Wuhan virus 2020

[Jimbuna]

Everyone in England is to be given access to two rapid coronavirus tests a week from Friday, under an extension of the government's testing programme.

The lateral flow kits, which can provide results in around 30 minutes, will be available for free at testing sites, pharmacies and through the post.

The health secretary said it would help squash any outbreaks as lockdown eases.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56632084

[Jimbuna]

Boris Johnson is due to chair a meeting of the cabinet later to sign off the next stage of lockdown easing in England.

Later, the PM will hold a briefing, where he is expected to confirm countries will be graded under a traffic light system when international leisure travel resumes.

Hairdressers, homeware shops and garden centres are reopening in Scotland as Covid restrictions on the economy have eased.

India has recorded its highest number yet of coronavirus infections in a single day, with 103,558 confirmed cases.

Portugal is entering its second phase of rolling back restrictions, with museums, cafe terraces and some schools reopening.

Rollout of a new school curriculum in Wales must be delayed so teachers can focus on helping pupils in the wake of the pandemic, a union says.

In Greece, meanwhile, some shops have been allowed to reopen today, despite concerns over high case numbers. Restrictions will still be in place, with shoppers required to pre-book appointments and limits on numbers allowed inside shops. The changes will not apply to areas with higher infection rates, including in the Athens and three northern regions.

In Germany, there are concerns over increasing infections, as the number of patients in intensive care reached its highest level since the beginning of February. Around a half of the 4,000 people in intensive care are being ventilated, according to figures released on Sunday.

Separately, the German government has added the Netherlands to a list of high-risk countries due to its rising number of cases. The new rules - which already apply to the Czech Republic, France and Poland - mean that travellers arriving in Germany from Tuesday will have to show a negative test and observe 10 days of quarantine.

[Catfish]

A sidenote

The Antiscience Movement Is Escalating, Going Global and Killing Thousands

[Jimbuna]

UK PM Boris Johnson confirms non-essential retail can reopen and restaurants allowed to serve outdoors from 12 April.

Gyms and spas, as well as zoos and theme parks, can also reopen on the same date.

Johnson says the public's patience is "paying off", but warns against complacency in the face of rising cases in mainland Europe.

The PM says the UK is "hopeful" international travel can resume from 17 May, but there are difficulties around "importing" virus variants.

Hairdressers, homeware shops and garden centres are reopening in Scotland as Covid restrictions on the economy have eased.

[Jimbuna]

[Jimbuna]

The UK has recorded a further 26 deaths within 28 days of a positive test, along with 2,762 new cases.

The number of deaths recorded tends to be lower over weekends and at the start of the week because of reporting delays.

[Skybird]

The EMA follows the example of several states and officially confirms a causal link between AZ's vaccine and brain thromboses.

Late.

Again.

[Jimbuna]

Non-essential retail, gyms and spas can reopen from 12 April in England, with restaurants allowed to serve outdoors.

Suggestions the UK could introduce Covid certificates proving someone's had a vaccine, tested negative or has immunity have led to criticism.

But Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi says the UK is looking at all options and any plans to adopt certificates will be brought before Parliament.

The Moderna vaccine will be available in the UK "around the third week of April", Zahawi confirms.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is giving an update on lockdown easing in Scotland.

Secondary schools in Scotland will reopen full time as planned after the Easter holidays, Sturgeon says.

Captain Sir Tom Moore's family are encouraging people to take up their own "100" challenge on what would have been his 101st birthday.

Australian and New Zealand residents will be able to travel between the two nations without having to quarantine from 19 April.

North Korea has announced it will not take part in the Olympics this year, saying the decision is to protect its athletes from Covid-19

[Jimbuna]

The first phase of reopening has begun in Denmark, with hairdressers and tattooists back at work and some children’s age groups back at school. Key to the reopening is a negative test and test centres have been very busy in the run-up to reopening. So-called corona passports will also become very important in the coming weeks.

Several European countries are giving their vaccine campaigns a post-Easter boost from this morning. The Stade de France in Paris, known for legendary sporting clashes on the pitch, has opened this morning with the aim of providing 10,000 vaccinations a week. It’s one of more than 35 so called vaccinodromes that are aimed at ramping up the vaccine campaign. Latest figures show 9.3 million first doses have already been given in France. But hospital cases are still rising.

Germany’s network of 35,000 family doctors is getting involved too this week. So far the country's vaccination campaign has been limited to 430 special centres. Meanwhile, the south-western state of Saarland is beginning its exit from lockdown even though cases are still rising. Outdoor gatherings and outdoor café visits are allowed as well as contact sports with a negative test.

Italy is also aiming to speed up its vaccination campaign, with more than eight million vaccine doses expected to arrive this month alone. Prime Minister Mario Draghi has set an eventual target of half a million vaccinations a day.

Portugal's president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, last night hailed the second phase of lockdown easing as a "historic day". All but the largest on-street shops were allowed to open along with cafés and restaurants serving customers outside.

Spain’s health minister says 11 or 12 regions are seeing a clear upward trend in infection, particularly Catalonia and Navarre in the north and Ceuta on the African mainland. This month is seen as key to pushing the vaccine campaign and retired doctors and nurses are being enlisted in many areas to take part.

[mapuc]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

The first phase of reopening has begun in Denmark, with hairdressers and tattooists back at work and some children’s age groups back at school. Key to the reopening is a negative test and test centres have been very busy in the run-up to reopening. So-called corona passports will also become very important in the coming weeks.

Err this rule about showing a negative test, which is a quick test is hilarious.

On several occasion test has shown that these quick test is not to be trusted- around 50 % positive is in fact negative-around 20-25 % negative is in fact positive.

So a Dane could have an infection, but his quick test show negative.

Markus

[3catcircus]

Originally Posted by mapuc

Err this rule about showing a negative test, which is a quick test is hilarious.

On several occasion test has shown that these quick test is not to be trusted- around 50 % positive is in fact negative-around 20-25 % negative is in fact positive.

So a Dane could have an infection, but his quick test show negative.

Markus

Does it really matter? What I'm getting at is this hysteria over asymptomatic carriers when there has never been any evidence that they are a significant source of infection. I'd ask if we've ever taken the same approach for other viruses to such an extent. We didn't try and test everyone regardless of whether or not they showed symptoms over the past couple of years when we had epidemic levels of flu infections with a significant number of deaths. I don't think we've ever bothered testing asymptomatic carriers of other viruses known to cause ILI when we know a good portion of those infected then develop pneumonia and die.

I would not be surprised if we ever found out that the number of people infected and dying from other respiratory viruses each year is actually on par with covid except we've just never bothered to try and test everyone like we are now - especially if they don't have a vaccine like flu or measles.

[Jimbuna]

[Jimbuna]

[Jimbuna]

A trial of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine on children has stopped giving out jabs while the UK's medicines regulator investigates a possible link with rare blood clots in adults.

Prof Andrew Pollard from the University of Oxford told the BBC there were no safety concerns with the trial itself, but its scientists were waiting for further information.

Around 300 volunteers signed up.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-56656356

[Buddahaid]

Originally Posted by 3catcircus

Does it really matter? What I'm getting at is this hysteria over asymptomatic carriers when there has never been any evidence that they are a significant source of infection. I'd ask if we've ever taken the same approach for other viruses to such an extent. We didn't try and test everyone regardless of whether or not they showed symptoms over the past couple of years when we had epidemic levels of flu infections with a significant number of deaths. I don't think we've ever bothered testing asymptomatic carriers of other viruses known to cause ILI when we know a good portion of those infected then develop pneumonia and die.

I would not be surprised if we ever found out that the number of people infected and dying from other respiratory viruses each year is actually on par with covid except we've just never bothered to try and test everyone like we are now - especially if they don't have a vaccine like flu or measles.

That does nothing in explaining excess deaths above predicted deaths that have been recorded during a time when seasonal flu has been suppressed by Covid 19 sanitation measures.