17th Nov 2021 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=541 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Reuters The Dutch governments plan to scrap the corona pass for people not vaccinated against COVID19 faced strong opposition in parliament on Tuesday including from within the ruling coalition. The pass which grants access to indoor public venues is now available to people who have been vaccinated have recovered from COVID19 or have tested negative for the virus. Under a proposal put forward by caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Friday the last option would be dropped. But in an evening debate even one of Ruttes own fourparty coalition government partners expressed concerns that it would cause social division. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/dutch-debate-dropping-corona-pass-indoor-venues-unvaccinated-2021-11-16/ 16th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

The New York Times Pfizer announced a deal on Tuesday to allow its promising Covid19 treatment to be made and sold inexpensively in 95 poorer nations that are home to more than half of the worlds population. The agreement follows a similar arrangement negotiated by Merck last month and together the deals have the potential to vastly expand global production of two simple antiviral pills that could alter the course of the pandemic by preventing severe illness from the coronavirus. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/16/health/covid-pill-pfizer.html 16th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Britain continues to face severe labor market shortages despite the end of the furlough program because 465000 people have disappeared from the workforce since the start of the pandemic according to Bank of America. Ending the benefit on Sept. 30 for those out of work during lockdowns was expected to bring people who had given up on job hunting back into employment. That has not happened yet Bank of America economist Rob Wood said in a note on Tuesday. U.K. payroll numbers jumped by 160000 to a new high in October suggesting the economy can absorb many of the 1 million workers who were on furlough when the program closed. Official unemployment for the month of September dropped to 3.9 lower than immediate prepandemic levels. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-16/u-k-missing-465-000-people-from-the-workforce-since-covid-hit 16th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Germany is heading toward stiffer restrictions on people who have refused a Covid19 vaccine as authorities across Europe seek to rein in a renewed surge of the disease. Europes largest economy is grappling with its worst outbreak in the pandemic posting a fresh record in its contagion rate on Tuesday. The countrys response has been complicated by a change in power with Chancellor Angela Merkel in a caretaker role while negotiations to form a new government proceed. Under pressure to act lawmakers from the potential ruling coalition are planning to introduce legislation later this week that would impose tougher curbs on people who havent been inoculated including requiring tests to go to work and take public transportation. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-16/german-covid-deaths-spike-as-lockdown-for-unvaccinated-nears 16th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg The Biden administration plans to buy enough of Pfizer Inc.s new Covid19 pill to treat 10 million patients people familiar with the matter say. Pfizers pill to treat the disease caused by the coronavirus showed extraordinary results in a clinical trial reducing hospitalization and death by 89 among highrisk Covid19 patients. The company said Tuesday it asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergencyuse authorization for the pill administered twice a day for five days. The administration has also ordered about 3.1 million courses of a pill from Merck Co. and has an option in its contract to purchase more than 2 million additional courses. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-16/biden-teams-plans-to-buy-10-million-courses-of-pfizer-covid-pill 16th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Slovakias hospitals are in a critical situation dealing with a surge in coronavirus infections and the government will approve measures on Thursday to limit access to services for unvaccinated people Prime Minister Eduard Heger said. Europe has again become the epicentre of the pandemic prompting countries like Slovakia and neighbouring Austria to reintroduce restrictions in the runup to Christmas. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/slovakia-decide-new-covid-19-restrictions-thursday-2021-11-16/ 16th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

Daily Mail Incoming government recommending unvaccinated citizens be banned from public transport. It will also bar the unvaccinated from going to work and recommend WFH for all. Comes amid soaring infections and sluggish vaccine rollout across country States are warning that their hospitals will hit capacity by early December https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10208873/Germany-follow-Austrias-lockdown-apartheid-Berlin-considers-rules-14m-unvaccinated-citizens.html 16th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

CNN India opened its borders to fully vaccinated foreign tourists entering the country on commercial flights for the first time in nearly two years on Monday. Tourists entering the country must be fully vaccinated test negative for the virus within 72 hours of their flight and follow all Covid19 protocols according to the health ministry. Travelers from countries that have mutual agreements with India on the recognition of vaccination certificates including the United States United Kingdom and multiple European nations can leave the airport without undergoing a Covid19 test. However they must monitor their health for 14 days after their arrival. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/india-tourism-reopening-intl-hnk/index.html 16th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Russia will lift its COVID19 ban on flights to countries including Bangladesh Brazil Mongolia Costa Rica and Argentina from Dec. 1 the government coronavirus task force said on Tuesday. The government stopped normal commercial flights abroad when the pandemic struck last year but it has since been gradually relaxing the restrictions. The flight bans dealt a heavy blow to Russias airlines. https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-lift-covid-19-ban-flights-brazil-argentina-other-countries-dec-1-2021-11-16/ 16th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg Moderna Inc. lured an executive from rival Pfizer Inc. to become its firstever U.K. regional head as a contract with the country for Covid19 vaccines appears in danger of lapsing. The company hired Darius Hughes the former head of Pfizers U.K. and Ireland vaccines business unit in July as U.K. country director he confirmed in a Bloomberg interview Tuesday. Hughes is tasked with growing Modernas business in the U.K. including potentially renegotiating its Covid19 vaccine contract which is yet to be renewed. Moderna is expanding after it was propelled onto the world stage by the success of its Covid19 vaccine one of the first shots to be authorized globally. The vaccine was the first product the company brought to market causing the shares to skyrocket. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-16/moderna-lures-pfizer-executive-with-u-k-contract-in-limbo 16th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

The Guardian on MSN.com Pfizer has announced it is asking US regulators to authorise its experimental antiviral Covid19 pill Paxlovid which has been shown in clinical trials to cut the risk of hospitalisation and death for adults by almost 90 per cent. The company has said it will allow generic manufacturers to supply its experimental antiviral Covid pill to 95 low and middleincome countries. People in Ireland are being asked to work from home where possible from Friday and bars restaurants and nightclubs will introduce a midnight closing time on Friday as a raft of new restrictions is agreed by the government in the face of rising hospitalisations. Thousands of restaurant owners in Greece shut their businesses in a nationwide protest against recent measures that fine establishments for serving customers without proper documentation of their vaccination or test status. The UK has recorded another 37243 Covid cases in the last 24 hours and a further 214 deaths within 28 days of a positive test. That is compared to 39705 infections and 47 deaths reported the day before. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/coronavirus-live-germany-set-to-tighten-rules-for-unvaccinated-ireland-brings-in-midnight-curfew/ar-AAQKVlr 16th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Ireland will from Thursday require bars and nightclubs to close early while ramping up the use of booster vaccines in a bid to combat a resurgence in COVID19 cases in its largely vaccinated population the governing party said on Tuesday. Three months ago it announced plans to drop almost all restrictions within weeks but infection numbers have since increased again to levels close to last Januarys alltime peak even though more than 90 of adults are now vaccinated. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ireland-reimposes-early-bar-nightclub-closures-covid-resurges-2021-11-16/ 16th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

BBC News Democratic Unionist Party DUP MP Sammy Wilson has said he hopes his party will try to stop the introduction of mandatory Covid19 vaccine certificates in Northern Ireland. He described it as a bad policy and said it would be an infringement on peoples freedoms. The Stormont executive will discuss the proposal by Health Minister Robin Swanns at a meeting on Wednesday. Three other ministers have already declared their support for the plan. Any ministers opposing to the idea need to set out very clearly what their alternative is said Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon the SDLP deputy leader. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-59303632 16th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

EL PAS in English In Spain the risk of contracting the coronavirus is not the same now as it was six months ago when most of the population was unvaccinated. Despite this the governments traffic light system has remained unchanged for over a year the lowrisk scenario is set at under 50 cases per 100000 people over 14 days while the highrisk scenario is established at above 250 cases. A new draft alert system seen by EL PAS now puts the lowrisk scenario at 50 to 100 cases per 100000 people. The new document has already been backed by a group of technical experts from the Health Ministry and regional governments and it is expected to be approved on Tuesday by the Public Health Committee which is made up of central and regional health officials. https://english.elpais.com/society/2021-11-16/spain-designs-new-covid-19-traffic-light-system-that-raises-threshold-for-low-risk-scenario.html 16th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Nigeria will start a mass COVID19 vaccination campaign later this week aiming to inoculate half of its targeted population by the end of January government officials said. Africas mostpopulous country has a goal to vaccinate 111 million people to reach herd immunity. Under the initiative to start on Friday 55 million doses or more than a million a day will be administered. The country has to date vaccinated only 2.9 of those eligible to get vaccines. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/nigeria-plans-mass-vaccination-drive-considers-booster-shot-2021-11-15/ 16th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Japan intends to ease quarantine rules by the end of November for people inoculated with Johnson Johnsons COVID19 vaccine the Nikkei daily reported on Tuesday. Japan last week took a first step in its planned phased reopening of borders which centres on business travellers. But that plans easing of quarantine rules for inbound business travellers did not cover people inoculated with JJs COVID19 vaccine. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-ease-quarantine-people-inoculated-with-jj-covid-19-vaccine-nikkei-2021-11-16/ 16th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Brazilian health minister Marcelo Queiroga said on Tuesday the government will offer COVID19 booster shots to everyone older than 18. Queiroga said the booster shots will be available five months after the second vaccine dose and there were enough doses for the entire population. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazil-offer-covid-19-booster-shot-everyone-older-than-18-2021-11-16/ 16th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters People in Britain must come forward for COVID19 vaccines when they are eligible if new COVID restrictions this winter are to be avoided Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday. If we want to avoid new restrictions on our daily lives we must all get vaccinated as soon as we are eligible Johnson said at a news conference after the booster vaccination programme was expanded. Please go and get vaccinated to protect yourself and others and in doing so we can help to ensure that we can continue in the way that we are sticking to our plan of using vaccination to control this virus. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-pm-johnson-get-covid-shots-avoid-new-restrictions-2021-11-15/ 16th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters A judicial panel on Tuesday consolidated 34 lawsuits challenging the Biden administrations workplace COVID19 vaccine rule in the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals a venue favored by opponents of the rule. The 6th Circuit was chosen randomly. The rule requires employers with at least 100 workers to mandate COVID19 vaccination or weekly testing combined with wearing a face covering at work https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/court-lottery-gives-biden-administration-chance-revive-covid-vaccine-mandate-2021-11-16/ 16th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters You may soon have to provide a negative COVID19 test or proof of vaccination or recent recovery as the country becomes the latest in Europe to consider drastic steps to tackle a new surge in cases in the region. Germany registered yet another record rate of cases over the past week on Monday as more indoor gatherings due to cold weather and flatlining vaccination campaigns turn Europe once more into the pandemic epicentre. This fourth infection wave is challenging a government in transition with three parties negotiating to form the next cabinet after Septembers inconclusive election. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/german-coronavirus-infections-hit-new-high-tighter-measures-planned-2021-11-15/ 16th Nov 2021

Partisan Exits

The New York Times Amazon has agreed to pay 500000 to help enforce Californias consumer protection laws after the company was accused of concealing Covid19 case numbers from its workers officials said on Monday. The judgment which is subject to court approval is the first of its kind nationwide and is in line with a California right to know law that was designed to keep workers safe during the pandemic according to a news release from the attorney generals office. Under the arrangement Amazon must also tell its warehouse workers within a day about the exact number of new Covid19 cases in their workplaces ensure that notifications adequately inform workers of the companys disinfection and safety plans tell health officials about new cases and submit to monitoring by the attorney generals office regarding its Covid19 notifications. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/16/us/covid-amazon-settlement.html 16th Nov 2021

Partisan Exits

The New York Times When a junior high school student in western Oregon tested positive for the coronavirus last month Sherry McIntyre a school nurse quarantined two dozen of the students football teammates. The players had spent time together in the locker room unmasked and according to local guidelines they could not return to school for at least 10 days. Some parents took the news poorly. They told Ms. McIntyre that she should lose her nursing license or accused her of violating their childrens educational rights. Another nurse in the district faced similar ire when she quarantined the volleyball team. This fall after facing repeated hostility from parents they started locking their office doors. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/13/health/coronavirus-school-nurses.html 16th Nov 2021

Partisan Exits

Reuters on MSN.com A judicial panel on Tuesday consolidated 34 lawsuits challenging the Biden administrations workplace COVID19 vaccine rule in the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals a venue favored by opponents of the rule. President Joe Biden announced plans for the vaccine requirement in September seeking to stem a surge in COVID19 cases and get more people back to work. The Cincinnati appeals court was chosen randomly and will take up the challenges to the rule which compels employers with at least 100 workers to mandate COVID19 vaccination or weekly testing combined with face masks at work https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/court-lottery-gives-biden-administration-a-chance-to-revive-covid-vaccine-mandate/ar-AAQLhGA 16th Nov 2021

Partisan Exits

Daily Mail Millions of Britons have been targeted by Covid passport scams. Some received emails which looked like they were from their GP inviting them to claim Covid passport. Others had texts telling them to click a link to buy a Covid passport https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10206169/Covid-scammers-cash-exploit-pandemic-fake-vaccine-passport-emails-texts.html 16th Nov 2021

Partisan Exits

Reuters Greek public health sector workers protested in Athens over pay and conditions on Monday as hospitals struggled with a new surge in COVID19 cases and authorities considered further restrictions.The protesters said they were underpaid overworked and understaffed. They called for more hirings for the government to include them on a list of hazardous professions which receive hazard pay benefits and for private doctors to be ordered to help. A decision by the government to suspend unvaccinated health sector workers has increased staff shortages they said. Greece made vaccinations mandatory for nursing home staff in July and for healthcare workers in September. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/greek-health-sector-workers-protest-hospitals-struggle-with-covid-spike-2021-11-15/ 16th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The New York Times Pfizer has applied to the Food and Drug Administration to authorize its antiviral pill to treat unvaccinated people with Covid19 who are at high risk of becoming severely ill the company said on Tuesday. The drug which will be sold under the brand name Paxlovid could become available within weeks if authorization is granted. It is meant to be dispensed by pharmacies and taken at home. Paxlovid is the second antiviral pill to show effectiveness against Covid in a new class of treatments for the disease that are expected to reach far more patients than other drugs that are typically given by infusion. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/16/business/pfizer-covid-pill-paxlovid-unvaccinated.html 16th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Wall Street Journal Pfizer Inc. said it asked U.S. health regulators to authorize its oral Covid19 drug for use in highrisk patients putting the pill on a path that could make it available for people to take at home by the end of the year. Clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would give patients and doctors an easytouse treatment to keep people out of the hospital early in the course of the disease. There is an urgent need for lifesaving treatment options Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla said Thursday. We are moving as quickly as possible in our effort to get this potential treatment into the hands of patients. https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizer-asks-fda-to-authorize-covid-19-pill-paxlovid-11637089791 16th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg Millions of people who have gotten Covid19 and survived are finding that a full recovery can be frustratingly elusive. Weeks or even months after seemingly recovering from even a mild case many patients still confront a wide range of health problems. As researchers try to measure the duration and depth of whats being called long Covid specialized postacute Covid clinics are opening to handle the patients. The scale of the pandemic and persistence of some of Covids disabling effects mean the economic pain and drain on health resources could continue well after the contagion ends. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-13/why-impact-of-long-covid-could-outlast-the-pandemic-quicktake 16th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Daily Mail Amanda Pritchard said the NHS is putting plans in place for yearly booster jabs JCVI recommended booster programme should be extended to all over40s Ms Pritchard urged people to take up vaccination invitations as soon as possible https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10209241/NHS-prepping-annual-Covid-boosters.html 16th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

News-Medical.Net Earlier reports have suggested the high effectiveness of messenger ribonucleic acid mRNA coronavirus disease COVID19 vaccines at preventing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 SARSCoV2 infection. However their efficacy against mild COVID19 disease appears to wane over time. Thus the need for additionalbooster vaccine doses is being contemplated. This retrospective study included adults within the Mayo Clinic Enterprise who were vaccinated with three doses of United States Food and Drug Administration FDAapproved mRNAbased COVID19 vaccines from December 1 2020 to October 17 2021. Participants received the first two doses of BNT162b2 or mRNA1273 according to the emergency use authorization EUA protocol. The study participants were administered a third dose of the same vaccine type as the original two doses at least 28 days after the second dose. All subjects were followed up for at least 14 days after their third vaccine dose. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20211115/Three-doses-of-COVID-19-mRNA-vaccination-safe-in-high-risk-populations.aspx 16th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Sydney Morning Herald Taxpayers are facing a hefty bill for rare but significant coronavirus vaccine injuries with at least 10000 people planning to claim under the federal governments nofault indemnity scheme. Services Australia is building an online portal to be launched next month for uncapped claims above 5000 from those who suffered injury and loss of income due to their COVID19 vaccine with compensation for medical costs and lost wages to be paid by the government. https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/more-than-10-000-australians-have-filed-coronavirus-vaccine-injury-claims-20211115-p598yy.html 16th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Sky News A study by researchers suggests that air filters can remove almost all airborne traces of COVID19. The findings by the University of Cambridge and Addenbrookes Hospital could not only improve the safety of surge wards but also opens up the possibility of setting standards for cleaner air to reduce the risk of indoor transmission. With fears growing of another potential wave this winter the discovery could allow hospitals to better manage their repurposed surge wards which can often lack the ability to change the air with a high frequency. https://news.sky.com/story/researchers-find-way-to-filter-coronavirus-particles-out-of-the-air-12469882 16th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

iNews Now the spectre of Christmas cancelled is raised an attempt to jolt millions out of complacency and into action. In other European countries notably Austria Netherlands France Italy and Germany Covid19 infections are climbing. Here in Britain we have relied on high vaccination rates to keep hospitalisations and deaths low even when infections have spiked. Squandering that tactical advantage over Covid19 would be reckless in the extreme. From next week booster jabs will be offered to eight million over40s. Third doses cut the risk of infection by more than 80 per cent. So far the middleaged are not coming forward in the numbers needed. While threequarters of eligible over70s have had their booster just half of those in their 50s have taken up the offer. https://inews.co.uk/opinion/editor/jabs-tactical-advantage-covid-19-squandering-reckless-extreme-1302868 16th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

BBC News Eating advice for people recovering from Covid19 is now available online. The Recovery Knowledge Hub external launched by the University of Plymouth asks people about their current diet and offers tips and ideas to improve it. The hub is aimed at everyone who wants advice from the public to professionals and it is free said the university. Eating the right diet is crucial to keep well physically and mentally and a key part of recovery from Covid19 is to make sure your diet is healthy said Mary Hickson professor in dietetics at the university. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpggerprjx5o 16th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Sky News These two types of protection against transmission and against severe disease are both very important but they are also quite different. Just because a particular vaccine is good at one thing doesnt necessarily mean its equally good at the other thing. Just because a particular vaccines effectiveness at preventing transmission is waning doesnt necessarily mean its effectiveness at preventing serious disease is diminishing at the same rate. I say all of this not just because the two types of protection are often conflated though they are but because keeping this distinction under your hat is quite important when navigating all the data around COVID and vaccines. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-boosters-not-only-replenish-immunity-against-transmission-but-lift-it-too-new-data-shows-12469600 16th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Moderna Inc said it signed an agreement that enables European Union and European Economic Area countries to donate over 70 million doses of its COVID19 vaccine to the COVAX vaccine sharing scheme for lowandmiddle income countries. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/moderna-says-eu-donate-over-70-mln-doses-its-covid-19-vaccine-2021-11-16/ 16th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Two billion doses of the AstraZenecaOxford University COVID19 vaccine have been supplied worldwide the AngloSwedish drugmaker and its partner said on Tuesday in just under a year since its first approval. The shot which is the biggest contributor to the COVAX vaccine sharing scheme backed by the World Health Organization is being made in 15 countries for supply to more than 170 countries Londonlisted AstraZeneca and Oxford University said in a joint statement. AstraZeneca in June last year signed on Indias Serum Institute the worlds biggest manufacturer of vaccines by volume to help double the vaccines manufacturing capacity to two billion doses. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/astrazeneca-oxford-covid-19-vaccine-supply-hits-two-billion-doses-2021-11-16/ 16th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Pfizer Inc said it will allow generic manufacturers to supply its experimental antiviral COVID19 pill to 95 low and middleincome countries through a licensing agreement with international public health group Medicines Patent Pool MPP. The voluntary licensing agreement between Pfizer and the MPP will allow the UNbacked group to grant sublicences to qualified generic drug manufacturers to make their own versions of PF07321332. Pfizer will sell the pills it manufactures under the brand name Paxlovid. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/pfizer-allow-generic-versions-its-covid-19-pill-95-countries-2021-11-16/ 16th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press The rollout of COVID19 shots for elementaryage children has exposed another blind spot in the nations efforts to address pandemic inequalities Health systems have released little data on the racial breakdown of youth vaccinations and community leaders fear that Black and Latino kids are falling behind. Only a handful of states have made public data on COVID19 vaccinations by race and age and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not compile racial breakdowns either. Despite the lack of hard data public health officials and medical professionals are mindful of disparities and have been reaching out to communities of color to overcome vaccine hesitancy. That includes going into schools messaging in other languages deploying mobile vaccine units and emphasizing to skeptical parents that the shots are safe and powerfully effective. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-race-and-ethnicity-pandemics-public-health-health-2c74b6c279d1ebd505446c6c78176ac5 16th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

FiercePharma With its highly anticipated COVID19 oral treatment seemingly on a fast track to approval Pfizer already is lining it up to be manufactured as a generic by countries in need. Under an agreement with the Medicines Patent Pool MPP Pfizer will license Paxlovid to facilitate affordable global access. The deal will allow sublicensees to supply 95 countries that account for 53 of the worlds population Pfizer said. The arrangement mirrors the one made by Merck and Ridgeback with the MPP three weeks ago allowing for needy countries to manufacture those drugmakers COVID19 pill molnupiravir. Molnupiravir also is expected to be endorsed by the FDA in the coming weeks. Both deals are contingent upon regulatory authorizations or approvals. An FDA advisory group will meet on Nov. 30 to discuss Mercks application for molnupiravir. https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/like-merck-pfizer-inks-deal-medicines-patent-pool-to-relinquish-patent-protection-for-covid 16th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Bloomberg Ireland has reintroduced some Covid19 restrictions as it grapples with surging infections and a rising number of hospitalizations. Starting Thursday people should work from home where possible Prime Minister Micheal Martin said in a national address while bars and restaurants must close by midnight. Cinemas and theaters will now require proof of vaccination he said. Household contacts of anyone infected with Covid will now have to restrict their own movement for five days and complete a recommended antigen test the premier said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-16/ireland-reimposes-some-coronavirus-restrictions-as-cases-surge 16th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

CNN Eight residents of a nursing home in northwestern Connecticut have died since late September following a Covid19 outbreak the nursing home said in a statement. A total of 89 residents and staff many of whom were fully vaccinated have tested positive for Covid19 in the last seven weeks Geer Village Senior Community in North Canaan said Friday and 11 residents and one staff member remain in isolation. Sadly we have lost 8 residents with serious underlying health issues to Covid the statement said. The center first released information about the outbreak on October 3 stating that there were three positive cases among residents and a staff member who were all fully vaccinated against Covid19. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/16/us/connecticut-covid-outbreak-nursing-home/index.html 16th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

CNN Europes leaders are toughening their stances towards unvaccinated people and pursuing measures that increasingly isolate them from the rest of society as frustration grows over stalling shot rollouts and a wave of Covid19 infections on the continent. Germany may become the next country to impose stricter rules on those who havent been fully inoculated after the parties making up its prospective new coalition government hardened their proposed Covid19 approach in parliament. The proposed measures would require Germans to provide proof of vaccination or a negative test in order to ride a bus or board a train in an expansion of the countrys 3G system that requires either to enter certain venues and settings. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/16/europe/europe-covid-unvaccinated-rules-intl/index.html 16th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Brazil registered 63 COVID19 deaths on Monday and 2799 additional cases according to data released by the nations Health Ministry. The South American countrys coronavirus death toll is second in the world only to the United States but the pandemic has abated significantly in recent months as it has in much of Latin America. Brazil has now registered a total of 611346 COVID19 deaths and 21960766 total confirmed cases. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/brazil-registers-63-covid-19-deaths-monday-2021-11-15/ 16th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Hospitals in Slovakia one of Europes leastvaccinated nations have been filling up with coronavirus patients with the northeastern region of Presov reporting almost no spare intensive care beds authorities and hospitals said on Monday. President Zuzana Caputova has signed a law allowing the government to force unvaccinated people to test twice a week before attending work in the worstaffected regions and keep them out of restaurants and other services. The country of 5.5 million was not planning a national lockdown however. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/hospitals-slovak-east-fill-up-covid-wave-rages-new-law-tightens-rules-2021-11-15/ 16th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters The Czech Republic reported 11514 new COVID19 cases for Nov. 15 the fifth time daily infections have topped 10000 in past seven days health ministry data showed on Tuesday. Hospitalisations grew to 4296 including 635 people in a serious condition according to the figures. The outgoing government of Prime Minister Andrej Babis has been debating bringing in tougher restrictions including one proposal for some form of lockdown for unvaccinated people. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/czechs-report-more-than-10000-new-covid-19-cases-2021-11-16/ 16th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Tuesday that authorities in one of the worlds most vaccinated nations may bring back some measures to stop the spread of COVID19 in the runup to the holiday season as infections soar across Europe. The number of new cases has been gradually rising over the past month in Portugal reaching a twomonth daily high of 1816 infections on Saturday. The 14day infection rate stood at 156 cases per 100000 people on Monday about double that in neighbouring Spain which has a slightly lower share of its population fully vaccinated but still well below over 500 in Germany and more than 900 in the Netherlands. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/portuguese-pm-warns-restrictions-may-return-covid-cases-rise-2021-11-16/ 16th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Washington Post Nearly two years into the coronavirus era much of Europe is once again facing a surge in cases and in some countries a return to lockdowns and other restrictions that had begun to feel like a distant part of the pandemic. This time around the unvaccinated are frequently the target of new measures. Overall 76 percent of adults in the European Union and 65 percent of the total population have been fully vaccinated according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control. In Austria as of midnight Monday about 2 million unvaccinated people will be subject to a lockdown lasting 10 days as coronavirus cases rise. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/11/15/europe-coronavirus-restrictions/ 16th Nov 2021