Greece on Monday imposed a vaccination mandate for people over the age of 60, as coverage remains below the EU average and a recent rise in infections has sustained pressure on hospitals, the Associated Press reports.
Older people who fail to get vaccinated will face penalties, starting at a €50 ($57) fine in January and followed by a monthly fine of €100 ($114) after that.
About two-thirds of Greece’s 10.7 million population is fully vaccinated – the EU average is just over 70%. The rate of death and daily hospitalisations has increased following the recent spread of the Omicron variant, though pressure on ICU capacity has eased slightly.
The health minister, Thanos Plevris, said fines would be collected through the tax office with the money to be used to help fund state hospitals.
“The age factor is important because of its impact on the public health service,” Plevris told private Open TV on Sunday.
A vaccination mandate was imposed for health care workers last year. And starting on 1 February, vaccination certificates for adults will expire after seven months unless the holder receives a booster shot.
New infections sharply surged in early January, and have eased over the past week.
The mandate for over-60s was announced in late December and, according to government data, 41.5% of the 530,000 people targeted by the measure are now fully vaccinated.
Greece has the seventh oldest population in the world, as measured by share of residents aged 65 and over, according to the US-based Population Reference Bureau.
That’s it from me, Samantha Lock, for today’s Covid blog.
Please join me on our latest live feed here where I’ll be focusing a little more on the coronavirus crisis across Asia, Australia and the Pacific.
More details have emerged on the arrest of two Cathay Pacific flight attendants for allegedly contravening Covid regulations.
Hong Kong police arrested and laid charges against two former Cathay Pacific flight attendants for alleged violations of home isolation rules that coincided with the arrival of the Omicron variant in Hong Kong.
The pair – who were believed to have been carrying the highly transmissible variant while allegedly interacting with others in public during what was meant to be a three-day self-isolation period – were released on bail on Monday, and will appear at Tuen Mun Court and Eastern Court, respectively, on 9 February, the South China Morning Post reports.
The first flight attendant, a 45-year-old man, returned to the city from New York on 24 December, and went to the other flight attendant’s home in Tuen Mun for lunch on Christmas. The latter, a 44-year-old man, had just flown home from Chicago that day. Neither were required to undergo hotel quarantine, but were instead allowed to self-isolate at home under medical surveillance.
It is understood that the second flight attendant was the Cathay employee previously found to have visited the Moon Palace restaurant in the Festival Walk shopping centre in Kowloon Tong on 27 December. A cluster sparked there has since grown to 16 Covid-19 cases.
Mexico’s health ministry on Monday reported 59 new deaths from Covid-19, bringing the official death toll in the country since the coronavirus pandemic began to 301,469.
Brazil has had 74,134 new cases of Covid-19 reported in the past 24 hours, and 121 deaths from Covid-19, the health ministry said on Monday.
The South American country has now registered 23,074,791 cases since the pandemic began, while the official death toll has risen to 621,166, according to ministry data.
Brazil’s Covid-19 death toll is the world’s third deadliest after the United States and Russia, according to Reuters calculations.
Poland is experiencing a fifth wave of Covid-19 infections, the health minister said on Monday, warning that the spread of the Omicron variant could send daily case numbers soaring to levels not yet seen in the country.
While daily case numbers have fallen since early December, the European Union’s largest eastern member has had little respite since the fourth wave, regularly reporting over 10,000 new infections per day amid low vaccine take-up and limited restrictions on public life.
“We predict that the peak of infections will be in mid-February and that peak is about 60,000 cases a day,” Adam Niedzielski told a news conference, Reuters reports.
The highest number of daily cases reported since the pandemic began was 35,251 on 1 April, 2021.
Niedzielski said that he expected figures released on Tuesday to show in excess of 20,000 daily cases.
Samantha Lock back with you on the blog as my colleague Jedidajah Otte calls it a night in London. I’ll be bringing you all the latest Covid news from Sydney.
Here’s a quick snapshot of how Covid is unfolding across Australia.
The country’s most populous state of NSW recorded an additional 36 deaths – the state’s deadliest day of the pandemic so far – and 29,830 new cases while Victoria recorded 22 deaths and 20,180 new cases.
Novak Djokovic has also landed back in Belgrade after being deported from Australia after his visa was revoked.
The surge of infections with the Omicron variant in the US is showing signs of slowing in some states that were affected earlier than others, after weeks of soaring case numbers.
The US reported an average of nearly 800,000 cases per day over the past week, according to Johns Hopkins University, more than three times the level seen during last winter’s previous record. But in a handful of states and cities, particularly on the East Coast, cases appear to have plateaued or fallen in recent days, CNBC reports.
In New York state, the seven-day average of daily new cases has been declining after a new record of 85,000 new cases per day was reached on 9 January, while in New York City, average daily cases have fallen by 31% over the past week, state health department data shows.
New York now ranks 15th out of all states in terms of daily infections, according to a CNBC analysis of population-adjusted case counts, down from the second rank just a few days ago.
New Jersey now ranks 20th, after recently being in the top five, as the state has seen a 32% drop in average daily cases over the past week.
Average daily infections in Washington, D.C., which had the highest number of Covid infections on a per capita basis in the country at the end of last year, have since dropped by 32%.
And in neighboring Maryland, daily infections hit a pandemic high on 8 January, but are down 27% compared to a week ago.
Canada’s study into whether to approve Merck & Co Inc’s Covid-19 oral antiviral treatment “is moving more slowly”, federal health minister Jean-Yves Duclos said on Monday.
“There are some specific issues for this medication,” Duclos told reporters after Ottawa approved an oral antiviral treatment by Pfizer Inc, but did not give details.
In its pivotal clinical trial, Merck’s pill had less impressive results than the one produced by Pfizer, Reuters reports.
Japan is considering placing 11 prefectures, including Tokyo and its surrounding area, under a quasi-state of emergency to curb a rapidly accelerating sixth wave of infections, government sources said on Monday.
The Japan Times reports:
Any declaration of a quasi-emergency hinges on requests made by these prefectures, but the government is preparing to make a decision as early as Wednesday, the sources said, as the highly transmissible omicron variant continues to spread.
If declared, Japan would see 14 of its 47 prefectures placed under the anti-virus measure, reinforcing the view that the nation is experiencing what health experts describe as its sixth wave of the pandemic.
The prefectures of Tokyo, Chiba, Saitama and Kanagawa have asked the central government to put them under a quasi-emergency after their governors held a virtual meeting to discuss the infection situation in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Separately, Aichi, Gifu and Mie prefectures are also planning to make a request by Tuesday, as they too seek to prevent hospitals being overwhelmed by a spike in Covid-19 cases.
[…] Under a quasi-emergency, local governors can request that dining establishments shorten their business hours and stop serving alcohol. Residents in these areas would also be asked to refrain from traveling across prefectural borders.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government said the occupancy rate of hospital beds for Covid-19 patients in the capital has surpassed the 20% threshold required to seek quasi-emergency steps.
Tokyo’s daily count of coronavirus cases came to 3,719 on Monday, after topping 4,000 on Friday for the first time since late August.
Nationwide, the number of newly confirmed coronavirus cases exceeded 20,000 for the fourth straight day, with community transmission of omicron accelerating in urban areas including Tokyo and Osaka.
Passersby wearing protective face masks walk on a street in Tokyo, Japan on 17 January, 2022. Photograph: Pierre-Emmanuel Delétrée/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock
Japan’s strict border restrictions barring almost all foreign nationals is slated to stay in place until the end of February.
Sunday’s 4,172 new cases reported by the Tokyo metropolitan government represent a 3.4-fold increase from a week before, as a number of prefectures nationwide set new single-day records for infections.
Over 90% of people infected with the Omicron variant in Okinawa showed no or mild symptoms however, according to a recent analysis.
Vaccinations for children between the ages of 5 and 11 against the virus may begin in February in Japan, as debates about worries over effects on the health of children continue, the Japan Times noted.
The chairman of Credit Suisse resigned Monday over Covid quarantine violations, leaving the bank’s new risk committee chief in charge and with the task of trying to stabilise the scandal-hit institution.
AFP reports:
Antonio Horta-Osorio, who joined Switzerland’s second-largest bank less than a year ago, had resigned with immediate effect following an investigation commissioned by the board, Credit Suisse said in a statement.
Axel Lehmann, who joined Credit Suisse just three months ago to chair the board’s risk committee, was appointed as his replacement.
The resignation adds to the woes of the Swiss banking giant, which was rocked by its links to the multi-billion-dollar meltdowns at financial firms Greensill and Archegos last year.
“I regret that a number of my personal actions have led to difficulties for the bank and compromised my ability to represent the bank internally and externally,” Horta-Osorio said in the statement.
“I therefore believe that my resignation is in the interest of the bank and its stakeholders at this crucial time.”
Crowned with a solid reputation after having successfully turned around the British bank Lloyds, Horta-Osorio was elected chairman in April, pledging to put better risk management at the heart of the bank’s culture.
But in December, his image was tarnished by revelations in the Swiss newspaper Blick.
Following the tabloid’s report, Credit Suisse confirmed last month that Horta-Osorio had violated quarantine rules.
The Portuguese banker apologised but revelations of other quarantine violations followed and the board launched an investigation.
Switzerland imposed a 10-day quarantine rule on November 26 for people flying in from countries where the Covid-19 variant Omicron had been detected.
Blick reported that Horta-Osorio had travelled back to Switzerland from Britain aboard a private jet, then asked if he could be released from quarantine.
Despite a no from the authorities, Horta-Osorio took a plane to the Iberian peninsula before heading to New York for a board meeting, said the tabloid.
Michael Foeth, an analyst at Vontobel bank, said breaking quarantine rules had created a “credibility problem” for a chairman who had put the culture of personal accountability at the heart of the bank’s transformation.
Hello, I’m Jedidajah Otte and I’ll be taking over for the next few hours. If you want to share anything you think could be relevant for our coverage, you can contact me on Twitter @JedySays or via email.
Here is a quick recap of some of the main developments from today so far:
Moderna is aiming to launch a single booster vaccination that will protect against both Covid-19 and flu within two years, its chief executive said. Stéphane Bancel said that the combined vaccine – which will protect against Covid, influenza and RSV, a common respiratory virus – could be available before the winter infectious season in 2023. Story here.
Downing Street said Boris and Carrie Johnson followed Covid guidance when the prime minister was “commuting” from Chequers to No 10 during the first lockdown in 2020 – but declined to answer further questions, including whether the pair held social events. It emerged last week that the prime minister and his then-fiancee travelled between No 10 and the spacious Buckinghamshire mansion between 16 and 27 March 2020, around the start of the first lockdown. On 16 March, the government advised the public to avoid all non-essential travel, and on 22 March, three days before a full lockdown was ordered, specified that essential travel “does not include visits to second homes”. However, the Tortoise website (paywall) reported that Johnson and his partner relocated to Chequers during this period, after which the prime minister continued to travel to Downing Street from Chequers to work for several days. Johnson’s official spokesperson insisted on Monday that they had not broken the rules, saying they “acted in accordance with both the guidance and subsequent legislation at all times”. Story here.
Novak Djokovic may not be allowed to defend his French Open title in May after the French government ruled that all athletes will have to be vaccinated in order to attend and compete in sporting events in France. The French sports minister, Roxana Maracineanu, announced that athletes would not be exempt from France’s Covid pass, which will soon come into effect for over 16s. Story here.
A fourth shot of Covid vaccine raises antibodies to even higher levels than the third jab but it is not enough to prevent Omicron infections, according to a preliminary study in Israel.
The UK reported 84,429 new cases and a further 85 deaths within 28 days of a positive test, according to the latest data on the government’s coronavirus dashboard.
US Joint Chiefs chairman, General Mark Milley, tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday and is experiencing very minor symptoms while isolating and working remotely. His most recent contact with president Joe Biden was on 12 January at the funeral of retired General Raymond Odierno, a spokesman said. Milley had tested negative several days prior to and each day following contact with Biden, until yesterday, the spokesman added.
Israel’s health ministry said it would shorten the mandatory isolation period for those who tested positive for Covid to five days from seven days, following an initial cut last week, provided they are asymptomatic. Until last week, the isolation period was 10 days.The latest decision, which takes effect on Wednesday, brings Israel in line with recommendations in countries including the United States and England. A negative home antigen test is also required before ending isolation, the ministry said.
One in four doctors in the NHS are so tired that their ability to treat patients has become impaired, according to the first survey to reveal the impact of sleep deprivation on medics during the coronavirus pandemic. Growing workloads, longer hours and widespread staff shortages are causing extreme tiredness among medics, leading to memory problems and difficulty concentrating, according to the report by the Medical Defence Union (MDU), which provides legal support to about 200,000 doctors, nurses, dentists and other healthcare workers. The survey of more than 500 doctors across the UK, carried out within the past month and seen by the Guardian, uncovered almost 40 near misses as a direct result of exhaustion. In at least seven cases, patients actually sustained harm. Story here.
Moderna Inc’s vaccine candidate specifically for the Omicron variant will enter clinical development in the next few weeks and the company expects to be able to share data with regulators around March, CEO Stéphane Bancel said. “The vaccine is being finished … it should be in the clinic in coming weeks. We are hoping in the March timeframe to be able to have data to share with regulators to figure out next steps,” Bancel said at the World Economic Forum’s virtual Davos Agenda conference.
Novak Djokovic landed back in Serbia after a unanimous ruling by a three-judge bench rejected his appeal against the cancellation of his Australian visa on Sunday, halting his chase for a record 21st Grand Slam win at the Australian Open.
Greece imposed a vaccination mandate for people over the age of 60, as coverage remains below the EU average and a recent rise in infections has sustained pressure on hospitals. Older people who fail to get vaccinated will face penalties, starting at a €50 ($57) fine in January and followed by a monthly fine of €100 ($114) after that. The health minister, Thanos Plevris, said fines would be collected through the tax office with the money to be used to help fund state hospitals.
French teachers’ unions called for a second major strike this week to protest against the government’s Covid testing and isolation protocols, which they say are severely disrupting classes. The move follows a one-day walkout last week during which half of the country’s primary schools closed, according to unions, who accuse authorities of failing to establish clear rules that would keep as many students in school as possible. The unions said the new strike on Thursday would be a prelude to a “massive” nationwide walkout on 27 January.
Tickets for the Beijing Winter Olympics, set to begin on 4 February, will be distributed to “targeted” groups of people and will not be sold to the general public, the organising committee said, in the latest setback to the Games inflicted by Covid-19. Story here.
The outlook for jobs globally this year has worsened markedly since last spring as new variants of the Covid-19 virus have slowed growth and restricted hiring, according to a report from the International Labour Organisation. In its latest assessment of the state of the labour market, the Geneva-based ILO said unemployment would remain above 2019 levels until at least 2023 and the damage caused by the pandemic would take years to repair. Story here.
Moderna is aiming to launch single Covid and flu booster jab in time for the winter infectious season of 2023, my colleague Mark Sweney reports.
Moderna is aiming to launch a single booster vaccination that will protect against both Covid-19 and flu within two years, its chief executive has said.
Stéphane Bancel said that the combined vaccine – which will protect against Covid-19, influenza and RSV, a common respiratory virus – could be available before the winter infectious season in 2023.
“Our goal is to be able to have a single annual booster so that we don’t have compliance issues where people don’t want to get two to three shots a winter,” he said at a panel session at the World Economic Forum in Davos. “The best-case scenario would be the fall of 2023.”
Last year, the NHS moved to reassure the public that getting jabs for flu and Covid at the same time did not affect the body’s immune response.
The UK government has been encouraging the public to get a third dose of a Covid vaccine, especially those in more vulnerable groups such as older demographics or those with weakened immune systems. Its efforts include launching a nationwide mobile text message campaign on Boxing Day.
Priest Cesar Magana blesses animals and their owners during the feast of St Anthony, Spain’s patron saint of animals, in Pamplona, northern Spain, during the Covid pandemic. Photograph: Álvaro Barrientos/AP
Hong Kong police have arrested and charged two Cathay Pacific flight attendants for allegedly contravening Covid regulations, after the emergence of the Omicron variant in the territory was traced to their breach of home quarantine, AFP reports.
Like China, Hong Kong maintains a strict zero-Covid strategy that has kept cases low, but has largely cut the finance hub off from both the mainland and the rest of the world for the last two years.
A recent Omicron outbreak traced to Cathay air crew who breached their quarantine period led to a dramatic tightening of already strict anti-coronavirus controls – including shuttering kindergartens, primary schools, and indoor dining at night.
Police announced late on Monday two flight attendants were arrested and charged for violating anti-Covid measures.
“They had conducted unnecessary activities” on 25 and 27 December, when they were supposed to be under home quarantine after returning to Hong Kong, the statement said.
“They were both subsequently tested positive for Covid-19 Omicron variant, and have been discharged from hospital upon completion of treatment,” it added.
The two – who were fired after the quarantine breach – face up to six months in prison and a $640 fine. They have been released on bail and their cases will be heard next month.
The revelation of the quarantine breach piles new pressure on the city’s flagship airline, already battered by the pandemic as border restrictions brought travel to a trickle into a city that used to be a transport and logistics hub.
Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam said last week that authorities were investigating whether Cathay Pacific has complied with regulations, and could face legal action.
In the onslaught of criticism, chairman Patrick Healy defended his airline, arguing that a “tiny minority” of rule-breakers should not overshadow Cathay Pacific’s contributions to Hong Kong.
In 2021, the airline’s crew spent over 62,000 nights in quarantine hotels, he said, adding that 1,000 of their staff were subjected to more than 11,000 nights in Penny’s Bay, the city’s government quarantine camp.
Unlike other carriers, Cathay Pacific has no domestic market to fall back on and a recent tightening of quarantine rules for aircrews has pushed it to scale back cargo flights – the one part of the business that was making money.
