The weekly global report provides brief updates on AdvaMed’s global activities related to COVID-19. For additional information, please contact Ralph Ives at Rives@AdvaMed.org.
COVID-19 Outbreak: Weekly Global Report for Friday, January 14, 2022
AdvaMed recognizes that its members, particularly those with global government affairs responsibilities, are tracking COVID-19 related developments around the world to assess the public health and economic impacts on their businesses. Knowing that companies are consuming information from a variety of sources, AdvaMed’s global team would like to provide members with a weekly snapshot of the key statistics, policy developments and advocacy initiatives underway in our priority markets. If you have any suggestions as we ramp up this work stream, we welcome your feedback.
Global
Weekly COVID-19 statistics. Global cases reached 318 million. Deaths around the world have exceeded just over 5.5 million. Around 9.5 billion vaccines have been administered.
U.S. cases exceeded 63.1 million with deaths increasing to 845,000.
The latest: As cases decline in Xi’an thanks to that city’s strict lockdown now extending into a third week, new cases have emerged in the Northern port city of Tianjin outside Beijing and the populous central province of Henan. Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, China’s anti-epidemic czar, undertook an inspection tour of Henan as the Omicron and Delta variants create a thorny whack-a-mole challenge for China’s zero-COVID strategy. Meanwhile, the Lunar New Year holiday period is less than two weeks away and a growing number of provinces are discouraging travel, even offering payment incentives to would-be travelers to stay put. Despite vaccinating around 80% of its population, China is accelerating efforts to develop a homegrown mRNA vaccine as its existing inactivated vaccines show weak efficacy against the Omicron and Delta variants over a sustained periods of time,studiesshow. China is now requiring even more onerous pre-departure requirements for foreign arrivals that affect foreigners and Chinese nationals alike. China’s aviation regulator this week cut even more flights from the U.S., concerned about further leaks of the Omicron variant.
Weekly COVID-19 statistics: China’s total COVID cases now stand at 117,279, representing an increase of 1,363 cases over the previous week. The number of reported deaths has remained unchanged for several months at 4,849.
Status of the vaccination campaign: 1.2 billion Chinese citizens (80% of the population) have received at least one COVID vaccine dose, according to the National Health Commission (NHC).
Tianjin outbreak: Tianjin launched mass COVID-19 testing last Sunday as 40 people tested positive for the virus over the weekend. Li Hongzhong, Party secretary of Tianjin, said at a meeting on Sunday that the city, as a traditional guardian of Beijing, must shoulder the responsibility of protecting the capital from the virus's assault and quickly and efficiently curb its spread. As a result, Tianjin has cancelled all bus services out of the city and 97% of flights out of the airport have been cancelled. In addition, train service to Beijing has been suspended. So far, Tianjin has not implemented a full-scale lockdown like Xi’an.
Henan outbreak: Chinese Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan said on Tuesday that strict prevention and control measures are needed in Henan as it battles the twin threats of the Omicron and Delta coronavirus variants, as Sun capped a trip to the central province. Sun said the Omicron strain has spread quickly and was highly infectious, putting containment measures in Anyang, now the center of the province’s main outbreak, to the test. “It is necessary to further improve the efficiency of nucleic acid testing and investigations, adopt strict social control measures, block transmission routes as soon as possible, and strictly prevent the spread of the epidemic,” Sun was quoted as saying. The lockdown of Anyang, home to 5.5 million people, was announced late Monday after two cases of the omicron variant were reported. Residents are not allowed to go out and stores have been ordered shut except those selling necessities
Delays at Shanghai's port: Delays are growing at the world’s largest port as ships reroute from Ningbo, Bloombergreports. The strict testing of workers and truckers in Ningbo, which houses China’s third largest port, has strained already pinched global supply chains. Ships are being re-routed to Shanghai and are worsening congestion there, delaying departure schedules for container ships from Shanghai by almost a week.
Organizers say Beijing Olympics will proceed smoothly: China has no intention of locking down its capital or changing its coronavirus containment rules for the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics, despite growing concern about local transmission of the Omicron variant, the organizing committee said this Tuesday. Beijing’s current COVID-19 strategy, including the “closed-loop” system that physically separates participants from the local population, was working well, said Huang Chun, from the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. “The overall situation remains under control,” said Huang, who is in charge of pandemic prevention efforts. He added there was no plan to seal off Beijing or the neighboring province of Hebei.
China cuts additional flights from the United States: China on Wednesday ordered the suspension of six flights from the U.S. in coming weeks after a surge in passengers testing positive for COVID-19. So far this year, China’s aviation regulator has already cancelled 70 U.S.-originating flights in a schedule that has already been cut back drastically. The six newly suspended flights include two additional United Airlines flights from San Francisco to Shanghai and four China Southern Airlines flights from Los Angeles to Guangzhou from the week of Jan. 31, a move that would also affect return flights in February. Before the latest cancellations, three U.S. airlines and four Chinese carriers were operating about 20 flights a week between the countries, well below the figure of more than 100 per week before the pandemic.
Jail sentences for cargo handlers accused of introducing COVID: Three persons in charge of a cargo handling company in the port city Dalian, whose violations of epidemic prevention led to the spread of COVID-19 from cold-chain goods to society in 2020, were given prison sentences varying from 39 to 57 months last Friday.
Update on the lockdown in Xi’an: The city of 13 million remains in strict lockdown for a third week even as daily cases have dropped to the single digits. Local authorities faced a public outcry over perceived incompetence and disproportionately harsh measures. Over the past three weeks, posts have flooded Chinese social media by Xi’an residents saying they have not received food, basic supplies, and even medical care.
Lockdown in Yuzhou: Three asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 were enough for local authorities to lock down this city of almost 1.2 million people in central Henan province on Monday. All Yuzhou residents have been ordered to stay inside and residential communities have sentries posted at gates to enforce the quarantine. Public transport has been suspended and all shops, entertainment and leisure venues have been closed. Yuzhou is 700 km south-west of Beijing, where the winter Olympics are to open on Feb. 4. Yuzhou officials have said “to curb and quash the epidemic within the shortest amount of time is a high-priority political task” for both citizens and government employees.
New pre-departure rules for China-bound travelers: Now, all travelers—to include foreigners and PRC nationals—are required to stay at their city of departure for seven days for personal health observation. During this period, the travelers are also required to complete two rounds of pre-flight tests at designated testing agencies — on the first day of the seven-day stay, and within 48 hours prior to their flight, respectively. For passengers who received inactivated COVID-19 vaccines, such as those developed by China-produced Sinopharm and Sinovac, travelers must conduct two rounds of nucleic acid testing (NATs) during the personal health observation period. For the unvaccinated and those who received non-inactivated vaccines, including Pfizer and Moderna, travelers must first complete a round of nucleic acid testing and then a round of combined testing, including NAT, and IgM antibody tests against the spike(S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins.
Quest for homegrown mRNA vaccine: Progress towards a domestic mRNA vaccine in China has been slow, as the country’s pharmaceutical companies opted initially to use traditional inactivated virus technology in vaccines. But, China’s race to develop its own messenger RNA vaccine has gained greater urgency of late as Beijing struggles to rein in outbreaks of the Omicron and Delta variants that are threatening its zero-COVID policy. in November, Chinese biotech company Suzhou Abogen Biosciences and its partner Walvax Biotechnology received regulatory approval to test their mRNA vaccine candidate in a booster trial. Pre-clinical trial data showed the Walvax and Abogen vaccine candidate, which is called ARCoV, produced a robust antibody response against coronavirus during the animal testing phase. No data on the more conclusive later-stage trials on human subjects has been published. Even if China rolls out an mRNA vaccine as a booster, experts warn that it may not be a silver bullet that gives authorities the confidence to end its zero-COVID policy, given breakthrough infections of individuals immunized with mRNA shots.
Sinovac’s effectiveness against Omicron is “inadequate”: Two doses of the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine, one of the most commonly used jabs in China and around the world, provide “insufficient” antibodies against the Omicron coronavirus variant, according to researchers in Hong Kong. The findings from a study released by the University of Hong Kong have stoked anxiety as Omicron surges in many parts of the globe and the first two cases were detected in mainland China this week. China has administered more than 2.5bn doses of a Covid-19 vaccine — most of them Sinovac or Sinopharm — and adopted a “zero Covid” strategy that has subjected vast numbers of people to compulsory government quarantine. The new coronavirus strain had already raised questions over the efficacy of Chinese vaccines and Beijing’s ability to keep the virus under control. “[Omicron] has left the Chinese vaccines even more ineffective against the threat posed by Covid,” said Nicholas Thomas, an associate professor at the City University of Hong Kong who specializes in Chinese foreign policy and health security in Asia.
Mixing of booster shots to be permitted: China will allow the mixing of Covid-19 vaccines for its booster shots drive, with an “an optimal immunization combination” to be introduced very soon, a senior health official said. The new strategy will help to reduce severe illness and deaths from Covid-19 and win the country time to adjust its strict pandemic controls, National Health Commission official Zheng Zhongwei told state broadcaster CCTV on Monday. China has thus far prohibited the mixing and matching of vaccines, or sequential immunization, despite studies around the world on its effectiveness and some countries recommending such a regimen. CanSino is likely to benefit from the possible strategy change on booster doses, as its single-dose shot is the only approved vaccine to use a different technology from the inactivated varieties. Zheng’s remarks also offer hope for possible regulatory approval for an mRNA vaccine jointly developed by Germany’s BioNTech and China’s Fosun Pharma.
China’s economy: Goldman Sachs cut its forecast for China’s economic growth this year to 4.3% due to the increased difficulty of containing the more-contagious omicron coronavirus variant. The downgrade from the bank’s previous projection of 4.8% incorporates a 0.9 percentage point drag from COVID-related restrictions, which will be partly offset by monetary and fiscal easing, economists including Goldman’s chief China economist Hui Shan said in a note. The negative impact from infections and restrictions as China pursues a policy of virus elimination will mostly be felt in the first quarter of 2022, the economists said. They see a rebound in the following three months, assuming that outbreaks can be controlled more easily after the winter months and as booster vaccinations are more widely deployed.
S.-China relations: China and the United States have reached a “stalemate” in the process to resume trade talks despite the expiry of the purchases deal under the Phase One agreement last week, with no clear indication from either Beijing or Washington of when the silence will be broken. A long-awaited new round of talks between China’s chief trade negotiator, Vice-Premier Liu He, and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has yet to happen. Liu last met Tai and Yellen via separate video calls in October before the high-profile talk between Xi Jinping and US counterpart Joe Biden in mid-November. “Now [China and the US] are in a stalemate, since everyone is clear that the atmosphere for negotiations has not formed yet,” said Huo Jianguo, the former head of a think tank under China’s Ministry of Commerce. “If [China] is more proactive, there might be some changes, since the negotiations are actually more beneficial to us.”
Weekly COVID-19 statistics: 36,317,927 total cases, 1,117,531 active cases/ 485,035 deaths/discharged 34,715,361 (John Hopkins & MoHFW) as compared to 35,109,286 total cases, 285,401 active cases/ 482,876 deaths/discharged 34,341,009 last week. 1,546,139,465 doses have been administered.
Vaccine developerBharat Biotechon Wednesday, January 12 announced that the administration of Covaxin booster dose after six months from primary two-doses can effectively neutralize both Omicron and Delta Covid variants based on the results obtained from a study conducted at Emory University. Earlier studies had demonstrated the neutralizing potential of Covaxin against the identified SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern-Alpha, Beta, Delta, Zeta and Kappa.
A government healthexperton Tuesday, January 11 said that IIT’s modelling has shown Covid cases will increase rapidly in the coming days. Dr NK Arora, Chairman of the Covid-19 Working Group of NTAGI said that maintaining Covid appropriate behaviour is a must. “Covid appropriate behaviour and vaccination coverage are two factors to contain its spread,” he said. While speaking o the Omicron variant of coronavirys, he said that there are 3-4 sub-lineages of the variant. “These sub-lineages could be different when it comes to diagnosis but their epidemiological behaviour is same,” he said.
Delhi recorded 23 deaths due to Covid-19 on Tuesday, January 11, thehighestin nearly seven months. In the past three days alone, the city has recorded 57 deaths due to the viral infection. Hospitals say while most people are recovering from Covid-19 at home, they are still getting a significant number of patients who are requiring oxygen and ventilator support. “The severity of disease may be lower in proportion to the number of cases, but the absolute number of such patients remains high as the infection has spread at a rapid speed this time compared with the first and the second waves of the pandemic,” Dr Suresh Kumar, medical director of Lok Nayak Hospital said.
Home rapid antigentesting kitsfor Covid have seen a jump in sales in the city as cases have surged again in the current wave of pandemic, but there has been a gap in reading this data with the health department saying it has no way of capturing it unless a patient voluntarily reports it. Now, the companies making the kits have fixed this issue and are sending the data of users directly to the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) portal. The Union ministry of health and family welfare, in a recent letter to all states and Union territories, had recommended the use of self- tests for symptomatic individuals.
Almost one-third of districts are showing a high testpositivity rateof over 5%, a criteria to gauge high SARS-CoV-2 spread. The number of districts reporting a test positivity rate of over 10% has gone up 328% in a week from 28 to 120. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s district-wise statistics for the week of January 3-9 reveal that about 226 of the 733 districts in India are reporting a high test positivity of over 5%. Of the 226 districts, 120 districts across 29 states are reporting a positivity of over 10%. In the week ending January 3, about 28 districts across 10 states were reporting over 10% positivity rate.
The demand for vitamin and zinc supplements, paracetamol and cough syrups has shot up by 15-20% across the country over the last few days, according to All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), as Covid-19 infections surge once again. “We have seen a jump of 15-20% in the sale of multi-vitamins, zinc tablets, paracetamol and cough syrups, “ said Rajiv Singhal, general secretary, AIOCD. According to doctors, as the Covid-19 cases start to increase, people start taking these immunity boosters as a precautionary measure, as they see them as beneficial measure for immunity, including reducing the risk of respiratory infections.
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) informed the state drug controllers, zonal offices of Central Drugs Control Standard Organization (CDSCO), and the drug manufacturers in the country to keep a watch and vigil on the distribution and sale of suspected spurious tocilizumab injections, one of the medicines used for the management of Covid-19. Following a complaints from Roche Products India Pvt. Ltd. Regarding distribution and sale of suspected spurious tocilizumab injection in the country.
A majority of Covid patients during this Omicron -driven surge of infections have so far shown mild symptoms that can bemanagedat home with symptomatic treatment, an AIIMS doctor said on Monday, January 10 and stressed that anti-viral pill Molnupiravir is no magic drug for the disease. There is no specific drug against Covid-19 as of now and the treatment still remains symptomatic said Dr Neeraj Naschal, an additional director in the department of medicine at AIIMS. All that is needed is close supervision of patients, especially those who are at risk such as the elderly with comorbidities and those who are still not yet vaccinated, he said.
Leading Cvid-19 task forcemembers and health experts treating coronavirus patients across the country said on Monday, January 10 that the Covid antiviral drug molnupiravir is reducing hospitalization by 30-50%,a s well as the severity of the disease. Days after ICMR chief Dr Balram Bhargava said that molnupiravir has major health safety concerns, some of India’s top health experts said the benefits of the drug outweigh potential risks. Studies so far have shown no convincing side effects among humans, they said Late last year, India’s drug regulatory, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), had approved molnuriparavir for restricted use in emergency situations.
Contacts of confirmedcasesdo not need to get tested unless identified as “high risk” based on age or comorbidities, according to a new government advisory. The ICMR Advisory on Purposive Testing Strategy for Covid-19 also said individuals undertaking inter-state domestic travels do not need to get tested either. It said testing can be undertaken either through RT-PCR, TrueNat, CBNAAT, CRISPR, RT-LAMP, Rapid Molecular Testing Systems or through Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).
Five to 10 per cent of the active Covid cases this time so far neededhospitalizationbut the situation is dynamic and may change rapidly, the Centre sain on Monday, January 10 and asked states to keep a watch on cases under home isolation and in hospitals. During the second surge of Covid infections in the country, the percentage of active cases that needed hospital care were in the range of 20-23 per cent, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in a letter to states and Union Territories.
As the country is witnessing a spikein the coronavirus spread driven by its Omicron variant, today the precautionary (booster) Covid-19 vaccine dose will be given to healthcare and frontline workers, and those over 60 years of age with co-morbidities. The Union Health Ministry has already said that the precautionary Covid-19 vaccine dose will be the same vaccine as administered previously in the first two doses. So, if a person has been jabbed with two shots of Covishield, he will be administered the third shot of Covishield only.
In Aprillastyear, as India was desperately struggling to come to grips with the Delta wave coursing through the country, over 900 scientists wrote an appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his intervention to address the lack of availability of data, which has hampered pandemic management. The letter emphasized the need for “The systematic collection and timely release” of data under four broad heads: large scale demonic surveillance of new variants, testing and clinical data, clinical outcomes of hospitalized patients and the immune response to vaccination in the population.
Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL), a global leader in vaccine innovation and developer of vaccines for infectious diseases , Saturday announced that Covaxin whole-virion inactivated Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial report demonstrated long term safety with no serious adverse events as a booster dose. The Hyderabad based company has conducted a phase 2, double blind, randomized controlled trial on the resistance of immunity and impact ofa third (Booster) dose of an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, BBV152 Covaxin.
Doctors have appealed to people with influenza like illness (ILI) or upper respiratory infection (URI) to get Covid tests done. Doctors said such symptoms cannot be ignored and such patients should isolate themselves. They said they are clinically examining symptoms of patients before advising Covid-19 tests. They have also urged patients to stay at home until they test negative as the Omicron variant, which is driving the Covid-19 surge in the state is spreading fast. Many patients, who have ILI or UI symptoms, are avoiding Covid-19 tests, which could spread the virus as they do not isolate them.
National health experts feel that though Covid-19 cases may peak in India very soon, the current wave driven by the Omicron variant of the virus may ebb equally fast. “Global data and our own experience during the past five weeks reveal that the infection caused by Omicron is mostly either asymptomatic or mild. Few serious ill hospitalized patients either had other co-morbidities or are over 60 years of age. The overall hospitalization rate for people affected by Omicron is 1-2%, which is much less to the rate of people requiring care in hospital during the Covid wave caused by the delta,” Dr. NK Arora, chairman of the Covid-19 working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization.
Weekly COVID-19 statistics – 1,812,318 total reported cases and 18,428 total reported deaths compared to 1,744,493 total reported cases and 18,411 total reported deaths the previous week.
The number of new cases in Japan grew rapidly over the past week albeit from a low base. Japan had over 13,000 new cases on January 12, the highest number of new cases since September 2021.
Much of this growth has been in Tokyo, Osaka, and areas near U.S. military bases, including Okinawa.
Japan has banned new entries by foreigners worldwide since Nov. 30 due to the omicron variant. Even entry of spouses and children of Japanese nationals or permanent residents are denied unless they are in "special exceptional circumstances."
Japan has fully vaccinated 79% of its population.
Japan started administering third doses of COVID-19 vaccine in December to medical workers who had their second doses at least 8 months ago.
Japan has approved the Moderna vaccine booster shots for those 18+ years old who got their second doses at least six months ago. It previously approved the Pfizer vaccine booster for the same cohort.
Japan is easing its quarantine restrictions for travelers entering the country who been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer, Moderna, or Astra Zeneca vaccines. They will no longer be required to self-isolate in designated facilities for 3 days before completing a 14-day quarantine. Instead, they will need to self-quarantine at home for 10 days and then pass a PCR test.
Korea added 4,167 cases today to reach 679,030. Just over 90% of the cases were locally transmitted, with the remainder originating from overseas.
44,429,466 first doses (86.6% of the population), 43,303,358 second doses (84.4% of the population) and 22,101,847 third doses (43.1% of the population) of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Korea.
Descriptions with links for updated COVID policies appear below --
Starting January 13, all international arrivals into Korea must provide a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure. Those who do not comply with this new requirement will be denied boarding at the departure airport. Exceptions apply to those with a quarantine exemption certificate which will be issued on a strictly limited basis.
Starting January 3, 2022, the COVID-19 vaccine pass will expire after six months since the last vaccination date. A booster shot will be required within six months to be recognized as fully vaccinated for the COVID-19 vaccine pass purposes.
Korea has extended the existing social distancing measures for another two weeks, limiting gatherings to 4 people nationwide until January 16.
International Arrival Quarantine Measures - Extended to February 3, 2022
All international arrivals into Korea must undergo a 10-day quarantineregardless of their nationality and vaccination status until February 3, 2022. Quarantine exemption certificatescan be issued for important business trips, diplomatic visits, and other humanitarian reasons.
The latest entry and exit requirements for travel between the U.S. and Korea can be found at the US Embassy website.
The US has placed sanctions on North Korea following North Korea’s latest missile test and encouraged other countries to join the move.
South Korea will consider introducing a new visa category for foreign startup entrepreneurs to vitalize the domestic startup ecosystem, Seoul's justice minister said Wednesday. At a South Korea-Germany startup industry roundtable meeting in Berlin, Wednesday (local time), Minister Park Beom-kye said his ministry would "review the adoption of a startup visa." "In order to vitalize our startup ecosystem, we need to have an influx of foreigners who want to launch startups in South Korea," Park said. "We need to offer (startup visas) in order to achieve this," he added.
ASEAN now has 15,495,095 total reported cases and 309,199 total reported deaths compared to 15,054,418 total reported cases and 306,361 total reported deaths last week.
ASEAN had twice as many new cases last week as the week before. The Philippines is experiencing a surge and the number of new cases in Vietnam remains high.
Indonesia: While cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant continue to grow in Indonesia, the country has so far avoided the massive surges seen in other countries. Experts have questioned the official data, speculating the variant is far more widespread than reported and anticipating a third virus wave in the near term. Indonesia is now reporting 4,268,890 total cases and 144,155 total deaths compared to 4,264,669 total cases and 144,116 total deaths the previous week. Indonesia accounts for 47% of total deaths in ASEAN since the start of the pandemic.
Malaysia: Malaysia has yet to see a spike in COVID-19 cases from the Omicron variant but is taking preventative steps, including imposing stricter rules on social gatherings, cutting booster interval times, and requiring boosters for high-risk groups. New cases and deaths are growing at a fairly low rate. Malaysia is reporting 2,795,233 total cases and 31,738 total deaths compared to 2,773,156 total cases and 31,609 total deaths the previous week.
Thailand: Thailand reported its highest daily number of new cases since October 31. The country reported 2,300,457 total cases and 21,886 total deaths compared to 2,245,250 total cases and 21,780 total deaths the previous week.
Philippines: A COVID-19 spike has disrupted businesses in the Philippines, with banks, malls, and airlines reducing operations and some schools suspending online classes due to staff sickness, as authorities announced a third day of record new cases on Monday. According to a statement from the Health Under Secretary, the healthcare system is at risk of being overwhelmed. The Philippines reported 3,092,409 total cases and 52,736 total deaths compared to 2,888,917 total cases and 51,743 total deaths the previous week.
Vietnam: Vietnam continues to experience a large number of cases and deaths. The country reported 1,958,719 total cases and 34,964 total deaths compared to 1,817,721 total cases and 33,475 total deaths the previous week.
Singapore: The growth in new cases and deaths in Singapore has started to decline somewhat. It is now reporting 288,125 total cases and 839 total deaths compared to 282,401 total cases and 834 total deaths the previous week.
Cambodia: Omicron has reached Cambodia, with the Ministry of Health reporting 15 new variant cases. The Prime Minister has urged high-risk groups in Phnom Penh to receive the fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine beginning January 14. Since November, Cambodia has reopened all socio-economic activities, buoyed by its high vaccination rate of at least one dose for nearly 90% of the population. Cambodia reported 120,718 total cases and 3,015 total deaths compared to 120,553 total cases and 3,015 total deaths the previous week.
Laos: Laos detected its first case of the Omicron variant last week. New cases and deaths continue to grow in Laos at a higher rate than in the past. Laos reported 122,241 total cases and 471 total deaths compared to 114,787 total cases and 409 total deaths the previous week.
Vaccinations
Indonesia authorized the Pfizer vaccine for emergency use on July 15. Only 43.1% of the population is fully vaccinated.
Malaysia now has one of the highest vaccination rates in the region. The government announced that civil servants may face disciplinary action or termination if they fail to complete the COVID-19 vaccination process. Malaysia has fully vaccinated 79.3% of its population.
The Philippines has considerable vaccine resistance. Polls show that fewer than one third of Filipinos are willing to be vaccinated due to fears of the potential side effects. Currently, only 49.2% of the population is fully vaccinated.
Singapore has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world. Currently, 87% of the population is fully vaccinated. The country announced that it will cease covering the medical costs of patients who are eligible to get vaccinated but choose not to. It is also considering tightening restrictions on those who decline to receive the vaccine – beginning January 1, unvaccinated employees will be barred from entering the workplace, unless they undergo tests each time.
Thailand began a mass vaccination program using the AstraZeneca vaccine on June 7. Currently, 65.1% of its citizens have been fully vaccinated.
Vietnam has fully vaccinated 57.9% of its population to date. A Vietnamese pharmaceutical company has begun second phase trials on a coronavirus vaccine.
Cambodia: 81.9% of the population has been fully vaccinated, making it the second-highest country with total inoculation in Southeast Asia, after Singapore.
Travel
Singapore and Malaysia reopened one of the world's busiest land borders to vaccinated travelers after nearly two years.
Singapore is not allowing visitors who have a 14-day travel history to Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa.
Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) is now available to fully vaccinated visitors from nearly a dozen countries, including Brunei, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United States.
Singaporean officials reiterated in early January that there were no plans to tighten travel restrictions, noting that imposing harsher rules and shutting its travel lanes could affect Singapore’s reputation and might not even improve the situation.
Indonesia: Visitors from 14 countries are barred from entering Indonesia under current travel restrictions, including South Africa, Botswana, Norway, France, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini, Lesotho, the United Kingdom, and Denmark.
Thailand’s quarantine-free visa program for vaccinated visitors has been suspended indefinitely as new cases jump.
Malaysia and Singapore announced that they will launch a vaccinated travel lane (VTL) between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Nov 29.
Vietnam announced the resumption of international flights between nine destinations deemed to have “high vaccination rates and good pandemic control.” The destinations include China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, and the United States. On January 5, Ho Chi Minh City and the central province of Binh Dinh received approval from the government to reopen to foreign visitors this month. However, although Vietnam has resumed some regular international flight routes, many remain uncertain of how to get approvals to enter or face issues at entry points due to unexpected and inconsistent requirements.
Philippines: Fully vaccinated international travelers from countries classified as “green” (low-risk) will no longer be required to undergo facility-based quarantine if they provide a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours of their departure.
Cambodia: Effective 29 November, all travelers who have been physically present or have transited Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Angola, and Zambia are prohibited entry into Cambodia.
Other than the above, those who have received a second COVID-19 vaccine shot of any sort can now travel anywhere in Cambodia. Travelers will have to show their negative test 72 hours before travel and have two vaccine doses. Cambodia has lifted all quarantine requirements for vaccinated inbound travelers entering Cambodia by air, waterway, or land border checkpoints. Travelers will be required to take a rapid antigen test on arrival. Those who are unvaccinated will be quarantined for 14 days.
Brunei: Brunei had planned to lift its 21-month ban on non-essential air travel as of January 1, but the government postponed the plan, removing all countries in the green travel list (Australia, China, Singapore, and the UK) amid fears over the Omicron COVID-19 variant.
Large scale negative trends continue in Europe, with dramatic spiking and several countries reporting record numbers of new cases. Deaths and deaths per million are also significantly increasing but not at a rate commensurate with the dramatic increases in cases, which seems to support that Omicron may be less deadly than prior strains, but is nonetheless much more transmissible. The huge surge in cases means hospital capacity in many EU countries is non-existent.
The UK is back in the lead with the most new cases, and by a wide margin. France, Russia, Germany, and Spain round out the top 5 in Europe. The Russian reported figures of only 72,492 cases per million are far below virtually any other country in Europe. Experts believe the reported numbers from Russia are highly inaccurate, and that the situation in Russia is 7 to 10 times worse in terms of fatalities due to significant under-reporting. Russia’s current reporting of only 15,772 new cases per day appears to be fictional.
New Daily Case numbers appear in the chart below, and in this section are also compared to the pre-Christmas break are as follows: France 361,119 (332,252); Spain 179,125 (137,180); Russia 17,946 (15,772); UK 128,435 (194,738); Italy 196,186 (189,098); Germany 80,542 (63,191); and Belgium 21,311 (18,630).
In terms of total cases in Europe, see chart below for the specific numbers. The UK has the most COVID cases, followed by France, Russia, Italy, Spain and Germany. Poland, Ukraine, Netherlands and Czech Republic round out the top ten.
In terms of cases per million in Europe, numbers are up across the continent. Czech Republic is the 6th highest in Europe with 237,517. The UK is 7th highest with 217,132. Ireland is 9th with 207,524. Netherlands is 10th with 199,624. Belgium is 12th with 197,813.
The UK continues to be fourth worst in the world in terms of total cases, behind USA, India, and Brazil. France and Russia are in fifth and sixth positions in total cases.
In terms of deaths per day, Russia remains by the highest in Europe, at 745. Poland is second with 684. The UK is third with 398. Germany is now 4th with 331. Russia has had a consistent lead for a long time in deaths per day, which contrasts with most of its other reported numbers. Along with Russia, Poland, Germany, UK, Italy, France, Ukraine, and Spain comprise the top 8 countries in Europe in deaths per day.
In terms of deaths per million, Belgium is the 24rd worst in the world with 2,446. Italy is 25th, with 2,319. The UK is 31st with 2,207. Other rankings in this category are Spain, 38th, and France 39th. (The US ranks 19th with 2,596 deaths per million).
The figures for deaths per day (which tend to lag any increased infection rates) are as follows: Russia 745 (828); UK 398 (343); France 246 (246); Spain 125 (148); Italy 313 (183); Germany 331 (431); Belgium 21 (22).
Germany continues to lead Europe in the number of vaccine doses administered with over 156 million doses and almost 72% fully vaccinated. German authorities are encountering resistance from many Germans who do not want to be vaccinated. Russia is now second in Europe with over 148 million vaccine doses administered and but only just under 47% fully vaccinated (and virtually all with their Sputnik vaccine). The UK has administered almost 136 million doses and is 70.1% fully vaccinated. France has administered over 128 million doses and is now over 74.6% fully vaccinated. Italy has administered over 117 million doses and is just shy of 75% fully vaccinated. Spain has administered over 86 million doses and is over 81% fully vaccinated. These numbers continue to increase, but the rate of increase has slowed in many places, such as Germany and the UK, due to population segments who refuse to get vaccinated.
Some European countries have taken steps to target the unvaccinated, and additional programs are being rolled out to get young children vaccinated. France and Italy have restricted access to bars, restaurants and other public places to those who have been vaccinated, have recently recovered, or have tested negative. Germany has implemented measures that even the unvaccinated who test negative are excluded from some public places.
Spain has capped the price of COVID test kits in the face of an enormous surge in demand. The move comes after an outcry during the Christmas holidays when demand for rapid antigen tests outpaced supply.
The maximum price for the kits on sale at pharmacies from Saturday will be €2.94, Health Minister Carolina Darias told a news conference. The price cap aimed to make self-tests “as accessible as possible while ensuring they are available at pharmacies,” Darias added.
Greek residents over the age of 60 have until Sunday (January 16) to complete their vaccination course or risk being fined €100 for every month they remain unvaccinated under a government mandate announced in November. Meanwhile, the government issued an emergency order that took effect on Wednesday (January 12) forcing some private doctors specialised in pathology, pulmonology and anesthesiology to support the state health service. The order affects four regions in Northern Greece where state hospitals are suffering acute staffing shortages.
Turkey reported its highest number of daily COVID-19 infections since the start of the pandemic on January 5 as the rapidly spreading Omicron variant takes hold. The Health Ministry recorded 66,467 new cases and 143 deaths in the past 24 hours. The previous peak, reached on 16 April 2021, was 63,082 infections. Despite the surge, the country is far from considering introducing new restrictions but is urging people to continue to wear masks and to practice social distancing.
The Netherlands has been back under a strict nationwide lockdown since December 19 with all nonessential stores, bars, restaurants, cinemas, theaters and museums ordered to close their doors. The lockdown is in place until at least the end of January 14. Prime minister Mark Rutte said then that the move was “unavoidable because of the fifth wave caused by the Omicron variant that is bearing down on us”.
Ireland issued an 8 pm curfew on pubs and restaurants in order to curb rising COVID-19 cases from December 19. Indoor events are restricted with limits on the capacity for all events. Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Omicron was going to cause a "massive rise in infections" with more than a third of the country's new cases due to the new variant. The measures will last until at least 30 January.
Health authorities in Switzerland announced on December 31 that cantons could reduce the quarantine of contact cases to seven days from the previous ten and limit it to "people who live in the same household or have been in intimate contact with a person who has tested positive". Switzerland has already restricted public life for those who are unvaccinated. Only people who are vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 will be able to access restaurants, cultural venues, or other indoor events. Private family gatherings should be limited to ten people.
The Austrian government, frustrated at the country's relatively low vaccine uptake, has made the vaccine mandatory for all adults from February. Austria lifted its lockdown on December 12 for people with a "2G" pass, meaning they were vaccinated against COVID-19 or recently recovered from the illness. People without the certificate are only allowed to leave their homes to go to work or for other essential purposes. There is a 10 pm curfew for restaurants and an FFP2 mask is required on public transport and in indoor spaces.
More than half of people in Europe will likely catch Omicron by March, the World Health Organization said Tuesday (January 11), as the World Bank warned the contagious variant could hamper global economic recovery.
The European Commission is actively exploring the joint purchase of the new antiviral pills that can be taken at home to treat mild and moderate COVID-19, even if some EU countries are moving forward with their own agreements. The two pills, Pfizer's Paxlovid and Merck's Molnupiravir (also known as Lagevrio), have been touted as a revolutionary step in the fight against coronavirus as the highly contagious Omicron variants sends infections numbers to record highs across the world. The medicine prevents the virus from multiplying and reduces the severity of the disease.
European Union guidance (nonbinding) has recommended a pause on all non-essential travel from the US as Covid-19 cases surge. The recommendation is nonbinding, meaning individual countries will be allowed to decide if they still wish to allow US visitors with proof of vaccination, negative tests, or quarantine.
All EU Member States are issuing and verifying a COVID Digital Certificate in a bid to boost tourism across the region this summer and beyond. The EU’s COVID Digital Certificate is an EU-wide scheme for travel within the EU, and is available in digital or paper form, free of charge. https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/coronavirus-response/safe-covid-19-vaccines-europeans/eu-digital-covid-certificate_en. EU citizens and their families, and legal EU residents, may use it. There are discussions underway to allow US and UK citizens to obtain and use the digital certificates. The pass is proof that a person has: Been vaccinated against COVID-19; Tested negative for COVID-19; and/or Recovered from COVID-19.
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT ON SWISS LABELING REQUIREMENTS. We are happy to we have made progress and have good news to report on the labeling requirements that were to be imposed by the Swiss on imported medical products, beginning December 31, 2021. There is now a transitional period for MDR products and more reasonable labeling requirements for MDD/AIMD products, as follows:
Medical devices under old legislation (MDD/AIMD products).
MDD/AIMD products of all classes: The Swiss authorized representative (CH-REP) and importer may now, for example, also be listed on the delivery note / packing slip (a declaration directly on the product, packaging, or instructions for use is no longer obligatory).
Medical devices under new regulation (MDR products).
MDR products of all classes: The Swiss authorised representative (CH-REP) must be indicated on the product or packaging (e.g. label). The importer may now, for example, also be listed on the delivery note / packing slip (a declaration directly on the product, packaging, or instructions for use is no longer obligatory).
MDR Class I products: A transitional period until 31 July 2023 has been granted for the declaration of the Swiss authorized representative (CH-REP) on the product or packaging (e.g. label). Until then, such information declared on the delivery note / packing slip will likewise be accepted.
Swiss Medtech summary of current state of play for devices moving into and out of Switzerland from the EU: pdf (swiss-medtech.ch).
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS ON IVDR. We also have good news to report on IVDR. The proposal of the European Commission to extend the IVDR transition period is now fully supported by both European Parliament (15 December) and Council (20 December). The next step will be the publication of the amendment in the Official Journal of the EU. At that point, the amendment will fully apply in all EU Member States from the date of its publication.
The effect of the adoption of the proposal will include the following:
Extending the IVDR transitional provisions by between 3-6 years depending on IVD risk class (except class A non-sterile);
Maintaining the date of application. All class A (non-sterile) devices including instrumentation, will need to comply with the IVD Regulation by 26 May 2022 in order to be placed on the market after that date;
Postponing the applicability of most requirements for health institutions (in-house assays) by 2-7 years.
As infection rates surge in parts of Europe, the EU will limit the validity of its flagship Covid-19 certificate to nine months. The pass is designed to allow for restriction free travel within the bloc but certain countries are stepping up restrictions.
The certificate will be valid for just nine months after the holder became fully vaccinated, Reuters reported. That means after two shots of a two dose vaccine such as Pfizer or Moderna or after one shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. After a booster shot, the validity of the COVID-19 pass will be extended further without a set limit.
The new rule could still be blocked by a qualified majority of EU governments or a simple majority of European Parliament members, but Reuters reports that officials have said there is sufficient support for it. If passed, the new rules will be binding on the 27 EU states from Feb 1st.
The EU currently allows all travelers with proof of vaccination into the EU, with some restrictions. Please check if you intend to travel as these situations can change rapidly. See link for full explanation: COVID-19: travel from third countries into the EU - Consilium (europa.eu). For incoming US travelers, EU countries in most instances now allow entry with proof of vaccination and/or a negative COVID-19 test result. Those showing proof of vaccination can enter in most instances without restrictions. Again, please check before you travel as situations can change.
In the UK, the number of patients on waiting lists in hospitals around England has reached six million for the first time.
NHS England has confirmed the private sector will receive £225 million from January to March to increase reserve capacity due to a rise in Covid-19 cases.
The UK and India have started negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement in New Delhi.
Foreign Minister, Liz Truss will meet with European Commission Vice President, Maroš Šefčovič today (January 13).
A senior medic has warned of ‘overcrowding’ in emergencydepartments with patients waiting on trolleys for over 12 hours.
Danny Mortimer, Chief Executive of NHS Employers hassaid staff shortages will challenge recovery in the NHS.
US Trade Representative Katherine Taisaid the US is not ‘rushing’ to sign a deal to ease tariffs on British steel and aluminum.
The government have opened a consultation on a future trade deal with the Gulf Co-Operation Council.
The UK and Italy have started talks on a new export and investment partnership.
The self-isolation period for people who test positive for Covid-19 is being cut to five full days in England, Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said. From Monday, people will be able to leave isolation after negative lateral flow tests on days five and six. Ministers had touted the move as a way to reduce staffing pressures in some sectors, including the NHS. The self-isolation period was cut from 10 to seven days with negative tests on days six and seven back in December.
Testing requirements are eased for fully vaccinated arrivals to England from open countries, who will no longer have to take a COVID-19 test before traveling. Travelers will still need a test after landing, but from the end October an inexpensive lateral flow test will suffice, rather than a more sensitive - but pricier - PCR test.
Unvaccinated travelers will still have to self-isolate for 10 days, as well as taking coronavirus tests before and after their trips. In a boost to tourism, Britain said it will recognize vaccinations given in 17 more countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan and South Korea. It previously had recognized only shots given in the U.K., the U.S. and the European Union.
A wide range of waiting times data has been released by the British government as part of its return to treatment initiative. The number of people waiting for over a year for treatment in England has reached its highest levels since 2008. The official and detailed data from NHS England on waiting times can be found here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/.
If you are experiencing issues with exporting goods to the UK from the EU, or to the EU from the UK, please let us know immediately and advise the UK’s Border and Protocol Delivery Group at this e-mail address: enquiries@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
German police carried out raids on the homes of about 100 patients of a doctor alleged to have issued vaccination certificates without giving the shots.
Protesters against pandemic restrictions have changed their strategy, seeking to bypass regulations by marching in small groups. But these protests have begun to more frequently turn violent, as occurred in a recent protest in Saxony.
Four German states are going to the polls in 2022, which means four chances for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to repair the damage inflicted in last September's catastrophic general election.
Germany on Thursday reported a record of more than 81,000 COVID-19 infections in a day as the government's coronavirus crisis manager warned of possible bottlenecks in testing. The previous daily record was on Wednesday with 80,430 new cases (noted in chart above). Thursday's death toll also rose by 316 to reach 115,051. The head of Germany's federal coronavirus crisis team Carsten Breuer said workers in critical infrastructure sectors will be prioritized if COVID-19 testing capacity tightens.
Omicron has become Germany's dominant coronavirus variant accounting for 73.3 % of cases nationwide compared with 44.3 % seven days ago, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases wrote in its weekly report on Thursday. The long-dominant Delta variant now accounts for just 25.9 % of cases, the RKI said.
BVMed, the German MedTech association, expects the new German government to ensure that the core topics of the future-oriented medical technology industry are also reflected in the coalition agreement for the new legislative period. In the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR), BVMed is lobbying for an "addendum" in order to establish solutions for the transition periods as well as existing and niche products. In order to strengthen Germany as a medical technology location, BVMed is proposing a "Medtech 2030 Initiative" to the new German government to coordinate measures between research, economic, labor, and health policy.
According to a recent industry survey by BVMed, the MDR is already having a dramatic impact on the medtech market. More than 70 percent of BVMed member companies have discontinued individual medical devices or entire product lines due to the new MDR regulations. This is the result of a BVMed survey in which 88 member companies participated. More than 55 percent of the companies indicated that previous suppliers have already discontinued their business activities due to the MDR.
Schools have shut across France as teachers stage a mass strike in protest against the government's handling of the coronavirus crisis. French ministers have made keeping schools open a priority, despite a recent surge in Covid-19 cases, fueled by the Omicron variant. Teachers say Covid rules in school are confusing and constantly changing. The government said almost 40% of primary teachers and 24% of secondary teachers had walked out on Thursday. But those figures were well below estimates by unions, which said they expected about 75% of primary teachers to go on strike.
French holiday bookings have jumped after Paris said it would ease restrictions on UK travelers, travel firms have said. Airline Jet2 said it had seen a "sharp" rise in bookings and searches for flights to French skiing destinations. And Tour operator Tui said ski bookings doubled on Wednesday following reports the rules would change.
Starting Friday, France will not require vaccinated Britons to document a compelling reason to enter France or self-isolate when they arrive. They will only need to present a negative Covid-19 test taken 24 hours before leaving the UK.
France’s Senate voted early Thursday morning to pass an amended version of a bill that would transform the country’s health pass into a stricter “vaccine pass”. The vote, chaired by Senate President Gérard Larcher of the right-wing Républicans, followed two long days of relatively calm debate, contrasting with the turbulent climate that had surrounded the bill’s adoption last week in the National Assembly.
Under the bill, French residents will be required to prove their vaccination status to access restaurants and bars, cultural venues, or interregional public transport. A negative Covid-19 test will no longer be sufficient, except for access to health facilities and services.
French schoolchildren will be allowed to do self-tests instead of a PCR test if one of their classmates tests positive for coronavirus, as a surge in Covid-19 infections has made the health protocol in the education sector too heavy, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Monday. "This will have an effect on the queues [outside pharmacies]", Castex told France 2 television in an interview. "I have understood the worries of parents, teachers and school headmasters", Castex told France 2 television, after a surge in cases due to the Omicron variant led to chaos and paralysis in French schools over the last week.
"Today, 10,452 classes had to close. If we were to shut down classes as soon as there is one first case, bearing in mind the explosion of Omicron, all French schools would be closed in a matter of days", Castex said. From now on, three negative self-tests instead of a PCR test will be enough proof for a child to continue to attend school, Castex said.
COVID screening tests in France are no longer free. This change signals a new phase in the government’s strategy to quell coronavirus infections by encouraging people to get inoculated.
Unvaccinated people in France essentially have to pay to enter cafes, restaurants and theaters, because under a law enacted this summer, entering many indoor venues requires proof of being fully vaccinated, of a recent negative test or of a recent Covid-19 recovery. Tests will remain free for vaccinated people.
France has made it mandatory to show the health pass – proving that you are vaccinated or have tested negative for Covid-19 – for access to public venues for more than 50 people since July 21. On August 9 the health pass requirements were extended to a range of new settings, including long-distance transport, restaurants and cafés – even France’s outdoor terraces.
Any of the following documents can be used as a health pass in France:
Proof of having completed a vaccination program (two doses of an EU-approved vaccine: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson).
A negative PCR or antigen test taken within the last 48 hours.
A Covid-19 recovery certificate that is less than six months old.
Anyone who enters an establishment without showing a valid pass can be fined €135 for a first offence.
Meanwhile, vaccinated tourists from France's "orange" list, which includes the UK, and most countries in Africa and Asia, will no longer need an essential reason to travel. These visitors will be exempt from quarantine but must still present a negative COVID-19 test. Here is a description of the categories and how they work:
Red
Vaccinated: Inoculated visitors from red countries must provide results of a PCR or antigen test no more than 48 hours old, provide an essential reason for travel, self-isolate for seven days and take a mandatory antigen test upon arrival.
Unvaccinated: Those who haven’t gotten their shots have the same requirements as vaccinated travelers from red countries, but their isolation time is increased to 10 days, and their compliance is checked by authorities.
Orange
Vaccinated: If you’re vaccinated and coming from an orange/amber country, you will need a PCR test no more than 72 hours prior to departure or an antigen test that’s no more than 48 hours old. Travelers can visit for any reason, such as tourism, provided they meet these other requirements.
Unvaccinated: Unvaccinated arrivals must observe the same testing requirements as vaccinated travelers under the orange/amber category, but they must also provide a “pressing reason” for travel (i.e., essential travel), take additional tests on arrival and self-isolate for seven days.
Green
Vaccinated: There are no restrictions if you are vaccinated, and arriving from a country labeled green.
Unvaccinated: If you are not vaccinated, you need a PCR or antigen test within 72hrs before departure.
If you are experiencing difficulties with exporting PPE from the EU, please let us know immediately. We have not seen any instances of this occurring since an initial incident was resolved.
If you are having any issues moving medical supplies or medical products from the EU to the UK, or vice versa, please let us know immediately.
AdvaMed's joint programs in Germany and the UK continue to provide COVID-19 updates and support on IVDR and MDR implementation.
Med Tech Europe White Paper on Companion Diagnostics under the IVDR: https://www.medtecheurope.org/resource-library/joint-medtech-europe-efpia-white-paper-on-companion-diagnostics-under-the-ivdr/
ProspectivaCOVID 19 LATAM Weekly Updates for January 11, 2022
WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS – COVID 19
Argentina: Isolation protocols for vaccinated close contacts of COVID-19 cases are relaxed.
Bolivia: Traditional Medicine Guide was published to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brazil: Despite a rapid increase in case numbers, the Ministry of Health believes the health system has adequate testing and treatment supplies to deal with the surge.
