17th Nov 2020 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=141 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Sky News Five million doses of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine have been ordered by the UK the health secretary has announced. Matt Hancock said preliminary trials showing it to be 94.5 effective were excellent news and that if it proves safe the jabs can start to be rolled out across the country by spring 2021. We can see the candle of hope he declared but cautioned that people must keep following COVID19 restrictions. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-vaccine-uk-orders-five-million-doses-of-new-moderna-jab-by-spring-next-year-12134101 17th Nov 2020

Lockdown Exit

Financial Times For the past 30 years Grazia Santangelo has made a living selling books and jewellery from a stall at the Ballar street market in Palermo. It is one of the oldest and liveliest markets in southern Italy but now it is almost deserted. Because of the coronavirus crisis 62yearold Ms Santangelo has lost almost all of her clients and is struggling to pay for basic necessities such as food and medicine. Now that a second round of restrictions has come into force she says she is lucky to earn 3 a day. https://www.ft.com/content/55cb175d-9a0a-4c05-b358-ca39fa365ceb 16th Nov 2020

Lockdown Exit

Daily Mail Australians trying to flee coronavirusriddled Europe struggling to secure flights Demand outstripping supply despite overseas arrival cap rising to 6000 a week Government looking at more flights for citizens and then international students Education Minister Dan Tehan said country becoming victim of its own success States and territories are asked to make a plan to allow in more overseas arrivals https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8949799/Morrison-government-looks-allowing-extra-flights-home-Australians-locked-COVID-19.html 16th Nov 2020

Lockdown Exit

1News Speaking on TVNZ1s Breakfast the University of Auckland data modelling expert warned a potential two week period of new community cases of the coronavirus which authorities cant get on top of could put New Zealand into lockdown. Hendy said he believed Auckland particularly had become complacent before a woman who lives studies and works in the central city was confirmed as having Covid19 last week a case of community transmission. The woman has been linked to the Defence Force cluster and one of her close contacts was confirmed as having contracted the virus yesterday. https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/using-contact-tracing-app-strongest-form-defence-against-another-lockdown-shaun-hendy 16th Nov 2020

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Israels economy put on a blistering burst of growth in the third quarter expanding an annualised 37.9 as consumer spending exports and investment took off after being hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic in the first half of the year. The preliminary gross domestic product GDP growth figure for JulySeptember over the previous three months issued by the Central Bureau of Statistics was well above the 24 consensus forecast in a Reuters poll of economists. The Israeli economy has been resilient due to strong hitech sectors and lack of flights which pushed private spending up sharply said Leader Capital Markets Chief Economist Jonathan Katz who expects a return to contraction in the fourth quarter. https://www.reuters.com/article/israel-economy-gdp/update-2-israel-economy-strikes-back-in-q3-after-first-lockdown-lifted-idUSL8N2I22UL 16th Nov 2020

Lockdown Exit

The Guardian When the premier of Queensland held her regular Covid19 update on Friday she couldnt help letting a smile creep across her face. Now heres a good one Annastacia Palaszczuk told reporters. I think all Queenslanders are going to be happy about it. She went on to announce that Brisbanes Suncorp stadium would host a capacity 52500 crowd for the forthcoming State of Origin rugby league decider against New South Wales next week. The cauldron can be filled to 100 capacity she said. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/15/packed-crowds-and-euphoric-leaders-australia-revels-in-covid-free-days 15th Nov 2020

Lockdown Exit

The New York Times Japan became the latest major economy to bounce back from the devastation of the coronavirus as lockdowns eased and pentup demand led to surging domestic consumption and a rebound in exports. But the recovery is unlikely to be longlived analysts warn as a surge in new virus cases has led to a second round of lockdowns in the United States and Europe and threatens to dampen sentiment at home. Japans economy the worlds third largest surged 5 percent during the JulytoSeptember period for an annualized growth rate of 21.4 percent after three straight quarters of contraction. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/15/business/japan-economy-coronavirus.html 15th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

Reuters UK Many thousands of people in Britain are suffering from long COVID ongoing illness after contracting the coronavirus health minister Matt Hancock said on Monday. Weve already seen the serious impact that long COVID can have on peoples quality of life even the fit and the young symptoms like fatigue and breathlessness muscle pain and neurological problems long after they first had the virus Hancock told a media conference. And we know that long COVID affects thousands of people many thousands of people he added saying England would have a network of 40 clinics to deal with long COVID by the end of the month. https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-hancock/many-thousands-suffering-from-long-covid-uk-health-minister-says-idUKKBN27W2EF 17th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

Reuters UK Presidentelect Joe Biden said on Monday more people may die if outgoing President Donald Trump continues blocking a U.S. transition of power as the coronavirus pandemic worsens and he urged Congress to pass new relief legislation. Biden said business and labor leaders had signaled willingness to work together to bolster the pandemicbattered U.S. economy but stressed COVID19 first must be brought under control. The Democratic presidentelect delivered a speech and took questions from reporters in Wilmington Delaware after consulting jointly with the CEOs of top U.S. companies and labor leaders on Monday. He welcomed further progress in COVID19 vaccine development. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-election/more-people-may-die-biden-says-if-trump-goes-on-blocking-pandemic-cooperation-idUKKBN27W0II 17th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

Nursing Times A pilot to provide Covid19 tests to designated friends and family of those living in care homes has today been launched across Hampshire Cornwall and Devon. The move which aims to help facilitate indoor visits and even physical contact between care home residents and their patients https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/social-care/visitor-covid-19-testing-launched-in-care-homes-under-pilot-16-11-2020/ 16th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

BBC Two new mega labs will open in early 2021 with the aim of doubling the UKs daily coronavirus testing capacity the government has said. The sites at Leamington Spa in the Midlands and another at an unconfirmed site in Scotland will increase testing capacity by 600000. The latest data shows current capacity is around 519000 although the number of tests actually processed is lower. Meanwhile Labour is calling for a national plan to roll out the vaccine. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the vaccination programme will probably be the largest logistical operation since World War Two and called for a plan setting out who will be eligible for a jab and when. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54953677 16th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

expressandstar.com Northern MPs will ask for a clear route out of lockdown during a virtual meeting with the Prime Minister on Monday an exminister has confirmed. Jake Berry who leads the Northern Research Group NRG of more than 50 Tory backbenchers representing north of England constituencies said he would be seeking answers from Boris Johnson about lifting the current measures with some areas seeing little reprieve from restrictions designed to control the spread of coronavirus. The meeting between Mr Johnson and MPs representing socalled blue wall seats across the North many of them taken from Labour at last years election will take place via online video conference. https://www.expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2020/11/16/northern-mps-to-demand-clear-route-out-of-lockdown-during-virtual-pm-meeting/ 16th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

AlJazeera The Swedish government has moved to sharply reduce the size of public gatherings as it sought to come to grips with a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic that has seen record daily numbers of new cases and growing pressure on hospitals. Swedes have not been adhering to coronavirus recommendations and public gatherings will now be limited from a previous upper threshold of 300 to eight people Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said at a news conference on Monday. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/16/sweden-limits-gatherings-as-covid-19-pandemic-second-wave-swells 16th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

Reuters UK Major insurance companies told the UK Supreme Court on Monday that thousands of small companies battered by the coronavirus pandemic were not eligible for business interruption payouts and to suggest differently was reverse engineering. On the first day of a fourday appeal of a test case brought by Britains Financial Conduct Authority FCA against insurers industry lawyers told top judges that businesses could not claim for losses stemming from nationwide lockdowns to curb the virus. Gavin Kealey a lawyer for insurer MS Amlin said that only business losses related to COVID19 infections within a 25mile radius of insured properties were covered. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-insurers-court/insurers-cannot-provide-unlimited-cover-in-pandemic-uk-supreme-court-told-idUKKBN27W1XL 16th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

The Guardian There is an England of my mind. And in it those who have made their fortunes offer their time and talents in service of the public good modelling selfsacrifice and respect for good governance to ensure the nation thrives. But that England is no longer this England. Take the story of Kate Bingham. She is wife to a Treasury minister and cousin by marriage to Boris Johnsons sister. Despite having by her own admission no vaccines experience she was appointed by the prime minister as far as we know without competition to head up the vaccines taskforce. With this role came responsibility for investing billions of pounds of public money a task she performed while remaining managing director of a private equity firm specialising in health investments. While in post she gave again apparently without competition a 670000 contract to a tiny PR firm whose last accounts show net assets of less than a third of that sum. Its directors include Collingwood Cameron a longstanding business associate of Humphry Wakefield better known as Dominic Cummings fatherinlaw. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/nov/16/covid-19-contracts-cronyism-government-court 16th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

Daily Mail Dr Scott Atlas criticized the new coronavirus measures in Michigan yesterday The White House advisor told people you get what you accept on social media Governor Gretchen Whitmer said she would not be bullied by the White House https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8952407/Michigan-halt-indoor-dining-person-high-school-college-three-weeks.html 16th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

Reuters German federal and state leaders agreed to postpone until November 25 a decision on further lockdown measures to slow a second wave of coronavirus infections Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday. Merkel said a majority of state leaders did not want to see a tightening of restrictions before next week but she added I could have imagined imposing further contact restrictions today but there was no majority for that. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-germany/germany-postpones-decision-on-further-lockdown-measures-until-next-week-idUKKBN27W2LM 16th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

The Guardian Angela Merkel has said she does not have backing among state leaders for new restrictions to give Germanys soft lockdown a harder bite postponing any decision until a further meeting between the chancellor and 16 state premiers next week. The chancellor had been in favour of people limiting social interactions in private to only one set second household and forgo any kind of party until Christmas Eve according to a draft proposal cited by several news outlets including Der Spiegel. The plans were also reported to include advising citizens to quarantine at home for up to seven days even if they display only the symptoms of an ordinary cold and tightening hygiene requirements at schools with teachers and students of all year groups asked to wear face masks throughout lessons. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/16/merkel-germany-soft-covid-lockdown-chancellor-social-interaction 16th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

Daily Mail Protest organised by ultraright Forza Nuova and the No Mask movement took place in Piazza Venezia Rome. Demonstration saw protesters face off with riot police as they shouted and tried to barge through barricade. In France several Catholic protests organised across country demanding the return of religious services https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8951439/Anti-lockdown-demonstrators-clash-police-Italy-French-Catholics-demand-right-worship.html 16th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

ABC News With banners reading Let us Pray and We Want Mass Catholic protesters held scattered demonstrations around France on Sunday to demand that authorities relax virus lockdown measures to allow religious services. In the western city of Nantes hundreds gathered in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary some kneeling on the rainsoaked pavement according to local broadcaster France Bleu. Similar gatherings were reported or planned in the eastern city of Strasbourg Bordeaux in the southwest and outside the SaintLouis Cathedral in Versailles. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/french-catholics-protest-end-lockdown-mass-74219892 16th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

The Independent Presidentelect Joe Biden said he wouldnt hesitate to get the vaccine during a press conference on Monday while demanding cooperation from President Donald Trumps White House in coordinating Covid19 recovery efforts. I wouldnt hesitate to get the vaccine Mr Biden told reporters saying If Fauci Moderna and Pfizer conclude its safe and able to be done. He added The only reason people question the vaccine now is because of Donald Trump. The presidentelect also said its going to take a while for the vaccine to get to people while condemning the irresponsible behavior of the Trump administration not to comply with transitional recovery efforts. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/biden-coronavirus-vaccine-usa-pfizer-moderna-b1723909.html 16th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

Daily Mail She said areas where cases remain stubbornly high could be placed in Level 4 Told press conference step would be a short sharp hit to get cases decreasing The First Minister said her Cabinet will make decisions tomorrow morning https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8954061/Nicola-Sturgeon-says-Scotlands-lockdown-TOUGHER-save-Christmas.html 16th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

Evening Standard Matt Hancock has said it is too early to determine whether Englands lockdown should end as planned in just over two weeks time. Under current plans the national shutdown is due to expire on December 2 after which the country is set to return to a tiered system of coronavirus restrictions. However asked on Monday morning whether the lockdown will simply be rebadged after next months deadline the Health Secretary told BBC Radio 4s Today programme It is still too early to say Im afraid. Mr Hancock continued Weve seen in the last week that there is still a very high number of cases but we do absolutely want to come out of this national lockdown. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/matt-hancock-lockdown-may-not-end-december-2-b71549.html 16th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

Financial Times The latest Covid19 restrictions across the UK are affecting the economy less severely than the nationwide lockdown in the spring unofficial data suggest. A new lockdown in England firebreak restrictions in Wales and travel curbs in Scotland and Northern Ireland resulted in sharp contractions across many measures of consumer services activity in early November. However socalled highfrequency indicators of the broader economy including volumes of people travelling to workplaces and heavy goods vehicle traffic remained largely unchanged compared with before the restrictions were imposed reflecting that most factories and building sites remained open. https://www.ft.com/content/4659c531-81af-4e27-a2df-904372aa63fc 16th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

The Independent Current lockdown measures in England could continue beyond their planned end date of 2 December health secretary Matt Hancock has suggested. Mr Hancock said it was too early to determine whether the restrictions including the closure of pubs restaurants and nonessential shops can be lifted on the planned date. His comments were far more pessimistic than projections made by Boris Johnson who has previously told MPs that he has no doubt that the restrictions will be eased after the planned fourweek second lockdown https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/coronavirus-lockdown-matt-hancock-boris-johnson-b1723605.html 16th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

The Guardian Angela Merkel has said she does not have backing among state leaders for new restrictions to give Germanys soft lockdown a harder bite postponing any decision until a further meeting between the chancellor and 16 state premiers next week. The chancellor had been in favour of people limiting social interactions in private to only one set second household and forgo any kind of party until Christmas Eve according to a draft proposal cited by several news outlets including Der Spiegel. The plans were also reported to include advising citizens to quarantine at home for up to seven days even if they display only the symptoms of an ordinary cold and tightening hygiene requirements at schools with teachers and students of all year groups asked to wear face masks throughout lessons. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/16/merkel-germany-soft-covid-lockdown-chancellor-social-interaction 16th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

The Guardian A group of French authors has promised to pay fines imposed on the countrys bookshops that remain open in defiance of coronavirus lockdown rules. The pledge was made by the bestselling writer Alexandre Jardin who said authors were getting together to support booksellers during the crisis. Under Frances lockdown rules which are in force until at least 1 December only essential shops and businesses can remain open. Bookshops are not deemed essential. Jardin who lost a close relative to coronavirus last month said he was not taking the health threat lightly but feared for the future of independent bookshops. We will not let our bookshops close he told BFMTV. We cant be having the cops descending on them. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/16/french-authors-offer-to-pay-bookshops-covid-lockdown-fines 16th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters Total shopper numbers across British retail destinations plummeted 57.7 in the week to Nov. 14 yearonyear reflecting the impact of Englands second national lockdown market researcher Springboard said on Monday. Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland enacted new COVID19 health restrictions last month and England began a onemonth lockdown on Nov. 5 to curb a second wave of the pandemic that has left the United Kingdom with Europes highest death toll. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-retail-springboard/uk-shopper-numbers-plunge-as-english-lockdown-makes-impact-idUKKBN27W12R 16th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters Jackline Bosibori wept when she found out she was pregnant. The 17yearolds mother who is raising six kids alone collapsed in their oneroom home. They had been repeatedly threatened with eviction and couldnt afford another mouth to feed. If I was in school this could have not happened said Bosibori who wants to become a lawyer. With school closed due to the coronavirus pandemic and her mother out selling vegetables on the roadside Bosibori got involved with a man in his twenties. When she told him she was pregnant he stopped answering her calls. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-teenage-pregnancies/wider-image-teenage-pregnancies-rise-in-parts-of-kenya-as-lockdown-shuts-schools-idUSL8N2HY3E4 16th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday leaders of the countrys 16 federal states were resisting her efforts to agree stricter measures to fight a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic two weeks into a partial nationwide lockdown. Merkel had pushed for tougher measures at a meeting in Berlin but state leaders wanted to wait and see the effects of current restrictions she told a news conference. The majority of states declined to change legal measures roughly one week ahead of the next meeting... I could have imagined imposing further contact restrictions today she said. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-germany/merkel-german-states-consider-tougher-pre-christmas-covid-curbs-idUSKBN27W01K 16th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

The Guardian Not sure if its because of recent times of lockdown etc but Christ I talk to myself a lot these days. So tweeted the actor and presenter Emily Atack and she is not alone. Confined to our homes and freed from the judgments of others perceived or otherwise growing numbers of us are admitting to quirky behaviours from talking to ourselves to singing more loudly in the shower or living out the fashion eccentricities wed never have dreamed of in the office. Psychologists told the Guardian that people are likely to become more eccentric over lockdown displaying new or accentuated behaviours ranging from unusual mannerisms and daily routines to discovering unconventional interests. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/15/theres-nothing-to-keep-a-lid-on-it-is-lockdown-making-us-eccentric-covid 15th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Moderna Incs experimental vaccine was 94.5 effective in preventing COVID19 based on interim data from a latestage trial the company said on Monday becoming the second U.S. drugmaker to report results that far exceed expectations. https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-ema-moderna-idAFKBN27W1BI 16th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Los Angeles Times Moderna said Monday that its COVID19 vaccine was proving to be highly effective in a major trial a second dash of hope in the global race for a shot to tame a resurgent coronavirus that is now killing more than 8000 people a day worldwide. Moderna said its vaccine appeared to be 94.5 effective according to preliminary data from the companys ongoing study. A week ago competitor Pfizer announced its own COVID19 vaccine appeared similarly effective news that puts both companies on track to seek permission within weeks for emergency use in the U.S. Dr. Stephen Hoge Modernas president welcomed the really important milestone and said that having similar results from two different companies was what was most reassuring. https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-11-16/2nd-coronavirus-vaccine-shows-early-success-in-u-s-tests 16th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Daily Mail At least 11 double lung transplants have been performed across the country including in Florida New Mexico Texas and Wisconsin. Seven of those 11 operations have been done at Northwestern Medicine in Illinois between June and October. The firstever patient was Mayra Ramirez a 28yearold Chicago native who spent six weeks on a ventilator before receiving a new set of lungs. Other patients have included healthcare professionals such as Kari Wegg a 48yearold NICU nurse from Indiana. Andrew Lawrence 54 from Texas contracted the virus in July while treating patients and was the fifth patient to undergo a transplant at Northwestern https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8954217/COVID-19-forced-11-patients-undergo-DOUBLE-lung-transplants-7-one-hospital.html 16th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

NBC News Moderna said Monday that early analysis from its Phase 3 trial shows its Covid19 vaccine is 94.5 percent effective at preventing the illness offering hope of a second breakthrough in as many weeks. The news comes a week after pharmaceutical giant Pfizer said early analysis showed its vaccine candidate was more than 90 percent effective. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/covid-19-vaccine-candidate-94-5-percent-effective-moderna-says-n1247888 16th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

NPR A second COVID19 vaccine now also appears highly effective in preventing illness following exposure to the virus that causes the disease. The biotech company Moderna Inc. said Monday that its experimental vaccine was 94.5 effective in preventing disease according to an analysis of its clinical trial. The news comes a week after Pfizer and BioNTech said their vaccine was more than 90 effective. The results for both vaccines come from interim analyses of large clinical studies. In the Moderna study there were 30000 volunteers. Half got two doses of the vaccine 28 days apart half got two shots of a placebo on the same schedule. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/11/16/935239294/modernas-covid-19-vaccine-shines-in-clinical-trial 16th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters on MSN.com British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is considering a temporary cut to the aid spending to help the countrys Covidravaged public finances The Times reported. Ministers have drawn up plans to reduce the proportion of Britains gross national income spent on aid from 0.7 to 0.5 saving billions the report published in the newspaper said. Finance Minister Rishi Sunak is pushing for the cut to be announced in next weeks comprehensive spending review the report said adding Johnson insisted that the spending should return to the 0.7 total as soon as 2022. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab opposed the move amid concerns about the impact on Britains global standing according to the report. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/uk-plans-temporary-aid-cut-to-pay-for-coronavirus-crisis-the-times/ar-BB1b4oJ4 16th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Independent A global pharmaceutical company is set to begin clinical trials of its potential vaccine in the UK. Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies part of Johnson Johnson will start the next stage of its vaccine testing on Monday with 6000 volunteers from across the country. Theirs is the third potential jab about to enter clinical trials in the UK alongside US biotech company Novavax and the University of Oxfords vaccine with AstraZeneca whose trials are ongoing. The Janssen vaccine is jointly funded by the governments vaccine taskforce. The latest trial is designed to test its safety and efficacy. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-uk-vaccine-trial-janssen-next-stage-b1723226.html?utm_content=Echobox&amputm_medium=Social&amputm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1605510315 16th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

BBC A major trial of a vaccine to protect against Covid19 has launched in the UK the third such trial in the country. The jab designed by the Belgian company Janssen uses a genetically modified common cold virus to train the immune system. It comes a week after preliminary results showed another vaccine offered 90 protection. However many types of vaccine are likely to be needed to end the pandemic. The success of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech has caused global excitement. However it has not yet been approved for use and we still do not know how well it works in the elderly or how long immunity lasts. The hunt for Covid vaccines continues as a different approach may yet be better or better in some age groups and one company will struggle to immunise the planet. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54951650 16th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

ITV News The UK will be the first country to run finalstage trials of a coronavirus vaccine being developed by a company owned by Johnson and Johnson. The phasethree trial of the vaccine from pharmaceutical company Janssen starts on Monday and will be the first of its twodose study. The jab has already undergone phase one and two trials and interim analysis of the singledose study suggests the Covid19 vaccine candidate induces a robust immune response and is generally welltolerated. For the twodose study researchers are aiming to recruit around 6000 UK participants from a total of 30000 people globally at 17 sites across the country. https://www.itv.com/news/2020-11-15/6000-uk-participants-sought-for-covid-19-final-stage-vaccine-trial 16th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Business Wire Tempus a leader in artificial intelligence and precision medicine and the Yale School of Public Health announced a research collaboration to accelerate the development of COVID19 diagnostic tests in the U.S. This partnership will leverage SalivaDirectTM a salivabased laboratory diagnostic test that has been developed by researchers at Yale. Tempus and Yale will further develop SalivaDirectTM to enable home sample collection and to combine COVID19 and influenza testing of saliva samples. Simple and affordable athome sample collection is seen as instrumental to providing Americans with more testing options to reduce the spread of COVID19. Testing for both the novel coronavirus and influenza from the same sample has been described as a key priority to reduce the impact of both diseases during winter months. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201116005949/en/Tempus-and-Yale-Announce-Research-Collaboration-to-Accelerate-COVID-19-Test-Development 16th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The World Health Organizations chief scientist said on Monday she expected there to be very limited COVID19 vaccine doses available in the first half of 2021. Soumya Swaminathan said that she remained optimistic that the body would be able to work with many manufacturers to have a wide selection of vaccines as part of its global distribution scheme. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vaccines-doses-idUSKBN27W2C3?taid=5fb2db76aa7670000198daab&amputm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&amputm_medium=trueAnthem&amputm_source=twitter 16th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Daily Mail US spent 1bn on vaccine and is promised 20million doses by the end of year. UK ministers were concerned would take too long to get jab from Switzerland. Was tested on 95 people with Covid five were given jab rest given placebo https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8955699/How-does-Moderna-coronavirus-vaccine-work-countries-line-it.html 16th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters UK Britain has secured 5 million doses of an experimental COVID19 vaccine developed by Moderna Inc MRNA.O after it reported positive trial results health minister Matt Hancock said on Monday with the earliest doses expected for delivery in spring. Interim data from a latestage trial indicated Modernas vaccine was 94.5 effective in preventing COVID19. We have today secured an initial agreement for 5 million doses of the Moderna vaccine Hancock said at a news conference. Britain had previously secured supply deals for a total of 350 million vaccine doses from six different suppliers including Pfizer Inc PFE.N whose vaccine was found to be more than 90 effective and 100 million doses of an AstraZenecaOxford AZN.L candidate expected to report latestage results in coming weeks. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-vaccines-moderna-b/uk-orders-five-million-doses-of-moderna-vaccine-eyes-spring-arrival-idUKKBN27W1L6 16th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters UK The government will have to consider strengthening the threetier system of restrictions used to control the spread of COVID19 when the full lockdown in England ends a medical adviser said on Monday. We see very little effect from tier one. And I think when we look at what tiers may be there in the future we will have to think about strengthening them in order to get us through the winter months until the vaccines available for everyone Susan Hopkins from Public Health England told a news conference. We expect if the lockdown is working and were all doing the best we can to have reduced or no social contact with other people that we will start to see cases decline over the next week. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-tiers/covid-restriction-tiers-in-england-may-need-strengthening-adviser-says-idUKKBN27W2HA?il=0 16th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters UK South Korea will impose stricter social distancing rules for the greater Seoul area a month after easing them officials said on Tuesday warning of an even bigger crisis if antiCOVID19 efforts fail to dampen a spike in new cases. Starting Tuesday midnight tighter curbs will ban public gatherings of 100 people or more limit religious services and audiences at sporting events to 30 capacity and require highrisk facilities including clubs and karaoke bars to broaden distance among guests. South Korea has been one of the worlds coronavirus mitigation success stories after tackling the first major COVID19 epidemic outside China with aggressive tracing and testing but continues to battle persistent rises in infections. The tougher restrictions came as the daily case tally hovered above 200 for a fourth consecutive day with a series of cluster outbreaks emerging from offices medical facilities and small gatherings in Seoul and surrounding regions where around half of the countrys 52 million population live. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-southkorea/south-korea-to-tighten-social-distancing-warns-of-new-covid-19-crisis-idUKKBN27W334?il=0 16th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Sky News The coronavirus lockdown tier system being used in England was not very well thought out a government scientific adviser has said. Under current plans a regional tiered system is set to replace the national lockdown when it ends on 2 December. However professor John Edmunds a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies SAGE has warned a return to the lowest alert level of the regional tier system Tier 1 when the lockdown ends would be very unwise. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-lockdown-tier-system-not-very-well-thought-out-warns-sage-scientist-12132897 15th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Daily Mail Daily drug reduces deaths by 71 per cent in those with moderate or severe illness Drug baricitinib marketed as Olumiant has only been available for three years Medics hope the arthritis drug could help save most vulnerable to coronavirus https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8949605/Arthritis-drug-cuts-elderly-Covid-19-deaths-two-thirds-say-researchers.html 15th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Forbes As health officials across the country struggle with dwindling resources amid a third resurgence of the coronavirus St. Louis said Monday the county is so overwhelmed with Covid19 it no longer has enough capacity for contact tracing. https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelsandler/2020/11/16/st-louis-is-so-overwhelmed-with-covid-19-its-asking-people-to-do-their-own-contact-tracing/ 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Belfast Live There have been 14 further Covid19 deaths recorded in Northern Ireland with 10 of these taking place in the past 24 hours according to the Department of Health. The departments daily dashboard says there have been 331 positive tests in the past day with 3831 people contracting the virus in the past week. The Northern Ireland death toll from the virus now stands at 869 says the DoH. Since the outbreak began 47162 individuals have tested positive for Covid19. Belfast has seen the largest number of new infections in the past seven days with 696 followed by Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon with 544 and Causeway Coast and Glens with 451. Those aged 20 to 39 have had the most positive tests in the past week with 1267 followed by those aged 40 to 59 with 1199. https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/health/covid-19-northern-ireland-14-19288798 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

BBC Boris Johnson six Tory MPs and two political aides are selfisolating after a breakfast meeting inside Downing Street last Thursday. One of the MPs Lee Anderson later tested positive for Covid19 and on Sunday the prime minister was told to selfisolate by NHS Test and Trace. In a video from No 10 Mr Johnson urged others to follow the rules if contacted by the system. The PMs official spokesman insisted that Downing Street is Covidsecure. He said social distancing did happen but factors such as the length of the meeting were considered by Test and Trace. Mr Johnson who was admitted to intensive care with coronavirus seven months ago spent about 35 minutes with Mr Anderson who lost his sense of taste the day after the meeting. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54956076 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

CNN The United States surpassed 11 million coronavirus cases on Sunday according to data from Johns Hopkins University as states across the country moved to enact restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the virus. The latest milestone comes just six days after the US recorded 10 million cases per Johns Hopkins data. It was the fastest the US has added one million new cases since the pandemic began. At least 45 states have reported more new infections this past week compared to the previous week according to Johns Hopkins University. We have this firestorm of coronavirus all across the country emergency medicine physician Dr. Leana Wen said. Its not one or two hotspots the entire country is a hotspot of coronavirus infection. https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/15/health/us-coronavirus-sunday/index.html 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Times Americas top infectious diseases experts have ruled out a national lockdown against the coronavirus even as the country heads for a record of 200000 new cases a day. Anthony Fauci director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said that it would fall to local and regional leaders to instigate mitigation measures even after Joe Biden the presidentelect assumes power and called on President Trump to stop stonewalling efforts by the new administration to get a plan in place. Were not going to get a national lockdown. I think thats very clear Dr Fauci said. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/us-rules-out-lockdown-as-daily-cases-near-200-000-hptjdmn95 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

BBC Michigan Washington and California are the latest US states to bring in strict measures to try to curb the spread of Covid19 as cases top 11 million. High schools and colleges are to halt onsite teaching while restaurants are prohibited from offering indoor dining in Michigan from Wednesday. Indoor restaurant dining is also banned in Washington State and gyms cinemas theatres and museums will close. And much of California will return to its most severe restriction level. On average more than 1000 people a day are dying with the virus and the overall death toll is close to 250000. Hospital admissions have also reached record levels. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54955093 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Guardian Sweden has cut its limit on attendance at public gatherings to eight people as its lighttouch approach to the coronavirus pandemic continues to be tested by a surge in new infections and hospitalisations. Public gatherings have until now had to adhere to limits of between 50 and 300 people depending on the type of event. The prime minister Stefan Lfven said the stricter limit would come into force from 24 November. This is the new norm for the entire society Lofven said adding that Swedes were not observing coronavirus recommendations as well they had in the spring. Dont go to gyms dont go to libraries dont host dinners. Cancel he said. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/16/sweden-limits-public-gatherings-to-eight-people-amid-covid-surge 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

YAHOO! With more tests being carried out and fewer people admitted to intensive care French Health Minister Olivier Vran says there is every reason to believe the country has passed the peak of the second wave of the coronavirus epidemic. But the battle is a long way from over the minister warned. Health Minister Vran said the epidemic is being brought under control. Thanks to the lockdown just as in March the virus is spreading less quickly Vran told journalists from a group of regional newspapers at the weekend. https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/covid-figures-suggest-france-passed-101834520.html 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

NDTV Delhi will not be put under another lockdown in the wake of the third wave of COVID19 since it has already peaked out state Health Minister Satyendar Jain said today dismissing all speculation. There is no chance of a lockdown Health Minister Satyendar Jain said today. I can tell you today that the peak of Delhis third wave is gone Mr Jain said. When asked about markets being shut down he said It has not even been considered. The festival is over the crowds will get thinner now on. However he said people ought to be cautious and wear masks. The lockdown was a learning exercise...What we learnt was that the gains from a lockdown were the same as those from wearing masks. Delhi on Sunday recorded 3235 new COVID19 cases and 95 deaths due to coronavirus state government data shows. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/no-lockdown-in-delhi-health-minister-satyendar-jain-dismisses-speculation-2325686 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Financial Times Japan can make it through the winter without lockdowns or mass screening for Covid19 but the public will have to socialise and drink with care according to the doctor leading the countrys response. Dr Shigeru Omi chair of the governments expert committee on the virus told the Financial Times in an interview that Japan was determined to keep the economy open even as case numbers were rising. Japan has been relatively successful in living with the virus rather than seeking near elimination as has been pursued in Australia New Zealand China and Taiwan making it a potential model for Europe and the US. https://www.ft.com/content/37b11aee-1250-4e0d-acda-9270d057659b 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters UK Countries across the AsiaPacific region reported record new coronavirus numbers and fresh outbreaks on Monday with Japan facing mounting pressure to reimpose a state of emergency and South Korea warning it was at a critical crossroads. The resurgence of the virus in Asia comes as travel restrictions are gradually being eased in the region and it will dampen prospects for broader reopening that would boost the recovery underway in economies such as Japan. New daily cases in Japan reached a record 1722 on Saturday with hot spots in the northern island of Hokkaido and the western prefectures of Hyogo and Osaka. In Tokyo cases have neared 400 in recent days levels not seen since early August. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-asia/asia-at-a-crossroads-in-fight-against-coronavirus-as-cases-surge-idUKKBN27W0GN 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Financial Times Japan can make it through the winter without lockdowns or mass screening for Covid19 but the public will have to socialise and drink with care according to the doctor leading the countrys response. Dr Shigeru Omi chair of the governments expert committee on the virus told the Financial Times in an interview that Japan was determined to keep the economy open even as case numbers were rising. Japan has been relatively successful in living with the virus rather than seeking near elimination as has been pursued in Australia New Zealand China and Taiwan making it a potential model for Europe and the US. https://www.ft.com/content/37b11aee-1250-4e0d-acda-9270d057659b 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

BBC South Australian authorities say they are facing a dangerous situation after reporting 18 coronavirus cases in the states first outbreak since April. Up to 13 infections were linked to a hotel quarantine worker in Adelaide who spread the virus to a family in the local community officials said. The state has ramped up testing and brought in new restrictions. Australia had seen cases drop to near zero after beating a second wave that was largely confined to Victoria. Victorias capital Melbourne spent almost four months in a stringent lockdown before reopening last month. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-54954923 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters South Australia reported 14 new coronavirus cases on Monday a rapid spike in the states first outbreak since April prompting officials to impose social distancing restrictions. The cluster also prompted some other Australian states to reimpose strict quarantine measures on anybody arriving from South Australia just days after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he expected all internal borders to be open by Christmas. South Australia authorities first reported three locallyacquired COVID19 cases on Sunday saying the outbreak was caused by a worker from a quarantine hotel infecting family members. By Monday case numbers had jumped to 17. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-australia/australia-back-on-outbreak-alert-as-state-virus-infections-spike-idUKKBN27V0PP 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

9News The US surpassed 11 million coronavirus cases on Sunday according to data from Johns Hopkins University as states across the country moved to enact restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the virus. The latest milestone comes just six days after the US recorded 10 million cases per Johns Hopkins data. It is the fastest the US has added one million new cases since the pandemic began. https://www.9news.com.au/world/coronavirus-usa-covid19-infection-numbers-grow-by-one-million-in-six-days/11eba6d4-b4d7-4d51-81b1-d0f5bcac0d7a 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Daily Mail South Australia outbreak has echoes of Melbournes COVID19 situation in June Adelaide now has 17 active cases with 15 of them linked to one large family SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said next 24 to 48 hours were crucial https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8952231/How-Adelaide-Melbourne-style-lockdown-hotel-quarantine-worker.html 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters The latest surge of coronavirus infections in the Indian capital that has swamped its intensive care wards and killed hundreds of people has passed its peak the citys top health official said on Monday dismissing fears of another lockdown. I can definitely tell you that the peak is gone and cases will slowly come down now Satyendar Jain minister of health in the city government told Reuters partner ANI pointing to a decline in the citys positivity rate. New Delhi has seen a surge in novel coronavirus infections this month what authorities have called a third wave that has killed more than 600 people dead in the past week even as cases in other parts of the country have declined. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-india-idUSKBN27W127 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is selfisolating after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID19 a fresh setback after infighting among his top advisers plunged Downing Street into chaos last week. Johnson who was admitted to intensive care in a London hospital earlier this year with the novel coronavirus is well and does not have any symptoms a spokesman for the prime minister said on Sunday. He will carry on working from Downing Street including on leading the governments response to the coronavirus pandemic the spokesman said. The prime minister will follow the rules and is selfisolating. Johnson met lawmakers in Downing Street on Thursday including Lee Anderson a Conservative Party member who subsequently developed COVID19 symptoms and tested positive. https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-johnson/pm-johnson-self-isolating-after-covid-19-contact-idUSKBN27V0OZ 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Thirtyoneyearold Ines Alcolea ditched the bustling life of Madrid in October for a village near the much quieter medieval town of Toledo unable to face the prospect of more COVID19 restrictions in her small flat in the Spanish capital. At least here if theres another lockdown well have more space a garden. Itll be lighter Alcolea said sitting in her new home surrounded by boxes and her two cats. She is paying half the rent she used to for nearly twice the space and has a rooftop terrace thrown in. https://in.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-spain-millennials/spains-hard-pressed-millennials-move-out-of-the-city-amid-covid-idUSL8N2HX706 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters UK Frances health minister said on Monday it was too early to claim victory over a resurgence in coronavirus infections even if recent data showed some encouraging signs during a second national lockdown. Olivier Veran said that authorities were in the process of gradually regaining control over the COVID19 pandemic but warned that it was too soon to let up. We have not defeated the virus yet Veran told reporters in Lyon adding that that as long as daily infection numbers did not drop significantly and the hospital system remained under pressure lockdown measures must continue. https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-france-minister/french-virus-data-encouraging-but-too-soon-claim-victory-minister-idUKKBN27W12D 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters UK France has registered 27228 new confirmed cases of COVID19 and a further 302 deaths from the disease in the last 24 hours health ministry data showed on Sunday although there were signs of a fall in the rate of new cases. France has now recorded 1981827 confirmed COVID19 cases in all while 44548 people have died from the virus the seventhhighest death toll in the world. Nevertheless the data marked a slight decrease compared with the previous days COVID19 figures in terms of new confirmed cases and deaths. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-france/france-records-27228-new-covid-19-cases-302-more-deaths-idUKKBN27V0MZ 16th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters The Malaysian government tightened movement curbs in an area where Top Glove Corp Bhd worker dormitories are located to enable targeted coronavirus screenings on workers and residents as infections rise the security ministry said on Monday. The curbs in effect from Tuesday until the end of the month will affect 13190 workers and close to 1200 residents in Klang about 40km west of Kuala Lumpur Senior Minister of Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob said at a media conference. This enforcement will allow the Health Ministry to continue targeted screenings on workers and residents in the area he said. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-top-glove-workers/malaysias-top-glove-workers-under-stricter-covid-lockdown-government-idUSKBN27W19A 16th Nov 2020

New Lockdown

EL PAS in English The majority of Spaniards six in 10 would support a second home lockdown if it was needed to contain the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Thats according to a survey by pollster 40dB commissioned by EL PAS. During the first wave of the pandemic the Spanish government introduced one of the worlds strictest lockdowns with residents confined to their homes and only allowed out for essential business. In the past few weeks with infections rising in some territories several regional authorities called on the central government to authorize home lockdowns in areas with dangerously high incidence rates of the virus https://english.elpais.com/society/2020-11-16/most-spaniards-support-a-second-home-lockdown-according-to-new-poll.html 16th Nov 2020

New Lockdown

India New England The Mongolian government on Sunday extended a nationwide lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic by two weeks until December 1. Mongolia imposed a national lockdown effective from 6 a.m. on Thursday after the country confirmed its first Covid19 case of local transmission involving a woman who is the wife of a 29yearold infected Mongolian transport driver the Xinhua news agency reported. The driver returned home from Russia via Altanbulag border point and tested positive for the virus four days after he was released from the 21day mandatory isolation on November 6. The extension is part of the efforts to identify all people who have had contact with cases of locally transmitted Covid19 infection Yangu Sodbaatar the countrys deputy prime minister said at a press conference. https://indianewengland.com/2020/11/mongolia-imposes-national-lockdown-after-first-covid-case-reported/ 16th Nov 2020