23rd Mar 2022 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=625 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Reuters New Zealands government said on Wednesday it would lift vaccine mandates for a number of sectors including teaching and police from April 4 as the current COVID19 outbreak nears its peak. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/new-zealand-lifts-most-vaccine-mandates-omicron-outbreak-nears-peak-2022-03-23/ 23rd Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Wall Street Journal New study of the citys continuing Covid19 outbreak underscores the importance of booster shots for the Chinese vaccine https://www.wsj.com/articles/hong-kong-data-show-benefit-to-third-shot-of-sinovac-in-preventing-omicron-deaths-11647952641 22nd Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg CDC data show BA.2 accounts for more than a third of U.S. Covid cases and more than half in the Northeast https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-22/omicron-subvariant-takes-hold-in-u-s-as-new-york-cases-tick-up 22nd Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters An Italian study published on Tuesday suggests that efficient ventilation systems can reduce the transmission of COVID19 in schools by more than 80. An experiment overseen by the Hume foundation thinktank compared coronavirus contagion in 10441 classrooms in Italys central Marche region. COVID infections were steeply lower in the 316 classrooms that had mechanical ventilation systems with the reduction in cases more marked according to the strength of the systems. With applications guaranteeing a complete replacement of the air in a classroom 2.4 times in an hour infections were reduced by 40. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italian-study-shows-ventilation-can-cut-school-covid-cases-by-82-2022-03-22/ 22nd Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

STAT News In a March 13 interview Albert Bourla Pfizers CEO said his company intended to apply to the FDA for authorization of a fourth mRNA vaccine dose and implied that this was something all adults needed. Two days later it did just that but only for adults over 65. That same day Stephen Hoge Modernas president took a different perspective that a fourth dose of his companys mRNA vaccine wasnt required for all adults but could benefit older and immunocompromised Americans. Two days later Moderna announced it was requesting FDA authorization of a fourth vaccine dose for everyone aged 18 or over. So over a mere fourday period the two mRNA vaccine companies made internally inconsistent and seemingly arbitrary statements and then took different actions. Is competition between the two companies for market share now a factor in their decisions Are they seeing the science differently And when company executives are in effect saying our vaccines are no longer doing very well so you need more of them isnt there a risk of playing into the antivaccine narrative that vaccines dont work https://www.statnews.com/2022/03/22/pharma-executives-shouldnt-drive-covid-19-vaccine-policy/ 22nd Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Washington Post Unlike many national governments those behind Covax saw the risk presented by the coronavirus early. But the initiative has fallen well short of its aims. More than a third of the world is yet to have a vaccine dose. That has left a huge gap between rich and poor countries. Experts say the lack of vaccinations in poor countries is not only inequitable but also dangerous exposing the world to a greater likelihood that morevirulent variants will emerge. And the challenges for Covax continue. Covax has raised 11 billion in total well short of the 18 billion it initially said it needs. Falling short of funding targets for the spring could cost 1.25 million lives backers say. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/22/covax-problems-coronavirus-vaccines-next-pandemic/ 22nd Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Independent White House officials say that there are no funds to buy a potential fourth dose of the Covid19 vaccine for all Americans. The Washington Post reports that while the Biden administration has enough doses to provide Americans over the age of 65 with a fourth shot of the vaccine but orders cannot be placed for more to cover other age groups unless Congress passes a stalled 15bn funding package. Doses have also already been secured for children under the age of five should those shots be deemed necessary by regulators. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/fourth-covid-vaccine-shot-us-b2041347.html 22nd Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

CNN Some scientists think we might be rolling up our sleeves each year not just for flu shots but for Covid19 jabs too. Public health experts arent quite clear on what the future holds for Covid19 vaccines but some say its looking more and more like these shots could be needed on a yearly basis similar to how flu shots are recommended each fall. In order to keep it under control we likely will need some form of periodic vaccination. Now whether thats annual or every two years or every five years we dont really know that yet. I think that that will emerge as we gather more data Dr. Archana Chatterjee dean of the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University said. https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/21/health/covid-19-vaccine-annual-shot/index.html 22nd Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

Wall Street Journal Pfizer plans to sell to the United Nations Childrens Fund up to four million treatment courses of its Covid19 pill Paxlovid which will go to 95 low and middleincome countries as part of the companys effort to expand access to the pill beyond wealthy countries. Pfizer said that Afghanistan Pakistan and Zimbabwe are among the countries where Unicef will distribute the easytouse pill. A Pfizer spokeswoman said the company is charging Unicef a notforprofit price but declined to disclose it. https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizer-unicef-strike-covid-19-pill-deal-11647945900 22nd Mar 2022

Lockdown Exit

STAT News As part of an effort to widen access to its Covid19 pill Pfizer has reached a deal with UNICEF to supply up to 4 million treatment courses to 95 low and middleincome countries representing 53 of the global population. But consumer advocates have quickly argued the move falls short. https://www.statnews.com/pharmalot/2022/03/22/pfizer-unicef-covid19-merck-patents-who/ 22nd Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters France saw the biggest jump in new COVID19 cases since February health ministry data showed on Tuesday with 180777 new infections over 24 hours and hospital numbers also rose for the third consecutive day. The new cases brought the cumulative number of registered infections to 24.3 million as the resumption of classes following two weeks of school holidays marked a sharp resurgence of the epidemic. The sevenday moving average of new cases rose further to just under 99000 where it had been from endDecember till midFebruary driven by the contagious Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-sees-biggest-jump-covid-cases-since-early-february-2022-03-22/ 22nd Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Top U.S. infectious disease official Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Tuesday he would not be surprised to see an increase in COVID19 cases in the United States but he does not expect a major surge. I would not be surprised at all if we do see somewhat of an uptick Fauci told a Washington Post event. I dont really see unless something changes dramatically that there would be a major surge. Fauci said the expected rise in coronavirus cases would be due to the increasing dominance of the highly transmissible BA.2 Omicron subvariant the relaxation of maskwearing requirements and waning immunity in the population. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/fauci-does-not-expect-major-surge-covid-cases-us-2022-03-22/ 22nd Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters The U.S. Travel Association on Tuesday urged the White House to lift COVID19 travel restrictions and repeal a mandate requiring masks on airplanes and in other transit modes by April 18 according to a letter seen by Reuters. In a letter to Dr. Ashish Jha the incoming White House COVID response coordinator the group called for an immediate end to the predeparture testing requirement for all fully vaccinated inbound international persons and ending the mask mandate by April 18 or announcing a plan and timeline to repeal the federal mask mandate within the subsequent 90 days. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-travel-industry-urges-white-house-lift-covid-restrictions-mask-mandate-2022-03-22/ 22nd Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

The Wall Street Journal Some people without health insurance will begin getting bills for Covid19 treatments and testing after the Biden administration on Tuesday starts winding down a federal program that reimburses providers for virusrelated care for the uninsured and that officials say is running out of funds. The White House says it will end the reimbursement program which started under the Trump administration and also pays hospitals and other healthcare providers for things such as administering Covid19 vaccines to uninsured people by the end of April because it is running out of money. The administration and hospitals are urging lawmakers to approve more funding for the program. https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-administration-to-stop-reimbursing-hospitals-for-covid-19-care-for-uninsured-11647955166 22nd Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Stuff.co.nz Officials are looking into the possibility of rolling out a fourth dose of Covid19 vaccine for vulnerable and high risk groups. DirectorGeneral of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield announced he would this week receive advice on a fourth shot specifically for those at highest risk of Covid19 illness older people and those with preexisting conditions. He said he also asked whether the offer should be extended to other groups such as the health workforce who were among the first to receive boosters https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300547077/covid19-fourth-vaccine-dose-potentially-on-the-cards-for-health-workers-atrisk-people 22nd Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

The Guardian Health experts are weighing up whether a second booster rollout will soon be needed as Covid19 cases again surge across Australia and winter approaches. A number of nations including the UK are rapidly expanding eligibility for a fourth dose but some experts have questioned its effectiveness. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/22/with-covid-cases-surging-across-australia-will-a-fourth-vaccine-dose-be-required 22nd Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Cyprus Mail In Cyprus the Cabinet approved the administration of a Covid booster jab to children aged 12 and over and the rollout of a fourth vaccine dose to those aged 70 and over and the immunocompromised. Following the administration of an mRNA booster jab to severely immunosuppressed children aged 12 and over at the end of February the council of ministers approved its administration to all teenagers as long as six months have elapsed since the latest dose. https://cyprus-mail.com/2022/03/22/coronavirus-cabinet-discusses-fourth-dose-amid-surge-in-cases/ 22nd Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

iNews In England a second Covid19 booster vaccine is being rolled out this week with those in vulnerable groups able to come forward to receive a fourth jab. It comes as cases rise sharply again across the country thanks to restrictions ending and the emergence of a highly infectious BA.2 offshoot of the Omicron variant. More than 552000 people have reported testing positive in the last seven days a 38.1 per cent increase on the week prior. https://inews.co.uk/news/health/covid-jab-4th-how-book-spring-booster-vaccine-who-eligible-groups-1529286 22nd Mar 2022

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg China should stick to its strict Covid Zero strategy according to the countrys top virus expert whose comments come alongside signals that the approach is being tweaked to ease economic pain even as infections climb. There should not be an iota of relaxation as we need to cherish the hardearned achievement said Liang Wannian a seasoned epidemiologist who has overseen Chinas Covid response since the beginning of the pandemic and was recently sent to Hong Kong to guide efforts to contain its worst ever outbreak. Measures could be finetuned to be more targeted and deployed quicker in order to keep up with the easily transmissible omicron variant he said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-22/hong-kong-covid-shift-won-t-move-china-xi-s-virus-czar-says 22nd Mar 2022

Partisan Exits

Medical Xpress Some sources of misinformation claim that the COVID19 vaccines cause male sterility. For this to be true the vaccines would have to damage sperm quality drastically reduce sperm count or interfere with the mechanisms inherent in male ejaculation. Quality clinical evidence has demonstrated that none of these parameters are affected by the vaccine so men are not being made sterile. A study in Florida recruited around 45 men and compared their sperm measures before and after receiving a COVID19 vaccine. Interestingly the study found that men who received the vaccine had more sperm greater semen volume and sperm more able to move around and fertilize an egg. Pregnancy can be an exciting time but can also provoke worry about the the safety of anything that enters the body including vaccines. Fortunately the COVID19 vaccines are safe during pregnancy. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-03-dispels-myth-covid-vaccines-infertility.html 22nd Mar 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters Article reports that in footage shared on social media last week a crowd of people in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang bang against the windows of a clothing market as they shout in frustration at the announcement of yet another round of COVID19 tests. Though the local government quickly urged people not to spread rumours about the incident the response from netizens was immediate. Refuse quarantine said one. Many people have awoken to the truth said another. Its actually over said a netizen posting on WeChat under the username Jasmine Tea. The common cold is more serious than this The testing agencies want this to go on. The vaccine companies want to inoculate forever. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/refuse-quarantine-frustrations-mount-china-replays-covid-controls-2022-03-22/ 22nd Mar 2022

Partisan Exits

The Guardian There is no particular cause for concern about the UKs rapidly rising number of Covid cases Sajid Javid the health secretary has said saying that England was demonstrating to the world a successful model for living with the virus. Despite survey data showing almost 5 of the population in England had Covid earlier this month and record infection levels among the over70s Javid said the wall of defence from vaccines was keeping the situation stable. From Monday 5 million people across England at higher risk from Covid the over75s care home residents and those who are immunocompromised will be able to book a second booster jab in the coming weeks. Javid confirmed that a wider booster programme most likely aimed at the over50s was expected in the autumn. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/21/uk-covid-case-numbers-no-particular-cause-for-concern-says-javid 21st Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

News-Medical.Net When our immune system comes into contact with the SARSCoV2 coronavirus it fights back and produces antibodies. A similar immune response is triggered by Corona vaccines. However there is still little data available on the strength and durability of immune protection. A team led by Prof. Carsten Watzl from the Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors Institute for Occupational Research IfADo in cooperation with the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology MPI and the Klinikum Dortmund has now been able to detect high levels of neutralizing antibodies in test persons even 300 days after a coronavirus infection with the original variant of the coronavirus. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220322/New-research-proves-benefit-of-vaccination-after-recovery-from-COVID-19.aspx 22nd Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

CNN In 2010 doctors told Ben Sobieck now 37 that his kidneys were inexplicably failing. Shortly after he had a kidney transplant and started on the lifelong medications that weaken his immune system to keep his body from rejecting the donor organ. They never figured out what caused Sobiecks kidney failure. But a decade later he confronted another threat to his health the Covid19 pandemic. I am on immunosuppressants that make me more vulnerable for serious Covid complications said Sobieck 37 who lives in Minnesota. If youre immunocompromised you may not have a very good response to the Covid19 vaccine. Seeking evidence that his immune system was working the way it should Sobieck made an unusual request He asked his nephrologist to do a blood test that gives a rough measure of antibodies a type of protein the body creates in response to an infection or vaccine. Antibody titers reveal the concentration of a specific antibody found in someones blood. https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/22/health/measuring-immunity-correlates-of-protection/index.html 22nd Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

New Scientist Covid19 linked to a 46 per cent increased risk of type 2 diabetes. People who have had covid19 within the past year may be more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes for the first time or being prescribed medication to manage their blood sugar levels. Ziyad AlAly at the VA Saint Louis Health Care System in the US and his colleagues reviewed the medical records of 181280 individuals who tested positive for covid19 between March 2020 and September 2021 using data from the US Department of Veterans Affairs. The team compared the number of new diabetes cases among these veterans with that of more than 8 million people who had no evidence of a covid19 infection. None of the participants had diabetes at the start of the study. Covid19 was linked to a 46 per cent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes or requiring bloodsugarlowering medication even among people with a mild or asymptomatic covid19 infection. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body cannot make enough insulin or the hormone that is produced does not work properly. SARSCoV2 virus may inflame insulinproducing cells decreasing their efficiency AlAly told The Washington Post. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2237475-covid-19-news-infection-linked-to-higher-risk-of-developing-diabetes/ 22nd Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Data from the latest study by Washington University in the United States showed the therapy reduced the amount of virus detected in samples viral load of all tested Omicron subvariants in mice lungs AstraZeneca said. The study has yet to be peer reviewed. Evusheld was tested against the BA.1 BA.1.1 and BA.2 subvariants of Omicron and it was also shown in the study to limit inflammation in the lungs a critical symptom in severe COVID19 infections. The findings further support Evusheld as a potential important option to help protect vulnerable patients such as the immunocompromised who could face poor outcomes if they were to become infected with COVID19 John Perez head of Late Development Vaccines Immune Therapies at AstraZeneca said. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/astrazeneca-antibody-cocktail-retains-activity-against-omicron-subvariants-2022-03-21/ 22nd Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Aerium Therapeutics a venturebacked startup on Tuesday announced industry veteran Rajeev Venkayya will lead the company and released data that showed its two experimental monoclonal antibodies neutralized coronavirus variants including Omicron and its fastspreading subvariant BA.2 in lab studies. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-aerium/former-takeda-vaccine-chief-to-lead-new-covid-antiviral-venture-aerium-idUKL2N2VO2M2 22nd Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review. Antibodies in kids after COVID last 6 months or more Most children and adolescents with COVID19 antibodies after SARSCoV2 infection usually still have the antibodies in their blood more than half a year later new data shows. Starting in October 2020 researchers in Texas recruited 218 subjects between the ages of 5 and 19 https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/most-unvaccinated-children-lack-antibodies-after-covid-gsk-vaccine-shows-promise-2022-03-21/ 22nd Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

EurekAlert Article reports that the study was published in JAMA Internal Medicine on March 21. An analysis of records for 43886 pregnant individuals during the first year of the COVID19 pandemic found that the 1332 who had a coronavirus infection during pregnancy had more than double the risk of negative outcomes compared with individuals without the virus. These findings add to the growing evidence that having COVID19 during pregnancy raises risks of serious complications explained lead author Assiamira Ferrara MD PhD a senior research scientist and associate director of the womens and children health section in the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. Coupled with the evidence that the COVID19 vaccines are safe during pregnancy these findings should aid patients in understanding the risks of perinatal complications and the need for vaccination said Dr. Ferrara. This study supports the recommendation for vaccination of pregnant individuals and those planning conception. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/946860 22nd Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Wales Online In many countries as restrictions lift and freedoms are restored theres a general feeling that the pandemic is over. There is however still the significant concern that a dangerous new variant could emerge. This happened when omicron arrived but we got lucky with that one. Omicron turned out to be more transmissible but mercifully it hasnt caused an increase in severe disease in most countries where it is dominant. But this wasnt guaranteed. Variants crop up randomly and new ones have the potential to be more dangerous than previous ones. Another has just arrived and is currently going by the name deltacron. It is as you can probably guess a hybrid of delta and omicron the two variants dominant most recently. Deltacrons story begins in midFebruary when scientists at the Institut Pasteur in Paris uploaded a genetic sequence of the coronavirus that looked very different from previous sequences. The virus sample had come from an elderly man in northern France and looked odd. Most of its genetic sequence was the same as deltas which was dominant worldwide up until late last year but the part of the sequence that encodes the viruss spike protein a key part of its external structure which it uses to get inside cells in the body came from omicron. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/experts-warn-more-one-type-23460459 22nd Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Wall Street Journal At a sewage treatment plant on a sliver of land in Boston Harbor trickles of wastewater are pumped into a plastic jug every 15 minutes. Samples from the jugs analyzed at a lab in nearby Cambridge Mass. are part of the growing effort to monitor the Covid19 virus in wastewater across the U.S. On Deer Island in Boston readings from the system covering 2.4 million people have recently shown virus readings leveling off after a steep decline from this winters Omicrondriven rise. In some areas levels of the virus may be edging higher. https://www.wsj.com/articles/clues-to-covid-19s-next-moves-come-from-sewers-11647941403 22nd Mar 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The full reopening of international travel in Hong Kong will have little marginal impact on the spread of COVID19 an academic study said on Tuesday as the financial hub begins to unwind strict coronavirus measures. The study titled Forward planning after HKs fifth wave of Omicron BA.2 expects a sixth wave to begin in June as measures to control the spread of the disease are relaxed in the months ahead and the city increases vaccination rates. As long as arrivals are fully vaccinated and test negative upon boarding a flight to the Chineseruled territory they would have a negligible impact according to experts from the University of Hong Kong the World Health Organization and the Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/hong-kong-study-says-reopening-international-travel-have-little-impact-future-2022-03-22/ 22nd Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

ABC News South Australian health officials quietly reintroduced a pause on some elective surgeries just one day before last Saturdays election new Premier Peter Malinauskas has revealed. The ban was introduced but not announced amid a rise in the states COVID numbers with Mr Malinauskas warning new government modelling showed cases were set to escalate in a rather significant way. He said the elective surgery ban impacted all nonurgent overnight elective surgery in public hospitals. Needless to say I was rather disappointed and somewhat shocked to learn that an elective surgery ban has now been reinstated in some instances here in South Australia he said. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-22/sa-covid19-case-numbers-to-jump-in-a-significant-way/100928606 22nd Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Independent Health officials in South Korea have instructed crematories to burn more bodies per day and funeral homes to add more refrigerators to store the dead as families struggle with funeral arrangements amid a rise in COVID19 deaths. The country has been dealing with a massive coronavirus outbreak driven by the fastmoving omicron variant which has compromised a once robust pandemic response and is driving up hospitalizations and fatalities. Officials have already allowed the 60 crematories across country to burn for longer hours starting last week which raised their combined capacity from around 1000 to 1400 cremations per day. But that hasnt been enough to meaningfully ease the backlog of bodies waiting to be cremated in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area which is home to half of South Koreas 52 million people and the center of its COVID19 outbreak. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/ap-south-korea-seoul-united-states-families-b2041083.html 22nd Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

iNews The number of pupils missing school in England because of Covid19 has more than tripled in two weeks. Figures from the Department for Education show that last Thursday 202000 state school pupils were not in class because of reasons related to Covid up from 58000 pupils on 3 March. Among these students there were 16000 pupils with a suspected Covid case and 159000 with a confirmed case. https://inews.co.uk/news/number-children-missing-school-england-covid-19-1532184 22nd Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Pharmaceutical Technology Europe faces a revival of a revival of virus risks as cases spread rapidly accelerated by the emergence of the moretransmissible BA.2 Omicron strain. Germany is now setting fresh records for infection rates almost daily while Austria has also reached new highs and cases in the Netherlands have doubled since lifting curbs on Feb. 25. The messaging from politicians is encouraging many people who were taking precautions to mix with others says Martin McKee professor of public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. It does seem very courageous and indeed risky to assume that the pandemic is over. https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/news/covid-pandemic-not-over/ 22nd Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Sky News The number of people in hospital with COVID in Scotland has hit the highest level seen during the pandemic as the same figure in two regions in England is also surging. The latest figures reveal 2128 hospital patients in Scotland recently tested positive for the virus compared to a previous peak of 2053 in last January. The figures come as most of the remaining legal COVID restrictions in Scotland have come to an end. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-number-in-scottish-hospitals-with-virus-hits-new-record-alongside-new-2022-peak-in-southern-england-12572318 22nd Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters About oneinthree COVID19 cases in the United States are now caused by the BA.2 Omicron subvariant of the coronavirus according to government data on Tuesday that also showed overall infections still declining from Januarys record highs. Despite the rise of the extremely contagious subvariant also seen in other countries U.S. health experts say a major wave of new infections here appears unlikely. U.S. COVID19 infections have receded sharply since January although a resurgence in parts of Asia and Europe have raised concerns that one will follow in the United States given previous patterns during the two years of the pandemic. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/omicron-sub-variant-ba2-makes-up-349-covid-variants-us-cdc-2022-03-22/ 22nd Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Article reports that France reported an average of close to 90000 new coronavirus infections over the last seven days marking a 36 rise from one week ago when most COVID19 health protocol measures were lifted by the government just ahead of the countrys elections. New cases over the previous 24 hours published on Sunday stood at 81283 pushing a 7day moving average to 89002 compared with just over 60000 average new cases one week earlier. The number of cases per 100000 inhabitants also reached their highest value level since Feb. 18. The government of French President Emmanuel Macron who will stand for reelection in less than three weeks time followed by legislative elections later this year decided to lift most COVID19 restrictions on March 14 citing a positive trend. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/frances-covid-19-infections-spike-week-on-week-following-easing-restrictions-2022-03-21/ 22nd Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Bloomberg Covid cases are on the rise in several European countries. Upticks are visible again in France Italy and the U.K. Infection rates in both Austria and Germany eclipse previous waves of the virus based on cases per million. China is grappling with new highs in terms of case counts. The U.S. may soon follow. This fifth wave of the virus is likely to be mercifully shortlived in many areas but the picture varies around the world. This divergence gives us something of a report card on the efficacy of the Covid policies in place. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-03-22/covid-s-fifth-wave-shows-us-how-to-live-with-the-omicron-virus-subvariant 22nd Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Hong Kong reported 14152 new coronavirus infections and 245 deaths on Tuesday slightly higher than the 14068 infections a day earlier as authorities said infections are likely to fall after hitting a peak earlier in March. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/hong-kong-reports-14152-new-daily-coronavirus-infections-2022-03-22/ 22nd Mar 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Chinas financial hub Shanghai on Tuesday reported a fifth consecutive daily record for locally transmitted COVID19 asymptomatic cases as the highly infectious Omicron variant complicates efforts to stop the virus spreading. Although small compared with the number of infections in many outbreaks overseas the rise is significant as Shanghai redoubles its efforts to implement Chinas dynamic clearance policy designed to curb each flareup. The city is pressing ahead with a block by block testing scheme after already completing more than 30 million tests. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/china-reports-2338-new-covid-cases-march-21-vs-2027-day-earlier-2022-03-22/ 22nd Mar 2022