28th Aug 2020 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=84 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

The Guardian There is a graph circulating in the care home industry that should send chills down the spine of the health and social care secretary Matt Hancock. It predicts under a worstcase scenario a plunge in the demand for care homes by the end of 2021 that would leave 180000 beds empty. The forecast by consultants Knight Frank is not good news based on a healthier aged population but rather is based on fresh waves of coronavirus killing thousands more people in the community and in care homes creating a flight from the sector. It is pessimistic but for care home bosses reeling from the first wave of the pandemic which killed more than 17000 of their customers it does not seem impossible. Shortterm it could have a serious impact on an NHS left to look after the infirm. Longerterm it could seriously erode the UKs capacity to look after its most vulnerable. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/27/coronavirus-impact-made-uk-social-care-crisis-even-more-acute 27th Aug 2020

Lockdown Exit

Reuters UK The United Kingdom recorded 1522 new cases of COVID19 in the latest daily government statistics published on Thursday the highest number since June 12 and up from 1048 cases a day earlier. A further 12 people were recorded as having died within 28 days of their first positive test for COVID19 taking the United Kingdoms cumulative death toll on this measure to 41477. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-britain-cases/uk-reports-highest-daily-covid-case-total-since-june-12-idUKKBN25N2DR 27th Aug 2020

Lockdown Exit

The New York Times French business confidence rebounded in August to its highest since France went into a coronavirus lockdown despite a resurgence of new infections a survey showed on Thursday. INSEE the official statistics agency said its monthly business sentiment index rose to 91 from 84 reaching its highest since March when midway through the month the government put France under one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe. Business confidence has rebounded since the government began lifting the lockdown on May 11 as companies struggled to respond to pentup demand from clients. https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/08/27/world/europe/27reuters-france-economy.html 27th Aug 2020

Lockdown Exit

Evening Standard City centres risk becoming permanent ghost towns if staff do not return to offices a senior business leader has warned. Carolyn Fairbairn the directorgeneral of the Confederation of British Industry CBI said getting staff back into offices and workplaces is as important as pupils returning to school in September. Boris Johnson signalled an end to stay at home guidance in July as he gave employers the green light to get staff back to work but Dame Carolyn called for the Prime Minister to do more to get office workers back at their desks. The UKs offices are vital drivers of our economy she wrote in the Daily Mail. They support thousands of local firms from dry cleaners to sandwich bars. They help train and develop young people. And they foster better work and productivity for many kinds of business. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/return-to-work-coronavirus-save-city-centres-cbi-boss-a4534176.html 27th Aug 2020

Exit Strategies

Reuters A brief technical issue led some people to delete Irelands COVID19 tracing app leaving 1.2 million active users compared to the 1.65 million who downloaded it since early July the head of Irelands health service operator said on Thursday. Irelands app has been downloaded by 33 of the population among the highest take up rates in Europe and its developers have since been hired to roll out a similar service in Northern Ireland Scotland Gibraltar and Pennsylvania. Like many European versions Irelands app uses architecture designed by Alphabets Google and Apple. A Google Play Services update caused the app to rapidly drain handset batteries for a twoday period earlier this month. There were some issues which we have addressed with Google and Apple. Weve a total of 1.65 million downloads there were of course some that were deleted and weve probably about 1.2 million active users but we are seeing people reloading Health Service Executive HSE chief Paul Reid told a news conference. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-ireland-apps/active-irish-covid-19-tracing-app-users-drop-on-battery-problem-hse-idUKKBN25N1PA 27th Aug 2020

Exit Strategies

iNews Matt Hancock is expected to announce on Friday whether local lockdowns will continue in parts of Northern England amid growing criticism from regional leaders. The Health Secretary and Englands chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty chaired Thursdays meeting of the Joint Biosecurity Centre. Around four million people in Greater Manchester east Lancashire and West Yorkshire have been unable to visit other households indoors since the end of July while pubs stayed open. Last week Mr Hancock announced a more targeted approach to restrictions with the views of MPs sought to gain the maximum possible local consensus. He added this would allow local councils to focus resources on the wards which need more targeted intervention in order to drive infection rates down. https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/local-lockdown-review-greater-manchester-announcement-coronavirus-rules-change-611778 27th Aug 2020

Exit Strategies

YAHOO! Germany and France drew up tougher rules on Thursday in line with a growing number of countries battling a resurgence in coronavirus infections with Paris making masks obligatory in all public places in a bid to curb a rise of new cases in the city. https://news.yahoo.com/france-germany-join-nations-tightening-130713523.html 27th Aug 2020

Exit Strategies

The Times Germany has extended its furlough scheme until the end of 2021 despite reservations in Angela Merkels party about a bill that may exceed 30 billion. The measure is intended to buy time for the economy to recover after GDP contracted by 11.7 per cent over the first six months of this year. It is expected to take until late next year or early 2022 to regain the lost ground. At the peak during lockdown 10.1 million workers including one in three in the industrial sector were on furlough. The number is thought to have fallen to about 5.2 million by late July. The Kurzarbeit shorttime work scheme which has roots in the early 20th century is normally restricted to 12 months. It began in January and had been due to run out on December 31. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/germany-extends-its-furlough-scheme-until-end-of-2021-nq9m58jb8 27th Aug 2020

Exit Strategies

Daily Mail German economy saw GDP fall by 11.7 per cent over first six months of the year More than 10.1 million workers were on furlough at the peak of the lockdown It is thought that the economy will not get back on its feet until the end of 2021 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8669605/Germany-extends-furlough-scheme-end-YEAR-likely-cost-27billion.html 27th Aug 2020

Exit Strategies

Business Leader The answer could be found in Germany where lockdowns began to ease months before the UK. German SMEs are already dealing with the next economic phase and research carried out by Vimcar the fleet management software for small and mediumsized companies has revealed some of the challenges that UK businesses will face. More than half of the German SMEs surveyed 55 have introduced new hygiene regulations for their business fleets in order to get back on the road. This additional time pressure has led to a flawed process in some cases however as twothirds 65 of those businesses admitted that their disinfection of vehicles was not being documented. Of the 18 that were documenting hygiene procedures most were doing so manually with handwritten lists. These findings suggest that whilst necessary extra hygiene regulations will inevitably prove a cost and resource drain on UK SMEs who are already struggling to get back on their feet. https://www.businessleader.co.uk/lessons-to-be-learned-from-germany-for-uk-smes-as-businesses-seek-to-save-time-and-money-and-capitalise-on-eased-lockdown-restrictions/97273/ 27th Aug 2020

Exit Strategies

Reuters Face masks must be worn everywhere in the French capital Paris from Friday morning in order to curb a surge in coronavirus infections police said on Thursday. The measure applies to all pedestrians as well as cyclists in Paris and its suburbs in an area that includes three neighbouring departments that form the Petite Couronn inner ring around Paris a densely populated area with a total population of nearly seven million people. Motorists will not have to wear a mask inside their car. The deterioration of the health situation...has led the prefect to take this strong measure in the interest of the population the Paris police prefecture said in a statement. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-france/france-to-make-face-masks-mandatory-everywhere-in-paris-idUKKBN25N13Z 27th Aug 2020

Exit Strategies

South China Morning Post China has relaxed some Covid19 lockdown measures on the city of Urumqi in Xinjiang following a surge of complaints about their severity on Chinese social media. The city of 3.5 million people which has been in strict lockdown since midJuly has reported no new cases of the disease since August 16. Xinjiang residents flooded social media platform Weibo with complaints about the restrictions which had kept them trapped at home for more than a month. There have also been claims people were forced to take traditional Chinese medicine which has not been proven to alleviate Covid19 symptoms. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3099031/xinjiang-starts-ease-covid-19-lockdown-after-surge-social-media 27th Aug 2020

Exit Strategies

Reuters UK More than 100 mink farms in the Netherlands will be ordered closed by March after animals at dozens of locations contracted the coronavirus Dutch news agency ANP reported on Thursday. Hundreds of thousands of the ferretlike animals which are bred for their fur have been culled in the Netherlands and other European countries since the virus outbreak. The Netherlands had already intended to halt its mink breeding industry by 2024 but decided to bring forward the closures after several farm employees contracted COVID19. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-netherlands/netherlands-to-close-mink-farms-after-coronavirus-outbreaks-idUKKBN25N2XA 27th Aug 2020

Partisan Exits

Reuters UK Libyas Tripolibased government has announced a 24hour curfew to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus as it struggles to contain protests over deteriorating living conditions and corruption. The curfew which took effect on Wednesday night was imposed by the internationally recognised Government of National Accord GNA three days after protests in the capital and the nearby town of Zawiya began to escalate. The decision exempts people who need to go out for essential food or medicine at nearby shops but it angered protest supporters who posted messages online saying it was designed to prevent further demonstrations. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-libya-security/libyas-tripoli-government-imposes-covid-19-curfew-after-protests-escalate-idUKKBN25N1YO?il=0 27th Aug 2020

Partisan Exits

Sky News The UK has reported its highest daily number of new coronavirus cases since 12 June. A total of 1522 people received a laboratoryconfirmed COVID19 test on Thursday despite infection rates remaining well below those in Spain France and other parts of Europe suffering a resurgence of the disease. The latest daily new case total figure is up from 1048 on Wednesday. It is the highest daily new case total since before nonessential shops reopened to the public in England on 15 June and restaurants and pubs resumed operations on 4 July. https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-weekly-covid-19-cases-in-england-decline-for-first-time-since-july-12057658 27th Aug 2020

Partisan Exits

NPR Except in Xinjiang. A sweeping western region nearly four times the size of California Xinjiang remains largely cut off from the rest of the country and its some 22 million residents under heavy lockdown an effort officials say is needed to contain a cluster of more than 800 officially diagnosed cases. In midJuly officials declared a wartime mode for the region. Community officials continue to go door to door sealing doors with paper strips tape and in some cases metal bars to prevent residents from leaving their homes. The region has effectively been penned off from the rest of the country meaning scant information about the lockdown has emerged. In July Xinjiangs train stations were closed intercity bus routes canceled and centralized quarantine imposed on residents returning to the region. https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/08/26/906206090/china-calls-it-a-wartime-mode-covid-19-lockdown-and-residents-are-protesting 27th Aug 2020

Partisan Exits

ABC News The Victorian Government says it is working to deliver support and information into communities in Melbournes outer southeast where antilockdown protests have been held over the past few days in breach of physicaldistancing restrictions. Police said officers issued nine fines and arrested four men who joined a recurring protest at the George Andrews Reserve on Wednesday. In a statement police said anyone planning to attend future protests could expect to see a highly visible police presence in the Dandenong area. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-27/police-warn-melburnians-against-dandenong-coronavirus-protest/12603480 27th Aug 2020

Partisan Exits

NEWS.com.au New Zealand has been the target of criticism by lockdown opponents overseas who have slammed its COVID19 policies as too strict. When an overseas Twitter account described New Zealand as a hellhole this week because of the countrys current lockdown rules New Zealanders on Twitter responded in the best possible way by sharing photos of their day and describing what life is like in the New Zealand hellhole with a good dose of Kiwi sarcasm. You cant leave. And you cant easily have people in. And youre back in lockdown in major parts of the country. And the quarantine camps are public knowledge. Your country is a hellhole the account @LockdownNo replied to a New Zealander on Twitter. https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/health-safety/new-zealand-outraged-after-twitter-calls-country-hellhole-over-lockdown-rules/news-story/4990c07a494e4243713479858620620d 27th Aug 2020

Partisan Exits

The Guardian Covid19 death tolls at individual care homes are being kept secret by regulators in part to protect providers commercial interests before a possible second coronavirus surge the Guardian can reveal. Englands Care Quality Commission CQC and the Care Inspectorate in Scotland are refusing to make public which homes or providers recorded the most fatalities amid fears it could undermine the UKs care system which relies on private operators. In response to freedom of information requests the regulators said they were worried that the supply of beds and standards of care could be threatened if customers left badly affected operators. The CQC and Care Inspectorate share homebyhome data with their respective governments but both refused to make it public. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/27/data-covid-care-home-deaths-kept-secret-protect-commercial-interests 27th Aug 2020

Continued Lockdown

The Guardian The shock waves from Covid19 will lead to a lost decade for the worlds poorest countries unless they get concerted and urgent help the International Monetary Fund has said. The Washingtonbased IMF said lowincome developing countries LIDCs entered the pandemic in a vulnerable position and faced the prospect of their progress in poverty reduction over the past seven to 10 years being wiped out. In a blog IMF economists called on the international community to adopt a sevenpoint plan so that poor countries could cope with Covid19 and recover quickly. Growth which averaged 5 in 2019 was likely to come to a standstill this year the IMF said adding that previous pandemics had left permanent scars. It backed a recent call from the World Bank president David Malpass for a more ambitious programme of debt relief that would move beyond repayment holidays to a reduction in the stock of debt. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/27/imf-warns-poorest-countries-face-lost-decade-covid-19 27th Aug 2020

Continued Lockdown

ABC News The U.N. childrens agency says at least a third of children couldnt access remote learning when the COVID19 pandemic closed schools creating a global education emergency. At the height of lockdowns meant to curb the pandemic nearly 1.5 billion children were affected by school closures UNICEF said. For at least 463 million children whose schools closed due to COVID19 there was no such a thing as remote learning UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said. The sheer number of children whose education was completely disrupted for months on end is a global education emergency she said in a statement. The repercussions could be felt in economies and societies for decades to come. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/unicef-worlds-children-missed-remote-learning-72644310 27th Aug 2020

Continued Lockdown

iNews At least 26 women have been killed during the coronavirus lockdown by domestic terrorisers the youngest was two the oldest 82. A woman was on the phone behind me at the supermarket her voice loud and panicky. She was talking about a friend or relative who was dreading the reopening of schools Hell start belting her again. Kicked her head in last time. Stopped when the kids were home. Most parents are desperate to get their children back into the classroom. But for this woman whoever she was and many others too as I later discovered being alone with an abusive partner is as dangerous as being in a cage with a raging wild beast. It was bad enough before the pandemic when around two women per week were being killed by men they knew. The media often neglects to report these deaths. They died as they had lived without dignity or due care. Look up the Counting Dead Women Project which lists these homicide cases. Its like walking into the saddest graveyard of buried bodies whose stories will never be fully known. https://inews.co.uk/opinion/domestic-violence-rise-lockdown-mothers-danger-611211 27th Aug 2020

Continued Lockdown

YAHOO! As the winter months get nearer a stark warning about a possible increase in coronavirus deaths has been issued by the World Health Organization WHO. During a briefing on Thursday morning WHOs European regional director Hans Kluge warned that as youngsters stay in more during the colder months they may be more likely to spread coronavirus especially if they visit multiple households. Kluge said there was growing evidence that young people were infecting people at social gatherings and said that this could result in increase hospitalisations and deaths. He said The younger people are not necessarily going to die from it but its a tornado with a long tail https://uk.news.yahoo.com/lockdown-rules-spike-coronavirus-deaths-winter-114555184.html 27th Aug 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters UK Argentina posted a record daily rise of 10550 COVID19 cases on Wednesday the health ministry said taking the total caseload to 370188 as the country struggles to rein in the spread of infections while trying to ease open its crisishit economy. The grains producer which imposed a strict lockdown in March that initially helped slow the spread of the virus is now fast catching up with other hardhit countries in the region including neighbor Chile where new infections have slowed. Latin America has become the epicenter of the global pandemic with the highest number of infections and deaths while the regions economy is set to plunge sharply this year pushing millions of people into poverty. The nightly report showed there had been 276 new COVID19 fatalities in the 24hour period since the previous evenings count taking the total to 7839. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-argentina/argentina-daily-covid-19-cases-top-10000-for-first-time-idUKKBN25M2WU 27th Aug 2020

Continued Lockdown

The Guardian Germany is to ban large events until the end of this year amid fears of a resurgence in coronavirus cases and as the World Health Organization warned that Europe was entering a tricky moment as children go back to school. The chancellor Angela Merkel has set out a new package of measures in discussions with leaders of federal states. It comes amid a worrying rise of infection rates in Germany not seen since April and a similar uptick in Italy and France. Under the new rules German football fans will not be allowed back into stadiums until 2021 later than had been hoped. Regulations on maskwearing will also be toughened. Mass gatherings including festivals concerts and big sporting events will remain prohibited. The draft text allows for exceptions in regions with low virus numbers and where participants are all locals. But it goes against a suggestion by Germanys interior minister Horst Seehofer that Bundesliga football games might resume in October with socially distanced spectators. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/27/global-report-germany-bans-large-events-amid-rise-in-covid-cases 27th Aug 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters UK Gaza will remain in lockdown at least until Sunday health officials said on Wednesday after reporting two deaths and 26 COVID19 cases in the first public outbreak of the coronavirus in the blockaded Palestinian enclave. As of two days ago when the first four cases were discovered in a refugee camp in the 360 squarekilometre 140 squaremile territory and a 48hour lockdown was imposed there had been no infections outside border quarantine facilities for new arrivals. But by late on Wednesday health officials said 26 people in several locations had tested positive for COVID19 and two patients had died a sign the world pandemic had penetrated Gazas forced isolation https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-gaza/gaza-coronavirus-lockdown-extended-by-72-hours-after-infections-spread-idUKKBN25M11T 27th Aug 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Scotsman Inspect repellents that contain an ingredient called Citriodiol could be used to help defend against the coronavirus according to researchers at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. In an eight page paper from the Porton Down based lab the efficacy of Mosiguard a Citriodiol based spray was tested on plastic and artificial skin. The report states that the Defence Science and Technology Lab DSTL was tasked by the Surgeon General to determine the level of antiviral activity of Mosiguard Natural spray against Covid19 virus of which Citriodiol is an ingredient. Its explained that two experimental approaches were adopted one being the assessment of the antiviral activity of the product when applied directly to the virus as a liquid drop the other being the assessment of the product following its application to latex synthetic skin. https://www.scotsman.com/health/citriodiol-spray-could-ingredient-found-insect-repellent-defend-against-covid-19-2954743 27th Aug 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The European Commission has paid 336 million euros 300.95 million pounds to secure at least 300 million doses of the potential COVID1 vaccine being developed by British drug maker AstraZeneca a spokesman said on Thursday. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-eu-vaccine-price/eu-pays-336-million-euros-for-doses-of-astrazenecas-potential-covid-19-vaccine-idUKKBN25N25J 27th Aug 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian During the pandemic Covid19 tests have provided a rich source of media coverage. Most of us now know a bit about how these tests work and that they can generate errors that lead to wrong and harmful decisions. Tests have to be used on the right samples at the right time else more errors can be made and there are important differences between have I got it viral swab tests and have I had it antibody blood tests. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/27/covid-19-antibody-test-coronavirus-corners-being-cut 27th Aug 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

EU News Today the first contract the European Commission has negotiated on behalf of the EU Member States with a pharmaceutical company entered into force following the formal signature between AstraZeneca and the Commission. The contract will allow the purchase of a vaccine against COVID19 for all the Member States of the EU as well as the donation to lower and middle income countries or the redirection to other European countries. Through the contract all Member States will be able to purchase 300 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine with an option for further 100 million doses to be distributed on a populationbased prorata basis. The Commission continues discussing similar agreements with other vaccine manufacturers and has concluded successful exploratory talks with SanofiGSK on 31 July Johnson Johnson on 13 August CureVac on 18 August and Moderna on 24 August. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_1524 27th Aug 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Daily Mail A review of 29 studies showed hydroxychloroquine does not save lives. Combined with the antibiotic azithromycin the risk of death increases by 27. The researchers in France claimed there is no need for more research. But British scientists have previously warned against prematurely discarding it President Trump has said the drug is a game changer without proof it works https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8669651/Trump-backed-hydroxychloroquine-doesnt-treat-Covid-19-raises-risk-death.html 27th Aug 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

BBC Good ventilation could be the key to avoiding coronavirus as autumn approaches and people spend more time indoors. For months weve been told to wash our hands and maintain social distancing to beat coronavirus. But scientists and engineers say we also need to think about the air we breathe as children go back to school and more people return to offices. Good ventilation matters in five ways. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-53917432 27th Aug 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

New Scientist News Convalescent plasma is known to have been used to treat pandemic flu back in 1918. It involves collecting blood plasma the yellow liquid component of blood stripped of its blood cells from people who have recovered from a disease. The plasma can contain antibodies generated by the immune system to fight or prevent a future infection although the antibody levels vary between donors. The treatment does appear to work for some infections such as diphtheria but research has been spotty and there has been a lack of randomised placebocontrolled trials says Lise Estcourt at the University of Oxford. More recently the treatment was found to be ineffective for Ebola. Several studies are under way to test convalescent plasma for covid19. The largest has been run by the Mayo Clinic in the US about 71000 people have received treatment across 2780 hospitals over the past five months as part of a programme that enables access to experimental therapies. Based on the data collected from around 35000 of these individuals the researchers behind the project found that people treated with plasma containing higher levels of antibody and those treated earlier in the course of their illness appear less likely to die within a seven or 30day window. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2252737-convalescent-plasma-treatment-for-covid-19-has-been-oversold-by-the-us/ 27th Aug 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Several large U.S. states are not heeding new federal health officials calls to reduce COVID19 testing of some exposed to the virus joining a broad rebuke of the Trump administration by public health leaders. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-testing/california-florida-new-york-texas-will-not-follow-new-u-s-covid-19-testing-plan-idUSKBN25N31H 28th Aug 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters A twomember advance team of World Health Organization WHO experts has left for China to organise an investigation into the origins of the novel coronavirus behind a pandemic that has killed more than 550000 people globally the U.N. agency said on Friday. The virus is believed to have emerged in a wholesale market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year after jumping the species barrier from the animal kingdom to infect humans. The two WHO experts specialists in animal health and epidemiology will work with Chinese scientists to determine the scope and itinerary of the investigation WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said declining to name them. We know its very very similar to the virus in the bat but did it go through an intermediate species This is a question we all need answered Harris told a news briefing. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-who-china/who-advance-team-on-way-to-china-to-set-up-probe-into-virus-origin-idUSKBN24B16V 27th Aug 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The European Commission has paid 336 million euros 396 million to secure at least 300 million doses of the potential COVID1 vaccine being developed by British drug maker AstraZeneca a spokesman said on Thursday. Brussels signed the deal on behalf of EU states for the supply of at least 300 million doses of its COVID19 vaccine candidate. It has an option for a further 100 million the spokesman said. We cannot indicate at this stage the specific pricing per dose. However a significant part of the overall costs are funded by a contribution from the overall ESI funding for vaccines he said referring to the blocs socalled emergency support instrument. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-eu-vaccine-price/eu-pays-336-mln-euros-for-doses-of-astrazenecas-potential-covid-19-vaccine-idUSL8N2FT5E0 27th Aug 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

PharmaLive Clinical diagnostics company Novacyt one of many healthcare companies whose shares have surged during the pandemic launched a test on Thursday to differentiate between COVID19 and common winter diseases. Novacyt said its Winterplex test panel included two gene targets specific to COVID19 as well as gene targets for influenza AB and respiratory syncytial virus RSV. We believe Winterplex is one of the worlds first approved respiratory test panels that can differentiate between COVID19 and other common respiratory diseases Novacyt CEO Graham Mullis said. Novacyt said the new product was expected to drive major revenue growth and Novacyts Parislisted shares rose by around 6 in early trading with the stock price having already surged by around 1900 since the start of 2020. Novacyts new polymerase chain reaction PCR respiratory test panel is one of many such PCR type products already on the market aimed at diagnosing the presence of COVID19. The PCR test is the preferred COVID19 testing method in many countries. It detects the presence of the disease by amplifying its genetic material to a point where it can be spotted by scientists https://www.pharmalive.com/novacyt-launches-test-to-differentiate-covid-19-and-flu/ 27th Aug 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Irish Independent Italy has ruled out imposing a new nationwide lockdown despite an upsurge in coronavirus cases as the country struggles to emerge from the worst recession in living memory. The increase in contagion has been limited with very low impact on health services Health Minister Roberto Speranza said in an interview with Bloomberg News. I exclude the hypothesis of a lockdown for our country now Mr Speranza 41 said at his Rome office yesterday. We have few cases and the situation is under control with pressure on hospitals that is very low minimal. https://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/italy-rules-out-a-new-nationwide-lockdown-as-cases-rise-39481967.html 27th Aug 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Daily Mail France logged 5429 coronavirus cases Wednesday its highest total since April Prime Minister warned R figure is now 1.4 with young people fuelling outbreak Italy also saw its highest daily case total since May with 1367 new cases Infections also rising in Spain which now has more cases per million than the US https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8669447/Europes-second-wave-takes-hold-cases-rise-France-Italy-Spain.html 27th Aug 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Independent South Korea reported 441 new cases of the coronavirus its highest singleday total in months making lockdownlike restrictions look inevitable as transmissions slip out of control. The country has added nearly 4000 infections to its caseload while reporting tripledigit daily jumps in each of the past 14 days prompting health experts to warn about hospitals possibly running out of capacity. The 441 cases reported on Thursday was the biggest daily increase since the 483 reported on 7 March. South Koreas Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said 315 of the new cases were from the Seoul metropolitan area home to half of the countrys 51 million people where health workers have struggled to track infections linked to various sources including churches restaurants schools and workers. The National Assembly in Seoul was shut down and more than a dozen ruling party lawmakers were forced to isolate on Thursday following a positive test of a journalist who covered a ruling party leaders meeting. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/coronavirus-south-korea-new-cases-lockdown-a9691071.html 27th Aug 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Belfast Telegraph South Korea has reported 441 new cases of coronavirus its highest singleday total in months. The country has added nearly 4000 infections while reporting tripledigit daily jumps on each of the past 14 days prompting health experts to warn hospitals may soon reach capacity. Lockdownlike restrictions now look inevitable as transmissions slip out of control. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/south-korea-considers-lockdown-as-virus-cases-surge-again-39482754.html 27th Aug 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Local France Frances Prime Minister Jean Castex said this was the moment to intervene to curb the rising spread of coronavirus across the French territory to avoid new rounds of lockdown. We want to do everything to avoid a new lockdown but the lockdown plans those detailing the strictest measures lie ready in the health ministry the Prime Minister said during a press conference on Thursday morning. We are in a period of epidemic growth Castex said. France recorded 5429 new cases 24 hours on Wednesday a tally unseen since the peak of the first wave of infections in mid April. The marked a continuation of the rapid spread of the virus with the daily recordings of cases having risen from around 500 per day to over 5000 per day in weeks. https://www.thelocal.fr/20200827/lockdown-plans-are-ready-french-prime-minister-lays-out-strategy-to-curb-covid-19-spread 27th Aug 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Daily Mail The 441 cases recorded on Thursday was the highest daily increase since the 483 reported on March 7. More than 300 of the cases were reported in Seoul home to more than half of the 51m population. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8669419/South-Korea-sees-highest-number-coronavirus-infections-months.html 27th Aug 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

ABC News South Korea reported 441 new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday its highest singleday total in months making lockdownlike restrictions look inevitable as transmissions slip out of control. The country has reported tripledigit daily jumps on each of the past 14 days prompting health experts to warn that hospitals could run out of capacity. Thursdays increase was the biggest since 483 cases were reported on March 7. South Koreas Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 315 of the new cases were from the Seoul area home to half of the countrys 51 million people where health workers have struggled to track infections linked to churches restaurants schools and workers. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/asia-today-virus-spike-makes-korean-lockdown-72640254 27th Aug 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters UK Australias Victoria state epicentre of the nations second wave of COVID19 infections reported its lowest oneday rise in new cases in nearly two months buoying hopes a lockdown of nearly 5 million people has contained spread of the virus. Victoria said it detected 113 new cases in the past 24 hours the lowest oneday rise since July 5. The state reported 149 infections on Wednesday. Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said the results mean officials are now plotting how to ease restrictions when the stringent lockdown of Australias secondmost populous city Melbourne is scheduled to end in September. Hopefully soon well see those numbers in double digits and we can have ... a really clear discussion about what the back end of September looks like Andrews told reporters. https://uk.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-australia/update-2-australia-covid-19-hotspot-reports-lowest-rise-in-cases-in-nearly-two-months-idUKL4N2FT19I 27th Aug 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters UK Face masks must be worn everywhere in the French capital Paris from Friday morning in order to curb a surge in coronavirus infections police said on Thursday. The measure applies to all pedestrians as well as cyclists in Paris and its suburbs in an area that includes three neighbouring departments that form the Petite Couronn inner ring around Paris a densely populated area with a total population of nearly seven million people. Motorists will not have to wear a mask inside their car. The deterioration of the health situation...has led the prefect to take this strong measure in the interest of the population the Paris police prefecture said in a statement. Earlier on Thursday Prime Minister Jean Castex said the government would order the mandatory wearing of masks across Paris but he did not give a deadline or specify the area. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-france/france-makes-masks-mandatory-everywhere-in-paris-from-friday-idUKKBN25N13Z 27th Aug 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Face masks must be worn everywhere in the French capital Paris from Friday morning in order to curb a surge in coronavirus infections police said on Thursday. The measure applies to all pedestrians as well as cyclists in Paris and its suburbs in an area that includes three neighbouring departments that form the Petite Couronn inner ring around Paris a densely populated area with a total population of nearly seven million people. Motorists will not have to wear a mask inside their car. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-france/french-government-says-needs-to-intervene-to-contain-covid-19-spread-idUSKBN25N143 27th Aug 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters UK Ukraine on Wednesday imposed a temporary ban on most foreigners from entering the country until Sept. 28 and extended lockdown measures until the end of October to contain a recent spike in coronavirus cases. Speaking at a televised cabinet meeting Prime Minister Denys Shmygal also said the government would need to take a decision on Thursday on whether to ban major public events in September. The rise in coronavirus infections we have seen in recent weeks is forcing us to act more decisively Shmygal said. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-ukraine/ukraine-temporarily-bars-most-foreigners-amid-pandemic-after-israel-pilgrimage-plea-idUKKBN25M1HP 27th Aug 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters France on Thursday recorded 6111 new confirmed coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours the highest level since lockdown ended and the secondhighest ever since the 7578 high set on March 30 during lockdown and at the height of the epidemic. The French health ministry said the total number of confirmed infections now stood at 259698. On Wednesday the country recorded 5429 new infections which was a new postlockdown record. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-france-casualties/france-reports-6111-new-covid-19-infections-second-highest-level-ever-idUSP6N2D402Q 27th Aug 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

cgtn.com Rwanda has extended its evening curfew and implemented a cessation of movement in and out of the western area of Rusizi after a recent surge in cases of COVID19. The country was the first to impose strict lockdown measures in the African continent on March 22 with only 19 cases and partially lifted the measures on May 1 when it had officially recorded 225 cases and zero deaths. However Rwanda hit a record of 217 cases in one day on Tuesday and has recorded a third of its 3625 cases in the past 10 days with authorities blaming the spike on complacency and fatigue with social distancing measures. https://africa.cgtn.com/2020/08/27/rwanda-tightens-covid-19-measures-as-cases-surge/ 27th Aug 2020

New Lockdown

NPR In midJuly officials declared a wartime mode for the region. Community officials continue to go door to door sealing doors with paper strips tape and in some cases metal bars to prevent residents from leaving their homes. The region has effectively been penned off from the rest of the country meaning scant information about the lockdown has emerged. In July Xinjiangs train stations were closed intercity bus routes canceled and centralized quarantine imposed on residents returning to the region. It has been more than a week since we last had a case but that does not mean we should relax said Tang Shan a Communist Party official who oversees Xinjiangs Ganquanbao district an industrial zone just outside the regions capital of Urumqi. We still ask our residents and the society at large including our government organs to work together in order to maintain the success we have achieved so far. https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/08/26/906206090/china-calls-it-a-wartime-mode-covid-19-lockdown-and-residents-are-protesting 27th Aug 2020