2nd Mar 2022 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=611 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

The Wall Street Journal The Covid19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and partner BioNTech SE was highly effective at reducing the risk of severe disease in children 17 years and younger during the Omicron surge but didnt work as well at preventing infection according to a new government study. The twodose vaccine reduced the risk of Covid19 hospitalization in children 5 to 11 years by 74 and by 92 or higher in children 12 to 17 according to the study published Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However the vaccine was 51 effective at reducing the risk of infection among 5 to 11yearolds while Omicron was predominant and between 34 and 45 effective in children 12 to 17 years depending on the age for the first five months after the second dose according to the study. The vaccine was 90.7 effective at preventing symptomatic disease in the pivotal study that led to authorization. That study was conducted before Omicron emerged. https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-protected-kids-during-omicron-cdc-study-finds-11646173594 1st Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

CNN Philippines The Department of Health DOH will forego the daily release of COVID19 case updates Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a report aired on Tuesday. Babaguhin din po natin ang COVID19 public reporting at gagawing weekly na he added. Translation We will change the COVID19 public reporting to weekly reports. DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire in an earlier meeting with media editors said the agencys daily case bulletins will continue only until this week. It will then be posted every Monday starting March 7. https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/3/1/DOH-COVID-19-case-bulletin-release.html 1st Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

CBC.ca Learning to live with COVID19 is a message thats been repeated by provincial and territorial leaders across the country. But learning to live with the virus isnt that simple for millions of Canadians whose medical condition or age has increased their risk of developing complications from a COVID19 infection. As provinces and territories lift pandemic restrictions such as mask mandates and vaccine passport programs societys most vulnerable are being forced to assess their risk tolerance. For some people immunocompromised or the frail elderly for example it might be quite dangerous for them to get COVID. We shouldnt be cavalier Dr. Steven Taylor a clinical psychologist and professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver told Dr. Brian Goldman host of CBC podcast The Dose. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/whitecoat/here-s-how-to-cope-with-anxiety-as-covid-19-restrictions-are-lifted-across-canada-1.6362112 1st Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Associated Press Schoolchildren in California Oregon and Washington will no longer be required to wear masks as part of new indoor mask policies the Democratic governors of all three states announced jointly on Monday. With declining case rates and hospitalizations across the West California Oregon and Washington are moving together to update their masking guidance the governors said in a statement. There are more than 7.5 million schoolage children across the three states which have had some of the strictest coronavirus safety measures during the pandemic. The new guidance will make face coverings strongly recommended rather than a requirement at most indoor places in California starting Tuesday and at schools on March 12 regardless of vaccination status. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-technology-health-california-public-health-c0be203235ff50532167173623e56b59 1st Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Wall Street Journal The rapid growth of lifescience research during the pandemic is triggering a record boom in the development of new lab space and offices serving these companies. Development of buildings geared toward biotechnology pharmaceutical and other laboratory firms was already on the rise before 2020. But demand for this space intensified as billions of dollars poured into research and development of a Covid19 vaccine and other therapies for the virus. Lifescience space has also been enjoying high occupancy rates becauseunlike traditional office buildingsmuch of the lab work requires specialized equipment and building infrastructure that cannot be easily replicated at home. https://www.wsj.com/articles/demand-for-science-lab-buildings-soars-during-covid-19-pandemic-11646139601 1st Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Philstar.com More than 63 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against COVID19 a year since the government began its immunization program the Department of Health said Tuesday. In a briefing Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said more than 135 million vaccine doses have been administered as of February 28. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/03/01/2164206/63m-filipinos-fully-immunized-vs-covid-19-year-vaccine-drive 1st Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

CIDRAP New York City schools will lose the masks this week and the citys vaccine requirements for restaurants gyms and movie theaters will likely expire next week and not be reinstated according to the New York Times as new notpeerreviewed data show poor COVID19 vaccine protection in kids 5 to 11 years old. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/02/more-mask-mandates-fall-poor-covid-vaccine-protection-noted-young-kids 1st Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

iNews Fully vaccinated travellers will no longer be required to present a negative PCR test upon arrival in Dubai after the country eased its Covid entry rules over the weekend. Unvaccinated travellers will be able to enter either with a negative PCR test result taken within 48 hours before arrival or with proof of recovery from Covid within the past month. https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/travel/dubai-entry-requirements-travel-restrictions-uae-ease-covid-tests-scrapped-fully-vaccinated-1488272 1st Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

South China Morning Post In Hong Kong the worsening fifth wave which first hit the city in late December has affected homes for the elderly badly with confirmed cases in 580 facilities and 2900 residents and 865 staff infected according to health authorities. The vaccination rate among the elderly remains relatively low compared with other age groups. Just over 30 per cent of those aged 80 and above have received two doses of a coronavirus vaccine. https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3168737/coronavirus-hong-kongs-elderly-left-it-late-get-covid-19-shots-now-worried 1st Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

iNews Fully vaccinated travellers arriving in Italy will no longer need to provide proof of a negative Covid test from Tuesday. From 1 March Italy is easing entry restrictions for all arrivals from nonEU countries including the UK. The country will accept proof of vaccination recovery or a negative Covid test result for entry. https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/travel/italy-entry-requirements-travel-restrictions-covid-tests-scrapped-fully-vaccinated-1488883 1st Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

BBC News Doctors have expressed concern over the low number of 5 to 11yearolds classed as vulnerable or living with a vulnerable person getting vaccinated. The Clinical Commissioning Group CCG serving Wiltshire Swindon and Bath said only 4.7 or 250 out of 5300 eligible children have been vaccinated after being sent an invitation. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-wiltshire-60561369 1st Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

ABC News Health authorities in Guatemala say over a million doses of the Russian Sputnik coronavirus vaccine have expired because nobody wanted to take the shot. Francisco Coma the countrys health minister said Monday that there was a rejection among the population toward the vaccine even though a lot of Guatemalans remain unvaccinated. https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/million-sputnik-coronavirus-vaccines-expire-guatemala-83172337 1st Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

The Wall Street Journal Hong Kongs most recent measures to combat Covid19 are unsettling its large community of bankers and investors many of whom were already struggling to square business and family commitments with severely curtailed travel. Some financial professionals have asked employers whether they can relocate while a few expatriates have decided in recent months to resign and move home. Others are considering options that could split up their families for months or more as they try to move their children into more stable schooling and away from the risk of mandatory quarantine. https://www.wsj.com/articles/hong-kongs-covid-19-measures-pressure-finance-in-asian-financial-hub-11646130602 1st Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Indonesia has extended the shelf life of AstraZenecas COVID19 vaccine to nine months as nearly six million doses it received in donations approached their expiration dates a health ministry spokesperson told Reuters. The decision underscores the challenges many developing countries face in their slow inoculation campaigns as vaccines donated by wealthy countries arrive with a relatively short shelf life of just a few months or weeks https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/exclusive-indonesia-extends-astrazeneca-vaccine-shelf-life-6-mln-doses-near-2022-03-01/ 1st Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters The US government proposed extending temporary waivers of international minimum flight requirements at some US airports through late October due to COVID19. Airlines can lose their slots at some congested airports if they do not use them at least 80 of the time. The waivers have been in place since the pandemic began in March 2020. International passenger air travel in 2021 was down 46 to 61 million over 2019 levels but up over the 34 million international air passengers in 2020. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-extend-international-minimum-flight-requirement-waivers-over-covid-2022-02-28/ 1st Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters As public schools around the United States lift COVID19 mask mandates parents are divided over the issue with nearly 43 saying face covering requirements should remain in place to prevent virus transmission according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation KFF. Most parents who responded also expressed concern about the safety and effectiveness of COVID19 vaccines for children under age 5 saying they do not have enough information according to the KFF survey of 1502 adults conducted between Feb. 9 and 21. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-parents-still-divided-over-school-covid-masking-rules-survey-2022-03-01/ 1st Mar 2022

Partisan Exits

Medical News Today A new study published in the Journal of Community Health emphasizes the importance of outreach to people who have mixed feelings about getting vaccinated. The study looked at the attitudes of participants aged 55 years and older about vaccines at different stages of the COVID19 pandemic. The researchers accessed data from the COVID19 Coping Study to identify people in the United States who were either receptive ambivalent or against getting vaccinated against the disease. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/vaccine-hesitancy-convincing-the-ambivalent-may-be-key 1st Mar 2022

Partisan Exits

The BMJ Uptodate registers of clinically vulnerable patients must be created to ensure that those who are most at risk during covid19 and any future pandemics are protected and can access the support they need a report from the AllParty Parliamentary Group APPG on Vulnerable Groups to Pandemics has recommended. The report considered vulnerable peoples experiences during the pandemic and makes 16 recommendations on what the government and the health service can do better to plan and prioritise extremely vulnerable patients during further covid19 outbreaks and future pandemics. These tackle the format and content of information and guidance access to medical services such as mental health support to help people deal with anxiety fear and isolation provision of practical support such as food and finance when isolating and the need for more research into how medical conditions make people more vulnerable to a threat and vaccines less protective. https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj.o528 1st Mar 2022

Partisan Exits

Evening Standard More than 600000 in Covid19 fines have been dished to Londons businesses by local authorities wielding the emergency powers an Evening Standard investigation has revealed. Police forces have faced the brunt of the scrutiny over coronavirus powers being used to break up illicit parties and enforce the lockdown rules while Scotland Yard is currently deciding whether to hand out fines for the Partygate scandal at Downing Street. However little attention has been paid to how local authorities also permitted to issue fines and bring prosecutions under the Covid laws have used their powers. Freedom of Information requests reveal councils around the capital have handed out at least 600000 in fines since the pandemic began while a further 24000 in fines have been imposed after full criminal prosecutions brought by six councils Greenwich Waltham Forest Ealing Haringey Bexley and Tower Hamlets. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/covid-fines-london-business-evening-standard-investigation-b985133.html 1st Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters A lawsuit filed Monday by Arbutus Biopharma Corp against Moderna Inc is the latest in a small but growing list of highstakes patent disputes over COVID19 vaccines and treatments. Arbutus and its partner Genevant Sciences GmbH told a Delaware federal court that Moderna misused its technology for delivering mRNA which it said allowed Moderna to develop its COVID19 vaccine at record speed. The case is not the first patent dispute over COVID19 breakthroughs or even the first between Arbutus and Moderna. https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/covid-19-patent-challenges-mount-moderna-faces-new-vaccine-lawsuit-2022-02-28/ 1st Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

CNN The effectiveness of the PfizerBioNTech Covid19 vaccines for children waned quickly during the Omicron surge especially among children ages 5 to 11 but was still protective against severe disease according to new data from the New York State Department of Health. Within one month of being fully vaccinated effectiveness of the Pfizer shots against infection caused by the Omicron variant fell from 68 to just 12 in the youngest children eligible to get the shots those 5 to 11 years old. https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/28/health/pfizer-vaccine-effectiveness-kids-omicron/index.html 1st Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Medical Xpress FrenchAustrian biotech firm Valneva on Tuesday said its COVID19 vaccine received emergency authorisation for use in Bahrain the first approval for its jab. Valneva committed to supplying the Gulf kingdom with one million doses in an advance purchase agreement last year and plans to deliver the first batches at the end of March. The jab which uses the traditional technology of inactivated virus will offer an alternative vaccine to the Bahraini population and medical community said Valneva president Thomas Lingelbach. Bahrain has reported more than 1400 COVIDrelated deaths and cases exceed 500000. More than 70 percent of the population has received at least one vaccine dose. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-03-valneva-covid-vaccine.html 1st Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Sky News A study suggests Pfizer jabs in children aged five to 11 were less effective at preventing infection than in children aged 12 to 17. The New York State researchers study shows that during the recent Omicron surge efficacy against infection among five to 11 year olds who had received Pfizer fell 56 from 68 to 12 while those aged 1217 only fell 15. However the study also shows that during the surge between midDecember and the end of January the Pfizer jab was protective against severe disease in children aged five to 11. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-pfizer-vaccine-less-effective-at-preventing-infection-in-younger-than-in-older-children-study-suggests-12554702 1st Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

News-Medical.Net The coronavirus disease COVID19 pandemic led to severe infections and deaths of millions of people worldwide. Initially nonpharmaceutical measures were used extensively to reduce illness and death. Vaccines were introduced to the treatment resources of the European Union in December 2020. Results from phase 3 and phase 4 clinical trials and the impact of vaccines on older individuals in realworld settings showed high effectiveness. The vaccines that have been authorized for administration in the European Union include PfizerBioNTech BNT162b2 Janssen OxfordAstraZeneca hAdOx1SAZD1222 and Moderna mRNA1273. Spain is known to report the worlds highest rates of illness and death from COVID19 especially in the Aragon region. OxfordAstraZeneca Moderna and PfizerBioNTech vaccines were widely implemented in Spain and Aragon. Janssen vaccine was added to the vaccination program later https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220301/Effectiveness-of-Pfizer-BioNTech-Moderna-and-Oxford-AstraZeneca-COVID-19-vaccines-in-preventing-severe-SARS-CoV-2-infection.aspx 1st Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Jerusalem Post The mRNA coronavirus vaccines have no negative effect on frozenthawed embryo transfer which is the core practice of IVF InVitro Fertilization according to a study from Israels Sheba Medical Center published in the peerreviewed medical journal Fertility and Sterility on Thursday. Researchers analyzed 672 embryo transfers among a cohort of 428 women up to the age of 38 who had undergone IVF treatment including 141 that were either vaccinated with two mRNA coronavirus vaccines or recovered from the virus. The researchers ultimately found no difference in the rate of pregnancy between the vaccinated and unvaccinated test groups. https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/coronavirus/article-698955 1st Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian Canadian researchers believe they have found the firstever instance of a deer passing the coronavirus to a human warning that broader surveillance of wildlife is needed to prevent further mutations from developing and spreading undetected. In a paper published last week but not yet peer reviewed scientists say at least one case of Covid19 in humans can be traced to a strain of the virus found in hunted deer. Biologists have previously found white tail deer populations infected with Covid in northeastern regions of the United States as well as central provinces of Canada. While deer arent typically seen as a species that can easily pass on the virus to humans experts had nonetheless speculated that transmission was possible. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/28/deer-human-covid-transmission-possible-canada 1st Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The BMJ Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKlines covid19 vaccine has 57.9 95 confidence interval 26.5 to 76.7 efficacy against any symptomatic disease the companies have reported. In a phase 3 trial in which more than 10000 adults were randomised to receive two doses of the vaccine or placebo 21 days apart researchers found it to have 100 efficacy against severe disease and hospital admission 0 v 10 cases in placebo group after one dose 0 v 4 cases after two doses and 75 efficacy against moderate or severe disease 3 v 11 cases. Early data has also indicated 77 efficacy against any symptomatic disease associated with the delta variant French drug company Sanofi has said. So far details of the trial have been released only through press release although the companies said full study results will be published later this year. https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj.o526 1st Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Ukraine is running low on critical medical supplies and has had to halt urgent efforts to curb a polio outbreak since Russia invaded the country last week public health experts say. Medical needs are already acute with the World Health Organization warning on Sunday that oxygen supplies were running out. read more On Tuesday WHO told a briefing that some facilities already had no oxygen left. Fears of a wider public health crisis are growing as people flee their homes health services are interrupted and supplies fail to reach Ukraine which has also been hit by the COVID19 pandemic https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/fears-medical-shortages-disease-ukraine-after-russian-invasion-2022-03-01/ 1st Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Arbutus Biopharma Corp said on Monday it had filed a lawsuit against Moderna Inc seeking damages for infringement of U.S. patents related to Modernas COVID19 vaccine. Shares of Arbutus rose 11 in early trading while Moderna fell 2.5 on the lawsuit that comes after a federal appeals court in December rejected Modernas challenge to Arbutus patents. Arbutus said it developed the socalled lipid nanoparticles LNP that enclose genetic materials known as messenger RNA or mRNA the patents related to which were licensed to Genevant Sciences a joint venture between Arbutus and Roivant Sciences Ltd https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/arbutus-files-patent-infringement-lawsuit-against-moderna-2022-02-28/ 1st Mar 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. Modified T cells not curbed by immunosuppressants. A technique for modifying virusattacking T cells might help defend against COVID19 in patients who must take drugs that suppress the immune system preliminary findings suggest. Transplant patients for example are particularly vulnerable because of the medicines they take to prevent rejection of the new organ https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/modified-t-cells-may-help-those-immunosuppressants-ecmo-machines-improve-covid-2022-02-28/ 1st Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Bahrain has granted emergency use authorisation to the COVID19 vaccine developed by Frances Valneva the company said in a statement on Tuesday. Valneva expects to deliver the first shipments of its VLA2001 vaccine to the kingdom at the end of March after it signed an advance purchase deal for one million doses in December last year. As the only dualadjuvanted inactivated COVID19 vaccine approved in Bahrain VLA2001 will provide a differentiated vaccine option to the Bahraini population and medical community said CEO Thomas Lingelbach. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/bahrain-approves-valnevas-covid-vaccine-emergency-use-2022-03-01/ 1st Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Novavax Inc said it would pursue full approval of its COVID19 vaccine in the second half of this year and forecast total revenue of between 4 billion and 5 billion for 2022. We expect to gain additional authorizations where we have already filed including in the U.S. We will pursue full approval of our vaccine including filing our BLA biologics license application in the second half of 2022 Chief Executive Officer Stanley Erck said during a postearnings call. Novavax late last month filed for emergency use authorization of the shot in U.S. adults a muchawaited step following months of struggles with development and manufacturing problems. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/novavaxs-covid-vaccine-shows-long-term-efficacy-uk-trial-2022-02-28/ 1st Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

CIDRAP Nearly 90 of adult COVID19 patients who were eligible forbut didnt receiveextracorporeal membrane oxygenation ECMO during the height of the pandemic died in the hospital owing to a lack of resources even though they were young and had few underlying health issues according to a natural experiment published late last week in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/02/study-90-young-ecmo-eligible-covid-patients-us-hospital-died-amid-rationing 28th Feb 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

FiercePharma The COPD Foundation has stepped up to support the development of Ena Respiratorys antiviral nasal spray for use in people with chronic lung diseases. Ena is preparing to run phase 2 studies to test the ability of the nasal spray to prevent COVID19 and influenza. Australiabased Ena raised around 24 million last summer setting it up to run a phase 1 trial of TLR26 agonist INNA051. By delivering the molecule to the nose Ena aims to help people fight off viruses such as SARSCoV2 and influenza by upregulating innate immune responses in their airway epithelial cells. That mechanism of action put INNA051 on the radar of the notforprofit COPD Foundation. https://www.fiercepharma.com/clinical-data/copd-foundation-links-arms-ena-antiviral-nasal-spray-ahead-phase-2-trials-covid-19 28th Feb 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

RNZ There are 19566 new cases of Covid19 in the community today the Ministry of Health has reported. It said there were also 373 cases in hospital and nine in ICU. The new community cases today were in Northland 329 Auckland 12530 Waikato 1812 Bay of Plenty 1185 Lakes 376 Hawkes Bay 168 MidCentral 260 Whanganui 45 Taranaki 165 Tairwhiti 88 Wairarapa 42 Capital and Coast 691 Hutt Valley 355 Nelson Marlborough 196 Canterbury 740 South Canterbury 37 Southern 529 West Coast 17 and one case is unknown. There were 22 cases identified at the border. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/462513/covid-19-update-nearly-20-000-community-cases-373-in-hospital-9-in-icu 1st Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Independent Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he tested positive for COVID19 on Tuesday but will continue his official duties while isolating. I am experiencing flulike symptoms and will be recovering over the next week Morrison said in a statement. He said would continue working as prime minister focusing on the governments responses to the Ukraine war and devastating floods on Australias east coast. He is isolating in his official Sydney residence. Morrison held a news conference with Defense Minister Peter Dutton earlier Tuesday in which the government promised 50 million in missiles ammunition and other military hardware for Ukraine. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/scott-morrison-australian-covid-canberra-peter-dutton-b2025793.html 1st Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Xinhua Brunei reported 4220 new COVID19 cases on Tuesday another record daily high bringing the national tally to 67762. As a country of 420000 people Brunei saw its daily cases exceeding the 4000 mark for two straight days after recording more than 3000 cases for six straight days since last Tuesday. The newly recorded cases were all local infections the countrys health ministry said. The ministry said earlier that the country is going through the third wave of COVID19 and the number of cases is expected to increase beyond the total reported during the second wave with the Omicron variant replacing the Delta variant as the dominant variant. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/asiapacific/20220301/c2928e2cec6a466a9152bd026207b84a/c.html 1st Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

CNBC Facilities for storing dead bodies at hospitals and public mortuaries in Hong Kong are at maximum capacity due to a record number of Covid19 fatalities the Hospital Authority said on Monday as officials battle to control a surge in cases. The global financial hub reported a daily record high of 34466 new coronavirus infections and 87 deaths on Monday health authorities said. Separately the citys Education Secretary said international schools could maintain their original term dates after widespread confusion over summer school holidays. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/01/hong-kong-mortuaries-hit-capacity-as-covid-19-deaths-climb.html 1st Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Hong Kong health authorities reported 32597 new COVID19 cases on Tuesday and a record 117 deaths in the past 24 hours as the global financial hub prepared for mandatory testing and a lockdown. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hong-kong-reports-32597-new-covid-cases-tuesday-2022-03-01/ 1st Mar 2022

New Lockdown

Reuters Hong Kongs leader Carrie Lam called for calm on Tuesday after residents emptied supermarkets stocking up on produce ahead of reports of compulsory mass COVID19 testing and rumours of a citywide lockdown. Local media reported compulsory COVID testing would start after March 17 sparking concerns many people will be forced to isolate and families with members testing positive would be separated. Lam appealed to the public not to fall prey to rumours to avoid unnecessary fears being stirred with the supply of food and goods remaining normal according to a statement on Tuesday. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/hong-kong-leader-calls-calm-after-supermarkets-emptied-ahead-mass-covid-testing-2022-03-01/ 1st Mar 2022

New Lockdown

Reuters Hong Kong residents braced for a citywide lockdown emptying supermarkets and pharmacies even as leader Carrie Lam called for calm on Tuesday and appealed for the public not to worry over a compulsory mass COVID19 testing plan. The Chineseruled territory reported 32597 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday and a record 117 deaths in the past 24 hours. It has seen daily infections surge over 30 times from just over 100 at the start of February. The global financial hub has reported more than 230000 coronavirus infections and more than 800 deaths since the pandemic began in 2020. Around 500 deaths have been in the past week with the majority being unvaccinated residents. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hong-kong-residents-brace-citywide-lockdown-leader-calls-calm-2022-03-01/ 1st Mar 2022