12th May 2021 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=317 lockdown_exit

Seychelles, the World’s Most Vaccinated Nation, Sees Renewed Covid-19 Surge

The Wall Street Journal Seychelles which has vaccinated a higher proportion of its population against coronavirus than any other country is struggling to contain a new surge in COVID19 infections raising questions about the effectiveness of a Chinese shot the island has administered to the majority of its vaccinated residents. In recent days a rush of patients seeking treatment has overwhelmed the Seychelless sole coronavirus treatment centre as the pristine archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean battles its worst wave of infections according to the health ministry. The daily rate of COVID19 symptomatic infections has jumped to more than 300 cases bringing the cumulative total to 8172 and forcing the government to reinstitute lockdown measures. Although the number is low it is an outsize problem for a tiny geographically isolated nation with a population of just 100000. The daily case rate is a higher number of infections per capita than Indias outbreak. https://www.wsj.com/articles/seychelles-the-worlds-most-vaccinated-nation-sees-renewed-covid-19-surge-11620669853 10th May 2021

WHO reviewing Seychelles COVID-19 data after fully vaccinated people test positive

Yahoo The World Health Organization said on Tuesday it was reviewing coronavirus data from Seychelles after the health ministry said more than a third of people who tested positive for COVID19 in the past week had been fully vaccinated. Both the ministry and the WHO stressed that the majority of those who tested positive had not been vaccinated or had only received one dose that no one who had died had been fully vaccinated and that nearly all of those needing treatment for severe or critical cases were unvaccinated. But the WHO said it was closely following the situation in the Indian Ocean nation which has a population of less than 100000 and daily cases numbers in the low hundreds. https://www.yahoo.com/news/reviewing-seychelles-covid-19-data-134637551.html 11th May 2021

India’s COVID spike sees slight fall amid WHO warning on strain

AlJazeera Indias coronavirus crisis has shown scant sign of easing despite a sevenday average of new cases now at a record high and international health authorities warning the variant of the virus first found in India poses a global concern. Indias daily coronavirus cases rose by 329942 while deaths from the disease rose by 3876 according to the health ministrys data on Tuesday. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/11/india-covid-spike-sees-slight-decline-amid-who-warning-on-strain 11th May 2021

India’s COVID spike sees slight fall amid WHO warning on strain

CIDRAP Indias tragic COVID surge is showing no letup as daily cases stay above the 300000 mark with more grim examples of peoples desperation including scores of bodies turning up in some of the countrys rivers. Increases elsewhere in Asia are also raising concerns even in Taiwan which has been widely praised for keeping cases and deaths at extremely low levels. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/05/indias-covid-surge-unfolds-more-grim-chapters 11th May 2021

Vietnam says new COVID outbreak threatens stability

Reuters Vietnam reported 102 new COVID19 infections on Sunday as the Southeast Asian country battled a fastspreading outbreak which Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said threatened political stability if not brought under control. The new cases raised the total to 3332 since the pandemic began with 35 deaths the Ministry of Health said. Vietnam has been praised for its record in containing its outbreaks quickly through targeted mass testing and a strict centralised quarantine programme. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/vietnam-says-new-covid-outbreak-threatens-stability-2021-05-09/ 9th May 2021

‘We are worried about the Indian variant,’ says Health Secretary Matt Hancock

Evening Standard Matt Hancock says he is worried about the Indian Covid variant amid reports it is becoming more prominent in Britain and spreads faster than the Kent mutation. Scientists say that in England in the two weeks to May 1 the proportion of Indian variant cases went from one per cent to 11 per cent of Covid19 infections with other variants less than one per cent. We are worried about the Indian variant the Health Secretary told Times Radio. You will have seen the very stringent measures that we have taken at the border. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/india-coronavirus-variant-of-global-concern-who-warns-b934363.html?utm_medium=Social&amputm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1620717884 11th May 2021

The Covid-19 Variant in India: What Scientists Know About the B.1.617 Strain

Wall Street Journal Scientists and public health officials are racing to understand the risk posed by a coronavirus variant known as B.1.617 which the World Health Organization on Monday designated a global variant of concern. The WHO says preliminary studies show the variant may spread more easily than other strains of the new coronavirus. Scientists and publichealth experts are trying to better understand the role it is playing in the recordsetting surge of Covid19 cases that has overwhelmed Indias healthcare system in recent daysand what risk it poses to the rest of the world. India reported more than 366000 new cases of Covid19 on Monday. Heres what we know so far about the B.1.617 variant. https://www.wsj.com/articles/india-covid-19-variant-11620722888 11th May 2021

New Outbreaks Prompt Return to Restrictions in Taiwan, Singapore

Bloomberg Taiwan announced limits on crowds following Singapores move to restrict foreign workers in a wave of new restrictions in Asian countries trying to stamp out small outbreaks after months of keeping Covid19 contained. The new curbs prompted fears that economic growth could stall out leading to stock selloffs in both countries this week. Low vaccination rates in both countries are contributing to concerns that their populations could be vulnerable if fasterspreading variants take hold. In Taiwan indoor gatherings will be limited to fewer than 100 people and outdoor events capped at 500 for the next four weeks Taiwans Centers for Disease Control said in a statement Tuesday. Its the first time the island has tightened antiCovid measures since it began easing curbs midlast year and comes after the government reported seven new cases in the community and four in travelers from overseas. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-11/fresh-outbreak-threatens-taiwan-s-status-as-coronavirus-bastion?utm_medium=social&amputm_source=twitter&amputm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amputm_content=business&ampcmpid=socialflow-twitter-business 11th May 2021

Ethnic groups step in as Myanmar’s COVID response falls apart

Al Jazeera English As Myanmars national COVID19 response collapses following a February 1 military coup one ethnic armed organisation in the countrys north has quietly vaccinated 20000 people in areas it governs with support from across the border in China. The vaccines produced by the Chinese company Sinovac Biotech were supplied and administered with assistance from the Red Cross Society of China a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The KIO is one of approximately 20 ethnic armed organisations operating along Myanmars borders with China Thailand and India. Several of them have run their own COVID19 responses from early on in the pandemic. Although the turmoil and intensifying civil war since the coup have disrupted their efforts the KIO and Karen National Union KNU two of the countrys most wellestablished ethnic armed organisations told Al Jazeera that they were continuing as much as possible https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/10/ethnic-groups-step-in-as-myanmars-covid-response-falls-apart 10th May 2021

Vietnam seeks mRNA tech transfer amid COVID-19 vaccine supply issues

Reuters Vietnam is seeking the transfer of mRNA technology to domestically manufacture COVID19 vaccines state media reported on Tuesday as officials warned of supply issues until the end of the year. Given the currently limited supply to Vietnam especially as the COVID19 situation is showing complicated developments the health ministry has met with a World Health Organization representative to facilitate the negotiations on transferring of mRNA technology the Vietnam News Agency reported. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/vietnam-seeks-mrna-tech-transfer-amid-covid-19-vaccine-supply-issues-2021-05-11/ 11th May 2021

Singapore warns on COVID-19 vaccine supplies as it expands programme

Reuters Singapore still expects to complete its COVID19 inoculation programme by the end of the year the health minister said on Tuesday though the citystate is also looking to secure more sources of vaccines as global supplies become more stretched. As of Sunday 1.8 million people in Singapore had received at least one dose of the vaccine or nearly a third of the population. About 1.2 million people have completed the full twodose vaccination regimen Gan Kim Yong told parliament. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/singapore-warns-covid-19-vaccine-supplies-it-expands-programme-2021-05-11/ 11th May 2021

Biden administration is open to sharing coronavirus vaccines with North Korea

CNN The Biden administration is open to sharing coronavirus vaccines and other humanitarian assistance to help North Korea combat the deadly pandemic according to two sources familiar with internal discussions. Administration officials believe that the North Koreans wont be ready to engage with the US until the threat from the pandemic has passed which is one reason why sharing vaccines could grease the wheels for initial diplomatic engagement current and former officials said. But some experts and other officials are skeptical that any humanitarian outreach would draw North Korea to the table given the countrys insistence on sanctions relief. https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/11/politics/us-coronavirus-vaccines-north-korea/index.html 11th May 2021

New vaccine shows potential to protect from a variety of coronavirus infections

News-Medical.Net A potential new vaccine developed by members of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute has proven effective in protecting monkeys and mice from a variety of coronavirus infections including SARSCoV2 as well as the original SARSCoV1 and related bat coronaviruses that could potentially cause the next pandemic. The new vaccine called a pancoronavirus vaccine triggers neutralizing antibodies via a nanoparticle. The nanoparticle is composed of the coronavirus part that allows it to bind to the bodys cell receptors and is formulated with a chemical booster called an adjuvant. Success in primates is highly relevant to humans. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210510/New-vaccine-shows-potential-to-protect-from-a-variety-of-coronavirus-infections.aspx 11th May 2021

NIH vaccine designer takes coronavirus research to Harvard

The Independent The U.S. government scientist who helped design one of the first COVID19 vaccines and then tackled skepticism of the shots in communities of color is moving to Harvard in June. Kizzmekia Corbett of the National Institutes of Health will take her research into nextgeneration vaccines for coronaviruses to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health the school was set to announce Tuesday. Corbett told The Associated Press the move also allows her to become even more involved in vaccine outreach and equity. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/nih-vaccine-designer-takes-coronavirus-research-to-harvard-nih-covid-moderna-mers-kareem-abduljabbar-b1845527.html 11th May 2021

Pfizer COVID-19 shot expanded to US children as young as 12

The Associated Press U.S. regulators on Monday expanded the use of Pfizers COVID19 vaccine to children as young as 12 offering a way to protect the nations adolescents before they head back to school in the fall and paving the way for them to return to more normal activities. Shots could begin as soon as Thursday after a federal vaccine advisory committee issues recommendations for using the twodose vaccine in 12 to 15yearolds. An announcement is expected Wednesday. Most COVID19 vaccines worldwide have been authorized for adults. Pfizers vaccine is being used in multiple countries for teens as young as 16 and Canada recently became the first to expand use to 12 and up. Parents school administrators and public health officials elsewhere have eagerly awaited approval for the shot to be made available to more kids. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-coronavirus-vaccine-business-health-05fbffc10fb86734b83be058c7b4da22 11th May 2021

Pfizer COVID-19 shot expanded to US children as young as 12

CIDRAP The Food and Drug Administration FDA late yesterday expanded the emergency authorization of the Pfizer COVID19 vaccine to include 12 to 15yearolds paving the way for vaccinating a proportion of schoolage children before the fall. Todays action allows for a younger population to be protected from COVID19 bringing us closer to returning to a sense of normalcy and to ending the pandemic. Parents and guardians can rest assured that the agency undertook a rigorous and thorough review of all available data as we have with all of our COVID19 vaccine emergency use authorizations said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock MD in a press release. The Pfizer vaccine had previously been approved for use in people ages 16 and up. The FDA said approximately 1.5 million children ages 11 to 17 have been infected with COVID19 in the United States from Mar 1 2020 through Apr 30 2021 according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/05/fda-paves-way-covid-19-vaccine-12-15-year-olds 11th May 2021

Coronavirus: Indian variant could spread 60% faster than Kent strain, scientist claims

Daily Mail Government experts fear the Indian B.1.617.2 variant may be more transmissible than dominant Kent strain. KU Leuven biologist Professor Tom Wenseleers said it appeared to be 60 more transmissible in early data. SAGE advisers admitted in a meeting last week that early indications are that it spreads faster. Kent variant was devastating when it first emerged because outbreaks exploded before lockdown could hit. But vaccines still appear to work against the virus for most people researchers say https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9567537/Coronavirus-Indian-variant-spread-60-faster-Kent-strain-scientist-claims.html 12th May 2021

Covid-19 outbreak reported near Laos casino run by alleged crime boss

CNN Authorities in Laos have reported a significant Covid19 outbreak near the notorious Kings Romans casino whose Chinese owner is accused by the United States of trafficking people wildlife and drugs. Officials said a cluster of cases in Tonpheung district was traced to people who illegally entered the area ignoring lockdown rules according to the Vientiane Times a staterun Englishlanguage newspaper. The paper also reported that a district task force accused locals of illegally bringing foreigners into Laos from neighboring Myanmar and Thailand. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/11/asia/golden-triangle-covid-19-outbreak-intl-hnk/index.html 11th May 2021

New Outbreaks Prompt Return to Restrictions in Taiwan, Singapore

Bloomberg Taiwan announced limits on crowds following Singapores move to restrict foreign workers in a wave of new restrictions in Asian countries trying to stamp out small outbreaks after months of keeping Covid19 contained. The new curbs prompted fears that economic growth could stall out leading to stock selloffs in both countries this week. Low vaccination rates in both countries are contributing to concerns that their populations could be vulnerable if fasterspreading variants take hold. In Taiwan indoor gatherings will be limited to fewer than 100 people and outdoor events capped at 500 for the next four weeks Taiwans Centers for Disease Control said in a statement Tuesday. Its the first time the island has tightened antiCovid measures since it began easing curbs midlast year and comes after the government reported seven new cases in the community and four in travelers from overseas. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-11/fresh-outbreak-threatens-taiwan-s-status-as-coronavirus-bastion?utm_medium=social&amputm_source=twitter&amputm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amputm_content=business&ampcmpid=socialflow-twitter-business 11th May 2021

As lockdown returns, Malaysians face another bleak Eid

Reuters Mohd Rezuan Othman would normally travel from Kuala Lumpur to his hometown in southern Malaysia to spend Eid alFitr with his family but the countrys latest nationwide COVID19 lockdown has scuppered his plans for the second year in a row. Under measures announced on Monday just days before Eid he and millions of others are being forced to stay apart from loved ones during the annual celebration because of strict restrictions on travel https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/lockdown-returns-malaysians-face-another-bleak-eid-2021-05-10/ 11th May 2021

Telangana announces 10-day lockdown due to COVID-19 from May 12

India Times Telangana will lock itself down for a period of 10 days starting tomorrow. The state government has decided to put curbs in place from May 12 to curtail further spread of the second wave an official release said. There was also a decision taken to invite global tenders for procuring Covid vaccines. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/covid-19-telangana-announces-10-day-lockdown-from-may-12/articleshow/82546448.cms 11th May 2021

EU has exported about 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, Sefcovic says

KFGO News The European Union has exported about 200 million doses of COVID19 vaccines European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic said in a tweet. While were open to discussing new solidarity proposals our priority is to ramp up the EU vaccine production to see others unblocking exports of vaccines and their componentshe added in the tweet. In April Reuters reported that the European Union has exported about 37 million more doses of COVID19 vaccines than it has shared out among its own 27 countries according to two sources that cited figures from the blocs data. https://kfgo.com/2021/05/11/eu-has-exported-about-200-million-doses-of-covid-19-vaccines-sefcovic-says/ 12th May 2021

Ethnic groups step in as Myanmar’s COVID response falls apart

Al Jazeera English As Myanmars national COVID19 response collapses following a February 1 military coup one ethnic armed organisation in the countrys north has quietly vaccinated 20000 people in areas it governs with support from across the border in China. The vaccines produced by the Chinese company Sinovac Biotech were supplied and administered with assistance from the Red Cross Society of China a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The KIO is one of approximately 20 ethnic armed organisations operating along Myanmars borders with China Thailand and India. Several of them have run their own COVID19 responses from early on in the pandemic. Although the turmoil and intensifying civil war since the coup have disrupted their efforts the KIO and Karen National Union KNU two of the countrys most wellestablished ethnic armed organisations told Al Jazeera that they were continuing as much as possible https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/10/ethnic-groups-step-in-as-myanmars-covid-response-falls-apart 10th May 2021

Brazilian President Allocates More Than $1 Billion To Produce COVID-19 Vaccines

NPR Brazil one of the worsthit countries in the world by the pandemic is directing more than 1 billion toward the production and distribution of COVID19 vaccines the countrys farright president announced Monday Reuters reported. President Jair Bolsonaro who has criticized lockdown measures and has told Brazilians to stop whining about the deadly virus said about 1.05 billion will be spent on the inoculation effort. The announcement comes amid an investigation into Bolsonaros role in his governments handling of the coronavirus crisis which has killed more than 421000 people to date the second highest number of fatalities in the world. https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/05/11/995722972/brazilian-president-allocates-more-than-1-billion-to-produce-covid-19-vaccines 11th May 2021

Covid-19: Global Justice Now activists protest outside AstraZeneca in Cambridge, calling for ‘People’s Vaccine’

Cambridge Independent Activists have blocked the entrance to an AstraZeneca building in Cambridge where its AGM is taking place and hung a banner demanding that its Covid19 jab becomes a Peoples Vaccine. Police made four arrests at the demonstration in Hills Road held by Global Justice Now which is demanding that the Cambridgeheadquartered biopharmaceutical company openly licenses its Covid19 vaccine and commits to sharing the technology and knowhow with the World Health Organization WHO. https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/covid-19-global-justice-now-activists-protest-outside-astra-9198836/ 11th May 2021

Ministers urged to vaccinate over-16s in ‘high-risk’ areas as Bolton sees sharp rise in cases of Indian variant

Manchester Evening News Greater Manchester is also still trying to persuade government to provide extra money to help people self isolate as Boltons rate nearly doubled in a week. There are no signs so far that the lockdown roadmap will be delayed in the town. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/ministers-urged-vaccinate-over-16s-20567883.amp?__twitter_impression=true 11th May 2021

Clock is ticking for EU vaccine certificates as summer looms

The Independent As strict lockdowns are loosened across Europe and many EU citizens dream about holidays in the sun the 27nation bloc has yet to agree on how to quickly implement a virus certificate scheme to boost summer travel and tourism. European affairs ministers gathered Tuesday in Brussels to assess progress in discussions with European lawmakers. A deal between the Parliament and EU countries is required in May to ensure the system will be up and running by the end of June but several sticking points remain. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/clock-is-ticking-for-eu-vaccine-certificates-as-summer-looms-brussels-eu-commission-parliament-world-health-organization-covid-b1845379.html 11th May 2021

Japanese region says deaths at home surge amid COVID-19 wave

Reuters A growing number of Japanese people are dying of COVID19 at home as more infectious variants of the coronavirus fuel a fourth wave of infections and hospital resources are stretched to the verge of collapse. Public anger with the government over its handling of the crisis is growing as are doubts about the viability of holding the Olympic Games in just over 10 weeks as a vaccination campaign struggles to build up steam. Compared to the number of infections the number of beds for severe cases is very limited in Japan Yasutoshi Kido a professor at Osaka City Universitys Graduate School of Medicine said on Tuesday. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japanese-prefecture-says-deaths-home-surge-amid-4th-covid-19-wave-2021-05-11/ 11th May 2021

Covid-19: Don't abandon mask wearing in schools, say health experts

The BMJ Covid rules in England requiring secondary school pupils to wear face coverings in classrooms could be dropped from midMay despite warnings from health experts and teaching unions. Education secretary Gavin Williamson last week said that the requirement would be relaxed no sooner than 17 May as part of the third stage of the roadmap out of lockdown. This is expected to be confirmed on 10 May by Prime Minister Boris Johnson alongside easing of other controls. But leading scientists have warned that guidance on masks should remain in place for longer and called for more transparency surrounding infections data. They cited signs of an increase of infections in schools that are forcing some to close and the spread of troubling new virus variants linked to schools. Deepti Gurdasani a clinical epidemiologist and senior lecturer in machine learning at Queen Mary University of London said on 7 May B.1.617.2 the variant first identified in India has been spreading in secondary schools yet the government has decided to remove masks from secondaries. If the government is following the data they should be happy to make this public. https://www.bmj.com/content/373/bmj.n1186 10th May 2021

Novavax jab is delayed in yet another setback for Australia's coronavirus vaccine rollout

Daily Mail Australia is facing yet another setback in its coronavirus vaccine rollout . Novavax on Tuesday announced further delays with its vaccine production. Australian government has secured 51 million doses of the Novavax vaccine https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9564843/Novavax-jab-delayed-setback-Australias-coronavirus-vaccine-rollout.html 11th May 2021

Novavax jab is delayed in yet another setback for Australia's coronavirus vaccine rollout

Sydney Morning Herald The chief executive of coronavirus vaccine maker Novavax has admitted the company will have to delay filing for approvals of the product until July and will not put a date on when the vaccine is likely to receive the green light in Australia. The Australian government has ordered 51 million doses of the Novavax vaccine which had been expected to start being delivered as early as September this year. However on an earnings call for the company on Tuesday morning chief executive Stan Erck said while the company hoped to have multiple regulatory approvals in the coming months he could not predict approvals timelines for countries like Australia New Zealand and Canada. As of today we are not able to predict a date with precision so we wont he said. https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/novavax-chief-not-able-to-predict-australian-approval-date-for-vaccine-20210511-p57qpz.html?utm_medium=Social&amputm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1620702821 11th May 2021

Those with mild COVID-19 seek more primary care than uninfected peers

CIDRAP Although nonhospitalized COVID19 patients are at low risk for delayed complications they visit their general practitioner or clinic more often than their uninfected peers in the 6 months after testing positive finds a populationbased study published yesterday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. The study led by researchers from the University of Southern Denmark involved comparing 8983 living nonhospitalized COVID19 patients with 80894 Danish residents who tested negative for the virus from Feb 27 to May 31 2020. Both groups were followed for 2 weeks to 6 months after testing. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/05/those-mild-covid-19-seek-more-primary-care-uninfected-peers 11th May 2021

CDC’s slow, cautious messaging on Covid-19 seems out of step with the moment, public health experts say

STAT News Nearly a year ago amid concerns about how to prevent transmission of the virus causing Covid19 scientists were beginning to conclude that rigorous disinfection of surfaces say fogging them or deepcleaning with bleach was overkill. Academics were warning that the risk of socalled fomite transmission was wildly overblown. In the fall research from Israel and Italy found that the virus couldnt even be cultured from surfaces in hospital infectious disease units. By February of this year the editorial board of Nature was openly urging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to update its guidelines. https://www.statnews.com/2021/05/11/cdc-messaging-covid-19-seems-out-of-step-public-health-experts-say/ 11th May 2021