11th Jan 2022 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=575 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Chile one of the worlds fastest movers on COVID19 vaccines started its campaign to give fourth doses on Monday to immunocompromised people a regional first as infections rise driven by the fast spread of the Omicron variant. The South American country has seen daily infections rise to over 4000 doubling over the last week government data show a reflection of soaring infections globally despite hopes over data suggesting Omicron may be less fatal if more contagious. This vaccine this fourth dose or second booster dose will be available to everyone https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/chile-vaccine-front-runner-launches-fourth-covid-dose-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Wall Street Journal The sevenday average of newly reported Covid19 infections in the U.S. is on track to triple the preOmicron record set a year ago when America saw a quarter million daily cases as concerns grow over access to and reliability of testing both in the U.S. and Europe where the highly transmissible Omicron variant has also taken root. Growing demand for tests has led some laboratories to ration access giving priority to people exhibiting symptoms or who have other underlying health concerns. The University of North Carolinas microbiology lab for instance is restricting tests to those showing Covid19 symptoms employees and patients who need a test before undergoing surgery. The University of Washington temporarily closed some of its testing sites last week and is giving appointment priority to people with Covid19 symptoms or a known exposure amid growing demand though health experts worry that asymptomatic people might continue to spread the virus if they are unable to access testing. https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-cases-set-to-triple-pre-omicron-record-11641816922 10th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters The small number of Italians who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID19 are largely responsible for the continued health crisis Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Monday. The government last week made vaccinations mandatory for everyone aged over 50 one of very few European countries to take such a step in an attempt to ease pressure on its hospitals as new cases surge. We must never lose sight of the fact that most of the problems we have today are because there are nonvaccinated people Draghi told a news conference. For the umpteenth time I invite all those Italians who are not yet vaccinated to do so and to get the third shot. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italys-covid-woes-mainly-caused-by-unvaccinated-draghi-says-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters The Omicron variant of the COVID19 coronavirus has become the dominant strain in the Czech Republic the countrys National Institute of Public Health SZU said on Monday. The central European country of 10.7 million expects the Omicron wave to culminate in late January with about 50000 daily cases detected but that may not be a complete picture because of the expected strain on testing capacity the government and independent experts have said. The SZU said that Omicron had accounted for more than 50 of positive tests as of Jan. 8 with samples from mainly big cities on Jan. 9 showing 79 of COVID19 cases were the Omicron variant https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/omicron-takes-over-czech-republics-dominant-coronavirus-variant-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters COVID19 hospitalizations in the United States reached a record high on Monday according to a Reuters tally as a surge in infections caused by the highly contagious Omicron variant strains health systems in several states. There were 132646 people hospitalized with COVID surpassing the record of 132051 set in January last year. Hospitalizations have increased steadily since late December doubling in the last three weeks as Omicron quickly overtook Delta as the dominant version of the virus in the United States. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-breaks-covid-19-hospitalization-record-omicron-surges-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Hill Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla on Monday said that his company is aiming to have a vaccine that targets the omicron variant as well as other COVID19 variants ready in March. This vaccine will be ready in March Bourla said in an appearance on CNBCs Squawk Box. We are already starting manufacturing some of these quantities at risk he added. Pfizer will produce the doses to be ready in case countries want the shots but Bourla noted that it was unclear if a vaccine targeting variants was necessary or how exactly it would be used. The hope is that we will achieve something that will have way way better protection particularly against infections because the protection against the hospitalizations and the severe disease it is reasonable right now with the current vaccines as long as you are having lets say the third dose Bourla said. https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/588988-pfizer-ceo-predicts-omicron-vaccine-will-be-ready-in-march 10th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Independent Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Snchez says that amid falling lethality rates for COVID19 Spain wants European officials to consider whether to move away from the detailed tracking that the pandemic has required until now to a flulike monitoring system. The change would mean treating COVID19 as an endemic illness rather than a pandemic Snchez said Monday adding that deaths as a proportion of recorded cases have fallen dramatically since the initial onset of the pandemic. I believe that we have the conditions for with precaution slowly opening the debate at the technical level and at the level of health professionals but also at the European level to start evaluating the evolution of this disease with different parameters than we have until now Snchez told Cadena SER radio. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/pedro-sanchez-madrid-spanish-pfizer-el-pais-b1989897.html 10th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

Sky News COVID19 could continue to pose a difficult situation for the next three months but we can see the end in sight the World Health Organisations special envoy on the virus has said. Disease experts are looking at when coronavirus will become endemic and how governments will need to change the way it is managed in the future. The WHOs Dr David Nabarro told Sky News Im afraid we are moving through the marathon but theres no actual way to say that were at the end we can see the end in sight but were not there. And theres going to be some bumps before we get there. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-end-in-sight-but-there-will-be-more-bumps-for-next-three-months-who-envoy-12512938 10th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

New Scientist UK government ministers are hinting at plans for the nation to live with covid. I hope we will be one of the first major economies to demonstrate to the world how you transition from pandemic to endemic Nadhim Zahawi former minister for covid vaccine deployment told Sky News on Sunday. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce details of such a plan within the coming weeks. We are moving to a situation where it is possible to say that we can live with covid and that the pressure on the NHS and on vital public services is abating senior minister Michael Gove told Sky News. But its absolutely vital to recognise that we are not there yet. To be considered endemic a disease outbreak would be consistently present in a region with predictable spread and infection rates. The spread and rates of the disease would be predictable. This is currently far from the case in the UK where over 150000 deaths have been reported so far and 141472 new cases were reported on Sunday. Scientists have expressed concern. Devi Sridhar at the University of Edinburgh points out that no country has learned to live with covid without crashing health services social life the economy or having widespread disruption in one way or another. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2237475-covid-19-news-ministers-plan-for-uk-to-live-with-covid/ 10th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters European governments are relaxing COVID19 rules to keep hospitals schools and emergency services going as the much more contagious but less lethal Omicron variant changes their approach to the pandemic. Even though a record surge in infections has yet to peak in Europe Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the time was right to start evaluating the diseases evolution with different parameters. The mass return of children to school after the Christmas holidays is evidence that few wish to see a return to the onlineonly learning that marked some of the early waves of infection. Even as France registered a record sevenday average of almost 270000 cases a day it eased testing protocols for schoolchildren saying too many classes were closed https://www.reuters.com/world/schools-return-amid-omicron-havoc-hopes-flicker-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters The Czech Republic said on Monday it would allow critical workers such as doctors and teachers to go to work after a positive COVID19 test the latest European country to ease restrictions to keep services running as cases surge. As the much more contagious Omicron variant becomes dominant and forces hundreds of thousands to isolate the pressure is growing on health workers police and firefighters with teachers set to follow as schools resume after Christmas holidays. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/europe-loosens-covid-policies-omicron-takes-out-key-workers-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg Prime Minister Mario Draghi said the Italian governments priority is to avoid closing schools and blamed those yet to get vaccinated against Covid19 for the nations pandemic woes. Most of the problems we have today stem from the fact that there are people who are not vaccinated Draghi said at a press conference in Rome on Monday. It doesnt make sense to close schools before everything else. The government successfully challenged in court a decision by the southern Campania region to keep schools closed after the Christmas vacation amid rising infections. Italy recorded more than 100000 new cases and over 700 new hospitalizations on Monday. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-10/draghi-says-keeping-schools-open-is-italy-s-pandemic-priority 10th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

The Guardian The UK government is warning that almost all pregnant women admitted to hospital with Covid symptoms were unvaccinated in one analysis over several months last year as it kicks off an advertising campaign encouraging expectant mothers to get boosted. The campaign is calling on pregnant women not to wait to get either their first second or booster jab. It will highlight the risks of Covid19 to mothers and babies with testimonies of pregnant women who have had the vaccine to be broadcast on radio and social media. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jan/10/uk-government-urges-all-pregnant-women-to-get-immediate-covid-jab 10th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

The Independent Chile is implementing a fourth vaccination dose for some citizens as the number of daily coronavirus infections rises. President Sebastin Piera was present on Monday when two adults with immunosuppression problems received a fourth vaccination for COVID19 at a Santiago hospital. Chile is applying a fourth dose early because the current daily infection rate of 4000 coronavirus cases could rise to 10000 or more Piera said. Vaccination with a fourth dose for the immunosuppressed will end on Feb. 7. Then the program will turn to people over 55 years old who had a third dose at least six months ago. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/chile-santiago-sebastian-pinera-vaccination-peru-b1990046.html 10th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Britain on Monday put the biggest private health companies on high alert to deliver crucial treatments such as cancer surgery should Omicron overwhelm National Health Service hospitals in England. The United Kingdoms death toll from the COVID19 pandemic stands at 150154 the worlds seventh worst official COVID toll after the United States Brazil India Russia Mexico and Peru. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has bet on refraining from lockdowns to deal with the Omicron variant which in recent weeks has swept across the United Kingdom albeit with death rates significantly lower than previous waves. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/englands-nhs-tells-private-health-providers-prepare-help-us-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Pope Francis on Monday condemned baseless ideological misinformation about COVID19 vaccines backing national immunisation campaigns and calling health care a moral obligation. Francis spoke in his yearly address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Vatican sometimes called his State of the World address because it is a broad survey of the global situation. His words to diplomats from nearly 200 countries marked the closest he has ever come to a de facto backing of vaccine mandates which have become controversial in Italy and other European countries. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/pope-backs-covid-immunisation-campaigns-warns-ideological-misinformation-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Spains government is working on rules to limit the retail price of antigen tests for COVID19 Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday after shortages were reported in many pharmacies across the country last month. Price rises during the surge in Omicron cases and the scarcity of tests in pharmacies have raised protests from opposition politicians and consumer groups many of whom are calling for tests to be sold in supermarkets. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spains-government-limit-retail-price-covid-antigen-tests-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters India More than 1 million Indians received their third COVID19 vaccine dose on Monday as the country rolled out boosters for frontline workers and vulnerable elderly with the Omicron variant fuelling an eightfold rise in infections in 10 days. The health ministry said only 5 to 10 of the infected have sought hospitalisation compared with 20 to 23 during the Deltadriven last wave that peaked in May. Authorities say most people have shown no or only minor symptoms and have recovered quickly at home. The situation is dynamic and evolving therefore the need for hospitalisation may also change rapidly Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote in a letter to state authorities asking them to regularly review staffing levels https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-covid-19-cases-multiply-vulnerable-groups-given-vaccine-boosters-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Britain is making progress against Omicron and is looking at reducing the isolation period to five days Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday though he cautioned the number of hospitalised COVID19 cases was rising. Asked about cutting the isolation period from seven days to five days he said Were looking at that. But he added that the government would follow the science. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-pm-johnson-looking-at-cutting-covid-19-isolation-period-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

The Wall Street Journal Escalating demand for Covid19 tests is prompting some laboratories to ration access giving priority to people with symptoms or other health concerns as the Omicron variant quickly spreads. Triaging who is eligible for Covid19 tests can help ensure that patients who need a test the most get results fast enough to isolate or get treatment pathologists and publichealth experts say. The strategy however risks perpetuating the viruss spread if some people get turned away from testing altogether. What we dont want is for people to not be able to get tested in the community and then show up at the ER to get testing said Melissa Miller director of the University of North Carolinas microbiology lab. But there is a maximum amount that you can collect in a day. https://www.wsj.com/articles/labs-limit-covid-19-test-access-as-demand-soars-11641724202 10th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg Hong Kongs veneer of normalcy has been shattered and its exposed just how misguided and unrealistic the territorys Covid19 containment strategy has become two years into the pandemic. After months of no local Covid infections Hong Kong reported a string of positive cases over the past week. The territorys socalled fifth wave was set off by an aircrew employee who didnt fully comply with his medical surveillance rules a special concession for airlines. He went to a restaurant for lunch and it quickly spread from there. Several senior government officials including the territorys police chief immigration head and financial services secretary were ordered into quarantine after attending a birthday party that flouted warnings to avoid large gatherings. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-01-09/hong-kong-s-covid-zero-strategy-has-failed-it-s-time-for-a-policy-rethink 10th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is pushing ahead with a vaccine mandate for international truckers despite increasing pressure from critics who say it will exacerbate driver shortages and drive up the price of goods imported from the United States. Canada will require all truckers entering from the United States to show proof of vaccination starting on Saturday as part of its fight against COVID19. That could force some 16000 or 10 of crossborder drivers off the roads the Canadian Trucking Alliance CTA estimates. The government estimates 5 of drivers will be impacted according to a government source. https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/canada-resists-pressure-drop-vaccine-mandate-cross-border-truckers-2022-01-09/ 10th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Reducing the selfisolation period for people who test positive for COVID19 from seven days to five would help British employers that have been hard hit by absences education minister Nadhim Zahawi said on Sunday. The Omicron variant is still spreading in Britain and many businesses schools and hospitals are struggling with staff shortages fuelling calls for the rules on isolation after a positive test to be reduced further. Last month health authorities in the United States shortened the recommended isolation time for asymptomatic cases of COVID19 to five days from the previous guidance of 10 days https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-minister-says-reduced-covid-isolation-period-would-help-workers-2022-01-09/ 10th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Israel sought on Sunday to ease access to home COVID19 tests after a decision to allow most vaccinated people to use the kits to decide whether or not to quarantine led to shortages in shops and complaints about high prices. We are mindful of the publics distress Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said at the weekly cabinet meeting announcing that every child in kindergarten or elementary school in Israel would be issued will three free kits in the coming days. The government was also negotiating price reductions with major pharmacy chains Bennett said adding In any event costs will come down in the near future because the market will be flooded with millions of kits that will arrive in Israel. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-issue-young-children-with-free-covid-home-tests-bennett-says-2022-01-09/ 10th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

The Times Nicola Sturgeon has insisted it would be utterly wrongheaded to halt the free availability of lateral flow tests as her health secretary dismissed the idea of following England and reducing quarantine to five days. Under plans reportedly being considered by UK officials the tests could soon be made available only in highrisk settings such as care homes hospitals and schools. A Whitehall source told The Sunday Times I dont think we are in a world where we can continue to hand out free lateral flow tests to everybody forevermore. Its likely we will move to a scenario where there is less testing but where we have a capacity to ramp it up if necessary such as in the winter. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/1f7cafe2-71a4-11ec-aacf-0736e08b15cd?shareToken=d0f09e21b2e5db123f9329e0ef08ae5e 10th Jan 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters The Czech Republic said on Monday it would allow critical workers such as doctors and teachers to go to work after a positive COVID19 test the latest European country to ease restrictions to keep services running as cases surge. As the much more contagious Omicron variant becomes dominant and forces hundreds of thousands to isolate the pressure is growing on health workers police and firefighters with teachers set to follow as schools resume after Christmas holidays https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/europe-loosens-covid-policies-omicron-takes-out-key-workers-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Partisan Exits

Bloomberg Ikea imposed a financial penalty on unvaccinated U.K. employees who miss work if they are ordered to selfisolate after coming into contact with someone with Covid19. If these workers become ill with the virus themselves however they will still receive sick pay as normal Ikea said in a statement to Bloomberg. The changes which came into effect in September mean that unvaccinated staff only receive statutory sick pay of 96.35 pounds 131 a week during the 10day isolation period which is much lower than average weekly wages before taxes. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-10/ikea-reduces-covid-sick-pay-for-unvaccinated-british-workers 10th Jan 2022

Partisan Exits

The Guardian A London hospital leader has said he may lose 1000 staff to the Covid vaccination mandate but hopes admissions from the Omicron wave have peaked in in the capital. The chief executive of Kings College hospital NHS trust Prof Clive Kay told the BBCs Sunday Morning programme that his organisation was working urgently to encourage staff to come forward for vaccination to avoid redeploying or losing them. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/09/london-hospital-boss-says-he-may-lose-1000-staff-over-covid-vaccine-mandate 10th Jan 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters French politician Stephane Claireaux who is a member of President Emmanuel Macrons ruling La Republique En Marche party said on Monday that he had been attacked over the weekend by protesters demonstrating against Frances COVID health pass. The attack on Claireaux which occurred on Sunday comes amid public anger in France after Macron said he wanted to piss off unvaccinated people by making their lives so complicated they would end up getting the COVID vaccine. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/french-politician-attacked-by-anti-covid-vaccine-pass-demonstrators-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters Novak Djokovic was back in training hours after winning a court challenge to remain in Australia on Monday thanking the judge who released him from immigration detention and saying he remained focused on trying to win a record 21st tennis major. The fight over the world number ones medical exemption from COVID19 vaccination in order to enter Australia and play may not be over however as the government said it was still considering another way to deport him. I am pleased and grateful that the judge overturned my visa cancellation Djokovic wrote on Twitter where he posted a photograph of himself on court at Melbourne Park after a chaotic few days. https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/novak-djokovics-bid-stay-australia-goes-before-courts-2022-01-09/ 10th Jan 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters The head of Brazils health regulator Anvisa has asked the countrys vaccineskeptic President Jair Bolsonaro to retract statements he made criticizing the agency for authorizing the vaccination of children against COVID19. In a letter to Bolsonaro made public late Saturday retired rear admiral Antonio Barra Torres asked the president to back up his statement that there were undisclosed interests behind the vaccine decision or else retract his words. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/brazil-health-regulator-asks-bolsonaro-retract-criticism-over-vaccines-2022-01-09/ 10th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg High levels of protective immune cells that fight some common colds also made people less likely to contract Covid19 in a study. Researchers found higher levels of T cells against certain colds in people who didnt develop Covid while living with someone who had the disease according to a study released Monday by the U.K.s Imperial College London. The prior illnesses were caused by other coronaviruses related to SARSCoV2. The findings published in the journal Nature Communications provide further evidence of the protective effects of T cells an arm of the immune system thats gaining attention as the pandemic stretches into its third year and new variants like omicron erode vaccine protection. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-10/t-cells-triggered-by-common-cold-also-fend-off-covid-in-study 10th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters on MSN.com High levels of Tcells from common cold coronaviruses can provide protection against COVID19 an Imperial College London study published on Monday has found which could inform approaches for secondgeneration vaccines. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/t-cells-from-common-colds-can-provide-protection-against-covid-19-study/ar-AASCau9 10th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The fastspreading Omicron variant has made us more reliant on rapid athome antigen tests to tell us if we have COVID19. But should we be swabbing our throats as well as our noses For now the guidance depends on where you live. Some scientists have said people can transmit Omicron when it has infected their throat and saliva but before the virus has reached their noses so swabbing the nostrils early in the infection will not pick it up. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/rapid-testing-omicron-is-nose-swab-enough-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian n May 2020 we and other scientists predicted that many regions of the world might never reach the herd immunity threshold for Covid19 the point at which enough people are immune to infection that transmission begins to slow down. This remains true today even as vaccines have become accessible in wealthy nations and many people have built up immunity through vaccinations boosters and previous infections. The herd immunity threshold was commonly misunderstood as a universal target to hit early in the pandemic. But the threshold has always been changeable it depends on how transmissible the pathogen is and the behavioural and immunological characteristics of the population in which it is spreading how much they mix and how easily they are infected. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/10/herd-immunity-threshold-covid-new-variants 10th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Israels Health Ministry on Monday instructed people selftesting for COVID19 to swab their throat as well as their nose when using rapid antigen kits to increase the chances of detecting the Omicron variant. The recommendation goes against the advice of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration which has said manufacturers instructions should still be followed and that incorrect use of throat swabs could pose a safety risk. On Israeli Army Radio Sharon AlroyPreis Israels public health chief said antigen tests used widely in the country are less sensitive than PCR tests in detecting illness. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/swab-throat-too-when-using-rapid-covid-test-israeli-health-official-says-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The European Unions drug regulator said on Monday it could issue within weeks a decision on whether to approve the use of Pfizers COVID19 pill Paxlovid after the U.S. drugmaker submitted an application seeking authorisation. The approval sought is for the treatment of mildtomoderate COVID19 in patients 12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kilograms and are at high risk of their illness worsening the European Medicines Agency https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/eu-regulator-could-issue-decision-pfizer-covid-19-pill-within-weeks-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Pfizer Inc Chief Executive Albert Bourla on Monday said a redesigned COVID19 vaccine that specifically targets the Omicron coronavirus variant is likely needed and his company could have one ready to launch by March. Bourla said Pfizer and partner BioNTech SE are working on both an Omicrontargeted vaccine version as well as a shot that would include both the previous vaccine as well as one targeted at the fastspreading variant. I think it is the most likely scenario Bourla said speaking at J.P. Morgans annual healthcare conference which is being held virtually this year. Were working on higher doses. Were working different schedules. Were doing a lot of things right now as we speak. https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/pfizer-joins-beam-therapeutics-develop-rare-disease-therapies-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Britains Avacta Group is halting sales of its COVID19 rapid antigen lateral flow test to replace antibodies in the device and boost its ability to detect the Omicron variant the biotech firm said on Monday sending its shares plunging nearly 27. The Londonlisted companys test AffiDX can detect the Omicron variant when the virus is present in high numbers in samples but tests carried out by Avacta found AffiDX is less sensitive to Omicron at lower viral loads versus other variants. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/covid-19-test-maker-avacta-pauses-sales-antigen-flow-test-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Novartis said it will license in a new drug it has been developing with Molecular Partners to treat COVID19 the Swiss company said on Monday after getting positive trial data. Novartis will pay 150 million Swiss francs 162.92 million to inlicense ensovibep from Molecular Partners to speed up its manufacturing ramp up and get approvals for the drug more quickly. The decision comes after the two companies said they had received positive topline data from a phase 2 study for ensovibep mp0420 an antiviral therapeutic for COVID19 that will from now on be developed and manufactured by Novartis. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/novartis-in-licenses-covid-19-treatment-ensovibep-molecular-partners-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters High levels of Tcells from common cold coronaviruses can provide protection against COVID19 an Imperial College London study published on Monday has found which could inform approaches for secondgeneration vaccines. Immunity against COVID19 is a complex picture and while there is evidence of waning antibody levels six months after vaccination Tcells are also believed to play a vital role in providing protection. The study which began in September 2020 looked at levels of crossreactive Tcells generated by previous common colds in 52 household contacts of positive COVID19 cases shortly after exposure to see if they went on to develop infection. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/t-cells-common-colds-can-provide-protection-against-covid-19-study-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg Qatar approved the PfizerBioNTech booster coronavirus vaccine for children aged 12 to 15 years as nations fight the spread of the omicron variant. Children who received their second dose more than six months ago are eligible for the booster shots according to a statement. Recently the Ministry of Public Health had approved booster doses to those aged 16 and 17 years. Qatar reported 3056 new confirmed cases among the community and 633 among travelers on Sunday. That is one of the highest daily numbers in the recent past. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-09/qatar-approves-pfizer-boosters-for-children-aged-12-to-15-years 10th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg A strain of Covid19 that combines delta and omicron was found in Cyprus according to Leondios Kostrikis professor of biological sciences at the University of Cyprus and head of the Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Virology. There are currently omicron and delta coinfections and we found this strain that is a combination of these two Kostrikis said in an interview with Sigma TV Friday. The discovery was named deltacron due to the identification of omicronlike genetic signatures within the delta genomes he said. Kostrikis and his team have identified 25 such cases and the statistical analysis shows that the relative frequency of the combined infection is higher among patients hospitalized due to Covid19 as compared to nonhospitalized patients. The sequences of the 25 deltacron cases were sent to GISAID the international database that tracks changes in the virus on Jan. 7. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-08/cyprus-finds-covid-19-infections-that-combine-delta-and-omicron 10th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg A Cypriot scientist defended his assertion that a new strain of Covid19 exists that combines characteristics of the delta and omicron variants. Other scientists have speculated that Leonidos Kostrikiss findings are a result of laboratory contamination. But he told Bloomberg in an emailed statement Sunday that the cases he has identified indicate an evolutionary pressure to an ancestral strain to acquire these mutations and not a result of a single recombination event. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-09/cypriot-scientist-says-covid-19-variant-deltacron-not-an-error 10th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Germany will study how reliable rapid antigen tests are in detecting the fastspreading Omicron variant of COVID19 Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said on Sunday. We do not know exactly how well these tests work for Omicron Lauterbach said on public broadcasting channel ARD adding the results of the assessment would become available within the next few weeks. It was clear however that the alternative not to test at all ... would be far too dangerous said Lauterbach a scientist and physician. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-assessing-reliability-antibody-tests-omicron-minister-2022-01-09/ 10th Jan 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Pfizer Inc Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla said on Monday he was unsure about the need for a fourth dose of COVID19 vaccine and that a shot targeting the highly contagious Omicron variant would be ready in March. The comments contrasted with those made by Moderna Inc CEO Stephen Bancel who said last week people could need another shot in the fall of 2022 as the efficacy of boosters was likely to decline over the next few months. reuters.com/markets/deals/pfizer-joins-beam-therapeutics-develop-rare-disease-therapies-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

bdnews24.com Schools across Nepal will close for nearly three weeks after a spike in coronavirus cases a government spokesman said on Monday forcing more than seven million students to stay at home. Nepal reported 841 new cases on Sunday the biggest singleday jump since September last year taking its total to 832589 since the pandemic began. Its death toll from the coronavirus is 11604. Education Ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said schools would remain closed until Jan. 29 although a campaign to vaccinate children aged 12 to 17 at their schools would go ahead. Schools must notify students about the time and date when they need to go to schools and receive the shots Sharma told Reuters. Authorities hope the closure of schools will help break chains of infection amid fears about the rapid spread of the omicron variant of the virus. https://bdnews24.com/world/south-asia/2022/01/10/nepal-closes-schools-as-covid-19-cases-spike 10th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters The number of people in hospital with COVID19 in France rose by 767 to 22749 on Monday the biggest increase since April 2021 as a runaway Omicron infection rate boosted hospitalisations. Net new hospital admissions still remained well below peaks set in NovDec 2020 when they stood over 700 for nearly a month and COVID19 hospitalisations peaked at 33497 on Nov. 16 2020. Health Minister Olivier Veran told lawmakers on Monday that the Omicron coronavirus variant leads to less serious complications than previous variants but since it is highly infectious it is pushing hospital numbers up quickly. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-averages-new-record-nearly-270000-new-covid-cases-per-day-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Wall Street Journal Rising numbers of nurses and other critical healthcare workers are calling in sick across the U.S. due to Covid19 forcing hospitals to cut capacity just as the Omicron variant sends them more patients industry officials say. The hospitals are leaving beds empty because the facilities dont have enough staffers to safely care for the patients and a tight labor market has made finding replacements difficult. Staff shortages prompted the Mass General Brigham hospital system in Boston to keep 83 beds empty on Friday. The University Hospitals system in Ohio has closed as many as 16 of its intensivecare beds recently while Parkland Health Hospital System in Dallas has shut 30 of 900 beds. Its definitely a brutal situation said Dr. Joseph Chang chief medical officer at Parkland which had more than 500 out of 14000 employees out sick one recent day. https://www.wsj.com/articles/hospitals-cut-beds-as-nurses-call-in-sick-with-covid-19-11641810781 10th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Nepal banned large public gatherings and closed schools across the Himalayan nation for nearly three weeks after a spike in coronavirus cases officials said on Monday. Nepal reported 1357 new cases on Monday the biggest singleday jump since September last year taking its total to 833946 since the pandemic began. Its death toll from the coronavirus is 11606. Home Ministry spokesman Pradip Kumar Koirala said public gatherings like political rallies and religious functions involving more than 25 people had been prohibited. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/nepal-closes-schools-covid-19-cases-spike-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Australia must push through the fastmoving Omicron outbreak Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday as infections surpassed 1 million more than half in the past week alone throwing a strain on hospitals and supply chains. Although aggressive lockdowns and tough border controls kept a lid on infections earlier in the pandemic Australia is now battling record infections in its effort to live with the virus after higher vaccination rates. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/australia-covid-19-infections-hit-1-million-omicron-drives-record-surge-2022-01-09/ 10th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Hungarys daily tally of new COVID19 cases could hit a new peak of more than 13000 with deaths reaching 200 a day a government minister warned as the highly transmissible Omicron variant fuelled a rising wave of infections. Miklos Kasler minister for human resources who is also in charge of healthcare told local Inforadio late on Sunday that the government was looking into the possibility of offering a fourth vaccine shot but more assessments were needed to measure how long immunity lasts after the third shot. Infection figures for the weekend are expected to be released later on Monday. On Friday Hungary reported 6524 new infections and 39780 people have died of COVID19 since the start of the pandemic. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/hungary-daily-covid-19-infections-could-exceed-13000-new-wave-minister-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Sweden will introduce more measures to stem a rising number of COVID cases that have placed a greater burden on the healthcare system Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said on Monday. Sweden has seen the fastest spread of COVID cases in recent weeks as the Omicron variant has surged through the country. A record 60000 cases were detected last week despite limited testing capabilities. The situation has deteriorated without doubt. The level of infections in Sweden is at a historically high level Andersson told a news conference. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/sweden-introduces-more-measures-covid-cases-rise-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Europes healthcare systems are being strained once again by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus over the holiday period with large numbers of key staff ill or selfisolating and experts predicting the peak of infections is yet to come. Despite early studies showing a lower risk of severe disease or hospitalisation from Omicron compared to the previouslydominant Delta variant healthcare networks across Spain Britain Italy and beyond have found themselves in increasingly desperate circumstances. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/with-peak-yet-come-europes-healthcare-creaks-under-omicrons-rapid-spread-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Guardian The number of Covid reinfections reported in Spain in the past fortnight has exceeded the total number of repeat infections documented during the rest of the pandemic according to the latest data from Spanish researchers. In the span of two weeks in late December and early January 20890 reinfections were reported in Spain figures from the statebacked Carlos III Health Institute suggested. While the bulk of cases appeared to be mild the number is higher than the 17140 cases of reinfection documented from the start of the pandemic to 22 December. The Spanish data includes both confirmed and suspected reinfections. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/09/spain-reports-more-covid-reinfections-in-one-fortnight-than-rest-of-pandemic 10th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Bloomberg China saw its first omicron cases in the community igniting a mass testing blitz in the northern city of Tianjin as the country strives to maintain its zerotolerance approach to Covid in the face of more transmissible variants. The two cases in the port city were confirmed as being omicron by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention after its local branch completed the genome sequencing CCTV reported. The infections were from the same transmission chain but officials have yet to establish if the strain is the same as imported omicron cases reported earlier in Tianjin according to the report. Chinas commitment to its Covid Zero policy has seen it restrict movements and implement mass testing and other measures in cities spread across the country. Further outbreaks raise the risk of new lockdown measures that could disrupt production and shipping in an economy already battling weak consumption and a property market slump. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-09/china-reports-nation-s-first-community-spread-of-omicron-variant 10th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Wall Street Journal The sevenday average for newly reported cases in the U.S. topped 700000 for the first time data from Johns Hopkins University show as the highly infectious Omicron variant spreads throughout the country. The average of known cases could soon triple the preOmicron record set a year ago when the U.S. briefly saw about a quarter million daily cases. The numbers reported by state health departments and collected by Johns Hopkins also likely reflect a fraction of the true number due in part to Omicrons rapid spread and the difficulty many Americans have had getting tested. Some laboratories are limiting testprocessing to certain people such as those with symptoms because of the surge in demand. https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-covid-19-seven-day-case-average-tops-700-000-11641748209 10th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Bloomberg Hungary expects more than 13000 daily infections and about 200 daily deaths during the omicronvariantfueled latest wave of the coronavirus pandemic in the eastern European Union nation the countrys health chief told Inforadio. The number of Covidrelated hospitalized patients may peak at between 8000 to 9000 during the fifth wave in Hungary which is expected to last until May Human Resources Minister Miklos Kasler whos in charge of healthcare said in an interview with Inforadio on Sunday. The estimates were made assuming no other variant emerges in the period and assumes no significant increase in the vaccination rate he said. Hungarys new daily Covid infections almost doubled in a week to 6524 on Friday while daily Covidrelated deaths rose to 101 from 82 a week earlier https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-09/hungary-sees-200-daily-covid-deaths-at-omicron-peak-inforadio 10th Jan 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd has paused some of its cruise operations amid rising numbers of COVID19 infections due to the Omicron variant. The sailings of three ships Serenade of the Seas Jewel of the Seas Symphony of the Seas have been paused while the return of its Vision of the Seas to cruising has been postponed to March 7 2022 the cruise line said in a statement on Friday. We regret having to cancel our guests longawaited vacations and appreciate their loyalty and understanding the company adding that these measures have been implemented in an abundance of caution. https://www.reuters.com/business/royal-caribbean-pauses-some-cruise-operations-due-omicron-concerns-2022-01-08/ 10th Jan 2022

New Lockdown

Reuters The northern Chinese city of Tianjin tightened exit controls and is requiring residents to obtain approval from employers or community authorities before leaving town in an effort to block the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant. The port city to the southeast of Beijing reported 21 domestically transmitted cases with confirmed symptoms on Sunday the National Health Commission said on Monday up from three a day earlier. Tianjin with around 14 million residents said over the weekend it detected two local cases of infection with the Omicron. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/chinas-tianjin-tightens-control-over-travel-after-omicron-cases-2022-01-10/ 10th Jan 2022