Coronavirus: we separate myths from facts and give advice

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Prison visits in Kurdistan cancelled

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s Raparin Police Directorate decided on Tuesday to halt all family visitation of those held in its detention facilities in an effort to curb a recent spike in new COVID-19 cases

"We inform our dear citizens within the Raparin Administration that visiting inmates in the Arrest and Deportation Department is prohibited out of the public interest and with the aim of preventing the spread of the coronavirus."

The decision came as the rate of infections and deaths from the virus has risen to a dangerous level within the area over the past few days, to the extent that hospitals are unable to take in more patients.

The high number of infections and deaths have prompted health authorities in Raparin to transfer some of their patients to hospitals in Erbil and Sulaimani to ease the burden of local health workers.

Kurdistan Region Minister of Health Saman Barznji paid a visit to Raparin that day to assess the health situation following the surge.

The official told Kurdistan 24 that most of the current infections are "severe," noting that many must stay in hospitals for inpatient treatment.

The Director of Sulaimani Health, Sabah Hawrami, stated that the pandemic has had a significant impact on the people of Raparin, especially since most of the dead were under 35 years old.

The ministry also announced 1,154 new infections and 17 deaths due to the virus across the Kurdistan Region in the past 24 hours.

The new infections bring the total number of infections to 352,141, including 6,176 deaths since the outbreak of the pandemic in the autonomous region of Iraq.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/25 ... 9s-Raparin

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Virus cases rise in Kurdistan

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Wednesday urged people to get vaccinated as the autonomous region sees an increase in coronavirus infections

The number of coronavirus cases has been increasing recently, Barzani said during an award ceremony dedicated to the Region’s top students.

“Health minister [Saman Barzinji] told me that we have a large number of vaccines now but unfortunately people are not sufficiently willing to get vaccinated,” Barzani added.

Over 900,000 vaccines of all three types - Pfizer, Sinopharm, AstraZeneca - are available in the Region, according to the health ministry.

A third wave of the coronavirus hit the Kurdistan Region in July, reporting record-high numbers of daily infections. The surge contributed to an increased demand for vaccines, but the decline in the rate of infections and misleading information has discouraged people from getting vaccinated.

“A large number of people have not been vaccinated yet, and fewer people get vaccinated compared to before because some propaganda has discouraged people,” health minister Saman Barzinji told Rudaw on Tuesday, warning of a new wave.

“The fourth wave at this time is different and it is slower [in spreading] compared to two months ago,” he added, saying hospitalization has increased in the last two weeks which indicates the strength of the wave.

Over 3.2 million people are eligible for vaccination but only 13 percent have been vaccinated in the Kurdistan Region.

The KRG will do its utmost to provide sufficient vaccines for the people, the premier said.

The ministry’s vaccine rollout program has a registration platform open to the general public, but it prioritizes the elderly, people with chronic diseases, and health workers.

There are at least 171 vaccination centers in the Kurdistan Region.

The Region recorded 688 new cases of coronavirus, 1,367 recoveries, and 12 deaths on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases up to 352,829 and total deaths to 6,188.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/201020212

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Mask mandate reinstated

The governor on Saturday told Rudaw in a broadcast with Hawar Jalaladin that mask mandates will be reinstated with a possibility of mandatory vaccination for school employees and public servants

The governor of Erbil, Omed Khoshnaw, said its coronavirus taskforce will meet on Monday to discuss the recent increase in cases and issue new decisions. “We will reinstate measures for wearing masks for sure, masks should be mandatory,” he said.

“Unfortunately, according to the assessments we have, the situation is dangerous and is expected to get more dangerous,” Khoshnaw said, noting that “another wave is expected” and that the number of infections and deaths “will both increase.”

Khoshnaw said that protective measures have weakened among the public and the situation has been normalized, saying that although there will be no curfew or lockdown, “some activities can be limited.”

Iraq recorded more than 4,000 cases per day last month and the Kurdistan Region more than 1,000, though both saw infection rates slow after a third wave of the virus as the more contagious Delta variant spread.

The surge in infection rates that started in July contributed to an increased demand for vaccines, especially Pfizer, which was initially only administered in central hospitals but is now more widely available.

Khosnaw said demand for vaccines has “slowed down,” adding that “one of the possibilities” for those at education centers and governmental offices “it might become the committee’s decision to make vaccines mandatory.”

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani last week urged people to get vaccinated as the autonomous region sees an increase in coronavirus infections.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/23102021

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Introduction of tougher rules

Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are witnessing an upsurge in coronavirus cases that could lead to devastating consequences, health officials said on Monday, with both areas registering high numbers of infections and deaths

As citizens reject preventive health measures such as mask-wearing and getting vaccinated, the virus is spreading across cities. The head of Erbil’s health directorate told Rudaw’s Rozhan Abubakir that those who are hospitalized are the unvaccinated

“If we look at the hospitalized patients, most of them are those who have not been vaccinated,” Dlovan Muhammad said, calling on more people to get vaccinated.

The increase in cases comes a little over a month after students and teachers returned to classes for the new school year. Schools in the Kurdistan Region have closed down and reopened a number of times since the start of the pandemic

In a new set of rules to fight the coronavirus, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Monday said that all teachers and students over 18 in schools and universities must be vaccinated by December 1 across the Region. All government employees must be vaccinated by January 1, 2022.

The KRG has also reinstated a Region-wide mask mandate

A third wave of the coronavirus hit the Kurdistan Region in July, seeing record-high numbers of daily infections. The surge contributed to an increased demand for vaccines, but the decline in the rate of infections and misleading information has so-far discouraged people from getting vaccinated.

Only 18% of Erbil residents have received their vaccine, according to Muhammad

Sulaimani is also seeing a low rate of vaccination as the surge in infection threatens the city.

“The situation in Sulaimani is different compared to other cities because the figures have clearly increased,” Hersh Said Salim, the deputy head of Sulaimani's health directorate, said. The Raparin administration is recording a high number of cases, with hospital beds reaching capacity.

“Around 13-14% of the people have been vaccinated,” he added

The situation in Duhok is also concerning. The head of the city’s health directorate , Afrasiab Musa, told Rudaw that 26% of the people in the city have been vaccinated

Over 900,000 vaccines of all three types - Pfizer, Sinopharm, and AstraZeneca - are available in the Kurdistan Region, according to the Health Ministry.

Iraq has warned of a new strain spreading through the country, urging people to get vaccinated, state media reported.

To date, Iraq has recorded 2,046,274 cases and 22,961 deaths since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, including in the Kurdistan Region.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/25102021

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UK Government

COVID-19 medical exemptions: proving you are unable to get vaccinated

How to apply for official proof that, for medical reasons, you're unable to be vaccinated or unable to be vaccinated and tested for COVID-19.

Why you may need to show your COVID status

The NHS COVID Pass lets individuals share their COVID-19 vaccination records or test results in a secure way.

You may need to demonstrate your COVID status to:

work or volunteer in a care home regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) from 11 November 2021

be exempt from self-isolating for 10 days if you are a close contact of somebody with a confirmed case of COVID-19

enter venues and events in England that require the NHS COVID Pass as a condition of entry

be exempt from quarantine and completing a test on day 8 if you travel from a country that’s not on the red list

If you’re unable to get vaccinated against COVID-19 for medical reasons

Some individuals are unable to be vaccinated and also, in some cases, tested for medical reasons. You can apply for proof that you have a medical reason why you should not be vaccinated or why you should not be vaccinated and tested.

If you get this proof of medical exemption you’ll be able to use the NHS COVID Pass wherever you need to prove your COVID-19 status within England

Until 24 December 2021, you can self-certify that you’re medically exempt if you work or volunteer in a care home.

Some businesses in England choose to use the NHS COVID Pass as a condition of entry. Until 24 December, businesses can decide whether to allow in people who self-declare that they’re medically exempt.

From 25 December, if you’re unable to get vaccinated, you’ll have to use the NHS COVID Pass in the same way that people who are fully vaccinated use it.

A carer can apply on your behalf.

The possible reasons for exemptions are limited. Examples that might be reasons for a medical exemption are:

people receiving end of life care where vaccination is not in the person’s best interests

people with learning disabilities or autistic individuals, or people with a combination of impairments where vaccination cannot be provided through reasonable adjustments

a person with severe allergies to all currently available vaccines

those who have had an adverse reaction to the first dose (for example, myocarditis)

Other medical conditions could also allow you to get a medical exemption.

Short-term exemptions will also be available for those with short-term medical conditions and as an option that some pregnant women may choose to take.

Pregnant women can alternatively use MAT B1 certificates to show their COVID status, if they choose to use a medical exemption. Pregnant women do not need to apply for a medical exemption NHS COVID Pass if they have a MAT B1 certificate. For pregnant women the exemption will expire 16 weeks post-partum. This will allow them to become fully vaccinated after birth.

The Royal College of Obstetricians, Royal College of Midwives and the UK Tetralogy Service consider COVID vaccination to be safe. They recommend that pregnant women get vaccinated against COVID.

The NHS COVID Pass for people who are medically exempt from vaccinations

All exemptions will be confirmed by your doctor, specialist clinician or midwife. If approved, your NHS COVID Pass can then be used to prove your status.

The domestic NHS COVID Pass will look and work the same for people with medical exemptions as it will for people who are fully vaccinated. The pass will not show that you have a medical exemption.

You will also get a confirmation letter which you should keep for your records. Use the letter to prove that you’re unable to get vaccinated if you work or volunteer in a care home or are travelling from a country that’s not on the red list. The letter will explain that you’re medically unable to get vaccinated, the pass does not.

It’s up to other countries to decide whether or not residents in England with a medical exemption qualify for relaxed border measures

Follow link below for full details:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-me ... vaccinated

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Origins may never be known

The virus was first identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan in 2019

US intelligence agencies say they may never be able to identify the origins of Covid-19, but they have concluded it was not created as a biological weapon.

In an updated assessment of where the virus began, the Office of the US Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) said an animal-to-human transmission and a lab leak were both plausible hypotheses for how it spread.

But there was not enough information to reach a definitive conclusion.

China has criticised the report

The findings were published in a declassified report which is an update of a 90-day review that President Joe Biden's administration released in August.

It said the intelligence community remains divided on the most likely origin of the virus. Four agencies assessed with "low confidence" it had originated with an infected animal or a related virus.

But one agency said it had "moderate confidence" that the first human infection most likely was the result of a laboratory accident, probably involving experimentation or animal handling by the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

The report also said Chinese officials were unaware of the existence of the virus before the initial outbreak of Covid-19 in the city of Wuhan, in late 2019. But it said China was continuing to hinder the global investigation and to resist sharing information.

Chinese authorities linked early Covid-19 cases to a seafood market in Wuhan, leading scientists to theorise that the virus first passed to humans from animals.

But earlier this year, US media reports suggested growing evidence the virus could instead have emerged from the Wuhab laboratory, perhaps through an accidental leak.

In May, President Biden ordered intelligence officials to investigate the virus's origins, including the lab leak theory, which is rejected by China.

Responding to the intelligence report, the Chinese embassy in Washington said in a statement to Reuters news agency: "The US moves of relying on its intelligence apparatus instead of scientists to trace the origins of Covid-19 is a complete political farce.

"We have been supporting science-based efforts on origins tracing, and will continue to stay actively engaged. That said, we firmly oppose attempts to politicise this issue."

Around 240 million cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed around the world, with more than 4.9 million deaths

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-59100114

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First pill for Covid gets UK approval

Molnupiravir is the first oral antiviral treatment for Covid to report clinical trial results

The first pill designed to treat symptomatic Covid has been approved by the UK medicines regulator.

The tablet - molnupiravir - will be given twice a day to vulnerable patients recently diagnosed with the disease.

In clinical trials the pill, originally developed to treat flu, cut the risk of hospitalisation or death by about half.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the treatment was a "gamechanger" for the most frail and immunosuppressed.

In a statement he said: "Today is a historic day for our country, as the UK is now the first country in the world to approve an antiviral that can be taken at home for Covid."

First oral treatment

Molnupiravir, developed by the US drug companies Merck, Sharp and Dohme (MSD) and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, is the first antiviral medication for Covid which can be taken as a pill rather than injected or given intravenously.

The UK has agreed to purchase 480,000 courses with the first deliveries expected in November.

Initially it will be given to both vaccinated and unvaccinated patients through a national study, with extra data on its effectiveness collected before any decision to order more.

The drug needs to be given within five days of symptoms developing to be most effective.

It's not immediately clear how it will be distributed so quickly by the NHS. It's thought some care homes may be offered supplies while other elderly or vulnerable patients may be prescribed it by their GP after testing positive for Covid.

Molnupiravir, developed by scientists at Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and MSD, is the first of a number of oral antiviral treatments for Covid to report clinical trial results.

The new treatment targets an enzyme that the virus uses to make copies of itself, introducing errors into its genetic code. That should prevent it from multiplying, so keeping virus levels low in the body and reducing the severity of the disease.

Merck said that approach should make the treatment equally effective against new variants of the virus as it evolves in the future.

The UK regulator, the MHRA, said the tablet had been authorised for use in people who have mild to moderate Covid and at least one risk factor for developing severe illness such as obesity, old age, diabetes or heart disease.

The organisation's chief executive, June Raine, described it as "another therapeutic to add to our armoury against Covid-19".

"It is the world's first approved antiviral for this disease that can be taken by mouth rather than administered intravenously," she said.

"This is important, because it means it can be administered outside of a hospital setting, before Covid-19 has progressed to a severe stage."

England's deputy chief medical officer, Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, warned on Wednesday of some "hard months to come" in the pandemic.

He said that while Covid cases appeared to have stabilised, deaths were rising and there were signs infections were starting to "penetrate" older age groups.

The UK recorded 41,242 Covid cases on Thursday and 214 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

Chart showing that the number of daily cases are still high although have dipped recently

Clinical trials

Earlier clinical trials of molnupiravir on 775 patients who had recently caught Covid found:

7.3% of those given the drug were hospitalised

that compares with 14.1% of patients who were given a placebo or dummy pill there were no deaths in the molnupiravir group,

but eight patients who were given a placebo in the trial later died of Covid

The results were published in a press release and have not yet been peer-reviewed.

But data suggest molnupiravir needs to be taken soon after symptoms develop to have an effect. An earlier study in patients who had already been hospitalised with severe Covid was halted after disappointing results.

In its approval document, the MHRA recommends the drug is used "as soon as possible" following a positive Covid test and within five days of symptoms onset.

Prof Penny Ward, from King's College London, who was not involved in the study, said: "If these outcomes are replicated in the UK population, then the number of cases requiring hospital admission could be halved and the number of deaths greatly reduced.

"It seems likely that it will be restricted for use by those at highest risk of disease complications - for example older adults with heart, lung or kidney disease, diabetes or cancer."

The UK government has not disclosed how much its initial contract for 480,000 courses of molnupiravir is worth. But US authorities recently made an advance purchase of 1.7 million courses at a cost of roughly $1.2 billion, or $700 (£513) for each patient.

Other countries including Australia, Singapore and South Korea have also made purchase agreements.

Merck is the first company to report trial results of a pill to treat Covid, but other companies are working on similar treatments.

Its US rival Pfizer has started trials of two different antiviral tablets, while Swiss company Roche is working on a similar medication.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59163899

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Kurdistan decline in third wave

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Minister of Health Saman Barznji announced on Thursday that just under 46,000 coronavirus patients have been hospitalized in public and private hospitals since the outbreak of the pandemic in the region, but that figures for the current wave of new infections have at least temporarily slowed

He made the comments in a press conference in Erbil he held after visiting the regional parliament as part of ongoing efforts to continually assess and reassess the epidemiologic situation in the region.

“We are still in the third wave of COVID-19, which reached its climax in August 2021 and has gradually declined,” he said, adding, “unfortunately, this wave persists as there are still considerable numbers of new infections, deaths, and hospitalizations on a daily basis.”

Since the beginning of the pandemic, he explained, the Kurdistan Region has recorded more than 364,000 cases, including 45,945 hospital admissions. He shared for the first time publicly that 1,090 of them were treated in private health facilities.

Earlier that day, the Ministry of Health announced 591 new infections and 15 deaths, bringing the total number of fatalities related to the highly-contagious disease to 6,507.

On Tuesday, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) said that it had authorized the vaccination of children aged 12 or older for the first time.

The decision came a day after the Iraqi Ministry of Health announced that, after consulting with the World Health Organization (WHO), it would begin the inoculation of its young adults.

“We welcome the Iraqi Ministry of Health’s initiative, and we want to announce that Kurdistan Region Ministry of Health will make the same step,” Dr. Dashti Bostani, a member of the Kurdistan Region Ministry of Health’s COVID 19 Scientific Committee, told Kurdistan 24 at the time.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/26 ... ass-45,000

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Wonder pill slashes critical cases

Faster booster jabs, a 'wonder pill' and plunging infection rates delivered a triple boost last night in the fight against Covid

From Monday the double vaccinated will be able to book their third dose a month earlier than before.

In a second significant development, a new antiviral pill has been found to slash the risk of vulnerable people being hospitalised or dying from coronavirus.

And official figures yesterday showed that the infection rate and the R-rate have both fallen. Cases have dropped by a third in a fortnight – from 49,298 to 34,029.

One expert said the latest figures suggested that coronavirus infections may now have peaked across England.

Ministers have faced fierce criticism over booster jabs, with the sluggish pace of the rollout blamed for high case numbers.

So far third doses could only be booked when they become due – six months after a second jab. That resulted in people waiting weeks for a convenient appointment, at a time when their immunity was waning.

But next week bookings can be made a month in advance online or by calling 119.

From Monday the double vaccinated will be able to book their third dose a month earlier than before

Health Secretary Sajid Javid told the Mail last night: 'Ahead of the peak winter season these are three really important developments that give us hope. The best thing anyone can do, to keep the virus at bay, is get their jab if they haven't already or their booster as soon as they are eligible.'

He added: 'Covid-19 vaccines are the best way to protect yourself and your family ahead of a challenging winter and this change to the booking system will make it as easy as possible for people to book their booster jabs.

'This will accelerate the booster programme, ensure the NHS is able to vaccinate people as quickly as possible, and importantly help more people maintain protection against Covid-19 as we know immunity will dip over time.

'Please do not delay – come and get the jab to keep the virus at bay.'

Ministers had hoped to offer boosters to 32million people by Christmas but this is looking increasingly unlikely. Only nine million have been given so far.

Jonathan Ashworth, Labour's health spokesman, has written to Mr Javid calling for more community pharmacies and walk-in clinics to give boosters and children's jabs. He warned action was needed to tackle the 'pitifully low' vaccination rate in youngsters. Just one in four 12 to 15-year-olds has been jabbed, despite a target to vaccinate them all by October half term.

Six million people in England who had a second dose at least six months ago and are eligible for a booster are yet to have it, with the gap continuing to widen, according to the Covid-19 Actuaries Response Group.

Protection against symptomatic disease falls from 65 per cent three months after the second dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab to 45 per cent after six months. The figures for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine are 90 per cent and 65 per cent.

Over the same timescales, protection against hospitalisation falls from 95 per cent to 75 per cent for Oxford/AstraZeneca and from 99 per cent to 90 per cent for Pfizer/BioNTech. A small change in effectiveness has major repercussions. A drop from 95 per cent to 90 per cent protection against hospitalisation would lead to a doubling of admissions in the vaccinated.

Early results from Pfizer show that a booster restores protection back up to 95.6 per cent against symptomatic infection.

Maggie Throup, the vaccines minister, said: 'The Covid-19 booster programme is making great progress – thank you to the NHS and everybody who has come forward so far to secure vital protection ahead of the winter.

'I encourage everybody eligible for a booster and flu vaccine to book your jab as soon as possible to keep yourself and your loved ones safe over the coming months.'

Clinical guidance was updated last week to enable Covid boosters to be given slightly earlier to those judged at highest risk. This allows care home residents who may have received their second doses at different times to be vaccinated in the same session, as long as it has been five months since their second dose.

It may also help with other vulnerable groups, such as housebound patients, so that they can have their flu and Covid vaccines at the same time. Covid boosters have been delivered or booked in at almost every older adult care home in England.

Over 9,700 care homes – almost nine in ten – have been visited since the rollout began in mid-September and a further 1,100 homes have visits scheduled for the coming weeks. More than four in five eligible residents have now had their top-up jab.

Some care homes cannot be visited currently because of norovirus or Covid outbreaks but dates have been agreed for future visits, NHS England said.

Stephen Powis, national medical director at NHS England, said: 'Seven million people in England have already received their lifesaving booster vaccine, as the NHS moved at pace to get jabs in arms.

'While this winter is undoubtedly going to be different, the most important thing you can do is come forward for both your Covid booster and flu jab as soon as possible – now with the added convenience of booking in advance – making it even easier to protect yourself and loves ones.'

The Government yesterday said a further 193 people had died in the UK within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus.

A new antiviral pill slashes the risk of vulnerable people being hospitalised with or dying from Covid-19 by almost 90 per cent.

Britain has already ordered a quarter of a million doses of the drug, called Paxlovid.

This week it was first in the world to approve a similar antiviral, molnupiravir, which can be taken at home by high-risk people. The UK has secured 480,000 doses.

The pill, called PF-07321332, works by inhibiting an enzyme that the coronavirus uses to make copies of itself inside human cells (file image)
Hopes high for Christmas as daily cases fall by a third

The Covid pandemic is in retreat across the country and Christmas will be 'transformationally different' to last year, experts say.

Daily new infections have fallen by almost a third in the UK over the past fortnight, from 49,298 on October 22 to 34,029 yesterday.

The UK Health Security Agency says the outbreak could be shrinking by 1 per cent a day in England, with the R rate as low as 0.9.

Separate figures from the Office for National Statistics show around one in 50 people in England had the virus in the week to October 30.

This is equivalent to about 1.1million people – unchanged from the previous week – and the same as the second wave peak in January.

Yet deaths have plummeted compared with a daily peak of 1,300 deaths in January, with 193 deaths reported yesterday.

Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, said the numbers provide 'reassurance' that infections may have peaked.

And Jim Naismith, professor of structural biology at the University of Oxford, added that vaccine uptake amongst teenagers would also hopefully 'drive down' infection numbers from now on.

He added: 'There is no doubt that this Christmas will be transformationally different than last.

'There is simply no better evidence for the vaccine than this change to our fortunes. I am encouraged by the licensing of the new drugs and treatments.'

Trials of Paxlovid, involving an initial 1,219 participants, were stopped early because it worked so well.

Among those who took the drug – which is made by US firm Pfizer – within three days of getting Covid symptoms, less than 1 per cent were admitted to hospital and none died.

Those given a dummy pill did much worse, with 7 per cent hospitalised and seven deaths.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the results were 'incredible' and that the medical regulator would now assess the drug's safety and effectiveness.

He said: 'If approved, this could be another significant weapon in our armoury to fight the virus alongside our vaccines and other treatments, including molnupiravir, which the UK was the first country in the world to approve this week.' Albert Bourla, chief executive of Pfizer, said: 'Today's news is a real game-changer in the global efforts to halt the devastation of this pandemic.

'These data suggest that our oral antiviral candidate, if approved or authorised by regulatory authorities, has the potential to save patients' lives, reduce the severity of Covid-19 infections, and eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalisations.'

Pfizer's combination treatment contains a 'protease inhibitor', which blocks a key enzyme Covid needs to multiply in the body.

This is given with a low dose of an HIV drug called ritonavir, which keeps it in the body for longer to counteract the virus.

The pill works differently to molnupiravir, which was approved by the medical regulator on Thursday and is made by Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and MSD – the UK arm of US pharmaceutical giant Merck.

Molnupiravir works by incorporating genetic errors into the virus so that it is less able to replicate. But both antiviral pills represent a landmark change in how the pandemic is tackled, as they could be taken at home without the need for infusions or injections.

When people were given Paxlovid within three days of symptoms appearing, 1 per cent were hospitalised in the following 28 days, and none died.

That compared to seven deaths among people given a dummy pill, among whom 6.7 per cent were hospitalised. The trials involved those who were unvaccinated, infected with the virus and were considered high-risk for hospitalisation due to health problems such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

The results have not yet been published in a journal or checked by other scientists.

Dr Stephen Griffin, associate professor in the School of Medicine at the University of Leeds, said the antivirals are 'a vital element for the care of clinically vulnerable people who may be unable to either receive or respond to vaccines'.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... ummet.html

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Mobile vaccine clinics in Kurdistan

The Kurdistan Region on Saturday rolled out mobile COVID-19 vaccine clinics as it aims to vaccinate university students and educational staff to ward off another wave of infections that could devastate its fragile health sector

A total of 12 units, each consisting of two teams, are available across the Kurdistan Region, health minister Saman Barzinji said in a press conference. The program will run for two months.

The Region is reporting hundreds of new cases daily almost two months after teachers and students returned to classes for the new school year. Some hospitals are beyond capacity, leaving patients lying on the floor.

In a new set of rules to fight the coronavirus, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) said that all teachers and students over 18 must be vaccinated by December 1. All government employees must be vaccinated by January 1, 2022. It also reinstated a Region-wide mask mandate, but the rule is widely ignored.

A third wave of the coronavirus hit the Kurdistan Region and Iraq between June and July, seeing record-high numbers of daily infections. The surge contributed to an increased demand for vaccines, but the decline in the rate of infections and misleading information has discouraged some people from getting vaccinated.


Iraq said last week it will make the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine available for children aged 12 and above. Priority will be given to high-risk groups within the age range.

The Region has also begun the process of vaccinating teenagers. On Saturday, the first 12-year-old to get a jab received it in Erbil.

To date, Iraq has recorded 2,061,222 cases and 23,297 deaths since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, including in the Kurdistan Region.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/06112021

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Vaccines compulsory for UK health staff

Frontline NHS staff in England will have to be fully vaccinated against Covid, the health secretary has announced

A deadline is expected to be set for 1 April next year to give unvaccinated staff time to get both doses, Sajid Javid told the Commons.

Between 80,000 and 100,000 NHS workers in England were unvaccinated, said Chris Hopson, head of NHS Providers.

Thursday is the deadline for care home workers in England to get vaccinated.

The government's decision follows a consultation which began in September and considered whether both the Covid and flu jabs should be compulsory for frontline NHS and care workers.

Mr Javid said the flu vaccine would not be made mandatory.

There will be exemptions for the Covid vaccine requirement for medical reasons, and for those who do not have face-to-face contact with patients in their work, he added.

In a statement to MPs, Mr Javid said: "Having considered the consultation responses, the advice of my officials and NHS leaders including the chief executive of the NHS, I have concluded that all those working in the NHS and social care will have to be vaccinated.

"We must avoid preventable harm and protect patients in the NHS, protect colleagues in the NHS and, of course, protect the NHS itself."

He said the requirement would be enforced from April, with parliamentary approval.

No unvaccinated worker should be "scapegoated", said Mr Javid, and should instead be supported to make "a positive choice".

Each of the four UK nations makes its own decisions on the issue

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have not made any proposals to make Covid jabs compulsory for NHS workers or care home staff.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers which represents England's NHS trusts, said: "We understand why people are vaccine-hesitant. We need to win the argument with them rather than beat them around the head."

The possibility of losing staff was a "real problem" as the NHS runs on fine margins and already relies on staff to work extra shifts, he added.

Staffing gaps a worry for NHS bosses

The decision had been anticipated after Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he was leaning towards the idea of mandatory Covid vaccinations for NHS staff.

Patient safety, he argued, was in his view the central issue.

But health leaders - while expressing support for the idea - also set out reservations.

Losing key workers at a time of concerns about staffing gaps is clearly a worry for NHS bosses.

They have no doubt been watching developments in the adult social care sector where there is a deadline later this week for staff in England to be double-jabbed.

There have been warnings of resignations among care home workers unwilling to get vaccinated.

Health unions are not keen on mandatory vaccination and will argue that persuasion rather than force is the best route.

The question is whether such a move in England will alienate staff already feeling the strain of growing pressure on the front line.

It remains to be seen whether public opinion is sympathetic to vaccine-hesitant staff or concerned more to ensure patients are treated by people with some protection against the virus.

Unison head of health Sara Gorton said she feared the move might knock staff morale further and prompt workers to leave - or lose their job.

The government should consider alternatives like daily testing - not risk making the same mistake made with mandatory jabs in social care which had led to an "unprecedented staffing crisis", she added.

'You've got to do the right thing'

Douglas Ferguson, a surgeon at Exeter Hospital, said it was the government's responsibility to protect the population, describing the policy as "quite sensible".

"I think to be honest if people who don't want to be vaccinated feel that an injection, which is very well scientifically researched, is something that they decide they're going to change their entire career for, it seems unwise, I would say."

Overall, Mr Ferguson thought the move was likely to be welcomed by staff.

"If all the staff know everybody else is vaccinated - I mean the majority are already anyway - I think it would give further confidence in you doing your job and potentially from those members of staff also."

He added that he only knew of one colleague who had chosen not to be vaccinated.

Care home worker Hayley Evans told the BBC in September that she resented not having a choice over the vaccine

From Thursday, care homes will be required to refuse entry to workers who have not been fully vaccinated, unless they have a medical exemption or there is an emergency.

In the NHS, more than 92% of frontline staff have had their first dose and 89% are fully vaccinated - higher than the general working-age population, where about 81% have had both doses.

But NHS figures show vaccination rates vary hugely: among hospitals, Dorset County hospital has the highest at 94.6%, while Barts Health NHS Trust has the lowest rate of fully vaccinated staff, at 79.7%.

At Southampton General Hospital, frontline workers were told by letter in September they would face redeployment if they did not get vaccinated.

"I made my mind up that I'm not quite ready yet to have it and it's my own risk, isn't it?" she told the BBC in September.

Some countries have already introduced compulsory vaccination - including France, which had to suspend 3,000 unvaccinated healthcare workers in September.

It is unclear exactly which workers will qualify as "frontline", but BBC health correspondent Nick Triggle said it could include clerical and administrative staff who pass through wards.

Click on chart to enlarge:


More than 45.8 million people in the UK have had two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, meaning 79.7% of people aged over 12 are fully vaccinated, while 87.4% have had a first dose.

Vaccinated people have a lower risk of catching Covid and are less likely to become seriously ill or need to go to hospital, but there is still a chance they can transmit the virus.

The number of daily confirmed cases of Covid-19 remains high but is falling, with 32,322 reported on Monday. Deaths continue to rise week-on-week, with 1,191 reported in the last seven days.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59215282

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Austria to go into full lockdown

One in three Austrians is not yet vaccinated, one of the lowest rates in Western Europe

Days after Austria imposed a lockdown on the unvaccinated, it has announced a full national Covid-19 lockdown starting on Monday.

Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said it would last a maximum of 20 days and there would be a legal requirement to get vaccinated from 1 February 2022.

He was responding to record case numbers and one of the lowest vaccination levels in Western Europe.

Many other European countries are imposing restrictions as cases rise.

"We don't want a fifth wave," said Mr Schallenberg after meeting the governors of Austria's nine provinces at a resort in the west of the country.

For a long time, there had been a consensus over avoiding mandatory vaccinations, the chancellor said.

However, too many people had been incited not to get the jab, because of "too many political forces, flimsy vaccination opponents and fake news", he added. The measures are yet to be finalised.

Latest figures show the incidence rate has risen to 1,049.9 cases per 100,000 people in the past week, and Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein said imposing a lockdown was a "last resort". A record 15,809 cases were reported in the past 24 hours, in a population of under nine million.

Under the measures, Austrians will be asked to work from home, non-essential shops will close, and schools will remain open for children who require face-to-face learning. They will continue until 12 December, but will be reassessed after 10 days.

Neighbouring Germany has seen several days of record infections this week, and Health Minister Jens Spahn has spoken of "a national emergency that requires a combined national effort".

German leaders have already agreed to introduce restrictions for unvaccinated people in areas with high hospital admissions. And parliament has backed requirements for people to show Covid passes on buses and trains, and in workplaces.

But now in Bavaria, which borders Austria, state premier Markus Söder has gone further, declaring a "de facto lockdown for the unvaccinated". Bars and clubs will close for three weeks and all Christmas markets have been cancelled. Where weekly incidence rates top 1,000 per 100,000 people - restaurants, hotels, sport and culture will also close.

Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger has already announced that a "lockdown for the unvaccinated" will start on Monday, and the Czech government is also limiting access to a variety of services. The Netherlands introduced a partial lockdown last weekend.

In the UK - where there is currently no lockdown, although masks have to be worn in some parts of the country - the incidence rate per 100,000 is 395.4 cases, officials figures show.

The Europe regional director of the World Health Organization, Hans Kluge, has warned of a hard winter ahead. He blamed insufficient vaccination coverage along with "the easing of preventive measures and the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant".

Russia on Friday declared a record number of 1,254 Covid deaths in the past 24 hours, for the third day in a row.

Hungary reported its highest level of infections - with 11,289 new cases in a population of 10 million. A third booster jab will be made mandatory for health workers from Saturday, along with masks in most enclosed spaces.

Tighter restrictions also come into force in Belgium on Saturday, requiring working from home for four days a week.

Is Europe heading for lockdown?

There are only two ways for countries to slow the spread of Covid - build up enough immunity or limit contact between other people.

That wall of immunity - from a year of vaccination - is facing its first real test as winter rolls in across Europe.

It is already clear some countries - Austria being the most notable - have not vaccinated enough and feel the "need" to go back to restrictions that nobody "wants".

But it does not mean that every country is doomed to a winter lockdown.

Those that have vaccinated more, given boosters to more and protected more of the vulnerable and elderly (who are the most likely to need hospital care) have the best shot at a manageable winter.

The impact of the UK having high levels of Covid through autumn, which will have topped up immunity levels, will be closely watched too.

However, it is still only November. There are many dark months to get through before the weather improves and makes it harder for Covid to spread.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59343650

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Fresh protests in Europe

Fresh unrest has erupted in the Netherlands against new lockdown rules amid rising Covid-19 cases in Europe

People hurled fireworks at police and set fire to bicycles in The Hague, one night after protests in Rotterdam turned violent and police opened fire.

Thousands of demonstrators also took to the streets in Austria, Croatia and Italy as anger mounted over new curbs.

Its regional director Dr Hans Kluge told the BBC that unless measures were tightened across Europe, half a million more deaths could be recorded by next spring.

"Covid-19 has become once again the number one cause of mortality in our region," he told the BBC, adding "we know what needs to be done" in order to fight the virus - such as getting vaccinated, wearing masks, and using Covid passes.

Many governments across the continent are bringing in new restrictions in a bid to tackle rising infections. A number of countries have recently reported record-high daily case numbers.

Demonstrations and unrest

In the Netherlands, a second night of riots broke out on Saturday in several towns and cities.

Hooded rioters set fire to bicycles on the streets of The Hague, as riot police on horseback tried to disperse the crowds. Officials have announced an emergency order in the city.

Police said someone threw a rock through the window of a passing ambulance carrying a patient. Officers in the city tweeted that five police were injured, with one taken away by ambulance with a knee injury.

The unrest follows a night of riots in Rotterdam condemned by the city's mayor as "an orgy of violence". Police fired warning shots and direct shots "because the situation was life-threatening", a police spokesperson told Reuters news agency.

At least three demonstrators are receiving hospital treatment for gunshot wounds, officers said. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

The Netherlands imposed a three-week partial lockdown last Saturday after recording a record spike in Covid cases. Bars and restaurants must close at 20:00, and crowds are banned at sports events.

Tens of thousands of people protested in Austria's capital Vienna after the government announced a new national lockdown and plans to make jabs compulsory in February 2022. It is the first European country to make vaccination a legal requirement.

Brandishing national flags and banners reading "Freedom", protesters shouted "Resistance!" and booed the police.

The country will enter a 20-day nationwide lockdown from Monday, shutting all but essential shops and ordering people to work from home.

In Croatia, thousands marched in the capital Zagreb to show their anger at mandatory vaccinations for public sector workers, while in Italy, a few thousand protesters gathered at the ancient Circus Maximus chariot-racing ground to oppose "Green Pass" certificates required at workplaces, venues and on public transport.

French authorities meanwhile are sending dozens more police officers to quell unrest on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, a French overseas department.

Overnight riots saw looters ransack dozens of shops and set businesses alight after protests against France's own Covid pass turned violent.

Interior minister Gérald Darmanin said that some involved in the unrest used "live ammunition" against law enforcement, and promised a "firm state response" against those committing public disorder.

Link to Article - Video - Chart:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59363256

[Anthea]

Huge protests across Europe

Tens of thousands of people have been marching in the Belgian capital, Brussels, to protest against anti-Covid measures

Some protesters threw fireworks at police officers, who intervened with tear gas and water cannon.

Demonstrators are mainly opposed to the use of Covid passes, which stops the unvaccinated from entering venues such as restaurants or bars.

This comes after fresh protests in the Netherlands against new lockdown rules.

On Saturday, people hurled fireworks at police and set fire to bicycles in The Hague, one night after protests in Rotterdam turned violent and police fired gunshots.

Thousands of demonstrators also took to the streets in Austria, Croatia and Italy as anger mounted over new curbs.

In Belgium, rules on face masks have been tightened, including in places such as restaurants where Covid passes are already required, and most Belgians will also have to work from home four days a week until mid-December. There are also plans to make vaccinations for health workers compulsory.

Its regional director, Dr Hans Kluge, told the BBC that unless measures were tightened across Europe, half a million more deaths could be recorded by next spring.

"Covid-19 has become once again the number one cause of mortality in our region," he said, adding "we know what needs to be done" in order to fight the virus - such as getting vaccinated, wearing masks, and using Covid passes.

Many governments across the continent are bringing in new restrictions to try to tackle rising infections. A number of countries have recently reported record-high daily case numbers.

Demonstrations and unrest

In the Netherlands, a second night of riots broke out on Saturday in several towns and cities.

Hooded rioters set fire to bicycles in The Hague, as riot police used horses, dogs and batons to chase the crowds away. Officials announced an emergency order in the city, and at least seven people were arrested.

Police said a rock was thrown through the window of an ambulance carrying a patient. Officers in the city tweeted that five police officers were injured, with one taken away by ambulance with a knee injury.

Elsewhere in the country, two top-flight football matches were briefly halted after supporters broke into the grounds and ran on to the pitch. Fans are currently banned from stadiums because of new coronavirus rules.

The unrest followed a night of riots in Rotterdam condemned by the city's mayor as "an orgy of violence". Police fired warning shots and direct shots "because the situation was life-threatening", a police spokesperson told Reuters.

At least three demonstrators are receiving hospital treatment for gunshot wounds, officers said. Authorities have launched an investigation.

The Netherlands imposed a three-week partial lockdown last weekend after recording a record spike in Covid cases. Bars and restaurants must close at 20:00, and crowds are banned at sports events.

Tens of thousands of people protested in Austria's capital, Vienna, after the government announced a new national lockdown and plans to make jabs compulsory in February 2022. It is the first European country to make vaccination a legal requirement.

Brandishing national flags and banners reading "Freedom", protesters shouted "Resistance!" and booed the police.

The country will enter a 20-day nationwide lockdown from Monday, shutting all but essential shops and ordering people to work from home.

The mandatory vaccinations have been described as a "double-edged sword" by Andrea Ammon, director for the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

She told the BBC's Andrew Marr that the strict rules could make people who were still doubting the vaccine - but not fully rejecting it - completely turn away from it.

In Croatia, thousands marched in the capital, Zagreb, to show their anger at mandatory vaccinations for public sector workers, while in Italy, a few thousand protesters gathered at the ancient Circus Maximus chariot-racing ground in Rome to oppose "Green Pass" certificates required at workplaces, venues and on public transport.

French authorities are sending dozens more police officers to quell unrest on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, a French overseas department.

Overnight riots saw looters ransack dozens of shops and set businesses alight after protests against France's own Covid pass turned violent.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said that some involved in the unrest used "live ammunition" against law enforcement, and promised a "firm" response to those committing public disorder.

UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said there are no plans to change travel rules between the UK and Germany at the moment, in view of the rising number of cases there.

He said this was because Germany was dealing with the Delta variant: "We have Delta here already, I'm not sure there is much benefit in having more rules, but we do keep an eye out for any potential new variants," he told Andrew Marr.

Link to Videos - Chart:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59363256

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Compulsory Vaccination

BERLIN, Nov 21 (Reuters) - German politicians are debating making COVID-19 vaccinations compulsory for citizens in light of soaring infections and low inoculation rates

Several members of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative bloc said on Sunday that federal and state governments should introduce compulsory vaccinations soon as other efforts to push up Germany's low inoculation rate of just 68% have failed.

"We've reached a point at which we must clearly say that we need de facto compulsory vaccination and a lockdown for the unvaccinated," Tilman Kuban, head of the youth wing of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), wrote in Die Welt newspaper.

Germany's seven-day coronavirus incidence rate rose to the highest level since the pandemic began for the 14th consecutive day on Sunday, reaching 372.7 nationwide.

In some regions, it has surpassed 1,000 with some hospitals already reporting full intensive care units. The record in the third wave of the pandemic last December was 197.6.

Overall, there have been 5.35 million coronavirus infections reported in Germany since the start of the pandemic in February 2020. The overall death toll stands at 99,062.

Bavarian State Premier Markus Soeder called for a quick decision to make COVID-19 vaccinations compulsory while Schleswig-Holstein State Premier Daniel Guenther said authorities should at least discuss such a step to increase the pressure on unvaccinated citizens.

Danyal Bayaz, an influential member of the Greens and Finance Minister in the southwestern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg where infection rates are very high, said it would be a mistake at this point of the pandemic to rule out compulsory vaccination.

The Greens are currently in talks with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) and the libertarian Free Democrats (FDP) to form a three-way coalition government on the federal level.

The three parties are in the final stages of sealing a coalition agreement which would pave the way for outgoing Finance Minister Olaf Scholz from the SPD to succeed Merkel as chancellor in the first half of December.

Scholz has said he wants a debate about whether to make vaccination compulsory for health care workers and geriatric nurses. FDP members have voiced their objections to such a step as the party puts a bigger emphasis on individual freedom.

Neighbouring Austria this week announced a plan to make vaccines compulsory next year.

https://www.reuters.com/business/health ... 021-11-21/
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