18th May 2020 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=10 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

VOA News Greece has opened up 500 of its beaches as the country eases lockdown restrictions put in place during the COVID19 pandemic. Authorities authorized the move as a heat wave was expected to hit the country this weekend. But sizzling temperatures aside the measure is seen as a crucial test of readiness for Greeces biggest challenge summer tourism. From early Saturday sunbathers swarmed beaches across the country taking cool respite from scorching temperatures and over a monthlong period in lockdown. Yet as they entered ticketed facilities a new reality set in. Sun loungers at many sites were seen hammered down fastened to the ground to secure social distancing. Kiosks were not allowed to play music and bars were prohibited from serving alcohol all for the sake of keeping crowds sober and orderly. https://www.voanews.com/covid-19-pandemic/greece-reopens-500-beaches-it-relaxes-lockdown-rules 16th May 2020

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Denmark the first country in Europe to gradually start reopening reported no coronavirusrelated deaths on Friday from the day earlier for the first time since March 13. Denmarks total number of confirmed cases rose by 78 to 10791 since Thursday with the number of hospitalisations falling by 10 to 137. The death toll remained unchanged at 537. Milestone today In the last day we have had 0 deaths as a result of COVID19 in Denmark Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said on Twitter. On Tuesday health authorities said Denmark was very unlikely to be hit by a second wave of the virus as the country entered its second reopening phase which allows schools for the oldest children shopping mails and restaurants to reopen. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-denmark/denmark-reports-zero-coronavirus-deaths-for-first-time-since-march-idUSKBN22R1X6 15th May 2020

Lockdown Exit

National Geographic UK A veteran organiser Diani took matters into her own hands. I had trouble convincing people in my neighbourhood at first. People still thought we were untouchable because of the weather or prayers or whatever else. I had to convince them one by one through WhatsApp and in person that we needed to change our lifestyle because of COVID19 she said. Eventually they understood. By early March Diani had mobilised a task force of volunteers to effectively close off her neighbourhood persuade residents to stop working and stay at home when possible and propagate hygiene practices such as handwashing. The volunteers even started making their own hand sanitiser and initiated a neighbourhoodlevel selfquarantine on March 10 ten days before the Jakarta governor declared a state of emergency Diani noted proudly. https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/science-and-technology/2020/05/indonesias-government-was-slow-to-lock-down-so-its-people-took 14th May 2020

Lockdown Exit

The Star Online South Korea conducted more than 15000 tests on Wednesday May 13 as health officials raced to contain an outbreak of Covid19 linked to at least nine clubs in the nightlife district of Itaewon in Seoul. The promise of anonymous testing has encouraged more people to come forward as the number of cases linked to the new cluster grew to 119 up from 102 the previous day. New cases include a 27yearold clubber from Busan who infected his 62yearold father and oneyearold nephew. Eleven infections were traced to a 25yearold private academy teacher from Incheon and three more infections in the military brought its total to 11. South Korea now has 10962 cases with 259 deaths. The Itaewon cluster came to light when a 29yearold resident of Yongin city tested positive on May 6 after visiting five gay clubs in Itaewon on May 12 during a sixdaylong weekend that saw many people going out to wine dine and party. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/2020/05/14/skorea-races-to-contain-new-covid-19-cluster-linked-to-clubs-as-infections-swell-to-119 14th May 2020

Lockdown Exit

The Straits Times It is becoming increasingly clear that Covid19 will not disappear immediately the economy will need to be managed alongside persistent infection risks possibly for a prolonged period said Mr Rishi Sahai managing director of financial advisory company Cogence Advisors. He said that the 130 districts classified as redzone districts at present are some of the most urbanised and industrialised parts of the country and account for 41 per cent of national economic activity and 38 per cent of Indias industrial output. Finding methods of keeping these redzone districts operational and safe would be critical in keeping economic activity sustainable he said. https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/india-surpasses-china-in-coronavirus-cases-to-become-new-asia-hotspot 16th May 2020

Exit Strategies

Irish Independent Labour leader Keir Starmer has called for a four nations together approach for easing coronavirus lockdown restrictions. Mr Starmer who became party leader last month said there had been an incredible sense of solidarity across the UK but the relationship between Wales England Scotland and Northern Ireland could be put under strain if there was an increasing divergence in approaches from the respective governments to coronavirus. Mr Starmer was speaking on the BBCs Politics Wales programme one week after British Prime Minister Boris Johnston told people in England that they could drive to other destinations for exercise and leisure during a live broadcast. In Wales the Welsh Government restated people cannot travel a significant distance from home for exercise. The Labour leader blamed Mr Johnson for the way Wales and England had diverged in the easing of the lockdown. I do think responsibility for that lies very largely with the prime minister who I would have hoped could have got all the ducks in a row before he actually made his speech last Sunday he said. The sooner frankly we get back to operating as four nations together the better he said. http://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2020/05/18/news/labour-leader-keir-starmer-calls-for-four-nations-together-approach-for-easing-lock-down-restrictions-1942139/ 18th May 2020

Exit Strategies

Sky News Italy will reopen restaurants and coffee bars next week and allow travel in and out of the country next month as it continues to ease its coronavirus lockdown. A decree signed by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Saturday means that the foreign travel ban will be lifted on 3 June and people can also start moving freely across the countrys regions on the same day. Mr Conte said that anybody entering Italy from an EU country from then onwards would not have to undergo a quarantine period. However he warned that while the Lombardy region could assess itself whether to reopen the national government could intervene if the pandemic reemerged. https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-italy-to-lift-travel-restrictions-on-3-june-as-lockdown-is-eased-11989275 17th May 2020

Exit Strategies

Reuters UK Austrias borders with the Czech Republic Slovakia and Hungary will fully reopen on June 15 the interior ministry said on Saturday extending an easing of border controls to its eastern neighbours previously agreed with many of its neighbours to the west. The announcement follows a previously coordinated step to fully remove barriers on travel between Germany Austria Switzerland and Liechtenstein from June 15 onwards and ease restrictions on who is allowed transit in the meantime. Restrictions remain in place for transit from Italy. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-eu-travel-austria/austrian-borders-with-czech-republic-slovakia-and-hungary-to-reopen-june-15-idUKKBN22S0JS 16th May 2020

Exit Strategies

Evening Standard The Irish Government has approved the first phase of easing Covid19 restrictions from Monday. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced the easing of restrictions on Friday but said the announcement is not cause for celebration. He said from Monday the public will be able to meet small groups of four people outside while keeping two metres apart. Mr Varadkar also urged the public to wear face coverings when on public transport and in enclosed spaces. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/ireland-ease-coronavirus-restrictions-monday-a4442086.html 16th May 2020

Exit Strategies

Financial Post China and South Korea have consulted Japan about easing border controls on business travelers to help revive business activities the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Sunday without citing sources. The idea already implemented between South Korea and China would allow a fasttrack entry of business people if they test negative for the new coronavirus before departure and after arrival the newspaper said. But Tokyo is cautious about relaxing border controls at this point due to fears of another spike in infections as well as a lack of test kits for travelers according to the report. Japans Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. https://business.financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/china-s-korea-consult-japan-on-easing-business-travel-curbs-yomiuri 16th May 2020

Exit Strategies

Business Recorder German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz is working on an aid package worth 57 billion euros 61.65 billion to help municipalities cope with plunging tax revenues caused by the coronavirus crisis a ministry document showed on Saturday. Europes largest economy is facing its deepest recession since the Second World War even as a lockdown to fight the virus is gradually eased. The drop in business activity has hit tax revenues and left a hole in municipal finances. Scholzs aid package aims to help cities and towns stabilise their finances according to the finance ministry document seen by Reuters. The plan also contemplates extra relief for some heavily indebted municipalities. https://www.brecorder.com/2020/05/16/597600/germany-plans-57bn-euro-aid-package-for-virus-hit-municipalities/ 16th May 2020

Exit Strategies

The Guardian For the past five days millions of people in Spain have once again been able to indulge in moments of luxury that would have been mundane routines just two months ago. Across half the country they have been able to meet up with friends and family and to sit outside bars and sip a caf con leche or a cold refreshing caa beer. But not so in Madrid or Barcelona. On Friday the Spanish health ministry denied the Madrid regional governments second request to join the 70 of the country in the next phase of relaxation of some of the strictest lockdown measures in Europe. Since it denied permission for such easing last week people in and around the capital have been unable to meet up or enjoy a physically distanced alfresco drink or meal. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/15/anger-in-madrid-but-calm-in-barcelona-at-extended-lockdown 15th May 2020

Exit Strategies

The Guardian The one table that glares at us daily is the international league table of deaths per million. Even if the aggregates are unreliable there is a crude reality to a body count. Yet the only conclusion to be drawn from the figures is that the league table is no help to policy. There is no correlation between fatalities and lockdown stringency. The most stringent lockdowns as in China Italy Spain New Zealand and Britain have yielded both high and low deaths per million. Hitech has apparently worked in South Korea but so has notech in Sweden. Swedens 319 deaths per million is far ahead of lockeddown Norways 40 and Denmarks 91 but its well behind lockeddown UKs 465 and Spains 569. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/15/europe-emerges-lockdown-question-hangs-was-sweden-right 15th May 2020

Exit Strategies

BBC It very very quickly acted in ways which seemed to be quite extreme at the time but were subsequently shown to be rather sensible says Prof Guy Thwaites director of Oxford University Clinical Research Unit OUCRU in Ho Chi Minh City which works with the government on its infectious disease programmes. Vietnam enacted measures other countries would take months to move on bringing in travel restrictions closely monitoring and eventually closing the border with China and increasing health checks at borders and other vulnerable places. Schools were closed for the Lunar New Year holiday at the end of January and remained closed until midMay. A vast and labour intensive contact tracing operation got under way. This is a country that has dealt with a lot of outbreaks in the past says Prof Thwaites from Sars in 2003 to avian influenza in 2010 and large outbreaks of measles and dengue. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-52628283 15th May 2020

Exit Strategies

Nikkei Asian Review Thailand reported zero new confirmed COVID19 cases for the first time in over two months on May 13. https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Thailand-follows-Vietnam-with-no-new-coronavirus-cases 13th May 2020

Partisan Exits

Bloomberg A former health official and a group of Mexican researchers say the fresh numbers suggest the curve is still on an upward trajectory. With one of the lowest coronavirus testing rates in the region hospitalizations in Mexico may well be the better bellwether for gauging the scope of the pandemic and when its safe to reopen. Those numbers are grim. In the nations capital at least 76 of all hospital beds are occupied and 63 of ventilators are in use Lopez Gatell said Friday. Thats up from 58 on April 29. More than a quarter of all coronavirus cases are concentrated in Mexico City https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-16/mexico-risks-new-wave-of-pandemic-by-opening-economy-now 16th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

Bloomberg The country added 14919 cases according to government data on Saturday bringing its total to 233142. It trails the U.S. Russia and U.K. The numbers exceed those in Spain which has a total of 230698 cases and is planning to extend the state of emergency for a fifth time to combat the outbreak. Brazils new cases come as Vice President Hamilton Mourao and his wife are in selfisolation after a civil servant he came into contact with tested positive for Covid19 according to a note sent by his press office. They are awaiting test results which are expected on Monday. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-16/brazil-overtakes-spain-to-be-world-s-fourth-most-infected-nation 17th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters UK Mexicos President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador pushed back on Thursday against a government report that forecast the coronavirus pandemic could drag millions of Mexicans into extreme poverty in Latin Americas second largest economy. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-mexico-politics/mexicos-president-pushes-back-on-government-forecast-coronavirus-could-impoverish-millions-idUKKBN22R08F 17th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

The New York Times Dozens of doctors are infected and gravediggers are overwhelmed in Kano Nigerias secondlargest city where inaction led to an unchecked outbreak. Across Africa other hot spots are emerging. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/17/world/africa/coronavirus-kano-nigeria-hotspot.html?smid=tw-nytimesworld&ampsmtyp=cur 17th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

Xinhua Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday closed the countrys borders with Somalia and Tanzania effective midnight as part of measures to contain the spread of coronavirus. Kenyatta banned the movement of persons and passengers in and out of Kenya through the Tanzania and Somalia borders for 21 days following the rise of crossborder COVID19 transmission. In the last week we have witnessed increased imported cases among individuals crossing into the country through our borders. These areas have become areas of grave concern Kenyatta told the nation in a televised news conference in Nairobi. He said all drivers of the cargo vehicles shall be subjected to mandatory COVID19 disease testing and will only be granted entry into the Kenyan territory if they test negative. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-05/16/c_139062541.htm 16th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters UK The number of coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia topped 50000 on Saturday the health ministry said. A ministry official reported 2840 new cases taking the cumulative total to 51980. That was up from an average of around 1500 new cases a day over the past week. The death toll in the kingdom increased by 10 to 302 the official said on state TV. Saudi Arabia recorded its first COVID19 infection on March 2 several weeks after the initial outbreak in Asia. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-saudi/saudi-arabias-coronavirus-cases-top-50000-ministry-idUKKBN22S0L7 16th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters UK The number of coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia topped 50000 on Saturday the health ministry said. A ministry official reported 2840 new cases taking the cumulative total to 51980. That was up from an average of around 1500 new cases a day over the past week. The death toll in the kingdom increased by 10 to 302 the official said on state TV. Saudi Arabia recorded its first COVID19 infection on March 2 several weeks after the initial outbreak in Asia. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-saudi/saudi-arabias-coronavirus-cases-top-50000-ministry-idUKKBN22S0L7 16th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

CNN Mexican health officials believe the outbreak will peak in this country no later than May 20 though some studies suggest it could arrive in late June even as the country has one of the lowest testing rates in the world. I dont think testing is a must LopezGatell said when asked if the country could reopen safely without more tests. This doesnt mean were resistant to testing we will use testing but in a carefully planned manner. As of May 11 Mexico had only conducted 89 tests per 100000 people according to health ministry data. By contrast the US tested at a rate nearly 32 times higher than that according to the COVID Tracking Project. https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/15/americas/mexico-coronavirus-testing-intl/index.html 16th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

The Straits Times Packed morgues bodies in wards patients forced to share beds and medical workers run ragged Mumbais war against coronavirus has pushed the Indian citys hospitals to breaking point. Ravi 26 had to change his mothers diapers himself as she lay dying from the disease in the huge Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital better known as Sion. They would just give us medicines and leave Ravi not his real name told AFP. Staff in the 1300bed facility were overworked and tired he said with sometimes three patients per bed. https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/no-beds-packed-morgues-mumbai-hospitals-near-collapse-in-war-against-coronavirus 16th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters South Africas Impala Platinum said on Saturday it had detected 19 positive cases of the COVID19 disease at its Marula operation in northern Limpopo province and that it would close the plant until it had taken necessary health measures. Implats has identified 19 positive cases during the week all of them asymptomatic. Of these cases 14 were identified as the result of proactive testing of employees returning to work. None of these employees had started work at the mine the firm said in a statement. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-safrica-mining/south-african-platinum-miner-impala-finds-19-coronavirus-cases-at-mine-idUSL8N2CY0F3 16th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

News24 Zimbabwes President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Saturday the lockdown imposed to control the spread of coronavirus would stay in place for the moment but would be reviewed every two weeks. The restrictions have so far borne fruit as transmission has not been widespread and numbers remain lower than had been initial projections he added. From more than 25000 tests conducted the country has so far detected 42 cases four of which proved fatal. Mnangagwa said the World Health Organisation had classified coronavirus transmission in Zimbabwe as sporadic with one or more cases imported or locally detected https://www.news24.com/Africa/News/zimbabwe-to-maintain-virus-lockdown-president-20200516 16th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

AlJazeera The coronavirus pandemic has hit 38 Indigenous groups in Brazil raising fears for populations that have a history of being decimated by outside diseases. The virus is reaching indigenous territories across Brazil with frightening speed the Brazilian Indigenous Peoples Association APIB said in a statement on Friday. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/05/brazil-coronavirus-pandemic-reaches-dozens-indigenous-groups-200516055239315.html 16th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

Africa News English MSF teams too however crucially rely on the availability of PPE to protect patients and staff from the risk of infection. The global shortage of protective material may force even MSF to shut down our programmes including emergency lifesaving activities if a reliable source of PPE is not rapidly found. This happens at the worst possible time. While the number of reported COVID19 cases has remained relatively low so far it is expected to increase and so risks doing the number of indirect victims those who couldnt access essential medical care for other types of medical issues. With the rainy season approaching the seasonal increase in respiratory disease is expected to make the situation even more challenging. https://www.africanews.com/2020/05/16/coronavirus-kenya-covid-19-and-lack-of-protective-equipment-threaten-lifesaving-care-in-kenya/ 16th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

BBC African countries have started to lift lockdown restrictions raising fears that coronavirus infections could rise. The World Health Organization has said countries should consider their ability to test and trace before lifting lockdown. The continent has so far conducted 1.2 million tests since the start of the epidemic. But is that enough https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-52478344 15th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

BBC Assistant Health Secretary Hugo LpezGatell an epidemiologist and Mexicos coronavirus tsar described this as the most difficult moment of the first wave of the epidemic. He said that the country could not relax measures in place to stem the spread of the virus and instead needs to embrace a new normal to avoid another wave of infections. On Monday some key industries including mining construction and automobile assembly are scheduled to partially reopen. Mr LpezGatell stressed that the reopening of these industries will be largely preparatory with a broader restart of businesses not scheduled until 1 June. Government data released on Thursday also showed more than half of hospitals in the capital Mexico City were at capacity with coronavirus patients. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-52672060 15th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

AP More than 500 people have died over the past eight days in southern Yemens main city Aden many with breathing difficulties raising fears the coronavirus is spreading out of control feeding off a civil war that has left the country in ruins. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGyC7PIoM8M 15th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

The Guardian This meeting is the perfect portrait of the Bolsonaro administration said Bruno Boghossian a columnist for the Folha de So Paulo newspaper in Brazils political capital Braslia. Conspiracy theories ideological issues madeup battles and culture wars all right there at the heart of government. The video of the supposedly private plenum on 22 April was unexpectedly thrust into the public domain by the resignation of Bolsonaros justice minister Sergio Moro two days later. Moro says the images contain key evidence supporting his allegation that Bolsonaro tried to meddle in federal police business and must be released as part of a supreme court investigation into those claims. The footage was privately screened for investigators this week but has yet to be made public. Even before its release however the video is casting a profoundly embarrassing and potentially compromising light on Bolsonaro and the farright administration he has led since January 2019. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/15/jair-bolsonaro-video-cabinet-foul-mouthed 15th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

AlJazeera Mass testing for the novel coronavirus is under way in the worst affected areas of Kenya. But many are reluctant to be checked for fear of being forced into quarantine. There is also a stigma attached to the virus and the disease it causes known as COVID19. Al Jazeeras Catherine Soi reports from the capital Nairobi. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/05/stigma-fears-quarantine-hinder-kenyas-covid-19-fight-200515103153190.html 15th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters Heavy rains swept away the main water pipes running through forests in the Aberdare mountain range north of Kenyas capital a week ago. Soon after that the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company shut down a treatment plant feeding the city. Now huge swathes of Nairobi from its slums to its wellheeled districts of Lavington and Kitisuru are struggling with little to no supplies at a time when the government is ordering people to stay put and keep clean. Will we deal with water shortage or the coronavirus How can we survive without water when we are being told to wash our hands asked Wanjiru a motheroftwo who also needs water to wash the vegetables she sells on her stall. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-kenya-water/taps-run-dry-in-kenyas-capital-as-coronavirus-spreads-idUSKBN22Q2JN 14th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

The Wall Street Journal Mexicos drug cartels are in a war for the hearts and minds of poor Mexicans providing them with food and supplies as they struggle to survive the economic meltdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Since the coronavirus struck Mexico a plethora of videos and photographs uploaded to social media have shown what appear to be cartel operatives in about a dozen states handing out food packages marked with the logos of the different criminal groups to lines of Mexicans. In some cases the videos show the food being distributed by heavily armed men driving in militarystyle trucks with cartel markings. https://www.wsj.com/articles/mexicos-cartels-distribute-coronavirus-aid-to-win-popular-support-11589480979 14th May 2020

Continued Lockdown

Sky News The number of people dying from the coronavirus pandemic in Mexico is five times higher than official government figures according to health department insiders. A Sky News investigations team working in the countrys capital Mexico City has documented cremations and funerals and gained access to morgues and storage rooms full of bodies all indicate the official data is wrong. In much of Mexico City the second largest city in Latin America there is virtually no social distancing with open air markets and some businesses operating normally despite the coronavirus pandemic. https://news.sky.com/story/mexico-city-underreporting-covid-19-deaths-sky-news-analysis-finds-11987235 13th May 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Mirror Online Doctors at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London have found that most critically ill coronavirus patients suffer blood clots raising hopes that bloodthinning drugs could save lives https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/breakthrough-hope-doctors-find-blood-22040105 17th May 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Yucatan Times Mexican scientists specializing in mathematics statistics and infectious diseases warned that there could be up to 25 times more cases of Covid19 in the country than those confirmed by laboratory tests. This would mean between 881000 and 1.27 million people infected many without symptoms but with the capacity to infect. The data come from estimates made by scientists consulted by EL UNIVERSAL. Alejandro Macias considered the expert on the H1N1 epidemic in 2009 when he was the National Commissioner for the Prevention and Control of the SSA explained that until laboratory tests are carried out to look for antibodies in peoples blood as was done in New York it will not be known precisely how many people were infected with Covid19. https://www.theyucatantimes.com/2020/05/more-than-one-million-people-infected-with-covid-19-in-mexico/ 17th May 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Lancet According to The Washington Post Deborah Birx the head of the US COVID19 Task Force and a former director of the CDCs Global HIVAIDS Division cast doubt on the CDCs COVID19 mortality and case data by reportedly saying There is nothing from the CDC that I can trust. This is an unhelpful statement but also a shocking indictment of an agency that was once regarded as the gold standard for global disease detection and control. How did an agency that was the first point of contact for many national health authorities facing a public health threat become so illprepared to protect the publics health https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31140-5/fulltext 16th May 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian Nineyearold from Marseille had been in contact with virus before dying in hospital https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/16/french-boy-dies-from-coronavirus-linked-kawasaki-diseae 16th May 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Lancet Voluntary collective isolation as a best response to COVID19 for indigenous populations A case study and protocol from the Bolivian Amazon https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31104-1/fulltext 15th May 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

World Health Organization Recently however reports from Europe and North America have described clusters of children and adolescents requiring admission to intensive care units with a multisystem inflammatory condition with some features similar to those of Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome. Case reports and small series have described a presentation of acute illness accompanied by a hyperinflammatory syndrome leading to multiorgan failure and shock.1315 Initial hypotheses are that this syndrome may be related to COVID19 based on initial laboratory testing showing positive serology in a majority of patients. Children have been treated with antiinflammatory treatment including parenteral immunoglobulin and steroids. https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/multisystem-inflammatory-syndrome-in-children-and-adolescents-with-covid-19 15th May 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

CNN A new study the largest of its kind shows that hydroxychloroquine the drug touted by President Trump does not work against Covid19 and could cause heart problems. The study was published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It follows a study published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine that also showed the drug doesnt fight the virus. Even before these reports were published the US Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health issued warnings about using the drugs for coronavirus patients. https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/11/health/hydroxychloroquine-doesnt-work-coronavirus/index.html 11th May 2020