26th Aug 2021 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=466 lockdown_exit

Lufthansa to demand COVID-19 shots for crew

Reuters Germanys Lufthansa will require the crew on its planes to be vaccinated against the coronavirus the airline said on Wednesday. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/lufthansa-demand-covid-19-shots-crew-2021-08-25/ 25th Aug 2021

Air Canada mandates COVID-19 vaccination for all employees

Reuters Air Canada said on Wednesday it would require all employees to get vaccinated against COVID19 as the fastspreading Delta variant drives an increase in infections. The move by Canadas largest carrier was in line with a government mandate that workers in the transportation sector be vaccinated by the end of October and follows similar moves by other major companies including United Airlines https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/air-canada-mandates-covid-19-vaccination-all-employees-2021-08-25/ 25th Aug 2021

Delta Air Lines to add $200 monthly health insurance charge for unvaccinated staff

Reuters Move aimed at pushing employees to get COVID vaccines. United Airlines mandated shots for its employees. Comes amid surge in Delta variant infections https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/delta-add-200-monthly-health-insurance-charge-unvaccinated-staff-2021-08-25/ 25th Aug 2021

Ford delays a return to offices, weighs vaccine mandate

Reuters Ford Motor Co will delay bringing most workers back to offices until January and is still considering whether to require employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus the companys chief people officer told Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/the-great-reboot/ford-delays-return-offices-weighs-vaccine-mandate-2021-08-25/ 25th Aug 2021

Credit Suisse tells unvaccinated U.S. staff to work from home, memo says

Reuters Credit Suisse has asked all nonvaccinated staff in the United States to work from home beginning Sept. 7 as it pushes back its returntooffice plans over concerns about the spread of the COVID19 Delta variant. A full return to the office has been delayed until Oct. 18 Switzerlands secondlargest lender told U.S. employees last week while those without the COVID19 shot have been told to stay home until receiving the vaccination or new guidance. https://www.reuters.com/business/credit-suisse-tells-unvaccinated-us-staff-work-home-memo-says-2021-08-25/ 25th Aug 2021

Goldman Sachs to mandate COVID vaccine for staff, visitors at U.S. offices -memo

Reuters on MSN.com Goldman Sachs Group Inc told employees on Tuesday that anyone entering the investment banks U.S. offices including clients must be fully vaccinated against COVID19 starting immediately according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. https://www.msn.com/en-us/finance/companies/goldman-sachs-to-mandate-covid-vaccine-for-staff-visitors-at-us-offices-memo/ar-AANHuKK 25th Aug 2021

UPS mandates COVID-19 vaccination for employees in some U.S. locations

Reuters United Parcel Service Inc said on Tuesday it would require employees in certain U.S. locations to be vaccinated when they return to the office as COVID19 cases rise across the United States due to the fastspreading Delta variant. The decision comes after the U.S. drug regulator on Monday granted full approval to the PfizerBioNTech vaccine a move that is expected to spur a string of similar mandates from corporate employers. https://www.reuters.com/business/ups-mandates-covid-19-vaccination-employees-some-us-locations-2021-08-24/ 25th Aug 2021

Pentagon: US troops must get their COVID-19 vaccines ASAP

The Associated Press Military troops must immediately begin to get the COVID19 vaccine Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a memo Wednesday ordering service leaders to impose ambitious timelines for implementation. More than 800000 service members have yet to get their shots according to Pentagon data. And now that the Pfizer vaccine has received full approval from the Food and Drug Administration the Defense Department is adding it to the list of required shots troops must get as part of their military service. https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-4cf7451267919302de4a7b591508e80c 25th Aug 2021

PM backs businesses rejecting unvaccinated customers as vaccine passport plans firm

The New Daily Scott Morrison has backed businesses to reject customers or guests who havent been vaccinated against COVID19 giving the clearest picture on how socalled vaccine passports could be used in Australia. The Prime Minister has gradually been preparing the ground for such a scheme but his latest position risks a backbench revolt and raising the ire of a growing movement of many thousands of people opposing vaccine passports. A business under property law has the ability to say No you cant come in and they can ask for that Mr Morrison told 2GB radio on Wednesday when asked if people may need to show vaccination proof during their daily business. https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/australian-politics/2021/08/26/morrison-unvaccinated-customers/ 25th Aug 2021

Massachusetts issues mandate requiring masks in schools

Associated Press Massachusetts Education Commissioner Jeff Riley issued new regulations Wednesday requiring all public school students ages 5 and above and all staffers to wear masks indoors while at school. All visitors are also expected to wear masks in school buildings. Masks are not required when outdoors. The regulations take effect immediately and come a day after the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education gave Riley the authority to issue a mask mandate for K12 public schools. The requirement will remain in place until at least Oct. 1 and could be revised in light of new public health data. https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-b41ef0c78e240b1e4c39385484c23c03 25th Aug 2021

Coup, COVID take toll on young people’s mental health in Myanmar

Al Jazeera English Across Myanmar young people are reporting feelings of anger sadness and helplessness following the militarys power grab on February 1 and its brutal suppression of anticoup protests. They say these feelings have only increased since July when COVID19 cases exploded in the country. Today many are struggling with the grief of losing loved ones to disease and violence. Yet forced to grapple with more immediate dangers like basic safety and access to medicine attention to mental health has taken a back seat. But experts say the psychological toll is becoming impossible to ignore as rates of depression and suicide rise. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/25/coup-covid-takes-toll-on-young-peoples-mental-health-in-myanmar 25th Aug 2021

COVID vaccine protection wanes within six months - UK researchers

Reuters Protection against COVID19 offered by two doses of the PfizerBioNTech and the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccines begins to fade within six months underscoring the need for booster shots according to researchers in Britain. After five to six months the effectiveness of the Pfizer jab at preventing COVID19 infection in the month after the second dose fell from 88 to 74 an analysis of data collected in Britains ZOE COVID study showed. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/covid-jab-protection-wanes-within-six-months-uk-researchers-2021-08-25/ 25th Aug 2021

Covid infection protection waning in double jabbed

BBC News Researchers say they are seeing some waning of protection against Covid infections in doublejabbed people. The realworld study includes data on positive Covid PCR test results between May and July 2021 among more than a million people who had received two doses of Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine. Protection after two shots of Pfizer decreased from 88 at one month to 74 at five to six months. For AstraZeneca the fall was from 77 to 67 at four to five months. Waning protection is to be expected say experts. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58322882 25th Aug 2021

U.N. sees massive drop in COVID vaccinations in Afghanistan after Taliban takeover

Reuters Since the Taliban takeover theres been an 80 drop in people reached with COVID19 vaccines a spokesperson for UNICEF told Reuters. In the week starting on Aug. 15 30500 people had been vaccinated in 23 of the 34 provinces of the country whereas the previous week 134600 people were inoculated in 30 provinces according to figures provided by UNICEF which coordinates the rollout of COVID19 shots distributed across the world by the World Health Organization WHO vaccine programme Covax. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/un-sees-massive-drop-covid-vaccinations-afghanistan-after-taliban-takeover-2021-08-25/ 25th Aug 2021

NSW hospitals warning: nurses and staff ‘flat out’ and ‘exhausted’ as Covid numbers soar

The Guardian The nurses union has rubbished New South Wales health minister Brad Hazzards claims that Sydneys hospitals are coping with the citys Covid outbreak warning multiple facilities are under enormous pressure and have very little capacity in their emergency departments. NSW set a new daily record on Wednesday with 919 local Covid cases. There were 645 Covid patients in hospital with 113 people in intensive care but transmission and exposure at multiple hospitals has sidelined significant numbers of health staff due to isolation requirements. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/aug/26/nsw-hospitals-warning-nurses-and-staff-flat-out-and-exhausted-as-covid-numbers-soar 25th Aug 2021

Vietnam to pay recovered COVID-19 patients to help in hospitals

Reuters Vietnam is offering patients who have recovered from the coronavirus a monthly allowance if they agree to stay on at stretched hospitals to help health workers struggling to cope with an influx of infected people. After successfully containing COVID19 for much of the pandemic Vietnam is facing its worst outbreak to date driven by the virulent Delta variant with a surge in cases and deaths ramping up pressure on health authorities https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/vietnam-pay-recovered-covid-19-patients-help-hospitals-2021-08-25/ 25th Aug 2021

Swiss agree deal with Pfizer for 14 million more COVID-19 vaccine doses

Reuters Switzerland has signed an agreement with Pfizer to supply 14 million more doses of its COVID19 vaccine to cover 2022 and 2023 Health Minister Alain Berset said on Wednesday. The Swiss government has completed a further contract with Pfizer which will supply 7 million vaccine doses in both 2022 and 2023 Berset told a press conference in Bern. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/swiss-agree-deal-with-pfizer-14-million-more-covid-19-vaccine-doses-2021-08-25/ 25th Aug 2021

US vice president pledges Vietnam COVID jabs; says China bullies

AlJazeera US Vice President Kamala Harris has pledged to provide Vietnam with additional doses of COVID19 vaccines during a regional visit aimed at countering Chinas growing influence. Harris speaking at the top of a bilateral meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Wednesday said that the one million doses would begin to arrive within the next 24 hours. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/25/us-vp-harris-forges-on-with-vietnam-trip-despite-health 25th Aug 2021

Kroger plans for 1 million Covid-19 booster shots a week, including in nursing homes

Reuters U.S. grocery chain Kroger Co KR.N is gearing up to administer 1 million COVID19 booster shots a week once they are available to the general public and plans to offer vaccines in nursing homes for those who cannot go to its stores. The U.S. government is planning to make COVID19 vaccine booster shots widely available from Sept. 20 to Americans if U.S. health regulators give the goahead. Only people who are immunocompromised have been eligible for booster shots since early this month. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/kroger-plans-1-million-covid-19-booster-shots-week-including-nursing-homes-2021-08-25/ 25th Aug 2021

New Zealand pushes ahead with vaccinations as Delta outbreak widens

Reuters New Zealand recorded 62 new cases of COVID19 on Wednesday taking the total number of infections in the latest outbreak to 210 as the government scrambled to scale up vaccinations amid growing criticism. Most of the cases are in the largest city Auckland while 12 are in the capital Wellington the Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said at a news conference. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/new-zealand-pushes-ahead-with-vaccinations-delta-outbreak-widens-2021-08-25/ 25th Aug 2021

New NY governor adds 12,000 deaths to publicized COVID tally

Associated Press Delivering another blow to whats left of former Gov. Andrew Cuomos legacy New Yorks new governor acknowledged on her first day in office that the state has had nearly 12000 more deaths from COVID19 than Cuomo told the public. The public deserves a clear honest picture of whats happening. And thats whether its good or bad they need to know the truth. And thats how we restore confidence Gov. Kathy Hochul said on NPR. https://apnews.com/article/andrew-cuomo-health-coronavirus-pandemic-7312b49695e726eda8d59848e82271c5 25th Aug 2021

China accuses US of politicizing COVID-19 origins research

The Independent China went on the offensive Wednesday ahead of the release of a U.S. intelligence report on the origins of the coronavirus bringing out a senior official to accuse the United States of politicizing the issue by seeking to pin the blame on China https://www.independent.co.uk/news/china-beijing-wuhan-covid-tedros-adhanom-ghebreyesus-b1908470.html 25th Aug 2021

CEO angry about Covid-19 lockdowns demands back statue of Bull Allen gifted to Scott Morrison

Daily Mail Businessman Keith Cullen gave PM a statue of a digger after a speech in 2017 Mr Morrison loves the gift and keeps it on his shelf in his Parliament House office Now Mr Cullen wants statue back because he disagrees with Covid lockdowns You are neither a worthy recipient nor qualified custodian Mr Cullen told PM https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9924279/CEO-angry-Covid-19-lockdowns-demands-statue-Bull-Allen-gifted-Scott-Morrison.html 25th Aug 2021

New Zealand won’t ‘throw in towel’ on Covid-zero strategy despite rising infections

The Guardian New Zealands Covid response minister says the country will not throw in the towel with its elimination strategy as cases continue to rise. New Zealand announced 63 new cases of Covid19 on Wednesday bringing the total to 210 cases. It is the largest singleday jump since the outbreak began last week and 12 people are hospitalised with the virus. Some commentators and media overseas have questioned whether the country should continue its elimination strategy but Covid19 response minister Chris Hipkins said the country would be staying its course. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/25/new-zealand-wont-throw-in-towel-on-covid-zero-strategy-despite-rising-infections 25th Aug 2021

Ivermectin for Covid-19: abundance of hype, dearth of evidence

STAT Heres a tip for navigating the constantly evolving data on treatments for Covid19 Beware when someone describes a drug as a miracle. The ongoing devastation wrought by the Covid19 pandemic creates an understandable allure for a quickfix or magicbullet solutions. But it is painstaking scientific testing not magical thinking that reveals what works and how well. For example clinical trials involving tens of thousands of patients across multiple continents were needed to demonstrate the enormous value of Covid19 vaccines. https://www.statnews.com/2021/08/25/ivermectin-for-covid-19-abundance-of-hype-dearth-of-evidence/ 25th Aug 2021

Johnson & Johnson vaccine boosters increase antibodies: Data

Al Jazeera English The Johnson Johnson JJ company is saying that a booster shot of its COVID19 vaccine sharply increased levels of antibodies according to interim data from two earlystage trials. A second dose of the United States companys singledose vaccine resulted in binding antibody levels nine times higher than the levels 28 days after people received their first dose the company said in a news release on Wednesday. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/25/johnson-and-johnson-says-vaccine-boosters-increase-antibodies 25th Aug 2021

J&J says its Covid vaccine booster shot generated a promising immune response in early trials

CNBC Johnson Johnson said Wednesday a booster shot of its Covid19 vaccine generated a promising immune response in early stage clinical trials. JJ recipients who received a booster dose of the shot generated virusfighting antibodies ninefold higher than those seen four weeks after a single dose. While promising the companys press release made no mention of the booster shots potential impact on the delta variant or on safety. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/25/jj-says-its-covid-vaccine-booster-shot-generated-a-promising-immune-response-in-early-trials.html 25th Aug 2021

Thailand develops robotic system to up Covid vaccine doses

The Guardian Researchers in Thailand have developed a machine to draw out Covid19 vaccine doses more efficiently and optimise lowerthanexpected supplies as the country struggles with its worst coronavirus outbreak yet. Using a robotic arm the AutoVacc system can draw 12 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in four minutes from a vial according to researchers at Chulalongkorn University who made the machine that has been used at the universitys vaccination centre since Monday. That is up 20 than from the standard 10 doses drawn manually they said. The machine works only on AstraZeneca multidose vials currently and labels show each vial can provide 10 to 11 doses. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/25/thailand-develops-robotic-system-to-up-covid-vaccine-doses 25th Aug 2021

Coronavirus: Sinopharm’s twin approach to variants aims for improved vaccine while testing booster shot

South China Morning Post An updated vaccine is being developed to provide protection against Delta and Beta strains. Clinical trials of a booster shot are also under way CNBG vicepresident says https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3146361/coronavirus-sinopharms-twin-approach-variants-aims-improved 25th Aug 2021

WHO recommends vaccination of kids with comorbidities but elderly should be priority

Philstar.com The World Health Organization in the Western Pacific on Wednesday recommended that children with comorbidities living in areas with high virus transmission can be vaccinated against COVID19. The regional office of the UN health agency however emphasized that the elderly must still be prioritized for inoculation. WHO is recommending to countries where children have comorbidities and if these children are in places where there is ongoing community transmission as well as formation of clusters then children could be vaccinated said Dr. Socorro Escalante WHO Western Pacific coordinator for essential medicines and health technologies. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/08/25/2122556/who-recommends-vaccination-kids-comorbidities-elderly-should-be-priority 25th Aug 2021

U.S. data show rising 'breakthrough' infections among fully vaccinated

Reuters Some 25 of SARSCoV2 infections among Los Angeles County residents occurred in fully vaccinated residents from May through July 25 a period that includes the impact of the highly transmissible Delta variant U.S. officials reported on Tuesday. The data published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions weekly report on death and disease shows an increase in socalled breakthrough infections among fully vaccinated individuals. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-data-show-rising-breakthrough-infections-among-fully-vaccinated-2021-08-24/ 25th Aug 2021

Japan withdraws 1.6 mln Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses over contamination

Reuters Around 1.6 million doses of Moderna Incs COVID19 vaccine has been withdrawn from use in Japan due to contamination the Nikkei said citing a health ministry announcement on Thursday. Several vaccination centres reported vials contained foreign matter the report said adding that the ministry will look to minimise the impact of the withdrawal on Japans vaccination drive. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-withdraws-16-mln-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-doses-over-contamination-nikkei-2021-08-25/ 25th Aug 2021

Experts on WHO team say search for COVID origins has stalled

The Associated Press The international scientists dispatched to China by the World Health Organization to find out where the coronavirus came from said Wednesday the search has stalled and warned that the window of opportunity for solving the mystery is closing fast. Meanwhile a U.S. intelligence review ordered up by President Joe Biden proved inconclusive about the viruss origin including whether it jumped from an animal to a human or escaped from a Chinese lab The Washington Post reported Wednesday. https://apnews.com/article/science-health-coronavirus-pandemic-united-nations-f08a2972ae5a59cc425a89a36c3389d1 25th Aug 2021

Vietnam urges WHO to send more COVID-19 shots as cases surge despite lockdown

Reuters While the rapid spread of the Delta variant and low vaccinations have caught much of Asia offguard no country shows more vividly than Vietnam how easily the highly infectious version of the coronavirus can foil strict containment policy. Vietnam had successfully contained the coronavirus for most of last year but since April has been dealing with a large COVID19 outbreak in Ho Chi Minh City driven by the Delta. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/vietnam-urges-who-send-more-covid-19-shots-cases-surge-despite-lockdown-2021-08-25/ 25th Aug 2021

Global Covid-19 cases plateau after nearly two months of increase, WHO reports

CNN The number of new Covid19 cases reported globally seems to be plateauing after increasing for nearly two months the World Health Organization WHO said Monday. WHO reported more than 4.5 million new cases and 68000 new deaths worldwide last week only a slight increase from the more than 4.4 million cases and 66000 deaths reported the prior week. The cumulative global caseload now stands at more than 211 million with the total death toll surpassing 4.4 million according to WHOs weekly epidemiological update. https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/25/world/who-covid-cases-plateau-intl-hnk/index.html 25th Aug 2021

Japan further expands virus emergency areas as cases surge

The Associated Press Japan expanded its coronavirus state of emergency on Wednesday for a second week in a row adding eight more prefectures as a surge in infections fueled by the delta variant strains the countrys health care system. The government last week extended the state of emergency until Sept. 12 and expanded the areas covered to 13 prefectures from six including Tokyo. With four new prefectures added to a separate quasiemergency status 33 of Japans 47 prefectures are now under some type of emergency measures. Eight prefectures were upgraded from quasiemergency status to a full emergency. They include Hokkaido and Miyagi in the north Aichi and Gifu in central Japan and Hiroshima and Okayama in the west. https://apnews.com/article/business-health-japan-coronavirus-pandemic-936e321a9dc5519313e2a36fe6092583 25th Aug 2021