22nd Apr 2021 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=288 lockdown_exit

First counterfeit Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines surface in Poland and Mexico

Fierce Pharma Pfizer discovered the first counterfeits of its COVID19 vaccinesthe latest fakes amid the worldwide push for vaccinations. The vials recovered in Mexico and Poland contained water and antiwrinkle treatments the pharma told The Wall Street Journal. At a clinic in Mexico where 80 people paid 1000 per dose vials were seized with fraudulent Pfizer labels with incorrect expiration dates and lot numbers. The fake vaccines were actually distilled water and delivered in beachstyle coolers. Recipients were unharmed. In a separate investigation in Poland phony Pfizer vials containing an antiwrinkle treatment were found in a mans apartment before they could be distributed. https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/counterfeit-versions-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-found-poland-mexico 21st Apr 2021

First counterfeit Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines surface in Poland and Mexico

The Wall Street Journal Pfizer says it has identified in Mexico and Poland the first confirmed instances of counterfeit versions of the Covid19 vaccine it developed with BioNTech SE the latest attempt by criminals trying to exploit the worldwide vaccination campaign. Vials seized by authorities in separate investigations were tested by the company and confirmed to contain bogus vaccine. The vials recovered in Mexico also had fraudulent labeling while a substance inside vials in Poland was likely an antiwrinkle treatment Pfizer said. About 80 people at a clinic in Mexico received a fake vaccine going for about 1000 a dose though they dont appear to have been physically harmed. The vials found in beachstyle beer coolers had different lot numbers than those sent to the state and a wrong expiration date said Dr. Manuel de la O Cavazos the health secretary of Nuevo Len state. https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizer-identifies-fake-covid-19-shots-abroad-as-criminals-exploit-vaccine-demand-11619006403 21st Apr 2021

The Indian COVID Crisis

Reuters India After spending hours fruitlessly calling government helplines in a search for a hospital bed for a critically ill COVID19 patient Indian lawyer Jeevika Shiv posted an SOS request on Twitter. Serious covid19 patient in Delhi with oxygen level 62 needs immediate hospital bed Shiv part of a 350member COVID19 volunteer Medical Support Group said on Twitter late last week. Help came quickly. The patient found a bed and was soon showing signs of recovery. Finally it was help online that worked as people responded with information Shiv said. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/twitter-becomes-platform-hope-amid-despair-indias-covid-crisis-2021-04-21/ 21st Apr 2021

The Indian COVID Crisis

Al Jazeera English Hawkers slum dwellers food couriers and migrant workers bear brunt of pandemic policing as the country struggles to contain a deadly second wave. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/21/for-indias-poor-lockdown-policing-adds-to-pandemic-hardships 21st Apr 2021

The Indian COVID Crisis

Reuters India At least 24 COVID19 patients in western India died on Wednesday when the oxygen supply to their ventilators ran out amid a nationwide shortage of the gas and a surge in infections. Maharashtra State Health Minister Rajesh Tope confirmed the deaths at a hospital in Nashik city and said the hospitals oxygen supply ran out because a tanker refilling it suffered a leak. Oxygen was running scarce throughout the country. The leakage was spotted at the tank supplying oxygen for these patients. The interrupted supply could be linked to the deaths of the patients in the hospital Tope said. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/oxygen-supplies-run-low-india-grapples-with-coronavirus-storm-2021-04-21/ 21st Apr 2021

The Indian COVID Crisis

Reuters India Authorities said hospitals in the Indian capital of Delhi would start running out of medical oxygen by Wednesday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country faced a coronavirus storm overwhelming its health system. Major government hospitals in the city of 20 million people had between eight and 24 hours worth of oxygen while some private ones had enough for just four to five hours said Delhis deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia. If we dont get enough supplies by tomorrow morning it will be a disaster he said calling for urgent help from the federal government. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-reports-daily-rise-covid-19-cases-259170-2021-04-20/ 21st Apr 2021

The Indian COVID Crisis

Reuters Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged state governments on Tuesday to use lockdowns as the last resort to contain the spread of the second wave of COVID19 infections even as cases and deaths surge to record highs. Modi also asked citizens to stay indoors not spread panic about the virus and form local groups to ensure adherence to COVID19 protocols. He said the central government is working with states and private companies to ramp up the supply of oxygen as well as production and distribution of vaccines. https://www.reuters.com/article/healthcoronavirus-india-modi/india-pm-modi-urges-state-governments-to-use-lockdown-as-last-resort-to-contain-virus-idUSL4N2MD3RF 21st Apr 2021

The Indian COVID Crisis

Reuters India The Serum Institute of India will be able to raise its monthly output of the AstraZeneca COVID19 vaccine to 100 million doses by July from 6070 million now later than a previous timeline of endMay its chief executive Adar Poonawalla told CNBCTV18. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-serum-institute-raise-output-100-mln-astrazeneca-doses-by-july-not-end-2021-04-21/ 21st Apr 2021

The Indian COVID Crisis

India Times The Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday announced that all people above the age of 18 years will be offered COVID19 vaccine free of cost in the state from May 1. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan made the announcement in Bhopal. The chief minister said if COVID19 is to be curbed then the chain of its infection must be broken and for this people need to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/madhya-pradesh-announces-free-covid-19-vaccine-for-all-adults/articleshow/82181539.cms 21st Apr 2021

The Indian COVID Crisis

Reuters India India reported more than 2000 deaths from COVID19 over the last 24 hours the highest singleday tally for the country so far health ministry data showed on Wednesday. Coronavirus infections also rose by a record increasing by 295041 over the last 24 hours the data showed. Total deaths reached 182553. Indias overall case tally is now at 15.6 million second only to the United States which has over 31 million infections. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-reports-more-than-2000-covid-19-deaths-single-day-2021-04-21/ 21st Apr 2021

The Indian COVID Crisis

ABCNews Twentytwo COVID19 patients on ventilators died in a hospital in western India on Wednesday when their oxygen supply was interrupted by a leak in a supply line officials said. Suraj Mandhar the district collector said the supply of oxygen has since resumed to other patients. Fire officer Sanjay Bairagi said the leak was halted by the fire service within 15 minutes but there was supply disruption in the Zakir Hussain Hospital in Nashik a city in Maharashtra state that is the worst hit by the latest surge in coronavirus cases in the country. https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/disruption-oxygen-supply-kills-22-indian-hospital-77210246 21st Apr 2021

The Indian COVID Crisis

Reuters India Indias only domestically developed COVID19 vaccine Covaxin has been found to be 78 effective in a second analysis of clinical trials done around the country its makers said on Wednesday. I am very pleased to state that Covaxin ... has shown the efficacy of 78 in the second interim analysis said Balram Bhargava the chief of the staterun Indian Council of Medical Research that has created the vaccine with Bharat Biotech. The first analysis released in March had shown an efficacy rate of 81. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-covaxin-shot-78-effective-against-coronavirus-say-developers-2021-04-21/ 21st Apr 2021

The Indian COVID Crisis

ABC News A government official says France is about to impose new entry restrictions on travelers from India in order to fight a contagious coronavirus variant spreading in that country https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/france-impose-entry-restrictions-travelers-india-77216124 21st Apr 2021

The Indian COVID Crisis

Manchester Evening News Three cases of the new Indian variant of coronavirus have been found in Manchester the citys public health director has confirmed. It is not yet clear where in Manchester they have been identified but they are all said to be linked to a recent trip to India. Some cases have also been found in Lancashire. David Regan Manchesters public health director said the people affected have been following the correct quarantine rules and their contacts have been traced and notified. The new variant was identified in Maharashtra region of India at the start of March and has been of interest to public health officials here due to its sustained spread internationally as well as the mutations it features. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/indian-variant-covid-19-detected-20430063 21st Apr 2021

Vaccine patent gives US government 'leverage' over manufacturers

Financial Times The US government can use its ownership of a crucial vaccine patent to push companies to share their expertise with other manufacturers and boost global access to coronavirus jabs according to a top scientific official. Barney Graham one of the US National Institutes of Health scientists who invented a key piece of technology used in the Moderna and BioNTechPfizer jabs told the Financial Times the governments patent gave Washington leverage over manufacturers. Virtually everything that comes out of the governments research labs is a nonexclusive licensing agreement so that it doesnt get blocked by any particular company said Graham who plans to retire from the US government this year. Thats one of the reasons I joined the NIH its to be able to use the leverage of the public funding to solve public health issues. https://www.ft.com/content/d0c70cc2-0ffa-42dd-b0d0-0f76eeb273f0 21st Apr 2021

MSF urges rich countries to back COVID vaccine patent waiver

Al Jazeera English International medical charity Doctors Without Borders Medecins Sans Frontieres or MSF has urged rich countries to stop blocking a patent waiver plan that could boost the global production of coronavirus vaccines. Members of the World Trade Organization WTO will meet virtually for informal talks on Thursday to discuss a proposal to waive intellectual property rights for producing COVID19 vaccines and other coronavirusrelated medical tools for the duration of the pandemic. Sponsors of the waiver argue that the temporary suspension would allow more factories worldwide to produce jabs without breaking international rules under the WTO agreement on TradeRelated Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights TRIPS. But the proposal originally submitted in October by India and South Africa has met staunch opposition from several highincome members many of which are home to major drugmakers such as the United States and members of the European Union. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/21/wto-to-hold-meeting-on-waving-property-rights-on-covid-vaccines 21st Apr 2021

Latin American leaders seek more vaccines at Andorra summit

Associated Press With eyes set on expanding access to coronavirus vaccines and economic recovery representatives of 22 countries from Latin America and Europes Iberian Peninsula are meeting mostly virtually in the tiny mountainous nation of Andorra for the first time since the pandemic started. Latin America has suffered from the pandemic in a disproportionate way its 640 million inhabitants are about 8 of the worlds population but the region accounts for nearly 30 of confirmed global COVID19 deaths. The Iberoamerican Summit which normally takes place every two years wants to address that with a final summit declaration expected to include a renewed call for universal and equitable access to vaccines. https://apnews.com/article/latin-america-health-business-andorra-summits-8af73ef2fddb9c06e8b067115214eb59 21st Apr 2021

Healthcare Services At Full Stretch

Associated Press Several hospitals in northwest and central Illinois are running out of beds because of the coronavirus pandemic officials say. About a half dozen hospitals operated by OSF HealthCare had 90 of their beds or more filled Tuesday chief operating officer Dr. Michael Cruz told the Chicago Tribune. OSFs St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria was at 97 occupancy its St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford was at 96 and its St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington had no available intensive care unit beds Cruz said. OSF has been transferring patients to other hospitals and moving staff as needed Cruz said. Its also having some patients stay in emergency room beds until ICU spots become available. https://apnews.com/article/health-illinois-coronavirus-39b3fce912c15215b006bda7dabbf9d9 21st Apr 2021

Healthcare Services At Full Stretch

MSN.com Local health departments across Michigan started sounding the alarm months ago. A deadlier coronavirus variant that had first ravaged Britain was now here in metro Detroit at the University of Michigan a state prison in Ionia and rural counties in the Thumb region with doctors nurses and public health officials fully aware. And yet Michiganders from state prison employees to small business owners and local officials to parents of high school athletes ignored medical experts repeated warnings about the highly infectious variant. They rebuffed stayinplace recommendations allowed crowded events to occur and turned a blind eye to defiant behavior according to thousands of internal health department emails and contact tracing notes from across the state and interviews with those in charge. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/michigan-was-warned-about-the-british-covid-19-variant-but-many-ignored-it/ar-BB1fRyqq 21st Apr 2021

Healthcare Services At Full Stretch

Xinhua Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh on Wednesday has ordered a 14day lockdown for the capital of Vientiane in the wake of a surge of COVID19 cases while other provinces are urged to consider intensifying prevention measures. The Lao Ministry of Health on Wednesday announced 26 new cases of COVID19 in Vientiane following an outbreak believed to have begun during the Lao New Year holiday period. According to a notice published by the PM on Wednesday which will be effective from Thursday to May 5 Lao authorities at every level must continue educating the public about the dangers posed by COVID19 as well as ways to protect themselves and their families. People working at government offices in Vientiane are to reduce the number of workers to ensure social distancing except for essential personnel such as soldiers and police officers. The same applies to private sector businesses. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/asiapacific/2021-04/21/c_139896686.htm 21st Apr 2021

Healthcare Services At Full Stretch

STAT News Thousands of people with long Covid have struggled to receive medical care for their symptoms. Many have found that even if theyre able to see a doctor it can be difficult to be heard and the best treatments remain unclear. Medical centers across the country are opening clinics specifically for people with lingering Covid symptoms aiming to harness the expertise of specialists ranging from pulmonologists to physical therapists to neurologists. But many long Covid sufferers are located far from such a clinic and the waitlist to be seen often is long. For example the Cleveland Clinics postCovid recovery center reCOVer clinic welcomed 113 patients in its first month and as of midMarch the clinics next available appointments were at the end of July. Penn Medicines PostCovid Assessment and Recovery Clinic in Philadelphia has enrolled 458 with a threemonth waitlist for new patients. https://www.statnews.com/2021/04/21/long-covid-patients-struggle-to-get-care-for-their-symptoms/ 21st Apr 2021

Healthcare Services At Full Stretch

The Washington Post Virginia officials startled some residents Monday by using the wireless emergency alert system to send out notice that coronavirus vaccines are now available to everyone over age 16. The buzzing cellphone messages led some residents to fear the worst. Complaints on Twitter ranged from terrified there was an active shooter in my area to I thought it was time for a tornado to I thought Nukes were incoming or something to Thank you Commonwealth of Virginia for waking me up from my nap. Alena Yarmosky a spokeswoman for Gov. Ralph Northam D said her office had seen some criticism but felt that the response was generally positive https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/coronavirus-dc-virginia-maryland/2021/04/20/6937167e-a204-11eb-a7ee-949c574a09ac_story.html 21st Apr 2021

The Challenge for African Healthcare

Reuters French domestic travel restrictions set up to curb the spread of the COVID19 virus will end on May 3 said a government source as President Emmanuel Macrons administration eyes a gradual exit from the latest lockdown. Macron announced Frances third national lockdown at the end of March and the government has said it could reopen some businesses and leisure activities such as outdoor seatings at bars and restaurants by midMay. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/cash-strapped-africa-overwhelmed-by-covid-vaccine-challenge-2021-04-21/?utm_source=twitter&amputm_medium=Social 21st Apr 2021

The Challenge for African Healthcare

Foreign Policy Africa has lagged behind in the race to acquire coronavirus vaccines since it began. It was clear individual governments would not be able to compete against wealthier nations purchasing limited stocks so a collective effort quickly got underway. When the first doses arrived in Ghana the Ivory Coast Kenya and Rwanda in late February and early March it seemed like the continents rollout had finally gotten off the ground. However efforts are stumbling in the face of systemic obstacles to distribution. Now Indias surging third wave could also directly affect the continents access to vaccines. Africa has gotten most of its vaccine doses through the COVID19 Vaccines Global Access COVAX initiative backed by the World Health Organization the European Commission and Gavi the Vaccine Alliance which pools donor funding to allow developing countries to acquire shotsprimarily AstraZeneca which doesnt require belowfreezing storage. COVAX now needs an additional 2 billion to continue its work. https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/04/21/covax-africa-vaccine-rollout-coronavirus-pandemic/ 21st Apr 2021

Thailand seeks more COVID shots amid record surge in cases

AlJazeera Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chanocha has announced plans to secure 35 million more doses of COVID19 vaccines this year on top of existing orders of nearly 65 million doses as the country deals with a record surge in infections. Health authorities on Wednesday announced 1458 new coronavirus cases and two more deaths a figure lower than Sundays record high of 1767 infections. The latest figures take Thailands total to 46643 cases and 110 deaths. A third of the total infections have come this month alone. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/21/thailand-braces-for-third-covid-wave-eyes-more-vaccine-doses 21st Apr 2021

Studies, Trials and Investigations

MassLive.com After months of clinical trials examining how Modernas COVID19 vaccine affects children 12 to 15 years old Dr. Robert Finberg of UMass Medical School in Worcester anticipates emergency authorization for the population within weeks. UMass Medical School researchers began enrolling adolescents ages 12 through 17 in February. The trials were expected to enroll 3000 adolescents at up to 15 sites nationwide. They are now fully enrolled and researchers are waiting for the data to return. So far the clinical trials have been very successful Finberg said. I think were confident that they will continue to be. These vaccines look like they are very safe and very efficacious. https://www.masslive.com/coronavirus/2021/04/moderna-covid-vaccine-could-receive-emergency-authorization-for-children-ages-12-to-15-within-weeks.html 20th Apr 2021

Studies, Trials and Investigations

AlJazeera A new study published this month collected data from 50 US cities as well as from major cities in the United Kingdom France Italy New Zealand and Australia. The study showed that rises in outofhospital cardiac arrests were linked to rising COVID cases. The study was based on data provided by the Metropolitan EMS Medical Directors Global Alliance a surveillance network of emergency medical services EMS staff who voluntarily share data. Dr Paul Pepe is global coordinator of the alliance and also a coauthor of the study. He told Al Jazeera that normally a 10 percent increase in cardiac arrests would be a cause for concern. But during last spring in the US twothirds of US cities in the study saw increases between 20 and 50 percent. In cities particularly hit hard the rate doubled https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/4/21/is-a-spike-in-cardiac-arrests-related-to-covid-19 21st Apr 2021

Studies, Trials and Investigations

Precision Vaccinations Researchers at the University of Oxford in England reported that the risk of the rare blood clotting known as cerebral venous thrombosis CVT following COVID19 infection is around 100 times greater than normal. And several times higher than it is postvaccination or following influenza. The study authors led by Professor Paul Harrison and Dr. Maxime Taquet counted the number of CVT cases diagnosed in the two weeks following diagnosis of COVID19 or after the first dose of a vaccine. They then compared these to calculated incidences of CVT following influenza infection and the background level in the general population. These researchers report that CVT is more common after COVID19 than in any comparison groups with 30 of these cases occurring in the under 40 population. https://www.precisionvaccinations.com/2021/04/20/blood-clotting-risk-higher-covid-19-vaccines 20th Apr 2021

Studies, Trials and Investigations

Mirage News Children with weakened immune systems have not shown a higher risk of developing severe COVID19 infection despite commonly displaying symptoms a new study suggests. During a 16week period which covered the first wave of the pandemic researchers from the University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton carried out an observational study of nearly 1500 immunocompromised children defined as requiring annual influenza vaccinations due to underlying conditions or medication. The results published in BMJ Open showed that symptoms of COVID19 infection were common in many of the children with over two thirds of participants reporting at least one symptom and one third experiencing three or more symptoms simultaneously. One hundred and ten patients with symptoms undertook viral PCR tests none of whom tested positive. https://www.miragenews.com/first-study-into-prevalence-of-covid-19-546491/ 20th Apr 2021

Studies, Trials and Investigations

The Hindu An orally administered antiviral drug initially developed to treat influenza can significantly decrease novel coronavirus levels in hamsters holding out promise of a pill to combat COVID19 say researchers. Scientists from the National Institutes of Health NIH in the U.S. and the University of Plymouth in the U.K. found that MK4482 also called Molnupiravir was effective when provided up to 12 hours before or 12 hours after infection with SARSCoV2 the novel coronavirus that causes COVID19. The drug can also decrease damage it causes to lungs states the study conducted on hamsters. https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/oral-drug-molnupiravir-effective-against-covid-19-in-hamsters-study/article34365900.ece 20th Apr 2021

Studies, Trials and Investigations

CIDRAP Racial minority COVID19 patients are at much higher risk for needing hospitalization and intensive care than their White counterparts a new Kaiser Permanente Southern California KPSC study finds. The retrospective study published yesterday in the Annals of Internal Medicine involved comparing the electronic health records of 47974 adult Hispanic Black Asian Pacific Islander and White COVID19 patients from Mar 1 to Jul 31 2020. The researchers saw disparities by race for all outcomes even after adjustment for age sex underlying medical conditions and body mass index BMI. Racial minorities had a slightly higher chance than White patients of being tested for or diagnosed as having COVID19 but were also at substantially higher risk for hospitalization and ICU care https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/04/racial-minorities-higher-risk-covid-19-hospitalization-icu-care 21st Apr 2021

Studies, Trials and Investigations

Reuters Roche ROG.Sis looking for another location to carry out trials of its pill to fight COVID19 after plummeting case numbers in Britain made it difficult to find enough patients for its study there the Swiss drugmaker said on Wednesday. Roche and Bostonbased partner Atea Pharmaceuticals AVIR.O are hoping their AT527 pill could offer an antiviral therapy to treat COVID19 patients that would be easier to administer and cheaper than other prospective treatments such as antibody cocktails or Gilead Sciences GILD.O remdesivir. In an interview in Swiss media in early March Roche Chairman Christoph Franz had offered the tantalizing prospect of data on AT527 within the next weeks saying he dreamed of being able to fight the pandemic with a pill by years end. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/roche-trial-covid-19-pill-delayed-uk-vaccine-rollout-intervened-2021-04-21/ 21st Apr 2021

Studies, Trials and Investigations

Sky News Regular exercise reduces the chances of dying from infectious diseases such as COVID19 by more than a third and makes people 31 less likely to catch the virus a major study has found. The worlds first study into the link between exercise and COVID19 immunity suggested people need to be doing 30 minutes a day five days a week or 150 minutes a week of exercise that gets them at least slightly out of breath. Recommended activities include walking running cycling and strengthening exercises. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-regular-exercise-may-cut-covid-19-death-risk-by-a-third-major-study-finds-12281648 21st Apr 2021

Manufacturing and Production Updates

Reuters Under fire in local media for not doing enough to secure COVID19 vaccines South Koreas government had been reviewing options to accelerate shipments and gain more supply. Engineering a jump in LDS syringe output was an opportunity to be seized it concluded. The niche products were suddenly in huge demand globally after it became apparent they could be used to squeeze out a sixth dose from vials of Pfizer Inc PFE.N and BioNTechs 22UAy.DE newly approved COVID19 vaccine compared to five doses with a standard syringe. It had come to our attention that Pfizer was looking for LDS syringes...using LDS syringes automatically boosts vaccine volume by 20 Park told Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/how-south-korea-turbocharged-specialty-syringe-production-covid-19-vaccines-2021-04-21/ 22nd Apr 2021

Manufacturing and Production Updates

AlJazeera A first batch of COVID19 vaccine doses was expected to arrive on Wednesday in wartorn northwestern Syria where millions of people live in dire humanitarian conditions a United Nations official said. The 53800 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were dispatched to the rebeldominated region as part of the Covax facility which ensures the worlds poorest economies get access to jabs for free. The delivery will be the first to Syria as part of the Covax programme which has already sent vaccine doses to more than 100 different territories worldwide. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/21/syrias-idlib-region-to-receive-first-batch-of-covid-19-vaccines 21st Apr 2021

Manufacturing and Production Updates

9News.com.au Coronavirus vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna could be produced in Australia for the first time as the Victorian Government invests 50 million into the domestic manufacturing of mRNA vaccine technology. The state government will work closely with the Commonwealth and worldleading experts to develop the first mRNA manufacturing facility in the Southern Hemisphere which would be based in Melbourne. In a statement the government said mRNA vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna were a promising alternative to traditional vaccines because of their high efficacy capacity for rapid development lowcost manufacture and safe administration. https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-vaccine-australia-pfizer-moderna-could-be-produced-in-melbourne/181532cf-aae0-46d1-a587-059c93fcc479 21st Apr 2021

EU countries ready to start using J&J shot as deliveries resume

Reuters European countries prepared on Wednesday to start using Johnson Johnsons COVID19 vaccine and speed up their vaccination campaigns after Europes drug regulator backed the shot and deliveries started trickling in after a weeklong pause. Germanys health ministry said it would start deliveries to federal states for use in vaccination centres shortly and that family doctors should resume the use of the vaccine as of Wednesday while France will receive the vaccine from week after next. The Netherlands planned to start using it next week. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-distribute-jj-covid-vaccine-federal-states-2021-04-21/ 22nd Apr 2021

Pregnant women may get Covid-19 vaccine priority to prevent complications

The Times Experts are considering whether pregnant women should be prioritised for Covid19 vaccines to avoid complications before they give birth. Three pregnant women were treated in intensive care in recent weeks after becoming unwell with the virus. Karina Butler chairwoman of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee Niac said yesterday Its not so much that they require a specific prioritisation as such but if pregnancy is time limited it may be a thing that they may need to be facilitated in some way. She said that vaccinating women before they gave birth was under active review at the moment and that a recommendation would be coming shortly. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pregnant-women-may-get-covid-19-vaccine-priority-to-prevent-complications-fthmcw0qc 21st Apr 2021

Social Media Influencers Are Spreading Wild Rumors About COVID-19 Vaccines and Periods

Mother Jones A few media outlets have written about vaccines and menstruationback in February it was in the news in Israel where the vaccine rollout is further along. In the United States there has been a flurry of coverage over the last few weeks first in smaller outlets like The Lily and a few days ago in the New York Times. A few weeks ago Dr. Kathryn Clancy a professor of anthropology at the University of Illinois tweeted about her own postvaccine menstrual irregularity. She heard from so many people with similar experiences that she and a colleague decided to run a survey to collect data on postvaccination cycle changes. It has received more than 19000 responses since it launched in early April. Over the last few days social media accounts from those opposed to vaccines have begun to promote the outlandish idea that simply being around people who have been vaccinated causes menstrual issues and even miscarriage. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2021/04/social-media-influencers-are-spreading-wild-rumors-about-covid-19-vaccines-and-periods/?utm_source=twitter&amputm_campaign=naytev&amputm_medium=social 21st Apr 2021

German lawmakers approve ‘emergency brake’ virus rules

Associated Press German lawmakers on Wednesday approved a proposal by Chancellor Angela Merkels government to mandate uniform restrictions in areas where the coronavirus is spreading too quickly among them closures and a nighttime curfew. As parliaments lower house debated the plan thousands of protesters gathered on a nearby street. Police broke up the demonstration with pepper spray and made dozens of arrests after participants ignored coronavirus restrictions and tossed bottles at officers. The legislation to apply an emergency brake consistently in areas with high infection rates is intended to end the patchwork of measures that has often characterized the pandemic response across highly decentralized Germanys 16 states. https://apnews.com/article/health-business-government-and-politics-europe-coronavirus-ce9e12ee389837fdbecb60b950001624 21st Apr 2021

Covid-19 variants: South African strain is causing the most concern for UK scientists

iNews The South African Covid19 variant is causing the most concern for experts tracking the different strains of coronavirus in the UK. Professor Sharon Peacock the head of the Covid19 Genomics UK Consortium COGUK which is mapping the spread of new variants said B1351 was the one she was most worried about because evidence shows it can escape immunity built up from previous infection or vaccination. Ministers have been told that cases of the South African variant have increased by more than 5.5 per cent over the past 10 days after a period of stability https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/covid-19-variants-south-african-strain-is-causing-the-most-concern-for-uk-scientists-965679 21st Apr 2021

COVID-19: Tony Blair says vaccine hesitancy is 'completely wrong and unjustified'

Sky News Tony Blair is calling on Boris Johnson to launch a major publicity blitz to boost COVID vaccine takeup rates and allay fears about sideeffects. The former prime minister claims the government should do more to sell the benefits of vaccines and publish data on how effective and safe they are. Mr Blairs call comes in a new report Restoring Confidence in the Workhorse Covid19 Vaccines published by his Institute for Global Change which examines reasons for rising vaccine hesitancy particularly relating to AstraZeneca. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-tony-blair-says-vaccine-hesitancy-is-completely-wrong-and-unjustified-12282181 21st Apr 2021