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Covid live news: catastrophic winter wave unlikely in UK, says expert; Germany mobilises 12,000 soldiers to fight coronavirus– report | Covid live news: catastrophic winter wave unlikely in UK, says expert; Germany mobilises 12,000 soldiers to fight coronavirus– report |
(30 minutes later) | |
Thousands protest as Victoria requires construction workers to be jabbed; vulnerable Britons told ‘this is the moment’ to get boosters | Thousands protest as Victoria requires construction workers to be jabbed; vulnerable Britons told ‘this is the moment’ to get boosters |
There’s more on the news, broken by the Mail this morning, that Matt Hancock, the former UK health secretary, has been approached to write a book about his role in the country’s Covid pandemic response. | |
Relatives of people who had died from Covid in the UK, which suffered one of the world’s worst pandemics, had criticised Hancock after the Mail reported a potential title for the back was “How I Won The Covid War”. | |
Now a spokeswoman for Hancock has confirmed he has been “approached” by a publisher. She told the PA Media news agency: “Matt has been approached to write a book about his experiences in the pandemic, but no decisions have been made. | |
“There is no deal. | |
“The people who were heroic during the pandemic were the NHS staff who worked round the clock to save lives.” | |
Children aged five to 11 in Vienna can start getting coronavirus vaccinations next week as part of a pilot project. | |
According to the Associated Press, Austrian broadcaster ORF reported that about 200 children in Austria’s capital will be able to get jabs of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine each day. | |
The European Medicines Agency, which regulates approval within the European Union, has not yet given the go-ahead for vaccinations of children under the age of 12, although it has been evaluating the Pfizer jab for this age group since last month. | |
Several pediatricians in Austria have been vaccinating children of this age group already, since demand is very high as the infection rate in the country is spiking, ORF reported. | |
“The interest in off-label vaccination is enormous,” Peter Voitl, a pediatrician and vaccination expert with the Vienna Medical Association, told ORF. “We vaccinate the age group 5 to 11 at our clinic and have several hundred people on the waiting list.” | |
Matt Hancock, the former UK health secretary forced to resign after a scandal involving an extra-marital breach of social distancing guidelines, may be set to write a book entitled: “How I Won The Covid War”. | Matt Hancock, the former UK health secretary forced to resign after a scandal involving an extra-marital breach of social distancing guidelines, may be set to write a book entitled: “How I Won The Covid War”. |
According to the Daily Mail, Hancock is in talks with HarperCollins for a blow-by-blow account of lockdown rows with ministers, aides, scientists and doctors. The paper suggests the former Cabinet minister could be set for an advance of up to £100,000. | According to the Daily Mail, Hancock is in talks with HarperCollins for a blow-by-blow account of lockdown rows with ministers, aides, scientists and doctors. The paper suggests the former Cabinet minister could be set for an advance of up to £100,000. |
The Mail quoted Hancock as saying: “I have been approached to write a book, but no decisions have been made.” | The Mail quoted Hancock as saying: “I have been approached to write a book, but no decisions have been made.” |
Bereaved relatives of victims of the pandemic criticised Hancock, urging him to “have some humility”, the i reported. Lobby Akinnola, the spokesperson for Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, told the paper Hancock was “cashing in” on the tragedy. | Bereaved relatives of victims of the pandemic criticised Hancock, urging him to “have some humility”, the i reported. Lobby Akinnola, the spokesperson for Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, told the paper Hancock was “cashing in” on the tragedy. |
“You’d think the Health Secretary who presided over one of the worst death tolls in the world would have some humility or seek to reflect on the many lives lost, rather than try and cash in on the tragedy,” Akinnola said. | “You’d think the Health Secretary who presided over one of the worst death tolls in the world would have some humility or seek to reflect on the many lives lost, rather than try and cash in on the tragedy,” Akinnola said. |
“If he thinks he has ‘won the Covid war’, it’s hard not to feel like our loved ones were used as cannon fodder.” | “If he thinks he has ‘won the Covid war’, it’s hard not to feel like our loved ones were used as cannon fodder.” |
Hancock stepped down from his role as health secretary in June after CCTV camera footage emerged of him in a clinch with a colleague in his office, in a breach of social distancing regulations. | Hancock stepped down from his role as health secretary in June after CCTV camera footage emerged of him in a clinch with a colleague in his office, in a breach of social distancing regulations. |
Three snow leopards have died as a result of complications of Covid-19 at a zoo in Nebraska, according to local media. | Three snow leopards have died as a result of complications of Covid-19 at a zoo in Nebraska, according to local media. |
Lincoln children’s zoo announced a month ago that two Sumatran tigers and three snow leopards showing signs of infection had tested positive for coronavirus. | Lincoln children’s zoo announced a month ago that two Sumatran tigers and three snow leopards showing signs of infection had tested positive for coronavirus. |
The tigers have since recovered, after a regimen of treatment including steroids and antibiotics to prevent secondary infection, KOLN 10/11 NOW reported. | The tigers have since recovered, after a regimen of treatment including steroids and antibiotics to prevent secondary infection, KOLN 10/11 NOW reported. |
The snow leopards died despite having been cared for “tirelessly” by vets, the zoo was quoted as having said in a press release. | The snow leopards died despite having been cared for “tirelessly” by vets, the zoo was quoted as having said in a press release. |
“We know how much each of our animals means to our community inside and outside of the zoo,” a spokesperson for the zoo said. | “We know how much each of our animals means to our community inside and outside of the zoo,” a spokesperson for the zoo said. |
“It is very tough to lose any animal unexpectedly, especially one as rare and loved as the snow leopard. We are all heartbroken by the loss of Ranney, Everest, and Makalu and we are grieving together.” | “It is very tough to lose any animal unexpectedly, especially one as rare and loved as the snow leopard. We are all heartbroken by the loss of Ranney, Everest, and Makalu and we are grieving together.” |
Germany has reversed a decision to stop paying for coronavirus tests, as fears grow in the country over rising rates of infection, Deutsche Welle reports. | |
The decision comes just a month after authorities said they would stop paying for the tests, which are necessary for unvaccinated people to obtain a coronavirus health pass. | |
According to the Robert Koch institute, Germany’s public health authority, 45,081 new infections and 228 Covid-related deaths were recorded over the past 24 hours. | According to the Robert Koch institute, Germany’s public health authority, 45,081 new infections and 228 Covid-related deaths were recorded over the past 24 hours. |
It comes after the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, urged unvaccinated people to reconsider their hesitancy. | |
A decision on whether to authorise a Covid vaccine for children aged between five and 11 in Canada will come “in the next one to two weeks”, the country’s medicines regulator has said. | |
Dr Supriya Sharma, the chief medical adviser to Health Canada, said the government department was “actively continuing” its review of the Pfizer/BioNtech jab for younger children, Global News reported. | |
The chief medical officer, Dr Theresa Tam, said that age group continues to have the highest rates of coronavirus infection of any in the country. | The chief medical officer, Dr Theresa Tam, said that age group continues to have the highest rates of coronavirus infection of any in the country. |
There was an 11% increase in the rate of new Covid cases in Canada this week, Tam said. She said more than 1,800 were admitted to hospital, 528 of whom were placed in intensive care wards. There was an average of 22 deaths a day from the disease, she said. | |
In the first year of the pandemic, 25 children and young people in England died as a result of coronavirus infection, according to research published this week. | In the first year of the pandemic, 25 children and young people in England died as a result of coronavirus infection, according to research published this week. |
The study, published on Thursday in Nature Medicine, found that of 12,023,568 people aged under 18 in the country, 3,105 died, including 61 who were positive for Sars-CoV-2. | The study, published on Thursday in Nature Medicine, found that of 12,023,568 people aged under 18 in the country, 3,105 died, including 61 who were positive for Sars-CoV-2. |
Of those who died while infected with the virus, 22 died of Covid, while three died as a result of “paediatric inflammatory multi-system syndrome temporally associated with Sars-CoV-2”. | Of those who died while infected with the virus, 22 died of Covid, while three died as a result of “paediatric inflammatory multi-system syndrome temporally associated with Sars-CoV-2”. |
On the back of those figures, the researchers calculated a coronavirus-infection survival rate in under-18s of 99.995%. | On the back of those figures, the researchers calculated a coronavirus-infection survival rate in under-18s of 99.995%. |
The new figures emphasise the extremely low mortality risk from coronavirus infection in young people, and will add fuel to an already heated debate around vaccinating young people against it. | The new figures emphasise the extremely low mortality risk from coronavirus infection in young people, and will add fuel to an already heated debate around vaccinating young people against it. |
“To distinguish between CYP [children and young people] who died as a result of Sars-CoV-2 infection and those who died of another cause but were coincidentally infected with the virus, we undertook a clinical review of all CYP deaths with a positive Sars-CoV-2 test from March 2020 to February 2021,” the researchers said. | “To distinguish between CYP [children and young people] who died as a result of Sars-CoV-2 infection and those who died of another cause but were coincidentally infected with the virus, we undertook a clinical review of all CYP deaths with a positive Sars-CoV-2 test from March 2020 to February 2021,” the researchers said. |
“These results are important for guiding decisions on shielding and vaccinating children. New variants might have different mortality risks and should be evaluated in a similar way.” | “These results are important for guiding decisions on shielding and vaccinating children. New variants might have different mortality risks and should be evaluated in a similar way.” |
Germany is preparing to bring in the army to assist overrun healthcare services, according to reports. | Germany is preparing to bring in the army to assist overrun healthcare services, according to reports. |
Der Spiegel reports that 12,000 soldiers will be mobilised by Christmas. Among their missions will be providing booster vaccinations and tests in care homes and hospitals. | Der Spiegel reports that 12,000 soldiers will be mobilised by Christmas. Among their missions will be providing booster vaccinations and tests in care homes and hospitals. |
So far, 630 soldiers have been deployed, according to the paper. The army was not immediately available for comment, Reuters reports. | So far, 630 soldiers have been deployed, according to the paper. The army was not immediately available for comment, Reuters reports. |
Thousands gathered in Christchurch to protest against current government and pandemic controls on Saturday. | Thousands gathered in Christchurch to protest against current government and pandemic controls on Saturday. |
There have been a number of protests across New Zealand this week including one outside parliament in the capital, Wellington, on Tuesday. | There have been a number of protests across New Zealand this week including one outside parliament in the capital, Wellington, on Tuesday. |
The protests come as New Zealand prepares to implement a vaccine mandate for workers employed in education and the health and disability sectors. The majority of the population supports the public health measure, with a survey by Talbot Mills Research finding that 78% agree with a vaccine mandate for health workers, and 76% with one for teachers, according to the New Zealand Herald. | The protests come as New Zealand prepares to implement a vaccine mandate for workers employed in education and the health and disability sectors. The majority of the population supports the public health measure, with a survey by Talbot Mills Research finding that 78% agree with a vaccine mandate for health workers, and 76% with one for teachers, according to the New Zealand Herald. |
Greece has once again tightened its restrictions on the number of people that can enter supermarkets, just weeks after it relaxed the measure. | Greece has once again tightened its restrictions on the number of people that can enter supermarkets, just weeks after it relaxed the measure. |
As of Saturday, supermarkets will only be allowed to allow in one person per 9 sq m, after the rule was eased on 25 October. It had been changed to one customer per 2 sq m, according to the Kathimerini newspaper. | As of Saturday, supermarkets will only be allowed to allow in one person per 9 sq m, after the rule was eased on 25 October. It had been changed to one customer per 2 sq m, according to the Kathimerini newspaper. |
The reintroduction comes after it was deemed not feasible to require unvaccinated shoppers to show proof of a negative rapid test, with the minister for development, Adonis Georgiadis, saying on Friday: “There are problems ... There are some of our fellow citizens who will not even take a rapid test and we cannot deprive them of access to basic goods.” | The reintroduction comes after it was deemed not feasible to require unvaccinated shoppers to show proof of a negative rapid test, with the minister for development, Adonis Georgiadis, saying on Friday: “There are problems ... There are some of our fellow citizens who will not even take a rapid test and we cannot deprive them of access to basic goods.” |
Since 6 November, unvaccinated people have been obliged to show a recent negative test to enter most indoor public areas, including banks, most shops, government buildings and hair salons. | Since 6 November, unvaccinated people have been obliged to show a recent negative test to enter most indoor public areas, including banks, most shops, government buildings and hair salons. |
Greece registered a record number of cases this week, with its tally of new daily infections rising to 7,335 on Monday. | Greece registered a record number of cases this week, with its tally of new daily infections rising to 7,335 on Monday. |
Four times as many people in Tokyo are likely to have been infected with the coronavirus between September last year and this March than were reported in official figures, new research has claimed. | Four times as many people in Tokyo are likely to have been infected with the coronavirus between September last year and this March than were reported in official figures, new research has claimed. |
Based on a survey of more than 23,000 people in the Japanese capital, researchers at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science estimated that the seroprevalence of Covid antibodies was 3.4% during that period, the Japan Times reports. | Based on a survey of more than 23,000 people in the Japanese capital, researchers at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science estimated that the seroprevalence of Covid antibodies was 3.4% during that period, the Japan Times reports. |
That indicates that 470,778 out of Tokyo’s total population of about 14 million had been infected with Covid. | That indicates that 470,778 out of Tokyo’s total population of about 14 million had been infected with Covid. |
“The estimated number of individuals in Tokyo with a history of Sars-CoV-2 infection was 3.9-fold higher than the number of confirmed cases during the period,” the study said. It has been peer reviewed and was published in the Japan Epidemiological Association’s Journal of Epidemiology. | “The estimated number of individuals in Tokyo with a history of Sars-CoV-2 infection was 3.9-fold higher than the number of confirmed cases during the period,” the study said. It has been peer reviewed and was published in the Japan Epidemiological Association’s Journal of Epidemiology. |