26th Oct 2021 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=523 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Financial incentives and other nudges by local governments and employers have failed to increase Covid19 vaccinations among Americans who are hesitant about getting the shot a new study shows. Whats more financial incentives and negative messages actually decreased vaccination rates among some groups underscoring fears about a public backlash according to the paper circulated by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The pace of Covid19 vaccinations climbed rapidly earlier this year as availability increased with millions of adults getting the jab each day. However that pace has slowed sharply. In the last week in the U.S. an average of about 800000 doses per day were administered. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-25/paying-americans-to-get-a-vaccine-doesn-t-work-new-study-shows 25th Oct 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters South Africas Aspen Pharmacare is aiming to ramp up its COVID19 vaccine manufacturing capacity to 1.3 billion doses a year by February 2024 up from a current annual output of around 250 million doses the companys CEO told Reuters on Monday. Aspen is doing the final stages of manufacturing for Johnson Johnsons JNJ.N COVID19 vaccine under a socalled fill and finish deal but CEO Stephen Saad said in an interview that the companies were close to announcing a broader deal for Aspen to produce JJs COVID19 shot under licence. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/safricas-aspen-aims-sharply-increase-covid-19-vaccine-capacity-2021-10-25/ 25th Oct 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Moderna Inc said on Monday its COVID19 vaccine generated a strong immune response in children aged six to 11 years and that it plans to submit the data to global regulators soon. Moderna said its twodose vaccine generated virusneutralizing antibodies in children and safety was comparable to what was previously seen in clinical trials of adolescents and adults. It cited interim data that has yet to be peer reviewed. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/moderna-says-its-covid-19-vaccine-generates-immune-response-young-children-2021-10-25/ 25th Oct 2021

Lockdown Exit

iNews People who were doublejabbed abroad are still being forced to selfisolate after being pinged by Test and Trace despite their vaccines being recognised by the UK Government i can reveal. Selfisolation rules were scrapped on 16 August for people in England who have received both doses of a Covid vaccine and are identified as having come into contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus. However the exemption does not apply to people who received both vaccine doses outside of the UK. https://inews.co.uk/news/brits-double-jabbed-abroad-still-forced-self-isolate-despite-vaccines-recognised-uk-government-1264643 25th Oct 2021

Lockdown Exit

The Scotsman The Scottish Hospitality Group SHG said that staff have faced intolerable levels of abuse and some venues saw a drop in footfall of up to 40 per cent. It is calling on the Scottish Government to scrap the scheme which has been legally enforceable since October 18. Proof of full vaccination is required to enter nightclubs and large events as part of the Scottish Governments efforts to limit the spread of coronavirus and increase vaccine takeup. https://www.scotsman.com/health/coronavirus/covid-scotland-first-weekend-of-vaccine-passport-scheme-being-enforced-was-unmitigated-disaster-3431259 25th Oct 2021

Lockdown Exit

The Guardian Two million people who are eligible for a Covid booster vaccine in England will receive their invitation this week as ministers seek to intensify the rollout. The government has launched a media blitz encouraging people to get a booster jab amid mounting concern over the speed of the vaccination rollout as Covid hospitalisations rise. NHS England said on Sunday that more than 5 million people had had a third jab since the vaccination programme began administering them last month. About 7.5 million people have already been invited by text email and letter encouraging them to book through the national booking service. Two million more will receive invitations this week https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/oct/25/ministers-to-ramp-up-covid-vaccine-rollout-as-hospitalisations-rise 25th Oct 2021

Lockdown Exit

Sky News Two million eligible people will be invited to receive a COVID19 booster jab from the NHS this week as the government seeks to see off a sharp rise in cases without introducing Plan B measures. Calls for the reintroduction of masks social distancing and working from home continued over the weekend but ministers have so far shown no sign of doing so despite fears over the pressure on hospitals. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-millions-of-booster-jab-invites-being-sent-out-as-government-resists-more-calls-for-plan-b-12443974 25th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Hong Kong is stuck in indefinite isolation. Despite recording low singledigit daily infections counting just 213 virusrelated deaths since the pandemic began and securing Chinese and Western vaccines early in large quantities entry into Asias top financial hub remains tightly controlled. Arrivals are generally required to spend 14 to 21 days of quarantine in a governmentapproved hotel where rooms as small as 140 square feet leave occupants barely enough room to sweat through a yoga workout. https://www.reuters.com/breakingviews/hong-kong-stuck-between-rock-virus-hard-place-2021-10-25/ 25th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters The Biden administration said it will invest 70 million to boost the availability and lower costs of rapid overthecounter COVID19 tests in the United States as it looks to ease a nationwide shortage that drove up testing costs. High demand for the tests from U.S. employers amidst the Delta variant surge especially with the U.S. government mandating large employers to have their workers inoculated and tested weekly pushed up costs for state and local testing programs. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-invest-70-mln-boost-access-covid-19-tests-2021-10-25/ 25th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

The Guardian The UK is lagging behind other G7 countries in sharing surplus Covid vaccines with poorer countries according to newly published figures. The advocacy organisation One which is campaigning to end extreme poverty and preventable disease by 2030 described it as shaming for the UK government. The figures show that the UK is behind every member of the G7 of which Britain is currently the chair except for Japan. Romilly Greenhill Ones UK director said the number of vaccines the UK is committed to sharing this year is half that promised by France less than a a third of Germanys and a tenth of that pledged by the US. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/24/uk-falling-behind-most-g7-countries-in-sharing-covid-vaccines-figures-show 25th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Indonesia is finalising a deal with Merck co to procure its experimental antiviral pills named molnupiravir to treat COVID19 ailments its health minister said on Monday. Results from a large clinical trial this month showed that the pill made with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics cut hospitalisations and deaths by 50. Merck asked for an emergency use clearance from the United States earlier this month. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/indonesia-talks-buy-mercks-covid-19-antiviral-pill-minister-2021-10-25/ 25th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Concerted international action is needed to support Papua New Guinea as a surge in COVID19 cases overwhelms the Pacific countrys health system the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said on Monday. Coronavirus cases in the island nation of 9 million have been surging in recent weeks with 385 new cases recorded on Thursday according to latest available government data. There have been 26731 officially confirmed cases and 329 deaths in the country 150 km 90 miles north of Australia. https://www.reuters.com/world/red-cross-urges-action-papua-new-guinea-covid-19-overwhelms-health-system-2021-10-25/ 25th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

CNN Next I had her look at photos of medical needles. She reported that she didnt like the pictures but she could handle looking at them. We continued this gradual approach until she gave vaccines to an orange parental supervision required even with toy needles. What she was doing is exposure therapy learning to tolerate her discomfort and gradually build up to getting her own vaccine. Using exposure to cope with needle phobia requires time and professional guidance but many adults are eager to get the Covid19 vaccine for their vaccinehesitant little ones as soon as it becomes available. These folks might not have the time or the resources to take a gradual approach to helping their kids overcome this fear but they need help just the same. https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/25/health/younger-kids-covid-vaccine-talk-wellness/index.html 25th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Australian officials plan to roll out COVID19 booster shots soon to prevent a resurgence of cases as residents in the two largest cities of Sydney and Melbourne begin to enjoy more freedoms after monthslong curbs. Australia has ditched its COVIDzero strategy in favour of suppressing the coronavirus after largely stamping out infections for most of this year and is now aiming to live with the virus through higher vaccinations. Officials are gradually shifting their focus to booster shots as doubledose vaccinations levels in Australias adult population nears 75. Almost 87 of people above 16 have received their first dose since the national rollout began in February. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-looks-roll-out-covid-19-booster-shots-soon-curbs-ease-2021-10-24/ 25th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

The Associated Press Children as young as 3 will start receiving COVID19 vaccines in China where 76 of the population has been fully vaccinated and authorities are maintaining a zerotolerance policy toward outbreaks. China becomes one of the very few countries in the world to start vaccinating children that young against the virus. Cuba for one has begun a vaccine drive for children as young as 2. The U.S. and many European countries allow COVID19 shots down to age 12 though the U.S. is moving quickly toward opening vaccinations to 5 to 11yearolds. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-business-beijing-travel-4680b533429a7e3e75c6f99745b3664b 25th Oct 2021

Partisan Exits

Reuters Facebook late on Sunday removed a video by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro from its platforms in which the farright leader made a false claim that COVID19 vaccines were linked with developing AIDS. Our policies dont allow claims that COVID19 vaccines kill or seriously harm people a Facebook spokesperson said on Monday. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/facebook-takes-down-bolsonaro-video-over-false-vaccine-claim-2021-10-25/ 25th Oct 2021

Partisan Exits

BBC News Antivaccine demonstrators gathered outside the Barclays Center on Sunday to show their support for Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving before his teams NBA home opener. Irving has refused to get vaccinated against Covid19 and is not allowed to play or practise with his team until he does so because of local vaccine rules. Some protesters broke through barriers outside the arena before being confronted by security. No arrests or injuries were reported. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/basketball/59035453?at_medium=RSS&ampat_campaign=KARANGA 25th Oct 2021

Partisan Exits

Sky News Exclusion zones around schools could be used to prevent idiot antivaxxers from targeting children with their vicious lies the health secretary has said. Sajid Javid said the protesters are doing so much damage and it was heartbreaking that three children were injured during a recent protest after COVID19 vaccines were opened up to 1215yearolds. He told Sky News Kay Burley Youve got frankly these idiots outside their school spreading vicious lies. It is becoming a growing problem as time goes by. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-exclusion-zones-around-schools-could-be-used-to-stop-idiot-anti-vaxxers-health-secretary-says-12444156 25th Oct 2021

Partisan Exits

The Associated Press Floridas top health official was asked to leave a meeting after refusing to wear a mask at the office of a state senator who told him she had a serious medical condition officials have confirmed. Florida Senate leader Wilton Simpson a Republican sent a memo to senators Saturday regarding the incident at the office of Democratic state Sen. Tina Polsky asking visitors at the building to be respectful with social interactions. Polsky who represents parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties had not yet made public her breast cancer diagnosis. Polsky told The Associated Press about the tense exchange with state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo that was first reported by the news site Florida Politics. She said Ladapo and two aides were offered masks and asked to wear them when they arrived for the Wednesday meeting. She did not tell him she had breast cancer but said she had a serious condition. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-florida-b79b9e4308b9ce0b4335cdfa69436b1b 25th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Mint The World Health Organisations WHO technical advisory group will consider granting Emergency use listing EUL for Bharat Biotechs covid19 vaccine Covaxin in a meeting scheduled on Tuesday. Soumya Swaminathan Chief Scientist at WHO said that WHOs goal is to have a broad portfolio of vaccines approved for emergency use and to expand access to populations everywhere. The technical advisory group will meet on Oct 26th to consider EUL for Covaxin. @WHO has been working closely with @BharatBiotech to complete the dossier Swaminathan said in a recent tweet. If granted the approval will hold importance of people in India vaccinated with covaxin as WHOs approval will facilitate international travel for Indians who have received the homemade vaccine under Indias national covid vaccination programme. The delay has been impacting students and businessmen who want to travel to countries where a vaccination certificate for WHOapproved vaccines is mandatory. As on Monday over 11.70 crores doses of covaxin have been administered in India among different age group above 18. WHOs EUL is a prerequisite for supplying vaccines under the Covax Facility a multilateral initiative aimed at fostering global access to covid vaccines. If done the approval will also place Covaxin in an important spot in the world map as it can be given to more and more countries. https://www.livemint.com/news/india/who-to-consider-granting-eul-for-bharat-biotech-s-covaxin-on-tuesday-11635174526645.html 25th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg Covid19 is more likely to cause rare neurological conditions than vaccines according to a study published in the Nature Medicine journal. The study led by the University of Oxford analyzed the health records of 32 million people in England to identify the risks of developing rare brain conditions before and after testing positive for Covid or receiving the first dose of either the OxfordAstraZeneca Plc or Pfizer Inc.BioNTech SE jabs. The researchers compared how often neurological complications occurred in set windows of time. While the vaccines were found to result in an increase of neurological complications like Bells palsy and GuillainBarr syndrome the study found that contracting Covid presented an even bigger risk. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-25/covid-poses-bigger-risk-of-brain-conditions-than-vaccines 25th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters U.S. drugmaker Merck Co Inc MRK.N said on Monday the European Unions drug regulator has initiated a realtime review of its experimental COVID19 antiviral drug for adults. Under the procedure also known as a rolling review the European Medicines Agency EMA would assess data as soon as it becomes available instead of waiting for a formal application when all required information has been gathered. While vaccines are the main weapons against COVID19 Mercks experimental pill molnupiravir could be a gamechanger after studies showed it could halve the chances of dying or being hospitalised for those most at risk of contracting severe illness. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/eu-regulator-starts-real-time-review-mercks-covid-19-pill-2021-10-25/ 25th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Moderna Inc said on Monday its COVID19 vaccine generated a strong immune response in children aged six to 11 years and that it plans to submit the data to global regulators soon. Moderna said its twodose vaccine generated virusneutralizing antibodies in children and safety was comparable to what was previously seen in clinical trials of adolescents and adults. It cited interim data that has yet to be peer reviewed. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/moderna-says-its-covid-19-vaccine-generates-immune-response-young-children-2021-10-25/ 25th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Daily Mail Dr Nikolai Petrovsky has been forced to hit GoFundMe to raise cash for Covax19 It is the first synthetic protein vaccine for Covid to receive market authorisation It costs hundreds of thousands to gain TGA approval to release Covax locally Covax19 showed strong protection against Delta in a Phase 3 clinical trial https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10126637/Aussie-scientist-forced-crowd-fund-homegrown-Covid-vaccine.html 25th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Independent A first vaccine dose appears to alleviate symptoms in long Covid sufferers a new study has suggested although it is unclear whether this improvement lasts until a second dose. People aged 18 to 69 who had received a first dose were 12.8 per cent less likely to report that they were still experiencing persistent symptoms according to experimental findings published by the Office for National Statistics ONS. A second dose was associated with a further 8.8 per cent drop with statistical evidence of a sustained improvement afterwards. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/first-vaccine-dose-long-covid-b1944768.html 25th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Mint Hyderabadbased Biological E Limited BE is expecting its coronavirus vaccine Corbevax to be rolled out by the end of November even as the citybased company is getting ready with 100 million doses for the launch Mahima Datla Managing Director BE said today. While speaking to reporters on the sidelines of signing a financing agreement with US International Development Finance Corporation DFC Datla said currently the manufactured doses are being sent to Central Drugs Laboratory CDL Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh for regulatory testing. https://www.livemint.com/news/india/biological-e-hopes-to-roll-out-covid-vaccine-corbevax-by-novend-11635157922272.html 25th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Pharmaceutical Technology Sputnik V has been developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology. The Health Ministry of Russia has reportedly granted approval for administering Covid19 vaccine Sputnik V and flu shots simultaneously https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/news/russia-sputnik-v-covid-19-vaccination-flu-shot/ 25th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

EurekAlert! Threequarters of rural Americans live more than an hour from the nearest site testing new treatments for COVID19 research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine reveals. Overall almost a third of Americans would have to travel more than 60 minutes to access new therapies as they are being tested. This geographic disparity limits access to COVID19 clinical trials in many parts of the country that are being hit hardest by the latest wave of the pandemic. Native Americans and Alaska Natives are particularly affected with more than 50 living more than 60 minutes from a trial site. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/932529 25th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

CNN On September 17 Mayra Arana made the phone call she says saved her life. Arana had been vaccinated against Covid19 but she developed a breakthrough infection. She feared the virus might kill her since her immune system is weak after years of treatment for leukemia. Aranas family physician in California told her there wasnt much she could do besides stay home and rest. At home following her doctors advice Arana felt sicker by the hour. Her husband placed a pulse oximeter on her fingertip and it showed her blood oxygen levels were dipping dangerously low. https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/25/health/covid-antibody-treatment-doctors/index.html 25th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters India The United States and Indias Biological E. Ltd said on Monday they had finalised a financing arrangement for 50 million to expand the vaccine makers capacity to produce COVID19 shots. The agreement was struck in March when leaders of the United States Australia Japan and India the socalled Quad countries met during a virtual summit. The United States had said it would work via its International Development Finance Corp to finance Biological E.s efforts to produce at least 1 billion COVID19 vaccine doses for India and developing countries by the end of 2022 https://www.reuters.com/world/india/us-indias-biological-e-finalise-50-mln-financing-deal-covid-19-shots-2021-10-25/ 25th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters South Africas Aspen Pharmacare is aiming to ramp up its COVID19 vaccine manufacturing capacity to 1.3 billion doses a year by February 2024 up from annual output of around 250 million doses now the companys CEO told Reuters. Aspen is doing the final stages of manufacturing for Johnson Johnsons COVID19 vaccine in a socalled fill and finish deal but CEO Stephen Saad said in an interview that the companies were close to announcing a broader deal for Aspen to produce Johnson Johnsons COVID19 shot under licence. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/safricas-aspen-aiming-13-bln-doseyear-covid-19-vaccine-capacity-by-2024-2021-10-25/ 25th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

STAT News A notable rallying cry that emerged early during the Covid19 pandemic was flatten the curve. It reflected the reality that hospitals lacked the resources knowledge and therapies to accommodate everyone in need. Nearly 18 months later the situation around the globe is different. Clinicians have a better understanding of how to prevent Covid19 and how treat people with severe cases of it. Vaccines have brought muchneeded relief. But the picture is now being complicated by the emergence of substandard and falsified Covid19 vaccines and medical products which are becoming increasingly pervasive. https://www.statnews.com/2021/10/25/counterfeit-vaccines-medicines-spell-trouble-controlling-covid-19/?utm_campaign=rss 25th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press In a pair of Cape Town warehouses converted into a maze of airlocked sterile rooms young scientists are assembling and calibrating the equipment needed to reverse engineer a coronavirus vaccine that has yet to reach South Africa and most of the worlds poorest people. The energy in the gleaming labs matches the urgency of their mission to narrow vaccine disparities. By working to replicate Modernas COVID19 shot the scientists are effectively making an end run around an industry that has vastly prioritized rich countries over poor in both sales and manufacturing. And they are doing it with unusual backing from the World Health Organization which is coordinating a vaccine research training and production hub in South Africa along with a related supply chain for critical raw materials. Its a lastresort effort to make doses for people going without and the intellectual property implications are still murky. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-technology-business-cape-town-health-48046e5255cc3e4fa27455fc12ab5e52 25th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

AlJazeera The European Medicines Agency EMA the European Unions top medicines watchdog has started a review of a potentially groundbreaking antiviral pill to treat COVID19. The agency announced on Monday that it has launched a rolling review of molnupiravir which was developed by United States pharmaceutical company Merck. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/10/25/eu-medicines-watchdog-starts-review-of-merck-covid-19-pill 25th Oct 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Russia reported its highest singleday COVID19 case tally since the start of the pandemic on Monday as some regions imposed a workplace shutdown to combat a surge in infections and deaths. Faced with worsening disease rates and frustrated by the slow takeup of Russias Sputnik V vaccine by its own population authorities are introducing stricter measures this week to try to slow the spread of the pandemic. President Vladimir Putin last week declared that Oct. 30 to Nov. 7 would be paid nonworking days but said every region could extend that period or start it earlier depending on the epidemiological situation. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/russias-covid-19-cases-hit-record-some-regions-impose-curbs-2021-10-25/ 25th Oct 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters The Dutch government may impose new coronavirus restrictions to reduce pressure on hospitals struggling to deal with a swelling number of COVID19 patients Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said on Monday. Coronavirus infections in the Netherlands have been rising for a month and reached their highest level since July in recent days after most social distancing measures were dropped in late September. The new wave of infections has driven up the number of COVID19 patients in hospitals faster than predicted this month De Jonge said and many hospitals are already cutting back regular care again to deal with coronavirus cases. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/dutch-consider-new-coronavirus-curbs-infections-soar-2021-10-25/ 25th Oct 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Evening Standard Coronavirus cases could fall in November without the need to implement Plan B according to scientists. Modelling seen by the Government suggests cases could peak before falling sharply in the winter months without having to introduce Plan B restrictions such as compulsory face masks vaccine passports and working from home. It is understood ministers have seen forecasts by several groups with cases dropping to around 5000 a day before Christmas in one scenario the Daily Telegraph reports. Professor John Edmunds of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a member of Sage said When we were doing the work about two weeks ago the Health Secretary had made it very clear that the government was not planning to introduce Plan B in the near future. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/covid19-cases-fall-november-plan-b-government-modelling-b962272.html 25th Oct 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Russia reported its highest singleday COVID19 case tally since the start of the pandemic on Monday as some regions imposed a workplace shutdown to combat a surge in infections and deaths. Faced with worsening disease rates and frustrated by the slow takeup of Russias Sputnik V vaccine by its own population authorities are introducing stricter measures this week to try to slow the spread of the pandemic. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/russias-covid-19-cases-hit-record-some-regions-impose-curbs-2021-10-25/ 25th Oct 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters New Zealand reported 109 new locally acquired coronavirus cases on Monday the bulk of them in its largest city Auckland as the country saw its secondworst day of daily infections since the pandemic began. Once the poster child for stamping out COVID19 New Zealand has been unable to beat an outbreak of Delta variant of COVID19 centred in Auckland despite the city remaining under a strict lockdown for more than two months. The country over the weekend also reported the first community case of the virus in its South Island in nearly a year a cause for further headache though health officials said the risks of a further spread from the case remained low. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/new-zealand-reports-second-highest-daily-covid-19-cases-pandemic-2021-10-25/ 25th Oct 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Associated Press The Dutch government is seeking advice from a panel of experts on whether it needs to reintroduce COVID19 restrictions amid sharply rising infection rates the health minister said Monday. The Netherlands has one of the fastestrising infection rates in Europe. The 7day rolling average of daily new cases increased over the past two weeks from 13.43 new cases per 100000 people to 29.27 new cases per 100000 people on Oct. 24. Its just going too fast. We have to face up to the fact that the numbers are rising faster and sooner than expected Health Minister Hugo De Jonge told reporters in The Hague. He said hospital admissions also are rising faster than anticipated when the government relaxed its lockdown last month. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-europe-health-netherlands-the-hague-82e9b91682d74d873e0da3b9e07cc569 25th Oct 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Bloomberg China has driven Covid19 cases back to zero three times over the past five months but outbreaks are flaring more frequently than ever before raising questions about how long the nation can persist with a strategy thats leaving it increasingly isolated. The gaps between major outbreaks in China have fallen from around two months in the second half of last year to as little as 12 days since May when the country saw its first delta cases. While China is still able to drive locallytransmitted infections back to nil the amount of time virusfree is getting shorter data on daily cases compiled by Bloomberg News shows. Its becoming a showdown between a containment regime thats arguably the worlds most comprehensive featuring sealed borders mass testing exhaustive contact tracing and strict rules governing travel and movement and a pathogen thats becoming more adept at penetrating those defenses designed to stop transmission. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-25/covid-waves-hitting-faster-than-ever-challenge-china-s-hard-line 25th Oct 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

AlJazeera Coronavirus cases in Eastern Europe have surpassed 20 million according to a Reuters tally on Sunday as the region grapples with its worst outbreak since the pandemic started and inoculation efforts lag. Countries in the region have the lowest vaccination rates in Europe with less than half of the population having received a single dose. Hungary tops the regions vaccination rates with 62 percent of its population having received at least one shot whereas Ukraine has given just 19 percent of its residents a single dose according to Our World in Data. New infections in the region have steadily risen and now average at least 83700 new cases per day the highest level since November last year Reuters data through Friday showed. Although it has just four percent of the worlds population Eastern Europe accounts for roughly 20 percent of all new cases reported globally. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/10/24/as-outbreak-worsens-covid-19-cases-in-eastern-europe-near-20m 24th Oct 2021

New Lockdown

Bloomberg China locked down a county that has seen the most Covid19 cases in the nations latest delta outbreak as an initial flareup in the northwest quickly spirals into a nationwide surge. Ejin a county in Chinas Inner Mongolia region asked its 35700 residents to stay home from Monday and warned of civil and criminal liabilities should anyone disobey the order state broadcaster CCTV reported citing a local government statement. The small county bordering Mongolia is the current outbreaks hotspot home to nearly onethird of the more than 150 infections found over the past week in the mainland. The lockdown comes a day after a warning from National Health Commission officials that the outbreak would continue to worsen after spreading to 11 provinces in about a week. China reported 38 Covid infections on Monday half of which were found in Inner Mongolia. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-25/china-locks-down-thousands-in-north-as-delta-outbreak-spreads?utm_source=google&amputm_medium=bd&ampcmpId=google 25th Oct 2021

New Lockdown

CNN Authorities in northern China are reimposing lockdowns and other emergency measures to curb the spread of coronavirus with health officials warning of a worsening outbreak after the country recorded more than 100 cases across 11 provinces over the last week. Since October 17 there have been multiple scattered local outbreaks in China and theyre expanding rapidly Mi Feng a spokesman at the National Health Commission NHC said at a news conference Sunday. There is an increasing risk that the outbreak will spread even further. The rapid spread comes despite about 75 of Chinas population or more than a billion people being fully vaccinated according to Mi. https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/25/china/covid-update-intl-hnk/index.html 25th Oct 2021

New Lockdown

Reuters Poland will need to consider tighter COVID19 restrictions if average daily cases exceed 7000 the health minister was quoted as saying on Monday as the government warned that infections were almost doubling each week. Central and eastern Europe where vaccination rates are lower than in the west of the continent has seen a surge in cases in recent weeks with officials in Poland urging the public to get vaccinated and follow the restrictions in place. If at the end of October we are at an average level of over 7000 cases per day we will have to consider taking some more restrictive steps Adam Niedzielski was quoted as saying by staterun news agency PAP. https://www.reuters.com/world/poland-may-tighten-covid-19-curbs-if-cases-keep-growing-says-minister-2021-10-25/ 25th Oct 2021