24th May 2021 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=331 lockdown_exit

Why Covax, the fund to vaccinate the world, is struggling

Vox Early on in the pandemic global health experts envisioned a nightmare scenario Covid19 vaccines are created but they go almost exclusively to rich countries that can afford to buy them. People in poorer countries are left to get sick and die. To prevent this the experts set up an international initiative called Covax designed to make sure every country in the world gets access to vaccines regardless of its ability to pay. In the fall of 2020 Covax set a clear goal Buy 2 billion doses and make them available to nations in need before the end of 2021. But were now nearly five months into the year and Covax has delivered just over 68 million doses. In other words its only 3.4 percent of the way to its goal. https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/22440986/covax-challenges-covid-19-vaccines-global-inequity 20th May 2021

Samsung BioLogics shares rise after agrees to make Moderna COVID-19 vaccine

Reuters Shares in South Korean drug contract manufacturer Samsung BioLogics rose as much as 5.2 in early Monday trade after it agreed to fillfinish manufacture Modernas COVID19 vaccine. The agreement was part of Moderna Inc and Novavax Inc entering into a deal with the South Korean government to manufacture their COVID19 vaccines. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/samsung-biologics-shares-rise-after-agrees-make-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-2021-05-24/ 24th May 2021

Australia Can Get Enough Pfizer Doses by End-2021: Sun-Herald

Bloomberg Australias government is promising enough Pfizer Inc. vaccines to have all Australians vaccinated by the end of 2021 the SunHerald newspaper reported. Two million Pfizer doses are expected to be available in Australia each week from the beginning of October which would mean all who are keen can get their two shots by the end of the year the paper said citing the Australian Medical Association. Health Minister Greg Hunt told the paper that 4.5 million Pfizer doses will arrive by the end of June and there will be 7 million doses expected in both the third and fourth quarters. He added that people should not delay getting their shots as there are AstraZeneca Plc vaccines available now for Australians above 50. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-23/australia-can-get-enough-pfizer-doses-by-end-2021-sun-herald?cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&amputm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amputm_content=business&amputm_source=twitter&amputm_medium=social 23rd May 2021

France urges citizens to keep a lid on post-lockdown euphoria

Reuters French officials urged citizens not to let down their guard against COVID19 after some people responded to the easing of restrictions by staging street parties late into the night. Starting on Wednesday cafes and restaurants were allowed to serve customers in outside areas and the nightly curfew was pushed back by two hours to 900 pm 1900 GMT. In the city of Rennes 350 km 217 miles west of Paris a large crowd of people danced around a bonfire in a central square after the 900 p.m. curfew fell on Wednesday evening video footage posted on social media showed. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-urges-citizens-keep-lid-post-lockdown-euphoria-2021-05-20/ 22nd May 2021

Covid Vaccination Campaign Off To Strong Start Among Young Teens, With Almost 2 Million Getting Jab

Forbes Since federal regulators began allowing younger teenagers to receive Pfizers Covid19 vaccine last week about 1.87 million Americans ages 12 to 15 have already gotten at least their first shot as U.S. vaccination efforts pivot from higherrisk groups to adolescents and hesitant adults. https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2021/05/22/covid-vaccination-campaign-off-to-strong-start-among-young-teens-with-almost-2-million-getting-jab/?utm_source=ForbesMainTwitter&amputm_campaign=socialflowForbesMainTwitter&amputm_medium=social&ampsh=2d7e0ba441b6 22nd May 2021

France could impose tougher coronavirus measures on Britain, says Le Drian

Reuters France does not rule out slightly tougher health measures for travellers from Britain the French foreign affairs minister said on Sunday citing the spread in the UK of the coronavirus variant first found in India. We worry about the Indian variant and we remain on high alert regarding that matter in cooperation with British authorities JeanYves Le Drian told RTL radio. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/france-could-impose-tougher-coronavirus-measures-britain-says-le-drian-2021-05-23/?taid=60aa65c134e77e00018aaaac&amputm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&amputm_medium=trueAnthem&amputm_source=twitter 23rd May 2021

India’s capital Delhi to ease COVID-19 restrictions as cases drop

Reuters Indias capital New Delhi will start relaxing its strict coronavirus lockdown next week if new cases continue to drop in the city its chief minister said on Sunday. The nation on Sunday reported 240842 new infections nationwide over 24 hours the lowest daily new cases in more than a month and 3741 deaths. For weeks India has battled a devastating second wave of COVID19 that has crippled its health system and led to shortages of oxygen supplies. New Delhi one of the worst hit cities went into lockdown on April 20 but new cases have declined in recent weeks and test positivity rate has fallen under 2.5 compared to 36 last month Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-reports-daily-rise-coronavirus-cases-240842-2021-05-23/?taid=60a9e3af01ef8e00017b4ac2&amputm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&amputm_medium=trueAnthem&amputm_source=twitter 23rd May 2021

New pledges at global summit target COVID vaccine gap

CIDRAP At the G20 Global Health Summit in Italy today world leaders and drug companies announced major commitments to boost the supply of COVID vaccine for low and middleincome countries but stopped short of endorsing a full waiver of vaccine patent rights. So far about 1.59 billion vaccine doses have been given worldwide about 84 of it deployed in higherincome countries according to the New York Times. The summit today hosted by the European Commission and Italy comes as the vaccine gap becomes more acute with supplies expected from India delayed due to the countrys catastrophic surge. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/05/new-pledges-global-summit-target-covid-vaccine-gap 21st May 2021

Ontario prepares to reopen after punishing third COVID-19 wave

Reuters Ontario expects to permit outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people and allow nonessential retail to operate at 15 capacity starting the week of June 14 contingent on certain vaccination rates being met the premier said on Thursday. Canadas mostpopulous province has been under lockdown since early April when a third wave of the coronavirus threatened to overwhelm hospital capacity. The reopening will be confirmed closer to the date Premier Doug Ford said. The province will reopen outdoor amenities including playgrounds basketball courts and golf courses on Saturday. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/ontario-prepares-allow-outdoor-gatherings-up-10-people-2021-05-20/ 20th May 2021

Covid-19: Should all children get a vaccine?

BBC News Vaccinating children is routine and widely accepted measles mumps polio diphtheria rotavirus multiple strains of meningitis whooping cough the list goes on. All this starts from just a few weeks old. So what about Covid19 Some countries are cracking on the US has already immunised around 600000 children aged between 12 and 15. It expects to have enough safety data to go even younger next year. The UK is rattling through the adults who should all have been offered their first dose by the end of July but has yet to come to a decision on children. There is a scientific question will vaccinating children save lives which is complex as the answer may vary from country to country. There is also a moral and ethical dimension if doses destined for children would save more lives if they were given to health workers and vulnerable adults in other countries. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-57203521 22nd May 2021

California to lift most COVID-19 limits, freeing up businesses

Reuters California will lift most remaining crowdcapacity limits and physical distancing requirements related to COVID19 on June 15 proceeding to fully reopen its economy as the pandemic abates and vaccination rates rise health officials said on Friday. The new policy will end Californias complicated colorcoded system of tiered restrictions imposed on a countybycounty basis last August. California the most populous U.S. state with some 40 million people was the first to impose statewide stayathome orders and mandatory business closures in March 2020 as the pandemic began to take hold. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/california-lift-covid-19-capacity-physical-distancing-requirements-june-15-2021-05-21/ 22nd May 2021

AstraZeneca chief admits UK got ‘priority’ access to coronavirus vaccine

POLITICO Europe The U.K. received preferential access to the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine AstraZeneca chief Pascal Soriot revealed while defending the jab and saying that it has a future. Soriot told the Financial Times that the British government was guaranteed priority supplies as part of a returnforinvestment agreement with the University of Oxford which developed the vaccine. Soriot said that deal had been struck before AstraZeneca teamed up with the university to manufacture and distribute the jab on the international market. Of course when you do something like this as a government you dont do it for free he said. What you want in return and its fair enough is priority. https://www.politico.eu/article/astrazeneca-pascal-soriot-uk-priority-access-coronavirus-vaccine/ 22nd May 2021

Covid-19: More than 50m vaccine doses given in England

BBC News Coronavirus vaccine rollout opening up to people aged 32 and 33Tivyside AdvertiserMore than 50 million doses of coronavirus vaccine now given in EnglandLBCCoronavirus vaccine booster trial begins in UKPOLITICO EuropeCOVID19 More than 70 of UK adults have now had a first coronavirus vaccine doseSky NewsView Full coverage on Google News https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-57212470 22nd May 2021

Get a Covid-19 vaccine in this town and you could win a live cow

CNN A district of northern Thailand has launched a raffle campaign for its vaccinated residents to win a live cow per week for the rest of the year in a bid to boost the local Covid19 vaccination drive. From next month one lucky vaccinated villager in the Mae Chaem district of Chiang Mai province will be randomly chosen every week to win a young cow worth about 10000 baht 318.78. The campaign set to run for 24 weeks has been met with enthusiasm in the town of 43000 since it was announced earlier this week. Our vaccine registration numbers have gone from hundreds to thousands in a couple of days district chief Boonlue Thamtharanurak told Reuters. The villagers love cows. Cows can be sold for cash. https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/20/asia/thailand-covid-vaccines-cows-intl-hnk-scli/index.html 22nd May 2021

No 10 ‘tried to block’ data on spread of new Covid variant in English schools

The Guardian Downing Street leaned on Public Health England not to publish crucial data on the spread of the new Covid variant in schools documents seen by the Observer have suggested. Scientists union officials and teachers said that the lack of transparency was deeply worrying. The focus of their anger concerns the preprint of a PHE report that included a page of data on the spread of the India Covid19 variant in schools. But when the report was published on Thursday 13 May the page had been removed. It was the only one that had been removed from the preprint. Days later the government went ahead with its decision to remove the mandate on face coverings in English schools. Evidence seen by the Observer suggests No 10 was directly involved in the decision not to publish it. The prime ministers office acknowledged it was in correspondence with PHE officials about presentation of the data but vigorously denied this constituted interference or pressure. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/22/no-10-tried-to-block-data-on-spread-of-new-covid-variant-in-english-schools 22nd May 2021

Wuhan lab staff sought hospital care before COVID-19 outbreak disclosed - WSJ

Reuters With the alreadypostponed Summer Olympics in Tokyo just over two months away Japan is racing to suppress its biggest wave of COVID19 infections to date. Yet unlike other large and wealthy nations Japan has vaccinated only a sliver of its population. Now Japanese officials are calling in reinforcements. Japan on Friday approved the emergency use of the twodose COVID19 vaccines from Moderna and AstraZeneca for people aged 18 and older. Up until now Japan had only authorized the jab from Pfizer and its partner BioNTech. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/wuhan-lab-staff-sought-hospital-care-before-covid-19-outbreak-disclosed-wsj-2021-05-23/ 23rd May 2021

COVID-19: Vaccine hesitancy in some of Africa's poorest nations risks jabs going out of date

Sky News When the worldwide vaccine alliance GAVI announced that 132000 AstraZeneca vaccines had been designated for South Sudan doctors and health officials in this impoverished country were both surprised and overjoyed. Health facilities in South Sudan one of the poorest and least stable countries in the world are rudimentary. The government depends on aid agencies and NGOs to operate them and it can barely afford to pay the staff. Nevertheless the first batch of vaccines along with 132500 syringes and 1325 disposal boxes touched down at the airport in the capital Juba at the end of March and the authorities drew up plans to distribute them at three vaccination centres in the city. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-vaccine-hesitancy-in-some-of-africas-poorest-nations-risks-jabs-going-out-of-date-12313361 22nd May 2021

Brazil senator says Bolsonaro never wanted COVID-19 vaccines, preferred herd immunity

Reuters Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro never wanted to buy COVID19 vaccines and originally bet on herd immunity beating the coronavirus the senator leading the upper houses inquiry into the governments handling of the crisis said on Friday. In an interview Senator Renan Calheiros said it is too early to say if Bolsonaro had committed any criminal offense in his management of the public health crisis and that more investigation is required. I think everything points in that direction Calheiros said regarding Bolsonaros preference for herd immunity. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazil-senator-says-bolsonaro-never-wanted-covid-19-vaccines-preferred-herd-2021-05-22/ 22nd May 2021

Breaking evangelical resistance to coronavirus vaccines will be hard

The Washington Post Evangelicals make up one quarter of the United States population and they are the Americans least likely to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. Even as the Biden administration works fervently to overcome vaccine hesitancy and some in the evangelical community like Franklin Graham son of legendary preacher Billy Graham pledge to help them they face a daunting task. The hurdle For many evangelicals the vaccine and proof that you have had it are tools of the Antichrist. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/05/21/breaking-evangelical-resistance-coronavirus-vaccines-will-be-hard/ 21st May 2021

AstraZeneca chief hits back at ‘armchair generals’ after criticism

The Guardian The chief executive of AstraZeneca has defended the company against armchair generals and said its vaccine has a future. Pascal Soriot disclosed the UK had priority access to the jab in a deal with Oxford University in return for investment and that it was only slightly less effective against the India variant than the strain identified in Kent. The French executive 61 told the Financial Times a new booster had performed well against other variants in animal studies and the firm is in negotiations with the UK and other governments about contracts for booster shots. Soriot said the companys plan of delivering the vaccine nonprofit in order to repair the industrys image had been disrupted by bad luck and people misunderstanding things. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/may/22/astrazeneca-chief-hits-back-at-armchair-generals-after-criticism 22nd May 2021

Coronavirus: How to determine when the pandemic ends

Deutsche Welle A look to New Zealand and a small handful of other countries shows an example that billions of people would like to follow. Young people there show tens of thousands of people at a rock concert packed together and bawling along to their favorite hits without masks and without social distancing. But a look to India shows the coronavirus still spreading with deadly and devastating effects. Indias health system has collapsed beneath the strain of the countrys second wave of COVID19 infections. There isnt enough oxygen to treat people corpses are left to float down the Ganges River. The death toll there from COVID19 hit a new high on Wednesday when around 4500 people died of the disease. Data from Johns Hopkins University shows no other country has reported so many deaths in a single day and the true figure is assumed to be much higher. https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-how-to-determine-when-the-pandemic-ends/a-57599876 20th May 2021

CDC Ramps Up Research on Highly Contagious Variant from India

Bloomberg Federal Health officials are ramping up their surveillance of the highly transmissible Covid19 variant first identified in India as experts warn that undervaccinated areas in the U.S. could become hot spots for the mutation. While U.S. cases attributed to the B.1.617 variant currently sit below 1 the growth rate remains unclear due to the small sample size. Meanwhile one science group said the strain could be as much as 50 more transmissible than B.1.1.7 the variant that emerged from the U.K. That mutation was first seen in the U.S. in late December and is now dominant nationally. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-23/cdc-ramps-up-research-on-highly-contagious-variant-from-india?utm_source=twitter&amputm_medium=social&amputm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amputm_content=business&ampcmpid=socialflow-twitter-business 23rd May 2021

Moderna, Novavax to produce more COVID-19 vaccines in S.Korea

Reuters Moderna Inc and Novavax Inc entered into a deal with the South Korean government to manufacture their COVID19 vaccines as the country has been under pressure to secure more and faster deliveries of U.S.made vaccines. Saturdays agreements with the U.S. drugmakers came a day after U.S. President Joe Biden said that he and South Korean President Moon Jaein had agreed on a comprehensive partnership on COVID19 vaccines and that the United States would provide vaccinations for 550000 South Korean soldiers https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/moderna-south-korea-sign-production-deal-mrna-vaccines-2021-05-22/ 23rd May 2021

Two COVID shots effective against India variant - English health body

Reuters A double dose of COVID19 vaccines is almost as effective against the fastspreading variant of the coronavirus first identified in India as it is against Britains dominant strain English health officials said on Saturday. Britains health minister said the data was groundbreaking and he was increasingly hopeful that the government would be able to lift more COVID restrictions next month. A study by Public Health England found the PfizerBioNTech vaccine was 88 effective against symptomatic disease from the B.1.617.2 variant two weeks after the second dose. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/two-covid-shots-effective-against-india-variant-english-health-body-2021-05-22/ 23rd May 2021

COVID-19 may have killed 20% more than reported in US

CIDRAP The COVID19 pandemic may have exacted a 20 higher US death toll than previously estimated particularly among racial minorities underscoring the need to adapt policies to address deepening ethnic and sociodemographic disparities according to a study led by Boston University researchers. The study published yesterday in PLOS Medicine consisted of analyzing provisional countylevel COVID19 and allcause death data from the National Center for Health Statistics from Jan 1 to Dec 31 2020. The sample included 2096 counties out of more than 3000 in the country that reported at least 20 coronavirus deaths during that time representing a total of 319.1 million people. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/05/covid-19-may-have-killed-20-more-reported-us 21st May 2021

Novavax hunts for Australian manufacturer as CSL homes in on AstraZeneca vaccine production

FiercePharma Once a likely contender to produce Novavaxs latestage COVID19 vaccine in Australia local biotech CSL now says itll be too busy manufacturing AstraZenecas shot. CSL lacks the capacity to make both AstraZeneca and Novavaxs vaccines at the same time a company spokeswoman told Fierce Pharma via email. The company is under contract to produce 50 million AZ doses for Australia and at the governments behest will remain fully focused on the production of the AstraZeneca vaccine she said. The company had previously suggested it might be able to chip in on Novavaxs production too. https://www.fiercepharma.com/manufacturing/novavax-hunts-for-australian-manufacturer-as-csl-homes-astrazeneca-vaccine-production 21st May 2021

With the Olympics just months away, Japan issues emergency nod for AstraZeneca, Moderna vaccines

FiercePharma With the alreadypostponed Summer Olympics in Tokyo just over two months away Japan is racing to suppress its biggest wave of COVID19 infections to date. Yet unlike other large and wealthy nations Japan has vaccinated only a sliver of its population. Now Japanese officials are calling in reinforcements. Japan on Friday approved the emergency use of the twodose COVID19 vaccines from Moderna and AstraZeneca for people aged 18 and older. Up until now Japan had only authorized the jab from Pfizer and its partner BioNTech. https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/olympics-just-months-away-japan-issues-emergency-nod-for-astrazeneca-moderna-vaccines 21st May 2021

COVID-19: Just 15 people test positive among nearly 60,000 who attended trial mass gatherings, figures show

Sky News Just 15 people tested positive for coronavirus among nearly 60000 who attended trials of mass gatherings including the FA Cup final and the Brit Awards official figures show. Nine largescale events were staged as part of the governments plan to allow for the return of big crowds this summer. Those who attended were exempt from certain coronavirus rules such as the ruleofsix. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-just-15-people-test-positive-among-nearly-60-000-who-attended-trial-mass-gatherings-figures-show-12312532 22nd May 2021

COVID-19: Current coronavirus vaccines unlikely to protect against new variants in future, SAGE warns

Sky News Current COVID19 vaccines are unlikely to protect against new variants of the virus in the future the governments scientific advisers have warned. In a paper published on Friday the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies SAGE said coronavirus may continue to evolve for years to come and that eradication is extremely unlikely. The experts warn that eventually it is likely current vaccines will fail to protect against transmission infection or even against disease caused by newer variants. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-current-coronavirus-vaccines-unlikely-to-protect-against-new-variants-in-future-sage-warns-12312976 22nd May 2021

India has seen 1 million Covid deaths so far, The Economist’s model estimates

The Print.in Around 1 million people have died of Covid19 in India so far The Economist has estimated in a modeling report to gauge excess deaths worldwide caused by the pandemic. On the basis of the model it would appear that around 1 million people have died of Covid19 in India so far the report said. According to the report India is witnessing between 6000 and 31000 excess deaths per day. This estimate is well above the daily official figures that are hovering around the 4000mark. Earlier this month an editorial in the Lancet journal had said that India could potentially record 1 million deaths due to Covid by 1 August. The editorial had quoted projections made by The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation a global health research organisation. https://theprint.in/health/india-has-seen-1-million-covid-deaths-so-far-the-economists-model-estimates/662011/?fbclid=IwAR2sZEqH7rMJt2uFYRQOyR7d1RzD4gPuDUOz8C4sFXNXIjt2FHnjGE2DJj0 20th May 2021

Japan approves more COVID-19 vaccines, expands state of emergency

Reuters Japan expanded a state of emergency to cover the southern island of Okinawa on Friday as authorities approved two more coronavirus vaccines to speed a lagging inoculation campaign. The newly approved vaccines from Moderna Inc and AstraZeneca PLC will join the one codeveloped by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE in a vaccination drive that began in midFebruary. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-approve-more-covid-19-vaccines-state-emergency-set-widen-2021-05-21/ 22nd May 2021

In Rural India, Less COVID-19 Testing, More Fear — And A Few Ventilators For Millions

NPR Watching horrifying scenes in Indias big cities where COVID19 patients have been unable to get ambulances and even the bestequipped hospitals have run out of oxygen Saurav Kumar shuddered to think what this wave of the pandemic would do to his hometown. Kumar a 30yearold tech worker in New Delhi grew up in a rural area of the eastern state of Bihar. With a population of more than 100 million Bihar is one of the countrys most populous states and one of its poorest where the average income is about 600 per year. Most people he knows back home have never used the internet and dont have access anyway. Kumar worries about how theyll ever manage to book vaccination appointments which has to be done through the governments buggy CoWIN app and website. https://www.npr.org/2021/05/22/998489469/in-rural-india-less-covid-19-testing-more-fear-and-a-few-ventilators-for-million 22nd May 2021

Thailand sees first local cases of Indian COVID-19 variant

Reuters Thailand has detected its first 36 domestically transmitted cases of the highly infectious COVID19 variant first found in India authorities said on Friday a discovery that could complicate efforts to address its most deadly outbreak so far. All 36 cases with the B.1.617.2 variant were found among people staying in construction workers accommodation in the capital Bangkok and included 15 migrant workers the health ministry said. The B.1.617.2 variant which ravaged India is believed by some experts to be even more transmissible than the B.1.1.7 variant first detected in Britain which Thailands health ministry on Friday said was found in the majority of recent cases in the country. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thailand-sees-first-local-cases-indian-covid-19-variant-2021-05-21/ 22nd May 2021

US's daily COVID-19 cases fall below 30K for first time since last summer

The Hill on MSN.com COVID19 cases on Thursday fell below 30000 for the first time since June. There were 29128 new reported coronavirus cases in the U.S. on Thursday a Wall Street Journal analysis of Johns Hopkins University data showed. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/uss-daily-covid-19-cases-fall-below-30k-for-first-time-since-last-summer/ar-AAKgV7w 22nd May 2021

Malaysia Announces Rules to Reduce Movements in Virus Fight

Bloomberg Malaysia on Saturday detailed further restrictions on movements to contain a record surge in Covid cases. Businesses will only be allowed to operate from 8 a.m until 8 p.m. daily from May 25 Defense Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob told a briefing. About 80 of government officers and 40 of private sector employees will work from home with the move affecting 7 million to 8 million workers. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-22/malaysia-announces-rules-to-reduce-movements-in-virus-fight?utm_medium=social&amputm_source=twitter&amputm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amputm_content=business&ampcmpid=socialflow-twitter-business 22nd May 2021

Argentina announces 'circuit-breaker' lockdown as pandemic rages

Reuters Argentina will tighten pandemic lockdown measures to combat a severe second COVID19 wave President Alberto Fernandez said on Thursday underscoring concern as daily cases and deaths have broken records over the last week. The strict circuitbreaker measures will come into force on Saturday and last until May 31. They include school and nonessential commerce closures and the banning of social religious and sporting events in the nation of 45 million people. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/argentina-tighten-lockdown-pandemic-rages-sources-say-2021-05-20/ 21st May 2021

Bangladesh orders lockdown in Rohingya camps as COVID-19 cases jump

Reuters Bangladesh ordered a strict lockdown in five camps that are home to nearly 100000 Rohingya refugees following a sharp rise in coronavirus cases in the worlds largest refugee settlement this week government officials said on Friday. Nearly a million Rohingya refugees who fled persecution in Myanmar live in 34 sprawling camps in southeastern Bangladesh and campaigners have warned that the crowded conditions make it difficult to stem the viruss spread. Cases in the camps have stayed relatively low since the pandemic began but test results on Wednesday and Thursday showed a higher rate of transmission said government official Shamsud Douza. On Thursday 45 out of 247 tests were positive. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-bangladesh-refugees/bangladesh-orders-lockdown-in-rohingya-camps-as-covid-19-cases-jump-idUSL5N2N823Y 21st May 2021

England pilots new support initiatives to boost self-isolating in higher COVID areas

Reuters UK New support initiatives will be piloted in nine areas of England with higher COVID rates including from variants as part of government efforts to boost testing and selfisolation the health ministry said on Monday. The incidence of infections in Britain is still low but clusters of the Indian variant believed to be more transmissible than the dominant Kent variant are growing and could derail plans to further ease lockdown measures. A total of 12 million pounds 17 million will be provided by government for accommodation for those in overcrowded households social care support and communications assistance for those who dont have English as their first language among other steps. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/england-pilots-new-support-initiatives-boost-self-isolating-higher-covid-areas-2021-05-23/ 23rd May 2021

Britons Shun Boris Johnson’s Call to Take 2 Covid Tests Per Week

Bloomberg The number of rapid Covid19 tests being carried out in England fell to just over five million per week at the start of May despite a government campaign calling on members of the public to test themselves twice weekly at home. Official data shows that almost 5.1 million socalled lateral flow tests were conducted in the week to May 12 down from a high of 7.6 million in the week to March 17 when schools reopened after the winter lockdown. The rapid test total has fallen for three weeks in a row in England which has a total population of about 56 million people. Boris Johnsons government has long pointed to mass testing as the key to the U.K. getting back to normal after suffering one of the worst death tolls from coronavirus in the world. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-23/britons-shun-boris-johnson-s-call-to-take-2-covid-tests-per-week?utm_medium=social&amputm_source=twitter&amputm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amputm_content=business&ampcmpid=socialflow-twitter-business 23rd May 2021