20th Nov 2020 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=144 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

Reuters UK Californias governor on Thursday ordered a curfew placed on all indoor social gatherings and nonessential activities outside the home across most of the state in a major escalation of measures to curb an alarming surge in coronavirus infections. The limited stayathome restrictions will go into effect from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. each day starting Saturday night and ending the morning of Dec. 21 covering 41 counties representing over 94 of the states population Governor Gavin Newsom said. The virus is spreading at a pace we havent seen since the start of this pandemic and the next several days and weeks will be critical to stop the surge Newsom said in a statement announcing the measure. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-usa/u-s-covid-19-hospitalizations-rise-by-nearly-50-in-two-weeks-ushering-in-new-shutdowns-idUKKBN27Z2GF?il=0 20th Nov 2020

Lockdown Exit

STAT News In the global coronavirus pandemic South Koreans should be dropping like flies. But they arent. Perched on the edge of China the country is small about the size of Indiana though given that 70 of the land is uninhabitable the realistic comparison is West Virginia. Packed into that space are 51 million people the populations of Texas and Florida combined. The country should have been decimated after the first infected passenger off the threehour flight from Wuhan China sneezed. https://www.statnews.com/2020/11/19/the-year-of-the-pandemic-a-view-from-south-korea/ 19th Nov 2020

Lockdown Exit

China Daily Stringent monitoring of coldchain food imports and the finetuning of lockdown and testing strategies are Chinas latest weapons in the battle against COVID19 as the country braces for possible outbreaks this winter. While local transmission of the novel coronavirus has been under control for months public health experts in China have highlighted the risk of new outbreaks linked to the virus hitching a ride on imports of frozen foods. As domestic life and production return to normal experts have hailed local governments efforts to replace blanket lockdowns and citywide tests with more targeted and economical measures to reduce disruption to socioeconomic development. https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202011/19/WS5fb5ab67a31024ad0ba9502e.html 19th Nov 2020

Lockdown Exit

RNZ Recent graduates who spent thousands on their education in New Zealand are questioning why they were left out of a border exemption to get them back to their homes and jobs. After months of being locked out of New Zealand many say they feel abandoned by the government after years of living here and paying taxes. Protests have been held around India including 150 people at a demonstration in Delhi this week bearing banners of Migrantlivesmatter and another is planned for Monday. In September the government announced that immigrants holding worktoresidence essential skills or entrepreneur visas would be allowed to travel to New Zealand. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/431017/graduate-international-students-locked-out-of-new-zealand-plead-for-exemption 19th Nov 2020

Lockdown Exit

Financial Times Another more lethal seasonal risk is the flu in a bad year as many as 25000 people die from the virus in England alone. Yet this year thanks in large part to lockdowns flu cases are way down across the world and are likely to stay that way. Thats because the habits weve adopted to limit the spread of coronavirus handwashing maskwearing and distancing are effective for other respiratory pathogens too. The measures were taking are enough to essentially eliminate flu says David Spiegelhalter chair of the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication at Cambridge University. A study by the US Centers for Disease Control has found huge falls in flu activity both in the southern hemispheres winter and in the US summer season. https://www.ft.com/content/3ba60e3d-43e3-4419-977c-0e255c7b0049 19th Nov 2020

Lockdown Exit

Daily Mail Europe is once again the global epicentre for the coronavirus the WHO warned WHOs European director said Europe accounts for 28 percent of global cases Hans Kluge said lockdowns were avoidable and should be seen as a last resort He said primary schools should stay open as they are in UK France and Germany Glimmer of hope seen as cases fell this week for the first time in three months Dr Kluge emphasised the importance of mask wearing and social distancing https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8965619/WHOs-Europe-chief-says-mask-use-avoid-lockdowns.html 19th Nov 2020

Lockdown Exit

Reuters India Swedens health agency said on Thursday a number of people who work in the mink industry had tested positive for the coronavirus. Authorities are analysing virus from the infected people and from infected minks to see if there is a link between the strains the health agency said in a statement. It did not specify how many people had tested positive. Neighbouring Denmark earlier on Thursday said a new mutated strain of the coronavirus stemming from mink farms in the country was most likely extinct. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-sweden-minks/sweden-finds-coronavirus-in-mink-industry-workers-idUKKBN27Z1UP 19th Nov 2020

Lockdown Exit

Reuters UK Britain will set up dozens of mass vaccination centres to immunize people against coronavirus as soon as vaccines are available the Telegraph reported. One of the first locations for administering Pfizer Inc vaccine from midDecember has been confirmed as being in Derby the newspaper added. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-vaccine-idUKKBN27Z38E 19th Nov 2020

Lockdown Exit

AlJazeera Total coronavirus cases in Africa have surpassed the two million mark despite a slow addition of reported infections compared with other regions around the world the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said. With the African Unions health body reporting 2013388 cases on Thursday the continent now represents less than 4 percent of the worlds total cases which many experts believe to be an undercount. They believe many COVID19 infections and related deaths in Africa are likely being missed as testing rates in the continent of about 1.3 billion people are among the lowest in the world and many deaths of all types go unrecorded. Africa has reported less than 48000 coronavirus deaths so far. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/19/coronavirus-cases-in-africa-surpass-2-million-reuters-tally 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

The Financial Times We are entering a new phase of Covid19 as interim data first from Pfizer and BioNTech and then Moderna show promise of a safe and effective vaccine. More candidates are expected to follow Sanofi has two vaccines in trials. One a collaboration with GSK is based on our flu vaccine and data from phase 1 and 2 studies will come shortly. The second is a messenger RNA vaccine similar in approach to Pfizer and Moderna. But having a vaccine is only one facet in the complicated war to contain the virus.Distribution is perhaps the biggest hurdle. Vaccines are not interchangeable and ensuring that individuals get two doses if required of the same vaccine is critical. There may also be issues with safeguarding potency. Modernas and Pfizers vaccines need to be stored at minus 20C and about minus 70C respectively and used within five or 30 days of being refrigerated. Pharmaceutical companies are rushing to develop transportable cold storage containers and logistics companies are building freezer farms. Mass vaccination clinics such as the UKs repurposed Nightingale hospitals could help distribution in cities. https://www.ft.com/content/a984870c-b372-46ba-bb1a-cbd3fd3ccec9 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

Daily Mail on MSN.com Asylumseekers in the EU should have equal access to promising Covid19 vaccines the head of the UNs migration agency told the European Parliament on Thursday. It is for the sake of their safety and wellbeing of the entire host communities in the countries taking them in said Antonio Vitorino director general of the International Organisation for Migration. He was one of several highprofile speakers dialling in for a virtual conference organised by the European Parliament and Germany on migration and asylum in Europe https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/eu-asylum-seekers-must-be-given-access-to-covid-19-vaccines-un-says/ar-BB1baKhd 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

Belfast Telegraph The Health Minister has said Northern Ireland should push for a mass testing system as seen in Liverpool but warned such an ambitious plan would take time. Speaking at a Stormont health briefing on Wednesday Robin Swann said he had already raised the issue with Health Secretary Matt Hancock. Mr Swann added that rapid progress on a Covid19 vaccine could bring hope by the spring but further restrictions before Christmas would still be inevitable. It comes as the Department of Health confirmed a further 11 Covid19 related deaths in Northern Ireland bringing the total to 889. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus/robin-swann-aims-to-push-for-an-ambitious-mass-covid-19-testing-programme-39764086.html 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

Daily Mail Professor Andrew Hayward from UCL said there was a substantial risk in relaxing rules over Christmas. He said it would risk sacrificing the gains made through lockdown just ahead of a vaccine being administered. Comes after Oxford vaccine was found to deliver a robust immune response in phase two trials of the jab Prime Minister said Wednesday it was his desire to try and allow loved ones to have Christmas together. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8965139/Normal-Christmas-throw-fuel-fire-trigger-spike-Covid-19-cases-says-scientist.html 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

The Courier St Andrews University students will be offered free Covid19 tests before they head home to visit family at Christmas. People without symptoms will be able to get a test whether or not they plan to leave St Andrews over the festive break. They will be voluntary but students have been strongly advised to take them as young people are more likely to have no symptoms even if they have the virus. The university plans to open a testing centre it its own sports centre by November 30. Students will be offered a lateralflow test which involves taking a swab from the mouth and nose in a process that takes just a few minutes. Results will be received within 24 hours. https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/fife/1744441/covid-19-st-andrews-university-to-roll-out-free-tests-for-students-before-christmas/ 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

STAT News Bill Gates fears a dysfunctional approach to distributing Covid19 vaccines he said Tuesday despite an inspiring effort by biopharmaceutical companies to produce promising candidates with high measures of protection. Developing apparently effective vaccines so quickly especially exploiting a novel approach that uses mRNA to instruct cells to make viral proteins and trigger an immune response has been fantastic Gates said in conversation with Rick Berke STATs cofounder and executive editor during the 2020 STAT Summit. Despite worries about the speed with which companies moved to get there under perceived political pressure he said no corners were cut by companies backed by Operation Warp Speed or by Pfizer which developed a vaccine with a German partner without U.S. government funding. https://www.statnews.com/2020/11/17/bill-gates-worries-about-a-dysfunctional-approach-to-covid-19-vaccine-distribution/ 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

The Wall Street Journal While the U.S. and Europe struggle to contain an autumn surge in coronavirus infections two small nations are bucking the trend keeping cases under control without stringent restrictions. In the north of Europe Finland and Norway boast the Wests lowest rates of mortality linked to Covid19 and a low incidence of coronavirus infections even though they have kept their economies and societies largely open while lockdowns returned to the continent. While Sweden has captured global attention with its refusal to adopt mandatory restrictionsa policy now being reversed in the face of spiraling infections and deathsits two northern neighbors now stand out as the closest Western equivalents to Asian nations that have managed to avoid the worst of the pandemic. https://www.wsj.com/articles/finland-and-norway-avoid-covid-19-lockdowns-but-keep-the-virus-at-bay-11605704407 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

The Scotsman The Scottish Government is working with other UK administrations on a four nations approach to easing restrictions to allow families to meet up over the festive period the First Minister told MSPs. https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/christmas-covid-relaxation-be-same-uk-wide-3041269 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

Bristol Post A new 25day lockdown may be needed if the UK enjoys a fiveday break from coronavirus rules over Christmas according to a leading coronavirus expert. Reports suggest households might be allowed to mix indoors for a fiveday period from Christmas Eve but SAGE experts have said each days freedom might require five days of tougher measures to make up for it Birmingham Mail reports. A fiveday easing could mean a potential 25day period of tighter measures into January if the Government follows advice from Sage. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has maintained the current lockdown will end on December 2 with his promise reiterated by ministers like Alok Sharma. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/uk-could-face-new-month-4716149 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

BBC Mixing between households at Christmas could pose substantial risks particularly for older people more vulnerable to coronavirus a scientist advising the government has warned. Prof Andrew Hayward said there would be a cost to families getting together. It comes as No 10 said proposals to ease restrictions over Christmas will be set out next week. Scientists have suggested that for every day measures are eased five days of tighter rules would be needed. Prof Hayward a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at University College London said mixing at Christmas does pose substantial risks particularly where generations with high incidence of infection socialise with older people who currently have much lower levels of infection and are at most risk of dying if they catch Covid19. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54998436 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

Wales Online Englands lockdown is set to end on December 2 and will be replaced by a tiered system of restrictions according to the Government. And the entire UK is working on a joint approach to rules for Christmas with speculation bans on indoor gathering and limits on the number of people who meet could be lifted. SAGE experts say for every day the rules are eased the country would need five days of lockdown to bring the virus back under control. The latest data shows which parts of the country are set to be experiencing high rates of infection on and after December 2. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/parts-uk-could-under-highest-19306086 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

RTE.ie US presidentelect Joe Biden has said he will not order a nationwide shutdown to fight the Covid19 pandemic despite a surge in cases. States and cities across the United States have been imposing their own restrictions including home confinement the closure of indoor dining and a limit on gatherings as infections soar across the country. Theres no circumstance which I can see that would require total national shutdown. I think that would be counterproductive Mr Biden who takes office on 20 January told reporters. https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2020/1119/1179101-coronavirus-global/ 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

The Guardian Europes governments are putting off painful decisions about Christmas and new year celebrations with few yet keen to say exactly what will be allowed and many already warning there could be much that will not. Its a massive headache a French government minister told Le Monde noting the impossible choice between a socially untenable ban on family gettogethers and the medical imperative of not further fuelling the spread of coronavirus. In a speech in late October announcing Frances second lockdown President Emmanuel Macron said that if the pandemic was brought under control the government would see nearer the time whether we can hope to celebrate the festive season en famille. As with most countries that time has plainly not yet come. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/19/european-leaders-put-off-covid-christmas-decisions 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

RFI English Frances second lockdown is to be eased progressively according to Prime Minister Jean Castex who says the first Covid19 confinement measures were lifted too quickly in May. In order to avoid more stop and go measures the next phase in getting France back in business will involve continued restrictions and closures in some sectors. President Emmanuel Macron is due to address the nation next week about easing the lockdown. The format and date of the presidential address have yet to be decided. While several statistical indicators suggest grounds for optimism with even Health Minister Olivier Vran saying the peak of the second wave of infections has passed many government members have stressed that the second lockdown will have to be brought to an end gradually. https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20201119-french-pm-says-lockdown-to-be-eased-gradually-after-mistakes-of-first-wave-christmas-curfew-bars-restaurants-remain-closed 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

Yahoo News UK Florists in France have been given the green light to sell Christmas trees from Friday in what many hope is a sign that the government is set to ease the Covid19 lockdown and allow family celebrations to go ahead. Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie said the sale of sapins de Nol was to be limited to outdoors to allow social distancing. Many places where Christmas trees can be sold are already open such as supermarkets and DIY stores he said. But for florists outside sales can also be organised. With the holiday season just around the corner shop owners are keen on returning to business as usual. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/promise-season-greetings-france-lifts-150222747.html 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

Wired.co.uk Hong Wei returned to his hometown of Luoyang in Henan province for the Spring Festival in early February. It took a few days for the gateway of his residential compound to be cordoned off signalling that only residents should enter. For Hong this was just the first sign of the mass mobilisation of people that has characterised Chinas remarkably successful response to the coronavirus pandemic. Hongs uncle had already stocked up on all the ingredients to serve roast meat braised fish and soup at his restaurant ready for what is usually his most lucrative period but once state media began telling people to stay at home he voluntarily closed his restaurant https://www.wired.co.uk/article/china-crushed-coronavirus-pandemic 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

iNews England is now entering the third week of what Boris Johnson has said will be a fourweek lockdown. Pubs restaurants and nonessential shops have been closed since Thursday 5 November. If everything goes as planned the country will open back up again on Wednesday 2 December. But Government ministers have indicated it is too early to say whether lockdown might be extended. https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/will-lockdown-end-2nd-december-england-covid-restrictions-rules-when-extended-764874 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

iNews The Scottish Government is in discussions with the rest of the UK administrations in the hope of creating a fournations consensus on the issue. Nicola Sturgeon has moved large parts of west central Scotland including Glasgow into its toughest tier of coronavirus restrictions. Under level four restrictions pubs restaurants and nonessential shops are forced to close. https://inews.co.uk/news/scotland/scotland-lockdown-christmas-covid-restrictions-tier-4-rules-nicola-sturgeon-latest-news-765161 19th Nov 2020

Exit Strategies

Reuters UK England will need five extra days of lockdown measures to stop COVID19 infections spreading for each day they are relaxed over the Christmas period to allow people to see their families a senior government health adviser has warned. Susan Hopkins deputy director of the national infections service at Public Health England told reporters on Wednesday that the advice from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies would mean two days of tighter restrictions. However Public Health England the government agency responsible for responding to public health emergencies later clarified that Hopkins had misspoken and that for every one day of relaxation five days of tighter restrictions would potentially be needed. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has vowed to ease lockdown restrictions on Dec 2 after a monthlong lockdown imposed to stop a second wave of infections threatening the health service. He said two weeks ago that he hoped that Christmas could be as normal as possible. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-christmas-idUKKBN27Y2NT 19th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

NPR Signs posted at the entrance to the grocery store in northwest Montana told customers to wear a mask. Public health officials in Flathead County urged the same. Coronavirus infection rates here are among the highest in the state. Infection rates in the state are among the highest in the United States. And still Craig Mann walked out of the grocery store past the signs and toward his truck maskless and resolute. The pandemic that everyones talking about https://www.npr.org/2020/11/19/936248527/covid-19-denial-still-rampant-in-some-virus-hotspots 19th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

Press and Journal Councils across the northeast and Highlands have promised to police their publicfacing online channels to avoid myths being spread and threatening public safety. The Grampian and Highland health boards have also urged responsible social media use during the pandemic warning their comments sections will be monitored. Glasgow City Council hit out at the socalled antivaxxers on Tuesday promising to block those making false and dangerous claims which could cost lives. The PJ has sought assurances from northern authorities that similarly robust action would be taken to ensure key public health information can be distilled from the sea of coronavirus fearmongering online. https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/scotland/2657239/northern-authorities-will-not-hesitate-to-block-anti-vax-covid-19-conspiracy-theorists-who-could-cost-lives/ 19th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

Sky News On the first day of a new lockdown in Michigan hundreds of people ventured out to one of the only places still open for business a COVID19 testing site. People waited for up to four hours to be swabbed. Not all had symptoms but all shared a weariness at spiralling infections and new lockdown measures in their state. Theres a sense that America has been distracted. People politicians and media alike all focused on a gripping national election. But while the world looked away the virus has surged. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-anti-lockdown-militias-on-the-streets-of-michigan-as-us-coronavirus-deaths-pass-250-000-12136008 19th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

BBC As coronavirus began spreading around the world at the start of 2020 in the UK there were weaknesses in the expert analysis of its likely impact according to a BBC documentary. There is going to be a lot of criticism of the scientists because its easy to have hindsight. Its easy to say if only wed done this a week earlier wed have saved 5000 10000 15000 20000 lives. But if you look at where we were in February would you really have made these decisions any differently I dont think you would have. Those are the words of Prof Calum Semple of the University of Liverpool one of the key scientists advising the government on Covid19. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54976192 19th Nov 2020

Partisan Exits

Financial Times Brussels has warned that Hungary would risk undermining public confidence in coronavirus vaccinations should it bypass the EU medicines regulator and roll out the Russian jab Budapest plans to trial. The European Commission said on Thursday mass Covid19 inoculation would become much harder if citizens began to question a vaccine because it had not been approved as safe and effective. The comments highlight tensions over Budapests decision to run clinical trials next month of the Russian Sputnik V drug which has not yet been assessed by the European Medicines Agency. While the Brussels statement did not mention Hungary or Sputnik V by name no other EU member state has announced plans for such a radical move outside the blocwide vaccination programme overseen by the commission. https://www.ft.com/content/ba88cf25-b104-44fe-887d-7714748dc712 19th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

Medical Xpress France is unlikely to lift a partial coronavirus lockdown any time soon a government spokesman said on Wednesday even if some restrictions may be relaxed before Christmas. President Emmanuel Macron and top ministers discussed the crisis including whether to ease some restrictions from December 1 if conditions allow it spokesman Gabriel Attal said. But Attal insisted Were not at all near ending the lockdown were still far from it even. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-11-france-partial-virus-lockdown.html 19th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters UK Toy store owner Marie Boudier is grateful November has been unusually mild in Paris this year shes trying to survive Frances second coronavirus lockdown by selling Lego sets and colouring books through her open front door. From behind a trestle table Boudier has taken to handing over her orders without letting customers in a makeshift measure replicated up and down her street and across France amid a minefield of dos and donts for stores deemed nonessential. Its not exactly clear to what extent were doing it right Boudier said breaking away to show one shopper little bags of marbles. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-paris-street/in-autumn-in-paris-struggling-shops-get-creative-to-survive-idUKKBN27Z1W0 19th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

FRANCE 24 English French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire on Wednesday called on supermarkets and online retailers to postpone the Black Friday sales shopping day due to take place on Nov. 27 as shops selling nonessential goods remained closed during lockdown. https://www.france24.com/en/france/20201119-french-finance-minister-calls-for-postponement-of-black-friday-amid-lockdown 19th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters UK The number of new COVID19 infections in Germany remains far too high but there are signs that the countrys lockdown lite is working and could reduce numbers soon health officials said on Thursday. It is a fact that the measures are working Lothar Wieler head of the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases RKI told a news conference referring to Germanys partial lockdown in place since Nov. 2. Bars and restaurants are closed while schools and shops remain open. Private gatherings are limited to a maximum of 10 people from two households. After an exponential increase in the number of infections over the past weeks Wieler said a plateau had now been reached. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-germany-trend/german-health-official-expects-number-of-covid-19-infections-to-fall-idUKKBN27Z13F 19th Nov 2020

Continued Lockdown

Reuters UK Greece will shut one border crossing with Albania and conduct rapid COVID19 tests on all visitors at its land borders its government spokesman said on Thursday as cases in northern Greece continue to rise unabated. Greece has seen a rapid rise in coronavirus cases in recent weeks which forced it to impose a nationwide lockdown its second this year. Its northern regions including the city of Thessaloniki have been hit the most. Visitors entering from land borders are already required to present a negative PCR COVID19 test conducted at least 72 hours prior travel. Upon arrival they will be retested by Greek authorities. The latest measures will come into effect on Friday morning at 0400 GMT government spokesman Stelios Petsas said urging residents to also implement restrictions on movement. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-greece-measures/greece-tightens-lockdown-in-northern-greece-as-cases-climb-idUKKBN27Z1Q9 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Oxford University will start an initial analysis of data from its latestage trial of the experimental COVID19 vaccine it is developing with AstraZeneca after 53 infections among its volunteers the studys chief investigator said on Thursday. The Oxford Vaccine Groups director Andrew Pollard said in a media briefing there were lots of cases of infections in its Phase III trial in Britain Brazil and South Africa. The first two sets of interim data from vaccine trials from Pfizer and BioNTech last week and Moderna on Monday were released after more than 90 infections among volunteers. Pfizer had planned to publish initial data after about 60 infections but it exceeded its target after the big jump in infections recently in the United States. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-oxford-vaccine-idUSKBN27Z1EC 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

CNN A Virginia gym owner thought she had a nightmare scenario on her hands when she learned that 50 athletes were potentially exposed to Covid19 particles by one of the gyms coaches. But not a single member ended up contracting the virus thanks to the extra safety precautions and ventilation measures she put in place. Velvet Minnick 44 is the owner and head coach at 460 Fitness in Blacksburg Virginia. Like many gym owners across the nation she was forced to shut down the facility in March due to coronavirus. They rented out equipment and held Zoom classes but it wasnt long before members were burned out. As the state entered Phase 2 of reopening in June Minnick was allowed to have athletes back inside her facility. She knew one member however who could help her get people back while keeping them safe. https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/19/us/gym-ventilation-covid-trnd/index.html 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Science The broad clinical spectrum of COVID19 indicates widespread intraindividual differences in the host immune defense against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 SARSCoV2. The underlying cause of disease heterogeneity is probably multifactorial. However a rapid early host response is likely critical to generate control of SARSCoV2 viremia before spread to the lower respiratory tract and onset of damaging hyperinflammation. In this regard the literature is full of examples where functional T cell responses can provide early control of acute viral infections including SARSCoV and MERSCoV 1 2. Although multiple studies have indicated that T cells play a role in the early immune response to SARSCoV2 and can generate a functional memory pool there are still multiple unanswered questions in the field Box 1. Here we summarize and speculate on a specific set of questions related to T cell immunity against respiratory viral infections with a focus on COVID19 severity immunity longterm consequences and vaccination https://immunology.sciencemag.org/content/5/53/eabe8063 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian Seven countries are now reporting minkrelated SarsCoV2 mutations in humans according to new scientific analysis. The mutations are identified as Covid19 mink variants as they have repeatedly been found in mink and now in humans as well. Uncertainty around the implications of the discovery of a Covid19 mink variant in humans led Denmark the worlds largest mink fur producer to launch a nationwide cull earlier this month. The cull was sparked by research from Denmarks public health body the Statens Serum Institut SSI which showed that a mink variant called C5 was harder for antibodies to neutralise and posed a potential threat to vaccine efficacy. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/18/covid-19-mink-variants-discovered-in-humans-in-seven-countries 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

BBC The Oxford coronavirus vaccine shows a strong immune response in adults in their 60s and 70s raising hopes that it can protect age groups most at risk from the virus. Researchers say the Lancet phase two findings based on 560 healthy adult volunteers are encouraging. They are also testing whether the vaccine stops people developing Covid19 in larger phase three trials. Early results from this crucial stage are expected in the coming weeks. Three vaccines PfizerBioNTech Sputnik and Moderna have already reported good preliminary data from phase three trials with one suggesting 94 of over65s could be protected from Covid19. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54993652 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

University of Birmingham A nasal spray that can provide effective protection against the COVID19 virus has been developed by researchers at the University of Birmingham using materials already cleared for use in humans. A team in the Universitys Healthcare Technologies Institute formulated the spray using compounds already widely approved by regulatory bodies in the UK Europe and the US. The materials are already widely used in medical devices medicines and even food products. https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/latest/2020/11/anti-covid-19-nasal-spray-'ready-for-use-in-humans'.aspx 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Imperial College London Critically ill COVID19 patients treated with an arthritis drug are significantly more likely to have improved outcomes a study has found. The early findings which are yet to be published come from the REMAPCAP trial led by Imperial College London and the Intensive Care National Audit Research Centre ICNARC in the UK and Utrecht University in Europe. The trial evaluates the effect of treatments on a combination of survival and length of time patients need support in an intensive care unit ICU. https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/209033/arthritis-drug-effective-treating-sickest-covid-19 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

CNN Lockdowns could be avoided if everyone followed health measures such as wearing masks the World Health Organizations top Europe official said at a Thursday news briefing. WHO Europes Regional Director Hans Kluge stressed that lockdowns should be a last resort and urged the public to follow guidance to help to prevent deaths. He said that if 95 of people wore masks instead of the current 60 lockdowns would not be needed although he added that mask use was not a panacea and needed to be combined with other measures. If we all do our share lockdowns are avoidable Kluge said. https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/19/europe/coronavirus-europe-lockdown-tiers-intl/index.html 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Daily Mail Sinopharms chairman said there were no reports of serious adverse reactions He said doses had been given out through Chinas emergencyuse programme He boasted his firm is leading the world in all aspects of coronavirus vaccines Comes after jabs from Pfizer and Moderna were revealed to be 95 effective Oxford Universitys jab is also found to be safe in people of all ages by a study https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8965793/amp/Coronavirus-vaccines-Chinas-Sinopharm-claims-given-vaccine-nearly-one-million-people.html 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Science Advances We study the role of social connections in compliance of U.S. households with mobility restrictions imposed in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 COVID19 pandemic using aggregated and anonymized Facebook data on social connections and mobile phone data for measuring social distancing at the county level. Relative to the average restriction efficacy a county with oneSD more social connections with China and Italythe first countries with major COVID19 outbreakshas a nearly 50 higher compliance with mobility restrictions. By contrast social connections of counties with lesseducated populations a higher Trump vote share and a higher fraction of climate change deniers show decreased compliance with mobility restrictions. Our analysis suggests that social connections are conduits of information about the pandemic and an economically important factor affecting compliance with and impact of mobility restrictions. https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/47/eabc3054 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian South Australian premier Steven Marshall has said part of the reason for the states sudden and strict sixday lockdown is that the state is facing particularly sneaky strain of Covid19 SARSCoV2. Its a highly contagious strain and if we dont get on top of that very very quickly it will get away from us and that will be disastrous for us in South Australia he said on Thursday. We have a particularly difficult strain of the disease which is showing no symptoms for people who become infected. The other thing that we know is that the incubation period for this particular strain is very short and it can be down to 24 hours. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/nov/19/sa-covid-lockdown-experts-doubt-state-suffering-particularly-sneaky-strain 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Wired UK DICKENSIAN. Thats a term that rolled off epidemiologist Larry Brilliants tongue when I spoke to him in one more marathon interview this past weekend. He was not referring to the horrific descriptions of human suffering in the celebrated 19th century novelists worksthough as we speak the nearterm picture he paints of our pandemic crisis does have images of bodies stacked in refrigeration vans that are well Dickensian. Instead he is referencing the opening line of A Tale of Two Cities It was the best of times it was the worst of times https://www.wired.com/story/larry-brilliant-says-we-will-beat-covid-after-we-go-through-hell/ 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Financial Times Scientists have found that a drug used to fight rheumatoid arthritis leads to significantly improved outcomes for severely ill Covid19 patients the latest breakthrough in the search for a potential treatment. Tocilizumab an immunosuppressant drug was found to be so effective in randomised controlled clinical trials involving 303 patients that the researchers have been told to stop recruiting people to the no treatment group. It is the first immunemodulating drug found to have an effect on outcomes of hospitalised Covid19 patients adding to positive results from the cheap and plentiful steroid dexamethasone and the antiviral drug remdesivir. https://www.ft.com/content/4cd142d2-2922-42ac-bcd7-593a1d730a66 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Financial Times The coronavirus vaccine under development by Oxford university and AstraZeneca has elicited a strong immune response and been shown to be safe in older adults a group at disproportionate risk of developing severe Covid19. In phase 2 trial results published in The Lancet researchers said the vaccine had fewer adverse effects in older people than in younger adults and that it produced a similar immune response in both groups. The Financial Times first reported on the promising data last month. Testing of the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine is at an earlier stage than work on vaccines from Moderna and PfizerBioNTech which trials suggest could protect about 95 per cent of people from infection. https://www.ft.com/content/7ce02375-b66e-4e4d-a5d5-3084f1e83831 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Gileads drug remdesivir is not recommended for patients hospitalised with COVID19 regardless of how ill they are as there is no evidence it improves survival or reduces the need for ventilation a World Health Organization panel said on Friday. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-remdesivir-who-idUSKBN28000Q 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the emergency use of Eli Lilly and Cos arthritis drug baricitinib in combination with Gilead Sciences Incs remdesivir to treat COVID19 patients. Baricitinib sold under the brand name of Olumiant is an FDAapproved oral medication to treat moderatelytoseverely active rheumatoid arthritis. The approval was based on a review of the data from a clinical trial of hospitalized COVID19 patients sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-eli-lilly-idUKKBN27Z35H 19th Nov 2020

Scientific Viewpoint

Science Magazine In late June Sanne de Jong developed nausea shortness of breath sore muscles and a runny nose. At first she thought it might be lingering effects from her COVID19 infection in the spring. De Jong 22 had tested positive on 17 April and suffered mild symptoms for about 2 weeks. She tested negative on 2 Mayjust in time to say farewell to her dying grandmotherand returned to work as a nursing intern in a hospital in Rotterdam the Netherlands. But when her symptoms reemerged her doctor suggested she get tested again. A reinfection this soon would be peculiar but not impossible she told De Jong who by then had again lost her sense of smell and had abdominal pains and diarrhea. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/11/more-people-are-getting-covid-19-twice-suggesting-immunity-wanes-quickly-some 18th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

CNN Over the last 48 hours at least four House members and a US senator have tested positive for the coronavirus seemingly part of the broader surge in cases across the country. The overall reaction within the halls of Congress has been relatively hohum particularly among Republican lawmakers. This is a major mistake especially when you consider what we know about the virus transmissibility and who it threatens the most. The situation is ripe VERY ripe for an outbreak. And I didnt even mention that lots of members are flying to and from their home states or home districts further raising the Covid19 risk. And yet the level of concern among members doesnt seem to match the threat. https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/19/politics/grassley-covid-19-congress/index.html 19th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

CNN The United States saw the highest Covid19 daily death toll in more than six months Tuesday with at least 1707 fatalities according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The coronavirus is now killing at least one American every minute of the day bringing the country to another horrific milestone on Wednesday At least 250029 people in the country have died of Covid19 since the first death on February 29 in Washington state. And its only going to get worse said Dr. Jonathan Reiner a professor at George Washington University School of Medicine. The horrible death count that we saw yesterday in the United States ... reflects the number of people who were being infected three weeks ago two to three weeks ago because thats the lag Reiner said https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/18/health/us-coronavirus-wednesday/index.html 19th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Guardian More than 900 employees at Mayo Clinic a top research hospital that is based in Rochester Minnesota have contracted Covid19 in the last two weeks. Dr Amy Williams dean of clinical practice at the hospital said that the vast majority of staff who were infected 93 were not infected at work. Most of those who were infected at work contracted the virus while eating without a mask during their breaks Williams said. The hundreds of employees who have contracted the virus over the last two weeks make up over a third of all employees who were infected since the start of the pandemic. The hospital is experiencing a shortage of 1000 employees at its headquarters in Rochester. It shows you how easy it is to get Covid19 in the midwest Williams said https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/18/covid-19-mayo-clinic-hospital-employees-infected 19th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Daily Mail Coronavirus was the third biggest killer in England in October official figures show but the total number of deaths from all causes for the month was no different to last year. An Office for National Statistics report found there were 43265 fatalities recorded last month just eight more than in October 2019 of which 3367 involved Covid19 7.8 per cent. The numbercrunching body has previously said deaths were frontloaded this year because so many elderly and vulnerable people fell victim to the disease in the spring. The 3367 Covid deaths meant the disease was third leading cause of death in England last month having climbed from 19th in September when there were 690. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8965435/Covid-19-biggest-killer-England-October-ONS.html 19th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The New York Times The United States passed a grim milestone on Wednesday hitting 250000 coronavirusrelated deaths with the number expected to keep climbing steeply as infections surge nationwide. Experts predict that the country could soon be reporting 2000 deaths a day or more matching or exceeding the spring peak and that 100000 to 200000 more Americans could die in the coming months. Just how bad it gets will depend on a variety of factors including how well preventive measures are followed and when a vaccine is introduced. It all depends on what we do and how we address this outbreak said Jeffrey Shaman a Columbia University professor of environmental health sciences who has modeled the spread of the disease. https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/11/18/world/covid-19-coronavirus 19th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

TIME Nothing about the current COVID19 explosion should come as a surprise. As the virus spread throughout summer and fall experts repeatedly warned winter would be worse. They cautioned that a coldweather return to indoor socializing particularly around the holidays could turn a steady burn into a wildfire. So it has. The U.S. is now locked in a deadly cycle of setting then shattering records for new cases and hospitalizations. On Nov. 13 a staggering 177224 people in the U.S. were diagnosed with COVID19. As of Nov. 17 more than 70000 coronavirus patients were hospitalized nationwide. And unlike in earlier waves which were fairly regionalized the virus was as of Nov. 17 spreadingand fastin virtually every part of the U.S. according to Johns Hopkins University data. https://time.com/5913620/covid-third-wave/ 19th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Washington Post A national lockdown is not going to happen in the United States. Every time its brought up it distracts attention from practical public health measures that can work to control covid19. I understand that a shutdown or lockdown is a convenient shorthand to describe restrictions that states have recently put into place. This week Washington state closed bars and restaurants for indoor dining and prohibited indoor social gatherings for people in different households. Michigan closed casinos and movie theaters and ended inperson classes for colleges and high schools. And as of Thursday New York Citys public schools are returning to allremote instruction. But lets get our terminology right These restrictions are not lockdowns. A lockdown is what the Chinese government imposed in February forcing people to remain in their homes and preventing 780 million people from traveling city to city. A broader definition of lockdown could also include the stayathome orders most states instituted in March. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/11/18/national-covid-lockdown-us-wont-happen/ 19th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Associated Press The leader of the small Pacific nation of Samoa appealed for calm Thursday after the country reported its first positive test for the coronavirus although a second test on the same patient returned a negative result. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi addressed the nation live on television and radio urging people to remain vigilant with their virus precautions. Samoa was among a dwindling handful of nations to have not reported a single case of the virus. https://apnews.com/article/samoa-coronavirus-pandemic-asia-new-zealand-cea464ea42e812b631e8f5d682a4ecff 19th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Ukraine faces a very severe period of COVID19 cases but will not tighten lockdown restrictions because measures taken last week should stabilise the situation Health Minister Maksym Stepanov told Reuters. The government on Saturday introduced a lockdown at weekends closing or restricting most businesses except essential services such as grocery shops pharmacies hospitals and transport. A member of President Volodymyr Zelenskiys administration resigned over the decision some mayors refused to comply with the governments order and some business owners held protests. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-ukraine-minister/ukraine-faces-severe-coronavirus-winter-but-no-new-lockdown-measures-minister-says-idUSKBN27Y29D 19th Nov 2020

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Times London was the worsthit part of the UK during the first wave of coronavirus but the second time around it appears to be faring rather better. Data released this week by the Office for National Statistics showed 952 deaths registered in London in the week ending November 6 the same number as would be predicted based on the average for the past five years. It was the only one of the nine regions of England used for official statistics not to register any excess deaths. By contrast the 1900 deaths registered in the northwest were 496 higher than average a difference of 35 per cent. Waless 832 deaths were 207 above normal a 33 per cent difference. Experts told The Times it was too early to tell exactly why London was doing better but one theory is that it now has some level of herd immunity. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/coronavirus-capital-gains-for-london-3blsnlkkj 19th Nov 2020

New Lockdown

Bloomberg Quint European small businesses that survived the first coronavirus lockdowns are getting creative to weather the second wave and the longterm fallout from the pandemic. Faced with the prospects of another recession and uncertainty over how long the crisis may last firms are fighting to retain existing customers and hunting for new ones to stay afloat. Many have learned from the painful experience of the first lockdown to navigate some of the drastic longterm changes to work and consumer behavior brought about by the virus. https://www.bloombergquint.com/global-economics/europe-s-small-businesses-have-a-plan-to-get-by 19th Nov 2020

New Lockdown

Reuters One of Australias strictest lockdowns began on Thursday with outdoor gatherings weddings funerals takeaway food all coming to a standstill as authorities try to stifle the latest flareup of the novel coronavirus. Images on social media showed empty streets in Adelaide the capital of South Australia state on day one of the statewide lockdown. Residents flocked to supermarkets to load up with supplies until late on Wednesday.The state home to about 1.8 million people has recorded 23 cases from the latest cluster. There were no new infections to report on Thursday while 3200 close contacts of the infected were in quarantine the states chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-australia/south-australia-virus-lockdown-begins-amid-hopes-to-curb-outbreak-idUKKBN27Z01A 19th Nov 2020

New Lockdown

The Guardian South Australia didnt report any additional cases of coronavirus as the state entered a strict sixday lockdown in an attempt to halt an Adelaide cluster that authorities worry could become a second wave. The socalled Parafield cluster remained at 22 on Thursday with three people in hospital in a stable condition. There are 17 additional suspected cases. The states chief health officer Prof Nicola Spurrier revealed the news at a testy press conference where the police commissioner clashed with reporters who questioned whether security guards at quarantine hotels should be allowed to work multiple jobs. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/nov/19/south-australia-reports-no-new-covid-cases-and-urges-people-to-avoid-lockdown-loopholes 19th Nov 2020

New Lockdown

Daily Mail A new dangerous strain of coronavirus that sparked a sudden sixday hard lockdown in South Australia is so infectious it spread from a pizza box into the community. South Australians are in their first day of one of the worlds harshest lockdowns which aims to provide a circuitbreaker to prevent the new strain spreading rapidly across the state. At the centre of the outbreak is a pizza shop in Adelaides northern suburbs where an infected medihotel security guard had a second job making pizzas. Health experts are divided over whether the harsh lockdown enforced on South Australians will be enough to stop of the new wave from spiralling out of control. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8963591/Health-experts-fear-South-Australias-extreme-circuit-breaker-lockdown-not-work.html 19th Nov 2020

New Lockdown

NEWS.com.au The busy streets of Adelaide looked like a ghost town as South Australians woke up to their first day in lockdown. On Thursday morning many chose to sleep in and remained indoors to keep cool as the mercury rose to 36C. Regular peak hour traffic heading into the CBD was nowhere to be seen. While the city was nearempty with the exception of essential workers SA Police officers hit the streets to hand out face masks to homeless people and essential workers that passed by. Police Commissioner Grant Stevens told ABC Radio additional patrols would be out over the next six days to ensure South Aussies were complying with the tough restrictions. https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/sa-police-out-on-empty-streets-as-state-goes-into-first-day-of-lockdown/news-story/f850612c6aafe663a79b93f5247485ad 19th Nov 2020

New Lockdown

9News.com.au A top Western Australian doctor has warned that the state is rolling the dice as South Australia heads into lockdown. The state head of the Australian Medical Association Dr Andrew Miller said Western Australians should be told to buy a mask in preparation for a coronavirus outbreak. Just go and get one now while you can while theres time while its easy he said. If you never have to use it thats a big bonus.Dr Miller said there was a gaping hole in the security of Western Australias quarantine system with many people such as security guards both working on the front line of the outbreak and having a second job. Its just rolling the dice we may as well be down as the casino putting it all on red he said. https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-ama-warns-western-australia-hotel-security-risk-buy-a-mask/d3c9407d-d7a8-46f8-84dc-a3f4afd09205 19th Nov 2020