Coronavirus: long Covid less common in fully jabbed, says UK health agency; Japan records highest daily deaths – latest | World news

That’s all from me, Léonie Chao-Fong, on the worldwide coronavirus weblog for as we speak as I cross over to our Ukraine protection. Please be at liberty to join me there. Within the meantime, right here’s a recap of all of the worldwide Covid developments:

• Lengthy Covid is much less more likely to have an effect on vaccinated individuals than unvaccinated individuals, a evaluation by the UK Well being Safety Company launched has concluded. “These research add to the potential advantages of receiving a full course of the Covid-19 vaccination,” mentioned Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at UKHSA.
• The lifting of remaining Covid restrictions in England will “disproportionately influence” weak sections of the inhabitants, the UK authorities’s scientific advisers have warned. Members of SPI-B say the removing of free Covid testing will make it harder for individuals experiencing Covid signs to take actions together with self-isolation, doubtlessly growing anxiousness amongst people who find themselves clinically weak.
• Japan reported 236 Covid-19 deaths on Tuesday, the best day by day deaths for the reason that pandemic started. The nation has began to see a decline in day by day new Covid circumstances however consultants have warned that deaths could proceed to extend on account of a latest collection of an infection clusters at amenities for aged individuals.
• South Korea additionally reported its highest variety of Covid deaths in a month as we speak as day by day circumstances surpassed 80,000 for the primary time. US well being authorities suggested People to keep away from travelling to the nation grappling with a fast-developing omicron surge.
• One of many final remaining nations with out Covid – the small Pacific nation of Prepare dinner Islands – has reported its first case of the virus.
• Papua New Guinea will reopen to vaccinated travellers from Wednesday after two years of strict border guidelines. Some home restrictions will stay, together with obligatory mask-wearing in markets, outlets, on public transport and locations of worship.
• Vietnam’s tourism ministry has proposed a full reopening of the nation to international guests and lifting practically all journey restrictions from 15 March. The proposal, which can be submitted to the prime minister for approval, follows related reopening steps taken by different Southeast Asian nations similar to Thailand and the Philippines.
• Hong Kong’s chief govt, Carrie Lam, mentioned she had “no plans by any means” to impose a mainland China-style “full, wholesale” lockdown amid surging coronavirus circumstances which have left the town’s emergency assets overwhelmed.
• A brand new wave of infections from the Omicron variant of coronavirus is shifting in the direction of the east of Europe, the World Well being Group mentioned on Tuesday, urging authorities to enhance vaccination and different measures.
• The Queen has carried out her first official engagements because it was introduced that Prince Charles had examined optimistic for Covid-19 on Thursday.

Our US west coast reporter, Dani Anguiano, appears at how a Californian police division is encouraging unvaccinated provides to affix them.

A sheriff’s division in southern California is encouraging regulation enforcement officers who oppose vaccine mandates to “take again [their] freedom” and apply for jobs with the division.

The Kern county sheriff’s workplace launched a video final week inviting functions from deputies inside Los Angeles county, the place officers handed an order that might result in the termination of hundreds of county employees who haven’t acquired the Covid-19 vaccine or offered a non secular or medical exemption.

“Drive north, we’ve got a spot for you … Kern county is a neighborhood that backs the blue,” the minute-long advert says as nation singer George Strait sings The Weight of the Badge, a music paying tribute to police.

Covid-19 vaccination charges contained in the LA sheriff’s division have lagged far beneath that of the general public with simply 54% of employees absolutely vaccinated, regardless of a vaccination mandate for county staff. Final week the county board of supervisors moved to shift vaccine mandate enforcement energy away from LA county Sheriff Alex Villanueva. Villanueva, who has criticized masks orders and mentioned he won’t hearth employees who refuse the vaccine, mentioned such an act might result in greater than 4,000 unvaccinated deputies shedding their jobs.

The sheriff’s workplace in Kern county, a deeply conservative expanse positioned instantly to the north of Los Angeles, responded with its video the subsequent day. “So take again your freedom, and APPLY as we speak to work on the Kern county sheriff’s workplace. You deserve a job that welcomes you and your values, with open arms.”

Hi there everybody. It’s Léonie Chao-Fong right here once more, bringing you all the most recent international developments on the coronavirus pandemic. Be happy to drop me a message you probably have something to flag, you may attain me on Twitter or via email.

The lifting of remaining Covid restrictions in England will “disproportionately influence” weak sections of the inhabitants, the UK authorities’s scientific advisers have warned.

Members of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) behavioural science subgroup, SPI-B, say the removing of free Covid testing will make it harder for individuals experiencing Covid signs to take actions (together with self-isolation) to cut back transmission to others, doubtlessly growing anxiousness amongst people who find themselves clinically weak.

The report says:

Within the occasion of remaining restrictions being lifted, coverage makers and communicators ought to search to mitigate potential financial and social harms to these figuring out as clinically weak and people from disadvantaged socioeconomic and minority teams.

If the authorized requirement to self-isolate upon testing optimistic is lifted and turns into an merchandise of public well being steering, it’s more likely to result in additional ambiguity among the many public concerning the want for strict adherence.

It will disproportionately influence weak sections of the inhabitants, for instance those that face higher strain to work exterior the house when ailing due to monetary hardship, precarious employment, or caring duties.

And a few response to SPI-B’s newest report from the UK’s scientific neighborhood. From Prof Susan Michie, director of the centre for behaviour change at College Faculty London:

From Stephen Reicher, a member of the Sage subcommittee advising on behavioural science:

And from Dr Zubaida Haque, a member of the Unbiased Sage committee:

NHS medical director Professor Stephen Powis mentioned:

With greater than 10,000 individuals in hospital with Covid – this research is a well timed and vital reminder that vaccines stay our greatest safety towards the virus, lowering the probabilities of turning into significantly unwell in addition to the consequences of lengthy covid.

The NHS vaccination programme has helped forestall over 100,000 hospitalisations since mid-December alone, and so the NHS is obvious, when eligible guide in in your vaccine directly.

Lengthy Covid is much less more likely to have an effect on vaccinated individuals than unvaccinated individuals, a evaluation of 15 research by the UK Well being Safety Company launched on Tuesday has concluded.

“These research add to the potential advantages of receiving a full course of the Covid-19 vaccination,” mentioned Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at UKHSA.

“Vaccination is one of the best ways to guard your self from critical signs whenever you get contaminated and may additionally assist to cut back the longer-term influence.”

Final week Boris Johnson introduced that every one Covid rules in England, together with the requirement to isolate after testing optimistic, have been on account of be abolished on 24 February. Whille the Omicron variant has prompted fewer hospitalisations and deaths than many predicted, some scientists say the modifications could also be going too far, too quickly.

On this week’s episode of the Science Weekly podcast, Madeleine Finlay will get the Guardian science correspondent Hannah Devlin’s view on whether or not there’s scientific proof backing up this determination and what the modifications might appear to be.

You may take heed to the episode right here: What will ‘living with Covid’ actually mean?

Vietnam’s tourism ministry has proposed a full reopening of the nation to international guests and a lifting of practically all journey restrictions from 15 March, three months sooner than deliberate, Reuters experiences.

The proposal, which can be submitted to the prime minister for approval, follows related reopening steps taken by different Southeast Asian nations similar to Thailand and the Philippines, the place the Omicron variant has prompted a latest surge in new infections, however fewer hospitalisations and deaths than earlier variants.

The proposal consists of sustaining a one-day quarantine requirement for guests plus requiring unfavourable Covid assessments earlier than departure and on arrival.

Vietnam introduced a file 31,814 new coronavirus circumstances on Tuesday, including to the greater than 2.54 million infections to this point. It has recorded about 39,000 deaths general.

It imposed among the many world’s strictest border controls two years in the past because the coronavirus pandemic swept the globe.

It noticed some preliminary success in conserving the virus out, however the coverage dealt a blow to its burgeoning tourism sector, which accounted for about 10% of gross home product in 2019.
Overseas arrivals fell to 157,000 final yr, in contrast with 18 million in 2019.

Since November, Vietnam has allowed international vacationers to go to designated locations beneath a vaccine passport programme and had initially aimed to totally reopen the trade from June.

Virtually 77% of its 98 million inhabitants has been vaccinated, in line with official knowledge, one of many area’s highest charges.

Right here’s a fast roundup of what’s been taking place to this point:

• Japan reported 236 Covid-19 deaths on Tuesday, the best day by day deaths for the reason that pandemic started. The nation has began to see a decline in day by day new Covid circumstances however consultants have warned that deaths could proceed to extend on account of a latest collection of an infection clusters at amenities for aged individuals.
• South Korea additionally reported its highest variety of Covid deaths in a month as we speak as US well being authorities suggested People to keep away from travelling to the nation grappling with a fast-developing omicron surge.
• One of many final remaining nations with out Covid – the small Pacific nation of Prepare dinner Islands – has reported its first case of the virus.
• Hong Kong’s chief govt, Carrie Lam, mentioned she had “no plans by any means” to impose a mainland China-style “full, wholesale” lockdown amid surging coronavirus circumstances which have left the town’s emergency assets overwhelmed.
• The UK’s excessive courtroom has dominated that the previous well being secretary Matt Hancock didn’t adjust to a public sector equality obligation when he appointed the Conservative peer Dido Harding as head of a brand new public well being quango.
• A brand new wave of infections from the Omicron variant of coronavirus is shifting in the direction of the east of Europe, the World Well being Group mentioned on Tuesday, urging authorities to enhance vaccination and different measures.
• Papua New Guinea will reopen to vaccinated travellers from Wednesday after two years of strict border guidelines. Some home restrictions will stay, together with obligatory mask-wearing in markets, outlets, on public transport and locations of worship.
• A physician from the German embassy in Moscow will conduct a coronavirus check on Olaf Scholz on his arrival in Russia, a German authorities supply mentioned, forward of a gathering between the German chancellor and the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.
• The Queen has carried out her first official engagements because it was introduced that Prince Charles had examined optimistic for Covid-19 on Thursday.

I’ll be handing the weblog over to my colleague Lucy Campbell for the subsequent hour. Thanks for studying.

Right here’s an fascinating thread from The Instances’ science editor, Tom Whipple, on the UK’s Covid-19 testing and surveillance infrastructure.

The Queen has carried out her first official engagements because it was introduced that Prince Charles had examined optimistic for Covid-19 final week, having met with the Queen a few days earlier.

The 95-year-old monarch held digital audiences from Windsor Fort and was pictured talking with the Estonian ambassador through video-link from Buckingham Palace.

The Queen hung out with Charles final Tuesday, when the prince was finishing up an investiture on her behalf at her Windsor Fort dwelling. On Thursday, he revealed he has examined optimistic for the virus. On the time Buckingham Palace mentioned the Queen was not displaying any signs of the virus.

Yesterday Clarence Home confirmed that Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, had additionally examined optimistic for the virus.

Papua New Guinea will reopen to vaccinated travellers from Wednesday, marking the top of two years of strict border guidelines which have just about sealed the nation off.

The nation’s pandemic controller, David Manning, introduced as we speak that he had revoked guidelines requiring approval to enter Papua New Guinea and necessary quarantine, Agence France-Presse experiences.

Some home restrictions will stay, together with obligatory mask-wearing in markets, outlets, on public transport and locations of worship, in addition to a restrict of 100 individuals for gatherings.

Greater than 37,000 Covid-19 circumstances have been recorded in Papua New Guinea for the reason that begin of the pandemic, however it’s believed that the true variety of circumstances is much increased, with low testing charges and widespread stigma about Covid-19.

The nation’s well being care system has lengthy been suffering from shortages of medication, funding, an ailing infrastructure and a extreme lack of well being employees.

It has one of many lowest charges of vaccination on this planet, with round 4% of the entire inhabitants vaccinated. Final yr, the Lowy Institute in Australia carried out modelling that predicted Papua New Guinea would take 5 years to vaccinate only a third of its inhabitants.

Russia has reported 166,631 new Covid-19 circumstances prior to now 24-hour interval, down from 180,456 the day earlier than, and 704 additional deaths, the federal response centre mentioned.

As well as, 21,833 individuals contaminated with Covid-19 have been hospitalised over the previous 24 hours, a 108.9% enhance from the day earlier than.

Our performing knowledge initiatives editor, Pamela Duncan, appears into the UK’s newest Covid-19 deaths figures:

The whole variety of deaths involving Covid within the UK reached 183,502 in early February, figures revealed this morning present.

The Workplace for Nationwide Statistics recorded 1,242 registrations the place Covid was talked about on the dying certificates in England and Wales within the week to 4 February, or one in 10 deaths.

This was one other lower within the weekly variety of Covid deaths, falling from 1,385 deaths or 11.2% of all deaths registered within the earlier week. Two-thirds of the deaths recorded within the newest seven-day interval had Covid listed because the underlying reason for dying, moderately than a contributory trigger, down from 71.2% the earlier week.

General, the variety of deaths occurring have remained beneath the five-year common for six weeks, now having been increased than regular for shut to 6 months.

There was a slight enhance within the variety of deaths amongst care dwelling residents in England and Wales within the final week lined by the information. A complete of 341 care dwelling residents died with Covid within the week to 4 February, rising from 333 per week earlier.

The determine recorded by the ONS is completely different to the federal government’s official rely of 159,605 as a result of the latter solely data these deaths which might be recognized to have occurred inside 28 days of a optimistic coronavirus check, whereas the ONS counts all deaths the place the virus was talked about on the dying certificates.

Every week after the Philippines reopened to international vacationers for the primary time in two years, the president’s spokesperson has declared the nation is now at a “low threat” from the coronavirus pandemic.

“The Nationwide Capital Area and your complete Philippines now have a low-risk classification” by way of case progress, prevalence and well being system capability, mentioned Karlo Nograles, particular person for President Rodrigo Duterte.

Instances have averaged about 3,600 day by day prior to now week though there are considerations that infections could rise as campaigning for the 9 Might presidential elections begins, with political rallies seen as potential super-spreader occasions.

Well being officers say the variety of absolutely vaccinated individuals within the Phillippines has reached round 56% of the inhabitants and hospital mattress occupancy charges are at about 30%.

The federal government plans to raise all restrictions, the well being undersecretary, Maria Rosario Vergeire, promised, however she refused to offer a selected time-frame. “When that occurs, all restrictions can be lifted and the whole lot can be beneath self-regulation,” she added.

Greater than 55,000 individuals have died within the Phillippines, in line with authorities knowledge, though a latest new report suggests the true variety of deaths could also be double the well being division’s official numbers.

Our Rome correspondent, Angela Giuffrida, experiences on the most recent Covid-19 restrictions in Italy:

All employees in Italy over the age of fifty at the moment are obliged to indicate proof of vaccination or restoration from Covid-19 throughout the final six months to entry their office.

The measure was introduced in early January, when day by day infections have been hovering round 200,000 a day and hospitals have been beneath strain, and took impact on Wednesday.

The vaccine was additionally made necessary for the over-50s on 8 January. Of the two.4 million individuals over the age of fifty who had not been vaccinated on that date, about 1.7m are nonetheless unvaccinated, in line with Wired Italia. Employees aged over 50 make up 8.8 million of the inhabitants.

Italy has among the many strictest Covid-19 guidelines in Europe, and is easing them slowly, for instance the requirement to put on masks exterior was scrapped final Friday.

However Matteo Salvini, the chief of the League, the far-right celebration that’s a part of prime minister Mario Draghi’s broad coalition, is pushing for all restrictions to be lifted in March.

“We will’t be those with essentially the most guidelines,” he mentioned.

Infections have dropped sharply in latest weeks, with 28,630 registered on Monday, and hospitalisations have been falling. Nevertheless, Italy continues to be recording a stubbornly excessive dying charge, with 281 additional fatalities reported on Monday.

Japan reported 236 Covid-19 deaths on Tuesday, the best day by day deaths for the reason that pandemic started and bringing the nation’s cumulative dying toll to twenty,759.

Japan has seen greater than 100 day by day deaths since early this yr, principally among the many aged inhabitants, amid a sixth wave of infections pushed by the extremely transmissible Omicron variant. The whole variety of circumstances in Japan has surpassed 4 million.

The nation has began to see a decline in day by day new Covid circumstances however consultants have warned that deaths could proceed to extend on account of a latest collection of an infection clusters at amenities for aged individuals.

“The expansion within the variety of severely ailing sufferers is more likely to proceed for some time,” mentioned Shigeru Omi, chairperson of the federal government’s coronavirus subcommittee on Monday.

The most recent figures come after the Imperial Family Company confirmed that Princess Yoko of Japan has developed average pneumonia after testing optimistic for coronavirus. Yoko, 38, was admitted to the College of Tokyo hospital on Tuesday after complaining of a sore throat early final week.

Hi there everybody. It’s Léonie Chao-Fong right here, taking up the reside weblog from Tom Ambrose to deliver you all the most recent international developments on the coronavirus pandemic. Be happy to get in contact on Twitter or via email.

Extra on the worsening coronavirus state of affairs in Hong Kong, the place hospitals are buckling beneath the pressure of hovering circumstances pushed by the Omicron variant and at the very least two medical amenities have positioned sufferers in beds exterior their entrances.

Hong Kong’s chief govt, Carrie Lam, advised reporters as we speak she had “no plans by any means” to impose a mainland China-style “full, wholesale” lockdown.

However she insisted zero-Covid remained her administration’s purpose, regardless of mounting strain from public well being consultants and enterprise figures to modify to a mitigation technique.

Lam mentioned:

We’ve got to proceed to battle this anti-epidemic battle. Surrendering to the virus isn’t an possibility.