7th Mar 2022 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=614 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Two years after the pandemic began New Zealanders are finally facing its reality. After keeping the virus at bay for so long Covid19 is now tearing through the nations population courtesy of the highly infectious omicron variant. In the space of two weeks new case numbers exploded from less than 1000 a day to more than 22000. Psychologically its quite a big shock because to date the pandemic has been largely something thats happened to other people said Michael Baker Professor of Public Health at the University of Otago. Until recently the only people I knew who got infected with the virus lived overseas. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-06/covid-reality-arrives-for-kiwis-as-fortress-new-zealand-falls 7th Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Hong Kong reported 31008 new COVID19 cases and 153 deaths on Sunday as the citys chief secretary said residents should not worry about a looming mass testing scheme with details to be announced and authorities ensuring a steady supply of food. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/hong-kong-residents-urged-not-panic-ahead-covid-mass-testing-2022-03-06/ 7th Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters The United States is waiving a requirement for negative COVID19 tests from Americans leaving Belarus or Russia to travel home the State Department said on Thursday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC said it would exercise its discretion to allow travel by U.S. citizens permanent residents and holders of valid immigrant visas who were in either country by a Feb. 28 cutoff date. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-waives-covid-test-americans-leaving-russia-belarus-2022-03-04/ 6th Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg With some kind of lockdown and grim isolation centers looming the city showssigns of trauma. Two years into the pandemic and counting the biggest toll may be psychological. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-03-05/hong-kong-s-distress-signals-are-rising-as-covid-measures-ramp-up-again 6th Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg The official global death toll from COVID19 is on the verge of eclipsing 6 million underscoring that the pandemic now entering its third year is far from over. The milestone is the latest tragic reminder of the unrelenting nature of the pandemic even as people are shedding masks travel is resuming and businesses are reopening around the globe. The death toll compiled by Johns Hopkins University stood at 5997994 as of Sunday afternoon. Remote Pacific islands whose isolation had protected them for more than two years are just now grappling with their first outbreaks and deaths fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-06/death-toll-nears-6-million-as-pandemic-enters-its-3rd-year 6th Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Chinas zeroCovid policy initially provided a shield from viral infection and an example of disciplined pandemic management. Its now become a trap from which Beijing is trying to escape without provoking a major health crisis. But being stuck on a homegrown solution is likely to lead to more problems as Bloomberg Opinions Therese Raphael and Bloomberg Intelligence pharmaceutical analyst Sam Fazeli discuss here. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-03-06/china-s-own-mrna-vaccine-isn-t-its-best-bet-after-zero-covid 6th Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg In Hong Kongs affluent Midlevels in the subtropical foothills of Victoria Peak the talk today among wellheeled expatriates inevitably turns to one subject Who will be the next to leave. Down the milelong escalator in the skyscrapered Central business district the quiet exodus is gaining momentum. A few bankers at Citigroup Inc. A few more at JPMorgan Chase Co. Morgan Stanley and HSBC Holdings Plc. The numbers are small but theyre adding up. A net 71000 people from all walks of life left Hong Kong in February a portent many here worry of worse to come. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-03-06/bankers-are-abandoning-hong-kong-as-beijing-and-covid-remake-the-city 6th Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

BBC News Article reports that Barnsley Hospital has suspended nonessential visits to inpatients due to a rise in Covid19 cases. The decision made on Friday because of extreme circumstances is in force until further notice Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said. A trust spokesperson said the move will protect vulnerable patients and reduce the number of people on hospital wards. The hospital has also asked for outpatients to attend alone unless they require a carer also to be present. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-60621636 5th Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

Daily Mail Britains daily Covid cases rose for the first time in a month today in a sign the outbreak may be growing again while hospitalisations also ticked upwards. Government dashboard data shows another 44017 infections were detected over the last 24 hours up 11 per cent on the tally last Wednesday. It brings an end to more than four weeks of tumbling daily cases with about 33700 cases now being recorded every day on average. Latest hospital data shows 1040 people were admitted to hospital with the virus on February 26 up seven per cent on the 970 from the previous week. But the sevenday average number of daily admissions is still falling meaning todays rise could be a blip. Daily Covid deaths however have continued to fall with the 74 victims announced today down 54 per cent in a week https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10569887/UKs-Covid-outbreak-GROWING-11-rise-cases-puts-end-month-falling-infections.html 5th Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Straits Times As members of Chinas lawmaking body file into the Great Hall of the People on Saturday March 5 to the strains of the Welcome March for the countrys largest political gathering one figure will notably be missing Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam. The Chief Executive who is traditionally invited to attend the opening of the National Peoples Congress NPC has turned down her invite to focus on battling the citys most serious coronavirus outbreak yet with tens of thousands of new cases reported daily this week. Nearly half of Hong Kongs almost 240 delegates including its sole representative to the NPC Standing Committee Mr Tam Yiu Chung have been barred from attending or are under quarantine because of Covid19. Beijing had ordered the deputies as delegates are known as to first selfquarantine in Hong Kong for a week and undergo another week of centralised quarantine in Chinas Shenzhen city before they could attend the meetings in Beijing. https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/nearly-half-of-hong-kongs-delegates-barred-from-china-meetings-due-to-covid-19 5th Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Star Online As Hong Kong contemplates a mass lockdown to contain a runaway increase in coronavirus infections there is at least a precedent the city can look to to keep daily necessities flowing to people under stayathome orders. At the height of the Covid19 pandemic in 2020 11 million people in the central Chinese city of Wuhan spent an unprecedented 76 days in lockdown with public transport shut down residential buildings sealed off and residents barred from leaving home. In spite of the extreme measures people had access to essentials. I panicked at the beginning of the lockdown Liu Chaoye a retired teacher in Wuhan said. Food was in short supply and vegetable prices surged. But one week later everything seemed to be on track. https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2022/03/05/coronavirus-lockdown-what-can-hong-kong-learn-from-chinas-cities 5th Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

South China Morning Post Hong Kong has cut the recommended interval between the first and second dose of the Sinovac Covid19 vaccine for care home residents from four weeks to three as the city battles a worsening coronavirus crisis with more than 52500 new cases confirmed on Friday. Officials recorded another 52523 new coronavirus infections 11 of which were imported pushing the overall tally to 403080 cases. Dr Albert Au Kawing a principal medical and health officer at the Centre for Health Protection revealed the change for the mainland Chinamade Sinovac jabs but said the interval for the Germanproduced BioNTech vaccine remained the same at 21 days between the first and second shot. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3169204/coronavirus-hong-kong-recovered-elderly-patients 5th Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

POLITICO Europe Belgium will lift most coronavirus restrictions at the start of next week shifting its pandemic barometer to Code Yellow Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced Friday. Wearing masks will still be recommended but will only remain mandatory for anyone from the age of 12 in health care establishments and in public transport. Masks will no longer be mandatory in schools. Belgiums Covid Safe Ticket providing proof of vaccination recovery or of a negative test will no longer be required in the hospitality sector or to attend events. Starting March 11 Belgiums travel rules will also change. Notably travelers coming to Belgium will only be required to complete a Passenger Locator Form if they are arriving from a country not on the socalled white list of countries deemed safe. https://www.politico.eu/article/belgium-lift-most-coronavirus-measures/ 5th Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

Al Jazeera English on MSN.com Most of us could be forgiven for thinking there were glimmers of light at the end of a very long pandemic tunnel. We are not out of the pandemic yet but with vaccines advances in therapeutics and a wealth of knowledge on how the COVID19 virus works and spreads things have been improving. However Russias recent invasion of Ukraine has opened up a dark chapter one which will likely drive COVID infections up not just in Ukraine but in surrounding countries. And history tells us warzones can provide the ideal conditions for infectious diseases to spread. Distracted government institutions faltering health services and the congregation of large numbers of vulnerable people alongside environmental degradation can create the perfect storm of conditions for an outbreak of a catastrophic infectious disease. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/covid-and-the-russian-invasion-ukraine-e2-80-99s-dual-crisis/ar-AAUv7s1 5th Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg More than half of Americans have medical debt whether they have health insurance or not. A recent survey of 1250 U.S. adults found that 56 owe healthrelated debt and almost one in six people with medical bills arent currently paying it off. A large chunk of the debt came from Covid19 treatment and testing according to the poll conducted by Affordable Health Insurance. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-04/half-of-insured-americans-owe-medical-debt-boosted-by-covid 5th Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Hong Kongs mortuaries are so overwhelmed theyre deploying mobile refrigeration units to store bodies as scenes reminiscent of the early days of the pandemic play out amid the citys worst Covid19 wave yet. Photos taken at the Fu Shan Public Mortuary show four refrigerated units in a car park. Nearby bags of ice are stacked next to an empty coffin. Hong Kongs resources are straining under the pressure of a record outbreak thats pushed its death rate to one of the highest in the world. Fatalities have been concentrated in the undervaccinated elderly and the spread of the virus to more than 750 care facilities including those that are home to disabled residents has sparked concerns of worse to come. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-04/hong-kong-mortuaries-bring-in-mobile-fridges-as-deaths-surge?utm_source=google&amputm_medium=bd&ampcmpId=google 5th Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Indonesia is considering a quarantine waiver for foreign visitors to its holiday island of Bali from next week officials said while neighbour Malaysia announced the removal of curbs on travellers from Thailand and Cambodia. Indonesia and Malaysia have imposed some of the strictest entry procedures in Asia to try to contain COVID19 outbreaks and keep new variants at bay but the restrictions have battered their tourism sectors. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/indonesia-malaysia-ease-covid-curbs-foreign-visitors-further-2022-03-05/ 6th Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Hong Kong reported 31008 new COVID19 cases and 153 deaths on Sunday as the citys chief secretary said residents should not worry about a looming mass testing scheme with details to be announced and authorities ensuring a steady supply of food. The global financial hub is clinging to a dynamic zero coronavirus strategy as a massive spike in infections pushed hospitals isolation centres and funeral parlours beyond capacity. Health experts said around 15 of the citys 7.4 million residents are already infected. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/hong-kong-residents-urged-not-panic-ahead-covid-mass-testing-2022-03-06/ 6th Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

AllAfrica South Africa has recorded 1 995 new COVID19 cases which brings the total number of laboratoryconfirmed cases to 3 677 686. The majority of new cases stem from Gauteng 37 followed by Western Cape and KwaZuluNatal each accounting for 21 and 17 respectively. Mpumalanga accounted for 6 the Free State and North West each accounted for 5 Eastern Cape accounted for 4 and Limpopo and the Northern Cape each accounted for 2 of the new cases. The Department of Health has recorded 28 deaths and of these five occurred in the past 24 48 hours. This brings the total fatalities in South Africa to 99 458 to date. According to the department there has been an increase of 55 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours. With regard to tests conducted 23 138 425 tests were conducted in both public and private sectors. In the public sector 10 572 868 tests were conducted while 12 565 557 tests were conducted in the private sector. https://allafrica.com/stories/202203040586.html 5th Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

South China Morning Post Ecommerce platform HKTVmall struggles to make deliveries as workers test positive for coronavirus placed in quarantine. Citys largest wholesaler says rice supply is sufficient but delivering goods to supermarkets retail stores has proved difficult https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3169297/coronavirus-hong-kong-delivery-workers-short 5th Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

MSNNnow Fact check Phony images masquerading as CNN coverage go viral amid war Ukrainian woman weds Chicago fianc ahead of return home New York City has become the latest and largest city in the U.S. to announce its dropping most of its COVID19 restrictions as the Omicron surge continues to wind down. Starting Monday businesses will no longer be required to ask for vaccination cards and masks will no longer be mandated in public schools for children ages 5 and older. We have to get our economy back on track Mayor Eric Adams said on Friday. The city which was once considered the epicenter of the pandemic now has a positivity rate of only 1.6 over a 7day average. In neighboring New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced he is lifting the statewide public health emergency which includes a mask mandate for schools and day care centers. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/new-york-city-rolls-back-its-covid-restrictions/ar-AAUD4fC 5th Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Yahoo As California gears up for even more masking changes particularly in public schools local COVID19 cases and hospitalizations continue on their downward trend. Riverside County added 1252 new COVID19 cases between Monday and Friday. Thats down 59 compared to two weeks ago when there were 3054 COVID19 cases reported between Feb. 14 and 18. On Friday the countys case rate was 12.0 per 100000 residents and its positivity rate was 5.3. Both rates are down from what they were on Monday 17.5 per 100000 and 6.7. Among local school districts Palm Springs Unified School District reported 28 student cases and one staff case on Friday. https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/covid-19-cases-down-59-000616792.html 5th Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Leicestershire Live Leicesters hospitals are running Covid19 vaccine trials to assess the effectiveness of a fourth dose to boost previous jabs. A number of trusts and NHS sites across the country are taking part in the CovBoost studies. One of those studies is looking at the effectiveness of a vaccine designed to protect against the omicron variant when given as a fourth dose booster. https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/leicester-hospitals-hosting-fourth-dose-6754449 5th Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

The Associated Press New York City and Los Angeles are lifting some of their strictest COVID19 prevention measures as officials in big cities around the U.S. push for a return to normalcy after two grueling years of the pandemic. New York City which has long prided itself as having the nations toughest COVID19 safety protocols will do away with several of its mandates next week including required masking in public schools and vaccination requirements at restaurants entertainment and cultural venues the mayor announced Friday. On the other side of the country residents in Los Angeles County were no longer required as of Friday to wear masks at restaurants bars gyms shops and other businesses though the city of Los Angeles is still requiring many indoor businesses to verify that their patrons are fully vaccinated. https://apnews.com/article/kathy-hochul-brooklyn-nets-nba-coronavirus-pandemic-sports-5377490ad6db096d52c355d3d7c15757 5th Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Nearly three out of four European Union women think the COVID19 pandemic has spurred an increase in physical and psychological violence against them according to a Eurobarometer poll published on Friday. The poll commissioned by the European Parliament ahead of Womens Day on March 8 shows 77 of women in the EU think the pandemic caused a rise in gender violence in their countries with nine in 10 respondents in Greece and Portugal saying so. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/most-eu-women-blame-covid-pandemic-spike-gender-violence-poll-2022-03-04/ 4th Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Almost a third of people report at least one ongoing symptom between 6 and 12 months after their coronavirus infection a survey of 152000 people in Denmark has found. The study includes one of the largest groups yet of people who were not hospitalised with COVID and followed them for longer than other major studies the researchers from Denmarks State Serum Institute SSI said. The questionnairebased study suggested that the most commonly reported longterm symptoms were changes in sense of smell and taste as well as fatigue. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/almost-third-people-report-lingering-symptom-6-12-months-after-covid-19-study-2022-03-04/ 4th Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters In the two years since the COVID19 pandemic upended the U.S. economy the labor market has rebounded far faster than most had predicted after roughly 22 million jobs were wiped out in the space of two months in the spring of 2020. As remarkable as the rebound has proven to be the comeback from the low point in April 2020 has not been evenly spread across industries and demographic groups with restaurant employment for instance still in a deep hole and the share of Black women with jobs trailing the recovery in other groups. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/evolving-post-covid-us-job-market-five-charts-2022-03-04/ 4th Mar 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters More than a thousand large trucks recreational vehicles and cars are gathering on the outskirts of Washington as part of a protest against COVID19 restrictions that threatens to roll on the U.S. capital in the coming days. The socalled Peoples Convoy which originated in California and has drawn participants from around the country is calling for an end to all pandemicrelated restrictions. It was inspired by demonstrations last month that paralyzed Ottawa Canadas capital city https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trucks-rvs-cars-flock-washington-area-protest-covid-restrictions-2022-03-05/ 6th Mar 2022

Partisan Exits

AlArabiya About 100000 doses of Pfizers COVID19 vaccine are at risk of being destroyed by the end of this month due to slow uptake by citizens South African health authorities said on Friday. South Africa has recorded the most coronavirus infections and deaths on the African continent however inoculations have slowed and the country has ample vaccine stocks of about 25 million doses. There is a risk that just over 100000 or so doses which will expire by end of March ... may have to be discarded. It will be a sad day if significant volumes of doses can end up being discarded. We hope it will not reach that stage Health Minister Joe Phaahla told an online news conference. https://english.alarabiya.net/coronavirus/2022/03/04/South-Africa-may-destroy-100-000-COVID-19-jabs-by-end-March-due-to-slow-uptake 5th Mar 2022

Continued Lockdown

Reuters Two of Hong Kongs largest consumer retail chains started rationing some food and drug items on Friday to curb panic buying that has plagued the city over the past week amid fears of a citywide lockdown as COVID19 cases soar. Health authorities reported 52523 new COVID19 cases on Friday and 136 deaths. This compares with about 100 infections at the start of February and a clean threemonth streak of zero cases before the end of December. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/hong-kong-retail-chains-ration-staples-curb-covid-panic-buying-2022-03-04/ 6th Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Wall Street Journal Novavaxs longawaited Covid19 vaccine is moving toward U.S. authorization after the company said it resolved manufacturing problems that had held up its application. Clearance in the U.S. isnt imminent because the Food and Drug Administration must sort through a large amount of study data from several countries. A decision is getting closer however since Novavax formally submitted an authorization request in late January. If the shot is rolled out in the U.S. it could boost vaccination efforts that have flagged among the hesitant according to Novavax and doctors. https://www.wsj.com/articles/novavaxs-covid-19-vaccine-moves-closer-to-fda-authorization-decision-11646562601 6th Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg Japanese drugmaker Shionogi Co. said its experimental Covid19 vaccine was found safe and effective in a study creating an indigenous supply source for the Asian nation that is racing to complete a booster drive in hopes of curbing future outbreaks. The recombinant proteinbased vaccine that was being tested as a booster shot met its primary endpoint in the Phase 23 trials Osakabased Shionogi said in a statement Friday announcing the interim reports findings. There were no serious treatmentrelated adverse events deaths or adverse events of special interest it said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-04/shionogi-says-covid-19-vaccine-found-effective-and-safe-in-study 5th Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

CNN Two years ago the calamitous first wave of the Covid19 pandemic hit the US with unprecedented intensity. The depth of the terror can be difficult to recall and thanks to advances in diagnosis treatment and vaccination is unlikely to recur. For scientists however it is crucial to revisit the dark time and rethink what happened by examining the almost endless data that was collected to try to better understand both the immediate and the longterm effects this disease has on the body. Because so many deaths were due to respiratory failure many colleagues I talked with expected to find progressive pneumonia with lung destruction as the cause. However researchers discovered something entirely different blood clots in the lungs also referred to as pulmonary emboli. Furthermore they found countless additional smaller clots in many other organs as well. Note that experts distinguish between clot and thrombus and embolus but for simplicity well call them all clots. https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/04/opinions/covid-19-cardiovascular-symptoms-sepkowitz/index.html 5th Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Globe and Mail In the past seven days 39946 cases were reported down 4 per cent from the previous seven days. There were 449 deaths announced down 4 per cent over the same period. At least 4454 people are being treated in hospitals. Canadas inoculation rate is 13th among countries with a population of one million or more people. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-coronavirus-update-what-does-the-end-of-covid-19-rules-mean-for/ 5th Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

South China Morning Post The southern province of Guangdong reported Chinas highest number of daily imported Covid19 cases accounting for nearly half of the nationwide tally and with all but two cases originating from neighbouring Hong Kong. Of 233 imported cases declared by Chinese health authorities on Friday as many as 117 were detected in Guangdong mostly in the tech hub of Shenzhen just across the border from Hong Kong which is battling an exponential fifth wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Shenzhen detected 96 infections on Thursday all of them from Hong Kong. Other Guangdong cities reporting cases from Hong Kong were Zhuhai with six four each in Zhongshan and Jiangmen two each in Huizhou and Shanwei and one in Foshan. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3169221/coronavirus-china-shenzhen-spike-96-imported-cases-driven-hong 5th Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Evening Standard Researchers are hopeful that a variantproof vaccine is within their grasp to protect us from this pandemic and to prevent the next one. Imagine if a single vaccine could protect us against not only new variants of the current coronavirus Covid19 but also against coronaviruses that do not yet exist. Buoyed by the creation of several working vaccines against Covid in under a year scientists now have a universal vaccine in their sights. In January senior US scientists including chief medical advisor Anthony Fauci called for more research into a universal coronavirus vaccine. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations CEPI a global organisation created to develop vaccines against future pandemics has earmarked 200 million for a vaccine to protect against variants of the current virus SARSCoV2 and any coronaviruses that may plausibly emerge in the future. https://www.standard.co.uk/optimist/vaccine-world/scientists-developing-universal-coronavirus-vaccine-covid-b985953.html 5th Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The New York Times The coronavirus may infect tissue within the male genital tract new research on rhesus macaques shows. The finding suggests that symptoms like erectile dysfunction reported by some Covid patients may be caused directly by the virus not by inflammation or fever that often accompany the disease. The research demonstrated that the coronavirus infected the prostate penis testicles and surrounding blood vessels in three male rhesus macaques. The monkeys were examined with whole body scans specially designed to detect sites of infection. Scientists who expected to find the coronavirus in spots like the lungs but did not know where else they would find it were somewhat surprised by the discovery. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/01/health/covid-erectile-dysfunction.html 5th Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Pharmaceutical Technology The global Covid death toll has passed 5.9 million with a figure of 5972661 according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Meanwhile infections have continued past 440 million to a world wide figure of 440182504. The Omicron strain of Covid19 is at least 40 more lethal than seasonal flu according Japanese scientists underscoring the potential danger of lifting pandemic curbs too quickly and underestimating the viruss ongoing health risks. Rates of anxiety and depression rose by about 25 worldwide in the first year of Covid another indication of the widespread harm on mental health inflicted by the pandemic. Young people were at the greatest increased risk of suicide and selfharm and women bore the brunt of the emotional and psychological burden according to a report from the World Health Organization https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/news/covid-omicron-more-lethal-than-flu/ 4th Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press Why are COVID19 vaccination rates still low in some countries Limited supplies remain a problem but experts say other challenges now include unpredictable deliveries weak health care systems and vaccine hesitancy. Most countries with low vaccination rates are in Africa. As of late February 13 countries in Africa have fully vaccinated less than 5 of their populations according to Phionah Atuhebwe an officer for the World Health Organizations regional office for Africa. Other countries with extremely low vaccination rates include Yemen Syria Haiti and Papua New Guinea. For most of last year developing nations were plagued by a lack of supplies. Rich countries were hoarding doses and many countries didnt have the facilities to make their own vaccines. COVAX an initiative to distribute vaccines equally around the world faltered in delivering shots. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-middle-east-africa-lifestyle-1f2c92d6a306819c363c87661dc7818d 3rd Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian A drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis could help to save the lives of patients with severe Covid researchers have found and they say its benefits can be seen even when it is used on top of other medications. Experts involved in the Randomised Evaluation of Covid19 Therapy Recovery trial say baricitinib an antiinflammatory drug taken as a tablet can reduce the risk of death from severe Covid by about a fifth. However they add that when the impact of other medications used alongside the drug are also taken into account the risk of death could be lowered by well over 50 although the figure will vary from patient to patient. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/03/arthritis-drug-could-help-save-covid-patients-study 3rd Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

RNZ In New Zealand there were 15161 new community cases today more than 3500 fewer than yesterdays total of 18833. On Friday it was 22527. It is the third day running that case numbers have fallen. Covid19 Modelling Aotearoa project leader Dion ONeale said the shift to Rapid Antigen Tests and focus on personal reponsibility in reporting cases could be throwing numbers off. Urging caution the ministry said The variation in reporting numbers each day means that the rolling average of cases gives a more reliable indicator of testing trends. The sevenday rolling average of cases is today 17272 up from 16687 yesterday. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/462835/ministry-of-health-urges-caution-over-dropping-covid-19-case-numbers 6th Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Mexico reported 308 more fatalities from COVID19 on Friday bringing the total death toll since the pandemic began to 319604 according to health ministry data. The country also reported 9748 new confirmed cases of the virus bringing the total to 5554392. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/mexico-reports-308-more-covid-19-deaths-9748-new-cases-2022-03-04/ 5th Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Yahoo News UK Prisons in Northern Ireland are seeing a spike in Covid19 case numbers a Stormont committee has heard. Ronnie Armour Director General of the Northern Ireland Prison Service told the Justice Committee that in Maghaberry Prison in Co Antrim 11 prisoners in Bush House tested positive around three weeks ago. In the same prison he said 31 prisoners in Davis House have tested positive and one prisoner at Magilligan in the north west https://uk.news.yahoo.com/ni-prisons-seeing-spike-cases-184535657.html 5th Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

BBC News There has been an increase in the number of Covid19related deaths registered in Northern Ireland. The government statistics agency Nisra said in the week up to 25 February the virus was mentioned on the death certificates of 33 people two more than the previous week. It brings the total number of deaths registered by the agency to 4300. The Department of Healths total up to last Friday based on a positive test recorded was 3205. Nisras figures are higher because it records mentions of the virus on death certificates where it may or may not have been confirmed by way of a test. Of the agencys measure more than two thirds of Covid19related deaths have occurred in hospital 69.6. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-60618207?at_medium=RSS&ampat_campaign=KARANGA 5th Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

CNN Kennedy Stonum a high school junior deflected repeated entreaties from her father to please get vaccinated against Covid19. I would send her articles. I would send her studies. I would send her whatever I thought might either scare her enough about Covid to get the vaccine or allay her concerns enough about the vaccine said Lee Stonum 41 a public defender in Orange County California. His mother who lives in Cleveland also sent emails to her granddaughter urging her to get the shots. She was very skilled at blowing it off Stonum said of his only child. It was constantly OK Ill think about it. It was never an outright no. https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/04/health/teen-covid-19-vaccine-holdout-khn-partner-wellness/index.html 5th Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Kathimerini English Edition Greek authorities announced 16060 new cases of coronavirus and 56 fatalities in the past 24 hours Friday. Thirtyone of the 16060 cases involved international visitors tested upon arrival. Greeces total number of confirmed coronavirus cases is now 2486262 with 26092 dead. A total of 389 patients remain intubated in intensive care units while 4296 have left ICU. https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1179010/coronavirus-greece-reports-16060-new-cases-56-deaths/ 5th Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Independent Article reports that the number of reported new Covid infections in Scotland has reached its highest for almost two months with 9551 more cases. That is the highest daily total since January 11 although a change in the way the Scottish Government reports the figures means cases of people reinfected with the virus are now included. The latest figures showed almost one in 10 9.3 of Fridays cases were reinfections. And the total is almost 4000 more than the 5848 cases that were announced just a week ago on Friday February 25. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/scotland-scottish-government-covid-b2028723.html 5th Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Associated Press Shoppers buy produce at an open air market in Ahmedabad India Thursday March 3 2022. Slowly but steadily life in South Asia is returning to normal and people hope the worst of the COVID19 pandemic is behind them. Experts are optimistic that the omicron surge which brought relatively low levels of death has reinforced immunity from vaccines which are widespread in the region. Slowly but steadily life in South Asia is returning to normal and people hope the worst of the COVID19 pandemic is behind them. Experts are optimistic that the omicron surge which brought relatively low levels of death has reinforced immunity from vaccines which are widespread in the region. The markets are crowded again. Traffic is jamming the roads. Migrant workers have returned to the cities. And young people are back at schools and universities many of them for the first time in years. It isnt quite how things were before the COVID19 pandemic mask mandates still exist in some places but with infections steadily declining life in South Asia is returning to a sense of normalcy. The mental scars from last years deltadriven surge persist especially in India where health systems collapsed and millions likely died but across the region high vaccination rates and hope that the highly contagious omicron variant has helped bolster immunity are giving people reasons to be optimistic. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-pandemics-infectious-diseases-08b9fb1b55d77b7657f48245c29b9885 4th Mar 2022