us-covid-deaths-top-350000-vaccine-rollout-continues 4th Jan 2021

New Lockdown

Daily Mail The job retention scheme JRS reached 46.4billion before Christmas. There was a sharp upturn in payouts following November lockdown. Likely to reignite the row over the economic impact of coronavirus. Union leaders demanded parents be paid to stay at home while schools are shut https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9111877/New-lockdown-send-Rishi-Sunaks-furlough-scheme-soaring-50billion-barrier.html 4th Jan 2021

New Lockdown

The Irish News The Stormont executive is meeting this evening to discuss the possibility of further coronavirus restrictions in Northern Ireland. First Minister Arlene Foster said she would be joining a call with the British government at 5pm to discuss the Coronavirus response across the four nations. There will be an Executive meeting at 6pm immediately afterwards she tweeted. Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill said an urgent executive meeting had been called to discuss the fast moving and volatile Covid situation. Urgent decisive action is required to respond she added in a tweet. British prime minister Boris Johnson will tonight make a televised address setting out new emergency measures to control the spread of coronavirus in England Downing Street has said. https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2021/01/04/news/tougher-uk-covid-19-lockdown-measures-discussed-at-stormont-2177274/ 4th Jan 2021

New Lockdown

BBC News There will be an extended period of remote learning for schools in Northern Ireland the executive has said. Ministers met on Monday night as other parts of the UK tightened their coronavirus restrictions. The Stormont executive also plans to give its stay at home guidance legal force with new restrictions on travel. Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill said details would be formalised on Tuesday. The health and education ministers will bring separate papers on the issues to the executive at the meeting she added. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-55533410 4th Jan 2021

New Lockdown

The Guardian The government is expected to announce new steps to control the spread of coronavirus as the chief medical officers recommended that the UK move to the highest coronavirus alert level. Boris Johnson is due to make a TV address on Monday evening where he is set to announce mass school closures and tight lockdown restrictions. MPs will be recalled to parliament from Wednesday. In a joint statement the UKs four chief medical officers said the alert level should be moved to the maximum of five warning that without action there was a risk of the NHS in several areas being overwhelmed. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jan/04/no-10-resists-pressure-to-step-up-england-covid-19-lockdown 4th Jan 2021

New Lockdown

ABC News Lebanon will begin a 25day nationwide lockdown Thursday to battle a surge in coronavirus infections during the holiday season that has challenged the countrys already battered health care sector https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/post-holiday-infections-surge-lebanon-gears-lockdown-75032308 4th Jan 2021

New Lockdown

EL PAS in English The Catalan regional government on Monday approved new restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus. The new plan will see a perimetral lockdown for municipalities preventing movement between them as well as the closure of shopping malls and other nonessential stores. The measures will come into force on Thursday January 7 the day after a national holiday for Kings Day. https://english.elpais.com/society/2021-01-04/catalonia-imposes-perimetral-lockdown-in-municipalities-in-bid-to-slow-coronavirus-spread.html 4th Jan 2021

New Lockdown

FRANCE 24 Scotland is to impose a nationwide coronavirus lockdown for the rest of January because of a surge in cases First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced on Monday. FRANCE 24s International Affairs Editor Philip Turle tells us more. https://www.france24.com/en/video/20210104-coronavirus-pandemic-scotland-to-impose-lockdown-for-rest-of-january 4th Jan 2021

New Lockdown

The Times of Israel Top officials say rise in patients steeper than ever many of them trending young health officials said to warn of 10000 cases a day if nothing done to curb disease https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-january-4-2021/ 4th Jan 2021

New Lockdown

Reuters UK The government has declared 28 provinces including Bangkok as highrisk zones and asked people to work from home and avoid gathering or travelling beyond provincial borders as infection numbers climb after an outbreak was detected last month at a seafood market near the capital. Prime Minister Prayuth Chanocha said the government was mindful of the potential economic damage from strong containment measures. We dont want to lock down the entire country because we know what the problems are therefore can you all lock down yourselves he told reporters. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-thailand-idUKKBN2990JW 4th Jan 2021

New Lockdown

Reuters UK Scotland on Monday imposed the most stringent COVID19 lockdown since last March and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would shortly impose tougher curbs in England to contain a rapidly spreading outbreak of a new variant of the coronavirus. The United Kingdom has the worlds sixthhighest official coronavirus death toll 75024 and the number of new infections is soaring across the country. As Johnson mulled tougher measures for England Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the new variant accounted for nearly half of new cases in Scotland and is 70 more transmissible. Scots she said would be legally required to stay at home for January from midnight. Schools will close for all but the children of essential workers. https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-hancock/uk-needs-tougher-restrictions-to-tackle-coronavirus-health-minister-says-idUKKBN2990M0 4th Jan 2021

New Lockdown

Reuters UK Scotland on Monday imposed the most stringent COVID19 lockdown since last March and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would shortly impose tougher curbs in England to contain a rapidly spreading outbreak of a new variant of the coronavirus. The United Kingdom has the worlds sixthhighest official coronavirus death toll 75024 and the number of new infections is soaring across the country. As Johnson mulled tougher measures for England Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the new variant accounted for nearly half of new cases in Scotland and is 70 more transmissible. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-hancock/uk-health-minister-does-not-rule-out-new-national-lockdown-idUKKBN2990M0?il=0 4th Jan 2021

New Lockdown

Reuters UK Scotland will go into a new lockdown with people ordered to stay at home for January to tackle the escalating COVID19 crisis First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Monday. Sturgeon told the Scottish parliament that from midnight on Monday people would face a legal requirement to stay at home except for essential purposes similar to the lockdown imposed at the start of the pandemic in March last year. The situation ... is extremely serious she said. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-scotland-idUKKBN2991K9 4th Jan 2021

New Lockdown

CIDRAP Amid a third surge of COVID19 in Europe likely fueled by holiday gatherings and made worse by a more transmissible UK coronavirus variant B117 Britains Prime Minister Boris Johnson today announced a new lockdown following recent announcements by Ireland and Scotland. Cases in the region continued to soar with Britain today reporting a new record daily high of 58784 new cases according to Public Health England and Ireland reporting a singleday high of 6110 cases. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/01/covid-variant-fueled-surge-health-system-pressure-trigger-new-uk-lockdown 4th Jan 2021