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Coronavirus updates May 2021...please add yours.

missy

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Jun 8, 2008
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Happy May all. I cannot believe that 14 months have passed since the official pandemic (and longer since it started back in December 2019). Wow, we have come a long way and yes we still have a long way to go but still I appreciate what has been accomplished since the beginning of this pandemic.

We still have a long way to go though...




"
The number of daily coronavirus cases in India crossed the 400,000 mark for the first time as the nation struggles to contain its latest outbreak. The nation opened up vaccinations to all adults on Saturday. India needs to shut down for a few weeks to control the Covid-19 outbreak, Anthony Fauci, one of the leading global voices on the pandemic, told the Indian Express newspaper in an interview.



President Joe Biden banned most travel to the U.S. from India beginning Tuesday as the country struggles to combat the worst surge of coronavirus cases in the world.

Russia reported 9,270 new cases on Saturday as it enters a 10-day unplanned holiday in a bid to contain the third wave of the pandemic. Germany and Poland saw a drop in contagion rates.




Key Developments



covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution-world-vaccination-inline

Short Notice on U.K. Travel Rules (4:59 p.m. Hong Kong)​

Holidaymakers and airlines could get as little as one week’s notice of the rules to allow overseas travel from England this month, The Guardian newspaper reported. The government is likely to announce on Friday that the non-essential foreign travel ban will be lifted from 17 May, but the list of countries to which travel will be permitted may not be released until 10 May.

Third Wave Easing in Poland (4:41 p.m. HK)​

Poland saw 6,469 new cases in the past 24 hours, the lowest number reported on a Saturday since early February, in a sign that the third wave of the pandemic may be easing in the country. Deaths dropped to 423, the fewest for a Saturday in six weeks.

https://sponsored.bloomberg.com/art...hief-aims-to-eliminate-health-care-inequality


This week, the government announced it will lift some restrictions later in May. It plans to open hotels, restaurants and shopping malls.

Philippines Receive First Sputnik Vaccine Batch (4:27 p.m. HK)​

The Philippines received its first batch of Sputnik V coronavirus vaccines from Russia on Saturday, local media reported. The shots add to the nation’s vaccine stockpiles that also include those developed by AstraZeneca and Sinovac.

The Philippines has recorded over 1 million Covid-19 cases, the second highest in Southeast Asia. The number of cases rose by more than 9,000 on Saturday.

New Cases Lower in Germany (4:20 p.m. HK)​

In Germany, the increase of confirmed cases slowed from a day earlier and the incidence rate edged lower for a fifth consecutive day. Confirmed cases rose by 14,326, with another 232 deaths reported, according to the Robert Koch Institute.

Russia Starts Unplanned Holiday (4:00 p.m. HK)​

Russia reported 9,270 new coronavirus cases on Saturday as the country enters an unplanned holiday through May 10 to slow the spread of Covid-19.

Kremlin spokesman Dimitry Peskov said the expectations are that domestic demand for the coronavirus vaccines is set to increase. However, the Russian vaccination campaign remains plodding amid relatively low official virus data.

WHO Clears Moderna Shot for Emergency Use (2:50 p.m. HK)​

The World Health Organization cleared Moderna’s Covid-19 shot for emergency use, making it the fifth vaccine to receive its green light. The WHO’s expert group recommended the inoculation for all age groups 18 and above in its interim assessment in January.
Russia reported 9,270 new cases on Saturday as it enters a 10-day unplanned holiday in a bid to contain the third wave of the pandemic. Germany and Poland saw a drop in contagion rates.




Key Developments



covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution-world-vaccination-inline

Short Notice on U.K. Travel Rules (4:59 p.m. Hong Kong)​

Holidaymakers and airlines could get as little as one week’s notice of the rules to allow overseas travel from England this month, The Guardian newspaper reported. The government is likely to announce on Friday that the non-essential foreign travel ban will be lifted from 17 May, but the list of countries to which travel will be permitted may not be released until 10 May.

Third Wave Easing in Poland (4:41 p.m. HK)​

Poland saw 6,469 new cases in the past 24 hours, the lowest number reported on a Saturday since early February, in a sign that the third wave of the pandemic may be easing in the country. Deaths dropped to 423, the fewest for a Saturday in six weeks.

https://sponsored.bloomberg.com/art...hief-aims-to-eliminate-health-care-inequality


This week, the government announced it will lift some restrictions later in May. It plans to open hotels, restaurants and shopping malls.

Philippines Receive First Sputnik Vaccine Batch (4:27 p.m. HK)​

The Philippines received its first batch of Sputnik V coronavirus vaccines from Russia on Saturday, local media reported. The shots add to the nation’s vaccine stockpiles that also include those developed by AstraZeneca and Sinovac.

The Philippines has recorded over 1 million Covid-19 cases, the second highest in Southeast Asia. The number of cases rose by more than 9,000 on Saturday.

New Cases Lower in Germany (4:20 p.m. HK)​

In Germany, the increase of confirmed cases slowed from a day earlier and the incidence rate edged lower for a fifth consecutive day. Confirmed cases rose by 14,326, with another 232 deaths reported, according to the Robert Koch Institute.

Russia Starts Unplanned Holiday (4:00 p.m. HK)​

Russia reported 9,270 new coronavirus cases on Saturday as the country enters an unplanned holiday through May 10 to slow the spread of Covid-19.

Kremlin spokesman Dimitry Peskov said the expectations are that domestic demand for the coronavirus vaccines is set to increase. However, the Russian vaccination campaign remains plodding amid relatively low official virus data.

WHO Clears Moderna Shot for Emergency Use (2:50 p.m. HK)​

The World Health Organization cleared Moderna’s Covid-19 shot for emergency use, making it the fifth vaccine to receive its green light. The WHO’s expert group recommended the inoculation for all age groups 18 and above in its interim assessment in January.


The WHO has also listed the Pfizer shot, the AstraZeneca vaccines made by SK Bio and the Serum Institute of India, as well as the Johnson & Johnson shot.

https://sponsored.bloomberg.com/immersive/brand-hong-kong/introducing-the-new-dawn/fusion-power


An emergency use listing by the WHO allows countries to expedite their own regulatory approval to import and administer vaccines.

Singapore Reinstates Some Distancing Measures (2:10 p.m. HK)​

Singapore will reinstate some social distancing controls and tighten borders with countries that are seeing a persistent rise in coronavirus cases to stem a virus spread in the city.

The government will allow fewer people at malls and large stores, and close campsites for two weeks from May 1, according to a statement from the health ministry on Friday. It will reduce the operating capacity of attractions to 50% from 65% for a week from May 7, and urged people to limit social gatherings to two per day and stay home where possible, it said.

India Needs to Shut Down: Fauci (1:40 p.m. HK)​

India needs to shut down the country for a few weeks to control the Covid-19 outbreak, Anthony Fauci, one of the leading global voices on the pandemic, told Indian Express newspaper in an interview.

A shutdown will end the cycle of transmission in India and provide a window to take immediate, intermediate and long-range steps out of “very difficult and desperate” situation, said Fauci, who’s also U.S. President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser.

Thailand Strengthens Restrictions (1:10 p.m. HK)​

The Thai government on Saturday started implementing the latest restrictions to control its biggest virus outbreak since the pandemic began. New rules include increasing mandatory quarantine for all arrivals to two weeks, prohibiting dine-in at restaurants in high-risk areas including the capital, banning large gatherings and mandatory nationwide mask wearing in public areas.

The nation recorded a new daily record of 21 deaths, bringing total fatalities to 224. There were 1,891 new confirmed cases are 1,891, raising the total to 67,044, according to the government’s Covid-19 panel.

Japan Set to Approve Moderna Vaccine (9 a.m. HK)​

Japan’s government will approve the use of Moderna Inc.’s Covid-19 vaccine as soon as May 21, the Yomiuri newspaper reported Saturday without attribution.

https://sponsored.bloomberg.com/art...find-solid-investment-ground-with-real-estate


Australians Flying Home From India Face Jail (7:35 a.m. HK)​

Australia will temporarily ban its citizens from returning from India.
The pause on allowing in travelers that were in India within 14 days of arriving will take effect from Monday, Health Minister Greg Hunt said in an emailed statement. Breaches of the ban could lead to a fine of A$66,600 ($51,000), five years imprisonment, or both.

White House to Allow More Aides to Return (7:24 a.m. HK)​

Senior Biden officials told the White House staff on Friday that more aides will be allowed to come back to work in-person over the coming weeks, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The loosening of coronavirus restrictions, announced on a conference call, can proceed because vaccines have been offered to all members of the staff, one of the people said.

LA Removes Limits on Bar Hours (7:12 a.m. HK)​

Los Angeles County has removed hours of operation limitations on bars, breweries and wineries, it said in a statement.
Indoor arcades and indoor playgrounds will be allowed to open at 25% maximum indoor capacity with safety modification.

Brazil Reaches 1 Million Daily Doses (5:32 p.m. NY)​

Brazil reached a self-imposed daily Covid-19 vaccination goal, but a shortage of shots poses a risk to the immunization plan going forward.
https://sponsored.bloomberg.com/immersive/diamond-standard/turning-diamonds-into-gold


The seven-day moving average of shots given rose to 1 million for the first time since applications started in mid-January, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. A total of 47,111,974 million vaccines have now been administered in Brazil, mostly of China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd. shot. That’s enough to cover almost 15% of the population with one dose and fully inoculate 7.4%.

Oregon Clamps Down (5:08 p.m. NY)​

Governor Kate Brown put 15 of Oregon’s counties, about 80% of the population, under more severe restrictions as a new viral surge sweeps through a partially vaccinated population. The Democratic governor said hospitalizations have doubled in the last week.
The restrictions prohibit indoor dining, put limits on religious gatherings and sharply curb capacity at gyms, movie theaters and other public venues.


Oregon leads the nation for growth rate of COVID-19 infections. Hospitalizations have nearly doubled. We can move toward post-pandemic life in June — but it will take every one of us doing our part to get there.

Mexico Seeks More Doses From U.S. (4:22 p.m. NY)​

Mexico’s president said on Friday that he’s seeking another 5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses from the U.S., his latest appeal to countries including Russia and China to help the nation speed up its vaccination pace.
The U.S. already lent Mexico over 2.7 million vaccines in March and April, and declined to comment about whether it plans to share more shots with its southern neighbor.

TSA Extends Mask Requirement (3:42 p.m. NY)​

Passengers on airplanes, buses and other forms mass transportation in the U.S. will have to keep wearing masks to guard against the spread of Covid-19 as federal officials extended a mandate that was set to expire within days through the busy summer travel season.
The Transportation Security Administration on Friday announced it was extending the mandate through Sept. 13. The move is in step with the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which still advises face coverings to limit the spread of coronavirus in crowded indoor spaces, even for those who have been vaccinated.

Biden Bans Travel From India (2:28 p.m. NY)​

President Joe Biden banned most travel to the U.S. from India beginning Tuesday as the country struggles to combat the worst surge of coronavirus cases in the world, the White House said.
https://sponsored.bloomberg.com/immersive/brand-hong-kong/introducing-the-new-dawn/fusion-power

NYC Indoor Dining Moves to 75% (1:07 p.m. NY)​

New York City restaurants can expand their indoor dining capacity to 75% on May 7, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Friday. The announcement aligns New York City with the rest of the state, Cuomo said in a news release.
Hair salons, barber shops and other personal care services also can open at 75% capacity on May 7, and gyms and fitness centers in the city can open at 50% capacity on May 15, Cuomo said. The easing of restrictions comes as new cases continue to fall in the state.

NYC Sees Example in Worker Return (1 p.m. NY)​

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said that 80,000 city employees are expected to return to their offices May 3, providing an “important indicator” to the private sector to follow suit after the pandemic kept millions of people at home.
“People need to come back because we have work to do,” de Blasio said Friday on a WNYC radio interview.
Less than 16% of workers in the New York metropolitan area were back at their desks as of April 30, according to data from Kastle Systems.

Variants a Risk After One Pfizer Shot (12:42 p.m. NY)​

People who haven’t fought off Covid-19 before are still vulnerable to infection from variants after getting the first dose of Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE’s vaccine, underscoring the need for fast and full inoculation regimens, according to a U.K. study published Friday.
https://sponsored.bloomberg.com/immersive/brand-hong-kong/introducing-the-new-dawn/fusion-power




Among those who previously had mild or asymptomatic cases of Covid, the protection was “significantly enhanced” after a single dose against the variants first seen in the U.K. and South Africa, researchers said in the study, published Friday in the journal Science.

Disneyland Reopens (12:35 p.m. NY)​

More from
Singapore Reinstates Some Distancing Rules, Tightens Borders
Indian Diaspora Struggles to Help Homeland ‘Gasping for Air’
Japan to Approve Moderna Vaccine as Soon as May 21, Yomiuri Says
Brazil Hits 1 Million a Day Vaccine Goal but Risks Abound
Walt Disney Co.’s Disneyland is opening its gates after being closed for 13 months due to the pandemic.
The theme park in Anaheim, along with the nearby Disney California Adventure, will initially be opened only to California residents with capacity limits and social distancing measures in place. Disney has laid off 32,000 employees over the past year, most of them in the theme-park unit. The company plans bring back more than 10,000 furloughed employees for the reopening.
The theme park is sold out for weekends through May, an indication of pent-up demand for leisure activities as the pandemic eases.

A color guard raises the U.S. flag during the reopening of the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California.
Photographer: Bing Guan/Bloomberg

India Strain Suspected in Austria (11:18 a.m. NY)​

A woman who recently returned to Austria from India may be infected with the Indian variant of the coronavirus, according to preliminary tests in the province of Salzburg. The suspicion has yet to be confirmed by genome sequencing, according to the province’s health secretary Petra Juhasz. It would be the first time the variant has been detected in Austria.

Biden’s ‘Tough Call’ on Troops (7:25 a.m NY)​

President Joe Biden said in an NBC News interview that it will be a “tough call” on whether to order U.S. troops to get vaccinated for Covid-19.
“It is a tough call whether they should require that for the military because they are in such close proximity with other military personnel,” Biden said.

Shot Approval Sought for Ages 12-15 (7:05 p.m. HK)​

BioNTech and Pfizer submitted a request to expand conditional marketing authorization of their vaccine in the EU to 12-15 year-olds.

More Flights Out of India (5:01 p.m. HK)​

International and domestic airlines are adding flights out of India to bring home residents and citizens as the nation’s coronavirus outbreak goes from bad to worse. Air India Ltd. plans to increase its weekly frequency of flights to the U.S. to 32 starting May 11, up from the current 29.



Korean Air Lines Co. and Asiana Airlines Inc. meanwhile are planning to charter flights from India to help South Koreans there wanting to return.

"
 

Arcadian

Ideal_Rock
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I work with a lot of people who have relatives in India. Its heartbreaking, not a lot they can do from here.
 

Daisys and Diamonds

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Messages
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Thanks for that article @missy
a lot of places there we don't hear about in the news
this month Gary finally qualifies due to age for the vacine
The roll out has been pretty slack IMHO
the pencil pushers in the health ministry have had a year to work out the logistics
Our boarder closure is the only thing keeping us safe and that seems to leak like a sieve while not all boarder workers are even immunized yet

My heart aches for India and i in no way want to take a place in the line ahead of them,
But now with Disneyland opening the world is starting to reopen and NZ is going to get left behind and forgotten as the tourist dollar we seem to be way too much dependant on looks else where for a foreign holiday

Edit
we have no idea how Gary can get the jab ????
I, along with the rest of the population am due it next month ???
But we know nothing
 

voce

Ideal_Rock
Joined
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Messages
5,161
The good news is that my DF got his first dose today.

The bad news is that his next appointment is in 16 weeks :oops2:because that's how short Ontario is on vaccine doses.

This is going to personally affect me because it might set back the date he decides to cross the border to marry me and finally make his life in the USA.
 

missy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
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Jun 8, 2008
Messages
53,980
The good news is that my DF got his first dose today.

The bad news is that his next appointment is in 16 weeks :oops2:because that's how short Ontario is on vaccine doses.

This is going to personally affect me because it might set back the date he decides to cross the border to marry me and finally make his life in the USA.

I'm sorry this delay might delay your wedding @voce and sending you many good wishes. I hope you can marry your DF soon. Be well and stay safe.
 

missy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
53,980
Thanks for that article @missy
a lot of places there we don't hear about in the news
this month Gary finally qualifies due to age for the vacine
The roll out has been pretty slack IMHO
the pencil pushers in the health ministry have had a year to work out the logistics
Our boarder closure is the only thing keeping us safe and that seems to leak like a sieve while not all boarder workers are even immunized yet

My heart aches for India and i in no way want to take a place in the line ahead of them,
But now with Disneyland opening the world is starting to reopen and NZ is going to get left behind and forgotten as the tourist dollar we seem to be way too much dependant on looks else where for a foreign holiday

Edit
we have no idea how Gary can get the jab ????
I, along with the rest of the population am due it next month ???
But we know nothing

Can you contact your local health department? Here we got our vaccine through the local county health department. There should be info online stating what you need to do @Daisys and Diamonds. Good luck.
 

Dancing Fire

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Messages
33,852
I'm sorry this delay might delay your wedding @voce and sending you many good wishes. I hope you can marry your DF soon. Be well and stay safe.
I didn't know we were engage...:o
 

missy

Super_Ideal_Rock
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House Cat

Ideal_Rock
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Yesterday, I took my 16 year old son in to get vaccinated. The place was practically vacant. There was no line. The thirty cubicles used for vaccination were empty. The vaccinators were surfing the net. In the fifteen minute waiting area, there were three people.
A month ago, I waited in line with about a hundred people.
 

dk168

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Jul 7, 2013
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The situation in India is very worrying, and it is a stark warning to the rest of the world not to be complacent too soon IMHO.

The entire delegation from India who are over in UK to attend the G7 summit has to self-isolate after 2 of them have been tested positive for Covid-19.

Restrictions are slowing lifting in UK, and the numbers are looking good and on course for all restrictions to be lifted in June.

Personally, I received my invitation for my second AZ vaccine, booked for Friday 14 May 2021.

DK :))
 

missy

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Messages
53,980

"

Three vaccine holdouts imperil the world​

While the world scrambles to secure Covid-19 vaccines, three African countries have done nothing to procure them.
Some nations such as Burkina Faso and Chad have yet to vaccinate any of their citizens, and other countries including Turkmenistan and North Korea have been slow to do so. But at least they have accepted the need for inoculations.
Tanzania, Burundi and Eritrea so far haven’t even done that.
That’s not just a threat to the 75 million people who live in those countries. It’s also a threat to the world.
If the virus is allowed to continue to circulate in pockets of population anywhere, it’s likely to mutate. When people travel, they carry it with them, and those mutations can sometimes evade antibodies produced in reaction to vaccines more easily than earlier versions of the virus.
Already, tests on travelers from Tanzania who arrived in Angola have found what South African genome-sequencing institute Krisp described as the most mutated variant yet.
Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan has promised a change in approach but has yet to take action.
Photographer: -/AFP/Getty Images
Highly infectious strains first identified in other parts of the world, including South Africa and India, have rapidly spread across the globe, disrupting travel and threatening the efficacy of vaccine programs.
“This virus views antibodies as bait. It sees them and it transforms,” Patrick Soon-Shiong, a U.S. biotech billionaire developing a Covid-19 vaccine, said in an interview with Bloomberg.
Both Tanzania and Burundi had presidents, John Magufuli and Pierre Nkurunziza, who died in the last year of what was speculated to be Covid-19.
While Burundi’s new president, Evariste Ndayishimiye, declared the virus the country’s “biggest enemy” last year, he has yet to act on getting vaccines for his people. Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan has promised a change in approach, but she is yet to take concrete action. Her nation hasn’t released infection statistics for a year. Eritrea has been silent.
As Phionah Atuhebwe, the World Health Organization’s new vaccines introduction medical officer for Africa, says, “We can only continue with advocacy.”
And in the meantime, the rest of the world pays the price.—Antony Sguazzin"
 
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