26th May 2022 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=669 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

The Wall Street Journal When Chinas top two leaders sought to reassure foreign executives increasingly frustrated over the countrys stringent Covidcontrol measures last week Chinese leadership seemed to be speaking with two voices. On May 18 President Xi Jinping spoke by video about economic challenges the world faces as a result of the pandemic but made little mention of Chinas own economic downturnwhich has been exacerbated by the costs of Chinas stringent measures to combat Covid outbreaks. A day later in an inperson meeting Premier Li Keqiang struck a more candid and conciliatory tone focusing his remarks largely on Chinas own issues. Speaking to a group of senior representatives for American European and Asian multinationals operating in China Mr. Li said China is committed to striking a balance between reviving the economy and containing repeated Covid19 outbreaks said people who attended the meeting with Mr. Li held at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-top-two-leaders-diverge-in-messaging-on-covid-impact-11653486508 26th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

Cranfield University The furlough scheme brought in by the Government during the Covid19 pandemic did not just save millions of people from unemployment and economic hardship but may have had a lasting effect on the ways in which their employers allow them to work in the future according to a new report out today 25 May. Introduced in March 2020 and further modified in July that year to allow for a parttime furlough option the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme CJRS enabled organisations to reclaim up to 80 of the wage costs of employees that could not work during the pandemic. Successful in avoiding mass redundancies during a time of crisis new research from Cranfield School of Management and the CBI has found the scheme may also have ongoing benefits by increasing employer openness to and knowledge of how to facilitate parttime working. https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/press/news-2022/employers-more-open-to-part-time-working-post-covid-19-report-finds 25th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

Financial Times Growing complacency about Covid19 and politicisation of the pandemic response will cost lives as the world is hit by new waves of the virus in the coming months Pfizers chief executive has warned. Albert Bourla said people were growing tired of the measures introduced to slow the spread of the virus while politicians want to claim victory. Compliance with authorities requests for people to get booster shots would fall even among those who are already vaccinated he predicted. https://www.ft.com/content/8244af52-26ba-4676-961a-c57f1d4892e8 25th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Frances Haute Autorite de Sante HAS health authority recommended preparing for a new vaccination campaign this autumn to give people aged 65 and older and those with special health risks or conditions access to a COVID19 booster jab. The French government typically follows the recommendations of the countrys health authority body. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/french-health-body-backs-new-covid-vaccine-booster-campaign-this-autumn-2022-05-25/ 25th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Germanys Health Ministry will ease COVID19 entry rules for travellers from June 1 suspending a requirement for vaccination recovery from the virus or a negative test Funke media group reported on Wednesday citing the health minister. We will suspend the 3G rule on entry until the end of August Health Minister Karl Lauterbach was quoted as saying. The new regulations still need to pass the Cabinet on Wednesday and will recognise all COVID19 vaccines that are approved by the World Health Organisation even if not approved by the European Union Funke reported. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/germany-eases-covid-19-entry-rules-june-1-funke-2022-05-24/ 25th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Associated Press Pfizer said Wednesday that it will provide nearly two dozen products including its topselling COVID19 vaccine and treatment at notforprofit prices in some of the worlds poorest countries. The drugmaker announced the program at the World Economic Forums annual gathering in Davos Switzerland and said it was aimed at improving health equity in 45 lowerincome countries. Most of the countries are in Africa but the list also includes Haiti Syria Cambodia and North Korea. The products which are widely available in the U.S. and the European Union include 23 medicines and vaccines that treat infectious diseases some cancers and rare and inflammatory conditions https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-infectious-diseases-12aafc7d58d5d98a55c3f0af8c69aefc 25th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Efforts by financial firms and others to bring workers back to Manhattan offices more than two years after the start of the coronavirus pandemic face persistent headwinds consultants said with commuters still worrying about COVID19 as well as safety. New York has lagged others major markets in the percentage of employees regularly working in the office in part because of high usage rates of public transportation and COVID concerns said David Lewis chief executive of HR consultant firm OperationsInc which works with several firms in the financial sector. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/manhattan-return-to-office-plans-face-persistent-headwinds-over-covid-safety-2022-05-24/ 24th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Danish biotechnology company Bavarian Nordic BAVA.CO on Wednesday lifted its sales outlook and now expects a smaller operating loss this year after signing a contract with an undisclosed country for the supply of its monkeypox vaccine. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/bavarian-nordic-raises-sales-guidance-after-monkeypox-vaccine-order-2022-05-25/ 26th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Pfizer Inc will make all of its patented medicines including COVID19 treatment Paxlovid and bigselling breast cancer drug Ibrance available at a notforprofit price to 45 of the worlds poorest countries the drugmaker said on Wednesday. These countries lack good access to innovative treatments. It can take four to seven years longer for new treatments to become available in lowincome countries according to the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation if they become available at all. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/pfizer-sell-all-its-patented-drugs-nonprofit-price-low-income-countries-2022-05-25/ 26th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Inform.kz As of May 25 1 021972 people in Kazakhstan were fully vaccinated with the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine the Telegram Channel of the Interdepartmental Commission for preventing coronavirus reads. 1143837 people were administered the 1st jab 1021972 received both. 846952 teens 39469 pregnant women and 140496 breastfeeding moms were inoculated with the 1st jab while 796701 teens 35321 pregnant women and 129239 nursing moms fully completed the vaccination cycle. https://www.inform.kz/en/covid-19-over-1-mln-complete-pfizer-vaccination-cycle_a3936796 25th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Oxfam America Partners in Health and other civil society groups urged U.S. President Joe Biden to press for changes in a draft agreement on waiving intellectual property rights for COVID19 vaccines underscoring divisions over the current text.In a letter sent to Biden on Monday and viewed by Reuters the groups said an outcome document reached after months of discussions between the main parties the United States the European Union India and South Africa fell short of his righteous goal of removing IP barriers for COVID vaccines. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/ngos-urge-biden-push-changes-wtos-covid-waiver-text-2022-05-24/ 25th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Moderna Inc told a Delaware federal court Monday that it is immune from patentinfringement allegations over its COVID19 vaccine because it supplied the shots for a U.S. government effort. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc is required under a longstanding federal law to sue the government directly over shots used in its nationwide vaccination effort Moderna said in a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. Moderna argued earlier this month that the law similarly insulates it from patent claims over its vaccine brought by Arbutus Biopharma Corp and Genevant Sciences GmbH. https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/moderna-again-points-us-govt-covid-19-vaccine-patent-lawsuit-2022-05-24/ 25th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Nigeria has received 4.4 million doses of the Johnson Johnson COVID19 vaccine from Spain a government official said on Tuesday. Nigeria has already received 2 million doses of the Johnson Johnson vaccine from Finland Greece and Slovenia with more expected from EU countries. Faisal Shuaib head of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency NPHCDA said Nigeria wanted to vaccinate 70 of its population. It was far off the target but Spains donation would help he said. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/nigeria-receives-44-million-doses-jj-covid-vaccine-spain-2022-05-24/ 25th May 2022

Exit Strategies

The Guardian People with medical conditions or disabilities that increase the risk of severe Covid19 will be eligible for a fourth vaccine dose after updated advice by Australian health authorities. From 30 May about 1.5 million more people aged 16 to 64 will be eligible for the fourth dose the interim health minister Katy Gallagher announced on Wednesday. However the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation Atagi has not given the green light for healthy people who do not have a risk factor for severe disease to receive a second booster. This includes healthcare workers and pregnant women who do not have other risk factors. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/25/high-risk-people-eligible-for-second-covid-booster-vaccine-under-new-australian-guidelines 25th May 2022

Partisan Exits

Bloomberg The fallout of Chinas Covid Zero policy is starting to show in Shanghais financial markets with the city losing its top currency trading hub title for the first time. Shanghai handled fewer currency deals than Beijing in April to rank second among Chinas 36 provinces and municipalities according to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The decline points to another consequence of strict lockdowns and may serve as a case study for the possible implications of movement curbs in major Chinese cities including Beijing as Covid cases climb. Traders volunteering to stay in the office sleeping on trading floors did little keep up currency volumes. Settlement and sales by banks for their clients dropped 30 from March to 61.8 billion. Thats 15 of the national tally compared with a steady share of around 20 before the lockdown as per data going back to 2019. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-25/covid-lockdown-costs-shanghai-its-china-currency-trading-crown 26th May 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters On a hot sunny day children and adults splashed in the cool runoff of the Yongding River in a park on the western outskirts of Beijing a city under nearlockdown in Chinas headon battle with COVID19. While gatherings are discouraged and many parks in the sprawling city of 22 million are shut Beijingers like others across China with limited travel options have taken up outdoor pursuits such as camping and picnicking after more than two years of strict and often claustrophobic pandemic curbs. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hemmed-by-covid-curbs-beijingers-seek-respite-urban-outdoors-2022-05-26/ 26th May 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters A failure of leadership at British Prime Minister Boris Johnsons Downing Street office was to a blame for a culture that led to illegal parties being held during coronavirus lockdowns a report by a senior civil servant said on Wednesday. The report by senior official Sue Gray was commissioned by Johnson after revelations of alcoholfuelled parties at Downing Street when social mixing was all but banned under stringent laws his government had made to curb the spread of COVID19. Many of these events should not have been allowed to happen the report said. The senior leadership at the centre both political and official must bear responsibility for this culture. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-report-blames-senior-leadership-over-illegal-downing-street-covid-parties-2022-05-25/ 25th May 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters The civil servant leading investigation into coronavirus lockdownbreaking parties at the Boris Johnsons Downing Street office and residence has passed her official report to the UK prime minister the Cabinet Office said on Wednesday. We can confirm that Sue Gray has provided her final report to the Prime Minister a Cabinet Office spokesperson said. Downing Street is due to publish the report later on Wednesday. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-pm-johnson-has-been-given-report-into-lockdown-parties-cabinet-office-2022-05-25/ 25th May 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters A scuffle broke out one attendee was sick and excessive amounts of alcohol were consumed when workers at Downing Street held a party in the middle of Britains coronavirus crisis as the rest of the country was observing strict lockdown rules. The incidents happened at a leaving party on June 18 2020 that began in the Cabinet Room and later moved to the nearby Cabinet Secretarys room with the last member of staff leaving at 313 a.m. the following morning. The governments former head of ethics Helen MacNamara attended for part of the evening and provided a karaoke machine according to a report into lockdown breaches at government buildings during the pandemic. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/drunkenness-sickness-fighting-during-lockdown-party-uk-government-report-2022-05-25/ 25th May 2022

Partisan Exits

The Independent In Britain families bereaved by Covid19 have said they are sickened by the revelations in Sue Grays Partygate report and have accused Boris Johnson and his staff of laughing at us. A group of 4000 families who lost loved ones from Covid19 have hit out at the prime minister after his government was guilty of a serious failure to abide by the standards expected of the entire British population https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/sue-gray-report-bereaved-families-b2087012.html 25th May 2022

Continued Lockdown

Reuters Chinas COVIDhit capital Beijing further tightened its dragnet on the virus with zero community transmission the target punishing workplaces that flout rules or circumvent curbs and imploring residents to police their own movements. Since late April the city of 22 million has wrestled with dozens of new cases a day. While these have been mostly in quarantine areas a handful have been found in the community at large illustrating the challenge the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant poses even to the worlds most stringent pandemic containment policies. With Shanghai Chinas business and commercial hub and numerous other giant cities also shackled by partial lockdowns or other curbs the zeroCOVID approach remains the governments focus despite the damage it has done to the worlds secondbiggest economy and global supply chains. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-reports-590-new-covid-cases-may-24-vs-688-day-earlier-2022-05-25/ 25th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Wall Street Journal Vaccination reduces your risk of developing long Covid but not by much on average new research suggests. A Veterans Affairs study out Wednesday found that vaccinated people with breakthrough Covid19 infections had a 15 reduction in experiencing persistent or new symptoms and health conditions up to six months after infection compared with those who were unvaccinated and got Covid. https://www.wsj.com/articles/can-vaccines-prevent-long-covid-new-details-on-risks-and-symptoms-11653492114 26th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg More than 200 symptoms can afflict those dealing with the aftereffects of Covid19. An emerging approach to treating one of themheart palpitationshighlights the successes scientists are having in addressing the symptoms even if it may take years to understand how theyre caused. About 11 of coronavirus patients report experiencing palpitations or an increased heart rate according to a metaanalysis of longCovid studies published in the journal Scientific Reports in August. The symptoms are suggestive of a broader condition called postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome or POTS which affects more than 24 million Americansa number thats growing because of Covid. POTS is more prevalent among women of childbearing age often coincides with lightheadedness brain fog and gastric upset and can eventually lead to chronic fatigue. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-25/heart-failure-drug-used-to-treat-long-covid-symptoms 26th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian The pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca is conducting a major review of diversity across its trials in an attempt to ensure its medicines work for all population groups although it has admitted that including pregnant women is a particular challenge. The head of oncology at Britains biggest drugmaker David Fredrickson told the Guardian that the firm was among those leading efforts to improve participation of people of colour and other underrepresented groups in clinical trials. Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forums annual meeting in Davos he called it applying an equity lens to every phase of the medicines lifecycle. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/may/25/astrazeneca-reviews-diversity-in-trials-to-ensure-drugs-work-for-all 25th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Washington Post A large U.S. study looking at whether vaccination protects against long covid showed the shots have only a slight protective effect Being vaccinated appeared to reduce the risk of lung and blood clot disorders but did little to protect against most other symptoms. The new paper published Wednesday in Nature Medicine is part of a series of studies by the Department of Veterans Affairs on the impact of the coronavirus and was based on 33940 people who experienced breakthrough infections after vaccination. The data confirms the large body of research that shows vaccination greatly reduces the risk of death or serious illness. But there was more ambiguity regarding long covid. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/05/25/long-covid-vaccines-slight-protection/ 25th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Conversation As new waves of omicron infections continue to hit around the world its becoming clearer that COVID is here to stay. As such in the years to come vaccination both first courses and booster doses will likely remain necessary to brace global communities against the worst health outcomes wrought by the virus. But what if the current crop of vaccines could be improved Recent advances in vaccine technology and delivery systems suggest there could be gains to be made. In particular scientists are working on vaccines that activate your mucosal immune system which may be better able to prevent infection with SARSCoV2 the virus that causes COVID19 https://theconversation.com/covid-nasal-sprays-could-offer-advantages-over-traditional-vaccines-a-virologist-explains-how-they-work-181371 25th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Independent Survivors of Covid19 have twice the risk of developing a blood clot in the lungs or a respiratory condition according to a new study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC. Published on Tuesday the study by the US government body said adults aged between 18 and 64 years have an increased risk of developing pulmonary embolism a clot in an artery of the lung or other respiratory conditions like chronic cough or shortness of breath. One in five Covid survivors in this age range and one in four survivors over the age of 65 years have experienced at least one incident condition that might be attributable to the previous infection it said. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/covid-lung-blood-clots-cdc-b2086779.html 25th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Cidrap.umn.edu A multicenter Scottish study reveals persistent multisystem abnormalities among 159 COVID19 patients 28 to 60 days after release from the hospital including cardiorenal inflammation diminished lung function worse quality of life and poor outcomes. In the study published yesterday in Nature Medicine a team led by University of Glasgow researchers collected serial blood biomarkers and patientreported outcomes and performed digital electrocardiography chest computed tomography CT with pulmonary and coronary angiography and cardiorenal heartkidney magnetic resonance imaging MRI in the hospital and 28 to 60 days later. For longerterm outcomes the researchers accessed electronic health records. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/05/persistent-multiple-organ-damage-noted-covid-19 25th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Lancet In comments to Bloomberg published on May 3 2022 Pfizer chief executive officer Albert Bourla suggested that patients who experience a relapse of symptoms after finishing a course of the companys COVID19 antiviral Paxlovid should take a second course of the drug. Yet the emergency use authorisation issued by the US Food and Drug Administration FDA stipulates that Paxlovid is not authorized for use longer than five consecutive days. On May 4 John Farley director of the Office of Infectious Diseases at the FDA reiterated this message. There is no evidence of benefit at this time for a longer course of treatment...or repeating a treatment course of Paxlovid in patients with recurrent COVID19 symptoms following completion of a treatment course stated Farley. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(22)00192-8/fulltext 25th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

CIDRAP A large study of adults in the United States who survived COVID19 during the first 2 years of the pandemic found that they had twice the risk of developing pulmonary embolism or respiratory conditions in the year following infection. In other developments US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC tracking today shows that the more transmissible BA.2.12.1 Omicron subvariant is now the dominant strain as illness levels continue a steady rise across the country. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/05/cdc-covid-survivors-struggle-pulmonary-embolisms-breathing-issues 25th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

CNN Vaccines variants natural immunity and better treatment options mean catching Covid19 now isnt the same as it was a year or two ago. But for millions of people who contracted the virus even in the pandemics first months the impact of the disease lingers. As many as one in five adults who recovered from a Cov id19 infection have experienced at least one medical condition relating to long Covid according to a study published Tuesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC. That figure jumps to one in four in people aged 65 and older. The most common conditions among all adults were respiratory symptoms and musculoskeletal pain the researchers found. Covid patients were also twice as likely as other people to have conditions affecting the lungs. https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/25/world/coronavirus-newsletter-intl-05-25-22/index.html 25th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Financial Times Women are more than twice as likely as men to suffer from long Covid according to the largest study of the condition to date which found a history of autoimmune disease or depression also increased the likelihood of experiencing symptoms. The study by genetic testing company 23andMe surveyed more than 100000 people who had Covid19 about a quarter of whom reported having experienced long Covid where symptoms such as breathing problems fatigue and brain fog last for more than 12 weeks. Some 7000 of these had been formally diagnosed. https://www.ft.com/content/ea2d58c5-ae62-442c-b721-364c95852209 25th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Lancet In comments to Bloomberg published on May 3 2022 Pfizer chief executive officer Albert Bourla suggested that patients who experience a relapse of symptoms after finishing a course of the companys COVID19 antiviral Paxlovid should take a second course of the drug. Yet the emergency use authorisation issued by the US Food and Drug Administration stipulates that Paxlovid is not authorized for use longer than five consecutive days. On May 4 John Farley director of the Office of Infectious Diseases at the FDA reiterated this message. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(22)00192-8/fulltext 25th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Yahoo News UK After a reprieve of months confirmed cases of COVID19 are surging in the southern tip of South America. But officials in Argentina Chile and Uruguay hope high vaccination rates mean this latest wave will not be as deadly as previous ones. At the same time there is concern that many people are not ready to once again take on the prevention measures that authorities say are needed to ensure cases remain manageable. Cases have been steadily increasing for weeks largely fueled by the BA.2 version of the omicron variant. In Chile the number of weekly confirmed cases more than doubled by late May when compared to the beginning of the month. In Argentina cases rose 146 percent in the same period while in Uruguay the increase was almost 200 percent. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/vaccines-bring-optimism-covid-cases-193611178.html 25th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

ABC News Queensland surpassed 1000 COVID19 deaths today with the pandemic virus on course to feature among the states leading reasons for lives lost this year. Lea Kings muchloved husband Colin was one of them. The father of four and grandfather of 10 died in February just before they were due to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. The 74yearold crossword lover who lived in Logan south of Brisbane was being treated for lung cancer when he caught SARSCoV2 the virus that causes COVID19. But Mrs King said it was the COVID that got him and thats on the death certificate that the COVID pneumonia is the cause of death. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-25/queensland-coronavirus-covid19-1000-deaths/101050514 25th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

ABC News Current COVID19 cases are just a fraction of what they were at the peak of the omicron wave. But many people in the country may be noticing what seems to be a flood of cases in their social circles. Health experts say this anecdotal evidence may not be simply coincidence as the U.S. may be in a hidden wave one much larger than reported data would suggest. Theres a lot of COVID out there. I see it in my social circles in my kids schools and in the hospital employee infection numbers Dr. Shira Doron an infectious disease physician and hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center in Boston told ABC News. We are clearly in a wave. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/nations-latest-covid-19-wave-largely-hidden-view/story?id=84938594 25th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters North Korea reported no new deaths among fever patients for a second consecutive day state media KCNA said on Wednesday a day after it said the countrys first confirmed coronavirus outbreak was being stably managed. The COVID outbreak which the isolated country confirmed about two weeks ago has stoked concerns about a lack of vaccines and medical supplies while experts said a nationwide lockdown could deepen a food crisis in the country of 25 million. Pyongyang said on Tuesday its antivirus campaign was having successes in curbing and controlling the outbreak and maintaining the clearly stable situation. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/nkorea-reports-nearly-116000-more-people-with-fever-amid-covid-outbreak-kcna-2022-05-24/ 25th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

iNews Covid infections will jump by up to 50 per cent following the Jubilee celebrations after falling by twothirds in the past two months leading scientists have warned. New symptomatic infections have tumbled from a record 349011 a day on 31 March to an estimated 117136 cases today with cases relatively stable over the past fortnight according to the ZOE Covid study app. But Professor Tim Spector who runs the ZOE app believes greater social mixing over the extended bank holiday weekend alongside waning immunity will see infections rise sharply from their current level of 1 in 37 people across the UK. https://inews.co.uk/news/science/platinum-jubilee-celebrations-covid-infections-1650366 25th May 2022