5th Jan 2022 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=570 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Germany needs to offer booster shots to an additional 15 million people to slow the spread of the Omicron strain and hopefully avoid a rush on intensive care units its health minister said in remarks published on Wednesday. Karl Lauterbach told the RND group of newspapers that modelling by the Robert Koch Institute for public health showed that more than 80 of people who have already received two vaccination shots against the coronavirus would need a third. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-needs-15-million-additional-boosters-slow-omicron-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Wall Street Journal A week and a half into one of the biggest pandemic lockdowns in China residents of Xian voiced desperation online about challenges in getting food and medical care. Chinas Covid19 count remains low in comparison with other countries hovering at around 100 a day. In the past few days about 90 of cases have been in Xian the city of terracottawarrior fame in Chinas northwest which has confirmed 1758 total Covid19 infections since Dec. 9 a high number for China. Most of the cases have been mild officials said. No deaths related to Covid19 have been reported anywhere in China in the past 11 months including Xian. https://www.wsj.com/articles/lockdown-of-chinese-city-leave-13-million-stranded-11641314909 4th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg The World Health Organization said a coronavirus variant found in France hasnt become much of a threat since it was first identified in November. The variant has been on our radar Abdi Mahamud a WHO incident manager on Covid said at a press briefing in Geneva on Tuesday. That virus had a lot of chances to pick up. The variant was identified in 12 people in the southern Alps around the same time that omicron was discovered in South Africa last year. The latter mutation has since traveled the globe and kindled record levels of contagion unlike the French one that researchers at the IHU Mediterranee Infection helmed by scientist Didier Raoult nicknamed IHU. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-04/who-official-downplays-coronavirus-variant-found-in-france-ky08hmpe 4th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Covid19 cases are surging in India. Still Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his political opponents are on the campaign trail. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party plans the biggest ever political rally in the northern state of Punjab which is also under a range of virus curbs. As many as 300000 people are expected at Wednesdays gathering organizers told local media. Meanwhile the capital New Delhi is under a strict nighttime and weekend curfew. Its Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who belongs to a rival party and is just back from a heavy few days of campaigning across the north announced on Tuesday hed tested positive for the virus. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-01-04/india-s-political-parties-campaign-on-with-huge-rallies-despite-omicron 4th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters French government officials on Tuesday vowed to enact by midJanuary as planned a law to block unvaccinated people from hospitality venues despite the legislation hitting a procedural hitch in parliament overnight. January 15 remains our goal for the law coming into force European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune told LCI television. Until now France has enforced a COVID19 health pass which means in order to get into restaurants cafes or cinemas or board trains people need to either show a fresh negative test or proof of vaccination. The legislation will remove the option of showing a negative test effectively barring unvaccinated people from hospitality venues or trains. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/frances-lower-house-suspends-review-covid-19-vaccine-pass-bill-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters A South Korean court ordered that private educational facilities including cram schools should be temporarily excluded from government COVID19 vaccine pass mandates the health ministry said on Tuesday. The injunction is one of the first legal obstacles to South Koreas vaccine mandates which require passes or testing for entry to facilities including restaurants cafes gyms and bars as well as privatelyrun schools. A Seoul administrative court ruled that the mandate at private education facilities such as tuition centres libraries and study cafes should be blocked while it considers a legal challenge filed against the Ministry of Health by federations of private education and parents groups the ministry said. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/skorea-court-bars-plan-private-education-covid-19-vaccine-pass-yonhap-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

iNews The Government continues to insist that no further Covid restrictions are needed in England with Vaccines Minister Maggie Throup saying Plan B is working. She cited the number of Covid hospitalisations as evidence the current measures are sufficient. Plan B is working as you can see from a number of hospitalisations its far far fewer than this time last year she said. https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/covid-plan-b-is-working-vaccines-minister-maggie-throup-hospitals-declare-criticial-incident-1381279 4th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

The Guardian Israel has become the first country in the world to embark on a fourth Covid19 vaccination campaign as part of efforts to stem rapidly rising infection rates caused by the Omicron variant. People over the age of 60 and healthcare workers who received their third shot more than four months ago became eligible for a second booster of PfizerBioNTech on Monday after a limited rollout began last week for elderly people and those with compromised immune systems. Officials had previously said they would wait for more data on the efficacy of a fourth shot before making it more widely available. The Israeli health ministry said on Tuesday however that even though it believes the threat posed by Omicron is minimal it had been forced to act more quickly in the face of skyrocketing infection rates. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/04/israel-embarks-on-fourth-covid-vaccination-campaign 4th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

The Independent Parents can now register children aged five to 11 for Covid19 vaccines with the rollout set to begin imminently. Registration can be done online and parents will receive a text message confirming their appointment. The HSE has urged the public to consider bringing their children forward for vaccination. Clinical trials showed that this vaccine was highly effective at preventing Covid19 in children a statement said. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/hse-registration-children-pfizer-james-ward-b1985852.html 4th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

The Independent The Covid19 testing system in Ireland is expected to remain under major pressure in the coming days a senior health official has said. The comment comes as one teaching union has called for a rethink on the full reopening of schools ahead of a meeting with Education Minister Norma Foley. The Governments party leaders will on Tuesday discuss the ongoing Covid19 situation. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/omicron-tui-government-green-party-b1986324.html 4th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday said that England could withstand a surge in COVID19 infections without shutting down the economy as Britain reported another record daily high in cases fuelled by the Omicron variant. Johnson has resisted imposing stringent lockdown measures in England betting that a vaccine booster drive and caution among the population would be enough to constrain the latest wave. The United Kingdom reported 218724 new COVID cases on Tuesday a new record for the number of cases reported on a single day although a figure that also was skewed by reporting lags over the holidays. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/covid-patients-showing-less-severe-symptoms-uk-vaccine-minister-says-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters The Netherlands under a strict COVID19 lockdown for the past two weeks will reopen primary and secondary schools on Jan. 10 despite coronavirus infections remaining high the government announced on Monday. The government stressed that hospital admissions were down considerably since the country went into a lockdown in December which included schools closing a week earlier than planned for winter holidays. This is good news for students and its important for their development and their mental wellbeing that they can go to school Education Minister Arie Slob said at a press conference. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/dutch-reopen-schools-despite-high-infection-rates-2022-01-03/ 4th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Australias government said the milder impact of the Omicron strain of COVID19 meant the country could push ahead with plans to reopen the economy even as new infections hit a record of more than 37000 and the number of people hospitalised rose. Record daily case numbers were reported on Monday in the states of Victoria Queensland South Australia and Tasmania as well as the Australian Capital Territory. In New South Wales there were 20794 cases higher than Sundays figure but below the daily record of 22577 set on Saturday with testing numbers lower over the New Years holiday weekend. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/australia-push-ahead-with-reopening-amid-record-covid-19-cases-2022-01-03/ 4th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters The British government has asked public sector managers to test their contingency plans against a worstcase scenario of 25 staff absence as part of efforts to minimise disruption from the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID19. With daily infection numbers at a record high and people who test positive required to selfisolate for at least seven days the government expects businesses and public services to face disruption in the coming weeks it said in a statement. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-government-seeks-mitigate-workforce-disruption-omicron-2022-01-01/ 4th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg France hit another record in Covid19 infections on Tuesday as President Emmanuel Macron tries to contain the fastspreading omicron variant without imposing a lockdown. Daily Covid19 cases totaled 271686 according to data from the public health office topping the 232200 infections logged on Friday. The country reported an additional 351 deaths. The coronavirus surge has become a headache for Macron four months before the presidential election. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-04/france-hits-another-covid-infection-record-as-cases-top-270-000 4th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

The Wall Street Journal Early data from Israel suggests a fourth dose of the Covid19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE will provide safe and effective protection against infection and severe illness for those with waning immunity. There was a fivefold increase in antibodies of individuals one week after they got their fourth shot according to data from Israels Sheba Medical Center which provided the dose to 154 medical workers of various ages. The personnel who took part in the trial had taken a third shot by Aug. 20 and their tests showed they lacked sufficient antibodies for good protection. The findings were announced on Tuesday by Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett during a visit to the medical center located in central Israel. https://www.wsj.com/articles/fourth-pfizer-dose-spurs-sharp-jump-in-antibodies-early-results-from-israel-show-11641322072 4th Jan 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters A federal judge on Monday barred the U.S. Department of Defense from punishing a group of Navy SEALs and other special forces members who refused COVID19 vaccines on religious grounds. U.S. District Judge Reed OConnor acting in response to a lawsuit filed on behalf of 35 special forces service members issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Navy and Defense Department from enforcing the mandate. Reed who was appointed to the federal bench in Texas by President George W. Bush said the Navy had not granted a single religious exemption to the vaccine rule. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-judge-blocks-pentagon-punishing-navy-seals-who-refused-covid-19-vaccine-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

Partisan Exits

The Wall Street Journal Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sued the Biden administration Tuesday seeking to halt a requirement that National Guard members be vaccinated against Covid19. Earlier in the day Mr. Abbott sent a letter to the Texas Military Department ordering it not to force Texas Guardsmen to receive vaccines. Unless President Biden federalizes the Texas National Guardhe is not your commanderinchief the letter said. I will not tolerate efforts to compel receipt of a Covid19 vaccine. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III ordered in August that all service members be vaccinated for Covid19 saying that healthy forces are necessary for a national defense. https://www.wsj.com/articles/texas-sues-u-s-to-block-vaccine-requirement-for-national-guard-11641340383 4th Jan 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters Students at Spanish schools and universities will return to class inperson when the new term begins on Jan. 10 the Health Minister said on Tuesday ending speculation that record COVID19 infections might trigger a return to distance learning. Cases have hit new highs since the highly contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus was detected. Omicron accounted for around 43 of cases in the week before Christmas Spanish health authorities said on Monday. The nationwide infection rate as measured over the past 14 days rose to a new record of 2433 cases per 100000 people on Tuesday a more than 10fold increase since the beginning of December https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spanish-students-go-back-school-after-christmas-break-despite-omicron-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

Partisan Exits

Bloomberg Boris Johnson said the U.K. can weather a record wave of Covid19 sweeping the country without tighter restrictions even as he warned the National Health Service is under growing strain. A record 218724 new cases of the virus were reported on Tuesday driven by the fastspreading omicron variant and the prime minister warned that the weeks ahead will be challenging for the U.K. But he also said that the countrys booster vaccination program and the rules in place since before Christmas appear sufficient for now. We have a good chance of getting through the omicron wave without the need for further restrictions and certainly without the need for another lockdown he said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-04/johnson-says-u-k-can-ride-out-covid-wave-without-tighter-rules 4th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press Why are so many vaccinated people getting COVID19 lately A couple of factors are at play starting with the emergence of the highly contagious omicron variant. Omicron is more likely to infect people even if it doesnt make them very sick and its surge coincided with the holiday travel season in many places. People might mistakenly think the COVID19 vaccines will completely block infection but the shots are mainly designed to prevent severe illness says Louis Mansky a virus researcher at the University of Minnesota. And the vaccines are still doing their job on that front particularly for people whove gotten boosters. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-travel-coronavirus-vaccine-69b19dcb2cf9527e22083e9547d70228 4th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Wales Online Experts on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation JCVI will be considering whether to expand the Covid jabs programme to all primaryage school children as part of their work the Prime Ministers official spokesman said. The PfizerBioNTech coronavirus vaccine was approved for use in vulnerable primary school children in December. The JCVI updated its advice after the UKs Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency MHRA approved the jab for five to 11yearolds following a robust review of safety data. The Prime Ministers spokesman said Obviously this is something the JCVI would keep under constant review. They only relatively recently made that decision to move to vulnerable children. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/jcvi-consider-expanding-covid-vaccine-22640326 4th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Independent A Covid vaccine booster aimed at tackling multiple variants shows promise in inducing a comprehensive immune response early data suggests. The first results of a phase one trial launched in Manchester in September 2021 reveal the jab has strong levels of neutralising antibodies. They are similar to approved mRNA vaccines like Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna but at up to a 10fold lower dose in the first 10 individuals the research indicates. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/nhs-england-data-manchester-covid-moderna-b1986418.html 4th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

iNews A 50second Covid19 test that has been designed for use in schools airports and at entertainment events has been submitted to the UKs medicines regulator for approval i has learned. The testing device which is portable and around the size of a desktopcomputer is able to detect Covid infected particles in saliva samples in under a minute according to creator Kidod Science and Technology. The firm claims it can provide results comparable to a PCR test and that it could be approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency MHRA within weeks. https://inews.co.uk/news/covid-test-50-second-use-schools-travel-airports-uk-regulator-approval-1379701 4th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Sky News Speaking a year on from the first time the AstraZeneca vaccine was administered to a member of the public Professor Sir Andrew Pollard says The worst is absolutely behind us. We just need to get through the winter. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-worst-of-the-pandemic-is-absolutely-behind-us-says-scientist-behind-oxford-astrazeneca-vaccine-12508612 4th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Pharmaphorum The FDA has authorised the first COVID19 booster vaccine for teenagers in the 12 to 15 age group giving the okay for wider use of Pfizer and BioNTechs Comirnaty shot as it tries to keep the Omicron variant under control. The US regulator has also reduced the time between completion of the first two doses of Comirnaty and a third dose to five months from six as a wave of new COVID19 cases caused by Omicron has started washing over the country. Thats still longer than some other countries including the UK which has pared down the time between the second and third doses to three months. The number of new COVID19 cases in the US has doubled in the last few days to an average of around 418000 a day according to Reuters while figures suggest there were more than a million new cases in the country yesterday the highest number recorded since the start of the pandemic. https://pharmaphorum.com/news/fda-clears-pfizer-biontech-covid-booster-for-younger-teens/ 4th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters More evidence is emerging that the Omicron coronavirus variant is affecting the upper respiratory tract causing milder symptoms than previous variants and resulting in a decoupling in some places between soaring case numbers and low death rates a World Health Organization official said on Tuesday. We are seeing more and more studies pointing out that Omicron is infecting the upper part of the body. Unlike other ones the lungs who would be causing severe pneumonia WHO Incident Manager Abdi Mahamud told Genevabased journalists. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/who-sees-more-evidence-that-omicron-affects-upper-respiratory-tract-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters A fourth dose of COVID19 vaccine boosts antibodies fivefold a week after the shot is administered Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Tuesday citing preliminary findings of an Israeli study. A week into the fourth dose we know to a higher degree of certainty that the fourth dose is safe Bennett said at Sheba Medical Center which is giving second booster shots in a trial among its staff amid a nationwide surge in Omicron variant infections. The second piece of news We know that a week after administration of a fourth dose we see a fivefold increase in the number of antibodies in the vaccinated person he told reporters. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-study-finds-fourth-dose-covid-19-vaccine-boosts-antibodies-five-fold-pm-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Australias antitrust regulator said on Tuesday it has contacted suppliers of COVID19 rapid antigen test kits to examine pricing pressures in the market as calls grow louder for the government to make the tests free amid a severe shortage of the kits. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission ACCC said it will review information received from suppliers retailers and the public to determine any potential misconduct. Australia approved more than a dozen rapid antigen test kits and a majority of them are from China. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/australian-regulator-review-price-hike-covid-19-antigen-tests-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review. Coronavirus leaves survivors with selfattacking antibodies Months after recovering from SARSCoV2 infection survivors have elevated levels of antibodies that can mistakenly attack their own organs and tissues even if they had not been severely ill according to new findings. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/virus-leaves-antibodies-that-may-attack-healthy-tissues-b-cell-antibodies-2022-01-03/ 4th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Indian drugmaker Dr Reddys Laboratories Ltd will launch its generic version of Mercks antiviral COVID19 pill molnupiravir and price it at 35 rupees per capsule a company spokesperson said on Tuesday. The overall cost for a patient treated with a 5day course of 40 capsules of the generic drug to be sold under brand name Molflu will come up to 1400 rupees 18.77. In comparison the treatment with Mercks pill in the United States costs 700. Molflu is expected to be available from early next week in pharmacies throughout India with particular focus on states with high caseload of COVID19 the company spokesperson said. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/indias-dr-reddys-launch-generic-covid-19-merck-pill-about-50-cents-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters COVID19 vaccination during pregnancy was not associated with preterm delivery or underweight newborns in a study published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC on Tuesday. Rates of preterm birth were 4.9 among more than 10000 women who received at least one dose of a COVID19 vaccine compared to 7.0 for roughly 36000 unvaccinated women researchers said on Tuesday in The CDCs Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The difference was not deemed to be statistically significant. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/covid-19-vaccination-during-pregnancy-not-linked-complications-birth-us-study-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

CNN More than 103000 people are currently hospitalized with Covid19 the first time the total has reached six figures in nearly four months according to the latest data from the US Department of Health and Human Services. Covid19 hospitalizations reached a record high of more than 142000 about a year ago on January 14 2021 and last topped 100000 on September 11. The total fell to about 45000 hospitalizations in early November but increased steadily since then and surged in the last week. Just last Monday HHS reported 71000 Covid19 hospitalizations. https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/03/health/us-coronavirus-monday/index.html 4th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday the government will expand a vaccine bubble from Feb. 24 to include venues such as gyms cinemas and libraries as the city steps up its fight against the spread of coronavirus. Only vaccinated people would be allowed into those venues. Lam was speaking at a weekly press conference a day after health authorities confirmed a fifth case of Omicron in the local community. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/hong-kong-expand-vaccine-bubble-feb-24-combat-covid-19-spread-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Taiwan President Tsai Ingwen on Tuesday urged vigilance against the spread of the coronavirus after the island detected its first cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant spreading in the community. Taiwan has kept the pandemic well under control because of early and effective prevention including largely closing its borders. Most cases of its cases have been imported from abroad though the island did see an outbreak of domestic infections in the middle of 2021. After months of relative safety Taiwan this week reported its first two cases of the highly transmissible Omicron variant both linked to a quarantine hotel. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-urges-vigilance-after-first-omicron-coronavirus-cases-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters The U.S. Congress is experiencing an unprecedented rise in COVID19 cases with the sevenday positivity rate at a congressional test site surging to 13 from just 1 in late November the Capitols attending physician said on Monday. Most coronavirus infections on Capitol Hill have been occurring among the vaccinated with the Omicron variant representing about 61 and the Delta variant 38 based on a limited sample as of Dec. 15 Dr. Brian Monahan told lawmakers and staff in a Jan. 3 letter. The surge comes as the number of new COVID19 cases in the United States has doubled in the last seven days to an average of 418000 a day according to a Reuters tally. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/covid-19-infections-soar-us-congress-amid-omicron-surge-2022-01-03/ 4th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters The number of new COVID19 infections in Japan rose above 1000 on Tuesday for the first time in three months the Jiji news agency reported. Japan had seen fewer cases in recent months but experts had warned of a potential sixth wave of infections during the winter. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/daily-covid-cases-top-1000-japan-first-time-three-months-jiji-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Sweden set a new daily record for COVID19 cases registering 11507 cases on Dec. 30 health agency data showed on Tuesday as a fourth wave of the virus swept across the country and put healthcare under renewed pressure. The daily infection figures are typically revised up somewhat as any delayed records of additional cases are added to the national total for a given day. The previous record of 11376 cases was set in late December 2020. The fresh wave of COVID19 cases in part driven by the more contagious Omicron variant hit Sweden later than its Nordic neighbours but has in recent weeks resulted in a sharp rise in cases and hospitalisations. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/sweden-sets-new-daily-covid-19-case-record-fourth-wave-mounts-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Australian COVID19 cases soared to a pandemic record on Tuesday as the Omicron variant ripped through most of the country driving up hospitalisation rates as the onceformidable testing regime buckled under lengthy wait times and stock shortages. The country which for a year and half used a system of constant testing contact tracing and lockdowns to squash most outbreaks clocked 47799 new infections up nearly a third on Mondays number which was also a record. Political leaders have pointed to a largely successful if slow vaccination rollout and few deaths relative to new case numbers four on Tuesday. But hospitalisations another closely watched measure are higher than at any other time in the pandemic 1344 in the most populous state New South Wales. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australias-covid-19-cases-surge-hospitalisations-hit-pandemic-high-nsw-2022-01-03/ 4th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters The number of daily COVID19 infections more than doubled in Romania on Tuesday following an easing of restrictions during the winter holidays and officials estimate the fifth wave of the pandemic could see twice as many cases as the previous one. Romania is the European Unions secondleast vaccinated state with roughly 40 of the population fully inoculated amid distrust in state institutions and poor vaccine education. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/romanias-daily-covid-19-infections-double-after-holiday-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Pakistan reported on Monday more than 700 COVID19 cases in a single day its highest tally in two months as authorities warned of a fifth wave of infections and made preparations to try to contain the fastspreading Omicron variant. At least 708 cases in the past 24 hours pushed the positivity ratio to 1.55 the highest since Oct. 24 according to data from the National Command Operation Centre NCOC which is overseeing the pandemic response. There is clear evidence now of a beginning of another COVID wave which has been expected for the last few weeks Asad Umar the minister in charge of supervising antiCOVID19 operations wrote on Twitter. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/pakistan-sees-most-covid-19-cases-two-months-concern-about-omicron-2022-01-03/ 4th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

CIDRAP Ever since it battled a catastrophic COVID19 surge last spring India has been bracing for another round of infections and making preparations. Over the past few days cases have sharply risen but hospitalizations remain low New Delhi health officials said yesterday according to Reuters. Cases had dropped to about 6000 a day but daily totals have risen sharply for 5 days in a row with 33750 reported today with much of the activity from New Delhi and Mumbai. So far the country has reported 1700 Omicron cases. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/01/covid-activity-ramps-india-middle-east 3rd Jan 2022

New Lockdown

Reuters Authorities in Indias capital Delhi on Tuesday ordered people to stay home over coming weekends with COVID19 cases quadrupling in a week. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal the most senior elected official in the capitals administration was one of the 37379 new COVID19 cases reported in India in the space of 24 hours. Kejriwal who announced his infection the day after addressing an election rally without a mask is among scores of political leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding events across India in front of large crowds. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-reports-most-covid-19-cases-since-early-september-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

New Lockdown

Reuters A Chinese city has locked down its 1.1 million residents after reports of new coronavirus cases as officials rushed to contain even small outbreaks just over four weeks before the Winter Olympics begin. The curbs in the city of Yuzhou in the central province of Henan are similar to those imposed for nearly two weeks in the industrial hub of Xian which has become Chinas latest COVID19 epicentre. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/chinas-xian-vows-strict-implementation-covid-curbs-even-cases-decline-2022-01-04/ 4th Jan 2022

New Lockdown

The Associated Press Residents of the Chinese city of Xian are enduring a strict coronavirus lockdown with business owners suffering yet more closures and some people complaining of difficulties finding food despite assurances from authorities that they are able to provide necessities for the 13 million people largely confined to their homes. Stringent measures to stem outbreaks are common in China which still maintains a policy of stamping out every COVID19 case long after many other countries have opted to try to live with the virus. But the lockdown imposed Dec. 23 in Xian is one of the harshest in the country since a shutdown in 2020 in and around Wuhan after the coronavirus was first detected there. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-winter-olympics-sports-health-business-5837199c372d60220ca58408ecd7d9b2 4th Jan 2022