14th Sep 2020 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=94 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

CBS News Albert Bourla the head of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer which is among the companies developing a coronavirus vaccine said Sunday there is a good chance the company will know whether its vaccine works by the end of October. In an interview with Face the Nation Bourla said its not yet known whether Americans will be able to receive a coronavirus vaccine before 2021 as issuance of a license depends on federal regulators. But studies from Pfizer indicate we have a good chance that we will know if the product works by the end of October. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-vaccine-pfizer-october-face-the-nation/ 13th Sep 2020

Lockdown Exit

Sky News Nearly eight million people in Britain will be living under stricter lockdown rules including a large part of the West Midlands ahead of a widespread ban on gatherings of more than six people. From Monday social gatherings of more than six people will be banned across England Wales and Scotland. Households will be banned from meeting each other in Birmingham Sandwell and Solihull from Tuesday after a rise in coronavirus cases https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-nearly-eight-million-britons-to-be-under-tougher-lockdown-as-nine-areas-added-to-watchlist-12069434 12th Sep 2020

Lockdown Exit

BBC Shipping a coronavirus vaccine around the world will be the largest transport challenge ever according to the airline industry. The equivalent of 8000 Boeing 747s will be needed the International Air Transport Association IATA has said. There is no Covid19 vaccine yet but IATA is already working with airlines airports global health bodies and drug firms on a global airlift plan. The distribution programme assumes only one dose per person is needed. Safely delivering Covid19 vaccines will be the mission of the century for the global air cargo industry. But it wont happen without careful advance planning. And the time for that is now said IATAs chief executive Alexandre de Juniac. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54067499 10th Sep 2020

Lockdown Exit

Associated Press N95s are still in a shortage said Mike Schiller the American Hospital Associations senior director for supply chains. Its certainly not anywhere near preCOVID levels. Early in the pandemic the White House failed to heed stark warnings specifically about N95s from highlevel administration officials. The Associated Press has found the administration took months to sign contracts with companies that make the crucial component inside these masks meltblown textile. Meltblowing is the manufacturing process that turns plastic into the dense mesh that makes N95 masks effective at blocking vanishingly small particles including viruses. Even today manufacturers say the Trump administration hasnt made the longterm investments they need in order to ramp up to full capacity. Meanwhile the administration allowed meltblown exports to slip out of the country as the pandemic and the demand for masks soared. https://apnews.com/02a0542e8a05176bd5d79757134bc277 10th Sep 2020

Lockdown Exit

The Washington Post With increasing cases of COVID19 Ethiopia has opened a facility to produce kits to test for the coronavirus and says its researchers are working to develop and test a vaccine. The company producing the testing kits is a joint venture with a Chinese company called BGI Health Ethiopia. Ethiopias number of confirmed cases of COVID19 has risen to nearly 64000 causing almost 1000 deaths according to government figures. On Sunday Ethiopia also opened a field hospital to hold up to 200 severely affected Covid19 patients which will start admitting patients immediately https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/ethiopia-opens-facility-to-make-coronavirus-test-kits/2020/09/13/c7bac1a4-f5c6-11ea-85f7-5941188a98cd_story.html 13th Sep 2020

Lockdown Exit

Sky News More than 10000 new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in France in a single day the countrys highest daily number since the pandemic began. A total of 10561 new COVID19 infections were recorded on Saturday the first time they have topped 10000 over 24 hours in France. The total surpasses the previous record of 9843 new cases reported on Thursday. https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-france-reports-highest-number-of-daily-covid-cases-since-pandemic-began-12070399 12th Sep 2020

Lockdown Exit

CBC.ca Parts of Canada have experienced a sudden spike in COVID19 cases and as the weather gets colder there are worries about a resurgence of infections. The increase in cases quite possibly could be a resurgence Minister of Health Patty Hajdu told The Currents Matt Galloway. Its not too late to bring those numbers down. Governments are working really hard and in many different ways and individuals really need to maintain those measures that are so difficult to maintain. Ontario reported 213 new cases of COVID19 on Friday marking the first singleday increase of over 200 cases in over a month. British Columbia reported 139 new cases on Thursday setting a new record for new cases in a single day. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-sept-11-2020-1.5720084/it-s-not-too-late-to-prevent-major-covid-19-resurgence-in-canada-hajdu-says-1.5720085 12th Sep 2020

Lockdown Exit

Liverpool Echo There was actually more of a concern for Wirral where infections were rising rapidly. But a week is a long time in the world of covid19. And at the end of that week the city finds itself on a government danger list and facing the very real prospect of new lockdown restrictions being brought in to restrict peoples lives. On Monday we started to get the feeling that things were rapidly heading in the wrong direction. Cases had started to increase very quickly and the citys Director of Public Health Matt Ashton raised the alarm bells stating that he was deeply concerned by how many new infections were being found in the city. Monday was also the day we saw hundreds of school pupils sent home as positive cases wreaked havoc on the citys education system. https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/how-liverpool-ended-up-brink-18920518 13th Sep 2020

Exit Strategies

Channel NewsAsia Singapore India said on Sunday Sep 13 it was considering granting an emergency authorisation for a COVID19 vaccine particularly for the elderly and people in highrisk workplaces as the countrys number of reported infections passed 4.75 million. India which has consistently reported over 1000 COVID19 deaths daily this month has now recorded 78586 fatalities from the disease. It lags only the United States globally in overall number of infections but it has been adding more daily cases than the United States since midAugust. India is considering emergency authorisation of a COVID19 vaccination said Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. If there is a consensus we may go ahead with it especially in the case of senior citizens and people working in highrisk settings. Vardhan said the timeline on Phase III trials could be shortened by giving emergency authorisation but stressed no corners would be cut in clinical trials and that a vaccine would only be made available when the government could ensure its safety and efficacy. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/india-considers-emergency-authorisation-of-vaccine-as-covid-19-13107494 14th Sep 2020

Exit Strategies

The Times A huge backlog has forced Britain to send swabs abroad casting doubt on its capacity to test as many people as it claimed. The governments worldbeating testing programme has a backlog of 185000 swabs and is so overstretched that it is sending tests to laboratories in Italy and Germany according to leaked documents. A Department of Health and Social Care report marked Official sensitive also confirms that most British laboratories are clearing fewer tests than their stated capacity as they are hit by chaos in supply chains. The government claims that it has capacity for 375000 tests a day. However the actual number of people being tested for the coronavirus stalled to just 437000 people a week at the start of the month equivalent to just 62000 a day. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/leaked-figures-reveal-scale-of-coronavirus-test-shortage-xjxprnm0v 13th Sep 2020

Exit Strategies

BBC Weve taken a look at the situation in India and its neighbours in South Asia where the United Nations estimates nearly 600 million children have been affected by lockdowns. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-54009306 12th Sep 2020

Exit Strategies

BBC If or when scientists succeed in making a coronavirus vaccine there wont be enough to go around. Research labs and pharmaceutical companies are rewriting the rulebook on the time it takes to develop test and manufacture an effective vaccine. Unprecedented steps are being taken to ensure rollout of the vaccine is global. But there are concerns that the race to get one will be won by the richest countries at the expense of the most vulnerable. So who will get it first how much will it cost and in a global crisis how do we make sure nobody gets left behind https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54027269 11th Sep 2020

Exit Strategies

iNews The Army is to be drafted in for the biggest vaccination programme in UK history to protect the population against coronavirus i can reveal. Public health and civil contingency planners believe they will need military assistance to help administer tens of millions of jabs when the Covid19 vaccine is ready. Nightingale hospitals currently mothballed after the first wave of the pandemic and public buildings could be commandeered as mass vaccination sites. https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/coronavirus-uk-latest-army-help-nhs-deliver-vaccination-push-643706 11th Sep 2020

Exit Strategies

The New York Times With all the challenges regarding developing testing manufacturing and distributing a safe and effective vaccine no matter how much effort so many scientists and companies put on the problem it could still take years or even longer Dr. George Yancopoulos the chief scientific officer of the biotechnology company Regeneron told Dr. Mukherjee. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/10/opinion/coronavirus-vaccine-treatments.html 10th Sep 2020

Exit Strategies

POLITICO The European Parliament on Tuesday canceled plans to return to Strasbourg next week after the city and its surrounding area were designated as a coronavirus red zone by French authorities. Announcing the decision European Parliament President David Sassoli noted that holding the session in Strasbourg would have meant Parliament staff having to quarantine on their return to Brussels. https://www.politico.eu/article/european-parliament-cancel-strasbourg-session/ 9th Sep 2020

Partisan Exits

Haaretz Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Jerusalem and across Israel on Saturday for the 12th week in a row calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign amid corruption charges and an impending coronavirus lockdown. Protesters fewer than in previous weeks gathered near the prime ministers residence in Jerusalem slamming the government for mismanagement of the COVID19 crisis and Netanyahu for preoccupation with his ongoing trial in three criminal cases. Police clashed with protesters detaining at least four on suspicion of assaulting officers. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-anti-netanyahu-protesters-warn-of-anti-democratic-covid-lockdown-ahead-of-vote-1.9150030 13th Sep 2020

Partisan Exits

The Guardian Despite the public show of support and gratitude for key workers in recent months the abuse of retail and transport workers has remained persistent and acute. Over 75 of shop workers surveyed by the shopworkers union Usdaw last month reported being abused by customers when asking them to socially distance almost half had experienced abuse triggered by reminding shoppers to wear face masks. The preliminary findings of the unions annual Freedom from Fear report shared exclusively with the Observer reveal the toll taken on the wellbeing of those working in essential services. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/13/coughed-on-spat-at-uk-shop-workers-fear-asking-customers-to-wear-masks 13th Sep 2020

Partisan Exits

Sky News Police in Paris have arrested more than 200 people during the first yellow vest protest since the start of Frances coronavirus outbreak. The last Gilets Jaunes demonstration had taken place on 14 March three days before France went into lockdown. Officers in riot gear have already fired tear gas at demonstrators along the Avenue de Wagram in Pariss 17th arrondissement while another march takes place outside the capitals stock exchange. https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-more-than-150-arrested-during-first-yellow-vest-protest-since-france-lockdown-lifted-12069788 12th Sep 2020

Partisan Exits

Yahoo News UK Large crowds of people rallied in Auckland on Saturday against the governments social distancing restrictions imposed on the countrys largest city after an outbreak of the novel coronavirus last month. Local television footage showed tightly packed crowds with many people not wearing masks with estimates of the attendance varying in reports between a thousand and a few thousand people. We are all here today because we believe we need to stand up for our rights the public Television New Zealand cited JamiLee Ross the leader of the Advance New Zealand party one of the organisers of the protest as saying. Were all here today because we believe its time to stand up and say We need to get our rights and freedoms back. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/crowds-rally-zealands-auckland-against-070934375.html 12th Sep 2020

Partisan Exits

The Guardian The warning lights had been flashing in Downing Street too triggering an abrupt reversal of policy that coincided with a Brexit crisis of the governments own making leaving ministers fighting Conservative rebellions on two fronts. All talk of the country tentatively heading towards some kind of normality began to evaporate last weekend as the reality of a Covid resurgence began to bite. With the UK recording nearly 3000 Covid cases on Sunday the highest daily total since May the health secretary Matt Hancock concluded that he had to act. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/sep/11/its-world-leadingly-bad-is-what-it-is-the-week-covid-surged-again-in-uk 11th Sep 2020

Partisan Exits

Sky News Coronavirus is causing deeper social divides than Brexit with more than half of mask wearers in the UK having strong negative attitudes to those who refuse to wear one new research suggests. The poll of over 10000 people conducted by think tank Demos found that people have contrasting opinions of the COVID19 pandemic based on their experiences social class and occupations. The findings show that the social divide on the key questions associated with the pandemic such as mask wearing or lockdown rules is now deeper than the divide over Brexit. https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-britons-more-divided-over-face-masks-and-lockdown-rules-than-brexit-poll-suggests-12068702 11th Sep 2020

Partisan Exits

CGTN French authorities deployed a heavy police presence in Paris and used tear gas on Saturday as the yellow vest movement returned to the capital after being dampened by the coronavirus crisis. Several hundred demonstrators gathered at two squares in Paris for authorized marches. One cortege set off without incident but the other march was delayed after police used tear gas to disperse protesters who left the designated route and some of whom set fire to waste bins and a car. The authorities had banned protests in a central zone including the ChampsElysees the scene of rioting at the height of the yellow vest movement nearly two years ago when anger over fuel taxes and President Emmanuel Macrons style of rule brought hundreds of thousands onto the streets across France. https://newsaf.cgtn.com/news/2020-09-12/France-not-planning-new-nationwide-lockdown-amid-COVID-19-resurgence-THYDsKiFMI/index.html 11th Sep 2020

Continued Lockdown

Mirror Online Hartlepool could face imminent new lockdown restrictions after a worrying spike in new coronavirus infections. The leader of the towns council has described it as a wake up call and warned that further restrictions may follow. Hartlepool was this week added to a government watchlist after 51 cases were confirmed in seven days up from 22 the previous week. Shane Moore leader of Hartlepool Borough Council described the new figures as extremely worrying. Care homes have been advised to suspend family visits to protect the vulnerable https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/hartlepool-faces-imminent-lockdown-after-22671233 12th Sep 2020

Continued Lockdown

Epping Forest Guardian More than 100 children were homeless and in temporary accommodation in Epping Forest at the start of the coronavirus lockdown figures show. Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government figures show 114 children from 62 households were housed in temporary accommodation in Epping Forest at the end of March an increase of 25 on the same point last year when there were 89. Across England there were 129380 children in temporary accommodation on March 31 the highest number since 2006. https://www.eppingforestguardian.co.uk/news/18715715.homeless-children-epping-forest-start-coronavirus-lockdown/ 12th Sep 2020

Continued Lockdown

Daily Mail Jazzy Regan who is in her 20s has been in coronavirus lockdown for 183 days Ms Regan is severely asthmatic and lives with her 84yearold grandma. The pandemic has probably been the best time ever for the young woman. She has learnt to cook exercises in her loungeroom and works from home https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8724909/Sydney-woman-coronavirus-lockdown-March.html 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Brussels Times Belgian leaders should remain wary as the country is still at risk of facing a resurgence of the new coronavirus similar to that gripping France and Spain a Belgian epidemiologist warned. An alarming surge of new coronavirus infections could hit Belgium as early as within ten days Yves Coppieters an epidemiologist and professor at the Universit Libre de Bruxelles ULB said in a TV interview on Thursday. https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/130830/belgium-stil-at-risk-of-coronavirus-resurgence-ulb-epidemiologist-warns/ 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Uruguay News The Brazilian state of Bahia has signed an agreement to conduct Phase III clinical trials of Russias Sputnik V vaccine against COVID19 and plans to buy 50 million doses to market in Brazil officials have said. The Russian vaccine is being developed by Moscows Gamaleya Research Institute and marketed by the Russian Direct Investment Fund RDIF which last month also entered an agreement with the Brazilian state of Paran to test and produce the vaccine. Russia will sell up to 50 million doses of the SputnikV vaccine to Bahia state RDIF said in a statement. https://en.mercopress.com/2020/09/12/the-brazilian-state-of-bahia-signs-deal-for-russia-s-vaccine-against-covid-19 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

YAHOO! Indias drug regulator has asked Serum Institute of India to suspend recruitment in its clinical trials of AstraZeneca Plcs potential COVID19 vaccine in the country until further orders Reuters partner ANI reported on Friday. V.G. Somani the drugs controller general of India has also asked for increased safety monitoring of those already vaccinated with the experimental vaccine ANI reported citing an order issued by the regulator. The move places further restrictions on the trials which have already been put on hold by Serum on Thursday after the DCGI had asked the vaccine maker for details on the suspension of trials overseas in a showcause notice that was reviewed by Reuters. Fridays order has been issued after Serum responded to the showcause notice according to ANI. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/dcgi-orders-suspension-serums-india-221509817.html 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters AstraZeneca has resumed British clinical trials of its COVID19 vaccine one of the most advanced in development after getting the green light from safety watchdogs the company said on Saturday. https://uk.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUKKBN2630OB 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE on Saturday proposed to the U.S Food and Drug Administration FDA to expand their Phase 3 pivotal COVID19 vaccine trial to about 44000 participants while increasing the diversity of the trial population. The initial target figure for the trial was up to 30000 participants which the companies said they expect to reach by next week. The proposed expansion would also allow the companies to enroll people as young as 16 and people with chronic stable HIV hepatitis C and hepatitis B they added. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-pfizer-biontech/pfizer-biontech-propose-expanding-covid-19-vaccine-trial-to-44000-volunteers-idUKKBN2630R8?il=0 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian The closely watched trial of an experimental Covid19 vaccine that was halted after a participant fell ill is to resume in the UK. The University of Oxford which has partnered with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca to pilot the study said that the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency MHRA had recommended that its trials resume after an independent committee review of safety data triggered a pause last week. In a statement the university said Globally some 18000 individuals have received study vaccines as part of the trial. In large trials such as this it is expected that some participants will become unwell and every case must be evaluated to ensure careful assessment of safety. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/12/oxford-university-resumes-covid-19-vaccine-trials 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

ITV News Trials of a Covid19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University will resume after a pause due to a reported side effect in a patient in the UK. AstraZeneca issued a statement on Tuesday night saying the latestage studies of the vaccine had been paused while the company investigated whether the patients reported side effect is connected with the vaccine. On Saturday Oxford University confirmed that trials would resume across all UK clinical trial sites. It comes after the Governments chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance told a Downing Street press conference what has happened in the Oxford trial is not unusual. https://www.itv.com/news/2020-09-12/coronavirus-oxford-university-vaccine-trials-resume-after-patient-suffers-side-effects 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Daily Mail AstraZeneca said Tuesday the latestage studies of the vaccine had been paused This was while it investigated whether patients side effect was linked to vaccine Oxford University today said trials would resume across all UK clinical trial sites It comes after Sir Patrick Vallance said a pause is not unusual during trial phase https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8725721/Oxford-coronavirus-vaccine-trials-RESUME-clear-regulators.html 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Sun A coronavirus vaccine wont be ready in time for the second wave the Governments leading life sciences adviser has warned. Sir John Bell 68 who sits on the UKs vaccine taskforce and is also Oxford Universitys regius professor of medicine has warned that while the majority of vaccines take around eight years to develop experts have only been working on a Covid19 one for just eight months. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12654214/coronavirus-vaccine-not-ready-second-wave-sir-john-bell/ 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Times of India Hyderabadbased vaccine major Bharat Biotech has announced that its Covid19 vaccine candidate Covaxin during its testing on animal rhesus macaques has develop a robust immune response to the highly infectious coronavirus preventing infection and disease in the primates upon high amounts of exposure to live SARSCoV2 virus. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bharat-biotechs-covid-vaccine-generated-robust-immune-response-on-animals/articleshow/78079736.cms 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Arab News The Egyptian government has said it is necessary to unite African efforts to confront the coronavirus and limit its health social and economic effects on the continents people. Mohamed Maait the Egyptian Minister of Finance and chairman of the General Assembly of the African ExportImport Bank backed the banks view on the need for African countries to cooperate in financing a coronavirus vaccine at an estimated cost of 4 billion in Egypt and South Africa. During his meeting with Benedict Oramah chairman of the board of directors of the African ExportImport Bank and his accompanying delegation the minister affirmed the Egyptian governments keenness to enhance economic cooperation with African countries. This included African integration as the main pillar for maximizing capabilities and supporting development efforts to meet the aspirations of the African people and revitalize intraAfrican trade. https://www.arabnews.com/node/1733551 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg The University of Oxford and AstraZeneca Plc have restarted a U.K. trial of an experimental Covid19 vaccine after it was halted over concerns about a participant who fell ill. The U.K. Medicines Health Regulatory Authority recommended that the study resume after an independent review of the safety data triggered a pause on Sept. 6 Oxford said in a statement. It declined to disclose details about the volunteers illness. While temporary halts are common in vaccine trials the interruption to the closely watched AstraOxford study had raised concerns about the viability of one of the fastestmoving experimental shots seeking protection from the pandemic. The race to develop a Covid19 vaccine has compressed what is normally a decadelong process into a matter of months with data from finalstage trials expected as soon as next month. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-12/oxford-university-to-resume-u-k-trial-of-astrazeneca-vaccine 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Nature.com As leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies fasttrack COVID19 vaccines through clinical trials smaller developers face a battle to get their candidates noticed. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02583-z 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Arab News Zayed warned that Egypt remains in the first wave of the outbreak but can adapt to the virus through successful vaccine trials. The minister said that from Saturday volunteers will be invited for testing CAIRO Egypt will test two https://www.arabnews.com/node/1733536/middle-east 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Telegraph At lunchtime on Tuesday Sir John Bell received a call telling him that the groundbreaking Oxford coronavirus vaccine trial would regretfully be paused. Hours later news of an urgent investigation into an unexplained illness in one of the trial volunteers began spreading across the world. It was as White House adviser Anthony Fauci described it unfortunate Bell thought it unsurprising and the system was workinhg well https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2020/09/12/oxfords-sir-john-bell-not-going-beat-second-wave/ 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian The UK has ordered a total of 340m doses of potential coronavirus vaccines from six manufacturers. The EU has done a deal said to be worth 2.4bn 2.2bn with one developer while the US has orders with six companies for 800m doses under Operation Warp Speed with options on a further 1.6bn. Wealthy countries are paying upfront for something that has not yet been proven to work willing to spend whatever it takes to get their economies running again. And yet they could have backed the wrong horse. It is a lottery on an unprecedented scale. They have rolled the dice and cannot know whether the gamble will pay off. Earlier this week the frontrunner the UK and EU have ordered the Oxford UniversityAstraZeneca vaccine was paused after a volunteer became ill. It may not be vaccinerelated but such things can happen. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/11/the-covid-19-vaccine-gamble-where-bets-have-been-placed-and-why 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Nature.com The largest armed force in the world Chinas Peoples Liberation Army PLA is not known for its cutting edge medical research. But since 2015 it has ramped up recruitment of scientists and investment in the field as part of its strategy to modernize its military. Now the coronavirus pandemic is showcasing the PLAs growing expertise in medical research including a major role in developing the coronavirus vaccine that was the first in the world to be approved for restricted use. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02523-x 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters UK AstraZeneca AZN.L has resumed British clinical trials of its COVID19 vaccine one of the most advanced in development after getting the green light from safety watchdogs the company said on Saturday. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-vaccine/astrazeneca-says-trials-of-covid-vaccine-resuming-idUKKBN2630OB 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

CNBC Pfizer and BioNTech said their latestage trial is proceeding as planned and they expect to have enrolled 30000 participants by next week. The two companies announced Saturday that they have submitted a proposal to the FDA to expand the phasethree trial of its coronavirus vaccine to include up to 44000 participants. The expansion would help the companies ensure that their trial participants reflect a diverse population especially with regard to people with underlying health conditions. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/12/pfizer-proposes-expansion-of-late-stage-coronavirus-vaccine-trial.html 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Daily Mail The CDC observed 184 Utah students teachers and family members over a threemonth period. Testing and tracing revealed that 12 of the 110 students become infected with COVID19. They spread the virus to at least 12 family members outside the facilities even if they themselves were not showing symptoms. The study has raised alarm bells as schools and daycare centers reopen for fall. At least four teachers in three states died from COVID19 complications since the start of the school year began less than two months ago. Among them was South Carolina thirdgrade teacher Demetria Bannister 28 who died Monday just three days after she was diagnosed with the virus https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8725781/CDC-confirms-asymptomatic-children-spread-COVID-19-adults.html 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Yahoo Face masks may be inadvertently giving people Covid19 immunity and making them get less sick from the virus academics have suggested in one of the most respected medical journals in the world. The commentary published in the New England Journal of Medicine advances the unproven but promising theory that universal face mask wearing might be helping to reduce the severity of the virus and ensuring that a greater proportion of new infections are asymptomatic. If this hypothesis is borne out the academics argue then universal maskwearing could become a form of variolation inoculation that would generate immunity and thereby slow the spread of the virus in the United States and elsewhere as the world awaits a vaccine. It comes as increasing evidence suggests that the amount of virus someone is exposed to at the start of infection the infectious dose may determine the severity of their illness. Indeed a large study published in the Lancet last month found that viral load at diagnosis was an independent predictor of mortality in hospital patients. Wearing masks could therefore reduce the infectious dose that the wearer is exposed to and subsequently the impact of the disease as masks filter out some viruscontaining droplets. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/face-masks-could-giving-people-123956392.html 12th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Vox.com China has taken a shortcut in the global sprint to develop and deliver vaccines for the novel coronavirus. Sinopharm the stateowned company developing two of Chinas leading vaccine candidates told China National Radio on Monday that it has already vaccinated hundreds of thousands of Chinese citizens even though the companys phase 3 clinical trials have not yet concluded. Individuals received one of two Sinopharm vaccines in development in an emergency use program launched by the Chinese government in late July which also authorized a third vaccine CoronaVac developed by the privately owned drugmaker Sinovac Biotech. Under Chinese vaccine law such authorization is allowed within a certain scope and time frame during a health emergency. Chinas top vaccine official mentioned frontline medical workers and customs officials when he first announced the program implying these highrisk groups had been prioritized to receive the stillexperimental vaccines. https://www.vox.com/2020/9/11/21431416/coronavirus-vaccine-chinasinopharm-sinovac-emergency-authorization 11th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

CDC.gov Children aged 10 years have been shown to transmit SARSCoV2 in school settings. Twelve children acquired COVID19 in child care facilities. Transmission was documented from these children to at least 12 26 of 46 nonfacility contacts confirmed or probable cases. One parent was hospitalized. Transmission was observed from two of three children with confirmed asymptomatic COVID19. SARSCoV2 Infections among young children acquired in child care settings were transmitted to their household members. Testing of contacts of laboratoryconfirmed COVID19 cases in child care settings including children who might not have symptoms could improve control of transmission from child care attendees to family members. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6937e3.htm?s_cid=mm6937e3_w 11th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

MSNBC Dr. Anthony Fauci discussed the trials currently underway to find a coronavirus vaccine assured that only a safe vaccine would be distributed to the public. https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/fauci-assures-trials-will-find-a-safe-coronavirus-vaccine-91536965729 11th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Wellcome Trust The world is waiting eagerly for Covid19 vaccines to be developed as quickly as possible. But to make sure they are safe and effective the clinical trials that test them have to be robust. So how do trials achieve this https://wellcome.ac.uk/news/safety-first-how-run-covid-19-vaccine-clinical-trial 11th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

CIDRAP Studies today led by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC investigators highlight US transmission patterns of COVID19 and show that close contact with confirmed cases and eating out at restaurants were linked to an increased likelihood of contracting the novel virus while children in three Utah daycare centers were more likely to spread the virus to household members than among each other. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/09/close-case-contact-dining-out-tied-covid-19-spread 13th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Times The Oxford vaccine STATUS Doses are being manufactured to supply the NHS but there are no guarantees they will work. In July an earlystage trial involving about 1100 healthy volunteers showed that the jab stimulated the kind of robust immune responses the researchers had hoped for. No side effects deemed to be dangerous were reported. Trials in Britain South Africa and Brazil have recruited about 17000 people. Another trial in the US which aims to recruit a further 30000 started injecting volunteers about a week ago and has now been paused. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/global-race-that-could-alsoprove-a-booster-for-leaders-stnnmqgcw 10th Sep 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

ABC News Pfizer the multinational pharmaceutical company may be the first in the United States to seek regulatory approval for a COVID19 vaccine but even if its vaccine is authorized the company may face additional challenges in distributing it. Thats because Pfizers vaccine cant be stored in the refrigeration systems found at the typical doctors office. Instead it requires special ultralowtemperature freezers that can store medicine at approximately 94 degrees below zero. The delivery system is complex requiring the use of a custombuilt cool box that can store 1000 to 5000 vaccines for up to 10 days at minus 94 degrees. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/pfizer-win-covid-vaccine-race-distributing-matter/story?id=72862724 10th Sep 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

RTE.ie Austria is experiencing the start of a second wave of coronavirus infections its chancellor said as cases spike upwards in line with other EU countries. From Friday to Saturday the Alpine nation of nearly nine million people reported 869 new cases more than half of those in the capital Vienna. What we are experiencing is the beginning of the second wave Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said in a statement appealing to the population to stick to antivirus measures and reduce social contacts. He warned that the mark of 1000 cases per day would be reached soon. https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2020/0913/1164892-coronavirus-global/ 13th Sep 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Financial Times Mr Castex said Marseille Bordeaux and the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe had been particularly badly hit. Whats especially worrying is that we are noticing a perceptible rise in the number of people being hospitalised he said in Paris after an inner cabinet meeting on the crisis. The change in quarantine tactics which had been predicted by health minister Olivier Vran reflects an acknowledgment by the government that the 14day isolation period was longer than necessary and that many people were flouting the rules. Its essential that everyone respects strictly this period of isolation which will be monitored Mr Castex said. https://www.ft.com/content/4742907e-80f9-4936-8e35-ea544a1cf9b4 12th Sep 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

alarabiya.net Amid fears of a second wave countries around the world are implementing new restrictions aimed at curtailing a global resurgence of COVID19 cases. This has caused concern for many as schools and businesses beginning to open their doors again for the first time in months as previous restrictions began to ease. But experts warn that even with new restrictions the novel coronavirus is here to stay. Even countries throughout Europe that have done a really great job of reducing spread havent eliminated the virus entirely Christine Blackburn Deputy Director Pandemic Biosecurity Policy Program at Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs at Texas AM University told Al Arabiya English. https://english.alarabiya.net/en/coronavirus/2020/09/12/Countries-brace-For-coronavirus-resurgence 12th Sep 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Jakarta Globe The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Indonesia reached the secondhighest rise on Saturday with more provinces on Sumatra Island reporting a threedigit daily total and new transmissions in Jakarta spiraling beyond control. Indonesia has recorded 3806 new cases of the virus in the last 24 hours to take the countrys total to 214746. The highest oneday rise was 3861 cases only two days ago. It also reported 106 more deaths from the disease bringing the total death toll to 8650 or 4 percent of total cases. https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-adds-3800-covid19-cases-as-sumatra-provinces-see-resurgence 12th Sep 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Each day this week Professor Dominique Rossi has convened a coronavirus crisis group as intensive care wards in hospitals in Marseille fill up after a summer lull deciding on how best to distribute beds and find extra staff. With 95 of the southern Bouche du Rhone regions 80 intensive care beds set aside for COVID19 patients now occupied Rossi has dusted off his peakpandemic playbook to deal with a jump in patients at the epicentre of the coronavirus resurgence in France. Were back to the working routine we adopted in April Rossi a urologist who heads the Marseille Hospitals Medical Commission told Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-france-idUSKBN26126P 12th Sep 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

City A.M. Fears of a deadly second wave of coronavirus infections mounted today after official data showed the rate of transmission has risen above the critical level. The reproduction rate known as R is now between 1.0 and 1.2 according to the Government Office for Science. It marks an increase on last week when the R rate was between 0.9 and 1.1. The daily growth rate for the UK as a whole is between 1 per cent and 3 per cent up from between 1 per cent and 2 per cent. The R rate represents the average number of people that one infected person will pass the virus on to. Scientists have warned that 1.0 is the crucial cutoff rate with any figure above this level potentially leading to rapid exponential growth. However the figures are driven largely by local outbreaks and experts have said that estimates are less reliable when overall incidence of the virus is low. It came as new figures showed Covid19 infections in England have jumped 60 per cent to 3200 new cases each day. https://www.cityam.com/coronavirus-fears-of-second-wave-mount-as-r-rate-rises-above-one/ 12th Sep 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

PoliticsHome.com Birmingham is the latest city to face tough new lockdown measures following a resurgence in cases across the whole of the UK. A ban on households mixing in Birmingham Sandwell and Solihull has been announced after new figures found the city had the second highest rate of Covid19 infections in England behind Bolton. West Midlands mayor Andy Street said the new restrictions would come into force on Tuesday after socialising between households was identified as one of the drivers of transmission. https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/birmingham-lockdown-increase-coronavirus 12th Sep 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters UK French Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Friday his government was not planning a new nationwide lockdown to contain a resurgence in COVID19 cases but would instead implement a raft of less radical measures. France has the worlds seventh highest COVID death toll and President Emmanuel Macrons government is trying to curb the virus while ensuring that economic and social activities such as schoolchildrens education can continue as much as possible. Castex said new measures would include fasttracked testing for priority cases to reduce time spent waiting for results and targeted restrictions in areas hit especially hard. The virus is with us for several more months and we must manage to live with it without letting ourselves get drawn once again into a narrative of nationwide lockdown Castex said in a televised address. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-france-idUKKBN2622FM 12th Sep 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

BBC It seemed like business as usual in Merthyr Tydfils busy High Street on a sunny Wednesday afternoon. Shoppers navigated yellow arrows and 2m spacing signs on the pavement some wearing face masks others stopping to chat with friends. But as coronavirus cases rise across Valleys towns Merthyr is braced to follow Caerphilly into local lockdown. Businesses in the town already suffering huge financial losses are warning they will struggle to survive. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-54092216 12th Sep 2020

New Lockdown

Reuters Israel will enter a threeweek nationwide lockdown starting on Friday to contain the spread of the coronavirus after a second wave surge of new cases Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday. During the lockdown which comes during the Jewish highholiday season Israelis will have to stay within 500 metres of their houses but can travel to workplaces that will be allowed to operate on a limited basis. Schools and shopping malls will be closed but supermarkets and pharmacies will remain open. The public sector will operate with fewer staff but nongovernmental offices and businesses will not have to close as long as they do not accept customers. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-israel/israel-to-impose-a-three-week-nationwide-lockdown-media-reports-idUSKBN2640SS 13th Sep 2020

New Lockdown

The Scotsman As rules on social gatherings in the UK are tightened Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned about the need to act now in order to avoid a second lockdown. Rules limiting gatherings to just six people were introduced this week and mark the first significant reverse step in the Westminster Governments move out of lockdown since restrictions began easing in May. The rules came as cases across the country began to rise steeply with the UK recording close to 3000 new positive cases on September 10. https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/health/coronavirus/could-there-be-second-lockdown-if-restrictions-england-could-tighten-again-coronavirus-cases-continue-rise-2968952 13th Sep 2020

New Lockdown

Business Insider Israel is about to enter a second COVID19 lockdown as the country experiences a resurgence in cases following what some say was a fumbled reopening. Israel is the first country in the world to reenter a full nationwide shutdown during the pandemic per The Times. There are more than 145000 reported cases with nearly 1100 reported deaths in Israel. https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-shutdown-again-covid-19-coronavirus-2020-9 12th Sep 2020

New Lockdown

BBC Households in Birmingham have been banned from mixing in new lockdown measures announced following a spike in coronavirus cases. The rate of infection has more than doubled in the city in a week to 90.3 cases per 100000. The measures also cover neighbouring Sandwell and Solihull affecting more than 1.6 million people in total. The restrictions will begin on Tuesday it was announced at a regional meeting of council leaders. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said We never take these decisions lightly but social gatherings can spread the virus quickly and we need residents to abide by the new rules to break the chains of transmission. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-54117532 12th Sep 2020

New Lockdown

BBC After just two months of heaven being open after the national lockdown he had to shut his doors as all hospitality venues in the Bolton area were closed this week. He has refurloughed his staff keeping just himself and the head chef Robert Nelson in their small kitchen. Hes hoping the new takeaway menu and this twoman band can keep the pub ticking over. It cant get any worse can it he laughs ruefully. He believes this pub will probably survive but its sister pub round the corner will not. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54117668 11th Sep 2020