15th Dec 2021 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=561 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

The Wall Street Journal Kroger Co. is eliminating some Covid19 benefits for unvaccinated employees a move to encourage inoculations as the Biden administrations vaccine mandate faces legal challenges. The Cincinnatibased grocery chain told employees last week that it will no longer provide two weeks of paid emergency leave for unvaccinated employees who contract Covid19 unless local jurisdictions require otherwise. Kroger will also add a 50 monthly surcharge to company health plans for unvaccinated managers and other nonunion employees according to a memo viewed by The Wall Street Journal. Both policies are effective Jan. 1 the memo said. https://www.wsj.com/articles/kroger-to-end-some-covid-19-benefits-for-unvaccinated-workers-11639477802 15th Dec 2021

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Covid is possibly even more political in the U.S. than it is in the U.K. and the federal system allows for far greater differences in response between states. But Covid fatigue is universal and a political tripwire at this point. So is the U.K. right to regard omicron as such a serious danger Lets look at the evidence from South Africa where the variant was first identified and provides the most data. Capital Economics Ltd. of London has produced these excellent charts. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-12-14/different-u-s-u-k-reaction-to-omicron-hints-at-central-bank-rate-policies 15th Dec 2021

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Boris Johnsons strategy for tackling a U.K. surge in omicron infections is already facing setbacks as medics warn of bottlenecks and staffing shortages in the vaccine booster program. The British prime minister promised to ramp up delivery of boosters to warp speed to achieve its target of reaching all adults by the end of December and late Monday announced that hundreds of new vaccine sites would open across the country including at soccer stadiums and racecourses. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-13/vaccine-sites-to-open-in-u-k-stadiums-as-omicron-cases-surge 15th Dec 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Almost 100 Conservative lawmakers voted on Tuesday against new coronavirus restrictions dealing a major blow to British Prime Minister Boris Johnsons authority and raising questions about his leadership. After a day of frenzied failed lobbying Johnson was handed the biggest rebellion against his government so far by his party over measures he said were necessary to curb the spread of the new Omicron variant. The new rules which included ordering people to wear masks in public places and use COVID19 passes for some venues passed thanks largely to the main opposition Labour Party. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/british-pm-johnson-faces-rebellion-parliament-over-covid-measures-2021-12-14/ 15th Dec 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Alphabet Incs Google told its employees they would lose pay and eventually be fired if they do not follow its COVID19 vaccination rules CNBC reported on Tuesday citing internal documents. A memo circulated by Googles leadership said employees had until Dec. 3 to declare their vaccination status and upload documentation showing proof or to apply for a medical or religious exemption according to the report. After that date Google said it would start contacting employees who had not uploaded their status or were unvaccinated and those whose exemption requests were not approved CNBC reported. https://www.reuters.com/technology/google-says-employees-will-eventually-be-fired-if-they-do-not-follow-vaccination-2021-12-14/ 15th Dec 2021

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Finland is considering tightening travel restrictions to stop passengers from bringing in the coronavirus particularly the new omicron variant said Krista Kiuru the minister overseeing the pandemic response. The Nordic country will require travelers from outside the European Union and the Schengen area to present a negative test result from the prior 48 hours Kiuru told broadcaster YLE on Tuesday. The government is still discussing when to begin enforcing the rule she said. Finland will also recommend all travelers including from the EU take a test before arrival and a home test afterward. Arrivals from certain countries such as Denmark Norway and the U.K. are likely to be subject to compulsory health checks Kiuru said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-14/finland-to-tighten-travel-restrictions-to-slow-omicron-spread 14th Dec 2021

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg The World Health Organization is concerned that the omicron variant is being dismissed as mild even as it spreads at a faster rate than any previous strain of Covid19. The recently detected variant has been reported in some 77 nations though its probably in most countries already said WHO DirectorGeneral Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Were concerned that people are jumping to a conclusion that this is a mild disease Bruce Aylward senior adviser at the WHO told journalists at a briefing on Tuesday. A more transmissible virus can do just as much damage or more than one which is more severe but less transmissible. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-14/who-warns-against-underestimating-the-omicron-threat 14th Dec 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters President Joe Bidens administration may request additional funds from Congress for COVID19 testing depending on the severity of the Omicron variant U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra said on Tuesday. The department has 10 billion left in federal relief funds for testing from the 50 billion made available by Congress back in March but might need more Becerra said at a meeting with reporters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-government-likely-request-more-covid-19-testing-funds-2021-12-14/ 14th Dec 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Apple Inc will require all customers and employees to wear masks at its U.S. retail stores the iPhone maker said on Tuesday as COVID19 cases surge in the country. Last month Apple had scrapped its mask mandate for customers at more than 100 of the companys about 270 stores across the United States according to Bloomberg News as coronavirus cases declined. We regularly monitor conditions and we will adjust our health measures in stores to support the wellbeing of customers and employees the company said on Tuesday. https://www.reuters.com/technology/apple-asks-customers-employees-wear-masks-us-retail-stores-2021-12-14/ 14th Dec 2021

Exit Strategies

The Wall Street Journal Preliminary laboratory tests gave encouraging signs that Pfizer Inc.s PFE 0.62 experimental Covid19 pill for the newly infected could work against Omicron the company said. Pfizer also said Tuesday that a final analysis of latestage study results confirmed the drug named Paxlovid was 89 effective at reducing the risk of hospitalization and death in adults at high risk of severe Covid19. The positive results come as the Food and Drug Administration reviews whether to clear use of Paxlovid in highrisk adults a decision that could come before the end of the year. This was a real home run gives tremendous hope for another highly effective intervention Pfizer Chief Scientific Officer Mikael Dolsten said in an interview. https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizer-says-its-covid-19-pill-likely-works-against-omicron-11639482302 15th Dec 2021

Exit Strategies

Sky News A decision on whether to vaccinate children as young as five against COVID could be made before Christmas one of the governments top advisers on vaccines has said. Professor Wei Shen Lim chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisations COVID19 panel said he would expect his team to offer their advice on jabs for those between the ages of five to 11yearsold before Christmas. COVID case rates have been consistently high in schoolaged children since September but vaccines have only been offered to 12 to 15yearolds since November later than in many other countries. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-children-as-young-as-5-years-old-could-be-offered-vaccine-with-decision-expected-before-christmas-12495493 14th Dec 2021

Exit Strategies

Sky News All 11 countries on the UKs travel red list will be removed as the system has become less effective in slowing the incursion of the Omicron variant the health secretary has announced. Sajid Javid told the House of Commons that the nations will be removed from 4am on Wednesday so arrivals will no longer have to isolate in a governmentapproved quarantine hotel for two weeks at the cost of 2285. The 11 countries currently on the red list are Angola Botswana Eswatini Lesotho Malawi Mozambique Namibia Nigeria South Africa Zambia and Zimbabwe. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-all-countries-on-red-list-removed-as-less-effective-in-slowing-omicron-javid-12495628 14th Dec 2021

Exit Strategies

iNews Lengthy queues have already begun to form outside walkin vaccination clinics for a the second day following the Governments pledge to offer one to all over18s by the end of December. The queue for walkin jabs at the Centre Court Shopping Centre in Wimbledon southwest London was snaking around the entire top floor and back to the entrance while some people have already been turned away from a clinic in Swindon Wiltshire. At St Thomas Hospital near Parliament in central London people began queuing before the clinic opened at 8am and the line was snaked across Westminster Bridge for a second day. https://inews.co.uk/news/walk-in-booster-jab-covid-vaccine-drive-people-turned-away-clinics-queues-1351050?ito=social_itw_theipaper 14th Dec 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Kroger Co will stop some COVID19 benefits for unvaccinated employees starting next year as the supermarket chain pushes more workers to get inoculated amid growing concerns over the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant. The company will no longer provide paid COVID19 leave for unvaccinated employees and will apply a 50 monthly health insurance surcharge to salaried nonunion workers who are unvaccinated and enrolled in a company healthcare plan a Kroger spokesperson said on Tuesday. https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/kroger-remove-some-covid-19-benefits-unvaccinated-employees-2021-12-14/ 14th Dec 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters California will impose a statewide mask mandate in all indoor public spaces as COVID19 case rates soar the states senior government health official said on Monday as precautions ramp up against the Omicron variant. The mandate which will take effect on Wednesday and last a month is one of several measures the mostpopulous U.S. state is taking to slow a wave of infections that is already straining hospitals in areas where vaccination rates are low. We know people are tired and hungry for normalcy state Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly said in a conference call with reporters. Frankly I am too. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/california-re-institute-statewide-mask-mandate-amid-rise-covid-cases-2021-12-13/ 14th Dec 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters The Netherlands will extend COVID19 restrictions through the Christmas holidays including the early closure of schools Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Tuesday. The rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus which is making up roughly 1 of new infections in the country is a reason to be concerned and to be cautious Rutte said in a televised comments. Elementary schools will close a week early to try to prevent children from infecting older family members during Christmas as hospitals struggle with a wave of COVID19 patients. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/dutch-consider-early-christmas-break-schools-limit-covid-19-spread-2021-12-14/ 14th Dec 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Nigeria will destroy around one million expired COVID19 vaccines Faisal Shuaib head of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency NPHCDA said on Monday adding his agency was working with drug regulator NAFDAC to set a date for their destruction. Nigerias health minister Osagie Ehanire said last week some COVID19 doses donated by rich Western countries had a remaining shelf life of only weeks adding to the countrys challenges in vaccinating its people. read more Fewer than 4 of adults in Africas most populous nation of over 200 million have been fully vaccinated. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/nigeria-destroy-around-1-million-expired-covid-19-vaccines-senior-official-2021-12-13/ 14th Dec 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Singapore is considering requiring its residents to get a booster shot to qualify as fully vaccinated against COVID19 its health minister said on Tuesday as it seeks to protect its population from the Omicron variant. The citystate of 5.5 million people currently allows only those counted as fully vaccinated or recipients of two shots to enter malls or dine in at restaurants or at hawker stalls. From Jan. 1 it will bar unvaccinated employees from entering workplaces unless they undergo tests each time. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/singapore-let-more-workers-return-office-next-year-2021-12-14/ 14th Dec 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Germany will exempt people who have had a booster vaccination from having to take a coronavirus test before entering some leisure facilities federal and regional health ministers agreed on Tuesday. The proposal agreed by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and ministers from Germanys 16 federal states is aimed at ncouraging people to get a booster shot and relieving testing capacity. However a negative test result would still be required to enter hospitals and care homes to help protect more vulnerable people according to the draft reviewed by Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-plans-ease-testing-those-with-covid-19-booster-draft-2021-12-14/ 14th Dec 2021

Exit Strategies

STAT News Even when booster shots for rich nations are taken into account theres ample supply to meet global vaccination goals for the end of 2021 STATs analysis of available data shows. The challenge is getting the vaccines to the right places. Around 11 billion Covid19 vaccine doses will have been manufactured by the end of 2021 according to estimates from Dukes Global Health Innovation Center and the COVID Collaborative. The precise number is uncertain said Krishna Udayakumar the Duke centers founding director because both manufacturers and governments have failed to release details. His calculation is in line with the World Trade OrganizationInternational Monetary Fund vaccine tracker which showed a supply of 8.8 billion vaccines by the end of October. https://www.statnews.com/2021/12/13/we-have-enough-covid-vaccines-for-most-of-world-but-rich-countries-stockpiling-more-than-they-need/ 13th Dec 2021

Partisan Exits

Sky News Boris Johnson is facing the biggest Tory rebellion since the 2019 general election in a bitter Commons showdown with many of his own MPs over his Plan B COVID rules. Nearly 80 Conservative backbenchers have signalled they are prepared to vote against new regulations on face masks isolating vaccine passports and compulsory vaccinations for NHS staff. Sir Keir Starmer has pledged Labour support for the measures so there is no danger of a government defeat. But a huge backbench rebellion will be a humiliating blow to the prime ministers authority. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-tory-backbenchers-prepare-to-turn-on-johnson-over-covid-restrictions-as-pm-calls-for-a-vaccine-volunteer-army-12495295 14th Dec 2021

Partisan Exits

Reuters The U.S. Air Force on Monday said 27 service members had been discharged for refusing to receive a COVID19 vaccine the first activeduty troops believed to have been removed for declining the vaccine. The Pentagon made the vaccine mandatory for all service members in August and the vast majority of activeduty troops have received at least one dose. Ann Stefanek a spokeswoman for the Air Force said the troops were given a chance to explain why they had refused to get vaccinated but none of them were given exemptions. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-air-force-removes-27-service-members-refusing-covid-19-vaccine-2021-12-13/ 14th Dec 2021

Partisan Exits

Reuters Almost 100 Conservative lawmakers voted on Tuesday against new coronavirus restrictions dealing a major blow to British Prime Minister Boris Johnsons authority and raising questions about his leadership. After a day of frenzied failed lobbying Johnson was handed the biggest rebellion against his government so far by his party over measures he said were necessary to curb the spread of the new Omicron variant. The new rules which included ordering people to wear masks in public places and use COVID19 passes for some venues passed thanks largely to the main opposition Labour Party. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/british-pm-johnson-faces-rebellion-parliament-over-covid-measures-2021-12-14/ 14th Dec 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Metro.co.uk A trial is being launched of a new needlefree Covid19 vaccine that could give wideranging protection against variants and future coronaviruses. The University of Southampton has developed the new vaccine which uses a jet of air to push it through the skin rather than a needle. Saul Faust clinical chief investigator and director of the NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility said This isnt simply yet another coronavirus vaccine as it has both Covid19 variants and future coronaviruses in its sights. This technology could give wideranging protection to huge numbers of people worldwide. https://metro.co.uk/2021/12/14/needle-free-covid-19-vaccine-being-trialled-in-the-uk-15766580/ 14th Dec 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

CNN Tuesday marks precisely one year since the first coronavirus vaccine shots were going into arms in the US. Over the course of that year an incredible 202 million people and counting more than 60 of the entire US population have been fully vaccinated about 484 million vaccine doses have been delivered and now the government is encouraging everyone 16 and older to get a booster shot. The number of people fully vaccinated is both incredible and not nearly enough. Fights over how to get the rest of the country to utilize the shots waiting for them have turned into a massive political and legal standoff over requirements. https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/13/politics/us-covid-19-milestones-what-matters/index.html 14th Dec 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Malaysias health ministry said on Tuesday it has given conditional approval for the use of the singledose antibody cocktail Ronapreve developed by Regeneron REGN.O and Roche ROG.S to treat COVID19. It has also approved a request from Merck Co MRK.N for a clinical trial import license for its COVID19 pill Molnupiravir to be used as part of studies being conducted in Malaysia the ministry said in a statement. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/malaysia-gives-conditional-approval-use-ronapreve-covid-19-treatment-2021-12-14/ 14th Dec 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Russia has still not handed over all the information needed for its flagship Sputnik V COVID19 vaccine to be approved by the World Health Organisation because of differences in regulatory standards the Kremlin said on Tuesday. Moscow rushed to approve the Sputnik V shot for domestic use last year but it has still not been certified by either the WHO or the European Medicines Agency the EUs drug regulator. Asked what was causing the delay Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters the certification process was under way. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-yet-hand-over-all-data-covid-vaccines-who-approval-kremlin-2021-12-14/ 14th Dec 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters India is struggling to export its surplus of COVID19 vaccines as logistical hurdles delay their use in many countries despite low levels of inoculation vaccine producer the Serum Institute of India SII and a government official said on Tuesday. The SII the worlds biggest vaccine maker that produces the AstraZeneca Novavax and Sputnik COVID19 shots has already announced plans to temporarily halve output of the AstraZeneca drug until more orders came including possibly through boosters. read more https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-stuck-with-covid-19-vaccines-it-cant-export-2021-12-14/ 14th Dec 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters COVID19 infections are more likely to trigger rare cardiovascular complications such as heart inflammation and irregular heartbeat than vaccines a British study showed on Tuesday after scientists parsed data of about 38 million vaccinated people. The study published in the Nature Medicine journal compared the risks of myocarditis pericarditis and cardiac arrhythmia following a first and second dose of COVID19 vaccines from AstraZenecaOxford PfizerBioNTech and Moderna with coronavirus infections. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/heart-condition-risk-higher-after-covid-19-illness-than-vaccines-uk-study-2021-12-14/ 14th Dec 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Pfizer Inc on Tuesday said its antiviral COVID19 pill showed near 90 efficacy in preventing hospitalizations and deaths in highrisk patients and recent lab data suggests the drug retains its effectiveness against the fast spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The U.S. drugmaker last month said the oral medicine was around 89 effective in preventing hospitalizations or deaths when compared to placebo based on interim results in around 1200 people. Data from its final analysis of the trial disclosed on Tuesday includes an additional 1000 people. Nobody in the trial who received the Pfizer treatment died compared with 12 deaths among placebo recipients. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/pfizer-says-covid-19-pill-near-90-effective-final-analysis-2021-12-14/ 14th Dec 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters U.S. drugmaker Moderna Inc will produce millions of mRNA vaccines a year in Australia after agreeing to set up one of its largest manufacturing facilities outside the United States and Europe. The deal a second such commitment in Asia Pacific by a western mRNA vaccine developer underscores efforts by governments around the world to build up local production and prepare for future pandemic threats after limited early access to shots led to slow COVID19 vaccine rollouts. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/moderna-manufacture-mrna-vaccines-australia-2021-12-13/ 14th Dec 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg New study data showed Pfizer Inc.s experimental Covid19 pill was highly effective at keeping patients out of the hospital but less adept at erasing milder symptoms often associated with breakthrough infections. Pfizer disclosed findings from two studies in a statement Tuesday. In one its treatment Paxlovid failed to meet the primary goal of reducing selfreported symptoms in 673 adults at standard risk of developing Covid19 complications. The drug showed a trend toward reducing hospitalizations in the group by 70 however. In the other study the treatment remained 89 effective in preventing hospitalizations in highrisk unvaccinated people when used within 3 days of the appearance of symptoms. That confirmed Pfizers earlier analysis of results from a smaller number of patients. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-14/pfizer-covid-pill-stops-hospitalizations-not-milder-symptoms 14th Dec 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press The omicron variant is offering more hints about what it may have in store as it spreads around the globe A highly transmissible virus that may cause less severe disease and one that can be slowed but not stopped by todays vaccines. An analysis Tuesday of data from South Africa where the new variant is driving a surge in infections suggests the Pfizer vaccine offers less defense against infection from omicron and reduced but still good protection from hospitalization. The findings are preliminary and have not been peerreviewed the gold standard in scientific research but they line up with other early data about omicrons behavior including that it seems to be more easily spread from person to person. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-africa-south-africa-c8d09bed79be4a25f752237c0470961b 14th Dec 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press Australias government said Tuesday it plans to start making mRNA vaccines at home with a new plant that could produce up to 100 million doses each year. The announcement came as coronavirus cases in Sydney and surrounding areas jumped driven in part by the omicron variant. The new factory would be built in Victoria state in a partnership between vaccine manufacturer Moderna and the federal and state governments. It is expected to open by 2024. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was in the countrys national interest to produce vaccines locally. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-pandemics-victoria-b96f8fcfa0678b7b384dbc2224c97520 14th Dec 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

AlJazeera Two doses of PfizerBioNTechs COVID19 vaccine appear to provide 70 percent protection against hospitalisation from the Omicron coronavirus variant according to an extensive realworld study in South Africa. The analysis released on Tuesday by South Africas largest private health insurance administrator Discovery Health was based on more than 211000 positive COVID19 test results of adults from November 15 to December 7 about 78000 of which were attributed to Omicron. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/12/14/pfizer-jab-protecting-against-hospitalisation-during-omicron-wave 14th Dec 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

STAT News For some Covid experts whats most unsettling about the Omicron variant is all the uncertainty surrounding it. Thats what keeps John Moore a professor of microbiology and immunology at Weill Cornell Medical College up at night. Ive lost more sleep worrying about answering questions about Omicron than over Omicron itself he said during a panel at STATs A Look Ahead at Biotech 2022event last week. Moore like many other experts is waiting for more data before judging how the new variant is going to pan out. More time will tell us whether Omicron will fizzle out and be forgettable like Beta or if it will be much more consequential and replace Delta in much the same way Delta replaced Alpha. https://www.statnews.com/2021/12/14/covid19-omicron-coronavirus-questions-vaccinations/ 14th Dec 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters PfizerBioNTechs COVID19 vaccine has been less effective in South Africa at keeping people infected with the virus out of hospital since the Omicron variant emerged last month a realworld study published on Tuesday showed. Between Nov. 15 and Dec. 7 people who had received two doses of the shot had a 70 chance of avoiding hospitalisation down from 93 during the previous wave of Delta infections the study showed. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/pfizer-vaccine-protecting-against-hospitalisation-during-omicron-wave-study-2021-12-14/ 14th Dec 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press One year ago the biggest vaccination drive in American history began with a flush of excitement in an otherwise gloomy December. Trucks loaded with freezerpacked vials of a COVID19 vaccine that had proved wildly successful in clinical trials fanned out across the land bringing shots that many hoped would spell the end of the crisis. That hasnt happened. A year later too many Americans remain unvaccinated and too many are dying. The nations COVID19 death toll stands at around 800000 as the anniversary of the U.S. vaccine rollout arrives. A year ago it stood at 300000. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-francis-collins-57ab6ae016acec5ee5ca268cc682879c 13th Dec 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Health authorities in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou have detected one infection of the Omicron coronavirus variant the state broadcaster CCTV said on Tuesday. The infected person a 67yearold man who entered China from overseas in November and flew to Guangzhou after quarantine last week tested positive while he was isolated at home in the city according to CCTV. The case follows Chinas first Omicron detection in the northern Tianjin city a person who had also arrived from abroad https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-southern-guangzhou-city-detects-one-covid-infection-omicron-variant-2021-12-14/ 14th Dec 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Africa is experiencing its fastest surge in COVID19 cases this year with the number up 83 in the past week although deaths remain low the World Health Organization WHO said on Tuesday. The spike in cases is driven by the Delta and Omicron variants the WHO said in a statement. The number of new COVID19 cases on the continent is currently doubling every five days the shortest time frame reported this year. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/africa-sees-83-surge-covid-19-cases-past-week-2021-12-14/ 14th Dec 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters France is contemplating tightening controls for travellers coming from Britain where the new more contagious Omicron coronavirus variant seems to be rapidly spreading said French government spokesman Gabriel Attal. Regarding Britain the current rule is to show a negative test less than 48 hours old in order to enter France Attal told France Info radio on Tuesday. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-will-not-take-new-measures-now-over-covid-despite-omicron-variant-attal-2021-12-14/ 14th Dec 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Associated Press Carolyn Burnett is bracing for her first Christmas without her son Chris a beloved high school football coach whose outdoor memorial service drew a crowd of hundreds. The unvaccinated 34yearold father of four died in September as a result of COVID19 after nearly two weeks on a ventilator and his loss has left a gaping hole for his mother widow and family as the holidays approach. How she thought could they take a holiday photo without Chris What would Christmas Day football be like without him offering up commentary How could they play trivia games on Christmas Eve without him beating everyone with his movie expertise The U.S. on Tuesday hit another depressing pandemic milestone 800000 deaths. Its a sad coda to a year that held so much promise with the arrival of vaccines but is ending in heartbreak for the many grieving families trying to navigate the holiday season. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-nfl-sports-health-football-f967f156fb205277266d2bb2483b858c 14th Dec 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Associated Press South Korea on Tuesday marked its deadliest day of the pandemic as an unrelenting deltadriven spread stretched thin hospitals and left people dying while waiting for beds. Health experts warn that the countrys medical system is quickly approaching its limits and that fatalities could worsen if the government continues to be slow and hesitant in tightening social distancing. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said 94 virus patients died in the past 24 hours while a record 906 were in serious or critical condition. The 5567 new infections were the highest yet for a Tuesday daily tallies are usually smaller at the start of the week because of fewer tests on weekends indicating the virus has continued to gain speed after the government moderately tightened social distancing last week. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-pandemics-seoul-91acd6dbf13e16778262e3ec5798a7c3 14th Dec 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Coronavirus Resurgence At a temporary COVID19 intensive care unit at the University Emergency Hospital in Bucharest set up to cope with the strain of Romanias devastating fourth wave a cardiac monitor beeps with a warning. An elderly unvaccinated patient bonethin and too sick to breathe without the help of machines is losing his battle with the deadly virus. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/12/14/with-a-minority-vaccinated-in-romania-fears-of-fifth-wave-mount 14th Dec 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

STAT News The Omicron variant is starting to eat into Deltas dominance in the United States. The new variant accounted for 2.9 of sequenced Covid19 cases in the United States in the week ending Dec. 11. The week before 0 of cases were from Omicron. Delta accounted for essentially all of the other sequenced cases according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The new figures updated Tuesday indicate that Omicron started circulating before that week given how long it can take for infections to be sequenced and reported. They show that Omicrons advantage over the highly transmissible Delta variant is becoming noticeable in this country. https://www.statnews.com/2021/12/14/cdc-data-indicate-omicron-is-starting-to-eat-into-deltas-u-s-dominance/ 14th Dec 2021

New Lockdown

Yahoo News UK Norway will further tighten restrictions and speed up vaccination in a bid to limit an expected surge of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said on Monday. Norways new restrictions could cast doubt on the central banks plan to raise interest rates later this week https://uk.news.yahoo.com/norway-tighten-covid-regulations-pm-111604022.html 14th Dec 2021