17th Oct 2022 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=743 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

South China Morning Post City state reported 11732 new cases on Tuesday at a time the new XBB variant has caused some worry in Asia over its ability to evade vaccines. Singapore officials say theres no cause for concern yet citing the countrys resilience built up through vaccination and previous waves of infection https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3195721/coronavirus-singapores-covid-resilience-means-xbb-not 15th Oct 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg The subvariants known as BQ.1.1 BQ.1 BQ.1.3 BA.2.3.20 and XBB are among the fastestspreading of the main omicron lineages. Based on UK data the BQ variants as well as BA.2.75.2 and BF.7 are the most concerning due to their growth advantage and immune evasiveness the countrys health security agency said on Oct. 7. BF.7 has also been gaining ground in the US where it accounted for 4.6 of Covid cases in the week ending Oct. 8 from 3.3 the week before according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Atlantabased agency noted BA4.6 was the most prevalent after BA.5 accounting for 13.6 of cases in the first week of October from 12.7 the week before. In Bangladesh and Singapore the XBB strain has been linked to a small surge in cases. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-13/xbb-bf-7-ba-5-1-7-new-covid-variants-renew-threats-to-the-world?fromMostRead=true 14th Oct 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Once seen as a sure bet for elevation to Chinas elite Politburo Standing Committee or even as the countrys next premier Li Qiangs glide path to the upcoming Communist Party Congress was buffeted by Shanghais grinding twomonth COVID19 lockdown. As the top official in Chinas commercial hub and its most populous city Lis position as Shanghai party chief has traditionally been a stepping stone towards a toptwo role in Chinas power structure including for Xi Jinping himself. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/after-covid-lockdown-eyes-shanghai-chief-party-congress-2022-10-11/ 12th Oct 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Independent Women account for almost twothirds of long Covid cases according to a new study of the illness in multiple countries. Extreme tiredness loss of smell shortness of breath and muscle aches are some of the most widelyreported symptoms of long Covid which affects about six percent of Covid19 patients. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/long-covid-women-study-b2200325.html 12th Oct 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg China is stepping up efforts to contain Covid19 outbreaks ahead of the Party Congress with national cases climbing to the highest in almost two months and concerns about widening lockdowns rippling across the financial hub of Shanghai. The country reported 1878 cases for Sunday the highest since Aug. 20 as the weeklong National Day holiday saw cases flare among returning travelers. Shanghai posted 34 new local infections the most in almost three months with two infections found outside of its quarantine system. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-10/lockdown-worries-return-to-shanghai-as-china-covid-tally-climbs 11th Oct 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters China called for patience with its tough COVID policies and warned against any warweariness as local cases soared to their highest since August days ahead of a pivotal Communist Party congress. Many countries are learning to coexist with COVID19 but China has repeatedly quashed any speculation of a letup in its policies which can range from locking down a local community to an entire city even though fatalities remain low by global standards and symptoms if any are mostly mild. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-urges-patience-covid-cases-rebound-ahead-key-congress-2022-10-10/ 10th Oct 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Since the initial outbreak emerged in the central city of Wuhan many people in China have been more or less supportive of mass testing citywide lockdowns and strict hotel quarantine that has restricted overseas travel. But signs are emerging that patience is wearing thin. While there arent reliable surveys on Chinese attitudes toward Covid19 and social media is heavily censored more criticisms of Xis policy have broken through of late. On the official Weibo account of Li Wenliang a whistleblowing doctor in Wuhan who was lionized by Chinas government after his death a greater number of complaints have emerged about lockdowns and constant PCR tests in recent weeks. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-09/china-s-tolerance-for-xi-s-unyielding-covid-fight-is-cracking 10th Oct 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters A Pfizer executive with a lead role in negotiating a COVID19 vaccine bulk supply agreement with the European Commission categorically ruled out that the U.S. drugmakers chief executive agreed the contract via mobile phone text messages. As to whether a contract negotiation such as this contract which you referred to 1.8 billion doses was negotiated through an SMS I can categorically tell you that would not be the case Janine Small president of international developed markets at Pfizer told the European Parliaments special committee on COVID19 on Monday. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/pfizer-exec-says-ceo-did-not-negotiate-eu-covid-vaccine-contract-via-text-2022-10-10/ 10th Oct 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Wall Street Journal A renewed wave of pandemicrelated lockdowns in major Chinese cities is hampering hopes for a recovery in consumer spending showing how difficult it is for Beijing to rekindle growth without loosening Covid19 restrictions. Official data released in recent days showed consumer spending falling sharply during the sevenday National Day holiday when compared with a year earlier while a private survey of services activity fell into contraction in September. Travelers in China made 422 million trips during the National Day holiday between Oct. 1 and 7 down 18 from a year earlier and 39 lower than prepandemic levels in 2019 Chinas Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Friday. https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-covid-lockdowns-deal-another-blow-to-consumer-spending-11665386341 10th Oct 2022

Exit Strategies

The Straits Times The current wave of Covid19 infections is being driven by the XBB subvariant and is expected to peak at an average of 15000 daily cases by about midNovember. Projections based on previous waves of infection show that Singapore has adequate healthcare capacity to cope with the rise in coronavirus cases the Ministry of Health MOH said on Saturday. But the authorities do not rule out bringing back stricter mask rules or vaccinationdifferentiated safe management measures VDS if needed such as requiring those dining at restaurants to be fully vaccinated. Such measures were fully lifted on Oct 10. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/spores-covid-19-xbb-infections-to-peak-in-mid-nov-cannot-rule-out-bringing-back-mask-mandate 15th Oct 2022

Exit Strategies

CNN A young woman stands on her balcony crying out in desperation after her building was ordered into lockdown. Fighting back tears she shouts abuse at the hazmatsuited workers below in a video that has recently gone viral on social media platform Weibo and which appears to encapsulate the Chinese publics growing frustration with their governments uncompromising zeroCovid policy. The woman has been under quarantine for half a year since returning from university in the summer she shouts at the workers. They stare back seemingly unmoved. While most Asian economies even those with previously hardline zeroCovid stances are abandoning pandemicera restrictions authorities in China remain zealous in theirs repeatedly insisting this week in staterun media articles that the battle against the virus remains winnable. https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/13/china/china-zero-covid-lockdown-party-congress-intl-hnk/index.html 15th Oct 2022

Exit Strategies

Al Jazeera English A few months ago a box was left outside the door of 34yearold Yu Ting Xus apartment in Beijing. Inside there was an electronic monitoring wristband and a demand that she wear the wristband at all times as part of the fight against COVID19 in her residential area. While telling her story over a video call Yu shuffles about in the background. When she returns to her screen she is holding up the wristband which looks like a smartwatch but has a plain white plastic surface instead of a display. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/13/in-zero-covid-china-people-have-had-enough 15th Oct 2022

Exit Strategies

The Wall Street Journal The Biden administration extended the Covid19 pandemics status as a public health emergency for another 90 days preserving measures such as expanded Medicaid and higher payments to hospitals. The decision follows comments President Biden made in September describing the pandemic as over. Some Republican lawmakers said afterward that the administration should wind down its pandemic response and the emergency designation. The extension of the publichealth emergency on Thursday was expected by officials and lawmakers from both parties. The administration has told states it would give them 60 days notice before letting the publichealth emergency expire. Some state leaders have said recently that they hadnt gotten any such headsup. https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-administration-renews-covid-19s-emergency-status-11665697704?mod=politics_lead_pos6 14th Oct 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Novavax Inc said on Wednesday data from studies in adults and adolescents showed that the booster dose of its COVID vaccine produced robust antibodies against several Omicron variants including BA.1 BA.2 and BA.5. The data was from two studies a latestage study evaluating the booster in adults and adolescents who had received Novavax primary vaccination and another study testing it in those aged 18 to 49 who had received primary series of Novavax vaccine or other authorized or approved vaccines. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/novavax-says-covid-booster-dose-shows-benefit-against-omicron-variants-2022-10-12/ 12th Oct 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters.com Another wave of COVID19 infections may have begun in Europe as cases begin to tick up across the region the World Health Organization and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ECDC said on Wednesday. Although we are not where we were one year ago it is clear that the COVID19 pandemic is still not over WHOs Europe director Hans Kluge and ECDCs director Andrea Ammon said in a joint statement. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/europe-likely-entering-another-covid-wave-says-who-ecdc-2022-10-12/ 12th Oct 2022

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg Singapore will step up its vaccination program as it further eases its Covidrelated curbs lifting restrictions on nonvaccinated individuals in restaurants and other venues. The Ministry of Health said it will fully lift its vaccinedifferentiated safe management measures effective Oct. 10. That means the restrictions will no longer be applied in eateries nightlife establishments and at large events with more than 500 attendees. Singapores steady removal of its Covid curbs has helped solidify its role as a major Asian financial center capitalizing on Hong Kongs relative slowness to reopen. In a sign of the relative appeal of the two cities Singapores population rose 3.4 in June from a year earlier while Hong Kongs shrank 1.6. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-07/singapore-to-ease-more-covid-curbs-step-up-vaccination-program 10th Oct 2022

Exit Strategies

FiercePharma The companys latest move A strategic partnership in the Land Down Under. Friday the German biotech unveiled a deal with the Australian state of Victoria to prop up a new mRNA research and innovation center to bolster investigation of new meds from discovery to delivery. BioNTech will also throw in one of its BioNTainer mobile manufacturing facilities in Victorias capital of Melbourne for endtoend clinical production of mRNA products and candidates the company said in a release. Housed in shipping containers BioNTainer modular factories are kitted out to produce vaccines from start to finish. Beyond Australia the company recently advanced plans to kick off a BioNTainerfocused mRNA vaccine manufacturing initiative in Africa. https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/africa-australia-and-beyond-biontechs-global-mrna-ambitions-take-shape 8th Oct 2022

Partisan Exits

Al Jazeera English A few months ago a box was left outside the door of 34yearold Yu Ting Xus apartment in Beijing. Inside there was an electronic monitoring wristband and a demand that she wear the wristband at all times as part of the fight against COVID19 in her residential area. While telling her story over a video call Yu shuffles about in the background. When she returns to her screen she is holding up the wristband which looks like a smartwatch but has a plain white plastic surface instead of a display. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/13/in-zero-covid-china-people-have-had-enough 15th Oct 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters China will persist with its COVID19 policies to guard against new coronavirus strains and the risks they bring the official newspaper of the Communist Party warned in a commentary for the third straight day crushing hopes of any nearterm easing. Lying flat is not advisable and to win the COVID battle while lying flat is not possible Peoples Daily wrote on Wednesday referring to a phrase in China that denotes doing nothing. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-cant-win-covid-battle-by-lying-flat-peoples-daily-2022-10-12/ 12th Oct 2022

Partisan Exits

Bloomberg Infrastructure construction contracts signed before the pandemic have become widely unworkable because of the surging cost of labor and materials supplychain blockages and difficulties in securing manpower according to builder Webuild. The firm is wrestling with a 2019 agreement with the Australian government to construct the countrys largest hydroelectric power station for A5.1 billion. The Snowy 2.0 project has come to highlight the challenges of completing largescale projects on terms that were struck before Covid19 and before Russia invaded Ukraine. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-10-10/australia-news-today-construction-contracts-unworkable-defense-costs-blow-out 11th Oct 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters China recorded 422 million tourist trips over the weeklong National Day holiday beginning on Oct. 1 down 18.2 from last years holiday season government data showed as the sector remains hit by stringent COVID19 curbs. The number of trips was 60.7 of the preCOVID 2019 level state broadcaster CCTV reported late on Friday citing figures from Chinas Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Domestic tourism revenues at 287.2 billion yuan 40.37 billion were down 26.2 on the year and just 44.2 of their prepandemic 2019 level the data showed. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/china-holiday-tourist-trips-fall-18-year-broad-covid-curbs-2022-10-08/ 9th Oct 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

ABC News Major flooding in suburban areas of Melbourne in the last couple of days have only reinforced the sense that we are now in a world of more or less rolling natural disasters. The times when a massive bushfire or flood event were a shock to the system seem to have well and truly passed. Disaster relief agencies and even the Australian Defence Forces are dealing instead with persistent crisis. Last month the Guardian reported that in its brief to the incoming government the Department of Defence had warned it was under intense pressure due to the need to respond to near persistent natural disasters and noted the impacts of climate change when requesting more costeffective ways to manage the continual callouts. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-15/natural-disasters-covid-australia-budget-economy-shock-problem/101538108 15th Oct 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Thai PBS World Thailands Disease Control Department is seeking more information through International Health Regulations IHR about three passengers who arrived in Hong Kong from Thailand infected with a new Omicron subvariant known as XBB according to Dr. Tares Krassanairawiwong acting directorgeneral of Thailands Disease Control Department. He said that 29 XBB cases have been found in Hong Kong including 24 cases which were detected upon arrival at Hong Kongs main airport and five who were found two days after their arrival. Most were passengers arriving from Singapore but three were from Thailand. Dr. Tares said that the department would like to know whether the passengers are residents of Thailand or transit passengers among other details. https://www.thaipbsworld.com/more-information-sought-on-omicron-xbb-cases-among-passengers-arriving-in-hong-kong-from-thailand/ 15th Oct 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg Scientists have identified an immunity gene variant in people with strong responses to Covid19 vaccines who were less likely to get breakthrough infections a finding that could improve future shot design. Individuals carrying the specific gene version generated more antibodies against the coronavirus after receiving vaccines from AstraZeneca Plc or the alliance of Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE according to the study published Thursday in the Nature Medicine journal. The same people were less likely than those with different versions of the same gene to get infected with Covid months later the research found. . https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-13/gene-variant-tied-to-better-covid-shot-response-found-in-study?srnd=premium-uk 14th Oct 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Most patients with COVID19 who have lingering symptoms at 12 months are likely to still have symptoms at 18 months new data suggest. The findings are drawn from a large study of 33281 people in Scotland who tested positive for the coronavirus. Most of the results are in line with those from earlier smaller studies. Among a subset of 197 survivors of symptomatic SARSCoV2 infections who completed surveys at 12 months and 18 months most reported lingering symptoms at both time points researchers reported in Nature Communications. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/long-covid-12-months-persists-18-months-study-shows-2022-10-13/ 14th Oct 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg L.P. on MSN.com Modernas vaccine was authorized for use at least two months after completion of primary or booster vaccination in children down to six years of age according to a statement Wednesday from the US Food and Drug Administration. The Pfizer shot can be given at least two months after primary or booster vaccination in children as young as five. While updated booster shots have already been authorized for use in children and adults from the age of 12 and up uptake of the shots has been slow. Primary vaccinations of children have also gone slowly as parents have seen the risk of infection as low. Since children have gone back to school in person and people are resuming prepandemic behaviors and activities there is the potential for increased risk of exposure to the virus that causes Covid19 said Peter Marks director of the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. https://www.msn.com/en-us/finance/other/fda-authorizes-covid-omicron-boosters-for-kids-5-and-up/ar-AA12SSiS 13th Oct 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg Scientists have identified an immunity gene variant in people with strong responses to Covid19 vaccines who were less likely to get breakthrough infections a finding that could improve future shot design. Individuals carrying the specific gene version generated more antibodies against the coronavirus after receiving vaccines from AstraZeneca Plc or the alliance of Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE according to the study published Thursday in the Nature Medicine journal. The same people were less likely than those with different versions of the same gene to get infected with Covid months later the research found. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-13/gene-variant-tied-to-better-covid-shot-response-found-in-study 13th Oct 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech said their COVID19 vaccine booster adapted for the BA.4 and the BA.5 subvariants of Omicron generated a strong immune response and was welltolerated in testing on humans. With the results which the companies described as consistent with preclinical data the partners are following up with human trial data that had previously been missing from their successful filings for regulatory approval. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/pfizer-says-updated-booster-protects-against-omicron-subvariants-2022-10-13/ 13th Oct 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Wall Street Journal U.S. health regulators on Wednesday expanded eligibility for the new Covid19 booster shots to children as young as 5 years old broadening access to help bolster protection against Omicron strains of the coronavirus. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the updated booster from Pfizer Inc. and its partner BioNTech SE for children ages 5 through 11 and Moderna Inc.s updated booster for children 6 through 17. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky subsequently recommended use of the updated boosters in these age groups. This is a critical step in our fight against Covid19. An updated vaccine can help bolster protection for our children this winter Dr. Walensky said in a tweet. The FDA in late August cleared the updated Pfizer booster shot for people 12 and older and Modernas for those 18 and older. https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-boosters-targeting-omicron-authorized-for-kids-as-young-as-5-11665582983 12th Oct 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg Major flooding in suburban areas of Melbourne in the last couple of days have only reinforced the sense that we are now in a world of more or less rolling natural disasters. The times when a massive bushfire or flood event were a shock to the system seem to have well and truly passed. Disaster relief agencies and even the Australian Defence Forces are dealing instead with persistent crisis. Last month the Guardian reported that in its brief to the incoming government the Department of Defence had warned it was under intense pressure due to the need to respond to near persistent natural disasters and noted the impacts of climate change when requesting more costeffective ways to manage the continual callouts. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-12/pfizer-moderna-omicron-boosters-get-fda-nod-for-kids-5-and-up 12th Oct 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

CTV News Two new subvariants of the Omicron strain of COVID19 identified in recent months could fuel increased cases and hospitalizations in Canada through the fall and winter infectious disease experts say. Experts say the variants labelled BQ.1.1 and BA.2.75 are spreading rapidly in multiple countries. BQ.1.1 is a subvariant of BA.5 and has also been identified in the U.K. where cases have ballooned in recent weeks while BA.2.75 which the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control labelled as a variant of interest in September is spreading quickly in India and Singapore. https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/what-are-ba-2-75-and-bq-1-1-the-two-emerging-covid-19-subvariants-raising-concern-among-infectious-disease-experts-1.6100637 11th Oct 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg AstraZeneca Plcs ambitions for developing an easier formulation of its Covid19 vaccine one that might help curb contagion as well suffered a setback Monday as the nasal spray failed in an early test. The spray vaccine didnt elicit a strong immune response in the nasal mucosa tissue or in the rest of the body of volunteers according to researchers at the University of Oxford. Astra shares fell less than 1 in London. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-10/astrazeneca-azn-nasal-spray-vaccine-for-covid-fizzles-in-small-early-trial 11th Oct 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Swiss drugs regulator Swissmedic said on Monday it had temporarily approved Pfizers COVID19 booster shot targeting the original and BA.1 Omicron coronavirus variants. Swissmedic added that the data currently available to it was not yet sufficient to make a decision on Pfizers bivalent booster vaccine targeting the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron variants. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/swiss-drugs-regulator-approves-one-pfizers-covid-19-booster-shots-2022-10-10/ 10th Oct 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

STAT News The United States is in a relative Covid19 lull with cases and hospitalizations falling as the wave driven by the BA.5 lineage of the Omicron variant recedes. But as if we needed a portent of an anticipated fall and winter wave Covid is on the rise in some European countries. Whats different at least for now is that theres not one variant pushing the wave. Rather scientists are tracking a bevy of new forms of Omicron which are jockeying with each other as they compete to become the next dominant strain. Scientists are monitoring more than 300 sublineages of Omicron World Health Organization officials said this week. To get a sense of whats happening right now with the evolution of the SARSCoV2 virus STAT spoke with Tom Peacock a virologist at Imperial College London. https://www.statnews.com/2022/10/06/bq11-omicron-variants-splintering-covid-next-phase/ 6th Oct 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

CNA This is likely to be a short and sharp wave said Mr Ong saying that Singapore is likely to see about 15000 daily cases on average. By around midNovember we should see the wave subsiding. He added that on certain days when more cases tend to be reported such as on Tuesdays the caseload could reach 20000 or 25000. The Ministry of Health MOH said that using the BA.5 wave as an indication hospitalised cases peaked at 800 in July and hospitals in Singapore while stretched were able to cope. The proportion of cases with the XBB strain an Omicron subvariant has been on the rise in Singapore over the past month. While highly transmissible it has not caused more severe disease than previous variants thus far. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/covid-19-xbb-wave-peak-mid-november-3009141 15th Oct 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Wall Street Journal Two of the Omicron subvariants both related to the BA.5 version that drove the most recent U.S. surge are called BQ.1 and BQ.1.1. They were estimated to represent a combined 11.4 of U.S. Covid19 cases by midOctober according to estimates the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Friday. BA.5 remains the dominant version of the virus circulating in the U.S. at about 68 of recent cases according to CDC estimates. But the subvariant landscape has become busier as the virus that causes Covid19 continues to mutate. Another version virus experts are watching because of its potential to spread easily called BA.2.72.2 represented an estimated 1.4 of cases in the latest CDC report. https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-omicron-covid-19-subvariants-on-the-rise-in-u-s-cdc-says-11665761579 14th Oct 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Chinas capital Beijing reported 16 symptomatic new locally transmitted COVID19 infections and eight asymptomatic cases for Oct. 13 local government authorities said on Friday. This compared with 12 symptomatic and six asymptomatic cases the day before. Three cases on Thursday were found outside quarantined areas. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/beijing-reports-16-symptomatic-8-asymptomatic-covid-cases-oct-13-2022-10-14/ 14th Oct 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Bloomberg The nation recorded 1645 new Covid infections on Saturday the highest total since Sept. 2. While Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang had the biggest clusters both Beijing and Shanghai found new cases outside of quarantine suggesting the virus might be still spreading. While the eight new cases reported in the capital on Saturday is relatively few any rebound in infections would pose a headache for leaders. Some 3000 delegates are gathering in the city to attend the twiceadecade congress starting Oct. 16 thats expected to hand Xi a normbreaking third term in power. A preparatory meeting of roughly 370 members and alternate members of the Central Committee is scheduled to begin today. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-09/china-covid-cases-rebound-as-party-gears-up-for-key-congress 9th Oct 2022