19th Apr 2022 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=640 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

The Wall Street Journal BA.2 is spreading in the U.S. although few want to talk about it. The Omicron subvariant is contributing to school and work absences yet two years of dealing with Covid19 have made people tired of taking precautions getting tested and asking about other peoples status say physicians psychologists and behavioral scientists. If this is a pandemic wave then many have decided the best response is a weary shrug. Part of that reaction comes from the fact that while cases are ticking up in some areas hospitalizations remain low. Research has so far shown most people who are uptodate with Covid19 vaccines face little risk of landing in the hospital with BA.2 and prior infection with another variant also bolsters the bodys defenses. In addition people in many places got on with their lives long ago and are unwilling to return to a pandemic crouch. https://www.wsj.com/articles/ba-2-proves-the-pandemic-isnt-over-but-people-are-over-it-11650212885 18th Apr 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Wall Street Journal Inflation in China picked up in March as soaring global commodity prices and lockdowns in major cities drove up prices for consumers and businesses. The overall inflationary picture in China remains far more benign than in the U.S. and other major economies though giving the government and central bank ample room to support the slowing economy with stimulus. The inflation data highlight how Chinas stringent pandemic control measures are increasingly affecting consumer prices https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-inflation-rises-as-lockdowns-ukraine-war-drive-up-prices-11649659509 18th Apr 2022

Lockdown Exit

Wall Street Journal In the latest phase of the Covid19 pandemic federal and local officials are telling people to decide for themselves how best to protect against the virus. Health officials are leaving it up to people to assess if they need booster shots whether to wear a mask and how long to isolate after a positive test. Businesses schools and other entities are scaling back specific guidelines as they prepare for a return to normal. The question of when older adults should get a second vaccine booster is the latest example of the government shifting decisions from broadbased community outreach to personal choice. https://www.wsj.com/articles/officials-adopt-new-message-on-covid-19-behaviors-its-your-call-11650200403 18th Apr 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Australias twoyear long ban on cruise ships expires on Sunday another step toward the rehabilitation of tourism from the damage wrought by the pandemic. The ban on foreign cruise ships imposed in March 2020 after a Covid outbreak aboard the Ruby Princess spilled into Sydney once the vessel docked cost the Australian economy more than A10 billion 7.4 billion the Cruise Lines International Association estimates. Operators are preparing for a carefully managed resumption of operations in a sector that previously supported more than 18000 Australian jobs the association said in a statement ahead of the bans expiry. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-17/australia-s-pandemic-era-ban-on-cruise-ships-comes-to-an-end 18th Apr 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Prime Minister Boris Johnson has thrust Britain into a constitutional crisis by breaking the law he set for pandemic restrictions effectively shredding the ministerial code the countrys leading constitutional expert said on Sunday. Peter Hennessy a historian and member of the upper house of parliament said Johnson had become the great debaser in modern times of decency in public and political life after he was fined by police for attending a social gathering in Downing Street while lockdown restrictions were in place. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uks-johnson-shredded-ministerial-code-with-lockdown-breaches-constitutional-2022-04-17/ 18th Apr 2022

Lockdown Exit

Al Jazeera English When Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called for a sense of urgency about growing economic risks during a meeting with provincial officials earlier this week it was his third such warning in days. We need to be highly vigilant for unexpected changes in the international and domestic situations and downward economic pressure has further mounted Chinas No 2 official told a symposium in Jiangxi province on Monday according to a report in South China Morning Post less than a week after drawing attention to the complicated and evolving global situation and COVID19 outbreaks at home. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2022/4/14/after-lofty-goals-chinas-leaders-sound-anxious-about-economy 15th Apr 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Wall Street Journal Localized Covid19 lockdowns are proliferating across China suggesting Shanghais struggle to contain the virus might be the prelude to a broader battle that threatens to hobble the worlds secondlargest economy. Chinese health authorities on Thursday reported more than 29000 new infections the highest daily tally since the pandemic began in the central city of Wuhan more than two years ago. Strict measures appear to be working in Chinas far Northeast where local officials are declaring victory following an extended lockdown. Yet localized lockdowns are being newly imposed expanded or extended elsewhere in the country including the northern industrial city of Taiyuan and the southern megacities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen. https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-covid-19-lockdowns-spread-beyond-shanghai-to-other-cities-11649949817 15th Apr 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Almost two months into Chinas worst Covid19 outbreak the vast country has reported only two deaths a striking number thats the subject of growing debate because it appears to best even nations with higher vaccination rates. China reported more than 386000 cases in the first six weeks of its latest outbreak giving it a fatality rate of about 0.5 for every 100000 people infected through April 13. The deaths both occurred in the northeastern province of Jilin while financial hub Shanghai now the epicenter of the countrys outbreak with a record 27719 cases on Thursday hasnt reported any so far. The low death rate is in marked contrast to what happened when the highly transmissible omicron variant coursed through Singapore South Korea Australia and New Zealand some of the worlds best performers in curbing Covid and vaccinating to a high level a data analysis by Bloomberg News shows. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-14/china-s-covid-deaths-data-questioned-as-tally-lags-other-nations 15th Apr 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters The head of the World Trade Organization told Reuters on Thursday that negotiations on an intellectual property deal for COVID19 vaccines were ongoing between the four parties saying they were seeking to agree on the proposals final terms. Since the draft compromise emerged in the media a month ago pressure from civil society groups has been rising for the parties the United States the European Union India and South Africa to walk away from the deal. Other public figures have also criticised it such as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and former U.N. SecretaryGeneral Ban Kimoon saying it is too narrowly focused on vaccines https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/last-few-tweaks-being-made-covid-ip-waiver-deal-wto-chief-2022-04-14/ 15th Apr 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Associated Press The number of coronavirus cases and deaths in Africa have dropped to their lowest levels since the pandemic began marking the longest decline yet seen in the disease according to the World Health Organization. In a statement on Thursday the U.N. health agency said COVID19 infections due to the omicron surge had tanked from a peak of more than 308000 weekly cases to fewer than 20000 last week. Cases and deaths fell by 29 and 37 respectively in the last week deaths decreased to 239 from the previous week. This low level of infection has not been seen since April 2020 in the early stages of the pandemic in Africa WHO said noting that no country in the region is currently seeing an increase of COVID19 cases. https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-world-organization-united-nations-africa-b940d5737327c90200dcffff8132513e 14th Apr 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg The death rate of Latinos in Los Angeles rose dramatically more than any other ethnic group during the Covid19 pandemic. Between 2019 and 2021 the percentage rate of deaths for any reason for Latinos spiked 48 data from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health show. Just under half of the citys population is of Hispanic or Latino descent according to Census data. While all ethnic groups suffered more than usual deaths during the first year of the pandemic only the Latino population saw the trend continue the following year. The overall two year mortalityrate for Black people increased 23 and 22 for Asian people consistent with the broader county statistics. The overall mortality rate for White residents rose by 7 in the twoyear span. Black residents in Los Angeles who comprise just under 9 of the population still have the highest death rate of any group. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-14/latino-mortality-rate-spiked-48-in-los-angeles-during-covid?srnd=premium-europe 14th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC said on Monday it had dropped its Do Not Travel COVID19 recommendations for about 90 international destinations. Last week the CDC said it was revising its travel recommendations and said it would its reserve Level 4 travel health notices for special circumstances such as rapidly escalating case trajectory or extremely high case counts. The countries and other regions dropped to Level 3 High which still discourages travel by unvaccinated Americans include the United Kingdom France Israel Turkey Australia Greece Hong Kong Italy Japan South Korea Spain and Russia. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-cdc-lifts-covid-do-not-travel-recommendations-about-90-countries-2022-04-18/ 18th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg A federal judge overturned the U.S. government mask mandate on airplanes trains and other public transportation dealing a blow to the Biden administration as fights continue nationwide over policies tied to the Covid19 pandemic. U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle in Tampa Florida vacated the mask requirement nationwide and directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reverse the policy put in place in February 2021. The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by the Health Freedom Defense Fund. Mizelle an appointee of former president Donald Trump ruled that the CDC had incorrectly described the mask mandate as a form of sanitation to justify its authority in the matter. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-18/mask-mandate-for-planes-trains-overturned-by-florida-judge 18th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

Wall Street Journal China doesnt make public the total number of people in its isolation facilities but official data published Friday show there were more than 270000 asymptomatic cases nationwide under medical observation. It couldnt be determined how many are in government centers and there are signs that as these fill up more people are being allowed to quarantine at home. Shanghai has built more than 100 makeshift hospitals with a total capacity of more than 160000 beds for Covidpositive individuals with mild or no symptoms according to state media. The city had 7776 people hospitalized and more than 220000 under medical observation China Daily reported Thursday. https://www.wsj.com/articles/inside-a-shanghai-mass-quarantine-center-no-showers-lights-on-24-7-11650187802 18th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Shanghai has set a target to stop the spread of COVID19 outside of quarantined areas by Wednesday two people familiar with the matter said which would allow the city to further ease its lockdown and start returning to normal life as public frustrations grow. The target will require officials to accelerate COVID testing and the transfer of positive cases to quarantine centres according to a speech by a local Communist Party official dated Saturday a copy of which was seen by Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/shanghai-targets-lockdown-turning-point-by-wednesday-sources-2022-04-17/ 18th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg Nicola Sturgeon has been reported to police after footage showed her apparently breaching Scotlands Covid face mask law on the council election campaign trail. A video posted on social media appears to show Scotlands First Minister not wearing a mask during a visit to a barbers in East Kilbride South Lanarkshire on Saturday. There is currently a legal requirement to wear a face covering in most indoor public places in Scotland including shops public transport and hairdressers. In the video Ms Sturgeon appears to be seen without a face covering as she mingles with customers and pats the head of a man in a barbers chair while mimicking the sound of an electric razor. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-17/nicola-sturgeon-reported-to-police-over-apparent-face-mask-law-breach 17th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

Al Jazeera English Many countries have been loosening COVID protocols but is the move being made too soon or has the worst of the pandemic passed According to researchers at Johns Hopkins University the global tally of new coronavirus cases has fallen drastically but global deaths have been climbing. Earlier this month Shanghai the commercial hub of China ground to a halt under a strict lockdown as the Omicron variant took over. The city remains closed and there are worries the quarantine is triggering a hunger crisis. The new XE variant of the virus first detected in the United Kingdom has now been detected in Japan. The subvariant has already spread rapidly across the UK infecting about one in every thirteen people there according to the latest estimates from the Office for National Statistics ONS the highest number since April 2020. https://www.aljazeera.com/program/the-stream/2022/4/14/is-the-world-moving-on-from-covid-too-quickly 15th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

The Associated Press After a twoyear break thousands of people in Bangladesh and Nepal on Thursday celebrated their respective new years with colorful processions and musical soirees as the coronavirus pandemic eased and life swung back to normal. In Bangladeshs capital Dhaka people clad in the traditional red attire ushered in the Bengali year 1429. They marched sang and danced at a prominent arts college on the Dhaka University campus and in historic Ramna Park. Similar processions were organized in other parts of Dhaka and elsewhere in the country but the celebration was subdued as the Muslimmajority Bangladesh was also observing the fasting month of Ramadan amid scorching heat. https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-nepal-ramadan-dhaka-a8ec149eb468d328cb3fa994b585fb19 15th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

The Associated Press Antivirus controls that have shut down some of Chinas biggest cities and fueled public irritation are spreading as infections rise hurting a weak economy and prompting warnings of possible global shockwaves. Shanghai is easing rules that confined most of its 25 million people to their homes after complaints they had trouble getting food. But most of its businesses still are closed. Access to Guangzhou an industrial center of 19 million people near Hong Kong was suspended this week. Other cities are cutting off access or closing factories and schools. Spring planting by Chinese farmers who feed 1.4 billion people might be disrupted Nomura economists warned Thursday. That could boost demand for imported wheat and other food pushing up already high global prices. https://apnews.com/eda53025ee70309c3e6a8c951591b502 15th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Chinas economic growth is likely to slow to 5.0 in 2022 amid renewed COVID19 outbreaks and a weakening global recovery a Reuters poll showed raising pressure on the central bank to ease policy further. The forecast growth for 2022 would be lower than the 5.2 analysts tipped in a Reuters poll in January suggesting the government faces an uphill battle in hitting this years target of around 5.5. Growth is then forecast to pick up to 5.2 in 2023. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-gdp-growth-seen-slowing-50-2022-covid-hit-2022-04-14/ 15th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Hong Kong confirmed on Thursday it will ease some of the worlds most stringent COVID19 restrictions allowing beauty parlours cinemas and gyms to reopen from April 21 as infections in the global financial hub hover below 2000 per day. The Chineseruled city has been hit by a fifth wave of coronavirus since early this year that has battered business and led to more than 8600 deaths many in the past two months although cases have dropped in recent days. Coronavirus restrictions have battered businesss and helped fuel a net outflow of around 70000 people in February and March up from nearly 17000 in December raising concerns over the citys status as a global financial centre https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hong-kong-confirms-it-will-ease-covid-restrictions-april-21-2022-04-14/ 15th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters South Korea said on Friday it will drop most COVID19 pandemicrelated restrictions next week including a midnight curfew on eateries as the Omicron surge in cases shows signs of waning although people will still have to wear masks. From April 18 the midnight curfew on restaurants and other businesses will be scrapped along with the cap on private gatherings which was set at 10 Prime Minister Kim Bookyum told a coronavirus response meeting. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/skorea-lift-most-covid-curbs-next-week-yonhap-2022-04-14/ 15th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg Chinas government is channeling its Covidrelated financial aid toward businesses rather than households an approach thats increasingly being challenged as consumers struggle to cope under stringent lockdowns. Officials say the support for firms aims to preserve jobs but many households required to stay at home for weeks on end are battling to pay rent and other living costs according to social media posts and charity workers. A total of 45 Chinese cities are now imposing partial or total lockdowns according to Nomura Holdings Inc. restricting the movement of some 370 million people. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-13/lockdown-financial-aid-in-china-leaves-households-behind?srnd=fx-center 14th Apr 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters U.S. Army Chief General James McConville tested positive for the coronavirus and was experiencing very mild symptoms a spokesperson said on Monday. McConville tested positive on Sunday is fully vaccinated and is working remotely the spokesperson added. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-army-chief-tests-positive-covid-19-spokesperson-2022-04-18/ 18th Apr 2022

Partisan Exits

The Wall Street Journal Smallbusiness owners are bristling over a congressional proposal that would redirect unspent money from Covid19 programs to provide 10 billion for the federal governments pandemic health response including vaccines and therapeutics. At issue is about 5 billion that Congress allocated for three smallbusiness aid programs but which hasnt yet been spent. Some lawmakers want to repurpose those existing funds for healthcare rather than allocate new money because they are increasingly focused on reining in the federal deficit and spending amid a surge in inflation which is at a 40year high. The debate underscores the struggle to fulfill requests made by the Biden administration to address pandemic needs while also accommodating Republican demands to not spend new money. https://www.wsj.com/articles/small-businesses-object-to-clawback-of-covid-19-aid-11650274203 18th Apr 2022

Partisan Exits

Bloomberg A divided U.S. Supreme Court refused to intervene on behalf of an Air Force Reserve officer who was relieved of his command after saying he wouldnt get vaccinated against Covid19 for religious reasons. Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Dunn was seeking to avoid being shifted to the Individual Ready Reserve which would mean he wouldnt take part in drills or be paid. Justices Clarence Thomas Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch said they would have granted his request. Neither they nor the court gave any explanation. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-18/unvaccinated-air-force-reserve-colonel-rejected-by-supreme-court 18th Apr 2022

Partisan Exits

Bloomberg Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi will miss a trip to Africa this week after testing positive for Covid19. He is asymptomatic according to a government official on Monday. Draghi was scheduled to travel to central and southern Africa this week in pursuit of further natural gas deals to reduce Italys dependence on Russian supplies. Italy has already struck agreements for Algerian and Egyptian gas. Italy will be represented in the planned trips to Angola and the Republic of Congo on April 20 and 21 by Ecological Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani and Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio according to the official. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-18/italy-s-draghi-to-miss-africa-trip-after-positive-covid-test 18th Apr 2022

Partisan Exits

Bloomberg The Chinese Communist Partys flagship newspaper called on the nation to support President Xi Jinpings Covid Zero strategy showing any shift in policy is unlikely even as lockdowns in Shanghai and elsewhere threaten to hurt the economy. In a frontpage commentary Monday the Peoples Daily said Xis strategy to snuff out the virus has proven correct and effective and China should be uniting more closely around the partys leadership with Xi Jinping as the core. Citizens should follow the strategy unswervingly and unrelentingly with earlier faster stricter and more practical measures it said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-18/communist-party-urges-support-for-xi-as-anger-grows-on-lockdowns 18th Apr 2022

Partisan Exits

Bloomberg Beijing oversold its surveillancebased system of disease control and underestimated the shapeshifting virus. The result is an economic mess though probably not a political crisis. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-04-17/china-coronavirus-outbreak-xi-jinping-s-covid-zero-is-failing 18th Apr 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters The tensions of lockdown have exposed divisions among Shanghai residents pitting young against old locals against outsiders and above all COVIDnegative against COVIDpositive people. Shanghais 25 million people most of whom live in apartment blocks have forged new communal bonds during the citys coronavirus outbreak through barter and group buying and setting up foodsharing stations. But with no end in sight to a lockdown that for some has lasted four weeks frustrations are also mounting behind the shuttered gates of the citys tower blocks often playing out within WeChat message groups https://www.reuters.com/world/china/covid-shaming-pits-neighbour-against-neighbour-locked-down-shanghai-2022-04-18/ 18th Apr 2022

Partisan Exits

Al Jazeera English Before the pandemic Taipeis Yongkang Street was a top tourist destination catering to visitors who would snack on spring onion pancakes bubble tea and mango ice in between browsing gift shops and upscale boutiques. The area was so popular that the iconic Taiwanese restaurant chain Din Tai Fung opened a second location across the street from its flagship store to manage the demand for its dumplings. These days for rent signs and empty shop fronts are a common sight in the neighbourhood. After more than two years of closed borders times are tough for Taiwanese small businesses that once counted on tourists for much of their income. While Yongkang Street still draws locals on the weekends they often have different tastes to the foreign tourists barred from the island since March 2020. Shaun Yu who owns Lai Hao gift shop on a side street off Yongkang said he had been forced to close two of his three locations the last one opened at the end of 2019 when his shop was a popular destination for tourists looking for souvenirs. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2022/4/14/for-taiwan-tourism-frustration-as-island-misses-global-reopening 15th Apr 2022

Partisan Exits

AlJazeera English On a recent afternoon the COVID19 vaccination centre in the heart of the Indigenous Mayan town of Santiago Atitlan was quiet. The health centre had a vaccine supply but demand was low. The lack of coordination of a Guatemalan governmentled campaign to overcome vaccine hesitancy has resulted in the expiration of millions of doses across the country this year critics have said as more than half of the population remains unvaccinated. According to Juan Manuel Ramirez an evangelical preacher in Santiago Atitlan some community members have taken the vaccine knowing it helps to protect against severe disease. But others have subscribed to conspiracy theories about its potential dangers. There are other people who also have other types of thoughts such as that the vaccine comes with a chip he told Al Jazeera. Because of that there is uncertainty and therefore they have not been vaccinated. Earlier this month approximately 1.5 million doses of the Moderna vaccine donated by the United States expired. In March the same fate befell nearly three million doses of the Russianmade Sputnik V vaccine worth more than 33m. And by the end of June more than two million doses of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines will also expire. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/14/guatemala-as-covid-misinformation-spreads-vaccine-doses-expire 14th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Almost all residents of Indonesias most populous island of Java have antibodies against COVID19 owing to a combination of prior infection and vaccination against the virus a governmentcommissioned survey showed. The March study of 2100 people conducted on Java home to 150 million people and Bali Indonesias top tourism destination revealed 99.2 of people had COVID antibodies a 6 percentage point increase from a December survey. Pandu Riono an epidemiologist at the University of Indonesia which conducted the survey with the health ministry on Monday told Reuters the antibody levels in the latest survey were higher due to a wider booster shot rollout as recipients had stronger protection. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/study-shows-99-indonesias-most-populous-island-have-covid-antibodies-2022-04-18/ 18th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Reports of two patients who found relief from long COVID after taking Pfizer Incs antiviral Paxlovid including a researcher who tested it on herself provide intriguing evidence for clinical trials to help those suffering from the debilitating condition experts and advocates say. The researcher said her chronic fatigue symptoms which felt like a truck hit me are gone after taking the twodrug oral therapy. Long COVID is a looming health crisis estimated to affect up to 30 of people infected with the coronavirus. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/case-testing-pfizers-paxlovid-treating-long-covid-2022-04-18/ 18th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters COVID19 vaccine candidates developed by a Sinopharm subsidiary and Sinovac Biotech SVA.O to target the Omicron variant were approved for clinical trials in Hong Kong the companies said on Saturday. Scientists worldwide are racing to study upgraded injections against Omicron as data indicated that antibodies elicited by vaccines based on older strains show weaker activity to neutralise the highly transmissible variant. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/omicron-specific-sinopharm-covid-vaccine-candidates-cleared-clinical-trial-2022-04-16/ 18th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Wall Street Journal After Covid19 vaccine makers next big target is a respiratory virus that kills up to 500 children a year nationwide and has been among the leading causes of U.S. hospitalizations for decades. The respiratory syncytial virus or RSV infects nearly everyone at some point causing mild coldlike symptoms for most people. But it can lead to serious health problems such as difficulty breathing and pneumonia for infants and older adults. The virus has for decades eluded efforts to develop a vaccine including a major setback in the 1960s when an experimental shot harmed some children in testing. RSV is one of the last remaining childhood diseases without an approved vaccine. https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizer-moderna-j-j-see-respiratory-virus-rsv-as-next-vaccine-target-11650015001 15th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Al Jazeera English COVID19 is far from becoming an endemic disease and could still trigger large outbreaks around the globe the World Health Organization WHO said. WHO Health Emergencies Programme Director Michael Ryan said on Thursday that it was wrong to think that if COVID19 settles down and becomes endemic it will mean the end of the problem. I certainly do not believe weve reached anything close to an endemic situation with this virus Ryan told a questionandanswer session on the WHOs social media channels. That is not an endemic disease yet he said. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/14/coronavirus-far-from-becoming-endemic-says-who 15th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press Pfizer said Thursday it wants to expand its COVID19 booster shots to healthy elementaryage kids. U.S. health authorities already urge everyone 12 and older to get one booster dose for the best protection against the newest variants and recently gave the option of a second booster to those 50 and older. Now Pfizer says new data shows healthy 5 to 11yearolds could benefit from another kidsized shot. In a small study 140 youngsters whod already gotten two shots were given a booster six months later and researchers found the extra shot generally revved up their immune response. But a closer look at 30 of the children found a 36fold increase in virusfighting antibodies levels high enough to fight the supercontagious omicron variant Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said in a press release. https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-business-health-ec111b0aa49c03e762916c5f7af72452 15th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Wall Street Journal A booster dose of the Covid19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE Inc. generated a strong immune response in children 5 to 11 years old an encouraging sign for youngsters to maintain protection against the virus. The companies said Thursday that a latestage study of a booster found the extra shot significantly increased antibody levels against the Omicron variant. The shot also raised antibody supply against the initial strain the vaccines were designed to fight. The booster shot was found to be safe and welltolerated among the children in the study the companies said. The results havent been peerreviewed by independent experts or published in a medical journal. Separate studies have found that adults who receive a third dose of mRNA vaccines are less likely to become infected or to develop severe disease than those who got two doses. https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizer-says-covid-19-booster-sparked-immune-response-against-omicron-in-children-ages-5-to-11-11649933284 15th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Wall Street Journal The Omicron BA.2 variant has dominated new infections in the U.S. for weeks without setting off a major surge so far raising hopes among some publichealth experts that the nation might dodge a more significant hit. BA.2 is in particular affecting the Northeast where virus concentrations in wastewater are rising alongside reported infections in such places as New York Washington D.C. and Philadelphia. Concern about BA.2 prompted Philadelphia to restore an indoormask requirement and U.S. authorities to extend mask mandates for airplanes and other forms of transportation. https://www.wsj.com/articles/omicron-ba-2-is-advancing-but-covid-19-hospitalizations-stay-muted-11649939327 15th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg A Covid19 breathalyzer test with the ability to provide diagnostic results in three minutes has won emergencyuse authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the agency announced Thursday. The test made by Frisco Texasbased InspectIR Systems is authorized for those 18 and older and in settings where samples are both collected and analyzed such as doctors offices hospitals or mobile testing sites. The device is about the size of a piece of carryon luggage the FDA said and works by detecting chemical compounds in breath samples associated with SARSCoV2 infection. The agency said the test was validated in a study of 2409 people where it correctly identified 91.2 of positive samples and 99.3 of negative samples. It performed similarly in followup tests focused on the omicron variant. The breathalyzers sensitivity is comparable to that of rapid antigen tests studies show. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-14/breathalyzer-test-for-covid-19-wins-approval-from-fda 15th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review. Fourth vaccine dose protects vs Omicron for at least a month. A fourth dose of the COVID19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech provided significant added protection against severe disease hospitalization and death for at least a month in older individuals according to a study from Israel conducted when the Omicron variant was dominant. The estimated effectiveness of the fourth dose during days 7 to 30 after it was administered compared with a third dose given at least fourth months earlier was 45 against infection 55 for symptomatic disease. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/fourth-shot-protects-against-severe-omicron-outcomes-covid-may-increase-risk-2022-04-14/ 15th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Hill Pfizer and BioNTech said Thursday that a third dose of their COVID19 vaccine in children ages 5 to 11 produced a high immune response and that they will apply for authorization for a booster dose in the age group soon. Pfizer said in a news release that a third dose of the vaccine in those 5 to 11 produced a 36fold increase in levels of neutralizing antibodies against the omicron variant compared to two doses. Antibody levels against the original version of the virus increased by sixfold. https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/3267156-pfizer-says-booster-in-kids-5-11-produces-high-immune-response/ 15th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday issued an emergency use authorization for what it said is the first device that can detect COVID19 in breath samples. The InspectIR COVID19 Breathalyzer is about the size of a piece of carryon luggage the FDA said and can be used in doctors offices hospitals and mobile testing sites. The test which can provide results in less than three minutes must be carried out under the supervision of a licensed health care provider. Dr. Jeff Shuren director of the FDAs Center for Devices and Radiological Health called the device yet another example of the rapid innovation occurring with diagnostic tests for COVID19. https://apnews.com/article/covid-technology-health-business-e4b53926558a4e2e9af9856170ee703c 15th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press British authorities have authorized a coronavirus vaccine for adults made by French drugmaker Valneva despite the governments decision last year to cancel an order for at least 100 million doses. The U.K. is the first country to authorize Valnevas vaccine which is also under review by the European Medicines Agency. Britains medicines regulator said Thursday that the twodose vaccine is intended for adults ages 18 to 50 with the second dose given about a month after the first. The Valneva vaccine is made with the decadesold technology used to manufacture shots for flu and polio. It is the sixth COVID19 vaccine the U.K. has cleared and the only one that utilizes a killed virus scientists grow the coronavirus in a lab and then inactivate the virus so it cannot replicate or infect cells. https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-business-europe-07f8724f211dbeec96e7d93caa9a959b 14th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters A third dose of the COVID19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc and BioNTech produced significant protection against the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in healthy children ages 5 to 11 the companies said on Thursday. Blood serum analysis of 30 pediatric participants who received a booster dose in a study showed a 36fold increase in Omicron neutralizing antibodies the drugmakers said. Neutralizing antibodies against the original version of the virus for which the vaccine was designed rose sixfold following the booster shot. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/pfizerbiontech-say-booster-dose-increases-protection-against-omicron-kids-aged-5-2022-04-14/ 14th Apr 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Bloomberg The Chinese Communist Partys flagship newspaper called on the nation to support President Xi Jinpings Covid Zero strategy showing any shift in policy is unlikely even as lockdowns in Shanghai and elsewhere threaten to hurt the economy. In a frontpage commentary Monday the Peoples Daily said Xis strategy to snuff out the virus has proven correct and effective and China should be uniting more closely around the partys leadership with Xi Jinping as the core. Citizens should follow the strategy unswervingly and unrelentingly with earlier faster stricter and more practical measures it said. At present it is the most difficult critical period for epidemic prevention and control the Peoples Daily commentary said. China can never let the hardearned achievements of epidemic prevention and control be wasted it added. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-17/h-k-reports-747-new-covid-cases-as-infections-continue-to-drop 18th Apr 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters The Chinese financial hub of Shanghai said three people infected with COVID19 died on Sunday the first time during the current outbreak that it reported deaths among coronavirus patients. The city reported 19831 new daily asymptomatic COVID19 cases on April 17 down from 21582 on the previous day. New symptomatic cases stood at 2417 down from 3238. The city has conducted more than 200 million nucleic acid tests since March 10 in a bid to curb Chinas biggest COVID19 outbreak since the coronavirus was first discovered in Wuhan in late 2019. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/shanghai-reports-three-deaths-among-covid-patients-april-17-2022-04-18/ 18th Apr 2022