The COVID-2019 Thread

[misskit]

Chinese metropolis of Chengdu locks down 21 million residents

The Chinese metropolis of Chengdu will impose a sweeping city-wide lockdown on Thursday evening, confining 21 million residents to their homes as the country doubles down on its zero-Covid policy ahead of a key Communist Party meeting.


All residents in the capital of Sichuan province in southwest China have been ordered to stay at home from 6 p.m. Thursday, except for mandatory Covid testing. Mass testing will be rolled out from Thursday to Sunday, the city government said.


Households can send one person out for grocery shopping once per day with a negative test, and residents with emergency requests such as seeking medical care must gain approval from a neighborhood committee.


All businesses are to be shut except for supermarkets, pharmacies and hospitals. Restaurant dining is also being suspended, with only takeaways allowed.


This is China's largest city-wide lockdown since Shanghai, the financial hub of 25 million people, emerged from a painful two-month lockdown in June.

MORE Covid: Chinese metropolis of Chengdu locks down 21 million residents - CNN

[malmomike77]

Its immense fun watching the Chinkies play wack-a-mole with COVID. The whole we are right and we'll prove it with the Zero COVID is saving face personified.

[harrybarracuda]

Yes, just ridiculous.

[harrybarracuda]

I see the residents took it calmly.

[misskit]

Philippines ending compulsory mask wearing outdoors

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved a recommendation to end the mandatory wearing of face masks outdoors across the country more than two years after it was imposed at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, top officials said Wednesday.


The Philippines and Myanmar are the last countries in Southeast Asia still requiring the compulsory wearing of masks outdoors, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said, adding the change in the country’s masking policy will take effect after Marcos Jr. issues an executive order.


A study showed the lifting of the mandatory requirement in other countries has not led to an alarming upsurge in infections when people continue to take precautions, he said.

Abalos appealed to people to keep maintaining distance and washing hands and urged the elderly and those afflicted with other illnesses to continue wearing mask outdoors.


Rosario Vergeire, a top health official, said a government body dealing with the pandemic would assess if the compulsory wearing of masks indoors could be lifted toward the end of the year in public areas, which could considerably increase the number of people who would receive their coronavirus booster shots.


The government move came after Mayor Michael Rama of central Cebu City declared the wearing of masks outdoors voluntary in a trial period ending at the end of the year.


Among the hardest hit by coronavirus outbreaks in Southeast Asia, the Philippines imposed one of the longest lockdowns in the world, which caused its worst economic recession in decades and deepened poverty, hunger and unemployment.

Philippines ending compulsory mask wearing outdoors | Taiwan News | 2022-09-08 0616

[harrybarracuda]

Israeli scientists say they have identified antibodies that are so powerful in neutralizing the coronavirus that they could eliminate the need for more vaccine boosters.

A research team at Tel Aviv University experimented with numerous antibodies and found that two in particular neutralize all known strains of the coronavirus, including Delta and Omicron, in a lab setting.

Antibody infusions are already used to treat some coronavirus patients, and microbiologist Dr. Natalia Freund, who directed the new study, said the antibodies she identified could be used to concoct a particularly potent infusion.

Based on their performance in lab conditions, the antibodies could provide the extra protection that today comes from booster shots, she said, adding that this could potentially make extra shots unnecessary among vaccinated people.


Two antibodies identified in Israel can fight all known COVID strains, study finds | The Times of Israel

[harrybarracuda]

The Lancet Commission on lessons for the future from the COVID-19 pandemic


Too long to post so grab a coffee if you're interested:


The Lancet Commission on lessons for the future from the COVID-19 pandemic - The Lancet

[S Landreth]

• DOJ charges 47 with stealing $250 million from a pandemic food program for kids

The Justice Department has unveiled criminal charges against 47 defendants who allegedly cheated the government out of $250 million that was supposed to be used to feed needy kids in Minnesota during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The DOJ said indictments allege "the largest pandemic relief fraud scheme charged to date."

The indictments announced Tuesday involve six groups, all connected to the group Feeding Our Future, a Minnesota nonprofit. The defendants are charged with federal crimes, including conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering and paying and receiving illegal kickbacks.

"Over a short period of time, these 47 defendants engaged in a brazen scheme of staggering proportions," U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger said during a news briefing.

The DOJ contends that defendant Aimee Bock of Apple Valley Minnesota was the mastermind behind the plot. Bock is the founder and executive director of Feeding Our Future, which actually did serve federally funded meals to underserved kids in the Twin Cities prior to the pandemic. According to the DOJ, Bock recruited other individuals to create fake sites and falsely claim they were feeding needy children under her group's sponsorship.

Records show that Feeding Our Future went from receiving and disbursing approximately $3.4 million in federal funds in 2019 to nearly $200 million in 2021.

The defendants used the proceeds of their fraudulent schemeto, according to the DOJ, to purchase luxury vehicles, to fund international travel and to buy residential and commercial real estate in Minnesota, Ohio and Kentucky and in Kenya and Turkey.

U.S. Attorney Announces Federal Charges Against 47 Defendants in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme | OPA | Department of Justice

[harrybarracuda]

Scum.

The defendants are said to have bribed employees of Feeding Our Future to sponsor numerous sham distribution sites.

These sites claimed to be serving meals to thousands of children a day within just days or weeks of being formed, according to the DoJ.

But they were instead submitting false paperwork using bogus children's names, some of which were taken from a website, List of Random Names.

The group used the proceeds to buy luxury cars, as well as property in the US, Kenya and Turkey, and to fund international travel, the DoJ said.

US charges dozens with $250m pandemic relief fraud - BBC News

[harrybarracuda]

All but an admission that it's over.

No more proof of vaccination to enter.

No more mandatory quarantine if infected, just mask, social distancing, washing hands.

Virus curbs to ease again

[Shutree]

For anyone who is interested, Taiwan is already open to European visitors but there is still 3+4 days quarantine (hotel+home). They have announced that the quarantine requirements will disappear on October 13th.

[hallelujah]

All but an admission that it's over.

No more proof of vaccination to enter.

No more mandatory quarantine if infected, just mask, social distancing, washing hands.

Virus curbs to ease again

I just hope they don't get cold feet when numbers start to rise in Europe over the coming months.

[harrybarracuda]

I just hope they don't get cold feet when numbers start to rise in Europe over the coming months.

What numbers?

It's cold and 'flu season in Europe. The numbers always rise.

[Mandaloopy]

Logged into FB last week to find that a co-worker from years ago had passed away from COVID. He was only a year younger than me at 35 too. It was pretty shocking, that's way too young. I think he had an underlying health issue.

[harrybarracuda]

The government will on Oct 1 lift the state of emergency imposed to cope with the coronavirus pandemic and dissolve the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration.

End of state of emergency and Covid-19 centre

[Shutree]

Hong Kong is removing mandatory quarantine for arrivals, starting Monday. However, you'll not be able to enter 'high risk' premises such as bars and restaurants for the first 3 days. So I'll not be rushing to visit. At least it is a step forward and a boon to locals who want to travel, doubtless some of them will be showing up in Thailand.


Hong Kong has dropped Covid-19 hotel quarantine after 2 years: here is all you need to know about how it got to this point | South China Morning Post



After more than two years of stringent Covid-19 border control, Hong Kong has finally dropped all hotel quarantine measures for overseas arrivals starting next Monday. However, travellers are still required to self-monitor for three days.

The long-awaited announcement from Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Friday signalled an end to one of the world’s toughest quarantine systems amid the pandemic. The Post breaks down the latest policy change.

1. What are the latest arrangements?

Under the dubbed “0+3” plan, travellers will undergo a three-day home medical surveillance, in which they are allowed to go out but not visit high-risk premises such as bars and restaurants during that period.

Inbound travellers would no longer be required to obtain a negative result on a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test 48 hours before boarding. Instead, they will be allowed to take a rapid antigen test (RAT) within 24 hours of departure.

[harrybarracuda]

New research from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis presents the most comprehensive investigation to date into the long-term neurological problems associated with COVID-19. Tracking more than 150,000 COVID patients for 12 months the research found infections led to a 42% increase in risk of several brain disorders.

Ziyad Al-Aly, an epidemiologist at Washington University, has been working with the US Department of Veterans Affairs since the pandemic began. The research uses massive healthcare databases to garner novel insights into the long-term effects of COVID-19.

Earlier in 2022, Al-Aly and colleagues published several studies reporting increases in cardiovascular problems and mental health disorders in COVID-19 patients up to 12 months after an initial infection. This new study, published in Nature Medicine, broadly looks at a variety of neurological problems in the year following mild and severe infections.

“Our study provides a comprehensive assessment of the long-term neurologic consequences of COVID-19,” explained Al-Aly. “Past studies have examined a narrower set of neurological outcomes, mostly in hospitalized patients. We evaluated 44 brain and other neurologic disorders among both nonhospitalized and hospitalized patients, including those admitted to the intensive care unit.”

The investigation included cerebrovascular events such as stroke, episodic disorders including migraine and seizure, and cognitive conditions like Alzheimer’s. Overall, the findings showed COVID survivors were 42% more likely to experience some kind of neurological problem in the year after an infection, compared to uninfected controls.

More specifically, the study reported COVID survivors faced a 77% increased risk of memory problems, 50% increased risk of stroke, 80% increased risk of seizure, and a 30% increased risk of eye problems. Echoing some prior studies, the researchers also saw small increases in Alzheimer’s diagnoses in COVID patients relative to uninfected controls.

Mild COVID increases risk of many neurological problems for millions

[misskit]

Free COVID vaccinations at Institute of Dermatology throughout October

After the closure of the COVID-19 vaccination centre at Bang Sue Grand Station at the end of this month, members of the public can still get free vaccinations at the Institute of Dermatology, near the Victory Monument in Bangkok.


Free inoculation is available to people of all nationalities from 5-years-old every Saturday in October, starting this Saturday from 9am until 3pm. Children will be given the Pfizer vaccine (purple or orange cap).


Appointments can be made in advance through จุดฉีดวัคซีน สถาบันโรคผิวหนัง กรมการแพทย์, or just walk in.

Free COVID vaccinations at Institute of Dermatology throughout October | Thai PBS World : The latest Thai news in English, News Headlines, World News and News Broadcasts in both Thai and English. We bring Thailand to the world

[misskit]

Anti-COVID nasal spray to be available from October 1st

An anti-COVID nasal spray, an innovation jointly developed by Health Systems Research Institute (HSRI), the Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University, the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) and Hibiocy Company, will be commercially available from October 1st.


Dr. Nopporn Cheanklin, director of the PHRI, said today (Tuesday) that the Anti-COVID nasal spray, trade-name “Vaill CoviTRAP”, has already been approved by the Thai Food and Drug Administration.


He explained that the spray is capable of preventing coronavirus from attaching to the internal surfaces of the nasal cavity, thanks to the coating substance Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose (HPMC) it contains, which reduces the viral load in the cavity.


The spray must be used three times a day, every six hours.

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/anti-co...m-october-1st/

[misskit]

Rare protest in China tech hub over Covid lockdown

Dozens of people have taken part in a rare protest in the southern Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen, social media footage shows, after officials announced a snap lockdown over a handful of Covid cases.


The megacity of more than 18 million people reported just 10 infections on Tuesday, but officials have still ordered residents in three districts to stay home as China sticks to its strict zero-Covid policy.


Officials are also under pressure to snuff out outbreaks quickly ahead of a key political meeting in Beijing next month.


Videos circulating on China’s Twitter-like platform Weibo and Instagram since Monday — verified by AFP — show dozens chanting “lift the Covid lockdown” as rows of police in medical protective gear look on.


In one clip a woman shouts: “Police are hitting people.”


The protest took place in Shawei, a neighbourhood in Futian district where the city government is based, AFP confirmed.


Shawei’s subway station was shut down from 10 pm (1400 GMT) on Monday until further notice “as part of pandemic prevention and control”, the city’s metro operator said in a statement.


At least 14 “high-risk areas” across three districts — Futian, Luohu and Longgang — were under lockdown on Tuesday, with residents forced to stay in their homes, health officials said without offering details on the number of people affected.


Another 15 neighbourhoods are marked as medium risk, with residents only allowed to walk inside their housing compounds.


Shenzhen, a sprawling tech hub that neighbours Hong Kong, had just emerged from strict Covid restrictions that saw schools and entertainment venues closed for weeks in early September.


The city only allows residents to board public transport, enter a restaurant or access public services including hospitals if they have a negative PCR Covid test taken within 24 hours.


Hong Kong scrapped its mandatory hotel quarantine requirement for arrivals on Monday after the strict virus rules threatened the city’s status as a key financial hub.


China is the only major economy still holding fast to a zero-Covid strategy, with its borders virtually closed since the virus first emerged in late 2019.


Swift lockdowns, long quarantines and mass testing have been a drag on its economy.


Earlier this year, a gruelling two-month lockdown in Shanghai — the world’s third most populous city with over 25 million residents — was marked by food shortages, deaths due to lack of access to medical care and scattered protests.


In August, more than 80,000 tourists were stranded in the resort city of Sanya after a Covid flare-up.


Tourists took to the streets shouting for local leaders to meet with them.

Rare protest in China tech hub over Covid lockdown | Thai PBS World : The latest Thai news in English, News Headlines, World News and News Broadcasts in both Thai and English. We bring Thailand to the world

[harrybarracuda]

The spray must be used three times a day, every six hours.

Sounds like too much hard work.

[Shutree]

The spray must be used three times a day, every six hours.

Either/or?

[harrybarracuda]

GENEVA (AP) — Fans going to the World Cup in Qatar must show a negative COVID-19 test when they arrive as part of the host nation’s rules to combat COVID-19, organizers said Thursday.
All visitors aged 18 and over must also download a government-run phone application tracking people’s movements and health status, called Ehteraz.
“A green Ehteraz (showing the user does not have a confirmed case of COVID-19) is required to enter any public closed indoor spaces,” World Cup organizers said.
Visitors must be able to show a negative result from a PCR test taken in the 48 hours before arriving or from an official rapid test taken within 24 hours. The COVID-19 testing policy for visitors aged six and over is “regardless of the individual’s vaccination status,” the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy said in a statement.
The decisions extend throughout the World Cup the public health policies that have been in place since Sept. 4 for all travelers arriving in Qatar.

Qatar confirms COVID-19 test requirements for World Cup fans | PBS NewsHour

[harrybarracuda]

Hoohoo will be pleased.... Well, if it works, that is.

JAKARTA/BEIJING, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Indonesia said it has granted emergency use approval to an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine developed by a Chinese company, becoming the first country, ahead of even China, to do so.

A Chinese mRNA COVID vaccine is approved for the first time - in Indonesia | Reuters

[misskit]

People urged to take their elders to get vaccinated for Covid despite disease downgrade

BANGKOK (NNT) - Although COVID-19 has been relegated to a communicable disease under surveillance, the health ministry still encourages everybody to get properly vaccinated. Health authorities are reasserting that more than half of Covid deaths involve persons who have not been administered the full vaccine regimen.


Newly instated DDC Director-General Tares Krassanairawiwong said people returned to normal lives over the weekend although most still wore a mask in crowded areas. The number of patients has not increased abnormally.


Dr. Tares said anyone who displays symptoms of a respiratory tract infection should wear a face mask and get tested using an ATK kit. Members of the general public are advised to wear a face mask when entering crowded areas or spaces with inadequate airflow. People should observe distancing and wash their hands regularly.


Dr. Tares noted that increasing vaccination coverage for persons at risk of developing severe Covid symptoms should take precedence. This is especially true for about 1.9 million elderly persons in Thailand who have yet to receive any dose of vaccine.


The director-general said the majority of Covid deaths may be attributed to elderly persons, half of whom were unvaccinated. He called on people to take their elders to get vaccinated to prevent deaths and improve safety. This may be done at public hospitals or vaccination centers in each province. For bedridden patients, volunteer agencies or the local public health facility may be contacted so vaccination could be administered at home. There will be no charge for the vaccination service.

People urged to take their elders to get vaccinated for Covid despite disease ...