27th May 2022 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=670 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Sky News The final remaining COVID restrictions are expected to be lifted in Wales the government has said. Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford will announce the update on Friday with the restrictions to be removed from Monday 30 May. Wales moved to alert level 0 in January and the majority of measures were removed in March. But there are still some remaining Face coverings are legally required in health and care settings but nowhere else Workplaces and premises open to the public must continue to carry out coronavirus work assessments If you have COVID symptoms you must take a lateral flow test https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-wales-set-to-lift-final-remaining-coronavirus-restrictions-12622162 27th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters on MSN.com Two months into harsh COVID19 lockdowns that have choked global supply chains Chinas economy is staggering back to its feet but businesses from retailers to chipmakers are warning of slow sales as consumers in the country slam the brakes on spending. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/global-firms-warn-of-sluggish-china-demand-due-to-lengthy-covid-curbs/ar-AAXKj32 27th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

STAT News The federal health department shut down a program that paid hospitals and clinics for caring for uninsured Covid19 patients but some hospitals are now eyeing a backdoor option to get those costs paid for. Throughout much of the pandemic the costs of testing vaccinating and treating uninsured patients were mostly funneled to a multibilliondollar program run by the Health Resources and Services Administration but that program ran out of money and shut down in April. The program paid out more than 1 billion per month which means its closure was a big hit for some facilities that serve large numbers of uninsured patients. https://www.statnews.com/2022/05/26/backdoor-option-for-uninsured-covid-care/ 26th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Britains economy regained its preCOVID size late last year but in one crucial way it has not recovered there are 400000 fewer workers than at the start of the pandemic. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/britains-shrunken-workforce-hampers-covid-recovery-2022-05-26/ 26th May 2022

Lockdown Exit

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

Lockdown Exit

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. Breakthrough infections may be less contagious Fully vaccinated individuals who get infected with the coronavirus spread the infection to fewer people and are contagious for less time compared to people who are partially vaccinated or unvaccinated a small study from South Korea suggests. In 173 hospital workers with COVID19 including 50 who had breakthrough infections researchers found that the virus had been transmitted to others in the hospital by 7 of the vaccinated group compared with 26 of the unvaccinated even though the two groups had similar viral loads when diagnosed. In a separate group of 45 people with mild COVID19 who were being quarantined the researchers observed shedding of infectious virus particles for four days in the six people who had been fully vaccinated 8 days in the 11 partially vaccinated people and 10 days in the 28 unvaccinated people. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/breakthrough-infections-may-be-less-contagious-vaccine-protection-wanes-faster-2022-05-26/ 26th May 2022

Exit Strategies

The Wall Street Journal Covid19 deaths in the U.S. are hovering near the lowest levels since the pandemic hit showing how a population with builtup immune protection is less at risk of severe outcomes even as another wave of infections flows through the country. The nearly 300 deaths reported daily are again more concentrated among older people underscoring hazards for the more vulnerable while the overall population appears less at risk. Particularly vulnerable people such as those who are older and immunocompromised will likely always have some risk of death from a Covid19 infection doctors and publichealth experts said. Increasing booster rates and access to treatments in addition to taking certain precautions can help lower the threat presented by the virus they said. https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-deaths-hover-near-lows-but-older-americans-at-risk-even-with-boosters-11653567898 27th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Technology Networks Throughout the pandemic the University of Huddersfields Department of Pharmacy has been raising awareness on what vaccines are how they are formulated and why theyre an important part of the healthcare strategy as well as the progress on further developments in COVID vaccines so that people can make an educated decision on becoming vaccinated or if choosing for their children. In response to the recent controversy about why COVID vaccines for children hadnt been approved in the UK but had in the US and why the UK was so slow to respond the departments Dr Hamid Merchant has written an article explaining why we should not rush massimmunising young children and how a delayed immunisation can be beneficial in offering a more suitable vaccine formulation for children such as the nasal COVID vaccine that should be approved soon. https://www.technologynetworks.com/vaccines/news/why-are-covid-vaccines-deemed-non-essential-for-young-children-in-the-uk-361988 26th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Daily Record Brits holidaying in Spain could need Covid boosters to enter the sunny travel hotspot this summer. Jabbed travellers can bypass testing with the right proof of vaccination on hand. It comes as the country opened its doors to nonvaccinated travellers to the first time ever since the pandemic began. The changing rules is indicative of the times as countries relax some restrictions to boost travel while sometimes maintaining key rules on jabs. For example tourists entering the UK dont need a vaccine certificate but British citizens have been warned to meet Spanish authorities validity period requirements. The Foreign Office has advised Brits exactly when theyll need a booster to enter Spain. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/travel/spains-covid-booster-jab-entry-27072059 26th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Kyodo News Plus Japan began offering fourth coronavirus vaccine shots Wednesday to older people and those with underlying medical conditions. People eligible for fourth inoculations are those aged 60 and older as well as individuals between 18 and 59 with chronic health conditions such as respiratory illnesses or heart conditions or at high risk of developing severe COVID19 symptoms if infected with the coronavirus according to the health ministry. The ministry suggests people receive the booster shots at least five months after receiving their third inoculation. The majority of seniors began getting third shots in January meaning that the fourth round of shots is expected to be in full swing from June onward. https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/05/19dce075b2ef-japan-starts-4th-covid-vaccine-shots-for-seniors-at-risk-groups.html 26th May 2022

Exit Strategies

The Conversation COVID19 case numbers are rising again in the U.S. including among children. In midMay 2022 the Food and Drug Administration authorized a booster shot of the COVID19 vaccine for U.S. children ages 5 to 11 and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention followed by recommending a booster shot for this age group. Naturally many parents are wondering about the importance and safety of a booster shot for their schoolage children. DebbieAnn Shirley a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University of Virginia answers some common questions about COVID19 and booster shots in kids that she hears in her practice and explains the research behind why booster shots are recommended for children ages 5 to 11. https://theconversation.com/how-important-is-the-covid-19-booster-shot-for-5-to-11-year-olds-5-questions-answered-183427 26th May 2022

Exit Strategies

The Lancet Ethnic disparities in COVID19 persist with increased rates of infection severe disease and death among people from minority ethnic groups.1 2 3 4 5 COVID19 vaccination rates also remain lowest in these communities compared with white people in the UK. Among people older than 18 years the proportion who have had three COVID19 vaccinations in England in March 2022 was lowest among Black Caribbean 38 Black African 45 and Pakistani 45 ethnic groups.1 These disparities are likely to be attributed to the intersection of key social determinants including socioeconomic factors such as deprivation overcrowding and working patterns and conditions alongside discrimination and structural violence in the healthcare system and society. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)00945-X/fulltext 26th May 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Pandemichit Shanghai Chinas financial hub unveiled more postlockdown plans on Thursday as it moves towards a return to normalcy but a nationwide economic recovery is still a distance away heightening a sense of urgency for more support. Chinas biggest city by economic output has suffered from the lockdown imposed in early April. Other cities not under lockdown but still hemmed in by COVID curbs including Beijing have also struggled with the highly transmissible Omicron provoking stronger responses from health authorities this year. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/shanghai-heading-out-lockdown-china-still-lost-economic-gloom-2022-05-26/ 26th May 2022

Exit Strategies

The Associated Press The White House on Thursday announced more steps to make the antiviral treatment Paxlovid more accessible across the U.S. as it projects COVID19 infections will continue to spread over the summer travel season. The nations first federally backed testtotreat site is opening Thursday in Rhode Island providing patients with immediate access to the drug once they test positive. More federally supported sites are set to open in the coming weeks in Massachusetts and New York City both hit by a marked rise in infections. Next week the U.S. will send authorized federal prescribers to several Minnesotarun testing sites turning them into testtotreat locations. Federal regulators have also sent clearer guidance to physicians to help them determine how to manage Paxlovids interactions with other drugs with an eye toward helping prescribers find ways to get the lifesaving medication to more patients. https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-new-york-city-medication-3d59f62083db3f5646ac140009e33427 26th May 2022

Partisan Exits

Moneyweb.co.za Fears over the possible side effects and effectiveness of COVID19 vaccines have been the main drivers of hesitancy among thousands of South Africans a governmentbacked online survey showed on Thursday. https://www.moneyweb.co.za/in-depth/own-your-life/sa-covid-vaccine-hesitancy-due-to-side-effect-fears-survey/ 26th May 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he took full responsibility for a series of boozy parties at his Downing Street official residence during lockdowns when COVID rules placed severe curbs on socializing outside the home. Lucy Fielder has more. https://www.reuters.com/video/watch/idOV062825052022RP1 26th May 2022

Partisan Exits

Bloomberg All day long kids stream in and out of the Tiffanyblue front door at Project Elimu the premier ballet school in Kibera a vibrant lowincome community in Nairobi Kenya. But not all of the schools visitors are dancers. Some like 18yearold Esther are in acute distress facing abuse at home or struggling with early pregnancy and parenthood. Esther is one data point in a wave of girls who became pregnant during the pandemic. According to the UNFPA the United Nations sexual and reproductive healthy agency some 1.4 million women and girls became pregnant unintentionally as a result of contraception interruptions in the first year of the pandemic alone. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-05-26/contraception-s-cost-teen-pregnancy-in-poor-countries-sets-back-gender-equality 26th May 2022

Continued Lockdown

Reuters Two months into harsh COVID19 lockdowns that have choked global supply chains Chinas economy is staggering back to its feet but businesses from retailers to chipmakers are warning of slow sales as consumers in the country slam the brakes on spending. https://www.reuters.com/markets/global-firms-warn-sluggish-china-demand-due-lengthy-covid-curbs-2022-05-26/ 26th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters About 200 confirmed and more than 100 suspected cases of Monkeypox have been detected so far outside of the countries where it usually spreads a World Health Organization official said on Thursday urging countries to increase surveillance for the infectious disease. Monkeypox a mild viral infection is endemic in the African countries of Cameroon Central African Republic Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/who-asks-countries-increase-surveillance-monkeypox-2022-05-26/ 26th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Atlantic The first data on Paxlovid out last November hinted that the COVID antiviral would cut the risk of hospitalization and death by 89 percent. Pundits called the drug a monster breakthrough miraculous and the biggest advance in the pandemic since the vaccines. Todays news is a real gamechanger said Albert Bourla the CEO of Pfizer which makes the drug. The pills are a game changer President Joe Biden repeated a few months later. Now finally the game is being changed. The government has ordered 20 million courses of Paxlovid committing half of the 10 billion in additional COVID funding that is being negotiated in the Senate and Pfizer says that the number of patients taking the drug increased by a factor of 10 between midFebruary and late April. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2022/05/paxlovid-covid-rebound-pfizer-clinical-trials/638438/ 26th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

ITV News Children aged between 12 and 15 are being urged to volunteer for a new study exploring different options for a third Covid booster vaccine. The University of Oxfordled ComCOV 3 study aims to recruit 380 volunteers across 10 UK sites including Oxfords Churchill Hospital. Those taking part will need to have received two doses of the PfizerBioNTech vaccine at least three months before joining. Researchers will then deliver a third dose as part of the study. https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2022-05-26/children-urged-to-come-forward-for-covid-booster-trial-in-these-ten-areas 26th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

News-Medical.Net The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 SARSCoV2 is capable of infecting people of any age. Although COVID19 is often mild in young children relative to adults thousands of children have been admitted to hospitals in the United States US owing to SARSCoV2 infection with around onethird of them having no prior medical issues. Over 800 US children aged 0 to 11 years have died from COVID19 and during the 20212022 fallwinter SARSCoV2 outbreak in the US children constituted more than 25 of COVID19 cases. Moreover COVID19 rarely produces a multisystem inflammatory disease in children MISC. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220526/Mucosal-COVID-vaccine-candidate-powerfully-protective-in-macaques.aspx 26th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Nature.com Vaccination against SARSCoV2 lowers the risk of long COVID after infection by only about 15 according to a study of more than 13 million people1. Thats the largest cohort that has yet been used to examine how much vaccines protect against the condition but it is unlikely to end the uncertainty. Long COVID illness that persists for weeks or months after infection with SARSCoV2 has proved difficult to study not least because the array of symptoms makes it hard to define. Even finding out how common it is has been challenging. Some studies23 have suggested that it occurs in as many as 30 of people infected with the virus. But a November study4 of about 4.5 million people treated at US Department of Veterans Affairs VA hospitals suggests that the number is 7 overall and lower than that for those who were not hospitalized. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01453-0 26th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

North East Times A life sciences firm has unveiled new technology it says can identify COVID19 flu and respiratory illnesses in minutes. Newcastlebased QuantuMDx Group says its QPOC equipment provides differential diagnosis and will enable rapid triage and effective treatment strategies particularly in atrisk groups of patients. Bosses say it will help identify coinfection earlier which will shorten treatment and patient hospital stays with test results returned in 35 minutes. Jonathan OHalloran chief executive pictured above said The recent COVID19 pandemic highlighted the need for rapid highquality PCR panels to accurately diagnose infectious diseases and so I am pleased to announce the launch of this new respiratory panel. With the coming winter likely to bring parallel pressure from these viruses ondemand rapid accurate PCR testing has the potential to provide clinicians with an optimum solution for respiratory infection control. https://netimesmagazine.co.uk/business/newcastles-quantumdx-group-launches-rapid-covid-19-and-flu-test/ 26th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Hospital Healthcare Europe A multiinflammatory index MII biomarker have been shown to have good predictive power for mortality among COVID19 patients admitted to an intensive care unit ICU. This was the main finding of a study by a team of Turkish researchers. https://hospitalhealthcare.com/clinical/emergency-and-critical-care/multi-inflammatory-index-predicts-mortality-in-critically-ill-covid-19-patients/ 26th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Conversation Parents are understandably worried about what would happen if their infant caught COVID19. Babies may be considered vulnerable due to immature immune systems and are also not eligible for most of the treatments and vaccinations available for older children and adults. The good news is most babies experience mild illness. Heres what to expect if your baby tests positive. https://theconversation.com/covid-19-in-babies-heres-what-to-expect-181940 26th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Medical News Today The cause of the many mysterious and lingering symptoms brought on by SARSCoV2 infection or COVID19 has remained a hardtosolve puzzle for scientists. Researchers have been looking into various systems in the body in an effort to find answers. A sometimes controversial area of study has been micro clots in people with long COVID caused by fibrin which is a substance that contributes to coagulation. This has made both the immune system and circulatory system interesting candidates for further study. A recent study published in the Journal of American Chemical Society has provided a suggested mechanism to explain why some people develop complicated COVID19 symptoms after infection. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/misfolded-spike-protein-could-explain-complicated-covid-19-symptoms 26th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Medical News Today The first cases of COVID19 were reported in Wuhan Hubei Province China in December 2019Trusted Source. It has now been over two years since the beginning of the outbreak connected to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan. Since then many COVID19 survivors have reported lingering health issues or symptoms that suddenly appear months and even a year after the initial infection. It is important to note that these patients experienced COVID19 before vaccines were developed against SARSCoV2. A recent study looked into the current conditions of COVID19 patients from Wuhan two years later. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/long-covid-half-of-patients-still-report-at-least-1-symptom-2-years-on 26th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Healthline.com The primary treatment for low oxygen levels is oxygen therapy. Oxygen therapy gets oxygen into your bloodstream and helps take the pressure off your lungs so that you recover from COVID19. There are a few ways to receive oxygen therapy. In most cases youll receive extra oxygen through a nasal cannula. A nasal cannula is plastic tubing that sits in your nose. Oxygen from a tank goes into the tubing and then into your body. Doctors and respiratory therapists can adjust the amount of oxygen you receive until your blood oxygen levels return to normal. As you start to recover they can slowly reduce the amount of oxygen you receive through the tubing. healthline.com/health/what-oxygen-level-is-too-low-covid#using-a-pulse-oximeter 26th May 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press New U.S. research on long COVID19 provides fresh evidence that it can happen even after breakthrough infections in vaccinated people and that older adults face higher risks for the longterm effects. In a study of veterans published Wednesday about onethird who had breakthrough infections showed signs of long COVID. A separate report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that up to a year after an initial coronavirus infection 1 in 4 adults aged 65 and older had at least one potential long COVID health problem compared with 1 in 5 younger adults. Long COVID refers to any of more than two dozens symptoms that linger recur or first appear at least one month after a coronavirus infection. These can affect all parts of the body and may include fatigue shortness of breath brain fog and blood clots. https://apnews.com/article/long-covid-breakthrough-infections-e05e67c5bb12c18c594aaf5ec6dec954 26th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

English News.cn The total number of COVID19 infections in Myanmar rose to 613260 on Thursday after four new cases were confirmed in the past 24 hours according to the ministry of health. The ministry said health authorities tested 6624 people for COVID19 in the past 24 hours and the daily positivity rate was 0.06 percent. The death toll from COVID19 in the country remained unchanged at 19434 as no new deaths were confirmed in the past 24 hours the ministrys figures showed. The total number of patients who recovered from COVID19 in the country has reached 592244 on Thursday with 15 more patients recovered in the past 24 hours the ministrys figures showed. https://english.news.cn/asiapacific/20220526/6b0008a1c6c246b4b375599d1dbdd924/c.html 26th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

India Times Maharashtra followed by Manipur and Uttar Pradesh have recorded the highest number of COVID19 deaths in 2020 when 1.6 lakh people succumbed to the virus in the country. In 2020 the total number of registered deaths in the country was 8115882 of which 1811688 were medically certified deaths. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/maharashtra-manipur-up-record-highest-number-of-covid-19-deaths-in-2020/articleshow/91818786.cms 26th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Independent The coronavirus mutant that is now dominant in the United States is a member of the omicron family but scientists say it spreads faster than its omicron predecessors is adept at escaping immunity and might possibly cause more serious disease. Why Because it combines properties of both omicron and delta the nations dominant variant in the middle of last year. A genetic trait that harkens back to the pandemics past known as a delta mutation appears to allow the virus to escape preexisting immunity from vaccination and prior infection especially if you were infected in the omicron wave said Dr. Wesley Long a pathologist at Houston Methodist in Texas. Thats because the original omicron strain that swept the world didnt have the mutation. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/ap-united-states-people-covid-texas-b2088187.html 26th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

News-Medical.Net Although everyone has been affected by COVID19 and the pandemic it spawned not all populations have been affected equally. In the United States for example COVID19 cases and death rates have been disproportionately high in Latino and Indigenous populations. To understand how determinants of health affect perceptions of the coronavirus its spread and decision making around COVID19 testing and vaccination in vulnerable populations a team of researchers at the University of California Riverside conducted a study in the Eastern Coachella Valley region of inland Southern California home to Latino and Indigenous Mexican farmworking communities. Led by Ann Cheney an associate professor of social medicine population and public health in the School of Medicine the team reports in BMC Public Health that these immigrant populations are vulnerable to inequalities that increase their risk of COVID19 exposure morbidity and mortality. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220526/Latino-and-Indigenous-Mexican-farm-working-communities-face-high-risk-of-COVID-19.aspx 26th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Focus Taiwan News Channel Two girls under the age of 5 were among the 104 deaths linked to COVID19 reported Thursday bringing the number of children under 10 who have passed away from the disease in Taiwan to seven the Central Epidemic Command Center CECC said. One of the two girls was a 1yearold who died of septic shock after contracting COVID19 and the other was a 4yearold who had developed encephalitis or inflammation of the brain and then suffered multiple organ failure said Lo Yichun deputy head of the CECCs medical response division. The two tested positive for COVID19 on May 17 and May 11 respectively and passed away on May 23 and May 20. Lo also reported that a 7yearold boy had developed a severe infection of COVID19. https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202205260012 26th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Independent The number of new coronavirus cases and deaths are still falling globally after peaking in January the World Health Organization said. In its latest weekly assessment of the pandemic the U.N. health agency said there were more than 3.7 million new infections and 9000 deaths in the last week drops of 3 and 11 respectively. COVID19 cases rose in only two regions of the world the Americas and the Western Pacific. Deaths increased by 30 in the Middle East but were stable or decreased everywhere else. WHO said it is tracking all omicron subvariants as variants of concern. It noted that countries which had a significant wave of disease caused by the omicron subvariant BA.2 appeared to be less affected by other subvariants like BA.4 and BA.5 which were responsible for the latest surge of disease in South Africa. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/who-ap-south-africa-shanghai-americas-b2088118.html 26th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters China reported 545 new coronavirus cases on May 25 of which 130 were symptomatic and 415 were asymptomatic the National Health Commission said on Thursday. That compares with 590 new cases a day earlier 117 symptomatic and 473 asymptomatic infections which China counts separately. There were 1 new deaths bringing the death toll to 5225. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/china-reports-545-new-covid-cases-may-25-vs-590-day-earlier-2022-05-26/ 26th May 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Associated Press The number of new coronavirus cases and deaths are still falling globally after peaking in January the World Health Organization said. In its latest weekly assessment of the pandemic the U.N. health agency said there were more than 3.7 million new infections and 9000 deaths in the last week drops of 3 and 11 respectively. COVID19 cases rose in only two regions of the world the Americas and the Western Pacific. Deaths increased by 30 in the Middle East but were stable or decreased everywhere else. WHO said it is tracking all omicron subvariants as variants of concern. It noted that countries which had a significant wave of disease caused by the omicron subvariant BA.2 appeared to be less affected by other subvariants like BA.4 and BA.5 which were responsible for the latest surge of disease in South Africa. https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-south-africa-middle-east-5ae593b4118e68009c1ea0eecb0c56a0 26th May 2022