21st Jul 2021 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=413 lockdown_exit

J.&J. Vaccine May Be Less Effective Against Delta, Study Suggests

The New York Times The coronavirus vaccine made by Johnson Johnson is much less effective against the Delta and Lambda variants than against the original virus according to a new study posted online on Tuesday. Although troubling the findings result from experiments conducted with blood samples in a laboratory and may not reflect the vaccines performance in the real world. But the conclusions add to evidence that the 13 million people inoculated with the J.J. vaccine may need to receive a second dose ideally of one of the mRNA vaccines made by PfizerBioNTech or Moderna the authors said. The conclusions are at odds with those from smaller studies published by Johnson Johnson earlier this month suggesting that a single dose of the vaccine is effective against the variant even eight months after inoculation. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/20/health/coronavirus-johnson-vaccine-delta.html 20th Jul 2021

Israel to launch digital tracking for people in COVID quarantine

Ynetnews Under new measure people in isolation must reply to a text message sent by police who will then use it to track their immediate location PM calls for criminal charges for confirmed coronavirus patients who violate their isolation streamlining enforcement process on the ground https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/bjum9twcu 18th Jul 2021

Canada to open border to fully vaccinated U.S. citizens on Aug. 9

The Washington Post Canada on Monday said it will begin to ease pandemic restrictions at the U.S.Canada border next month allowing U.S. citizens and permanent residents living in the United States who are fully vaccinated with Canadianauthorized vaccines to enter for nonessential travel without quarantining. The decision which takes effect Aug. 9 follows months of criticism from U.S. lawmakers across the political spectrum business groups and some travelers over what they said was an overly cautious approach to lifting curbs that have split families battered the tourism sector and upended life in closeknit border communities. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/19/canada-us-border-open/ 20th Jul 2021

Will we all need COVID vaccine booster shots?

Al Jazeera English As more and more people are fully vaccinated around the world attention has turned to whether or not booster vaccines will be required to maintain immunity and to protect against emerging variants of the COVID19 virus. A booster vaccine is designed to strengthen our bodys immune response to an antigen or foreign invader that it has been primed to respond to by a previous vaccine. These are commonly used to protect against diseases such as tetanus and polio where after time our immunity against the antigen wanes. Boosters are usually a shot of the same vaccine again just given at a later date. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/7/20/will-we-all-need-covid-vaccine-booster-shots 20th Jul 2021

COVID-19: Employers will have to apply for isolation exemption for 'pinged' workers as govt rules out critical jobs list

Sky News An increasing number of people are being forced to selfisolate as they are identified as close contacts of somebody who is COVID positive leading to many critical workers being unable to do their jobs. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-employers-will-have-to-apply-for-isolation-exemption-for-pinged-workers-as-govt-rules-out-critical-jobs-list-12359593 20th Jul 2021

Zimbabwe orders COVID-19 vaccination for all civil servants

Reuters Zimbabwes government on Tuesday ordered that all its workers should receive a COVID19 vaccine and only 10 of civil servants report for duty with the rest working from home in a bid to curb the spread of the pandemic. The head of the public commission Jonathan Wutawunashe said in a circular to government departments that all civil servants about 250000 were considered frontline workers who should get COVID19 shots. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/zimbabwe-orders-covid-19-vaccination-all-civil-servants-2021-07-20/ 20th Jul 2021

Amazon to slow down COVID-19 testing for warehouse workers - source

Reuters Amazon.com Inc will slow down COVID19 testing for its warehouse employees in the United States by July 30 a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Monday. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/amazon-stop-covid-19-testing-warehouse-workers-information-2021-07-19/ 20th Jul 2021

More than 110,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been destroyed in Georgia since December

CNN More than 110000 doses of Covid19 vaccine have been destroyed in Georgia since December 2020 when vaccines were first administered in the state Georgia health officials said. Georgia Department of Health spokesperson Nancy Nydam told CNN that 110079 doses were destroyed because they were not being used. There are various reason for vaccines to go unused according to Nydam including doses not being needed after being prepared parent or child refusal damaged vials syringe leaks and apparent contamination. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/19/us/georgia-covid-vaccine-destroyed/index.html 20th Jul 2021

Pharmacies call for more Pfizer doses as young people 'clamouring' for vaccine

Irish Examiner In Ireland pharmacies are calling for the Government to provide them with more Pfizer vaccines to keep up with demand. It comes as pharmacists today administer their 100000th vaccine with 86 of these going to the 1834s. Darragh OLoughlin from the Irish Pharmacy Union IPU says the majority of jabs administered there have been singleshot doses. Over 800 pharmacies around the country are administering Janssen vaccines while the HSE provided Pfizer vaccine to just 350 pharmacies. https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40341101.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&amputm_medium=twitter 20th Jul 2021

Unvaccinated say vaccines more dangerous than COVID-19: poll

The Hill Unvaccinated individuals believe the coronavirus vaccine is more dangerous than the virus according to a poll conducted by Yahoo News and YouGov. The poll found 37 percent of unvaccinated individuals believe the vaccines pose greater health risks than the virus while 29 percent acknowledge the coronavirus is a greater health risk than the vaccines which studies have shown are effective in reducing cases hospitalizations and deaths. Thirtyfour percent of individuals were unsure which poses a greater threat to their health. The study highlights how misinformation about the vaccines are deeply ingrained with many Americans. https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/563837-unvaccinated-say-vaccines-more-dangerous-than-covid-19-poll 20th Jul 2021

Nearly a third of hospital workers in New York City are still unvaccinated against COVID-19

Daily Mail Nearly onethird of employees at New York City hospitals have still not gotten COVID19 vaccines city data show. Figures from the state Health Department reveal only 70 percent have completed their vaccine series since the shots were rolled out in December 2020. Of the five boroughs Manhattan has the highest percentage of vaccinated workers with 76 percent having received their shots. Queens has fared second best with more than twothirds of health care workers or 67 percent being vaccinated. However almost 40 percent of hospital staff in the remaining three boroughs have either refused the COVID19 vaccine or not gotten it yet. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-9803201/One-New-York-hospital-workers-unvaccinated-according-official-state-data.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailus 20th Jul 2021

More than half of Australia's population under COVID-19 lockdowns

Reuters South Australia joins Victoria and Sydney in lockdown. New cases ease slightly in New South Wales Victoria. 21 NSW cases spent time in community while infectious. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/australias-victoria-reports-13-local-covid-19-cases-lockdown-call-looms-2021-07-19/ 20th Jul 2021

Australia's Victoria extends COVID-19 lockdown by seven days

Reuters Australias Victoria state extended its COVID19 lockdown by seven days until July 27 as officials sought more time to quell an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant that has now reached more than 80 cases in a week. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australias-victoria-extends-covid-19-lockdown-by-seven-days-2021-07-20/ 20th Jul 2021

80% of new COVID-19 cases in Spain among non-vaccinated people, health minister says

Reuters The vast majority of new COVID19 cases in Spain in the past five weeks were detected among nonvaccinated people Health Minister Carolina Darias said on Monday as new infections rose by 27286. Just 5.5 of new cases within the period were detected among people who had been fully vaccinated Darias said adding 11.4 were partially vaccinated and 83.1 were unvaccinated. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/80-new-covid-19-cases-spain-among-non-vaccinated-people-health-minister-says-2021-07-20/ 21st Jul 2021

Global quest underway to speed COVID-19 vaccine trials

Reuters Scientists are working on a benchmark for COVID19 vaccine efficacy that would allow drugmakers to conduct smaller speedier human trials to get them to market and address a huge global vaccine shortage. Researchers are trying to determine just what level of COVID19 antibodies a vaccine must produce to provide protection against the illness. Regulators already use such benchmarks known as correlates of protection to evaluate flu vaccines without requiring large lengthy clinical trials. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/global-quest-underway-speed-covid-19-vaccine-trials-2021-07-20/ 20th Jul 2021

Delta variant behind more than 80% of U.S. cases, Fauci says

Reuters The Delta variant of the coronavirus is the cause of more than 80 of new U.S. COVID19 cases but the authorized vaccines remain more than 90 effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths said top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci during U.S. Senate hearing on Tuesday. The hearing featured a pointed exchange with Republican U.S. Senator Rand Paul in which he accused Fauci of lying about the National Institutes of Health providing funding for research at Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/delta-variant-behind-more-than-80-us-cases-vaccines-still-highly-effective-fauci-2021-07-20/ 21st Jul 2021

Vaccinating children in Australia would help protect against Covid but high-risk groups first, experts say

The Guardian Public health experts say vaccinating children against Covid19 will be important for protecting Australians against the Delta variant but that highrisk populations must take priority. On Monday the New South Wales government indicated the state would consider vaccinating young people as part of its efforts to control the current Delta outbreak. I think there will be a key role for vaccinating children the NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said at the daily press conference. It is pleasing to see in some countries overseas that we have vaccines that are licensed for use in children. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jul/21/vaccinating-children-in-australia-would-help-protect-against-covid-but-high-risk-groups-first-experts-say 21st Jul 2021

Kazakhstan considers producing second Russian vaccine locally

Reuters Kazakh President KassymJomart Tokayev ordered his cabinet on Monday to look into the possibility of importing and locally producing the Russiandeveloped Sputnik Light vaccine his office said. The Central Asian nation already produces the Sputnik V vaccine developed earlier at a local plant in addition to importing it from Russia. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/kazakhstan-considers-producing-second-russian-vaccine-locally-2021-07-19/ 20th Jul 2021

Circumventing Covid-19 with better ventilation and air quality

STAT News Gathering outdoors has provided people a safer alternative to meeting inside during the Covid19 pandemic. But for those who spend their days in crowded indoor spaces workers in office buildings and industrial facilities students in schools and the like how can their indoor environments be made more similar to the outdoors With better air quality and ventilation. Yet federal regulations are insufficient for improving indoor ventilation and few states are moving to improve it. We examined the Covid19 US State Policy database and found that only Michigan Minnesota New Jersey Oregon and Washington have explicit occupational safety and health standards to promote better air andor ventilation quality. https://www.statnews.com/2021/07/20/circumventing-covid-19-with-better-ventilation-and-air-quality/ 20th Jul 2021

Vietnam agrees to tech transfers on Russian, U.S. COVID-19 vaccines

Reuters Vietnam said on Tuesday it has reached agreements on technology transfers for Russian and U.S. coronavirus vaccines. The Southeast Asian nation is keen to boost its vaccine capacity. The World Health Organization said in May it was reviewing a proposal by an unidentified manufacturer in Vietnam to become an mRNAbased COVID19 vaccine technology hub. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/vietnam-says-agrees-tech-transfers-russian-us-covid-19-vaccines-2021-07-20/ 20th Jul 2021

Taiwan's Medigen to start late-stage clinical trial for COVID-19 vaccine in Paraguay

Reuters Taiwans Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp said on Tuesday it will start a latestage clinical trial this year in Paraguay for its COVID19 vaccine part of the islands push to make its own shots against the coronavirus. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwans-medigen-start-late-stage-clinical-trial-covid-19-vaccine-paraguay-2021-07-20/ 20th Jul 2021

Takeda agrees to supply additional 50 mln Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to Japan

Reuters Takeda Pharmaceutical Co said on Tuesday it agreed to supply an additional 50 million doses of Moderna Incs COVID19 vaccine to Japan. The drugmaker will supply the extra doses from as early as the beginning of 2022 it said in a statement. That adds to an earlier agreement for Takeda to bring in 50 million doses of the vaccine which has been primarily used in mass vaccination sites and workplace inoculations in Japan https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/takeda-agrees-supply-additional-50-mln-moderna-covid-19-vaccines-japan-2021-07-20/ 20th Jul 2021

COVID-19: Geneticists criticize poor sequencing efforts in US

Medical News Today Genetic sequencing of SARSCoV2 the virus that causes COVID19 is vital to track the spread of existing variants and quickly identify new variants of concern. Writing in the journal PLOS Genetics scientists say the United States has failed to contribute adequately to these global surveillance efforts. They blame poor central coordination and until recently a lack of funding. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/covid-19-geneticists-criticize-poor-sequencing-efforts-in-us 20th Jul 2021

Researchers: Virus surge a 'raging forest fire' in Arkansas

Associated Press Public health researchers on Tuesday called the rapid rise in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in Arkansas a raging forest fire and the states top health official warned that he expects significant outbreaks in schools. The model by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health projected a daily average of 1039 new cases over the next week. The model also predicted an average increase of 169 new cases per day in children under the age of 17. Arkansas leads the country in new cases per capita according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University researchers. The state also has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country with only 35 of the population fully vaccinated. https://apnews.com/article/science-health-education-forests-arkansas-3b1adb89c919596f4a763140b1fe0b13 21st Jul 2021

Olympic athletes, baseball players, soccer stars: Why we're still seeing Covid-19 cases among top athletes

CNN International The close proximity that athletes spend time in could be a breeding ground for infectious diseases he said. It should be noted that vaccine programs vary in nations around the world and not as much is known about some vaccines given in some countries he added. And some teenage athletes might come from countries that dont vaccinate people that age he said. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta reporting from Tokyo said the Olympics bring a unique challenge. More than 11000 athletes representing 206 national Olympic committees have come to an island nation that has seen a surge in cases. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/20/sport/covid-sports-world-olympics-intl-spt/index.html 20th Jul 2021

Reuters In the teeming impoverished North Jakarta neighbourhood of Muara Baru people have made a grim joke out of the acronym for the Indonesian governments lockdown to combat the coronavirus pandemic PPKM. Pelan Pelan Kita Mati Herdayati a 48yearold mother of six and sole breadwinner for a family living in a narrow claustrophobic alley said explaining the gallows humour. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/dont-get-sick-indonesias-poor-miss-out-covid-care-2021-07-19/ 20th Jul 2021

Senegal's COVID-19 surge forces difficult Eid al-Adha decisions

Reuters On the whole Senegal has been spared the levels of death and infection seen in other parts of the world recording just 52671 cases and 1227 deaths during the pandemic according to health ministry figures. But cases have soared in the past week threatening to overwhelm health services just as Senegalese prepare to gather in extended families for the years most anticipated feast. President Macky Sall threatened on Friday to close borders and impose a new state of emergency after the country broke its daily case record three times in a single week https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/senegals-covid-19-surge-forces-difficult-eid-al-adha-decisions-2021-07-20/ 20th Jul 2021

S.Korea leaders apologise for navy ship COVID outbreak amid vaccine furore

Reuters South Koreas prime minister and defence minister apologised as hundreds of COVID19infected sailors were flown to Seoul on Tuesday after a navy destroyer patrolling the waters off Africa was found to be riddled with the coronavirus. Almost 250 of the 301 unvaccinated crew aboard the destroyer Munmu the Great were infected sparking a public furore at the governments failure to protect those serving abroad. The whole crew arrived home on Tuesday after the government carried out an emergency air evacuation the defence ministry said. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/skorea-leaders-apologise-navy-ship-covid-19-outbreak-amid-vaccine-furore-2021-07-20/ 20th Jul 2021

Covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths are increasing, and the vast majority were not vaccinated

CNN The surge in Covid19 cases fueled by the Delta variant and vaccine hesitancy has now led to increasing rates of hospitalizations and deaths. Data from Johns Hopkins University shows The average number of new Covid19 cases each day the past week was 32278. Thats a 66 jump from the average daily rate the previous week and 145 higher than the rate from two weeks ago. An average of 258 Americans died from Covid19 each day this past week up 13 from the rate of daily deaths the previous week. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/19/health/us-coronavirus-monday/index.html 20th Jul 2021

A million children in England out of school last week because of Covid-19

The Times More than one million children in England were out of school last week for reasons relating to Covid19 official figures show. About one in seven 14.3 per cent state school pupils did not attend on July 15 the highest number since classes returned in March. This includes approximately 934000 children selfisolating due to a possible contact with an infected person 47000 pupils with a confirmed case of Covid19 and 34000 with a suspected case. A further 35000 pupils were off as a result of school closures due to the coronavirus according to Department for Education DfE statistics. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a-million-children-in-england-out-of-school-last-week-because-of-covid-19-w5pf9fgxt 20th Jul 2021

Covid-19 deaths in England and Wales up 68% in a week

ITV News Deaths from Covid in England and Wales have risen by more than 68 in a week according to the latest data available from the Office of National Statistics ONS. A total of 183 deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending July 9 mentioned Covid19 on the death certificate according to the ONS up 68 on the previous week. There were 9752 deaths in England and Wales registered in the week ending July 9 2021 this was 944 more deaths than the previous week and 6.2 above the fiveyear average. https://www.itv.com/news/2021-07-20/covid-19-deaths-in-england-and-wales-up-68-in-a-week 20th Jul 2021

India’s pandemic death toll could be in the millions

The Associated Press Indias excess deaths during the pandemic could be a staggering 10 times the official COVID19 toll likely making it modern Indias worst human tragedy according to the most comprehensive research yet on the ravages of the virus in the South Asian country. Most experts believe Indias official toll of more than 414000 dead is a vast undercount but the government has dismissed those concerns as exaggerated and misleading. https://apnews.com/article/business-science-health-india-pandemics-334c326d86efa73a0631bf7cb6e3f92e 20th Jul 2021

China reports spike in new COVID cases on border with Myanmar

AlJazeera China has reported its highest daily increase in new confirmed COVID19 cases since January driven by an outbreak in Yunnan province which shares a border with Myanmar where the coronavirus is surging due to the spread of the Delta variant. Mainland China recorded 65 new confirmed cases for July 19 compared with 31 a day earlier the National Health Commission said in a statement. That was the most since January 30 when 92 new cases were reported. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/20/china-reports-spike-in-new-covid-cases-on-border-with 20th Jul 2021

‘The hospitals are very near to not coping’: UK health workers speak out

The Guardian n Monday for the first time since the early days of the vaccination programme in the UK new Covid cases outnumbered the number of daily doses administered. As England lifts most restrictions six healthcare workers from paramedics to paediatricians speak about what the reality is like amid rising coronavirus infections. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jul/20/the-hospitals-are-very-near-to-not-coping-uk-health-workers-speak-out?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other 20th Jul 2021

Iran orders week-long shutdown in Tehran amid fifth COVID wave

Reuters Iran imposed a oneweek lockdown in the capital and a nearby province on Tuesday as daily COVID19 caseloads hit a record high amid a fifth wave of the pandemic state television reported. The lockdown affects Tehran and Alborz provinces with only essential businesses allowed to stay open. Most offices theatres and sports facilities must shut down in an effort to prevent the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus the TV said. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-orders-week-long-shutdown-tehran-amid-fifth-covid-wave-2021-07-20/ 20th Jul 2021

Ex-aide launches new salvo against UK’s Johnson over virus

Associated Press A disgruntled former top aide to Prime Minister Boris Johnson claims the British leader was dismissive of the threat caused by surging coronavirus cases last year saying he did not want to impose a lockdown because the disease was only killing the elderly. Dominic Cummings left his job as Johnsons adviser in November and has since launched a series of excoriating attacks on his former boss. In an interview with the BBC broadcast Tuesday Cummings said Johnson resisted imposing a second lockdown in the fall of 2020 because the people who are dying are essentially all over 80. https://apnews.com/article/europe-health-government-and-politics-coronavirus-pandemic-1bde438616c9def70bb641d1e6ee5a0f 20th Jul 2021

Japanese PM Suga says world should see safe Olympics staged

The Associated Press The world needs to see that Japan can stage a safe Olympics the countrys prime minister told sports officials Tuesday ahead of the Tokyo Games. Tens of thousands of athletes officials games staff and media are arriving in Japan amid a local state of emergency and widespread opposition from the general public. Events start Wednesday in softball and womens soccer two days ahead of the formal opening ceremony of an Olympics already postponed a year because of the coronavirus pandemic. https://apnews.com/article/sports-2020-tokyo-olympics-japan-coronavirus-vaccine-japan-olympic-team-39e7c783f206566cc323c3ebbcf5fca9 20th Jul 2021