Coronavirus - 4th December 2021

Ireland's Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirmed a raft of Covid restrictions for the festive period
Following an emergency meeting of Cabinet, ministers last night adopted all recommendations put forward by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet), despite some concern the measures are “over the top”.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar admitted the Government is introducing new restrictions at a time of falling hospitalisations, but Nphet had earlier warned that Covid case numbers could surge to 15,000 a day after Christmas if the Omicron variant becomes dominant.
In an address to the nation, the Taoiseach announced a tightening of rules for restaurants and pubs and limits on household visits.
The measures announced include:

• The closure of nightclubs;
  
• That visits to homes over Christmas be kept to people from a maximum of three other households — four households in total;
  
• The return of strict social distancing in bars and restaurants — table service only and a 1m distance between groups;
  
• A maximum of six adults per table;
  
• No multiple table bookings;
  
• The continuation of a midnight closing time for pubs and restaurants;
  
• A maximum of 50% capacity for entertainment, cultural, community, and sporting events,  which must all be fully seated;
  
• That Covid passes be required for gyms and leisure centres.
  

Vaccine passes and 50% capacity limits will not apply to weddings.
The measures announced last night will be implemented from December 7 until January 9.
Public health officials have confirmed 5,622 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland this afternoon.
As of 8am today, 487 people are in hospital with Covid-19, including 114 who are in ICU.
Yesterday, 5,419 new cases were confirmed while 528 Covid-19 patients were in hospital, of whom 110 were in ICU.

GP targets suspended to focus on vaccination programme in England

Doctors’ leaders in England have welcomed a move to suspend some targets for GPs to enable them to concentrate on the vaccination programme, but warned the service remains under pressure.
NHS England has told GPs that routine health checks for the over-75s and for new patients may be deferred. Dr Farah Jameel, chair of the BMA’s England GP committee, said suspending some paperwork would create some additional capacity, but that individual practices would have to decide how much they could switch to delivering Covid jabs.
“That will then allow us to support the national effort - the national priority being to one vaccinating the nation as quickly as possible,” she told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
“We have been struggling with significant prevailing workforce pressures - backlog pressures, winter pressures, pandemic pressures.
“Whilst these changes make a difference and start to create some time, I think every single practice will have to look at just how much time it does release.
“What it will do is free up staff time who are busy filling some of these tick-box exercises, so some of our staff can be redeployed to the vaccination effort.”

Russia has reported 32,974 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours.
Additionally, 1,215 deaths were reported in the country.

‘I don’t like mandates’: Germans and Austrians on new Covid measures
Jedidajah Otte - The Guardian
The German government has announced a lockdown for the unvaccinated and is considering making Covid vaccines mandatory, after weeks of record infections in the country and much of German-speaking Europe.
In Austria, thousands of people have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest against a string of measures: from February, the government will be introducing compulsory vaccines for all, with exemption for those unable to receive a jab on medical grounds.
Vaccination rates in both Germany and Austria are lagging behind the rest of western Europe, with under 70% of the populations having had two jabs.
Read more.

Thousands march against COVID-19 restrictions in northwest Europe as infections surge

Demonstrators hold flags and placards as they march to protest against COVID-19 restrictions and the mandatory vaccination in Vienna, Austria, Dec. 4, 2021. (LISI NIESNER/Reuters)

Tens of thousands of protesters marched through several northwest European cities on Saturday to demonstrate against coronavirus restrictions imposed amid a surge in infections, Reuters reports.
Austria last month became the first country in Western Europe to reimpose a lockdown, which is set to last 20 days, and said it would make vaccinations mandatory from February.
Some of the more than 40,000 demonstrators in Vienna carried signs reading: “I will decide for myself,” “Make Austria Great Again” and “New Elections” – a nod to the political turmoil that has seen three chancellors within two months.
Around 1,200 police officers deployed for the march on the central Ring boulevard, and a 1,500-strong counterprotest, both allowed under the terms of Austria’s lockdown.
In the central Dutch town of Utrecht, several thousand demonstrated against restrictions that began last weekend.
Protesters carried banners reading “Medical Freedom Now!”, with a large police contingent present.
It was the first major demonstration in the Netherlands against the measures, which include a nighttime closure of bars, restaurants and most stores to stem a wave of COVID-19 cases that is threatening to overwhelm the health care system.
Two weeks ago, there were violent protests after the Dutch government announced plans to ban most unvaccinated people from bars, restaurants and other public places.
“We are against having no freedom (to decide what happens to) our own body,” Utrecht demonstrator Marit van Hunen said.
The plans face strong opposition in parliament and have not been enacted yet.
In the German financial capital, Frankfurt, police broke up a demonstration of several hundred people for failing to wear masks or maintain social distancing, using batons and pepper spray after they were attacked by a group of protesters.
And in Berlin, where a new government is set to take office within days, small groups gathered to protest after a large demonstration was banned.

Two hippos in Belgian zoo test positive for COVID-19
BRUSSELS, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Two hippos have tested positive for COVID-19 at Antwerp Zoo in Belgium in what could be the first reported cases in the species, zoo staff said.
Hippos Imani, aged 14, and 41-year-old Hermien have no symptoms apart from a runny nose, but the zoo said the pair had been put into quarantine as a precaution.
"To my knowledge, this is the first time in this species. Worldwide, this virus has been reported mainly in great apes and felines," said the zoo's vet, Francis Vercammen.
The coronavirus is thought to have jumped from an animal to a human, and it is proved to have passed from humans to animals.
Pets including cats, dogs and ferrets have become infected following contact with their owners, while in zoos, cases have been reported in animals such as big cats, otters, primates and hyenas.
The disease has also spread in mink farms and to wild animals, such as deer.
Antwerp Zoo is investigating the causes of the contagion. None of the zookeepers had recently shown COVID-19 symptoms or tested positive for the virus, the zoo said.

42 cases of COVID-19 confirmed at Canadian restaurant
John Marcheson - CityNews, Toronto
Public health officials are investigating a COVID-19 outbreak at a Windsor-area restaurant that is responsible for at least 42 positive cases to date.
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit has issued a “high risk” exposure alert for anyone who attended a birthday party at the Elite Restaurant in Kingsville on November 18.
Health officials say anyone who was at the restaurant between November 18 and December 2, including close contacts of those who were there, should get tested immediately and self-isolate should they development of symptoms, even mild ones.
The health unit says a variant of concern has not been identified in this outbreak.

Hundreds protest in Belfast against vaccine certification regulations

Demonstrators against the new Covid certification system protest outside Belfast City Hall (Brian Lawless/PA)

A rally protesting against Northern Ireland’s Covid-19 certification scheme has taken place in Belfast.
Several hundred people gathered outside the City Hall, with many carrying anti-vaccine and anti-Covid certification placards and banners.
Police temporarily closed one of the busiest roads in the city, as a number of speakers addressed the rally.
Those in attendance were told that the event was not a protest against vaccines, but rather opposing the certification regulations which were introduced on Monday.

Demonstrators against the new Covid certification system protest outside Belfast City Hall

The certification scheme is currently mandatory in licensed premises, as well as cinemas and theatres.
People entering these premises will be asked for proof of vaccination or a negative test result under the regulations.
But there will be a short grace period, with no fines issued until December 13.
Speakers at the City Hall rally told the crowd that it was an event to campaign for everyone to be treated equally “regardless of their medical status”.
There were loud cheers when it was stated that further rallies would follow.
Beside the rally, shoppers queued to gain access to the Christmas market in the grounds of the City Hall where they were asked to show their vaccination certificates.

People queue to show their Covid certs to enter the Christmas market outside Belfast City Hall (Brian Lawless/PA)

Health Minister Robin Swann revealed on Friday that 86,000 people have applied to the domestic certification scheme this week.
He also said that a helpline to give assistance to those applying for the paper or digital certificates is currently dealing with 3,000 calls a day.
The issue has caused controversy in the Executive, with the DUP opposing mandatory Covid certification.
MLAs are set to hold a debate on the regulations next week.
Meanwhile, around 50 community pharmacies are taking part in the Big Jab Weekend across Northern Ireland this weekend, designed to increase uptake of the booster vaccine.
The pharmacies are providing first and second doses to anyone over 18, as well as booster jabs for those who are eligible.
The programme in pharmacies will complement the ongoing booster provision by a network of health trust hubs, trust walk-in clinics and GPs.
The chief executive of Community Pharmacy NI, Gerard Greene, said: “Throughout the pandemic, the community pharmacy workforce has gone above and beyond to support people across Northern Ireland and have played a vital role in rolling out the Covid-19 vaccine.
“Pharmacies are ideally placed in the heart of communities and provide a very accessible option for people – I would encourage people to come forward for vaccination this weekend and get that all-important protection that vaccination provides.”
A further nine deaths of patients who had previously tested positive for Covid-19 have been reported in Northern Ireland.
Another 1,642 cases of the virus were also notified.

Brazil cancels world famous New Year's Eve celebrations in Rio de Janeiro
Tom Phillips - The Guardian
The mayor of Rio de Janeiro has announced the cancellation of the city’s world famous New Year’s Eve celebrations amid fears over the impact the Omicron variant could have on a country which has already lost more than 615,000 lives to Covid.
“It’s a decision I take with sadness ... but the most important thing is to carry on vaccinating and saving lives,” mayor, Eduardo Paes, tweeted on Saturday morning, adding that vaccinated tourists were still welcome to visit his “magical” city.
A few weeks ago Rio authorities had voiced optimism that, with the Covid situation finally improving, it would be possible to hold the annual beachside ‘Réveillon’ fireworks display, which attracts millions of revellers onto Copacabana beach.
“Right now Covid is under control … We’ve been through moments of such sadness. This is a moment of hope,” Rio’s health secretary, Daniel Soranz, told the Guardian last month, hailing a vaccination campaign that has seen 90% of over-12s fully vaccinated.
“We hope that our New Year’s Eve and Carnival will be the best we have ever had, to make up for all this lost time,” Soranz added.
Omicron, six cases of which have been confirmed in Brazil, none of them in Rio, has wrecked those plans.
“I hope to be able to be on Copacabana beach hugging everyone to see out 2022,” Paes tweeted on Saturday, adding that his government respected science.

Scotland reports 1,257 new cases and 14 coronavirus-related deaths in last 24 hours
Scotland has recorded 14 coronavirus-linked deaths and 1,257 new cases in the past 24 hours, according to the latest data.
One case of the new Omicron variant has been confirmed in that time, in NHS Grampian, taking the total people infected with the variant to 30. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has the most of the new variant cases at 11, followed by NHS Lanarkshire with nine, five in NHS Forth Valley, three in NHS Highland and two in NHS Grampian.
The Scottish Government said Public Health Scotland is “aware of a processing issue with UK government lab tests contributing to lower than expected cases and tests” in the daily figures and investigations are ongoing to resolve the problem.
The death toll under the daily measure, of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days, is 9,648. The daily test positivity rate was 5.9%, down from 7.6% the previous day.
There were 605 people in hospital with recently confirmed Covid-19 as of Friday night and, of these, 50 were in intensive care. So far, 4,351,214 people have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccination, 3,956,719 have had a second, and 1,823,515 have been given a third dose or booster.

Italy reported 75 coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday, the health ministry said.
The daily tally of new infections was 16,632.
Italy has registered 134,152 deaths linked to Covid-19 since February last year, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain.
It has reported more than five million cases to date.

Internationals arrivals to UK will be required pre-departure Covid tests
All international arrivals to the UK will again be required to take pre-departure Covid-19 tests, the health secretary Sajid Javid announced.
The rule applies to all travellers visiting the UK or returning from a holiday, regardless of vaccination status, and will come into force from 4am on 7 December.
Nigeria is also being added to the travel red list, joining several southern African nations which were added after the Omicron variant was detected.

More than 40,000 people marched through Vienna on Saturday to protest against a lockdown and plans to make vaccinations compulsory to curb the coronavirus pandemic.
Faced with a surge in infections, the government last month made Austria the first country in Western Europe to reimpose a lockdown and said it would make vaccinations mandatory from February.
Around 1,200 police officers deployed to handle scattered protests that merged into a march on the central Ring boulevard.
Police put the size of the protest at over 40,000, while around 1,500 staged counter-protests, Reuters reports.

Several thousand people gathered in the central Dutch town of Utrecht on Saturday to protest against new coronavirus restrictions that came into force last weekend.
Protesters walked through the streets of the town carrying banners saying “Medical Freedom Now!” and waving Dutch flags. A heavy police presence was visible along the route of the march.
It is the first major demonstration in the Netherlands against the measures, which include a nighttime closure of bars, restaurants and most stores to stem a record-breaking wave of Covid-19 cases that is threatening to overwhelm the country’s healthcare system.
The Netherlands saw violent protests two weeks ago after the government announced plans to ban most people who have not been vaccinated from public places. Those plans face widespread opposition in parliament, including from parties in the governing coalition and have not been put into place yet.

International arrivals to UK will be required to have pre-departure Covid tests
All international arrivals to the UK will again be required to take pre-departure Covid-19 tests, the health secretary Sajid Javid announced.
The rule applies to all travellers visiting the UK or returning from a holiday, regardless of vaccination status, and will come into force from 4am on 7 December.
Nigeria is also being added to the travel red list, joining several southern African nations which were added after the Omicron variant was detected.

The UK’s transport secretary has given his reaction to the new measures for arrivals


People arriving in Scotland from abroad will need to take pre-departure Covid tests to help stem the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant
International travellers will have to provide a negative pre-departure test taken two days before travelling, in addition to a negative PCR test on or before day two after arrival, under measures agreed on a four-nation basis. The requirement comes into effect at 4am on December 7. Nigeria has also been added to the red list for international travel from 4am on December 6, meaning all travellers returning to Scotland from Nigeria will be required to quarantine on their arrival in managed accommodation for 10 days.

160 confirmed Omicron cases in the UK as of Saturday
The UK’s health secretary Sajid Javid said there are now about 160 confirmed Omicron cases in the UK, up from 134 on Friday.
Some 130 cases are in England, Javid added.


France has reported 92,557 coronavirus deaths in hospital, an increase of 49
It also reported that 2,037 people are in intensive care units with the virus, down by 21, Reuters reports.

Chile reports its first case of the Omicron variant
Chilean health authorities reported on Saturday that they detected the first case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in a person who had arrived in the country from Africa.
The foreign patient residing in Chile arrived in the country on November 25th from Ghana with a recently-taken negative Covid-19 test, Reuters reports. But a subsequent test taken upon arrival in Chile was positive and then sequenced. “The passenger, who had two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, is currently in good health and fulfilling his isolation,” the secretary of health of the Valparaiso region in Chile said.

Romania detects first Omicron cases
Romania’s health ministry said it has detected the first two cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in two Romanians who returned from South Africa on November 30th.
The two travellers, a 48-year-old woman from the central county of Brasov and a 59-year-old man from the eastern county of Vaslui, were isolated in their homes and had no symptoms, the ministry said. Authorities were sequencing a third test to identify virus variant, Reuters reports. Romania has introduced travel bans for non-European Union citizens arriving from several African states and has sent planes to recover Romanians stranded by cancelled flights. The returnees are expected to quarantine for two weeks.

The former queen of the Netherlands, Princess Beatrix, has tested positive for Covid-19, the royal information service RVD said in a statement.
Princess Beatrix, 83, as she has been known since her abdication in 2013, got tested after coming down with “mild cold symptoms”, the statement said.
“The princess is at home in isolation and adheres to the rules of life for people who have tested positive,” it added, Reuters reports.