18th Mar 2021 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=241 lockdown_exit

COVID-19 cases are rising exponentially again

Reuters Coronavirus infections are rising exponentially in Germany an expert at the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases said on Tuesday putting at risk plans to lift the lockdown and revive the economy. The number of cases per 100000 reported on Tuesday was 83.7 up from 68 a week ago and the RKI has said that metric could reach 200 by the middle of next month. Germany is in a third wave of the pandemic driven by an easing of restrictions in recent weeks just as a more transmissible variant has spread Dirk Brockmann an epidemiologist at the RKI told Germanys ARD television. It has been totally irrational to loosen up here. It is just fuelling this exponential growth he said. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-germany-idUSKBN2B80KE 17th Mar 2021

COVID-19 cases are rising exponentially again

Reuters Germany has extended border control with the Czech Republic and Austrias Tyrol region Interior Minster Horst Seehofer said on Wednesday citing the current number of new coronavirus infections and more virus variant cases. We decided today to extend border controls in mutation areas in the Czech Republic and Austria Seehofer said. The control was reinstated on Feb. 14 following the introduction of a stricter lockdown in the Czech Republic. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-germany-border/germany-extends-border-control-with-czech-republic-tyrol-idUSS8N2KV09Q 17th Mar 2021

COVID-19 cases are rising exponentially again

Reuters Polands health minister announced a nationwide lockdown on Wednesday as the country battles a surge in coronavirus cases. Theatres shopping malls hotels and cinemas will be closed starting on Saturday Health Minister Adam Niedzielski told a news conference. Poland reported 25052 coronavirus cases on Wednesday according to health ministry data the highest daily number so far this year https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-poland-idUSS8N2K000Y 17th Mar 2021

COVID-19 cases are rising exponentially again

U.S. News & World Report The Philippine capital Manila will widen a ban on minors leaving their residences to include youths of up to 18 years old for two weeks starting on Wednesday tightening coronavirus restrictions in a bid to tackle a new surge of infections. Only those aged 1865 years old will be allowed out of their homes the Metro Manila Development Authority said in a statement citing an agreement among mayors. The Philippines late last year started easing one of the worlds longest and strictest lockdowns though a rule that anyone under 15 must stay indoors in Manila remained in place. The Southeast Asian country has seen a surge in COVID19 cases this month recording the largest daily increase since midAugust on Monday with 5404 new infections. Nighttime curfews have been reimposed since Monday for two weeks in Metropolitan Manila the countrys coronavirus hotspot that is home to more than 12 million people. https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-03-16/manila-orders-anyone-below-18-to-stay-indoors-as-virus-cases-surge 16th Mar 2021

COVID-19 cases are rising exponentially again

Reuters The coronavirus situation is worsening in the greater Paris region where hospitals are under immense strain the director general of the APHP Paris hospitals organisation Martin Hirsch said on Wednesday. Hirsch told RTL radio there were two options to contain the disease a local weekend lockdown already in place in other parts of the country or a broader lockdown in the region. The virus is not under control. There are as many patients in intensive care units today as there were at the peak of the second wave he said. Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Tuesday the time had come for more coronavirus restrictions in the greater Paris region. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-france-hospitals/update-1-coronavirus-not-under-control-in-paris-region-says-hospital-executive-idUSL1N2LF0ES 17th Mar 2021

COVID-19 cases are rising exponentially again

Reuters Rapidly increasing COVID19 infections in hospitals in the Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea were hitting its fragile health system like a tornado with services shutting as staff fall ill health workers said on Wednesday. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-australia-papua-worke/covid-tornado-hitting-papua-new-guineas-fragile-hospitals-say-health-workers-idUSL4N2LF12R 17th Mar 2021

COVID-19 cases are rising exponentially again

Reuters India said on Wednesday its coronavirus immunisation campaign would continue with full rigour despite some concerns in Europe about the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine it relies heavily upon as infections hit a three month high. The European Medicines Agency is investigating reports of 30 cases of unusual blood disorders out of 5 million recipients of the vaccine in the region. Since starting the drive in midJanuary India has administered 36 million vaccine doses which are mostly the AstraZeneca shots developed with Oxford University and locally known as Covishield. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-india-cases/indias-coronavirus-infections-rise-by-highest-in-three-months-idUSKBN2B90GS 17th Mar 2021

COVID-19 cases are rising exponentially again

Al Jazeera English Brazil has reported a singleday record of 90303 new cases of COVID19 as the South American nation continues to grapple with mounting coronavirus infections and deaths. The health ministry said on Wednesday that 2648 additional deaths were recorded over the previous 24hour period bringing the countrys total to over 282000 deaths second only to the United States. A day earlier Brazil recorded additional 2841 deaths a singleday record. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is facing mounting pressure to get the surging pandemic under control as public discontent over his handling of the crisis is growing. Earlier this week the farright leader named a new health minister the countrys fourth since the start of the pandemic last year. Marcelo Queiroga a cardiologist is replacing Eduardo Pazuello an army general who had been criticised for not having any medical experience. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/17/brazil-records-over-90000-new-covid-cases-in-a-single-day 17th Mar 2021

EU proposes virus pass plan to allow free travel by the summer

The Associated Press The European Unions executive body proposed Wednesday issuing certificates that would allow EU residents to travel freely across the 27nation bloc by the summer as long as they have been vaccinated tested negative for COVID19 or recovered from the disease. With summer looming and tourismreliant countries anxiously waiting for the return of visitors amid the coronavirus pandemic the European Commission foresees the creation of certificates aimed at facilitating travel between EU member nations. The plan is set to be discussed during a summit of EU leaders next week. https://apnews.com/article/eu-virus-pass-plan-allow-free-travel-summer-12408e4b968e03a289fe6aceac8f981f 17th Mar 2021

EU proposes virus pass plan to allow free travel by the summer

Wall Street Journal The European Commission the EUs executive arm will unveil blueprints for a digital green certificate that could show proof of vaccination recovery from Covid19 or negative test results. The concept has been controversial in some countries ... https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/covid-2021-03-17/card/JmcVi7GUSdFwkJL77sNl 17th Mar 2021

After vaccine freeze, European countries are looking for a quick thaw

Associated Press First France abruptly halted AstraZeneca vaccinations. Now the French prime minister wants to get one as soon as he can. With the virus rebounding from Paris to Budapest and beyond European governments that rushed to suspend use of AstraZeneca vaccines after reports of blood clots are realizing the farreaching impact of the move. And they suddenly seem eager for any signal or fig leaf that allows them to resume the shots. That could come as soon as Thursday when the European Medicines Agency releases initial results of its investigations into whether there is a connection between the vaccine and the blood clots. So far the EMA and World Health Organization have said theres no evidence the vaccine is to blame. https://apnews.com/article/eu-von-der-leyen-astrazeneca-shortfalls-vaccine-campaign-1bd396328f83aaa718969c65a419e871 17th Mar 2021

After vaccine freeze, European countries are looking for a quick thaw

Reuters The European Union threatened on Wednesday to ban exports of COVID19 vaccines to Britain to safeguard scarce doses for its own citizens facing a third wave of the pandemic that would jeopardise plans to restart travel this summer. With the number of COVIDrelated deaths in the EU topping 550000 and less than a 10th of the blocs population inoculated European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said the epidemiological situation was worsening. We are in the crisis of the century she told reporters. We see the crest of a third wave forming in member states and we know that we need to accelerate the vaccination rates. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-eu/facing-crisis-of-century-eu-threatens-ban-on-covid-vaccine-exports-to-uk-idUSKBN2B91FU 17th Mar 2021

After vaccine freeze, European countries are looking for a quick thaw

Financial Times The EU drugs regulator reiterated its view that the benefits of the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine outweighed the risks as it emerged that France Germany Italy and Spain had coordinated on the decision temporarily to suspend the jab. Agns PannierRunacher Frances industry minister said the countries had acted in a joint effort to help protect public confidence. But speaking later on Tuesday Emer Cooke head of the European Medicines Agency said there was no evidence of a link between the shot and the reported incidents of blood clots as she confirmed that the EMA was continuing to investigate. https://www.ft.com/content/a046e340-892b-4e68-bfae-4f5c40a5506a 16th Mar 2021

Offers of vaccine help to other nations

ABC News Australia will send 8000 doses of its COVID19 vaccine supply to Papua New Guinea next week and is asking AstraZeneca and European authorities to divert another 1 million doses to the country. Australias closest neighbour is in the grip of a worsening COVID19 crisis with more than 1400 active cases. Health experts fear the real figure is much higher because of massive undetected community transmission. Mr Morrison said it was in Australias interest to help PNG. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-17/covid-papua-new-guinea-vaccination-australia-scott-morrison/13255158 17th Mar 2021

Offers of vaccine help to other nations

The Independent Australia will send COVID19 vaccines from its own supply to its nearneighbor Papua New Guinea and will ask AstraZeneca to send more to try to contain a concerning wave of infections Australias prime minister said Wednesday. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said 8000 doses would be sent next week for Papua New Guineas frontline health workers and he and his Papua New Guinea counterpart James Marape would ask AstraZeneca to send another 1 million doses as soon as possible. The European Union this month blocked a shipment of more than 250000 doses to Australia because the need for them was not considered great enough in a country largely successful in containing the coronavirus. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/australia-gives-covid19-shots-to-virushit-papua-new-guinea-papua-new-guinea-australia-scott-morrison-astrazeneca-james-marape-b1818225.html 17th Mar 2021

Offers of vaccine help to other nations

Reuters Chiles blazing fast vaccination program has reached the icy shores of Antarctica officials and researchers told Reuters on Wednesday bringing a sense of relief to one of the most isolated and vulnerable outposts on Earth. The pandemic hit Antarctica in December making it the last of the worlds continents to report an outbreak of COVID19. Chilean health and army officials scrambled to clear out staff from a remote region with limited medical facilities. Marcela Andrade an official with the Chilean Antarctic Institute INACH told Reuters by phone that air force personnel followed by staff at the Profesor Julio Escudero research base were inoculated on Sunday with vaccine from Chinas Sinovac Biotech Ltd. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-antarctica/chiles-red-hot-inoculation-drive-reaches-frozen-continent-of-antarctica-idUSKBN2B92SM 17th Mar 2021

Offers of vaccine help to other nations

Associated Press The Palestinian Authority said Wednesday it will receive just over 60000 coronavirus vaccine doses over the next 48 hours the first shipment provided by a World Health Organization partnership aimed at helping poor countries. Thats only enough doses to vaccinate 31000 people out of a population of nearly 5 million Palestinians in the Israelioccupied West Bank and Gaza. Israel which has faced criticism for not sharing more of its supplies with the Palestinians has already vaccinated 5 million people more than half of its population and has largely reopened its economy. https://apnews.com/article/israel-coronavirus-vaccine-health-coronavirus-pandemic-west-bank-8ed67e886277ec05f74a0bb16e9d27ce 17th Mar 2021

Offers of vaccine help to other nations

South China Morning Post Taiwan has stepped in with an offer to help Paraguay buy Covid19 vaccines after protests in the South American country over its governments handling of the pandemic. Thousands of Paraguayans protested in the capital Asuncion over the lack of medicine and intensive care beds amid a spike in coronavirus cases and calls to impeach President Mario Abdo. In a statement late on Tuesday foreign ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou said Taiwan was extending a helping hand to Paraguay at a time when it was facing a public health crisis and unable to obtain enough vaccines. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3125738/taiwan-offers-covid-19-vaccine-help-ally-paraguay-after-street?utm_term=Autofeed&amputm_medium=Social&amputm_content=article&amputm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1615954973 17th Mar 2021

New variants of concern

CIDRAP The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC said two coronavirus variants first detected in California B.1427 and B.1429 are now considered as variants of concern. The CDC said the variants may be 20 more transmissible. In comparison the variant B117 first identified in the United Kingdom is considered 50 more transmissible than the original wild type COVID19 virus. Neither of the new variants of concern are thought to escape the effectiveness of currently approved vaccines but therapeutics including monoclonal antibody treatments may be slightly less effective. Currently the CDCs variant tracker shows 4686 B117 cases in 50 states 142 B1351 cases in 25 states and 27 P1 cases in 12 states. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/03/cdc-ids-new-covid-19-variants-concern-hot-spots-reemerge 17th Mar 2021

New variants of concern

Forbes A new variant of the novel coronavirus has been identified in the French region of Brittany. On Monday evening the French Ministry of Health put out a statement that said the mutation was found by way of genomic sequencing in a cluster of infections in a hospital in the town of Lannion. Eight of 79 Covid19 patients turned out to be carriers of the new variant nicknamed le variant breton. Initially they tested negative with goldstandard PCR tests despite presenting with typical symptoms of Covid19. But later coronavirus infection was confirmed with analysis of blood samples and tissue in the respiratory system. All 8 patients have since died. https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshuacohen/2021/03/17/latest-covid-19-variant-discovered-in-france-isnt-detected-by-standard-pcr-tests/ 17th Mar 2021

New variants of concern

Yahoo News UK According to a Phase 1b2 trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine the twodose COVID19 vaccine developed by Oxford University AstraZeneca Plc NASDAQ AZN was ineffective against mildtomoderate infections caused due to mutated virus strain in South Africa https://uk.news.yahoo.com/astrazenecas-covid-19-vaccine-no-103036443.html 17th Mar 2021

COVID vaccinations delay

The Guardian People under the age of 50 may have to wait up to a month longer than planned for their Covid vaccination because of a major shortage of vaccines NHS leaders have said. The unexpected delay was revealed in a letter to health service chiefs who have been ordered to stop booking firstdose appointments for anyone under 50 for all of April. The letter from NHS England explained that the move was necessary because there would be a significant reduction in weekly supply available from manufacturers beginning in the week commencing 29 March. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/17/nhs-covid-vaccine-rollout-under-50s-delayed-major-shortage?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other 17th Mar 2021

COVID vaccinations delay

BBC News The NHS has warned of a significant reduction in the weekly supply of Covid vaccines in England next month in a letter to local health organisations. The letter says there has been a reduction in national inbound vaccines supply and asks organisations to ensure no further appointments are uploaded to booking systems in April. The health secretary said it was a standard letter. The BBC understands noone who has booked a vaccine should lose a slot. Asked about it during a Downing Street coronavirus briefing Matt Hancock said the NHS regularly sent out technical letters that explained the ups and downs of supply. BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said there would be fewer AstraZeneca vaccines than expected because of issues with the companys international supply. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-56435549?at_campaign=64&ampat_custom3=%40BBCBreaking&ampat_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&ampat_medium=custom7&ampat_custom4=0A1828D6-8742-11EB-B5A8-92EA15F31EAE&ampat_custom2=twitter 17th Mar 2021

Boris Johnson said it would be ‘best to ignore’ Covid-19 at onset of pandemic, documentary claims

iNews Boris Johnson said it would be best to ignore the emergence of coronavirus in the early days of the pandemic insisting any overreaction would do more harm than good a BBC documentary has claimed. Downing Street failed to deny accusations that the Prime Minister did not take the appearance of a new virus seriously enough. The explosive account of what took place inside No10 at the onset of the outbreak also claimed Mr Johnson ignored medical advice to avoid physical contact with people to prevent spreading the disease. https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnson-said-it-would-be-best-to-ignore-covid-19-at-onset-of-pandemic-documentary-claims-916914 16th Mar 2021