Category Archives: Coronavirus

‘Phenomenal’ turnaround: how Australia is vaccinating its way to freedom

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After a slow start, vaccine uptake in three Australian states and territories has risen swiftly


Bars and restaurants along Sydney’s harbour foreshore bustled with the sounds of clinking glasses and full kitchens as thousands of people poured into venues after Covid restrictions ended this week.

Across the city, cinemas filled up and queues formed outside pubs. Salons buzzed with the sound of clippers as people jumped at the opportunity to tame their lockdown hair. Some beachside restaurants are booked up until February.

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Australia Covid live news update: International airlines add 6,000 weekly seats into Sydney; Victoria to receive NSW travellers

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NSW to end hotel quarantine, 6,000 weekly seats into Sydney to come online in next two days; Victoria to receive NSW travellers as state records 2,179 local cases and six deaths; NSW records 399 local cases and four deaths; nine-week ACT lockdown lifts – follow the latest news

Rural Liberals are backing a move towards a net-zero emissions target despite warnings from some within the federal Nationals that regional Australia would “pay the cost” of decarbonising the economy.

The shifting support for the target – including from conservatives who have previously railed against emissions reduction policies – comes as a new report reiterates that Australia ranks among the worst performers in the G20 in addressing the climate crisis.

You expelled Adem Somyurek for branch-stacking, and Anthony Byrne admitted to doing the same thing, why won’t you expel him?

Let’s be very clear. The allegations against Adem Somyurek were of a very different nature and went to behaviour and an attempt in his own words to essentially control the Victorian branch.

But Anthony Byrne’s breached rules by branch-stacking. So on that basis, why ...

That is a matter for ...

No, this is a matter for the Labor party, separate to what Ibac does, he’s breached party rules, you are the leader, what action will you take against him?

Well, we’ll wait for the Ibac processes ...

I’m talking about Anthony Byrne.

I know what you are talking about. From time to time there are breaches of party rules and the processes kick in to deal with that. But while Ibac is undertaking these investigations, it’s important that they be allowed to take their course.

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FDA expert panel endorses Moderna vaccine booster shot – as it happened

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The attorney general, Merrick Garland, will make his first appearance before the House Judiciary Committee next week. The testimony is likely to touch on everything from a severe near-total abortion ban in Texas to voting rights and gun violence.

Garland is scheduled to testify 21 October. His appearance was first reported by Politico.

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Italy braced for unrest as Covid pass becomes mandatory for all workers

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Strictest vaccine mandate in Europe expected to bring fresh protests and leave some industries struggling with staff shortages

Italy is bracing itself for further unrest and labour market mayhem as the strictest vaccine mandate in Europe takes effect on Friday.

All workers will be obliged to present a coronavirus health pass before entering their workplaces, a move that is expected to leave some industries struggling with staff shortages.

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Coronavirus live: Russia reports more than 30,000 daily cases for first time; Hungary cases on rise

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Russia registered 31,299 new cases in one day; Hungary records 1,141 new infections

The UK health minister Sajid Javid has become the latest government figure to say “sorry” about the coronavirus pandemic. Appearing on the BBC this morning, Javid, who became health secretary just short of four months ago following the resignation of Matt Hancock, said:

Yes, of course I’m sorry. Obviously I am new in the role but on behalf of the government I am sorry for, during the pandemic, anyone that suffered, especially anyone that lost a loved one, a mother, a dad, a brother, a sister, a friend. Of course I am sorry for that.

Also all those people that may not have lost someone but they are still suffering - there are many people sadly suffering from long Covid, we still don’t know the impact of that. Of course I am.

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Javid sorry for Covid losses but says he has not read Commons report in detail

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Health secretary falls short of apologising for government decision to delay first lockdown but says ‘there are lessons to learn’

The health secretary has said he is sorry for the losses that have occurred due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but fell short of apologising for the government’s decision to delay lockdown last March.

Sajid Javid’s comments came in response to the publication on Tuesday of a damning health select committee report on lessons learned from the pandemic, which found the government’s management of the outbreak was one of the worst public health failures in British history.

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Covid booster shots important to stop infection, finds English study

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Study shows protection against Covid starts to wane several months after full vaccination

Scientists have urged eligible people to have Covid booster shots after a major survey in England found evidence of “breakthrough infections” more than three months after full vaccination.

Researchers at Imperial College London analysed more than 100,000 swabs from a random sample of the population and found that Covid infection rates were three to four times higher among unvaccinated people than those who had received two shots.

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‘We’re ready’: Fiji prepares to welcome tourists almost two years after closing borders

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Fully vaccinated travellers from select countries including New Zealand and Australia will be able to visit from November

Fiji says it is already experiencing a boom in demand after announcing this week that it would open up quarantine-free travel to visitors from select countries, almost two years after closing its borders due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Our website data is well up – we are seeing a real lift in interest. It is exciting, and we want to encourage people to come and spend Christmas and new year in Fiji,” Tourism Fiji chief executive Brent Hill said.

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New Zealand modelling shows Covid cases could peak at 5,300 a week in Auckland next year

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Plans for how health system would deal with surge revealed as country records 71 new cases

New Zealand is preparing to face up to 5,300 cases of Covid-19 a week in Auckland and the neighbouring region of Northland alone next year, even with a vaccination rate of 90%, according to modelling from the Ministry of Health.

The minister of health, Andrew Little revealed the plan for how the health system could manage a surge in cases after the current vaccination drive, as the country recorded 71 new cases on Thursday.

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‘Last chance’: WHO reveals new team to investigate Covid origins

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A group of 26 experts will also be tasked with examining new pathogens and how to prevent future pandemics

The World Health Organization has unveiled a team of scientists it wants to revive the stalled inquiry into Covid-19’s origins, with one senior official saying it may be the last chance.

The group of 26 experts will be charged with producing a new global framework for studies into the origins of emerging pathogens of epidemic and pandemic potential – and their remit includes Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

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Australia Covid live news update: Victoria records 2,297 cases, 11 deaths; NSW records 406 cases, six deaths ahead of plan for 80% opening

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Victorian roadmap may be released as early as weekend; NSW to outline next reopening steps; ACT to end lockdown tomorrow. Follow all the day’s news live

Wilcannia locals are celebrating the news there have been no new Covid cases for two weeks but say they are now on the long path to recovery after the virus hit “like a cyclone” in August.

Yesterday was the 15th consecutive day of no new cases, an “incredible” outcome according to Brendon Adams, who runs Wilcannia River radio and who worked on the frontline during the crisis.

We are actively considering our MIQ settings in light of the fact that we are unlikely to get back to zero cases ... You can expect to see us talking more about that fairly soon.

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President of Brazil says it ‘makes no sense’ for him to be vaccinated

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Jair Bolsonaro’s comments called ‘stupid and selfish’ in country where 600,000 people have died of Covid

More than 600,000 of his citizens have lost their lives to a Covid-19 outbreak he once pooh-poohed as a “little flu”, but Brazil’s science-denying president, Jair Bolsonaro, has announced he will decline to be vaccinated, saying “it makes no sense” for him to do so.

“With regard to the vaccine, I’ve decided not to have it any more,” the 66-year-old populist told a right-wing radio station on Tuesday. “I’ve been looking at new studies … Why would I get vaccinated?”. He said his antibody levels were already “sky high” because of a past infection. “It would be the same as betting 10 reais (£1.30) on the lottery to win two. It makes no sense.” Bolsonaro said he was not anti-vaccination, but did oppose what he called the vaccine-buying “frenzy”.

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Malfunctioning NHS app for Covid vaccine status causes travel delays

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Problems accessing Covid pass cause travellers to be turned away from flight and ferry

Travellers have been blocked from boarding flights and ferries for trips abroad after a four-hour outage of England’s NHS app left people unable to access a Covid pass to prove their vaccine status.

Hundreds tried to download information that many countries require before departure – including a QR code and details about the jabs they have had – but were told to “try again later”, sparking chaos and fury.

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Scientists abused and threatened for discussing Covid, global survey finds

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Poll of 321 scientists found 15% received death threats after speaking publicly on the pandemic

Scientists around the world have received threats of death and sexual assault after speaking to the media about Covid-19, a survey has revealed.

Of 321 scientists asked by Nature magazine, 15% said they had received death threats and 22% had been threatened with physical or sexual violence as a result of talking publicly about the pandemic.

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How my ivermectin research led to Twitter death threats | Dr Andrew Hill

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I was sent images of coffins and hanged Nazi war criminals after finding medical fraud in clinical trials

The story of online threats and abuse is very dark. In early 2021, my research team was analysing a new drug called ivermectin. In the first clinical trials, this drug seemed to prevent new infections and improve survival. When I first wrote about this, I started getting regular threats on Twitter, demanding that ivermectin should be approved worldwide and questioning the safety of vaccines.

In March 2021, I received my first vaccine dose and posted a photo on Twitter from the clinic. Within minutes I was receiving strange messages: “Why would you do that?”, “not safe”, “why not use ivermectin instead”, “you are paid by the Gates Foundation”. One person even sent a link to a suction device to remove the vaccine fluid from my arm. Any message I sent promoting the benefits of vaccines led to threats and abuse.

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EU says it will recognise NHS Covid pass ‘soon’

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Constant Covid testing when travelling from the UK to countries such as the Netherlands should soon be a thing of the past

Trips to Europe over October half-term could become easier for British travellers after Brussels said a technical tie-up with the EU ensuring the NHS Covid pass is recognised across over 40 countries would be “going live soon”.

In some European countries, such as the Netherlands, tourists from the UK have faced constant Covid tests as the NHS app proving full vaccination status is not recognised at the Dutch border or in its bars, restaurants and museums.

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Covid news live: US set to open land borders, Bali prepares to welcome back tourists

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The US will lift restrictions at its land borders with Canada and Mexico next month; holiday hot-spot Bali will reopen for vaccinated travellers from Thursday

There is a little bit of news on the Reuters wire which is coming out of Russia’s Interfax news agency. They are reporting that the Russian health ministry has said it will be having talks with the EU to discuss terms for the mutual recognition of Covid-19 vaccine certificates for their respective shots.

The European Medicines Agency is yet to approve Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine for use, which is the source of some friction between the two parties. Russia has accused the EU of doing so for political reasons, while the EU has in turn suggested that the vaccine’s manufacturer has not been forthcoming with the required data for approval.

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Australia Covid news live update: TGA grants provisional determination of Pfizer vaccine for ages 5-11; Victoria records 1,571 cases, 13 deaths

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So there has been a bit of drama in the South Australian parliament, with a Liberal party defector somehow taking the Speaker of the House role in a late-night upset.

Dan Cregan, who left the Liberal party to sit on the crossbench last week, managed to take the job in a secret ballot.

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Local Covid vaccines fill gap as UN Covax scheme misses target

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India, Egypt and Cuba among first states to develop and make their own vaccines as Covax falls behind

Developing countries are increasingly turning to homegrown Covid vaccinations as the UN-backed Covax programme falls behind.

While western countries roll out booster jabs to their own populations, Covax, which was set up by UN agencies, governments and donors to ensure fair access to Covid-19 vaccines for low- and middle-income countries, has said it will miss its target to distribute 2bn doses globally by the end of this year.

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Back from the brink: how Japan became a surprise Covid success story

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Covid infections fall to lowest levels in more than a year, but experts warn winter could spark a fresh wave

Just days after the Tokyo Olympics drew to a close, Japan appeared to be hurtling towards a coronavirus disaster. On 13 August, the host city reported a record 5,773 new Covid-19 cases, driven by the Delta variant. Nationwide the total exceeded 25,000.

Soaring infections added to resentment felt by a public that had opposed the Olympics, only to be told they could not watch events in person due to the pandemic. Hospitals were under unprecedented strain, the shortage of beds forcing thousands who had tested positive to recuperate – and in some cases die – at home.

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