2nd Mar 2021 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=215 lockdown_exit

Patently unfair: Can waivers help solve COVID vaccine inequality?

Al Jazeera English The World Trade Organization WTO General Council gathered virtually on Monday for the first of two days of talks amid increasing calls from civil society states and nongovernmental actors to temporarily waive patents for COVID19 vaccines and other coronavirusrelated medical products. Endorsing a waiver on Friday World Health Organization WHO DirectorGeneral Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said If not now when https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/1/can-a-waiver-on-ip-rights-solve-vaccine 1st Mar 2021

Experts discuss the trade-offs needed to make digital passports to help reopen the economy work

Reuters As the rollout of vaccines against COVID19 gathers pace countries from Sweden to Israel are exploring how certificates and passports could help reopen economies by identifying those protected against the virus. But a push for identity proofs and digital certificates risks excluding poorer and vulnerable groups from vaccine passports and the benefits that come with them rights experts warn. The Thomson Reuters Foundation spoke to business executives researchers and advocates about what role vaccine passports should play in the global fight against the pandemic. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-global-tech/expert-views-what-role-for-vaccine-passports-in-coronavirus-fight-idUSL5N2KZ5GR 1st Mar 2021

Experts discuss the trade-offs needed to make digital passports to help reopen the economy work

Reuters Israels Supreme Court on Monday banned the government from sweeping use of mobile phone tracking of coronavirus carriers calling the measure a grave infraction of civil liberties.Used on and off since March 2020 in efforts to curb the pandemic the Shin Bet counterterrorism agencys surveillance technology matched carriers locations against other mobile phones nearby to determine with whom they came into contact. From the outset civil rights groups had mounted court challenges over privacy concerns while lawmakers cast doubt about the efficacy of the contacttracing tool https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-israel-surveillance-i/israeli-supreme-court-bans-unlimited-covid-19-mobile-phone-tracking-idUSKCN2AT25Y 1st Mar 2021

Africa, Latin America see initial COVAX vaccine deliveries and rollout

Al Jazeera English The Pan American Health Organization says United Nationsbacked programme will boost COVID vaccine access in hardhit Latin America. Colombia has become the first country in the Americas to receive a shipment of coronavirus vaccines through the United Nationsbacked COVAX programme receiving 117000 doses of the PfizerBioNTech vaccine on Monday. The shipments arrival in the capital Bogota came a few days after the anniversary of the first COVID19 case in Latin America. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/1/colombia-becomes-first-americas-vaccines-covax 2nd Mar 2021

Africa, Latin America see initial COVAX vaccine deliveries and rollout

BBC News African countries are starting mass Covid inoculation drives using vaccines supplied through a scheme set up to share doses fairly with poorer nations. Ivory Coast is one of the first to benefit from the UNbacked Covax distribution initiative with injections beginning on Monday. Ghana is also launching its vaccination drive this week. Ghanas President Nana AkufoAddo on Monday became the first to receive a coronavirus vaccine through the scheme. Mr AkufoAddo urged people to get inoculated and not to believe conspiracy theories casting doubt on the programme which will see some 600000 doses of the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine rolled out nationwide on Tuesday. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-56239136 1st Mar 2021

Africa, Latin America see initial COVAX vaccine deliveries and rollout

CNBC Africa People began to queue early as the Ivory Coast prepared to become the first country to launch a COVID19 inoculation drive on Monday with doses from the COVAX vaccine sharing facility. Ivory Coast received 504000 doses of the AstraZenecaOxford vaccine on Friday and plans to roll it out to medical workers security forces members and teachers before vaccinating people over 50 those with chronic diseases and travellers. https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/ivory-coast-to-launch-first-vaccination-drive-with-covax-shots/ 1st Mar 2021

Africa, Latin America see initial COVAX vaccine deliveries and rollout

CIDRAP At a World Health Organization WHO media briefing today DirectorGeneral Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus PhD said even as immunization gains traction vaccines alone wont keep people safe. Globally cases have increased for the first time in 7 weeks with infection on the rise in four of the WHOs six regions. They include the Americas Europe South East Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean. This is disappointing but not surprising he said adding that officials are working to better understand the increased transmission which Tedros said may partly reflect relaxing of public health measures circulation of variant viruses and people letting down their guard. Vaccines will help to save lives but if countries rely solely on vaccines theyre making a mistake he said. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/03/covid-19-cases-rebound-globally-covax-immunizations-begin-africa 1st Mar 2021

Africa, Latin America see initial COVAX vaccine deliveries and rollout

MSN.com Nigeria launched on online registration portal for COVID19 vaccinations its primary healthcare agency said on Monday the day before the first doses are expected to arrive for its 200 million people. Nigeria is expecting 3.92 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to land on Tuesday. It will be the third West African country to take delivery under the COVAX scheme after Ghana and Ivory Coast. https://www.msn.com/en-au/lifestyle/wellbeing/nigeria-begins-registering-residents-for-covid-19-vaccinations/ar-BB1e7mOj 1st Mar 2021

Lockdown ramps up once more

Reuters Norways capital Oslo will tighten lockdown measures to combat a sharp rise in coronavirus infections linked to a more contagious variant the citys governing mayor said on Sunday. The variant which was first identified in Britain started spreading in Oslo in January and now accounts for 5070 of infections the Norwegian Institute of Public Health FHI said on Saturday. On Friday Oslo registered a daily record of 245 new coronavirus infections. We have to tighten the measures Raymond Johansen the governing mayor of Oslo told a news conference. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-norway-idUSKCN2AS0LE 1st Mar 2021

Lockdown ramps up once more

Reuters The Czech Republic battling the worlds worst surge in COVID19 infections deployed more police officers and soldiers on Monday to help enforce new lockdown measures that seek to confine people mostly to their home districts. Prime Minister Andrej Babis has said the healthcare system faces collapse without the new restrictions due to a record number of patients in a serious condition. The country of 10.7 million has recorded the highest per capita infection rate in the world over the last week according to the Our World in Data website 11 times higher than neighbouring Germany. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-czech/czechs-tighten-covid-lockdown-seek-more-tests-for-factory-workers-idUSKBN2AT36R 1st Mar 2021

Lockdown ramps up once more

Reuters The Finnish government declared a state of emergency on Monday due to rising COVID19 infections a step that would allow the Nordic country to shutter restaurants and to impose other measures to blunt the pandemic. The decision comes as new variants contribute to a sharp rise in infections in the country which has already closed its borders. The state of emergency would also allow the government to further shut schools and limit movement between regions. The government sees it necessary that we all have fewer contacts Prime Minster Sanna Marin told a news conference. Everyone now has the opportunity to impact how the spring and summer will turn out. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-finland-restrictio-idUSKCN2AT27P 1st Mar 2021

Lockdown ramps up once more

Sky News A new lockdown has been imposed across the West Bank as Palestinians face a fresh surge of coronavirus cases and a continued wait for a proper vaccine rollout. The Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh announced the 12day shutdown late on Saturday and blamed it on the struggle to get vaccines delivered to the territory. In the last 24 hours there have been 910 new cases and five deaths in the West Bank. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-new-west-bank-lockdown-as-palestinians-faces-surge-of-coronavirus-cases-12231513 1st Mar 2021

Lockdown ramps up once more

Reuters Slovak government will tighten antiepidemic measures from March 3 including stricter limits on peoples movement as the country struggles with the resurgent coronavirus. The government of Prime Minister Igor Matovic released details of the new measures after several days of debates with experts as the country has ranked among the worlds worsthit by the recent wave of COVID19 cases. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-slovakia-idUSKCN2AS0QS 1st Mar 2021

WHO warns “If countries rely solely on vaccines, they are making a mistake. Basic public health measures remain the foundation of the response.”

Reuters We need to have a stern warning for all of us that this virus will rebound if we let it Maria Van Kerkhove the WHO technical lead for COVID19 told a briefing. And we cannot let it. WHO DirectorGeneral Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the rise in cases was disappointing but not surprising and urged countries not to relax measures to fight the disease. It was too early for countries to rely solely on vaccination programmes and abandon other measures he said If countries rely solely on vaccines they are making a mistake. Basic public health measures remain the foundation of the response. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-who-rise/global-covid-19-infections-up-for-first-time-in-seven-weeks-who-says-idUSKBN2AT34A?il=0 1st Mar 2021

WHO warns “If countries rely solely on vaccines, they are making a mistake. Basic public health measures remain the foundation of the response.”

Sky News Britons are being warned making the most of warmer weather and sunshine could jeopardise our chances of sticking to the prime ministers reopening road map. Yesterdays warmer temperatures and bright sunshine brought out crowds across the country with pictures showing packed parks and waterfronts. But professor Calum Semple an expert in outbreak medicine warned the public to continue sticking to the lockdown rules or we could blow it. Asked whether crowds could cause case numbers to rise again professor Semple who sits on the governments SAGE advisory board admitted to Sky News This is a big worry to us. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-sunshine-brings-crowds-out-but-sage-expert-warns-we-could-blow-chances-of-ending-lockdown-12231524 1st Mar 2021

Tackling vaccine hesitancy head-on

Reuters British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday there was no reason to think that COVID19 vaccines were ineffective against new variants of the coronavirus. We dont have any reason at the present time to think that our vaccines are ineffective against these new variants of all types Johnson told broadcasters. Health authorities said on Sunday that up to six cases had been detected in Britain of the P.1 variant identified in the Brazilian city of Manaus against which current vaccines appeared to be less effective. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-britain-variants/no-reason-to-think-vaccines-ineffective-against-covid-variants-uks-johnson-idUSKCN2AT2DJ?il=0 1st Mar 2021

Tackling vaccine hesitancy head-on

Al Jazeera English Dr Anthony Fauci the USs top infectious disease official is encouraging Americans to accept any of the three available COVID19 vaccines including the newly approved Johnson Johnson shot. The US government authorised Johnson Johnsons singledose COVID19 vaccine on Saturday making it the third to be available in the country following ones from PfizerBioNTech and Moderna. However Fauci and other experts say direct comparison is difficult because the trials had different goals and JJs was conducted while more contagious new variants of the virus were circulating. Fauci said studies are under way to determine their effectiveness and safety for children under 18 who are less likely to get sick from the virus. Elementaryschool students could get doses towards the end of the year or the beginning of next year while highschool students could get it in the fall Fauci said. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/1/fauci-urges-americans-to-accept-any-of-three-covid-19-vaccines 1st Mar 2021

Tackling vaccine hesitancy head-on

PharmaLive Nearly two thirds of Russians are not willing to receive Russias Sputnik V vaccine and about the same number believe the new coronavirus was created artificially as a biological weapon an independent pollster said on Monday. The Levada Center said a poll it conducted last month showed that 62 of people did not want to get Russias domestically produced vaccine and that the highest level of reluctance was identified among 18 to 24yearolds. Most respondents cited side effects which can include fever and fatigue as the main reason for not wanting to get vaccinated. https://www.pharmalive.com/over-60-of-russians-do-not-want-sputnik-v-vaccine-reuters-poll/ 1st Mar 2021

Tackling vaccine hesitancy head-on

MSN Ukrainian medical facilities have thrown away some unused COVID19 vaccines after doctors failed to show up for their own appointments to be vaccinated ruling party lawmakers said on Monday. Ukraine has just begun vaccinating its 41 million people against COVID19 after receiving a first batch of 500000 doses of Indianmade AstraZeneca shots last week but faces a battle against vaccine skepticism that predates the pandemic. The government has prioritized giving shots to frontline medical workers but cited statistics showing that 47 of Ukrainians do not want the vaccine. http://www.msn.com/en-xl/europe/europe-top-stories/ukraine-throws-away-unused-covid-19-shots-as-doctors-skip-their-own-vaccinations/ar-BB1e7hOc 1st Mar 2021

Tackling vaccine hesitancy head-on

FiercePharma With an FDA green light for emergency use Johnson Johnsons COVID19 shot now faces a communications hurdle. How will the company handle the comparisons with its vaccine rivals Already theres wide and spreading chatter on social media and realworld wordofmouth discussions about the JJ shots 66 overall effectiveness rate. The companys response has been communicationand lots of it with some help from its friend in public health. JJ CEO Alex Gorsky government officialsand even Pfizer board member and exFDA chief Scott Gottliebtook to multiple media outlets on Sunday and Monday to lay out the detailed facts and nuances in the data. https://www.fiercepharma.com/marketing/j-j-s-covid-vaccine-gets-fda-ok-but-can-pharma-hurdle-66-perception 1st Mar 2021