28th Jan 2022 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=590 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Hong Kong will cut quarantine for arriving travellers to 14 days from 21 starting Feb. 5 leader Carrie Lam said on Thursday a move that follows intense lobbying from finance executives and diplomats who said the measure was hurting competitiveness. Tough coronavirus rules have made Hong Kong one of the worlds most isolated cities with flights down as much as 90. Residents returning from more than 160 countries have been required to quarantine for 21 days in designated hotels will now have to spend 14 days in a hotel followed by seven days of selfmonitoring with further details to be announced. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hong-kong-shorten-21-day-quarantine-requirement-arrivals-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Washington Post On Wednesday infections declined to an average of 601302 in the sevenday average and current hospitalization have leveled off to 148710 according to data compiled by The Washington Post. These numbers do not indicate the country has sufficient control a critical point the nation must reach so the virus doesnt dominate our lives Anthony S. Fauci said at a briefing by the White House covid19 task force. Fauci said the nation can still reach some level of normalcy with effective tools referring to vaccinations boosters and antivirals. That is not where we are at this point he said. So we still have a way to go. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/01/26/covid-omicron-variant-live-updates/ 27th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

Sky News Supermarket chains Sainsburys and Waitrose will be asking people to continue to wear a face covering in their stores when restrictions ease in England on Thursday. Mandatory wearing of face masks is being scrapped as part of the lifting of Plan B measures with work from home guidance and COVID passports also being dropped. Sainsburys told Sky News it will continue to have a number of safety measures in its stores in an effort to keep customers and staff safe. Its guidance will also apply to Argos and Habitat stores which are part of the Sainsburys business group. A spokesperson for Sainsburys said Safety remains our highest priority. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-sainsburys-and-waitrose-advise-shoppers-and-staff-to-keep-wearing-face-coverings-12525916 27th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

Sky News North Korea is poised to reopen its borders amid fears its fragile economy is on the brink of collapse following a strict twoyear lockdown. Pyongyang has shown signs it will finally ease tough restrictions as it resumed freight train traffic into neighbouring China last week. Trade between the two nations crucial to North Korea is said to have slumped by 80 in 2020. And it plunged again by twothirds between January and September last year after North Korea sealed off its borders according to South Korean estimates. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-north-korea-set-to-reopen-borders-and-resume-trading-with-china-12526484 27th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

POLITICO Europe Denmark is to lift all remaining COVID19 restrictions with Omicron hospital admissions and deaths remaining stable and high rates of vaccination. Tonight we can ... find the smile again. We have incredibly good news we can now remove the last coronavirus restrictions in Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at a press conference following recommendations from the Epidemic Commission and with all the main political parties support. The last restrictions will be dropped on February 1. The announcement comes as a new subvariant of Omicron BA.2 is gaining a foothold in Denmark and driving infections up with 46000 new COVID19 cases recorded on Wednesday. https://www.politico.eu/article/denmark-becomes-first-eu-country-to-scrap-all-covid-19-restrictions/ 27th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Associated Press As much of the world sees vaccination slowing and infections soaring with the spread of omicron Iran has found a rare if fleeting respite from the anxiety and trauma of the pandemic. After successive virus waves pummeled the country for nearly two years belated mass vaccination under a new hardline president has for a brief moment left the stricken nation with a feeling of apparent safety. Now the specter of an omicronfueled surge looms large. Hospitals are preparing for the worst as infections tick upward after a monthslong lull. But so far the variant has not battered the Islamic Republic as it has many Western countries where most adults got jabs a year ago. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-middle-east-coronavirus-vaccine-tehran-f4c1a4134ff3e3afa42d6dc3d21ee0c0 27th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Atar Sandler arrived in Singapore in 2019 seizing the opportunity to live in a buzzing global city that is also a convenient base to jet off to more exotic locales nearby. But after two years of maskwearing socialising in small groups and travel restrictions to combat the COVID19 pandemic the Israeli human resources professional packed her bags for New York with her husband and children this month. Its been like this for so long. And it doesnt feel like anythings going to change here said Sandler. https://www.reuters.com/world/the-great-reboot/singapore-shrinks-covid-takes-shine-off-expatriate-life-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Finland will begin gradually easing COVID19 restrictions from Feb. 1 instead of midFebruary as initially planned as the burden on its hospitals eases the government said late on Thursday. On Jan. 18 Prime Minister Sanna Marin said Finland would begin scaling back restrictions from midFebruary but signs of stabilization in the infection rate caused by the Omicron variant of the virus led the government to alter its plan. The burden on intensive care units has taken a turn in a better direction Finlands minister for health and social affairs Hanna Sarkkinen told reporters. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/finland-moves-up-planned-easing-covid-restrictions-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Canadian truck drivers determined to shut down central Ottawa over a federal government vaccine mandate rolled across the country toward the capital on Thursday boosted by praise from Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk. The protesters are unhappy that Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus Liberal government has imposed a COVID19 vaccine mandate for crossborder truck drivers. Industry officials say 90 of drivers traversing the U.S. frontier are inoculated but a minority have refused saying the mandate contravenes personal freedom. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/anti-vaccine-canada-truckers-roll-toward-ottawa-praised-by-teslas-musk-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

iNews The official rollout of Covid jabs for vulnerable five to 11yearolds is set to start by next Monday but parents have complained about a lack of information. NHS England told i that the rollout would begin by the end of the month but refused to specify a date. Paediatric doses are still unavailable across Englanddespite the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation JCVI recommending them for vulnerable five to 11yearolds or those living with someone who is immunosuppressed. https://inews.co.uk/news/health/covid-vaccine-5-to-11-year-old-chlidren-start-end-january-parents-information-1424909 27th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters The United States has shipped 400 million COVID19 vaccine doses as part of its earlier pledge to donate about 1.2 billion doses to lowincome countries the White House said on Wednesday. Today we will hit a major milestone in our global effort 400 million vaccine doses shipped to 112 countries ... for free no strings attached White House COVID19 Coordinator Jeff Zients told reporters at a briefing. The latest batch includes 3.2 million doses of the Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE vaccine to Bangladesh and 4.7 million doses to Pakistan CNN reported earlier on Wednesday citing a White House official. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-has-shipped-400-mln-covid-vaccine-doses-worldwide-white-house-2022-01-26/ 27th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Sweden has decided against recommending COVID vaccines for kids aged 511 the Health Agency said on Thursday arguing that the benefits did not outweigh the risks. With the knowledge we have today with a low risk for serious disease for kids we dont see any clear benefit with vaccinating them Health Agency official Britta Bjorkholm told a news conference. She added that the decision could be revisited if the research changed or if a new variant changed the pandemic. Kids in highrisk groups can already get the vaccine. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/sweden-decides-against-recommending-covid-vaccines-kids-aged-5-12-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Beijing has limited the movement of people in more parts of the city even as it reported fewer COVID19 cases on Thursday to lower virus risks just over a week before the Winter Olympic Games begin in the Chinese capital. Beijings Fengtai district said late on Wednesday residents in more areas should not leave their residential compounds for unnecessary reasons and must have a daily COVID test. The district which has reported more local virus cases than others in the current outbreak in Beijing had already locked down some compounds that house tens of thousands of people. Several other city districts have imposed mobility restrictions in certain areas. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/beijing-city-limits-movement-more-areas-curb-covid-cases-before-olympics-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

The Associated Press Health care workers in about half the states face a Thursday deadline to get their first dose of the COVID19 vaccine under a Biden administration mandate that will be rolled out across the rest of the country in the coming weeks. While the requirement is welcomed by some others fear it will worsen already serious staff shortages if employees quit rather than comply. And in some Republicanled states that have taken a stand against vaccine mandates hospitals and nursing homes could find themselves caught between conflicting state and federal demands. We would like to see staff vaccinated. We think that its the safest option for residents which is our biggest concern said Marjorie Moore executive director of VOYCE a St. Louis County Missouri nonprofit that works on behalf of nursing home residents. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-missouri-nursing-homes-23607093639bbbb1862c3a49052379bc 27th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

The Associated Press And like many Wilson has come to believe COVID19 is probably never fully going away. Itll become endemic and well be stuck with it forever he says. Its frustrating but what can you do about it Many Americans agree that theyre going to be stuck with it forever or at the least for a long time. A poll from The Associated PressNORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that few just 15 say theyll consider the pandemic over only when COVID19 is largely eliminated. By contrast 83 say theyll feel the pandemic is over when its largely a mild illness. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-florida-pandemics-3eae1f01412794b152934501f4b2c30f 27th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Chinas zeroCOVID stance has put it at odds with the rest of the world and is exacting a mounting economic toll but an exit strategy remains elusive as authorities worry about the ability of the healthcare system to cope and adapt to new strains. Chinese medical experts believed last year that higher vaccination rates would eventually allow China to relax tough rules on movement and testing as infection rates slow elsewhere. The emergence of the highly transmissible Omicron variant dashed those hopes. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/no-exit-zero-covid-china-struggles-find-policy-off-ramp-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Beijing has limited the movement of people in more parts of the city even as it reported fewer COVID19 cases on Thursday to lower virus risks just over a week before the Winter Olympic Games begin in the Chinese capital. Beijings Fengtai district said late on Wednesday residents in more areas should not leave their residential compounds for unnecessary reasons and must have a daily COVID test. The district which has reported more local virus cases than others in the current outbreak in Beijing had already locked down some compounds that house tens of thousands of people. Several other city districts have imposed mobility restrictions in certain areas. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/beijing-city-limits-movement-more-areas-curb-covid-cases-before-olympics-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

The Associated Press As much of the world sees vaccination slowing and infections soaring with the spread of omicron Iran has found a rare if fleeting respite from the anxiety and trauma of the pandemic. After successive virus waves pummeled the country for nearly two years belated mass vaccination under a new hardline president has for a brief moment left the stricken nation with a feeling of apparent safety. Now the specter of an omicronfueled surge looms large. Hospitals are preparing for the worst as infections tick upward after a monthslong lull. But so far the variant has not battered the Islamic Republic as it has many Western countries where most adults got jabs a year ago. Drastic infection surges among the inoculated from the United States to Russia have revealed the vaccines declining defenses against infection even as its protection against hospitalization and death remains strong. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-middle-east-coronavirus-vaccine-tehran-f4c1a4134ff3e3afa42d6dc3d21ee0c0 27th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

STAT News Boston hospitals denial of a heart transplant to a man who is unvaccinated for Covid19 has generated national attention but experts say mandating vaccines is in keeping with other longstanding requirements that patients have to meet to receive an organ including getting other shots. In this case Brigham and Womens Hospital dropped a 31yearold man named DJ Ferguson from its transplant waitlist his family said. Ferguson was concerned about side effects and the speed with which the vaccines were developed his mother told WCVB. This is not the first such case to make headlines. Last year both the Cleveland Clinic and University of Colorado Hospital refused to perform organ transplants for recipients who hadnt been vaccinated. https://www.statnews.com/2022/01/26/hospitals-are-denying-transplants-for-patients-who-arent-vaccinated-against-covid-with-backing-from-ethicists/ 27th Jan 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters on MSN.com Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday he had gone into isolation for five days after being exposed to someone with COVID19 adding a rapid test result had come back negative. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/canadas-trudeau-in-isolation-after-covid-exposure-says-test-negative/ar-AATcvk8 27th Jan 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters Centenarian Holocaust survivor Margot Friedlaender urged the young generation on Thursday to always remember the Nazi genocide and denounced the use by some antiCOVID vaccination protesters of the yellow star Jews were forced to wear. Today I see the memory of what happened being abused for political reasons sometimes even derided and trampled all over she told EU lawmakers in Brussels at a ceremony marking the 77th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland. Incredulous I had to watch at the age of 100 years how symbols of our exclusion by the Nazis such as the socalled Judenstern are shamelessly used on the open street by the new enemies of democracy to present themselves whilst living in the middle of a democracy as victims Friedlaender added. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/holocaust-survivor-decries-abuse-yellow-star-covid-protests-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022

Partisan Exits

Sky News Holocaust survivors and politicians have warned antisemitism is on the rise as the world reflects on the atrocities committed by the Nazis on the 77th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.. People across the globe are paying their respects to the millions of Jews persecuted at the hands of Hitlers regime on Thursday the annual Holocaust Memorial Day. Followers of all faiths will this evening light a candle to remember all the victims of the genocide as part of many events taking place with some held online due to the pandemic. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-antisemitism-on-the-rise-as-anti-vaxxers-blamed-for-helping-to-fuel-hatred-12526564 27th Jan 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters Protesters against COVID19 measures who liken themselves to Jews under Nazi persecution are stoking global antiSemitism the Israeli government said in a report marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Such Holocaust tropes have become widespread and along with violent demonstrations linked to Israels May war in Gaza were main factors behind physical or online attacks on Jews in Europe and North America last year said the 152page report by the Diaspora Affairs Ministry. Several U.S. and British politicians have in recent months apologised after suggesting vaccine or lockdown policies recalled Hitlers regime. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-sees-holocaust-tropes-covid-protests-fuelling-anti-semitism-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters After an uncomfortable but relatively brief return to coronavirus restrictions triggered by the Omicron variant England is going back to Plan A learning to live with a disease that is probably here to stay. The bet is that booster jabs antiviral pills and Omicrons lower severity will enable the government to manage outbreaks of a virus that cannot be shut out. Other countries equally keen to unshackle business and personal freedom will be watching. Workfromhome guidance ended last week and measures such as mask mandates and COVID passes also introduced in England last month lapsed on Thursday returning the rules to where they were last July. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/omicron-ebbs-england-revives-plan-living-with-covid-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022

Partisan Exits

The Associated Press Current and former staffers have accused the top director of the World Health Organization in the Western Pacific of racist unethical and abusive behavior that has undermined the U.N. health agencys efforts to curb the coronavirus pandemic. The allegations were laid out in an internal complaint filed in October and again in an email last week sent by unidentified concerned WHO staff to senior leadership and the executive board and obtained by the Associated Press. Two of the authors said more than 30 staffers were involved in writing it and that it reflected the experiences of more than 50 people. The internal complaint and the email describe a toxic atmosphere with a culture of systemic bullying and public ridiculing at WHOs Western Pacific headquarters in Manila led by Dr. Takeshi Kasai director of a vast region that includes China and his home country of Japan. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-japan-pandemics-asia-69fe09e70b39e9ee9325778315bd5932 27th Jan 2022

Partisan Exits

The Associated Press A Boston hospital is defending itself after a mans family claimed he was denied a new heart for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID19 saying most transplant programs around the country set similar requirements to improve patients chances of survival. The family of D.J. Ferguson said in a crowdfunding appeal this week that officials at Brigham and Womens Hospital told the 31yearold father of two that he was ineligible for the procedure because he hasnt been vaccinated against the coronavirus. We are literally in a corner right now. This is extremely time sensitive the family said in its fundraising appeal which has raised tens of thousands of dollars. This is not just a political issue. People need to have a choice D.J.s mother Tracey Ferguson insists that her son isnt against vaccinations noting hes had other immunizations in the past. But the trained nurse said Wednesday that hes been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation an irregular and often rapid heart rhythm and that he has concerns about the side effects of the COVID19 vaccine. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-boston-immunizations-heart-transplants-cb0e145c98c8e017f080198d0d15e39c 27th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The European Unions drug regulator on Thursday gave the green light to Pfizer Incs antiviral COVID19 pill for treating adults at risk of severe illness as the region scrambles to boost its arsenal to fight the Omicron variant. The endorsement by the European Medicines Agency EMA for a conditional approval if followed as usual by the European Commission allows EU member states to deploy the drug after the regulator gave guidance for its emergency use late last year. Italy Germany and Belgium are among a handful of EU countries that have bought the drug branded as Paxlovid. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ema-green-lights-pfizers-covid-19-pill-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Irish Times Any menstrual changes after Covid19 vaccination are shortlived and small compared with natural variation in normal cycles according to an assessment of the latest evidence published by the British Medical Journal BMJ. Many women have reported changes to their periods after vaccination. Two new observational studies on the issue provide reassuring data said Dr Victoria Male a reproductive specialist at Imperial College London. The first study drew on data from 3959 Americans who logged at least six consecutive cycles on a tracking app. Of these 2403 were vaccinated while the remainder acted as a control group. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/data-reassuring-on-menstrual-changes-after-covid-19-vaccine-researchers-find-1.4786510 27th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Business Standard People who have both been vaccinated and had Covid19 are less likely to report fatigue and other health problems seen post Covid than unvaccinated people according to a study based in Israel. The study not yet peer reviewed showed that vaccinated people were no more likely to report symptoms than people who have never caught SARSCoV2 Nature reported. https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/vaccination-infection-may-lower-long-covid-19-symptoms-study-122012701464_1.html 27th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

CBC.ca The federal government has trumpeted previous vaccine partnerships with a Chinabased company as one of the reasons why Canada was pinning its hopes on a COVID19 vaccine candidate from China early in the pandemic. But The Fifth Estate has reviewed those partnerships and found that a collaboration with McMaster University in Hamilton stalled years ago and never resulted in an approved vaccine anywhere in the world. That collaboration has been of little benefit to the university or Canada. Instead both the company CanSino Biologics and McMaster are now independently racing to develop similar COVID19 booster vaccines. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/cansino-mcmaster-vaccine-partnership-1.6327254 27th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The BMJ Cuban health officials have said that they will apply for World Health Organization approval for one of the countrys homegrown covid19 vaccines as they announced that they had secured funding to produce 200 million vaccine doses for low income countries. Cubas health regulator CECMED has approved the use of three of the countrys homegrown vaccines which are exported to four countries but none has been yet been approved by WHO.1 That should change this year said Rolando Prez Rodrguez director of science and innovation at Cubas state run pharmaceutical conglomerate BioCubaFarma. We have formally requested the prequalification of one vaccine Abdala Rodriguez told a press conference in Havana on 25 January. We are in the final review of the documents and it should be sent in the following days to the WHO. The application for WHO approval of a second Cuban vaccine Soberana 2 should be sent in the coming weeks and is also expected to gain authorisation for use this year said Dagmar Garca Rivera at the Finlay Institute of Vaccines in Havana. https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj.o230 27th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The BMJ Death rates from covid19 remain higher for most minority ethnic groups compared with people identifying as white British and some of that disparity is because of their lower uptake of vaccinations show data from the Office for National Statistics ONS. Throughout the pandemic covid19 mortality has been higher in most minority ethnic groups compared with white British people. Vah Nafilyan senior statistician at the ONS said As already highlighted in our analyses of earlier periods these differences in mortality are largely explained by sociodemographic and economic factors and health. For the first time we show that the lower vaccination coverage in some ethnic groups also contributes to the elevated risk of covid19 death particularly in the black African and black Caribbean groups. https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj.o233 27th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Pfizer Inc wants to intervene in a Texas federal lawsuit seeking information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration used in licensing the companys COVID19 vaccine a litigation move that plaintiffs who are suing for the data say is premature. Pfizers lawyers at DLA Piper told U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman on Jan. 21 it wanted a role in the proceedings to help the FDA avoid inappropriately disclosing trade secret and confidential commercial information. https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/pfizer-pushes-intervene-lawsuit-seeking-covid-vaccine-information-fda-2022-01-26/ 27th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Booster shots could reduce future hospitalisations in Europe by at least half a million the European Unions public health agency said on Thursday even as the Omicron variant spreads at an unprecedented pace. The current uptake of a booster dose achieved by early January may reduce future Omicron hospital admissions by 500000 800000 in Europe the European Centre for Disease prevention and Control ECDC said. The figures cover the 27nation EU plus Norway Iceland and Liechtenstein. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/booster-shots-could-cut-europes-covid-hospitalisations-by-up-800000-eu-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Al Jazeera English Although most people make a full recovery from a COVID19 infection for some the symptoms can last weeks or even months a condition known as long COVID. According to the World Health Organization WHO long COVID is defined as a condition that occurs in individuals with a history of probable or confirmed SARS CoV2 infection usually three months from the onset of COVID19 with symptoms that last for at least two months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis. It is estimated that up to one in 10 people who get infected with SARSCov2 will suffer symptoms of long COVID which may vary from mild to severe. A study carried out by the University of Washington put the incidence of long COVID even higher showing up to 30 percent of those who tested positive for COVID19 had symptoms months later https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2022/1/27/can-covid-19-vaccines-help-prevent-long-covid 27th 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. mRNA vaccines safe during in vitro fertilization. COVID19 vaccines using mRNA technology do not affect fertility outcomes during invitro fertilization IVF researchers have found. They compared rates of fertilization pregnancy and early miscarriage in IVF patients who had received two doses of the vaccines from Pfizer with BioNTech or Modernaor with those in unvaccinated patients https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/pfizer-moderna-shots-safe-during-vitro-fertilization-healthy-gut-bacteria-may-2022-01-26/ 27th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Moderna Inc said it had started a midstage study testing a booster dose of its COVID19 vaccine specifically designed to target the Omicron coronavirus variant a day after rival Pfizer Inc launched a similar trial. The company said while a third shot of its original coronavirus vaccine increased neutralizing antibodies against the variant at the lower dose their levels declined six months after the booster dose was administered. However neutralizing antibodies remained detectable in all participants Moderna said. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/moderna-starts-trial-testing-omicron-specific-booster-shot-2022-01-26/ 27th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The BA.2 subvariant of the Omicron coronavirus variant which is dominant in Denmark appears more contagious than the more common BA.1 sublineage Danish Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said on Wednesday in a national address. There is no evidence that the BA.2 variant causes more disease but it must be more contagious Heunicke told a news conference. The BA.1 lineage currently accounts for 98 of all cases globally but in Denmark has been pushed aside by BA.2 which became the dominant strain in the second week of January. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ba2-subvariant-omicron-appears-more-contagious-than-ba1-denmark-says-2022-01-26/ 27th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

CIDRAP A prospective metaanalysis of international randomized clinical trials RCTs of convalescent plasma for the treatment of hospitalized COVID19 patients finds no clinical benefit in most cases. Convalescent plasma considered an experimental treatment by the US Food and Drug Administration FDA is donated by COVID19 survivors in the hope that recipients with current infections benefit from the antiSARSCoV2 antibodies. On Dec 28 2021 the FDA restricted the use of convalescent plasma to patients with impaired immune systems. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/01/review-no-role-convalescent-plasma-most-covid-hospital-patients 27th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press South Koreas top infectious disease expert defended the move to expand the use of rapid testing despite accuracy concerns as the country broke its daily coronavirus record for the third straight day. The 14518 confirmed new cases Thursday were 1500 more than Wednesday and about double the cases reported on Monday illustrating a tidal wave of infections driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. The surge which could continue for weeks has left health authorities scrambling to reshape the countrys pandemic response such as treating a larger number of mild cases at home and shortening quarantine periods. Officials are also pushing ahead with a more controversial plan to rewire the testing regime that had been centered around gold standard PCR tests and expand the use of rapid antigen kits that will be made available at public health offices testing stations and pharmacies https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-infectious-diseases-seoul-south-korea-a75cf7e50841db9c2d8e43512533ede0 27th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Germany reported another record number of daily new COVID19 infections on Thursday crossing the 200000 threshold for the first time as the country debates whether to impose compulsory vaccinations. The Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases reported 203136 positive tests in the last 24 hours 69600 cases more than the same day a week ago. The sevenday incidence per 100000 people rose to 1017 from 941 the previous day while another 188 people died bringing the death toll since the start of the pandemic to 117314. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-reports-new-daily-record-covid-19-infections-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Greece will allow music in restaurants and bars again and extend their operating hours as it lifts some of the restrictions imposed last month now that coronavirus infections and the pressure on hospitals are easing authorities said on Thursday. The country last month forced bars nightclubs and restaurants to close at midnight with no standing customers and no music following a surge of cases over the Christmas holidays due to the fastspreading Omicron variant. We have decided to scale back the restrictions taking into consideration the course of the pandemic in terms of cases which have been declining in recent weeks Health Minister Thanos Plevris said in a televised statement. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/greece-allows-music-bars-restaurants-again-covid-cases-ease-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters The number of new COVID19 infections in Germany exceeded 200000 in a day for the first time on Thursday hitting staffing at companies including Lufthansa Cargo. The Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases reported 203136 positive tests in the last 24 hours 69600 cases more than the same day a week ago. The sevenday incidence per 100000 people rose to 1017 from 941 the previous day while another 188 people died bringing the death toll since the start of the pandemic in early 2020 to 117314. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/german-daily-covid-cases-rise-above-200000-causing-staff-shortages-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Australia reported fewer COVID19 deaths on Thursday a day after recording a pandemic high while hospital cases remained steady raising hopes the countrys worst outbreak may have peaked. Officials reported a total of 59 deaths down from a pandemic peak of 87 on Wednesday with just two states still to report figures. Hospitalisations have remained steady at around 5000 for the last few days peaking at just under 5400 on Tuesday with admissions falling for the second straight day in New South Wales the worstaffected state. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-reports-fewer-covid-19-deaths-hospitalisations-steady-2022-01-27/ 27th Jan 2022