29th Nov 2021 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=550 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Member states of the World Health Organization have reached a tentative consensus to negotiate a future agreement on preventing pandemics bridging the gap between sides led by the European Union and United States diplomats said on Sunday. The draft resolution hammered out in negotiations over the weekend will be presented for adoption to health ministers at the WHOs threeday special assembly that opens on Monday they said. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/who-reaches-draft-consensus-future-pandemic-treaty-2021-11-28/ 28th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters China could face more than 630000 COVID19 infections a day if it dropped its zerotolerance policies by lifting travel curbs according to a study by Peking University mathematicians. In the report published in China CDC Weekly by the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention the mathematicians said China could not afford to lift travel restrictions without more efficient vaccinations or specific treatments. Using data for August from the United States Britain Spain France and Israel the mathematicians assessed the potential results if China adopted the same pandemic control tactics as those countries. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-study-warns-colossal-covid-outbreak-if-it-opens-up-like-us-france-2021-11-28/ 28th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

The Age Australian vaccine researchers will be putting the Omicron coronavirus variant under the microscope with experts saying the rise of the new strain highlights the urgent need for sovereign vaccine manufacturing. The emergence of Omicron has prompted the companies that make COVID19 vaccines for Australia including Pfizer and BioNTech and Moderna to evaluate the efficacy of their products against the variant. Pfizer said it expects new data on the variant within a fortnight and would be able to tailor a new vaccinespecific variant within 100 days if it is found to be necessary. Nasdaqlisted Moderna which is planning to set up operations in Australia has said it is using a threepronged strategy against Omicron. The company will evaluate data from a stronger booster shot of its original vaccine to see whether it is effective against the new strain. It is also studying two multivariant booster candidates and will start work on an Omicronspecific booster in coming weeks. https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/aussie-vaccine-researchers-rush-to-include-omicron-in-jab-development-20211128-p59crs.html 28th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

BBC News Two people in the UK have been found to be infected with the new Covid variant Omicron the health secretary has said. Sajid Javid said the cases in Brentwood Essex and Nottingham were confirmed by the UK Health Security Agency after genomic sequencing. They are linked and connected to travel in southern Africa and both cases and their households were selfisolating. The new variant has also been identified in South Africa Botswana Belgium Hong Kong and Israel. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is holding a press conference at Downing Street with the chief scientific adviser to the government Sir Patrick Vallance and the UKs chief medical adviser Prof Chris Whitty. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59445388 27th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg So far SARSCoV2s most devastating impacts have been in developed countries. The U.S. U.K. and European Union have accounted for about a third of deaths compared to their roughly 10 share of the worlds population. However its been in the BRICS grouping of fastgrowing middle income nations where an outsized share of new variants of concern have been isolated and analyzed for the first time. From the original strain in China to the Delta lineage picked up in India the Gamma variety isolated in Brazil and the Beta and latest Omicron strains from South Africa only the U.K.related Alpha variant has emerged outside these countries. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-11-26/covid-will-keep-spawning-variants-like-b-1-1-529-till-the-world-is-immune 27th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

The Hill Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement that the countrys borders would be closed to all foreigners due to concerns about the omicron variant and that Israeli citizens coming into the country would have to quarantine regardless of their vaccination status. The statement issued on Saturday said that beginning at midnight between Sunday and Monday the countrys borders would be closed to international travelers for two weeks pending approval from the government Reuters reported. One case of the omicron variant has been confirmed in Israel and seven others in the country are suspected to have the variant according to the news outlet. https://thehill.com/policy/international/583254-israel-closes-borders-to-all-foreigners-due-to-omicron-variant 27th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Israel was on the verge of an emergency situation after the new Covid19 variant discovered in southern Africa was detected in a passenger arriving from Malawi. Our cardinal principle is to act now forcefully and quickly Bennett said at a meeting with health officials according to a statement from his office. We are in a new situation now. This new variant is very worrying. Scientists are still trying to determine whether the new strain called B.1.1529 is more transmissible or more lethal than previous ones. Whats clear is that it has the most mutations of any strain yet identified. Thats raised concerns in South Africa and internationally with authorities fearing a wave of cases that could increase pressure on already strained healthcare systems. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-26/israel-identifies-case-of-covid-19-variant-found-in-south-africa 26th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters A new Covid19 mutation is threatening to suspend the world in coronavirus limbo. Countries including Britain and Singapore have imposed bans on travellers from South Africa and other nations where a concerning new variant has been detected. A highly infectious strain is a particular problem for economies with low vaccination rates. If it evades vaccines another round of lockdowns could be on the cards at a time when governments and central banks have depleted firepower. https://www.reuters.com/breakingviews/new-covid-19-variant-raises-risk-recovery-limbo-2021-11-26/ 26th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters The World Trade Organization WTO became the first major diplomatic casualty of the new coronavirus variant on Friday when it postponed its first ministerial meeting in four years due to the deteriorating health situation. Ministers from WTO members were due to have gathered next week for a meeting widely seen as a test of the WTOs relevance. The WTO said that its members had agreed late on Friday to postpone the ministerial conference after the new variant outbreak led to travel restrictions that would have prevented many ministers from reaching Geneva. https://www.reuters.com/business/wto-postpones-major-meeting-over-covid-19-concerns-sources-2021-11-26/ 26th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday called on nations expected to meet at the World Trade Organization next week to agree to waive intellectual property protections for COVID19 vaccines in the wake of the identification of a new coronavirus variant in South Africa. However the meeting he was referring to was later postponed after the new variant led to travel restrictions that would have prevented many participants from reaching Geneva https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-president-biden-calls-intellectual-property-protection-waivers-covid-19-2021-11-26/ 26th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters The discovery of a new coronavirus variant named Omicron triggered global alarm on Friday as countries rushed to suspend travel from southern Africa and stock markets on both sides of the Atlantic suffered their biggest falls in more than a year. The World Health Organisation WHO said Omicron may spread more quickly than other forms and preliminary evidence suggested there is an increased risk of reinfection. Epidemiologists warned travel curbs may be too late to stop Omicron from circulating globally. The new mutations were first discovered in South Africa and have since been detected in Belgium Botswana Israel and Hong Kong. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/japan-tighten-border-controls-s-africa-others-new-virus-variant-jiji-2021-11-26/ 26th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

BusinessMirror Two cases of the new Covid19 strain raising alarm in parts of southern Africa have been found in travelers arriving in Hong Kong. A traveler from South Africa was found to have the variantcurrently known as B.1.1.529while the other case was identified in a person quarantined in the hotel room opposite them the Hong Kong government said late Thursday. That person may have been infected as air flowed between the rooms according to the government. B.1.1.529 carries an unusually large number of mutations and is clearly very different from previous incarnations Tulio de Oliveira a bioinformatics professor who runs genesequencing institutions at two South African universities said at a briefing on Thursday. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/11/26/hong-kong-finds-two-cases-of-new-covid-variant-identified-in-africa/ 26th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg The World Health Organization said that a strain of coronavirus recently discovered by South African researchers is a variant of concern posing a threat that could confound countries efforts to slow the spread of Covid19. The WHO assigned the Greek letter omicron to the variant which had been known as B.1.1.529 following a meeting by a panel of experts Friday. Scientists say the variant carries a high number of mutations in its spike protein which plays a key role in the viruss entry into cells in the body. Its also what is targeted by vaccines so if the protein changes enough it raises concern that the mutations could make immunizations less effective. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-26/who-says-newly-identified-covid-strain-is-variant-of-concern?srnd=premium-europe 26th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Dutch health authorities said that dozens of people who arrived in Amsterdam on two flights from South Africa on Friday are likely infected with COVID19 and they are conducting further testing to see if people are infected with the recently discovered Omicron coronavirus variant. Around 600 passengers arrived at Amsterdams Schiphol Airport on the two KLM flights on Friday and then faced hours of delays and testing due to concerns over thenew virus variant. On the basis of initial testing the Dutch health ministry estimated there may be around 85 positive cases among the passengers. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/passengers-south-africa-face-wait-covid-19-testing-amsterdam-2021-11-26/ 26th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

BBC News Englands chief medical officer Chris Whitty has said his greatest worry is whether people will accept fresh curbs on activities to tackle Covid variants. His comments came after the government announced quarantines on travellers from some African countries following the emergence of a new strain. Prof Whitty said he questioned whether we could take people with us if restrictions had to be imposed. England has been through three national lockdowns since Covid first struck. There have also been many local restrictions imposed at various points during the past 20 months. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59434196 26th Nov 2021

Lockdown Exit

iNews The new supervariant could pose such a risk to vaccines that the world could be dealing with a totally new pandemic a covid expert has said. David Nabarro special envoy on Covid19 for the World Health Organisation said the variant B.1.1.529 that has been found in South Africa has been provisionally labelled with the Greek letter Nu. He said the variant posed a serious threat because the extent of its 32 mutations suggested it had a greater capacity to evade immunity from vaccines. https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/new-covid-super-variant-south-africa-new-pandemic-who-envo-1320998?ITO=newsnow 26th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

The Hill Saudi Arabia announced Saturday that it will loosen its pandemic travel restrictions a day after putting a pause on incoming flights from seven African nations in response to the detection of a new coronavirus variant. Saudi Arabias interior ministry said international travelers from all countries will be allowed into the country as long as they have one dose of the coronavirus vaccine Reuters reported. Travelers will still have to quarantine for three days however. The easing of the restrictions will go into effect next Saturday. A number of other countries including the U.S. also added travel restrictions on Friday for countries in southern Africa due to the new variant. The United Kingdom announced further restrictions on Saturday after detecting two cases of the variant within its borders. The omicron variant was first detected in South Africa and has spread to several other countries including Italy Germany and Israel. https://thehill.com/policy/international/middle-east-north-africa/583248-saudi-arabia-to-loosen-pandemic-travel 27th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

The Guardian BioNTech says it could produce and ship an updated version of its vaccine within 100 days if the new Covid variant detected in southern Africa is found to evade existing immunity. The German biotechnology company is already investigating whether the vaccine it developed with US drugmaker Pfizer works well against the variant named Omicron which has caused concern due to its high number of mutations and initial suggestions that it could be transmitting more quickly. The company says it will know in two weeks whether its current vaccine is likely to be sufficiently effective against the B.1.1.529 variant now named Omicron by the World Health Organization based on labbased experiments. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/nov/26/biontech-says-it-could-tweak-covid-vaccine-in-100-days-if-needed 27th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Australia will introduce 14day quarantine for citizens and their dependents travelling from nine countries in southern Africa due to the new coronavirus variant its health minister said on Saturday. Anyone who is not a citizen of Australia or their dependents and who has been in African countries where the Omicron variant has been detected and spread within the past 14 days will not be able to enter Australia Health Minister Greg Hunt told a press briefing. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-starts-14-day-quarantine-citizens-travelling-southern-africa-2021-11-27/ 27th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg The U.K.s success at avoiding the latest virus emergency ripping across the European continent has come at a price. Thanks to an aggressive booster campaign for older and vulnerable people the country has managed to keep hospitalization and death rates relatively steady without imposing fresh restrictions. Meanwhile lockdowns are being reimposed elsewhere in a bid to damp down another Covid wildfire. However more U.K. residents have died of Covid per capita than in most other western European countries despite earlier access to vaccines than in the European Union. The U.K. has been running hot said Devi Sridhar a professor of global public health at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. We act like Europe is so much worse but weve just accepted a higher death toll and higher infection rates for longer. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-25/u-k-paid-a-deadly-price-to-avoid-europe-s-latest-covid-crisis 27th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Yahoo Finance The Indian embassy in Iran recently celebrated the arrival of 1 million doses of Covaxin a COVID vaccine developed in India by the pharmaceutical company Bharat Biotech. Bangladesh Myanmar and Iran also recently received a million doses each of Covishield the version of the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India the worlds single largest vaccine producer. These 4 million doses delivered in early October 2021 were the first to be exported from India in more than six months. Dubbed the pharmacy of the world India has the largest vaccineproduction capacity of any country. It therefore has a massive role to play in vaccinating the world. However up until recently the pharmacy has been closed to other countries. Unlike most COVID vaccine producers India began exporting doses through its vaccine friendship initiative a diplomatic programme based around gifting vaccines to lowerincome countries the same week it began its domestic vaccination programme back in January 2021. It was soon internationally hailed as a vaccine superpower. However in late March exports ground to a halt as Indias devastating second wave took hold and all resources were diverted towards its domestic vaccine programme. https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/india-covid-vaccine-exports-resume-125408491.html 27th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

The Wall Street Journal Johnson Johnsons Covid19 vaccine hasnt been the booster shot of choice. Most people originally vaccinated with JJs shot are choosing other vaccines if they get a booster new government data show partly reflecting concerns about the lower effectiveness of the drugmakers vaccine. So far about 1.7 million people of the 15.7 million who originally got JJs singledose vaccine have received a booster. Of these 26 stayed with JJ for their second dose through Wednesday according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rest of those originally immunized with JJs shot and later got boosters received other drugmakers vaccines. Some 43 got the Moderna Inc. MRNA vaccine the CDC said while 31 received a booster from Pfizer Inc. and partner BioNTech https://www.wsj.com/articles/johnson-johnson-covid-19-vaccine-recipients-often-shift-to-other-boosters-11637931600 27th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg Canada is following countries from the U.S. to Hong Kong in banning foreign nationals from seven southern African nations amid concerns about a new Covid19 variant. Worries about the variant sent markets around the world tumbling Friday feeding fears the latest threat could derail the fragile global recovery. There are no direct flights from the region into Canada. We are acting quickly to protect the health and safety of Canadians Health Minister JeanYves Duclos told reporters in Ottawa. We are banning the entry of foreign nationals into Canada that have traveled through southern Africa in the last 14 days. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-26/canada-restricts-travel-from-southern-africa-on-covid-variant 27th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

The Associated Press Nearly two years into the COVID19 pandemic the world raced Friday to contain a new coronavirus variant potentially more dangerous than the one that has fueled relentless waves of infection on nearly every continent. A World Health Organization panel named the variant omicron and classified it as a highly transmissible virus of concern the same category that includes the predominant delta variant which is still a scourge driving higher cases of sickness and death in Europe and parts of the United States. It seems to spread rapidly U.S. President Joe Biden said of the new variant only a day after celebrating the resumption of Thanksgiving gatherings for millions of American families and the sense that normal life was coming back at least for the vaccinated. In announcing new travel restrictions he told reporters Ive decided that were going to be cautious. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-new-variant-southern-africa-33fa0983af6c9f961a186f4f4bb1147d 27th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

BBC News South Africans have responded sharply to the news that the UK and a growing list of other countries have reacted to the emergence of a new Covid variant with redlistings and travel bans. While there is genuine pride here in the countrys scientific expertise and the speed with which South Africa has been able to identify and share information about new variants there is also a strong sense that the nation is being unfairly punished for its successes. The world should provide support to South Africa and Africa and not discriminate or isolate it said Prof Tulio de Oliveira the Durbanbased scientist leading efforts to understand the new variant. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-59432579 27th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg on MSN.com The World Trade Organization postponed its inperson ministerial conference in Geneva as Switzerland tightened travel restrictions following the discovery of a new strain of the coronavirus people familiar with the situation said. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/wto-postpones-geneva-ministerial-meeting-over-virus-concerns/ar-AARb7CS 27th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg Fallout from the new potentially riskier Covid19 variant detected in southern Africa is adding fresh frustrations for travelers just as they were glimpsing a return to normalcy. The U.S. European Union members Canada and Hong Kong are all restricting travel from several nations in southern Africa. The U.K. halted flights placed six African countries on its travel red list and will require arriving travelers to quarantine in hotels in an attempt to quash the spread of the B.1.1.529 variant to which the World Health Organization has assigned the Greek letter omicron. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-26/b-1-1-529-omicron-how-covid19-virus-variant-is-already-disrupting-global-travel 27th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Evening Standard France has mandated the use of vaccine passports in ski lifts throwing the winter travel plans of thousands of British families into doubt. Anyone over the age of 12 will need a pass to show they are fully vaccinated or have had one dose and recovered from Covid19 in the last 180 days from December 4. But Thursdays announcement will cause misery for Brits with teenagers as the NHS app with a Covid pass is only available to the over16s the Times reports. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/ski-lifts-vaccine-passport-france-holidays-plans-b968432.html 26th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

The Jerusalem Post The government voted to ban all foreigners from entering Israel as part of an effort to stem the spread of the new South African Omicron variant one case of which has been confirmed in the country and seven others which are under investigation. The coronavirus cabinet met for nearly three hours on Saturday night agreeing on a series of new restrictions. For the time being all individuals returning from any country vaccinated Israelis included will need to be isolated for three days upon entry into Israel. Travelers would be tested at the airport and then be required to take a PCR test on day three and only leave isolation once a negative result is obtained. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/south-african-variant-of-concern-discovered-in-israel-687074 26th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Brazil will shut its borders to travelers arriving from six southern African countries the chief of staff to President Jair Bolsonaro said on Friday the latest in a slew of major nations to announce restrictions meant to combat the newly identified Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Brazil will close its aerial border to six countries in Africa due to the new coronavirus variant Chief of Staff Ciro Nogueira wrote in a Twitter post. Were going to protect Brazilians in this new phase of the pandemic in this country. The official notice will be published tomorrow and will be going into effect on Monday. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazil-health-regulator-calls-africa-travel-restrictions-bolsonaro-dismissive-2021-11-26/ 26th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

MSNBC The U.S. will restrict travel from eight African nations starting on November 29. The ban comes amid the discovery of a Covid19 variant Omicron detected in South Africa. The World Health Organization confirmed the variant is highly transmissible. https://www.msnbc.com/katy-tur/watch/u-s-to-restrict-travel-from-8-african-nations-after-covid-variant-detected-127255621546 26th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

ABC News All 27 European Union member states and the United Kingdom have temporarily suspended travel to southern Africa following the discovery of a new COVID variant. The World Health Organization WHO on Friday classified the B.1.1.529 variant now designated as Omicron as a SARSCoV2 variant of concern saying it may spread more quickly than other forms. Infections in South Africa had risen steeply in recent weeks coinciding with the detection of the variant. After a closed meeting of independent experts who reviewed the data WHO realised a statement saying there had been a detrimental change in COVID19 epidemiology. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-27/countries-impose-travel-restrictions-on-southern-africa/100655630 26th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Daily Mail Michigan is currently the hardesthit state in the nation with COVID19 cases rising 88 per cent in the last 14 days. The governor Gretchen Whitmer has requested federal assistance to help in hospitals and 44 people are being deployed. In Minnesota another state struggling with a surge in cases the National Guard is being brought in to take some of the strain off nursing home staff. Nursing homes in the state are now suffering a chronic staffing shortage with 23000 open longterm caregiver positions as employees seek better paid less intense jobs or else quit due to vaccine mandates. Governor Tim Walz has deployed 400 members of the National Guard to work as nurses and proposed using 50 million in unspent federal coronavirus relief funding to help these facilities hire and retain staff https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10244209/Military-sent-Michigan-deal-surge-COVID-Minnesota-calls-National-Guard.html 26th Nov 2021

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg The biggest state in Australia is eliminating a raft of pandemic restrictions as it nears a 95 vaccination rate in one of the starkest reversals from the CovidZero strategy yet. From Dec. 15 or once the 95 inoculation target is hit masks will only be required on public transport on planes and at airports in New South Wales ending the need to wear a protective face covering in most indoor settings. Checkins via QR code which are currently mandatory in the state at any venue will only be needed at hospitals agedcare facilities pubs small bars and nightclubs according to the latest guidelines from the New South Wales government. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-26/former-covid-zero-haven-ditches-masks-qr-codes-in-stark-pivot 26th Nov 2021

Partisan Exits

BBC News South Africa has complained it is being punished instead of applauded for discovering Omicron a concerning new variant of Covid19. The foreign ministry made the statement as countries around the world restricted travel from southern Africa as details of the spread emerged. Early evidence suggests Omicron has a higher reinfection risk. The World Health Organization WHO said on Friday that the new variant was of concern. Several cases have now been identified in Europe two in the UK two in Germany one in Belgium and another one in Italy while a suspected case was found in the Czech Republic. The new variant has also been detected in Botswana Hong Kong and Israel. Hundreds of passengers arriving in the Netherlands from South Africa are being tested for the new variant. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-59442129 27th Nov 2021

Partisan Exits

Reuters U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday his administration was not considering new vaccine mandates following the discovery of a new COVID19 variant in South Africa which led to travel bans from that country and seven other nations. We dont know a lot about the variant except that is of great concern Biden told reporters. I decided that we are going to be cautious. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-president-biden-says-not-considering-new-vaccine-mandates-2021-11-26/ 26th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Botswanas health minister Edwin Dikoloti said on Sunday the country had detected 15 more cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant adding to the four confirmed cases it declared on Friday. The minister applauded its scientists for detecting the new variant in the country early but stressed it did not emerge in Botswana as the four cases were found in people who travelled to the country on a diplomatic mission. He declined to comment on the nationalities of the four people saying the country would not want to add to the seeming trend where the variant is stigmatised. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/botswana-says-15-more-cases-omicron-variant-detected-country-2021-11-28/ 28th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters A South African doctor who was one of the first to suspect a different coronavirus strain among patients said on Sunday that symptoms of the Omicron variant were so far mild and could be treated at home. Dr. Angelique Coetzee a private practitioner and chair of South African Medical Association told Reuters that on Nov. 18 she noticed seven patients at her clinic who had symptoms different from the dominant Delta variant albeit very mild. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/safrican-doctor-says-patients-with-omicron-variant-have-very-mild-symptoms-2021-11-28/ 28th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Washington Post The Biden administration is focusing on booster shots as a key weapon in efforts to protect the nation against a potentially dangerous coronavirus variant even as the extent of the threat remains unclear according to three senior administration officials familiar with the plans. A group of senior health officials had a call with South African scientists Sunday to understand the latest about the new variant and to help inform next steps according to one of the senior administration officials who like the other two spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/11/28/omicron-variant-coronavirus/ 28th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg on MSN.com Scientists in South Africa are studying a recently identified new coronavirus variant of concern stoking fears the country may face a potentially severe fourth wave that could spread internationally. The new discovery called B.1.1.529 until a Greek letter is assigned to it by the World Health Organization carries an unusually large number of mutations and is clearly very different from previous incarnations Tulio de Oliveira a bioinformatics professor who runs genesequencing institutions at two South African universities said at a briefing on Thursday. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/new-coronavirus-variant-a-e2-80-98serious-concern-e2-80-99-in-south-africa/ar-AAR7yUH 27th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Wall Street Journal Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics said a final analysis of their experimental Covid19 pill found the drug less effective than an early look prompting U.S. health regulators to continue a staff review of the drugs application days before an outside panel meets. The Food and Drug Administration made public Friday their initial review of the drugs application including an analysis of clinicaltrial data for the drug molnupiravir. Agency staff said the drug was effective at reducing the risk of hospitalization and death but they didnt take a position on whether the agency should authorize the drug. The agency also said no major safety concerns turned up in latestage testing. The FDA said it is still conducting its review of molnupiravir after the companies told the agency earlier this week the pill was 30 effective in a final analysis of the latestage study results. After taking an early look at results the companies had reported in October that molnupiravir was 50 effective. https://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-to-disclose-staff-review-of-merck-covid-19-pill-11637922600 27th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Wall Street Journal The fastspreading Omicron coronavirus variant recently identified in South Africa has virologists and health authorities on edge because of its many mutations but much about its infectiousness and virulence remains unknown. Scientists said some of the roughly 50 mutations on the new variant called B.1.1.529 could potentially render it more transmissible or reduce vaccine effectiveness. But it will take time for virologists and infectiousdisease researchers to study the variants spread and the potential impact on vaccines and therapeutics. There are several aspects of concern here but there are lots of unknowns Sharon Peacock director of the Covid19 Genetics U.K. Consortium said at a press briefing on Friday. Its so important to stress how much we dont know at the moment about this new variant. https://www.wsj.com/articles/omicron-coronavirus-variant-raises-questions-among-scientists-11637954249 27th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Wall Street Journal A fastspreading new strain of the coronavirus first detected in southern Africa is a global variant of concern and might pose a higher risk of people falling ill with Covid19 for a second time the World Health Organization said Friday as governments around the globe restricted travel from the region. WHO said there was also preliminary evidence that the variant which it named Omicron after the Greek letter was more transmissible than the Delta variant that is currently dominant worldwide and other virus strains. Health authorities in Belgium Israel Hong Kong and Botswana said they had detected first cases of the variant. Although scientists were still figuring out the exact effects of the variants many mutations its discovery highlights the continued threat posed by an evolving virus to the worlds emergence from the pandemic. The travel restrictions imposed by many countries including the U.S. raised fears that there could be further setbacks to the reopening of economic and social life including in Western countries with high vaccination rates. https://www.wsj.com/articles/southern-africas-new-covid-19-variant-prompts-wave-of-travel-restrictions-11637920491 27th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg Belgium said it has confirmed one case of a concerning new Covid19 variant in someone who traveled from abroad. Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke told reporters the variant was detected in an unvaccinated person who first tested positive for Covid19 on Nov. 22. The new strain prompted the European Union on Friday to recommend suspending air travel from the region. Belgium also Friday ordered a new set of steps to combat the spiraling growth of Covid19 cases including a closure of nightclubs for three weeks and restricting privately organized parties. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-26/belgium-confirms-case-of-new-virus-strain-in-person-from-abroad 27th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg on MSN.com Travel bans and other snap defenses that countries threw up against omicron the new Covid19 variant are buying time for scientists to answer key questions that could prevent another wave of deaths. https://www.msn.com/en-us/finance/other/scientists-race-to-decode-omicron-as-variant-threatens-the-world/ar-AARaXwF 27th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg BioNTech SE has begun studying the new Covid19 variant that has emerged in southern Africa and expects the first data from laboratory tests about how it interacts with its vaccine within two weeks. The lab data will shed light on whether the new variant called B.1.1.529 can elude the vaccine it makes together with Pfizer Inc. the German biotech said on Friday. Pfizer and BioNTech put plans in place months ago to be able to ship a new version of their shot within 100 days if necessary a BioNTech spokeswoman said. We understand the concern of experts and have immediately initiated investigations BioNTech said in a statement. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-26/biontech-expects-data-on-vaccine-versus-new-variant-in-two-weeks 26th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg Travel bans and other snap defenses that countries threw up against omicron the new Covid19 variant are buying time for scientists to answer key questions that could prevent another wave of deaths. Labs in Europe the U.S. and Africa are preparing for tests to see how the new variant is likely to behave in people whove been vaccinated or previously infected. Realworld research will be important too as health authorities monitor the outbreak in South Africa closely to find out how much more transmissible the new variant will be as it spreads and whether its more dangerous or deadly. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-26/scientists-race-to-decode-omicron-as-emergency-defenses-buy-time 26th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Paris has made the wearing of face masks outside mandatory again at public gatherings as the COVID19 infection rate in the French capital soars police said. The police prefecture said in a statement that masks will have to be worn for gathering in public spaces at festivals and spectacles on markets and when standing in line. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/paris-makes-mask-wearing-outdoors-mandatory-public-gatherings-2021-11-26/ 26th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Dutch health authorities said that 61 people who arrived in Amsterdam on two flights from South Africa on Friday tested positive for COVID19 and they were conducting further testing early Saturday to see if any of the infections are with the recently discovered Omicron coronavirus variant. Around 600 passengers arrived at Amsterdams Schiphol Airport on the two KLM flights on Friday and then faced hours of delays and testing due to concerns over the new virus variant. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/passengers-south-africa-face-wait-covid-19-testing-amsterdam-2021-11-26/ 26th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Merck Co said on Friday updated data from its study of its experimental COVID19 pill showed the drug was significantly less effective in cutting hospitalizations and deaths than previously reported. The drugmaker said its pill showed a 30 reduction in hospitalizations and deaths based on data from 1433 patients. In October its data showed a roughly 50 efficacy based on data from 775 patients. The drug molnupiravir was developed with partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/merck-says-covid-19-pill-cuts-hospitalization-death-risk-by-30-2021-11-26/ 26th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters BioNTech SE said on Friday it expects more data on a worrying new coronavirus variant detected in South Africa within two weeks to help determine whether its vaccine produced with partner Pfizer Inc would have to be reworked. Pfizer and BioNTech said that if necessary they expect to be able to ship a new vaccine tailored to the emerging variant in approximately 100 days. We understand the concern of experts and have immediately initiated investigations on variant B.1.1.529 BioNTech said in a statement when asked to comment. We expect more data from the laboratory tests in two weeks at the latest. These data will provide more information about whether B.1.1.529 could be an escape variant that may require an adjustment of our vaccine if the variant spreads globally it added. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/biontech-says-expect-more-data-new-variant-2-weeks-2021-11-26/ 26th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Hill Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Friday that the country is on the threshold of an emergency situation after it detected its first case of omicron the new South African strain of coronavirus. The Israeli Health Ministry said it detected the new strain in a traveler who had returned from Malawi and that it is investigating two other suspected cases The Associated Press reported. Bennett said the new variant is more contagious and spreads more rapidly than the delta variant. He added that authorities are still gathering data on how effective the coronavirus vaccines will be against the variant. https://thehill.com/policy/international/middle-east-north-africa/583201-israel-warns-of-looming-emergency-after-its 26th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Sky News A worrying new COVID strain has been classified by the World Health Organisation as a variant of concern its most serious level and officially given the Greek name Omicron. The WHO said the variant first detected in South Africa and previously known as B.1.1.529 has a large number of mutations some of which are concerning and early evidence suggested an increased risk of reinfection compared to other strains. This variant has been detected at faster rates than previous surges in infection suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage the organisation added. https://news.sky.com/story/no-cases-of-new-variant-in-uk-but-highly-likely-it-has-spread-to-other-countries-javid-says-12479219 26th Nov 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg The Moderna Inc. and Russian Sputnik V Covid19 vaccines both edged the version from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE in effectiveness in a largescale study of five different immunization shots conducted by Hungarian researchers. Modernas vaccine was 88.7 effective in protecting against coronavirus infection and 93.6 effective against Covidrelated mortality compared with 85.7 and 95.4 respectively for Sputnik according to the paper published Wednesday on the website of the Clinical Microbiology and Infection medical journal. Pfizer came in third with 83.3 and 90.6 respectively. The research reviewed the effectiveness of five vaccines in people at least seven days after they received their second dose. Data from more than 3.7 million vaccinated people aged 16 and over were reviewed from January to June of this year. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-25/moderna-edges-pfizer-in-hungarian-study-of-five-covid-vaccines?utm_source=google&amputm_medium=bd&ampcmpId=google 26th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters No cases of new COVID19 variant detected in South Africa have been identified in the United States to date the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday. The World Health Organization WHO designated the B.1.1.529 variant dubbed Omicron as being of concern the fifth variant to be classified as such. We expect Omicron to be identified quickly if it emerges in the U.S. CDC said in a statement. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/cdc-says-no-cases-omicron-identified-us-so-far-2021-11-27/ 27th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Australia on Friday said it was investigating the newly identified COVID19 variant spreading in South Africa and warned it may close its borders to travellers from the African nation if risks from the new strain rise. South African scientists are concerned the new variant could evade the bodys immune response and make it more transmissible as it has a very unusual constellation of mutations. Australia Health Minister Greg Hunt said he would swiftly respond if the World Health Organization WHO classifies it as a major new variant. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/australia-investigates-new-covid-19-variant-found-south-africa-2021-11-26/ 26th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters New Zealand is well prepared for the discovery of new coronavirus variants that may be resistant to vaccines Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Friday including the strain currently spreading in South Africa. All of our planning around COVID we have built into it the possibility of variants in the future Ardern said in an interview for the upcoming Reuters Next conference. That is why we are maintaining levels of public health protections. Its why weve maintained requirements at our border. Britain on Thursday drew attention to a newly identified coronavirus variant in South Africa with a spike protein that was dramatically different to the one in the original coronavirus that COVID19 vaccines are based on. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/new-zealand-pm-ardern-says-prepared-new-covid-19-variants-2021-11-26/ 26th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Wall Street Journal South Africas government is considering new publichealth restrictions to contain a fastspreading new variant of the coronavirus that scientists say has a high number of mutations that may make it more transmissible and allow it to evade some of the immune responses triggered by previous infection or vaccination. The warning from the South African scientists and the Health Ministry issued in a hastily called news briefing Thursday prompted the World Health Organization to call a meeting of experts for Friday to discuss whether to declare the new strain a variant of concern. The WHO uses this label for virus strains that have been proven to be more contagious lead to more serious illness or decrease the effectiveness of publichealth measures tests treatments or vaccines. Other variants of concern include the Delta variant that is now dominant worldwide and the Alpha variant that drove a deadly wave of infections across Europe and the U.S. last winter and spring. https://www.wsj.com/articles/south-africa-raises-alarm-over-new-coronavirus-variant-11637862061 26th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Bloomberg Shanghai scrapped about onethird of the flights from its busiest international airport on Friday and suspended some hospital services after a handful of Covid infections were detected in the financial hub showing Chinas commitment to stringent curbs to eliminate the virus as winter looms. More than 30 of flights from Shanghai Pudong International Airport were canceled on Friday morning state broadcaster CCTV reported. Schools were immediately suspended and housing complexes tied to the cases were locked down as local officials embraced strict measures in what may become a protracted battle as cold weather forces more people indoors. Chinese airline stocks declined. Shanghai International Airport Co. Ltd. fell as much as 4 while Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. and China Eastern Airlines Corp. Ltd. dropped at least 2 in Hong Kong. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-26/shanghai-s-flareup-spreads-as-china-faces-a-new-covid-outbreak 26th Nov 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Bloomberg Two cases of the new Covid19 strain raising alarm in parts of southern Africa and unnerving financial markets worldwide have been found in travelers in compulsory quarantine in Hong Kong. A traveler from South Africa was found to have the variant currently known as B.1.1.529 while the other case was identified in a person whod traveled from Canada and was quarantined in the hotel room opposite his the Hong Kong government said late Thursday. The traveler from South Africa used a mask with a valve that doesnt filter exhaled air and may have transmitted the virus to his neighbor when the hotel room door was open a health department spokesperson said Friday. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-26/hong-kong-finds-two-cases-of-new-covid-variant-in-travelers 26th Nov 2021

New Lockdown

Bloomberg The Portuguese government said remote working will be mandatory in the week of Jan. 29 as it tries to prevent a spike in coronavirus infections after the Christmas and New Year holiday break. Schools will reopen on Jan. 10 a week later than previously planned Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Thursday at a press conference in Lisbon. Until that first week of January remote working will be recommended when possible. From December the use of masks will become mandatory in closed spaces digital certificates will be needed to access restaurants or hotels and negative tests will be required for nightclubs bars and sports venues. Masks are currently already required on public transport. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-25/portugal-says-remote-working-to-be-mandatory-in-week-of-jan-2-9 26th Nov 2021