1st Dec 2021 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=551 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Reuters An Austrian parliamentary committee on Tuesday as widely expected approved a decree extending the countrys COVID19 lockdown by 10 days bringing its total duration to 20 days which the government has said is the longest it will last. Faced with surging daily coronavirus infections the conservativeled government introduced the lockdown on Monday of last week the first country in Western Europe to reimpose a lockdown this autumn. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/austria-extends-covid-19-lockdown-by-10-days-2021-11-30/ 1st Dec 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Governments around the world are urgently scouring databases for recent cases of COVID19 infections screening travellers and decoding the viral genomes of the new variant as they try to measure how far it has spread. The pace of the work highlights the pressure on governments and public health authorities to decide quickly whether they need to take unpopular economically damaging steps to curb Omicrons spread. Data shows it was circulating before it was officially identified in southern Africa last week and it has since been detected in more than a dozen countries read more . Work to establish if it is more infectious deadly or evades vaccines will take weeks. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/race-is-trace-new-covid-19-variant-2021-11-30/ 1st Dec 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Singapores COVID19 vaccination rate has risen to 96 of the eligible population and authorities are now racing ahead to administer booster shots amid concerns over the Omicron variant. The health ministry of the citystate which has among the highest vaccination rates in the world said late on Tuesday that it had updated the official vaccination rate to account for a small drop in the population. As of Nov. 29 96 of the eligible population had completed the full vaccination regimen updated from 94 the ministry said. That translates to about 86 of the total population of about 5.5 million. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/singapore-close-vaccinating-all-eligible-people-against-covid-19-2021-12-01/ 1st Dec 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC confirmed late Tuesday it is working to impose stricter COVID19 testing rules for air travelers entering the United States amid concerns about a new COVID19 variant. The CDC confirmed in a statement it is working to revise its current Global Testing Order for travel as we learn more about the Omicron variant a revised order would shorten the timeline for required testing for all international air travelers to one day before departure to the United States. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/cdc-says-it-is-moving-tighten-international-covid-19-testing-rules-2021-12-01/ 1st Dec 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters UK British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday said that it was likely booster COVID19 vaccinations would increase protection against severe disease from the new Omicron variant even if effectiveness against infection was reduced. The answer is everywhere and always to get the booster because we think its overwhelmingly likely that the booster and getting vaccinated will give you more protection he told broadcasters. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-pm-johnson-says-boosters-should-give-higher-protection-omicron-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters On Friday Nov. 19 Raquel Viana Head of Science at one of South Africas biggest private testing labs sequenced the genes on eight coronavirus samples and got the shock of her life. The samples tested in the Lancet laboratory all bore a large number of mutations especially on the spike protein that the virus uses to enter human cells. I was quite shocked at what I was seeing. I questioned whether something had gone wrong in the process she told Reuters a thought that quickly gave way to a sinking feeling that the samples were going to have huge ramifications. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/how-south-african-scientists-spotted-omicron-covid-variant-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced mandatory Covid19 vaccination for all Greeks above 60 years of age before a cabinet meeting in Athens on Tuesday in an effort to tackle the new omicron variation threat ahead of the festive season. Those who refuse to get vaccinated will have to pay a monthly fine of 100 euros 114 for each month they dont get jabbed starting on Jan. 16 according to Mitsotakis. The penalty will be imposed by the tax authorities directly to those who havent been inoculated and the funds collected will be given to Greek hospitals fighting the pandemic. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-30/greece-to-impose-monthly-fines-on-unvaccinated-people-over-60 30th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg Rwanda became one of the few African nations offering coronavirusvaccine booster doses on Tuesday according to the nations Ministry of Health. The shots will be administered to people 50 years old and above as well as those as young as 30 years but with noncommunicable diseases the ministry said in a statement. The exercise begins from the capital Kigali. Rwanda joins African nations including Seychelles Mauritius and South Africa that are administering booster shots to various categories of people such as the elderly and healthcare workers. Nations across the world are quickly moving to give additional doses amid new Covid19 variants including the recent Omicron that was first detected in southern Africa. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-30/rwanda-joins-few-african-nations-offering-covid-vaccine-boosters 30th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

The Guardian Germanys chancellortobe Olaf Scholz supports making vaccination against Covid19 mandatory German media have reported as neighbouring Austria is debating how to enforce obligatory jabs from February. Scholz a Social Democrat who is expected to be sworn in as Angela Merkels successor in the coming week reportedly told a meeting of regional leaders he was in favour of a crossparty initiative to make vaccines mandatory as well as requiring customers at nonessential stores to show proof of vaccination or recovery from the virus. As a delegate I would certainly vote in favour to make that very clear Der Spiegel reported Scholz as saying. The outgoing finance minister proposed a general vaccine mandate coming into effect from the end of February by which everyone should have had a theoretical chance to receive two doses of vaccine of their own accord. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/30/austria-pushes-on-with-plan-for-mandatory-covid-vaccines 30th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

CNN Earlier this month Austria took a step once unthinkable for a Western democracy It announced that Covid19 vaccinations would become compulsory for its entire population. Up until then governments around the world had rejected the idea of a universal coronavirus vaccine mandate opting instead for incentives and other nudges to motivate people to get shots. Even in authoritarian states like China it is not mandatory policy. Austrias extraordinary move came just days after it introduced a lockdown for the unvaccinated a restriction that went farther than other European nations in singling out the people who have been driving a worrying surge in hospitalizations. https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/30/europe/covid-vaccine-mandates-austria-europe-cmd-intl/index.html 30th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Germanys federal and regional governments agreed on Tuesday to take action to counter a fourth wave of COVID19 including stepping up the vaccination campaign and restricting contact especially for unvaccinated people. Facing a surge in cases over the last few weeks and warnings from virologists that exponential growth rates would overload hospitals outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel held video talks with her successor Olaf Scholz and regional leaders. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/rise-german-covid-19-infections-flattens-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Al Jazeera English on MSN.com The United Kingdom and wealthy European nations are in a panic. Unsurprisingly hoarding huge swaths of the global vaccine supply has enabled the emergence of dangerous new variants of COVID19. And once again rich countries are punishing the victims of global vaccine inequality by slamming shut the borders to anyone from southern African nations. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/omicron-vaccine-nationalism-will-only-perpetuate-the-pandemic/ar-AARdZcb 30th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Aljazeera.com The COVID19 crisis and measures taken by states to mitigate prevent and contain the spread of the virus have had an immeasurable impact on lives and livelihoods of the nearly eight billion people on the planet. The pandemic and many state responses have brought on what the United Nations SecretaryGeneral Antnio Guterres has described as a parallel pandemic of human rights abuses and the exacerbation of poverty and inequality worldwide. The World Health Organization has called on governments to place human rights at the heart of their pandemic responses including by ensuring universal access to COVID19 vaccines therapeutics and health technologies. They are globally understood as public health goods and access to them is part of the human right to health. https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/11/30/rich-countries-must-stop-blocking-the-covid-vaccine-patent-waiver 30th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

The Associated Press The emergence of the new omicron variant and the worlds desperate and likely futile attempts to keep it at bay are reminders of what scientists have warned for months The coronavirus will thrive as long as vast parts of the world lack vaccines. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-omicron-variant-inequality-65898ec544463b26ca78ba1e696edf19 30th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters New mask mandates and other measures aimed at curbing the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant came into force in England on Tuesday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson eyes an expanded booster programme to help increase protection against COVID19. From Tuesday morning face masks are compulsory on transport and in shops banks and hair salons. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/mask-mandates-tackle-omicron-come-into-force-england-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters The global vaccinesharing network COVAX has set aside 4.73 million doses of AstraZeneca Plcs COVID19 shot for shipment to North Korea one of the very few countries that havent started vaccination according to its allocation plan. The plan follows an earlier offer for nearly two million doses of the shot that the reclusive state had rejected due to concerns over side effects according to a South Korean thinktank https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/covax-allocates-47-mln-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-doses-nkorea-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters India stands ready to expeditiously send more COVID19 vaccine to Africa to help fight the Omicron variant New Delhi said late on Monday after China pledged 1 billion doses to the continent. India and China have close ties with many African countries but Beijing has pumped much more money into the region and on Monday promised to invest another 10 billion https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-promises-more-covid-19-shots-omicron-hit-africa-after-chinese-move-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC said on Monday everyone aged 18 years and older should get a booster shot as it looks to tackle a new and highly infectious strain of the coronavirus that is quickly spreading across the globe. The update comes after President Joe Biden on Monday called for wider vaccination to curb the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant which was first detected in southern Africa. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-cdc-says-all-adults-18-over-should-get-covid-19-booster-shots-2021-11-29/ 30th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters UK Britain will offer a COVID19 booster shot to all adults in a bid to accelerate its vaccination programme amid concern over the new Omicron coronavirus variant as eight more cases were found in the country. Britain as a whole has reported 11 cases of the new variant which the World Health Organization said on Monday was likely to spread internationally and posed a very high risk of infection surges https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/britain-unveil-new-booster-guidance-omicron-variant-spreads-2021-11-29/ 30th Nov 2021

Partisan Exits

The Guardian Argument aside it was a great gettogether. John was on really good funny form says Jenny. They went for dinner at a Turkish restaurant and played darts in the garden. John scored a bullseye with his eyes closed and bragged about it all weekend. There was only one other difficult moment when the family went to a local health club. John refused to wear a mask. The twins had a fight in reception. I said John put your face mask on Jenny remembers. He said You arent my mother dont tell me what to do. John eventually acquiesced then made another easy joke. They went swimming and played tennis and forgot about it. A perfect weekend then. Twins enjoying each others company after the enforced separation of the pandemic. Neither had any idea it would be their last time together. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/nov/30/life-tragic-death-john-eyers-fitness-fanatic-who-refused-covid-vaccine 30th Nov 2021

Partisan Exits

Sky News Families who have lost loved ones to coronavirus believed the public inquiry into pandemic should examine the alleged mishandling of the crisis by the NHS 111 service. The COVID19 Bereaved Families for Justice group said the role of the telephone advice service in the early days of the crisis was to alleviate the burden on the NHS with horrific consequences. Despite an extra 700 call handlers being added the service was swamped as the first wave hit and operators were making life and death decisions with just 10 weeks of training it argued. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-public-inquiry-should-examine-mishandling-by-nhs-111-service-during-first-wave-of-pandemic-12482565 30th Nov 2021

Partisan Exits

The Independent A vegan man who rejected the Covid19 vaccine citing concerns about animal cruelty died regretting his decision his wife said. Glynn Steel begged for the vaccine his wife Emma Steel said before he was shifted to life support. But by then it was too late for the vaccine to be effective on him she said. The last thing Glynn Steel said to me was I have never felt so ill I wish that I had the vaccine Ms Steel who is doublevaccinated told The Sun. https://www.independent.co.uk/world/vegan-covid-vaccine-animal-testing-b1966574.html 30th Nov 2021

Partisan Exits

The Associated Press A rebel Russian monk who castigated the Kremlin and denied that the coronavirus existed was convicted Tuesday on accusations of encouraging suicides and given a 3year prison sentence. The monk Father Sergiy was arrested in December 2020 on charges of inciting suicidal actions through sermons in which he urged believers to die for Russia breaching the freedom of conscience and making arbitrary moves. He rejected the accusations and his lawyers said they would appeal Tuesdays ruling by Moscows Ismailovo District Court. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-europe-suicides-moscow-1fb9bd30f4b1209e07bd61471f16d822 30th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian As new cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant are uncovered across the globe and threaten to spread in America US officials are reacting by urging vaccinations and boosters instead of imposing restrictions which have increasingly provoked political fights. But the US should quickly invest in other tools as well experts said including testing genomic sequencing and surveillance better communication and a strong focus on global vaccine equity to prevent the emergence of new variants. All of that would prepare America better to deal with a variant that many experts suspect is probably already inside the country even if undetected so far. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/30/testing-vaccines-sequencing-omricon-experts 30th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The United Arab Emirates has approved Russias Sputnik Light vaccine as a universal booster shot against COVID19 Russian sovereign wealth fund RDIF said on Tuesday. The Russian Direct Investment Fund which markets the vaccine abroad said Sputnik Light can be administered six months after the second dose of any other vaccine used in the United Arab Emirates. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/uae-approves-sputnik-light-universal-booster-shot-against-covid-19-rdif-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Becton Dickinson and Co BDX.N said on Tuesday it was confident that its COVID19 tests would be able to detect the new coronavirus variant Omicron. The company sells a variety of tests for COVID19 including antigen and PCR tests. In October it started shipping athome rapid COVID19 tests in the United States that can confirm results using an entirely automated smartphone app. Becton also said it had conducted analyses of the variant using all available genome sequences from the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data GISAID the largest database of novel coronavirus genome sequences in the world. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/becton-says-confident-its-covid-19-tests-will-detect-omicron-variant-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Incs COVID19 antibody drug could be less effective against Omicron it said on Tuesday adding to fears about the efficacy of existing treatments after Modernas top boss raised similar concerns about the companys vaccine. Global markets tumbled after comments from Modernas chief executive officer rekindled worries that the variant may weigh on a nascent global economic recovery. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/regeneron-says-covid-19-drug-could-be-less-effective-against-omicron-variant-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Aljazeera.com Five million lives worldwide have already been lost to COVID19 and the World Health Organization Access to COVID19 Tools Accelerator WHOACTA grimly predict five million more lives will be lost to the disease in months to come. Alarmingly also COVID19 cases will swell from the 260 million confirmed so far to 460 million by the end of 2022. The damage from COVID19 has been so catastrophic that when the World Health Assembly WHA meets in a special session starting November 29 its task is nothing less than preventing such a tragedy from reoccurring. The damage from COVID19 has been so ruinous that we now need an internationally binding agreement to prevent future outbreaks from ever becoming pandemics again. https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/11/27/it-is-high-time-we-start-preparing-for-future-pandemics 30th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Pfizer Inc now expects to manufacture 80 million treatment courses of its experimental COVID19 antiviral drug up from a previous forecast of 50 million Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla said in a CNBC interview on Monday. Earlier this month Pfizer said it expects to manufacture 180000 treatment courses by the end of this year and at least 50 million courses by the end of next year including 21 million in the first half of 2022. We can right now commit to 80 million doses ... thanks to our manufacturing machine Bourla told CNBC. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/pfizer-expects-produce-80-mln-courses-covid-19-antiviral-pill-cnbc-reporter-2021-11-29/ 30th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The EU drug regulator said on Tuesday it could approve vaccines adapted to target the Omicron variant of the coronavirus within three to four months if needed but that existing shots would continue to provide protection. Speaking to the European Parliament European Medicines Agency EMA executive director Emer Cooke said it was not known if drugmakers would need to tweak their vaccines to protect against Omicron but the EMA was preparing for that possibility. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/eu-drug-watchdog-chief-could-approve-covid-19-shot-against-new-variant-3-4-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters A panel of expert advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday narrowly voted to recommend the agency authorize Merck Cos antiviral pill to treat COVID19. If the FDA authorizes the drug it would be the first athome treatment for the virus nearly two years into the pandemic. The authorization would likely be limited to patients at high risk of developing severe disease although the exact population would be defined by the agency. Merck published data last week suggesting the drug was significantly less effective than previously thought reducing hospitalizations and deaths in its clinical trial of highrisk individuals by around 30. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-fda-panel-weigh-mercks-covid-19-antiviral-drug-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters BioNTech Moderna and Johnson Johnson are working on vaccines that specifically target Omicron in case their existing shots are not effective against the new coronavirus variant the companies said on Monday. The variants emergence has triggered a strong global response as countries worried that it could spread fast even in vaccinated populations impose travel curbs and other restrictions. BioNTech SE said it had started work on a vaccine tailored to Omicron along with partner Pfizer https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/moderna-can-take-months-ship-omicron-specific-vaccine-ceo-says-cnbc-2021-11-29/ 30th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Reinfections with the virus that causes COVID19 are rarely severe new findings suggest. Researchers in Qatar compared 1304 individuals with a second SARSCoV2 infection with 6520 people infected with the virus for the first time. The odds of developing severe disease were 88 lower for people with second infections the researchers reported online on Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/covid-19-reinfection-less-likely-be-severe-cardiac-stress-test-useful-2021-11-29/ 30th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters South Korean biotech company Celltrions distribution arm has signed supply deals for its monoclonal antibody to treat COVID19 with nine European countries Celltrion Healthcare said on Tuesday. The European Commission earlier this month approved the companys antibody therapy Regkirona granting marketing authorisation for adults with COVID19 who are at increased risk of progressing to a severe condition. The first batch of 50000 doses will be shipped to Europe this year and the company is in talks with 47 other nations including in Asia Central and South America and the Middle East Celltrion said in a statement. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/celltrion-signs-covid-19-antibody-therapy-supply-deals-with-europe-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press The World Health Organization warned Monday that the global risk from the omicron variant is very high based on the early evidence saying the mutated coronavirus could lead to surges with severe consequences. The assessment from the U.N. health agency contained in a technical paper issued to member states amounted to WHOs strongest most explicit warning yet about the new version that was first identified days ago by researchers in South Africa. It came as a widening circle of countries around the world reported cases of the variant and moved to slam their doors in an actnowaskquestionslater approach while scientists race to figure out just how dangerous the mutant version might be. Japan announced it is barring entry to all foreign visitors joining Israel in doing so. Morocco banned all incoming flights. Other countries including the U.S. and members of the European Union have moved to prohibit travelers arriving from southern Africa. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-omicron-variant-covid-restrictions-82e53a7a17d1a4c30031065d389bda37 30th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press After a slow start the United States has improved its surveillance system for tracking new coronavirus variants such as omicron boosting its capacity by tens of thousands of samples per week since early this year. Viruses mutate constantly. To find and track new versions of the coronavirus scientists analyze the genetic makeup of a portion of samples that test positive. Theyre looking at the chemical letters of the viruss genetic code to find new worrisome mutants such as omicron and to follow the spread of known variants such as delta. Its a global effort but until recently the U.S. was contributing very little. With uncoordinated and scattershot testing the U.S. was sequencing fewer than 1 of positive specimens earlier this year. Now it is running those tests on 5 to 10 of samples. Thats more in line with what other nations have sequenced and shared with global disease trackers over the course of the pandemic. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-united-states-ef0b9a54e62a8617a84549a44f0b5c56 30th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press A panel of U.S. health advisers on Tuesday narrowly backed a closely watched COVID19 pill from Merck setting the stage for a likely authorization of the first drug that Americans could take at home to treat the coronavirus. The Food and Drug Administration panel voted 1310 that the antiviral drugs benefits outweigh its risks including potential birth defects if used during pregnancy. I see this as an incredibly difficult decision with many more questions than answers said panel chair Dr. Lindsey Baden of Harvard Medical School who voted in favor of the drug. He said FDA would have to carefully tailor the drugs use for patients who stand to benefit most. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-medication-6932faff66f9295417b2b1f5e02a2165 30th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Sky News Boris Johnson has urged people not to cancel Christmas parties or school nativity plays despite a health chief encouraging Britons to cut back on unnecessary socialising ahead of the festive season. Dr Jenny Harries chief executive of the UKs Health Security Agency UKHSA said everyone can do their bit by reducing the number of social contacts they have and by not socialising when we dont particularly need to. But the PM rejected Dr Harries call insisting that he had already put in place a package of balanced and proportionate measures in response to the threat posed by the new Omicron variant. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-dont-socialise-unless-necessary-to-help-slow-omicron-variant-spread-says-uk-health-chief-12483022 30th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Munster have nine new COVID19 cases in their camp in South Africa the Irish rugby team said on Tuesday taking the total count to 10. Both staff and players have tested positive and will quarantine in a hotel in Cape Town joining the first player who returned a positive test on Sunday. Welsh side Cardiff also said they had two positive cases over the weekend. Munster did not say if any of the positive tests were for the new Omicron variant of the virus which was first detected in southern Africa. https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/nine-more-munster-test-positive-covid-19-south-africa-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Fortytwo cases of the COVID19 Omicron variant have been confirmed in 10 European Union countries the head of the EUs public health agency said on Tuesday. Authorities in the 27nation EU were analysing another six probable cases Andrea Ammon who chairs the European Centre for Disease prevention and Control ECDC told an online conference organised by the EUs Slovenian presidency. She said the confirmed cases were mild or without symptoms although in younger age groups. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/forty-two-cases-covid-19-omicron-variant-confirmed-10-eu-states-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Germanys federal and regional governments agreed on Tuesday to take action to counter a fourth wave of COVID19 including stepping up the vaccination campaign and restricting contact especially for unvaccinated people. Facing a surge in cases over the last few weeks and warnings from virologists that exponential growth rates would overload hospitals outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel held video talks with her successor Olaf Scholz and regional leaders. There is agreement that the fourth wave has led to an extremely serious in some regions dramatic situation in our healthcare system to which federal and state governments will respond jointly and decisively said government spokesman Steffen Seibert. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/rise-german-covid-19-infections-flattens-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Aljazeera.com The Omicron coronavirus variant has been detected in at least 19 countries since November 24. On Monday the World Health Organization WHO warned that the global risk from the spread of Omicron was very high and urged 194 member nations to speed the delivery of vaccinations to highrisk groups. No Omicronlinked deaths have yet been reported though further research is needed to assess its potential to escape protection against immunity induced by vaccines and previous infections the WHO added. The map below highlights the countries that have reported Omicron cases. The map will be updated as more information becomes available https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/30/map-tracking-the-omicron-variant-interactive 30th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Associated Press Japan and France confirmed their first cases of the new variant of the coronavirus on Tuesday as countries around the world scrambled to close their doors or find ways to limit its spread while scientists study how damaging it might be. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-oceans-mozambique-08b63b7e889463b1627623da26a86da4 30th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Spain has detected its first case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in a 51yearold man who arrived from South Africa on Sunday after a layover in Amsterdam Madrids regional health authority said on Monday as Spains overall infection rate rose. The microbiology unit at Madrids Gregorio Maranon hospital which sequenced and confirmed the new variant added in a separate post on Twitter that the patient was in fair condition with mild symptoms. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spain-detects-first-omicron-case-covid-19-2021-11-29/ 30th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Germanys federal and regional governments agreed on Tuesday to take action to counter a fourth wave of COVID19 including stepping up the vaccination campaign and restricting contact especially for unvaccinated people. Facing a surge in cases over the last few weeks and warnings from virologists that exponential growth rates would overload hospitals outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel held video talks with her successor Olaf Scholz and regional leaders. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/rise-german-covid-19-infections-flattens-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters France registered its biggest jump in coronavirusrelated hospital admissions since the spring health ministry data showed on Monday. The number of patients in intensive care units with COVID19 jumped by 117 to 1749 people the biggest increase since MarchApril when the ICU number rose by more than 100 per day on several days. The number of people in hospital with the virus jumped by 470 to 9860 the biggest oneday increase since March 29. Compared with a week ago the number of COVID19 patients was up more than 18 the biggest weekonweek increase this year. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-registers-biggest-jump-covid-19-hospital-patients-since-spring-2021-11-29/ 30th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Norwegians should wear face masks on crowded public transport in shopping malls and in taxis following a record surge in coronavirus infections Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said on Tuesday. He stopped short of issuing mask mandates as called for by some municipalities urging instead an accelerated drive to give booster shots to all adults. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/norwegians-should-wear-face-masks-crowded-places-pm-says-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters There was a fall in world share markets and scramble to safer currencies and bonds on Tuesday after the CEO of drugmaker Moderna warned that COVID19 vaccines are unlikely to be as effective against the new Omicron variant. Europes main bourses jolted 1.4 lower early on oil shed 3 Australias currency which is highly sensitive to global economic confidence hit a year low while Japans safehaven yen German government bonds and gold all rose. https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/global-markets-wrapup-2-2021-11-30/ 30th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Australian authorities on Tuesday confirmed a person with COVID19 had the new Omicron variant after disclosing that the person had been active in the community but urged calm as they weighed up the severity of the strain. The fully vaccinated person visited a busy shopping centre in Sydney while likely infectious officials said. All passengers in the persons flight were asked to selfisolate for 14 days regardless of their vaccination status. The additional case brings Australias total number of infections with the new variant to six. But it is the first case where the person appeared to be active in the community. All other cases have been in quarantine and are asymptomatic or display very mild symptoms. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-national-cabinet-meet-amid-omicron-worries-2021-11-29/ 30th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Associated Press The Netherlands RIVM health institute disclosed that patient samples dating from Nov. 19 and 23 were found to contain the variant. It was on Nov. 24 that South African authorities reported the existence of the highly mutated virus to the World Health Organization. That indicates omicron had a bigger head start in the Netherlands than previously believed. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-oceans-mozambique-08b63b7e889463b1627623da26a86da4 30th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Associated Press Brazil and Japan joined the rapidly widening circle of countries to report cases of the omicron variant Tuesday while new findings indicate the mutant coronavirus was already in Europe close to a week before South Africa sounded the alarm. The Netherlands RIVM health institute disclosed that patient samples dating from Nov. 19 and 23 were found to contain the variant. It was on Nov. 24 that South African authorities reported the existence of the highly mutated virus to the World Health Organization. That indicates omicron had a bigger head start in the Netherlands than previously believed. Together with the cases in Japan and Brazil the finding illustrates the difficulty in containing the virus in an age of jet travel and economic globalization. And it left the world once again whipsawed between hopes of returning to normal and fears that the worst is yet to come. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-oceans-mozambique-08b63b7e889463b1627623da26a86da4 30th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

The New York Times The gap in Covids death toll between red and blue America has grown faster over the past month than at any previous point. In October 25 out of every 100000 residents of heavily Trump counties died from Covid more than three times higher than the rate in heavily Biden counties 7.8 per 100000. October was the fifth consecutive month that the percentage gap between the death rates in Trump counties and Biden counties widened. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/08/briefing/covid-death-toll-red-america.html 30th Nov 2021