28th Nov 2022 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=749 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Financial Times Protests in Shanghai escalated on Sunday evening as police struggled to disperse large crowds who gathered in the city part of a nationwide movement that poses one of the most brazen challenges to the Chinese Communist partys authority in decades. The unrest began on Saturday night and centred on a road named after the Chinese city of Urumqi where a deadly fire on Thursday killed ten people. That incident in the northwestern Xinjiang region fuelled social media outrage and prompted a series of vigils around the country as people blamed coronavirus restrictions for the tragedy allegations that the authorities denied. https://www.ft.com/content/d8231c04-5d7f-468e-8547-77587546734e 27th Nov 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg A South African laboratory study using Covid19 samples from an immunosupressed individual over six months showed that the virus evolved to become more pathogenic indicating that a new variant could cause more illness than the current predominant omicron strain. The study conducted by the same laboratory that was to first test the omicron strain against vaccines last year used samples from a person infected with HIV. Over the six months the virus initially caused the same level of cell fusion and death as the omicron BA.1 strain but as it evolved those levels rose to become similar to the first version of Covid19 identified in Wuhan in China. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-26/study-says-as-covid-evolves-in-long-term-infections-it-may-become-more-harmful?fromMostRead=true 26th Nov 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Wall Street Journal Chinas new Covid19 cases hit a record high testing the governments push to contain the virus with moretargeted virus controls and avoid damaging the economy. Almost 30000 locally transmitted infections were recorded for Wednesday surpassing the previous record in April when Shanghais twomonth lockdown severely hurt Chinas economy and snarled global supply chains. Economists say the risk that Chinas zeroCovid policy will again force officials to impose sweeping measures is one of the main threats to world growth. Chinas leaders this month told local officials to be more precise and targeted in implementing pandemic controls but at the same time said there would be no change to the zeroCovid stance. As new variants send cases surging more cities are tightening controls on peoples mov https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-covid-19-cases-hit-record-high-forcing-fresh-control-measures-11669288935 25th Nov 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Wall Street Journal Widespread lockdowns imposed across China as authorities there struggled this week to contain the countrys largest Covid19 outbreak threaten to again create uncertainty in global supply chains and dim the prospects for world economic growth. Beijings battle to contain the virusincluding sharp restrictions on everyday life and commerce in cities from the major port city of Tianjin in the north to Guangzhou in the southcomes as economies elsewhere lose speed as central banks raise interest rates to beat back inflation. The heavyhanded and widely applied steps send a strong signal that the country and its leaders arent ready for a sustained reopening almost three years after the start of the pandemic and long after other major economies have dismantled almost all Covid controls. https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-recovery-hopes-crushed-by-record-covid-outbreak-as-lockdowns-spread-11669276266 24th Nov 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Zhengzhou home to Apple Inc.s largest iPhone manufacturing site will be largely locked down for five days as officials in the Chinese city resort to tighter curbs to quell a swelling Covid19 outbreak. Mobility controls a euphemism for lockdown will be imposed in the main urban areas of Zhengzhou from Friday through Nov. 29 because of rising virus cases Zhengzhous pandemic task force said in a statement late Wednesday. The city reported 996 infections on Wednesday up from 813 a day earlier. The new restrictions were announced after hundreds of workers at the plant known as iPhone City for its scale streamed out of dormitories earlier in the day. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-23/china-s-iphone-city-locks-down-urban-areas-as-covid-cases-rise 23rd Nov 2022

Lockdown Exit

Bloomberg Covid control restrictions now weigh on a fifth of Chinas economy as infections continue their upward march defying the central governments call for more targeted less disruptive Covid Zero measures.There were 27307 new cases recorded for Monday just shy of the previous record 28973 reached in April when Shanghais outbreak sparked a surge in infections. The southern manufacturing hub of Guangzhou remains the epicenter of the current wave reporting the bulk of the 8588 infections in the broader Guangdong province. The metropolis of Chongqing detected 6297. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-22/china-covid-cases-near-record-high-in-test-of-easier-approach 22nd Nov 2022

Exit Strategies

The Japan Times Japan reported 97679 new COVID19 cases Sunday up about 20700 from a week before as the country appeared to be in the midst of an eighth wave of infections. There were 96 fatal cases. The number of severely ill coronavirus patients rose by five from Saturday to 308. Tokyo confirmed 10346 new cases of COVID19 on Sunday up by about 2600 from a week before. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/11/27/national/japan-coronavirus-tracker-november-27/ 27th Nov 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters China reported its fourth straight daily record of 39791 new COVID19 infections on Nov. 26 of which 3709 were symptomatic and 36082 were asymptomatic the National Health Commission said on Sunday. That is compared with 35183 new cases a day earlier 3474 symptomatic and 31709 asymptomatic infections which China counts separately. Excluding imported infections China reported 39506 new local cases of which 3648 were symptomatic and 35858 were asymptomatic up from 34909 a day earlier. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-reports-fourth-straight-daily-record-new-covid-cases-2022-11-27/ 27th Nov 2022

Exit Strategies

The Wall Street Journal Chinas central bank moved to backstop growth by boosting lending to households and businesses as the worlds secondlargest economy struggles with its biggest Covid19 outbreak since the pandemic began. Economists said the shift in policy will likely have limited impact as repeated lockdowns a continuing realestate crunch and fading demand for Chinese exports mean appetite for loans is weak. Still the movetelegraphed earlier in the week by Chinas State Council which acts as its cabinetnonetheless underlines the darkening outlook for growth as authorities tighten restrictions across the country to stamp out record infections. https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-central-bank-takes-action-as-record-covid-19-outbreak-hits-economy-11669383593?mod=hp_major_pos1#cxrecs_s 25th Nov 2022

Exit Strategies

Financial Times City of Shijiazhuang has shut down opened up and closed again in 9 days as country battles near record outbreak https://www.ft.com/content/a0e3d8ea-be6c-4c84-b8f9-4ac81dff5fa5 23rd Nov 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Novavax Inc said on Monday it had delivered a written notice to Gavi the Vaccine Alliance terminating with immediate effect an agreement for the sale of the companys COVID19 vaccine to low and middleincome countries. The company cited Gavis failure to procure the 350 million doses it had agreed to buy in May last year for the COVAX facility. The COVAX facility is a joint program between Gavi the World Health Organization WHO and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations for the equitable distribution of COVID vaccines in poorer countries. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/novavax-ends-covid-vaccine-sale-agreement-with-gavi-2022-11-21/ 22nd Nov 2022

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg Barely a week in Chinas lightertouch Covid Zero policy is already running into trouble. Surging infections are threatening to overwhelm some of the countrys biggest and most important cities with local officials stymied over how to control the contagion without the usual tools of mass citywide testing and snap lockdowns. Three Covid deaths in the capital Beijing the first in more than six months provided a reality check for a population thats been shielded from the pathogen by the stringent approach. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-21/china-s-covid-zero-returns-as-deaths-emerge-raising-reopening-doubt 21st Nov 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters The blistering relief rally underway in Chinese equities is understandable. President Xi Jinping had implemented a mixture of harsh policies targeting Covid19 technology entrepreneurs and real estate developers that kept equity indexes in the basement and aggravated capital flight roughly 101 billion was pulled out the country reading between the lines of official balance of payments data for the first six months of the year. Tentative relaxations on all the main fronts have investors cheering the Golden Dragon index of New Yorklisted Chinese companies is up 37 since late October. Yet biology could ruin this party yet. https://www.reuters.com/breakingviews/investors-ignore-china-covid-spike-their-peril-2022-11-18/ 20th Nov 2022

Partisan Exits

The Wall Street Journal Protests are erupting in major cities in China over President Xi Jinpings zerotolerance approach to Covid19 an unusual show of defiance in the country as the economic and social costs from snap lockdowns and other strict restrictions escalate. Demonstrations occurred throughout the weekend in Beijing Shanghai and the eastern city of Nanjing according to witness accounts. Video footage and photos circulating on social media which The Wall Street Journal wasnt able to independently verify suggest protests broke out in several other cities including Wuhan the original epicenter of the pandemic. The protests followed demonstrations on Friday in Urumqi capital of the remote region of Xinjiang where a deadly fire enraged residents who had struggled with lockdowns of more than 100 days. Residents flooded social media with comments suggesting that Covid restrictions contributed to a delay in putting out the fire in which officials said 10 people died. https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-protests-spread-over-governments-covid-restrictions-11669516403 27th Nov 2022

Partisan Exits

Bloomberg Since Friday opposition against Chinas zerotolerance Covid policies has been gathering steam across the vast country. Protesters have taken to the streets in a public outpouring of anger and frustration with some even calling for President Xi Jinping to step down a level of national dissent unheard of since he took power a decade ago. Others have clashed with officials at residential compounds defying orders to go into quarantine while students have also been demonstrating at university campuses. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-27/videos-show-how-covid-protests-are-spreading-across-china?srnd=premium-europe 27th Nov 2022

Partisan Exits

Bloomberg Many are posting a blank white image on social media in defiance of officials who are deleting content so quickly that some internet users complained nothing meaningful could be expressed at all. One video featured a blank piece of paper on WeChat with the caption Silence speaks louder here those who understand know. It was deleted. Others are posting a single seemingly innocuous word repeated many times including good okay or sure as a sarcastic expression of discontent. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-27/chinese-protesters-use-tricks-to-evade-censors-vent-covid-anger?srnd=premium-europe 27th Nov 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters Chinese protesters have turned to blank sheets of paper to express their anger over COVID19 restrictions in a rare widespread outpouring of public dissent that has gone beyond social media to some of Chinas streets and top universities. Images and videos circulated online showed students at universities in cities including Nanjing and Beijing holding up blank sheets of paper in silent protest a tactic used in part to evade censorship or arrest. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/blank-sheets-paper-become-symbol-defiance-china-protests-2022-11-27/ 27th Nov 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters Public anger in China towards widening COVID19 lockdowns across the country erupted into rare protests in Chinas far western Xinjiang region and the countrys capital of Beijing as nationwide infections set another record. Crowds took to the streets on Friday night in Xinjiangs capital of Urumqi chanting End the lockdown and pumping their fists in the air after a deadly fire on Thursday triggered anger over their prolonged COVID19 lockdown according to videos circulated on Chinese social media on Friday night. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/huge-covid-protests-erupt-chinas-xinjiang-after-deadly-fire-2022-11-26/ 26th Nov 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters Public anger in China towards widening COVID19 lockdowns across the country erupted into rare protests in Chinas far western Xinjiang region and the countrys capital of Beijing as nationwide infections set another record. Crowds took to the streets on Friday night in Xinjiangs capital of Urumqi chanting End the lockdown and pumping their fists in the air after a deadly fire on Thursday triggered anger over their prolonged COVID19 lockdown according to videos circulated on Chinese social media on Friday night. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/huge-covid-protests-erupt-chinas-xinjiang-after-deadly-fire-2022-11-26/ 26th Nov 2022

Partisan Exits

Financial Times Scenes of protest from the lockeddown western Chinese city of Urumqi have spread on social media after a fire killed 10 people as nationwide unrest over the countrys strict Covid policies continues to build. Social media posts alleged that restrictions in the capital of Xinjiang province which has been locked down since August hampered rescue efforts and the ability of residents to escape the fire in an apartment block on Thursday evening. Unverified videos of protests in the city on Friday evening were widely circulated. Officials on Saturday denied some of the claims about the fire and said certain images online of locked doors were fake Chinas state media agency Xinhua reported. https://www.ft.com/content/2265af24-b5f3-46e4-aa83-a8699cab99e4 26th Nov 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters Chinas capital Beijing reported 424 symptomatic new locally transmitted COVID19 infections and 1436 asymptomatic cases for Nov. 24 local government authorities said on Friday. This compared with 509 symptomatic and 1139 asymptomatic cases the day before. Authorities said 400 cases on Thursday were found outside quarantined areas. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/beijing-reports-424-symptomatic-1436-asymptomatic-covid-cases-nov-24-2022-11-25/ 25th Nov 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters Beijing shut parks and museums on Tuesday and Shanghai tightened rules for people entering the city as Chinese authorities grapple with a spike in COVID19 cases that has deepened concern about the economy and dimmed hopes for a quick reopening. China reported 28127 new domestically transmitted cases for Monday nearing its daily peak from April with infections in the southern city of Guangzhou and the southwestern municipality of Chongqing accounting for about half the total. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-reports-28127-new-covid-cases-nov-21-vs-27095-day-earlier-2022-11-22/ 22nd Nov 2022

Continued Lockdown

Xinhua The Philippines reported 1326 new COVID19 infections on Sunday pushing the number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 4033682. The Department of Health said the number of active cases rose to 18482 while 23 more patients died from COVID19 complications pushing the countrys death toll to 64594. Metro Manila the capital region with over 13 million people tallied 457 new cases. The Philippines reported its highest COVID19 singleday tally of 39004 new cases on Jan. 15. The country with a population of around 110 million has fully vaccinated over 73.7 million people https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiSGh0dHBzOi8vZW5nbGlzaC5uZXdzLmNuLzIwMjIxMTI3Lzk1ZGYxNTgyNTQyZDQ0MzdiNjZjMzNmMWJlM2M4MWRiL2MuaHRtbNIBAA?oc=5 27th Nov 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Mirror A new virus with similarities to Coronavirus has been identified in bats with the potential to jump to humans and livestock according to new research. Chinese and Australian scientists took samples from 149 bats across Yunnan province in China bordering Laos and Myanmar and identified five viruses likely to be pathogenic to humans or livestock. One virus known as BtSY2 is closely related to SARSCoV2 which causes Covid19 and is at particular risk for emergence. Professor Eddie Holmes an evolutionary biologist and virologist at the University of Sydney and coauthor of the report said This means that SarsCov2like viruses are still circulating in Chinese bats and continue to pose an emergence risk. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/new-coronavirus-particular-risk-jumping-28585204 27th Nov 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Financial Times A drug to reduce blood clots widely prescribed to Covid19 patients after discharge from hospital does not lessen their chances of readmission or improve survival according to groundbreaking research which is set to change treatment protocols around the world. The results of the UKwide trial led by Addenbrookes Hospital and the University of Cambridge were shared with the Financial Times. They found that prescribing the anticoagulant Apixaban did not help patients recovering from moderate and severe Covid and in a small number of cases caused serious harm. https://www.ft.com/content/db1e6c05-b8bb-429e-8cbd-8ea0dde58bf0 27th Nov 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Nature.com Seroprevalence studies provide useful information about the proportion of the population either vaccinated against SARSCoV2 previously infected with the virus or both. Numerous studies have been conducted in the United States but differ substantially by dates of enrollment target population geographic location age distribution and assays used. This can make it challenging to identify and synthesize available seroprevalence data by geographic region or to compare infectioninduced versus combined infection and vaccinationinduced seroprevalence. To facilitate public access and understanding the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed the COVID19 Seroprevalence Studies Hub COVID19 SeroHub httpscovid19serohub.nih.gov a data repository in which seroprevalence studies are systematically identified extracted using a standard format and summarized through an interactive interface. https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiMmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5hdHVyZS5jb20vYXJ0aWNsZXMvczQxNTk3LTAyMi0wMTgzMC000gEA?oc=5 26th Nov 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg Covid19 boosters from Moderna Inc. and the partnership of Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE that fight the latest omicron variants provide only modest shortterm protection against mild infections and experts say its still unclear whether the updated shots are any better than earlier versions at preventing hospitalization and severe illness. The bivalent boosters were just 43 effective at preventing mild illness compared to receiving no vaccine in adults 49 and under according to a US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study published Tuesday. In those aged 50 to 64 years comparative protection against symptomatic Covid was 28 while the booster was just 22 protective in adults 65 and older the study showed. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-22/new-bivalent-covid-boosters-provide-some-protection-in-cdc-study-but-not-much 25th Nov 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg Most of the world is done with Covid19 though it clearly isnt done with the world. Countries with the notable exception of China in 2022 unwound a bevy of restrictions designed to contain the coronavirus that causes Covid and even China loosened its stern rules a bit. For the most part political leaders and their constituents were eager to pivot to accepting Covid as an endemic disease much like seasonal flu even though the World Health Organization continued to designate SARSCoV2 a public health emergency of international concern. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-18/what-it-means-to-accept-covid-as-an-endemic-disease-quicktake 22nd Nov 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

CNBC Dr. Anthony Fauci said the U.S. is certainly still in the middle of a Covid19 pandemic and he is very troubled by the divisive state of American politics. I dont care if youre a farright Republican or a farleft Democrat everybody deserves to have the safety of good public health and thats not happening. https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiY2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNuYmMuY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMjcvdGhlLXVzLWlzLWNlcnRhaW5seS1zdGlsbC1pbi1hLWNvdmlkLTE5LXBhbmRlbWljLWRyLWZhdWNpLXNheXMuaHRtbNIBAA?oc=5 27th Nov 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Hundreds of demonstrators and police clashed in Shanghai on Sunday night as protests over Chinas stringent COVID restrictions flared for a third day and spread to several cities in the wake of a deadly fire in the countrys far west. The wave of civil disobedience is unprecedented in mainland China since President Xi Jinping assumed power a decade ago as frustration mounts over his signature zeroCOVID policy nearly three years into the pandemic. The COVID measures are also exacting a heavy toll on the worlds secondlargest economy. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/shanghai-hit-by-covid-protests-anger-spreads-across-china-2022-11-27/ 27th Nov 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Bloomberg Chinas daily Covid infections climbed to a record high exceeding the previous peak in April as it battles an outbreak that has grown since the country adopted a more targeted approach to containing the virus.The country reported 29754 new cases for Wednesday more than the 28973 infections recorded in midApril when the financial hub of Shanghai was in the midst of a grueling twomonth lockdown that saw residents struggle to access food and medical services.Chinas official figures separately report symptomatic and asymptomatic patients which can lead to inflated numbers when people are reclassified after developing symptoms. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-24/china-s-covid-cases-jump-to-a-record-as-outbreaks-persist?utm_source=google&amputm_medium=bd&ampcmpId=google 25th Nov 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Nursing Times The Covid19 pandemic is having a lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of children health visitors have warned in a new report. The report published by the Institute of Health Visiting and the First 1001 Days Movement surveyed 555 professionals from across the UK with more than half of them health visitors on the effect of the pandemic on babies young children their carers and the health services that support them. https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/children/health-visitors-warn-of-lasting-impact-of-covid-19-on-families-25-11-2022/ 25th Nov 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters China reported record high COVID19 infections on Thursday with cities nationwide imposing localised lockdowns mass testing and other curbs that are fuelling frustration and darkening the outlook for the worlds second largest economy. The resurgence of infections nearly three years after the pandemic emerged in the central city of Wuhan casts doubt on investor hopes for China to ease its rigid zeroCOVID policy soon despite recent more targeted measures. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-daily-covid-cases-hit-record-high-2022-11-24/ 24th Nov 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Bloomberg Chinas daily Covid infections climbed to a record high exceeding the previous peak in April as it battles an outbreak that has grown since the country adopted a more targeted approach to containing the virus. The country reported 29754 new cases for Wednesday more than the 28973 infections recorded in midApril when the financial hub of Shanghai was in the midst of a grueling twomonth lockdown that saw residents struggle to access food and medical services.Chinas official figures separately report symptomatic and asymptomatic patients which can lead to inflated numbers when people are reclassified after developing symptoms. The Bloomberg News tally counts all local cases regardless of symptoms and removes the doublecounting issue. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-24/china-s-covid-cases-jump-to-a-record-as-outbreaks-persist 24th Nov 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Bloomberg Barely a week in Chinas lightertouch Covid Zero policy is already running into trouble. Surging infections are threatening to overwhelm some of the countrys biggest and most important cities with local officials stymied over how to control the contagion without the usual tools of mass citywide testing and snap lockdowns. Three Covid deaths in the capital Beijing the first in more than six months provided a reality check for a population thats been shielded from the pathogen by the stringent approach. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-21/china-s-covid-zero-returns-as-deaths-emerge-raising-reopening-doubt?srnd=premium-uk 21st Nov 2022