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    Coronavirus - 20th November 2021

    Kitkat
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    • Post n°1

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    Post by Kitkat Sat 20 Nov 2021, 12:54

    Summary for Saturday, 20th November 2021


    • Two people are being treated in hospital in Rotterdam after they were seriously injured when police fired shots during violent riots against Covid measures. Crowds of several hundred rioters torched cars, set off fireworks and threw rocks at police during the protests in the Dutch city on Friday evening. Police responded with warning shots and water canons. 51 people were arrested, half of whom were under 18. Rotterdam’s mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb, condemned the protests which had turned into “an orgy of violence”. The Dutch justice minister Ferd Grapperhaus added in a statement that the “extreme violence” against police and fire fighters in Rotterdam was “repulsive”. Protesters had gathered to voice opposition to government plans to restrict access to indoor venues to people who have a “corona pass”, showing they have been vaccinated or have already recovered from an infection. The Netherlands re-imposed some lockdown measures last weekend for an initial three weeks in an effort to slow a resurgence of coronavirus, but daily infections have remained at their highest levels since the start of the pandemic. Story here.
    • The UK cannot afford to be complacent and must be prepared to introduce tougher measures to control the spread of Covid this winter if necessary, a government adviser and leading epidemiologist warned. With Austria planning to introduce mandatory vaccinations from February as well as a new lockdown starting on Monday, and German ministers having declared a national emergency, Prof Andrew Hayward, co-director of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, was asked whether the UK could be forced to take similar action in the coming weeks or months. He said the UK was “on a knife edge” and that much depended on the booster jab campaign and the speed of uptake. Story here.
    • Surging coronavirus infections across Europe show the “critical” need for people in the UK get vaccinated, a government scientific adviser has said. Prof John Edmunds, a member of Sage, said soaring cases on the continent underlined “how quickly things can go wrong”, and pointed out that there were still “many millions” across the UK who were still not fully vaccinated while some had not had any Covid shots at all.
    • Several thousand demonstrators have already gathered in central Vienna to protest against the new tough pandemic measures in Austria, with up to 15,000 people expected to demonstrate in the capital on Saturday. The country faces its fourth general lockdown from Monday, which will also be in place for those who have been vaccinated, and is set to become the first European country to mandate Covid vaccination. The nationwide lockdown will last for a maximum of 20 days, the government has said, and will be followed by a lockdown for unvaccinated people.
    • Thousands of people in Australia marched in “freedom” rallies in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, with the largest crowds in the Victorian capital as protests against the state government’s pandemic legislation ramped up again. Story here.
    • World No 1 Novak Djokovic and all other players will have to be vaccinated against Covid to compete in the Australia Open next January, the tournament’s chief, Craig Tiley, said on Saturday. Victoria’s premier, Daniel Andrews, quickly made it clear that no exemptions would be sought for unvaccinated players. Story here.
    • Hong Kong approved lowering the age limit for the Covid vaccine from China’s Sinovac Biotech to three years old, down from 18, as it pursues a broader campaign to incentivise its 7.5 million residents to get vaccinated. Story here.

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    Post by Kitkat Sat 20 Nov 2021, 12:55

    Rotterdam mayor condemns 'orgy of violence' at Covid protests

    Lucy Campbell - The Guardian
    The mayor of Rotterdam has condemned “an orgy of violence” at protests against Covid measures in the Dutch port city, in which seven people were wounded and more than 20 arrested.
    Reuters reports that crowds of several hundred rioters torched cars, set off fireworks and threw rocks at police during the protests on Friday evening. Police responded with warning shots and water cannon.
    Read more: Rotterdam police open fire as Covid protest turns violent
    Coronavirus - 20th November 2021 5819_w10
    A protest against Covid measures turned into riots, with protesters setting fires in the street and destroying police cars and street furniture. Photograph: Vln Nieuws/EPA

    “Police were forced to draw their weapons and even fire direct shots,” the mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb, told a press conference early on Saturday.
    Asked to characterise the event, Aboutaleb said it was “an orgy of violence, I can’t think of another way to describe it.”
    Authorities said they had arrested more than 20 people and expected to detain others, as the city centre where the riots took place is extensively monitored by security cameras.
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    Police detain a protestor as the demonstrations turned violent. Photograph: Hollandse Hoogte/Rex/Shutterstock

    Protesters had gathered to oppose government plans to restrict access to indoor venues to people who have a “corona pass”, showing they have been vaccinated or have recently recovered from an infection.
    The pass is also available to people who have not been vaccinated, but have proof of a negative test.
    The Netherlands re-imposed some lockdown measures last weekend for an initial three weeks in an effort to slow a resurgence of coronavirus, but daily infections have remained at their highest levels since the start of the pandemic.
    Authorities reported a record of more than 23,000 new cases on Thursday, well above the previous daily high of 13,000 reached in December 2020.
    Related: Netherlands imposes lockdown measures as Covid cases hit new high


    A demonstration planned for Saturday in Amsterdam against coronavirus curbs was cancelled after riots in Rotterdam injured seven people and saw police fire warning shots last night, AFP reports.
    Several dozen people were arrested in the protests against government moves to restrict access to certain sites for unvaccinated people and impose other restrictions. A police car and several electric scooters were torched and fires set off.
    “Last night, all hell broke loose in Rotterdam,” United We Stand Europe, which had called Saturday’s protest, said on Facebook.
    Chaos broke out in the centre of the port city on Friday night, with more than 20 people arrested.
    Rotterdam’s mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb denounced an “orgy of violence”, adding: “The police have felt the need to draw a police weapon in the end to defend themselves.”



    Keeping the demonstration in Amsterdam “didn’t feel right”, United We Stand Europe said, lamenting the injuries to two protesters, which had also been reported in Dutch media.
    “The riots and extreme violence against police, riot police and firefighters last night in Rotterdam are horrifying,” the Dutch security and justice minister Ferd Grapperhaus said on Saturday, deploring the “considerable” destruction.
    “The men and women who take to the streets every day for our safety have been pelted with stones and fireworks,” he said, referring to the police. “The police and the public prosecutor’s office are doing their utmost to track down, prosecute and punish these rioters.”
    “After major disruptions yesterday... order is now being restored. There is a lot of damage, people have been injured and people have been detained,” the local police said on Twitter on Saturday.
    “At the moment the full picture is being drawn up. The investigation into the rioters is starting,” it added.
    A planned protest in the southern city of Breda on Saturday is still on, according to local media.
    Rotterdam police quashed rumours on social media that someone died during the violence. “Both from our side and from the National Criminal Investigation Department, this has not been reported,” police stressed.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 20 Nov 2021, 12:57

    Visitors will need to show proof of their Covid status to gain entry to Belfast Christmas market, which opens on Saturday.
    All visitors will need to show proof of either their Covid vaccination, a negative test or lateral flow test taken in the last 48 hours, or evidence of a positive PCR test taken in the previous 30 to 180 days, in order to attend the market, which takes place in the grounds of Belfast city hall.
    Organisers had previously said the rule would only apply on busier days and weekends. But they announced on Friday that it would apply at all times.
    The decision was taken ahead of Northern Ireland’s Covid passport scheme, which is likely to come in on 29 November.
    Organisers said safety of staff and customers was of “paramount importance”, and are also recommending that visitors wear face masks and pay by card where possible.

    Iraq said it has received 1.2 million doses of Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid vaccine through the Covax sharing scheme, amid fears of a fourth wave in the country, AFP reports.
    Nearly 7 million Iraqis have received at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine, amounting to just 17.5% of the country’s 40 million population, based on government figures.
    Plagued by years of conflict, corruption and neglect, the country’s health system has struggled to cope with the pandemic.
    The health ministry announced on Saturday the arrival of a shipment of more than 1.2 million doses of “Pfizer’s anti-Covid vaccine through the Covax programme and Unicef”, the UN Children’s Fund.
    “Iraq is still facing danger from the coronavirus pandemic,” ministry spokesman Saif al-Badr said on Thursday.
    “We expect to enter a fourth wave, [and] it could be a new variant,” he told state television.
    More than 2 million Iraqis have contracted coronavirus and 23,628 have died in Iraq since the outbreak of the pandemic, according to official figures.
    Despite an increase in the number of people getting jabbed, the government has been unable to overcome general scepticism about vaccines and measures aimed at preventing the spread of the virus.
    There is a high level of public mistrust of institutions in Iraq amid the circulation of misleading information about the pandemic.
    Covax was set up to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines, particularly to low-income countries, and has already delivered more than 80 million doses to 129 territories.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 20 Nov 2021, 13:04

    World No 1 Novak Djokovic and all other players will have to be vaccinated against Covid to compete in the Australia Open next January, the tournament’s chief, Craig Tiley, said on Saturday.
    Djokovic has declined to disclose whether he is vaccinated and said that he would wait until Tennis Australia revealed the health protocols before he made a decision about playing at Melbourne Park.
    “There’s a lot of speculation about vaccination and just to be really clear, when the [state] premier announced that everyone on site ... will need to be vaccinated ... we made that clear to the playing group,” Tiley told reporters.
    “[Novak] has said that he views this as a private matter for him. We would love to see Novak here, he knows that he’ll have to be vaccinated to play here.”
    Coronavirus - 20th November 2021 2053_w10
    Djokovic shares the record of 20 men’s grand slam singles titles with Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer and will be looking to break that tie by winning a 10th Australian Open title if he decides to play in January. Photograph: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/Reuters

    The announcement brings to a definitive conclusion months of negotiations between Tennis Australia and the Victoria state government, which had insisted throughout that everybody at Melbourne Park would need to be vaccinated.
    Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison, had opened a window for unvaccinated players when he said that they would be allowed into the country if they served 14 days quarantine and Victoria applied for an exemption.
    Victoria’s premier, Daniel Andrews, quickly made it clear that no exemptions would be sought for unvaccinated players.
    Get the full story here.


    Some 200 vaccinated foreign tourists arrived in Vietnam’s beach-fringed island of Phu Quoc on Saturday, the first wave of visitors to the country in nearly two years as it seeks to resurrect its pandemic-ravaged tourism economy, Reuters reports.
    Vietnam imposed tight border controls at the start of the pandemic in an effort to keep Covid out, with some initial success, but that harmed its burgeoning tourism sector, which typically accounts for about 10% of gross domestic product.
    Vaccinated tourists now do not have to undergo mandatory two-week quarantine, according to the authorities, but are required to enjoy their holiday only inside the mega complex resort Vinpearl and will be tested twice during their trip.
    “This is the first and vital step to revive our tourism sector and to prepare for the full resumption next year,” Nguyen Trung Khanh, chairman of the country’s tourism administration said in statement.
    “We want to offer tourists a new experience amid new normalcy which they can live fully in Phu Quoc and then live fully in Vietnam,” Khanh added.
    The island’s authorities expect to welcome 400,000 domestic and international tourists to the end of this year.
    Coronavirus - 20th November 2021 5402_w10
    A staff member sweeps the grounds of the Vinpearl resort on Phu Quoc island on Friday as the island prepared for its first international tourists to arrive in almost two years. Photograph: Nhac Nguyen/AFP/Getty Images

    Other Vietnamese destinations such as the Unesco world heritage site Hoi An and Danang beach are also welcoming international tourists back.
    The move follows similar steps taken by neighbouring Thailand, which hosted vaccinated foreign tourists for quarantine-free holiday earlier this month.
    Foreign arrivals to Vietnam slumped from 18 million in 2019, when tourism revenue was $31bn, or nearly 12% of its gross domestic product, to 3.8 million last year.
    Vietnam, which has inoculated more than half of its 98 million people, is seeking to resume international commercial flights from January next year and eyeing a full tourism reopening from June.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 20 Nov 2021, 13:10

    Australia Covid protests: threats against ‘traitorous’ politicians as thousands rally in capital cities
    Stephanie Convery - The Guardian
    Thousands of people have marched in “freedom” rallies in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, with the largest crowds in the Victorian capital as protests against the state government’s pandemic legislation ramped up again.
    Protesters marched from Victoria’s state parliament, down Bourke Street and up to Flagstaff Gardens, carrying Australian flags and placards bearing anti-vaccination, anti-lockdown and anti-government slogans, while chanting “kill the bill”, “sack Dan Andrews” and “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi”.
    The rally drew a significant increase in numbers following weeks of protests against the Victorian premier’s public health and wellbeing (pandemic management) bill 2021, which previously came to a head last weekend, when thousands of people marched through central Melbourne in a demonstration that included a prop gallows, protesters posing with nooses, and chants of “hang Dan Andrews”.
    Coronavirus - 20th November 2021 5184_w10
    Crowds in Sydney protest against mandatory vaccinations and lockdown measures on Saturday. Photograph: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

    The bill as introduced by the Victorian government would allow the premier to make an indefinite declaration of a pandemic and state of emergency, give the health minister power to make broad public health orders, and grant authorised officers the power to detain people under quarantine.
    The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, has been racing to pass the pandemic legislation before the state of emergency is due to lapse on 15 December.
    If the bill fails to pass, the Victorian government may not have the legal framework to enforce and create Covid-19 orders to manage the pandemic. The bill has been criticised by the Law Institute of Victoria, the Victorian Bar Association, and the Human Rights Law Centre, who say it lacks oversight and transparency.
    In Sydney on Saturday, several thousand protesters also marched through the CBD.
    The sound of bagpipes echoed through York Street as a man dressed in white screamed “destroy the new world order” and others chanted “walk with us”.
    A Sydney demonstrator carried a “kill the bill” sign, despite there being no such bill in NSW, while others waved Australian flags.
    The full story is here.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 20 Nov 2021, 13:16

    The Coronavirus infections rate in the Czech Republic hit a new record for the second time this week, the health ministry said on Saturday.
    It announced that the daily tally rose to 22,936 on Friday, almost 500 more than the previous record set on Tuesday.
    The country’s infection rate has risen to 929 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days.
    A further 110 people died on Thursday, the ministry said, with the daily death toll surpassing 100 for the first time since April.
    The government has approved new restrictions to tackle the surge in infections, targeting the unvaccinated in an effort to increase a vaccination rate that is below the European Union average.
    Starting on Monday, most unvaccinated people will no longer be allowed to show negative coronavirus tests in order to attend public events, go to bars and restaurants, visit hairdressers, museums and similar facilities or use hotels.
    Only people who are vaccinated or have recovered from Covid in the last six months will remain eligible. Testing at workplaces will also be required.
    On Thursday, the Czech president, Andrej Babiš, warned that the country was facing a “serious” situation as cases surge.
    “I am glad that after many negotiations in the last two days, there has been an agreement between experts and the government,” Babiš wrote on Twitter, adding that they were inspired to announce the restrictions based on the measures planned for the state of Bavaria in Germany.
    He added: “And please: Limit contacts and get vaccinated. It’s the only way you can protect your health.”
    Overall, the country of 10.7 million has registered over 1.94 million cases and 31,769 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

    The number of deaths of people being treated under the Mental Health Act in England rose during the coronavirus pandemic, estimates suggest.
    The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) findings come amid concerns over staff shortages in psychiatric units.
    Some 490 people died while detained under the act between the start of March 2020 to the end of March 2021. The regulator said 166 of those deaths were due to Covid-19, while 324 of them for “non-Covid” reasons.
    BBC analysis found that between 2012 and 2019, an average of 273 people died per year either while detained in hospital or being supervised in the community in England while subject to the act.
    The Tory former health secretary Jeremy Hunt warned that staff shortages were now compromising patient safety in “every part of the NHS”.
    He called the figures on deaths in psychiatric detention “very concerning”, adding: “It’s not just mental health, but every specialty now has shortages of doctors and nurses.”
    Hunt argued a “radical overhaul” of the training system was needed to ensure there were enough doctors and nurses in the coming decades.
    The BBC has the story.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 20 Nov 2021, 13:19

    Several thousand demonstrators have already gathered in central Vienna to protest against the new tough pandemic measures in Austria, with up to 15,000 people expected to demonstrate in the capital on Saturday.
    On Saturday, 15,297 new infections were registered in the country. Austria faces its fourth general lockdown from Monday, which will also be in place for those who have been vaccinated.
    The nationwide lockdown will last for 20 days, and will be followed by a lockdown for unvaccinated people.
    Symbols such as a yellow star with the word “not vaccinated” are just as ubiquitous as the terms “fascism” and “dictatorship” in the crowd in Vienna, while protesters shout slogans such as “We are the people” and “resistance”, Austrian daily Der Standard reports.
    Coronavirus - 20th November 2021 4466_w11
    People take part in a demonstration against the measures of the Austrian government to slow down the ongoing Covid pandemic at the Heldenplatz square in Vienna, Austria, 20 November 2021. Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announced a mandatory vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus by February 2022, and a general nationwide lockdown to curb infections, starting from 22 November. Photograph: Christian Bruna/EPA
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 20 Nov 2021, 13:30

    Nepal reports 209 new Covid-19 cases, one death
    The Kathmandu Post
    According to the Health Ministry, the countrywide death toll has now reached 11,495 and the number of active cases stands at 7,303.
    Nepal on Saturday reported 209 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours taking the nationwide infection tally to 818,787.
    Similarly, 33 people tested positive in a total of 2,991 antigen tests, according to the Health Ministry.
    As of Saturday, 4,550,471 PCR and 711,727 antigen tests have been carried out across the country.
    A total of 4,145 PCR tests were performed in the past 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry.
    In its regular situation report, the ministry did not mention the death toll over the past 24 hours. It, however, reported one Covid-19-related fatality.
    The countrywide death toll has now reached 11,495. The number of active cases stands at 7,303.
    According to the ministry, 799,989 infected people have recovered from the disease so far; 444 of them in the last 24 hours.
    Kathmandu Valley recorded 105 new infections in the past 24 hours. Of these, 71 cases were confirmed in Kathmandu, 28 in Lalitpur and six in Bhaktapur.
    In the past 24 hours, 21 new infections were recorded in Province 1, six in Province 2, 119 in Bagmati, 20 in Gandaki, 32 in Lumbini, five in Karnali and six in Sudurpaschim.
    On Saturday, 234 individuals infected with the virus were being treated in intensive care units across the country. Another 55—14 in Province 1, 27 in Bagmati, 12 in Gandaki and two in Lumbini—were on ventilator support.
    Nepal on Friday reported 271 new coronavirus cases and five deaths. Similarly, 272 new coronavirus cases and six deaths were reported on Thursday and 363 new coronavirus cases and one death was recorded on Wednesday.
    Track all Covid-19 cases in Nepal here.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 20 Nov 2021, 14:43

    Slovakia has joined other European countries in reporting new records for daily infections
    Covid-19 infections in Slovakia are at their peak now, with a daily average of 6,598 new infections being reported each day now, the highest so far.
    The Ministry of Health on Saturday logged 9171 new infections in a 24-hour period, the highest daily tally of confirmed cases since the pandemic began.
    The country of 5.5 million introduced what prime minister Eduard Heger called a “lockdown for the unvaccinated” earlier this week.
    Covid-19 testing at workplaces is also among the new measures.
    According to the Reuters Covid-19 Tracker, Slovakia has administered at least 4,895,694 doses of Covid vaccines so far, which, assuming every person needs two doses, is enough to have vaccinated about 44.9% of the country’s population.
    Slovakia has reported 13 818 coronavirus-related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

    UK must be ready to impose Covid restrictions this winter, expert warns

    Jedidajah Otte - The Guardian
    The UK cannot afford to be complacent and must be prepared to introduce tougher measures to control the spread of Covid this winter if necessary, a government adviser and leading epidemiologist has warned.
    As mainland Europe is gripped by a new Covid wave, some countries have imposed strict measures to control the spread of Covid.
    With Austria planning to introduce mandatory vaccinations from February as well as a new lockdown starting on Monday, and German ministers having declared a national emergency, Prof Andrew Hayward, co-director of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, was asked whether the UK could be forced to take similar action in the coming weeks or months.
    Hayward said the UK was “on a knife edge” and that much depended on the booster jab campaign and the speed of uptake.
    Read the full story here.

    Ski resorts in northern Italy are reopening for the winter season after prolonged shutdowns due to the pandemic, although a recent rise in infections is spreading worries over possible new restrictions.
    Fabio Sacco, the president of the Skirama consortium that brings together several resorts in the Trentino-Alto Adige region, said he had been waiting to restart since March last year, when Italy imposed a lockdown. “It is really an exciting moment,” he told Reuters.
    Europe is being swept by a fourth wave of the pandemic that has already forced Austria, one of Italy’s neighbours, to announce a full national lockdown. Germany has not ruled out similar measures.
    Italy has also seen a rise in daily cases in recent weeks, especially in some northern areas where many ski slopes are located. Hospitalisations remain under control nationwide but operators are aware of the risks rising infections may pose.
    “There is some uncertainty and fear due to the worsening of the pandemic trend, but the resorts in our consortium and across Trentino are prepared to handle different scenarios,” Sacco said.
    A Covid health pass - which shows if someone has completed the vaccination cycle, has recently tested negative or recovered from the disease - is required to access ski lifts along with face masks and social distancing rules.
    Skiers, enjoying clear blue skies and perfect skiing conditions, were feeling upbeat about the forthcoming winter season.
    “Finally, after a year of closure we are happy. There is a desire to ski. The snow and the day are beautiful. I expect many positive things from this season,” said skier Filippo Laureti.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 20 Nov 2021, 15:51

    Two people were being treated in hospital in Rotterdam on Saturday after they were seriously injured when police fired shots during riots against Covid measures, authorities said.
    Crowds of several hundred rioters torched cars, set off fireworks and threw rocks at police during the protests in the Dutch city on Friday evening. Police responded with warning shots and water canons.
    Rotterdam police said on Twitter on Saturday that 51 people had been arrested, half of whom were under 18. “Two rioters where wounded when they were hit by bullets, they remain in hospital,” the force added.
    The city’s mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb, said protest had turned into “an orgy of violence”.
    “Police were forced to draw their weapons and even fire direct shots,” he told a press conference early on Saturday.
    The Dutch justice minister Ferd Grapperhaus said in a statement that the “extreme violence” against police and fire fighters in Rotterdam was “repulsive”.
    “The right to protest is very important in our society but what we saw last night was simply criminal behaviour,” Grapperhaus said.
    Read more: Rotterdam police open fire as Covid protest turns into ‘orgy of violence’
    Protesters had gathered to voice opposition to government plans to restrict access to indoor venues to people who have a “corona pass”, showing they have been vaccinated or have already recovered from an infection.
    The pass is also available to people who have not been vaccinated, but have proof of a negative test.
    Organisers of a planned protest on Saturday in Amsterdam against the coronavirus measures said they had cancelled the event after Friday’s violence.
    Even so, several hundred protesters showed up in the city’s central Dam square, monitored by a heavy police presence.
    In the southern city of Breda, a musical protest called by local DJs against current Covid measures, which include the 8pm closure of bars, restaurants and clubs, attracted a few hundred people.
    The Netherlands re-imposed some lockdown measures last weekend for an initial three weeks in an effort to slow a resurgence of coronavirus, but daily infections have remained at their highest levels since the start of the pandemic.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 20 Nov 2021, 16:12

    Some of the main developments from today so far:


    • Two people were being treated in hospital in Rotterdam after they were seriously injured when police fired shots during violent riots against Covid measures. Crowds of several hundred rioters torched cars, set off fireworks and threw rocks at police during the protests in the Dutch city on Friday evening. Police responded with warning shots and water canons. 51 people were arrested, half of whom were under 18. Rotterdam’s mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb, condemned the protests which had turned into “an orgy of violence”. The Dutch justice minister Ferd Grapperhaus added in a statement that the “extreme violence” against police and fire fighters in Rotterdam was “repulsive”. Protesters had gathered to voice opposition to government plans to restrict access to indoor venues to people who have a “corona pass”, showing they have been vaccinated or have already recovered from an infection. The Netherlands re-imposed some lockdown measures last weekend for an initial three weeks in an effort to slow a resurgence of coronavirus, but daily infections have remained at their highest levels since the start of the pandemic. Story here.
    • The UK cannot afford to be complacent and must be prepared to introduce tougher measures to control the spread of Covid this winter if necessary, a government adviser and leading epidemiologist warned. With Austria planning to introduce mandatory vaccinations from February as well as a new lockdown starting on Monday, and German ministers having declared a national emergency, Prof Andrew Hayward, co-director of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, was asked whether the UK could be forced to take similar action in the coming weeks or months. He said the UK was “on a knife edge” and that much depended on the booster jab campaign and the speed of uptake. Story here.
    • Surging coronavirus infections across Europe show the “critical” need for people in the UK get vaccinated, a government scientific adviser has said. Prof John Edmunds, a member of Sage, said soaring cases on the continent underlined “how quickly things can go wrong”, and pointed out that there were still “many millions” across the UK who were still not fully vaccinated while some had not had any Covid shots at all.
    • Several thousand demonstrators have already gathered in central Vienna to protest against the new tough pandemic measures in Austria, with up to 15,000 people expected to demonstrate in the capital on Saturday. The country faces its fourth general lockdown from Monday, which will also be in place for those who have been vaccinated, and is set to become the first European country to mandate Covid vaccination. The nationwide lockdown will last for a maximum of 20 days, the government has said, and will be followed by a lockdown for unvaccinated people.
    • Thousands of people in Australia marched in “freedom” rallies in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, with the largest crowds in the Victorian capital as protests against the state government’s pandemic legislation ramped up again. Story here.
    • World No 1 Novak Djokovic and all other players will have to be vaccinated against Covid to compete in the Australia Open next January, the tournament’s chief, Craig Tiley, said on Saturday. Victoria’s premier, Daniel Andrews, quickly made it clear that no exemptions would be sought for unvaccinated players. Story here.
    • Hong Kong approved lowering the age limit for the Covid vaccine from China’s Sinovac Biotech to three years old, down from 18, as it pursues a broader campaign to incentivise its 7.5 million residents to get vaccinated. Story here.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 20 Nov 2021, 19:38

    WHO: Another 500,000 people in Europe could die of Covid by March
    Harry Taylor - The Guardian
    The World Health Organization has said another 500,000 people in Europe could die of Covid by March next year unless urgent action is taken.
    The WHO’s Europe director, Dr Hans Kluge, said he was very worried about a fresh wave of infections that had spread across the continent and led countries to announce new restrictions.
    Kluge said factors such as the winter season, when there is normally an increase in viral infections, and low vaccine coverage were responsible for the increase in cases. He called for more people to get vaccinated, basic public health measures to be implemented and new treatments to be developed, but said mandatory vaccination should be the last resort.
    He told the BBC:
    Covid-19 has become once again the number one cause of mortality in our region. We know what needs to be done [to fight the disease].
    More here.

    Italy reported 11,555 coronavirus cases on Saturday, compared with 10,544 on Friday, and a further 49 deaths
    Reuters reports.
    Italy has registered 133,131 deaths linked to Covid-19 in total since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the second-highest toll in Europe.
    The country has reported 4.9 million cases to date.
    The number of patients in hospital with Covid, not including those in intensive care, rose to 4,250 on Saturday from 4,145 on Friday.
    There were 50 new admissions to intensive care units, up from 39 on Fridayqnd bringing the total to 512 patients.
    The health ministry said 574,812 tests for Covid-19 had been carried out in the past day, compared with a previous 534,690.

    Hundreds of people gathered in Belfast city centre on Saturday to oppose the planned introduction of Covid-19 certification.
    A large crowd formed outside City Hall, with many carrying placards and banners, according to PA Media.
    There were cheers and applause as speakers promised to resist certification in Northern Ireland.
    Traffic was temporarily disrupted in the city centre as shoppers crowded into the Christmas markets in City Hall while the protest took place on the street outside.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 20 Nov 2021, 19:45

    Varadkar tells CNN that Ireland’s unvaccinated are 'causing a lot of the trouble'
    Michael Murphy - The Irish Post
    Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told CNN’s Becky Anderson on Thursday that Ireland’s unvaccinated population are “causing a lot of trouble”.
    The comments came a day after the government announced a U-turn on its loosening of Covid-19 restrictions on Wednesday, November 17, amid a rise in cases.
    With one of the most vaccinated populations in the world, Mr Varadkar’s previous optimism about Ireland avoiding a fourth lockdown seemed justified at the time.
    “Things were going so well," Varadkar told the interviewer on CNN's Connect the World programme.
    He continued: "As a nation, we're a little bit crestfallen, a little bit heartbroken" about having to reintroduce restrictions.
    "We do have among the highest vaccination rates in the world – around 94% of adults are fully vaccinated”, he said.
    “Unfortunately, the five percent that are not are causing a lot of the trouble.
    "About five percent are not fully vaccinated, but about fifty percent of people in hospital and ICU are not fully vaccinated, so even that five percent can create a lot of difficulty.”
    https://twitter.com/CNNConnect/status/1461330850298187783?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1461330850298187783%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishpost.com%2Fnews%2Fvaradkar-tells-cnn-that-irelands-unvaccinated-are-causing-a-lot-of-the-trouble-224523

    Compounding the problem, Varadkar pointed to evidence of waning immunity among the vaccinated, making the successful rollout of booster jabs all the more crucial.
    "We're providing what I'm now calling 'the third dose'”, he said.
    “I think this is going to be a three-dose vaccine.”
    "Some vaccines require three doses. Two isn't going to be enough, so we are extending that now to more than half the adult population.
    “Anyone over 50 and then anyone under 50 with medical conditions – and I'd anticipate that we'd offer the third dose to everyone, as has been the case in other countries."
    “I’d really encourage anyone who’s not vaccinated to still come forward and do so. And that is happening, we are actually now seeing an increase in people who had shied away from getting vaccinated up until now, now coming forward and that’s a positive.”

    UK death toll increases by 150
    The UK government said a further 150 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Saturday, bringing the UK total to 143,866.
    Separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics show there have been 168,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
    There were 40,941 Covid-19 cases in the latest 24-hour period.
    As of 9am on Saturday, there had been a further 40,941 lab-confirmed Covid-19 cases in the UK, the government said.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 20 Nov 2021, 19:56

    https://twitter.com/DHSCgovuk/status/1462112553841184774?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1462112553841184774%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2Flive%2F2021%2Fnov%2F20%2Fcoronavirus-live-news-hong-kong-authorises-sinovac-vaccine-for-children-aged-3-17-rotterdam-riots-condemned%3FfilterKeyEvents%3Dfalse




    ‘This is an attack on human rights’: UK care homes still denying family visits to residents
    James Tapper - The Observer
    Dozens of care homes in the UK are still denying people access to their elderly relatives 20 months after the pandemic began, according to support groups.
    Although ministers have urged care homes to allow relatives to visit, groups including the Relatives & Residents Association and Unlock Care Homes say that many are still unable to see elderly residents.
    Since March, families have been able to nominate an “essential caregiver” (ECG) who can provide regular close support to a relative in a care home. About 70% of older care home residents have dementia, and research from John’s Campaign shows that relatives are often able to better interpret their behaviour and provide comfort.
    You can read more here.

    France has reported a total of 91,520 coronavirus deaths in hospital, an increase of 23
    It also recorded that 1,333 people are in intensive care units with Covid-19, a decrease of 20, Reuters reports.
    The country has had over 7.37 million cases in total.

    France sent dozens of elite police and counter-terrorism officers to its Caribbean island of Guadeloupe on Saturday following looting and arson overnight in defiance of an overnight curfew.
    The island’s prefect on Friday introduced the night-time stay-at-home order after protests against the coronavirus vaccine pass spiralled into violence the previous night. “The night was very turbulent,” a police source told AFP. The security forces recorded “some 20 incidents of looting or attempted robbery” in the seaside towns of Pointe-a-Pitre and Le Gosier, including at a jewellery shop, a bank, a betting shop and a shopping centre.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 20 Nov 2021, 23:46

    Brazil had 8,833 new cases of coronavirus reported in the past 24 hours and 217 deaths, the country’s health ministry said on Saturday.
    The South American country has now registered 22,012,150 cases since the pandemic began, while the official death toll has risen to 612,587, according to ministry data, Reuters reports.
    The country’s health ministry said 70% of the eligible population have been fully vaccinated and 90% have received a first dose.
    On Saturday, the ministry launched a campaign to reach 21 million Brazilians who have not returned for a second jab, Reuters reports.
    The rolling 14-day average of Covid-related deaths has fallen to 228 a day, the lowest since 26 April 2020.
    That compares with a toll of almost 3,000 deaths a day in Brazil at the peak of the pandemic in April of this year.
    Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s second-largest city, which was severely hit by the epidemic, did not have a single new case of a person in hospital with Covid-19 at municipal hospitals on Saturday, the city’s health authority said.
    It added that 76.5% of the eligible population has been fully vaccinated.

    Four people in hospital after police fired shots during Covid protest
    Four people are now being treated in hospital in Rotterdam after they were seriously injured when Dutch police fired shots during a violent protest against Covid-19 measures, authorities said.
    Police had initially said two people had been wounded, Reuters reports.
    Authorities are investigating the shootings including looking at the question if the injured people where hit with police bullets, police added
    Crowds of several hundred rioters torched cars, set off fireworks and threw rocks at police during the protests on Friday evening.
    Police responded with warning shots and water canons.

    US Covid infections rising again as upper midwest sees biggest jump
    America’s Covid-19 infections are climbing again, and could soon hit a weekly average of 100,000 cases a day as daily case reports increase more than 20% across the upper midwest.
    The fresh worsening of the coronavirus pandemic in the US comes as temperatures cool during the approach of winter, forcing people indoors where the virus is believed to spread more readily and may presage another wave.
    It is also happening ahead of the Thanksgiving national holiday where tens of millions of Americans are expected to travel all over the country as families gather together in homes for the annual feast.
    Read more.

    Mexico’s health ministry reported 3,306 new cases of coronavirus infections and 227 additional deaths on Saturday.
    It brings the total number of confirmed cases to 3,862,137 and the death toll from the pandemic to 292,372, Reuters reports.
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    Post by Kitkat Sat 20 Nov 2021, 23:53

    Thousands protest virus restrictions in Vienna

    Coronavirus - 20th November 2021 Ap213210
    Hundreds of people take part in a demonstration against the country’s coronavirus restrictions in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, Nov.20, 2021. Thousands of protesters are expected to gather in Vienna after the Austrian government announced a nationwide lockdown to contain the quickly rising coronavirus infections in the country. (Lisa Leutner/AP)

    AP reports:
    Tens of thousands of protesters, many from far-right groups, marched through Vienna on Saturday after the Austrian government announced a nationwide lockdown beginning Monday to contain skyrocketing coronavirus infections.

    Demonstrations against virus restrictions also took place in Switzerland, Croatia, Italy, Northern Ireland and the Netherlands on Saturday, a day after Dutch police opened fire on protesters and seven people were injured in rioting that erupted in Rotterdam. Protesters rallied against coronavirus restrictions and mandatory COVID-19 passes needed in many European countries to enter restaurants, Christmas markets or sports events, as well as mandatory vaccinations.

    The Austrian lockdown will start Monday and comes as average daily deaths have tripled in recent weeks and hospitals in heavily hit states have warned that their intensive care units are reaching capacity. The lockdown will last at least 10 days but could go up to 20, officials said. People will be able to leave their homes only for specific reasons, including buying groceries, going to the doctor or exercising.
    The government also will make vaccinations mandatory starting Feb. 1. Not quite 66% of Austria's 8.9 million people are fully vaccinated, and inoculations have plateaued at one of the lowest rates in Western Europe.
    Saturday's march started off at Vienna's massive Heldenplatz square. Chanting "Resistance!" and blowing whistles, protesters moved down the city's inner ring road. Many waved Austrian flags and carried signs mocking Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg and Health Minister Wolfgang Mueckstein. Some wore doctor's scrubs; others donned tinfoil hats. Most signs focused on the vaccine mandate: "My Body, My Choice," read one. "We're Standing Up for Our Kids!" said another.
    Among those protesting were members of far-right and extreme-right parties and groups, including the far-right Freedom Party, the anti-vaccine MFG party and the extreme-right Identitarians.
    About 1,300 police officers were on duty, and 35,000 protesters participated in different marches across the city, police said, adding that most didn't wear masks. Police said several protesters were detained, but didn't give specific numbers.
    Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl, who tested positive for COVID-19 this week and had to stay in isolation, appeared via video, denouncing what he called "totalitarian" measures from a government "that believes it should think and decide for us."
    Schallenberg apologized to all vaccinated people on Friday, saying it wasn't fair they had to suffer under the renewed lockdown restrictions.
    "I'm sorry to take this drastic step," he said on public broadcaster ORF.

    In neighboring Switzerland, 2,000 people protested an upcoming referendum on whether to approve the government's COVID-19 restrictions law, claiming it was discriminatory, public broadcaster SRF reported.

    A day after the Rotterdam rioting, thousands gathered on Amsterdam's central Dam Square, despite organizers calling off the protest. They walked peacefully through the city's streets, closely monitored by police.
    A few hundred people also marched through the southern Dutch city of Breda to protest lockdown restrictions. One organizer, Joost Eras, told Dutch broadcaster NOS he didn't expect violence after consulting with police about security measures.
    "We certainly don't support what happened in Rotterdam. We were shocked by it," he told NOS.

    In Italy, 3,000 turned out in the capital's Circus Maximus, a field where in ancient times Romans staged popular entertainment, to protest against "Green Pass" certificates required at workplaces, restaurants, cinemas, theaters, sports venues and gyms, as well as for long-distance train, bus or ferry travel within Italy.
    "People like us never give up," read one banner, in the red, white and green colors of the Italian flag. Virtually no one at the Rome protest wore a protective mask.

    In Northern Ireland, several hundred people opposed to vaccine passports protested outside the city hall in Belfast, where the city's Christmas market opened Saturday -- a market where proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test was required.
    The Northern Ireland government voted this week to introduce vaccine certificates for admission to nightclubs, bars and restaurants starting Dec. 13.
    Some protesters carried signs that have been widely criticized as offensive, comparing coronavirus restrictions to the actions of Nazi Germany.

    In Croatia, thousands gathered at in the capital Zagreb, carrying Croatian flags, nationalist and religious symbols, along with banners against vaccination and what they describe as restrictions of people's freedoms.

    In France, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin condemned violent protests in the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, one of France's overseas territories. Darmanin said 29 people had been detained by police overnight. Authorities were sending 200 more police officers to the island and on Tuesday will impose a nightly curfew from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m.
    Protesters in Guadeloupe have staged road blockades and set cars on fire. They denounce France's COVID-19 health pass that is required to access restaurants and cafes, cultural venues, sport arenas and long-distance travel. They are also protesting France's mandatory vaccinations for health care workers.
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