22nd Sep 2021 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=499 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

The New York Times The Biden administration plans to nominate John Nkengasong a virologist and director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to lead the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief according to several sources familiar with the matter. President Biden is expected to make the announcement in the coming days. PEPFAR is a 7 billion operation that funds and sets goals for AIDS care in many nations most of them in Africa. Dr. Nkengasong who was born in Cameroon is the first person of African origin to head the program which is housed in the Department of State. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/21/health/pepfar-nkengasong-africa.html 21st Sep 2021

Lockdown Exit

The New York Times This month President Biden announced a comprehensive plan to reinvigorate Americas fight against the Covid19 pandemic. A big part of this plan hinges on mandating the vaccination of millions of federal workers. Employees of companies with more than 100 staff members will have to provide proof of vaccination or test negative for the coronavirus at least once a week. The businesses and other institutions that must enforce these mandates will have to verify vaccination status and test results to make this system work. Even before the plan was announced a number of state and local governments and school districts and more than 1000 colleges and universities adopted at least some vaccination requirements for employees and students. But without a unified approach to verify compliance ideally through federal leadership verification will be inaccurate inconsistent and potentially insecure. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/21/opinion/cdc-coronavirus-vaccine.html 21st Sep 2021

Lockdown Exit

The Wall Street Journal On a Thursday morning in May Kristyn Hodgdon entered a doctors office and laid eyes on the nitrogen tank containing the embryos that might one day become her babies. Pandemic restrictions in her Long Island town were easing at the time and vaccination rates were climbing. But at that moment the 32yearold still wasnt ready. She decided to postpone trying for her third baby. I had been working from home with my two toddlers for about a year with no child care Mrs. Hodgdon said of her decision. It just felt like a mental overload that I couldnt put myself through. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-covid-19-pandemic-put-many-pregnancy-plans-on-hold-some-women-arent-waiting-anymore-11632232800 21st Sep 2021

Lockdown Exit

The Wall Street Journal A White House plan to donate hundreds of millions of doses of Covid19 vaccines has been hampered in many developing countries by a lack of infrastructure to handle storage and distribution leaving poorer nations far behind the developed world in vaccination rates. After a delayed startthe U.S. missed its first donation targetthe Biden administration has been ramping up overseas donations shipping around 137 million doses most of them Moderna Inc. and Johnson Johnson. It expects to send 500 million doses of a shot developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE by the end of June 2022 the largest donation total of any country. https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-pledge-to-vaccinate-poor-countries-stutters-amid-logistical-challenges-11632216602 21st Sep 2021

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Argentinas economy contracted in the second quarter as the countrys worst wave of the pandemic reduced activity and government trade restrictions cooled relations with the private sector. Gross domestic product fell 1.4 in the second quarter compared to the previous period compared with economists expectations of a 1.6 decline. From a year ago GDP rose 17.9 as a result of the base effect from the beginning of the pandemic in Argentina according to government data published Tuesday https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-21/argentine-economy-shrank-in-second-quarter-amid-worst-covid-wave 21st Sep 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters The United States plans to donate an additional 500 million COVID19 vaccines made by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE to nations around the world lifting the total the country is sharing to more than 1 billion doses according to a source familiar with the plans. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-donate-an-additional-500-mln-covid-19-vaccines-world-2021-09-21/ 21st Sep 2021

Lockdown Exit

BBC News The US is easing its coronavirus travel restrictions reopening to passengers from the UK EU and other nations. From November foreign travellers will be allowed to fly into the US if they are fully vaccinated and undergo testing and contact tracing. The US has had tough restrictions on travel in place since early last year. The move answers a major demand from European allies and means that families and friends separated by the restrictions can be reunited. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-58628491 21st Sep 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Shortages of masks and gloves that marked the early days of the COVID19 pandemic have spread to a host of other items needed at medical facilities in the United States from exam tables and heart defibrillators to crutches and IV poles. It can now take up to five months to get some types of exam tables for instance compared to three to six weeks before the pandemic according to CME Corp a distributor of medical equipment that handles over 2 million products. https://www.reuters.com/world/the-great-reboot/covid-creates-shortages-an-array-us-medical-supplies-2021-09-20/ 21st Sep 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Two major U.S. retail industry groups on Tuesday asked the Biden administration for at least 90 days before imposing new rules that will require employees at larger firms to be vaccinated against COVID19 or submit to regular testing. On Sept. 9 the White House said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA is developing an emergency temporary standard that will require all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or require any workers who remain unvaccinated to produce a negative COVID19 test once a week. https://www.reuters.com/world/the-great-reboot/us-retail-industry-seeks-90-day-lead-time-covid-19-rules-2021-09-21/ 21st Sep 2021

Exit Strategies

Daily Mail Department of Health bosses posted 31564 new coronavirus infections today up 18.5 per cent on last week. The number of people dying within 28 days of testing positive for the virus increased 9.7 per cent to 203. But Covid hospital admissions are continuing to fall with 861 new patients recorded last Thursday https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10013521/Britains-daily-Covid-cases-rise-nearly-fifth-week-deaths-climb-10.html 21st Sep 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Romania could start offering a third COVID19 vaccine dose to medical staff and atrisk people as early as next week as the number of new daily cases was rising sharply the head of the national vaccination committee said on Tuesday. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/romania-could-offer-third-covid-19-vaccine-dose-next-week-2021-09-21/ 21st Sep 2021

Exit Strategies

The Associated Press Health officials in the Thai capital made headway Tuesday in their effort to vaccinate children against the coronavirus giving shots of the Pfizer vaccine to students aged 12 to 18 with underlying diseases. Vaccinations for that age bracket were first offered last month through hospitals but now are arranged by schools. A separate campaign by a medical research institute on Monday began inoculating children aged 10 to 18 with Chinas Sinopharm vaccine. On Tuesday 1500 students received shots of the Pfizer vaccine 800 for the first time and 700 as a followup to their first shot in August. https://apnews.com/article/health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-bangkok-2521787a558ff4324fae5519c6243fef 21st Sep 2021

Exit Strategies

The Washington Post D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser D said Monday that all teachers and school staff and early childcare workers in the District must be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus by Nov. 1 eliminating a testing option for these professionals who regularly interact with children who are often too young to be vaccinated. The mayors initial vaccine requirement which included a testing option did not apply to public charter or private school workers nor daycare employees. But this stricter mandate applies to these nongovernment employees. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/dc-school-staff-child-care-covid-vaccine-mandate/2021/09/20/771e53cc-1a10-11ec-bcb8-0cb135811007_story.html 21st Sep 2021

Exit Strategies

YAHOO!News Argentina on Tuesday unveiled plans to ease coronavirus pandemic restrictions including loosening strict border controls allowing more commercial activities and getting rid of the mandatory wearing of face masks outdoors. Health Minister Carla Vizzotti said the easing of rules would allow more economic industrial and commercial activities in closed places while borders would gradually reopen from this month with all tourists allowed back in from November. https://news.yahoo.com/argentina-loosens-covid-19-restrictions-122849304.html 21st Sep 2021

Exit Strategies

The Independent ndia on Tuesday criticized the British governments decision not to recognize coronavirus vaccine certificates issued by Indian authorities calling it a discriminatory policy that will impact its citizens who want to travel to that country. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the new rules unveiled last week which take effect next month could force India to impose More than half of companies in the U.S. are planning to impose COVID19 vaccine mandates on their employees by the end of the year a new survey finds. Researchers from Willis Towers Watson a British multinational risk management insurance brokerage and advisory company polled nearly 1000 companies who employ around 9.7 million people. They found that by the fourth quarter of 2021 52 percent of employers are planning or could have one or more vaccine mandate requirements https://www.independent.co.uk/news/india-covid-indians-new-delhi-shashi-tharoor-b1924047.html 21st Sep 2021

Exit Strategies

Daily Mail Willis Towers Watson a risk management and advisory company surveyed nearly 1000 U.S. companies employing 9.7 million workers. More than half 52 said they are planning to impose Covid vaccine mandates on their employees by the end of the year. Nearly onethird are planning or considering making vaccines a requirement to enter the workplace and 21 are considering the shots for all new hires Of companies tracking vaccination status 62 require workers to submit proof and 36 count on workers to selfreport https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-10010581/More-HALF-companies-planning-impose-COVID-19-vaccine-mandates.html 21st Sep 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Some health experts in Singapore are calling for mandatory vaccination against the coronavirus with a growing toll of severe COVID19 among unvaccinated people as infections surge and with vaccine takeup plateauing at 82 of the population. The government has linked reopening to vaccination targets but it paused the easing of restrictions this month to watch for signs that severe infections could overwhelm the health system. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/calls-grow-among-experts-singapore-vaccine-mandate-covid-19-spikes-2021-09-21/ 21st Sep 2021

Exit Strategies

CNN India will resume exports of Covid19 vaccines in the October quarter prioritizing the global vaccinesharing platform COVAX and neighboring countries first as supplies rise the countrys health minister said on Monday. India the worlds biggest maker of vaccines stopped exports of Covid shots in April to focus on inoculating its own population as infections exploded. The countrys monthly vaccine output has since more than doubled and is set to quadruple to over 300 million doses next month minister Mansukh Mandaviya said adding that only excess supplies would be exported. Total production could top 1 billion in the last three months of the year as new vaccines from companies such as Biological E are likely to be approved he added. https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/21/india/covid-vaccine-resume-intl-hnk/index.html 21st Sep 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Poland will recommend a booster dose of the COVID19 vaccine for people over 50 as well as healthcare workers a deputy health minister said on Tuesday. Waldemar Kraska said the booster would be administered at least 6 months after the second shot. A third dose was already recommended earlier for the immunocompromised. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/poland-recommends-covid-19-booster-shot-people-over-50-2021-09-21/ 21st Sep 2021

Exit Strategies

BBC News One of the first pupils in England to receive a Covid19 vaccination in the rollout to under16s said he was excited that he could now spend time with his grandparents. All children aged 1215 across the UK are to be offered one dose of a Covid vaccine. Quinn 15 was given a Pfizer vaccination at Belfairs Academy in LeighonSea Essex. He said I was nervous at first but in the long run its going to be good. Quinn said he wanted the vaccine because I can keep safe near my family and with my grandparents. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-58626803 21st Sep 2021

Exit Strategies

AlJazeera Indias foreign minister has urged the United Kingdom for an early resolution of quarantine issue in the wake of a new British rule requiring Indians visiting there to quarantine even if they are fully vaccinated. England and Scotland will ease pandemic restrictions from early October but the list of countries with approved vaccines does not include India despite the country using a locally made version of the AstraZeneca vaccine developed in the UK. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/21/india-uk-covid-quarantine-rules-travel 21st Sep 2021

Partisan Exits

Daily Mail School leaders in Arizona Florida Tennessee and Texas are battling lawmakers Governors are banning colleges from implementing vaccine mandates Meanwhile schools in states like Maryland and NY have high vaccine rates Colleges fear not just for student health but also for their balance sheets https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10012503/Colleges-struggling-Covid-19-Republican-states-40-students-unvaxxed.html 21st Sep 2021

Partisan Exits

Reuters New Zealand on Friday announced higher fines of up to NZ12000 8400 for individuals breaching coronavirus restrictions amid concerns that the current outbreak may spread beyond Auckland to other regions due to people breaking rules. Our success has been really based on the fact that people by and large have been compliant Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a news conference. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/new-zealand-increases-fines-covid-19-rule-breakers-2021-09-21/ 21st Sep 2021

Partisan Exits

Reuters German politicians expressed shock on Tuesday over the killing of a 20year old petrol station worker after an argument about a face mask and said that coronavirus deniers who are willing to use violence will not be tolerated. The killing on Saturday evening in the western town of IdarOberstein has hit the national headlines as it is one of the only such cases linked to COVID19 restrictions. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germans-shocked-by-killing-cashier-after-covid-mask-row-2021-09-21/ 21st Sep 2021

Partisan Exits

Reuters Police in Melbourne fired pepper balls and rubber pellets on Tuesday to disperse about 2000 protesters who defied stayat home orders to damage property block a busy freeway and injure three officers leading to more than 60 arrests. It was the second day of demonstrations in the lockeddown Australian city after authorities shut construction sites for two weeks saying workers frequent movement was spreading the coronavirus. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/melbourne-construction-sites-shut-down-after-anti-vaccine-mandate-protest-2021-09-20/ 21st Sep 2021

Partisan Exits

AlJazeera Australian authorities have shut down construction sites in Melbourne for two weeks after an antivaccine protest in the city turned violent and COVID19 cases in the states of Victoria and New South Wales NSW surged. The closure takes effect from Tuesday and follows clashes in which bottles and a crate were thrown at union officials and police deployed special units. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/21/melbourne-construction-sites-shuts-after-anti-vaccine-violence 21st Sep 2021

Continued Lockdown

The Associated Press The Beizhong International Travel Agency in the eastern city of Tianjin has had only one customer since coronavirus outbreaks that began in July prompted Chinese leaders to renew city lockdowns and travel controls. Most of China is virusfree but the abrupt severe response to outbreaks has left wouldbe tourists jittery about traveling to places they might be barred from leaving. That has hit consumer spending hindering efforts to keep the economic recovery on track. Chinas zero tolerance strategy of trying to isolate every case and stop transmission has helped keep the country where the virus first was detected in late 2019 largely free of disease. But the public and businesses are paying a steep price. https://apnews.com/article/sports-health-china-beijing-coronavirus-pandemic-d8f454b8ca53ac74fd54727d3df6dc30 21st Sep 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Wall Street Journal Johnson Johnson said a booster dose of its Covid19 vaccine administered two months after the first shot increased protection against symptomatic illness in trial participants as federal regulators evaluate data for the countrys strategy for rolling out boosters. Data released Tuesday from a latestage clinical trial showed that study participants in 10 countries including the U.S. who received a second dose of the companys vaccine two months after the first had 75 protection against symptomatic Covid19. Participants in the U.S. had 94 protection against the illness. JJ didnt explain the reason for the difference in efficacy rates. https://www.wsj.com/articles/j-j-says-covid-19-vaccine-booster-two-months-after-first-shot-increases-protection-11632220201 21st Sep 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters on MSN.com Johnson Johnson said Tuesday a second shot of its COVID19 vaccine given about two months after the first increased its effectiveness to 94 in the United States against moderate to severe forms of the disease. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/j-26j-says-second-shot-boosts-protection-for-moderate-severe-covid-19-to-94-25/ar-AAOF8QR 21st Sep 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

NPR People who receive a Johnson Johnson COVID19 vaccine booster shot are better protected against the coronavirus for a longer period of time according to the pharmaceutical companys latest trial results. The onedose Johnson Johnson vaccine has been found to be 66 protective against moderate and severe disease overall worldwide and 72 protective against such cases in the U.S. But when a person receives a booster shot two months after getting the pharmaceutical companys onedose vaccine the protection against COVID19 increased to 94. A booster shot at six months provided a 12fold increase in antibodies. https://www.npr.org/2021/09/21/1039168781/johnson-johnson-booster-shot-provides-increased-protection-from-covid 21st Sep 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The BMJ Eligible patients with covid19 in UK hospitals who have not mounted an antibody response against SARSCoV2 will be offered the monoclonal antibody treatment ronapreve from this week the government has announced. The drug is a combination of two monoclonal antibodies casirivimab and imdevimab which work by binding to two different sites on the SARSCoV2 spike protein and neutralising the viruss ability to infect cells. It was the first neutralising antibody drug specifically designed to treat covid19 approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in August 2021. Ronapreve will be administered to patients without antibodieswho must be either aged 50 or over or aged 12 to 49 and considered to be immunocompromisedthrough a drip. The government said it had secured enough supply for NHS patients across the four nations and that antibody testing will be used to determine which patients are eligible. https://www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n2319 21st Sep 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Evening Standard Trials are under way in Manchester of a new jab to fight Covid19 variants in the hope it can offer longerlasting immunity than current vaccines. Initially involving participants aged 60 and over its creators hope the new drug GRTR910 can boost the immune response of firstgeneration Covid19 vaccines to a wide array of variants of SarsCov2 which cause Covid19. First to receive the trial jabs were retired NHS nurse Helen Clarke 64 and her husband Andrew 63 from Bolton Greater Manchester. Mrs Clarke said I used to work in the NHS and had been involved in research as a nurse in the past. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/covid-variants-new-vaccine-trials-manchester-coronavirus-pandemic-b956249.html 21st Sep 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The BMJ An analysis of UK data from the National Immunisation Management Service NIMS and the Coronavirus Clinical Information Network COCIN1 endorsed by the UK Scientific and Advisory Group for Emergencies SAGE2 shows that of 40000 patients with covid19 who were admitted to hospital between December 2020 and July 2021 a total of 33496 84 had not been vaccinated. It found that 5198 13 of these patients had received their first vaccine and 1274 3 their second. A total of 611 patients with previous covid19 reinfection were not included in the analysis. https://www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n2306 21st Sep 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Health Service Journal Northern Care Alliance Group Covid19 Rapid Antigen Testing Using LFDs in Emergency Departments to Aid Infection Prevention Control Northern Care Alliance at the Vanguard. During the second wave of the pandemic demand for PCR testing exceeded capacity and adversely affected patient management. At that time November 2020 UK policy did not support deployment of lateral flow devices for covid. Northern Care Alliance NHS Group introduced LFD for patients needing admission through emergency departments. An LFD SD Biosensor was introduced in the ED by pathology. Significant improvement in patient flow and reduction in nosocomial transmissions was a testimony to its clinical utility. The alliance presented at the National Virology Cell meeting and by late December 2020 the government launched its use for all ED admissions. https://www.hsj.co.uk/patient-safety-awards/hsj-patient-safety-awards-2021-covid-19-infection-prevention-and-control-award/7030757.article 21st Sep 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The Pan American Health Organization has selected two biomedical centers in Argentina and Brazil as regional hubs to develop and produce mRNAbased vaccines to fight COVID19 in Latin America the regional health agency said on Tuesday. The idea is to tap existing manufacturing capacities to help transfer vaccine technology developed by Moderna in the United States to a region badly hit by the coronavirus and still without access to enough vaccines. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/brazil-argentina-tapped-make-mrna-vaccines-latin-america-2021-09-21/ 21st Sep 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press JJ said in statement that an extra dose given either two months or six months after the initial shot revved up protection. The results havent yet been published or vetted by other scientists. The JJ vaccine was considered an important tool in fighting the pandemic because it requires only one shot. But even as rollout began in the U.S. and elsewhere the company already was running a global test of whether a twodose course might be more effective the second dose given 56 days after the first. That twodose approach was 75 effective globally at preventing moderate to severe COVID19 and 95 effective in the U.S. alone the company reported a difference likely due to which variants were circulating in different countries during the months long study. https://apnews.com/article/johnson-and-johnson-covid-booster-4f86b7f00d354c289af17503eeb50824 21st Sep 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Bloomberg An unprecedented 70 of intensive care unit patients have Covid19 at a hospital network in Idaho a state where vaccination rates are low medical care is being rationed and virus hospitalizations are setting records. The Covid19 ICU mortality rate is up to 43 at St. Lukes health system higher than the prior peak and 98 of ICU patients suffering the deadly malady are unvaccinated James Souza chief physician executive of the statewide network of six hospitals told an online news briefing. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-21/major-idaho-hospital-system-says-70-of-icu-patients-have-covid 21st Sep 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Xinhua Vietnam reported 11692 new COVID19 cases on Tuesday including 11687 locally transmitted and five imported according to the countrys Ministry of Health. The new infections brought the countrys total tally to 707436 with 17545 deaths the ministry said. Most of the community cases were detected in southern localities including 6521 in the epicenter Ho Chi Minh City 3609 in the nearby Binh Duong province and 590 in Dong Nai province. As many as 475343 COVID19 patients have so far recovered up 11017 from Monday while over 35 million doses of COVID19 vaccines have been administered nationwide according to the ministry. As of Tuesday Vietnam has registered a total of 702972 locally transmitted COVID19 cases since the start of the current wave in late April the ministry said. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/asiapacific/2021-09/21/c_1310200945.htm 21st Sep 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

CNN Covid19 infections have continued to increase exponentially among children across the US and now account for nearly 26 of all cases reported nationwide according to data published Monday. Over the past week the American Academy of Pediatrics reported the second highest total of new diagnoses among children over the course of the pandemic with 225978. https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/20/health/children-covid-cases-report/index.html 21st Sep 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Daily Mail Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has shut down the states construction industry after it was revealed 403 Covid19 cases have been linked to the sector. There are now 300000 tradies out of work for two weeks following the shut down announced late on Monday night with hundreds taking to the streets of Melbourne to protest outside construction union CFMEUs office. The states health minister Martin Foley said that the hundreds of cases found within the industry have been recorded across 186 construction sites. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10011385/Victorias-construction-industry-linked-403-Covid-19-cases-prompting-shut-down.html 21st Sep 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Daily Mail ACT Chief Minister announced extra 14million to boost mental health services Includes support for people with eating disorders alcohol and drug services The increase in funding will also assist Indigenous and social housing residents Canberra recorded 16 cases with lockdown scheduled to run until October 15 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10011437/Covid-19-Australia-ACT-boosts-funding-mental-health-services-16-new-Covid-cases-recorded.html 21st Sep 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Guardian Covid19 has now killed as many Americans as the 191819 flu pandemic with more than 675000 reported deaths. The US population a century ago was just a third of what it is today meaning the flu cut a much bigger more lethal swath through the country. But the Covid19 crisis is by any measure a colossal tragedy in its own right especially given major advances in scientific knowledge and the failure to take maximum advantage of vaccines. Unlike a century ago vaccines have been made widely available. However an extensive reticence to be inoculated fueled in part by baseless fears about safety and efficacy means that 36 of people in the US aged 12 and over have yet to be fully vaccinated according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/20/covid-19-death-toll-1918-flu-pandemic 21st Sep 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

BBC News Northern Irelands health service is about to topple over if immediate action is not taken the deputy first minister has said. Michelle ONeill said staff were facing into a very difficult winter under current pressures. She met staff at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast on Tuesday along with First Minister Paul Givan. They both said they wanted to avoid any further lockdowns or circuit breakers. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-58636057 21st Sep 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Evening Standard More than 160000 people in the UK have had Covid19 recorded on their death certificate new figures show. The total was passed on September 7 but has only now been confirmed due to the time it takes for deaths to be registered. The figures which have been published by the Office for National Statistics ONS show that 160374 deaths involving coronavirus have occurred in the UK since the pandemic began. This includes all deaths where Covid19 was mentioned on the death certificate including suspected cases. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/office-for-national-statistics-government-england-wales-cambridge-university-b956451.html 21st Sep 2021

New Lockdown

Reuters Spas cinemas and mahjong salons in the Chinese city of Harbin were ordered to close on Tuesday to prevent COVID19 spreading in poorly ventilated spaces state television reported. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinese-city-orders-spas-mahjong-salons-shut-after-covid-19-case-confirmed-2021-09-21/ 21st Sep 2021

New Lockdown

Thomson Reuters Foundation A Ukrainian government commission decided on Tuesday to tighten coronavirus lockdown restrictions from Sept. 23 as the number of new infections has increased sharply Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said. Ukraine lifted lockdown restrictions as cases dropped over the summer but has now imposed a nationwide yellow code which restricts mass events and limits the occupancy rates of gyms cinemas and other culture venues. https://news.trust.org/item/20210921102147-cjojk/ 21st Sep 2021