Coronavirus - 22nd November 2021

Summary for Monday, 22nd November

• Austria has returned to a full lockdown, despite protests in the capital, Vienna
  
• Protesters also clashed with police in the Netherlands and Belgium over the weekend, as cases surge in Europe and restrictions return
  
• Australia says it will begin significantly relaxing bans on foreigners entering the country, prioritising certain groups
  
• People in England aged over 40 can book their Covid booster jabs from today
  
• Stormont ministers will meet later to discuss proposals to help curb the spread of Covid in NI
  
• Almost £9m was wrongly paid out by Northern Ireland's main Covid business support scheme, a watchdog estimates
  

Welcome to our rolling coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Here are the main headlines this morning:

• Austria has returned to a full national lockdown, as protests against new restrictions aimed at curbing Covid-19 infections spread across Europe
  
• Australia says it will begin significantly relaxing bans on foreigners entering the country, prioritising certain groups
  
• Stormont ministers will meet on Monday to discuss proposals to curb the spread of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland
  
• People in England aged over 40 can book their Covid booster jabs from today
  
• Nearly 5,000 people contacted the NSPCC helpline in six months, amid fears the risk of abuse has risen during the pandemic
  
• Almost £9m was wrongly paid out by Northern Ireland's main Covid business support scheme, a watchdog estimates
  
• South Korea’s schools will resume full in-person classes for the first time since the pandemic began on Monday.
  
• German politicians are debating making Covid-19 vaccinations compulsory for citizens in light of soaring infections and low inoculation rates.
  
• Germany reports another 30,643 confirmed coronavirus cases and 62 deaths, the Robert Koch Institute reports.
  
• The US government’s chief medical adviser Dr Anthony Fauci warns that time is running short to prevent a “dangerous” new surge of Covid-19 infections from overwhelming the upcoming holiday season.
  
• England’s flagship test-and-trace service is still spending more than £1m a day on private consultants, official figures reveal weeks after MPs lambasted it as an “eye-watering” waste of taxpayers’ money that is failing to cut Covid infection levels.
  
• In the UK, Covid booster jabs are likely to be offered to all adults eventually, with the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation already considering the issue, the health secretary has suggested.
  
• Some Pacific countries will have less than a quarter of adults vaccinated by the end of the year, with predictions that Papua New Guinea will take five years to vaccinate just one-third of its population, undermining economic recovery and threatening huge loss of life across the region.
  
• New Zealand will soon be opening up far more freedoms as the country approaches 90% of adults vaccinated, with prime minister Jacinda Ardern announcing it will move into a new “traffic light” framework of covid protections on 3 December.
  
• The Delta variant was first detected a year ago and is now dominant across the globe. Scientists are concerned that a new strain could supersede it.
  
• Violence erupted at demonstrations in Belgium and the Netherlands over the weekend as tougher Covid-19 restrictions to curb the resurgent pandemic led to angry protests in several European countries.
  
• The US Marine Corps has the worst vaccination record among US military branches, Reuters reports, with thousands of active-duty staff set to miss a 28 November deadline for personnel to be fully vaccinated.
  
• The World Health Organisation said it is “very worried” about a fresh wave of European infection.
  
• The French government has warned that Covid is spreading at “lighting speed”. The seven-day average of new cases in France reached 17,153 on Saturday, an increase of 81%.
  

Austria in lockdown as protests rock Europe

Austria has returned to a full national lockdown as protests against new restrictions aimed at curbing Covid-19 infections spread across Europe.
The lockdown - which was announced on Friday and began earlier today - means Austrians should work from home and non-essential shops have closed.
New restrictions have sparked protests throughout Europe. People clashed with police in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Infection rates have risen sharply on the continent, prompting warnings from the World Health Organization.
Read more.

'Sledgehammer' lockdown the only option - Austrian minister

This is Austria's fourth national lockdown since the pandemic began.
Authorities have ordered residents to stay home for all but essential reasons, including work, exercise and shopping for food.
Restaurants, bars, hairdressers, theatres and non-essential shops must all close their doors. These measures will continue until 12 December, although officials said they will be reassessed after 10 days.
Speaking on ORF TV on Sunday night, health minister Wolfgang Mueckstein said the government had to "react now".
"A lockdown, a relatively tough method, a sledgehammer, is the only option to reduce the numbers [of infections] here," he reportedly told the broadcaster.
Tens of thousands of people protested in the capital Vienna ahead of the lockdown.

The latest UK Covid data

As they have done since July, Covid cases in the UK remain high. The current seven-day average for cases is 41,029 per day.


As a result of the UK's high vaccine uptake, those high cases are not leading to as many people entering hospital as was seen in the first two waves. However, there are still more than 8,000 people in hospital with Covid.

Professor calls for more clarity on mask wearing

Prof Peter Openshaw, who is a member of Nervtag, the government's advisory group on emerging viruses, tells BBC Breakfast he is "concerned that we do have really quite high levels of transmission in the UK".
"My personal preference would be that we should really try to get these rates down," he says, speaking in a personal capacity.
"We know that masks are very effective if they are widely used, but unfortunately people seem to have got the message in some parts of the UK that actually we don’t need to bother with masks any more."
He says he would "absolutely like to see more clarity" on mask wearing, saying it is "very important" to have examples of "good behaviour and mask wearing from our leaders".
"I think most politicians are actually being extremely sensible and wise in terms of how they get the message out," Openshaw says.
"But we really do need consistency with advice about things like mask wearing."

Northern Ireland ministers to discuss possible Covid restrictions

Jayne McCormack - BBC News NI political correspondent
Stormont ministers will meet later today to discuss proposals to help curb the spread of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland.
On Thursday, Health Minister Robin Swann advised anyone who worked from home when the pandemic began last year should do so again now.
His document also suggested introducing a "scores on the doors" Covid compliance rating for businesses.
Decisions on whether to strengthen current mitigations must be agreed by the executive first.
Health officials believe the proposals could help reduce transmission of the virus.
Read more.

What restrictions are in place across Europe?

As we've been reporting, Austria has returned to a full national lockdown because of a recent rise in infections. What's the situation in other parts of Europe?

• In Belgium, rules on face masks have been tightened, including in places such as restaurants, where Covid passes are already required, and most people will have to work from home four days a week until mid-December
  
• The Netherlands has imposed a three-week partial lockdown after recording a record spike in Covid cases. Bars and restaurants must close at 20:00, and crowds are banned at sports events
  
• Germany is introducing restrictions on people who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19 - they will be excluded from certain venues, amid a rise in cases
  
• In Greece, unvaccinated people are barred from indoor spaces including restaurants, cinemas, museums and gyms from today, even if they test negative
  
• Also from today, Slovakia is limiting restaurants, non-essential shops, shopping malls and events to those who have been vaccinated. In the areas with the highest rates, restaurants are restricted to take-away services and gyms are shut
  
• The Czech Republic is limiting access to restaurants, sports events and cultural events to those who have been vaccinated
  
• Only people who are vaccinated or have recovered from coronavirus can access most non-essential services, except food shops and pharmacies, in Romania. Shops close at 21:00 and there's a curfew for those who've not been vaccinated
  

Third night of disorder in the Netherlands

There's been a third consecutive night of violence across the Netherlands by protesters angry at tougher coronavirus restrictions.
Local media report police arrested 15 people in the southern city of Roosendaal after a primary school was set on fire. And riot police were deployed in the northern city of Groningen after groups vandalised property.


An emergency order has also been imposed in the town of Enschede to keep people off the streets overnight.
The Netherlands imposed a three-week partial lockdown after a record spike in cases - there's a curfew of 20:00 for bars and restaurants, and crowds are not allowed at sports events.


There has also been a ban on New Year's Eve fireworks and indoor venues require people to show a vaccine pass. The restrictions were brought in after the Netherlands recorded its highest number of cases since the pandemic began.
In total, 130 people have been arrested since the disorder started, police and local media say.

European nations watch tensions rise

Anna Holligan - BBC News Hague correspondent
This weekend, anger and frustration boiled over on the streets of Brussels - with protesters launching fireworks and stones at police.
It started out as a peaceful demonstration against stricter Covid rules and ended with officers using tear gas and water canon.
People are mainly opposed to Covid passes that stop the unvaccinated from entering cafes, restaurants and entertainment venues in Belgium.
There was also a third night of trouble in Netherlands.
Riot police were deployed in the northern city of Groningen after groups vandalised property. There were flashes of unrest in other cities too.
In Austria, mandatory vaccines are being introduced. While those in Germany who haven't been jabbed may be about to see their freedoms limited.
Many nations are watching the tensions rise - concerned the problems may be coming their way.

Family devastated by doctor's Covid death

The brother of a doctor who died after contracting Covid-19 says his family are "shocked and devastated" by the loss.
Dr Irfan Halim, 45, from Swindon's Great Western Hospital, was taken ill on 10 September after collapsing on a coronavirus ward where he was working.
The father-of-four died nine weeks later at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London.
His brother Amir tells the BBC: "We have struggled at times. Saying it's been the worst two months of my life is simply an understatement."
Their father Dr Kamal Halim died in September after contracting Covid.
Irfan had dedicated 25 years of work to the NHS as a surgeon, but when the coronavirus pandemic hit he switched to working on the frontline.
Read more

Germans will be vaccinated, cured or dead by end of winter - minister

Germany's health minister, Jens Spahn

Politicians in Germany are debating similar measures to its neighbour Austria - where a full national lockdown has been brought in - as intensive care units fill up and case numbers hit fresh records.
Germany's health minister Jens Spahn has issued a stark warning, as he urges more people to get jabbed.
"Probably by the end of this winter, as is sometimes cynically said, pretty much everyone in Germany will be vaccinated, cured or dead," Spahn says.
He blameds "the very contagious Delta variant".
"That is why we so urgently recommend vaccination," he adds.

New state of emergency proposed in Czech Republic

Rob Cameron - BBC Prague Correspondent


The outgoing Czech health minister Adam Vojtech has said he will propose a new state of emergency today to deal with a sharp rise in Covid cases - with the government to decide on it later.
The state of emergency would, among other things, allow the authorities to deploy medical students in hospitals.
There were 8,244 cases recorded on Sunday, the highest figure for a Sunday since the pandemic began. It follows a new record of more than 23,000 cases in a single day.
The incidence number of new Covid cases per 100,000 people over one week is now more than 1,000; almost three times that of Germany.
The number of people in hospital is creeping upwards, and some fear they could once again match the maximum figures from March, when there were 9,000 in hospital, 2,000 of whom in intensive care.
New restrictions came into force today targeting the unvaccinated. A negative PCR/antigen test is no longer sufficient to access pubs, restaurants and hairdressers, or attend sports or cultural events. Only proof of vaccination or recovery will suffice.
However, the outgoing PM has said, unlike neighbouring Austria, there will be no new lockdown, saying society won't support it.
The new government - which should be be appointed in the next two weeks - has also spoken out against a new lockdown, although there are now conflicting statements from future cabinet members on the issue.

Northern Ireland minister concerned about face mask plans

Back in the UK, Northern Ireland's justice minister is understood to have raised concerns about a proposal for her department to oversee face covering compliance.
In a letter seen by BBC News NI, Naomi Long says the proposal in a health paper is "entirely inappropriate". It suggests she should oversee the plans to raise compliance above 80%.
"The idea that compliance can be solely or even primarily an issue for justice is fundamentally flawed," the letter reads.
She wrote to the health minister saying police and other enforcement agencies were there to be called on as a "final measure", with the duty remaining with businesses to encourage compliance with mask wearing.
Last week the Department of Health warned that more restrictions could be needed before Christmas unless coronavirus cases decrease significantly in the next three weeks.
Read more here.

Mayor calls for France to restore order in Guadeloupe

France must restore order on its overseas territory of Guadeloupe, the mayor of coastal city Pointe-a-Pitre says, following protests sparked by coronavirus restrictions.
Thirty-eight people have been arrested after more than 80 Guadeloupean shops and businesses were looted on Sunday.
Reuters news agency reports that Pointe-a-Pitre Mayor Harry Durimel told France Info radio: "We just don't know how far this will still go.”
He said there were "big worries" on the island now because rioters had guns.
While the protests were sparked by coronavirus restrictions, they are exacerbated by wider social problems and there are fears that organised criminal groups are taking advantage of the unrest.

Is there going to be another UK lockdown?

With restrictions being brought back across Europe, more readers have been asking whether a lockdown could be on the horizon in the UK.
Well, the government has consistently said there are no plans for another lockdown in England.
During a Downing Street press conference last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “If we want to avoid restrictions on our daily lives, we must all get vaccinated as soon as we are eligible.”
Asked if he could rule out Christmas lockdown, Johnson said the current data did not point to the need for a Covid "Plan B".
The restrictions listed under “Plan B” are:

• Communicating clearly and urgently to the public that the level of risk has increased, and the need to behave more cautiously
  
• Introducing mandatory Covid passports
  
• Making face coverings compulsory again
  
• Advising people to work from home
  

These would bring England effectively in line with restrictions now in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The health secretary said on 20 October that there were still no current plans to bring in Plan B, although he warned that restrictions were more likely if vaccine take-up faltered.
Read more: What is Covid Plan B and what are the rules across the UK this winter?

Poland reports 30% weekly jump in new cases

Adam Easton - Warsaw Correspondent
Poland has reported 12,334 new coronavirus infections today, up 30% from a week ago, figures from the health ministry show.
There have been eight more coronavirus-related deaths.
Some 17,385 people are currently in Polish hospitals with Covid, up 23% in a week and an increase of 652 over the previous 24 hours. Health ministry officials say that most of the new admissions are people who are not vaccinated.
Over the last month, Poland has seen a gradual rise in cases and the country’s vaccination rate – 64% of all adults – is well below the EU average of 74%.
At least 18 temporary hospitals have been reactivated to accommodate the rising number of hospitalisations.
Poland has seen 3,357,763 infections since the start of the pandemic and 80,830 deaths.

1,000 flights between Australia and New Zealand cancelled

Tess McClure - The Guardian
Air New Zealand has cancelled about 1,000 flights between New Zealand and Australia, citing “continued border uncertainty” between the two countries.
The announcement will scuttle the plans of some New Zealanders and Australians who had hoped to be reunited for Christmas.
The airline said about 20,000 customers would be affected. The flights cancelled fall between now and the end of December – while the airline’s flight schedule beyond then remains in place, it’s not clear whether more flights may be cancelled down the line.
“This will be particularly tough news for families and friends who were hoping to catch up over Christmas ... But our hands are tied until border restrictions ease, and we receive further clarity from the New Zealand government,” Air New Zealand’s chief customer and sales officer, Leanne Geraghty, said in a written statement.
The trans-Tasman bubble, which allowed for quarantine-free travel between the two countries, shut in July in response to a Covid outbreak in Australia. It has remained closed since New Zealand began struggling to contain its own outbreak in August.

Australia to let in vaccinated visa holders, but not tourists

Sarah Martin - The Guardian
After being shut out since early last year, a range of international visa holders will be able to access exemption-free travel to Australia from 1 December – but there’s still no decision about tourists.
Travel exemptions will no longer be required for fully vaccinated eligible visa holders – including students, skilled workers, and those on humanitarian, working holiday and family visas – for the first time since borders closed in early 2020.
A travel bubble operating for Singapore will also extend to Japan and South Korea, allowing quarantine-free travel for these citizens, including tourists, subject to a negative Covid test before departure.
Government figures show that there are about 235,000 eligible visa holders who would be free to travel to Australia under the eased restrictions, including 162,000 international students.
Read the full story here.

Kenya to introduce Covid passport for end of December, plans mass vaccination campaign

Kenyans will have to prove they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 to gain access to government services, public transport and public places such as national parks, bars and restaurants under new health regulations.
The move comes despite Kenya recording a declining number of coronavirus infections in recent weeks. People will be required to show vaccination certificates from 21 December. The government is planning a 10-day mass inoculation campaign from 26 November, the health minister, Mutahi Kagwe, said in a statement.
He said Kenya had recorded a “marked decrease” in the number of severe cases and deaths. “I have no doubt that looking at these statistics, it’s very easy to become complacent and fail to appreciate the magnitude of the problem that we still face with the pandemic,” Kagwe said.
“The current decline in the number of new infections may be attributed to a buildup of immunity both through natural exposure to the disease and the ongoing vaccination exercise. Nonetheless we know that it’s not yet time to celebrate.”
Agence France-Presse reported that only 2.4 million people, or less than 9% of Kenya’s adult population, had been vaccinated, according to official figures, compared with a government target of 30 million by the end of next year. Since the start of the pandemic, Kenya has recorded a total of 254,629 cases and 5,325 deaths.

Austria re-enters Covid lockdown as Europe battles virus surge

AF-P - Vienna
People in Austria are not allowed to leave home except to go to work, shop for essentials and exercise, as the country returned to a Covid-19 lockdown on Monday morning.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets on Saturday to protest against the measures, some blaming the government for not doing more to avert the latest coronavirus wave crashing into Europe.
The Alpine nation is also imposing a sweeping vaccine mandate from 1 February – joining the Vatican as the only places in Europe with such a requirement.
Battling a resurgent pandemic almost two years since Covid-19 first emerged, several countries on the continent have reintroduced curbs, some banning unvaccinated people from venues including restaurants and bars.
But not since Covid jabs became widely available has an EU country had to re-enter a nationwide lockdown. Austria’s decision punctures earlier promises that tough virus restrictions would be a thing of the past.
Over the summer, then chancellor Sebastian Kurz had declared the pandemic “over”.
But plateauing inoculation rates, record case numbers and a spiralling death toll have forced the government to row back on such bold claims.
Read more here

World making slow progress on ending pandemic - WHO

Imogen Foulkes - BBC News, Geneva
Progress towards ending the Covid-19 pandemic and preparing for future outbreaks is slow and uneven, a new report warns.
The report, called Losing Time, comes from former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark and former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who were appointed by the World Health Organization to chair an independent panel on pandemic preparedness.
In the report they suggest progress has been hampered by a lack of unity - a further 1.65 million people have died, large parts of the world have little or no access to vaccines, while wealthy countries are issuing boosters.
It is particularly critical of the pharmaceutical industry, suggesting the world is hostage to companies whose main interest is making profits.
Failure to work together is prolonging the pandemic, the report says, and leaving us unprepared for the next one.
The warning comes ahead of a meeting of WHO member states in Geneva, to discuss a global pandemic treaty.

Dutch frustration turns into full-blown fury

Anna Holligan - BBC News Hague correspondent

Rioting erupted in a number of Dutch cities over the weekend

Despite many using disposable Covid masks as disguises, the rioters in cities across the Netherlands over the weekend could be identified as mostly young men.
But their demographic doesn’t explain what’s pushing them to lash out, torch bikes and target police with fireworks.
Ironically, one of the triggers was the New Year’s Eve fireworks ban. On Friday, ministers agreed it would unfair to flood the already stretched health service with patients injured by fireworks.
This ban, combined with the partial lockdown imposed the weekend before, plus talk of limiting freedoms of the unvaccinated, turned a feverish frustration into full-blown fury.
The Dutch justice minister, Ferd Grapperhaus, made a distinction between the majority of peaceful protesters and a minority responsible for the violent vandalism.
And yet, as I was passing through Schilderswijk, a district of The Hague rocked by unrest on Saturday night, I was struck by something else: the sound of car horns, all around me, a cacophony of support for those rebelling.
There is a palpable sense of discontent seeping through Dutch society. Many people are losing patience with government policy. This undercurrent of irritation is easily manipulated and fuelled by those with malevolent intent and/or political motivations.

Concern over packed trains heading to Cardiff for rugby

Helen Penny said very few people were wearing masks on the matchday train services

People who travelled by train to Cardiff for the rugby on Saturday have expressed worry at how busy the carriages were.
Wales won their final autumn international match against Australia on Saturday with fans packing on to trains to get to and from the match.
Passengers took to Twitter to complain about the Covid risk on the trains, with one fan telling the BBC very few people were wearing masks. Masks are a legal requirement on public transport in Wales.
Transport for Wales has faced criticism over how busy services have been during sporting events in recent weeks.
It said it had used all available trains and strengthened services on Saturday - but the busy trains meant conductors and police officers could not always walk through the carriages to enforce face mask laws.
More here.

Guadeloupe protests have created explosive situation - Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron says the protests over Covid-19 restrictions have created a "very explosive" situation.
Local police have arrested at least 38 people and dozens of shops have been looted after trade unions launched protests against mandatory vaccinations for healthcare workers and a new health pass required to access hospitality settings.
Macron is urging the island's leaders to convince people of the importance of the vaccination campaign in the face of rising coronavirus cases.
"We must explain, explain, explain and convince, convince, convince, because one must not play around with the peoples' health," he says.
However, he accepts that the violence was also influenced by "very local context and tensions which we know about, which are historic".
Over the weekend, France announced it would send police special forces to restore order in the French overseas territory amid reports that rioters had broken into an arms depot in the city of Pointe-a-Pitre and taken rifles.

What's been happening today?

Austrians have been asked to work from home and non-essential shops have closed


Here's a round-up of what's been happening across the world.

• Austria has returned to a full national lockdown as protests against new restrictions aimed at curbing Covid-19 infections spread across Europe
  

• The outgoing Czech health minister Adam Vojtech says he will propose a new state of emergency today to deal with a sharp rise in Covid cases - with the government to decide on it later
  
• Politicians in Germany are debating similar measures to its neighbour Austria - where a full national lockdown has been brought in - as intensive care units fill up and case numbers hit fresh records
  
• Russian President Vladimir Putin has received a booster jab using Russia's one-dose Sputnik Light vaccine, state media has reported
  
• Australia says it will begin significantly relaxing bans on foreigners entering the country, prioritising certain groups
  
• Kenyans will be barred from using public transport and government buildings from 21 December if they are not fully vaccinated against Covid-19, Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe says
  
• The brother of a UK doctor who died after contracting Covid-19 said he "touched a lot of lives" helping people
  
• People aged 40 to 49 in England can now book a Covid booster jab
  

Russia’s coronavirus death toll is still hovering near all-time highs
The state coronavirus task force reported 1,241 Covid-19 deaths, down from the pandemic’s record of 1,254 recorded last week.
The country continues to have a low vaccination rate. About 40% of Russia’s nearly 146 million people have been fully vaccinated, despite the country approving a domestically developed vaccine months before most of the world.
Vladimir Isachenkov reports for Associated Press that Kazan, the central city of the Russian province of Tatarstan, on Monday became the first city in Russia to start demanding QR codes proving vaccination, past illness or a negative coronavirus test on public transport.

An employee checks a passenger’s QR code in a bus in Kazan, Russia. Photograph: AP


About 500 people were denied access to public transport in the city of 1.2 million, and a conflict between a passenger and controllers led to a brief suspension of service on one of the city’s tram lines.

Belgium’s deputy prime minister has called for a debate on compulsory vaccination

Belgium’s deputy prime minister has called for a debate on compulsory vaccination, after protests against coronavirus restrictions turned violent in the Belgian capital on Sunday.

Pierre-Yves Dermagne, the Socialist deputy prime minister, who is responsible for the economy, called for a “genuine social dialogue” on compulsory vaccination.
“We must have this debate because we know that we are going to live with this virus for months and even years. We cannot limit ourselves to short-term measures.”

A Brussels street today in the aftermath of yesterday’s protest against Covid restrictions, including Belgium’s health pass. Photograph: Laurie Dieffembacq/Belga/AFP/Getty Images



Belgium’s seven-party ruling coalition is divided on compulsory vaccination for all, although it agreed to introduce mandatory jabs for healthcare workers.
On Sunday an estimated 35,000 demonstrators gathered in Brussels to march against the Covid Safe Pass, the app demonstrating vaccine and covid recovery status, which is essential to enter bars and restaurants. Under the slogan of “together for freedom”, many were voicing their discontent with Covid restrictions in general, which were tightened last week as infections rise across Belgium.
On Sunday, police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters, who had gathered close to EU headquarters, and were throwing firecrackers, smashing cars and setting bins on fire. Police said 42 people were arrested, while one was taken to hospital with injuries to their hand. Three police officers were injured and taken to hospital.
Belgium’s home affairs minister, Annelies Verlinden, condemned the violence. Writing on Twitter, she said: “A mature democracy respects the opinion of a minority but does not accept that a few abuse their protest vote by force. Vaccinated or not: it is important that we continue to follow the measures. Only together can we win the fight against the virus.”
The weekend there were two nights of violent protests in the Netherlands, as well as demonstrations in Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Croatia and the French overseas territory of Guadeloupe as governments in various EU countries tighten restrictions in response to a fourth wave of the pandemic.

UK to review Covid travel rules in January, says minister

The UK is to review its Covid-19 travel rules in January, the country’s aviation minister said today.
Robert Courts’s comments come amid complaints from airlines who claim that day two coronavirus test requirements and passenger locator forms are putting people off travelling to and from the UK.
“We will be reviewing the policy in January. We’ll be looking to see what we can do at that stage,” Courts told the Airlines UK conference, reports Reuters.
He also said that reforming the UK’s airport slots system, which saw the usual “use it or lose it” takeoff and landing rights waived during the pandemic, remains a priority for the UK government.
“We are carefully considering the role of the slot system as part of our future aviation strategy,” he said.

Strict new Covid restrictions for unvaccinated come into effect in Greece

Helena Smith - The Guardian
Draconian curbs aimed at reducing Covid-19 infections that have pushed death rates to almost twice the EU average have been imposed in Greece.
The new restrictions went into effect today as authorities struggled to convince older Greeks in particular to have the jab.
As of today, unvaccinated citizens are barred from entry to all enclosed public spaces, including bars, restaurants, cinemas and museums.
Gyms were also off-limits for those unable to provide proof of immunisation or recent recovery from the virus – reportedly triggering many to sell gym memberships.

A shop worker checks customers’ Covid vaccination certificates today in Athens as the Greek government imposed further measures for unvaccinated citizens. Photograph: Louiza Vradi/Reuters

Until further notice employees in both the public and private sector will have to work staggered shifts with masks also being made obligatory in all workspaces.
The measures were imposed as capacity in ICU units across the Mediterranean nation exceeded 90 percent, according to health officials.
Vaccination rates in Greece are much lower than other parts of Europe with a quarter of all adults yet to have the shot. As a result fatalities have also risen in recent weeks.
The death toll, as of Sunday, stood at 17,313 in a population of around 11 million. Barely six weeks ago, the country crossed the grim milestone of 15,000 deaths.
The restrictions were enforced as dozens were charged with producing fake inoculation certificates. In an unprecedented step 48 people were prosecuted for participating in a criminal ring that had both manufactured and sold scores of fraudulent Covid-19 certificates out of a health centre in central Greece. Judicial authorities signaled that similar investigations were also underway in other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, the Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told parliament Monday that bonuses averaging 900 euro would be given to 100,000 health workers in recognition of their help throughout the pandemic. “It is the least that we can [do] today [given] the great many things that we owe them,” he said.

Dutch PM condemns violent anti-lockdown rioters as 'idiots'

Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte has condemned violent anti-lockdown rioters as “idiots” following a wave of protests over the weekend.
More than 100 people were arrested during three nights of violence that saw police open fire at rioters in Rotterdam on Friday after a protest against plans to ban most unvaccinated people from public spaces turned violent. It came after daily infections surged to their highest levels since the start of the pandemic.
“This was pure violence disguised as protest,” said Rutte, reports Reuters.
He added:

:Left Quotes: There is a lot of unrest in society because we have been dealing with the misery of corona for so long. But I will never accept idiots using pure violence just because they are unhappy.

Other European cities that saw protests were Zagreb, Rome, Vienna and Brussels.

Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte pictured today in The Hague. Photograph: Robin Utrecht/REX/Shutterstock

Latest UK coronavirus figures show increase in cases to 44,917 and 45 new deaths

The UK today reported an additional 44,917 new Covid cases and 45 new deaths.
In the last seven days, between 16 and 22 November, there were 1,027 Covid deaths - a 5.2% decrease on the previous week. On Friday, there were 8,024 patients in hospital with coronavirus and 911 on beds with a mechanical ventilator.
Today’s figures mark an increase on yesterday’s cases, when there were 40,004, and a slight decrease in deaths compared to yesterday when 61 deaths were reported.

Covid infections are on the rise in South Africa weeks ahead of an expected fourth wave in December, the country’s national health laboratory service said Monday.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) reported a “sustained” increase over the past seven days, with the majority of cases detected in the most populous province of Gauteng, which includes Johannesburg and Pretoria.
“We are monitoring these trends to see if these increases persist,” NICD’s interim executive director, Adrian Puren, said in a statement.
He said that while localised increases were expected, “it is hard to say whether the increases indicate the start of a widespread resurgence”.
South Africa, which has the largest caseload on the continent, has recorded nearly 2.93 million infections, with 687 new cases reported on Sunday, up from around 106 earlier this month.
Of the total cases, at least 89,574 have been fatal.
After a rather slow start, vaccination rates have picked up pace with 41 percent of adults in South Africa having received at least a single dose, while 35 percent are now fully vaccinated.
Pfizer has meantime applied to the country’s regulatory bodies for clearance of its third dose “booster” shot.
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority said in a statement that it received the application last Wednesday and will start “assessment of data for the safety and efficacy of the third dose”.

The Czech Republic and Slovakia banned unvaccinated people from hotels, pubs, hairdressers and most public events from Monday after Covid-19 cases have been growing in recent weeks.
The central European neighbours both acted a step behind Austria, which first set restrictions on unvaccinated people but went for a full lockdown on Monday as the region became the world’s latest Covid hotspot.
Less than a day into the new system, Slovakia signalled it could indeed echo Austria with a three-week lockdown for all as prime minister Eduard Heger said he was “intensively” looking at the possibility, to be discussed in the cabinet later this week.
“The prime minister is aware it is necessary to resolve the situation immediately so we can have a calmer Christmas and be able to relax measures in view of the coming tourism season,” Heger’s office said in a statement.
The two countries took the decision to target unvaccinated people last week to encourage inoculations as daily infections hit new records with vaccination rates lagging most European Union peers.

Staff leave care homes before jab rule comes into effect

Earlier this month, new rules came into force in England stating staff have to have two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, unless medically exempt, in order to work in care homes.
We've already reported that some care home bosses feared losing 8% of their staff.
Now Hertfordshire County Council says almost 300 staff left their jobs in the county's care homes in the weeks before the rule came into force on 11 November, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The county council says in a statement: "Whatever people's reasons for leaving, we'd like to thank them for all they have done to help keep both older and less able residents safe."
Read more.

What's the latest on England's travel rules?

If you're just joining us on the commute home, we've got news about England's travel rules - the government has confirmed they will be reviewed in January.
Aviation minister Robert Courts was speaking at the Airlines 2021 conference in Westminster earlier.
Although travel rules eased last month, even fully-vaccinated travellers still have to pay for a test - either a PCR or lateral flow - when they arrive home in the UK.
"We all want to see aviation bounce back," said Courts.
"We all want to reduce not just testing but all the restrictive measures.
"We're going to review the policy in January. We'll be looking to see what we can do at that stage."
The minister refused to say which aspects of the travel rules could be amended.
Meanwhile Virgin Atlantic's boss told the conference that he expected flights on its important transatlantic routes to be 60% to 70% full in the weeks running up to Christmas, Reuters reported.

Here's a look back at some of the day's main developments

• England's rules for international travel will next be reviewed in January, the government's aviation minister has said. Travel rules were eased last month but fully vaccinated travellers continue to be required to pay for a test and fill out a passenger locator form when they enter the UK
  
• Dutch PM Mark Rutte has condemned rioters as "idiots" engaging in "pure violence" after a third night of unrest over Covid restrictions
  
• As countries across Europe tackle surging numbers of cases, Germany's health minister issues a stark warning as he encourages people to get vaccinated: "By the end of this winter everyone in Germany will either be vaccinated, recovered or dead"
  
• People in Austria are not allowed to leave home except to go to work, shop for essentials and exercise, as the country returned to a Covid-19 lockdown on Monday morning. The Alpine nation is also imposing a sweeping vaccine mandate from 1 February – joining the Vatican as the only places in Europe with such a requirement.
  
• Russia’s coronavirus death toll is still hovering near all-time highs – the state coronavirus task force reported 1,241 Covid-19 deaths, down from the pandemic’s record of 1,254 recorded last week.
  
• Kazan, the central city of the Russian province of Tatarstan, on Monday became the first city in Russia to start demanding QR codes proving vaccination, past illness or a negative coronavirus test on public transport. About 500 people were denied access to public transport in the city of 1.2 million, and a conflict between a passenger and controllers led to a brief suspension of service on one of the city’s tram lines.
  
• Dr David Nabarro, the World Health Organization special envoy on Covid-19, has said he can understand the scenes of protest in Europe over the reimposition of Covid restrictions, but added: “I’m really very, very anxious about what I’m seeing right across Europe, these very large numbers of cases – but also the speed with which they’re increasing really is a cause for concern.”
  
• People were lining up for Covid-19 shots outside Budapest’s main hospitals as Hungary for the first time offered vaccinations without prior registration amid a surge in new infections.
  
• There are reports in Ireland today that the government there may be reconsidering the level of financial support available for businesses in the light of rising cases in the run-up to Christmas.
  
• UK education secretary Nadhim Zahawi has said he was not in favour of exclusion zones for anti-vaccine protests around schools, suggesting that “the moment you start giving them the space to think that they are somehow being prohibited” would be counter-productive.
  
• Shadow health secretary in the UK, Jonathan Ashworth, has said “There are still parts of the country where the second jab rate, like Leicester or Blackburn, still isn’t good enough. We really need to drive that up.”
  
• The mayor of a city hit by unrest over Covid restrictions on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe has made an appeal to French authorities to restore calm. “We just don’t know how far this will still go,” the Pointe-a-Pitre mayor, Harry Durimel, told Franceinfo radio. Guadeloupe has been hit by violent protests before, but he said there were “big worries” on the island.
  
• In Kenya, people will have to prove they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 to gain access to government services, public transport and public places such as national parks, bars and restaurants under new health regulations.
  
• Air New Zealand has cancelled about 1,000 flights between New Zealand and Australia, citing “continued border uncertainty” between the two countries.
  
• Australia will welcome international students and skilled workers for exemption-free travel into the country from next week, in what the prime minister, Scott Morrison, has hailed a “major milestone” for the country returning to normal.