"COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis" 26th Jul 2021
Overnight News RoundUp
COVID-19: Reopening nightclubs 'immoral and unethical,' warns Independent SAGE expert
- Reopening nightclubs is 'immoral and unethical' as it will mean more coronavirus cases, hospitalisations and deaths, an expert has warned.
- Public health physician Dr Gabriel Scally, who sits on the Independent SAGE panel, suggested the government decided to open clubs on July 19 to try to achieve so-called 'herd immunity' by more people getting infected.
- 'I don't think it's justifiable to open nightclubs. It might be only if you believed this government policy that it's good to have infection, and it's good to have illness, and it's good to have death during the summer rather than trying to prevent or postpone those into later in the year,' he tweeted.
- 'So there is a case for it, but that case is immoral and unethical.'
- Less than 48 hours after club doors reopened this week, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi announced that people will have to be fully jabbed to enter them by the end of September. Mr Zahawi claimed that by that time all over-18s will have been given the chance to have both COVID vaccines - therefore proof of a negative test will 'no longer be sufficient.'
- While ministers hailed it as an incentive for young people to get the jab, businesses claimed it will hamper their trade.
- Elsewhere, another expert warned against the government easing isolation rules for key workers, despite hundreds of thousands being 'pinged' by the NHS app every week.
- This week the government announced that emergency workers, as well as members of supermarket and other food supply chains will be exempt from isolating if they are identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 case.
- These rules will be extended to all those who are fully-vaccinated on 16 August.
- But Dr Zubaida Haque, who is also on the Independent SAGE board that scrutinises the government, said the move 'will also result in more infections.'
- 'The government is adding fuel to the fire instead of addressing the real problem - very high cases + no restrictions,' she tweeted on Saturday. She claimed that the government is forcing the public to choose between being vaccinated or catching COVID-19 adding: 'Johnson;s government have given up trying to keep 48% of the population who are not fully protected safe.'
- Ministers have insisted the vaccine rollout has 'severed the link' between contracting COVID and getting seriously ill from the virus.
- Deaths have slowly crept up in recent weeks and are nearing 100 a day.
- But on Friday cases fell for the third day in a row, and were 15,000 fewer than the week before.
Sky News 24th July, 2021
COVID-19: Reopening nightclubs 'immoral and unethical', warns Independent SAGE expert
COVID-19: Reopening nightclubs 'immoral and unethical', warns Independent SAGE expert
Reopening nightclubs is "immoral and unethical" as it will mean more coronavirus cases, hospitalisations and deaths, an expert has warned. Public health physician Dr Gabriel Scally, who sits on the Independent SAGE panel, suggested the government decided to open clubs on 19 July to try to achieve so-called "herd immunity" by more people getting infected.
Ministers Are Holding Their Nerve That Their Summer Covid Gamble Will Defeat The Third Wave
Ministers Are Holding Their Nerve That Their Summer Covid Gamble Will Defeat The Third Wave
MPs have set off for summer not knowing what they will return to in September, the government having taken a foot off the brakes by removing all Covid legal restrictions this week as infections continue to rise. Ministers in England put all their faith in modelling that shows this new wave will peak in August, and begin to come back down as more and more people become double jabbed, and crucially before Covid hospitalisations overwhelm the NHS. They are looking to Scotland, which caught the third wave ahead of the rest of the United Kingdom, and hoping the same dramatic fall in cases it is experiencing now following a sharp increase at the start of the month is mimicked south of the border.
Pfizer Shot Halts Severe Illness, Allows Infection in Israel
Pfizer Shot Halts Severe Illness, Allows Infection in Israel
Pfizer Inc.’s Covid-19 vaccine provided a strong shield against hospitalization and more severe disease in cases caused by the contagious delta variant in Israel in recent weeks, even though it was just 39% effective in preventing infections, according to the country’s health ministry. The vaccine, developed with BioNTech SE, provided 88% protection against hospitalization and 91% against severe illness for an unspecified number of people studied between June 20 and July 17, according to a report Thursday from the health ministry.
Indonesia prepares more ICU units, waits to see if COVID curbs will be extended
Indonesia prepares more ICU units, waits to see if COVID curbs will be extended
Indonesia is preparing more intensive care units after logging several days of record-high COVID-19 deaths last week, while the country waits to see whether the government will extend or loosen tough restrictions due to expire on Sunday. Buckling under a Delta variant-driven wave of the virus, Indonesia has become Asia's COVID-19 epicentre with hospitals deluged, particularly on the densely populated island of Java.
Australians may face longer lockdown after mass protests
Australians may face longer lockdown after mass protests
Australia's New South Wales logged its second-highest daily increase in locally acquired COVID-19 cases of the year on Sunday amid fears of a wave of new infections after thousands of people joined an anti-lockdown protest. "In relation to yesterday's protests, can I say how absolutely disgusted I was. It broke my heart," Gladys Berejiklian, the premier of the country's most populous state, told reporters.
China's Sinovac evaluates vaccine plant in Chile
China's Sinovac evaluates vaccine plant in Chile
Chilean authorities said on Friday that China's Sinovac had begun evaluating potential sites for the construction of a vaccine plant in Chile that could begin producing doses of the Chinese shot as early as the first half of 2022. Chile, a global leader in vaccinating its citizens against the coronavirus, has leaned heavily on the Sinovac vaccine in its fast-paced mass vaccination program. The Andean nation also helped spearhead clinical trials of the shot late last year. A delegation of executives from Sinovac this week visited potential sites for the factory near the capital Santiago and in Chile's northern desert.
Why it may be a 'grave mistake' for FDA to wait much longer for full COVID-19 vaccine approval
Why it may be a 'grave mistake' for FDA to wait much longer for full COVID-19 vaccine approval
Zeynep Tufecki, a sociologist who has written extensively on COVID-19 throughout the pandemic, is a proponent of broadening vaccine mandates in the United States, citing precedent in the health-care sector, the military, and schools. Kentucky, she notes in a piece published Saturday in The New York Times, requires anyone working in a long-term care facility to be vaccinated against the flu and pneumococcal disease unless they have a medical or religious exemption (Brown University's Dr. Ashish Jha, another prominent voice during the pandemic, also pointed to flu vaccine mandates in nursing homes as a reason to implement them for the coronavirus). But Tufecki acknowledged that the fact that the FDA has still not granted full authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines is an obstacle to imposing such requirements.
Indonesia's Bali running out of oxygen as government ponders curbs
Indonesia's Bali running out of oxygen as government ponders curbs
The Indonesian island of Bali is running out of oxygen for its COVID-19 patients as infections surge, the chief of its health agency said, as Southeast Asia's biggest country struggles with the region's worst COVID epidemic. Bali, famous for its tourist beaches and temples, along with the main island of Java and 15 other regions are under tight coronavirus restrictions, due to expire on Sunday. The government is debating whether to extend them or not.
'Get your freedom back': England manager Gareth Southgate urges young people to get Covid vaccines so we can 'open up' - with two thirds of 18-29s still to get first dose
'Get your freedom back': England manager Gareth Southgate urges young people to get Covid vaccines so we can 'open up' - with two thirds of 18-29s still to get first dose
England manager Gareth Southgate, 50, told young people to 'get vaccine done'
He said 'the vaccination programme is our best route out of' the Covid pandemic
The heartfelt plea comes weeks after his England side lost the Euro 2020 final
France Mandates Vaccine Passport To Visit Eiffel Tower, Other Tourist Sites—And Restaurants Are Next
France Mandates Vaccine Passport To Visit Eiffel Tower, Other Tourist Sites—And Restaurants Are Next
No sooner had the Eiffel Tower reopened to the public than a new hoop materialized through which tourists must jump if they want to visit the iconic Paris landmark. In a new initiative to fight what the French government calls a “stratospheric” rise in delta variant infections, individuals must download and use a digital Covid pass to enter French museums, movie theaters, sports venues, festivals, top tourist attractions and more. A government mandate to use le pass sanitaire, or “health pass,” took effect yesterday at cultural and tourist sites across France, as well as all events or places with more than 50 people. Visitors who turned up at the Eiffel Tower without proof of vaccination were offered on-the-spot Covid tests.
Ministers plan for new restrictions within weeks as Covid rates in young adults hit record level
Ministers plan for new restrictions within weeks as Covid rates in young adults hit record level
The coronavirus infection rate in young people has reached the highest for any age group since the pandemic began as the government drafts contingency plans to bring back restrictions within weeks. In the seven days before Covid restrictions were lifted, 1,154.7 infections per 100,000 people were recorded among those aged 20 to 29, according to Public Health England, with cases rising across every age group and region of the country. Weekly hospitalisations are also at their highest since early March. Officials in the Covid-19 taskforce have been drawing up proposals that could see baseline measures, such as mask-wearing, social distancing and guidance on working from home, reintroduced in England by next month.
Large events such as Premier League matches could be open only to the fully-vaccinated
Large events such as Premier League matches could be open only to the fully-vaccinated
Large events such as Premier League games could be open only to fully vaccinated people from October under government plans. Talks are under way with the Premier League to discuss whether supporters who have not received both jabs could be barred from entry, according to the PA news agency. The rule could also be used for lower divisions and other sports, and for seated events with a capacity of more than 20,000 people.
Covid-19: Children with special educational needs 'forgotten' during pandemic
Covid-19: Children with special educational needs 'forgotten' during pandemic
Families of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) felt they were "forgotten" in the response to the Covid-19 pandemic. That is according to a report from the National Children's Bureau (NCB) in Northern Ireland. Some families felt Covid-19 was used as "an excuse" by some agencies not to provide services or to limit services. Some parents have previously said their children had regressed due to the withdrawal of services in lockdown. Disabled people across the UK also spoke about the devastating impact the pandemic had on their lives.
Hungary to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for healthcare workers -PM
Hungary to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for healthcare workers -PM
Hungary's government has decided to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for healthcare workers as part of efforts to contain the pandemic, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told public radio on Friday. "Already there are certain vaccines that are mandatory for people working in the healthcare sector ... we have now extended this to the coronavirus," Orban said..
‘Everything pointing to’ need for a third Covid-19 vaccine dose, says Spanish health minister
‘Everything pointing to’ need for a third Covid-19 vaccine dose, says Spanish health minister
Speaking during a Onda Cero radio interview, Carolina Darias went further than the official position of regulatory agencies and scientists, also predicting the need for yearly boosters
Italy imposes ‘green pass’ restrictions on unvaccinated people
Italy imposes ‘green pass’ restrictions on unvaccinated people
The Italian prime minister, Mario Draghi, has urged all Italians to get Covid-19 jabs after his government approved restrictions on unvaccinated citizens as it scrambles to contain a resurgence of infections. Draghi told a press conference that the country needed to act quickly to avoid the kind of infection levels that are being seen in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, as well as to protect the economy. From 6 August, entry to stadiums, museums, theatres, cinemas, exhibition centres, swimming pools and gyms will only be allowed upon presentation of a “green pass”.
‘Not Out of the Woods’: C.D.C. Issues Warning to the Unvaccinated
‘Not Out of the Woods’: C.D.C. Issues Warning to the Unvaccinated
The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned on Thursday that the United States was “not out of the woods yet” on the pandemic and was once again at a “pivotal point” as the highly infectious Delta variant ripped through unvaccinated communities. Just weeks after President Biden threw a Fourth of July party on the South Lawn of the White House to declare independence from the virus, the director, Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, called the now dominant variant “one of the most infectious respiratory viruses” known to scientists.
COVID-19: Reopening nightclubs 'immoral and unethical', warns Independent SAGE expert
COVID-19: Reopening nightclubs 'immoral and unethical', warns Independent SAGE expert
Reopening nightclubs is "immoral and unethical" as it will mean more coronavirus cases, hospitalisations and deaths, an expert has warned. Public health physician Dr Gabriel Scally, who sits on the Independent SAGE panel, suggested the government decided to open clubs on 19 July to try to achieve so-called "herd immunity" by more people getting infected.
Australia's Lorna Jane activewear fined $4 m for misleading COVID-19 claims
Australia's Lorna Jane activewear fined $4 m for misleading COVID-19 claims
Athleisure clothing chain Lorna Jane Pty Ltd was fined A$5 million ($3.7 million) by an Australian court on Friday after claiming its garments could prevent COVID-19, which a judge labelled as "exploitative, predatory and potentially dangerous"
U.S. talk radio host with COVID-19 regrets vaccine hesitancy
U.S. talk radio host with COVID-19 regrets vaccine hesitancy
A conservative talk radio host from Tennessee who had been a vaccine skeptic until he was hospitalized from COVID-19 now says his listeners should get vaccinated. Phil Valentine’s brother, Mark Valentine, spoke at length on WWTN-FM in Nashville on Thursday about his brother’s condition, saying he is in a critical care unit on supplemental oxygen, but not on a ventilator. Phil Valentine has had an afternoon talk radio show on the station for years. “First of all, he’s regretful that he wasn’t a more vocal advocate of the vaccination,” Mark Valentine said of his brother. “For those listening, I know if he were able to tell you this, he would tell you, ‘Go get vaccinated. Quit worrying about the politics. Quit worrying about all the conspiracy theories.”’
‘People are dying who did not have to die’: anger grows in Guatemala as Covid surges
‘People are dying who did not have to die’: anger grows in Guatemala as Covid surges
The pandemic is at its worst moment yet in Guatemala, and discontent is growing. New cases have been spiking, hospitals are saturated, and the vaccination rate is among the very lowest in all of the Americas. Only 1.6% of the population is fully vaccinated and confirmed Covid-19 deaths surpassed 10,000 this week. While prosecutors investigate alleged corruption related to test and vaccine procurement, activists and opposition parties are calling for the president to resign. “Throughout this whole disastrous situation, corruption has been the constant,” said doctor Zulma Calderón, health defender at the Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office, an autonomous state institution.
Reluctance and distrust define vaccine attitudes in Gaza
Reluctance and distrust define vaccine attitudes in Gaza
More than five months since the arrival of the first batch of COVID-19 jabs in the Gaza Strip, the vaccine rollout in the besieged coastal enclave has been met with general distrust and, in many cases, outright refusal. According to data from Gaza’s health ministry, some 98,000 people – or just less than five percent of the two million population – have so far received a shot.
White House blames Facebook and YouTube for spreading vaccine misinformation
White House blames Facebook and YouTube for spreading vaccine misinformation
The White House has YouTube, not just Facebook, on its list of social media platforms officials say are responsible for an alarming spread of misinformation about COVID vaccines and are not doing enough to stop it, sources familiar with the administration's thinking said.
French protesters march against vaccine mandates and passes
French protesters march against vaccine mandates and passes
Some 160,000 people, including far-right activists and members of France's yellow vest movement, protested Saturday across the country against a bill requiring everyone to have a special virus pass to enter restaurants and mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for all health care workers. Similar protests were held in neighboring Italy. Police fired water cannons and tear gas on rowdy protesters in Paris, although most gatherings were orderly.
Vietnam's biggest cities tighten restrictions as COVID-19 cases surge
Vietnam's biggest cities tighten restrictions as COVID-19 cases surge
Vietnam will extend a lockdown in Ho Chi Minh City until Aug. 1 and impose stricter restrictions in the capital Hanoi from Saturday, as the Southeast Asian country battles its worst wave of COVID-19 infections. After successfully containing the virus for much of the pandemic, Vietnam has been facing a complicated outbreak of the virus, with southern business hub Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding provinces accounting for most new infections.
PHE upgrade Delta variant’s risk level due to reinfection risk
PHE upgrade Delta variant’s risk level due to reinfection risk
Public Health England has upgraded its risk assessment of the Delta variant after national testing data revealed it is more likely to cause reinfections than the Alpha variant, which was first identified in Kent. The health agency’s analysis found the risk of reinfection with Delta may be 46% greater than with the Alpha variant, with the highest risk seen six months after a first infection – when second cases caused by Delta were 2.37 times more common than with Alpha.
AstraZeneca scours supply chain for more vaccine doses for Thailand, SE Asia
AstraZeneca scours supply chain for more vaccine doses for Thailand, SE Asia
AstraZeneca Plc is "scouring" its global supply chain to try and boost COVID-19 vaccine supplies to Thailand and Southeast Asia, its representative for the country said on Saturday, amidst speculations of local production shortfalls.
Indian Delta variant surge is projected to peak in mid-October with up to 240K infections daily
Indian Delta variant surge is projected to peak in mid-October with up to 240K infections daily
Concerns are rising about the highly infectious Delta variant as it races across the United States. A mathematical model predicts a new peak in October that could approach the highs in January. On the worst end of the projection, new cases could hit 240,000 a day and daily deaths could top 4,000. The seven-day average of daily new cases in the US has risen 166% in the past two weeks. Epidemiologist says that Delta is 200% more contagious than the original virus first identified in China. Delta now accounts for more than 82% of all new US cases and will soon make up nearly all cases. Even as virus surges, some states are moving to withhold daily numbers and only report weekly
J&J’s COVID-19 shot scores safety backing from CDC experts but booster need left for FDA
J&J’s COVID-19 shot scores safety backing from CDC experts but booster need left for FDA
Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine presents greater benefits than it does safety risks, especially amid the quickly spreading Delta variant, a key CDC expert panel decided. However, the panel said that a ruling over the need for a booster added to all COVID shots will have to start with the FDA. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) decision came after an hours-long discussion over a handful of Guillain-Barré syndrome cases reported after J&J’s jab. The independent group of experts were also tasked with reviewing the need for booster shots, specifically for people with compromised immune systems.
Eight-week gap between first and second Pfizer vaccine doses ‘a sweet spot’
Eight-week gap between first and second Pfizer vaccine doses ‘a sweet spot’
An eight-week gap between the first and second doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is a “sweet spot” when it comes to generating a strong immune response while protecting the UK population against the Delta variant of coronavirus, scientists have said. In a new study, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), researchers have found that when compared to a four-week gap, a 10-week interval between the doses produces higher antibody levels, as well as a higher proportion of a group of infection-fighting cells in the body known as “helper” T cells. However, when all the "pros and cons" are taken into consideration - such as soaring cases of the Delta variant and society opening up - eight weeks is the optimum interval.
EU regulator endorses use of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine in teens
EU regulator endorses use of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine in teens
Europe's medicines regulator on Friday recommended approving the use of Moderna's (MRNA.O) COVID-19 vaccine in 12- to 17-year olds, paving the way for it to become the second shot okayed for adolescent use in the bloc.
COVID-19: Daily tests could be as effective in controlling transmission as isolation, study says
COVID-19: Daily tests could be as effective in controlling transmission as isolation, study says
Daily testing of pupils who have been exposed to COVID-19 could be just as effective as isolating groups, according to a study. Research by the University of Oxford found that testing as an alternative to the 10-day isolation policy currently used can reduce COVID-related school absences by 39%. Around 200 secondary schools and colleges in England took part in the trial, with one group isolating for 10 days and the other taking rapid lateral flow tests for seven days.
Now PHE spots another variant: 16 Brits have tested positive for 'Colombian' strain
Now PHE spots another variant: 16 Brits have tested positive for 'Colombian' strain
In the UK, 16 people have tested positive for a Covid variant called B.1.621. It is thought to have originated in Colombia and has 'mutations of concern.' But there is no proof it is deadlier or makes vaccines less effective, PHE said
Covid-19: One in 75 people has virus in England- ONS
Covid-19: One in 75 people has virus in England- ONS
The UK has reported 36,389 new coronavirus infections and a further 64 deaths within 28 days of a positive test, earlier data showed infections still rising in the UK, with community swab tests in England show one in every 75 people has the virus
New Zealand Suspends Travel Bubble With Australia As Sydney COVID-19 Cluster Grows
New Zealand Suspends Travel Bubble With Australia As Sydney COVID-19 Cluster Grows
New Zealand on Friday suspended its quarantine-free travel bubble with Australia for at least eight weeks due to a growing COVID-19 cluster in Sydney. New Zealand recently imposed quarantine restrictions on travelers from New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia states, where lockdowns have been introduced to contain delta variant clusters.
Vaccinated people make up 75% of recent COVID-19 cases in Singapore, but few fall ill
Vaccinated people make up 75% of recent COVID-19 cases in Singapore, but few fall ill
Vaccinated individuals accounted for three-quarters of Singapore's COVID-19 infections in the last four weeks, but they were not falling seriously ill, government data showed, as a rapid ramp-up in inoculations leaves fewer people unvaccinated.
While the data shows that vaccines are highly effective in preventing severe cases, it also underscores the risk that even those inoculated could be contagious, so that inoculation alone may not suffice to halt transmission.
Three states are seeing about 40% of the country's new Covid-19 cases
Three states are seeing about 40% of the country's new Covid-19 cases
"This week, just three states Florida, Texas and Missouri, three states with lower vaccination rates accounted for 40 percent of all cases nationwide," Zients said at a White House news conference. "For the second week in a row, one in five of all cases occurring in Florida alone. And within communities, these cases are primarily among unvaccinated people." But Florida is one of five states with the highest case rates that had a higher rate of people getting vaccinated compared to the national average, he said.
Covid-19: 'More than 60% admitted to hospital not vaccinated'
Covid-19: 'More than 60% admitted to hospital not vaccinated'
More than 60% of people admitted to hospital in Belfast in recent weeks due to Covid-19 have not been vaccinated, according to the medical director of the Belfast Trust. Chris Hagan explained that there were also "rising numbers of young patients" in the 20-39 age group.
Covid cases are set to start rising exponentially again within days, warn experts after hopes were raised by first drop in two months
Covid cases are set to start rising exponentially again within days, warn experts after hopes were raised by first drop in two months
Today's case numbers mark a 17.8% drop on the number last Thursday and first time they've fallen since May. Another 84 victims announced and 788 hospital admissions, with both up by roughly a third on last Thursday. But experts said while drop in cases is 'positive' it doen't take into account effects of ending curbs on July 19. Professor Paul Hunter, an epidemiologist, said we could see return to exponential growth by end of next week
Turkey's daily coronavirus cases jump to 11094, highest since May
Turkey's daily coronavirus cases jump to 11094, highest since May
Turkey's new coronavirus cases climbed above 10,000 for the first time since mid-May on Friday and hit a level of 11,094, according to health ministry data which also showed 60 people died due to COVID-19. "If you want tomorrow to be better than today, comply with the measures. Get vaccinated," Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter as he released the data.
Bangladesh reenters 2-week strict COVID-19 lockdown
Bangladesh reenters 2-week strict COVID-19 lockdown
Starting Friday morning, Bangladesh entered its most severe nationwide lockdown to curb the rampant spread of COVID-19. Authorities decided to impose the strict lockdown from July 23 to Aug. 5 after relaxing restrictions for a week on the occasion of Eid al-Adha festival which was celebrated here Wednesday. "None will be allowed outdoors unless it is urgent," a police officer said Friday at a makeshift checkpoint in capital Dhaka, as members of the law enforcement agencies, including army troopers, returned to the streets to prevent people's movements
COVID 'the straw that broke the camel's back': Big increase in alcoholic liver disease deaths during pandemic
COVID 'the straw that broke the camel's back': Big increase in alcoholic liver disease deaths during pandemic
Deaths from alcoholic liver disease increased by an unprecedented 21% during the first year of the pandemic, compared with 2.9% between 2018 and 2019. Sky News speaks to someone who lost her sister to the disease, as well as a recovering alcoholic who had to have a liver transplant. After years of drinking, Martin Rhodes will be 11 years sober on 7 September.