5th Sep 2022 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=737 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

South China Morning Post on MSN.com Hong Kong Secretary for Health Lo Chungmau does not name news outlet but says report had cost the media its integrity three days after Bloomberg piece. Meanwhile city logs highest daily tally since March 24 https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/coronavirus-hong-kong-health-minister-slams-report-suggesting-internal-conflict-on-quarantine-city-logs-10683-cases/ar-AA11rDqL 4th Sep 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Wall Street Journal Democrats and the publichealth clerisy denounced President Trump for rushing Covid vaccines. Theyve been curiously quiet about the Food and Drug Administrations gunshot approval last week of revamped booster shots with no trials showing they are safe or effective. The FDA granted emergencyuse authorization to mRNA shots by Pfizer and Moderna that are bivalent targeting the initial Wuhan variant as well as the currently predominant BA.4 and BA.5 strains. The Biden administration ordered 171 million doses earlier this summer so FDA authorization seems to have been a fait accompli. The FDA probably should have made the reconfigured vaccines available to highrisk and elderly patients. But the case is weak for young people given the limited benefit and uncertain risks. https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/rushing-covid-vaccines-bivalent-pfizer-moderna-risk-harm-sickness-shots-pandemic-fda-skeptics-11662149144 4th Sep 2022

Lockdown Exit

BBC News Tory MP Liam Fox received a 20000 donation in June from a Covid testing firm on whose behalf he had contacted the then health secretary Matt Hancock. Mr Fox recommended SureScreen Diagnostics to Mr Hancock in 2020 an email seen by campaign group Good Law Project and the BBC shows. The company went on to win a 500m contract to provide tests without facing competition. A spokesperson for Mr Fox said the story was a baseless smear. It was concocted by the political activist Jolyon Maugham and the Good Law Project the spokesman said and Mr Fox would be making a complaint. It is appalling that this should be propagated by the BBC the statement issued after publication added. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62766148 4th Sep 2022

Lockdown Exit

Axios Six districts within Shenzen will remain in lockdown for seven days as they are considered at highrisk for COVID19 transmission Reuters reports. Shenzhen will suspend bus and train services for the lockdown. https://www.axios.com/2022/09/03/china-shenzhen-covid-testing-lockdown 4th Sep 2022

Lockdown Exit

ABC News NZs Opposition says Kiwis are facing a costofliving crisis and analysts say it is impacting support for the PM. Ms Arderns government now has less support than the National Party according to recent polling. Analysts say the key issues at next years election will be the economy and inequality https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-04/nz-jacinda-ardern-losing-support-as-opposition-gains-ground/101389596 4th Sep 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg New coronavirus cases in China stayed at elevated levels on Friday following the lockdown of a megacity of 21 million as the nation pursues its rigid Covidzero policy with dogged determination. The country reported 1819 new local Covid19 infections on Friday in 25 out of its 32 provinces and municipalities according to a statement of National Health Commission. That compares with 1885 reported Thursday. Chengdu the nations sixthlargest city which was ordered to lock down on Thursday reported 155 new local Covid19 cases on Friday edging up from the 150 the previous day. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-03/china-s-covid-spread-persists-after-mega-city-lockdown 3rd Sep 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Most residents of the Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen went into a weekend lockdown on Saturday as mass COVID19 testing kicked off in much of the city of 18 million people. The lockdown and the suspension of bus and subway services came into effect two days after city authorities said rumours about a lockdown were based on a misinterpretation of the latest COVID19 prevention and control measures. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/shenzhen-districts-locked-down-china-battles-covid-outbreaks-2022-09-03/ 3rd Sep 2022

Lockdown Exit

BBC News Millions of people will be invited for their autumn Covid booster jab in England and Scotland next week with care home residents the first to receive them. Although infections are falling health bosses are predicting a resurgence of Covid and flu this autumn and winter. They are urging those eligible to protect themselves from serious illness by getting vaccines against both. A recently approved vaccine against the Omicron variant will be used first. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-62766447 3rd Sep 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Denmark is preparing to go through the coming winter without any coronavirus restrictions even with an expected rise in infections Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said on Friday. The Nordic country expects to be able to avoid lockdown measures due to new improved booster vaccines greater immunity in the population and being able to better track the spread of the virus through measures such as wastewater testing. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/denmark-receive-45-mln-newly-approved-covid-booster-shots-sep-2022-09-02/ 2nd Sep 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters The White House on Thursday said Americans have increased requests for athome COVID19 tests as the federal government prepares to stop providing free tests on Friday. White House press secretary Karine JeanPierre told reporters that were going to do everything we can to get people their tests. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/deadline-looming-white-house-sees-spike-demand-at-home-virus-tests-2022-09-01/ 2nd Sep 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg How much better will an omicronspecific Covid19 booster be Research that models the protective effect of variantmodified shots found theyll probably offer a slight advantage over existing immunizations. Antibodies that neutralize the virus jump about 11fold after a booster targeting the original Wuhan strain of the coronavirus and are increased a further 1.5fold when a variantmodified shot is used researchers at the University of New South Wales Kirby Institute found. A variantmodified booster does provide at least a marginal improvement said Deborah Cromer head of the institutes infection epidemiology and policy analytics group in Sydney who led the study. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-30/omicron-targeting-covid-booster-shots-offer-only-slight-advantage 30th Aug 2022

Exit Strategies

South China Morning Post Chengdu authorities say sorry for long delays that forced people to wait in the rain late into the night. Transport hub ordered residents to test daily to try to keep a lid on coronavirus cases https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3191289/locked-down-chinese-city-apologises-after-mandatory-covid 4th Sep 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Chinas southern tech hub of Shenzhen said it will adopt tiered antivirus restriction measures starting on Monday while the southwestern metropolis of Chengdu announced an extension of lockdown curbs as the country grapples with fresh outbreaks. Shenzhen which went into a weekend lockdown on Saturday announced a new round of COVID19 testing and vowed to marshal all available resources mobilise all forces and take all possible measures to stamp out the pandemic. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-shenzhen-adopt-tiered-covid-measures-tomorrow-2022-09-04/ 4th Sep 2022

Exit Strategies

South China Morning Post Professor David Hui urges parents to get their children inoculated citing studies overseas indicating doses are safe. He suggests possibility of 34 quarantine scheme for overseas arrivals to be eased to 07 format in November if conditions are ideal https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3191221/coronavirus-current-surge-hong-kong-likely-peak 4th Sep 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Most residents of the Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen went into a weekend lockdown on Saturday as mass COVID19 testing kicked off in much of the city of 18 million people. The lockdown and the suspension of bus and subway services came into effect two days after city authorities said rumours about a lockdown were based on a misinterpretation of the latest COVID19 prevention and control measures. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/shenzhen-districts-locked-down-china-battles-covid-outbreaks-2022-09-03/ 4th Sep 2022

Exit Strategies

The Guardian Behind the daily death figures there is a more complicated picture of the impact of Covid19 in Australia that raises questions about whether Covid could be causing more deaths from ischaemic heart disease cerebrovascular disease and dementia. As cases exploded after the emergence of the Omicron variant the number of Covid deaths similarly rose with more than 80 of Australias total Covid deaths occurring in 2022. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/datablog/2022/sep/04/covid-pandemic-may-be-causing-more-deaths-than-australias-daily-numbers-suggest 3rd Sep 2022

Exit Strategies

New Zealand Herald The nations newly branded health authority has been ordered to remove or fix a misleading advertisement about vaccination against Covid19 that ran across multiple media platforms. The Advertising Standards Authority complaints board received 44 complaints against Te Whatu OraHealth New Zealands Vaccinate for Life advertisements which ran across television print and on billboards and mobile phones. In a statement to Open Justice the health agencys National Immunisation Programme has apologised for any confusion or concern caused by the advertisements which concluded in July. The programmes director Astrid Koornneef said while it was disappointed with the decision it accepted the authoritys ruling which related to one element of a wider vaccination campaign. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/national-health-agency-apologises-over-covid-vaccine-ads-it-was-ordered-to-remove/KSBM5APPMDAOMUIKDXD3J4DDUA/ 2nd Sep 2022

Exit Strategies

The Associated Press Walgreens now offers updated COVID19 Pfizer and Moderna boosters to eligible individuals aged 12 years and older following authorization from the Food and Drug Administration FDA and new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC. Scheduling an appointment is preferred and is available via the Walgreens app 1800WALGREENS or online at Walgreens.comScheduleVaccine starting today for vaccinations. Additional appointments will be added daily as select Walgreens stores begin to receive the updated COVID19 boosters. https://apnews.com/press-release/business-wire/covid-health-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-d3526a5fa25b4b60870aafe7d9fd8110 2nd Sep 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters North Korean women and girls face increased pressure in providing food for their families and the state under coronavirus measures even as closed border hamper market activity and push up prices a U.N. expert said on Friday. Elizabeth Salmon the new U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea expressed concern about the disproportionate impact of the isolated countrys COVID19 rules on women and girls as she wrapped up her first visit to South Korea since taking office last month. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/nkorea-denounces-new-un-human-rights-expert-biased-2022-09-02/ 2nd Sep 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters EU countries should start offering COVID boosters to their populations now to contain a fresh wave of infections expected this autumn and winter the blocs executive said in a document seen by Reuters on Friday ahead of its official release. The Brusselsbased European Commission said more than 2300 people still die of COVID in the bloc every week while other negative health consequences of the disease include longCOVID symptoms and mental problems. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/eu-states-urged-roll-out-covid-booster-shots-fend-off-winter-infections-2022-09-02/ 2nd Sep 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Updated COVID19 booster shots for people aged 12 years and above to target the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants of the coronavirus are on the way after receiving the goahead from U.S. regulators. The green light for the use of Omicron COVID boosters from Pfizer Inc with German partner BioNTech SE and Moderna Inc will enable millions of the retooled shots to roll out by the end of the weekend https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/updated-covid-vaccines-are-coming-us-should-you-get-one-2022-08-31/ 2nd Sep 2022

Partisan Exits

Thai PBS World Human rights violations in North Korea have increased further due to the reclusive countrys harsh antiCovid measures the UN chief said in a report that warns the situation could be referred to the International Criminal Court. Information received confirmed that the State had further increased its repression of the rights and freedoms of the people of North Korea and that the downturn occurred in the context of the maintenance and subsequent increase of strict Covid19 restrictions United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres wrote in the assessment released this week. https://www.thaipbsworld.com/north-korea-repression-grows-with-anti-covid-measures-un/ 4th Sep 2022

Partisan Exits

ABC News This week CheckMate investigates whether excess deaths among children have increased by more than 1000 per cent in Europe which some have linked to COVID19 vaccines. We also debunk claims that AstraZenecas vaccine causes monkeypox and ask is there really no one in the world making electric utes https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-02/fact-check-excess-deaths-europe-not-vaccines/101394264 2nd Sep 2022

Partisan Exits

iNews Antivaxxers are ramping up up their campaigns of misinformation as medics prepare to launch the autumn booster jabs against covid. Pregnant women and the overall safety of two of the most common jabs have already been targeted in recent days and experts expect further misinformation to be posted on social media through the autumn. The authors of a paper published this week in the journal Vaccine claim that the risk of serious adverse events following a Pfizer or Moderna jab compared to those in a placebo group points to the need for formal harmbenefit analyses. https://inews.co.uk/news/health/covid-boosters-surge-dangerous-vaccine-misinformation-online-1828321 2nd Sep 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Chinas CanSino Biologics Inc said on Sunday that its recently developed COVID19 vaccine has been approved by the countrys drug regulator for emergency use as a booster potentially benefiting its business. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/cansinos-inhaled-covid-19-vaccine-gets-emergency-use-approval-china-2022-09-04/ 4th Sep 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters China granted emergency use authorisation to Livzon Pharmaceutical Group Incs COVID19 vaccine as a booster the company said on Friday one of just two new products against the disease the country has cleared in more than a year. Livzons vaccine based on the original coronavirus if rolled out to the general public would widen booster options for Chinas 1.4 billion population of which 90 have been vaccinated and nearly 60 have received a booster dose. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/livzon-pharmas-covid-19-vaccine-gets-emergency-use-approval-china-2022-09-02/ 2nd Sep 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Pharmaphorum The EMAs human medicines committee CHMP has recommended authorisation of two COVID19 vaccines from Moderna and PfizerBioNTech that include sequences coding for Omicron spike protein as booster shots. The European Commission said it will move ahead with an accelerated authorisation of the bivalent shots which include mRNA for the wildtype SARSCoV2 spike protein as well as the original BA.1 subvariant of Omicron in a divergence from the approach taken by the authorities in the US. The FDA has just authorised vaccines from the two companies that will specifically target the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of Omicron which have now displaced the earlier forms and for now are expected to remain dominant through the coming autumn and winter. https://pharmaphorum.com/news/ema-panel-backs-covid-19-vaccines-targeting-omicron-ba-1/ 2nd Sep 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

CNN Dr. Rochelle Walensky director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off Thursday on the recommendation of the agencys independent vaccine advisers in favor of updated Covid19 vaccine boosters from PfizerBioNTech and Moderna. The CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted 13 to 1 earlier in the day to recommend updated mRNA boosters for Americans this fall. https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/01/health/acip-cdc-updated-covid-booster 2nd Sep 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

News-Medical.Net COVID19 may provoke IgAassociated vasculitis. The prevalence and risk factors for delirium in older patients hospitalized with COVID19. Risk factors among pregnant and postpartum women with COVID19 https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220901/CDC-recommends-Novavaxs-COVID-19-vaccine-to-be-used-as-primary-series-option-for-adolescents.aspx 2nd Sep 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg An increase in Covid19 virus fragments in wastewater samples may indicate an impending wave of infections the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said. Increases in the frequency of samples in the week ended Aug. 23 were found at water treatment plants near the capital Pretoria as well as in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni an industrial and residential area that lies between the two cities the NICD said in a report on Friday. Increased numbers of fragments were also found in the cities of Durban and Bloemfontein it said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-02/s-africa-wastewater-may-indicate-impending-covid-19-wave 2nd Sep 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech have filed proceedings at the High Court of England and Wales seeking a judgment that their COVID19 vaccine based on mRNA technology does not infringe on CureVacs European patents according to a regulatory filing on Friday. In July CureVac had filed a patent lawsuit against BioNTech over its use of mRNA technology seeking fair compensation from the company and two subsidiaries for infringement of its intellectual properly rights. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/pfizer-biontech-seek-revoke-curevacs-patent-infringement-claims-2022-09-02/ 2nd Sep 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Taiwan on Friday approved the use of Moderna Incs Omicrontargeted COVID19 vaccine as a booster shot for people aged 18 and over. The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration said it gave approval after an overall assessment of the vaccines effectiveness and safety as well as the urgent domestic public health needs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday authorised updated PfizerBioNTech and Moderna booster shots that target the dominant BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants of the virus. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-approves-omicron-targeted-moderna-covid-vaccine-2022-09-02/ 2nd Sep 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg Covid booster shots that target the most common new variants of the virus should become available in the US within days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on the rollout of updated vaccines Thursday. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky endorsed the use of the new shots after in two 131 votes outside vaccine and health experts gave their backing to the booster shots from Moderna Inc. and from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-01/cdc-panel-backs-moderna-pfizer-covid-omicron-boosters 1st Sep 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Wall Street Journal Chinas southern technology hub of Shenzhen is shutting down the city center over the weekend as more parts of the country tighten Covid19 controls to battle a new wave of infections just weeks ahead of a highprofile Communist Party congress. https://www.wsj.com/articles/shenzhen-tells-most-residents-to-stay-home-as-covid-19-controls-tighten-across-china-11662206794 4th Sep 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

South China Morning Post Some children have been admitted to adult wards instead Hospital Authority Chief Manager Dr Lau Kahin says. Professor Lau Yulung also predicts more transmissible Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants may account for 90 per cent of citys caseload. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3191086/coronavirus-special-biontech-vaccine-children-may 2nd Sep 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Belfast Telegraph The Office for National Statistics has said there is an uncertain trend in Covid19 infections in Northern Ireland after around one in 50 people tested positive last month. Its despite falling levels in the rest of the UK with England dropping below one million for the first time since the start of June. The Office for National Statistics ONS said the uncertain trend here comes after 35800 people were likely to have tested positive for Covid19 in the week to August 23 the equivalent of around one in 50. This is up from 26400 or one in 70 in the week to August 16. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus/uncertain-trend-of-covid-19-infections-in-northern-ireland-as-positive-cases-rise-41956476.html 2nd Sep 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Russia recorded 50952 new COVID19 infections over the last 24 hours the governments coronavirus task force said on Friday the highest daily tally in almost six months. Case numbers have climbed across Russia over the last six weeks fuelled by the spread of new highlytransmissible variants of the coronavirus. Fridays tally was the highest number of new cases reported in a 24hour period since March 10. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-reports-most-daily-covid-19-cases-since-march-2022-09-02/ 2nd Sep 2022

New Lockdown

Reuters The main districts of Chinese tech hub Shenzhen shut down public transport andextended curbs on public activities on Friday as cities across China battled COVID19 outbreaks that have dampened the outlook for economic recovery. Six districts comprising the majority of the citys population of almost 18 million announced that all residents would be tested twice for COVID19 over the weekend as subway and bus services were suspended. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-shenzhen-extends-covid-curbs-stops-short-full-lockdown-2022-09-02/ 2nd Sep 2022