20th May 2022 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=665 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

The Associated Press North Koreans know so many people around the world have died because of COVID19 so they have fear that some of them could die too said Kang Mijin a North Korean defector citing her phone calls with contacts in the northern North Korean city of Hyesan. She said people who can afford it are buying traditional medicine to deal with their anxieties. Since admitting what it called its first domestic COVID19 outbreak one week ago North Korea has been fighting to handle a soaring health crisis that has intensified public anxiety over a virus it previously claimed to have kept at bay. https://apnews.com/4f4641bd167d728318fcafcf2bcc008b 20th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Shanghai found the first cases of Covid19 outside of quarantine in six days raising questions about whether the easing of the citys lockdown will be impacted. Total infections in Shanghai rose to 858 on Thursday from 719 on Wednesday with three of the cases found outside of government quarantine. Authorities started to ease the lockdown which had confined residents to their homes and curtailed business activity earlier this week after the city hit a milestone of three days of zero community transmission. However many restrictions remain in place and swaths of the citys population are still largely stuck inside their compounds. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-20/shanghai-finds-first-covid-cases-outside-quarantine-in-six-days 20th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Britains vaccine advisers on Thursday said that an anticipated autumn COVID booster campaign would be aimed at people aged over 65 care home residents frontline health and social care workers and all adults in a clinical risk group. Britain is offering a spring booster to the over75s care home residents and immunosuppressed people and ministers have spoken openly of plans for a further booster campaign in the autumn. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-vaccine-advisers-eye-autumn-covid-boosters-over-65s-2022-05-19/ 20th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

CNN White House Covid19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha warned Wednesday that without more funding from Congress the US will not be able to buy enough Covid19 vaccines for every American who wants an updated shot later this year. Scientists are working to develop new vaccines that would offer additional protection from infection and severe illness from new variants including the possibility of a bivalent vaccine a vaccine that would combine a currently approved vaccine with an Omicronspecific vaccine for example. The US Food and Drug Administration could make a decision as soon as next month based on data from manufacturers Moderna and Pfizer for distribution in the fall. https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/18/politics/white-house-covid-warning/index.html 19th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Roughly half of Taiwanese companies that had previously suspended work in China due to COVID19 control measures have resumed production as curbs ease the islands economy minister said on Thursday. Shanghai and neighbouring Kunshan a hub for Taiwanese electronics makers including Apple supplier Quanta Computer last month imposed stringent lockdowns to control the countrys biggest COVID outbreak. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-firms-resuming-production-china-covid-curbs-ease-minister-2022-05-19/ 19th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters The question of COVID19 vaccine patents was not discussed at a meeting of the health ministers of the Group of Seven G7 countries in Berlin German Health Ministers Karl Lauterbach said on Thursday. We havent discussed the release of patents because the question hasnt come up yet but that can definitely happen Lauterbach told a joint news conference with German Development Minister Svenja Schulze. https://www.reuters.com/world/covid-vaccine-patents-not-discussed-g7-health-ministers-meeting-2022-05-19/ 19th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

Associated Press Germanys top court said Thursday it has approved rules requiring health workers to be vaccinated against COVID19. The Federal Constitutional Court announced that it had rejected complaints against the measure arguing that the importance of protecting vulnerable people in hospitals and care homes outweighs any infringement of health workers rights. The limited mandate came into effect in midMarch. The constitutional court had previously refused to issue an injunction blocking its implementation while it reached a final decision. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach welcomed Thursdays ruling saying in a statement that the state is obliged to protect vulnerable groups. https://apnews.com/article/covid-politics-health-germany-8b3412463cfbe9c2b48694e36372021c 19th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

Associated Press The lockeddown Chinese metropolis of Shanghai will reopen four of its 20 subway lines Sunday as it slowly eases pandemic restrictions that have kept most residents in their housing complexes for more than six weeks. The city will also restart 273 bus lines connecting major urban centers airports train stations and hospitals as it resumes crossdistrict public transit Yu Fulin director of the Shanghai Transport Commission said at a daily pandemic briefing Thursday. https://apnews.com/article/covid-politics-health-china-95b150e5e0c7738ce8cb53d82008b1e3 19th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Associated Press North Korea said Friday that nearly 10 of its 26 million people have fallen ill and 65 people have died amid its first COVID19 outbreak as outside experts question the validity of its reported fatalities and worry about a possible humanitarian crisis. https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-epidemics-north-korea-6135c9f9c72536afb67f5f7ceb0569d7 19th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

Associated Press COVID19 cases are increasing in the United States and could get even worse over the coming months federal health officials warned Wednesday in urging areas hardest hit to consider reissuing calls for indoor masking. Increasing numbers of COVID19 infections and hospitalizations are putting more of the country under guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that call for masking and other infection precautions. Right now about a third of the U.S. population lives in areas that are considered at higher risk mostly in the Northeast and Midwest. Those are areas where people should already be considering wearing masks indoors but Americans elsewhere should also take notice officials said. https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-5bcd49eec7dab5832f2d98f4f9b22be7 18th May 2022

Exit Strategies

The Associated Press North Korea on Thursday reported 262270 more suspected COVID19 cases as its pandemic caseload neared 2 million a week after the country acknowledged the outbreak and scrambled to slow infections in its unvaccinated population. The country is also trying to prevent its fragile economy from deteriorating further but the outbreak could be worse than officially reported since the country lacks virus tests and other health care resources and may be underreporting deaths to soften the political impact on authoritarian leader Kim Jong Un. North Koreas antivirus headquarters reported a single additional death raising its toll to 63 which experts have said is abnormally small compared to the suspected number of coronavirus infections. https://apnews.com/article/covid-politics-health-pandemics-179729d42d62466acc3223dc2b43f0f2 20th May 2022

Exit Strategies

The Associated Press The coronavirus pandemic is not over yet Germanys health minister warned Thursday as the countrys highest court approved rules requiring health workers to be vaccinated against COVID19. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach noted the sharp rise in cases currently happening in some Asian countries such as North Korea but also parts of Europe. In Germany too an average of 130 to 150 people are dying every day due to the pandemic Lauterbach told reporters in Berlin. So the impression that the pandemic has been defeated is wrong. Lauterbach was holding a twoday meeting with his counterparts from the Group of Seven leading democracies on Thursday and Friday. https://apnews.com/article/covid-politics-health-germany-8b3412463cfbe9c2b48694e36372021c 20th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters North Korea said on Friday it was achieving good results in the fight against the countrys first confirmed COVID19 outbreak as the number of people with fever symptoms surpassed 2 million. The isolated nation reported 263370 more people with fever symptoms and two more deaths taking the total fever caseload to 2.24 million as of Thursday evening including 65 deaths according to state media KCNA. It did not report how many of those cases had tested positive for the coronavirus. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/nkorea-reports-263370-more-people-with-fever-symptoms-amid-covid-outbreak-kcna-2022-05-19/ 20th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters After teaching for three years at an international school in Shanghai Michael is preparing to break his contract and leave worn down by stringent measures against the coronavirus. Following two years of nearlyshut borders onerous health checks and quarantine norms a decision at the beginning of April to lock down Chinas commercial centre proved the last straw for the 35yearold. It has reached a point where the economic benefits of working here dont make up for the lack of freedom to come and go the science teacher said declining to give his full name for reasons of privacy. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-international-schools-hit-by-exodus-teachers-dejected-by-covid-curbs-2022-05-20/ 20th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters India India has supplied COVID19 vaccines to Cambodia and Thailand under an initiative of the Quad group of countries New Delhi said on Thursday though not the Johnson Johnson shot as originally planned. The leaders of the Quad countries India the United States Japan and Australia could discuss the vaccine supply plan when they meet in Japan on Tuesday Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told a news conference. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-has-supplied-covid-vaccines-under-quad-umbrella-2022-05-19/ 19th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters More Shanghai residents were given the freedom to go out to shop for groceries for the first time in nearly two months on Thursday as authorities set out more plans for exiting the citywide COVID19 lockdown more fully. The commercial hub of 25 million recorded no new infections outside quarantined areas for a fifth day in a row further cementing its zero COVID status with each day. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/some-shanghai-allowed-out-shop-end-covid-lockdown-sight-2022-05-19/ 19th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters A sharp slowdown in Chinas economy caused by its strict zeroCOVID rules and Beijings shift away from a traditional reliance on external demand have cast doubts over how much the country will contribute to future global trade and investment. While China staged a remarkably quick recovery from its initial pandemic slump thanks to bumper exports and factory production analysts expect the current downturn will be harder to shake off than the one seen in early 2020 https://www.reuters.com/business/chinas-zero-covid-policy-dashes-global-hopes-quick-economic-return-normal-2022-05-19/ 19th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters An advisory panel to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is meeting on Thursday to discuss whether to recommend COVID19 vaccine booster shots for children ages 5 to 11 a group that is just 29 vaccinated so far. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized booster doses of the PfizerBioNTech vaccine for those children on Tuesday as COVID cases are on the rise again in the United States. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-advisory-panel-weigh-covid-boosters-children-2022-05-19/ 19th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters China removed on Thursday some COVID19 test requirements for people flying in from Britain part of changes to its draconian virus rules to better cope with a pandemic driven by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Travellers from Britain will no longer need to take a PCR test seven days before flying and a requirements for an antibody test has also been scrapped Chinas embassy in Britain said in a statement. However travellers from Britain will still need to do two PCR tests within 48 hours of the departure of their flight to China and a preflight rapid antigen test in some cases the embassy said. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/china-slightly-eases-covid-test-rules-travellers-uk-2022-05-19/ 19th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters on MSN.com China has removed some COVID19 test requirements for people flying in from countries such as the United States and shortened the predeparture quarantine for some inbound travellers as it finetunes measures to cope with the Omicron variant. From Friday travellers from the United States will no longer need an RTPCR test seven days before flying according to notices from the Chinese embassy and consulates in the United States. Requirements for antibody tests have also been scrapped. Those travellers will still need to do two RTPCR tests within 48 or 24 hours of their flights depending on which airport they are flying out of plus another preflight antigen test the notices said. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/travel/news/china-relaxes-some-covid-test-rules-for-us-other-travellers/ar-AAXrvdO 19th May 2022

Partisan Exits

The BMJ The UK government failed in its duty of care to protect doctors and other healthcare staff from avoidable harm and suffering in its management of the covid19 pandemic a major review by the BMA has concluded. Two reports published on 19 May document the experiences of thousands of UK doctors throughout the pandemic drawing on real time surveys carried out over the past two years formal testimonies data and evidence sessions. The reports will form part of a wider review by the BMA into the governments handling of the pandemic with three further instalments to come. The evidence lays bare the devastating impact of the pandemic on doctors and the NHS with repeated mistakes errors of judgment and failures of government policy amounting to a failure of a duty of care to the workforce the BMA said. https://www.bmj.com/content/377/bmj.o1235 19th May 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters UK British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not face any further action over rulebreaking parties held in Downing Street during the coronavirus pandemic the BBCs political editor said on Twitter on Thursday. Johnson who has previously apologised after receiving a fine has dismissed calls to step down over gatherings held in his office and residence an investigation into which has now been concluded by police https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uks-johnson-facing-no-further-action-over-lockdown-parties-bbc-2022-05-19/ 19th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC on Thursday recommended the COVID19 vaccine booster for children ages 5 to 11 after an advisory panel voted to back them at least five months after completing their primary vaccination course. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement that she endorsed the vote by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to expand eligibility for COVID19 vaccine booster doses. Children 5 through 11 should receive a booster dose at least 5 months after their primary series. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-advisory-panel-weigh-covid-boosters-children-2022-05-19/ 20th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

STAT News Covid19 vaccines have rapidly altered our relationship with SARSCoV2 turning a dangerous infection into something akin to the common cold for many vaccinated people who contract it. But while these vaccines are great at protecting against severe illness and death they cannot stop vaccinated people from contracting the virus and experiencing mild symptoms. If we want to prevent mild Covid infections were going to need vaccines that protect us where infections start in the mucus membranes of the nose mouth and throat. And for that were likely going to need intranasal vaccines. A number of research groups and companies are working on Covid19 vaccines that would be delivered intranasally but the development process is tricky. Watch the explainer above to learn more. https://www.statnews.com/2022/05/19/intranasal-vaccine-covid19-explainer/ 19th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

AKIpress Uzbekistan has produced 6.172 million doses of ZFUZVAC 2001 coronavirus vaccine. Since start of coronavirus pandemic Uzbekistan received 69.7 million doses of COVID19 vaccines including 2.6 million doses of AstraZeneca 48.1 million doses of ZFUZVAC 2001 1.34 million doses of Sputnik V 10.68 million doses of Moderna 4.62 million doses of PfizerBioNTech 1.97 million doses of Sinovac 343000 doses of Sputnik Light. More than 53 million doses of coronavirus vaccines were administered in Uzbekistan in total so far. 16.2 million doses of COVID19 vaccines remain available. https://akipress.com/news:671190:Uzbekistan_produces_over_6_million_doses_of_COVID-19_vaccine/ 19th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Seattle Times About a third of the 1 million lives lost to COVID19 could have been saved with vaccines a new analysis shows. Researchers at the Brown School of Public Health Brigham and Womens Hospital Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Microsoft AI for Health analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The New York Times and came up with not only 319000 needless deaths but also a statebystate breakdown of where they could have been prevented. Between January 2021 and April 2022 about every second person who died from COVID19 since vaccines became available might have lived if they had gotten the shots the researchers found. Nationwide about half of the 641000 people who have died since vaccines became available could have lived if every single eligible adult had gotten jabbed. https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/coronavirus-vaccine-could-have-saved-319000-people-in-u-s-study-says/ 19th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

FiercePharma Late last year Johnson Johnsons COVID production partner Aspen Pharmacare touted the gamechanging potential of its monumental licensing deal to make and sell JJs singledose shot in Africa. Five months later and two months after Aspen started production the effort has encountered a problem currently familiar to all pandemic vaccine manufacturers. Owing to a lack of demandeven in Africa where just 15.9 of the continents 1.2 billion population has completed a coronavirus vaccination courseAspen hasnt received a single order for its branded version of the JJ shot Bloomberg reports. There were a lot of calls both from the West and from Africa that the best way to try and solve the problem was to establish our own local vaccine production capacity Stavros Nicolaou Aspens head of strategic trade told the news outlet. The subsequent dearth of business sends an incredibly bad message he added. https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/jjs-production-partner-aspen-no-orders-its-covid-19-shot-warns-lack-demand-sends-incredibly 19th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

ABC News COVID19 infections in Australia hit worldwide highs last week with infection rates per capita among the highest around the globe. As the United States officially reached the grim milestone of 1 million deaths from COVID19 this month the recent stats have left some of us asking how does our own country stack up in comparison Infections rose by more than 60 in the Middle East and 26 in the Americas while deaths fell everywhere except Africa where they jumped by nearly 50. The COVID19 figures reported to WHO do not include the recent outbreak figures announced by North Korea which has yet to officially share requested data with the agency. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-19/how-many-australians-have-died-from-covid/101049296 19th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The BMJ The likelihood of long covid symptoms was observed to decrease after covid19 vaccination and evidence suggested sustained improvement after a second dose at least over the median followup of 67 days. Vaccination may contribute to a reduction in the population health burden of long covid although longer followup is needed. https://www.bmj.com/content/377/bmj-2021-069676 19th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The European Unions medicine regulator accepted Valnevas filing of marketing authorization application for its inactivated COVID19 vaccine candidate the French company said on Thursday. The Company confirms it would expect to receive a positive CHMP opinion in June Valneva said. Earlier this week Valneva nearly a fifth of its value on the stock exchange after announcing its COVID19 vaccine agreement with the European Commission was likely to be scrapped and it might have to rethink its financial guidance. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/eus-drug-regulator-accepts-valnevas-covid-19-vaccine-marketing-authorization-2022-05-19/ 19th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The World Health Organization on Thursday issued an emergency use listing for the singledose COVID19 vaccine from Chinabased CanSino Biologics. The vaccine Convidecia is the eleventh shot against the coronavirus to get clearance from the global health agency whose advisory group recommended its use in people of age 18 years and above. The vaccine was found to have 64 efficacy against symptomatic disease and 92 against severe COVID19 the agencysaid. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/who-clears-covid-vaccine-by-chinas-cansino-biologics-emergency-use-2022-05-19/ 19th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Several outbreaks of monkey pox in Africa have been contained during the COVID pandemic while the worlds attention was elsewhere and outbreaks in Europe and the United States are a concern Africas top public health agency said on Thursday. A handful of cases of the virus which causes fever symptoms and a distinctive bumpy rash have been reported or are suspected in Britain Portugal Spain and the United States. The disease which spreads through close contact and was first found in monkeys mostly occurs in west and central Africa and only rarely spreads elsewhere. The acting director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said that since 2020 outbreaks had been seen and contained in the Democratic Republic of Congo Nigeria Cameroon and Central African Republic. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/africa-has-contained-monkey-pox-outbreaks-during-covid-pandemic-africa-cdc-2022-05-19/ 19th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters A lack of clear information out of China in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic has left the whole world in a worse situation British health minister Sajid Javid said. Javid speaking before a G7 health ministers conference on Thursday where pandemic preparedness will be discussed said that better information sharing would help avoid a repeat of the COVID crisis. He suggested that secrecy by China had contributed to a slow global response. Secretary of State for Health and Social Cares statement on the Ockenden Report. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/covid-shows-need-better-information-sharing-early-pandemics-uks-javid-says-2022-05-18/ 19th May 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. Postinfection vaccination may reduce long COVID Vaccination after infection with SARSCoV2 may contribute to a reduction in the burden of long COVID symptoms a new study suggests. Researchers tracked 6729 volunteers ages 18 to 69 who got two shots of either AstraZenecas viral vector vaccine or an mRNA vaccine from PfizerBioNTech or Moderna after recovering from an infection with the coronavirus and who reported long COVID symptoms of any severity at least once between February and September 2021. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/vaccination-after-infection-may-curb-long-covid-desktop-air-curtains-may-deflect-2022-05-19/ 19th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg UK vaccine advisers recommended a new round of Covid boosters for elderly and vulnerable people in the fall saying the pandemics threat could mount again as winter approaches. Another shot should be offered to those 65 and older carehome residents and staff health and social workers as well as people over 16 who are at higher risk the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization said Thursday. The new campaign would follow spring boosters for a more limited population. Although the spread of the coronavirus has eased in the UK in recent weeks new variants could emerge and studies have shown that protection from vaccination wanes with time. Despite uncertainty surrounding potential future waves the threat remains highest in winter the committee said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-19/autumn-covid-booster-recommended-for-elderly-vulnerable-in-uk 19th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Hindu North Korea reported more than 262000 more suspected cases on May 19 2022 as its caseload approaches two million. The number of coronavirus deaths globally dropped by about 21 in the past week while cases rose in most parts of the world according to the World Health Organization. In its weekly report on the pandemic released on May 19 the U. N. health agency said the number of new COVID19 cases appears to have stabilised after weeks of decline since late March with about 3.5 million new cases last week or a 1 rise. WHO said cases increased in the Americas Middle East Africa and the Western Pacific while falling in Europe and Southeast Asia. Some 9000 deaths were recorded. https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/covid-19-deaths-dropped-by-21-last-week-but-cases-rising-world-health-organization/article65430281.ece 19th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Focus Taiwan News Channel Taiwans COVID19 outbreak has entered the mass community spread stage and is likely to reach a peak number of infections in late May according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare MOHW. In a report to the Legislature Thursday the ministry said Taiwan reported 475497 new COVID19 infections from May 1218 marking a significant increase over the 302597 cases recorded from May 511. The rising case numbers indicate Taiwan has entered the mass community spread stage of the disease the ministry said while noting that imported cases have dropped in the last week but remain a risk. https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202205190013 19th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

EURACTIV The increase in COVID19 cases could affect the tourism and services sectors recovery Economic Minister Antnio Costa Silva said on Wednesday. The virus can play more tricks on us as it did before and that is why it is very important to stress that the virus has not disappeared Silva told journalists on the sidelines of a meeting with businesspeople in Aveiro. The minister argued that it is necessary to continue to take all measures and do everything to contain this threat warning that the worst that can happen is to come out of one crisis and enter another or worse than that a cascade of crises that combine. This year according to Silva the government estimates that the tourism and services sector will generate 16 billion which is only 85 of what was made in 2019. https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/portugal-worries-surge-in-covid-19-cases-may-affect-tourism/ 19th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

CIDRAP A study assessing Cornell Universitys COVID19 surveillance and vaccination programs during the Omicron variant surge suggests that vaccination protected against severe infection but it and other mitigation measuresincluding mass testingdidnt prevent rapid viral transmission. The study published today in JAMA Network Open describes the outcomes of the universitys SARSCoV2 transmissionprevention programs implemented after the campus reopened for inperson instruction in fall 2021. Steps included mandatory vaccination for students urging of vaccination for employees and an oncampus mask requirement. In addition isolation and contact tracing took place within hours of all COVID19positive tests. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/05/campus-covid-19-measures-couldnt-contain-omicron 19th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

USA TODAY COVID19 infections continue to rise driven by new and more infectious omicron subvariants waning immunity from both vaccines and previous infections and fewer people masking up health officials said at a White House briefing Wednesday. About a third of Americans now live in an area with medium or high COVID19 rates with reported cases up 26 from last week said Dr. Rochelle Walensky director of the Centers for Disease Control an Prevention. On average about 3000 Americans are being hospitalized per day and 275 are dying. Walensky urged people in communities with higher infection and hospitalization rates to protect themselves by masking in indoor public places and to get a booster shot if vaccinated and to get vaccinated if theyre not. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/05/18/omicron-waning-immunity-rising-covid-cases/9823740002/ 19th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Associated Press North Korea on Thursday reported 262270 more suspected COVID19 cases as its pandemic caseload neared 2 million a week after the country acknowledged the outbreak and scrambled to slow infections in its unvaccinated population. The country is also trying to prevent its fragile economy from deteriorating further but the outbreak could be worse than officially reported since the country lacks virus tests and other health care resources and may be underreporting deaths to soften the political impact on authoritarian leader Kim Jong Un. https://apnews.com/article/covid-politics-health-pandemics-179729d42d62466acc3223dc2b43f0f2 19th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

The New York Times Federal health officials warned on Wednesday that a third of Americans live in areas where the threat of Covid19 is now so high that they should consider wearing a mask in indoor public settings. They cited new data showing a substantial jump in both the spread of the coronavirus and hospitalizations over the past week. Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the sevenday average of hospital admissions from Covid rose 19 percent over the previous week. About 3000 people a day were being admitted with Covid she said although death rates a lagging indicator remained low. https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/05/18/world/covid-19-mandates-vaccine-cases 18th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Associated Press On a recent nighttime visit to a drugstore a doublemasked Kim Jong Un lamented the slow delivery of medicine. Separately the North Korean leaders lieutenants have quarantined hundreds of thousands of suspected COVID19 patients and urged people with mild symptoms to take willow leaf or honeysuckle tea. Despite what the Norths propaganda is describing as an allout effort the fear is palpable among citizens according to defectors in South Korea with contacts in the North and some outside observers worry the outbreak may get much worse with much of an impoverished unvaccinated population left without enough hospital care and struggling to afford even simple medicine. https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-south-korea-north-government-and-politics-4f4641bd167d728318fcafcf2bcc008b 18th May 2022