1st Nov 2021 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=529 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Independent Online Voters who turnout to cast their ballot can also receive their Covid19 vaccine and if they are over the age of 60 receive a R100 grocery voucher. Health Minister Joe Phaahla said in a media briefing on Friday that there would be 1 000 vaccination popups at voting stations across the country. We are very pleased with the partnership with which weve agreed on with the Independent Electoral Commission to vaccinate on election day. The sites will be set up in the voting precinct but outside the area demarcated strictly for voting so that the vaccination site will not interfere with the main purpose of the day he said. The vaccination popups will mainly be set up in areas where the uptake of vaccination has not been very good up to now. The list of vaccination sites can be found on the SA Coronavirus website. https://www.iol.co.za/news/covid19/vote-vaccinate-and-get-vouchers-government-incentivises-voter-turnout-fbc86aa5-e63e-4942-8b8e-29723d032cf1 30th Oct 2021

Lockdown Exit

Evening Standard Gordon Brown on Friday called on the Government to urgently speed up plans to fund covid vaccination programmes in developing countries. The former prime minister and chancellor said wealthier countries are being too slow in sending unused jabs overseas. He has organised a letter signed by 160 global leaders calling on richer countries to share their surplus doses. It argues unless action is taken at the G20 summit hundreds of thousands of lives could be lost. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newslondon/gordon-brown-e2-80-99s-covid-vaccine-plea-to-help-developing-countries/ar-AAQ5Vjb 29th Oct 2021

Lockdown Exit

Sydney Morning Herald The first case of a new COVID19 variant that is now the fastestgrowing coronavirus strain in the UK has been detected in Australia but virologists say there is no reason to slow reopening plans. The variant known as AY.4.2. was uncovered in hotel quarantine in NSW and is so far the only case detected. But experts expect more to follow as Australia prepares to open its international borders. https://www.smh.com.au/national/new-delta-variant-spotted-in-australia-for-first-time-20211029-p594di.html 29th Oct 2021

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Denmark which has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world will more than double its testing capacity after the number of virus infections has jumped in recent weeks. Denmark will increase socalled PCR tests to about 150000 a day from currently 100000 and will also reintroduce private quicktest facilities which will be able handle about 100000 tests daily health authorities said in a statement on Friday. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-29/denmark-will-more-than-double-testing-as-virus-numbers-rise 29th Oct 2021

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Russia suffered its deadliest September since World War II according to figures published Friday even before the peak of its current wave of the Covid19 pandemic forced authorities to order nonworking days for the first week of November. There were 44265 deaths associated with the virus last month bringing the pandemics total to nearly half a million according to Federal Statistics Service data published late Friday. That contributed to the highest number of September fatalities since the war said Alexei Raksha a demographer who left the agency last year after a dispute over its coronavirus numbers. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-29/russia-suffers-deadliest-sept-since-world-war-as-covid-untamed 29th Oct 2021

Lockdown Exit

Reuters UK The prevalence of COVID19 infections in England hit its highest level since the start of the year reaching around 1 in 50 people in the week ending Oct. 22 Britains Office for National Statistics said on Friday. The prevalence of infections rose for a fifth straight week having been at 1 in 55 people in the previous week the ONS said. Prevalence was last at 1 in 50 people in the week ending Jan. 2 shortly before England began a third national lockdown. The reproduction R number was also estimated to be slightly higher. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/englands-covid-prevalence-rises-new-highest-level-since-january-ons-says-2021-10-29/ 29th Oct 2021

Lockdown Exit

The Guardian Care home residents and some vulnerable people will be able to get their Covid booster vaccine a month early ministers have announced in an effort to boost immunity during the winter. Currently the wait between second and third doses is six months but medics will be able to decide to reduce it to five for care home residents and people who are housebound who are offered their flu jab at that point so they can receive both vaccines together. For people who are about to receive immunosuppressive treatment that would hinder their immune system the wait for a booster will be cut even further to four months. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/oct/29/covid-booster-jabs-offered-a-month-earlier-for-uk-care-home-residents 29th Oct 2021

Lockdown Exit

U.S. News & World Report Melbourne Australias secondlargest city which has endured nearly nine months of lockdowns since the start of the pandemic saw people flocking to shops and gigs for the first time in months on Saturday as public health curbs eased. https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-10-29/australias-melbourne-back-to-the-races-shops-as-vaccination-rate-hits-80 29th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg Thailand is ending quarantine for vaccinated visitors from more than 60 countries the biggest reopening gamble in Asia and one that could mark a turning point for the revival of mass tourism during the pandemic. Starting Monday fullyvaccinated travelers flying in from the U.S. China Singapore Japan India and most of Europe will be able to freely tour Thailands sandy beaches temples and tropical islands after testing negative for Covid on arrival. Inoculated visitors from countries not on the list can travel to Bangkok and 16 other regions but they will be confined to their initial destination for the first seven days before being allowed to travel elsewhere. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-31/thailand-s-big-reopening-set-to-test-pandemic-era-tourism 31st Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg Vaccination rates among New York Citys police fire and sanitation departments rose as workers faced possible suspension on Monday. The city is bracing for service gaps with tens of thousands of essential public workers still not vaccinated under the mandate imposed by Mayor Bill de Blasio. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-30/fda-backs-shots-for-kids-russia-s-deadly-month-virus-update 31st Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters South Korea said on Friday it will drop all operatinghour curbs on restaurants and cafes and implement its first vaccine passport for highrisk venues such as gyms saunas and bars as it tries to live with COVID19. The first phase will go into effect on Monday and last for a month officials said with plans calling for all restrictions to be scrapped by February. Beginning November 1 our community will take the first step of resuming our normal life Prime Minister Kim Bookyum said at a televised government meeting. However we must be aware that this doesnt mean the fight against coronavirus is over but a new beginning. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/skorea-loosens-restrictions-first-step-toward-living-with-covid-19-2021-10-29/ 30th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

The Guardian Allegations that the Covid19 virus was designed as a bioweapon a theory aired by some senior Republicans are based on scientifically invalid claims whose proponents are suspected of spreading disinformation the US intelligence agencies have reported. Most of the 17 US agencies also agree that the virus had not been genetically engineered while observing it is becoming increasingly difficult to detect signs of such tampering. However the intelligence community is still divided on the question of whether the virus was spread by animaltohuman transmission or as the result of a lab accident concluding that that may never be known barring a dramatic breakthrough in Chinese cooperation. A summary of the findings were first published by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence ODNI in August but on Friday the ODNI published a fuller version of the study giving explanations for their agencies conclusions. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/29/us-intelligence-report-covid-origins 30th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

Associated Press on MSN.com Witches and warlocks ghosts and ghouls can breathe a little easier this year Coronavirus cases in the U.S. are generally on the decline and trickortreaters can feel safer collecting candy. And while a new poll indicates Halloween participation is rebounding but still short of prepandemic levels an industry trade group says people who are celebrating are driving recordlevel spooky spending this year. Sales of candy costumes and dcor are up at least 25 over last year and are predicted to set a new high between 10 to 11 billion said Aneisha McMillan spokeswoman for the trade group Halloween and Costume Association. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/as-covid-cases-fall-halloween-brings-more-fun-and-less-fear/ar-AAQ6qtR 30th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg For almost two years the Kingdom of Tonga has watched on as Covid19 spread to almost every corner of the world except its own. On Friday that remarkable virusfree streak came to an end when Prime Minister Pohiva Tuionetoa said the country of some 100000 people had found its first confirmed Covid case local media reported. The infection was in a passenger on a plane from Christchurch New Zealand about 2400 kilometers 1500 miles southwest of Tonga. The person is in mandatory hotel quarantine but was among 215 people on the aircraft website Matangi Tonga said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-29/this-tiny-pacific-island-nation-has-had-no-covid-until-now 29th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg Singapores large F1 pit building normally used for the highprofile Grand Prix races that have been canceled a second year running due to the Covid19 pandemic is being converted into a medical facility for coronavirus patients the Straits Times reported. The building has been identified as a suitable temporary venue because it has ready facilities and isnt being used for F1 race activities Ong Ling Lee director of sports at the Singapore Tourism Board told the Straits Times adding that the place had been used for swab tests last year. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-29/singapore-is-converting-f1-pit-building-into-covid-facility-st 29th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg Like many in Australia Maherau Arona saw the coronavirus as a distant threat at worst long after it became a daily reality in most of the world. Following a month and a half of lockdown the Sydney suburb where the 53yearold social worker lives returned mostly to normal in May 2020. Protected by a hermetically sealed border people there and in the rest of the country lived for the next year largely as they had before Covid19. They could holiday on the beaches of Byron Bay and Noosa pack into pubs and cafes and even see Hamilton onstage. Few were in a hurry to get vaccinated and the national government led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison didnt seem to view distributing shots as urgent. While there were some setbacks including a surge of cases that threw Melbourne into a lengthy second lockdown Australians essentially skipped the trauma that was transforming societies elsewhere. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-10-28/australia-covid-zero-approach-changes-as-borders-travel-opens-up 29th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters Crowd surfing will not be permitted at concerts in Ireland and nightclub goers must form a socially distanced queue to buy drinks under new guidelines issued by the government for recently reopened venues. Irish nightclubs opened their doors for the first time since March 2020 last weekend while theatres and concert venues also returned to full capacity as the government lifted most curbs that had made up one of Europes toughest lockdown regimes. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/no-crowd-surfing-orderly-queues-ireland-lays-down-new-covid-19-rules-2021-10-29/ 29th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized the Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE coronavirus vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years making it the first COVID19 shot for young children in the United States. The shot will not be immediately available to the age group. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still needs to advise on how the shot should be administered which will be decided after a group of outside advisers discuss the plan on Tuesday. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-fda-expected-authorize-first-covid-19-vaccine-young-children-friday-nyt-2021-10-29/ 29th Oct 2021

Exit Strategies

Reuters New York City officials on Friday were preparing for shortages of firefighters police officers and other first responders as a showdown looms between the city and its unvaccinated uniformed workforce who face a 5 p.m. EDT deadline to be immunized. De Blasio who announced the mandate nine days ago said officials would manage any staffing gaps with overtime and schedule changes and by enlisting private ambulance companies to cover for the citys paramedics. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/vaccination-mandate-looms-new-york-city-prepares-shortage-cops-others-2021-10-29/ 29th Oct 2021

Partisan Exits

Associated Press on MSN.com The Supreme Court has rejected an emergency appeal from health care workers in Maine to block a vaccine mandate that went into effect Friday. Three conservative justices noted their dissents. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/supreme-court-declines-to-block-maine-vaccine-mandate/ar-AAQ6U5M 30th Oct 2021

Partisan Exits

Reuters New York City officials on Friday were preparing for shortages of firefighters police officers and other first responders as a showdown looms between the city and its unvaccinated uniformed workforce who face a 5 p.m. deadline to be immunized. De Blasio who announced the mandate nine days ago said officials would manage any staffing gaps with overtime and schedule changes and by enlisting private ambulance companies to cover for the citys paramedics. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/vaccination-mandate-looms-new-york-city-prepares-shortage-cops-others-2021-10-29/ 30th Oct 2021

Partisan Exits

Reuters U.S. intelligence agencies said on Friday they may never be able to identify the origins of COVID19 as they released a new more detailed version of their review of whether the coronavirus came from animaltohuman transmission or leaked from a lab. The Office of the U.S. Director of National Intelligence ODNI said in a declassified report that a natural origin and a lab leak are both plausible hypotheses for how SARSCOV2 first infected humans. But it said analysts disagree on which is more likely or whether any definitive assessment can be made at all. https://www.reuters.com/world/us-intelligence-releases-report-covid-19-origins-2021-10-29/ 30th Oct 2021

Partisan Exits

Buenos Aires Times Brazilian Senate commission approved a damning report on Tuesday that recommends criminal charges be brought against President Jair Bolsonaro including crimes against humanity for his Covid policies. Seven of the panels 11 senators voted to endorse the text presented last week after a sixmonth investigation into Brazils pandemic response which also calls for the indictment of 77 other people including several ministers and three of Bolsonaros children. The nearly 1200page report also urges Brazils Supreme Court to suspend the farright leaders access to his accounts on social media platforms YouTube Twitter Facebook and Instagram for falsely alleging that Covid19 vaccines were linked to AIDS. https://batimes.com.ar/news/latin-america/brazil-senators-back-criminal-charges-against-bolsonaro.phtml 30th Oct 2021

Partisan Exits

Bloomberg Covid19 was probably not a biological weapon and most U.S. analysts believe it wasnt genetically engineered at all but a final conclusion on the viruss origins is impossible without cooperation from China a declassified U.S. report says. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released its longawaited public findings on the viruss origins on Friday a declassified version of the secret report submitted to President Joe Biden this summer. The intelligence community remains divided on where the outbreak began but believes two causes are plausible that it spread through animals to humans or that it sprang from an incident at a lab in the city of Wuhan. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-29/u-s-spies-say-covid-19-origins-unclear-without-china-s-help 29th Oct 2021

Partisan Exits

Reuters A Canadian decision on whether to approve Pfizer Incs COVID19 vaccine for those aged 5 to 11 will not come before mid to endNovember a senior official said on Friday. I think were still at least a few weeks away from a final decision ... weve received some additional information just this past week that werem looking through Supriya Sharma the federal health ministrys chief medical adviser told a briefing. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-canada-pzifer/canada-says-decision-on-allowing-pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-for-children-still-weeks-away-idUSL1N2RP1ZY 29th Oct 2021

Partisan Exits

Bloomberg Chinese leaders can claim enviable success in tamping down the pandemic using massive lockdowns but theyre going to struggle to return the country to normalcy. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-10-28/china-s-real-covid-19-crisis-is-yet-to-come 29th Oct 2021

Partisan Exits

Reuters The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday turned away healthcare workers seeking a religious exemption to Maines COVID19 vaccine mandate in the latest battle over vaccination to reach the justices. The court which has a 63 conservative majority rejected a request made by nine unnamed plaintiffs who identified themselves as healthcare workers who object to receiving the shots on religious grounds. The court previously rejected challenges to vaccine mandates in New York and Indiana though those cases did not involve religious objections. The justices were divided with three conservative members saying they would have granted the request. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-rejects-religious-challenge-maine-vaccine-mandate-2021-10-29/ 29th Oct 2021

Partisan Exits

Reuters Swedens response to the spread of coronavirus was too slow and preparations to handle a pandemic were insufficient a commission investigating the countrys response to COVID19 said on Friday. Swedens strategy shunning lockdowns and measures such as widespread use of face masks and only gradually tightening curbs made the country an outlier in the first year of the pandemic when many countries across Europe chose to implement far tougher restrictions. The country kept most schools businesses bars and restaurants open in startling contrast with a lockeddown Europe relying on voluntary recommendations even as its death toll rapidly eclipsed those if its Nordic neighbours https://www.reuters.com/world/sweden-acted-too-slowly-pandemic-hit-commission-finds-2021-10-29/ 29th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg Moderna Inc. said it was notified that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will require additional time to complete its assessment of the companys Emergency Use Authorization request for its Covid vaccine kids aged 12 to 17 years old. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-31/moderna-told-fda-needs-more-time-to-assess-vaccine-for-teenagers 31st Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Takeda Pharmaceutical Co the Japanese partner for Novavax Incs COVID19 vaccine is preparing to seek regulatory approval for a roll out in Japan early next year its top executive said on Friday. Novavax delayed filing for U.S. approval to the end of this year and Politico reported this month that the Marylandbased company has faced production and quality problems. The drugmaker filed for conditional authorisation to British regulators on Wednesday and with Australias Therapeutic Goods Administration on Friday https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/takeda-eyeing-early-2022-rollout-novavaxs-covid-19-shot-japan-ceo-2021-10-29/ 30th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

CBC.ca Canadas National Advisory Committee on Immunization NACI is recommending COVID19 booster shots for all adults 80 years of age and older and is also opening the door for certain other groups who may be at increased risk of lowered protection over time since their initial vaccinations. Populations at highest risk of waning protection following their primary series and at highest risk of severe COVID19 illness should be offered a booster dose of an mRNA COVID19 vaccine at least six months after completing their primary series NACIs new guidance released Friday said noting that seniors 80 years and older should be offered a booster shot. https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/naci-october-29-boosters-covid-19-1.6229985 30th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

National Post The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has expanded eligibility guidelines for booster shots of COVID19 vaccines. Canadas expert panel on COVID19 vaccines is recommending boosters for people who received two doses of AstraZeneca or one dose of the Janssen vaccine regardless of age and frontline health workers who were vaccinated with mRNA shots that were spaced less than 28 days apart. https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/naci-names-several-more-groups-who-should-qualify-for-covid-19-booster-shots 30th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Hindustan Times Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted Indias contribution to the fight against coronavirus disease Covid19 during his intervention at the first G20 session on Saturday foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said. The top diplomat told a press briefing that PM Modi mentioned Indias medical supplies to over 150 countries as he spoke about the countrys vision of One Earth One Health for a collaborative approach in combating the pandemic. Speaking at the Group of 20 Leaders Summit in Rome the prime minister conveyed that India is ready to produce 5 billion Covid19 vaccine doses by 2022 end which will be available for the world. PM Modi invited G20 countries to make India their partner in economic recovery and supply chain diversification. He also brought out the fact that despite challenges of the pandemic India continued to be a trusted partner in the context of reliable supply chains Shringla told the special briefing in Rome. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/g20-summit-pm-modi-says-india-ready-to-produce-5-billion-covid-vaccine-doses-by-2022-end-101635610199473.html 30th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Straits Times Effective vaccines without a needle Since the start of the Covid19 pandemic researchers have doubled down on efforts to create patches that deliver lifesaving drugs painlessly to the skin a development that could revolutionise medicine. The technique could help save childrens tears at doctors offices and help people who have a phobia of syringes. Beyond that skin patches could assist with distribution efforts because they dont have coldchain requirements and might even heighten vaccine efficacy. A new mouse study in the area published in the journal Science Advances showed promising results. The AustralianUS team used patches measuring one square centimetre that were dotted with more than 5000 microscopic spikes so tiny you cant actually see them David Muller a virologist at the University of Queensland and coauthor of the paper told AFP. https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/needle-free-vaccine-patches-coming-soon-say-researchers-and-makers 30th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Sky News US spy agencies have admitted that the true origins of COVID19 may never be known. The Office of the US Director of National Intelligence ODNI said on Friday that theories involving transmission from animals or a leak from a lab were plausible. However the office added that analysts could not agree which was more likely or if any firm conclusion could be made at all. They did however dismiss suggestions that the virus originated as a bioweapon saying backers of this theory do not have direct access to the Wuhan Institute of Virology. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-us-intelligence-agencies-admit-the-true-origins-of-coronavirus-may-never-be-known-12454715 30th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Wall Street Journal Covid19 was over five times more common among hospitalized people who were unvaccinated and had a previous infection compared with those who were fully vaccinated and hadnt had Covid19 before a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found. The report released Friday and written by scientists from the federal agency as well as hospitals across the U.S. adds to the body of research suggesting that vaccines provide stronger protection against the coronavirus than priorinfection immunity. Research into immunity to Covid19 has been limited in part by the short window of time in which the virus has been circulating and vaccines have been in use. Few clinical studies of patients who have recovered from Covid19 have been conducted compared with the more robust body of clinical research into the vaccines making it hard to reach definitive conclusions about the nature of immunity provided by prior infection. https://www.wsj.com/articles/study-of-hospitalized-covid-19-patients-shows-vaccination-is-better-guard-than-prior-infection-11635543610 29th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Wall Street Journal The Covid19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc. PFE 1.30 and BioNTech SE BNTX 1.85 was authorized for use in children as young as 5 years old the first shot that federal health regulators have permitted for them in the U.S. The decision by the Food and Drug Administration on Friday for children age 5 to 11 paves the way for one of the last remaining groups in the U.S. to get vaccinated against Covid19 probably starting within days. The shot works safely the FDA said. Once the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gives its signoff expected within days the young children can begin getting their first dose. The children will be given two shots three weeks apart the same schedule as adults and adolescents although each shot will contain onethird of the dosage. https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-authorized-for-young-children-by-fda-11635535040 29th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters A Canadian decision on whether to approve Pfizer Incs COVID19 vaccine for those aged 5 to 11 will not come before mid to endNovember a senior official said on Friday. I think were still at least a few weeks away from a final decision ... weve received some additional information just this past week that werem looking through Supriya Sharma the federal health ministrys chief medical adviser told a briefing. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-canada-pzifer/canada-says-decision-on-allowing-pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-for-children-still-weeks-away-idUSL1N2RP1ZY 29th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Moderna Inc announced a pact with the GAVI vaccine alliance to supply a further 56.5 million doses of its COVID19 vaccine in the second quarter of next year to low and middleincome countries. The vaccine maker said the doses will be in addition to an earlier commitment to supply 60 million doses in the second quarter of 2022 to GAVI which coleads the COVAX facility for equitable distribution of COVID19 shots around the world. The COVAX facility backed by the World Health Organization and GAVI has delivered some 400 million COVID19 vaccine doses to more than 140 low and middleincome countries but several countries run the risk of failing to meet WHOs target of 40 vaccination coverage by yearend https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/moderna-supply-565-million-more-doses-global-vaccine-alliance-gavi-2021-10-29/ 29th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

The Straits Times Malaysia said on Friday Oct 29 it would proceed with the procurement of the Pfizer and BioNTech Covid19 vaccine for children following a United States expert panels recommendation for the shot to be authorised for those aged five to 11. A panel of advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration voted on Tuesday to recommend the authorisation saying the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks. The agencys decision is still pending. Malaysias Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Twitter that other options such as the vaccine made by Chinas Sinovac BioTech would also be considered to ensure schools can reopen safely. About 62 per cent of teenagers aged between 12 and 17 in the Southeast Asian country are fully vaccinated government statistics showed on Friday. https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-buy-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-for-children-aged-5-to-11 29th Oct 2021

Scientific Viewpoint

Egypt Today The Cairo International Airport will receive a third batch of Johnson Johnson JJ COVID19 vaccine on Monday said the Egyptian Ministry of Health on Saturday. The third batch of 1058000 doses is part of the ministrys plan to offer varieties of antiCoronavirus vaccines especially for travelers the ministry added. The shipment will be distributed to vaccination centers allocated for travelers. The shipment arrived in Egypt as part of the initiative reached between the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust AVAT and UNICEF for the African Union countries. On September 4 2021 Egypt received the second batch of 525600 JJ doses while the first patch of Johnson Johnson Vaccine against coronavirus was given to Egypt on August 9 2021. The first batch included 21600 doses. https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/109129/Egypt-receives-3rd-batch-of-J-J-COVID-19-vaccine 23rd Oct 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Britain reported 41278 new COVID19 cases on Saturday and 166 more deaths within 28 days of a positive test official data showed. The figures compared to 43467 new infections and 186 deaths reported on Friday. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-reports-41278-new-covid-cases-166-deaths-2021-10-30/ 30th Oct 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Guardian Coronavirus infections in England have increased to the same levels seen at the height of the second wave in January data has revealed with one in 50 people in the community having the virus last week. According to figures from the Office for National Statistics based on swabs collected from randomly selected households an estimated 2 of people had Covid in the week ending 22 October about 1102800 people. Such levels were last seen in the weeks around late December and early January when the second wave of Covid swept across the country. The figures mark a rise on the week before when about one in 55 people in the community in England were thought to have Covid. Such levels were last seen in the weeks around late December and early January when the second wave of Covid swept across the country. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/29/one-person-in-50-had-covid-in-england-last-week-ons-data-shows 30th Oct 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Sydney Morning Herald Australia has been urged to ramp up its COVID19 vaccine aid to developing countries and encourage other nations to do the same at this weekends summit of global leaders to reduce the risk of dangerous new strains emerging. Research commissioned by UNICEF Australia ahead of the G20 meeting of the worlds major economies shows Australias per capita vaccine supply is nine times higher than doses delivered per capita to SubSaharan Africa. https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/world-could-go-back-to-square-one-with-new-covid-19-strains-without-more-vaccine-aid-20211029-p594a3.html 30th Oct 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

South China Morning Post Russia suffered its deadliest September since World War II according to figures published on Friday even before the peak of its current wave of the Covid19 pandemic forced authorities to order nonworking days for the first week of November. There were 44265 deaths associated with the virus last month bringing the pandemics total to nearly half a million according to Federal Statistics Service data published late on Friday. That contributed to the highest number of September fatalities since the war said Alexei Raksha a demographer who left the agency last year after a dispute over its coronavirus numbers. https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3154256/covid-19-untamed-russia-suffers-deadliest-september 30th Oct 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Chinas latest COVID19 outbreak is developing rapidly a health official said as the authorities demanded high vigilance at ports of entry amid growing infections in a northeastern border city caused by the virus arriving from abroad. Some 377 domestically transmitted cases with confirmed symptoms were reported from Oct. 1729 National Health Commission NHC data showed. China has tackled a series of outbreaks this year since it largely contained a national spread in early 2020. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/mainland-china-reports-78-new-covid-19-cases-oct-29-vs-64-day-earlier-2021-10-30/ 29th Oct 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Polands total number of COVID19 cases since the start of the pandemic passed 3 million on Friday health ministry data showed with daily cases hitting their highest in the fourth wave as a spike in infections gathers pace. Amid wide disregard for rules on wearing masks infections in Poland are surging ahead of All Saints Day when crowds of people visit cemetries to pay their respects to the dead in a tradition that could contribute to the spread of the virus. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/polands-total-number-covid-19-cases-passes-3-mln-2021-10-29/ 29th Oct 2021

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters At least 44265 people died in Russia in September due to the coronavirus and related causes taking the toll to around 462000 since the pandemic began state statistics service Rosstat said on Friday. The figure was down from a peak of 51044 in July although infections and fatalities began to surge again in the second half of September and have repeatedly touched record levels this month leading authorities to reintroduce stricter health restrictions. https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-says-least-44265-people-died-covid-19-sept-2021-10-29/ 29th Oct 2021

New Lockdown

Reuters Some businesses flouted the Russian capitals new lockdown measures on Friday saying they needed to make ends meet amid a lack of state support as nationwide deaths from COVID19 hit a new record daily high blamed on slow vaccination takeup. The restrictions allow only essential shops like pharmacies and supermarkets to remain open while schools and state kindergartens are shut. Bars cafes and restaurants are only allowed to operate takeaway and delivery services. Some entrepreneurs said they were trying to keep their businesses going as they had not been promised state aid. https://www.reuters.com/world/we-have-survive-some-businesses-flout-moscow-covid-19-lockdown-2021-10-29/ 29th Oct 2021

New Lockdown

Reuters A Chinese jade trading hub on the border with Myanmar vowed strict control over domestic outbound travel to halt the spread of COVID19 sustaining some of the toughest zerotolerance policies in China despite economic costs. After suffering intermittent waves of outbreaks Ruili has imposed some of the most stringent domestic travel restrictions in China including selffunded quarantine of at least seven days at centralised facilities for those wishing to leave the city for nonurgent matters. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinese-city-myanmar-border-vows-covid-curbs-despite-disruption-2021-10-29/ 29th Oct 2021