23rd Oct 2020 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=123 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Olive Press In Spain bars and restaurants are responsible for less than 3 of coronavirus outbreaks a new report has found. A study released by the Ministry of Health which analysed data from the end of lockdown to October 15 said family reunions accounted for almost 40 of outbreaks. The report also warns of the high number of outbreaks with mixed origins where transmission shifts from the family environment to other areas such as work https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2020/10/22/bars-and-restaurants-account-for-less-than-3-of-covid-19-outbreaks-in-spain-since-end-of-lockdown/ 22nd Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

The Guardian Jacinda Ardern won New Zealands election with a commanding majority in part attributed to her handling of the Covid19 pandemic in her country. But a veteran epidemiologist is exhorting the prime minister to use the political capital gained in her decisive victory to scrutinise the coronavirus response by her government and officials and adopt strategies proposed by her opponents before Saturdays vote. New Zealand has shown it can be quite smart and flexible but we can see weve got these blind spots and we need to have no blind spots said Nick Wilson a University of Otago epidemiologist. This is such an unforgiving disease and very few countries are doing it right so we need to smarten up our act quite substantially. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/22/ardern-urged-to-review-covid-measures-after-election-landslide 22nd Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

The Tribune India To keep local transmission at negligible levels China has been extensively tracking its population through their phones and going in for testing. Perhaps the most draconian step has been the imposition of lockdowns for weeks on end. India has also gone in for extensive lockdowns but the results have not come remotely close to those in China. Economies across the world contracted sharply when the pandemic arrived but thereafter climbed out of the downturn. In this return to growth China has shown the greatest robustness. Right now it is significantly better off than where it was at this time last year. The reason for this is that despite being hit by the coronavirus first it has been globally among the foremost in successfully tackling it. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/china-beats-the-virus-eclipses-india-in-growth-159134 22nd Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

AlJazeera Teresa Palmer is sitting on the back porch of her home in San Francisco when the mobile phone in her hand starts to buzz. A kind raspy voice inquires from the other end of the line Did I wake you If the question surprises Palmer she does not show it. Her reply is plain and swift. No she says It is past one in the afternoon. She has been awake for hours. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2020/10/22/loneliness-isolation-and-depression-how-the-pandemic-is 22nd Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

AlJazeera The economic crisis caused by the coronavirus will dramatically speed up the depletion of the United States Social Security programme a bipartisan thinktank warned on Thursday outlining how quickly retirement and disability trust funds could run dry depending on the depth and length of the pandemicinduced recession. The Bipartisan Policy Center modelled four scenarios for the current recession ranging in severity from 50 percent worse than the Great Recession to surprisingly quick economic rebound. What it found was that every scenario showed Social Security retirement fund reserves depleting earlier than predicted between 2029 and 2033. The centre presented its findings in a brief entitled How Will COVID19 Affect the Social Security Trust Funds PDF which was published Thursday. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2020/10/22/covid-19-crisis-to-speed-up-depletion-of-social-security-funds 22nd Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

Reuters UK Britain tightened COVID19 restrictions in three more areas of England on Thursday putting them in the high category of the UKs threetier system meaning people will not be able to mix outside their households. Were seeing rising rates of infection in StokeonTrent in Coventry and in Slough. In all of these areas there are over 100 positive cases per 100000 people cases are doubling around every fortnight and were seeing a concerning increase of cases among the over60s health minister Matt Hancock told parliament. Several cities in northern England are in the top very high category which requires the closure of hospitality. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-tier/britain-tightens-covid-restrictions-in-more-areas-of-england-idUKKBN277221 22nd Oct 2020

Lockdown Exit

Reuters France extended curfews to around two thirds of its population on Thursday and Belgiums foreign minister was taken into intensive care with COVID19 as the second wave of the pandemic surged across Europe. French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced a curfew imposed last week on Paris and eight other cities would be extended to 38 more departments confining 46 million out of the countrys 67 million population to their homes from 9 pm to 6 am. A second wave of the coronavirus epidemic is now under way in France and Europe. The situation is very serious Castex said at a news conference. Shortly after the measures were announced French health authorities reported a record 41622 new confirmed cases bringing the cumulative total to 999043. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus/germany-issues-travel-warnings-as-covid-surges-in-europe-idUKKBN27726N 22nd Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

Metro The development of the contact tracing app for Covid19 was bumpy and painful according to the head of the NHSs innovation division. England and Waless app which uses Bluetooth to keep an anonymous log of those in close proximity was delayed due to technical issues and concerns about privacy. Speaking about the app NHSX boss Matthew Gould said it was an error not to tell the public it was working on both versions of the technology at the same time. It was bumpy and painful but at each point I think we did plus or minus the right thing he told the FabChange2020 conference. https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/22/covid-19-app-development-bumpy-and-painful-says-head-of-nhsx-13461629/ 22nd Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

CNBC Germanys coronavirus epidemic and strategy to deal with the virus has not been the same as its European counterparts. This might be a good thing given that Germany has recorded 397922 cases of the virus far lower than Spain.The country has also differed from its European peers at a political level in that it has taken largely a decentralized approach to managing the virus response. But that approach could prove to be a doubleedged sword when it comes to clear public guidance and messaging on the virus however according to Carsten Nickel deputy director of research at Teneo Intelligence. The question is whether Germanys strength since the beginning of the pandemic the not just local imposition but in fact locallydriven design of restrictive as well as support measures will turn into an obstacle Nickel said. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/22/germanys-coronavirus-strategy-why-it-might-not-work.html 22nd Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

BBC The ebb of the first wave and summer al fresco dining saw an encouraging return to business for many Italian eateries and bars but as the cold sets in this second wave in is forcing restaurateurs to find new ways to stay afloat. New national restrictions mean restaurants and bars have to close by midnight until 13 November and can seat a maximum of six people per table. Vagh in ufezzi is a simple restaurant with paper place mats and no cover charge. Until two weeks ago diners would have paid for each dish they ordered now they are paying by the hour. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54575958 22nd Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

Reuters The United States and China dealt with the spread of the devastating coronavirus pandemic in vastly different ways and that split is reshaping the global battle between the worlds two leading economies. About 11 months after the Wuhan outbreak Chinas official GDP numbers this week show not only that the economy is growing up 4.9 for the third quarter from a year earlier but also that the Chinese are confident enough the virus has been vanquished to go shopping dine and spend with gusto. In the United States 221000 people are dead from COVID19 after a delayed federal response partisan battles over maskwearing and lockdowns and plenty of public events that do not follow public health guidelines. The country is in the midst of a new wave of infections. https://uk.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-usa-china-analysis-idUSKBN277066 22nd Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

Daily Mail China will continue to suspend outbound and inbound group tours in a move aimed to prevent international travellers from bringing the coronavirus into the country. The decision was made due to the risk of a resurgence in COVID19 cases across the country this winter authorities said yesterday. In China where COVID19 was first discovered the virus appears to have been mostly banished through a combination of lockdowns and travel restrictions that have officials touting the nation as a coronavirus success story. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8867575/Coronavirus-China-continues-ban-tour-groups-prevent-COVID-19-spreading.html 22nd Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

Financial Times Factories across Europe are buzzing with activity again encouraging some industrial bosses to invest in extra production as they shrug off the rise in coronavirus infections that is casting a shadow over the continents economic recovery. Many manufacturers adapted production sites quickly to protect their workers after the pandemic hit and in recent months they have benefited from rising demand driven by a rebound in exports particularly to the resurgent Chinese market. https://www.ft.com/content/6d6f4db8-0775-4f06-94f2-332bac3669b5 22nd Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

Reuters UK The percentage of workers around the world that is permanently working from home is expected to double in 2021 as productivity has increased during the coronavirus pandemic according to a survey from U.S.based Enterprise Technology Research ETR. ETR in September surveyed about 1200 chief information officers from around the world across different industries. The CIOs also expressed increased optimism about business prospects in 2021 as they see an increase in tech budgets by 2.1 compared with a 4.1 decline this year due to the lockdowns triggered by the pandemic. The survey said information technology decisionmakers expect permanent remote work to double to 34.4 of their companies workforces in 2021 compared with 16.4 before the coronavirus outbreak a result of positive productivity trends. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-technology/permanently-remote-workers-seen-doubling-in-2021-due-to-pandemic-productivity-survey-idUKKBN2772P8?il=0 22nd Oct 2020

Exit Strategies

Reuters Englands test and trace scheme needs improvement and it is hard to run an effective system when there are large and increasing numbers of COVID19 cases UK chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance said on Thursday. Its undoubtedly the case that test trace and isolation becomes much more difficult to have an impact once numbers are high. So its much more effective when numbers are low he said at a news conference. Its very clear that theres room for improvement. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-adviser/test-and-trace-works-better-when-numbers-are-low-uk-science-adviser-idUKKBN2772DF 22nd Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

CNN As we get closer to an effective vaccine for Covid19 we should expect to see a renewed push of disinformation and vocal resistance from the antivaccination movement. Over the past year seemingly endless conspiracy theories and misinformation campaigns have gained traction online amid rising Covid19 infection rates worldwide. Looking at the history of these movements can help us understand why they can be so effective at capturing a popular following. As a historian of medicine it has become clear from researching the history of vaccines that those who promote antivaccination consistently use a standard set of strategies. Although it can be hard to see patterns of argument in the modern context looking back at a historical instance of epidemic and misinformation provides a useful case study for revealing todays recurring antivaccination strategies. https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/22/health/anti-vaxxers-old-arguments-covid-19-wellness-partner/index.html 22nd Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

Business Live Prime minister Boris Johnson has ruled out another national lockdown in the UK. Speaking at a Dowing Street press conference on Thursday October 22 Mr Johnson said he did not believe it was the right course now for the country. He said Not when the psychological cost of lockdown is well known to us and the economic cost. Not when it is being suggested that we might have to perform the same brutal lockdowns again and again in the months ahead. And not when there is such an obvious variation unlike last time between different parts of the country. Thats why we are going for a middle course. https://www.business-live.co.uk/economic-development/coronavirus-national-lockdown-not-right-19149522 22nd Oct 2020

Partisan Exits

The Independent on MSN.com Indias ruling party has sparked an outcry by including a pledge to offer free vaccines in its election manifesto for a crucial upcoming state election. Senior figures from Narendra Modis BJP are campaigning hard in the populous eastern state of Bihar where voting will begin in less than a week and where a loss for the party would be seen as a damning indictment on its handling of the Covid19 crisis. National finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman released the partys manifesto for the state polls on Thursday in Patna Bihars largest city but was accused of politicising the central governments response to the pandemic by making the vaccine pledge. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/outcry-in-india-as-modis-ruling-party-offers-free-vaccines-in-election-manifesto/ar-BB1aib8v 22nd Oct 2020

Continued Lockdown

BBC Essential services for many young people with disabilities went to zero overnight due to lockdown a Stormont committee has heard. MLAs were told that as a result some children had harmed themselves and injured their parents. Donna Jennings from the Evangelical Alliance said the need for help increased but services disappeared. Schools including most special schools closed to the majority of pupils for a number of months. Many respite and other support services were also suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-54642037 22nd Oct 2020

Continued Lockdown

SBS Two Indian restaurants to defy lockdown rules. Honest Restaurant in Dandenong and Lalas Kitchen in Boronia to open dinein on Monday. The state government has announced dinein to be allowed from November 1 https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/two-indian-restaurants-in-melbourne-to-defy-lockdown-rules-and-open-up 22nd Oct 2020

Continued Lockdown

International Business Times The city of Adelaide in South Australia has seen four newborn deaths in four weeks due to COVID19 lockdowns preventing transport to betterequipped hospitals in Victoria. Officials in Victoria say Adelaide lockdowns prevented them from initiating medical transport. Adelaides hospitals are chronically underfunded and lack both the personnel and equipment to deal with these difficult cases. The hospital was already under investigation for the third infant death when the fourth fatality occurred on Friday. Obstetrician gynecologist and professor John Svigos testified on Oct. 13 that Adelaides hospital is the only one in a mainland capital city that does not have heart machines for children and infants. https://www.ibtimes.com/covid-19-lockdown-contributes-infant-mortality-cluster-australia-3066115 22nd Oct 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters India From unpaid overtime to wage cuts Indian garment workers say they are being made to compensate their bosses for the food shelter and salary provided in the coronavirus lockdown. But it is a steep price for a workforce that was already juggling low pay and poor conditions before the pandemic shuttered their factories and strangulated orders. Workers say they are being offered the choice of less money or working extra shifts for free to pay back their bosses who dangle the threat of unemployment if employees refuse. https://in.reuters.com/article/india-workers/indian-garment-workers-cover-bosses-lockdown-losses-idINL4N2HB3SD 22nd Oct 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters UK Russias economy could benefit by up to 30 billion this year from Russians spending their roubles at home rather than on foreign holidays due to travel restrictions linked to the COVID19 pandemic economists say. The estimates are a rare piece of good news for an economy battered by low global oil prices as well as coronavirus lockdowns. Russia ran a budget deficit of around 23 billion in the first nine months of this year. Like many other countries Russia also saw foreign tourists stay away in droves in 2020. But it sent far fewer travellers overseas than usual after closing its borders in March. The outflow in some cases fell by as much as 80. https://uk.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-russia-travel/foreign-tourism-shutdown-supports-russias-struggling-economy-amid-covid-19-idUKL8N2HD2FE 22nd Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters UK Traces of COVID19 can be successfully detected in sewage helping to give health officials an early warning of local outbreaks of the virus the British government said on Friday. A project originally launched in June has now proved that fragments of genetic material from the virus can be detected in waste water indicating if a local community or institution is experiencing a spike in cases. The government said this would allow health officials to identify large outbreaks especially where there were carriers not displaying any symptoms and to encourage people to get tested or take precautions. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-sewage/sewage-can-reveal-covid-outbreaks-uk-project-finds-idUKKBN27738F 23rd Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian Ten nurses who worked for the NHS 111 Covid19 Clinical Assessment Service have come forward to blow the whistle on their units organisation describing it as shambolic and lacking in adequate training and safeguards. The nurses who had retired or left the NHS after many years experience were recruited to the CCAS a new national division of NHS 111 after the health secretary Matt Hancock urged doctors and nurses to return and work on the response to the pandemic. The former CCAS nurses came forward to talk about their experiences after it was revealed that an audit had found that 60 of calls to patients by nurses and allied healthcare professionals AHPs had not been safe. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/22/it-has-been-a-trauma-nurses-on-shambolic-111-covid-19-clinical-service 22nd Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

nejm.org Tocilizumab was not effective for preventing intubation or death in moderately ill hospitalized patients with Covid19. Some benefit or harm cannot be ruled out however because the confidence intervals for efficacy comparisons were wide. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2028836 22nd Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Nature.com Epidemiologists have repeatedly smacked down such ideas. Surrendering to the virus is not a defensible plan says Kristian Andersen an immunologist at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla California. Such an approach would lead to a catastrophic loss of human lives without necessarily speeding up societys return to normal he says. We have never successfully been able to do it before and it will lead to unacceptable and unnecessary untold human death and suffering. Despite widespread critique the idea keeps popping up among politicians and policymakers in numerous countries including Sweden the United Kingdom and the United States. US President Donald Trump spoke positively about it in September using the malapropism herd mentality. And even a few scientists have pushed the agenda. In early October a libertarian think tank and a small group of scientists released a document called the Great Barrington Declaration. In it they call for a return to normal life for people at lower risk of severe COVID19 to allow SARSCoV2 to spread to a sufficient level to give herd immunity. People at high risk such as elderly people it says could be protected through measures that are largely unspecified. The writers of the declaration received an audience in the White House and sparked a counter memorandum from another group of scientists in The Lancet which called the herdimmunity approach a dangerous fallacy unsupported by scientific evidence3. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02948-4 22nd Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

BBC The NHS Covid19 app has been submitted to Huaweis app store. The move will initially mean that users of Huaweis older handsets will be able to download it from the firms App Gallery as an alternative to the Google Play store. But it potentially paves the way for the contacttracing software to come to the Chinese firms newer handsets too. Huawei indicated that this might happen as soon as November. But others have stressed there are hurdles to overcome. The app which is designed for use in England and Wales has already been downloaded more than 18 million times from Apple and Googles own stores. All of Huaweis existing phones are powered by Android. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54644994 22nd Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Scientific American As cities around the worldincluding Auckland Jakarta Melbourne and Tel Avivhave entered seemingly endless cycles of lockdowns and viral resurgences there is a pressing need to reassess this lockdown strategy given the economic social and psychological damage it wreaks. Blanket lockdowns may be effective but they are blunt and brutal tools. As this pandemic wears on possibly for months or even years to come we need a sustainable alternative that involves more targeted measures that are evidencebased and datadriven. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-sustainable-alternative-to-blanket-lockdowns/ 22nd Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

BBC Two in five children aged 11 to 16 feel the coronavirus lockdown has made their lives worse an NHS report on mental health suggests. They said their biggest anxieties were about missing school and family and friends contracting Covid19. Mental disorders have risen in boys and girls since 2017 and now affect 16 of children a large survey suggests. The childrens commissioner for England said the increase was extremely alarming. Anne Longfield said a properlyfunded childrens mental health service was needed and every school should have its own NHSfunded counsellor. Mental health charities say the pandemic has put a huge strain on children parents and carers. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54644627 22nd Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Voxy New Zealand has not released any analysis about the negative health impacts of the Covid19 elimination and lockdown policy. This is highlighted this week by a study released in the UK this week which indicates that their lockdowns are responsible for thousands of deaths and new illnesses principally as a result of delayed cancer diagnoses. The only known study of lockdown health impacts in New Zealand was of a Dunedin primary health clinic where referrals and tests had dropped 100 and 99 respectively. Anecdotal evidence provided to the Covid Plan B group is that referrals and tests may be down across the country by two thirds. Auckland District Health Board is also investigating after four women died during and after pregnancy this year with three dying since alert level 3 was instituted in late March. Expected numbers of deaths are between 0 and one from previous years. Evidence provided from affected individuals indicate illnesses and health prognosis have worsened due to delayed tests and treatment. Whether these cases represent a wider problem is not known. Dr Simon Thornley spokesman for Covid Plan B said the Governments elimination and lockdown policy was based on hope because little analysis of the downsides of the policy has been carried out. http://www.voxy.co.nz/health/5/375754 22nd Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

AlJazeera The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved Gilead Sciences Incs antiviral drug Veklury better known as remdesivir for the treatment of COVID19 the company announced Thursday. Veklury is the brand name for remdesivir which was previously authorised by the FDA for emergency use to treat patients who have been hospitalised with COVID19. Gilead becomes the first and only company to receive approval for a COVID19 treatment in the US https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2020/10/22/gileads-remdesivir-first-to-win-us-approval-to-treat-covid-19 22nd Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

AlJazeera At least 13 South Koreans have died after receiving flu shots in recent days according to official and local media reports fuelling doubts about vaccine safety even as authorities rule out a link and as global efforts to find a vaccine against COVID19 intensify. Health authorities said on Wednesday there were no plans to suspend the programme to vaccinate approximately 19 million people for free after a preliminary investigation into six deaths found no direct connection with the drug they had received. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/22/spike-in-south-korea-flu-shot-deaths-fuelling-vaccine-doubts 22nd Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian The US Food and Drug Administration FDA has approved the first drug to treat Covid19 remdesivir an antiviral medicine given through an IV for patients needing hospitalization. The drug which Californiabased Gilead Sciences Inc is calling Veklury cut the time to recovery from 15 days to 10 on average in a large study led by the US National Institutes of Health. It had been authorized for use on an emergency basis since spring and now has become the first drug to win full US approval for treating Covid19. Gilead says Veklury is approved for people at least 12 years old and weighing at least 88lb 40kg who need hospitalization for their coronavirus infection. It works by inhibiting a substance the virus uses to make copies of itself. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/22/us-regulators-approve-remdesivir-drug-to-treat-covid 22nd Oct 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters UK British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday Englands test and trace scheme needed improvement after a record low proportion of contacts of positive COVID19 cases were reached in the latest weekly figures. Just 59.6 of contacts of positive COVID cases were reached between Oct. 8 and Oct. 14 statistics for Englands Test and Trace scheme showed compared with the 80 target with turnaround times for people receiving their results also getting slower. I share peoples frustrations and I understand totally why we do need to see faster turnaround times and we do need to improve it Johnson said at a news conference. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-trace/johnson-says-covid-trace-scheme-needs-improvement-after-new-low-idUKKBN2771GX 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

ITV News Care home staff are very tired and very worried amid the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic a group representing care providers has said. Stormonts Health Committee has heard morale is low among workers who fear that the system is now working against their efforts to keep Covid out. Pauline Shepherd of the Independent Health and Care Providers outlined concerns around no safety net of retesting residents on returning to care homes from hospital staff shortages and increased visitors. She said Department of Health guidance for care partners for residents to be in place by November 5 left staff feeling very worried that the work they were doing to keep the virus out could be jeopardised by increased footfall. https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2020-10-22/care-home-staff-worried-amid-covid-19-second-wave 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Daily Mail Hospital was set up in Manchesters Central Conference Centre but closed in June when last Covid patient left. It will be reopened in anticipation of a surge in Covid19 patients in the city to open bed capacity elsewhere. Manchester faces Tier Three lockdown rules from midnight on Friday as citys outbreak rumbles on Local rules are now springing up nationwide with worries in Nottingham and Stoke as Slough enters Tier Two. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is still refusing a national lockdown despite calls from top scientists https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8867921/Coronavirus-Nightingale-hospital-England-reopens-Manchester-Covid-19-patients.html 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters The Dutch hospital system is coming under increasing strain from coronavirus admissions as daily cases hit a record high and it expects to begin transferring some patients to Germany within two days the hospital association said on Thursday. Almost half the countrys intensive care beds are occupied by COVID19 patients the LNAZ associations head Ernst Kuipers said. And we certainly have not seen the end of it he told reporters. Hospital numbers will continue to rise at least until the end of this month. The number of daily infections hit 9271 on Thursday the National Institute for Public Health RIVM said https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-netherlands-tally/stretched-dutch-hospitals-to-send-covid-patients-to-germany-within-days-idUSKBN2771SS 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Forbes Sales of toilet paper disinfectants and soaps are rising once again in Germany the countrys statistics office announced on Thursday highlighting fears of an imminent lockdown as Europes largest economy sees a resurgence in Covid19 cases. Unlike the April lockdown where massive hoarding led to empty store shelves German retailers claim that they are better prepared this time. After the events we saw earlier this year we are monitoring changes in demand more closely than ever to ensure that nothing is in short supply discount retailer Aldi Sd told news website Local.de last week. Another retailer Lidl also said it was well prepared to react quickly and provide stores with sufficient supplies if demand increases. https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2020/10/22/germans-are-panic-buying-toilet-paper-and-disinfectants-as-covid-19-surges-again/ 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Associated Press The head of Germanys disease control center urged people Thursday to be vigilant about following coronavirus precautions as the country posted a record number of new cases saying a rapid increase in infections could be reversed but only if everyone works together. Robert Koch Institute President Lothar Wieler said the daily number of confirmed cases hit 11287 the first time Germanys 24hour tally has been over the 10000 mark since the beginning of the pandemic and shattering the previous daily record of 7830 set on Saturday. The country had a nationwide infection rate of 56.2 new cases per 100000 residents over the past seven days. Some hot spots including several districts of the capital had rates well over double that. https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-pandemics-europe-consumer-confidence-economy-f0f201423a559b150ee21cf7bfed41da 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Local Switzerlands president has promised the country would adopt additional lockdown measures unless skyrocketing new coronavirus case numbers slowed. Switzerlands coronavirus case numbers are now doubling from week to week. If the situation does not stabilise within days the government is threatening to impose new measures to control the surge in registered infections which began around the start of the month. If the curve does not flatten out by next Wednesday we will really make decisions that go further President Simonetta Sommaruga told national broadcaster RTS. The southwest of the country has been particularly affected with clusters breaking out in retirement homes. We were all hoping we could go into winter without this new increase in the number of cases said Sommaruga. https://www.thelocal.ch/20201022/we-will-make-decisions-switzerland-promises-lockdown-measures-unless-infections-subside 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Independent Italys three largest cities face new curfews as regional authorities try to slow the spread of COVID19 where it first struck hard in Europe most of whose countries are now imposing or mulling new restrictions to cope with rapidly rising caseloads https://www.independent.co.uk/news/italy-coronavirus-restrictions-cases-rome-milan-naples-b1227746.html 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

CTV News Europe is deep in the second wave of the coronavirus epidemic and a particularly worrying trend is beginning to emerge More older people are becoming infected. Over the summer months the continent saw infection clusters popping up mostly among younger people who were venturing out into bars restaurants and other public spaces. While that wasnt ideal it meant the death rate stayed relatively low since younger people are statistically less vulnerable to the virus and most avoid getting seriously ill. However the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ECDC has warned that more older people are now becoming infected. According to the ECDCs latest situation report at least 13 countries in Europe saw new infection rates among people aged 65 or over rise to what ECDC defines as high last week between 64 per 100000 in Croatia and 206 per 100000 in the Netherlands. https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/cases-of-covid-19-rising-among-older-people-in-europe-again-1.5155715 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Metro US Spains health minister described a second wave of the coronavirus sweeping the county as out of control on Thursday as the government postponed a decision on whether to follow France and other European countries in imposing curfews. https://www.metro.us/spain-mulls-curfews-to/ 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

SBS Spain has become the first European Union nation to record a million coronavirus infections official data showed on Wednesday as the government mulled fresh restrictions on public life to curb the spread of the disease. The country recorded 16973 confirmed cases of Covid19 over the past 24 hours the health ministry announced taking the total to 1005295 since its first case was diagnosed on January 31 on the remote island of La Gomera in the Canary Islands. Of this number 34366 people have died with 156 more deaths were recorded in the previous 24 hours. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/spain-surpasses-one-million-coronavirus-infections-as-western-europe-falls-back-into-lockdown 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Yahoo! News Spain is now the first Western European country to exceed 1 million reported COVID19 infections despite increasingly aggressive control methods. After slowing to a trickle in the wake of Spains strict MarchtoJune lockdown the infection rate accelerated to frequently exceed 10000 cases a day from late August. It hit a new peak of more than 16000 last week. Health Minister Salvador Illa said on Thursday October 22 that Spain needs drastic measures to tackle Europes second wave which he says is outofcontrol in his country. He is now considering new restrictions including curfews. However daily deaths in the country have been hovering around 100 still a far cry from the peak of nearly 900 registered in late March. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/spain-first-western-europe-pass-122610748.html 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Anadolu Agency A cluster of infections around the Greater Seoul area has given South Korea yet another challenge to mount in its fight against COVID19. The country reported 121 new infections on Thursday highest in almost a month taking the nationwide tally up to 25543 Yonhap News Agency reported. The death toll increased by three to reach 453 with the fatality rate remaining at 1.77. Thursdays figures were the highest since 109 cases were reported on Sept. 24 but infection numbers had dropped down to double digits since then. The spike in cases is due to clusters at senior care hospitals and other health facilities. Health authorities have intensified efforts to track down suspected patients many of whom have been linked to a hospital in Gwangju south of Seoul. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/south-korea-s-virus-battle-faces-new-cluster-challenge/2014989 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Financial Times The US had seen coronavirus coming as it swept from China through Asia Europe and Iran in early 2020. Were prepared and were doing a great job with it and it will go away said Donald Trump US president on March 10. A week earlier New York governor Andrew Cuomo declared Excuse our arrogance as New Yorkers...but we dont even think its going to be as bad as it was in other countries. As the National Guard responded to New Rochelles 108 recorded cases Mr Cuomo observed reassuringly that New York City had just 36 and no deaths. But since then it has suffered more than 260000 infections and buried 24000 of its citizens almost 10 times the number who died at the World Trade Center in 2001. https://www.ft.com/content/a52198f6-0d20-4607-b12a-05110bc48723 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Canberra Times While Canberrans were concentrating on the ACT election and the rest of the country was distracted by the Gladys Berejiklian and Daniel Andrews shows the global crisis has gone from terrible to catastrophic. New cases are being logged at the fastest rate so far health systems in many countries are being swamped and much of Europe is heading back under the lockdown doona. Just when it seems Australians may be able to enjoy some sort of COVID19 normal Christmas billions of people are doing it tougher than ever as second waves rage out of control. https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6978974/this-is-still-the-lucky-covid-19-country/ 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

9News Ballooning coronavirus cases in Sweden have forced a major rethink of the countrys controverisal nolockdown policy. The Scandanivian nation like most of Western Europe is experiencing a second wave of infections. Swedens percapita death rate as of last week was 58.6 per 100000 people reports Time magazine. The nations average daily cases figure rose by 173 per cent from early September to early October. https://www.9news.com.au/world/coronavirus-sweden-jump-in-covid19-cases-forces-lockdown-rethink-europe-news/5b573a9d-1fff-47b2-a155-ae291dd9dcaf 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Sales of toilet paper and disinfectants are on the rise again in Germany the countrys statistics office said on Thursday as Europes largest economy struggles with a second coronavirus wave. Hamster purchases are starting again the office said on Twitter using a German phrase for panicbuying or hoarding. Sales of toilet paper surged by 89.9 last week when compared to precrisis levels while disinfectants up 72.5 and soap up 62.3 were also in high demand it said in a separate statement. https://in.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-germany-hoarding/germans-start-hamstering-toilet-paper-again-as-covid-19-cases-surge-idUSKBN2770UB 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters German consumer morale fell heading into November as fears about a second coronavirus wave that is hitting Europes biggest economy made Germans less willing to open their wallets a survey showed on Thursday. The GfK institute said its consumer sentiment index based on a survey of around 2000 Germans fell to 3.1 heading into November from a revised 1.7 in the previous month. The reading missed a Reuters forecast for a narrower drop to 2.8. GfK consumer expert Rolf Buerkl said optimism among German consumers faded in October with coronavirus cases soaring in Germany fuelling fears of another lockdown to contain the outbreak. https://www.reuters.com/article/germany-economy-consumersentiment/german-consumer-morale-darkens-as-coronavirus-cases-soar-idUSKBN2770M2 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said there was a prospect of economic growth next year if the country managed to avoid a second lockdown adding that the economy looked better than they had expected it would six months ago. Avoiding a second lockdown would involve controlling the spread of the disease. The latest overnight increase of over 11000 new cases was a major concern. That is far too much Altmaier said. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-germany-altmaier/germany-can-grow-next-year-if-it-avoids-another-lockdown-minister-idUSL8N2HD55U 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Using blood of recovered COVID19 patients or socalled convalescent plasma as a potential treatment is of little benefit in helping hospitalised patients fight off the infection according to results of a clinical trial in India. Published in the BMJ British Medical Journal on Friday the results show that convalescent plasma which delivers antibodies from COVID19 survivors to infected people failed to reduce death rates or halt progression to severe disease. The findings from a study of more than 400 hospitalised COVID19 patients are a setback for a treatment that U.S. President Donald Trump touted in August as an historic breakthrough. The United States and India have authorised convalescent plasma for emergency use. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-plasma/blood-of-recovered-covid-19-patients-shows-little-benefit-as-treatment-idUKKBN277388 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters UK Jordan on Wednesday reported 2648 new COVID19 cases its highest daily number since the start of the pandemic as the country faces a major outbreak with a tripling of deaths in just the last two weeks. The surge in the last month has put Jordans infection numbers above those of most of its Middle East neighbours and reverses months of success in containing the outbreak. It also accompanies an alarming jump in daily deaths that now average around 30. Prime Minister Bisher alKhasawneh said although the country had entered a difficult phase after widespread community transmission it would not reimpose a national lockdown. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-jordan-surge-idUKKBN276379 22nd Oct 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Italy has registered 15199 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours the health ministry said on Wednesday the highest daily tally since the start of the countrys outbreak and up from a previous record of 11705 posted on Sunday. Tuesday saw 10874 new cases of the highly contagious virus. The ministry also reported 127 COVIDrelated deaths on Wednesday up from 89 the day before but still far fewer than at the height of the pandemic in Italy in March and April when a daily peak of more than 900 fatalities was reached. After declining over the summer infections have steadily accelerated in the last few months. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-italy/italys-daily-coronavirus-cases-soar-to-new-daily-record-above-15000-idUSKBN2762AY 21st Oct 2020

New Lockdown

U.S. News & World Report But amid a record surge of coronavirus infections thats threatening the entire health system with collapse the Czech Republic is adopting on Thursday exactly the same massive restrictions it slapped on citizens in the spring. Prime Minister Andrej Babis had repeatedly said these measures would never return. We have no time to wait Babis explained Wednesday. The surge is enormous. Babis apologized for the huge impact the restrictions will have on everyday life but said if they were not taken our health system would collapse between Nov 711. https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2020-10-22/despite-pledges-czechs-face-2nd-lockdown-as-system-totters 22nd Oct 2020

New Lockdown

USA TODAY Ireland is already focused on Christmas. Its a major national priority. Unless the country can get the COVID19 pandemic under control there wont be much Christmas cheer this year in Galway Cork or Dublin. With infections on the rise the government has imposed a tough new lockdown that began at midnight Wednesday shutting down nonessential shops limiting restaurants to takeout service and ordering people to stay within 3 miles of their homes for the next six weeks. The restrictions are among the toughest in Europe and Prime Minister Micheal Martin said he imposed them in part to ensure Ireland can celebrate Christmas in a meaningful way. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2020/10/22/ireland-goes-back-lockdown-6-weeks-save-christmas/3725194001/ 22nd Oct 2020

New Lockdown

FRANCE 24 A cloud of sadness descended on the streets of central Dublin Thursday as Ireland became the first EU nation to return to a full coronavirus lockdown. Schools remain open but otherwise for six weeks all Irish citizens have been told to stay home with a strict fivekilometre threemile travel limit for exercise. Restaurants bars and pubs will be shuttered and visits between different households banned. https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20201022-dublin-eerie-as-ireland-plunges-into-second-lockdown 22nd Oct 2020

New Lockdown

EL PAS in English More than 7.2 million people in Spain live in municipalities or regions that are currently or soon to be subject to a perimetral lockdown meaning residents cannot leave or enter the area unless it is for essential reasons such as for work to access care services or in the case of an emergency. This restriction aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus is already in place in 50 municipalities of greatly different sizes from Madrid with its 3.2 million inhabitants to Jerte in Extremadura which is home to 1266 residents. Over the past weeks and months a series of measures has been introduced in the affected areas in a bid to slow contagion rates. But they have not worked. https://english.elpais.com/society/2020-10-22/more-than-seven-million-people-in-spain-now-facing-perimetral-lockdowns.html 22nd Oct 2020

New Lockdown

The Washington Post The lockdowns are back. On Thursday Ireland is set to become the first country in Europe to impose a second national lockdown as cases of the novel coronavirus surge once again. Were making a preemptive strike against the virus acting before its too late Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said as he announced the measures. Ireland is not alone in moving toward drastic action although the extent of measures varies. The Czech Republic only months ago considered a rare pandemic success story announced similar plans on Wednesday. Britain France Germany and Spain have set regional restrictions this month prompting demands for nationwide action. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/10/22/second-lockdown-ireland-europe-coronavirus/ 22nd Oct 2020

New Lockdown

Metro Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has announced some major changes to the Job Support Scheme to help businesses that have been affected by lockdown restrictions. Mr Sunak was under pressure to devise a more generous support system after Manchester Metro Mayor Andy Burnham and others accused the government of risking thousands of jobs by forcing businesses doors to close with lackluster financial support. The current furlough scheme ends on October 31 which will be replaced by the Job Support Scheme. What changes have been made to the scheme https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/22/what-rishi-sunak-new-job-support-scheme-tier-2-3-lockdown-13463412/ 22nd Oct 2020

New Lockdown

Associated Press Curfews were largely expanded Thursday across France which registered some 41.600 new confirmed virus cases to approach a total of 1 million while similar overnight restrictions were slapped on Italys three biggest cities Rome Naples and Milan as rapidly rising caseloads across Europe prompted tighter limits on everyday ways of life. In Greece people in the Athens area and other parts of the country with high infection rates were also ordered to stay off the streets from 1230 a.m. to 5 a.m. The aim is to reduce general movement and evening gatherings which favor the transmission of the virus Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a televised address. With a little less fun for a short period of time we will have better health for a long time. https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-pandemics-italy-rome-europe-3b1cc9d90a777f717a7e37cf7f9fa879 22nd Oct 2020